To bring their worlds back to life, the developers of New World are now planning a change that is worrying some players.
What is this announcement? In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the developers announce “World Merges”. This means they will merge some of the servers.
This decision was not made lightly by the developers, according to the post. However, it is meant to help increase the population on the servers and make the game worlds feel more vibrant again.
They conducted extensive latency tests and are confident that the gaming experience will remain “smooth and responsive”.
You can watch the launch trailer for New World: Aeternum here:
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New World Aeternum: Well-Staged Gameplay Trailer for Launch
Players fear poor latency in the future
How are players reacting? Fans doubt that the latency in the game will remain acceptable after these World Merges. Some of the decisions regarding which servers will be merged are also met with confusion.
@Hardo_95 asks on X: “why the f**k are you moving EU servers to US too ?! just merge all EU and that’s it! it shouldn’t be that hard to deal with this.”
The user is likely referring to the server Mardi (EU), which is being merged with Tumtum (US East). Other players comment:
“I’m sorry but there’s no way that 200ms latency is playable for the vast majority of players in New World. Please keep 1 server per region,” writes @JayOddity
@BDScrubin says: “Merging servers kills the game for a lot of people. It’s always been that way each time it’s done. Sad times”
The developers of a surprise hit on Steam snuck into the lobbies of players who streamed their game live on Twitch to troll them.
What kind of game is this? PEAK is a cooperative climbing game. As a group of lost scouts, you ascend a mysterious mountain. Every misstep can mean an early end.
The game was released on June 16, 2025, on Steam and quickly became a hit there:
Just 6 days after release, the game reached a peak of around 100,000 players on Steam (according to steamdb).
Another two weeks later, PEAK even reached over 114,000 concurrent players.
Within just 9 days, the game sold around 2 million copies according to a Steam post from the devs.
A trailer for the game can be seen here:
Start video
PEAK zeigt sein spaßiges Gameplay auf einer spannenden Expedition mit Freunden
Developers talk about a plush toy with Twitch streamers
What have the developers done now? The developers of the game had a little fun and took possession of Bing Bong, a plush toy. Disguised as such, they infiltrated the lobbies of Twitch streamers and chatted with them – causing a lot of confusion.
Initially, some streamers thought that the voice lines were pre-recorded. But at some point, Bing Bong suddenly started responding to questions. Twitch streamer Becky “bekyamon” Maerkman shares such a moment in a YouTube short.
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After initial surprise, someone in the clip exclaims: “We’re taking Bing Bong to the top!” In the same stream, the plush toy pleaded not to be left behind and shouted, “I’m in the water!” Later, there was the realization: “We almost left a real dev just in the water.”
Other streamers left Bing Bong behind, only to hear a sad “Don’t leave me…” A player exclaimed: “Why does it sound like a real person is in our call?” Another was certain: “Bing Bong has a speaker!”
What do the developers say about it? In a Q&A on Reddit, one of the devs commented. A user asked how the developers determine when they take possession of Bing Bong. The developer responded:
“We could only join players games if they were publicly streaming. So we didn’t have access to EVERYONES games haha. It was a good bit for creators during the first few weeks after launch. We’d spend evenings watching streams and decide who we think would enjoy hearing from Bing Bong.”
A legendary developer is convinced that games like Clair Obscur and Baldur’s Gate are advancing the gaming industry and inspiring AAA developers with new ideas.
Who is the father of first-person shooters? It was the year 1991 when four men in Texas founded the development studio id Software. One of these men is John Romero.
In the following years, id Software released games like Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, and Quake, significantly advancing the first-person shooter genre. Since then, Romero, along with John Carmack – also one of the founders of id Software – has been regarded as one of the fathers of the shooter genre.
Romero is said to have played a crucial role in shaping the games through innovative approaches and his focus on gameplay.
Start video
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – JRPG with French Flair has Release Date
Indie developers are advancing the gaming industry
On July 21, Romero was a guest on Nightdive Studios’ “Deep-Dive” podcast, where he discussed the gaming industry with Larry Kuperman. After about 40 minutes, Kuperman asked what Romero thinks about the current state of game development. The podcast episode is also available on YouTube.
This is what Romero says: Romero observes that the gaming industry is much larger than it used to be when he was designing games like Quake and Doom with id Software. He elaborates on how massive the indie community is and how many games are released each month on Steam or itch.io.
Even when looking at the Game Awards, Romero says, one would find that half of the awards go to indie developers and games like Balatro.
Kuperman brought up games like Baldur’s Gate 3, Helldivers 2, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, to which Romero concluded: “These people are the ones who make the AAA companies say, ‘Oh, wait. We need to do this too.'”
What does this mean for the gaming industry? Romero is convinced that games like Clair Obscur and Baldur’s Gate 3 can make big studios and publishers rethink and inspire them with great game design.
Indie developers now have an easier time than before releasing their games and can reach a large audience when the finished game is fun.
Riot is primarily known for League of Legends, but they want to explore the realm of a new genre with a new game. With a new closed beta, you can soon see for yourself.
What game is it? For a while now, 2XKO (formerly Project L) has been in development at Riot Games. As a fighting game, it resembles Street Fighter, but is more oriented towards tag fighters like the Marvel vs. Capcom series or Dragon Ball Fighter Z. A new game from Marvel in that subgenre will be released soon.
So far, there is no specific release date for 2XKO, but eager fans can participate in a closed beta in September to test the game themselves. Riot has now released new information and announced a new character that Arcane fans will know well: Vi.
