In Fortnite, developer Epic did not end the event “The 14 Days of Fortnite” as previously announced. As compensation, everyone who participated in the event will receive the glider from Day 14. Some players wished for a different response.
These were the “14 Days of Fortnite”: In Fortnite, the event “14 Days Fortnite”, the big Christmas and New Year event, took place. For fourteen days until the afternoon of January 2nd, players could complete special challenges in Fortnite and receive a reward each day.
Additionally, there were rotating game modes and special skins in the shop. The patch rhythm was also slightly different. Updates suddenly came on Saturday or Sunday – the next one is now back to the normal Tuesday schedule.
Here was the mistake: It’s about the exact end date of the event. The culprit is Epic designer David Spazinski. Two weeks ago, someone asked on reddit: “How long will the rewards be available? Can we still receive them after the 14 days are over?”
In response, Spazinski stated: Even if all 14 days were completed, there would still be “a few days” to finish the challenges. If he remembers correctly, the rewards would be available until January 3rd or 4th.
This is how it really was: With the end of the last challenge, on January 2nd at 3:00 PM, the event was definitely over. The challenges had disappeared and could no longer be redeemed.
The one or two bonus days that Spazinski had promised did not happen.
On reddit, a post quickly appeared that highlighted Spazinski’s mistake with the headline “So that was a damn lie.”
This is how Epic is responding now: The developers of Fortnite, Epic, apologize for miscommunicating the end date of “14 Days of Fortnite”.
As a compensation, they are gifting the “Equalizer Glider” to every player who completed any challenge of the event.
This is how players are responding: There are some complaints. Players would have liked to get the “Disco Wrap” for New Year’s: the reward for Day 13. Some thought they could complete all the missing challenges one or two days later when they are not caught up in the holiday chaos. But that chance is gone.
Some players would have preferred if Epic had simply extended the event instead of giving out the glider.
Anyone who decides to start a family has to make compromises with hobbies. This can become especially difficult with MMORPGs. Here, a change of mindset is necessary to continue having fun.
Playing as part of youth life
Ah, how I used to play all night long.
I took my first steps in the MMORPG genre in 1997, when Ultima Online was released. As a fan of the Ultima series, I simply had to play the online version. However, at that time, it was anything but easy. Because there were no internet flat rates yet, and when the monthly phone bill came, I would sweat through one or another T-shirt, fearing that I was once again over budget.
There were also technical issues with the telephone system. Although we already had an ISDN line, our telephone system would always disconnect me when someone called.
Nevertheless, I played as much as I could. Everquest joined in 1999. However, that same year I also met my future wife. Gaming took a back seat. However, my wife is also an avid gamer, which allowed us to enjoy our hobby together. Especially Diablo 2 was played extensively online.
How job and family change everything
In 2003, I received the offer to take up an internship at Computec Verlag. So I had myself trained as an editor. The advantage was that I had to “play” a lot of games, including many MMORPGs.
In 2004, my first daughter was born. And suddenly, everything changed.
People often say that life turns 180 degrees with the birth of a child and then think: “Yeah, right. Just talk. That won’t happen to me!” But exactly this radical change that everyone talks about has occurred. And in many ways.
While I previously thought less about my future and perhaps wasn’t the most responsible person in the world, friends and family didn’t recognize me after the birth of my daughter.
A child means a lot of work that a father cannot just shift onto the mother. And a child requires a lot of attention. So gaming took a back seat, as the little one needed to be occupied, and there was less and less time left for gaming.
At work, I was also unable to work as many overtime hours, much to the chagrin of the bosses. In 2008, my second daughter was born, and in 2011, the third. And each time, another person comes into life who needs time and attention and whom one must care for. It’s a balancing act to get family, work, and leisure under one roof.
And yet it is still important for me to play. It’s a part of me that I don’t want to give up. However, the days when I spent every minute of free time at the computer in other worlds are over. Nevertheless, there is still time for gaming. This time must be used wisely.
Hours-long raids, which used to be the order of the day in World of Warcraft, have become rare and need to be planned carefully – and even then, something often gets in the way. Trying to become the most powerful player on the server or at least keep up with other players has become basically impossible.
Of course, one might buy certain boosters in in-game shops, but as a family man, I ask myself whether I could spend the money somehow more wisely. For example, on a trip to the movies, which nowadays costs quite a bit for a family of five.
Nevertheless, I still play MMORPGs. However, differently than before. It is no longer important for me to try to keep up with other players. I no longer go after all set items, I don’t like grinding, or try to analyze the game mechanics to get the best build. I play at my own pace.
You have to find your own fun
It’s about having as much fun as possible in the time I can spend in an MMO. And for me, this usually happens through the story and through quests. And by exploring the game world.
I’m particularly grateful to the developers who also incorporate shorter quests into an online game. Missions that can be completed quickly in 15 minutes. Of course, I still play longer quests.
It’s precisely the opportunity to quickly accomplish something in between and enjoy a sense of accomplishment that makes an MMO attractive to me. While others may not find this as appealing, I’m glad that more and more developers are offering content for players like me.
I still have a great time in online role-playing games and enjoy trying out new titles.
If I get the job to test an MMORPG, I particularly enjoy that time because then I have to play that game more intensively. It brings back memories of earlier times.
However, generally in my free time, it has changed significantly due to work and family how I play. Shorter gaming sessions are necessary, which should be as exciting as possible and in which I can enjoy a sense of achievement despite the short time.
Some may find that a pity, but I have come to terms with it and think it is good this way. One does change over time, and other things find their way into life that one has to take care of as well. The gaming industry has recognized this as well and offers appropriate content for players with less time.
I’m glad that I can still pursue my hobby in my own way. And that’s the good thing about computer games and, in this case, online games. You often have the opportunity to enjoy the games in your very own way.
The Azerite traits in World of Warcraft cause problems for some players. Sometimes they simply stop working.
Azerite traits are the great strengths that are found on certain items in World of Warcraft. There are numerous traits that can be unlocked on chest, shoulder, and head armor. They provide more damage, stronger healing, or better survivability – but they don’t always work.
What happened? On Reddit, the user ChewpRL mentioned that he was quite disappointed with his damage during a G’huun kill. After some research, he found out that it was because his Azerite traits weren’t working. He made sure that he had the Heart of Azeroth equipped and that the traits were activated – but in combat, many effects did not trigger.
Multiple players confirm the issue: Following the description, more players reported the same issue, stating that sometimes traits or even all of them would not work in certain situations or fights. The problem is therefore not an isolated case, but affects several players.
How can the problem be fixed? Currently, there are several “workarounds” to eliminate the issues with the traits. Some players recommend logging out and back in. Others claim that after removing and re-equipping the affected armor pieces, the bonuses become active again.
Bug generates mockery: As is currently common, the bug primarily leads to nasty and cynical comments. The problem is referred to as “Next Level RNG” or decorated with meme quotes like “You just don’t need to balance traits when they don’t work at all.”
