The preparation for the warfront in World of Warcraft is underway for the Alliance. Those who participate will speed up the process.
Almost two weeks have already passed since the warfronts in World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth were opened. However, so far the Alliance has had to look on, as only players of the Horde could participate in the actual battle. Now the Alliance’s preparations have begun, at the end of which players of the Alliance can finally join the war for Stromgarde. For this, however, you need to gather a lot of resources.
How can one help with gathering? In the harbor of Boralus, right next to the ship where you also start your mission tables, there are numerous NPCs with repeatable quests. These grant artifact power and reputation with the 7th Legion (which is needed for the unlocking of the Dark Iron Dwarves) upon completion, while simultaneously advancing the progress for the preparation of the warfront.
What do you need to do for the quests? The requirements for the repeatable quests change every day. There are different requirements for all crafting or gathering professions that rotate each day. These include cloth, ores, herbs, but also crafted items like enchantments on scrolls. If you want to complete all quests, you’ll need to stock up on resources at the auction house or from friends.
How long does the preparation take? This depends on the preparation quests that players complete. If many players participate and complete the quests every day, then the preparation is finished in about 3 days. Otherwise, it can take, in the worst case, about 5 days if only a few players join in on the gathering.
Why have the Alliance not been able to play yet? Warfronts in World of Warcraft are only accessible to one faction at a time. While the Horde planned and executed the attack on Arathi, the Alliance still holds the area. As “compensation,” they could defeat rare enemies and an extra world boss.
Increased requirements: Please note that you can only enter the warfront after unlocking it if you already have an average item level of 320 or higher. This requirement was recently added.
An interview provides more insight into Crowfall, its development, and what the game wants to be for its players.
Interview about the specifics of Crowfall: The developers of Crowfall discuss in an interview with mmorpg.com what Crowfall is supposed to be and how it differs from other games.
What does Crowfall want to become?
mmorpg.com spoke with Creative Director J. Todd Coleman, Executive Producer Gordon Walton, and Vice President of Marketing DebySue Wolfclaw about Crowfall. There were also comparisons made to Game of Thrones.
Campaigns constantly change everything: In Crowfall, there are campaigns that behave almost like standalone games within the game. Campaigns often have their own rules, are subject to the seasons, and can be “won.” To expand your kingdom, you need to gather resources from campaigns with up to 1,000 players.
Coleman: “Every new campaign that starts with a new map and new rules is a new opportunity for us to gather completely different experiences. As a designer, that excites me the most personally.”
In this area, Crowfall differs significantly from other games. Coleman continued: “Normally, I only get a start with an MMO. I know that may seem financially correct for Crowfall. But from a design standpoint, I’m usually constrained by the rules we established at launch that I can’t change without it being a bigger problem for the community. Unless it’s clearly a change for the better.”
The rules constantly change in the game itself. When asked if this seasonal setup doesn’t exactly allow for saying that everything will change next season, Walton added: “Exactly, that was one of the core pieces of the puzzle. We don’t want to get stuck on one path. Because then there come nerfs and [things like] ‘You’re changing my player experience!’ No, we even promise that we’ll change your player experience.”
Crowfall feels episodic: Through the campaigns, a dynamic comes into play that the developers compared to other games. It is difficult to market the game correctly when it combines so many things.
“It’s a bit like WoW. But actually more like EVE. But it’s completely dynamic. It’s actually stories driven by the players, not by us. You won’t be led on rails,” Coleman said.
Coleman even adds a comparison with well-known series: “The maps are completely procedurally generated. Players can chop down trees. You can win a campaign. It feels more like you’re playing a season of Game of Thrones. I mean, that’s a lot, right?”
The hunger brings a dynamic to the game: Even within the individual sections, there is a dynamic in Crowfall. The “Hunger”, the seasons, and even day and night have a constant impact on the world.
Coleman: “As we have the day-night cycles set up at the moment, every night there’s a chance that the infection will take over part of the game. It randomly appears and then spreads. When the Hunger takes over an area, it essentially transforms the world around it into winter. Harvestable resources in that area are no longer available. You go there, and they are frozen.”
Coleman continued: “If you want to gather in an area, you have to destroy the Hunger first. The Hunger gets worse over the course of the campaign – it spreads. The idea is to make the world appear more and more desolate and resources become scarcer as winter approaches.”
Whether Crowfall will succeed with its completely different approach to the MMORPG genre will be revealed at the latest with the delayed release in 2019.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Ion Hazzikostas took the time to explain why the Alliance has to wait so long for their warfront in World of Warcraft.
On Friday evening (14.09.2018), the Game Director of World of Warcraft, Ion Hazzikostas, answered pressing questions from players on Reddit during an “Ask me anything” (AMA). He took several hours to respond to many topics that were on the players’ minds. One topic in particular caused an uproar: The warfronts.
What was the problem? When it was announced that the warfronts would soon begin, all players were excited. But there was quickly a damper. While the Horde was able to participate in the warfront after a short wait, Alliance players still have to wait. Only one side can attack at a time; the other can kill a world boss and rare mobs in the Arathi Highlands. However, they can only do this once, after which the front must change hands.
Poor communication as the reason: Hazzikostas admits that they did a very poor job in communication. For testing purposes, the durations of the individual phases during the beta were much shorter. Then the front changed hands roughly every three days. Now, a cycle takes about 25 days – depending on the activity of the players, a bit more or a bit less.
Limitation of rewards: Another reason for the long duration of the cycle is that they want to offer players a particularly strong reward (like 370 gear from the quest) without that reward being too often available and thereby devaluing other content. If you only get these big rewards every three to four weeks, the impact on other content is minimal.
More warfronts solve the problem: Hazzikostas also mentions that more warfronts will come in the future. The various timers and wait times will then intertwine, so there will be more to do more frequently. While the Horde fights over Arathi, Alliance players could already conquer another front.