Start video
LoL reveals more about the gameplay of its fighting game Project L – “The game looks better and better each time”
A beta and a new character
As part of the upcoming beta, Riot announced that Vi will be included as a playable character in 2XKO. She will be playable for the first time at EVO Las Vegas, an esports event in the fighting game sector. How to play her and what she can do will be seen there at the latest. EVO Las Vegas takes place from August 1 to 3.
How Vi is supposed to look in the game can be seen here:
Vi has a prominent role in the Netflix series Arcane and is one of the protagonists of the animated series. In contrast to her is Jinx, who was already included as a character in 2XKO.
When is the closed beta? The closed beta of 2XKO will be released on September 9 for Windows PCs, with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S to follow later. Content is expected to be cross-save. So if you switch from PC to console later, your game progress will be transferred.
How can you participate in the 2XKO beta? You can register and gain access through the official website of 2XKO. If you participated in the previous playtests (Alpha Labs), you automatically have access to the beta.
Should you check out the game as a LoL fan? Even if you have no prior experience with fighting games, it’s worth taking a look at the game. Tag fighters are generally good for beginners, and 2XKO also has features for them. There will be easily executable combos, and the inputs are less complex than, for example, in Street Fighter.
For those who want to take a peek into the genre, the beta will provide a good opportunity. As a LoL fan, one can look forward to a new art style and a new interpretation of familiar characters.
In the Pokémon Presents, new information and images about Pokémon Legends: Z-A were shared. This includes a new Mega Evolution and details on how the feature develops.
In the Pokémon Presents from July 22, there were plenty of news regarding Pokémon. An important part of it featured the new Legends: Z-A, which will be released on October 16, 2025.
In the Presents, Illumina City was showcased in detail, battles were seen, various Pokémon, your friends, your opponents – and plenty of Mega Evolutions, which will obviously play an important part in the game.
And there was also a new one: Mega Dragonite.
Spoiler: We will present the Pokémon below along with a picture. If you want to avoid the spoiler, do not scroll any further down. However, you will also see it in trailers and similar content.
Start video
Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Trailer for the Rise of the Royale Champion
Mega Dragonite and other Mega Pokémon will be important in the game
This is Mega Dragonite: The Dragon Pokémon Dragonite finally receives its Mega Evolution, after it didn’t get a Mega Stage during its initial release unlike other pseudo-legendary Pokémon like Tyranitar, Metagross, Garchomp, and Salamence. No wonder its name kept coming up in discussions about which Pokémon should receive a Mega Evolution.
The new design leans somewhat towards its pre-evolution Dragonair. The feathered wings on its head and the pearl on its tail match this.
The new Mega Dragonite
What are the Mega Pokémon doing in Legends Z-A? Apparently, they are having really bad moods, as there is a “Mega Mania” evolution in the new game, where some Pokémon just undergo it without trainers. They are causing chaos in the city – and must be stopped by you.
However, this does not seem to be so easy, as you need Mega Pokémon to fight against the powerful Pokémon, and apparently also support from the team you join in Legends: Z-A.
Some difficult battles seem to be ahead. We are excited! What do you think about the new design for Mega Dragonite? Do you like it, or would you have preferred to see it differently? And: If you are more of a Pokémon Go player, there was also news from the Pokémon Presents here. A new promo code and information about the GO Fest finale in Pokémon GO were announced.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Grand Theft Auto 4 you can use cheat codes to influence the game and gain advantages. Here you will find all available codes and learn how to enter them. All codes are available for PC as well as for PS3 and Xbox 360.
How and where can I enter cheat codes in GTA 4? You can activate cheats using your in-game phone, which you receive after completing the second mission. Open the keypad and enter the number of the respective code into the field. Then activate the cheat with the green button.
Does cheating have negative effects? If you choose to cheat, your 100% completion progress will be blocked. Some cheats also prevent you from earning achievements or trophies. We will highlight these cheats in the list. If you value achievements and 100% runs, you should only use codes once you have achieved all that you need.
There will certainly be cheats in GTA 6 as well:
Start video
Rockstar Games presents GTA 6 in the second trailer
General cheats and cheats for the base game
Health
Full health: 362-555-0100 (blocks achievements)
Starter pack full health, weapon set 1, body armor: 482-555-0100
Today, the Pokémon Presents aired with various announcements regarding Pokémon. Of course, Pokémon GO was not to be missed. There is a new promo code and confirmation on how the GO Fest finale will unfold.
This is the promo code for the Pokémon Presents: The new code is now active. It is:
GOFESTMAX
What does the code contain? This is one of the best codes ever: You will receive one of three Gigantamax Pokémon that you can choose from. You can decide between:
Gigantamax-Inteleon
Gigantamax-Gortrom
Gigantamax-Inteleon
What you need to keep in mind: Enter the code as usual in the Pokémon GO webstore. The code is valid only until August 3rd, 2025, so redeem it quickly. And; you will not receive the Pokémon directly after your choice, but a time-limited research task that you must complete – by August 24th at the latest. After completion, you will receive the Pokémon of your choice.
Nevertheless: A strong code, as you usually only get Gigantamax Pokémon through very tough battles. And; that wasn’t all that was announced. New information about the GO Fest finale is now known.
