The MMO / Online Game of the Year 2018 – You have chosen the winners!

Irina Moritz Irina Moritz Reading time 3 minutes

The survey on the most popular multiplayer games in 2018 is over. Here you can see how the users of MeinMMO voted and which games they enjoyed the most. 

We asked you and you answered us! The results of the survey for the best MMO / online game of 2018 were diverse and fairly evenly distributed. There were also a few surprising results.

How you voted

Destiny 2 Forsaken best MMO 2018

1st place for Destiny 2: With 25% of all votes, Destiny 2 secured first place in the voting. Although the start of 2018 for Destiny 2 was associated with a lot of criticism and discontent from fans, the developer Bungie managed to turn things around with the DLC Forsaken. Now it keeps gamers engaged with a steady influx of new content.

Although there are still issues, the end of 2018 can definitely be celebrated as a success for Destiny 2.

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All guides, tips and solutions for Destiny 2 Forsaken at a glance
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Monster-Hunter-World-Wildexperting-Bine

2nd place for Monster Hunter World: Monster Hunter: World took second place with 11% of the votes. The game series by Capcom enjoys extreme popularity in Japan, but in the West, it was only able to establish itself properly with Monster Hunter: World. The action game was impressive and quickly became Capcom’s most successful game ever. 

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Why Monster Hunter World is the surprise in gaming 2018
von Leya Jankowski

Our user ParaDox said:

The lighthouse title for me in 2018 was Monster Hunter World. I have never regretted spending €60 on it, and the game is worth every cent.

warframe-baruuk-fanart

3rd place for Warframe: The third place with 8% of the votes was taken by Warframe. The free-to-play multiplayer game is considered a hidden gem among fans of the dynamic action genre in third-person perspective. Warframe offers tons of content that is constantly expanding. The latest expansion “Fortuna” has set a player record on Steam.

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Diese 5 Free2Play-MMOs haben gerade auf Steam die meisten Spieler
von Andreas Bertits

Fortnite beaten, ESO the strongest MMORPG, Path of Exile a secret favorite,

Surprises in the voting: Although Fortnite experienced a huge boom in 2018 and is also popular among many MeinMMO readers, it only landed in 4th place in our survey, just behind the underdog Warframe.

World of Warcraft – the big loser? It is also surprising that ESO narrowly beat the dominant World of Warcraft and thus claims the title for the most popular MMORPG this year. And this despite the fact that only a relatively small expansion, Summerset, was released. Battle for Azeroth doesn’t seem to have been well received by our readers in hindsight. It gets even weirder when you look at the winner of 2017 in our community vote. That was World of Warcraft. Without a new addon.

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Also interesting was the fact that Red Dead Online received only 4% of all votes, although RDR2 was celebrated by our users in reviews.

fortnite-meh-titel

Special mentions:  In the comments, you mentioned several other games that, while not included in the survey, were still very popular. At the top of this list was the hack and slash game Path of Exile, which celebrated a hit in 2018 with the addon “Betrayal”.

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 was also mentioned several times by our users in the comments. This game also had a good year in 2018. It received high ratings from major gaming sites and on Steam, the just over 13,000 reviews for the game are very positive.

The rankings from 4 to 10:

  • 4th place: Fortnite (8%)
  • 5th place: Battlefield V (7%)
  • 6th place: Black Ops 4 (7%)
  • 7th place: The Elder Scrolls Online (6%)
  • 8th place: World of Warcraft (6%)
  • 9th place: The Division (5%)
  • 10th place: Overwatch (4%)
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von Jürgen Horn
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

This is how Sea of Thieves will entice you into the pirate MMO in 2019

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

In the new year 2019, Sea of Thieves wants to improve its quests and lore. This could bring some players back on board.

What is new? In an interview, Sea of Thieves Producer Joe Neate explained what improvements are planned for Sea of Thieves in 2019. With more quests and lore, they want to enhance the game.

How Sea of Thieves plans to improve in 2019

What is planned? Since its launch in March 2018, new content for Sea of Thieves has been regularly released. This is set to continue in 2019, with developer Rare encapsulating the pirate adventure in story and lore. Until now, there has only been limited story. They want to expand on that now.

“… some players want guided goals, lore, and story. We know that we are underdelivering in that area. But we have already proven that we can do it and that it works in the shared world with campaigns like The Hungering Deep or Cursed Sails, where lore and story are incorporated,” explains Joe Neate in the interview with Gamereactor.

Sea of Thieves Kraken

How did The Hungering Deep and Cursed Sails work? In both campaigns, it was about players working with the environment. They were supposed to interact with NPCs or hidden objects waiting on various islands. This told stories. In the end, there was ultimately new gameplay from this content.

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What’s next in 2019: This storytelling of the campaigns is to be expanded. And this with a completely new quest system that is based on stories and lore.

“… we have had a team working for a while on a new, improved quest system based on stories and lore in this shared world. It was originally supposed to be our fourth update. But we have pushed it to next year [2019] because we want to expand and enlarge it further.”

The Arena is also coming to Sea of Thieves soon:

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von Patrick Freese

Community Wish Fulfilled: Already after the first test phases of Sea of Thieves, players wished for a quest system that guides the pirates, shows them the world, and gives them tasks.

The lack of such a system was often criticized. Perhaps Sea of Thieves will attract more players again with the new quests and story, those who do not simply want to experience their adventures in an open world but prefer to focus on quests. Will Sea of Thieves become more interesting for you again?

With the Shrouded Spoils update, the developers already significantly refreshed the base game of Sea of Thieves

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

That’s why World of Warcraft needs the group finder

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 4 minutes

The Group Finder is more important in World of Warcraft than most players can admit. We name a few reasons for this.

Over the years, World of Warcraft has changed significantly. Only a few aspects of the game are still as they were in Classic for fans from the beginning in the current “Battle for Azeroth”. One of the most controversial points is still, after years, the Group Finder.

This allows players to find a group for dungeons and raids on lower difficulty levels – from anywhere and without any social interaction.

WoW Druid Bear Dwarf Tank title

For some players, it was the best invention in the MMORPG genre, for others, the downfall of all social structures.

The most important point first: There is a large number of players who would never see some content of World of Warcraft without the Group Finder. The reasons are manifold: They do not enjoy playing in guilds, know few people within the game world, or simply do not have enough time to maintain social contacts in virtual life as well.

For these people, who cannot or do not want to spend several hours in a game every evening, the Group Finder is still a blessing.