The CEO of publisher Take Two, Strauss Zelnick, is behind games like GTA 5 Online and Red Dead Redemption 2. Take-Two also makes money in China, but there are issues.
Who is speaking? It is the CEO of one of the largest western gaming publishers, Strauss Zelnick, speaking in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz about the Chinese gaming market for western game companies.
Take-Two includes franchises such as:
Borderlands
Civilization
Grand Theft Auto
Red Dead Redemption
and XCom
What is Zelnick’s problem? When US companies or other foreign gaming publishers want to distribute their games in China, they need a license from the Chinese government.
It is an open secret that it is necessary to make deals with Chinese companies. For example, Blizzard is linked with NetEase.
Even larger than NetEase is the Chinese IT company “Tencent”, which long has been considered one of the 7 largest companies in the world. Tencent is the partner for many western publishers looking to make money in China. Also for Take-Two.
Take-Two plans to distribute their games NBA 2K Online and Kerbal Space Program through “WeGame”, Tencent’s platform, in China.
This is what Zelnick says about the future in China: At a conference, Goldman Sachs Communacopia, Strauss Zelnick spoke about the current block for the approval of new games in China. He sees it optimistically. His company itself is not affected, they have held the licenses for a long time.
He hopes that in the long term, the barriers will fall, and China will open up to western products. Zelnick believes that the Chinese government will eventually realize that western products are good for the Chinese population. The Chinese customers already want the entertainment products from the USA. They love what Take-Two can offer them.
But while Zelnick sees the future in China as bright, he criticizes the past and present harshly.
Zelnick accuses China of extortion in principle
Unfair market conditions: Zelnick finds the market conditions in China simply unfair as an American:
„We have a totally skewed situation. Chinese companies come to the USA and buy our companies – that’s no problem for them at all. And if they don’t do that, then they can bring their games here and distribute them in the market, all no problem.
But if we want to go to China, then half of our business needs to belong to a Chinese company. The good news is that we get their expertise. We have a good relationship with companies like Tencent. We are happy to do business with them. But to be clear: We have no other choice either.”
Zelnick then continues that one needs the approval of the Chinese government. That is a political decision. One does not understand why the USA thinks it is okay that the second largest export commodity of the USA, after aerospace technology, is treated this way. Global trade relations have changed, and that needs to be reflected in political conditions as well.
Bad Penguin: The mascot of Tencent
Zelnick complemented his speech with:
„Oh yes, by the way, the other background is that China has been stealing our intellectual property for a really long time. These things need to change.”
The topic that hardly anyone talks about
This is what lies behind it: Zelnick is essentially calling for:
a trade war. The USA would have to impose the same obstacles on the Chinese as the Chinese do in return to create equal conditions
or the abolition of all barriers in China for US companies
The unfair competitive conditions with China are a topic that has long occupied the western industry – not just in gaming. Even in Germany, these “forced joint ventures” are likely a major internal problem for companies, as reported by economic magazines (via Handelsblatt).
In everyday life, Chinese influence plays a role: Chinese corporations now hold shares or control major western gaming companies like Epic Games (Fortnite) or Riot Games (League of Legends).
Interestingly, this topic is almost never addressed in gaming, even though some news suggests that such practices have a significant influence on everyday life:
or one finds a curious language regulation: it is said that they are forming a partnership because they need the “local expertise” to address the “particularities of the Chinese market” as in Diablo 3.
Clearly, western publishers simply have no choice if they want to make money in China – and they do want to.
The players of Fortnite: Battle Royale were quite surprised when the “Rogue Agent” outfit suddenly appeared in the shop. The skin had previously only been available for a short time as part of a starter pack. Now the “Halo Skin” costs three times the price!
What is the Rogue Agent Skin? The “Rogue Agent” skin is an outfit that many players referred to as the “Halo Skin“. This is because it looks a bit like an “Orbital Drop Shock Trooper” from Bungie’s shooter hit.
What was special about the skin? The outfit was released at the end of March 2018 and was not regularly available in the shop. Instead, it was only available as part of a starter pack. This included the skin, a backpack, and 600 V-Bucks.
All of this cost only 5 Euros – the 600 V-Bucks in the package were worth 6 Euros “if” bought with real money.
“Halo Skin” was perceived as exclusive: Many players bought the skin at the time, in part because they thought the “Rogue Agent” would be a unique, exclusive offer that would never return.
Super rare skins that hardly anyone has and that will never be available again are highly sought after by many fans in Fortnite. Accounts with skins like the Skull Trooper or the Black Knight are worth a fortune on eBay and so on.
Is it soon the end for rare skins?
Old skin at three times the price: After the Rogue Agent was unavailable for a while, it has now reappeared. It is part of the shop offer from September 15 and has a proud price of 1,500 V-Bucks!
That is three times the price it cost in the starter pack back then. Of course, there are no free V-Bucks this time.
Fans are not happy: Besides the high price, many players are currently upset because they thought the skin was an exclusive offer that would never return. So anyone who bought the “Halo Skin” back then often assumed they had acquired a super rare outfit along with a bargain.
Will other “exclusive” skins return soon? The Rogue Agent is definitely a precedent for the return of an outfit that no one expected anymore. Therefore, many players now fear that Epic will open the floodgates and soon bring other extremely rare skins, such as the coveted Skull Trooper or the Black Knight, to the shop.
Community divided:
If rare skins were to return, the special aspect of these skins would disappear for many owners, as they would no longer be rare.
Others are hoping exactly for their return because they missed the skins back then but have always wanted them.
There was a similar outcry recently with the no less rare outfit Power Chord:
For many Overwatch fans, this is bad news: Smurfing in Overwatch is allowed and does not lead to any penalties.
In Overwatch, many players complain about accounts from other players that have a low level but play like a pro. Often, these are second accounts from professionals. Is this “smurfing” actually a form of cheating? Jeff Kaplan from the Overwatch team has clarified: No, it is not.
What is smurfing? A “smurf” refers to the second or third account of a very good player.