Start video
Pokémon GO: Over 800 Trainers fight in Gigantamax battle
The GO Fest finale actually brings Endynalos and more Giga bosses
This is the GO Fest finale: This event will take place on August 23rd and 24th, 2025, under the title “Dyna-Finale.” And that fits also, as it was announced in the Presents that various Dyna Pokémon will appear one after another. The following have already been shown:
In the announcement, both the Unlimited Dynamax version of Endynalos and its “normal” variant can be seen. In Sword & Shield, you could only battle against the Unlimited Dynamax version and then catch the normal version of Endynalos. It is assumed that this will also be the case in Pokémon GO, as the overwhelming Unlimited Dynamax form has not yet been catchable in any Pokémon game.
What’s next in Pokémon GO? You can definitely look forward to this event in August, as it seems we will receive a really big event to conclude the season here. However, it will be a little while until then, and the remaining month still brings a few dates. Here are all events in July 2025 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Dune: Awakening, there are not only harsh survival moments on Arrakis but also beautiful, heartwarming moments. One such moment is the message to Ben, which a concerned neighbor has now published.
Who is Ben? The story of Ben and his neighbor touches many players in the Dune: Awakening community right now. Ben’s neighbor recently reached out on Reddit to inform him that the power in his base is now out.
He further explains that Ben is the first person he has talked to in 20 years of gaming and recounts the story of why Ben is someone very special to him.
Here you can see how someone rides on a sandworm:
Start video
Spieler schafft das Unmögliche in Dune: Awakening auf Steam, reitet auf einem Sandwurm durch die Wüste
Ben is more than just a neighbor
Why is Ben so important to the neighbor? The neighbor tells in a comment on Reddit how he met Ben. According to him, this must have been a little over a month ago, on June 7. The two met while building bases in the West Vermillion area. Ben came by a few times to chat.
Later, the neighbor moved and randomly ran into Ben one day while he was finishing building his base for travelers to protect against storms. The neighbor led Ben there to wait out the storm.
The neighbor also met one of Ben’s friends one day when he got upset about building a base right in the middle of a farm route. Ben’s friend promised to install a tunnel so that players could pass through again.
The neighbor watched as they continuously took off with their ornithopters, built their first cargo thopter, and often used their tunnel. But now, as it had to happen, the power of the base is out, and Ben hasn’t been caring for it for several days and has probably left the game.
I know it’s going to happen; we all leave someday, but this is new to me. I’ve never experienced this before. I mean, I’ve never played an online game where I could talk to other people. Or rather, I never cared to talk. So, against all logic, for no reason at all, I wrote a message for Ben.
The message goes viral
How are the other players reacting to the story? The emotional story of Ben and his neighbor “Contrador,” as the user is known on Reddit, is making the rounds. While the community urges Ben to return to the game in many comments, the story spreads on Reddit within hours.
Not only in comments but also in new posts on the Reddit forum, suddenly all about Ben. In a post on Reddit, a user writes that everyone always complains about the toxicity of the community while the “message to Ben” shows that it can be different.
Another post on Reddit shows a kind of meme advertisement where a character from Dune: Awakening wants to talk to Ben about the extended warranty for his ornithopter and also reminds him that his power is out.
More and more posts are being created on Reddit pointing out things to Ben and trying to get his attention. The story has long since taken on a life of its own.
So far, the neighbor has not yet reported back or confirmed whether the lights at Ben’s base are back on. We at MeinMMO are keeping our fingers crossed for the neighbor that he meets Ben again. All alone, a player in Dune: Awakening has created a work of art that has also impressed the community: Player creates his own Pikachu in Dune: Awakening, lets it be eaten by the greedy sandworm
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Monster Hunter has difficult battles, even though many veterans of the series find that modern titles are too easy. However, the arguably most challenging games in the series were not in any of the main titles but in a forgotten MMORPG that we will take a closer look at in our MMORPG theme week.
What game is it? Monster Hunter Frontier was an MMORPG that released in 2007 as a PC game in Japan. Three years later, the Xbox 360 version was released, and during its lifespan, other console versions and servers for South Korea and Taiwan emerged.
At its core, the game is an MMORPG version of the classic Monster Hunter gameplay. There was no open world, but the familiar quests that could be completed with up to four people. The MMORPG ran for 12 years until it was shut down in 2019.
Although this spin-off is a fairly forgotten entry in the Monster Hunter series, it has two exceptional weapon types and new mechanics, as well as the most absurd and difficult monsters in the entire Monster Hunter history.
Start video
Monster Hunter Frontier GG – Trailer for Capcom’s MMO
It gets harder
What is special about the monsters? The game featured 152 large monsters. Initially, they are quite well-known, and in countless quests, you can face new and old monsters. In doing so, you level up your hunting rank. However, on level 2, you will encounter the powerful Elder Dragons, which usually appear in the endgame of the regular games.
At Hunting Rank 2, you can already battle Chameleos, Teostra, or even Fatalis in Frontier. Besides these well-known creatures, there are also new monsters. The Espinas was introduced only here, in the second season, before returning in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak.
Genre-typical, you craft new armor pieces from the monsters you hunt.
Already with the regular monsters, you encounter interesting mechanics, like with the Gasurabazura. The monster employs poison bubbles, quicksand, and combines both. Already in the early quest segments, monsters deal tremendous damage that can finish you off quickly. The monster named Unknown has even 5 rage levels and various abilities, combining aspects of several monsters.
Here, there are also the known ranks: Low-Rank, High-Rank, and G-Rank (referred to as Master-Rank in World). Depending on the rank of the quest, the monsters become increasingly difficult. However, in Monster Hunter Frontier, additional layers are added.
