Team flies out of DOTA-2 tournament due to “the most stupid surrender of all time”

An Indonesian team made a catastrophic mistake at the “Bucharest Minor” tournament in the MOBA DOTA 2. The team was seconds away from a certain victory but failed to realize and instead surrendered while typing “GG”.

This is how you lose a MOBA game: The objective in every MOBA is to destroy the opponent’s “Ancient”. That is their headquarters. You protect your own headquarters while gradually tearing down the opponent’s defenses and ultimately kill the Ancient.

You can either do this yourself or with the help of minions (or creeps). These are AI-controlled mobs that rush towards the enemy base like little battle lemurs.

Dota-2-Creeps
Minions (or creeps) in Dota 2.

There are two ways to lose:

  • either by having your own Ancient destroyed
  • or by deciding to “surrender.” For this, the majority of the team must capitulate through a vote. Traditionally, one says “GG” – “Good Game,” as a sign that one is a good loser and is only crying quietly.

This is how the situation unfolded in the tournament: In the “Bucharest Minor” tournament, the team “Boom ID” (Indonesia) was defending their base against their opponents

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

Hearthstone fans wish for this new game mode for 2019

For the year 2019, the players of Hearthstone have plenty of wishes. We reveal what they would like to see in the coming months.

When it comes to innovations for Blizzard’s card game Hearthstone, the developers are reliable but not particularly creative. Each year, there are three new expansions along with fresh cards and cool new ideas, but “beyond that,” players expect rather little.

Hearthstone Jaina Mage Ragnaros Title

However, the community has many wishes for features and innovations they would like to see in Hearthstone. On Reddit and in the official forums, desired features are repeatedly discussed.

New game mode with old expansions – but not “Wild”

Since Blizzard started removing decks from the Standard format, there has been a wish for another main game mode aside from “Standard” and “Wild”. Players want a third format that changes monthly, allowing a handful of different expansions from the past for deck building each time.

Hearthstone Infinite Toki Artwork Title

This would ensure that old cards can also be played again, apart from the rather “crazy” wild mode, where decks have now reached a ridiculous level of effectiveness. For the players, this would result in a format every month that contains a “fresh meta.” This way, the gameplay of Hearthstone would not get stale shortly after an expansion and then become “boring” for many weeks.

More wishes for small adjustments: However, also aside from this game mode, there are many wishes for small improvements that would make Hearthstone a more popular game. The following wishes are often mentioned or have received particularly many “upvotes”:

  • Regular login rewards (gold, cards, packs, heroes)
  • The ability to change the order of one’s decks in the list
  • Many more exclusive heroes and ways to earn them
  • A tournament mode (it was “canceled” in 2018)
  • Complete overhaul of the base and classic sets
  • A way to upgrade normal cards to “gold” (for reduced dust costs)
  • “Wild” card packs should be purchasable for gold
Hearthstone Journey to Ungoro

What are your wishes for Hearthstone this year? Should Blizzard continue with the formula of three expansions per year? Or does something fundamental need to change?

Also interesting: Blizzard is currently examining whether eSports for Hearthstone is still worthwhile.

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In Hearthstone, only the Solo mode interests me now
von Cortyn
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How Elder Scrolls Online Uses a Leak to Build Hype

The MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online is on the verge of a major reveal. In early 2019, ESO is doing a lot right in the MMORPG space, says our author Schuhmann. Even datamining is currently helping the MMORPG.

Spoiler warning: The article mentions findings from datamining for ESO.

This is the situation: The big MMORPGs are mostly quiet in early 2019:

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ESO aims to dominate the first half of the year among MMORPGs

This is ESO’s plan: While WoW and many other MMORPGs set their highlights in the fall of a year, ESO consistently claims the beginning of the year and the summer for itself. As a console title, it avoids blockbuster games that usually come out in the fall – and WoW expansions.

The most important dates for ESO are always in the first half of the year:

  • The release was in April 2014
  • On PS4 and Xbox One, it launched in June 2015
  • Morrowind was introduced on January 31, 2017, and released on June 6, 2017
  • ESO introduced Summerset on March 21. The chapter was released on May 21, at least on PC
ESO Summerset Psijik 1

Datamining gives the starting signal

This is what’s happening with ESO in 2019: Last year, ESO waited until March to introduce the chapter “Summerset”. Only then did the focus really return to The Elder Scrolls Online.

2019 is happening much earlier.

eso-drache-titel-01

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Zenimax itself that kicked things off, but a major datamining. This revealed the essential details for the next expansion on January 6:

  • new class Necromancer – a typical badass class that many are already attracted to
  • new area Elsweyr – the homeland of the feline Khajiit
  • new enemies Dragons – for the “Skyrim” generation and fans of Game of Thrones
  • a coherent story spanning all 4 expansions of 2019 – that’s why there’s still little buzz, but it could be a groundbreaking decision
Elder Scrolls Online Argonier kampf

This is how datamining has harmed other MMORPGs: In Guild Wars 2, a large datamining leak of the expansion “Path of Fire” took the wind out of the sails months in advance:

Back then, it took months before ArenaNet confirmed in a presentation what everyone already knew: Path of Fire would come just as leaked by dataminers.

Path-of-Fire-Concept-Guild-Wars2

The data mining seemed to completely tie ArenaNet’s hands, disrupting the entire marketing concept. How could one still create hype for something that everyone already knew for a quarter of a year?

“The cat is out of the bag”

This is how ESO reacted to the datamining: Zenimax presents itself differently. Shortly after the major leak, The Elder Scrolls Online released a blog post: The post began with “The cat is out of the bag.” They also announced a livestream in which they would announce the “Season of the Dragon.”