A final fix for the problem can only come when Blizzard releases a corresponding patch for World of Warcraft. So far, the developers have not commented on this.
There are new raid bosses in Pokémon GO. In line with the new egg event, Niantic has also released new raid bosses for the arenas.
After the Christmas event ended, the raid bosses also disappeared. Now, a new wave of bosses brings fresh air to the arenas. This is also related to the new egg event.
We show you a list of the current raid bosses and tell you how to defeat the Pokémon.
These are the new raid bosses in Pokémon GO
On Reddit, various players have compiled the new raid bosses and created a list. This is based on player observations. You can also see how many players are needed to defeat the respective bosses.
Which raid bosses are there? The opponents are a colorful mix of all types. None of the bosses are making their arena debut. However, some Pokémon that have not been raid bosses for a long time are making a return.
The Pokémon marked with an asterisk can appear to you as shiny.
The current raid bosses at level 1 / Tier 1
Sheinux*
Wailmer*
Karpador*
Bamelin
Makuhita*
The current raid bosses at level 2 / Tier 2
Sandamer
Kapilz
Flunkifer*
Tyracroc
The current raid bosses at level 3 / Tier 3
Starmie
Counter: Raikou with Thunder Shock and Thunderbolt
Counter: Elevoltek with Thunder Shock and Thunderbolt
Counter: Gengar with Lick and Shadow Ball
Tohaido
Counter: Machomei with Counter and Dynamic Punch
Counter: Raikou with Thunder Shock and Thunderbolt
Counter: Elevoltek with Thunder Shock and Thunderbolt
Machomei
Counter: Mewtwo with Confusion and Psychic or Psycho Cut and Shadow Ball
Counter: Rayquaza with Air Slash and Aerial Ace
Counter: Lugia with Extrasensory and Aeroblast or Sky Attack
Alola Raichu*
Counter: Mewtwo with Psycho Cut or Confusion and Shadow Ball
Counter: Despotar with Bite and Crunch
Counter: Hundemon with Outrage and Leer
Donphan
Counter: Kyogre with Waterfall and Hydro Pump
Counter: Roserade with Razor Leaf and Solar Beam
Counter: Gyarados with Waterfall and Hydro Pump
The current raid bosses at level 4 / Tier 4
Rizeros
Counter: Kyogre with Waterfall and Hydro Pump
Counter: Roserade with Razor Leaf and Solar Beam
Counter: Gyarados with Waterfall and Hydro Pump
Geowaz
Counter: Kyogre with Waterfall and Hydro Pump
Counter: Roserade with Razor Leaf and Solar Beam
Counter: Gyarados with Waterfall and Hydro Pump
Despotar
Counter: Machomei with Counter and Dynamic Punch
Counter: Hariyama with Counter and Dynamic Punch
Counter: Kapilz with Counter and Dynamic Punch
Alola-Knogga*
Counter: Gengar with Dark Claw or Lick and Shadow Ball
This boss is still missing: Many players are not satisfied with the new raid bosses. Especially missing, for the umpteenth time, Absol as a raid boss. This Pokémon can only be obtained from raids. As long as it is not available in raids, it cannot be caught by any player.
How long will the bosses stay? Normally, the raid bosses change at the end of an event or when a legendary Pokémon leaves the arenas. The egg event ends on January 15, just like the current legendary raid boss Heatran. One can therefore assume that there will be new raid bosses then.
All information about the current event in Pokémon GO can be found here:
The Boombox is new in Fortnite, but already it is becoming a powerful weapon in combination with the airplane.
What is the killer combo? The new Boombox is causing quite a stir. When used in conjunction with the X4 Stormwing airplane, it becomes an overpowering weapon. The combination blows away player structures with ease.
Many players find this combination too exaggerated and that Epic Games should stop this combo in Fortnite.
How powerful is the new Boombox
What can the Boombox do? The sound system works using sound waves. It emits these waves and can destroy the structures of opponents. It doesn’t sound that dangerous.
How does it become so strong? A video recently surfaced on Reddit showing how this Boombox can be used effectively. If you place the Boombox on an airplane and take off, the sound system flies with it.
When you fly your airplane close to enemy structures, the Boombox destroys them with ease.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agMxD8_4JHg
What is the problem? Usually, the Boombox has to be placed somewhere to function. But together with the airplane, it becomes portable and can quickly disrupt opponents and destroy their cover.
What is Epic doing?
Since then, players take more damage when sitting in an airplane that explodes.
Will Epic make adjustments? It can be assumed that Epic will make some changes. The player community wants to spread this video as quickly as possible to get attention and complain.
The criticism of the Boombox was already a thorn in the side of many professionals even before this video was released. eSports professional TSM_Myth stated that Epic is trolling with this weapon. The outcry will likely be even greater after this video.
Twitch star Ninja has revealed how much money he made with Fortnite in 2018:
The Destiny franchise is often criticized for having easy fights and missions. However, throughout the history of the series, there have been several tough encounters that Guardians have struggled with. We present 8 of the hardest battles. At the end of the article, you will be asked.
In Destiny 2 and its predecessor, it’s all about kicking nasty aliens in the behind and then looting some great loot. Especially in the endgame, the franchise’s history includes some really tough boss fights that have given many Guardians nightmares.
Before we look at the contenders for the hardest fights, we should first define what difficult really means!
Crota, the son of Oryx
What does “difficult” actually mean in Destiny? Destiny and Destiny 2 allow each player to define the difficulty of an activity themselves. This is possible in several ways:
You can use worse equipment, thus imposing a level penalty on yourself
Activities designed for groups can be approached solo
The mechanics of the activities are not known
Certain activities allow you to select the desired difficulty level
However, that’s not what this is about. We are looking at fights and activities that were extraordinarily difficult at release, whether due to certain modifications or game-imposed disadvantages for players (such as a level penalty).
Considered tough at launch: Skolas!
We present some candidates for the title of hardest battle in Destiny history. At the end of the article, you’ll have the chance to vote for your favorite.
Destiny 1: The Prison of Elders – Skolas with Arc Burn
The presentation of the Prison went wrong: That the Prison of Elders would not be a walk in the park was already demonstrated by Bungie before the release of the second Destiny expansion, House of Wolves.
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In fact, community manager Deej, developer Matt Sammons, and streamer ProfessorBroman had to capitulate when facing the Arc Burn and Hive enemies, as their coordination was insufficient and the classes were not adequately prepared.
Bungie, however, shot itself in the foot with the highest difficulty level, which involved battling the major boss of the expansion: Skolas.
Skolas was “difficult” in multiple ways: Not only was the final battle above the then max level of 34 (Skolas was designed for level 35), but players also had to defuse mines and manage regularly occurring debuffs. Since the Fallen have a penchant for Arc weapons, Skolas was a true gauntlet when combined with Arc Burn. Many enemies could kill the Guardians with a single hit.