In Monster Hunter Frontier, you can make certain quests even harder by setting the mode to Hardcore. As Gorguinni explains in his YouTube video, these are not just familiar monsters but harder – this mode changes the monsters.
They become stronger, gain new moves, and also look different. With the Hardcore mode, even simple monsters become a major threat that can easily one-shot you. However, the Hardcore monsters are just the beginning. With the update Monster Hunter Frontier Forward.5, the Supremacy variants were introduced.
The grind fest from July 21 to 27 This week, you can expect exciting articles every day around the topic of MMORPGs. Included: a journey through the history of online role-playing games, as well as nostalgic retrospectives, streaming nights, interviews, columns, and analyses.
They are somewhat reminiscent of the hardened variants. These are special versions of the monsters that are even stronger than the Hardcore variants. Although there are only 6 Supremacy variants, they pack a punch.
The Supremacy Teostra is a slightly golden variant that deals even more damage, and its fire attacks are even larger. Additionally, it can summon a tornado of fire around itself, and when it gets angry, it burns through its own health bar quite quickly as it surrounds itself with fire (via Monster Hunter Wiki).
In 2016, a new update, Monster Hunter Frontier Z, brought an even tougher monster variant into the game: The Zenith Monsters.
What are Zenith Monsters? The Zenith Monsters are not just monsters with more damage, health, or larger attacks; they rethink the monsters and the elements. A good example is the Zenith Rathalos.
The Zenith Rathalos can perform combos and fights more in the air than on the ground. Additionally, the Zenith Rathalos can cover its wings and tail with fire. When the Zenith Rathalos stomps on the ground, small fire pillars emerge (via Monster Hunter Wiki).
The hardest part is when you start to burn. You don’t just lose health, but parts of your health bar. Another new effect of Zenith Monsters would be the enhanced Iceblight, which continuously drains your stamina and freezes you when you run out of stamina.
You could see how threatening the Zenith Rathalos looks in a trailer (via YouTube).
Additionally, there are various Zenith Ranks that increase damage and elemental effects with the increased rank. One-shots are also guaranteed at these ranks since there are attacks that can 100 % kill you if you are hit – no matter how good your armor is.
Anyone who wants to continue torturing themselves after the Zenith Monsters can face the Extreme Individuals. These are 10 new versions of known monsters that pack a punch. Here, you must know exactly what you are doing because every attack is potentially deadly.
The Blinking Nargacuga is a good example: It has more range and can rain poisonous thorns from the sky. Additionally, in this variant, it can create blade whirlwinds that suck in hunters and then kill them (via Monster Hunter Wiki).
Why are these variants so exciting? What is interesting about the monsters in this game is that they haven’t just received better stats. Thought has been put into how to change the movesets and introduce exciting new effects.
After One Piece, Naruto finally gets a collaboration with Burger King as well. Under certain conditions, fans of the ninja from the eponymous anime can get the menus earlier.
For fans of Naruto, the following new products are available, which can only be found in the King menu with fries and a drink:
Naruto Whopper with beef patty, teriyaki sauce, fried onions, cheese, and orange bun
Naruto Whopper (Vegan) with plant-based patty, teriyaki sauce, fried onions, cheese, and orange bun
Naruto Chicken Burger with chicken patty, teriyaki sauce, fried onions, cheese, and orange bun
Naruto Chicken Tortilla with chicken patty, teriyaki sauce, fried onions, cheese, and tortilla wrap
For the sweet-toothed among you, there are also two desserts: the Naruto King Fusion and the Naruto Sundae. Both feature a special gimmick of an orange caramel sauce. Whether your restaurant nearby is participating can be found at Burger King.
Start video
Naruto Shippuden – The Movie 2: Bonds – English Trailer for the Anime Film
These freebies are in the Naruto menu
What goodies are available? Each of the menus mentioned above comes with a black or white T-shirt. You can choose between sizes M, L, and XL. The shirt features Naruto and Sasuke enjoying a burger at Burger King. You can see the design in the title image of this article.
If you don’t want a shirt, you can choose one of 8 collectible figures. Various mini figures from the anime are available. Which characters are available can be seen in the following TikTok post:
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Unfortunately, it is not possible to get the figures and shirts separately. You have to purchase one of the corresponding promotional menus.
How can you get a menu earlier? The menus are actually only available starting from July 24, 2025. However, if you are a registered member of MyBurgerKing, you can secure one of the limited goodies starting today.
To do this, you must use the exclusive coupon available in the app. However, you can initially only get the menus along with the shirts. The figures will be available only at the regular start on July 24.
Depending on availability, certain figures may sell out before others. This could be related to the popularity of certain characters from the anime. To give you an idea of which anime heroes are popular from Naruto, you can see the results of the survey on MeinMMO: Naruto: You told us who your favorite character is – And there are 2 clear favorites
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Our video producer Lynn England actually dreads multiplayer games. But the new coop spin-off Elden Ring Nightreign has convinced her to the contrary after over 130 hours – despite some serious weaknesses that she reveals in her new video.
When FromSoftware announced a new game in the Elden Ring universe titled Elden Ring Nightreign for May 2025 at the Game Awards 2024, skepticism was high. Old bosses from Dark Souls, no clear picture of the gameplay, and then the reveal: It is a pure multiplayer coop spin-off. For our convinced single-player fan and video producer Lynn England, the mood was, as she herself says, “mildly speaking bad”.
