In The Division 2 the release of the open beta is approaching. Two new trailers have now been released to get you in the mood.
When is the release of the open beta? Tomorrow, on March 1st, it starts at 10 a.m. Then you can make an impression of The Division 2 for free on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Everyone can participate in the open beta.
The preload has already started today. You can already download the necessary game data to be ready to go tomorrow. Those who still have the client of the private beta installed only need to update it.
Ubisoft has now released two trailers shortly before the beta starts, which are meant to create excitement for the open beta.
Official TV Spot for The Division 2
Here you see the first trailer:
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This is what the trailer shows: In the “Cinematic TV Spot,” the surviving Americans and you, the Division agents, are directly addressed. Those who hear this message are the last line of defense.
If Washington falls, the nation will fall as well. The future is now in the hands of the agents.
The trailer is quite action-packed, with dramatic music playing in the background and the narrator speaking in a solemn voice. At the end of the trailer, there is a reference to the open beta.
This is what some fans are saying: This trailer has about 2000 likes versus 30 dislikes. Comments also say that it looks fantastic. One even writes that he got goosebumps.
What does the trailer show? In the trailer, you get an impression of the Dark Zone. Behind the walls, as Ubisoft states, you never know who you can trust. The deeper you go, the more you find out what agents are capable of.
This trailer is also set to dramatic music and addresses the theme of how people must decide how to act in order to survive. Will you help those in need? Will you give in to temptation? Will you go rogue and kill other agents?
You can watch the trailer in English here:
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What is the Dark Zone? In The Division 2, there will be three Dark Zones. These are highly contaminated areas where you can go loot hunting. Kill PvE enemies to get loot – or kill other agents to steal their loot. You decide how to behave.
All important information about the Dark Zone – and what consequences your decisions have there – can be found here:
At the end of the original trailer in English, there is a note that the Dark Zone will be playable in the open beta. You can secure a reward if you enter the Dark Zone in the beta. All info about the beta rewards can be found here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The year 2019 could be a bit more expensive for Hearthstone fans. Solo adventures will become more extensive, but will again cost money or a lot of gold.
Blizzard has announced its plans for Hearthstone and the year 2019. However, this may not please all fans, as solo adventures will again cost money. Blizzard had abolished this a few years ago, but now wants to see gold or real money.
Story chapters cost money: The single-player expansions will be divided into chapters again, with each chapter bringing two playable heroes in different missions. However, only the first chapter of a solo campaign will be free. Future chapters will cost real money or gold (as before). Individual chapters are available for 700 gold, and those who want all chapters of an expansion can pay 20€ instead.
Dungeon playstyle remains intact: Particularly the “Dungeon” playstyle of the last expansions (Knights & Catacombs, Witchwood, Rastakhan’s Rumble) was well received by players. The developers want to stick to this model and implement a lot of new features to allow more customization and different playstyles within the same class.
Continuous story: Also new is that the story of all three expansions in 2019 is supposed to be interconnected. A continuous narrative will be told, starting with the first expansion in 2019 and concluding with the last expansion. This gives the developers the opportunity to tell a larger story within Hearthstone.
The teaser for the three expansions in 2019.
Fans react mixed: On one hand, players are happy that Hearthstone wants to bring more story content and weave the stories of different expansions together. On the other hand, fans are disappointed that there is now another way to spend money. This dissatisfaction comes from those who only want to dip in occasionally.
Because when the stories of several expansions are interconnected, players may be quickly tempted to buy all previous expansions.
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In the coming weeks, the first new expansion should be introduced and further information about the adventures and cards will be published. We will keep you updated.
Are you looking forward to the Hearthstone year 2019? Or do you find the development rather negative?
The cooperative action game Warhammer: Vermintide 2 was released nearly a year ago. Since then, much has happened, with DLCs and patches being added, and now we are expecting the first expansion. But how has Vermintide 2 actually developed and what is the current state of the game?
What is Vermintide 2? Warhammer: Vermintide 2 was released on March 8, 2018. The game is a sequel to the popular predecessor that thrilled many fans and was known for its difficulty.
Vermintide 2 takes place in the fantasy universe of the Warhammer franchise and features elves, dwarves, magic, and inquisition. As part of Warhammer, Vermintide 2 also boasts massive blood, body parts, and brutality. Fantasy for adults.
Until shortly after the release, the game enjoyed great popularity and was well received by fans. Already in July 2018, Vermintide 2 was even ported to Xbox One.
Here are the player numbers: According to the stats page steamcharts, Vermintide 2 has lost players twice since its release. The first time it lost players immediately after release, which is common for almost every game.
The second time Vermintide 2 lost players in September 2018, shortly after the DLC “Shadows over Bögenhafen” was released.
Nevertheless, the player numbers remain stable. Since the second drop, an average of between 3000 and 5000 users play with maximum player counts of nearly 9000 players simultaneously, only on Steam. This is in addition to the players from Xbox One.
This is what the reviews say: Players still find Vermintide 2 to be “mostly positive” according to current reviews on Steam, with 70% positive ratings in recent reviews.
The greatest praise goes to the gameplay. Vermintide 2 is simply fun for many players, even though it can be really tough at higher difficulty levels. Even critics praise the gameplay. The great graphics, the setting, and the continuous development are also positively noted by most fans.
Basically, Vermintide 2 is a really successful game. It takes the strengths of its predecessor almost one-to-one and introduces many improvements (e.g., abilities and professions for each character, more and varied enemies, boss fights, improved loot system).
SirCharles on Steam
The greatest criticism is directed at some features that worked better in Vermintide (1). Players are primarily annoyed by the grind and the luck needed to obtain a weapon according to their preferences.
