In the trailer for the new operation of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, fans have encountered images that suggest a new area for Blackout. Could the infamous Alcatraz prison soon enrich the Blackout map?
This new season starts on February 19 on the PS4 and brings numerous new content for the traditional multiplayer part, zombies, and the in-house battle royale mode Blackout.
In this context, the game world of Blackout will also see some changes. The map will be granted new locations – including the new area Ghost Town in the southeast of the map.
However, this apparently isn’t all. At the end of the presentation trailer, some images were shown that fans now believe point to another new area for Blackout.
What do the images show? For a fraction of a second, we see six players moving through the night sky over a bay with their wing suits before they open their parachutes and glide down to a building complex. Next, a zombie can be seen turning in a hallway with a distorted face.
What makes fans think of Alcatraz? These images suggest to fans the famous US prison island Alcatraz from the bay of San Francisco.
The images show that the players are jumping over a bay in unmistakable Blackout style.
During the teaser for the map changes in Blackout, fans speculated about a spot in the water. Some thought the outline on the map resembled the print of a coffee cup. Others, however, also suspected a hidden hint at a new location.
This spot on the map would fit well with the jump location in the video.
As can be easily seen from the barred windows, this location seems to be a prison. Furthermore, the suspected landing zone regarding its architecture bears a strong resemblance to the real Alcatraz in San Francisco.
The layout of the cell blocks, in connection with the lighthouse and the drop point, leads many fans to conclude that this can only be Alcatraz or a representation of it.
Other buildings also show striking similarities to the real counterpart.
In the end, the zombie, who is unmistakably posed in a cell block, leaves little doubt for fans that it must be a hint towards the notorious prison island.
What else do fans speculate? Another interesting aspect for fans is the fact that the jump and landing take place at night.
While Treyarch has previously considered a day-night cycle quite plausible, they wanted to first create a stable game and not force such a feature at the cost of performance.
These images suggest that a solution has now apparently been found and that there could soon also be a day-night cycle in Blackout – or at least a night version of the map, according to some fans.
How likely is Alcatraz in Blackout? There has been no official announcement or statement from Treyarch regarding this yet. Accordingly, there is also no potential date for Alcatraz. So, we will have to wait for now.
However, after loud fan complaints, the developers have already promised further map changes for the future. Additional new locations seem quite likely against this background – even if the map is already supposed to be expanded with Ghost Town.
And the well-concealed images from the trailer speak a clear language in the eyes of many fans.
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Patch 8.1.5 brings a strong bonus for jewelers in World of Warcraft. They can reuse their gems endlessly – and more.
The Patch 8.1.5 of World of Warcraft is actually just a smaller “interim patch”, but still offers some exciting content. Along with the new allied races, there are also quest lines for professions. These sometimes entice with interesting bonuses, such as for the profession of jewel crafting.
A long quest line for a recipe: The quest line takes jewelers across both continents (Zandalar & Kul Tiras). While attempting to decipher the riddles of a book, one also comes into contact with a Tortollan, who tells the indecent story between a human and a naga. After the text is deciphered, one travels to various shrines and has to repair them.
You need to repair these shrines.
The necessary items can be obtained from individual quests, some even lead into a few dungeons.
In the end, one receives the recipe for the “Jewelhammer’s Focus”, which is expensive to craft but offers cool effects.
Never replace gems again: The first benefit is practical for all jewelers who frequently acquire new gear. The focus can be used to extract gems from a socket and reuse them! It is no longer necessary to constantly grind new gems for one’s equipment. This saves a lot of money and allows the use of new gems for selling.
The colleagues from wowhead have a small video that shows the effects:
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Gems out of nowhere: The second advantage is a special effect that can be triggered at the previously visited shrines (with a long cooldown). One can use the knowledge gained from the quest line together with the focus to channel the light and create a special geode. With one click, the geode offers a variety of gems, for which one would otherwise have to sift through numerous ores.
What do you think of these new profession bonuses coming with Patch 8.1.5 to World of Warcraft?
Stay informed: You can always find the latest news about World of Warcraft immediately on our WoW Facebook page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Are you still looking for your best formation in FIFA 19 Ultimate Team? The pro Cihan reveals some tips on what you should consider regarding the formation.
This is Cihan: Cihan Yasarlar is in his mid-20s, comes from Berlin – and is a professional FIFA player. He is signed as an eSports athlete with RB Leipzig.
Cihan has already achieved some successes. He is the ESL champion of 2017 and 2018 and has already been champion of the Virtual Bundesliga. He can also call himself FIFA European Champion 2017.
For many, Cihan is considered the best German FIFA player.
Tips from the FIFA pro: At the DreamHack event 2019 in Leipzig, MeinMMO chief Dawid Hallmann was able to talk to Cihan and extract some tips on FIFA 19. He also got to challenge Cihan to a match.
You can watch how he fared against Cihan in the 1v1 as well as the recording of the entire conversation here in the video:
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Is there a “best formation” in FIFA 19? No, there is no universally applicable best formation. It strongly depends on your players and playing style, which formation is recommended for you.
Nevertheless, there are formations that have been particularly successful among the pros.
4-2-2-2 – This is how Cihan starts
Plays with 2 defensive midfielders: Cihan advises to always play with 2 defensive midfielders. The defensive midfielders are the central midfielders who are defensively oriented. So include two strong defensive midfielders in your team to dominate the space in front of the defense.
