The Division 2: Server Status – Live Ticker for the Private Beta

At the start of the Private Beta of The Division 2, we will keep you updated in our live ticker about everything happening around the Beta. 

Starting today, February 7th, the Private Beta of The Division 2 begins. Officially, the servers are set to go online at 10 AM in the morning. Just in case, we are setting up our live ticker here to report any server issues or simply when something interesting happens.

Feel free to visit our Discord channel for The Division. There, you can chat with others about the Beta and maybe also grab some invites. It is also possible to invite friends. How exactly this works, you can find out here:

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von Noah Struthoff

The live ticker for the Private Beta of The Division 2

February 11, 10:35: The servers are offline. Ubisoft thanks you for your participation and asks for feedback in the corresponding forum. We hope you had a lot of fun.

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Live ticker from February 10

February 18:48: Today is the last evening of the Private Beta. It runs until tomorrow, February 11 at 10 AM. So take the opportunity to test again.

February 13:33: Fans are discovering more and more secrets. How to find a secret loot room, we have summarized for you.

February 11:34: According to the official patch notes a problem with voice chat in the Dark Zone has been fixed. No other fixes are mentioned.

February 11:28: The servers are back online. Have fun!

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February 10:33: If you haven’t had a chance to test the endgame content of the Beta yet, here’s a reminder: You can test the 3 specializations with a Level 30 character, including high-end equipment. It’s against the Black Tusks, a faction of the endgame. We have summarized for you how this works.

Feel free to participate in our survey: Which of the 3 specializations will you play?

February 9, 09:56: Currently, maintenance work is underway. It is likely that the same problems are being addressed as in the past days. This is now the third server maintenance. Whether the Beta will be extended is not known.

Live ticker from Saturday, February 9

Note for Sunday, February 10:  There is again supposed to be a server maintenance. It starts at 9:30 in the morning and should again last until approximately 12:30.

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February 12:05: The patch apparently addresses performance issues and crashes that some are experiencing. If you still have problems, you should restart the Beta.

February 12:00: The servers are back online. You also need to download a small patch. Ubisoft has published the patch notes in their own forum.

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February 9, 09:09: Remember, from 9:30 new server maintenance begins. They are supposed to last at least until 12:30.

February 9, 19:23: If you have problems with the uniform error on Xbox One, Massive recommends a restart and installing a small patch.

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February 9, 19:00: Further maintenance work has been announced for tomorrow morning. It is expected to again take about 3 hours. What exactly is to be fixed is not known.

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February 9, 17:12: If you have completed the “Jefferson Trade Center” mission, you should now receive a new mission: “Welcome to the Endgame”. This unlocks the specializations.

February 9, 16:38: By the way, from 5 PM the 3 specializations along with Invaded Mission will be unlocked. But don’t be surprised if there are technical problems or delays. We will keep you updated.

Please also participate in our survey about specializations and let us know which ones you will primarily play.

February 9, 14:47: Currently, there seem to be no special incidents. This evening, however, it could look different when the larger influx of players begins again.

February 9, 13:30: The servers are back online!

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February 9, 12:50: Massive has postponed the server launch again by 30 minutes. The servers are now expected to start at 1:30 PM.

February 9, 12:35: If after the server restart you still have issues with black screens, you need to be patient. They want to bring a patch for this problem quickly.

February 9, 12:25: Massive has also commented on this on Twitter. They recommend PS4 players to download the patch soon so that they can start on time at 1 PM. Why PC players are not mentioned, whose patch is significantly larger, can only be guessed.

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February 9, 12:14: There is now information about the patch. In the Ubisoft forum the patch notes have been published, it seems that the delta errors will be fixed with the update. All information on server maintenance and the delta-03 error we have summarized for you.

February 9, 11:55: A patch is also now available for PC. This one is a hefty 1.19 GB. It may contain further fixes, but there is still no official information.

February 9, 11:36: Meanwhile, an update for Playstation 4 has been released. It is 185 MB large. What changes the patch brings is currently unclear. Also, when it will be released for Xbox One and PC is not known. It might be the update that has already been announced in advance with the contents of the Beta.

February 9, 11:24: Massive has also commented on this on Twitter. The maintenance is now supposed to last until 1 PM.

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February 9, 11:15: And we must now retract the message again. The maintenance is apparently being extended. The problem apparently does not lie in the server capacities. Unfortunately, we cannot provide you with an exact time, but we will keep an eye on it.

February 9, 11:00: According to the Division stream, the Beta should go online again at 12:00. Thanks to MrTriggahigga for the tip.

February 9, 09:30: The servers are now offline. We are keeping an eye on the situation and will inform you here if something happens.

February 9, 08:44: Friend invites are apparently available again, as Massive announced via Twitter. If you want to know how you can invite friends, visit our corresponding article.

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Additionally, a live stream from the developers is currently running, which you can watch here:

https://www.twitch.tv/thedivisiongame

Ticker from February 7

February 10:25: Several players report problems. On PC, it seems that the game starts in windowed mode for some and a black screen occurs. In the subreddit for The Division.

February 10:30: Several players report on PC that they have been banned. Ubisoft is apparently working on the problem.

February 10:36: Via Twitter, it has now been announced that they are investigating the ban issue.

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February 10:54: Some players are facing the error code OSCAR-1, they cannot connect to the server.

February 11:03: A player affected by the ban reports that he can play again. Additionally, there may have been a small patch on PC.

February 11:09: Also in our Discord channel, a PC update is reported. Apparently, it has resolved a login issue.

February 12:04: If you are having trouble starting the Beta on PC, you should update your drivers, close background applications, and restart your PC. This is not a guaranteed solution, but it has helped some.

the division 2 street

February 13:29: Meanwhile, Ubisoft has published a blog post regarding the errors. They want to tackle the problems as quickly as possible and find solutions.

We have summarized the blog, these 2 bugs are top priority.

February 13:32: The error where players were accidentally banned is reportedly fixed. This is reported by The Division’s Twitter account.

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February 13:42: At the start of the Beta, the developers of The Division 2 have also provided 7 tips that will help you in the Private Beta.

February 13:48: Many players are currently asking about the PC requirements. We have listed the system requirements for The Division 2 and compared them with those of Anthem.

February 14:00: A clever fan has figured out how to fix the annoying sound bug that keeps the characters silent in dialogues. Here’s how to fix this bug yourself – at least on PC: The Division 2 Beta: How to fix the annoying sound bug on PC

February 18:35: Friend invitations are currently disabled, as Massive announced on Twitter. They want to resolve the issues first but plan to bring them back as soon as possible.

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February 18:38: If you are having issues with Delta 03, unfortunately, you will have to be patient. There is no proper fix for it yet. Massive is asking for patience as they work on the issue.

February 18:41: The Delta-03 error is related to players constantly losing connection to the servers. It apparently affects many players and occurs on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

February 19:30: The developers have announced server maintenance for the Beta on Friday, February 8. More details can be found here: Server maintenance for The Division 2 is coming, will error Delta 03 be fixed?