Omnigul, General of Crota
Admittedly, there were ways to trivialize this fight. Those who had a Titan with a shield and the exotic shotgun “The 4th Horseman” could significantly shorten the fight.
However, those who wanted to defeat Skolas in a normal way had to prepare for long hours of frustration. Skolas is still considered by many players to be the hardest fight ever. This is accompanied by criticism of Bungie for allowing the battle to be fought at a level that players couldn’t reach at that time.
The 4th Horseman – the secret weapon against Skolas
How difficult is Skolas today? If you want to relive memories, you can easily conquer the Prison of Elders and Skolas solo today. A small tip: Bring a sword! This blocks the debuff damage from Skolas enough that you can always survive.
Destiny 1: Crota’s End on Hard
How difficult was the son of Oryx: In Destiny 1, the heroic versions of the raids were equipped with new stumbling blocks and were set at a higher level. In the case of Crota, however, Bungie went too far.
The hard mode of Crota was set at a higher level (33), which was above what players could even reach at that time (32). Thus, enemies dealt more damage while Guardians dealt less damage to them.
Those who wanted to finish Crota normally had to proceed with good coordination. In this case, that meant: picking up heavy ammo from enemies or using a corresponding ammo synthesis. Then everything had to go smoothly: the sword bearer had to attack at the right moment and the rockets had to hit perfectly.
How difficult is Crota today? In retrospect, the Crota raid was only a challenge because the enemies were at a higher level. Today, many Guardians (with cheeses) play the raid solo. Due to the shortness of the raid, many players were able to earn the Flawless Raider trophy in Crota.
Destiny 1: Omnigul with Arc Burn and Light Switch
Why the witch was a true nightmare: The Omnigul strike polarized like no other in Destiny 1. It undoubtedly featured the most enemies in a strike, and Guardians had to deal with dozens of enemy waves. Omnigul’s scream only added to the chaos.
The strike became particularly exciting in its Nightfall variant with the modifiers Arc Burn and Light Switch. The witch dealt Arc damage, which could vaporize Guardians in an instant. The thrall and shank could quickly flatten you thanks to Light Switch, which significantly increased the melee damage of your enemies.
To ensure that the Hive wouldn’t wipe the floor with the Guardians immediately, players approached the boss fight with utmost caution. Entering the boss room was seen as a death sentence; Omnigul was picked off from a safe distance. However, even outside the arena, we had to deal with thrall, reckless knights, and shanks.
How difficult is the Omnigul strike today? The strike itself is fun; fighting against Omnigul is particularly challenging in the SIVA variant and demanding, but no longer as “unfair” as it was back then.
Destiny 1: The Abysmal Eye with Void Burn
Why was the strike so difficult? The strike particularly caused headaches during the boss fight. Introduced with the Rise of Iron expansion, the Abysmal Eye quickly became known as a tough nut to crack.
Combined with Void Burn, the boss fight turned into a true nightmare. Trapped in a small arena, a continuous beam of Void light and a relentless ogre kept Guardians on their toes.
The frustration went so far that Guardians preferred to spend minutes looking for a safe spot rather than approaching the fight normally.
How difficult is the Abysmal Eye today? Similar to Omnigul, the strike can still be demanding, but is easily manageable when played cautiously.
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Why the Escalation Protocol was so tough: With the release of the Warmind DLC, Guardians on Mars could try out a new horde mode, the Escalation Protocol. In up to seven waves, a large number of enemies must be eliminated. The final boss in the seventh phase also has weekly changing modifiers.
At the start of the Escalation Protocol, the activity was considered unbeatable. This was due to two reasons:
Players were initially at too low of a level
Even though the activity is designed for up to 9 players, only fireteams of 3 players could land on Mars
Even though Guardians developed strategies over time to allow more players to participate in the event, the protocol was still considered extremely difficult even for 9 players.
How difficult is the Escalation Protocol today? Currently, the activity can be completed with 4-5 players if everyone pulls together. Bungie has also made “farming” the activity easier. Those who successfully complete the protocol can start again in the sixth round.
The Escalation Protocol is still popular today, as it is possible to find the best PvE shotgun in the game, the Ikelos shotgun.
Other tough challenges in Destiny history
What other activities are considered particularly difficult? In addition to the fights presented, there have been more highlights in the history of Destiny that are considered particularly hard to master:
The Fallen Saber’s War Satellite with Arc Burn: While the strike with the Arc Burn was already considered difficult, defending the war satellite at the start of the activity was a true hellride. The section was so tough that Guardians glitched under the map to avoid enemies on the surface.
The Fallen Saber
The mission “Embrace of Fear” in Destiny 1: Those who wanted to own the exotic scout rifle “Malevolent Touch” had a tough road to travel with this modified story mission. During the boss fight, you had to deal with poisoned ground, a multitude of enemies, and an annoying final boss.
The Exodus Crash strike: The strike is rightly considered one of the least popular activities in Destiny 2. The final battle is tough, as Guardians have to deal with numerous exploding shanks. To make matters worse, the boss often teleports out of the arena, preventing any meaningful damage phases. Additionally, the boss is partially invisible.
Why are there so few difficult activities in Destiny 2? Bungie has removed two of the essential factors from Destiny 1 in the sequel:
Elemental Burn has been significantly weakened and replaced by a lighter “Scorch”
Bungie no longer releases activities that are set at a higher level than players can currently reach.
The changes made with Destiny 2 demonstrate Bungie’s efforts to make Destiny accessible to a broader player base. However, these weakening measures stifle the impulse to complete activities in ways Bungie did not intend.
A strike boss in Destiny 2
Thus, particularly Nightfall strikes have become games of patience, as there was a great fear of being sent back to orbit as soon as all Guardians fell. This playstyle has been successfully halted by Bungie with Destiny 2.
Now it’s your turn: What activity represents the epitome of a nightmare for you? Which fight still gives you sweat? Vote in the following poll. Each participant has one vote.
Do you miss a brutally hard encounter from Destiny or Destiny 2? Let us know in the comments!
Ultimate Team is the largest game mode in FIFA 19. Guides, tutorials, tips, tricks, game modes, and everything else you need to know about FUT can be found in this article.
FIFA 19 was released on September 28 for PS4, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch. While the changes in Pro Clubs and Career Mode were rather minor, EA has thought up a lot of new features for FUT 19.
To keep you updated on the innovations in Ultimate Team, you will find all the information, guides, and tips at a glance.
We regularly update the article, the last update was on January 6, 2019
[toc]
The game modes in FUT 19
In FUT, you have the opportunity to play matches in both online and offline modes, earning Coins as you go.
Squad Battles
Squad Battles have been around since FIFA 18 and is the most profitable single-player mode. While you play against teams from other FUT players, they are controlled by the CPU.
Schedule: A competition lasts for one week, starting and ending on Monday at 2 AM. You can play up to 45 matches each week.
