Pokémon GO: 6 Tips for the Community Day with Eevee – Ideal for Evolutions and Level 42

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 3 minutes

In Pokémon GO, the Community Day Classic features Eevee. It brings bonuses, easy evolutions, and especially a great opportunity for everyone who wants to reach Level 42.

When does the Community Day Classic take place? The Community Day Classic with Eevee runs for two days: On July 5th and 6th, from 2 PM to 5 PM each day.

What happens during the Community Day Classic? Wild Eevee will appear everywhere! As always, there will be an increased shiny chance with them. This means: You can secure many shinies, thus also obtaining many shiny evolutions. Eevee can evolve into 8 different Pokémon.

What does Eevee have to do with Level 42? One of the requirements to level up from Level 41 to Level 42 is to conduct all Eevee evolutions once. This does not apply retroactively – if you already have them all but receive the task for leveling up later, you will have to repeat the whole process. The Community Day is an ideal opportunity for this, as there are not only many Eevee and corresponding candies, but also partially simplified evolution requirements.

To give you the full overview, we share some tips for you here.

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So sah das Pokémon GO Fest 2025 in Paris aus

Evolve your Eevee on Community Day – Here’s how

This is how you evolve Eevee: To get the different Eevee variants, different conditions apply. However, on Community Day it looks like this:

  • Vaporeon: Random
  • Flareon: Random
  • Jolteon: Random
  • Sylveon: Earn 7 hearts with Eevee as your buddy
  • Umbreon: Walk one kilometer with Eevee as your buddy, at night it evolves into Umbreon
  • Espeon: Walk one kilometer with Eevee as your buddy, during the day it evolves into Espeon
  • Glaceon: Evolve Eevee near a Glacial Lure Module
  • Leafeon: Evolve Eevee near a Mossy Lure Module

These conditions apply until July 12th, after which the classic conditions will apply again.

Pokémon GO Shiny Eevee Overview
Eevee, its evolutions and the shinies

Use the Eevee name trick while it’s still possible

This is the name trick for Eevee: With the name trick, you give the Eevee you want to evolve a nickname. When you evolve it, it will surely become the desired Pokémon. However: This can only be done once per account for each evolution. Whether the name trick will be reset for the Community Day Classic has not been announced, but some are hopeful.

The names are:

  • Sparky for Jolteon
  • Rainer for Vaporeon
  • Pyro for Flareon
  • Sakura for Espeon
  • Tamao for Umbreon
  • Rea for Glaceon
  • Linnea for Leafeon
  • Kira for Sylveon

Hatch Eggs

This has nothing to do with Eevee at first, but the Community Day also brings the quarter hatch requirement as a bonus. Make sure to have space in your incubator to hatch eggs faster during the event period.

There are special moves during the Community Day

Eevee that you catch and hatch will know “Last Resort” during the Community Day. And: While evolving your Eevee, you will receive special moves. This bonus lasts until Saturday, July 12th.

  • Vaporeon “Scald”.
  • Jolteon “Thunderbolt”.
  • Flareon “Superpower”.
  • Espeon “Shadow Ball”.
  • Umbreon “Psychic”.
  • Leafeon “Bullet Seed”.
  • Glaceon “Water Pulse”.
  • Sylveon “Psyshock”.

Catch many shinies, make space first

During the event, you have the chance to catch many shinies and gather plenty of Eevee for potential evolutions. Make sure to create plenty of space in your Pokémon storage beforehand to avoid losing much time during the event sending Pokémon.

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Utilize the additional bonuses

In addition to the mentioned contents, you can expect the following bonuses:

  • Lure Modules and Incense last for 3 hours during the event (daily adventure incense does not)
  • In snapshots, you will also encounter Eevee
  • In Field Research, you may also encounter Eevee that may have a special background
  • Utilize the PokéStop showcases with Eevee

What happens next? After the Community Day Classic, the remaining July events will continue. And they are really worth seeing, as there are several Pokémon debuts and interesting bonuses. Want to know what’s happening in July? Then check out our overview! Here you can find all events in July 2025 for Pokémon GO.

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

To officially play the million-dollar game Star Citizen, you have to pay around 60 euros, but right now you can test it for free

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

As part of the Foundation Festival, you can currently play perhaps the most ambitious project in video game history for free. All details about the “Free Fly” event of Star Citizen are summarized by MeinMMO.

How can I play Star Citizen for free? The Foundation Festival of Star Citizen runs until July 14, 2025, and you can try the SciFi MMO for free until then. More than 5.7 million supporters have supported the game so far with over 846 million US dollars (718 million euros, as of July 4, 12:07 AM) (via robertsspaceindustries.com).

Normally, you would have to pay €64.26 for the Standard Edition of Star Citizen. However, there is currently a discount and if you like the game during the free trial, you can purchase it for €54.62. The development of the SciFi MMO has been slow, having been in progress for 14 years. MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz recently had strong words about the MMO.

Here’s how you can play Star Citizen for free:

If you enter a friend code, you will receive 50,000 credits as starting credit.

Start video
Star Citizen: Storm Breaker – Trailer for Alpha 4.2 prepares you for new content

The new Star Citizen to try out

How is Star Citizen doing right now? With the new update Alpha 4.2, the developers have added the “Storm Breaker.” This is a new activity that you can also see in the video above. As part of the current rain crisis, you are supposed to explore an apparently abandoned Lazarus facility on Pyro 1 to uncover what the Advanced Systems Division has been secretly doing there.

To bring items from inside the station to safety, you can transport them using cargo elevators to the shuttle areas. But be careful: a giant sandworm is already waiting for your group there.

With the radiation, a new environmental hazard comes to the universe of Star Citizen. Those who want to enter radioactive areas need special equipment. Characters who attempt to enter without protection and come into contact with radioactive items or animals may suffer injuries or die.

What’s coming with update 4.3? The new Alpha 4.3.0 is expected soon, which according to RobertsSpaceIndustries.com brings a number of new features. These include cooperative zones that distinguish themselves from contested areas and focus on exploration, puzzle-solving, and cooperation. These zones can be found in abandoned underground facilities on all moons of the Stanton system.

New equipment is also making its way into the game: The VOLT Laser Sniper Rifle “Zenith” and the lightweight sniper armor “Ghost,” specialized in stealth and high mobility, as well as the new Medium Utility Armor “Ambrose.”

Gameplay improvements include enhanced ladders for more reliable usage and the introduction of AI FPS turrets that provide new PvE challenges as anti-personnel turrets. The mission system will also be expanded, allowing new missions to be discovered and added to the journal as soon as you enter or approach a certain area.