More information about The Division 2

Here you might find information about the shared-world shooter that may interest you:

Don’t miss any news about The Division 2? Then follow our Facebook page for The Division 2.
 
 
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WoW: If you want the pink love rocket, you should level up quickly now

Those who want the Love Rocket from the Valentine’s event of World of Warcraft should level their twinks. The requirements are increasing.

In World of Warcraft there are numerous mounts that are only available during specific events. One of them is the Great Love Rocket, available every year during the Valentine’s event “Love is in the Air”. For 2019, however, the requirements are a bit higher. Those who have not leveled their twinks yet should catch up now.

wow-love-is-in-the-air-blood-elves

New requirements for the Love Rocket: From February 12 to 26, the “Love is in the Air” event will take place in World of Warcraft. Here, players can earn the “Great Love Rocket”, a mount that may be included in the reward chest from the event boss. However, this special chest is only available to characters who have reached at least level 110. Previously, this limit was set at level 98, but it has now been raised with a hotfix.

Why the new limit? Blizzard wants to offer the “best” rewards of the events, such as rare mounts, only for active characters that have reached at least the current content. The developers had already introduced this in previous years. The level limits are now aligned with the current expansion Battle for Azeroth.

Other events follow the adjustments: Blizzard wants to apply these changes to other events as well. The Brewfest and the Hallow’s End, which take place at the end of the year, will have the same requirements for their mounts. Those who get their twinks to at least level 110 now will avoid the stress in the second half of the year.

If you need tips for leveling, check out our leveling guide for 2019:

More on the topic
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Stay informed: Don’t want to miss any news about World of Warcraft? Then leave a like on our WoW Facebook page!

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Can you play Apex Legends alone or with a friend in duo mode?

Currently, only 3-player teams are possible in Apex Legends. However, a leak and a statement from the head of Respawn Entertainment give hope that solo and duo modes could soon be available in Apex Legends.

What is the current situation? Anyone who wants to play Apex Legends must necessarily compete in 3-player teams. Those who don’t have two friends are assigned random teammates (Randoms) by the game. Apex Legends is currently played exclusively in trios.

Thanks to pings and multiple respawn options, teamplay works surprisingly well even with such “Randoms”, but some players still prefer to go out as a lone wolf or in a duo.

This is not possible at the moment, but it could change soon.

Leak and Respawn Boss Provide Clues

What indicates new game modes: Data miners have discovered that the game’s code contains two entries titled “Solo-Mode” and “2-Man-Squads”.

Source: Dexerto

These are clear indications of solo and duo game modes. However, such data mining findings should always be taken with caution. They could also be blatant fakes.

Has the head of Apex Legends hinted at new modes? Another vague hint comes from Vince Zampella, the head of the developer Respawn Entertainment.

A fan wrote to him, expressing that he really wants the solo mode in Apex Legends. For that, he would even come to the developers’ office and bring donuts – flavors according to the developers’ wishes.

https://twitter.com/BustinHugeLoads/status/1092635649474146305

The studio CEO immediately responded: “Any kind of donut?” Fans interpret this as a kind of commitment that there are indeed plans for solo and possibly duo modes in Apex.

Given that there is currently a fierce competition between Fortnite and Apex Legends, it is quite possible that Apex will make improvements soon, as Fortnite already has solo and duo modes.

However, it should be noted that some heroes, such as the tank Gibraltar and the healer Lifeline, make little sense in solo game modes. The strengths of some heroes would have to be adjusted for solo rounds.

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Source(s):
  1. Dexerto

Only veterans will understand the joke about gloves in The Division 2

In The Division 2, the developer Massive has hidden a joke in the statistics about gloves that only Division veterans will understand. The gloves count how many car doors have been closed, a reference to the reveal trailer for The Division 1 from 2013.

This is the joke: In The Division 2, players can view statistics about equipped items in the character selection menu of the ongoing private beta:

  • Weapons show how many bosses you’ve killed or the number of multi-kills
  • Chest armor reveals how many repair kits the agent has used
  • The mask indicates how many minutes have already been spent in the Dark Zone
  • The knee pads provide information on how many minutes the player has spent crouching behind cover

All relatively normal and reasonable statistics.

However, the gloves count how many car doors have been closed.

handschuhe-division-2

What’s with the car doors? This is a joke that only veterans understand.

In the first reveal trailer for The Division from E3 2013, a player was seen taking cover behind a police car and elegantly closing the car door as he slid along the vehicle to take up another position.

The closing of the car door in the 2013 trailer was so elegant and smooth that players raved about the graphics of The Division for weeks, claiming that a new era of gaming was dawning – all because the car door was closed so spectacularly.

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Later, there were discussions about a downgrade in graphics from 2013 to 2016. Some felt that the animation in the final game was no longer as elegant.

The “downgrade” discussions regarding the trailers for The Division 1 did not happen for part 2. Players even questioned whether the graphics were set to “low”.

Even in The Division 1, there were many references to car doors:

More about The Division 2:

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  1. Vg247

6 Things We Learned from the Anthem Demos

The highly anticipated release of Anthem is just around the corner! The experiences we gathered from the previous demos have been summarized for you in 6 brief points.

Anthem is ready to go: While some players can start as early as February 15, most of us must wait for the official release on February 22.

To shorten the waiting time, we have compiled our six key experiences from the demos for you.

1. There is a lot to experience in Freeplay

In Freeplay, you can test your weapons and collect resources needed for crafting. However, there are also many secrets to discover and events to master while you zip around the game world.

anthem_shooting_scar_3840.0

World Events are varied: Each time you embark on a new Freeplay expedition, in addition to the open game world, you can expect World Events. These events can appear in various locations and at different times. The length and type of mission are also diverse. In the end, you can grab a chest with loot.

Exploration should be rewarded: In Freeplay, there seem to be small loot chests hidden all over the world, which can be reached through secret underwater passages or found in caves. In the full version, there are supposed to be lore collectibles that contribute to the overall background story of Anthem.

What could be found in the demo can be seen in this video:

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2. Javelins feel different

Javelin choice is crucial: The four Javelin types distinguish themselves in various ways. Some of you may opt for the powerful stomp of the Colossus, while others swear by the aerial pirouette of the Interceptor. One thing is certain: Each suit has its own unique touch.

anthem javelins

The differences become clear during gameplay: The choice of Javelin drastically influences the play style.

This is how the Javelin plays: With the air-striking Storm, it is advisable to stay close to large rocks and similarly high structures so that you can take cover while hovering. The melee-focused Interceptor can quickly zip from one combat situation to the next. Its wide range of movement options allows the player to retreat from a fight just as quickly as they started it.

The balanced Ranger resembles a soldier, while the Colossus represents the resilient rhinoceros among the Javelins and can take some powerful hits.

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3. Not just loot chests drop equipment

Enemies have random drop chances: Often in Freeplay, a hostile Scar unit has left us a gift in the form of new weapons on the ground. These drops were predominantly of common (white), uncommon (green), or rare (blue) rarity levels in the demos.