4-2-2-2: A formation with 2 defensive midfielders is the 4-2-2-2, which is often used in FIFA 19. Cihan also starts every match with this.
What does the formation offer? In defense, you are well protected when you have two strong defensive midfielders in front of your back four. Despite the defensive stability, you also have attacking power on the field because you have two real strikers. However, you lack real wingers, as the central attacking midfielders usually orient themselves toward the middle.
4-2-3-1 – A strong alternative formation
4-2-3-1: According to Cihan, he switches to 4-2-3-1 during the game when the 4-2-2-2 formation is not working as he envisions. This formation also relies on two defensive midfielders in front of the defense.
What does the formation offer? The 4-2-3-1 is more compact than the 4-2-2-2 and can provide you with more stability in midfield. It allows for a calm build-up play and a lot of possession.
With five central midfielders, you are dominant in the center, but offensive play must also develop from there, as otherwise, the striker is quite lonely up front.
More tips from Cihan
This is how to play with 2 defensive midfielders: When the opponent is in possession of the ball, try to control the defensive midfielders and run back with them. Close passing lanes, win duels with them, and decide the important moments before too much pressure can be applied to your back four.
Therefore, it is important that you have top defensive midfielders who are strong in duels and have good attributes overall.
Pogba – a top defensive midfielder
Attack is the best defense: Cihan recommends scoring the first goal as early as possible. This demotivates the opponent right from the start and throws them off their game.
What to do when behind? Don’t immediately curse FIFA when you are trailing; instead, adjust your game to the opponent. Change the tactics or the formation and surprise the opponent with new plays.
Through the midfield or to the sides: In FIFA 19, compared to previous FIFA titles, it is significantly more difficult to combine through the middle. Many pros therefore rely on long shots or crosses. If you want to be successful in FIFA, Cihan advises adapting to the new circumstances and not stubbornly playing your old game.
It is also worthwhile to engage with the dynamic tactics . This allows you to define tactical behavior individually for each player on the field. “The best tactic” must, however, be discovered by each individual for themselves and their players.
Play Weekend League: For anyone considering becoming a FIFA pro, Cihan recommends playing the Weekend League weekly. If you regularly manage to reach the top 100, you will slowly build a reputation. Additionally, you regularly compete against top FIFA players, which makes the Weekend League an excellent platform for training.
The PvP MMORPG Camelot Unchained shows the revised user interface and surprises with it. Because apparently the developers were inspired by the UI of Guild Wars 2.
A Familiar UI
What happened? City State Entertainment has been working on the skill system of the MMORPG Camelot Unchained for a very long time. Now the related UI of the Ability Builder has been revealed.
This strongly resembles Guild Wars 2 with its drawn icons.
A screenshot of the new UI from Camelot Unchained
How is the UI structured? Similar to Guild Wars 2, you select the ability type on the left side of the skill menu, such as melee, bow, or magic. Accordingly, you then see on the right the skills you have learned. These are represented by a drawn icon. Below, the skill is introduced to you in detail, including the values.
The structure is therefore almost identical to the skill menu of Guild Wars 2. Not only that, but the picturesque style could also originate from the MMORPG by ArenaNet.
How are players reacting? On MassivelyOP, a discussion arose in which the head Mark Jacobs intervened. The criticism was raised that the menu looks somewhat confusing and might make it hard to navigate through the skills.
Jacobs then explained that this is only the first version of the menu. It is a very important game element that will be further adjusted and optimized over time. Generally, the graphical appearance is well received. So it could be that the look moves away a bit from that of Guild Wars 2.
For comparison, a picture from ArenaNet: The drawn style reminds several readers of Guild Wars 2.
From new to familiar
Why is the skill menu something special? Originally, Camelot Unchained was supposed to have a completely different skill system. About three years ago, the team realized that their originally planned system could not cope with the complexity of the different skills. So it was completely redesigned and reprogrammed, which at that time resulted in the beta being postponed.
Now it shows that the skill system builds on already known elements in the genre. So they decided not to make too many experiments in the skills area, but to give players something they should already be somewhat familiar with. The now presented skill system illustrates this step.
That was all the patch notes for the new update for Apex Legends. With this update, the developers addressed known issues rather than new content.
What fans say about the update
This is well received: On Reddit some players are pleased with the update. The highest-rated comment so far is from nickmol.
He quotes the part: “An issue was fixed that sometimes caused players to move slowly after a revival.” and comments on it, “Thank fucking god”.
Some players apparently experienced this issue more frequently and are happy that the developers could resolve it.
This is what happy Apex players look like
This is poorly received: Some PC users feel left out. There were no specific patch notes for them.
Player DuckAbuse writes: “Disappointing patch for PC users. I expected the mention of crashes on PC or maybe the introduction of a reconnect feature.”
Other users also express concern about the PC situation. One writes, “Brb, crashing to desktop.” Others explain that the very first start after installing the update caused a crash on PC.
A gaming senior has become the new phenomenon on Twitch. While playing Apex Legends, he has shown how good one can still be in old age, without losing his typical gamer humor. For me, GrndPaGaming is a role model for my future in advanced age.
This is what “Grampa” has done: Since the release of Apex Legends, the 66-year-old gamer has been regularly playing the new battle royale shooter on his stream “GrndPaGaming” on Twitch. Recently, he showcased how good he is at it.