What’s in the first expansion
Currently, Vermintide 2 is back on the lips of many former players, as the first official expansion has been announced: Winds of Magic. Winds of Magic is set to be released in summer 2019 and will bring many features:
new enemies, the Beastmen, with their own elite and special units
a new difficulty level and higher level cap
a new game mode “Winds of Magic”, through which missions become increasingly difficult
The expansion even has its own shop page on Steam. The Winds of Magic and the Beastmen seem to take center stage. According to PCGamer, whose author was able to play the expansion early, the Beastmen significantly change the gameplay.
In some new maps, gold veins are supposed to sprout from the ground.
They come with archers and spear throwers, forcing players to fight at a new, different range. The elite unit is rampaging bulls and the special unit is banner bearers that buff surrounding enemies. Their totems strengthen other enemies and present players with the problem of having to rethink strategies when hordes attack.
Will you take another look at Vermintide 2 with Winds of Magic?
For Warhammer fantasy fans, there’s even more. A new Diablo alternative has been announced:
The South Korean MMO giant Nexon is currently up for sale. After some Asian companies, alleged Western firms are now in the running: Electronic Arts and Amazon are said to have made bids.It concerns over 9 billion US dollars.
This is the company in question: The Nexon Corporation is one of the largest online gaming companies in the world. They distribute MMORPGs such as MapleStory, Dungeon Fighter Online, or Vindictus.
This is what the new research center of Netmarble is supposed to look like. Image source. MMO-Culture
In early January 2019, rumors emerged that the company’s head, Kim Jung-Ju, was planning to exit. The rumors intensified by the end of January. Since then, blood is in the water, and the question is really only: Which financially strong shark will grab this delicacy.
Why this is important: The sale concerns over 9 billion US dollars. Whoever buys Nexon will instantly become a major player in the gaming sector.
Kakao – the publisher behind Black Desert, a large Korean tech company
a “private equity fund” named MBK Partners, based in South Korea
and the US funds KKR & Co Inc, TGP Capital Management LP, and Bain Capital are also said to have made their bids
Allegedly, the Korean providers say that Nexon would be an important national issue for South Korea and should therefore preferably remain in the hands of a Korean company.
This was reported by Reuters, citing the Seoul Economic Daily.
Kim Jung-ju, he allegedly wants to sell his huge shares
Overnight to a major player in gaming
These are the new bidders: Now, according to reports from South Korean media, three more companies have made their bids:
Amazon – the shipping giant
Electronic Arts – one of the largest Western game publishers
and Comcast Corp – a major cable operator from the USA
The ironic thing here is that in 2012, rumors circulated that Nexon itself was planning to swallow Electronic Arts.
MapleStory – important game for Nexon
Is all this confirmed? All involved companies decline to comment to the news agencies.
The information is based on “insider sources”. The actual sale is expected to be finalized in July 2019.
This is what an analyst says: The site Venture Beat quotes the analyst Mike Vorhaus. He says:
EA could close some major gaps in the company on a large scale with Nexon
For Comcast, gaming is a better growth business than TV and movies
and Amazon would overnight become a major player in gaming, especially on PC and in mobile games
If Nexon had to be sold to Netmarble due to influence from the Korean government, one would not get the full value out, believes the analyst.
Why is the company being sold? Allegedly, the founder of Nexon is tired. He was recently held accountable by the state due to an affair. Kim Jung-Ju was acquitted of the allegations, but it has apparently weighed on him.
Where is the hidden star from Week 1 in Season 8 in Fortnite? We will show you its location.
What kind of star is this? During a season, Fortnite hides a star or a banner on the map weekly. Players can then collect it if they have completed the challenges from the corresponding week.
Finding the Battlestar in Week 1 of Season 8 in Fortnite
How do you find the star? After you complete the 7 challenges from Week 1, you will unlock a loading screen. It contains a hint for the star.
Some players have already completed the challenges and could unlock this loading screen:
The loading screen from Week 1 in Season 8
Here is the hint: Pay close attention to the background of the image. There you will see a tower on whose roof the star can be found. The pirate ship shown in the foreground can be found at Lazy Lagoon. That is also where the star is hidden.
Here is where the star is hidden in the image
Where exactly is the star? Lazy Lagoon is located roughly at the coordinates F3/G3. There you will find the white tower. We will mark it for you here on the map.
Climb to the top of the tower to find the star there. But be careful. Right now there are particularly many players in the new area at Lazy Lagoon. So be prepared to encounter opponents there.
Video guide: To ensure you find the sought-after location, we will embed a video guide here for you.
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Anthem has released a new patch. This is meant to fix a problem that has been annoying players for some time.
New patch coming: A fresh patch is currently rolling out that is supposed to fix some bugs in Strongholds as well as the annoying “pulling” problem. The developers are still working on the issues with Quickplay that players have reported.
How big is the patch? The latest patch brings Anthem to game version 1.0.2.02 and is about 3.5 to 5.1 GB on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. If you haven’t received the update yet, restart your console or wait until the update is available for you.
Problems with Strongholds are being fixed again.
What’s in the patch? As with the update from February 23, the current patch notes are not really long either. Nevertheless, one detail is being fixed that players have been complaining about for a long time:
The “pulling” timer for missions has been increased. Players should now have more time to meet with their squad before they see a countdown timer.
The encounter with the final boss in the Stronghold “Mine of the Tyrant” can no longer be reset when the entire squad is in the main menu and then rejoins the ongoing session.
Chests that have already been looted in Strongholds cannot be opened again.
However, we still have to wait for the loot patch.