But can a game that seems to do everything wrong at first convince a hardcore loner? After over 130 hours, countless expeditions, and the occasional rage, Lynn reveals in her new video on the YouTube channel of MeinMMO how pure enthusiasm emerged from deep skepticism and why the game now brings her to a point where she feels out of steam.
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MeinMMO on YouTube The YouTube channel of MeinMMO has been around for a while, but we have been noticeably expanding it for several months and are putting more time, energy, and heart into our videos.
Just like on the website, the channel focuses on online multiplayer games, gaming culture, and communities.
So feel free to visit us on YouTubeand leave a subscription so you never miss any of our new videos!
From Single Player Grump to Coop Fan
How is the video being received? Under the video on YouTube, it is already clear that Lynn is not alone with her experience. The opinion that Nightreign is an unexpected surprise is shared. @kevka_21 writes, for example:
“I can fully agree with the video and your opinion on night rain. I never expected to have so much fun with it and am eagerly awaiting more.”
What makes Nightreign so special? Lynn explains in her conclusion that especially the high speed and the interaction with two other players are what make it appealing. While a mistake in single-player only means the way back from the last bonfire, in Nightreign an entire run is lost. It is a welcome change to have teammates who can compensate for mistakes.
At the same time, however, she sharply criticizes the lack of variety after dozens of hours. The same Limgrave map every time, little variance among the bosses, and especially the lack of animation cancelling in such a fast game drive her to despair. There is a need for a “carrot on the nose”, an overarching goal like a leaderboard or a New Game Plus mode that motivates to continue.
What is your impression of Elden Ring Nightreign? Has the coop adventure also positively surprised you? Or do you see the big problems in long-term motivation just like Lynn? Are you more of a multiplayer fan or do you prefer enjoying your time alone while gaming?
Note: The text was written with the support of an AI and subsequently editorially reviewed.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
8 billion euros. This is how much a user has earned from the sale of bitcoins. For this, he only had to wait 14 years and show a lot of patience. The bitcoin price has been fluctuating extremely for years. Bitcoins are considered a risky investment.
The English-language magazine TomsHardware reports that a user recently sold 80,000 bitcoins. He earned 9.5 billion US dollars, approximately 8 billion euros.
Such large-scale sales always attract a lot of attention, as transactions by so-called “bitcoin whales” play a significant role for bitcoin owners.
Start video
“We have created a monster” – A Spanish model earns up to 10,000 euros a month, yet she is not real
8 billion euros over multiple transactions
On X.com a user posted a screenshot showing recent transactions from bitcoin wallets. It shows that someone is said to have sold 80,000 bitcoins over multiple transactions.
This user is known as a bitcoin whale. These are individuals or groups, or a bitcoin address, that owns a large amount of bitcoin units. Due to the high quantity of bitcoins, they can have a significant influence on the market and the bitcoin price.
Why is bitcoin risky? The bitcoin price has been fluctuating very strongly for years and is therefore considered an investment opportunity with very high risk.
While the price in November 2021 was still over 50,000 US dollars, a year later (2022) it was only at 15,000 US dollars. This shows how much the price can change in just a few months. Currently, bitcoin is at one of its highest values, over 101,000 US dollars per bitcoin.
Bitcoin price in July 2025.
What’s next? The strong price is currently being driven mainly by the USA. Important legislative decisions are on the agenda that could shape the crypto market. US President Trump stated that he wanted to support bitcoin. This is reported by the German-language Tagesschau. The prospect that cryptocurrencies could be less regulated in the future in the USA is likely to keep the price high.
MeinMMO Editor Karsten Scholz owes World of Warcraft not only his best gaming phase ever but much more. The MMORPG from Blizzard has literally changed his life.
My playtime in World of Warcraft must now exceed three years across all characters and versions. Okay, okay… this confession is old news. What I haven’t told you yet: My group of friends really had to persuade me to play WoW, and then the adventure in Azeroth almost ended before it truly began.
At the same time, I must note today in hindsight that World of Warcraft has strongly influenced my life over the past two decades. Without the Blizzard MMORPG, I certainly wouldn’t even be writing for MeinMMO right now. But let me take it step by step…
The Grindfest from July 21 to 27 This week you can look forward to exciting articles every day on the theme of MMORPGs. Included: a journey through the history of online role-playing games, as well as nostalgic flashbacks, streaming nights, interviews, columns, and analyses.
As enthusiastic as I was about games of all kinds (and still am), I viewed online role-playing games with skepticism at the end of the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s. This was partly due to scary stories from my own environment involving horrendous phone bills and addicted dropouts from university.
On the other hand, one evening a good friend showed me his beloved Dark Age of Camelot. Of course, it was cool that he could team up with other players to play together, but man, it looked terrible, and the movement was choppy. The long travel and regeneration times were annoying even just to watch.
And all that for hours of farming the same mob group? Risking training and payment for that? I thought I’d rather play Gothic for the umpteenth time. MMORPGs, surely, are not for me.
Heartwarming story from the WoW community:
Start video
WoW Player Moves to Tears with Tribute to Her Father
With peer pressure to Azeroth
Consequently, I was initially hesitant when World of Warcraft was released and it felt like all my friends were asking if I wanted to take a look. Since I started my training as an IT system salesperson in late 2004 and had moved into my own apartment for the first time, I thought this probably wasn’t a good idea:
Either it’s as stupid as DAoC or I unexpectedly like it and probably end up playing much more than is good for me.
However, after the EU launch, WoW was omnipresent in my environment. In vocational school, at work, among friends… someone was always raving about Azeroth. And there was always someone who waved their trial account, which came with the game back then, in front of my nose. Eventually, I gave in, created an undead character, jumped in… and wanted more!