Since loot in the full game depends on the selected difficulty level, green and blue drops could quickly turn into orange (Masterwork) or perhaps even gold (Legendary) drops.

Anthem_Loot2
Loot drops are displayed in diamond form in Anthem

Challenges reward long-term: In the demo, various actions allowed for the completion of challenges. Players will still be able to complete these challenges in the finished game.

The challenges can be viewed in the Codex and reward crafting blueprints. These allow for the creation of better versions of your weapons. For more information on challenges, check out our Endgame hub for you.

4. Combos are essential

What are combos? In Anthem, a combo consists of the combination of a primer ability and a detonator ability. Priming an enemy means applying a lasting status effect like acid or frost. You then trigger the detonator ability to launch the enemy and multiply the damage.

In our combo guide, you can find out more.

Anthem_Colossus_flame

Why are combos important? Properly combining primers and detonators is the key to victory. Combos allow you to take out many enemies in a short time with various abilities and in coordination with other Javelins, or deal massive damage to a large enemy.

5. Health does not regenerate on its own

Health must be collected: In Anthem, the survivability of your Javelin consists of two values: shields and health. The only exception is the Colossus, which is the only Javelin without a rechargeable shield system.

If your armor takes damage, you must collect glowing red orbs to regenerate your health.

anthem-scar

Defeated enemies drop health: After each successful kill, you have the chance to receive loot, ammunition packs, or health from your enemies. This design decision aims to challenge players to make tactical decisions within a fight.

You have to consider whether to brave the fray despite critical health to quickly collect a health orb or wait until the situation calms down while searching the surroundings for red pickups.

6. Klauninchen are not our enemies … or are they?

What are Klauninchen? Klauninchen are small rabbit-like creatures found throughout the world of Anthem. Essentially, these unique beings are friendly to us. However, some players do not fully trust these cute critters.

anthem-grabbit

The player can decide whether to kill Klauninchen in the wild or to leave them alone. What the long-term consequences of killing these little bunnies will be is still uncertain. Perhaps one day we will meet the “mother of all Klauninchen?”

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Now you can test the endgame in The Division 2 with level 30 agents

The beta for The Division 2 is in full swing. From now on, players can experience how fully equipped agents with strong endgame gear play and get a feel for the special abilities. 

What’s new? From now on you have the opportunity to take a peek into the endgame of The Division 2. With three agents at level 30, you can freely shoot through a new endgame mode.

division-2-agenten

The agents also have top-notch endgame equipment, all three specializations, and new abilities such as:

  • Explosive crossbow for the survival specialist
  • Grenade launcher for the demolition expert
  • Large caliber sniper rifle for the sniper

What is an “invaded mode”? This endgame mode features a harder version of the normal story missions. The differences are as follows:

  • There is a new faction “Black Tusks” as opponents
  • New enemy types
  • Smarter AI
  • Better loot

When a mission is “invaded”, all enemies in it are replaced by the Black Tusks, completely changing the combat dynamics.

How do I unlock the endgame content? Once you have completed the normal version of the second story mission at the Jefferson Trade Center, you can log out of the current character and get the choice of three different agents.

the division 2 beta trailer

Log in again with one of them and you will gain access to the “invaded” version, that is, the endgame mode of the trade center mission.

But beware: You can only play the fully equipped characters in the invaded mission. The rest of the beta content is not accessible to them.

Everything about the ongoing beta can be found in our live ticker. 

Which specialization do you play in the private beta? Take part in our survey.

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  1. Reddit
  2. Gamestar

Now is the perfect time to start playing Final Fantasy XIV

The current expansion Stormblood of Final Fantasy XIV is slowly coming to its end. It is the optimal time for interested players who haven’t quite ventured into the MMORPG to start with FFXIV. 

It can be really intimidating to get into an MMORPG that has been running for over five years and is regularly updated. The amount of content can overwhelm a new player, but now is exactly the right time for FFXIV.

final fantasy xiv stormblood trailer

Base version of Final Fantasy XIV available for free as Twitch loot

How can Twitch Prime users get it? Twitch Prime members can currently secure a code for the base version of Final Fantasy XIV.

To do this, you just need to go to your Twitch loot page and click on “Claim your loot”. The code will then be displayed directly in the bar below. The offer ends on May 3, 2019.

What is included in the base edition? The loot pack for Final Fantasy XIV on Twitch includes the following:

  • A code for the PC version of FFXIV
  • All content from FFXIV: A Realm Reborn
  • Max level is 50 (currently at 70)
  • 30 days of playtime

If you create a character on one of the preferred servers, you will even receive an additional 15 days of free playtime. So it’s a great opportunity to dive into the MMORPG and test it beyond the limits of the free trial version.

final fantasy xiv shadowbringers minfilia

Everything about account creation, servers, and the first steps in Final Fantasy XIV can be found in our beginner’s guide:

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The new addon is coming

What is Shadowbringers? The new expansion of Final Fantasy XIV is set to release on July 2 and seems to be selling well already. Many new features and content have already been announced, which players can expect either at release or shortly thereafter. Coming are:

Further features and news will be announced at the Fan Festival in Japan in March. Players are expecting another job, which could be the Dancer according to a leak.

final fantasy xiv job revolverklinge

With the pre-order of the addon, you will also receive a ring from March 1 that gives you a 30% EXP boost up to level 70, allowing you to quickly bridge the slow leveling phase.

Why is this important? In Final Fantasy XIV, you must first play through the main story of the MMORPG to reach the endgame. There are over a hundred hours of content that you must play through if you don’t want to pay for a story skip.

To experience the new expansion of FFXIV along with other players and not to fall far behind in story and gear, it is advisable to start as early as possible.

final-fantasy-xiv-shadowbringers-drk

If you start leveling and gathering gear now, you will have more than enough time to be ready for the release of Shadowbringers on July 2. This way, you can leisurely explore the world, the jobs, and the features of FFXIV and decide what you like and what you don’t.

Current patch is good for catching up

What are “catch-up patches”? The “odd” patches in FFXIV, such as 4.1, 4.3, etc., are designed to help players obtain strong gear without having to do high-end raids. Patch 4.5 is the last major content patch before the release of Shadowbringers.

In the current patch, for example, players can run the normal 24-player raid to obtain upgrade items that can raise their gear to the currently highest level. This also makes it easier for newer players to quickly catch up to veterans.

final fantasy shadowbringers trust system

No further major content patches are expected before the addon release that would significantly increase the item level of gear. This means that the new players starting Final Fantasy XIV now will no longer fall behind veterans in their progress.

Server transfer will be temporarily free

Why is that? At the end of March after the Fan Festival in Japan, the FFXIV team plans to split the European data center. The servers that have been known as the “Chaos” data center will be split into Chaos and Light.

During this phase, transfers between the individual servers will be free for a while to give players the option to decide which new data center they would prefer to go to.

final fantasy xiv viera ingame

Why is this important? In an MMORPG like Final Fantasy XIV, social contacts with the community are important and contribute a lot to the enjoyment of the game. Since the data center split will not occur until March, you have enough time now to check out a server and try to make connections.