Rewards: The tougher your opponent was and the better you played, the more points you’ll earn. This will help you climb the dynamic leaderboard and receive your rewards on Monday night for the past week.
All info: A precise explanation with exact rewards, battle point calculations, and the exact schedule can be found in our article about Squad Battles in FIFA 19.
Division Rivals
Division Rivals is the new mode in FUT 19 and replaces the Online Seasons and Daily Knockout Tournament. Here, you play exclusively online against real opponents for prizes and FUT Champions qualification.
Schedule: This mode also lasts for one week, starting and ending on Thursday at 8 AM, one day before the Weekend League begins.
Rewards: At the end, you will reach a rank of 1-5, where you can choose one of three rewards. You will play in a division from 1 to 10, receiving better prizes depending on your rank.
Schedule: The Weekend League starts on Friday at 9 AM and ends three days later, on Monday at 9 AM. FUT Champions matches also count as Division Rivals matches.
Rewards: The reward system remains the same, where you can achieve a rank from Bronze 3 to Top 100 and receive your prizes on Thursday evening, around 7 PM.
The Draft, both in single-player and multiplayer variants, is also available in FUT 19. There are no changes compared to FIFA 18.
This is how the Draft works: You will be shown five players for each position in your team, from which you can choose one. In the end, you can rearrange the cards to achieve an optimal combination of chemistry and player strength. After that, you play up to four matches, with better prizes for the Online Draft than for the Offline Draft.
Cost: The price for one round of Draft is 15,000 coins or 300 FIFA Points.
In addition to the four major game modes, there are several other ways to play matches. However, these are not very profitable and are used less frequently.
Single player seasons
Online single player
Friendlies seasons
Matches against the “Team of the Week”
Games against a friend’s team
Squad Building Challenges
Squad Building Challenges, or SBCs for short, are a time-consuming but sometimes very profitable way to earn coins. The appeal here lies mainly in the sets you can obtain, which can yield profit.
This is how SBCs work: Basically, you exchange up to eleven player cards that you no longer need. However, there are many restrictions and conditions, such as a minimum overall rating, a certain team chemistry, or only players from one nation. The more difficult the SBC, the better the reward.
These SBCs are always available: From the start, there are challenges that you can complete right away, but sometimes only once. These include:
“Let’s get started,” “Moving on,” “League/Nation Basics,” and “On the Rise,” all of which belong to the “Basic” category, are easy and provide small rewards
“Hybrid Nations,” “League/Nation Hybrid,” and “Hybrid Leagues,” which belong to the “Advanced” category, are somewhat tougher and yield good rewards
The Bronze, Silver, and Gold upgrades are also available throughout the year, but unlike the others, can be completed an unlimited number of times
These SBCs come regularly: Some challenges come every week or month and can then be completed once. Examples include:
The Top Matches: Every Tuesday at 7 PM, four high-profile football matches appear as SBCs. If you complete them, valuable rewards usually await you.
Player of the Month: Once a month, the “Player of the Month” (POTM) is announced in the Premier League. A SBC appears in FUT every month where you can receive a special card of this player.
Icon SBC: Every few weeks, new Prime Icon SBCs are introduced, in which you must give up many valuable cards to own a certain legend. All icons in FIFA 19 can be found here.
These SBCs come irregularly: Certain events regularly feature their own challenges. While these can sometimes be predicted, they often come unexpectedly. Examples of event SBCs include FUTMAS or “Team of the Year”.
Tips for Ultimate Team: Trading, Packs, Web-App, and Events
The start in Ultimate Team is one of the most important factors to quickly obtain good teams. Therefore, here you will find general tips and tricks for FUT 19.
Trading: Everyone wants to earn coins quickly. Learn how to earn many coins while keeping the effort minimal in our big trading guide, where we provide tips and tricks for trading on the transfer market.
To receive better rewards in the game modes, you need to work on your gameplay. Therefore, we link you here to tutorials and guides for various game mechanics such as finishing, defending, or set pieces.
Timed Finishing: The new finishing mechanic introduced with FIFA 19 is difficult to master. With our guide to Timed Finishing, you should be able to achieve it with some practice.
Tactics: Mirza Jahic, one of the best pros in Germany, revealed his best individual tactic for FIFA 19 on MeinMMO and explains how he often achieves victories.
Top Lists: The Fastest, Tallest, or Strongest FUT Cards
If you’re looking for reinforcements for your FUT team, you will surely find something here. We list the best players in various categories in FIFA 19 Ultimate Team.
To stay up to date on Ultimate Team, remember this post and check back regularly. If you want to be the first to receive all FUT news, you can also follow our Facebook page “FIFA 19 – Mein MMO”.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO the Adventure Sync Hatch Marathon is now active. This is an event focused on hatching eggs. We show you here the bonuses as well as the start and end of the event.
What’s new? On the evening of January 2, 2019, the Christmas celebrations of Pokémon GO that started in 2018 ended. At the same time, this marked the start of the first event in 2019. This is an egg event that brings you more 5km and 10km eggs from PokéStops. Additionally, there is more Stardust and more Candy.
Hatch Marathon in Pokémon GO, all information
What kind of event is this? In the coming days, there are bonuses for hatching eggs. Niantic wants to lure trainers outside with this event. So be sure to activate the Adventure Sync feature to ensure your steps are counted and you hatch eggs quickly.
When does the event start? The event has been running since the evening of January 2 at 10:00 PM.
When does the event end? The egg event is active until January 15 at 10:00 PM.
What bonuses are there? Here, Niantic has come up with three areas to reward you.
You will receive double the amount of candy when you hatch eggs
Stardust that you receive as a reward for hatching eggs will also be doubled
The chance of obtaining 5km and 10km eggs from PokéStops and gyms has been increased
There are offer boxes in the shop focused on incubators
It is therefore more likely that you will receive 5km or 10km category eggs by spinning the photo discs at gyms or PokéStops. Check out our Egg List 2019 for Pokémon GO to find out which monsters can hatch from them.
Whether the contents of the eggs have changed after the Christmas event is currently being explored by trainers.
During the turn of the year, players in Fallout 76 could not launch nuclear bombs. What sounded like a nice idea for the planned party turned out to be an unintended error. Nuclear bombs still cannot be launched. A patch has now fixed this.
Update 9:00 PM: Currently, Fallout 76 is down for maintenance. Since 8:30 PM (German time), an update is being rolled out to fix the issue described here in the article. After the hotfix goes live, players should be able to access the Nuke Silos on PC, PS4, and Xbox One again.
Update 10:00 PM: The servers are back online now. The silos should be accessible again.
Original announcement:
This is the situation: In Fallout 76, it is currently impossible to launch nuclear bombs. Access to the corresponding silos is denied to players. As a result, many endgame activities cannot be completed at the moment. Bethesda is working on the issue.
Players noticed this when the launch codes did not change in the new week at the start of the year. When attempting to enter a silo, they were denied access.