What is the problem with “pulling”? Players have long complained that the timer for “pulling” to their teammates is too short. Even if you were just a bit behind your other teammates, a message would pop up saying that you are too far from your squad or the mission objective.
In the Anthem Subreddit, players are glad that the time until pulling has now been extended. This would have disrupted the overlay if you only wanted to quickly pick something up or were briefly in the menu.
What to expect in the next three months in Anthem, we have here for you:
In FIFA 19, unexpected things happen time and again that nobody can anticipate. One of these fails is currently causing great laughter in the community.
These are FIFA fails: “FIFA fails” refer to curious scenes, funny moments, and unpredictable events in the FIFA series by EA Sports. Compilations of such “game errors” have a long tradition and can amuse not just soccer fans.
However, when these errors occur during your own gameplay, they usually lead to frustration rather than laughter, and controllers tend to fly wildly around the room.
David Luiz’s Remarkable Performance
Currently, a short clip is circulating in the Reddit forum, over which thousands have laughed. The clip is titled “Really EA? Excellent defending by David Luiz”. Watch it here:
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If the video is not displayed, click on the title to view it on Reddit.
What happens in the video: During an attack, the situation seems to be resolved. Defender David Luiz runs directly towards the ball, which was poorly passed by the attacker. He should either kick it away or accept it and pass it on, but instead, David Luiz jumps over the ball and lets it pass for another attacker – who has no trouble pushing it into the goal.
In the comments, many write that they can’t stop laughing. By the way, David Luiz’s jump is an animation that is triggered automatically and was completely inappropriate in this situation. If David Luiz had run normally, nothing would have gone wrong in the back.
This is by far not the only fail that has happened on the virtual pitch in FIFA 19. Reddit and YouTube are overflowing with funny moments where you don’t know whether to laugh or cry. We embed a few here:
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What happens in the video? Everyone has probably experienced this themselves: The ball just won’t cross the line. In this video, first the left post, then the right post, and finally the crossbar is hit. With the next shot attempt, the player narrowly misses the ball. Fail!
https://youtu.be/pyA5YT3HCIQ
What happens in the video? In this clip, something very curious happens – after a duel, a player gets stuck in his animation and flies across half the field. “I can float,” the user happily comments.
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What happens in the video? Here is a scene that could also happen in real football. The goalkeeper sprints out to head the ball away but runs past it. The way is clear for the attacker.
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What happens in the video: The goalkeeper looks pretty bad here. Even though the ball is rolling towards his goal from a distance, he lets it roll through his legs. Anyone who experiences this in FIFA 19 will curse the game.
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What happens in the video: This scene would probably be whistled off by any referee, but in FIFA 19 it was apparently counted as an own goal by the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper catches the ball, but then is shoved into the goal along with the ball by the opposing player. Curious!
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In Pokémon GO players have been waiting for weeks for the return of Rayquaza. We explain why this Pokémon is so popular and what the chances are for its return.
So far, Niantic has kept us waiting. In January, Kyogre and Groudon returned, but there was no sign of Rayquaza. However, Niantic has shown that they can bring these bosses back, which makes it clear that Rayquaza will also be back to fight.
The chances of the return
What we know: When Kyogre and Groudon returned, there was also first-time Shiny Groudon to catch. Kyogre was already available to catch before.
Kyogre and Groudon returned. But where is Rayquaza?
It is therefore not unreasonable to expect that the return with Shiny Rayquaza will be celebrated soon. Many players are already confident about this.
When could Rayquaza return? Fact is, starting March 2, no legendary raid boss will be active. Palkia ends on February 28, and Latias is available until March 1. So far, no bosses have been announced after that.
So there will probably be a new boss. Whether it will be Rayquaza is unknown. However, the chance certainly exists.
Why Rayquaza is so popular
A true all-rounder: For many players, Rayquaza is among the absolute favorites. No wonder, because both in gym battles and in raids, the legendary Pokémon is a great choice.
Rayquaza
This is how strong Rayquaza is: The Pokémon has an extremely high attack value and its moves are the best of the Dragon type. Against other raid bosses like Palkia or Latias, it is therefore among the top counters.
Shiny Rayquaza looks extremely cool: Another reason so many players hope for a return is the shiny form. In this form, Rayquaza somewhat resembles a Shiny Charizard, as it is blackish-gray.
This is what Shiny Rayquaza looks like
You can test your new monsters: When the Rayquaza raids return, it will be the time for Mamutel. This Pokémon has been available since the Community Day in February and is by far the best counter against Rayquaza.
Mamutel is even so good that it can nearly beat Rayquaza alone. This way, you can relax and complete the raids in pairs. Your Mamutel army should be prepared.
A battle event might be waiting for us soon. Quests have already been found for this:
With the Year Pass for The Division 2 you not only get cosmetic items but also story extras related to the DLC episodes. We show you why it might be interesting for story lovers.
This is what the Year 1 Pass offers: In addition to cosmetic items, the contents of the Year Pass also include some story elements.
These primarily involve early access to the stories of the DLC episodes, as well as special lore missions, the “Classified Assignments”. We show you why the pass could be interesting for absolute story lovers.
7 Days Early Access to Story Missions
This is what story fans can expect: Initially, the pass offers every owner access to the story content of the three free DLC episodes seven days earlier, which are released over the course of the first year.
Developer Massive emphasizes that this refers exclusively to the story content. Other features, such as PvP modes or raids, will be unlocked for all users simultaneously.
Thus, players who can hardly wait can play the story content a week earlier. What exactly this content will look like is still unclear at this point. The first episode, “D.C. Outskirts”, includes two main missions.
What are Classified Assignments? No details are known about this. Assignments, or missions, were already present in The Division 1.