If you find after a while that you don’t like it there, the free transfer gives you the opportunity to move your character along with its belongings to another server.

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von Irina Moritz
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Players see ads for Fortnite when they search for Apex Legends

When searching for Apex Legends on Google, ads for Fortnite often appear. What’s behind that?

What has happened? Many Battle Royale fans looking to find out about the new, up-and-coming Battle Royale game Apex Legends may have a bizarre experience. Instead of the sought-after game, Fortnite: Battle Royale sometimes appears at the top of the search results.

Google as a weapon against Apex?

How does the ad for Fortnite show up for Apex Legends? The reason for this strange advertisement is likely that Epic Games, the developers of Fortnite, have placed ads on Google targeted at the Battle Royale player demographic.

Therefore, anyone searching for Apex Legends will also be recognized by Google as a relevant audience for Fortnite: Battle Royale and might see the ad from Epic.

Source: Fortnite Intel

And many unsuspecting users habitually click on the first search result and unknowingly land on Fortnite.

Why is Epic doing this? Epic’s ad can be seen as a concrete measure against the competition. However, it is most likely just a standard advertising measure managed by an external agency.

There, they likely have the Fortnite advertisement running for all relevant products. Therefore, it is probably not an intentional measure against Apex.

Nonetheless, Apex competes with Fortnite. Both games are free-to-play and attract players with fun gameplay and unique features. Fortnite has building and many game modes, while Apex has numerous thoughtful features and unique heroes.

Competition invigorates the business

That’s why it’s good that Fortnite has competition: The competition between the Apex developers at Respawn Entertainment and Epic Games is a very positive thing for us players.

Already, we can see that Epic suddenly introduces the ranked play feature that has been demanded for months. And this comes shortly after rumors about a ranked feature in Apex surfaced.

Apex is already planning seasons and a battle pass for the upcoming month and is sure to bring many new heroes and game modes throughout the year.

Both developers will therefore engage in this arms race for the favor of the players, and both games will be continuously developed and expanded with good, fan-desired features.

As long as neither of the two games ultimately fails, it’s a good thing for the audience.

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Fortnite Intel

Fortnite prodigy Mongraal freaks out live, smashes keyboard

In Fortnite, you can’t always have luck. Such was the case with professional player Kyle “Mongraal” Jackson, who first destroyed his keyboard out of anger during his stream and then accidentally sat in his food. 

What happened? When you’re gaming and you have really bad luck, something might get broken out of frustration. This is what happened to the 14-year-old Fortnite prodigy Mongraal. 

On Twitch, three short clips from one of his streams went viral, showing him not only destroying his keyboard but also accidentally sitting in his food.

Videos show how Mongraal destroyed his keyboard

This is how it all started: The professional player Mongraal, who is already signed with Team Secret despite his young age, participated in the Architect Pop-Up Cup of Fortnite. In the first clip, you can see how the player gets eliminated before he even found a weapon.

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This frustrated Mongraal so much that he took his keyboard and slammed it hard onto his desk. The keys went flying in all directions and the keyboard was unusable. Only the LEDs still worked, glowing ominously red.

The rage continued: Once you’re in a rage, it doesn’t go away so quickly. While trying to fix his keyboard and put the keys back together, Mongraal was overtaken by anger a second time.

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In the second clip, you can see Mongraal hitting the keyboard because the keys don’t fit easily into the case. His anger had not subsided and the keyboard responded to this renewed act of violence with complete failure.

That was the crowning finale: Amidst all the destructive rage, misfortune also struck the professional. When he sat down on his bed frustrated after the keyboard’s final demise and wanted to try fixing it again, you could hear nothing but complaints in the stream: “I put my butt in my food!”

Because on the bed was still his dinner, a full plate of pasta with sauce, which the boy had now spread across the bed and his backside. He must have forgotten in his anger that his dinner was waiting for him there.

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However, Mongraal did not get upset afterwards. A loud, resigned exhale commented on this faux pas. For the streamer, the day was probably over.

Have you ever had such moments of boundless gamer rage and then regretted it bitterly?

We have already reported on the young pro. His parents support the streamer, but he has to go to bed early:

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Parents support Fortnite player (13), but he can only play until 9 PM
von Jürgen Horn
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Source(s):
  1. Comicbook

New MMORPG Astellia is coming to German in 2019, wants to do everything right

A new MMORPG for PC has launched in South Korea with Astellia. Astellia aims to come to Europe as well. Surprisingly, the developers are saying all the right things that MMORPG fans in Germany want to hear. A localization in German has now been promised for the launch.

We reported on Astellia for the first time in June 2017 on MeinMMO . At that time, it seemed like a typical Korea MMORPG published by Nexon: very colorful and typically Asian.

After that, we lost sight of the online role-playing game for years.

Astellia-Hase

But two years later, Astellia has become much more interesting for us Europeans.

In anticipation of a port to Europe, the developers are cleverly clearing away many reservations that German MMORPG players have against Asian imports.

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The special gimmick of the game: The special twist of Astellia are the Astels.

“Astels” are summons that a player can additionally bring onto the field. A warrior might summon a “Healing-Astel” that keeps him alive, or a DPS-Astel that helps him defeat enemies more quickly.

There will be more than 30 of these Astels. Three can be active at the same time. This is intended to give players strategic options, allowing them to focus on individual fights.

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Astellia speaks German, loosens gender lock

That’s why Astellia is suddenly exciting: In recent interviews (via mmoculture), the developers are making every effort to say all the right things to us in Europe about a new MMORPG:

  • They have opened an office in California to directly manage the West launch from there
  • The game will be distributed from California for Europe and North America. Astellia will support three languages at launch: English, French, and German.
  • The gender lock of the original version will be loosened: Two classes will be playable for both genders at launch. The rest will be released later. Players will have the opportunity to choose their gender for free when the option becomes available.
  • Additionally, Astellia is focusing on Buy2Play and promises no Pay2Win intentions
  • They want to develop the game in the long term
  • They are emphasizing PvE elements with “Legendary Dungeons.” Astellia wants to offer enough for both PvE and PvP players.
astellia-drache

This is the general MMORPG situation: Astellia is in the same situation as Bless 2018. The MMORPG market on PC is dried up and the gates are wide open for a “classic MMORPG.”

While many other companies are focusing on mobile, Astellia wants to cater to the PC market and makes that clear.

asatellia-kampf

When does it start? Astellia is currently running in South Korea, and the developers are working on a version for Europe and North America.

A closed beta for Europe and North America is scheduled to start in summer 2019.

Read more about Astellia in our own big MeinMMO interview about the game:

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

List shows all trophies from Anthem and what you need to do for them

Anthem will have 47 trophies and achievements at release that you can complete. Now there is a list of trophies with the descriptions.

Of the 47 trophies, there are in Anthem

  • 1 Platinum trophy
  • 2 Gold trophies
  • 11 Silver trophies
  • and 33 Bronze trophies

PS4 players can look forward to 1185 points. Achievements are available for completing missions and other tasks.

Our guide shows you what you need to do for all trophies and achievements.