Not a feature, but a bug?
This is why players thought it was a feature: Just before New Year’s Eve, Bethesda announced an event for the beginning of the new year on the official Twitter account. They planned to gather at the Whitesprings Resort to celebrate the New Year together.
Players were supposed to gather, have a good time together, celebrate peacefully, and take photos of the evening. Many players responded to this call on and shared their moments.
Some players, however, were already concerned that trolls would bombard the location with nuclear missiles.
However, the bombs did not fall, and players believed this was a nice gimmick from Bethesda to avoid disrupting the celebrants. However, after a tweet from Bethesda, it is now clear: The fact that it still does not work is a bug.
What are nuclear missiles even for? The Whitesprings Resort is also a popular spot for higher-level players, to gear up with better equipment in endgame. However, the location must be bombarded with a nuclear missile.
For many, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen is increasingly becoming the kind of MMORPG that many are waiting for. What’s happening with the PvE MMORPG at the beginning of 2019?
Theme park, group content, raids, many opportunities to improve the character… Pantheon could strike a chord with MMORPG fans who want an online role-playing game like it was “back in the day”.
An MMORPG like “back in the day”
What is Pantheon? Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen could be seen as a spiritual successor to Everquest 1. The game aims to provide you with an online world where you can experience adventures together with friends, just like in the early days of the genre.
Group content is at the forefront
Each class has an important role to play
The focus is on exploring the world and experiencing adventures
You complete many quests for NPCs
Raids and huge dungeons play an important role
There are no instances, even dungeons are accessible to all players
PvP plays a minor role
Pantheon aims to show how MMORPGs could have evolved from Everquest 1
What is the current status of the MMORPG? Pantheon is still in the pre-alpha phase. This is coming to an end now.
In the pre-alpha, initial testers were able to test the basic mechanics and take a first look at the online game. With the upcoming start of the alpha phase, the MMORPG is now taking the form of a “real game”.
All previously completed features and areas will be packaged together to offer something that will already feel like a game. This “Project Faerthale” testing phase wants to show everyone what the developers have in mind for Pantheon.
When the beta will start exactly is still unknown. But that is probably next in line.
What’s next? The developers want to take their time. They stated that every game only has one official launch, and this is significantly responsible for its success.
If the launch doesn’t go as the developers hope, the game can suffer such significant image damage that it may be difficult to recover from – if at all.
Therefore, no plans for beta and release have been announced yet. However, we will probably see a beta phase towards the end of 2019. Until then, the team will continually develop and integrate new content into the alpha. A full release is not expected before 2020.
Who is Pantheon suitable for? The MMORPG relies on proven virtues and aims to become what Everquest could have become if the series had taken a different path. Pantheon aims to appeal to anyone who wants to play a large theme park MMORPG full of quests, battles, adventures, and group content.
The streamer Ninja hosted a huge event for Fortnite in New York on New Year’s Eve. A young boy went on a quest to find him. As a Stream Sniper, he confronted Ninja in battle in Fortnite and was close to the biggest moment of his young life.
This is Stream Sniping: Stream Sniping is when players watch another’s stream on Twitch and then log into the game to hunt down the streamer.
Because those who watch the stream know where the streamer is, which weapons he is carrying, and what condition he is in. This gives them certain advantages.
Especially popular players appear almost paranoid when they complain about Stream Snipers after a defeat. They feel like “the ones out there are hunting them.”
This is how the action looked from the boy’s perspective: The young Fortnite player “Boxdy” is practically beside himself as he begins his mission. He knows he is in a game with Star streamer and multimillionaire Tyler “Ninja” Blevins.
His young friends are almost as excited as they shout details about Ninja and his situation in the background. The tone is squeaky. They seem to be in disbelief that their friend is in the same game as Ninja.
Boxdy has acquired a plane and is now hunting down Ninja. He is visibly shaking with excitement but tries to stay cool.
In fact, the young Stream Sniper manages to confront his idol Ninja and bring him to the brink of defeat.
But Ninja pulls a John Wick and counters him with all his coolness at the last moment. He waits until the boy demolishes his defenses and catches him exactly at the moment when the wall falls.
That’s why the clip is special: The clip of the young Stream Sniper went viral because he is incredibly excited to finally take down Ninja and have the chance to play against him.
Even though the boy ultimately fails, he was just a heartbeat away from taking Ninja down in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers.
The special thing here is that we get to see the Stream Sniper’s perspective. Normally, one only watches the streamer who excitedly accuses others of being Stream Snipers, but has no proof and often just looks like a bad loser.
In the stream, it becomes clear what a huge excitement it must have been for Boxdy to be so close to killing Ninja.
No wonder that famous streamers feel they are constantly being hunted by Stream Snipers. This seems to be widespread. Apparently, the big game hunt on streamers releases tons of adrenaline.
The field research in January and February 2019 in Pokémon GO is ideal for completing the Meltan quest. We will tell you why.
The special research “More about Meltan” still poses difficulties for many players. Those who did not complete the quest during the appropriate Let’s GO event had massive issues afterwards.
Those who have not yet finished the Meltan quest are likely stuck because they cannot find a specific Pokémon. This includes Pokémon like Omanyte or Kabuto. You can now catch these Pokémon with the help of the current field research.
Update January 3: Niantic had problems with their quests. They first deleted the Tragosso and Aerodactyl quests. However, they have now added them back, which is why many players can now catch Meltan more easily.
How to get Tragosso: Most players likely get stuck on the Meltan quest due to Tragosso. This Pokémon is very rare and hard to find outside of nests.
For the Meltan quest, however, you need Tragosso. You can obtain it by completing the quest “Use 5 Razz Berries while catching Pokémon.”
In addition to this quest, Alolan Marowak, which you can catch in raids, is also relevant.
How to get Aerodactyl: At level 8, you need to catch an Aerodactyl. This Pokémon is not found in nests and is also extremely rare outside of raids.
With the quest “Evolve a Pokémon using an item,” you have the chance to get an Aerodactyl. You just have to catch it and the quest is complete.
How to get Kabuto and Omanyte: At level 8, you need to catch two Kabuto or Omanyte. These Pokémon are also rare outside of nests.
Both Kabuto and Omanyte are rewards from two new quests. You can get Kabuto from the quest “Catch 10 Ice-type Pokémon” and for Omanyte, you need to complete the quest “Win a level 3 raid or higher.”
Keep the following tip in mind: If you have not yet reached the above-mentioned quests, you should still complete the research. If you successfully finish one of the field research tasks, do not catch the Pokémon, but flee instead. It will be saved in a list, and you can pick up the Pokémon at the right time.
How long do the field researches last? You don’t have to hurry to find all field researches. They will continue until the end of February, and during this time, you can still receive all quests from PokéStops.
If it were up to the players, Pokémon GO should address these changes in 2019:
In FIFA 19 FUT there is first information about TOTY – the Team of the Year. When the best players in Ultimate Team will be revealed, how the voting works, and which candidates are up for election, you will find out here in overview.