During one of his matches, while one of his two teammates was already down, and the second had to retreat, Grampa single-handedly took down the opponents – with the sniper rifle Triple Take and “no scope”.
He even had the time and humor to bombard his opponents with quips:
Eat that, bitch! That was a no-scope with a Triple Take!
The clip has already been viewed almost 250,000 times.
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He is evidently facing not only the challenges of old age but also several other disadvantages. On his channel, he has written a short biography in which he talks about himself. He served in the Navy for 20 years and has also battled prostate cancer.
The chemotherapy and radiation treatment for cancer, as well as an old injury, have taken their toll. He has no feeling left in his thumb and index finger of his right hand, and also from the shoulder down, which makes operating the mouse and keyboard difficult.
The one-armed streamer ToeYouUp at his first victory.
What makes this future so desirable?
Despite many problems and disadvantages, Grampa obviously enjoys his hobby, with which he now also earns money on the side.
It is this mentality that I hope to carry into old age. Gaming is a part of my life and now, of course, also my profession. It has provided me with many wonderful moments that I also want to experience even in advanced age.
Grampa shows that age is no reason to be held back. With his quips, he embodies a mentality that many younger gamers can relate to and that somehow shapes the hobby.
Furthermore, he consistently demonstrates how good he still is. He himself claims that he is not the best player. But anyone who watches him for a while will notice that he is anything but bad.
My wish for gaming in old age
Although “gaming” is currently not considered the typical hobby for older people, we gamers will also one day be old. I would find it very nice if we could keep, nurture, and further develop our hobby by that time.
I do not expect that there will ever be a “Senior Squad” that will really give the youngsters in eSports a hard time.
But the older among you will surely remember LAN parties. And just imagine how easy it would be to network all the computers in the network of a retirement home…
What do you think of the scene and the “Apex Grandpa”?
The distant future cannot yet be seen, but the near future of Apex Legends will likely bring 2 versions of the battle pass:
The most famous Klauninchen in Anthem is Detective Hoppel, and he goes on a crime-fighting adventure together with his partner. If you listen to a radio, you can experience his adventures.
In the world of Anthem, Klauninchen have a special place. Because there are stories and exciting information about the animals to be found everywhere.
Some diligent MeinMMO readers have noticed that Klauninchen make my heart race. SoulEaterPain gave me a tip in the MeinMMO Discord about a very special radio show that you can find in your home Fort Tarsis.
What are Klauninchen? The animals are a colorful mix of squirrels, foxes, lizards, and moths. They hop through the world of Anthem. They are about the size of dogs and are suspected of stealing things. Otherwise, Klauninchen are harmless, or at least that’s what one believes.
Listen to the adventures of Detective Hoppel
Who is Detective Hoppel? This Klauninchen is the star of a radio novella that runs in the world of Anthem for the whole family. In the mysterious cases, Detective Hoppel and his human partner Constable Quincy solve crimes. When the smartest minds can’t figure it out, it takes a Klauninchen!
Here you can find the radio where you can listen to the adventures: As you progress in the Anthem campaign, the city gradually changes. You gain access to new places, and certain items or lore entries appear.
At the marked point you will find the radio where the show about Detective Hoppel is running.
Relatively early, when you have unlocked your second Javelin, you will gain access to a courtyard with a large fountain in the middle. Behind the fountain, you will find a man sleeping with his head on a table. On the table, you will also find the radio.
Now, if you turn on the radio, the adventure of Detective Hoppel begins!
Detective Hoppel is lovingly and charmingly written: Especially in these little stories that can be found all over the world of Anthem, there is a lot of love involved. When I listened to Detective Hoppel, a smile immediately crossed my face.
I am impressed by how well this little radio show is produced. The speakers are enthusiastic, and it has a certain 20s vibe to it.
There is still much more to Klauninchen in Anthem
If you wander through the world of Anthem with open eyes, you will find Cortex entries everywhere. These supplement the lore of Anthem. There are more entries about Klauninchen than I could have ever imagined.
Klauninchen are tamed and kept as pets: Some residents in Anthem are just as excited about Klauninchen as I am. Thanks to a Cortex entry, I learned how to tame the little creatures and more about their behavior.
It is said: “To tame Klauninchen, it takes a lot of patience and understanding, but once you have gained their trust (and registered the keeping with the settlement administration), they make wonderful pets!”
The debate about Klauninchen also exists in the game: The community of Anthem argues about whether Klauninchen should be slaughtered or loved. This very question even exists in the world of Anthem.
In your mailbox, you will find a kind of report called “Pet or Pest: The Great Klauninchen Debate” in the spam folder.
Will Klauninchen play a bigger role? The developers have indeed incorporated quite a few Cortex entries about Klauninchen. They often joke themselves on social media about whether Klauninchen are the spawn of hell or not.
In Fortnite , the new content update 7.40 is arriving today. The highlight of the patch is the new Driftboard and two limited-time modes. We are looking at the patch notes in English.
The Highlights of the Patch Notes for Battle Royale
The new item Driftboard – The special gimmick is that you can use weapons and items while standing on the Driftboard. You can also loot items and pick up friends from the ground. While doing so, you have a significantly increased speed.
The only thing you cannot do on the board is build – that does not work.
You can find the Driftboard “spread all over the map.”