However, these were weekly and daily challenges that could be completed to be rewarded with loot containers. The ISAC assignments were also included. These were story missions that appeared at regular intervals.
How exactly these assignments will look as part of the Year Pass is unclear. In the official description, it states that they will provide further background information on the downfall of Washington D.C. for you. The official Reddit post refers to them as “lore missions”.
This is known so far about the Classified Assignments:
It is certain that there will be a total of eight of these assignments in Year 1
Each should provide further stories about the events in Washington D.C.
A reward of eight different backpack charms awaits you, one for each assignment
The details for all these story contents are still missing. However, those who want to absorb every detail of the Division universe may indeed be interested. How important these assignments will be for future story content is currently open.
Nothing is yet known about the scope and quality either. Therefore, they may currently only appeal to hardcore fans of the story.
Ubisoft emphasizes on the website for the Year Pass that there will be no gameplay advantages.
Overview of Year Pass Contents
The additional contents of the Year Pass
What else is included and what does it cost? The Year Pass will cost 40 euros separately and is part of several editions that can be ordered. Here are the other contents:
Direct access to the new specializations released with the episodes
Exclusive cosmetic items, an outfit, and an emote
Special bounty missions and projects in Washington D.C.
Additional regular tasks, such as extra bounties and projects per week
Here you can watch the latest trailer for the story
What is the story of The Division 2 about? The downfall of Washington D.C. began in New York. There, on Black Friday, a deadly virus was deliberately released. In no time, the highly contagious “Dollar Flu” plunged the entire world into chaos. These events began in The Division 1 and are now continuing.
You take on the role of a Division agent, a sleeper unit prepared by the U.S. government for such cases. The goal is to restore order.
Because people have partially banded together into hostile factions that now fight for power.
Destiny 2 will implement some radical changes to the Gambit mode for the upcoming Season 6. The most far-reaching change is largely due to a fan.
This is how Gambit will change in Season 6: Season 6, known as the Season of the Vagabond, will focus on Gambit and the Drifter. In this regard, Bungie will also make several changes and optimizations to the PvEvP mode with update 2.2.0.
These are some of the most important known changes:
If a third round occurs in the match, it will be decided in a knockout mode. It will start directly with the fight against the Primeval.
Protection against inactivity: Players who are inactive for too long will receive no rewards and Infamy points at the end.
Where did the idea for the knockout mode come from? The interesting thing is that the idea for the most drastic change, the Sudden Death mode, which is well received by many, originated directly from the community.
Its implementation shows that Bungie, contrary to the opinion of some fans, does indeed listen to the Guardian community, takes their feedback seriously, and directly incorporates it into the game.
He suggested in detail to make the third round of a Gambit match a knockout mode where the fight is directly against the Primeval. And it seems Bungie is now implementing this suggestion one-to-one for the new season.
This problem is intended to be solved by the knockout mode: This aims to address one of the most annoying issues – matches that many fans find too lengthy.
According to many players, these take simply too long and are not really proportional to the rewards received at the end – especially compared to other modes like PvP.
Currently, it is common practice among Gambit players to give up the second round quickly in the event of a loss in the first round. This way, they do not have to play through a complete third round just to receive rewards or make progress on certain tasks.
At the moment, many are simply interested in finishing a Gambit round as quickly as possible rather than searching for the long-winded decision in the third game.
This should change with the knockout mode now in Season 6. Matches should generally run faster, and the new format of the third round should make the finals more exciting and thrilling.
By the way: The protection against inactivity in its proposed form was also requested by many fans, among others on Reddit. This idea also comes directly from the community.
This could still be problematic: It will be interesting to see how these changes play out in practice. The original reasons for the knockout mode are likely to be eliminated.
However, new problems may emerge or come more into focus. Strong, coordinated teams, for instance, may be able to pulverize the Primeval within a very short time through an optimal combination of weapons and abilities.
For teams that are less effective, the opportunity to gain a potential advantage during the regular rounds phase will be eliminated, and they will no longer be able to fight for victory at the end.
Everything will be decided in the immediate fight against the Primeval, where random or average teams will have even less chance against strong teams than before.
Anthem has announced its plans for the next three months. We provide an overview of the plans and what players can expect in the future.
The live service begins: After the rocky release of Anthem, the game is now officially in live service. This means that BioWare intends to continuously deliver updates, patches, and new content to expand and keep the game fresh.
To this end, BioWare has announced a roadmap that presents players with the plans for the next 90 days. We provide you with an overview of everything that is coming your way in the next three months.
This article was written on February 28 and will be updated as new information becomes available.
[toc]
Roadmap for Act 1 – What’s coming in the next 90 days
While it is already known which content is expected to be released in which month, specific dates are not currently available. We will, of course, add these as soon as they are published.
Are the contents paid? No. These are regular updates and not DLCs. Furthermore, all future story content will be free.
February 2019
Since Anthem was only released worldwide on all platforms on February 22, there hasn’t been much time for large events or updates. Therefore, there have only been events that took place in freeplay.
These contents are planned: In March, new content will begin rolling out. Along with new items, the first Legendary missions will be released. These are story missions that can be replayed on the highest difficulty levels.
These contents are planned: April will bring guilds and leaderboards as well as more legendary missions and large world events. Additionally, the fourth stronghold “The Sunken” will be introduced.
Furthermore, a feature called Mastery System is planned. What exactly it will entail is currently unknown. Apparently, it will be an advanced progression system.
These contents are planned: In May, large world events called Cataclysms will begin, which are intended to shake up the game. Cataclysms are large natural events caused by the Anthem of Creation.