The Group Finder is irrelevant for the “better” players

WoW Legion Court of Stars Mythic Plus World Record Title Daarkee Shakib Jdotb

What personally surprises me, however, is that many complain about the Group Finder, even though it has no relevance in their daily lives. Because the overwhelming majority of “endgame content”, such as “Mythic+” dungeons or raids from “normal” are not formed through the automatic Group Finder because it cannot do that. There is no automatic assignment of players here.

While you can list your group in a tool and set which dungeon you are looking for people for, this happens manually. That is essentially no different from spamming in the trade channel “LFM Heal & Tank Scholo, then go” and hoping that exactly the people who meet your expectations will respond. And I honestly believe that some particularly loud players do not even realize that searching for a group for a “Mythic+” dungeon essentially runs very traditionally and is not automated.

This can also be illustrated by another problem:

“Checking Raider.io” vs. Group Finder

WoW Groupfinder title no more

Many players complain that they are not taken into groups because others check their “Raider.io” profile or certain achievements before taking them along. Or they have to show an item level so high that the corresponding dungeon no longer yields any meaningful rewards.

And that is exactly the flip side of the coin. If players are not “forced” into a group through the dungeon finder, then they have the choice of how they select each other based on their criteria.

But exactly this is a point of criticism that keeps coming up. Those who do not complain that they ended up in a terrible group in the Group Finder during the “fool lottery” are upset that the requirements for “Mythic+” groups are exorbitantly high.

But both groups will never be able to come together. “Mythic+” dungeons are indeed a notch harder than what can be tackled in the Group Finder (Heroic, normal, LFR).

WoW Drunk Mage Human Draenei Solder Yell title

This means there is a chance of failing in these contents, which, in turn, represents “wasted time” for many players. To minimize this chance, they set their own criteria, such as an item level or certain experience verified with sites like raider.io or specific achievements. Also interesting: What we wish for World of Warcraft in 2019.

How will this be in WoW: Classic?

I even believe that certain aspects will also affect Classic WoW. Nowadays, the Internet is much larger and more accessible than it was over a decade ago. I fear that certain prerequisites will also be established for Classic, transcending “we just found ourselves in Ironforge”.

WoW Legion warrior defense

Players’ time has been severely limited in recent years, and those who plan to spend three or four hours in the classic Blackrock Depths will probably filter more strongly than was the case 12 years ago.

Conclusion: Group Finder doesn’t actually disturb

So I conclude that the Group Finder in its current form is actually a good, useful element of the game. It helps immensely in the “easy” content of World of Warcraft and still allows a large group of players to engage with content they would otherwise never see.

WoW Human Male Drugs Smoke title

For everyone who plays a bit more “seriously” and tackles tougher content, the Group Finder is not usable anyway. They have to search manually or, quite traditionally, build a trusted group of friends.

And if we are honest: The really “antisocial idiots” are in the minority. They just tend to be remembered more often than the hundreds of dungeon runs that went smoothly and successfully or even with a pinch of humor.

But that’s just my opinion on this much-discussed topic. What do you think about it?

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

Fortnite: Epic explains to some confused Americans “time zones”

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In Fortnite New Year was celebrated. However, Americans found that it started way too early, suggesting Epic must have made a mistake. The staff then explained the concept of “time zone” somewhat incredulously.

This is how Epic celebrated New Year’s Eve: From early morning US time on December 31, every hour in the world of Fortnite: Battle Royale a huge disco ball was dropped from the sky accompanied by all sorts of extravagant fireworks.

They lit a Boogie Bomb, forcing everyone to dance. The spectacle was impossible to miss.

In addition to the event, there were also special items in the shop and a special quest for the ongoing event.

Fortnite-2019

Here was the problem: Fortnite is an international game and the event started as soon as it was January 1 somewhere in the world. From a US perspective, it was still very early on December 31.

Apparently, some Fortnite players couldn’t handle this at all. They shouted “Leak, Leak” or laughed at Epic for apparently not being able to wait until midnight.

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So writes FazeThiefs at 11 AM our time, which is late at night in the USA: “Already a New Year’s event? Then happy early New Year, I guess. Lmaooo”

Tweet-Neujahr-FN

As BusinessInsider reports, this was not the only case; many players went on social media to announce that the “New Year” event of Fortnite had started too early.

This is how Epic reacted: The co-founder and vice president of Epic tweeted: “Do you really not understand what time zones are, or do you think yours is the only time zone in the world?”

Epic PR staff member Nick Chester is also somewhat amused: “I woke up this morning and learned that many Fortnite players don’t understand the concept of time zones. We are also a game with an educational mission.

Happy New Year, if you are already in 2019!”

Nick-Chester-Fortnite

What’s behind this: On reddit, the incident is being discussed: It is said, “Some Americans do not understand that there are places outside the USA.”

We in Germany and most others are used to the concept of time zones, as much of what is important to us happens according to US time, and we have adjusted to this over the years.

Clearly, this is not so widespread among Americans.

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

Fallout 76 gives outlook on updates 2019 – player shops coming

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 2 minutes

Bethesda rings in the year with exciting announcements for the online game Fallout 76. Among other things, you’ll soon be able to become a merchant and open your own shop in 2019.

After the heavily criticized launch, Bethesda looks forward to the future of Fallout 76 with a fresh perspective in the new year. Players have much to look forward to.

Many new features coming

What’s coming? The developers have already announced plans to introduce a new PvP mode. But that’s not all that this year holds for Fallout 76. The following features are planned:

  • New vaults opening
  • Weekly in-game events
  • More quests
fallout 76 screen 9

What is the highlight? Particularly interesting is the opportunity for players to become merchants. You will open a shop in the post-apocalyptic wasteland and offer items to other players.

How does trading work? Currently, it is not clear how this merchant system will work. Bethesda wants to keep details for a later time.

Therefore, several questions still arise:

  • Will you open a shop through your Camp?
  • Is it possible to place vending machines and stock them with goods?
  • Do you have to be personally present to sell goods or can you use a vending robot?
  • Will other players be able to raid your shop?
fallout-76-crafting

Players look hopefully to the future

How are players reacting? Fans are excited about upcoming changes, but remain skeptical especially about the new PvP mode. No one quite knows what to expect, whether it will be optional and how it will impact the entire game.

Nonetheless, the Fallout 76 community looks forward with anticipation and hope to the future.

When will the new features arrive? Bethesda plans to announce specific dates for the updates. However, it has been mentioned that patches will be released this month. What they will bring will be revealed in the patch notes.