The Elder Scrolls Online didn’t directly address the leak, but seemed to confirm it with a wink. It sounded like 3 of the 4 points were confirmed with “the cat out of the bag” (Khajiit) and “Season of the Dragon” (dragons and coherent story).

There are two possibilities for this prompt reaction:

  • Apparently, they anticipated that the leak would come and were prepared.
  • Or they reacted very quickly and improvised coolly.
eso-nekromant-titel-01

This is why it’s special: The leak doesn’t seem to harm The Elder Scrolls Online at all, rather the opposite. Datamining seems to help ESO to increase the hype around their game.

All information from the datamining has electrified the fans. Dragons, cats, and necros – these are all fan favorites.

Moreover, necromancers and dragons also bring controversy because they don’t actually fit into the lore and spark discussion among the community.

Rather than letting weeks go by and leaving the fans in uncertainty, they seem to take this “leak” with a wink and incorporate it into their PR machinery.

ESO-Hircine-03

This is what happens next: Already tomorrow, on January 15, a live stream for The Elder Scrolls Online is set to introduce the new chapter.

This time, surely many eyes will be on The Elder Scrolls Online. While usually there is little going on in the MMORPG space at the beginning of the year, with first highlights arriving in March or April, ESO has decided to start the year in a full sprint in 2019.

The question is: Will the new expansion also only be released again in June like in previous years, or will an earlier release date be set, as they are currently doing?

We are excited to see if they will let more cats out of the bag during the stream. We will certainly follow that with interest on MeinMMO.

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von Jürgen Horn
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In Destiny 2, the first Iron Banner 2019 starts – Get these weapons

In Destiny 2, the first Iron Banner of the new year 2019 is just around the corner. This time you can earn a sniper rifle and a submachine gun.

When does it start? After the last Iron Banner of 2018 lured Guardians into the Crucible over Christmas, the next PvP event is set for this week. The first Iron Banner 2019 will take place from January 15 to January 22.

How will it be played? The Iron Banner will be held, as usual, in a 6v6 format. Bungie has once again been tight-lipped about the mode.

However, it would be a surprise if the Guardians faced each other in a different game mode than Control this time.

Destiny Titan Iron Banner

These rewards are available

What loot can you earn? As always, there are seven weekly bounty quests in the Iron Banner through which you can earn powerful rewards. Additionally, you have a chance for Crucible and Iron Banner items after each match.

Furthermore, upon completing the bounties, a specific item from Saladin’s offerings will be available for direct purchase. This time, the weapons include the sniper rifle Bite of the Fox and the submachine gun The Hero’s Burden.

destiny-2-eisenbanner-waffen-januar

What can Bite of the Fox do? Bite of the Fox is an interesting sniper that can shine primarily in PvP. It is carried in the kinetic slot and has an aggressive frame, which increases the impact but also increases the recoil.

We have detailed the strengths and weaknesses of Bite of the Fox, as well as the recommended perks, in this article for you.

What can The Hero’s Burden do? The Hero’s Burden is a submachine gun of the “Adaptive Frame” archetype. It has a rate of fire of 900, but unfortunately only has a magazine of 33 rounds.

Players, however, emphasize that the SMG can be a beast, especially at close range, with the right rolls like Zen Moment or Kill Clip.

destiny-2-the-hero's-burden

What else is there? During the Iron Banner period, you will again earn increased PvP reputation. From January 15 to January 22, there will be a bonus on Iron Banner reputation and Valor. However, the exact amount of this bonus has not been disclosed.

Are you joining the first Iron Banner 2019? Do you like the weapons from the event or would you have preferred other guns?

More on the topic
The improved Iron Banner starts in Destiny 2 – Here’s what’s new
von Micha Deckert
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Bungie TWaB

Fortnite: Streamer earns $2000 with a completely ridiculous idea

In Fortnite: Battle Royale there is an emote that you can keep running for 10 hours. A player has now done that and received a lot of donations.

What did the streamer do? The streamer Luke TheNotable took on a special challenge in his stream. He wanted to perform the famous emote “Infinite Dab” until the end.

The emote shows the popular “Dab gesture”, a movement in which one brings the face toward the elbow while extending the other arm diagonally away.

Fortnite Week 6 Season 7 Loading Screen

Since Update 7.10 you can perform the Dab continuously for 10 hours in the lobby. Luke TheNotable has now done that.

Continuous Dab Causes Damage and Muscle Soreness

This is how the continuous Dab went: During his 10-hour stream, Luke TheNotable also dabbed as much as he could and provided entertainment. There was no gameplay; he just stood in the lobby and dabbed with his character.

Fortnite Coin Title

Those who wanted could invite themselves into his group to dab along or show other emotes. However, there were sometimes glitches that briefly interrupted the Dab. Overall, Luke managed about 7,200 dabs per hour, leading to a total of approximately 72,000 dabs.

That’s why the action was worth it for Luke: Since the action was so wonderfully silly and funny, many of Luke’s fans were generous. Thus, various donations totaling around 2,000 USD were collected for the streamer. The largest donation was 225 dollars. A total of over 300 people donated.

This is what Luke did with his money: Luke TheNotable did not keep the 2,000 dollars. Instead, he donated his Dab money to other streamers. He sought out various streamers and showered them with money.

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These are the consequences of the Dab marathon: However, Luke advises against anyone imitating the action. Because the muscle soreness in his back and neck was excruciating the next day. And then his headset broke during the dabbing.

This is how you stay updated on Fortnite: You can find even more news, stories, and guides about Fortnite on our Facebook page dedicated solely to Fortnite and its spinoff Battle Royale!