The thing will probably only be in Fortnite for a few days. It has been announced from the get-go as a “limited-time item.” Initially, the Driftboard was announced back in December 2018, but it is only now coming to Fortnite at the end of Season 7.
New mode Drift: In this mode, 2 teams of 32 players each compete against each other. Red supply drops come down all over the map, containing Driftboards, weapons, and ammunition.
In this mode, you regenerate health points and shield energy when you are on a Driftboard.
New mode Catch: In this mode, there are no firearms, only grenades and other things that can be thrown, such as smoke grenades, sticky grenades, remote explosives, fortifications, impulse grenades, and shockwave grenades.
The Highlights of the Patch Notes for Save the World
New Frostnite challenge: In the PvE of Fortnite, we are now at week 8 “Final Frost.” The challenge combines the following 5 challenges: Slippery Danger, The Fest Waves, Cold Chaos, New Territories, Fuel Thirst.
As rewards, you will receive a “Moon New Year Hero” of your choice, the weekly banner, and 1500 gold.
The challenge starts on February 21 at 1:00 AM.
New items: Additionally, the Driftboard is coming to Save the World and the shotgun “Dragonfire.”
What’s next for Fortnite: Overall, this is a sparse patch. The highlight is currently the extension challenges, with which players can earn the next Battle Pass for free.
Next week, Season 8 should start and we will definitely experience longer patch notes, but only at the end of next week.
In Destiny 2, the first premium DLC “The Black Armory” has since exhausted all its content. We now want to know from you whether the Black Armory could convince you.
Today, on February 19, the Crimson Days ends in Destiny 2, and with the February Iron Banner, the last event of the ongoing Season 5 begins. The majority of the content this season was provided by the DLC “The Black Armory“. But how is this received by the players?
This is behind the premium DLCs: Regular content supply has been a problem since the days of Destiny 1 that Bungie has not been able to manage.
With the Annual Pass model for the second year of Destiny 2, the studio aimed to solve this problem. In addition to free content updates available to everyone, paying players receive additional content that is intended to enhance the Destiny experience more quickly and effectively over the season.
The premium DLCs do not offer the same scope as DLC I “Curse of Osiris” or DLC II “Warmind” from the first year of Destiny 2. Additionally, they are not available individually but only as part of the Forsaken Annual Pass.
This was the first premium DLC “The Black Armory”: On December 4, the first of the three premium DLCs – The Black Armory was launched. It offered Annual Pass holders the following additional content:
Access to the Black Armory and corresponding weapons and armor
The four lost forges of the Black Armory. This is a new co-op activity that went live sequentially over time
Exotic quest “The Draw”. This quest led the Guardians to the 5th and final exotic weapon of the DLC – “The Last Word“
Additional new triumphs and lore books surrounding the Black Armory
This is the mood in the community: Impressions of the first premium DLC vary widely among fans. Feedback is mixed.
There are numerous players who did not like the Black Armory. For example, the launch of the new activity was accompanied by problems. The first forge proved to be too hard and had to be nerfed by Bungie.
Additionally, some players complain that the Black Armory simply does not offer enough content and thus drags out its content unnecessarily and artificially.
Others, however, emphasize that they had a lot of fun with the Black Armory and its forges. They found that there was always something to do through the new activity and were able to grind for some of the best weapons in the game, like the Izanami or the Kindled Orchid.
What do you think of the “Black Armory” DLC? In this context, we want to know from you how the first of the three premium DLCs was received by you.
Did you enjoy the content and are you looking forward to the next premium releases? Or do you perhaps regret having purchased the Annual Pass after the Black Armory?
Keep in mind, you have only one option to respond. Thank you for your time and participation.
This fan trailer of Red Dead Redemption 2 is celebrated by viewers. Even Arthur Morgan himself was so convinced that he shared the video on Twitter with his followers.
What kind of trailer is this? On Karol’s YouTube channel, you can find the Red Dead Redemption 2 trailer titled “Change.” The nearly 2-minute video shows that the era of outlaws is coming to an end and everything is changing.
Arthur wonders what has happened. What has happened to them.
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What can be seen in the video? YouTuber Karol used scenes from official trailers by Rockstar Games for the short film. However, in-game scenes were also used, filmed with the Cinematic Camera. The whole thing is accompanied by epic music that emphasizes the emotions of the story with its dynamics.
Trailer received special attention: The trailer has already been on YouTube for about a week. It received a maximum of about 12 upvotes on Reddit and did not gain traction in the forum.
More attention was drawn by the tweet from Roger Clark. He is the actor for Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2. Early on Monday morning, he shared the video on Twitter with his followers. Apparently, he liked the work. The post now has over 150 retweets and 890 likes.
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Politics must also find ways to reach young citizens. The French government uses Twitch, the live-streaming platform mostly known for broadcasting video games.
A Dialogue with the Public on Twitch
This is behind the debates: With the “Grand Debates”, President Macron of France is currently trying to establish a kind of dialogue with the country’s citizens. Debates and discussions take place in various locations to reach as many people as possible. Their opinions and suggestions are collected. The government then tries to implement these.
The “Grand Debates” are a reaction to the “Yellow Vests” protests.
One of these “Grand Debates” is also set to take place on Twitch.