With a fresh account, he does not yet have the high skill rating of his main account and will often face players who are significantly inferior to him.
What did Kaplan say? In the official forum, Jeff Kaplan, the game director of Overwatch, stated: “Starting a new account does not violate the rules. Boosting or throwing, however, does.”
Boosting refers to “pulling” other players to raise their skill rating.
Throwing, on the other hand, is deliberately giving up by not participating or trolling your own team.
Kaplan further explained: “If you start a new account and play normally, the matchmaker will quickly categorize your skill and let you compete against similar players.”
This makes it official: Smurfing is completely legal in Overwatch.
Cortyn says: Smurfing is one of those annoying problems for which there is simply no real solution. I have some friends who tried Overwatch during the “Free Weekend” and quickly lost interest because they were shot by Widowmaker from 200 meters as soon as they left the spawn room.
This is a real deterrent for newcomers, hindering rather than promoting the fun of the game.
What is your opinion on smurfing? Should Blizzard reconsider and change their stance on this? Or is there no reason to do so?
Warframe is currently incorporating more and more other genres as mini-games. After the Streetfighter mode “Framefighter”, there will be a hoverboard mini-game in the upcoming Fortuna update, similar to Tony Hawk.
Hoverboards in Warframe? In the announced Fortuna update for Warframe, we will head to the planet Venus, where there will be a large open world again. One particularly cool new feature: hoverboard racing tracks!
You can ride on 20 tracks in the icy wasteland full of enemies and dangers with a so-called “K-Drive”.
All about the hoverboards and the new faction in Fortuna
Where can I find the hoverboards? To get a K-Drive, you need to befriend a new mini-faction: the Vent Kids.
The “Vent Kids” are cool teens who hang out in the eponymous ventilation shafts (English “Vent”), listen to funky space beats, and spray impressive graffiti with socio-critical content on the tunnel walls.
The kids also hack into Corpus technology to obtain the tech for their boards.
How do the races work? Once you have a K-Drive, you can start a hoverboard race at specific locations. Holographic rings will appear everywhere that you must pass through.
Your time counts, but also that you perform cool moves along the way. So backflips, grinds on railings, and other skateboard stunts that you would expect more in a Tony Hawk game than in a grim space shooter.
What rewards are there? If you perform well and complete moves like “Floppy Grandmother”, you earn reputation points with the Vent Kids. For that, you can get goodies like the aforementioned graffiti for your board as decoration.
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When can I finally ride a hoverboard? Unfortunately, there is still no more precise release date for Fortuna. It is supposed to come this fall. A video of the hoverboard races can be found in the current dev stream that we have embedded here.
More information about the features of Fortuna can be found here:
If it were up to our readers, farming reputation in World of Warcraft would be easier. Because on the account, all characters would have the same reputation.
A few days ago, we asked you if reputation in World of Warcraft should be account-wide or if it should, as before, count per character. You were able to vote and clearly decided: Reputation in World of Warcraft should apply to the entire account!
A proud 78% of voters believe that reputation in World of Warcraft should apply equally to all characters. So if the main character is exalted with a faction, secondary and third characters should also be able to benefit from the rewards.
Only 22% believe that reputation should continue to function as it has in the past. Each character must earn their reputation individually in order to access corresponding rewards.
Opinions from the Community
Most seem to wish for a system like that from the “Mists of Pandaria” expansion. Here, players could buy badges after reaching a certain reputation level. These increased reputation gains with the corresponding faction by 100%. This is also reflected in the comments, here are some examples:
Thomas Roßkamp: “I would like to see it done again like in Pandaria. There, you could also buy the ‘Great Insignia of Praise’ for later twinks, for example. This allowed all twinks to receive 100% more reputation gain account-wide.”
Bodicore: “I think twinks should be actively played. Therefore, I prefer that you get 200 reputation instead of 75 for each World Quest.”
Jabba: “I would be against it, there would be no reason for me to play twinks if reputation is automatically gained and you equip your character with reputation rewards. The incentive to twink would be gone […]”
Cortyn says: Honestly, I was a little surprised by the result. I thought it would end up being around a tie. That so many are in favor of account-wide reputation surprises me. Personally, I don’t care much. I basically only have one main character, where I unlock most things. It would be a nice bonus, but not absolutely necessary.
Does the result match your expectations? Or are you surprised by the clear opinion of our readers?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Destiny 2, the Last Wish raid has been completed! The world-first fireteam unlocks new content for all Guardians in the Dreaming City.
It is done: After 18 hours and 48 minutes, the first fireteam successfully completed the new Forsaken raid “Last Wish”. Around 2 PM our time, this feat was accomplished by Clan Redeem, who now holds the newest world-first title.
Clan Redeem has been officially confirmed as the winners by Bungie. In this tweet from Bungie, you can see the successful raid completion – here’s a major spoiler warning!
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The world-first victory is significant not only for these six Guardians but for all Guardians. New activities in the Dreaming City of Destiny 2 are now live.
When you log in for the first time, you will receive a message that a curse has been unleashed. It is explained that a team of six Guardians entered the heart of the Dreaming City and defeated Riven, the One Thousand Voices. They had no idea, according to the in-game text, that this was exactly what Riven wanted.
New Cutscene: When you fly to the Dreaming City, a cutscene greets you, explaining that the greatest secret of the Dreaming City is a Ahamkara named Riven. She is a powerful and cunning creature that the Guardians should defeat as she was possessed.
However, through death, a curse was unleashed that now plagues the Dreaming City.
First go to Petra: Petra is now desperate, as she was the one who brought you to the Dreaming City and had you kill the Ahamkara. She did not expect the curse. She says that there are many secrets in the city, one of which must be a help.
New Story, New Strike
New Story: She gives you a new story quest called “Broken Courier,” where you must evacuate one of her people. You can find the quest in Petra’s weekly loot pursuits.