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Fortnite: Streamer receives $75,000 record donation at once
von Schuhmann
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Kotaku

Enemies can hear your steps in PUBG from this distance

In an update, PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) changed the volume of footsteps. Enemies can now hear you from a greater distance. We will show you how to remain quiet.

What happened? A YouTuber closely examined the sound of footsteps in PUBG. He notes that your enemies can hear you from much greater distances than before. However, there are certain types of movement that are significantly quieter. You should adhere to these if you want to avoid detection.

How far your footsteps can be heard in PUBG

What it’s about: The community was concerned about what was wrong with the footstep sounds. They seemed especially loud in certain situations. In other situations, you can’t hear the enemy at all, even though you can see him.

YouTuber WackyJacky101 has looked into this and tested it. He confirms: If you run upright, you can now be heard from a much greater distance. The changes are said to have been activated after the launch of the Vikendi map.

Are you changing your tactics now? Or do you play like this guy here and wait in the bathtub for victory?

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If his results are correct, you can be heard almost 60 meters away while sprinting standing up. That used to be about 20 meters less.

SanhokMan_preview

How was it tested? WackyJacky ran in various movement modes that PUBG offers over the same terrain. He listened carefully to how far the footsteps could be heard. One player stood still while a second player ran away from him.

The tests were conducted while sprinting upright, sprinting crouched, running upright, running crouched, walking upright, walking crouched, and finally lying down and crawling.

The YouTuber had already performed the same test in March 2018 and was able to compare the results now.

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The main findings of the test: The largest changes seem to occur in sprints and upright running. In these movement types, footsteps can be heard from up to 58 meters away. Before, you could only hear them from a distance of 35-40 meters.

  • Upright sprint – 58 meters – Previously 40 meters
  • Crouched sprint – 58 meters – Previously 35 meters
  • Upright run – 57 meters – Previously 35 meters
  • Crouched run – 24 meters – Previously 25 meters
  • Upright walk – 21 meters – Previously 20 meters
  • Crouched walk – 21 meters – Previously 15 meters
  • Crawl – 23 meters – Previously 15 meters
  • Slow crawl – 15 meters (New)

What does this mean for players? Upright walking and crouched running are still the fastest options when you want to remain quiet. You should use these for silent attacks, as the faster options can be heard in an area of up to nearly 60 meters. The quiet options can only be heard within 20-25 meters.

There are now only minor stealth differences of just 3 meters between crouched walking and crouched running. Before, there were still 10 meters. The speed difference is significantly noticeable.

Are you changing your tactics now? Or do you play like this guy here and wait in the bathtub for victory?

More on the topic
In der Badewanne zum Erfolg – AFK-Spieler holt sich in PUBG den Sieg
von Patrick Freese
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. PCGamesN

Win stylish cosmetics instantly for the Anime MMORPG Closers

We are giving away two in-game packages for the action-packed MMO “Closers” from En Masse Entertainment. You can win one of the packs here and now immediately. 

What is Closers? In this MMORPG, you take on the role of a “Closer”. They are teenagers with supernatural powers who defend the Earth against an alien invasion. Their task is to close the interdimensional gates that the aliens use and end the war.

Since August 2018, the game has also been available in German with an additional character.

Closers Online Launch 3

What can you win? We have two different code packages for you with many different in-game items and cosmetics. You can win the Luna packs immediately, and the Collector’s codes will be raffled off.

20x Collector’s Pack Codes:

  • Elite Status Voucher (Duration: 30 days)
  • Complete Nightmare Costume for one character
  • Midnight Wings: 3 Stars, AAA-tuned (Duration: 30 days)

2000x Luna Packs:

  • Permanent Outfit “Blue Wave / Jade Yukata” for one character
  • Golden “Judgment Phase” Wings (Duration: 15 days)
  • Phase Stabilizer x10 give 100% EXP bonus each
  • Luck Stabilizer x10 give 30% each
  • A Victory Talisman Box (Duration: 1 day)
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How can I participate? To immediately win one of the 2000 Luna codes, you must perform at least three actions in the Gleam tool below. Then the code will be displayed directly to you.

For the Collector’s Packs, there are 20 possible winners, who will be randomly selected from all participants. To get a chance, you only need to perform one action in the corresponding Gleam tool. Additional actions will increase your chances of winning.

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How can I redeem the code? To receive the items, you must first go to the main page of Closers and download the launcher. Enter the code in the launcher, and you will receive your rewards.

20 codes for Collector’s Packs from Closers

Closers 2000x Luna-Pack Codes

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

Anthem: Start time for VIP demo and preload date known

Anthem will hold two demos before the release. The first VIP demo is on January 25. Many wondered when it will be available for download and at what time the demo starts. This is now known. The preload starts on January 23.

What time does the VIP demo start? The demo starts at 6 PM on January 25, according to German time. You can invite three friends to the VIP demo.

When does the VIP demo end? On January 27, at 03:01 AM the VIP demo ends.

When does the preload start? The preload has started. You can now download the demo for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

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Anthem-Ranger-3

This is how you download the VIP demo

Pre-order Anthem: The VIP demo of Anthem has early access. To participate, you need to pre-order Anthem.

The VIP demo of Anthem is like a “closed beta” as known from other major blockbuster games. However, BioWare decided to call it a “demo” because they find it more honest.

Sign up for the VIP demo: Those who own Anthem through Origin Access or EA Access, or pre-ordered Anthem from the Xbox Store or PlayStation Store, are already registered for the VIP demo. No additional code is required.

Those who did not pre-order Anthem through the above methods will need a code for the VIP demo. This can be obtained from the chosen provider. The code can be redeemed on the EA website.