The French government thus potentially reaches a very large audience on Twitch – especially younger citizens between the ages of 15 and 35.
https://www.twitch.tv/accropolis
Reaching Young Citizens is Important
Why are young viewers so important? It is generally difficult to reach young people in politics. Politics can be dry and many issues simply do not interest young people because they have little to do with them.
President Emmanuel Macron has also noticed this. Because very few young people attended his previous “Grand Debates”.
How did this even come about? Jean Massiet, founder of Accropolis, a political Twitch channel with several thousand weekly viewers, noticed that many have no idea what the “Grand Debates” are at all.
He then contacted the Prime Minister’s office and suggested holding one of the debates on Twitch. The idea was very well received.
How does the debate work? The “Grand Debate” on Twitch takes place today for 11 hours. Currently, you can tune in to Twitch and watch. Ten members of the government, including Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, will participate.
What are the topics? The four cornerstones of the “Grand Debates” will be discussed, including “Democracy and Citizenship”, “Financial Policy”, “Organization of the State” and “Environmental Policy”.
Moreover, the government members want to address young people directly by discussing youth involvement in politics.
A leak has revealed new details about the upcoming Battle Pass in Apex Legends. It seems that the model will closely follow that of competitor Fortnite and will be available in two different variants.
What was found: According to the GamingIntel website, data miners have discovered some lines in the Apex Legends game files that indicate different versions of the Battle Pass:
Files marked “free”
Files marked “level_diamond”
While “free” apparently indicates a free Battle Pass, it is likely that “diamond” refers to a paid version.
Since Apex Legends is also free and relies on cosmetics, it is likely that the Battle Pass will be monetized in a similar way.
What does the Battle Pass offer? Apex Legends plans to introduce Seasons starting in March, which are expected to run similarly to those in Fortnite. A roadmap has been published showing what is to come in the first year. New features include:
Which content the paid Battle Pass will include and which will be free is not fully known yet. However, it is likely that maps and weapons will be part of the free updates.
How reliable is the information? Since the information comes from a leak and the extraction of unpublished game files, it is not 100% reliable. However, the GamingIntel website often provides reliable information.
You will find out how accurate this information is in March. The first season along with the Battle Pass is supposed to start then.
Would you buy a paid Battle Pass?
Completely different new content may bring a Hollywood star to Apex Legends:
The opponents in Anthem might seem familiar to some players. This is because most archetypes come from Mass Effect.
In the past few days, I ventured into Anthem with a few friends and took advantage of the “Early Access”. Even though some bugs still cloud the game, it is a lot of fun. However, you can’t help but draw numerous parallels to Mass Effect, as many aspects of the games are identical.
Many
Opponents in Anthem come from Mass Effect
Especially
noticeable is this mainly with the various enemy types. Many of the opponents are enemies already known from Mass Effect, just in a new guise.
For example, there was an enemy in Mass Effect 3 called “Nemesis” – it was a sniper who had shield energy and health points. If you are targeted by the Nemesis, you will see the targeting laser on the screen’s edge slowly focusing on the player and giving a clear warning signal before the shot is fired. This is identical to the approach of the Scar snipers.
I also think of these flying enemies that wrap themselves in a shield barrier and float across the battlefield. Only when the barrier is shot down do they lose balance and crash to the ground. Then they are vulnerable to “real” damage for a few seconds before their barrier regenerates and they soar back into the air. I have no idea what this enemy type is called, as in my mind it’s a “Kett Ascendant” from Mass Effect: Andromeda – which did exactly the same thing.
Then there is this large, gorilla-like enemy that we instinctively named “Brute” – as he acts just like a Brute from Mass Effect, with minor changes. He charges, stomps angrily on the ground, and hurls players aside. He can also throw rocks, so you are not safe just because you can fly.
Even the large gray opponents of the Dominion, the Valkyries (I only know the name because I asked in the editorial team), immediately reminded us, Mass Effect veterans, of Banshees from Mass Effect 3. Back then, they had a much cooler “one-hit” animation.
Of course, Anthem is not Mass Effect, and there is nothing wrong with reusing known and proven types of enemies. However, it is very noticeable that the enemy types behave, for the most part, exactly like their counterparts from the RPG.
In Discord, this led us to only call out the names of the opponents known from Mass Effect and struggle to remember the names from Anthem – the enemies are just too similar.
The
Combo System was taken 1:1
Also, the combo system is not really new, even though many players celebrate it. Anyone who has played Mass Effect 3 or Andromeda (whether solo or multiplayer) will already be familiar with the system. There was already a combo system that worked according to exactly the same rules.
Some
abilities applied a “primer” skill to enemies, such as a persistent burn effect. Other skills could then trigger a “tech explosion” or a “biotic explosion”.
A real development of the system is not recognizable here. It is nearly identical; only the names of the different damage types have been exchanged. However, the effects are exactly the same.
That’s good because it works and is fun.
The
cursed last hit point
Another parallel is the pesky last hit point. This is not a feature that only existed in Mass Effect, but in many games, yet I still want to mention it.
Have you ever noticed that very few attacks can kill you with a single shot, regardless of how much health you had before?
Most devastating attacks leave you with one hit point and ensure that enemies do not shoot you for 1-2 seconds or “miss”. At least on the “Easy”, “Normal”, and “Hard” difficulty levels, this is the case.
No matter how devastating the attack, most leave you with one hit point and thus a chance to take cover before the enemies open fire again.