Update: The list was updated on February 9, 2019. It was first published on February 1, 2019.

The trophies and achievements of Anthem

We categorize the trophies by Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum and list the achievements in tables for you. We will update the Xbox points as soon as they are known.

Anthem Crew Friends

The Bronze Trophies

Comrades in ArmsComplete Part 1 of “Brin’s Need to Know” 
   
Military Pursuits Complete Part 2 of “Brin’s Need to Know” 
   
Arcanist MysteriesComplete “Matthias’ Search for Knowledge” 
   
Scholarly PursuitsComplete “Matthias’ Riddles of Raban Maur” 
   
Restoring GloryComplete Yarrows’ “Keeping Promises” 
   
Honorable Pursuits Complete Yarrows’ “Shallow Grave” 
   
Uncommon TalentComplete a mission, Stronghold or Contract with “uncommon” Javelin gear 
   
Rare TalentComplete a mission, Stronghold or Contract with “rare” Javelin gear 
   
Epic TalentComplete a mission, Stronghold or Contract with “epic” Javelin gear 
   
Master TalentComplete a mission, Stronghold or Contract with “Masterwork” Javelin gear 
   
Assault ArtisanComplete 3 Assault Rifle-1 challenges 
   
Light Machine Gun LoverComplete 3 LMG-1 challenges 
   
Born in BattleComplete 3 Rifle-1 challenges 
   
Straight ShooterComplete 3 SMG-1 challenges 
   
Pistol WhippedComplete 3 Heavy Pistol-1 challenges 
   
I call ShotgunComplete 3 Shotgun-1 challenges 
   
Sniper AceComplete 3 Sniper-1 challenges 
   
Cannon ConnoisseurComplete 3 Autocannon-1 challenges 
   
Grenade GuruComplete 3 Grenade Launcher-1 challenges 
   
Arms MerchantComplete 12 Ranger Gear-1 challenges 
   
Munitions MaestroComplete 12 Colossus Gear-1 challenges 
   
Seal ServantComplete 12 Storm Gear-1 challenges 
   
Gadgets GaloreComplete 12 Interceptor Gear-1 challenges 
   
Explorer – High RoadDiscover all districts, landmarks, and hidden places in “High Road” 
   
Explorer – Academy RuinsDiscover all districts, landmarks, and hidden places in “Academy Ruins” 
   
Explorer – Monument WatchDiscover all districts, landmarks, and hidden places in “Monument Watch” 
   
Explorer – Fortress of DawnDiscover all districts, landmarks, and hidden places in “Fortress of Dawn” 
   
Explorer – Ruins of ShadowmarkDiscover all districts, landmarks, and hidden places in “Shadowmark” 
   
Explorer –  Valley of TarsisDiscover all districts, landmarks, and hidden places in “Valley of Tarsis” 
   
Explorer – Great Falls CanyonDiscover all districts, landmarks, and hidden places in “Great Falls Canyon” 
   
Explorer – Emerald AbyssDiscover all districts, landmarks, and hidden places in “Emerald Abyss” 
   
Explorer – East GateDiscover all districts, landmarks, and hidden places in “East Gate” 
   
Explorer – Eastern ReachDiscover all districts, landmarks, and hidden places in “Eastern Reach” 
Anthem Screenshot

The Silver Trophies

A Royal FavorComplete “Dax’s Emerald Abyss” 
   
Triple ThreatComplete “Matthias’ Triple Threat” 
   
Early WarningsComplete “Early Warnings” 
   
IncursionComplete “Incursion” 
   
Finding Old FriendsComplete “Finding Old Friends” 
   
The Tomb of General Tarsis Complete “The Tomb of General Tarsis” 
   
The Fortress of DawnComplete “The Fortress of Dawn” 
   
Freelancer DownComplete “Freelancer Down” 
   
Freelancer Loyalty 3Complete all tasks to help the Freelancers 
   
Arcanist Loyalty 3Complete all tasks to help the Arcanists 
   
Sentinel Loyalty 3Complete all tasks to help the Sentinels 
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The Gold Trophies

No Stone Unturned Complete all “Bastion Collectibles challenges” 
   
Return to the Heart of RageComplete “Return to the Heart of Rage” 
Anthem-Ranger-3

The Platinum Trophy

GrandmasterCollect all trophies/achievements 

Whether there are still secret achievements or if these 47 are all the trophies, we do not know yet. Many details about the trophies and achievements are still missing. As soon as the in-game translations are available, we will update this article.

Don’t want to miss any news about Anthem? Then follow our Facebook page about Anthem.

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Pokémon GO: Player reaches one million candies – Here’s how he did it

Those who catch the monsters in Pokémon GO also receive candies for it. Now, a player has reached an incredible milestone, collecting one million candies.

What happened? If you don’t develop much, candies tend to accumulate here and there. It happens that you have over 5000 Pidgey candies lying around. However, trainer “Jeroen026” casts such quantities of candies into the shadows. He has collected over a million Pokémon sweets in total.

We from MeinMMO asked the player a few questions about this crazy success.

That’s why this trainer collected a million candies

What’s behind the collecting: For Jeroen, it has never been important to develop Pokémon. He preferred to follow the well-known Pokémon slogan “Gotta catch ’em all!”

Catching became the focus for the player as he set himself the goal of completing his Pokédex solely by catching.

1 mio candy 5
This Pokémon is what Jeroen has the most candies of.

From then on, his passion for collecting candies began. If you catch all Pokémon in the wild, you don’t have to spend the candies on developments.

This is how he set goals: Jeroen set small goals for himself and continuously achieved them: 100 candies from each Pokémon, owning a total of 250,000 candies, and many more goals were gradually achieved.

1 mio candy 3

How did he manage to do that? Since day one, the trainer has been collecting. He has completed only 4000 developments in total. This is extremely low for a player with over 100 million XP. Jeroen also rarely uses the Nanab Berry, only for Pokémon that do not have 1000 candies or those that are rare.

Another trick is trading Pokémon. Jeroen has traded over 19,000 Pokémon and thus earned numerous candies. He generated many candies from rare monsters this way.

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What Pokémon does the trainer have the most candies from? Jeroen has the most candies from Pikachu, followed by Pidgey and Rattata. From each of these Pokémon, the player has over 40,000 candies. Additionally, there are over 20,000 candies from Magikarp and Swablu.

How much XP is contained in these candies? If one manages to spend that one million candies and put everything into developments, it would amount to nearly 60 million experience points. This applies, of course, only if he were to use a Lucky Egg and develop during an XP event. Without that, it would be “only” 15 million XP.

1 mio candy 4

What’s next? Jeroen wants to continue collecting his candies. Currently, his goal is to own over 1000 candies from every Pokémon. Not many are missing.

He will continue not to develop, because collecting experience points has never been one of his goals.

What do you think about this amount of candies? How many candies do you have from Pidgey, Rattata, and Co.?

Another player has set another insane record. He has traded over 19,000 Pokémon:

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

This is why Destiny 2 players want Xur’s Glass Needles back

Exotic gear has become rare in Destiny 2. Some players are hoping for the return of an item from Destiny 1.