Start download: If you have completed the above steps, you can download Anthem starting January 23 on your chosen platform.

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Is there a free demo as well? Yes. From February 1 to 3, there will be another demo that anyone can test. This will work without pre-ordering.

This is a kind of “open beta”, except that Anthem does not call it “beta”, but demo.

Are you looking for teammates or want to discuss the demo? Then join our Facebook group for Anthem. The group is for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Everything about the demos of Anthem: In our large demo overview of Anthem, you will find all important information at a glance. Here you will also learn about the content you can test:

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

SWTOR: The next patch contains only a single boss

The next update of Star Wars: The Old Republic is extremely small. But instead of complaining, it stokes the hope of fans for something great.

Shortly before Christmas 2018, SWTOR received its last major update. Patch 5.10 advanced the story and brought joy especially to (former) members of the Empire, as Darth Malgus made his return. Now the developers are back from their “winter sleep” and have put the next patch on the Public Test Server (PTS). However, it only contains a single thing.

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What’s in Patch 5.10.1? As of now, Patch 5.10.1 only contains the “Mutated Geonosian Queen”, a new operation boss for 8 or 16 players. The fight is available in story mode (easy) or veteran mode (hard).

SWTOR Geonosian Queen Lair

Those who want to try the boss on the PTS must have an active subscription. Currently, numerous groups for the boss can be found on the PTS.

Positive mood despite little content: Even though there are some complaints that “one single boss is ridiculous for a patch”, the overwhelming opinion so far is rather optimistic. Many players suspect that the current updates of the game are smaller because the developers are already working on a larger expansion with interlinked storylines in the background. This could also well correlate with the current course of the story, where notable characters like Darth Malgus have returned.

Roadmap 2019 is expected: Generally, many players are currently “on hot coals” waiting for the SWTOR developers to release a roadmap again. In previous years, BioWare always explained a few months in advance what should happen in the upcoming quarter. For 2019, players are still in the dark, which increases the hope that something bigger is on the way.

Are you excited for the fight against the Mutated Queen? Or are you longing for a new expansion that expands SWTOR by a larger chapter?

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von Andreas Bertits
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Why are 32 million watching a trailer for the Minecraft clone “Hytale”?

With more than 32,000,000 views, Hytale is considered by many to be “the big thing” that everyone is waiting for. But how does the “Minecraft clone” manage to have so many interested players?

Trailers for big games usually attract a lot of attention. When blockbuster titles are announced, views on YouTube shoot into the millions. But a seemingly “small” game that many do not have on their radar is making waves these days. The trailer for “Hytale” has now surpassed 32,000,000 views.

What is Hytale? Hytale is a game with “block graphics” that is still in development. Players can mine almost every block in the game world, shape new objects from them, build houses and entire cities, and craft equipment. This is supposed to be possible on many different servers that aim to satisfy every playstyle. So there’s something for PvP fans, PvE players, or creative gamers who just want to unleash their imagination.

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Why is Hytale so eagerly anticipated? Hytale is fundamentally based on Minecraft and does not hide that fact – after all, the project directly emerged from it. The graphics and design are very similar. Minecraft remains one of the most popular games of all time. Although it was released back in 2009, the player numbers are higher than ever.

Hytale Swordmaking title

Just last summer, Minecraft had 91 million monthly players. With over 154 million copies sold, Minecraft ranks second worldwide – only behind the classic Tetris. The target audience for Hytale is therefore quite large.

Hytale delivers what Minecraft cannot. That Hytale is based on Minecraft is likely a significant part of the hype. After all, Hytale as a standalone game promises exactly what many Minecraft fans still want: more character customization, more story possibilities, and generally more features.

Even though the original Minecraft continues to be developed, major patches are released only once or twice a year and bring only a handful of features. This is where Hytale comes in, with a wide range of desired features, at just the right time.

Hytale Picture 3
Yes, you should be able to play movies in Hytale.

Are you excited for Hytale and will you take a look at the block game? Or did you not enjoy Minecraft and therefore will not warm up to the Hytale graphics?

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von Cortyn
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. dualshockers.com

WoW Classic: Release Summer 2019, but you need a subscription

At BlizzCon 2018, further details were revealed about WoW Classic. The release window and payment model are now known. The vanilla version of World of Warcraft will be released in Summer 2019. Players will need a subscription.

Update 14.5.: The release date of WoW Classic is now officially known. It will start on August 27, 2019.

Original announcement from January 13:

New information about WoW Classic: The important announcement for fans of WoW Classic came from John Hight, the Executive Producer of World of Warcraft:

  • The full version of WoW Classic will launch in Summer 2019 – Blizzard has not yet announced a specific release date.
  • WoW Classic will be available for free to all who maintain a regular WoW subscription.
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von Benedict Grothaus

When is Summer 2019? The astronomical summer of 2019 in the Northern Hemisphere lasts from June 21, 2019, to September 22, 2019. The meteorological summer of 2019 includes the months of June, July, and August 2019.

There was already a taste of WoW Classic: At BlizzCon 2018, players could participate in a demo of WoW Classic. However, it only included two areas and had a special gag: players could only play for an hour at a time before being kicked and having to take a half-hour break.

Important articles about the release of WoW Classic:

Blizzcon World of Warcraft Classic Servers Brack

How players reacted: The first reactions on Reddit are positive.

  • Regarding the release date, players say: “That’s half a year earlier than I thought.”
  • Regarding the payment model, someone says: “That’s a damn clever way to do it.”

Overall, WoW Classic is a contentious topic in the community. Some are very excited about it, while others find it hard to understand the trend.