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A player has spent 1,000 dollars on Star Citizen, but the premium customer support has left him hanging. Why this doesn’t bother him and how the community reacted, you can find out here: Player spends at least 1,000 dollars on Star Citizen, gets premium customer service that does not respond

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

A fan discovers that one of the greatest traitors in Warhammer 40,000 is truly evil – veterans respond: Welcome to the Grimdark

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

Many think the Empire is the “good” side in Warhammer 40,000, but experienced fans know: that is not true. The man who first rebelled is considered a hero by some. However, a user had to realize: the guy isn’t that great and immediately gets a crash course in Warhammer.

Who is the traitor?

  • Horus Lupercal is one of the first Space Marines ever, one of the original “Sons” of the Emperor, before he was bound to his golden throne.
  • Through the Primarch, the Great Brother War, or the “Horus Heresy” occurred, resulting in thousands of Space Marines dying, many more humans, and nearly the Emperor being destroyed.
  • The driving force behind the Horus Heresy was actually not Horus himself, but actually Erebus, one of the first heretics ever.

That’s why Horus is now “suddenly” evil: Horus’ plan back then was to save the universe, as he was convinced that the Empire would lead the world to a slow, suffering doom. Many fans think that he might be right in that regard – but that doesn’t make him nice.

On Reddit, a user writes: “I know people say Big E is evil, but after reading what Horus did on Istvaan III…” He refers to the Dropsite Massacre, the largest assassination of Space Marines in history.

There, Horus lured several chapters of Space Marines to the planet in order to obliterate them with a virus bomb. Virus bombs are a type of Exterminatus, a weapon capable of destroying entire planets.

Even for such weapons of mass destruction, virus bombs are still cruel: they release a devastating virus that can spread across the planet within minutes, penetrate armor and breathing apparatus, and cause any organic matter to rot in seconds. The gases released eventually ignite planet-wide. Horus not only annihilated other Space Marines but also his own – as collateral damage.

In the new Warhammer series Kill Lupercal, it is about the fight of the Empire against Horus and the attempt to destroy the traitor with a massive titan:

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Kill Lupercal: The Official Trailer for the New Series in the Warhammer 40,000 Universe

“Big E is evil, Chaos is evil, the T’au are evil – Welcome to the Grimdark”

In the comments, users now say: Just because Horus did something bad, it doesn’t automatically mean the Empire is good. Fans have known for ages, that the Emperor isn’t really that nice. He fights for a united humanity and does so with all violence. Anyone who refuses will be exterminated, even if they are completely peaceful. The Empire is an absolute dictatorship.

Accordingly, many players, especially newer ones, sympathize with Horus and his idea of destroying the Empire. The fact that the traitors follow the Chaos gods is either seen as a necessary evil or not even that bad. After all, the gods seemingly offer freedom – with an emphasis on seemingly.

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Something like “good people” doesn’t really exist in Warhammer: Chaos is evil, the Orks, Tyranids, Aeldari, Necrons… they are all not on the morally good side. Even the seemingly peaceful T’au are inherently totalitarian and not really interested in general peace.

The thing about Warhammer 40,000 is more about finding a faction that you can identify with best and that seems the most reasonable (or coolest) to you. You are never the “good guy” anyway: a user asks if anyone was shocked during their first time with Warhammer 40,000, receiving seasoned responses

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

He got Windows 95 running on a PlayStation 2 and learned firsthand why it is considered one of Sony’s most complex consoles.

Yana Yana Reading time 2 minutes

A modder installed Windows 95 on a PlayStation 2. This experiment impressively demonstrates why Sony’s cult console is still considered one of the most complex of its kind decades later.

The YouTuber and tech enthusiast MetraByte set out to get Windows 95 running on a PlayStation 2. He showcased his results in a detailed video on his YouTube channel. As reported by PC Gamer, the journey was anything but easy. Windows 95, which is almost 30 years old, was originally designed for x86 processors, while the PS2 uses a MIPS-based processor that is not compatible with this architecture.

Anyone who likes consoles should also take a look at the Switch 2. In this video, we show you what Nintendo delivers with the Switch.

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A Tech Experiment Between Nostalgia and Limits

How did the project unfold? Once it was clear that Windows 95 would only be bootable on the PlayStation 2 with an emulator, the real challenge began for MetraByte: Windows 95 was originally developed for the x86 processor architecture, while the PS2 runs on a completely different MIPS-based processor.

To get the operating system running on the PS2, he first had to install an x86 emulator on the comparatively weak hardware of the console. With just 294 MHz clock speed and 32 MB of RAM, the PlayStation 2 is hardly built for such tasks, which significantly limited performance.

In addition to the limited resources of the PS2, compatibility issues with input devices were also a challenge. For example, no mouse could be connected to the system. Instead, only a combination of keyboard and controller worked somewhat acceptably, making operation difficult and limiting the user experience.

Why was Windows 95 chosen? Windows 95 is still considered a milestone in Microsoft’s history. Although it has long been replaced by more modern operating systems, it is still operational in parts of US infrastructure, such as airlines. For many modders, the system represents a symbol of technical nostalgia and efficiency – small, fast, and iconic. This fascination was likely the trigger for MetraByte’s project.

Was the attempt successful? MetraByte was indeed able to start Windows 95, but the result was far from a functional operating system. The main goal of many such projects, namely to run the game Doom, failed. The performance was too poor, and the input options were too limited. Ironically, Doom had already run on calculators, LEGO bricks, and even a pregnancy test. But on the PS2 with Windows 95, it just wouldn’t run properly.

The PlayStation 2 is still considered one of the most iconic consoles of all time, but it was never particularly beginner-friendly when it came to software development. Its Emotion Engine, the main processor, was powerful but also complicated. Developers often struggled with undocumented features and proprietary interfaces, which still affects the modding community today.

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Windows 95 is still operational in critical systems like the American air traffic control, even though it is already 30 years old. After a complete failure in New Jersey, it has now been decided to urgently invest billions in the modernization of this outdated infrastructure, a mammoth project with enormous costs.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 3Djuegos
  2. PCGamer

One of the most important petitions for gamers has indeed reached its goal, but there could be a problem

Christos Tsogos Christos Tsogos Reading time 2 minutes

One of the most important initiatives for gamers is “Stop Killing Games,” which aims to ensure that games remain playable forever. At first, it seemed to be fading away, but now enough signatures have been collected to be relevant – unfortunately, there might be a problem.

What is Stop Killing Games? The mentioned initiative, founded by YouTuber Ross Scott, addresses the short lifespan of games. The trigger for the initiative was the shutdown of the servers for The Crew – Ubisoft therefore offered no support to fans who had already spent money.