New Strike: Additionally, at the top of the map of the Dreaming City, the strike “The Corrupted” is available. Recommended Power is 500. You must find one of Mara’s closest advisors and free her from the control of the Taken. You need to complete this strike for the loot pursuit “Cleansing Ritual.”
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The Dreaming City now offers new tasks for all Guardians. This is probably one of the changes that are set to occur over the course of the fourth season in this endgame area.
Have you discovered any other innovations?
According to our reader DevilRon1989, there is also a new Gambit map called Cathedral of Scars.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Amazon has released new screenshots of the sandbox MMORPG New World. These demonstrate the dark atmosphere we can expect – particularly in the Damned Capital!
In the MMORPG New World, you will also encounter supernatural creatures. How exactly these fit into the game is still unclear, as New World is set in colonial America. What is certain is that it will be quite dark.
New Screenshots Hype Up the MMO
This is how dark the MMO will be: The new screenshots of New World show interesting landscapes as well as the mysterious city “Damned Capital”. What exactly is going on here will be revealed in the game. Also interesting is that in one of the pictures you can see a floating rock. Magic seems to play a huge role as well. We will present the screenshots in a gallery.
What is New World About? In the MMORPG New World, you reach America during the colonial period to settle here. You join other settlers to build a fort and explore the area. You gather resources to craft better equipment and continuously expand your fort.
However, open PvP is also part of the game. Other players can attack you at any time, and there are frequent sieges of the forts. In addition, you will fight wild animals and even supernatural beings. Even though New World is a sandbox, WoW fans might also have their fun.
In Destiny 2, the final boss in the new Forsaken raid “Last Wish” was defeated for the first time after 17 hours. But the suffering continues for the fireteam.
The World-First title is still not awarded: Bungie wants to reward the fireteam that completes the raid “Last Wish” first with glory, honor, and an array of exclusive rewards.
But this is taking significantly longer than some Guardians would have thought. While previous raids were completed in one go, the new raid is dragging on.
The most successful Guardians have pulled an all-nighter, but that’s not the end yet.
Yesterday, on September 14th at 7 PM, the new Forsaken raid “Last Wish” started. Numerous fireteams dove straight into this adventure to tackle the biggest PvE group activity in Destiny 2.
With Kalli, most hit a wall: However, the raid quickly proved to be a tough challenge. The recommended power level is 550, but the enemies already have a power level of 560 in the first raid encounter. This encounter takes place against Kalli, the Corrupted, where most directly failed.
How to defeat Kalli, the Corrupted? Our detailed raid guide will probably come tomorrow, once the mechanics are known in detail. You can find out how to defeat Kalli here.
What comes after Kalli? After Kalli, several bosses await the Guardians:
One must defeat Shuro Chi
Then take down Morgeth, the Pillar Guardian
Then infiltrate a chamber
And then Riven, the Thousand Voices, awaits the exhausted Guardians. This is a corrupted Ahamkara. At the beginning of the raid, players are instructed to kill Riven and grab her heart.
Between the phases, various jumping passages must be mastered.
The final encounter after Riven
But that’s not all
Today around noon our time (so in the middle of the night in the USA), the first fireteam managed to defeat Riven. The recommended power level for this encounter is 580. However, to everyone’s surprise, the raid is still not over.
Andrew Hopps, the raid team art lead at Bungie, directly communicated this on Twitter and confirmed: After Riven, there is still one more encounter!
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The fireteam that is now in the truly final encounter belongs to the Redeem Clan. Redeem is known for numerous speedruns and World-First titles.
The streamer xGladd is still live-streaming and trying to complete the raid entirely. The final encounter involves Riven’s heart. We embed the Twitch stream here:
https://www.twitch.tv/xgladd
Currently, over 40,000 people are watching to see when the raid will finally be cracked.
The streamer has already made statements such as:
Bungie is trolling us hard!
Bungie, why do we have to keep suffering?
Community Manager dmg04 advised a few hours ago that the streamers should drink enough and eat healthy:
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This is how fans are reacting: The first user reviews are overwhelmingly positive. People are glad to finally have a long and difficult raid that poses a great challenge even for the best. The design and atmosphere of the raid are impressive.
However, the biggest difficulty in the raid at present is that the Guardians are extremely underleveled. The best raid groups went in yesterday and today with Guardians whose power level was around 550. But the last raid encounters are set to 580.
Most Guardians will still have several weeks to level up their characters before they can complete the raid.
The new patch “Our Guiding Star” will be released on Tuesday for Guild Wars 2. The community is particularly excited about the new legendary weapon. The scepter “Xiuquatl” comes with a special companion.
Animal companion is an integral part of the weapon: What we had already suspected in our post about the trailer has been confirmed by ArenaNet in a tweet. The little flying dragon is part of Xiuquatl. So those who carry the weapon will no longer be alone.
In addition to the animal companion, the scepter also gives you a special effect with the footprints and a nice aura around you.
The community is thrilled: In the forums and on Reddit, there is a lot of praise for the legendary weapon, even if not all players are satisfied with the look of the scepter. Many find the scepter a bit too large and bulky. Some also criticize that it resembles a classic scepter very little.
Still, some of these critics are considering crafting the weapon. The small dragon is what has charmed many.
Other legendary weapons were not received as well: With each episode of the Living World, a new legendary weapon currently comes to Guild Wars 2. However, some of them have not been well received by the community in the past.
Specifically, the torch, the rifle, the shield, and most recently the war horn were more mocked than welcomed with thunderous applause. The soon-to-be-released scepter, on the other hand, generates excitement.
New raid for Guild Wars 2
In addition to the legendary weapon, the new raid “Mythwright Gambit” is eagerly awaited by the community. The theme is the interior of the Mystic Forge, where players have already lost a lot of gold crafting items.
A teaser has also been released by ArenaNet for this content. It shows us the first raid boss and some images from the forge. We will be accompanied by the voice of the djinn Zommoros, who is likely to be the final boss of the instance.
This new content has also been eagerly awaited by players after almost nine months without a new raid.