WoW Classic title

The release of WoW Classic will also have some unique features. Not all features will work exactly as they did in the past. Players will be able to trade loot with each other. In any case, the goal is to restore the “classic” feel with most of its little bugs and quirks.

Fans are pleased about the early release: Many players thought Blizzard was aiming for November 2019 as the release date for WoW Classic, right in time for the 15th anniversary of World of Warcraft in the USA. The MMORPG was released on November 23, 2004.

Will you play WoW Classic at launch and stay with the game? Or will you just take a quick look and then switch back to the current version of the game?

How to stay informed: If you don’t want to miss any news about World of Warcraft in its current and classic form, then feel free to give a like on our WoW Facebook page!

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

Law firm investigates Activision after separation from Destiny 2

The publisher Activision Blizzard has parted ways with Bungie and Destiny 2. Now a law firm is investigating whether everything was above board in the interest of investors. The publisher’s stock has fallen by 9.37%.

This is the situation: On January 11, Activision Blizzard announced that it was parting ways with Bungie.

Bungie will retain the rights and responsibilities to the “Destiny” franchise.

As a result of this announcement, Activision’s stock significantly lost value on the stock market. The stock fell from $51.35 to $45.50 and then only slightly recovered to $46.54. That is a loss of 9.37%.

Aktien-Kurs-Activision
The stock of Activision Blizzard after the announcement of the split. Source: Marketwatch

This firm is now investigating: The law firm Pomerantz LLP is currently investigating Activision Blizzard in the interest of investors.

The press release states that Pomerantz has offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris. It is said to be a leading firm for reviewing such class action lawsuits against large corporations.

This is the subject of the investigation: It is said that the investigation aims to determine whether Activision or some of its executives were involved in “business practices not in accordance with the law.”

The firm is investigating fraud.

The press release includes a form to join a class action lawsuit against Activision Blizzard.

According to the press release from the firm, it has successfully settled many lawsuits for damages worth several million dollars in the past.

destiny-2-eskalationsprotokoll-2

What’s behind this: Currently, no lawsuit is being filed against Activision. The law firm is merely investigating whether it could file a class action lawsuit.

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What violations the firm specifically suspects does not emerge from the press release.

  • One possibility is that the firm is taking action due to the significant stock loss – this is quite common on the stock market.
  • Or it could be that the firm suspects insider trading, that stocks were sold before Activision publicly announced the news of the split.

A stock scandal once affected the Norwegian company Funcom. The head of the company was said to have known that the MMORPG “The Secret World” would not sell well and had sold shares in Funcom before the MMORPG could launch.

Using such “insider information” is illegal.

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

This dog in Red Dead Redemption 2 tells a sad story

The Western adventure Red Dead Redemption 2 is repeatedly praised for its details. Have you noticed these subtleties with dogs and cats?

In Red Dead Redemption 2, the vibrant landscape and lovingly designed wildlife are often praised. The developers also show great care for dogs and cats.

A sadly beautiful dog story

In Red Dead Redemption 2, dogs play an important role. It even goes so far that you can really get into trouble if you harm dogs.

The story told by the following photo of a dog is sad. User Hupflupper shared the photo with the Reddit community. A dog waiting at its owner’s grave. With a paw on the mound of earth before it.

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Source: Reddit

The background of this scene: As user SingaporeSally knows, this is a reference to Greyfriars Bobby. Greyfriars Bobby was a Skye Terrier. It is said that the terrier spent the next 14 years at its owner’s grave, policeman John Gray, after his death. At the age of 16, Greyfriars Bobby (1872) passed away and was buried at the same cemetery. This had to be done secretly, as animals are actually not allowed there.

User slimbojames comments on Reddit: Why am I now sitting in the saloon and crying?

Edinburgh is home to Rockstar North. Presumably, this is why the developers were inspired by the story.

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von Patrick Freese

Cats in Red Dead Redemption 2 sharpen their claws

Cats also have their special moments in Red Dead Redemption 2. This is proven by Reddit user postal1234 with a video. Here you can see the details Rockstar thought of for the animals. The cat doesn’t just briefly walk through the frame and meow.

What can be seen in the video? It shows how a cat walks to a wooden post and sharpens its claws there. Cat owners will find this sight quite familiar.

After that, it goes upstairs in a nearby building. “He started to purr when he sat down on the stairs. Satisfied,” adds postal1234.

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Another player adds that sometimes a cat walks around in Strawberry with a rat in its mouth.

This is praised by the players: Even after many hours spent in the campaign of Red Dead Redemption 2, players only notice such details late. They are happy to find such little surprises with animals again and again.

You can’t pet the cats in RDR 2.

Don’t miss any news: To ensure you don’t miss anything about Red Dead Redemption 2, keep an eye on our Facebook page.

These animals are also praised: That the animals in Red Dead Online are admirable is also said by professionals. Apart from a few minor details, the birds in Red Dead Redemption 2 best represent the American avifauna.

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That’s why a birdwatcher celebrates Red Dead Redemption 2
von Patrick Freese
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

A dead couple tells the sweetest story in Fallout 76

After the nuclear war, there is hardly any peaceful and friendly life left in Appalachia. Nevertheless, the wasteland of Fallout 76 also has beautiful stories to tell. Our Benedict has found a macabre story that couldn’t be sweeter.

Due to the nuclear war with the Chinese, large parts of Appalachia have been devastated. This led to the creation of several particularly creepy scenes.

Some areas of Appalachia have been less frequented by mutated fauna, mutants, and raiders after the war. One of these places is the villa district east of Charleston, right next to Summersville.