Cataclysms are said to even be capable of creating new life and influencing gravity. Essentially, anything can happen due to the Anthem of Creation, or at least that’s how it is conveyed in the story. How exactly this will unfold in May is still uncertain.
Once again, there will be events, missions, and new items. It may take some time before more detailed information becomes available.
This is the plan for May:
Freeplay events
New missions
Rewards: New items
The summary of the roadmap can also be seen in the video by YouTuber Arekkz:
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For Season 8 in Fortnite, there is once again a Battle Pass with over 100 cool items and goodies. What you can get here, you’ll find out.
What is a Battle Pass? The Battle Pass is a progression system that lets you unlock new cosmetic items each season. By earning experience points and leveling up, you get more items with each level. It goes faster with the weekly and daily challenges that grant you additional levels in the pass.
How much does the Battle Pass cost? The pass still costs 950 V-Bucks, which is about 9.50 euros. Those who do not pay can still level up. However, the free pass offers far less exciting items. If you want the good stuff, you have to buy the proper pass. Your progress on the free pass will still be fully counted.
The contents of the Season 8 Battle Pass
What has changed? At first not much, as the Season 8 pass comes without major innovations. Fundamental new features, like the paints from Season 7, are not included this time.
Instead, there is more of the familiar in a colorful mix. However, the new skins are mostly customizable or reactive.
The following goodies are included in the new pass: • Skins: 8 • Spraypaints: 11 • Paints: 6 • Pickaxes: 1 • Banners: 9 • Emoticons: 9 • Emotes: 3 • Soundtracks: 2 • V-Bucks: 1,300 • Cover images: 8 • Pets: 6 • Fall animations: 4 • Toys: 1 • Back bling: 1 • Gliders: 3
What are the highlights of the pass? The new skins in Season 8 are particularly cool. They start with the two customizable outfits Hybrid and Darkheart, which are available right from the first level.
Hybrid transitions from ninja to dragon.
Hybrid is a cool ninja that transforms into a lizard monster. Darkheart is a pirate who becomes an undead ghost being.
In addition, there are more skins, including a type of dark elf and the iconic banana named Chali. The upright South fruit is also reactive and becomes riper over the course of the match.
The banana Chali gets riper.
Towards the end of the pass, the tiger warrior “Key Master” awaits, who receives his tiger mask from the teaser at level 99.
The final skin is female for the first time and features a cool fighter with gold jewelry named Blingerella.
The more you customize Blingerella, the more bling she gets.
New pets include the wooden dog Stick and the cute fox Schlawina. Both creatures have two additional styles during the pass.
The Anthem players are currently engaged in a heated discussion about the value of luck on their gear. A developer has now explained what the stat is all about.
What is being discussed?Yesterday we reported on this, that the Anthem community is critically examining the value of luck on gear. How the stat works exactly has been unclear until now, and player tests also yielded no conclusive results.
Some players have already demanded that the value be completely removed from the gear. In their opinion, players should not be forced to hoard gear with luck just to be able to play their favorite build.
What does luck really have to do with loot?
Developer provides clarity: BioWare developer Brenon Holmes has now joined the discussions in the Anthem subreddit. Holmes is the Technical Design Director and is involved in the work on Anthem.
The developer spoke up on Reddit in a post, where user MrSiippyfist tested the value of luck on the Grandmaster 1 difficulty against 100 Ursix enemies. According to Holmes, the stat currently works as follows:
The base value of each player is 100% luck. With gear that has this value, freelancers can gain an additional 90% luck, anything beyond that is not supposed to have an effect.
Holmes also suggested testing luck on easier base enemies. Some “High Tier” opponents, such as an Ursix, have a greater chance of dropping items.
In the upcoming patch 8.1.5 of World of Warcraft, the story takes a dark turn. An old god completely captivates us.
With patch 8.1.5 of World of Warcraft, the story of Battle for Azeroth is slowly but surely changing. The conflict between Horde and Alliance takes a back seat, while players and the Old Gods gain attention. Currently, everything suggests that players will become servants of the Old God N’Zoth …
The colleagues from wowhead have compiled a lot of information about this, which we want to address here.
Spoiler Warning: This article contains a lot of spoilers about the contents of the upcoming patch 8.1.5 and the resulting speculation. You have been warned.
We
create our own danger
In patch 8.1.5, there is a small mini-raid consisting of only two bosses. In the Crucible of Storms, players face servants of N’zoth to secure some relics from the Crucible.
The absurdity of it is that we, as players, brought these relics into the Crucible ourselves. In a questline with Xal’atath, the former Blade of the Shadow Priests, we collect three powerful relics and bring them to N’Zoth as an offering. At least this is what Xal’atath tells us.
In fact, Xal’atath explains to the Old God N’Zoth that she has brought something entirely different: the players.
„Listen to me, God from the Depths! I have brought you the opener… the bringer of truths… the beacon that illuminates the way!”
Xal’atath
Subsequently, players receive “The Gift of N’Zoth” and are corrupted by the Old God in a way that we do not yet fully understand. The fact is, however, that we have been corrupted.
Return to the raid
Shortly afterwards, players receive an order from the leaders of the Horde and Alliance to return to the Crucible of Storms to retrieve the three relics that we had previously brought there. At first glance, none of the artifacts seem powerful enough to pose a truly devastating threat.
It is no more than a simple reason to return to the Crucible once again. The three relics are what one would refer to in stories as a “plot device”. Objects that serve only to advance a story. Here, they were introduced quite bluntly, but not by supposedly bad writers at Blizzard, but as part of N’Zoth’s plan.