More on the topic
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von Benedict Grothaus
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. VG247
  2. Bethesda

Destiny 2: Weekly Reset on 1.1.2019 – The Week After Christmas

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In Destiny 2, the Weekly Reset starts on January 1, 2019. It is the week after Christmas and many events and activities come to an end today.

This ends today: January 1st is the day for many people to start something new. It’s best to start a new life or at least make a new attempt to lose weight, quit smoking, or exercise regularly.

In Destiny 2, however, January 1st is the day when many things come to an end:

d2 dawning

These are the important dates in January 2019: With January 1st, a new year of Destiny 2 begins. While there are no major new features this week, January still has two key dates ahead.

  • Next week, on January 8, the Niobe Labs, the fourth forge in Destiny 2, will open
  • On January 29, the exotic quest for the weapon “The Last Word” starts
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von Schuhmann

What changes in the Weekly Reset today: This is what is different in Destiny 2 from today.

The Flashpoint this week is on Io.

Spider has the weekly bounty “Burning Valus”. How to complete it is explained in our guide to “Burning Valus” in Destiny 2.

d2 petra venj

Petra Venj has the Ascendant Challenge 6 for you – how to complete it is explained in a guide.

Aunt Tess Everis has the following highlights this week:

The three Nightfall strikes this week are:

  • Guardians of Nothing
  • A Garden World
  • The Arms Dealer
destiny 2 donnerlord ornament

The modifiers for heroic story missions this week are:

  • Solar Singe
  • Brawler
  • Blackout

In the Crucible, the following activities are available:

  • Quickplay
  • Rumble
  • Competitive
  • Lockdown
  • Private Match
D2_Black_Armory_Press_Kit_Ada_01

Ada-1 has these 3 powerful weapon forms this week:

  • Pulse Rifle
  • Sniper Rifle
  • Machine Gun

If you still want to test your Destiny knowledge from last year, we recommend this quiz:

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

Was wir uns 2019 von World of Warcraft wünschen

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 4 minutes

In 2019, World of Warcraft should definitely be on the rise. We reveal what WoW needs to become interesting for us again.

The year 2018 is over and with it comes an important year for World of Warcraft to an end. With the War of Thorns and the release of Battle for Azeroth, there were highs in WoW, but also many lows. Many players have already lost interest in the latest expansion and miss content that motivates them to play or brings them joy.

WoW Battle for Azeroth Anduin Crybaby

We have therefore thought about what World of Warcraft should definitely get in 2019 to truly convince us again.

Long Obtainable Goals

For some players, the long farming or grinding of enemies is a boring experience, but many also enjoy the meditative aspects of this playstyle. Such pure farming goals, where one plans to simply spend one or two hours casually killing specific enemies to work towards a goal, are currently scarce to non-existent.

WoW Reputation Trader 7th legion
Reputation can only be farmed in intervals. If you want to farm for many hours in a row, you can’t do that.

While there are a number of random drops in the game, such as a special mount in most areas, these are “all or nothing” drops – either you get them or you don’t.

Unfortunately, there is no faction like the Winterpelt in Classic or the Arakkoa in The Burning Crusade, where you can set your own goals and farm at your own pace. All reputation is tied to world quests and therefore bound to time sequences.

That should change, and content that players can approach at their own pace without being necessarily reliant on rewards should be used more frequently.

More Emotional Attachment to Game Systems

WoW Xalatath Artifact Draenei title

After players earned a powerful artifact weapon in World of Warcraft: Legion, the attachment to this weapon was great. Shadow Priests loved their talking “Knaifu” and Paladins were as proud as could be when walking the world with the Ashbringer.

This was not only due to the historical significance of the weapons, but also due to the progression system in Legion. Every few hours or days (at the start of the expansion), you had to go to the order hall and unlock a new property of the weapon. Players earned new skins and designs for the weapons, thereby building an even deeper connection to these items.

WoW Sylvanas Azerit Stab

This is completely lacking in the Heart of Azeroth and the Azerite items. These are not only regularly replaced, but also feel unsatisfying because you have to unlock old properties again.

Moreover, the story surrounding the Heart of Azeroth is a bit sparse and virtually nonexistent.

Fortunately, the developers have already announced that they want to substantially change this in the future with Patch 8.2. The necessary farming of artifact power for unlocking new traits should be eliminated. The Heart of Azeroth is also supposed to become more exciting and gain its own properties. We can only hope that Blizzard delivers.

Overhaul of Professions

WoW Draenei Crafting Alchemy

Professions have degraded over the years and expansions. While there are smaller playthings in some cases, truly useful recipes have become a rarity.

Certainly, everyone needs gems, enchantments, and potions for a long raid night, and at least for these professions there will probably always be a certain demand. But the other crafting professions, such as tailoring, leatherworking, or blacksmithing have been neglected.

WoW Enchanting Verzauberkunst 2

Back in Classic, but still in The Burning Crusade, one could craft really solid gear that could still be used in the endgame. While this always meant many hours of farming (who remembers the Elemental Plateau in Nagrand?), the fulfillment at the end was all the more satisfying.

Today, crafting professions only serve the purpose of providing Twinks with starter gear, which is replaced by world quest gear after just a few hours.

While there are also a few good items that can be crafted, these require items from the current raid content. And usually, you get better gear before you even have the necessary resources.

Professions should provide a way to obtain solid gear through sheer investment of time and endurance.

Communication that Can Be Felt

WoW Ion Hazzikostas Josh Allen QA Screen

A final point does not concern World of Warcraft per se, but rather the entire “surrounding”. Blizzard has preached for years that they want to improve communication with players, which has not yet succeeded.

While Blizzard is objectively quite good at implementing feedback, as seen in the many improvements from Patch 8.1, the communication is lacking. Players have had the feeling for months of hitting “deaf ears,” and this has led to frustration in the forums and on Reddit.

Many players now perceive the words of the community manager as mockery and derision. If Blizzard truly manages to tackle the communication problem in 2019, it would be a fine thing that would help not only the game itself but also the atmosphere within the community.

What kind of content do you think World of Warcraft needs? What needs to change in 2019 for WoW to become a “top game” again?

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

PUBG punishes 4 pros and their teams hard for cheating

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Not only the cheaters themselves will be punished in PUBG, but also their teams. For the teams of the four convicted cheaters, the PUBG fun ends already in the preseason.

Cheating is just as common in online games, especially in the eSports area, as doping in real sports. Penalties must be imposed for such offenses, and the responsible parties of PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS had to consider how to deal with cheaters.

The result is: quite harsh. PUBG Esports announced this via Twitter.