How to access the new content? The episodes of the Living World are free for players of Guild Wars 2. You just need to log in before the next episode is released to unlock it.
Alternatively, episodes can later be purchased for in-game currency or real money. However, you need the expansion Path of Fire to experience the content. The legendary weapon still belongs to the earlier expansion Heart of Thorns.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The next patch of World of Warcraft is coming soon to the PTR. In a few days, it will be revealed what the first content patch will be about.
Many players have already completed the current content of World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth. While there are still tougher challenges with the Mythic raid or “Mythic+” dungeons, most of the content is already finished in its basic form. The hunger for new content is growing again – and Blizzard already has an answer.
The next patch is coming soon: Last night (September 14, 2018), Game Director Ion Hazzikostas hosted an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit and answered some questions from the community. He announced that the next patch is already on the starting blocks.
When will there be new information? On September 18 (6 PM our time), World of Warcraft will hold a livestream on Twitch and discuss the content that will be included in the upcoming update. It is likely that this will be Patch 8.1.
PTR follows soon: A short time after the stream, the PTR for the next patch is expected to be deployed to the test servers. With an average testing period of 4-6 weeks, players may be able to play the first major content update for World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth as early as the beginning of November.
So far, everything is unknown: Regarding the content of Patch 8.1, the player community is still completely in the dark. While there are some speculations that the plot around the Naga is picking up speed and Azshara (had her own cinematic here) will show more presence, this is not yet confirmed. In Legion, it was already known what the first patch would contain because the Night Fortress, the second major raid, was playable during the beta.
Are you looking forward to new information and Patch 8.1? Or are you still busy with the starting content of the expansion and don’t need any additional updates for now?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Even though the “Battle Royale” mode of Fortnite is only a year old, there is a constant ebb and flow of weapons and equipment. Here is a selection of all the items that Epic has removed from the game, some of which are sorely missed.
People often tend to curse Epic for constantly adding new items, weapons, and other aids to Fortnite. After all, you only have five inventory slots available, which makes the choice relatively difficult.
It is often forgotten that there was a colorful mix of items that are no longer in the game, some of which are sorely missed.
Epic calls this “Vaulting”; an item is removed from Fortnite to be thoroughly revised, so it can make a glorious comeback. In the meantime, the item rests in the “Vault.”
We take a look back at all the toys that Epic gave us only to painfully snatch them away again.
The Zapotron – Buried on September 29, 2017
What exactly is the Zapotron? Most of you probably don’t know, but the Zapotron was actually in the game at the launch of Fortnite: Battle Royale, but was removed quite quickly.
Here’s what the Zapotron could do: Anyone taking a closer look at the features of the energy rifle might get an idea of why this weapon is no longer in the game. The Zapotron could be fired normally like an assault rifle or charge up to fire a massive energy ball that could even penetrate several enemies at once.
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Here’s why the Zapotron disappeared: Unsurprisingly, Epic removed the Zapotron for “balance reasons.” Since then, there have been recurring rumors in the community about whether the weapon might make a triumphant comeback someday.
Is the Zapotron missed? Too few players got to enjoy the weapon. Most probably won’t even remember it.
The Submachine Gun – Buried on February 12, 2018
Here’s what the Submachine Gun could do: The standard SMG could fire quickly but was only effective at short distances, as the damage drop-off was quite noticeable. Additionally, the weapon dealt less damage compared to other SMGs.
Here’s why the Submachine Gun disappeared: At one time, three different variants of the submachine gun were bustling around in Fortnite: Battle Royale:
The Standard Submachine Gun
The Silenced Variant
The Tactical SMG
The Tactical Submachine Gun was considered a valid close-range option despite the popular double pump tactic. While the silenced SMG at least still offered the advantage of being quiet when firing, nobody knew what to do with the Standard SMG.
The new, old Submachine Gun
The weapon was so unpopular that players often turned away in disgust and opted for the nearby white pistol instead.
Now the Submachine Gun is a beast: It returned in an altered form. With a new look and significantly more damage, the currently available variant shares only its name with the one from back then.
The weapon is now so good that it has taken away the spotlight from another contender. More on that later.
The Smoke Grenade – Buried on April 11, 2018
Here’s what the Smoke Grenade could do: The smoke grenade created a thick smoke through which players could not be seen. This circumstance could be used to escape a fight or to flank opponents. At least in theory.
Here’s why the Smoke Grenade disappeared: Although the smoke grenade was once regarded as THE means to elegantly avoid a fight, that expectation did not last long. If there was ever an item in Fortnite that was considered “okay,” it would be the smoke grenade.
The problem: There are simply too many better options for the limited inventory slots than the smoke grenade. Why escape a fight when you can just mow down the opponent?
Is the Smoke Grenade missed? Even though the grenade may have been helpful in certain situations, probably only very few players will miss it.
The Crossbow – Buried on May 01, 2018
Here’s what the Crossbow could do: The crossbow was introduced as a ranged weapon that looked particularly good on paper:
The scope could be used to zoom
The weapon shot nearly silently
Crossbow ammunition was infinitely available
Here’s why the Crossbow disappeared: Although the crossbow is still an extremely cool concept weapon, players wanted more: A critical hit did not automatically lead to the enemy’s demise, for that, a bolt-action sniper rifle was needed.
With the hunting rifle, the semi-automatic sniper rifle, and the bolt-action sniper rifle being tough competitors for supremacy among the best long-range weapons, the crossbow ultimately had to give way. However, it is not out of the question that it will return.
Is the Crossbow missed? Even though there aren’t many, the weapon has its fans. If you are out there, I feel for you!
The Tactical Submachine Gun – Buried on June 27, 2018
Here’s what the Tactical Submachine Gun could do: While the first Submachine Gun was removed from the game, the Tactical Submachine Gun experienced its first heyday. A large magazine and high damage made the weapon one of the most popular options for close combat.