What is it about? Since the first Destiny 2 expansion Forsaken, players have been rewarded less frequently with exotic gear. While exotic drops have thus become special again, there is a significant downside: with random rolls returning, it has become even harder for players to find exotics with the right perks.

What do the players say? In the Destiny subreddit, the Guardian NoctisNoctua has pointed out the issue and remembered the Glass Needles from Destiny 1. Even the predecessor of Destiny 2 had random rolls, but there was a way to re-roll the perks on exotic armor pieces with the Glass Needles.

destiny2_hunter3

The Glass Needles could only be purchased from the old noodle-faced Xur. This made the needles even more desirable, as in Destiny 2 the strange merchant only visited once a week in the predecessor.

How could the needles fit into Destiny 2? Some Guardians agree with NoctisNoctua on Reddit. They believe that the drop chances for exotic gear are so low that they hardly want to hunt for the right perks for their respective playstyle. NoctisNoctua himself stated that he plays several hours a day and only receives one or two exotics every few weeks.

The Guardian donk1999 states that the merchant Xur could regain relevance for hardcore players with the introduction of Glass Needles. Additionally, it wouldn’t hurt so much when only a few exotics drop and you don’t get the item you need.

Destiny-Artwork-Niederlage Neu

Joey141414 thinks that Glass Needles are not needed because exotics are so rare, but because you often only receive the same items. He mentions that he often only gets gear that he already has. If he at least had the option to re-roll the items, the duplicates would frustrate him less.

The user MimirX disagrees and prefers a revamp of the collection instead of Glass Needles. Instead of the fixed rolls of the items we have already collected, he believes that items in the collection should also be re-rolled.

For now, Guardians have new gear coming during the Crimson Days:

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German giant Crytek continues to shrink, loses Warface and the team

The German game developer Crytek loses another game and likely also a studio. They are letting go of the online shooter “Warface”. The previous Crytek team in Kiev is going independent and will continue to work on the F2P shooter.

This is the announcement: There is another restructuring at Crytek. The developers of Warface are leaving the company and taking their game with them.

So far, Warface has been developed at Crytek Kiev, one of the last three bastions of Crytek alongside the headquarters in Frankfurt and a studio in Istanbul.

Warface Screenshot Soldiers

Crytek announces that Warface is now being developed by “Blackwood Games”. This is a new company under the creative director of Warface, Michael Khaimzon, and the previous development team from Crytek Kiev.

It is said that Blackwood will take over the further development of the Warface franchise, along with all future updates. This is an important strategic change.

This is Warface: It is a free-to-play first-person shooter in a military style. Warface was released in 2013 for PC, but only came out in 2018 for PS4 and Xbox One.

On Metacritic, the PC version of Warface received 62%. The game was described as “solid standard fare.” The title is okay, but it lacks inspiration and original ideas.

We at MeinMMO have taken a look at Warface in a review.

Hunt Showdown Screenshot 1
Hunt Showdown
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This is the situation of Crytek: Between 2007 and 2013, Crytek was on an expansion course. The developer opened branches around the world, acquired studios, and invested.

But for some years now, Crytek has been shrinking again, just as quickly as it had previously grown.

  • In 2014, Crytek closed its branches in the UK and the USA.
  • In 2016, it parted ways with 4 studios in Budapest, Sofia, Seoul, and Shanghai. At that time, the company announced that it would focus only on core brands and the CryEngine.

Even now, after losing Warface, the company emphasizes again that it wants to focus on its own “core brands” and long-term plans.

At the moment, the focus of Crytek seems to be on “Hunt: Showdown” which is still in Early Access on Steam. Additionally, Crytek is working on a new title together with the wonder technology SpatialOS.

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  2. polygon

That’s why I find it sad that Anthem won’t get PvP

Anthem will not offer PvP at launch and whether such a mode will come at all depends on player feedback. Micha is somewhat divided on this decision.

No PvP at launch: BioWare, the developers of Anthem, have repeatedly confirmed that the shooter will not offer a PvP mode and will fully focus on its PvE content. This statement was not well received by some potential players.

BioWare promised to wait for player feedback after launch and then decide whether Anthem will still receive a competitive multiplayer mode.

Before the release, there are many players, who are even relieved that there is no PvP. A post on Reddit, where a player listed his opinion on the advantages of the missing mode, reached nearly 4000 upvotes in a short time.

anthem-interceptor1

Even our MeinMMO readers seem to have little interest in PvP in Anthem. In our survey about the mode, in which about 1400 readers participated, 72% of you said that the shooter does not need a PvP mode.

I also see the advantages of Anthem not having a PvP mode, but I am also afraid of a possible lack of variety.

That’s why I wish for PvP: I am a Destiny veteran from the very beginning and have experienced many highs and lows with Bungie’s shooter. Through various dry spells and content droughts, PvP has always brought me back, as it provided a break from the everyday grind.

Destiny 2 Forsaken breakthrough PVP
Especially the PvP in Destiny 1 captivated me, the mode in Destiny 2 also has its moments.

Each round against my human opponents brought me something new, exciting for a short time and made me log into the game again, even when there were no new contents. With friends or completely solo, one could always kill some time and then devote oneself to other things.

Anthem also promises regular updates and wants to become something like the Netflix of games, where players will want to check back repeatedly. Even the first expansion has already been announced. Whether the constant flow of content can be maintained, we will probably only find out after the launch.

But what will players spend their time doing in Anthem when the current contents have already been chewed through and new food is still far away? Will events and different difficulty levels in the activities be enough to keep players or will they prefer to seek another game during content droughts?

Anthem-Freelancer-Pilot
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This is how I envision PvP: Especially because of the flying Javelins, I find the idea of a possible PvP exciting and challenging. The verticality offers its own pitfalls: instead of just being on the ground or on elevated platforms, opponents can lurk everywhere.

However, Anthem could also be stretching itself too thin: if the PvP is designed to be too demanding, it might deter players.

In the worst case, PvP could lead to a split in the player base: those who love the mode and those who loathe it. The main thing is that no one is forced into PvP, because that doesn’t go down well in Destiny 2:

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What about you? Are you still convinced after the demos that Anthem doesn’t need PvP or could you now envision the mode?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Activision Blizzard is reportedly going to lay off hundreds of employees on Tuesday

A report from the business site Bloomberg announces mass layoffs at Activision Blizzard. On Tuesday, hundreds of employees at the company behind WoW, Call of Duty, Overwatch, and (still) Destiny 2 are expected to be let go.

This is supposed to be the announcement: Activision Blizzard allegedly plans to announce the layoffs on Tuesday. The number of layoffs could be “in the hundreds,” according to Bloomberg.

Activision Blizzard is responding to poor sales figures and aims to bring about change. Apparently, Activision hopes to see a boost on the stock market from the layoffs.

Where does the report come from? The US business site Bloomberg reports on the planned mass layoffs. They reference “a person who wishes to remain unnamed because the changes have not yet been officially announced.”