What happened? On December 19, 2018, four players were banned during the “NPL Preseason,” meaning the preseason of the “National PUBG League.” The reason for this was that “unauthorized programs” were used.

pubg-ps4-titel-leak

The suspicion that this involved cheat or hack software was immediately raised. Now, the organizers have confirmed this suspicion and imposed corresponding penalties against the players Cuhris, Lliammm, DevowR, and Tefl0n.

What penalty was imposed? All affected players will be banned from “all official eSports tournaments” for three years – meaning until the end of 2021. They may only compete again in 2022 if they still find a team by then.

Because the fellow players are likely to be quite angry…

The teams were also disqualified: The penalty for the teams to which the four players belonged is particularly bitter. All teams were disqualified from the current tournament along with the players and will be replaced by four substitute teams.

For most players, such a long “forced break” will mean the end of their career. Because, as a rule, professional gamers quickly lose their performance in shooters as they age.

PUBG Desert 2
Smaller buildings in the valley

What do you think of this approach to dealing with cheaters in eSports? Is it good to show such a clear line and to punish the associated teams as well? Or should it always be a case-by-case regulation?

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

Fortnite: Day 14 wants you to search chests for this reward

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In Fortnite, Day 14 of the “14 Days of Fortnite” event is active. You need to search for chests. We are looking at the event reward, a special glider. In the Fortnite shop today, on January 1, 2019, New Year’s Day, the fresh skin DJ Bop is available.

What is behind the event “14 Days of Fortnite”: This is the Christmas and New Year event from Fortnite all in one go. For 14 days, there were special challenges, changing modes, and special skins available in the shop.

The patch rhythm is a bit different during this time. The last patch surprisingly came on Sunday.

Map shows chests in Fortnite
Fortnite-14-Durchsuche-Truhen

What you need to do today: Today marks the end of the event with Day 14. Your task is to search 14 chests. This is a task that can easily be completed during regular gameplay. The treasure chests are scattered throughout the world of Fortnite.

If you want to hunt for chests specifically, here is a map with all the chests from a reddit user:

Truhen-LOcation
Locations of known chests in Fortnite. Source: Dexerto

This is the reward: Today, there is a glider as a reward for everyone who opens the 14 chests. This is likely to be one of the coolest rewards in the event.

Gleiter-Fortnite
Source: FortniteInsider

Fortnite shop today on January 1, 2019

DJ-Bop-Fortnite

This is what’s in the Fortnite shop today: Today there is a special, new skin in the shop. DJ Bop costs 2000 V-Bucks.

Besides that, there are two clown skins and matching accessories available.

Fortnite-Tag-14

How to complete all previous challenges of the 14 Days of Fortnite

How to solve all “14 Days of Fortnite” tasks from the last two weeks: 

For 14 days, we’ve been showing you the challenges and rewards of “14 Days of Fortnite” here on MeinMMO. You can still complete the special challenges in Fortnite today. You don’t really have to pay attention to the order during your victory tour through the challenges. Only the reward from challenge 3 is needed for that of day 4, where you need to throw a snowball:

fn-festtagsbäume-titel-01

In addition to these “14 Days of Fortnite” challenges, the weekly challenges for week 4, season 7  have been active since Thursday. We’ll tell you how to complete them in our article.

This is what else happened today in Fortnite:

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

Steam Winter Sale 2018 is ending soon! Grab the best deals quickly

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The Steam Winter Sale 2018 is in its final stages. It’s high time to grab a few last-minute bargains.

For gamers, the Steam Winter Sale is always a major highlight and 2018 is no different. Now, the Steam Winter Sale 2018 is in its final hours. This means that many tempting offers will soon disappear.

Now is the last chance to snag a few deals that will keep you going throughout the gaming year 2019. The Steam Winter Sale ends in the early evening on January 3rd, 2019.

In the past days, we have introduced you to many highlights from the Steam Winter Sale 2018, such as:

Three RPGs Steam 2019 title

The Top Sellers on Steam 2018

If you do not want to heed our recommendations and prefer to stick with the tried and true top sellers, you can also go there. At the end of the sale, Steam released the “Top Sellers 2018” which are all discounted or even completely free. These are the games that earned the most on Steam in 2018 and belong to the “Platinum” category.

Dead by Daylight Killer Myers Hag Survivor Feng Min title

But the Gold and Silver categories are also worth a look, as they include perennial favorites like The Witcher III, Dead by Daylight or ARK: Survival Evolved.

Did you grab some great deals during the Steam Winter Sale? Or were you able to keep your wallet closed?

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

Fortnite: Ninja challenges 1 million to dance, fails brutally

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The stream of Ninja on New Year’s Eve about Fortnite was indeed a great success. However, one scene of utter failure will probably stick. Because New York did not want to dance the floss in the rain.

This was the stream: The Twitch star Tyler “Ninja” Blevins held a marathon stream of 12 hours on New Year’s Eve. He broadcasted live above Times Square in New York, the New Year’s Eve center of the USA. It is estimated that about 1 million people are there every year to celebrate the New Year.

He was joined by TimTheTatman, DrLupo, Courage, and other guests, stars, and celebrities.

Even though the year 2018 was fantastic for Ninja and the stream was a success, one moment of the evening is going around the world and it is not advantageous for Ninja.

This is the moment of failure: In the pouring rain, Ninja urges the crowds in New York to do the “floss.” This is the floss dance.

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The camera kindly focuses on some individuals who are dancing along. However, the crowd ignores Ninja and does not think of moving.

The Twitch chat has considered this a bad idea from the beginning. In that moment, Ninja probably realizes that he should not have done that when he turns to the audience.

The clip had 250,000 viewers within a few hours. It is now at 366,000.

ninja-tweet-fail

This is what Ninja says afterwards: Ninja tweets that night the sensible advice: “Don’t try to make a million New Yorkers dance in the rain for New Year. Trust me on this one.”

Ninja actually comes from Illinois. He seems to have underestimated that New Yorkers are not exactly known for being an easy audience and being swept away by the moment.

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Link to the Twitch content

Even during the live stream, Ninja jokes about his own idea and says to his buddy DrLupo: “It’s freezing out here. Have you ever tried to get a million people, freezing their butts off, to do the floss on New Year’s? Neither have I!”

This is how you stay updated on Fortnite: More news, stories, and guides about Fortnite can be found on our Facebook page, which is solely dedicated to Fortnite and its Battle Royale spin-off!