This is supposed to ramp up the adrenaline and provides considerable action – but it is also a mechanic that was especially used in multiplayer in Mass Effect.
Anthem is an inflated multiplayer of Mass Effect
In addition, there are many other aspects. The controls, the effects of the weapons, and the general gameplay feel of the characters strongly resemble the last two installments of Mass Effect.
I don’t want to say that all these parallels are “cheap” or “bad” – because they aren’t. They have taken some of the best aspects of Mass Effect, expanded them with flying, and thrown out irritating components like the inflexible cover system. This results in a much more rounded gameplay feeling with the nice side effect that veterans from Mass Effect feel right at home.
All of this results in Anthem feeling like a massive multiplayer version of Mass Effect that has been inflated. So far, that is a good thing that is quite fun. I hope this stays true for many weeks to come.
Have you also noticed the parallels to Mass Effect? Do you think it’s good that BioWare integrated the best of the games into Anthem? Or do the parallels bother you?
The streams live from Dreamhack in Leipzig continue. This time, Dawid and Sven are up for a talk.
What’s happening on Dreamhack Saturday? On Saturday, February 16th, Sven and Dawid will analyze the two new loot shooters Anthem and The Division 2 in a stream.
Update: The talk has now concluded. However, we have re-uploaded the slot for you to watch in case you missed the live test on our Twitch channel Monsters&Explosions (MAX). What do you think, was the result of the live voting surprising?
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What is the focus? Can’t decide which of the two games to buy? Then this talk is just right for you.
Sven has thoroughly engaged with the games and can assess which player type they are best suited for. You can then vote live in the chat on which game appeals to you the most.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
When Anthem officially releases on February 22, there will also be a Day-One Patch. We have compiled some highlights from the patch notes for you.
Why Day-One Update? Anthem started Early Access on PC and Xbox One on February 15 in Early Access. With the help of players, several issues were identified that will be addressed with an update at the official release on February 22.
Where do the patch notes come from? A user posted the changes for the Day-One Patch in the Anthem subreddit. He stated that he was from the press and had received the changes from BioWare’s PR.
The patch notes were not published by BioWare themselves. However, an Anthem developer has already commented on the post, so it is likely that the changes are accurate.
The new Far Cry New Dawn was released on Friday. Now, the first sales figures from the UK are coming in, and they show a sharp decline.
What are the numbers? These are the “UK Boxed Retail Charts.” They count how many copies of a game were sold in stores across the UK.
These figures are always available very early after a release – but do not include digital sales from the PS Store, Microsoft Store, or PC offerings.
How New Dawn is selling: Far Cry New Dawn is at the top of the UK charts, but with sales figures far below those of its predecessor, Far Cry 5. It is down 86.5% from the figures of 2018.
This means New Dawn only sold 13% of the units that Far Cry 5 managed to sell in its launch week.
Far Cry 5 was a “full title,” while Far Cry New Dawn is a sort of “spin-off” from it. However, even compared to the 2016 spin-off “Primal”, New Dawn is seeing significantly lower sales figures.
Compared to Primal, New Dawn only sold 25% of the units at retail in the UK.
60% of New Dawn’s sales were on PS4, 39% on PC.
This puts the numbers into perspective: These are just the “physical sales” – since 2016, the share of digital purchases has skyrocketed. But this is already a significant loss.
What the sales figures from the UK also indicate:
Significantly better than its predecessor is Metro Exodus. They sold 50% more than “Metro Last Light” in 2013. Thus, they are in second place. This is all the more remarkable because the trend is strongly shifting towards digital purchases, and fewer and fewer are sold in stores.
Crackdown 3, on the other hand, achieved only 10% of the sales figures of Crackdown 2 from 2010. Crackdown 3 is only in 13th place in the UK charts.
February 15 was an unusually strong release date. Alongside Far Cry New Dawn, Metro Exodus, and Crackdown, Jump Force was also released. Additionally, the early access for BioWare’s blockbuster Anthem began.
A live-action trailer has been released for The Division 2. It shows you what is worth fighting for.
New trailer released: Ubisoft has unveiled a fresh live-action trailer for The Division 2. This one is called “Drawing” – and it is directed by Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn.
The video description states: “When everything fell apart. When everything was taken from us. What is there left to fight for?”
Watch the trailer here in German:
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Little action, but a lot of emotion: Those expecting gunfights, explosions, and a lot of action in a “The Division 2” trailer will see a different side of the upcoming shared-world shooter in this trailer.
The image shows a man looking at a child’s drawing with sad eyes. A woman speaks in the background about the man’s inner self.
He does not know why he has kept this picture. It is no better than the other drawings of his child. It cannot feed him, nor will it keep him warm. And it cannot protect him either.
It is just a picture – but it is the only plan the man has. The only thing worth fighting for.
The man is obviously a Division agent, portrayed here not as a soulless killer, but as a human with emotions. A man driven by the memory of his presumably deceased child. For whom the picture of his child holds the highest significance.
Watch the original trailer in English here:
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Praise for the trailer: In the comments, the community celebrates the trailer. Ubisoft just knows how to make trailers, they say. It is “epic” and generates pure anticipation. The hype train has also left the station. One user hopes the game will be as good as this trailer.
Another states that this live-action trailer shows how strong the “The Division” film could be. However, there has been no new information about the movie adaptation for a long time.
Ubisoft also points out with this trailer that the open beta of The Division 2 will be available to everyone from March 1 to 4.