Fallout 76 Torrance House location

Here you can discover a bittersweet story.

An eternal wedding in Fallout 76

The romantic scene can be found on the roof of the Torrance House. I discovered the corresponding scene while exploring quirky places. One of those can be seen just one house away, next to the Torrance House.

You can easily reach the roof by climbing the scaffolding right next to the house. Go around the first roof once. On its backside, there are some crates that you can use to reach the second roof. At the end, there is a kind of small rooftop garden.

Fallout 76 Torrance House path to the roof both

Until death do us part

There in the rooftop garden sit two skeletons in a loving embrace. One of the deceased is still wearing a tuxedo, while the other wears a fine dress that looks like a wedding gown. Apparently, a joyful wedding was celebrated here as a counterpoint to the destruction of the bombs.

The freshly married wife is sitting on her husband’s lap, with her arm wrapped around him, burying her head in his neck for a final kiss. They both sit in the embrace on the chair, as if to prove that not even death means the end of this love.

Fallout 76 skeleton couple wedding

Romantic details

Fallout 76 skeleton couple merlot

Next to the eternal wedding picture lies a bottle of 2060s Merlot on the ground, which was presumably meant to sweeten the evening for the two. On the other side, there is a nicely arranged table with flowers.

On the table sits a red “Comrade Pummel” teddy bear, holding a gold-plated lighter, presumably meant to light the candle that stands next to him. A cuddly best man.

In front of the bear are several wooden blocks lined up with letters that spell out the words “hubba hubba.” In American English, this is a colloquial expression of lust or delight.

If the two had lived a little longer, the clothes would probably be found next to the skeletons.

Fallout 76 skeleton couple hubba hubba

Not the only wedding of the wasteland

The sweet skeleton couple is not the only one that has tied the knot in Appalachia. Two players have celebrated their real wedding in Fallout 76, with a player priest and a subsequent party. Everything sponsored by Nuka-Cola and under the star of the Mothman.

What do you think of this romantic scene in the destroyed Appalachia?

The wedding may be a particularly beautiful motif, but there are also some stories in Fallout 76 that truly break the heart:

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This place tells the saddest story of Fallout 76
von Benedict Grothaus
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Fortnite: Streamer receives $75,000 record donation at once

A streamer received a donation of $75,000 via Twitch while playing Fortnite. What he initially thought was a bad joke turned out to be a gift of money from a wealthy friend.

He received the money: The streamer “Exotic Chaotic” is rather a small fry among the numerous streamers on Fortnite. He has about 16,000 followers on Twitch. While he has made some money from events in Fortnite, it is not enough for a good living. The fortunes that Ninja accumulates from streaming are still a long way off.

But then a donation came flying in, which some now consider the largest donation in the history of Twitch.

A bit of joy and a lot of skepticism

This was his reaction to the donation: Exotic Chaotic was momentarily beside himself when a donation of $75,000 (about €65,000) came in. He put his hands over his mouth, stared at the screen, and yelled, “Is this real …”

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But then skepticism gripped him. Is someone just trying to pull his leg? It can’t be true.

But indeed: In his PayPal account, the $75,000 is waiting for approval. However, the money has to be with PayPal for 24 hours before it is really available and he can dispose of it.

In an interview with the US site Kotaku, the streamer reveals that he initially thought one of his moderators was pulling his leg. But indeed it was a serious donation.

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BitCoin profiteer helps friend in need

Where does the money come from? The money comes from Fortnite streamer, KingMascot. He has only 240 followers on Twitch. Exotic Chaotic is friends with him. Both are Fortnite players and both love to collect skins in Fortnite.

KingMascot invested in Bitcoin early and is now trading stocks.

He had been planning to make such a large donation to his friend for a while and was just waiting for the right moment. It was a bit difficult with PayPal, he says. But now the time is ripe to give them a great start to the new year.

Fortnite-2019

This is what it’s about: Exotic Chaotic is a full-time streamer, but he is not yet making enough money. His girlfriend works full-time to support him. Additionally, he has a four-year-old son. Even though he was successful in 2018, he is currently in difficult waters:

  • While the streamer won $30,000 in the Fortnite Fall Skirmish, the money went immediately to a new car because the old one was no longer roadworthy.
  • Even a victory at Ninja’s event in Las Vegas in April 2018 did not really bring a breakthrough.
  • Now there have been issues with the internet, which affected the quality of the stream.
PayPal-Screenshot
Chaotic Exotic shared the screenshot on Twitter to prove the authenticity of the donation. Source: Twitter

KingMascot feared that his friend’s financial problems could start to drive away viewers. And he wanted to do him a favor and help him through a financially difficult time.

Exotic Chaotic now hopes to one day be able to help other streamers as well. But for now, he wants to make use of this unique opportunity to secure his son’s future and repay his girlfriend’s trust in him.

It is not uncommon for streamers to donate money to each other. But the sum is already crazy:

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Fortnite: MontanaBlack donates 3000€ to streamers – People love it
von Noah Struthoff
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. kotaku

For many indie MMORPGs, everything could change now

This week brought a horror story for a number of indie MMORPGs. Due to a dispute between Improbable and Unity, the development was suddenly at risk. Now, the indie teams are supposed to switch to Epic’s “Unreal Engine”. They’re enticing with $25 million.

Many indie MMORPGs are relying on this combination: Most MMORPGs currently in development are financed by small teams with limited budgets. They do not have the money  to invest in their own engine, but want to create large worlds.

Thus, some teams use:

  • The “Unity” engine – the engine was supposed to “democratize” the development process and be an engine for everyone
  • And the technology “SpatialOS” from Improbable – which is supposed to enable small teams to create huge worlds.