More about Ninja:

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von Schuhmann
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Source(s):
  1. dexerto

5 activities in games that work even when hungover – with hangover tips

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 5 minutes

2019 has begun, and some may have certainly woken up with a thick head in the new year. Luckily, games are a forgiving hobby, and there are some things that can be easily done even with a hangover.

Those who indulged a bit too much on New Year’s Eve (we’re only talking about grape juice and hop tea here) surely don’t have the greatest concentration for gaming. Therefore, we’ve put together some activities for you that work well without much effort.

[toc]

Hangover Wordplay Cat Title

Stupid Farming (Diablo 3)

In gaming jargon, farming usually refers to repeatedly killing enemies or completing tasks to loot specific items or currencies in large quantities. A hangover day is perfect for such mindless farming.

In many games, you can gather items through simple activities that you can basically always use. Games like Diablo 3 are built on the premise that you keep defeating enemies to improve yourself.

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von Andreas Bertits

The best thing about farming with a hangover is that you’re doing something productive without having to exert yourself or concentrate. Those who are fit often have no desire for the monotony of farming. After all, one could instead be “actually” gaming.

For those who can barely hold themselves up on the chair, farming is an ideal activity that can be done without thinking. The pleasant side effect is that the “sober me” will later be greeted with filled pockets.

Diablo-Tyrael
Benedict’s Hangover Tip: Bismarck herring or rollmops and a strong East Frisian tea. This has helped me get through every hangover.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Activision Blizzard will fire its CFO – 26% stock loss

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

As Activision Blizzard (WoW, Destiny 2, Overwatch) announces, they intend to part ways with their CFO. He received nearly $10 million in compensation in the last financial year. The company does not provide a reason for the dismissal, but the stock price fell 26% in 2018.

Who is it about? It is about 48-year-old Spencer Neumann. He is the CFO, Chief Financial Officer, for the giant gaming publisher Activision Blizzard.

Neumann has been with Activision Blizzard since 2017. Previously, the Harvard graduate worked at Walt Disney and ABC.

In 2017, Neumann received a total of $9.47 million in “compensation.”

As a publicly traded company, Activision Blizzard officially communicates such decisions in leadership, they fill out forms with the stock exchange regulator (via sec.gov). 

WoW Screenshot Sylvanas For the Horde

Why is Activision Blizzard firing its CFO? The publisher does not provide any official reasons. They only officially state that the dismissal is “not related to the company’s financial report or the disclosure of controls and procedures.”

So there is no reason behind it that they need to communicate.

However, there are two major speculations:

  • On one hand, Reuters reports that the giant Netflix wants to poach Neumann to become their CFO.
  • And on the other hand, Activision Blizzard’s stock price fell by 26% in 2018 – in December 2018 alone, the stock lost 10% of its value after it was revealed that the number of monthly active users had decreased.
cod blackout

What problems does Activision Blizzard have? Recently, negative news about the company’s titles has been increasing:

Activision Blizzard has lost monthly active users for three consecutive quarters. Reasons for this could include the aging of the games (WoW) or that Fortnite is choking the hype around titles like Overwatch or Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.

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The Rise of Fortnite and the Fall of Destiny 2
von Schuhmann

What happens next? Neumann will have the opportunity to contest the dismissal. Meanwhile, he will be suspended but will continue to receive his salary.

However, starting Tuesday, Dennis Durkin, the current Chief Corporate Officer, will be responsible for the financial matters of Activision Blizzard. He previously held the job as CFO from 2012 to 2017.

Recently, there are several reports that Activision is becoming more involved with Blizzard. The increased financial pressure could be responsible for that.

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Insider says: Blizzard is now saving everywhere, except in game development
von Cortyn
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. cnbc
  2. dvsgaming

WoW: Last chance for the Winter Veil gifts – even without a subscription

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

If you don’t want to miss the Winter Veil gifts from World of Warcraft, you can secure them quickly. This is also possible without an active subscription.

Today (01.01.2019) is the last day of the Winter Veil event from World of Warcraft. Tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM, Old Father Winter will pack up his things and take the gifts away again. So this is the last chance to grab your gifts and add them to your collection. This is also possible without an active WoW subscription!

WoW Feast of Winter Veil Christmas Kalimdor Goblins

Many players have currently turned their backs on World of Warcraft and do not have an active subscription anymore. Either because they want to take a break or are not enjoying the current state of the game.

This is how you get the gifts without a subscription: Even without an active subscription, you can play characters on your WoW account. However, these characters can only be played up to level 20 – which is completely sufficient. You just need to have reached at least level 10 with the character, as only then can you accept the “quests” for the gifts and claim the items.

WoW Winter Veil Snow Man Tree

Where can you find the gifts? Under the Winter Veil tree of the respective faction. Alliance players go to Ironforge (between the auction house and the bank), while Horde players head to Orgrimmar (centrally in front of the Warchief’s building). There, the numerous gifts lie under the tree and can be opened.

What kind of gifts are there? Besides some gifts from previous years, there are two new additions that are not only fun but also potentially very useful.

  • Old Father Winter’s Hearthstone: A new toy that acts as a hearthstone. Snow surrounds you while casting, you wear a winter hat and dance. You can destroy your actual hearthstone, thus saving a bag slot.
  • Toy Armor Set: A toy where you equip a toy armor set that fits the Horde or Alliance theme. This combines well with the toy weapon set from previous years.

If you are a collector of toys and don’t want to miss out on these two toys even without an active subscription, now is the time to act – otherwise, you will have to wait a year, in case all toys are included again next year.

Did you secure the Winter Veil gifts? Or do these toys leave you cold?

More on the topic
WoW Quiz: How well do you know the current World of Warcraft?
von Cortyn
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. reddit.com/r/wow/

The 3 new MMORPGs you trust the most in 2019

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 8 minutes

We wanted to know from you which MMORPG released in 2019 you think will do best. Three games stood out in this regard. Which ones they are and why you believe they might be successful, you will find out here.

Several new online role-playing games are coming out in 2019, including long-awaited titles like Camelot Unchained, Crowfall, Ascent: Infinite Realm, Ashes of Creation, Project TL (Lineage 3), and Amazon’s New World.

[toc]

In a survey, three of them were chosen as your favorites for 2019, which, in your opinion, might be the most successful next year. We will present these games to you in detail here and analyze why they could establish themselves in 2019.

