The analysts at Piper Jaffray have released their estimates regarding the likely commercial success of major games in 2018 and 2019. It involves questions like: How many subscriptions does WoW still have? Will Red Dead Redemption 2 outperform Call of Duty and Battlefield V? How strong will Destiny 2 “Forsaken” and Anthem be?
Where do these numbers come from? Analysts Michael J. Olson and Yung Kim work for Piper Jaffray. This is an American investment bank. They have now presented their estimates for the following companies:
Electronic Arts
Take Two
Activision
Along with Ubisoft and the platform owners (Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo), these are the largest publishers for games in the West.
What are the data actually for? These estimates are partly tied to stock prices – information that investors use to decide which company they want to invest their money in.
What do the data mean for us? For us gamers, these are not investment tips, but interesting discussion topics. They show how professionals assess the situation. And they are paid to be right with their estimates. However, they are certainly not infallible.
The analysts always present a “bad case” and a “good case,” i.e., an upper and lower limit for their estimate. The papers state the “units sold” in millions. For Call of Duty, it is believed that between 19.4 and 23.7 million units will be sold.
How many are still buying Destiny 2 “Forsaken?” The large expansion Forsaken in the fall is expected to be purchased by between 7.2 and 8.8 million Destiny 2 players. That would be quite substantial.
However, other analysts thought before the launch of Destiny 1 that 20 million units would be sold. The exact numbers for Destiny 1 and Destiny 2 are unknown.
Activision was very satisfied with the sales of Destiny 2, but then criticism set in after the initial months.
How successful will Anthem be? The shooter from BioWare, which is set to launch in 2019, is not expected by analysts to achieve great sales success. With between 4.1 and 5 million units sold, Anthem would be more of a second-tier game for EA. Here further monetization as a games-as-a-service would be crucial.
By the way, experts consider FIFA 19 to be a safe hit.
How many subscription players does WoW still have?
How many subscriptions does WoW still have? The MMORPG classic World of Warcraft is estimated to have between 5.4 and 6.6 million subscribers. However, it is noted that this could increase if the expansion does well.
These subscription numbers put WoW far from the record numbers during the Lich King era, but analysts believe that World of Warcraft has remained stable since 2015. At that time, Activision Blizzard stopped publicly disclosing subscriber numbers and was around 5.5 million.
With these subscription numbers, WoW would still be a cash cow for Activision Blizzard. The WoW subscriptions alone would generate higher revenues than the massive Overwatch. In Hearthstone, analysts also see an incredibly lucrative project.
For “Battle for Azeroth,” analysts predict 3.6 to 4.4 million units sold.
Who will win in 2018? According to the analysts, both Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII and Battlefield V will sell significantly more units than Red Dead Redemption 2. This is mainly because Red Dead Redemption 2 will not be released for PC; Call of Duty and Battlefield V will be.
Whether the analysts are right with all their assessments or if there will be any movement remains to be seen in the coming months. Hard to believe with the current heatwave, but in just a few weeks, the Christmas business for the big companies, the most important time of the year, will start.
Bungie brings another roadmap update for Destiny 2. Some long-awaited Year 2 features are now arriving earlier than previously thought. We have summarized all the important changes for you.
In just under six weeks, the big Forsaken expansion for Destiny 2 will be released. The autumn add-on brings numerous new features that fans have been waiting for a long time. However, as Bungie communicated through a roadmap update, some of these features will be available before the launch of the autumn add-on. This is Bungie’s new plan leading up to the Forsaken release.
Preload for Forsaken – Patch 2.0.0 comes earlier
The second year will be ushered in with two downloads:
The first comes on August 28 and already includes update 2.0.0. This is also the preload for Forsaken.
The following update 2.0.0.1, which will be released on September 4, is the day-one patch for the Forsaken expansion.
The following features will be available to all Destiny 2 players starting August 28:
By the way: Not all features of update 2.0.0.1 will be playable on September 4. Special events like Iron Banner will start later. The new Crucible maps will also be released at a later date.
Further information will follow in the coming weeks.
What do you think about being able to experience some features before the launch of the Forsaken expansion?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Netherlands have classified loot boxes as gambling, which is now showing its consequences. For example, in the MOBA DotA 2. There, players can preview the loot box before buying. But the system also has a major catch.
Contents of Dota 2 loot boxes are now known before purchase
Loot boxes must be viewable. Valve must adjust the mechanics of loot boxes in DotA 2. Therefore, players now know what they are actually buying.
Even before purchase, it is possible to take a look inside the boxes to see exactly what is inside.
Advantages and disadvantages. The new system brings not only advantages but also some limitations.
Advantages:
You can now see what is in the loot boxes before buying them
You should no longer spend too much money hoping to eventually get the item you want
You won’t be frustrated when you receive items you can’t actually use
Disadvantages:
It is no longer possible to buy multiple loot boxes at once
The contents of the boxes are account-bound
It is no longer possible to sell or trade the items
Even with a “reset”, the contents of a loot box you’ve opened remain the same
The chance of getting a rare item is still very low
The system could lead to disappointments. Even though you no longer buy a pig in a poke, the system is likely to lead to disappointments. There is already criticism of it.
Because when you open a box, you will see what is inside, but you will still essentially have to purchase it if you want to be offered a new one.
You still can’t avoid buying multiple loot boxes if you are looking for a specific item. Knowing that you have to buy a box that offers contents you don’t want is disappointing and frustrating.
Some players are also angry because Valve now exploits this kind of “loophole” to continue selling loot boxes that not everyone can use.
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The lucky Pokémon in Pokémon GO are active and apparently have minimum values for the IV distribution.
Now activated: On the evening of July 25, the Pokémon GO team activated the lucky Pokémon. You can receive these unusual Pokémon by trading with other players. The monsters require less Stardust for powering up.
Minimum values against poor specimens: Trainers were worried that they would get lucky Pokémon with poor IV values. If a player finds the IV values particularly important, it might hardly be worth improving “bad” Pokémon. But Niantic seems to have considered this.
First buggy, now correct?
The players’ concerns were justified: What good is a lucky Pokémon if it has poor combat values? At least for players who particularly value battles, IV values are crucial. And shortly after the feature was activated, there were some alarming moments.
38% IV as a lucky Pokémon: Trainer xchasex shared a screenshot of his lucky Unown with the community of TheSilphRoad. It had IV values of 12.5,0 – only 38% of 100%. He received it shortly after the activation of the lucky Pokémon. Trainers were disappointed. Niantic couldn’t be serious about this.
In the meantime, there are better Pokémon: A few hours later, reports from satisfied trainers increased. Trainer M4JOR4 writes that he received 3 lucky Pokémon in a row, all with at least IV values of 10,10,10.
Poor values just a bug? The community assumes that the poor IV values of monsters shortly after the feature was released were caused by a bug. Niantic seems to have fixed this now. It appears that lucky Pokémon are particularly fortunate and come with strong IV values. Therefore, the cheaper power-up is significantly more worthwhile.
The following screenshot was shared by Trainer darnruski on Reddit. It shows how from Magikarp and Dragonite with poor IV (32% and 48%) lucky Pokémon with good IV (93% and 93%) were created after the trade:
Initial conclusions about lucky Pokémon in Pokémon GO
Here are the following observations from the community:
Older Pokémon have a higher chance of becoming lucky Pokémon when traded
Trainers report that the chances for captures from 2016 are very high
It is suspected that the IV values of lucky Pokémon lie at a minimum of 10,10,10
There may be a limit to how many lucky Pokémon can be received in a day
Shiny Pokémon can also become lucky Pokémon (Source)
Keep in mind that Niantic only recently activated the feature. It is possible that changes to the system or possibly to the IV values of lucky Pokémon are still pending. Have you received lucky Pokémon yet? What are your IV values?
Until now, it was not confirmed, but now there is finally clarity. There will be no time-exclusive DLCs for The Division 2 that will be available on a specific platform. This was announced by Creative Director Julian Gerighty via Twitter. This is especially good news for players on PS4, who had to wait for The Division 1.
It was already announced at E3 that all expansions for The Division 2 will be released for free in the first year. Despite this good news, there were concerns in the community. Could Ubisoft set time-exclusive DLCs for a specific platform again?
Fortunately, this is unlikely to happen again. As Julian Gerighty, Creative Director at Massive, confirmed via Twitter, there will be no such exclusive DLCs for The Division 2.
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Big problem in The Division 1: In The Division 1, the DLCs of the first year were released one month earlier for PC and Xbox One. This led to, combined with the other issues, that the game was struggling with at that time, frustration in the PS4 community.
We reported back then about the dilemma with time exclusivity.
Thus, this practice robbed the curiosity and a lot of fun for those who had to wait for the time being. Fortunately, we will not face a similar situation with The Division 2.
DLCs for The Division 2 will be free in the first year
Already at the presentation of The Division 2 it was announced: All DLCs of the first year are planned to be released for free. According to the roadmap, three major expansions will be released, all of which will
provide story content,
map expansions,
and new activities
As for the plans for the time after, nothing is currently known.
Fortnite: Battle Royale (PC, PS4, iOS, Switch & Xbox One) has usually brought the new challenges on time at 10:00 AM every Thursday. But last week and this week it didn’t happen. So when are the challenges coming then? We have the correct time.
Hey, where are the challenges? From the middle of Season 4 and in Week 1 of Season 5, everything was fine. Every Thursday at exactly 10:00 AM, new challenges were introduced to the game. Millions of fans sat in front of their screens eagerly waiting for the new tasks.
In Week 2 it was different; the tasks only arrived around 3:00 PM. And in the current Week 3 of Season 5, it doesn’t seem to be going any better either.
Week 3 challenges only in the afternoon
When will the new tasks come? If you check the task list at 10:00 AM, you will only see a disappointing “In 5 hours” there. This probably means that you can’t expect the new tasks before 3:00 PM. If anything changes, we will let you know here. Until then, you can at least study the leak of the Week 3 tasks in Season 5. It should largely be accurate.
The latest challenges here with us: As always, we have already prepared a lot of guides and info articles for all the tasks from Week 3 for you. So when the challenges of Week 3 go online, we will again post our article on it as usual. So stay tuned!
The last raid of WoW: Legion receives further nerfs. A hotfix should make progress bearable again!
Since the big patch 8.0, not everything works smoothly in World of Warcraft. Many enemies deal too much damage after the item squish, and even fights against normal mobs sometimes turn into real boss encounters. Blizzard continuously releases hotfixes to gradually fix the issues. Now, the last raid “Antorus” is back in the crosshairs. A hefty 10% reduction in damage applies to all creatures here. And that, despite already having a significant nerf.
Our author Leya has looked at the new update NEXT in No Man’s Sky before; she had previously turned a cold shoulder to the game, but particularly the multiplayer made the space adventure appealing to her.
The universe and its endless expanses have always attracted me. Even as a baby, I loved watching the spaceships in space when my parents watched a Star Wars movie. I even twisted my neck while sucking on the bottle just to stare at the little universe on the screen – at least that’s how I was told.
This deeply rooted fascination for the sea of stars and No Man’s Sky could have fit so beautifully together. I could have explored and discovered distant planets with my crew like in Star Trek. Yes, that would have been it.
2016 brought disappointment and forgetting: No Man’s Sky was supposed to offer an exploration of space in sheer infinity but it didn’t. The promised vibrant world with complex algorithms, where players were to embark on a fantastic discovery journey together, was absent.
When I realized that, my interest faded and I removed No Man’s Sky from my memory. It never landed on my hard drive.
No Man’s Sky has undergone a significant transformation in the last two years.
The update NEXT changed that and I took the plunge
I grabbed a few friends and we kicked off right on time for the PC launch of NEXT.
This time I was not disappointed: Right from the start, the graphical update stands out and the planets shine in vibrant colors with dreamy textures. I often found myself just standing still to admire the picturesque clouds, the colorful grass, or the odd curious creature.
The randomly generated landscapes of No Man’s Sky now invite you to dream and almost resemble a surreal painting.
The start was a bit awkward and I died in under a minute: My crew and I were directly dropped onto a merciless planet filled with poison. For a change, there was also a storm here and there – made of poison. This also led to my quick demise.
In my next attempt, I was a bit smarter and knew which resources I needed to quickly gather to keep my life support systems intact.
The survival aspect is mild: While No Man’s Sky has the survival element, it is quite manageable. When I die, I get a marker showing where I can retrieve all my equipment. No one else can take it except me. Additionally, the game at least initially explains quite clearly what my next steps should be and how I can survive.
A starter planet that consisted only of corrosive poison clouds caused a bumpy start.
The real heart is the real multiplayer
I would never touch No Man’s Sky solo: No matter how much I enjoy the infinite universe with its mysterious facets, that very vast infinity can quickly become lonely. Because in the long run, I would find it tedious to make all those discoveries by myself. It wouldn’t be fun to quietly and still gather resources or zoom from planet to planet alone. For that, No Man’s Sky is simply too quiet at its core.
Shared joy is double joy: A particularly lovely experience is to set off together with your ships into the unknown and discover a new planet. Here I feel a step closer to my dream of being part of a researching star fleet. Showing each other the surroundings, resources, exciting caves, or animals makes up a large part of the fun. Just like planning future goals together.
Multiplayer offers joint missions, bases, and modes
The multiplayer is intelligently implemented: No one is solely the host, which gives us a lot of freedom in the group. While one person went to feed animals on planets, another was busy in the character editor.
It is also always possible to join an ongoing group and just participate. Whenever I did this, I always ended up relatively close to my crew. All modes can also be played together as long as the same difficulty setting is in place.
Free building with the entire group: I am particularly looking forward to building a joint base with my team. Messages have already been flying back and forth about where we want the base to be. One thinks it would be ideal near the water, while others prefer to build underground. Everything is possible. It feels a bit like Robinson Crusoe in space.
With hyper-speed, it’s off to new planets!
Will No Man’s Sky convince in the long run?
What about long-term motivation? At this point, where I have played for a few hours, I find the long-term motivation difficult to assess. No Man’s Sky is a huge sandbox where everyone has to find their own purpose. That also makes part of the appeal.
Constant new content and events promised: But with NEXT, No Man’s Sky takes another step forward and moves more in the direction of “Games-as-a-service“. The regular events could indeed bring the much-needed variety and motivate me.
At the moment, I enjoy the journey: I don’t know yet if I will leave No Man’s Sky sitting in the corner again in two weeks. But for the moment, it is a pleasantly calm yet moving journey. It comes quite close to my dream of being part of a lively universe that I explore together with my crew.
The submachine guns in Fortnite were strong last night, but since midnight, Epic has significantly nerfed them. We explain how the patch hit.
What happened? Last night at 1 AM our time, Epic hit hard with the nerf hammer on the submachine guns. The patch was a hotfix, so it is already active. The submachine guns have been nerfed today, on July 26.
Submachine guns are now rarer, slower, less accurate, and deal less damage
How exactly were they nerfed?
For the normal submachine gun and the new “P90” submachine gun (“micro submachine gun”), the hit bonus was reduced from 35% to 15%
The damage of the submachine gun was previously 19/20/21 and is now 17/18/19
For the P90, damage falls from 23/24 to 21/22
The fire rate of the normal submachine gun decreases from 13 to 12
The fire rate of the P90 decreases from 11 to 10
For all three submachine guns, there is a damage drop at greater range – this affects the normal submachine gun, the suppressed one, and the P90
The range of the three submachine guns drops from 2400/3500/5000 to 2000/3000/4000
The percentage decreases from 100/80/65% to 100/70/40%
Additionally, the drop chance of the rare submachine gun and the P90 has been lowered
Submachine guns should be an alternative to shotguns
When is the nerf active? It is already active. The nerf came via hotfix last night at 1 AM our time.
What does that mean? Submachine guns are to be weakened especially at longer distances, but they are also significantly weaker at close range.
What is the context? For a long time, shotguns were the overpowering weapons in close combat in Fortnite. The SMGs were supposed to be buffed to an alternative with the last patches. Apparently, it was overdone, and now measures are being taken against it. Especially the new submachine gun, the P90, was probably too strong and disrupted the balance of Fortnite.
Will it stay that way? Epic says that the changes are not set in stone. They will be monitoring the data and reacting accordingly.
After the nerf of the submachine guns, building might be next
This is what Epic plans next for the balance: Currently, Epic is working on making building weaker. There were already changes to the hitpoints of buildings in the last patch 5.10. Additionally, they are planning to introduce a sniper that can shoot through walls.
Interesting: The drum gun is also considered strong. It is not affected by the changes. It could therefore become the new trend weapon in Fortnite.
A Destiny 2 fan has designed a sexy version of the Cabal Emperor Calus. We will show you what that looks like in this article.
Leviathan is retiring soon: With the Forsaken expansion, Emperor Calus along with the Leviathan will be sent into retirement. While the raid can still be played, there will be no new content for it and a new raid is coming into focus.
Homage to the Emperor: As a sort of final honor, the artist TheMaestroNoob, who is active on the platform DeviantArt among others, has now created a sexy version of the Cabal leader. TheMaestroNoob has already gained recognition in the Destiny community with his provocative designs of Atheon and Oryx. His previous works have been well received by the community.
It’s possible: He has shown that it is indeed possible to glam up Calus with his latest work.
Calus looking good? This is what it might look like
Calus and looking good? Although beauty is known to be in the eye of the beholder, Calus was not necessarily intended as a participant in a beauty contest. The inner beauty of the Cabal Emperor can also be questioned, as much revolves around pomp, excess, and power.
This is Sexy-Calus: In the course of his work, TheMaestroNoob has tried not to stray too far from the original setting but still draw an alternative view of the Emperor. Here is his interpretation of Sexy-Calus:
The community also appreciates his latest creations and, as before, they are generating a lot of jokes and witty remarks on Reddit. From “What, Calus was ugly? How dare you?” to “I certainly wouldn’t just be fighting there,” it all has been said.
Many players are itching for new raids. We will tell you when it starts in WoW: Battle for Azeroth.
For many players of World of Warcraft, everything revolves around raiding. The maximum level must be reached quickly and the gear optimized to make it in the dungeons – just to be ready for the raids as fast as possible. But when do the raids in Battle for Azeroth start? The in-game calendar now reveals the dates.
It all kicks off at the beginning of September: The first raid in Battle for Azeroth will be Uldir, a research facility of the Titans in Nazmir. Here the origin of the Blood Trolls is explored and plenty of titan experiments can be observed.
The exact openings for the individual wings and modes are as follows:
September 5: Uldir opens on Normal and Heroic
September 12: Uldir opens on Mythic, the LFR wing “Halls of Containment” opens
September 26: The LFR wing “Crimson Decent” opens
October 10: The LFR wing “Heart of Corruption” opens
In America, the wings open one day earlier, as maintenance takes place there on Tuesdays.
Blizzard has now confirmed these dates for the opening of Uldir in the official forum.
Only 3 weeks of preparation: In summary, this means that players have exactly three weeks after the launch to reach the maximum level and gear up in mythic dungeons to be ready for the raids – at least if they want to compete at the top.
Some players criticize that they would have liked more time to enjoy the new content at a leisurely pace. They feel rushed by the schedule. Others would have preferred an opening on day one so that they wouldn’t have to wait for dates.
Are you excited about the new raids? Or are you taking it easy in Battle for Azeroth and taking all the time in the world?
The shooter, previously referred to as a free Overwatch alternative, can now be downloaded from Nintendo’s e-shop.
Paladins is now Free2Play on the Nintendo Switch
After a successful early access phase that began on June 12, Paladins has officially launched as a Free2Play title on the Nintendo Switch. Previously, only players who purchased a founder’s pack could access Paladins.
For the first time, Paladins is available on a platform before Overwatch. Chris Larson, Executive Producer of Paladins, expresses his excitement:
We are thrilled that so many players have already played Paladins on Nintendo Switch and have become fans of the game. It feels great to now open the gates and welcome all Nintendo Switch players to Paladins.
The Switch version of Paladins boasts smooth gameplay at 60 FPS and is designed to benefit from the mobility of the Nintendo Switch. Additionally, there will be crossplay with Xbox One. Sony still unfortunately opposes crossplay features.
New Champion Available: The Deadly Ninja “Koga”
With the Switch release, the Paladins developers are also introducing a new champion. Koga, the ninja, will now be available for players to choose from.
What can the deadly ninja do? Armed with submachine guns and sharp claws, Koga is capable of climbing behind enemy lines and causing chaos. He will be the first champion whose abilities do not require cooldowns. Instead, his attacks will cost energy.
Koga, betrayed by his master: Koga was regarded as the most skilled ninja from the “Guild of a Thousand Hands” until he was betrayed by his master Zhin.
New Battle Pass with Ninja Theme
The new battle pass will be themed around ninjas, fitting for the new champion. This is included in the new battle pass:
Includes a mount
75 levels that unlock various content, including new looks for Makoa, Cassie, and Mal’Damba
The battle pass can be completed 25% faster and lasts one month longer than the previous one
Check out the release trailer for Paladins on Nintendo’s Switch here.
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One of the most enigmatic factions in The Division are the Hunters. Who are they? What do they want? Why are they hunting agents? A YouTuber summarizes fan theories and evaluates how likely they are.
The Hunters are probably the most dangerous faction in The Division. They made their first appearance with the Survival DLC, where they roam in survival mode:
So who are the Hunters?
What drives them?
Many clues are not provided by The Division, yet fans eagerly speculate about what the Hunters are about.
What we know about the Hunters
The Hunters are fast, behave more intelligently than the usual NPC enemies, and use Shade technology, just like the Division agents. However, their armor and weapons are stronger. If you get too close to the Hunters, they can take you out with a single melee attack.
They have only one goal: Their only victims are Division agents of the first and second wave; they do not attack civilians or other factions. Some videos and pictures show that they collect the watches of killed agents. The first encounter took place in the Dark Zone; their origin is unknown.
The appearance of the Hunters is characterized by masks, and overall they have a menacing aura. This is underscored by the fact that the Hunters do not make a sound during fights. They do not communicate, at least not with words or recognizable gestures; apparently, they understand each other blindly and silently.
In which modes can the Hunters be encountered? By now, the Hunters have spread throughout Manhattan. In these game modes, you must fear for your life:
In survival mode, the Hunters appear when you want to extract the virus data in the Dark Zone
If you are underground, you should be careful; Hunters can suddenly appear after each phase
If you reach wave 15 in resistance mode, you will also be confronted by the Hunters
You will also encounter them in legendary missions
Who are the Hunters? What do they want?
There are already various theories and speculations about the identity of the Hunters. The game itself provides hardly any clues, so fans had to be creative. The YouTube channel NGN Network presents the most common theories and analyzes them.
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1. Hunters are former first-wave agents and belong to Aaron Keener
According to this theory, the Hunters are the elite unit of Aaron Keener, sent to prevent Division agents from obtaining data on the virus.
What are first-wave agents? The first wave was the first Division sent to Manhattan to secure the area that would later become the Dark Zone. They failed and were trapped in the Dark Zone.
To prevent the Hunters from becoming a threat themselves, they are equipped with as little background information as possible.
Are the Hunters already preparing for The Division 2?
What speaks for it? From the government’s perspective, this approach makes sense. The first wave is dead or rogue and thus dangerous. The second wave found out that their predecessors were abandoned by the government, doomed to die in the Dark Zone.
This also fits into the dark setting of The Division. In the book “New York Collapse,” it is stated that there are multiple divisions within the Strategic Homeland Division. So what if the Hunters represent another faction within the Division?
What speaks against it? The explanation that they do not receive real background information does not completely rule out that the Hunters could eventually become a threat themselves. Does such a practice of concealment make sense when you are sending out a stronger unit each time that could potentially go rogue?
There are simply so few concrete pieces of information that it is impossible to say how likely any of these theories are. We are looking forward to learning more in the sequel.
Theory 4 fits some hints regarding The Division 2
If the fourth theory is correct, it would put Aaron Keener’s betrayal of the U.S. government and the Division in a different light. Perhaps it also relates to the hints that Massive made regarding The Division 2 and a twist after the story?
This would fit particularly well with the story trailer for The Division 2. In this, a warning is issued at the end that enemies can also lurk within the government and the Division.
But how do you save a nation when the enemies are part of it?
We are excited and hope to learn more soon, especially in the sequel.
Aaron Keener was their leader, the first traitor. He rebelled and pulled some of them to his side. Those who resisted were hunted.
What speaks for it: The Hunters use Shade technology, which was actually reserved for the Division. Added to this are their above-average abilities, with which they stand at least on par with the agents.
During the campaign, Aaron Keener kidnaps Dr. Vitaly Tchernenko, who may be able to develop an antidote for the virus. He also possesses the data needed to produce the virus. It would fit Keener to gather an elite team to protect the virus and related data from unwanted access.
Sending the Hunters into the Dark Zone to prevent other agents from gaining data about the virus would therefore fit Keener’s plans. It would be bad for Keener’s plans if the virus suddenly became harmless because an anti-serum was developed. The virus could no longer be used as a weapon or leverage.
What speaks against it: The equipment of the Hunters is at a significantly higher level. Their abilities also exceed those of first and second-wave agents:
How did they acquire the equipment?
Why are they faster and apparently better trained?
We have already encountered first-wave agents before the Hunters were even in the game. They looked different and had similar equipment to the second wave. The Hunters are significantly more dangerous.
2. Hunters are former first-wave agents but do not belong to Aaron Keener
This theory is very similar to the first, only in one crucial point does it differ. The Hunters are first-wave agents and act on their own. They do not belong to Aaron Keener. Because he wanted to eliminate all agents who did not join him, the Hunters had to hide in the Dark Zone and cut off all contact with the outside world.
Unfortunately, this also meant losing contact with the rest of the Division. When, finally, with the second wave, more agents appeared, the Hunters might have mistaken them for first-wave agents.
What speaks for it: At first glance, it sounds far-fetched, but considering the mental state of the agents, it does not seem so illogical. Isolation in the Dark Zone with constant fear and the eternal struggle for survival? Plus Aaron Keener and his traitors breathing down their necks? Not even a trained soldier can handle that. The Hunters are alone and seek revenge for the betrayal.
The timing fits as well: In survival mode, a blizzard rages in Manhattan. This could have been the ideal time for the Hunters to attack, as the Division was weakened by the storm and the crash.
What speaks against it: Here too, the problem is that the Hunters are on a completely different level than normal first-wave agents. Even isolated training cannot be the reason, as not enough time has passed for their skills to improve so drastically.
The question of why the Hunters’ equipment is so much better also remains unanswered.
3. Hunters are Russian agents
A popular theory suggests that the Hunters could be agents sent by the Russian government to New York to rescue Dr. Tchernenko. Proponents of this theory believe: Tchernenko is of great importance to the Russian government for gathering data on the virus and maintaining an advantage over other countries.
In the Russian consulate, Tchernenko may have contacted the Hunters to get him out. This failed; Tchernenko was kidnapped by Keener and the Last Man Battalion. Now the Hunters are hunting all Division agents to obtain data on Keener’s and Tchernenko’s whereabouts.
What speaks for it? Not much. The timing may fit; it also seems somewhat possible. Nonetheless, there are too many inconsistencies.
What speaks against it? It is unlikely that the Russian government would deal with the U.S. while the virus rages at their own doorstep. A political agenda takes a back seat during such catastrophes.
Every country would use its resources to maintain control of the situation within its nation. Most likely, countries like Russia have already launched their own investigations and have their own data on the virus.
4. Hunters are the third wave of the Division
Yes, you read that right: This theory suggests that the Hunters are a third wave of Division agents. With the end of the Division story, most enemy factions were left without leaders; the situation in Manhattan has stabilized somewhat. Thus, the second wave fulfilled its purpose.
The government wants to cover up its failure: However, the failure of the government was also exposed. This failure led to the events surrounding Aaron Keener and the first wave. Keener later attempted to actively recruit second-wave agents. A real threat, considering he was able to convince most of the first wave.
Currently, hardly anyone outside of New York knows what has happened. This is also supported by the fact that the Hunters are collecting the SHD watches of the agents, as these recorded a lot of data about the events. They want to prevent this data from “getting out.”
The government now considers the second wave the greatest potential threat in New York. They decided to send a third wave, more dangerous and better equipped, to eliminate the second wave.
Hunters as the third wave to “clean up”? So the Hunters are a backup plan, meant to prevent another rogue wave and make information disappear to cover up the government’s failure.
Trained for this and equipped to eliminate as many Division agents as possible. They operate particularly brutally to create the impression that they belong to one of the hostile factions.
Nothing hints at the identity of the individual Hunters, as they wear masks and have no other identifying marks. Thus, the government cannot be held liable.
To prevent the Hunters from becoming a threat themselves, they are equipped with as little background information as possible.
Are the Hunters already preparing for The Division 2?
What speaks for it? From the government’s perspective, this approach makes sense. The first wave is dead or rogue and thus dangerous. The second wave found out that their predecessors were abandoned by the government, doomed to die in the Dark Zone.
This also fits into the dark setting of The Division. In the book “New York Collapse,” it is stated that there are multiple divisions within the Strategic Homeland Division. So what if the Hunters represent another faction within the Division?
What speaks against it? The explanation that they do not receive real background information does not completely rule out that the Hunters could eventually become a threat themselves. Does such a practice of concealment make sense when you are sending out a stronger unit each time that could potentially go rogue?
There are simply so few concrete pieces of information that it is impossible to say how likely any of these theories are. We are looking forward to learning more in the sequel.
Theory 4 fits some hints regarding The Division 2
If the fourth theory is correct, it would put Aaron Keener’s betrayal of the U.S. government and the Division in a different light. Perhaps it also relates to the hints that Massive made regarding The Division 2 and a twist after the story?
This would fit particularly well with the story trailer for The Division 2. In this, a warning is issued at the end that enemies can also lurk within the government and the Division.
But how do you save a nation when the enemies are part of it?
We are excited and hope to learn more soon, especially in the sequel.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In FIFA 19 you can select numerous celebration animations after scoring a goal. We have exclusive info on the celebrations in FIFA 19 for you – and asked EA Sports if we can dance on the virtual pitch like in Fortnite!
Fortnite everywhere: In the Bundesliga, they were seen, during the World Cup in Russia they were used, and even in the World Cup final, Griezmann couldn’t resist – the Fortnite dances seem to be omnipresent at the moment. Not only on the playground or on video platforms are they seen everywhere, but also in the celebration repertoire of the most famous professional footballers.
Therefore, we asked Samuel Rivera, the gameplay producer of FIFA, in an interview if some of the Fortnite dances would also be in FIFA 19. After all, this would currently lead to more realism in the football simulation!
New celebration actions are coming to FIFA 19
Admittedly, Rivera had to laugh heartily for a few seconds at this question. However, he then confirmed, “there will definitely be new celebrations in FIFA 19“.
He informed us that the final list of celebrations for FIFA 19 is still in progress. Therefore, he cannot yet provide definitive information on which new celebrations may come and which may not.
Finally, it also involves legal matters. Every year again, one has to see what rights can be secured.
The Dab from FIFA 17 is already out
Most of the well-known “Fortnite dances” are by the way not an invention of Fortnite itself. They mostly come from other areas of the entertainment industry, such as from movies or internet clips, which became known to a wide audience of young and young-at-heart players through Fortnite. What the situation is with licenses and rights here is difficult to see from the outside.
EA Sports will certainly grab some of the celebrations that became known from Fortnite. “Take the L”, in which the user forms their fingers into an L shape while jumping around foolishly, is almost mandatory, as it was featured in the World Cup final.
By September at the latest, the final list of celebrations should be known.
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In FIFA 19 you can celebrate in more diverse ways without having to remember button combinations
An interesting piece of celebration info is what Rivera shared with us next: Many players have trouble remembering the numerous button combinations for the celebration actions.
At the beginning of the new FIFA installment, you might test a few of the new celebrations, but in the following months you’ll only use the same 2-3 celebrations as you don’t want to look up more button combos every time.
One button for all celebrations: So that you see more celebration diversity on the pitch in FIFA 19, you will only need to press one button, which will then select a random celebration from all celebration options.
According to Rivera, this small feature has been very well received by testers so far, as it provides more variety. After all, many FIFA players know this situation: a button combination for a certain celebration is long automated, which they subconsciously input after every goal, and the same celebration starts to annoy over time.
By the way: In FIFA 19 it will be possible to completely skip celebrations so that you can roll the ball quickly again.
What do you think of this feature? And do you even want to see some of the Fortnite dances in FIFA 19?
The battle royale shooter PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) aims to enter eSports with the PUBG Global Invitational. However, before the event in Berlin begins, “PlayerUnknown” himself reminds us that the game is not yet ready for eSports.
PUBG is not ready for eSports: The PUBG Global Invitational 2018 starts today, July 25, 2018, in Berlin. Just before the kickoff, however, “PlayerUnknown” Brendan Greene says: PUBG is not “eSports ready”.
“We are not ready”
Greene states directly about PUBG that the game is not yet ready for eSports. The PUBG Corp itself is not ready for it, and it has never been claimed otherwise. Nevertheless, the PUBG Global Invitational is a promising event for the battle royale shooter.
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What is the PUBG Global Invitational? The PUBG Global Invitational (short PGI) is the first major eSports tournament in PUBG and was announced back in April. The organizer is PUBG Corp itself. The event takes place at the Mercedes Benz Arena in Berlin from July 25 to July 29, 2018.
20 teams from around the world compete for a prize pool of $2,000,000. Matches will be played in first and third person (FPP and TPP) on the maps Erangel and Miramar. Anyone wishing to watch live on-site must be at least 16 years old.
The PGI is an experiment: According to Greene, the event is an experiment with PUBG’s format as an eSports event and the way it is watched. No one has ever done battle royale as an eSports before, and they want to show that it is possible, albeit challenging.
The entire year of 2018 is set to be dedicated to making PUBG truly “eSports ready”. The foundation for eSports is to be solidified, and the game is finally to be made competitive. This means: removing bugs and implementing quality-of-life changes as well as many new features and functionalities.
Fortnite has already failed: However, saying that no one has tried battle royale in eSports before is not entirely accurate. Competitor Fortnite had previously scheduled a tournament – but it failed.
The difficulties of battle royale as a spectator sport are mainly that watching is simply boring. Professionals do not fight for victory but hide to increase their chances of winning.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Fortnite (PC, PS4, iOS, Switch & Xbox One) is expected to receive a new sniper rifle soon. According to data miners, the new sniper rifle will be able to shoot through walls. This weapon could be the announced nerf of the dominant building gameplay in Fortnite.
The Heavy Sniper Rifle in Data Mining: The data miners “DieBuddies” have dug up a new weapon in the code. It is a massive heavy sniper rifle. The weapon is modeled after the real-life Barrett M82. This is a powerful “Anti-Material Rifle” capable of taking down light vehicles and helicopters with its 12.7mm rounds.
Therefore, the gun is expected to cause a lot of damage. And it has a special trick up its sleeve.
New Sniper Rifle Breaks Through Walls
Building no longer protects: The new rifle is said by the Buddies to have the special property of shooting through walls. Specifically, the first wall hit by the rifle is expected to be completely penetrated. Those standing behind it can expect to receive 157 damage!
This should be enough to instantly kill a player with full health and half shields, even without a headshot.
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Extremely long reload time expected: As a disadvantage, the rifle is said to have a reload time of over 4 seconds, which is even longer than that of the notoriously slow bolt-action sniper rifle. You will need to aim very well when using the new weapon. A missed shot will be difficult to compensate for.
Fortnite is supposed to become more accessible: The new rifle could be a concrete large anti-building measure. In the past, Epic has already hinted that they want to restrict the wild building a bit and flatten the skill curve in Fortnite.
Building less relevant? Buildings have recently been weakened, as many materials now have fewer hit points at the start, and wood has generally become weaker. With the new sniper rifle, wood is expected to become even more vulnerable.
Wood loses value: Unlike stone and steel, wooden walls are only roughly nailed together and have gaps that can be seen through. So, anyone who has the new rifle could pick off a concealed opponent safely through the wall.
When will the rifle come? When and if the new weapon will come in the form that the Buddies have dug up is still unclear.
Cool Cosmetics Coming Soon
Laser Shark and Surfer Boy: Alongside the new weapon, data miners have also found new cosmetics. These skins and outfits should appear in the shop soon. Particularly cool are a Laser Shark glider and the Surfer Boy skin “Sun Tan Specialist”.
After your revision, the sniper rifle D.A.R.C.I. mutated into a true DPS monster and practically the strongest weapon in Destiny 2. However, with the recently added Whisper of the Worm, there is now serious competition. Which is the better sniper?
Which sniper rifle is currently the strongest in the game? This question has now been addressed by Reddit user dl33t3d in the context of an extensive test. The previous top favorite D.A.R.C.I. was compared with the new Whisper of the Worm – the only weapon that can really challenge the current frontrunner. The results of this test are certainly worth a closer look.
Does Whisper of the Worm dethrone D.A.R.C.I. from the DPS throne?
More than just yes or no: While one could simply say that Whisper of the Worm surpasses D.A.R.C.I. over time, this answer does not do justice to either sniper rifle. Rather, the correct answer relates to the circumstances under which either of these top snipers is the better choice.
In simplified terms: To save you from the confusing numerical mess, we summarize the test results in a clear and concise manner. Those interested in the exact details should check out the corresponding Reddit thread and the accompanying spreadsheet.
The D.A.R.C.I. fires faster than the Whisper sniper and can thus expend its ammunition supplies more quickly (with Lunafacture boots of the Warlock, so reloading is not necessary). It deals higher damage over a shorter period of time.
If a damage phase lasts less than 12.5 seconds, D.A.R.C.I.’s damage output is higher within this time frame. Only when it runs out of ammunition do the DPS numbers stall.
The Whisper of the Worm on the other hand excels when a damage phase lasts longer than 12.5 seconds. Because after this time, the new sniper surpasses the former frontrunner.
Its theoretically endless ammunition reserves contribute enormously to this. Because when the fight is over for D.A.R.C.I. due to lack of ammunition, the Whisper sniper really comes into its own. If a fight lasts three minutes, it hardly matters how much damage was dealt in the first 15 seconds if nothing further contributes to the fight and thus the total damage.
By the way: These values do not yet consider the perk Breath Control that Whisper of the Worm receives in its masterwork version. Then the Whisper of the Worm will likely outperform its direct competitor even earlier.
Which weapon is better now? Both weapons are excellent snipers and a top choice for almost any boss fight. It depends on the time window available for the respective damage phase. If you have less than 12.5 seconds, D.A.R.C.I. is the stronger alternative. If you have more time, Whisper of the Worm is currently the more powerful choice.
The masterwork variant of Whisper of the Worm will likely shift these timing figures once again in favor of the new sniper.
Note: The test values represent theoretical damage under optimal conditions. Negative influences from individual abilities, missed shots, target acquisition, handling preferences, and other disruptive factors are not taken into account in the test.
No Man’s Sky is currently on the rise thanks to the new update NEXT. Apparently, this update is encouraging both new and returning players to take a look at the game. The player numbers on Steam have increased tenfold.
Recently, the update for No Man’s Sky has become available and it seems to positively impact the player numbers. According to vg247, the player numbers on Steam have increased tenfold in a very short time. While the numbers are still far from the successful launch in 2016, it is still a remarkable jump.
No Man’s Sky had its peak in the release year with 212,620 players. What are the numbers today?
Not as many players as at release, but still significantly increased
While the numbers are still far from those of the launch day, that is nothing unusual at first. Every game that builds a certain hype has high player numbers at release, which then flatten out in the following months or years.
Player numbers have increased tenfold: Due to the NEXT update, the Steam numbers have increased tenfold in a very short time. On the day before the update went live, there were around 4000 players online. Now, after the release of NEXT, there are over 41,000 players active. In the last 30 days, the game had a growth rate of 118%!
No Man’s Sky is even within reach of the top 10 and could certainly climb higher in the coming days. After all, the game is currently on sale on the Steam Store. No Man’s Sky is also on sale in the Xbox and PS Store.
Running as a tank, damage dealer, and healer through an MMO world of League of Legends (LoL) would be a dream for many players. A new map and a tweet bring hope.
Huge map: The creators of the famous MOBA League of Legends have designed a map that captures the key points of the lore. From the frozen Freljord in the north to the deserts of Shurima in the south, you can get an insight into the regions of LoL.
Template for an MMO? Many players have long seen the potential for an MMO in LoL. This huge map with various zones could serve as a template for areas where players can complete quests or engage in PvP battles. Even LoL founder Marc “Tryndamere” Merrill is interested in this idea and is asking the community what they think.
Lore has always been important
The champions in League of Legends have, just like the maps, a story. Everything is interconnected and explained in announcements of new champions or maps. With the new map, the explanation of the lore goes a step further, illustrating to fans the stories behind the fighters and locations.
You can access the Runeterra map at map.leagueoflegends.com. There you can explore the world of Runeterra.
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Lore at a glance: By zooming in on the map, you learn about important places in LoL. For example, Mount Targon, which is associated with Zoe, Taric, and Leona. Here you can read all the stories and have the information at a glance.
Is a LoL MMO the next project?
The map is a feast for lore fans. But it could also be the foundation for something much larger than a lore reference.
Founding members want to make more games: LoL founders Brandon “Ryze” Beck and Marc “Tryndamere” Merrill have already announced they want to develop games again. They want to finally give meaning to the “s” in Riot Games. What that will be is still unknown. It could be an MMO.
Hope: This is no concrete information about an MMO, but it gives fans and players hope. They write in the replies that they would be thrilled about it. TeamLiquid’s Doublelift and ex-pro Scarra write that Marc Merrill shouldn’t play with their feelings like that. Apparently, they also want concrete information.
Positive feedback: As replies, one reads mostly excitement. Players would be excited to play an MMO with the well-known characters like Teemo, Caitlyn, Dr. Mundo, and many more.
There would indeed be enough foundation for an MMO – would you be on board?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In GTA 5 Online “the good stuff” is expensive. So expensive that a new bottle of champagne costs as much as a sports car.
Update brings expensive alcohol: Since yesterday, July 24, the new GTA 5 Online DLC “After Hours” is already available. It brings nightclubs, new cars, and expensive bottles full of champagne. Some players who are short on cash have to choose between the drinks and a new car.
Alcohol for over 100,000 GTA$ per bottle
In the new nightclub DLC, you as a club owner ensure that your establishment enjoys a good reputation. With top DJs, you create the right atmosphere for dancing and host legendary parties.
Bold prices at the bar: Some partygoers enjoy a drink at the bar during their evening. In your nightclub, there are alcoholic beverages. The beer, under the tasty name Pisswasser, has been in the game for a long time. New is the Blêuter’d champagne. The diamond version costs 150,000 GTA$ – for a virtual drink.
Accustomed to high prices: The GTA 5 Online community already knows that in-game content is often associated with high acquisition costs. However, for the price of a bottle of diamond champagne, you could also choose from various sports cars in the lower price range:
This is what happens in GTA 5 Online when you buy and drink a bottle of Blêuter’d Diamond
Tested: For testing purposes, we bought a bottle of Blêuter’d Diamond. After the purchase, you can shake the bottle and spray the contents into the crowd like a Formula 1 winner. After that, your character takes a big sip and gets drunk. The nice lady at the bar then takes the bottle from you and the fun is over.
Whether this brief fun is worth it for you, you have to decide for yourself. However, we couldn’t find any significant advantages in it.