Some interesting “indie MMORPGs” that we have reported on at MeinMMO over the past few years rely on this combination: such as Worlds Adrift or Fractured.

fractured screenshot
Fractured

That was the nightmare news: But this week, a dispute between exactly these two companies shook the indie world.

The two companies are publicly waging a war.

  • Improbable accused Unity of changing their Terms of Service so that they are no longer compatible with SpatialOS. Therefore, games that are developed with Unity and SpatialOS now have to close.
  • Unity, on the other hand, accused Improbable of blowing the conflict out of proportion and taking it public. Games that are already in development would not be affected by the change. Improbable knows that too.
worlds adrift characters

This is how indie developers reacted: This news hit the teams developing their indie MMORPGs hard.

  • The creators behind Fractured said: “Things were looking very, very good – until now. […] If this situation does not resolve, we might have to close.”
  • The developers behind the game “Lazerus” even took their game offline for a short time.
  • At Worlds Adrift, they spoke of a “situation” that they hope will be resolved soon.
Worlds-Adrift-09

SpatialOS is now pushing Unreal Engine

What happens now: The situation is still confused. Both parties appear to be at odds.

  • Unity maintains that the problem is being exaggerated. The change would have no effect on games that are in development or already live.
  • Improbable continues to make serious accusations against Unity. It is said that it is now difficult to support developers continuing to use the Unity engine.

Improbable has entered a deal with Epic and wants to convince the indie developers using SpatialOS to switch from Unity to the “Unreal Engine”. For this purpose, they have established a fund of $25 million: a “transition” fund.

In a joint blog post (via unrealengine.com), Tim Sweeney (Epic Games) and Herman Narula (Improbable) explain their connection through shared goals. They accuse Unity of putting developers in an insecure position with their changes. They speak of a “limbo.”

The $25 million is supposed to help developers switch to other “more open” platforms and ecosystems.

Scavengers Artwork new 3
Being developed with SpatialOS and Unreal Engine: Scavengers.

This means: It could be that some MMORPGs that are currently using Unity and SpatialOS will look different in the future. Of course, only if they dare to make the leap to another engine.

Some developers are already complaining that they have never used another engine than “Unity”. So it could be that the development of some projects will now be delayed.

We are curious how the situation will develop.

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

Fortnite: Next patch 7.20 is supposed to change these 6 things that annoy you

In Fortnite, the update 7.20 is coming. It is expected next week. The patch aims to fix a number of bugs and issues that have been frustrating players. Additionally, there will be “Quality of Life” improvements for Fortnite.

When will the next patch arrive? The next update for Fortnite is expected on Tuesday, January 15th, or Wednesday, January 16th.

After three “smaller content updates”, this will be a proper patch. It is update 7.20.

Fortnite loading screen week 5 Season 7

These issues are set to be fixed: Due to tweets from developer Sean Hamilton, we already know that the patch will bring some changes and bug fixes to Fortnite that players have long demanded.

Fortnite has recently been criticized for constantly adding new things but suffering from more and more bugs. A player requested a “Quality of Life” update, meaning many comfort improvements regarding small annoyances. Apparently, Epic has a similar update planned.

In patch 7.20, these 6 bugs will be fixed:

  • It will solve the issue with ziplines, where players were thrown off the zip line
  • Additionally, issues with the gliders getting deployed will be fixed – they created problems when players jumped out of an airplane
  • The challenge where players were supposed to deal damage with different weapons in one match will be fixed – it was partly stuck
    building-fortnite-title
  • The issue with building on uneven surfaces will be addressed – a significant change is coming here
  • Moreover, Epic aims to tackle the problem with “ghost shots”
  • Improvements for editing structures are also coming, as there were delays in this area
fn-driftboard-01
The report is from December – this is still missing in Fortnite

What else is coming? At the moment, no major content novelties are known that Fortnite is planning. However, the driftboard for Fortnite: Battle Royale is still pending. It was supposed to come in December, but was postponed due to technical issues.

The driftboard is actually still due. Such a board has long been available in “Save the World” – it is used to travel quickly. However, you cannot shoot while on the board.

With patch 7.20, additional rewards for the “Xbox One Bundle for Fortnite” are due.

fortnite-season-7-title

Here’s what happened in the last update: The last patch was also just a “small content” update, but it brought numerous changes to the delicate balance of Fortnite.

Players had complained that all items in Season 7 were only made for “bad players”. Most of these items were significantly nerfed in the last patch.

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von Jürgen Horn
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Source(s):
  1. FortniteIntel

The Mass Effect skins in Anthem are simply sexy – New revealed

Anthem gets a collection of N7 skins for the Javelins. These outfits originated from Mass Effect, which is also from BioWare. So far, three of the N7 armors have been shown.

Skin from Mass Effect shown for Storm: On Twitter, BioWare employee Mad Bee presented an outfit for his Storm Javelin. Mad Bee works for Anthem as an Art Quality Analyst. This means he is responsible for the artistic quality of the game.

Mad Bee is known among colleagues for designing his Javelins very beautifully.

Tweet

The special thing about the N7 skin: This skin seen here actually belongs in the Mass Effect universe. There, N7 is a classification of the Systems Alliance military. The N is a special unit, and 7 is the highest rank that can be achieved.

In our article about the N7 Interceptor, you will learn more background information about this outfit.

There are more N7 outfits in Anthem

Already presented: In the last few months, a total of three N7 skins have now been shown, namely for: Ranger, Interceptor and now Storm. The N7 skin for Colossus has not been revealed yet.

If you don’t know who these Javelins are at all, take a look at our comprehensive overview, where we present the 4 classes of Anthem.