Rank 3: New World – Amazon’s Sandbox-Survival-MMO

Platform: PC
Release: 2019
Publisher: Amazon Game Studios
Monetization model: Unknown
Genre: PvP sandbox with survival elements

What is New World? New World is a large MMORPG project by Amazon. The game is intended to be a large PvP sandbox for up to 1,000 players per server. The setting is in the “new world”, meaning America in the 17th century. However, it is supposed to have a mystical, dark touch and not just rely on historical events.

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As is common with sandbox games, you have a large, open world that you can explore freely. There is also an open skill system. There are no classes in New World. Instead, you build your character based on your preferences with skills. In the action combat system, your skill and how you utilize your equipment matter.

Furthermore, you will be able to form guilds and collectively conquer the new world. Therefore, there will be fierce battles with rival guilds and other players, as PvP is very important in New World. There will also be lootable player corpses.

Survival or MMORPG?

What is the development history so far? New World actually started as a classic survival MMO like Conan or ARK. However, the developers continued to integrate more MMORPG elements into New World. Thus, the final product will likely be the sandbox MMORPG described above, where survival elements like food only provide buffs and do not lead to death.

New-World-5

All of this could still happen

New-World-Bär

What is New World at its best? If Amazon’s plan works out, then New World will be a massive sandbox MMO where players can create and manage a new world, just like in EVE Online. They should even be able to propose quests to each other.

What is New World at its worst? Like all MMORPGs, New World stands and falls with the supply of content. If you have a giant world but nothing happens in it, nobody will stay entertained for long.

The technology developed specifically for the game must work, and the PvP must not turn into a chaotic griefing massacre. Amazon has to watch this closely to maintain a balance between fair PvP and frustrating griefing.

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von Schuhmann

The opinion of the Mein-MMO community

This is what the readers say:

  • Keragi: “[…] they [Amazon] have the money and the means to see what players really want right now and a fresh, unused America setting.”
  • Slash: “The market is absolutely saturated when it comes to PvP sandbox survival, and now a whole wave of new titles is coming. Most people want a modern cool theme park MMORPG!”
NEw-WOrld-attacke

When and how can you play New World? New World is currently still in development. However, an alpha is planned for which you can register on the game’s website. You will need an Amazon account for this.

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4 Online games and MMOs in January 2019 that we recommend

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 7 minutes

The new year begins with a wave of cool games that we recommend for the cold winter days. Check out what cool MMOs we have in store for you.

For our selection in January, we have a colorful mix of MMORPGs, survival games, and shooters. Starting off is ESO, which is always worth it.

[toc]

The Elder Scrolls Online – 2019 expects great things for players

What is The Elder Scrolls Online? ESO is a theme park MMORPG set in the world of The Elder Scrolls. The story takes place centuries before Skyrim and co., providing plenty of room for our own stories.

ESO New Year's Festival Breda

What’s new in The Elder Scrolls Online?

In 2018, ESO was expanded with four major content additions that provided players with numerous hours of fun.

The following features have been added:

  • Dragon Bones expanded ESO with two new dungeons themed around dragons.
  • Summerset gave players the opportunity to travel to the island of the High Elves. There, they encounter intrigue, racism, and a deep insight into High Elf culture.
  • Wolfhunter brought two new werewolf dungeons. In the Moon Hunter’s Stead, you must assist the Silver Dawn Order, while in the March of Sacrifice, you traverse the hunting grounds of the Daedric Prince Hircine.
  • Murkmire was the last expansion in 2018. Players can travel to Black Marsh and immerse themselves in Argonian culture.
ESO Indrik Mount

Some players may wish for major innovations, such as new weapons or classes. However, ESO simply takes a different approach and consistently provides its players with new quests and stories around Tamriel.

Why should one play ESO?

ESO offers these PvE contents: The Elder Scrolls Online has been steadily expanded with new content over the last four years. However, unlike other MMOs, this content is not tied to a specific level.

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Those starting with ESO can explore all expansions from the beginning. The enemies’ level is adjusted to the character level. This way, players can create their own experience from the numerous expansions if they do not feel like playing the base game’s story.

ESO offers these PvP contents: But even for PvP fans, The Elder Scrolls Online has plenty to offer. A massive map created specifically for PvP invites players to fight for one of three alliances and capture areas on the map.

ESO Black Rose Prison 3

Players can also sign up for Battlegrounds, where three teams compete for victory in different game modes.

ESO appeals to many different player types. You can play the MMO both solo and in a group. The Elder Scrolls Online offers different content for every play style.

In the coming year, The Elder Scrolls Online will continue to receive new content. ESO will turn five in 2019 and this should be celebrated accordingly.

On the next page, there’s a game that makes a great update even better.

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Pages: 1 2 3 4

Fortnite Age Rating: Is it suitable for children? This is recommended by the USK

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 4 minutes

Many parents ask: Should my child play Fortnite on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, mobile or PC? What is the recommended age rating from FSK or USK? At what age is Fortnite recommended? Is Fortnite suitable for children?

Fortnite is a major topic in gaming currently in 2019 – even in many children’s rooms.

Parents are apparently asking themselves: Is there an age restriction for Fortnite, is it suitable for children due to its Minecraft-like graphic style?

After all, there is shooting involved, and in Fortnite: Battle Royale, 100 players shoot at each other until only one remains alive. Parents worry about youth protection and wonder what the relevant authorities say.

Fortnite-Save-the-world

USK rates Fortnite with Save the World “From 12” – What about Battle Royale?

For video games, the age recommendation is not determined by FSK as with films, but by USK (Entertainment Software Self-Regulation).

The USK rates the Fortnite version available in physical retail, which is based on the game mode “Save the World“, on PS4, Xbox One and PC with an age rating of 12 years and older. So a green sticker. The game was tested on 05.05.2017. The Battle Royale mode was not part of this review.

Important for parents: There are fundamentally different game modes.

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von Robert Albrecht

Age rating of USK for Battle Royale: Finally from 12

A separate age recommendation for the popular game mode “Fortnite: Battle Royale” was not provided for a long time. The USK stated that providers of pure online games can decide to submit their game to the USK for an age recommendation. However, they do not have to.

Fortnite: Battle Royale was not submitted for review at the time and therefore did not receive an age rating from the USK. However, Fortnite: Save the World, which is sold at retail under the name “Fortnite”, had to.

Fortnite Switch Titel

This has led to a new review: In June 2019, USK re-evaluated Fortnite and the Battle Royale version. This time both games received the rating “From 12”. This applies to PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The mobile versions for Android and iOS are also from 12.

What about the Switch? On the Switch, Fortnite was previously rated from 16 due to a special rule. This has now also been changed to “from 12”.