The Team of the Year in FIFA 19: 2019 starts with a big highlight for all FUT fans. Because in mid-January the TOTY will be released – a team consisting of 11 players who have extremely upgraded cards.
The TOTY cards are the best cards in FIFA 19 FUT.
[toc]
When will the TOTY be released in FUT 19?
Release date of the TOTY: On January 7, 2019, the TOTY phase begins. According to EA Sports, the reveal of the Team of the Year will start on this date.
It is expected that the entire Team of the Year will not be revealed all at once. Instead, EA Sports will release it gradually in sets.
In the TOTY phase of FIFA 18, the forwards were revealed first, the midfielders one day later, and the defenders and the goalkeeper the day after, and placed in sets. Afterwards, the entire TOTY was available for a short time. Presumably, the TOTY release in FIFA 19 will proceed similarly.
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How the Team of the Year is chosen – Everything about the voting
On January 2, EA Sports published 55 candidates who will be up for election for the TOTY until January 7. Voting is open now.
Who votes for the TOTY? Media representatives, athletes, and FIFA community members are allowed to vote on EA’s Team of the Year. The eligible voters are supposed to act as representatives of the millions of FIFA players worldwide. The community members primarily consist of YouTubers and streamers.
This is how the voting works: All eligible voters will receive specially constructed voting urns with all 55 nominated player items:
Each vote includes
3 forwards,
3 midfielders,
4 defenders,
1 goalkeeper.
Formation is 4-3-3.
Each receiver of a voting urn casts their vote by posting a picture of their team with the hashtag #TOTYVote on social networks by January 7.
EA Sports determines the TOTY with: The results of this voting account for 60% of the total result. The remaining 40% come from EA Sports.
The TOTY candidates – These players can receive Team of the Year cards
Who will be in the TOTY? The candidate list consists of 55 players nominated by EA Sports based on their real-life performances in 2018. In other words, the nominees are supposed to be the best players of 2018.
Nominated TOTY Forwards:
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain)
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
Eden Hazard (Chelsea FC)
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Mario Mandzukic (Juventus)
Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain)
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona FC)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Luis Suarez (Barcelona FC)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool FC)
Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
Sadio Mané (Liverpool FC)
Nominated TOTY Midfielders:
Casemiro (Real Madrid)
Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
David Silva (Manchester City)
Isco (Real Madrid)
Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
Fernandinho (Manchester City)
Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona FC)
N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea FC)
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Sergio Busquets (Barcelona FC)
Ivan Perisic (Inter)
Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund)
Nominated TOTY Defenders:
Jordi Alba (Barcelona FC)
Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)
Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)
Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona FC)
Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)
Marcelo (Real Madrid)
Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid)
Kostas Manolas (AS Roma)
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain)
Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich)
Kieran Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur)
Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool FC)
Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur)
Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Sime Vrsaljko (Inter)
Dejan Lovren (Liverpool FC)
Nominated TOTY Goalkeepers:
Alisson Becker (Liverpool FC)
Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)
David De Gea (Manchester United)
Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur)
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
From the Bundesliga are Kimmich, Hummels, Lewandowski, and Reus.
How to get TOTY cards in FUT 19
TOTY cards via packs and transfer market: Once the TOTY players are available, you can pull them from the packs for a limited time, provided you have some luck. There will be special pack offers during this period. Afterwards, it will only be possible to acquire TOTY players on the transfer market, where they will fetch high prices.
What you need to know about the TOTY cards:
Once the TOTY cards are in the packs, the standard cards of the respective players can no longer be pulled from the packs.
A set must contain rare gold players to have a chance at a TOTY player.
If you possess a standard card of a TOTY player, nothing will happen to that card. If you want a TOTY player, you must be lucky enough to pull them from sets or purchase them on the transfer market.
The chances of pulling a TOTY player are exactly the same as the chances of pulling the standard card of the corresponding player at another time.
Market Crash at TOTY
Market Crash is likely: Since TOTY cards will be the most sought-after player cards in FUT 19, numerous players will open packs at this time. The market will be flooded with cards – the prices of many players will fall to the ground.
So if you want to make cheap bargains on the transfer market, the “Team of the Year” phase is an exciting time for it.
However, exact predictions for transfer market fluctuations are impossible.
How can I prepare for the Team of the Year? The best preparation is probably to save up a stock of coins now to be able to open some sets in the TOTY week.
More and more players are complaining that they have too little time for MMORPGs and hardly find the motivation to log in. What is the reason for this?
If you want to play an MMORPG with many successes, you primarily need one thing: plenty of time. Hours of farming, endlessly long “Attunement Quests,” or leveling professions over several weeks were long part of everyday life in the world of MMORPGs.
But on Reddit and in other social media, you often read under game news, “Who has time for that if they are not unemployed?” Others address the issue directly, saying that after a long workday, they can hardly muster the energy to log into their MMORPG. They simply lack the time to celebrate successes.
Reasons for the Lack of Time Among MMO Players
On one hand, you often hear that people have less time nowadays. This may be true, as the constant reachability through smartphones or longer working hours has increased subjective stress in many areas.
The “old target group,” the teenagers and students from back then who may have started playing an MMORPG during their school days, have now arrived in daily life with work or their own families.
At the same time, the number of high-quality entertainment options that all require time has significantly increased. With Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video, Sky, or anime streaming services, an audience is being encouraged “to watch television” again, which had previously turned away from it and associated it only with “trash TV.”
The developers of MMORPGs have long noticed this change and are working on solutions that have already sneaked into most games. World of Warcraft is a good example, offering numerous small “snack” tasks in the game that only take 5-30 minutes to complete.
World quests are the “mini-snacks” and dungeon runs are the somewhat longer tasks. If someone can’t log in at all but still wants to earn “a little” something, they can at least send their followers on missions through the mobile app and slowly work towards the Paragon rewards.
Other games, such as Black Desert, are also addressing these issues. The game allows for automated play while you’re not at the computer – you can fish, follow trade routes, or hit training dummies without being at the PC. When you are actually there, players can tackle the “important” things and play themselves.
Core Gamers are Being Alienated – But They Are No Longer a Target Group
However, these very changes are what many “core” players, who have a lot of time (students, unemployed, etc.), are unhappy about. They want games that fill their everyday lives and can be used for leisure – for many hours every day. When MMORPGs only offer small “snacks,” they become dissatisfied.
However, this group of “core players” is likely to become smaller and thus no longer simply belong to the primary target group of MMORPGs. The vast majority of players and thus the big money can be earned with the working population, who have very little time. These players want to be provided with content that fits their reality and schedule.
Whether this is a good or bad development for gaming in general is up for debate.
What is your opinion on the transformation of existing MMORPGs? Is it good that they are redesigned for “shorter sessions”? Or does that take away the charm of these games?
In the new loading screen of Pokémon GO, players find possible hints about an upcoming event. It is supposed to be related to pigs.