However, the weapon only became really exciting when Epic curtailed the double pump tactic. Because then a valid option disappeared. People had to resort to the Tactical SMG.
Here’s why the Tactical Submachine Gun disappeared: This brief period of fame can’t be taken away from the Tactical SMG, but it then encountered a problem: The Standard Submachine Gun was reworked and brought back into the game, while the silenced variant was buffed.
Suddenly, nobody wanted to play with the Tactical Submachine Gun anymore; it gathered dust in the basements of Tilted Towers. Epic removed the weapon in June – comeback uncertain.
Is the Tactical Submachine Gun missed? No, it has received a very solid alternative with the Standard SMG.
The Revolver – Buried on September 06, 2018
Here’s what the Revolver could do: If you got a revolver in your hands right after landing and were a good shot, you could clear out quite a few opponents. Critical hits could send unshielded enemies back to the lobby with a single shot.
Here’s why the Revolver disappeared: From the second minute of the game, you’d just be annoyed by the revolvers. Epic wanted to replace them with the rarer hand cannon, but that also worked only to a limited extent. In September 2018, the revolver was removed from the game. Its future is uncertain. The rarer hand cannons remain in the game.
Is the Revolver missed? No, just no.
The Drum Gun – Buried on September 11, 2018
Here’s what the Drum Gun could do: Aside from the nerf of the double pump, probably no weapon change was discussed as controversially as the removal of the Drum Gun. The weapon was extremely popular for many reasons:
It could be used at both medium and close distances
It had a huge magazine of 50 rounds
It could be easily found
and it could deal significant damage
Here’s why the Drum Gun disappeared: The reason for its removal is probably similar to the Zapotron in terms of balance. The Tommy Gun was too much of an all-round weapon, not a specific weapon for certain situations.
Is the Drum Gun missed? Epic only removed the weapon on September 11, and many players are already missing it. This is evidenced by the many sometimes heated discussions in the community. The fate of the “Tommy Gun” is uncertain.
However, it is not out of the question that Epic might bring the fan-favorite back in a changed form.
Here’s what the Electric Traps could do: The electric traps will probably only be familiar to veterans. With these, you could set a nasty trap for the enemy on walls or ceilings, depending on the trap type.
Here’s why the Electric Traps disappeared: Due to a significant disadvantage: They were very audible and therefore could only lure in a few victims. Epic removed the traps shortly after the release of the Battle Royale mode. Since then, it has been quiet.
Are the Electric Traps missed? Those who remember the noise these traps made will probably not shed a tear for them. However, the game could benefit from a bit more variety in traps.
One thing is for sure: Epic will continue to mix up the available items and weapons in the game in the future. Who knows who will be the next?
Which of the weapons presented here do you miss the most?
Currently, things are pretty quiet regarding Overwatch, perhaps even a bit boring. What could bring new momentum? Our author Benedict thinks: a movie.
Is Overwatch in a quiet phase? The hero shooter Overwatch feels, at the moment, as if it has lost some momentum:
Is this just the necessary calm after a demanding eSports event?
Or is the game on its way to retirement?
How has the trend for Overwatch developed?
Trend shows decline: The worldwide search interest on Google for Overwatch seems to confirm this declining trend:
In May 2016, the launch – here the interest is of course the highest (100%)
For about a year, until May 2017, the values oscillate between 25% and 40% – that is very strong. We wrote in June 2017 about the “Duracell bunny” Overwatch, which never got tired.
This is why there is so little going on in Overwatch: In July, the first season of the Overwatch League ended, marking the largest eSports event in Overwatch so far. Blizzard apparently invested many resources into the event.
The league is on break – is Overwatch too? After the final matches, the Overwatch League is now in the “off-season”. Here teams can train or restructure themselves. New teams are also joining the league.
Since the end of the Overwatch League, however, everything around the game feels quite bland. Not much is happening, except for what Blizzard sporadically adds to the game:
and the 12th season of ranked play has recently been released.
Perhaps Wrecking Ball came a bit too early. The excitement around a new hero would certainly have jolted Overwatch and shown that the game is still alive.
The World Championship is starting to fade: Right after the league, the first matches for the Overwatch World Cup have begun, the World Championship of Overwatch. Here, country teams from around the world compete against each other.
Especially in Germany, however, this has gone unnoticed. There is no German cast and also little information about the World Cup, even though the finals will already take place at Blizzcon in November.
The Overwatch League was a major topic. The World Cup less.
Is Overwatch now in retirement phase at Humble-Bundle?
Overwatch for a good ten bucks: In addition, Overwatch will already be the main game in the next monthly Humble Bundle. For $12, anyone can purchase the bundle and play Overwatch.
The Humble Bundle often features indie games or games that are meant to find a market again after a long time. For little money, there are good but often just “old” titles here, even if there have been newer games to grab lately.
In fact, Overwatch, with its 2 years, is not yet old enough to have to be “humble” (meaning modest). Although the Humble Bundle donates the profits to good causes, this step feels a bit like the first step into retirement.
What does Overwatch need right now?
More excitement: Since the release of Overwatch, Blizzard has repeatedly generated excitement in the community. With AR games like around the heroine Sombra, the community was kept busy for several weeks.
Even “Papa Jeff”, Jeff Kaplan, made sure that Overwatch always stayed in mind with his public appearances. He himself has become a meme – top-notch publicity.
Since the Overwatch League, such actions have been lacking. The focus seems to have been solely on eSports the whole time.
Jeff Kaplan from the Overwatch team
More story: Overwatch has an extensive story that is hardly told in the game and outside of it. The creation of Overwatch, the crises, and the events that led to the current state would make wonderful stories.
The characters are all more than just arsenals with different weapons that one can choose from in the game. They have depth and profile, from which more could be drawn.
A movie: From the stories that are told in the comics and the cinematics alone, a whole movie could already be made. With the story of Overwatch itself, that would create a large, coherent work – maybe even a series.