We brought the relics into the raid ourselves, only to have to retrieve them later. Just as N’Zoth wanted.
The
significance of the Crucible of Storms
The name of the raid already gives a small hint that something is happening with the players. Because a Crucible is actually a vessel in which a material is heated and then formed into another shape. This material seems to be the player characters, and the shape is exactly what N’Zoth wants to make of us.
A servant for his plans, which are still difficult to assess.
This is not just a theory, but is almost confirmed by the bosses in the raid. The two bosses do not aim to kill the players, but only to test them.
The
bosses’ trials
The first boss, “The Restless Cabal,” was actually tasked with searching for the three relics for N’Zoth, which the player has taken from him. There is actually no reason for the Cabal to remain in this place anymore – except as part of a test for the players. They repeatedly mock the players and declare that they are “not worthy.” However, it is this worthiness that is currently being tested.
With the second boss, “Uu’nat, Harbinger of the Void,” this task is even clearer. He speaks during the fight with N’Zoth, and it becomes clear that the players are being tested and shaped.
Uu’nat: „These lowly mortals desecrate your shrine, Master. Let us drown them and wash away their disrespect!” N’Zoth: „Patience… Patience. They may still prove worthy of my gift. I will taste their dreams … their flesh.” Uu’nat: „As you command! They will serve … or they will die!”
Uu’nat with the three relics. Image source: wowhead
Especially revealing is the phrase Uu’nat utters when the entire raid dies. He then says:
„They were not the ones you searched for, Master. We will find others who will open the way.”
However, even after a successful battle against Uu’nat, there is a short dialogue.
Uu’nat: Master … they are … worthy … Uu’nat: Everything … shall… awaken … N’Zoth: Yes… You are truly the ones I seek. Those who will turn the tides. [see note below] N’Zoth: Now receive the greatest of all gifts. My dream has become yours. The circle of stars formed of flesh. N’Zoth: She will guide you the way. Come … Come. The hour is near when all eyes will be opened.
It is also important to note that a few things may have been lost in translation. Because in English, N’Zoth does not say “turn the tides” but “Turn the Tides”, which can bluntly mean “turn the floods” or also “overcome the current.” This would fit well with the upcoming raid in which we fight Azshara – the Mistress of the Sea. Perhaps her death is just another step in N’Zoth’s plan.
Who
is “she”? Who will guide the way?
The sayings of the Old Gods have always sparked speculation. Especially N’Zoth’s last statement prompts thought. “She will guide you the way” allows for multiple interpretations and also fits with a saying from another boss, Il’gynoth. He said, “At the hour of her third death, she heralds our appearance”.
Back then, it was thought that this could refer to Azeroth, Alleria, or Sylvanas. Now, another person seems more likely: Azshara.
For she has metaphorically already died twice. Once with the fall of her kingdom and a second time with her transformation into the Queen of the Naga (both experienced in Cinematic Warbringer: Azshara).
We know that in patch 8.2 we will travel to Naz’jatar, which is somehow “raised from the depths.” This gives us access to the depths of the seas. And what exactly could she show us in the depths of the seas? – Correct, the further path into the depths, to the sunken city of the Old Gods, Ny’alotha.
So far, all of this is, of course, just vague theory with many hints and should therefore be taken with caution.
It seems clear that we, as players, have become the chess piece of N’Zoth. Even if this currently has no visible effects, it appears that players are independently bringing about the next major problem of Azeroth by being instrumentalized by the Old God.
What do you think of these story developments? Is it cool that players are being exploited and thus becoming somewhat “evil”? Or do you think that players can “still turn the tide” and N’Zoth’s plan will fail?
By the way, these little puzzle pieces fit very well with other theories from fans that we have explained in recent days and weeks:
In Destiny 2, we asked you how you liked the first premium DLC “The Black Armory.” Here’s how you responded.
Our MeinMMO survey: On December 4th, the first contents of the premium DLC “The Black Armory” were introduced to the game. Only Guardians who own the paid Annual Pass received the exclusive content surrounding Ada-1 and the forges of the Black Armory.
Soon, at the beginning of March, new Annual Pass-exclusive content will be available as part of Season 6. This content will be available through the “The Joker’s Wildcard” premium DLC.
This is how you voted: Over 3,100 MeinMMO readers participated in the survey, resulting in a meaningful outcome.
25% voted that the DLC was okay, matching their expectations. However, the majority is not in agreement; the results are quite balanced.
18% of participants expected a bit more from the DLC
and 17% were fully satisfied, having a lot of fun.
But 16% – almost the same number – believe that what they paid for the Black Armory was a waste of money.
This is your general opinion about the DLC:
42% have a positive view of the DLC
18% thought the DLC was not bad but hoped for more
31% have a negative view of the DLC
9% do not have an Annual Pass
This is what you say in the comments: This survey result is also reflected in the comments.
Readers like Frau Holle 1 or Mario Maus say that the DLC is perfectly fine for them as “normal players” or “evening Guardians” who can’t play around the clock. There’s still plenty to do. Zukolada also states that the DLC was good. For a tenner, it was very much worth it in terms of time.
Many Guardians say that the DLC is “okay” for its price. Mampfie summarizes: “Raid was okay, everything else more or less meh. Price was acceptable for what was offered, not great, but okay.” Lightning also mentions that the content was okay for €10 – even if it wasn’t his style. He only found the weapons okay. André Wettinger agrees with this opinion: “I actually found it okay for 10 Euros.”
Daniel Haerer, on the other hand, belongs to the Guardians who are disappointed. He writes: “Too much grind, too little worth grinding for, too few tough activities.” He concludes: “Casual DLC with a lot of unnecessary grind.”
vvV AmNesiA Vvv points out a grievance that represents the reason why he did not get the Annual Pass and will not get it. He does not like the business model where you have to pay in advance for something whose quality is still unknown. He no longer has any trust in Bungie.