Why was it rated from 16 on the Switch? The USK has, in addition to the USK recommendation for retail, the “IARC” system for online games. This is an automated system. Here, Fortnite: Battle Royale would have actually received an age rating of 14, but in the USK system, it led to the next higher legally required label “from 16”.

fortnite-battle-royale-titel

Is Fortnite suitable for children? What age rating applies in other countries?

Other organizations have also dealt with Fortnite.

  • The PEGI, responsible for Europe, gives an age recommendation “from 12 years”.
  • The ESRB, responsible for the USA, assigns a “T for Teen”, which is a teenager rating.

However, both organizations refer to the “Save the World” version of Fortnite.

fortnite-rex-02

What discussions have been held regarding Fortnite’s age rating?

Saskia Moes from Spieleratgeber NRW gave the special mode Fortnite: Battle Royale a pedagogical recommendation “from 14 years”. While rounds in Fortnite: Battle Royale are decided through firearms violence, the setting is fairy-tale-like and clearly recognizable as fictional. There is neither blood nor corpses.

At the Spieleratgeber NRW, the problem with Fortnite: Battle Royale is seen rather in that the game is so nerve-wracking. However, it is assumed that older teenagers can classify the events as fictional play.

However, it is pointed out here that parents should be clear that children can verbally interact with strangers from all over the world, of any age.

Cases from the UK are already known, in which children were sexually harassed via Fortnite chat.

Fortnite Kind zockt

Enemies do not die, they crawl in Fortnite

Although there is shooting in Fortnite and many martial weapons and traps are used, the USK has likely reached the relatively low age rating because the portrayal of violence is relatively harmless.

In comparison to realistic shooters like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Fortnite is more of an arcade variant. Downed enemies merely crawl or are “brought back to the lobby by a blue light beam” when they should actually be dying.

An “elimination” does not cause any lasting damage. It is staged more as a sporting exit.

It’s a bit like in 80s action series, like the A-Team. Although there’s constant shooting with automatic rifles, no one ever really gets hurt in Fortnite.

How parents can deal with begging children and moderate tantrums, we have explained in detail here:

“Help, my child plays Fortnite!” – What parents should know about it.

Fortnite-Tod

More about Fortnite and its huge success:

We asked Google: Why is Fortnite: Battle Royale a hit?

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

Final Fantasy XIV between expansions – What will 2019 bring?

Irina Moritz Irina Moritz Reading time 5 minutes

In what state will Final Fantasy XIV enter the next expansion and how will it continue for players in the near future? What went well and what went poorly with Square Enix’s big MMORPG? We look back at the year 2018.

In 2018, it became quiet around the MMORPG from Square Enix. The content updates in the “Stormblood” expansion followed the already familiar pattern. Players received new raids, dungeons, and other types of content approximately every 4 months. 2018 was a classic year between two expansions.

Compared to its predecessors, Stormblood was controversial in the community.

final fantasy xiv hildibrand header

“Not as good as Heavensward”   

What was criticized about the story: One of the major points of criticism was the story of Stormblood. Story missions have always played a very important role in Final Fantasy XIV and are highly anticipated by a large part of the community. Especially the story of the previous expansion “Heavensward” is extremely popular among FFXIV players.

However, the first complaints about the story arose in Stormblood. The splitting of the plotline between the events in two different nations, Doma and Ala Mhigo, was, according to some in the community, not a good idea. The constant switching of locations and focus failed to create a coherent narrative for the players, although some individual story quests were really well done.

final fantasy xiv tsukuyomi
The story of the NPC Yotsuyu was considered the highlight of Stormblood by a large part of the community.

What was criticized about the content: By far the most and harshest criticism was directed at the content named “Eureka”. In the new instances on the island of Eureka, FFXIV players can accept quests for their new “Relic” weapons and armor and continuously upgrade them throughout the Stormblood expansion until they become the strongest equipment in the game.

However, this did not go over well with a large part of the community, and new complaint threads emerged almost daily in the official forums and on Reddit. The reasons for this were varied:

  • The disappointment of high expectations set by producer Yoshida. He promised players that this was content “that had never existed before.”
  • Monotonous grinding of enemies and FATEs in one area
  • Late implementation of Eureka into the game. The weapons and armor acquired there through grinding were already outdated upon release
  • Poor design of the areas that made reaching FATEs and teleport crystals, and thus leveling, difficult
  • Loss of a lot of EXP and levels due to careless deaths
final fantasy xiv eureka pagos header
Elemental Eureka weapon of the Black Mage

While the feedback on the latest area “Eureka Pyros” was more positive, many players still wished for the Relic system from “Realm Reborn” and “Heavensward.”

The Stormblood raids were well received

However, there was also a lot of positive feedback regarding the content of Stormblood.

What players liked about the raid content: The 24-man raid “Return to Ivalice” was particularly well received by the players. Fans of the games FF Tactics and FFXII celebrated this raid. Many locations, characters, and summons from these games can now be experienced by players for the first time in great graphics and in true 3D.

final fantasy xiv ivalice raid ridorana turm
Lighthouse of Ridorana: A location from FFXII that returned in FFXIV.

In addition to an interesting story, players also praised the visual design of the raid and the boss fights. One of them was so tricky that it forced players to search for prime numbers on Google.

The new hardcore raid “Hero’s Song of Ultima (fatal)” was popular among FFXIV players as well. The challenging instance and the interesting boss mechanics thrilled the raider community of Final Fantasy XIV. Consequently, many were very disappointed when it was announced that no new fatal raid would come before the next expansion .

Although only a very small number of players could actually complete it, many fans eagerly followed the fight on Twitch. This brought Final Fantasy 14 briefly into the top 10 games with the most viewers.

final fantasy xiv ultima limit break
Battle against the fatal version of Ultima

What players liked about crossover events: The announcement of the collaboration event with Monster Hunter World came as a surprise to players and was initially met with skepticism. Previous crossover events, such as with the game Yo-Kai Watch, had forced FFXIV players into endless grinding.

However, the collaboration with Monster Hunter: World was much more comprehensive and better designed. FFXIV players received Rathalos, a monster from MHW, as a normal and hard trial battle. Additionally, the new event offered plenty of cool rewards and was very accessible with its 4-man group setup.

final fantasy xiv rathalos mount
Mount Rathalos and companion Poogie from Monster Hunter: World in FFXIV

New expansion “Shadowbringers” causes hype

In the coming year, the development team of Final Fantasy 14 has a lot planned. Already on January 8, the next major content patch 4.5 “Requiem for Heroes” will be released. With this patch, FFXIV moves closer to the conclusion of the “Stormblood” expansion and promises a lot of action.