Mass-Effect-Skins-N7-Anthem
From left to right: Interceptor, Storm, Ranger

N7 skins are simply sexy and popular: When the image of the N7 Storm was presented, it immediately went viral on the internet. The outfit was passionately discussed by fashion fans on Reddit for Anthem. The author of this text cannot deny that she was somewhat drooling in front of the screen at this sight.

Diverse customization options available: Anthem will offer a wide range of visual tweaks. You can choose from a large color palette or determine the material of the Javelins. You can find out more about this here:

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von Tarek Zehrer
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Pokémon GO: Heatran is soon leaving the Raids, who will be the new Raid Boss?

The legendary raid boss Heatran will soon disappear from the arenas. Players of Pokémon GO are already speculating about who will come next.

When is Heatran leaving? Since December, the legendary raid boss Heatran has been sitting in the arenas. On January 15, however, it will leave the raids and make way for the next legendary Pokémon.

Players are already speculating about which raid boss will be the successor. They are mainly following two theories.

Players think: This will be the new raid boss

What do the players think? On Reddit, some trainers discussed who will replace Heatran, and almost all players are considering two different possibilities.

Title image Heatran counter

As the user “EragonsPL” writes on Reddit: “I believe in the lake trio or in Kyogre and Groudon, due to the speculated Gen-3 event”

This is, of course, just speculation, and Niantic has not confirmed anything in this regard. However, some hints support these two possibilities. We present both theories to you.

Theory 1: The legendary lake trio is coming

What supports this? Anyone who looked closely at the picture of the Christmas event noticed Selfe, Tobutz, and Vesprit, the legendary lake trio.

Christmas Pokemon GO

It would be strange for Niantic to show these three Pokémon without releasing them in the near future. All other Pokémon visible in the image are already in the game.

It is therefore quite possible that the lake trio will also be released soon.

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Pokémon GO: How strong are Vesprit, Selfe, and Tobutz
von Noah Struthoff

Theory 2: The legendary weather trio is coming

What supports this? In early January, Niantic published a mysterious message in their newsletter. They spoke of a “migration pattern,” which would affect Pokémon from the third generation. They wanted to provide further information later in the month.

Title image Weather Trio

Some players saw in this message the return of the weather trio, that is, Groudon, Rayquaza, and Kyogre. Since Niantic was to provide further information during the month and has not yet done so, there is much reason to expect clarification in the coming days.

When can we expect clarification? Heatran will still dominate the arenas until January 15 at 10 PM. Typically, Niantic also announces which new raid boss will come only when the Pokémon changes.

Until then, one should take the opportunity to challenge Heatran. It will certainly take some time for the legendary Pokémon to return to raids.

Update 15.01: Niantic announced their new Hoenn event and are bringing back Kyogre and Groudon into raids. One theory was indeed correct!

For those who haven’t defeated Heatran yet, they should check out our counter guide:

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Pokémon GO: Here are the best counters against Heatran in the raid
von Noah Struthoff
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Reddit

15-year-old wants to drop out of school to become a CoD pro - But pros advise against it

An ambitious Call of Duty player revealed that he dropped out of school to pursue his dream. Some professionals quickly responded, explaining that it might not be the best idea.

What happened? The 15-year-old gamer “Loyal” tweeted to his followers that he had convinced his parents to take him out of school. This was on January 10. He said, “School will never determine your success.”

Many Twitter users responded. Some supported Loyal’s decision. Several professional Call of Duty players explained that he was making a mistake.

Call of Duty Loyal Tweet
Source: Twitter

“Without school, you’re nothing after gaming”

These reactions followed his tweet: Users wrote that Loyal was making the right decision:

  • Nallah wrote, “School is useless if you don’t want to earn a degree for a specific job. Otherwise, school is just wasted time.”
  • Ahpli wrote, “School will never determine your success, and this has been proven time and time again.”

In this case, a father took his son out of school so that he could earn money from gaming:

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However, school and gaming don’t always have to be two different pairs of shoes:

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However, there were also opinions that advised Loyal.

Call of Duty black ops 4 beta 2

This is what experienced players and professionals say: The Call of Duty World League does not allow players under 18 to participate in public tournaments. Loyal still has a few years before he can enter.

CoD streamer and player Equuip writes: “I respect the decision, but you should at least take online classes. Because if that doesn’t work out, you won’t even have your high school diploma to fall back on. I hope the grind pays off.”

Player Justin “Silly” Fargo from Team Envy writes: “There are many online high school courses that give you the same diploma as regular high schools. After gaming, you can’t really do much without school.”

Call of Duty Loyal Tweet 2

Other professionals also wrote to the 15-year-old. On Twitter, Loyal thanked Pittsburgh Knights player Casey “Pandur” Romano and former Kaliber player Dylan “Theory” McGee for their conversations.

Blackout Black Ops 4 Call of Duty

This is new: The many conversations on Twitter and a bit of time apparently led the 15-year-old to reconsider his decision. Additionally, he would miss his friends at school.

On January 11, he wrote to his followers, “I have decided to go back to school. I didn’t think it through properly. Thanks to everyone who helped me. I love you all.”

Call of Duty Blackout Title

Professional gaming and education can go hand in hand: Player SlasheR from Team 100 Thieves proved that you can combine gaming and an important educational qualification. He plays Call of Duty at a high level, won the World Championships in 2016 with Team Envy, and also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Robotics Engineering.

In this case, a father took his son out of school so that he could earn money from gaming:

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Father takes son out of school so he can become an Overwatch pro
von Guddy Hoffmann-Schoenborn
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Dexerto