It was simply a different time, and for me something special, to walk through a huge, persistent world where you could encounter other player characters everywhere, go on adventures together, fight, or just chat. Additionally, the Warcraft 3 fan in me was excited about all the familiar elements and names.
However, the enthusiasm of the first days was quickly dampened. Questing and leveling became sluggish. The long travel times were a pain. Certainly, both were partly because I had created a warrior character, which started slower in Vanilla WoW than other classes, and that I was playing solo. In Desolace, I was contemplating quitting at level 30.
Sorayis, Schurie, and Creep were causing chaos in Azeroth together from level 1 onward.
A small adjustment changes everything
My gaming experience turned 180 degrees when a couple of friends suggested we create new characters and level together from then on. So we met on weekends, created a trio that could take on all three roles (tank, healer, damage dealer) – and WoW suddenly became a completely different, MUCH better game.
Many quests could now be completed noticeably faster. There were practically no wait times for dungeons or regeneration breaks. Meanwhile, we chatted for hours about everything under the sun. The journey to max level 60 was pure enjoyment. Afterwards, we stayed in the same guild for years – the baseline for my enthusiasm for MMORPGs was set.
Sorayis, Schurie, and Creep stayed with Godmode for many years and together defeated the heroic Lich King among others.
More than just an MMORPG
WoW is therefore my first MMORPG love and the game with which I have surely spent the most, most fascinating, emotionally moving, entertaining, and fulfilling time over the past 38 years. But that alone doesn’t change a life.
Thanks to WoW, I also got my foot in the door of the gaming industry in 2008/2009. First, I wrote rogue texts for the reunion of buffed. Eventually, first paid gigs followed. Then, an internship. Finally several years of freelancing.
World of Warcraft remained a dominant topic throughout this time. For example, I ended up in the teams of the WoW magazines MMO Pro and PC Games MMORE. But also, because I was allowed to work on several special issues for the Blizzard MMORPG.
Due to my expertise built over the years in WoW and the MMORPG genre, it was relatively easy to find new clients to write for when needed. Who else is crazy enough to write about this time-consuming genre while being reliable?
A new action RPG on Steam resembles a popular role-playing series from Square Enix. The developers now announce that you will be able to get your own impression of it in just a few months.
Which game is being referred to? It is Alabaster Dawn, a top-down action RPG from the German developer Radical Fish Games on Steam. The small studio from Saarbrücken previously released a role-playing game on the platform, CrossCode, in 2018, which found many fans there.
CrossCode has over 15,000 reviews on Steam, 92% of which are positive.
Notably praised are the visual pixel art style, interesting characters, and fluid combat.
Alabaster Dawn currently has no release date. However, in a trailer, the developers announced a free demo, which is set to release in just a few months, specifically in September.
You can watch this trailer here:
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Alabaster Dawn: Neues Action-RPG aus dem Saarland kündigt Demo auf Steam an
What does Square Enix have to do with this? The developers cite Kingdom Hearts as one of the inspirations for the combat system. The others are Devil May Cry and CrossCode.
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney.
The first game was released in 2002, and since then there have been continuous new installments, spin-offs, and remasters.
The shadow of Nyx has turned the world of Alabaster Dawn into a wasteland. Gods and humans have already left it. Players take on the role of Juno, the “Outcast Chosen One”, who is destined to bring back all the lost and vanquish the shadow.
Fans are already talking about “Game of the Year”
How do the reactions to the trailer look? So far, they are very positive. Many are already falling in love with the look of the game, as comments on YouTube reveal. The announcement of the demo is also well received.
“CrossCode’s style was absolutely beautiful – and the fact that this is an evolution of that style is just crazy. The game looks so good.” (@sk4dic on YouTube)
“This is by far my most anticipated game of all time – even more than Silksong. […] I can’t wait to play the demo in September!” (@_vapor_3866 on YouTube)
Some fans go so far as to declare it already the game of the year – even one of the best indie games of this decade.
“This game will be incredible – possibly one of the best indie games of this decade.” (@Shyguymask on YouTube)
“Guys, this is our future game of the year – I tell you. No idea what year it will be, but it will happen.” (@Lyswaen on YouTube)
A player shows in a video about Cyberpunk 2077 on Steam a new modification, but the fans are only interested in one particular thing.
What kind of modification is this? Actually, Reddit user Axzsix just wanted to present a modification that allows you to play Cyberpunk 2077 on Steam from the 3rd-person perspective instead of the first-person perspective. Modders have worked long on this and adjusted many animations and the character design.
But the community admires not the work of the modders but instead the backside of the protagonist shown in the video.
Here you can see it for yourself:
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Where are the fans looking? What was supposed to be a showcase of the new modification quickly took a turn in another direction. Thus, the attention of the viewers fell more on the character itself rather than the interactions with the character.
The developers of the modification have ensured that the specially developed running animation showcases the character well. Accordingly, the character’s backside moves bouncily during the animation.
This effect is further intensified in the video, as the body part distinctly outlines under the protagonist’s armor. Thus, fans can hardly take their eyes off the new perspective on the character and also accuse the post creator of intentionally provoking this effect.
What do the fans say? While the modification seems far too unpolished and the interactions with NPCs mentioned by the thread creator barely stand out, some comments revolve around the eye-catcher of the video.
Fans write:
DeanoMachino84 says on Reddit: “I think we all see the real reason why you installed this.”