What’s new? For a few days now, players of Pokémon GO can see a new loading screen when they start the game. It features various Pokémon. Some of them might announce an event, according to players’ speculations.
What does the loading screen show? The image shows Pokémon celebrating the new year. These are Pikachu, Eevee, Electrike, Lucario, and the creatures Spoink, Spoink, and Groink.
Electrike and Lucario were also seen in the last loading screen. Pikachu and Eevee are not unusual either, as they are the faces of Pokémon Let’s GO. Spoink, Spoink, and Groink are more surprising. Fans see hints here.
Chinese Year of the Earth Pig 2019
According to the Chinese calendar, 2019 is the Year of the Pig. Here, fans see the connection to the loading screen in Pokémon GO, which features the three pig-like Pokémon Spoink, Spoink, and Groink.
What players believe: Players suspect that the pig Pokémon in the image might represent an event announcement.
What kind of event could this be? This could be an event that brings more Pokémon from Gen. 4. Because Spoink has an evolution in the 4th generation, Mamoswine. Players have been looking forward to this since the announcement of Gen. 4. However, Mamoswine is not yet in the game.
On Reddit, user Soyatina writes, “I’ll say it now: Shiny Spoink and Groink will be released on Chinese New Year 2019. And also Spoink, Keifel, and Mamoswine?” The comment receives a lot of support. Other players also believe that the pigs are in the loading screen for a reason and have something to do with Chinese New Year and a possible event.
Mamoswine
When could the event start? On February 5, 2019, the new year in the sign of the pig begins according to the Chinese calendar. So the event could take place around this day.
What fans hope for: It is believed that Niantic wants to hint with the new loading screen that further Pokémon from the 4th generation will be announced for Chinese New Year 2019, and Mamoswine will be part of it.
No such event has been officially announced.
What do you think? Is it just a coincidence that the pigs are visible on the loading screen, or is there more to it?
Don’t miss any news: If Niantic really starts the event, you will find out about it from us. So keep an eye on our Facebook page and Facebook group for Pokémon GO.
How long is the playtime of Anthem if you rush through the main story? The developers keep dodging this question. It’s hard to compare, but it’s a lot.
Anthem is BioWare’s “next big thing” and the first attempt to establish a co-op shooter that is already frequently compared to Destiny. But since BioWare is primarily known for story-driven games with great depth, players keep asking: How long is the playtime of Anthem?
Developers dodge the question: However, the developers do not want to give a specific answer to this critical question and only make vague statements. Michael Gamble from the development team commented on this:
“That’s a good question, but it’s hard to answer. Everyone is different. There are a lot of side missions, but some just want to rush through the main story and then tackle strongholds. Still, it’s a lot. Personally, I’ve only played through everything a few times.”
Ben Irwing, on the other hand, says that Anthem is difficult to compare with Mass Effect or Dragon Age, and therefore they “do not really comment on the length of the main path. It depends on how you play the game, etc.”
BioWare does not specify playtime for Anthem
Fans’ skepticism awakened: Such statements tend to fuel the skepticism of fans. In other games, like Mass Effect, the developers usually provided estimates in advance of how many hours players might spend in the game and how long they themselves had played.
However, it is possible that more accurate information about the scope will follow before the release. So far, the information has been rather sparse.
Anthem will be released next month, specifically on February 22, 2019.
Are you already looking forward to Anthem? Is it important to you how extensive the main story will be? Or should especially the repeatable endgame content be convincing?
In an interview, the developers of the Korean MMORPG Blade and Soul shared some insights about the content of the upcoming updates. In addition to fishing and Unreal Engine 4, the new class was also mentioned.
What’s currently happening with Blade and Soul? A few months ago, NCSoft announced that at the beginning of 2019, several major updates would be coming to their free-to-play MMORPG Blade and Soul. This includes overhauls of the current classes, an upgrade to Unreal Engine 4, smaller activities like fishing, and especially a new, unknown class.
You can see how BnS looks live and in color in the video:
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While the updates for the new class specializations are already underway on the Korean servers, the new class remains a mystery.
What information is there about the new class? Here’s what is known so far about the new class in Blade and Soul:
It will be a DPS class that specializes in ranged combat.
This class will have a refined system of abilities that is more suitable for experienced players.
Elements like distance from the opponent or attack angle will play an important role. Players who master these elements better will have a higher damage output.
Players on Reddit speculate that the new class will likely be some sort of archer.
When will the new content arrive? The new class is expected in 2019, but the developers have not released a precise schedule for the release. It’s also unclear when Unreal Engine 4 will go live. However, it was said in the interview that “significant progress has already been made” on the upgrade to Unreal Engine 4.
According to the interview, fishing will already be available in January 2019 and will be continuously expanded with new fish and achievements.
Meanwhile, NCSoft is preparing for the launch of the mobile version of Blade and Soul:
In FIFA 19 the TOTW 16 (Team of the Week 16) is released today on January 2, 2019, in Ultimate Team. You can find out which players receive new Team of the Week cards in the overview.
The release time for TOTW 16: The sixteenth Team of the Week will be released on January 2 at 7 PM in FUT. The special cards of the TDW players will be available in packs from 7 PM.
The players in Team of the Week 16: Here you will see all the new Inform cards:
However, the chance of this happening is considered low; you need a lot of luck.
It is also possible to purchase TOTW cards on the transfer market when they are listed. However, the prices for them are usually extremely high, especially for top players.
When do the new TOTW players become available? The TDW players are available in sets for one week – from Wednesday at 7 PM to the following Wednesday at 7 PM. You can acquire TDW 16 from January 2 at 7 PM until January 9 at 7 PM in packs.
Trading and investments with TOTW cards: If you are willing to take a certain risk, you can earn many coins with TOTW cards and the predictions for them. However, you must understand that these predictions never correspond 100% with the “real” TOTW. There is no guarantee that you will succeed with your investments.
The pirate MMO Atlas has received many negative headlines since its release in Early Access. Nevertheless, it is being intensively played on Steam. More and more players are trying to highlight the beautiful sides of the game.
The YouTuber Jukari also highlights the beauty of Atlas in his video. In his fan trailer, you can see various and truly beautiful places in the game world.
Idyllic islands line up, connected by an ocean with realistic waves. It also shows different biomes, buildings, and creatures. But is the world of Atlas really as he shows it in this trailer?
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While the video by Jukari mainly shows the beautiful sides, the video “Trailer vs. Reality” by Blackbird paints a very different picture.
This is shown in the fan trailer: In Jukari’s video, there are no fights, no players, and no animations. You only see beautifully staged images of the game world.
This is shown in the reality trailer: Not only does the graphics of the game look completely different there, but there are also serious deficiencies in gameplay. While Blackbird also edited the video and focused on rather bad moments, he did not change any scenes from the livestream. He merely places them in context with the trailer from Studio Wildcard, creating funny scenes.