More comics, a proper movie or a series or other media would provide a good basis in Overwatch. And they would certainly be successful.
The community constantly wishes for more stories, series, or movies. They just need to come.
Is a shift towards “more story” already becoming apparent?
More lore could come: There are indeed signs that Blizzard wants to do a bit more for the story of Overwatch in the near future. Michael Chu, the lead story writer, wrote in the forums that gameplay changes sometimes occur in the lore.
Whenever the opportunity arises and fits, such changes would also be incorporated into stories. Something like the relationship between Bastion and Torbjörn in a comic is a good example of what Chu could implement in the future.
The recently released cinematic of D.Va, which tells her story, gives many fans hope for more. Now, during the league break and around Blizzcon would be the right time for teasers and new content to wake Overwatch up.
Overwatch as a proper brand: Overwatch could also slowly evolve from a pure game into a brand, similar to how Blizzard’s World of Warcraft has managed. There are already signs of this:
New games could then develop around Overwatch, comparable to Hearthstone for Warcraft, or movies, series, books, and comics could emerge. The signs for that are good. We might learn something at Blizzcon.
When is the release of the FIFA 19 Web App? When does Early Access start and what features and rewards can fans expect? All the information about the Ultimate Team app for FUT 19 is available here.
FUT 19 everywhere: With the Web App on PC and the Companion App for iOS and Android, you can manage your Ultimate Team no matter where you are. These apps allow you to fulfill manager tasks in FUT 19 even when you are not at the console.
For many fans, the Web App and Companion App are part of the FUT experience – additionally, you can secure rewards through the apps.
Before the launch of FIFA 19, the Web App and Companion App will be made compatible with “FUT 19” by EA Sports. You can read all the information about this below.
Update 15.9.: The Web App for FIFA 18 has now been disabled. Preparations for FIFA 19 are underway.
When does the Ultimate Team Web App for FIFA 19 start? – Release date, time
When is the Web App’s release? EA Sports has now confirmed that the Web App will start on September 19, 2018, with Early Access. That’s the Wednesday one week before the release of FIFA 19.
When is the release of the Companion App? The Companion App is basically the Web App for smartphones. In recent years, it has always been available a day after the Web App’s release. For FUT 19, it should go live on September 20.
At what time do the apps start? Expected around 7 PM. In recent years, the apps have been updated and ready for use shortly after 7 PM.
Note: These release dates refer to Early Access!
How do I get Early Access to the Web App for FIFA 19? – Rewards for Veterans
Veteran Bonus: Only FUT-18 players who wish to return in FUT 19 will receive early access. This means they can create their FUT-19 club, open their first packs and manage their club a bit before anyone else, starting on September 19.
These are the requirements for Early Access:
You must have created a FUT club in FIFA 18 before August 1.
This FUT-18 club must be valid until the launch of the FUT 19 Web App.
Additionally, your account must have a “good reputation.” This means that if you have been banned or have otherwise behaved negatively, you may not receive Early Access.
When does it start for players without Early Access? If you are not a FUT-18 veteran, you will only gain access to the Web App when you log into FIFA 19, create your club in FUT 19, and answer a security question there. Then you’ll have to wait until the release of FIFA 19 on September 28, or on September 25 with early access.
What rewards do returning FUT players receive in the Web App?
The veteran rewards depend on several factors, such as how you have behaved in FUT 18. How diligent were you, what is your game history, what reputation does your club have? Therefore, the rewards may vary.
There will likely be “Welcome Back” sets.
Additionally, you will receive daily gifts when you log into the app at least once a day. The gifts usually last until October.
There will also be starter packs that allow you to build a team in advance.
In Destiny 2, the 3rd Seed of Light has been discovered. Apparently, to obtain it, you must enter the new raid “Last Wish”.
That’s why everyone wants the 3rd Seed of Light: The Seed of Light is a rare item that allows you to unlock a new subclass path along with a new super. Each Guardian class has received three new supers with Forsaken, meaning you need a total of three Seeds of Light per character to activate all new abilities of your Guardian.
Receiving the 3rd Seed of Light: According to numerous user reports and evidence videos, the 3rd Seed of Light drops after the first boss encounter.
Whether this drop is guaranteed has not yet been definitely clarified; in any case, the drop rate is extremely high. In this video by Datto, it is shown at the bottom left that five out of six Guardians received the Seed of Light.
First secured source: The first raid boss is now the only known source that reliably drops the 3rd Seed of Light with high probability.
What do the Guardians say about this? When the seed was found, it immediately became a top topic on Reddit:
Many users are astonished that Bungie now wants to force them into the raid to obtain all abilities.
Currently, 11.6% of players on PS4 have completed a raid in Destiny 2. Many Guardians therefore emphasize that a large part of the player base will never receive their third super.
It is an extremely strange decision by Bungie to tie the 3rd Seed to the raid, with “strange” being the most decent adjective. Even in the comments under our raid article, a user states that he finds it “terrible”.
Additionally, there are concerns that many players will leave a raid fireteam as soon as they obtain the seed, especially when playing with randoms.
However, some users also express that they appreciate the effort required for the 3rd super.
Others counter that this will not drive people to the raid. Instead, they will be annoyed and turn their backs on Destiny 2.
Is the raid really the only source for the 3rd Seed?
Rumors about other sources: There are rumors that the 3rd Seed can also be obtained in other ways, such as through Queen’s Bounties or Stage 3 in the Blind Well.
However, there is still a lack of solid evidence or images. The raid is currently the only secured and reliable source for the 3rd Seed.
More locations may come in the future: However, some Guardians hope that Bungie has not introduced a raid requirement after all. Bungie confirmed that with the raid launch, not all secrets and challenges of the Dreaming City have been discovered yet. Therefore, the Blind Well will have even more to offer in the future.
It is possible that there will be additional ways to obtain the 3rd Seed besides the raid. However, this is not confirmed. The future will tell.
If you have obtained the 3rd Seed through other means, please share this in the comments – preferably with proof.