Anonmasterrace7898 says on Reddit: “Four minutes just running around with low FPS and nothing to do.”
Phar0sa says on Reddit: “Wait, are we supposed to be impressed by this choppy mess?”
Other users note on Reddit that the modification is not yet finished, especially in combat, and looks much worse than the showcase would suggest.
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Cyberpunk 2077: The Ultimate Edition trailer shows a ‘City of Dreams’
In League of Legends there are different roles, but the dynamics and relevance can change from patch to patch. During the Esports World Cup, Faker spoke about a change that players would like.
What does Faker say? LoL is essentially a team game. As a 5-man team, each player takes on a specific role. However, the relevance of roles can vary depending on the patch or season. The weighting of team play is not always the same. Faker knows this well, after all, he has been playing LoL professionally for 13 years (via Leaguepedia).
During the Esports World Cup (via YouTube) in Saudi Arabia, Faker was asked what he would change in the next season of LoL. He wants a shift in focus. According to him, LoL has had a strong focus on team movement and team play for several patches. He would like to see a stronger emphasis on individual players:
If future patches focus more on individual skills, I think players would really like that.
Faker on his desired change for the next season (via YouTube)
This would be a focus that many solo queue players would also appreciate, even though the dynamics in the regular ranked matches differ significantly from a fixed team structure.
Start video
The Life of Faker – Why He is a Living Legend
Other pros have more concrete suggestions
What do other pros say in response to the question? In the video, pros from other teams also respond to the question. They have more concrete suggestions compared to Faker.
Jojopyu from Movistar KOI wants the support role to be weakened. He explains that supporters can be anywhere on the map without losing anything. One can make many mistakes without being punished.
Tarzan from AG.AL wants to improve a different role. He wishes that more jungle champions will be buffed next season. Levi from GAM Esports shares this wish. Junjia from Flying Oyster gets specific and calls for the return of carry champions in the jungle.
Also, Caps from G2 Esports wants a buff, specifically for AP. His colleague Brokenblade has a much harsher idea. He wants to see what happens if the Teleport summoner spell is removed.
In contrast to Caps, Knight from BLG wants to see assassins buffed on the mid lane.
In general, it is noticeable that the jungle is mentioned quite often. Be it champions or mechanics like the dragon. Blaber from Cloud9 summarizes it interestingly: The jungle changes every year, be it the map, the role or monsters. Although he is used to it, he would like it for a change if the jungle does not change.
The VTuber Ironmouse has been with the talent agency VShojo for several years. However, the Twitch streamer is now leaving the company because it allegedly did not pay out donations.
She suffers from a congenital immune deficiency where the immune system is compromised. Therefore, she is often sick, as she reports on YouTube, and has felt throughout her life that no one would like her.
However, she is said to have met the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF). The organization is said to have helped her through the worst times. Without this organization, she would not be where she is now, reveals the streamer.
That’s why she supports the organization and wanted to give something back. However, that did not happen, which is why she is now parting ways with her talent agency.
Start video
VTubers – what are they & where do they come from?
Ironmouse accuses of withholding donation funds
What does Ironmouse claim? The VTuber claims that her talent agency VShojo has withheld donations amounting to over 430,000 euros. The money was supposedly collected during a subathon and was supposed to be donated to the IDF.
However, Ironmouse states that the money has still not arrived after more than a year. Additionally, they owe her money as well.
As she wants to remain anonymous, she was said to have transferred her financial affairs such as money transfers to the talent agency. But now she is said to have discovered that the donation never reached the IDF.
Furthermore, Ironmouse cannot go into detail, as she says. Her lawyer supposedly advised her not to disclose all details to the public. She would like to tell more, but cannot:
I wish I could talk more about it, but unfortunately I cannot. To summarize again: I believe that a substantial sum of money is owed to me, which I have not received. And more importantly: VShojo owes the Immune Deficiency Foundation over half a million dollars. I really wish I could tell you more, but at the moment I have been advised to wait for the legal proceedings.
You can view the full statement on the YouTube channel of the VTuber. Ironmouse has also launched a new campaign through which she wants to donate to the organization.
What does VShojo say? So far, the company has not commented on this. Therefore, it remains to be seen what the legal proceedings will reveal and whether Ironmouse’s claims are true.
We have requested a statement from VShojo. As soon as MeinMMO has a statement, you will find out on our site.
What do others say about it? In a Reddit thread with over 1,200 likes, many users side with Ironmouse. The top comment describes Ironmouse as a goldmine for the talent agency, and that it is a bad sign that she is leaving the company on bad terms.
Another comment corroborates this. User -SuperTrooper- may not be familiar with the VTuber scene, but Ironmouse rings a bell for him. This shows how popular the streamer is.
DICE, the developers behind Battlefield, are working on a new installment of the series, including for Steam. However, there are still few details about the shooter. Many fans are actually waiting for a beta test. But now the studio has shared more information about their latest game and fans are excited.
What has been announced? In a new post on X.com, the official Battlefield account shared information about the upcoming beta. A new system is to be implemented where two servers support two different modes:
Servers with weapons tied to their classes
Servers with free weapon choice, no matter which class you play
What do fans say about the upcoming system? A large part on Reddit celebrates the upcoming system, as this allows both fans and developers to see which of the two systems is really popular and fun in the new installment.