Overwatch winston wat title

Activision wants stronger centralization, higher profits

What is the idea behind the layoffs? According to Bloomberg, the layoffs are part of a “restructuring” of the company. Allegedly, Activision Blizzard wants to centralize and increase profits.

This is the situation at Activision Blizzard: The company seems like a wavering giant. At the end of 2017, it employed nearly 10,000 people.

However, it has not been performing strongly in recent years. In November 2018, they admitted that key titles are no longer performing as well as they once did:

Just the loss of Destiny 2 could mean a revenue loss of 400 million US dollars annually, Bloomberg reports. Analysts believe, according to the business site, that sales figures at Activision Blizzard will drop by 2% in 2019.

destiny-2-pvp-titel

This is what has happened recently: Additionally, there have been some personnel changes in the company:

Difficult times for video game giants

This is the overarching market situation: Bloomberg notes that it is not only Activision Blizzard being battered on the stock market, but also Electronic Arts and Take-Two are experiencing such harsh times because their sales prospects for 2019 are not looking too bright.

Red Dead Online Pferd

The video game industry is a business that lives off “hits,” Bloomberg states.

Apparently, analysts do not foresee any hits for 2019 for the companies, or at least not as significant hits as in the past years. Without a “new” Red Dead Redemption 2, 2019 will be weaker for Take-Two than 2018, as per market logic.

Even at Activision Blizzard, the stock analysts currently do not see any revenue drivers in the pipeline.

At the BlizzCon 2018, the mobile game “Diablo Immortal” was roughly the biggest new announcement. The presentation was received very negatively and commented upon by many.

Diablo Immortal Screen 3

One of the underlying problems for the weakening of established video game giants could be the enormous success of Fortnite.

For months, there have been rumors that Activision is planning a “centralization.” It is allegedly said that Blizzard’s independence will be restricted,

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

New World: Die wichtigsten Erkenntnisse nach 3 Stunden Alpha

Our author Alexander Leitsch was allowed to play the MMO New World for three hours at an event. During this time, fortresses were conquered and expanded, armor and weapons were crafted, and parts of the existing world were explored. 

Amazon’s New World is currently in a closed alpha phase. Many players have not yet had the chance to take a look at the game. To help you understand where to place the game, I would like to share my experiences from three hours of alpha with you.

New World is not a new World of Warcraft

If you were looking forward to a new MMORPG in the style of World of Warcraft or Guild Wars 2, you will not enjoy New World. The sandbox MMO primarily focuses on PvP and crafting.

Additionally, we have to completely forgo other theme park content such as quests or a story line. While players are supposed to be able to assign tasks to other players through the trading post system, we find no pre-defined tasks from the game.

Instead, the creativity of the players is in demand. From building the first equipment to creating fortresses and guild wars, everything is possible. However, nothing is handed to you.

New World Ghost

New World plays poorly alone

If you enjoy playing in a group or guild, you will feel at home in New World immediately. Lone wolves can achieve a lot, but participating in large battles or expanding fortresses will be challenging.

You need a guild even to claim areas. You could theoretically create one on your own and then establish your fortress in an available area.

However, even farming and expanding is very time-consuming alone. It becomes frustrating when other players attack the fortress. Defending it even against an entire guild will be impossible.

New World Guild

Fortresses are demanding but fun

If you want to build a fortress according to your wishes, you will need a huge amount of wood and stone. Unfortunately, these do not fall from the sky and must be collected yourself.

To erect a fortress, you must first bring an area under control. For this, you need an item costing 150,000 gold from the trading post of a neutral outpost.

For comparison: We earned about 35,000 gold in 90 minutes of play. However, we also sold our crafted equipment towards the end.

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After that, you need wood and flint to create initial workbenches. At these, you can further process wood into timber and stones into stone blocks. These materials are then used to build walls, buildings, and first-level crafting stations.

The further you progress, the higher-quality materials you can use. There are multiple tiers for all buildings that you must first construct. In any case, a lot of farming is required for the fortress.

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You can only specialize in a few skills

In New World, it is incredibly important to master skills. This includes primarily crafting skills like blacksmithing, survival in the wilderness, or alchemy. However, our points are severely limited.

During the game, you receive trade points that you can distribute in corresponding trees. However, our characters, already raised to a very high level, could only fully skill one skill.

Afterward, some points remained. However, if you want to be able to do multiple things at once, you cannot perfectly master a discipline. You have to team up with other players as well. Twinks, or additional characters, will not be available.

In addition to trade skills, there are also attributes that you level up passively and actively in the game. In the accompanying image, you can see the various attributes and the points we still had to distribute.

New World Attributes

Deaths are tough but manageable

If you die in New World, you have several problems. On the one hand, you lose your inventory, and on the other hand, you may have to respawn at a very distant location.

In a normal death, you lose your entire inventory, but not the armor and weapons you are wearing. However, if you are marked as a criminal, you also lose the items you are wearing and start over without equipment.

New World Respawn

How do you respawn? When you die, you can either be revived by other players or choose a location for respawn. Neutral outposts are available if you have interacted with the graveyard there, as well as your own campfire.

However, note that after respawning, you have a 25-minute cooldown at the respective location.

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Does Apex Legends Repeat the Success of Fortnite?

Apex Legends is the new star in the battle royale sky. But does it have a serious chance against Fortnite?

What is Apex Legends? Apex Legends is a battle royale game by Respawn Entertainment, the creators of Titanfall. The game came out of nowhere on February 4, 2019, and just four days after launch already had over 10 million players, with one million playing at the same time.

Thus, it had a better start than Fortnite, and many players and streamers are considering the new shooter or have already switched.

Reasons in Favor of Apex Legends

Is there a real chance to break Fortnite’s dominance? In the following paragraphs, we present a few reasons how Apex could pose a threat to Fortnite.

Popular Streamers Play It

Shroud Apex Legends Geld

Apex Legends was developed in collaboration with streamers like Shroud and was tested in advance. Therefore, the game has useful features from the start, such as a streamer mode that protects against stream snipers by anonymizing names in the game. Apex is thus fully geared toward streaming from the start.

Additionally, many Fortnite streamers have already started streaming Apex alongside or instead of Fortnite. This includes prominent figures like Ninja, Myth, or DrLupo. If these streamers stay involved for a longer time, Apex will likely not lose popularity anytime soon.

Titanfall Was Very Popular

Moreover, Apex Legends takes place in the Titanfall universe, and various weapons and locations are familiar to any fan of this series and evoke nostalgia.

The mech shooter still has a loyal fanbase that plays Apex just because of its connection to Titanfall. They likely forgive that there is currently no new Titanfall.

It Is Free to Play

apex-legends-screenshots31 – Kopie

Like Fortnite, Apex Legends is free to play and does not need to be purchased separately. Unlike PUBG or Black Ops 4, you can start playing immediately without spending money. This ensures that everyone can try the game without hesitation.

And this is extremely important for attracting new players who are generally satisfied with their respective games.