For Ross Scott, this was an unfair practice toward consumers, and that’s why he wanted “Stop Killing Games” to empower gamers to fight for their games. Petitions were launched in various parts of the world to collect signatures. The goal is to get developers to stop treating their games like licenses that they can do whatever they want with.

If developers no longer want to support their game, this initiative should ensure that fans have the right to set up private servers so that the respective communities can remain active in their favorite games.

The minimum number of participating supporters is 1 million signatures, and that goal was recently reached with the help of other YouTubers and streamers. One might think that’s a great success, but there could be a problem.

Start video
The Crew: The trailer for the racing game MMO

Signatures must be verified

What’s the deal with the signatures? In a petition, errors can occur that distort the actual result. As Ross Scott explains in a short video on YouTube (Source: YouTube), reaching the milestone of 1 million signatures is great, but one shouldn’t get too excited.

He compares these errors to players who don’t know what they’re doing in their games – like those who like to run into walls and hit them. According to him, these errors are not counted in the initiative and are therefore considered invalid.

Therefore, Ross believes that more valid signatures need to be collected to compensate for those who, as the YouTuber said: “cannot write their own name correctly.”

In total, at least 10 % more signatures need to be collected. 20 % would be better, and with 40 % more signatures, one would be almost on the safe side. That is the first problem, but there is another one – fake signatures.

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Why are fake signatures bad? They not only distort the result, but they could also have consequences. As Ross mentioned, this is not a “Change.org” petition, which is viewed with less respect – this is a governmental process that is taken seriously.

These fakes can cause problems, and if something like this gets uncovered, investigations by Euro-, Interpol, and the FBI (depending on the location of the forgers) could take place to identify the culprits.

It is unclear whether there would be penalties, but Ross cannot completely rule it out – especially not if the initiative has received many fakes. The YouTuber advises against such actions.

How many signatures are now real? Ross cannot answer that exactly, as the fakes blur the results. However, he estimates there are 600,000 to 700,000 official and valid signatures. It remains to be seen whether the petition will eventually go through or fail to meet the necessary minimum due to the fakes. More about the petition and the surrounding drama can be found here: Twitch streamer must be held accountable for wanting to destroy games – goes even further

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

New shooter on Steam already has thousands of players, even though you can’t officially play it yet

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

On Steam, thousands of players are playing a new shooter that isn’t even out yet. In it, you search for a way out of a building complex where zombies, other players, and deadly gas want to take you out.

What game are we talking about? We are referring to The Midnight Walkers, a hardcore FPS from the developer Oneway Ticket Studio. In this Extraction shooter, you fight your way out of a mega complex filled with zombies and other players.

The Midnight Walkers is set to release in Q4 2025, but on July 4, 2025, the developers already launched a closed beta. You can still sign up for it. To do so, go to the Steam page of the game and click “Request Access” on the green banner. 

  • If you get a spot, you can download the beta immediately. Make sure to have 14 GB of free space on your hard drive for the download.
  • The beta had more than 3,700 players on Steam at peak, and it just started recently (Source: steamdb.info)

Here you can see a new cinematic trailer for The Midnight Walkers:

Start video
The Midnight Walkers: Cinematic-Trailer zum neuen Hardcore-FPS mit Zombies auf Steam

Zombies are just the least of your problems

What is the game about? In The Midnight Walkers, you are a survivor of the zombie apocalypse. As such, you are trapped in the Liberty Grand Center: A building complex consisting of a shopping mall, a hospital, and a casino across several floors. 

Each floor of the building is haunted by zombies. There are several variants, including: 

  • Acid-Spitters, which spit acid and can hit you even from a distance
  • Smashers, hard-to-defeat combat colossi that have powerful area attacks
  • Rammers, living battering rams that scatter groups of survivors

Along the way, you collect loot with which you craft your own equipment. Alternatively, you can trade items with other players on the marketplace and secure new gear that way. But beware: Those players can also become your enemies in the next round.

In addition to zombies and humans, you also have to deal with toxic gas. This is randomly released on various floors and guarantees death if you are exposed for too long.

If you want, you can dive into the doom of The Midnight Walkers solo or as a trio squad. If you succeed in escaping, you can take your loot with you into the next run or store it safely. However, if you die, you lose everything you had with you.

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Meanwhile, many exciting offers await during the Summer Sale on Steam. Among them is a zombie game that our editor Nikolas Hernes is so excited about that he could buy it twice. You can read more about it in his article: A zombie game on Steam is so good that I want to buy it again just to play it on the train

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

Pokémon GO: Water Festival 2025 brings new Pokémon, a good Shiny chance and bonuses

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO the Water Festival is coming up. The event features a new Pokémon, along with Shinies and some bonuses.

When does the Water Festival start? The event begins on July 15, 2025, at 10:00 AM. It will run until July 20, when it ends at 8:00 PM.

What is the highlight? This is the debut of Nigiragi! This small fish Pokémon also brings its three forms – the curved, the hanging, and the stretched form. The Pokémon will be available in Level 1 raids.

The special thing about this is that these are regional forms. You can get them in different locations.

  • The curved form is available in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
  • The hanging form is available in America
  • And the stretched form in the Asia-Pacific region

Additionally, there are further bonuses and content that you can utilize.

Start video
So sah das Pokémon GO Fest 2025 in Paris aus

All Bonuses of the Water Festival 2025 in Pokémon GO

Besides the debut of Nigiragi, the event offers the following bonuses.

  • An increased Shiny chance for Sterndu and Galapaflos
  • Rain modules last for two hours
  • You will get more candies for nice, great, and excellent throws
  • The scarf Lapras returns in raids, and it may have a special background when you catch it

In the wild, you will encounter various water Pokémon. Possible Shinies are marked with an asterisk*. These Pokémon can appear:

  • Squirtle*
  • Slowpoke*
  • Krabby*
  • Staryu*
  • Magikarp*
  • Marill*
  • Barboach*
  • Feebas*
  • Finneon*
  • Wailmer*
  • Lanturn
  • Swablu*
  • Pelipper
  • Galapaflos*

In raids, you will encounter:

  • Shellder*
  • Chinchou*
  • Nigiragi
  • Kingler
  • Gyarados*
  • Lapras with scarf*
  • Azumarill
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Otherwise, typical event content is on the agenda. There will be field research and collector tasks, and there is again an optional ticket available in the shop that grants you time-limited research. Overall, several interesting events are coming up this July, bringing new Pokémon. The perhaps most exciting one is called “Steel and Scales”, all information here.

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

Investor Warren Buffett says: The most important financial decision you can make has nothing to do with the stock market

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

Warren Buffett is among the richest people in the world. However, he repeatedly states that the most important decision in the end is not the choice of a stock package, but the choice of a partner.