Currently, on September 15th at 9 AM, the raid is still not mastered. The best fireteams have been struggling with the final boss for hours. This is certainly also due to the enemy power level being at 580 …
In The Division today, on September 15th, is the big vendor reset. We present to you the items from the vendors that are particularly worthwhile.
Currently, it is quite calm around The Division. This week, there wasn’t even the server maintenance that usually takes place every Thursday. Until the next global event at the end of September, it will likely remain quiet.
If you’re still out and about in NYC, take a look at the new offers from the vendors, which change every week on Friday night to Saturday. These are the best items.
Recommended Weapons since September 15th
Vendor for advanced weapons: M4 – Lightweight Version with Brutal, Responsive and Dominant. Nothing really special and has rather a low damage roll, but can be useful for players who don’t have one yet. Instead of Dominant, you should take Destructive.
Kerman Station: SRS A1 with Prepared, Cool-Headed and Opportunistic. Although slightly weaker than the M44 or M700, it is still a good precision rifle. Depending on the set, you can either replace Cool-Headed or Opportunistic with other talents such as Increased or Destructive.
DZ03: M249 B with Destructive, Malevolent and Opportunistic. A good LMG for PvE with average damage roll. Instead of Malevolent, you should take Careful or Precise.
The Mods after the Vendor Reset
E 53rd St: Performance Mod with Impulse Crit Chance (+2%)
DZ E 31st St: Electronics Mod (263) with Skill Power (2861)
5th Ave: Performance Mod with Impulse Crit Damage (+2%)
E 64th St: Performance Mod with First Aid Self-Heal (+6%)
The Cavern: Stamina Mod (259) with Hit Points (2989)
Special Equipment Vendor: Stamina Mod (267) with Skill Power (3177)
W 46th St: Ti-RANT Suppressor with Crit Chance (+7.5%), Headshot Damage, Stability and Reduced Threat
Special Equipment Vendor: SR-7 Suppressor with Crit Damage (+19%), Headshot Damage, Stability and Reduced Threat
Camp Clinton: Extended Magazine (+119%) with Crit Damage and Fire Rate
Camp Clinton: VX-1 Scope (12x) with Headshot Damage, Optimal Range and Crit Damage
The Offer of the Special Blueprint Vendors
The vendor in the Terminal brings blueprints of these items:
The players’ pleas have been heard. The rewards from the island expeditions in World of Warcraft are finally being improved. We will tell you how exactly.
Since the release of World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, players have complained that the island expeditions are not worth it. The advertised rewards in the form of toys, pets, mounts, or transmog weapons are far too rare. But that is set to change soon.
What will change? Blizzard aims to “substantially” increase the drop rate for special items at the end of an island expedition. How high that chance will be is still uncertain. In plain language, this means that at the end of an expedition, you should significantly more often receive the following items:
Quest starters
Pets
Mounts
Toys
Transmog items
When is the change coming? The respective hotfix is expected to go live today in America. This means that it will probably be activated here later today (September 15, 2018) in the evening hours.
Why is Blizzard changing this? Blizzard is changing the drop behavior at the end of the expeditions because many players have complained. There are numerous characters that have completed 50 or more expeditions and have not seen any of the special items at all. This should change drastically with the hotfix.
Cortyn says: I personally welcome the changes as I always enjoy collecting items and completing my pet collection. However, I do not believe that the “mass” of players will be satisfied with this. Because aside from a solid amount of artifact power, island expeditions still do not have a true gameplay benefit.
Are you now checking in on the island expeditions more often? Or do these cosmetic rewards not entice you at all? Would it need more than a higher drop rate for the expeditions to be interesting?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Currently, the World-First attempt in the raid “Last Wish” at Destiny 2 is ongoing. A fireteam has spectacularly eliminated the first boss, Kalli the Corrupted.
Raid not yet cleared: In these hours, countless Guardians, who already have a high Power Level, are attempting the raid “Last Wish”. It started today, on September 14th at 7 PM. So far, no one has completed the raid, but the Guardians are fighting valiantly.
Now, at 8:30 PM, the first fireteams have already reached the first phase. A well-known streamer even achieved an impressive kill that the entire Destiny Reddit forum is currently discussing.
Attention: Spoilers ahead!
Kalli the Corrupted has been epicly eliminated
The first raid boss is called Kalli, the Corrupted. This is where most Guardians are currently struggling. Our friend Nexxoss Gaming is still fighting against her.
Defeated at the last moment: The streamer Gunny629 is a bit further along. In the fight against Kalli, he had an “epic moment,” as Bungie tweeted just a few minutes ago. As the last survivor in his fireteam, he managed to deal the final necessary damage to the boss.
This heroic moment was captured in this Twitch clip, which we embed here:
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The joy was immense for the streamer and his colleagues. Also, on Reddit, user posts surged that Gunny629 had made an incredible kill. It was said to be epic to have seen it live.
By the way: Apparently, after the first raid encounter the third Seed of Light drops. Guardians have been wondering how to get it for several days. The answer is: Through Kalli.
The following information is not yet confirmed, but only compiled by users. Enjoy it with caution:
The enemies have a Power Level of 560 at Kalli.
In the room, there are platforms over which glowing emblems float.
When you stand on the platforms, Taken bombs will appear. Trigger the bombs, make sure they don’t kill you, and trigger them again.
After you have detonated enough bombs, a Knight spawns at the platform. Kill him, and the platform is cleared. No more bombs will spawn there.
You need to trigger those six platforms that correspond to the symbols in the middle of the room. If you do it wrong, two ogres will spawn in the middle as a penalty.
Once you have cleared the correct platforms, doors will open in the damage phase in the middle where you can find safety when Kalli fires her weapon. Only one Guardian fits in the safe room per door.
Repeat everything until Kalli is defeated.
Currently, no one seems to have progressed beyond the second boss.
Update 9 PM: “The Legend himself,” Slayerage, is already at the third boss.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