Seasons and Content for the Coming Year Are Planned

The developers of Apex Legends know exactly what battle royale fans want: seasons with their own themes and a battle pass where they can find progress in cool items.

Every game in the genre has something like this now, and Apex will kick off with Season 1 in March and hopefully deliver even more good reasons to play the game.

The Gameplay Is Well Thought Out

apex-legends-screenshots24 – Kopie

Many players praise the well-thought-out gameplay of Apex Legends. It is evident in many aspects that the developers clearly asked the following questions: “How can I make a BR game better?” and “How can I make the annoying aspects of BR less annoying?”

Therefore, there are different heroes in Apex Legends . A feature that has long been desired by fans but has never been implemented properly before. And there are also countless quality-of-life features that hardly anyone would want to miss in a BR game:

  • Simple team communication with pings
  • Additional respawn option
  • Shield during revival
  • Joint jump

All these features make Apex Legends a very smooth and satisfying gaming experience.

There Was No Hype

Apex Legends Klassen Titel

Since there was virtually no hype around the game and it just appeared, everyone is now curious and wants to check it out. And no one had false expectations. Instead, there is a lot of viral word-of-mouth propaganda.

Players tell each other about the new BR game that is supposed to be really cool. This attracted a lot of players who might have had false expectations during a hype. Many were pleasantly surprised in the end.

Players Who Don’t Like Battle Royale Love It

In many articles about Apex Legends on our site MeinMMO, the comments often say, “I don’t like battle royale, but Apex Legends is fun for me!”.

Apex Legends Screenshot

The game thus attracts a mix of well-thought-out gameplay and good ideas from a shooter-oriented target audience that previously had no interest in BR like PUBG or Fortnite.

Moreover, it avoids the ultra-cutesy style of Fortnite and is rated for ages 18 and up. While this excludes children, it attracts older gamers who find Fortnite too childish.

What Apex Still Needs to Achieve to Remain Competitive

Apex Legends has already impressively proven that it can attract players. However, to maintain this in the long run, the developers need to keep an eye on three main points:

  • Constantly Update: Fortnite sets the precedent with its phenomenal update pace on how a BR game should be developed. Here, Apex needs to be similarly quick and constantly offer new content.
  • Utilize eSports Potential: Battle Royale is now a force in eSports. Apex also needs to quickly jump on this bandwagon if it wants to remain competitive in the long term.
  • Listen to the Community: During development, streamers and experienced players were closely involved and brought in great ideas. Respawn Entertainment should definitely continue to listen to what the players want.
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Fortnite is fighting back: Another point that many fans found interesting about Apex was the rumor that there would soon be a ranked mode. This is a feature that Fortnite has been waiting for in vain. However, Epic recently announced just that, and Fortnite is indeed getting a ranked mode.

This may be coincidence, but it is also possible that Epic takes the competition seriously and wants to undermine it.

It remains exciting to see how the duel for the throne of the battle royale genre will develop. If you don’t want to miss any of our news about Apex Legends, then follow us on Facebook. 

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In Star Citizen you can also communicate with mute players

Star Citizen has a new feature and has positively surprised part of the community. It will be possible to communicate in sign language, at least in a rudimentary way. Fans see great potential in it.

In the latest episode of “Around the Verse” titled “The Sound of Fury,” the developers of Star Citizen discussed new content that is set to be added to the game. This includes emotes that will give characters the ability to use sign language.

The corresponding message in the embedded video starts around minute 13:33.

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So far, only a few signs are available, such as for “Sit down” or “Thank you (sarcastically).” It is not yet clear if more gestures are planned. However, facial expressions are also planned.

Star Citizen Community Advocates for Sign Language

Players find the feature useful: In a Reddit post about the video and the new sign language feature, fans are actively discussing the topic. It is very well received and most people see the benefit in it.

They find it practical that the emotes can be used not just for cosmetic, but for practical purposes. This enables mute and deaf players to communicate faster and also share information in fast-paced situations without having to type.

According to a hearing-impaired developer on the Star Citizen team, the gestures are even accurate, and he can recognize them all. Currently, only American Sign Language is available. It is unclear whether German Sign Language will also be included.

star_citizen_arccorp

Fans see new possibilities: The community sees in the signs not only usefulness but also two great opportunities. Through subtitles and corresponding meanings, players can also learn simple sign language for real life.

Additionally, as user Maestr027 notes on Reddit, this opens up chances for new friendships. With more communication, doors for new friends are opened.

What do you think of the feature?

Another company is also advocating for disadvantaged gamers. A Super Bowl commercial from Microsoft is causing a stir:

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Destiny 2: Xur today – location and offer on 08.02.

Today there is a visit from Xur in Destiny 2 Here you will learn where to find the location of the mysterious exotic trader and what his inventory looks like this week.

This week has been relatively quiet around Destiny 2. No major events or occurrences took place. However, there will be plenty to do next week. Then the Guardians can enjoy the Valentine’s Day celebrations during the Crimson Days.

All information about the start date, the course, and the loot during the Festival of Love can be found here: The Crimson Days 2019 – How Destiny 2 celebrates Valentine’s Day

All information about Xur in Destiny 2 on 08.02. on PS4, Xbox One and PC

But this week it will be exciting once again. Because today Xur, the mysterious Agent of the Nine, is visiting the Guardians. What exotics does he have this time? And how do the rolls look? Here you can find out.

When does Xur come today? – The times

destiny 2 exotic engrams

The Xur time: Xur traditionally visits on Fridays. During the winter months, he arrives at a random location in the world of Destiny 2 at 6 PM our time. He settles down there for several days and is permanently available for all Guardians during this period.

How long does Xur stay? Next Tuesday, it’s over. With the weekly reset on February 12, Xur will disappear for a few days until the following Friday.

Where is Xur? You can find him today at this location

Xur is selling his goods this week in the Tower Hangar on Earth.

D2 xur tower
Xur’s current position

Xur’s inventory and his exotics from 08.02. to 12.02.

Weapon: Heaven’s Burn – Scout rifle for 29 Legendary Shards

Hunter: The Shadow of the Dragon – Chest armor for 23 Legendary Shards.

  • 1. Perk row: Increased resilience, improved health regeneration
  • 2. Perk row: Steady bow aiming, steady fusion rifle aiming, steady kinetic aiming
  • 3. Perk row: Scout rifle reserves, special ammo finder

Titan: Worm God’s Touch – Gauntlets for 23 Legendary Shards

  • 1. Perk row: Increased resilience, improved health regeneration
  • 2. Perk row: Fusion rifle loader, hand cannon loader, impact induction
  • 3. Perk row: Sniper rifle looter, machine gun looter

Warlock: Sun Bracers – Gauntlets for 23 Legendary Shards

  • 1. Perk row: Increased mobility, increased resilience
  • 2. Perk row: Fusion rifle loader, hand cannon loader, impact induction
  • 3. Perk row: Sniper rifle looter, machine gun looter

Fate Engram: 97 Legendary Shards

“Five of Swords” challenge card: Free

A compact overview of Xur’s inventory can be found in this video by Nexxoss Gaming:

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Notes:

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