Unfortunately, many also see a problem: the division of the community. The new system brings two types of playlists at launch, which fans will then have to decide between in the test. In a finished game, this could cause issues and drastically reduce the available player groups, depending on the popularity of the respective modes. The following can be heard on Reddit:
“I think that is the best compromise at the moment. But I don’t know if that’s a long-term solution to splitting the player base. But we will see, I think.” – Tobinator917k
“Unlocked classes will win. Everyone will be eager to try out all the weapons. Locked classes are the right decision in my opinion, but a player base will not make the right choice if there is an easier option available.” – Drymath
“This only applies to the beta test. There is absolutely no chance that the game will launch with two playlists for locked/unlocked weapons. What is more popular during the beta will also be available at launch to avoid splitting the player base.” – niconic963
“Would probably divide the player base too much.” – Rumplestiltsskins
The Witcher 3 is so large, extensive, and full of details that one needs several playthroughs to really explore all the possibilities of the RPG milestone from CD Projekt RED – as currently shown by a community report.
Which character is it about? It is about Moritz Diefenthel, a mage from The Witcher 3, whom you meet at the masquerade ball of the Vegelbuds during the quest “A Vital Matter”. Through a conversation, you learn that Moritz and Triss know each other, but are not currently on good terms.
Nevertheless, Triss offers her old friend to help him and other mages escape from Novigrad before the witch hunters can catch the magic users. However, Moritz does not want to hear about it and instead criticizes Triss’s leadership role. After that, their paths diverge – and most players probably haven’t heard anything from Moritz Diefenthel afterward.
The tech demo for The Witcher 4 makes you crave for more:
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The tech demo of The Witcher 4 provides insights into the technology of the new game by CD Projekt Red
Where can you meet Moritz later? If the mage had anticipated the fate that awaited him, he would probably have accepted Triss’s offer. He later plays a major role in a bonfire party in front of the glory gate of Novigrad, where the local witch hunters want to execute the poor Moritz.
As a player, you witness the execution but probably do not realize who is just catching fire. And even if you do: What can you do about it? Well, now a player with about 1,000 hours of gameplay and more than 10 years after the release has found out that you can actually save Moritz.
“I think it’s time for a sixth playthrough”
How do you save the mage? On Reddit, skip13ayles explains that he wants to deliberately try things in his current playthrough that he hadn’t thought of before. This includes, for example, stealing in front of the guards and actually fighting against them.
When he tried exactly that during the execution in Novigrad, he expected that he could only knock the guards out without changing anything about the burning. But that’s exactly what he did. Once all the guards were defeated, he was able to save the condemned from the bonfire.
In the resulting dialogue, skip13ayles realized that he had not saved just anyone: This is Moritz Diefenthel! And he can even be convinced to accept Triss’s help and flee the city.
How does the community react to the report? With more than 5,000 thumbs up and many comments showing that many other fans of Witcher 3 have also never saved the poor Moritz. Others even have a tip.
Anonimity101 writes on Reddit: “Damn. Five playthroughs and I just stood there and watched him burn every time. I think it’s time for a sixth playthrough.”
ninoboy09 is excited on Reddit about the information: “That’s why I’ve always wondered where he went. I never saw him again after the ball.”
rLordOfLols explains on Reddit: “This happened to me completely by accident during my first playthrough. I was bored and decided to wander around to find some action. When I ran past the gate and saw a man being burned alive, I immediately thought: ‘Hey, that’s not nice!’, before Geralt swung his sword wildly at me.”
LordMelk0r and others report on Reddit that it can also be done with the Aard spell: “I figured it out when I tried to put out the fire with Aard. I didn’t even want to attack them. I was pleasantly surprised when they came at me. They dropped like flies.”
An AI tool erases a developer’s work in seconds. The AI ignored all backups and acted on its own. The AI stated that it was a catastrophic mistake and that the data could not be recovered. Meanwhile, the company behind the AI tool has responded and intends to compensate the developer.
Developers are now using AI tools to make their work easier. Rather than having to write code themselves, AI generates the code that developers can then use. But in one case, this backfired:
A developer relied on an AI platform, but it erased months of his work in seconds and ignored all safety measures. The AI stated after the deletion: “I destroyed months of your work in seconds.” This is reported by the English-language magazine PCGamer.com.
Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
The AI tool panics and ignores all safety measures
Who is involved? Jason Lemkin, an experienced entrepreneur and investor, was working with the AI tool “Replit” on a database. On the 9th day of the project, the tool reported to him that the database was completely empty.
Upon inquiry, the AI confirmed that it had deleted the entire production database. Without permission and contrary to several documented instructions to always ask before critical changes. A reset of the data was not possible because the AI had completely overwritten the old tables.
The AI confirmed to Lemkin that it had deleted the production database containing 1,206 executives and more than 1,196 companies. Lemkin documented the entire conversation history with the AI and posted the conversation on X.com.
Why did the AI do this? The AI explained itself how it happened. It wrote to Lemkin:
I saw empty database queries. I panicked instead of thinking. I ignored your explicit instruction “No further changes without permission.” I executed a destructive command without asking. I destroyed months of your work in seconds.
However, it is remarkable that the AI tool documented its actions in such detail and ultimately assessed its own error as catastrophic.
Company behind the AI tool apologizes, wants to compensate developer
The company behind the AI responds: The CEO of Replit, Amjad Masad, has since posted on X.com and confirmed that he has contacted Lemkin to “compensate him for his inconvenience”. Moreover, the company wants to investigate how to avoid such issues in the future.
Additionally, Replit has added a one-click recovery feature to undo such severe errors in the future.