Even the first details about the story of the patch announce a great dramatic battle during which there will be a disaster that will strongly influence the world of Final Fantasy XIV.

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What happens afterward will only be revealed to fans at the beginning of summer 2019 with the release of the new expansion “Shadowbringers.” The first teaser trailer has already generated a lot of hype in the community. Fans especially hope that the story of Final Fantasy 14 will become more exciting again.

The previous announcements regarding the expansion showed that many of the players’ wishes for new features will be fulfilled by the development team, such as the implementation of the rabbit tribe Viera.

final fantasy xiv shadowbringers thancred
One of the main NPCs Thancred appears in the trailer for Shadowbringers

In February and March 2019, two more fan festivals will follow, where even more details about “Shadowbringers” and its features will be revealed. Additionally, players can expect in the first half of 2019:

The year between expansions has been thoroughly utilized by the development team of Final Fantasy XIV, as a lot of new content is expected for fans in 2019, and they can definitely look forward to it.

Or to put it in the words of director Naoki Yoshida: “Please look forward to it!”

You can watch the trailer for the upcoming patch here:

Final Fantasy XIV: Watch the dramatic trailer for patch 4.5 here

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

Billionaire Mark Cuban explains the burnout of Overwatch professionals

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 3 minutes

The Overwatch League has gained popularity in recent months but it has become apparent how exhausting eSports at this level actually is. Billionaire Mark Cuban explains why he does not own a professional team in Overwatch.

What is it about? Billionaire and owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, Mark Cuban, has commented on Twitter regarding the working hours of eSports professionals. He addresses major criticisms of eSports.

Overwatch Nanzer and Cuban on Twitter 2

How exhausting is eSports really?

This is the problem: The main reason for the burnout of professionals and thus Cuban’s discontent is that the rules in eSports are constantly changing. It could happen that adjustments and patches are released in the middle of a larger tournament.

This would force the players to always be prepared for the changes and invest even more work into training to remain competitive.

They would have to learn and practice the game anew as a unit after each rule change. This requires an incredible amount of practice and time.

In the NBA, rule changes during competitions are unthinkable.

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The Overwatch League is making some of its stars fat, tired, and sad
von Benedict Grothaus

This is why Cuban does not invest in eSports: Cuban explains why he did not dive “feet first” into eSports. Besides the issue of the massive burden due to balance changes, a single eSport is uncertain.

There is always a new game entering eSports, which then attracts new attention.

cuban-another

This is the background of the discussion: The trigger of the discussion was that eSports professionals according to a report by qz.com are already experiencing burnout in their mid-20s. This developed into a dispute over the training times of eSports professionals, who are said to put in up to 80 hours of training per week.

Cuban has apparently dealt with eSports before. Just recently, his basketball team, which also features the German player Dirk Nowitzki, filmed a hype video in Overwatch style.

Overwatch League Nate Nanzer
Nate Nanzer

This is Nanzer’s response: The head of the Overwatch League, Nate Nanzer, then intervened and addressed the statements of the basketball mogul.

He says: eSports professionals receive fantastic support from their teams and management. Even the Overwatch League has adjusted the schedule, because some players have already suffered from burnout.

Nanzer admitted that there is still work waiting for the organizers in this area, especially regarding handling patches and changes. Such circumstances need to be improved, and the focus should also be on amateurs and high schools to nurture better players.

On the other hand, there are also reports from the players themselves about the pressure to perform. Many of the professionals in the Overwatch League reportedly use the performance-enhancing drug Adderall, according to one player.

Overwatch League xqc title

The implications: Nanzer added that all of this would ensure an exciting development in 2019, as all of this needed to be addressed.

However, Cuban appeared skeptical. Even 70 hours a week to avoid losing his spot is too stressful.

Cuban and Nanzer could not come to an agreement. The discussion about the organization of eSports and the burden on players is sure to become more interesting in the near future.

The discussion about eSports is also becoming increasingly heated in Germany:

More on the topic
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von Benedict Grothaus
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Source(s):
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  2. Mark Cuban auf Twitter

Why I am most looking forward to Anthem in 2019

Micha Deckert Micha Deckert Reading time 3 minutes

In 2019, we can expect a lot of game titles vying for our attention. The release of Anthem in February can't come soon enough, says Micha.

At the end of the year, you can take a look over the fence and look forward to the upcoming games. Some titles have already caught my interest: Far Cry: New Dawn, for instance, which continues my beloved Far Cry 5. Or Torchlight Frontiers, as I am always up for a game of Torchlight 2.

However, I am particularly excited about Anthem, with which BioWare wants to enter the “MMO-Shooter” genre.

Anthem-Title4

Why Anthem?

I have had Anthem on my radar since the announcement, but for me, it was more of a game that "we can take a look at when it's out."

I have always enjoyed wandering around in BioWare games and saving the worlds in Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, or Dragon Age countless times.

However, after my last excursions in Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age Inquisition and Mass Effect Andromeda did not appeal to me as much, I am glad that BioWare is trying something completely new again.

Mass Effect Andromeda Ryder 106
Didn't convince Micha: Ryder in Mass Effect Andromeda

Moreover, I take part in almost every shooter that comes out. A shooter in a shared world, where I can go exploring with friends, is even better.

Convincing Argument: The Loot

After we have reported on Anthem at MeinMMO for a while, the concept for the game is starting to sound like a solid thing: A large, new world where players can run, fly, dive, and hover in different suits – the Javelins. A unique story with a character that can also talk. Nice, nice.

However, my ears perked up only when the developers talked about the loot system. It is supposed to resemble Diablo rather than the eternal comparison with Destiny.

You gather various equipment parts for your suit or get weapons that can come in different rarity levels. Additionally, the items have random bonuses, so two weapons with the same name can exhibit differences.

anthem forge ranger
Components have different bonuses

How exciting a hunt for ever better equipment is, I primarily know from Diablo 3. When I get in the mood, I roam through Sanctuary for hours, completing dungeon after dungeon, just for the chance at an item that might be slightly better than what I already own.

Transferring this system to an MMO-Shooter could add even more spice to Anthem. The developers just need to strike a balance between exciting item hunting and lengthy grind.

I am certainly excited as a bowstring and will spend the time until February 22 wondering whether the hunt for loot will be enough for me or if I might still hope for a PvP mode in Anthem.

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Alles, was wir zu Anthem wissen: Release, Kauf, Features, Klassen
von Leya Jankowski
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