Because what premium content is coming in Season 6 is still unknown, even though it starts on March 5th.
For Week 1 of Season 8, you need to search for a giant face in the desert, jungle, and snow in Fortnite . Many are now asking: “Where are the giant faces hidden?” We provide you with the answer.
Here is the task: This challenge is only for owners of the new Battle Pass. You need to search in three locations, as the task is “Visit a giant face in the desert, jungle, and snow.”
To help you accomplish this as quickly as possible, we show you a map with the locations of the faces.
Here you need to search for the giant faces in Week 1 (S8)
This is what the giant faces look like: The three faces are indeed huge, as they are built into large rocks. They are made simply of stones that create a face when combined.
Where you need to search for the giant faces: This map shows the three locations of the faces. To do this, you also need to travel near the new city Sunny Steps.
You will find the faces at the 3 circles.
Here are the exact locations of the faces: To find the face in the desert, you must go all the way to the southern edge of the map. South of Paradise Palms, you will find the face on a large field wall.
In the snow, you will find the face southeast of Happy Hamlet. It is also on a rock there. It looks towards the sea.
For the face in the jungle, you need to travel to the new part of the map, east of Sunny Steps. Below a building and two palm trees, you will find the face.
How do I complete the task? You just need to look at the face. By doing so, you will complete the task automatically.
A video helps with finding: To ensure you don’t miss the locations, this video shows all the locations of the faces again:
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Season 1 of Apex Legends is coming soon and brings new content with it. Our author and avid player Benedict is particularly looking forward to the new content.
Even though I often lose, I do not rage in Apex Legends. But after so much playtime, I have seen it all, and the drive after the spectacular start is a bit lacking. Right now, all I can do is fish for Wraith’s heirlooms by earning loot boxes unless I want to spend $500 like others.
With the upcoming Season and the Battle Pass, I expect a fresh breeze in Apex Legends that will enhance the already strong start with a significant boost.
What does Season 1 even bring?
What’s included in the first season: Apex Legends has already announced with a roadmap for 2019 what everything will happen in the first and upcoming Seasons. The new features include:
New weapons include the Havoc, which has already appeared in the game. Other new weapons are expected to be the LMG L-STAR and the submachine gun CAR. However, speculation is only ongoing about both.
The Havoc is the first new weapon in Apex Legends.
What does the Battle Pass bring? Exact details about the Battle Pass are not yet known. Some details about the Battle Pass have only revealed that it will likely be available in a free and a premium variant, similar to Fortnite.
Exact contents available to earn have yet to be announced. However, this will likely happen soon.
When will Season 1 be released? A specific start date has not yet been mentioned. Only “March 2019” is set as the timeframe. Some sites, like Gamestar, are already speculating that March 1 will be the start date for Season 1.
What I’m looking forward to the most
After so many hours in Apex Legends it still does not get boring, but a bit of variety is still missing. I have already extensively tested the Havoc, but it probably won’t become my primary weapon.
Therefore, I am especially looking forward to new content, particularly new legends. I think the system of legends and their unique abilities is top-notch and I can’t wait to see how new legends will fit into the game. This way, it is much more fun to play a new round since a different legend can change the otherwise monotonous gameplay.
Another highlight will be Solo and Duo modes, which there are already hints for and hopefully will arrive soon. Especially a duo mode excites me since I almost exclusively play with a friend. These modes could also significantly affect the tier list of legends and make weaker heroes like Caustic suddenly stronger.
What is currently more in the background for me, but will be important, are bug fixes. Apex Legends is currently still struggling with some technical difficulties and issues like varying hitbox sizes or cheating professionals. I am curious how these issues will be addressed and resolved in the future.
What will your highlights be for the first season of Apex Legends?
I am also very curious whether Respawn will buff the Mozambique or just continue enjoying the memes:
In Fortnite: Battle Royale, a lot has changed on the map in Season 8. New places have been added and others have had to go. There is also now a volcano.
What has changed? Overall, the changes in Season 8 were less drastic than in This is what the new map looks like.
On a map from the Creators Kit, you can already find a few cool new places.
Everything that has changed in Season 8
Lazy Lagoon: Where once the golf course Lazy Links stood, a lagoon has now emerged. It contains a harbor with a pirate ship and fits the pirate theme of Season 8.
Sunny Steps: The Tomato Temple is gone, but these step pyramids provide a suitable replacement. The pyramids can be found in the northeast.
The Volcano: The volcano is (still) nameless and is located in the southwest of the former Wailing Woods region. Since the prisoner appeared there in the trailer with his ninjas, the volcano will likely play an important role in the story of Season 8.
Additionally, a lava lake stretches from the volcano deep into the map. Anyone who falls into the lava takes damage.
The Block: The place where you can showcase your own areas from the creative mode has been moved. It is now located in the northwest.
What else is there? The rest of the map seems to have largely stayed the same. The previously suspected underground areas are not visible at least in this early map.
However, there are geysers that catapult you into the air. Additionally, there are no more airplanes, so you have to explore the map on foot or with a vehicle.
You can find more information about the changes in Season 8 of Fortnite: Battle Royale in the patch notes here:
We show you how the leveling system in Anthem works and what tricks there are to level up your pilot level more efficiently.
This is how the leveling system works: Unlike other online games, you do not receive direct experience points for defeating enemies in Anthem. Instead, you earn EP only at the end of an expedition through so-called heroic deeds.