Why players criticize the fan video: On one hand, Jukari is praised for his video editing skills; on the other hand, viewers see the problem right there. The game is presented in too good a light. User Benjamin Vogt writes that while the trailer is beautiful, the gameplay of Atlas is not.
User Lalatina also writes: “Beautiful, but now do something with real gameplay, where all the poor ships sink after an update and all server issues are shown. And don’t forget the Ship of the Damned, which appears everywhere.”
Why players praise the reality trailer: The video came at a time when players were diving into the MMO with very different expectations of the game, which were also fueled by the probably too impressive launch trailer of Atlas. Thus, the trailer by Blackbird was naturally the perfect projection surface for angry players and those who wanted to mock it. The trailer received a lot of positive feedback overall.
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The truth between Jukari’s idyllic world and Blackbird’s broken and graphically unappealing world surely lies in the middle.
Atlas currently has some issues, which is why players are claiming their money back on Steam even after more than 8 hours of gameplay. Nevertheless, the game is performing well on Steam in terms of numbers.
A part of the players seems to be satisfied with Atlas despite the criticism. This is not least due to the fact that the game has already received updates. Performance has been improved, many bugs removed, and the grind reduced. We reported on a different perspective on Atlas. Particularly, playing in a group is often praised in Atlas.
What’s next for Jukari’s trailers?
Jukari himself enjoys the game and has taken on at least two more trailers. Another video is scheduled to be released during the Early Access of Atlas.
A third trailer is planned for the full release of Atlas. Both will again showcase the landscapes of the game world.
There are many reasons for the “failure” of Heroes of the Storm. We will name some of them and explain what could have gone better.
A few weeks ago, the developers of Heroes of the Storm announced that several eSports tournaments would no longer take place in the future. Furthermore, the development team has been downsized and it was announced that they would now find a “different rhythm” for releases – apparently slower.
For many players, it is clear: The future of Heroes of the Storm is bleak and Blizzard’s MOBA is practically “dead”. But what did Heroes of the Storm actually fail at? After all, Blizzard united the most popular heroes from all Blizzard universes here and could have drawn great attraction from that alone.
We list some reasons why Heroes of the Storm has failed.
The Saturated Market
The MOBA market has been clearly divided from the beginning. Even though Blizzard, with the Warcraft 3 custom maps, is actually the origin of MOBAs, League of Legends quickly rose to the top as an independent game. DOTA (2) has also secured a large piece of the pie, and so the genre is more or less split between these two giants. While there are smaller representatives, like SMITE, which impresses with an unusual perspective, it’s still just a small light compared to LoL and DOTA.
Additionally, Heroes of the Storm was initially supposed to be just a mod for StarCraft 2 before it switched to its own engine and became an independent project. This took time and gave other MOBAs even more time to bind players to themselves.
LoL retains its players … in various ways.
Attachment to Other Games
MOBAs are, more than many other games, very good at keeping players permanently engaged. Anyone who purchases cosmetic items with real money and invests thousands of hours into a game has this “achievement” always in mind. It’s hard to part with a game into which you’ve already put €500 or 7000 hours of gameplay. So why would you switch to another game?
This hurdle is large and likely kept many “classic” gamers, for whom gaming is their main pastime, from switching.
Heroes of the Storm was never particularly good at making this switch particularly appealing. The only moments we can remember were the “Mega Bundles,” where 20+ heroes were available for a low price. But that alone was not enough to make someone turn their back on League of Legends or DOTA.
Toxicity in the Community
Anyone who has played a MOBA has certainly been insulted, accused, or otherwise harassed at some point. Games like League of Legends are known for having a rough tone and the chat is often misused for attacks.
This was no different in Heroes of the Storm. Although HotS also had its own reporting system to report disruptive players, who were subjected to increasingly harsher penalties over time, it rarely felt like the system helped. Players often felt that their report just vanished into the void and had no effect.
Many players had the thought: Is it even worth reporting? Why should I still put up with the game if I’m just insulted and harshly confronted?
The Miserable Matchmaking
Another point is the matchmaking of Heroes of the Storm. While in the various leagues, such as the Hero League or Team League, the matchmaking became solid over the years, that is not the case in “Quick Play”. However, this is the mode where most of the “casual” players hang out, who don’t want to play highly competitively and just for “fun”.
But exactly these players rarely find fun. Because matchmaking that ranks players by skill doesn’t seem to exist here. The frequency of matches where one side wins with three, four, or five times as many kills or has a level lead of four or five levels is far too high.
This leads many players to feel like they can’t win a match at all, which quickly eats away at their frustration tolerance.
The major update “Heroes of the Storm 2.0” brought a lot of cosmetic items to the game, with which characters can be customized. Spray logos, voicelines, skins, mounts, banner symbols, announcer skins, and much more were now in loot boxes that could be purchased with real money or earned in-game.
The rate at which loot boxes are unlocked is low. Additionally, the contents are often boring. With all the cosmetic items, there are extremely many things that are simply uninteresting and dull, even when playing the associated hero.
Furthermore, there’s the fact that loot boxes come in different qualities. The “common” loot box has a high chance of containing only common items – in other games, that would be “gray trash,” and that’s exactly how it feels.
But not only the “gray trash” is the problem, but also the fact that you keep receiving it over and over again. Duplicates are the rule. If you get chat emojis for Chromie three times in 10 loot boxes, even though you don’t play that character at all, you won’t want to continue. The 5 “shards” you receive for duplicates don’t offer any consolation.
Overwatch has solved this better. Here, after a few months, the loot boxes were modified so that duplicates are a rarity and you really feel like getting “something new” in each box. That is not the case with Heroes of the Storm.
The loot boxes are boring and counterproductive for all players who want a specific skin. “In the past,” almost all skins could be purchased with real money. Anyone wanting to be “Winter Veil Jaina” knew exactly how much money they had to put on the table.
Time and again, Reddit users noted: “Now that I can’t deliberately buy what I want, I don’t spend any money on HotS anymore.”
A mixed system would have probably been the best solution. Players would still earn loot boxes, but could also deliberately buy coveted skins with real money.
Thus, only a small part of the player base was satisfied.
The “The Game is Dead” Spiral
The last reason for the failure is still ongoing and is likely “self-inflicted”. The way Blizzard announced that the Heroes of the Storm team would shrink and development would slow down directly led to the conclusion: “The game is dead”.
This mood spread rapidly among players, and there are several videos on YouTube from larger streamers uninstalling their game. This also affects many “normal” players who would have otherwise simply continued to play diligently.
The negative mood, however, persists, and even under every comment asking “How do I get better with hero X?” there are reactions questioning: “Why do you want to invest time in a dead game?”
These were our reasons for the failure of Heroes of the Storm. What do you think, why was HotS unable to establish itself in the market? What were the shortcomings of the developers and which circumstances could they perhaps do nothing about? Let’s discuss it in the comments!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