The “Embrace of the Loa” of the Zandalari trolls in World of Warcraft has been changed. We will tell you how to choose the right bonuses soon.
The racial abilities of allied races are a major topic in World of Warcraft. For many players, the small abilities are the decisive factor in whether they want to play a certain race. Especially the abilities of the Zandalari, the new race from Patch 8.1.5, have already caused quite a stir. They were far too powerful from the start and were quickly nerfed.
Now Blizzard has adjusted the mechanics of one of the racial abilities, and we will tell you how it works.
Swear loyalty to a Loa: All Zandalari trolls have the option to pledge themselves to one of six Loa, which players may already know from Dazar’alor. Depending on which Loa they swear loyalty to, they receive a different passive bonus. This ability is called “Embrace of the Loa” and can have various effects:
Embrace of Krag’wa: Taking damage has a chance to increase your maximum health and grant you armor.
Embrace of Kimbul: Your damage-dealing abilities have a chance to cause the target to bleed for 6 seconds. The effect is stackable 3 times.
Embrace of Bwonsamdi: Your damage-dealing abilities have a chance to deal additional shadow damage and heal you for that amount.
Embrace of Paku: Your abilities have a chance to grant you 5% critical strike rating for a few seconds.
Embrace of Gonk: Increases your movement speed by 5%.
Embrace of Akunda: Your healing abilities have a chance to heal the target for additional health points.
High cooldown on the switch: Choosing one of the Loa is not binding, but can be changed only rarely. Because those who swear loyalty to a Loa trigger a cooldown of a proud 5 days. Only after that can an offering be made at another shrine and thus a different bonus chosen.
Shrines in Dazar’alor: The corresponding shrines of the six Loa are located in the capital Dazar’alor, spread around the great seal. Since Dazar’alor is likely the starting area for the Zandalari trolls and at least for “Battle for Azeroth” is also the center for Horde players, switching bonuses is not a big problem.
Zandalari trolls will be playable with Patch 8.1.5. There is still no exact release date for the patch.
What do you think of the implementation of the “Loa Faith” into the racial abilities of the Zandalari? Is it cool to be able to choose between multiple effects? Or is it rather annoying to have to make another choice here?
Stay informed: Don’t want to miss any news about World of Warcraft? Then leave a like on our WoW Facebook page!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is getting an update today, which will kick off the new Operation Grand Heist on PS4. We show you what content you can look forward to in the new season.
What is Operation Grand Heist? Operations are part of the so-called Supply Stream Progression in Black Ops 4. This system is designed to continuously provide the game with fresh content – similar to the seasons in Fortnite.
In Black Ops 4, seasons come in the form of seasonal operations – like the current Operation Grand Heist, the third season.
According to Treayarch, it is said to be the largest operation in the history of Black Ops 4.
What’s in store for you in Operation Grand Heist for Black Ops 4
When does Operation Grand Heist start? The new season starts on PS4 on February 19. Treyarch has not provided a specific time. However, it is suspected that the new content will go live at the usual time of 7:00 PM. The PC and Xbox One versions will likely follow a week later.
What Operation Grand Heist offers for multiplayer fans
For multiplayer fans, there are numerous contents to look forward to during the new season. Some of these will start in the launch week, others will be added during the course of the new operation. We’ve summarized the most important features for you.
New Specialist: As suspected, Outrider returns as a popular specialist from Black Ops 3. She will be unlocked at level 1 of the new stream in the black market for multiplayer and Blackout.
The Brazilian fighter uses the Hawk drone as her special equipment. The drone can be positioned over strategically important points, where it automatically marks enemies.
As a special weapon, Outrider brings her Sparrow bow, which can shoot explosive arrows.
New Weapons: The new operation launches with three new weapons:
the submachine gun Switchblade X9
the fully automatic shotgun Rampage
the melee weapon Cha-Ching
More new weapons are expected to follow during Operation Grand Heist.
Changing Modes: During the season, new modes are expected to enter the traditional multiplayer. Popular formats will also return.
It starts with the mode “One in the Chamber”, where players receive three lives, a pistol with a single shot, and a melee weapon. If you eliminate an opponent, you get another bullet.
Massive Weapon and Gameplay Adjustments: Right at the beginning of the new operation, Update 1.13 will bring massive balance changes for weapons and equipment to Black Ops 4. This is likely to shake up the meta significantly.
New Multiplayer Maps: Owners of the Black Ops Pass will receive two new multiplayer maps as part of Operation Grand Heist:
Lockup: Here, Black Ops 4 puts you in a fight for an occupied police station in the middle of the city.
Casino: This new map is set in Monaco, where you engage in intense combat in a casino hotel.
League Play: Many fans have eagerly awaited this. On February 21, League Play will finally commence in the World League Hub and host the first league event.
What Operation Grand Heist offers for Blackout fans
New Location: As already announced, the Blackout game world will change with the new operation. The world will receive numerous new buildings and new locations across the entire map.
One of the highlights is the new area Ghost Town. It offers a good amount of Western feeling with characteristic architecture. This location is inspired by the popular Standoff map from Black Ops 2. This change was already suspected due to a lollipop.
Below Ghost Town is the other new location – an underground cave system full of zombies and valuable loot.