What are heroic deeds? The heroic deeds listed at the end of each expedition depend on how you have defeated your enemies. For example, if you defeat many enemies in close combat as an Interceptor, you will receive the melee master heroic deed.
The heroic deeds you have accomplished reward you with EP. Additionally, they determine which medal is assigned to you at the end of the mission.
The mini-icons above the EP are referred to as “expedition heroic deeds”.
What are medals? The medal corresponds to your playstyle. If you defeat most of the enemies with your abilities, you will receive the artillery medal at the end of the expedition. If, on the other hand, you revive your teammates frequently and collect many resources, you can also be rewarded with a wise medal.
In the menu, you can track your heroic deeds progress during the expedition.
Leveling in the campaign: Here’s how
In the campaign, your pilot level and your item power are of little importance, as the enemies are tailored to you individually. The key factor for the strength of the enemies is the selected difficulty level.
Before you reach the level cap of 30, you initially have the three regular difficulty levels – Easy, Medium, and Hard available.
Which difficulty level should you play on? Generally, you get more experience points on higher difficulty levels. However, the story missions are usually shorter on an easy difficulty. So you have to decide for yourself whether time or experience points are more important to you.
Difficulty level brings variety in combat: Enemies on Hard difficulty have significantly more health points than on Easy. This way, you have the potential to complete more heroic deeds, as your enemies can also withstand more damage.
It is therefore worthwhile to try out different combo attacks and weapons. This way, you can destroy your enemies in different ways to achieve the maximum number of heroic deeds.
On Easy difficulty, enemies are often eliminated completely after a weak primer ability, thus taking away any chance for you to attack creatively and complete heroic deeds.
If you play with other Freelancers, you get more experience.
Furthermore, you also receive additional EP for completing a story mission on Hard. So if you want to level up faster, you should definitely play through the campaign on Hard.
Don’t play alone: For each teammate in your team, you receive bonus experience points. Additionally, team members can be helpful for additional heroic deeds, thus bringing you even more experience points. Playing the campaign solo in Anthem is suboptimal since you take longer for the missions and also receive less EP.
Leveling quickly in Free Play
Even in Free Play, your experience points depend on your heroic deeds. So try out different things and don’t focus too much on one weapon or ability. The more varied your playstyle, the more EP you will receive at the end of the expedition.
Here you can see the heroic deeds in the Cortex of Anthem.
How do you level up the fastest in Free Play? The currently most efficient method of leveling in Free Play is world events. When you complete events, you also fulfill a heroic deed.
Tip for Free Play: The world event heroic deed resets after each expedition and can thus be repeated as often as you like. If you want to level up efficiently in Free Play, you can leave the expedition after completing three world events and repeat the process again.
Don’t forget to pay attention to your other heroic deeds. The more you can complete during the events, the better the overall EP.
Quick start: Leveling and supporting
Leveling in Quick Play: If you are tired of world events, you can also support other freelancers as reinforcement. With the support bonus, you can earn a lot of additional EP.
How does this work? With the quick start feature, you will be assigned to an incomplete team in an ongoing mission. You can find the quick start at the bottom of the game mode selection.
In quick start, you can choose whether to support a freelancer team on a story mission or in a stronghold. Make sure to complete the campaign before you support missions, otherwise you might risk getting spoiled.
Which missions provide the most EP? To maximize your experience points, you should support strongholds on a high difficulty. This way, you can complete the most heroic deeds and receive additional EP due to the increased difficulty.
Combined with the support bonus, you will finish the expedition with a decent amount of experience points. This is currently the best method to increase your level.
Are you looking for more tips and tricks for Anthem? We have a comprehensive overview with various guides and support:
With the Nightwave update, Warframe bids farewell to the previous alert system and opts for new “Radio Broadcasts” that present an ongoing story, offering you more of the lore.
What are the Nightwave radio broadcasts? This is an ongoing event where you complete a series of daily and weekly challenges to learn more about the story that unfolds over several weeks.
Nightwave replaces the alert system
This is how the radio broadcasts work:
The radio broadcasts come from Nora Night, who is also known as the “Eyes and Ears of the Origin System.”
You experience a new story throughout the event, divided into series.
You fight new enemies.
You can expect unique “Tiered” rewards that are limited to each series. At Tier 4, you get two weapon inventory slots.
The first series is called “The Wolf of Saturn Six” and revolves around a criminal who moves freely in the Origin System.
Once the series is complete, another one starts with new daily and weekly challenges.
What happens to the alert system? Previously, you could attempt daily challenges within the framework of the alert system. The missions appeared randomly and granted you rewards. The Nightwave radio broadcasts now replace the alert system.
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Why is the new system being introduced? The very successful online game Warframe places great emphasis on telling an engaging story and draws on a deep lore for this purpose. The story aspect is particularly well received by fans.
With Nightwave, players now get more of this. Instead of having to randomly complete missions, the new challenges are connected, fit better into the lore, and tell interesting stories. This aligns better with Warframe and offers more variety.
Moreover, it was possible to simply miss alerts as they appeared randomly. Consequently, you could also miss the rewards, which many in the community did not appreciate.
This is how players are reacting: The Nightwave update seems to be received very well by players so far. Many are pleased with the new challenges focused on lore and the fact that these challenges can no longer be easily overlooked.
For instance, Reilou said on Reddit: “Nightwave reminds me of the “Limited Bounties” from Monster Hunter World. They are really nice so far.”
Others, like siltenprophet, wonder why Nightwave had to replace the alert system, and why we can’t just have both in the game.
The Nightwave update was just released today for the online shooter Warframe, so we still have to wait and see how fans react to the changes and new features in the long run.