Warren Buffett is one of the most well-known and successful investors in the world. In a conversation with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, he stated that the most important decision for financial success is not the choice of a stock package.

Instead, he explained, the choice of a partner is much more important. For this person will accompany you for the rest of your life.

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The choice of a partner is more important than a stock package

This is what Warren Buffett said: Warren stated in 2017 during a conversation with Bill Gates that the choice of a partner is much more important than buying a package on the stock market. He said (via gatesnotes.com):

One should surround oneself with people who are the kind of person one would like to become. You will move in that direction. And by far the most important person in this regard is your partner. I cannot emphasize enough how important that is.

And he added that the choice of the right person ultimately has little to do with beauty, character, or sense of humor. In a conversation at the Most Powerful Women Summit in 2015, he remarked (via fortune.com):

If you want your marriage to last, choose someone with low expectations.

Is Warren Buffett married? Yes, he has been married twice:

  • In 1952 he married Susan Buffett and had three children with her: Susie, Howard, and Peter. His wife died in 2024 at the age of 72 from a brain aneurysm.
  • After her death, Buffett remarried, to Astrid Menks, who had been close friends with him and Susan for years.

In another conversation, he recounted that there had been two important turning points in his life: The first was when he was born, and the second was when he met Susan, his later first wife. It was also his wife’s unconditional love that motivated him for many years.

In 2001, Buffett spoke before students at the University of Georgia (via YouTube.com):

The problem with love is that it cannot be bought. The only way to get love is to be lovable. It is very frustrating when one has a lot of money. One likes to think one could write a check: I will buy love worth one million dollars. But that’s not how it works. The more love you give away, the more you get.

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Warren Buffett is one of the most famous investors in the world. In recent days, many individuals lost a lot of money. But Buffett has applied the right strategy and even made profits: While Elon Musk is currently losing billions, Warren Buffett shows how to earn money in 2025 nonetheless

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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Elder Scrolls Online developer studio loses hundreds of employees despite their new MMORPG about to take off

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

A developer studio that belongs to ZeniMax Online Studios, the makers of Elder Scrolls Online, is now losing hundreds of employees and the new MMORPG they have been working on seemed to be doing quite well.

Who is it about? Following the major layoff wave from Microsoft, the cancellation of the new MMORPG from ZeniMax Online Studios was also announced. They had been developing an AAA MMORPG parallel to Elder Scrolls Online since 2018.

Little was known; job postings revealed they were developing their own engine, and the project was assigned the codename “Blackbird.” According to anonymous sources IGN reported, the MMORPG was supposed to take place in a sci-fi universe.

Yet players will not get to see the MMORPG just like its employees.

Here you can see what is currently happening in Elder Scrolls Online:

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The Elder Scrolls Online: Seasons of the Worm Cult – Part 1 – Release Trailer

Hundreds of positions cut, despite good development

How was the development going? The gaming magazine IGN talked to several anonymous sources who supposedly have insights into the project. However, it is unclear who exactly they are. The sources report that the team at ZeniMax Online was actively working to advance the development from the concept phase to full production. The development was going accordingly well.

How is a video game actually developed?

A video game is developed in various phases. In the conception phase, the framework of the game is established from the initial idea to the prototype of core mechanics. In full production, the features of the game are fully developed. This is followed by alpha and beta phases aimed at testing and improving features as well as addressing performance and bugs in the game before it is finally released.

According to the report, Xbox had already approved ramping up development and had also deployed some employees from Elder Scrolls Online and the closed Arkane Studios as reinforcements.

IGN reports, citing anonymous sources, that Matt Booty, Head of Xbox Game Studios, allegedly said in a meeting regarding the closures of “Arkane Austin,” “Tango Gameworks,” and “Alpha Dog Games,” that they are also there to meet the staffing needs for other studios including ZeniMax Online Studios.

The production was reportedly on a good path, and the new MMORPG was indeed supposed to be realized. However, everything changed on July 2.

What led to the shutdown? The exact circumstances of the layoffs are still unknown. Industry insider Jason Schreier reports on BlueSky that chaotic conditions exist at ZeniMax Online Studios. According to him, employees reportedly have no access to their work profiles on Slack while they themselves haven’t learned of their layoffs yet.

According to the report from IGN, all employees who worked on the new MMORPG have been laid off. This affects hundreds of positions at ZeniMax Online Studios and likely also includes employees who were transferred from other teams. Even the head of ZeniMax Online Studios is clearing his desk.

The sources from IGN have informed them that they learned of the layoffs from the media for the first time. According to the report, they still do not know how extensive the cuts are and who is affected. The anonymous sources also confirm Jason Schreier’s reports that first came the blocking of Slack profiles and only later did the HR department inform them about the layoffs.

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What the future looks like for ZeniMax Online Studios and whether Elder Scrolls Online is also affected is still unclear. The MMORPG set in the Elder Scrolls universe is still very popular among players and ranks among the largest on Steam: The 10 MMORPGs with the most players on Steam in July 2025

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

Twitch streamer explains how hard it is to read false claims about oneself: “There are only extremes”

Johanna Johanna Reading time 2 minutes

The Twitch streamer Niklas “Niekbeats” Grosse talked in his livestream about obsessive viewers who claimed things about him in comments that were not true. He explained how he thinks this happens and how he wants to deal with such comments in the future.

Which Twitch streamer is being talked about? The Twitch streamer Niekbeats has over 298,000 followers on his eponymous Twitch channel and managed to entertain an average of 833 viewers per stream last year (Source: SullyGnome). In his streams, he plays everything on the colorful gaming palette, from story games like Death Stranding 2 to multiplayer games like Chained Together.

He also repeatedly advocates for feminist issues. A clip circulated on TikTok in which he stated that men are the reason women feel insecure. Comments gathered under the video doubting the credibility of the Twitch streamer’s statements, claiming to know how he really is.

In response to these claims, Niekbeats pointed out a larger problem that, according to him, many Twitch streamers have with their viewers.

Start video
These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google

“See me as a completely normal person”

What do the comments say? In a stream excerpt that Niekbeats uploaded to YouTube, Niekbeats talks in detail about the comments. The comments claim negative things about him, which Niekbeats denies: “What kind of defamation is this!?” (Source: YouTube).

According to him, these are false claims and the comments provide no solid evidence for their statements.

How does Niekbeats explain such comments? The Twitch streamer sees the explanation in fans idealizing Twitch streamers. If a Twitch streamer’s actions do not fit the ideal image of the viewer, the viewer will completely turn away and vilify him.

Niekbeats says: “You are either perfect or traitorous, false or aloof. There are only these extremes. There is only this black-and-white thinking.” (Source: YouTube).

Additionally, some fans have a sense of ownership. Since they support the content creator, they believe they have the right for this person to behave according to their expectations. If this is not the case, for example if the Twitch streamer addresses other topics, it can be seen as “betrayal,” according to Niekbeats. This can also quickly escalate into hate and stalking, he says.

Finally, Niekbeats says that online comments are often not real criticism, but rather a group dynamic. Niekbeats continues:

I can only keep saying that you should not idealize anyone out there. (…) Your opinions, your statements, they have an impact. You should not always think that your anonymous comments on the internet leave nothing behind, instigate nothing, or incite nothing.

(Source: YouTube)

Niekbeats then appeals to his viewers: “Please see me as a completely normal person. A completely normal person who reads this and thinks ‘How awful is it to read such things about yourself on the internet’.” (Source: YouTube).

In the future, Niekbeats wants to highlight similar comments or is considering displaying the comments he read in his stream.

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Other content creators also struggle with intrusive viewers. A former German YouTuber spoke in an interview about his experiences. You can read more about this on MeinMMO: One of the first major German YouTubers was so besieged by his fans that he felt like a Pokémon

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Niekbeats auf YouTube (auch Bildquelle)

A king from The Lord of the Rings was very wise, yet he did not realize that his brother was rising to become the greatest villain in Middle-earth

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 2 minutes

In the universe of The Lord of the Rings, there is a character who does not appear in the films. Yet his influence on the world was significant and contributed to the emergence of a great villain.

Who is meant? Those who have only seen the films of The Lord of the Rings probably do not know the name Manwë. Yet the character is important for the fate of Middle-earth.

Manwë was one of the first beings created by God Eru Ilúvatar himself – the Ainur. They were further divided into different groups such as the Maiar or Valar – Manwë belonged to the latter and was even their Supreme.

He bore the title “King of the World” because he ruled over the entire planet Arda. During this time, he was as close to his creator god as no other being. Manwë understood how God thought and what his goals were.

He was particularly interested in the element of air and everything related to it. Not without reason was he also called “Lord of the Air” by some. Manwë especially cared for those living beings that were directly connected to this element. Like birds, among them the great eagles, who rescued Frodo and Sam at the end of “The Return of the King”.

Start video
Epic Trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship

A wise ruler who overlooked everything

How did Manwë behave? As the ruler of Arda, he was always concerned with keeping everything in sight. From his palace at the summit of Mount Taniquetil, hardly anything escaped him. He was married to Varda, who was also called “Bearer of the Stars” and also belonged to the Ainur.

When Manwë and Varda were together in the palace, the king was able to see even further. He was very wise and used his great empathy for the living beings among other things to bring elves and humans together. Additionally, he made sure that the kingdom of Númenor did not perish.

In one regard, however, Manwë made a serious mistake that would bring much suffering to Middle-earth.

What was Manwë’s mistake? He had a very famous brother, but it was not yet known how terrible his actions would turn out. This brother was Melkor, who was greatly possessed by greed for power and brought evil into the world.

Manwë freed Melkor from his captivity because he did not understand what evil is. Despite his great wisdom, he was blind to his brother’s dark thoughts. This led to Melkor’s rise and eventually to his transformation into Morgoth. As such, he terrorized Middle-earth.

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However, Manwë will also be remembered for another important act: He sent the Istari to Middle-earth. The Istari were the five wizards, including Gandalf and Saruman.

They were sent by Manwë to assist the free peoples in the fight against evil. It is, therefore, thanks to the ruler over Arda himself that the wizards confronted the evil, including Sauron. We had the Istari compete against each other on MeinMMO: The Lord of the Rings: The 5 strongest wizards of Middle-earth in the power ranking

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

WoW: A brilliant addon helps you farm the rarest mounts

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

A simple addon for World of Warcraft makes farming mounts easier. You can see at a glance what you still need.

In World of Warcraft, there is currently a strong buff that helps you when farming mounts from the past. The drop chance for almost all mounts from all expansions older than Dragonflight is increased by a whopping 5%.

To keep track of which mounts are affected, which ones you already own, and where you need to check urgently, a member of the WoW community wrote an addon for this. “Collector’s Bounty Helper” quickly became a fan favorite.

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Only 6 people have a success in WoW – and they don’t know why

What does the addon do? The addon “Collector’s Bounty Helper” is relatively minimalist and thus perfectly fulfills its purpose. It neatly lists in a small window which mounts currently have an increased drop chance – and exactly how high that drop chance is.

Additionally, it tells you the difficulty of a dungeon or raid where the corresponding mount can drop and whether you have already tried your luck with the current character in the ongoing ID or if you still need to visit the corresponding boss.

A simple to-do list for the best mounts in WoW

Where can you find the addon? You can download the addon from the relevant page on Curseforge. If you use an addon manager like the Curseforge app from Overwolf, you can also find it there via search and install it quickly. Otherwise, follow the steps in our guide for installing addons.

Once you have installed the addon, you can call it in the game using the command “/bh” or “/bountyhelper”.

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After Nostalrius came WoW Classic, now the end of Turtle WoW must lead to WoW Classic Plus
von Karsten Scholz

The community loves the little addon: In the WoW community, the addon is extremely well received, quickly gaining popularity. Within just a few hours, it already has over 20,000 downloads and a corresponding post on the game’s subreddit is also gaining popularity. Some of the comments include:

  • “This is really fantastic, thank you! Now I can finally throw away my Excel spreadsheets!” – HerbologySlut
  • “The hero we need, but don’t deserve.” – Randomcentralist2a
  • “This is exactly what I was looking for!” – gr717

Even though the addon still has a few small bugs and sometimes fails to track certain raid completions correctly, the author seems to release new updates every few hours to address the community’s wishes.

In general, addons are controversial in World of Warcraft. However, such “collector addons” are often used and generally considered quite popular. Unlike modifications that interfere with the combat mechanics of WoW – Blizzard has now taken action against these addons.

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

26 years ago, Steve Jobs introduced a computer whose revolutionary idea was a door

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

Steve Jobs introduced a new computer at the Macworld Expo in 1999: The Power Macintosh G3. This modular system is still considered remarkable today. Apple itself moved away from the modular design years later.

What exactly did Steve Jobs present back then? Steve Jobs appeared at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco in January 1999 and introduced to the world for the first time a new computer: The Power Macintosh G3 in blue and white (known in English as “Blue and White G3”).

The special thing about this device was not only its striking design but also the high modularity of the computer. Especially the casing of the Power Macintosh G3 is known today for its easy expandability: The side panel could be opened with a simple gesture, granting very user-friendly access to the components. This door or flap was considered a small revolution back then, as the new computer could be upgraded more easily than most systems at the time.

This is especially a major difference compared to modern systems. Many system manufacturers like HP, Dell, or Apple themselves now sell PCs that rely on proprietary components, which are hardly replaceable or soldered in.

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In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?

The Power Macintosh G3 was considered a small revolution back then

What kind of computer is this? The Power Macintosh G3 featured the “Blue and White G3” model with a striking blue-white case and transparent elements. However, the remarkable aspect was the previously mentioned modularity. Behind the opening side panel, users had direct access to all PC components: four RAM slots, several PCI slots for expansion cards, and easy access to hard drives and other components.

The technology seems outdated from today’s perspective: Inside was a PowerPC G3 processor (up to 450 MHz) and a fast 100 MHz system bus. It also supported up to 1 GB of SDRAM, and for the first time came with 2 separate USB and FireWire ports, as well as an ATA hard drive controller.

What significance does the computer have for Apple? The G3 was the first to utilize the “New World ROM” architecture, which supported the operating system Mac OS X and thereby accelerated and simplified hardware and software development at Apple.

Apple abandons modularity in 2013 and returns in 2019

The Mac Pro models (often referred to as “cheese graters”) were classic tower PCs. They were very modular: Users could easily swap or upgrade RAM, hard drives, graphics cards, CPUs, and PCIe cards themselves. Apple sold these until 2013.

From 2013/2014, Apple adopted a new design, known as the “trash can” model (officially Mac Pro 2013, also called “Trashcan”). The problem: The very compact design was hardly upgradeable, only RAM and SSD could be replaced with significant effort, but no other components. Apple wanted users to connect expansion cards and other components externally via Thunderbolt.

Only in 2019 did Apple once again introduce a Mac Pro in the classic tower design that is very modular again. Users can easily swap or upgrade RAM, SSD, graphics cards, and PCIe cards.

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In 2007, Steve Jobs publicly presented the iPhone for the first time. What hardly anyone knew: The device did not work properly during the presentation, and the developers had to come up with a plan to prevent this fact from being revealed: In 2007, Steve Jobs presented the first iPhone: The presentation became legendary, but the device did not function properly

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

EA wanted to create the perfect MMO with Anthem, but instead of salvation, now comes the coup de grâce

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

Anthem was supposed to be something big: An action MMO where you could feel like Iron Man together with friends, shoot down enemies and loot. Now comes the final blow for the failed project: EA announces the shutdown of the servers for 2026.

When will the servers go offline? These will be shut down on January 12, 2026, as the publisher EA announces (Source: ea.com). Until then, Anthem will still be playable, but not afterwards. 

Anthem was designed to be an online-only title so once the servers go offline, the game will no longer be playable. 

Starting today, you can also no longer purchase premium currency for the in-game shop. However, you can spend what you have left until the final server shutdown. From August 15, 2025, Anthem will also be removed from the list of EA Play titles.

Here you can see a trailer for Anthem:

Start video
Anthem shows the four different combat suits in the launch trailer

A lot of wasted potential after disappointing release

What happened to Anthem? The action MMO was released in a poor state: The core gameplay was fun, but the gameplay systems around it were not. The loot was especially criticized. The story, actually a strength of developer BioWare, fell short of expectations.

Shortly after the release, the developers abandoned all plans for new content and first worked on improving the game’s framework. The goal was Anthem 2.0, a sort of relaunch of the MMO. This was meant to improve everything and become BioWare’s own “No Man’s Sky” moment. But Anthem 2.0 was ultimately shelved as well.

The news that the servers of Anthem will now be completely shut down was received quite differently. Many didn’t even know that the servers were still up – others still have a heavy heart, as they actually liked the game. And sometimes this is mixed, as the reactions on Reddit show.

  • “TIL the servers were still running. Too bad this wasn’t a No Man’s Sky, Cyberpunk 2077 sort of deal where they fixed it over time.. Super unfortunate, this game had tons of potential.” (Gardevoir_Best_Girl on Reddit)
  • “Dammit. I’ve really enjoyed playing Anthem with my wife. It’s the best Iron Man simulator ever made.” (Transientmind on Reddit)
  • “Damn shame about that game. I genuinely really like a lot of it like the gameplay, graphics and traversal. But it’s just so empty and repetitive. Here’s hoping it can inspire a better game.” (Macapta on Reddit)

The BioWare team thanks everyone for their dedication, passion, and support over the years, adding in an attached FAQ that the termination of Anthem will not lead to layoffs.

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The timing of this announcement is unfortunate: The Europe-wide petition “Stop Killing Games” recently actually hit the 1 million signatures mark. If the measures demanded there come into effect, players might well be able to play Anthem forever. You can read more about it here: Initiative to save video games had little hope, YouTubers and Twitch streamers come to the rescue

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

A player encounters something strange in Dune: Awakening, sees a huge giraffe, the community immediately knows where it comes from

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

In Dune: Awakening a player made a strange discovery. Before his eyes, a huge giraffe appeared, walking through the world. The community knows immediately what it’s all about.

What was that appearance? In Dune: Awakening, there are few animals on the arid desert planet Arrakis. However, player SuperMW5768 recently made a big discovery on Reddit. A giraffe walked through the game world on his screen.

But instead of being a bug, this is a feature that many players have missed so far. The community clarifies the incident.

Here you can see the giraffe:

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Link to the Reddit content

Spice hallucinations at your fingertips

What about the giraffe? The giraffe that the user saw on his screen was not a bug; on the contrary, it belongs to Dune: Awakening and is intentionally in the game. As users explain on Reddit, the giraffes are part of the spice hallucinations in the game.

If players consume a lot of spice and go through cold withdrawal, they experience hallucinations that change the game world. Other players report about their trips on Reddit:

  • Davidhalljr15: “I haven’t seen any giant animals yet, but the desert has transformed into a dead forest a few times.”
  • Curious-Yam-9685: “I saw a giant whale flying by.”
  • Helpful-Recipe9762: “You mean Baron? He is real.”
  • best-of-judgement: “Once a bunch of Bene Gesserit-like people emerged from the ground and just pointed at me as I rode by on my sandbike. It totally scared me.”
  • Mr-Bandit00: “I saw it raining between hammer and anvil; many people were fighting with swords in the rain. What really impressed me were the textures of the roof tiles on my house changing because they were wet. In a game on a planet without water, there were wet textures for the roof tiles… hmmm…”
  • Melbonium: “I saw the snow coming down, a lot of animals, and a person in the middle of it all.”

Since spice hallucinations appear only rarely, many players are surprised when they actually see one. Even though the game explains the mechanics in the first hours, many gamers have already forgotten this mechanism by the time they encounter it.

Here you see what to expect in the future of Dune: Awakening:

Start video
Dune: Awakening – Das ist die Zukunft des MMOs

Have you ever experienced a spice hallucination, and if so, what did it look like? Feel free to write it in the comments. If you’re currently relying on your airplane, you should better be careful: Dune: Awakening wanted to make everything better with the new patch, but one feature is currently causing frustration among players.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Reddit
  2. Foto von Frans van Heerden via Pexels.com

Uncle wants to buy figures from Warhammer 40,000 for his nephew, doesn’t know how to proceed, gets complete purchase advice from the community

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

For Warhammer 40,000, there are not only video games. Actually, the game is a tabletop with miniatures and is considered absurdly expensive. An uncle wanted to buy a starter army for his nephew and asks for help. Veterans know exactly how to save.

So the uncle needed help:

  • On Reddit, a user explained that his nephew is starting to get interested in Warhammer. Not surprisingly, he wanted to get him an army.
  • Since the nephew caught wind of the situation, he contacted his uncle directly: if he could wish for something, he would like the wild and warlike Orks. Specifically: “Get me some orks my brotha!!”
  • The user’s plan was to spend about 200-300 dollars. He asked the community for a kind of “starter set, if there is such a thing.” And indeed, there is.

This is what he now purchased: Dozens of comments advise the uncle and offer him help in choosing or even finding Warhammer stores. The unanimous recommendation: A Combat Patrol.

Armies in Warhammer are divided into “points”; the more points available, the larger the armies, and the correspondingly longer the game. Combat Patrols are “small” armies for fewer points, designed for short and quick battles. In the end, the uncle had in his shopping cart:

  • a Combat Patrol of the Orks, which is also available for 170 dollars or 130 euros in the official webshop
  • the Ork Codex, which explains the rules of the various units and provides some lore (in the 10th edition for 60 dollars or 47.50 euros in the official shop)
  • paint and tools, with veterans recommending various brands here – the official partner Citadel Colors is often a good choice but can be expensive, and there are cheaper alternatives like Vallejo

If you are not familiar with Warhammer: the armies come in the form of individual figures, all of which are in individual parts in plastic frames. An important part of the hobby is assembling and painting the figures. The individual parts allow you to customize armies, for example with different armament. One of the most popular weapons is the bolter.

Start video
Das sind die Orks, die verrückte Pilz-Spezies aus Warhammer 40.000

Start the sinfully expensive hobby at a lower cost

Warhammer is generally considered extremely expensive. This is not only due to the armies themselves, which can easily cost thousands of euros. A good part of the costs comes from the paints, as these get used up.

Particularly fans want very special color combinations for their miniatures. Especially with the Space Marines, there are dozens of different chapters with their own heraldry, and anyone who wants to play a specific chapter paints it accordingly.

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Offers like the Combat Patrols in Warhammer 40,000 or spearhead in Age of Sigmar are designed to allow you to quickly and with less cost enter the hobby. Alternatively, such figures can also be 3D printed, but such “proxies” are usually not allowed in tournaments and are also frowned upon in friendly games at the local Warhammer shop.

If you want to spend less but are interested in Warhammer, you can find many good video games related to Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. These cost only a fraction of an army and often provide the same gaming experience, just without the hands-on part of the hobby.

If you are only interested in the world and the lore, you can even completely forgo the games. There are hundreds of books about Warhammer that introduce you to the universe and tell exciting stories. Tips on this can be found here: There are over 350 books about Warhammer 40,000 – These are the 15 best to get into the world

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

„The best Marvel movie of the last decade“: Fantastic Four shows new images, creating a great hype among fans

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 2 minutes

Marvel fans can soon expect a new movie. The Fantastic Four are returning to the big screen in a new version. Fans are eagerly anticipating the release, which is partly due to an important decision.

The latest film from Marvel Studios will hit theaters on July 25, 2025. “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is the first film in the series to be released under Marvel. Previously, 20th Century Fox held the rights, but the studio was acquired by Disney in 2019.

Since Marvel is known to be part of Disney, the new Fantastic Four can now kick off the sixth phase of its own cinematic universe.

A new video, called “First Look,” has been released on YouTube. In it, fans get more insights into the film, which will soon be released and will feature one of the smartest heroes of all time.

Start video
The Fantastic Four: First Steps shows its practical effects in the new video

Real Sets and Costumes

What does the new video show? The First Look, which lasts 1:27 minutes, features a mix of trailer footage and behind-the-scenes scenes. The actual images from the film were largely already known through the trailers.

Rather, it is scenes from behind the camera that are generating excitement among many fans. The retro-futuristic world of Fantastic Four has been largely built authentically. The sets were constructed in the studio halls with great attention to detail as much as possible.

The video already shows individual streets, buildings, a laboratory, and a fictional Times Square. Robots are happily roaming around, and everywhere there are flashing lights. Many effects, like explosions and the costumes, are supposedly real – which is not a given in the CGI era.

Of course, the film will not completely avoid using computer-generated effects; however, essential parts were evidently built for real. This is a return to earlier times, when films like Star Wars relied heavily on practical effects.

This dedication resonates well with fans. In the comments on YouTube, many express their excitement:

  • “I love seeing more practical things and not just how they walk around in front of a green screen,” writes TheComicNerd97.
  • “No wonder the trailer looks so realistic because they use as many practical effects as possible,” comments enailelei.
  • “Practical effects are rather rare these days, especially in Marvel movies. It’s nice to see they’re slowly coming back into play,” adds benjilovesfruit.

Also beyond the effects, many fans are very excited about the new film and are creating hype in the comments. User lindamasha3552 even goes so far as to predict: “This will be the best Marvel movie of the last decade.”

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What do you think of the shown material? Does it also spark as much enthusiasm in you? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” features, among other things, a very powerful character: A powerful character in Marvel can easily take on Thanos and the Avengers, even though he is just a child.

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

6 powerful beings you can ally with as a Warlock in Dungeons & Dragons

Caroline Fuller Caroline Fuller Reading time 7 minutes

Warlocks in Dungeons & Dragons draw their magic and power through a pact with mysterious beings, demons, or other entities that grant their followers a portion of their power in exchange for their services. But which of these beings are particularly powerful and suitable for your warlocks?

What are these beings? The pact beings, referred to as “Otherworldly Patrons” in Dungeons & Dragons, are not just the sources of a warlock’s power. They are powerful entities from other planes of existence that possess access to different kinds of powers.

A patron rarely grants their power without a sacrifice. They often expect one or more favors of varying magnitude to be done by the warlock in return. 

Some patrons enjoy distributing their powers to as many followers as possible and care little for the existence of individual mortals. But there are also those who enter into a single pact and can exert much influence over the warlock.

The D&D rulebooks include various beings that can be chosen by a player for their warlock based on the setting, campaign, and background, but also simply by virtue of their advantages.

How was this list created? Since the various Otherworldly Patrons can vary in strength depending on the situation and the character, this list is not a ranking. However, it includes 6 pact beings that provide strong advantages and may facilitate the choice of a patron for one’s warlock. 

[toc]

Here you can see the trailer for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves:

Start video
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – Second Official Trailer for the Movie

The Great Old One

Cultists of a dark entity
Cultists of a dark entity (Image source: D&D Beyond)

The Great Old One is suitable for players who want to draw their power from something unknown and ancient, which might drive some characters in the D&D universe to insanity. Due to its eerie and cultic themes, it fits well into campaigns that venture into the realm of horror. The Great Old One is (as the name suggests) often an ancient being with a wealth of hidden knowledge that a warlock might strive for or flee from to avoid falling into madness.

The abilities granted by the Great Old One are quite powerful, but can also be very situational. However, this subclass is not particularly complex, making it suitable for beginners without being boring for an experienced player.

The spells of the Great Old One warlock are less offensive and work more outside of combat, where they can truly be very useful.

Examples of Otherworldly Patrons:

Ghaunadar (“That Which Lurks”), Tharizdun (“The Chained God”), or the Great Cthulhu.

Best Features:

  • Awakened Mind: You can telepathically communicate with creatures that do not need to speak the same language as you starting at level 1.
  • Dominate Person (5th-level spell): On a failed Wisdom saving throw, you can control a humanoid target.
  • Telekinesis (5th-level spell): You can move objects and/or creatures at your will. Creatures can attempt to save with a Strength check, but if they fail, you can move or throw them up to 9 meters in various directions.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Titelbild: Wizards of the Coast Marketing Material, D&D Beyond
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Developers are dumbing down their shooter to appear on console, immediately losing 50% of positive reviews – will still be a bestseller

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

The tactical shooter Ready or Not is being torn apart by fans on Steam: They accuse the developer of “censorship.” Currently, this seems to hardly harm the game’s success, even though the Steam rating is suffering significantly.

What kind of game is this? Ready or Not is a tactical shooter by the developer VOID Interactive on Steam. Players take on the role of SWAT officers who become involved in dangerous but also very realistic missions.

Here you can see the trailer for the full release:

Start video
Ready or Not shows a new trailer for the full release

This very realism is now somewhat lost for many players, which is why there is an outpouring of negative reviews. The developers have made some changes to the game to get a release on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

In summary, the changes affect mutilations and gore, nudity, as well as explicit portrayals of violence and abuse against children. To avoid maintaining two versions simultaneously and to not affect crossplay, they adopted these changes for the PC version as well.

  • Players on Steam now call this censorship and express their frustration. Overall, the game has 86% positive reviews there, but the recent ones are “mostly negative” with 35%.

MeinMMO recently reported on this:

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How much is this harming the game? So far, it seems not at all. The negative influx is not directly affecting the Steam sales of the game, Ready or Not is a bestseller: 

  • In Germany, the game is currently in the top 20 bestsellers (Source: Steam)
  • Internationally, the game even ranks 19th and 13th in the USA

Currently, there is also no negative trend in player numbers on Steam; on the contrary: Since June 27, when the changes were announced, even more players are playing the shooter than in the weeks before (according to steamdb.info). 

The rising player numbers and sales are likely due to the Summer Sale. The game is currently 50% off on Steam and costs only €24.99 instead of €49.99. However, it cannot be said how many decided not to purchase due to the negative reviews.

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It never leaves a good first impression when your game gets poor ratings on Steam – no matter the reason. In the case of another shooter, reviews even warned against acquiring the game for free. You can read more about it here: Players do not even want one of the best loot shooters on Steam for free – Now the developers have spoken out

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

Initiative to save video games has little hope, YouTubers and Twitch streamers rush to help

Johanna Johanna Reading time 2 minutes

YouTuber Ross Scott has launched a petition “Stop Killing Games” as a way to fight against the shutdown of game servers. Initially, hope for the project was slim, but then some content creators stepped in to help him.

What is this initiative about? Ubisoft announced in December 2023 that their game The Crew would be unplayable starting in April 2024. The servers were shut down, and playing the game was no longer possible, even though players had purchased the game. Ubisoft showed their players that they do not actually own the game, but rather a license to play it.

This was the trigger for the “Stop Killing Games” initiative. YouTuber Ross Scott, the owner of the YouTube channel Accursed Farms, started the initiative and demands that games should remain in a functional state forever. Developers should either always provide servers for gameplay or allow the use of private servers.

To support the demands, petitions have been started in several countries. In the EU, a European Citizens’ Initiative has been launched. If 1 million valid signatures are collected, the European Commission is required to address this issue.

Start video
The Crew: The trailer for the racing game MMO

Content Creators Rush to Help

What is the current status? With his own reach, Ross Scott apparently isn’t getting far enough. One of his latest videos, “The end of Stop Killing Games” on YouTube, has gained wider attention.

He states that for him the project has reached more or less its end, even though he has put in a lot of work in the form of interviews and videos. The deadline for the EU petition, for example, only goes until July 31, 2025, and Scott Ross himself has little hope that the figure of one million signatures will be reached.

The rather depressing tone of the video likely motivated other content creators to bring attention to the petition. Content creators like Jacksepticeye, Ludwig Ahgren, Asmongold, and penguinz0 are now discussing the initiative and thus giving the project more reach.

The collaboration of the content creators is having an effect: the EU petition now stands at over 980,000 signatures, so not much is missing.

If you want to support the petition as well, you can do so at europa.eu.

Under a video by penguinz0, Scott Ross wrote: “Thank you for telling people about this. If that isn’t enough to get people to pay attention, I don’t know what else could be.” (Source: YouTube).

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If the petition is to be discussed within the European Commission and if subsequent legislation changes are made, there is a chance that the USA would follow suit with their own corresponding laws. However, whether and how this will happen remains to be seen.

The controversy surrounding The Crew also had consequences for the second part of the car game, both positive and negative. You can read more about it on MeinMMO: 6-year-old racing game suddenly has 35,000 players on Steam, yet is still poorly rated: “Stop destroying video games”

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Accursed Farms auf YouTube
  2. penguinz0 auf YouTube