New Mode: Coinciding with the new Operation Grand Heist, Blackout will receive a new mode called Hot Pursuit on February 22. Here, you can engage in wild car chases between robbers and law enforcement officers with new vehicles like a muscle car or police car.
Further Fine-Tuning: The Blackout mode will also be further adjusted and improved in this season. The developers have announced fine-tuning for body armor and gameplay.
New Prestige System: For those who have already reached the maximum rank of 80, there will be the opportunity to continue to advance through prestige levels, just like in traditional multiplayer.
There will be a total of 10 prestige ranks where you can earn unique calling cards, prestige icons, and more.
New Weapons: During the operation, new weapons will also be introduced in Blackout. These include:
the fully automatic pistol KAP 45
the submachine gun Switchblade X9
the fully automatic shotgun Rampage
the Sparrow bow of the new specialist Outrider
Hardcore Mode: Although it was previously said that no hardcore mode was planned, it seems that there will indeed be a harder variant of Blackout during the new season. The developers announced this during the presentation of Operation Grand Heist.
New Character: Owners of the Black Ops Pass will receive a new character for Blackout – the Cosmic Silverback.
What Operation Grand Heist offers for Zombie fans
New Gauntlets: Gauntlets are special challenges in the zombie mode. They consist of 30 rounds, are endlessly repeatable, and offer unique rules for each round.
As part of the new operation, fans will receive two new Gauntlets:
Death-Con Five, which takes place on the Classified map in the Pentagon
Hellcatraz, which takes place on the Blood of the Dead map
New Perk: There will be a new perk – Ethereal Razor. This will increase your melee damage against zombies.
New Zombie Map: During the new season, the 6th map for zombies is also expected to be released. Unfortunately, there is no further information available.
Signature Weapons: It will be possible to equip and customize signature weapons.
Additional Tier Skips: Players will have the opportunity to earn a second tier skip, allowing for a free rank-up on the black market. This means a total of two skips can be earned daily in zombies.
What Operation Grand Heist brings for the black market
New Smuggled Goods Stream: There will be a new stream with 100 ranks. Here, players can earn new weapons, blackout characters, specialist outfits, and more new cosmetic items.
New Cosmetic Item: There will be a new category of cosmetic items – the Jump Packs. This will allow for customization of jump suits, parachutes, and smoke flares for the blackout mode.
New Features: Additionally, the black market is expected to be revised again. The dealer Blackjack will return, bringing a host of new items and some new features to make the black market simpler and more user-friendly.
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YouTube’s selection process overreacted to these harmless Pokémon GO videos. Two channels were deleted because YouTube misunderstood the competition points.
What happened? Over the weekend, two of the largest YouTubers lost access to the platform. The channels Mystic7 (currently about 1.7 million subscribers) and Trainer Tips (currently about 830,000 subscribers) were suddenly suspended on Sunday, February 17. No one could explain this, as the operators are known for producing family-friendly content.
How long were they banned? The two channel operators Brandon Martyn (Mystic7) and Nick Oyzon (Trainer Tips) contacted YouTube and requested that their bans on the platform be reviewed again. Later that day, the users regained access to their channels.
The two YouTubers Mystic7 (left in the picture) and Trainer Tips (right in the picture)
What was the reason for the ban? YouTube recognized the term “CP” in the titles of the Pokémon YouTubers. CP stands for Combat Points in Pokémon GO, which is the competition points (WP) in German.
However, CP is also an abbreviation for “Child Porn” on the internet. Here, the YouTube algorithm misinterpreted CP and quickly shut down the channels. YouTube does not tolerate such content. One of the titles of an affected video reads:
“HIGHEST CP POKEMON YET IN POKEMON GO! Wild Dragonite! How Much CP Will it Be?”
Another video is titled: “How to Get Stronger Pokémon with High IVs/CP in Pokémon GO”
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In a video, Mystic7 explains why YouTube banned him. He first received a warning for an actually harmless video. This caused confusion for him. After all, the contents of his videos are aimed at all age groups. Shortly after that, there were two “strikes” for another video. The reason: “Sexual content”.
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In an email from YouTube regarding the bans to Mystic7 and Trainer Tips, it states:
YouTube is not the place for nudity or sexually provocative content. Sexual content related to minors is particularly critical. YouTube prohibits uploading, commenting, or engaging in any activities that sexualize minors.
Nick from Trainer Tips emphasizes in his tweet again that CP stands for Combat Points. He is also in favor of taking action against inappropriate content. However, YouTube’s algorithm should consider the context and not just ban channels outright.
What does YouTube say about this? A spokesperson for YouTube explained to Polygon that the channels of the YouTubers were mistakenly taken offline. It is said that with the enormous volume of videos on YouTube, mistakes sometimes happen. However, they give uploaders the opportunity to appeal the decision.
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What the YouTubers criticize: During the time their channels were unreachable, they could not earn money. Those who do this professionally and rely on income must depend on an algorithm that can block channels without context.
Nick from Trainer Tips explicitly wishes for: Manual review by a human before channels are simply closed.
In the past, there were reportedly also problems with the abbreviation CP. As Nick Oyzon explains in one of his videos, wrestling videos also had issues. They used CP in the title as an abbreviation for the wrestler CM Punk. Channels for Club Penguin also used the abbreviation CP and were subsequently deleted.
Now the two trainers are probably also curious about what is hidden behind the new loading screen with Farb-eagle. Here’s an insight:
