As every Friday in Destiny 2, Xur is back today.Where is the Agent of the Nine, and what items does he have on offer? Here are the location and inventory for July 13.
Forsaken in focus: This week, the information flood around the Forsaken expansion for Destiny 2 continues. Almost daily new details about the upcoming major fall add-on are released as part of the exclusive coverage by Game Informer.
And today, on July 13, the mysterious Agent of the Nine is once again appearing in the Destiny universe. Let’s welcome Xur together. What does the noodle face have for us this time?
All information about Xur in Destiny 2 on July 13 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC
When does Xur arrive?
Xur visits us every Friday at 7 PM. He then chooses a quiet place on a planet or moon of his choice from where he can unobtrusively bring his goods to the Guardians. You have until the next weekly reset on Tuesday to browse through his inventory – then he disappears without a trace.
Where is Xur? You can find him at this location today
Xur has certain locations where he likes to settle down for the weekend. This time, he sets up shop in the Tower hangar on Earth.
Offer and Inventory of Xur
Weapon: Crimson – Hand cannon for 29 Legendary Shards
Hunter: Fr0st-EE5 – Leg armor for 23 Legendary Shards
Xur also has the challenge card “Five of Swords” with him. This card is free. It upgrades your rare Nightfall challenge card to a legendary challenge card. This way, you can activate a burn modifier, a boon/penalty, and two additional penalties.
The weekly PvP event Trials of the Nine starts on Friday evening at 7 PM. The Trials end with the weekly reset on the following Tuesday evening at 7 PM.
Map: Pacifica
Mode: Countdown
After the release of the Warmind expansion, new rewards can be earned in the Trials of the Nine.
There are three new weapons:
The kinetic submachine gun “Cease and Desist”
The energy scout rifle “Compel”
The shotgun “Opposition”
Additionally, there is a new ghost shell, a new sparrow, a new ship, as well as a new shader. However, there are no new armor ornaments for the Trials sets in Season 3.
Although support players in the Overwatch League are not often seen, a Zenyatta main became the first MVP in the league. Sung-Hyeon “JJonak” Bang from New York Excelsior is the first “most valuable player” of the eSports event – what makes him so special?
Fans voted JJonak only in 4th place: For the first MVP of the Overwatch League, fans voted separately on Twitter and by broadcaster team. JJonak ended up only in 4th place among the fans, behind Fearless, Geguri, and Fleta. However, the team vote helped him to secure 1st place.
Who is JJonak?
JJonak plays as a support for one of the strongest teams in the Overwatch League – New York Excelsior. With the team, he even reached the semi-finals of the playoffs, where the top 6 of the league compete for a million dollars in prize money.
JJonak – the “Zenyatta God”: JJonak is crucial to his team’s success. In his role as a support, he plays almost exclusively Zenyatta. He masters the Omnic monk in a way that has already earned him the nickname “Zenyatta God” in the league.
JJonak plays Zenyatta more aggressively than most other players in the league – and simply better. Among all supports, JJonak dealt the most damage per 10 minutes in Phase 4 of the league, even surpassing some DPS players.
In his team, he adds additional damage while also securing important kills. In some matches, JJonak even has more eliminations or damage than his teammates. He doesn’t neglect healing either – although his colleague Ark takes care of most of it.
JJonak’s statistics in Phase 4.
JJonak is seen more often: Due to his playing style, JJonak is also more often in focus on the screen than other supports. The sight of support players in the Overwatch League is relatively rare, as they do not provide as much action, and eSports should ultimately excite.
However, JJonak is also an exception in many ways. With his orbs, he frequently takes opponents out of the game and creates scenes that also excite the audience. The camera often focuses on him for this reason alone.
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JJonak’s playstyle comes not only from his synergy with the team but also from his training and immense skills. JJonak is simply very good and has a team that fits this way of playing perfectly.
This can help you: JJonak’s handling of Zenyatta shows that the monk is not just a healing machine that can block various ultimates with Transcendence. Zenyatta is much more when given the space to evolve.
With a strong Zenyatta, you can exert much more pressure on the opponent, as their healers suddenly have to compensate for much more damage. The threat then comes not only from your DPS players but also from a third damage dealer.
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What you should avoid: It looks quite easy for JJonak when he takes apart his opponents. However, he is not without reason the probably best Zenyatta player in the world. Pros in eSports train many hours every day and have dedicated their lives to it.
Therefore, do not expect such numbers when you pick up Zenyatta for the first time. Take your time and practice – and remember that even many other pros are not as good as JJonak.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Fortnite: Battle Royale (PC, PS4, iOS, Switch & Xbox One), the streamer Ninja raised an extremely high amount for a good cause. One of his fans even donated 100,000 USD. But who is it?
Charity Stream for GuardianCon: GuardianCon is a gaming convention in Florida. It officially starts on July 13, 2018. However, streaming events took place before that. Various streamers participated and raised donations for a good cause: St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, a children’s hospital.
A total of 2.7 million USD in donations was raised. A significant portion of that was collected during the stream of the famous Fortnite streamer Ninja.
Ninja fan donates 100,000 USD at once!
Ninja himself is an extremely successful streamer who earns hundreds of thousands of dollars every month. His fans are therefore quite willing to spend a lot of money for their hero. Hence, Ninja has raised a total of 325,000 USD in the charity stream for GuardianCon.
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Gigantic individual donation: It was basically clear that Ninja would collect a lot of money. But when suddenly an anonymous benefactor donated 100,000 USD to the donation pile, it left even Ninja momentarily speechless. You can see the moment when the money arrives in the embedded video here.
Who could it be? The donor of the 100,000 dollars wants to remain anonymous and did not leave a name. However, it is assumed that it was the rapper Drake. On one hand, he also has a lot of money and is a good friend of Ninja. The two even play together more often. Alternatively, it could also have been Epic Games itself, the developers of Fortnite.
Ninja in new look: To celebrate the event, Ninja now wants to dye his hair again. And he also wants to get two new tattoos. Hopefully not on his butt, because two Destiny streamers made that promise after they managed to collect around 50,000 USD for the charity event in 30 minutes.
Many players still fail at the current Antorus raid in World of Warcraft. But a group doesn’t care – they complete the whole thing only with tanks.
Time and again, players achieve special feats in World of Warcraft that seem impossible or simply nonsensical to others. Just recently, a group managed to complete a “Mythic+30” dungeon within the time limit. Now, another bizarre achievement followed: The Antorus raid was cleared on heroic – with a group made up only of tanks.
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How was that possible? Tanks in World of Warcraft now have a fairly solid self-healing and can keep themselves alive for a long time. However, without healers, this is generally not enough. The situation changes when you have seemingly endless tanks available, all taking the boss’s threat in turn. This gives the non-tanking players the chance to heal up a bit before taking over again.
Tanks can also completely ignore many mechanics that would kill other classes. As a downside, they have lower DPS.
Unity of the Legion Judges helps. Particularly helpful for the group is the buff “Unity of the Legion Judges,” which has become extremely powerful in recent days due to the overloaded artifact weapons. This leads to massive DPS increases, making even tough enrage timers now seem achievable.
Mythic mode is in progress. By the way, the pure tank group is already working on the mythic mode of Antorus. They have already achieved some success there, managing to defeat the Garothi Destroyer and the Felhounds – so far, they are still struggling with other bosses. However, time is running out. Next Wednesday, the pre-patch comes, and then the Unity of the Legion Judges will disappear.
What do you think of this achievement? A cool thing that others should try to replicate? Or is it nothing special and actually anyone could do it – if they really wanted to?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With this list of rewards, you can make the most out of the Summer Twilight Festival inMonster Hunter World dis event. We will show you the monsters that give gold crowns, where to get special armors, and which quests are newly included.
What is it about? Today, on July 13th, the Summer Twilight Festival starts in Monster Hunter World. The event will run until July 26th and brings all old and new event quests to the game. Additionally, there are new costumes or emotes that are summer-themed. We have compiled a list of the most important rewards you can grab during the event.
A tip before the summer festival: The merchant has just discounted all their merchandise. So take the opportunity to stock up on items!
Quests for Gold Crown Collectors!
If you are still on the hunt for gold crowns for your trophy, you shouldn’t miss this quest:
USJ Quest is also available in Germany this time: The Japan-exclusive quest “Special Treatment” will also be offered in Germany this time. So now everyone can farm the first part of the Azure Star Equipment!
The summer has broken out in Monster Hunter World! Settle down on the beach and grill a juicy Astera steak
These rewards pop up at the event quests
The following quests all have a special reward when you successfully complete them. Some of these need to be completed multiple times to gather enough materials for the special armors or weapons.
3 New Quests in the Summer Twilight Festival: Watch Them in the Video
Especially for the Summer Festival, there are three new quests that you haven’t been able to play before:
USJ: Special Treatment: This quest was previously Japan-exclusive. Now you can play the first part of the Azure Star equipment in Germany too.
Midnight Chaos: Here you can craft a new weapon, the Meteor Lance. The quest is in the arena and you need to hunt ten Gastodon, which is not a huge challenge. The lance has a rarity of 4, has paralysis as an element, and has an attack of 299.
Gajalaka Outbreak: The quest is in the arena and you need to defeat the OP cats Gajalaka ten times. As a reward, you’ll receive the Butterfly Set.
Below, you can also watch the three new quests in the video guide by Charles:
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In the battle royale game Fear the Wolves by Vostok Games, there is always an evacuation via helicopter at the end. This regularly leads to a major final battle. Watch in a video how it goes down.
What is Fear the Wolves? Fear the Wolves is a battle royale game from Vostok Games. They were the studio behind the dark shooter Stalker. In their latest game, it’s once again in Chernobyl, where mutated wolf beasts have spread along with strange anomalies. They are just as much after you as your human opponents.
Evacuation as an Endgame Highlight
Get to the Chopper! At the end of each round of Fear the Wolves, evacuation is available for one player. An armored helicopter comes flying in. However, the helicopter does nothing but hover over the land and wait for someone to tie a rope around themselves and be lifted up.
There can be only one! Every player wants to claim the only spot for themselves, leading to a fierce battle for the escape helicopter. This is exacerbated by smoke bombs the helicopter drops, creating a ring with a diameter of 45 meters.
Sniping or close combat? Within the smoke ring, you are protected from snipers and must fight your way through bloody close combats. Alternatively, you can also camp in the smoke and pick off enemies from a distance. In any case, it will be a gruesome slaughter, as you can see in the video here.
During the E3, Massive repeatedly talked about a twist awaiting players after the campaign of The Division 2. Since then, there have been no substantial updates, except for a few hints. What could this twist be about?
Not much is known about the main campaign of The Division 2 yet. We know that we can play the campaign completely with friends or solo, just like in its predecessor.
An interesting point that was raised during the E3 presentation is a twist that is supposed to await agents after the campaign ends. Since this became known, fans have been heavily speculating on reddit. We present you some ideas about what this twist could be.
The twist at the end of the campaign is said to have implications for gameplay and story
It is probably referring to a type of plot twist: A plot twist is a surprising turn of events that directs the narrative in an unexpected way. This device is used in both films and games. If the twist works, it can be shocking or, depending on the events, euphoric for the players/viewers.
However, plot twists can also fall flat, especially when the narrative is already predictable or boring.
We have a twist at the end of the campaign which is a huge hook, narratively and gameplay-wise, that will take people by the scruff of the neck and drag them into endgame, and it’s super compelling.
What could this twist look like?
Rogue or not – Do we have to make a choice in the end?
In The Division 1, there were already several rogue agents led by Aaron Keener. These agents have renounced the government and the Division, pursuing only their own goals. In Keener’s case, it was about the control over New York. The rogue Division agents became killers, threatening civilians, JTF, and the Division.
What would such a decision mean? It’s hard to assess without information about the main story. Being rogue does not necessarily mean being hostile.
In The Division 1, however, rogue agents led by Aaron Keener kidnapped, killed civilians, and executed non-rogue agents. They worked with the Last Man Battalion, a private mercenary army that wanted to take control of all of New York.
Would one embark on the “dark side of power”? Civilians could then become enemies; perhaps one would work with formerly hostile factions. This is supported by the fact that one can already hunt other agents in the Dark Zone as a rogue. This would create a more consistent setup.
The idea of an “evil” agent sounds intriguing. However, such a twist could cause controversies if players suddenly can act against civilians, especially since the highest goal of the Division is to protect them and restore order.
Overall, it would be refreshing and could bring some new gameplay and narrative possibilities, but it does seem rather unlikely.
The Division corrupts – Should we start the rebuilding?
The first story trailer already hints that danger also lurks from within the government and the Division. Since The Division 1, it has been clear that parts of the Division are rogue, but how deep does the corruption reach in a government that is already in disarray? However, it is conceivable that in the conflicts around the capital of the USA, it will become apparent that both the remnants of the government and the leadership of the Division are no longer working for peace.
Should we take matters into our own hands? As a new generation of agents, we may need to take the situation into our own hands after the events and rebuild the Division.
This also aligns with a statement from an interview with Mathias Karlson, Game Director of The Division 2, where he describes what a solid endgame should look like. In his view, such an endgame consists of new experiences combined with familiar elements that should be experienced in a new way.
So it will also involve repeating activities that have already been played, but with a twist that should change the previously played.
I think a solid end-game for us is a mix of experiencing new things for the first time, [then] experiencing things you experienced before but in a new way. So it’s not just about re-playing, it’s about re-playing with a twist, especially in the areas where we do re-play.
Rebuilding after the main campaign? After completing the campaign, it could continue with the rebuilding. We would play missions, help civilians, and continue fighting hostile factions. However, we would no longer do this in the name of the government and the old Division, but rather build our own group free from corruption, so we can operate in an organized manner on the ground.
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It is conceivable that the twist may not be as grave. It could just as easily go in a completely different direction. Either way, we are excited about how the campaign of The Division 2 will be structured and what story awaits us around Washington D.C. and the Division.
Do you have any other ideas on what this ominous twist could look like? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Are you interested in the sound of The Division 2? You can read all about it with us.
CS:GO players from the Netherlands are disappointed. Loot boxes violate gambling laws and Valve obeys: They can no longer be opened.
The discussion around loot boxes, treasure chests, or whatever you want to call the purchasable boxes with random rewards, is gaining momentum in many countries. There are recurring debates about whether loot boxes should be considered gambling. In the Netherlands, there has now been a first decision: The loot boxes are gambling.
Only opening is prohibited
Valve “does not understand the laws”: Valve, which operates Counter Strike: Global Offensive, stated that they “do not understand or agree with” the rules, but saw no other option than to temporarily disable the opening of loot boxes in the Netherlands. They have requested clarification from the relevant authority to find out the exact interpretation of the law.
The trading of already obtained items on the Steam market is still possible. The law apparently only deals with the opening of loot boxes.
Ultimatum expired in June. Already in April, it was noted in the Netherlands that loot boxes could lead “socially vulnerable groups” to slip into other forms of gambling. Therefore, the date of June 20 was set, by which developers should ensure that games comply with the laws. The problem here was, however, that it was never clearly stated which of the reviewed games were violating the laws. Valve felt compelled to act.
Also in Belgium, the topic was already discussed a few months ago, stating that games like CS:GO, Overwatch, and FIFA 18 would violate existing rules and regulations; however, no deadline was set for when developers should take action. At least in Belgium, Valve has also now disabled the opening of loot boxes for CS:GO.
Would you wish that such laws and regulations were also introduced in Germany and that loot boxes disappeared from games?
The Battle Pass of the new Season 5 in Fortnite: Battle Royale gives you the coveted skins Ragnarok and Drift. However, these can be significantly improved. So you will receive the necessary experience points!
The new Season 5 in Fortnite: Battle Royale has started: For many players, this means: hop into the golf cart and tackle the first weekly challenges. Buyers of the Battle Pass (950 V-Bucks, approx. 9.50 Euros) can pave their way to Level 100 to unlock the skins Drift and especially Ragnarok.
But acquiring the skins is not the end of the task: As already seen in Season 4 with Carbide and Omega, you can further improve Drift and Ragnarok and unlock additional clothing options. For this purpose, you only need to gain experience points this time.
The major change from previous seasons: You are no longer tied to a specific season to unlock all improvements. You can continue to upgrade Ragnarok and Drift – even if Season 5 has already ended.
The Drift skin is unlocked immediately upon obtaining the Battle Pass and can thus be improved immediately. The following upgrade levels will be unlocked during the season:
Sweater – 10,000 EXP
Vest – 25,000 EXP
Mask – 50,000 EXP
Jacket – 100,000 EXP
ElectrifyingEffect – 200,000 EXP
If you reach four of the five upgrade levels, you will also receive a unique pickaxe.
These are the upgrade levels of Ragnarok
The Ragnarok skin is not unlocked until Battle Pass Level 100, which already represents quite a bit of work. However, this is just the beginning: To unlock all upgrades for Ragnarok, you will need a lot of patience:
Level 1 – 35,000 EXP
Level 2 – 75,000 EXP
Level 3 – 125,000 EXP
Level 4 – 250,000 EXP
Level 5 – 500,000 EXP
For Ragnarok as well, you can earn your own pickaxe after four upgrade levels – the Permafrost.
Since Ragnarok requires significantly more experience points than Drift, you will definitely have fully upgraded Drift by the time you reach the fourth upgrade level. But how do you get so many experience points? And which season level corresponds to 500,000 EXP?
How to maximize your experience gain in Fortnite: Battle Royale!
To fully upgrade Carbide and Omega in Season 4, Season Level 65 or 80 was required. The numbers now specified for Drift (200,000 EXP) and Ragnarok (500,000 EXP) can also be transferred to the Season Level (if you want to complete both skins in Season 5).
The site Orcz.com has published an EXP chart that shows that 200,000 EXP was achieved at level 56 in Season 4. For 500,000 EXP, players had to fight their way up to level 79. While the chart applies to the completed Season 4, it should also be transferable to Season 5. But fundamentally, it doesn’t matter what Season Level you reach, as in the end, only the XP counts. However, it is a good guideline for how high you should level up.
What can I do to maximize experience gains? Average players will find it very difficult to reach the 500,000 EXP required for Ragnarok. Those who do not regularly secure victories or play in squads will have a hard time. Fortunately, however, you have almost unlimited time, as this challenge does not necessarily have to be mastered in Season 5.
You can also follow these tips:
Kill as many opponents as possible – Each defeated enemy gives you valuable experience points! Those who do not eliminate opponents will receive less EXP.
Get as far as possible – Those who regularly land in the top 10 will be rewarded with EXP. Make sure to prolong your survival as much as possible (and take out a few kills in between).
Level up the Battle Pass – You should quickly unlock the bonus EXP nodes in the Battle Pass that significantly increase your experience gain.
Play with friends – Those who play with friends who also have the Battle Pass can reap double experience bonuses.
Secure epic victories – Epic victories, meaning match wins, bring by far the most experience (but are also the hardest to achieve).
Complete challenges – Regardless of whether daily or weekly challenges – they all yield a certain amount of experience points.
The summary: Form a squad of four people, level up the Battle Pass together, and secure as many victories as possible. This way, you will fill your experience points account the fastest.
Are you planning to complete Ragnarok? Or do you think you have no chance of ever reaching 500,000 XP?
Blizzard has released some numbers that clearly show how much endorsements and LFG have helped the game Overwatch. The results are impressive.
A few weeks ago, Blizzard took a new direction with the latest patch for Overwatch. Toxic and disruptive members of the community would not only be punished but positive and friendly players would be rewarded. The endorsement system allows players to commend each other when they have behaved exemplary. Game Director Jeff Kaplan now reveals how this is reflected in some figures.
What have endorsements achieved? In the official forum, Jeff Kaplan explained by what percentage player behavior has improved in individual matches.
According to him, on the American servers there is:
26.4% fewer matches with abusive chat in ranked mode
28.8% fewer players who behave abusively
Numbers have also been released for the Korean region, which are:
16.4% fewer matches with abusive chat in ranked mode
21.6% fewer players who behave abusively
It is obvious that the incentive of endorsements leads to more positive behavior among players – just as expected. However, there haven’t been any specific figures on the impact in Europe yet.
Cortyn says: I’m quite surprised by the numbers and would have expected them to be higher. Since the introduction of endorsements, toxic players have become rare in my matches. I hardly encounter them anymore. So it would be interesting to see the figures for Europe in the future. I could imagine that the effect is even greater here.
After the community loudly complained about the functionality of some Heroic Modifiers, Bungie has now revised the problematic modifiers based on player feedback. The revised versions are set to be introduced with the July update in Destiny 2.
Initially, many players complained that Destiny 2 was too easy. Bungie responded by introducing some brutally difficult modifiers in Heroic Strikes with the Warmind expansion. However, according to a large part of the player base, Bungie has gone too far with the changes. Therefore, the studio is now making adjustments. The changes will come with the July update.
Problematic modifiers will be revised with the July update
With the Warmind expansion, Bungie introduced special modifiers that activate advantages and disadvantages in Heroic Strikes, aiming to create more variety and additional challenges. However, in terms of difficulty, Bungie has gone too far, according to many fans.
The following three modifiers were the focus of criticism:
Glass – Health and shields are halved but recharge twice as quickly
Blackout – The radar is disabled and enemies deal significantly more melee damage
Grounded – Players take five times the damage while in the air
Each of these modifications already significantly increases the difficulty level. In combination with the additional burning modifiers, many Guardians are already knocked out after just one enemy hit.
These three modifiers have now been revised by Bungie: As Bungie announced in the current “This Week at Bungie” blog on July 12, these three problematic modifiers have been revised following evaluations of fan feedback. The studio has also recognized that it has probably gone too far with the three hardest modifiers.
Here’s how the three hardest Heroic Modifiers will change:
Blackout: This modifier will continue to significantly increase the enemy melee damage, but it will no longer necessarily result in Guardians being killed by most enemies with a single melee attack. However, if you do not meet the recommended power requirement for the Heroic Strikes, enemies will naturally be much stronger and will take you down much faster.
Grounded: Currently, players are often registered by the game as being in the “air” even when they are not actually jumping. To avoid punishing players for something they are not doing, the damage threshold of this modifier will be reduced. This is to prevent players from dying when they fall from two meters and land on a rock or another small object.
Glass: This modifier lowers the shields and health of the guardians while increasing their regeneration. The effect of this modifier will be somewhat reduced with the upcoming update.
Some players absorb every little detail about upcoming games or addons before the release, while others are annoyed by too much information before launch. How much do you want to know about upcoming games before you can play them yourself?
Are you the type of person who can never know enough about upcoming games before their release and turn the internet upside down in search of new details? Or do you belong to the kind of gamers who prefer not to hear or see anything at all before the release? How much information before the release of games or new addons is too much for you?
We want to know from you today: How much do you want to know about games and addons before their release?
MMOs reveal details before the release
Online games can hardly hide anything: With online games, it is usually difficult to keep new features and details of upcoming updates or addons a secret. New areas and features are often extensively tested on test servers or during beta phases.
For example, in World of Warcraft, it is common for many players to be invited to long beta tests before the release of new addons, allowing them to take a close look at the new details. This also applies to the upcoming Battle for Azeroth, where numerous features and a few story bits are already known.
Please Bungie, no more details!
Information as a PR stunt: It seems quite different at Bungie and Destiny 2. There, all information about the upcoming expansion Forsaken is currently being revealed.
It is already known that our favorite Vanguard Hunter Cayde-6 has to meet his end and that the Prince of the Reef, Uldren Sov, is responsible for it. Additionally, there are plenty of information about new areas, new enemies, and the upcoming abilities that the Guardians can choose from with the expansion.
We have already delved into the question of why Bungie can’t stop revealing details from Forsaken:
First look, then touch? Then there is a group of players who want to see new games first before they start playing themselves. Let’s Plays or streaming sites like Twitch allow you to watch the desired game for a while and then decide if you want to play it yourself. The fact that a lot is revealed in the process, especially in story-driven games, seems to be just a side issue.
Now it’s your turn: What type of player are you? Do you want to know everything about the game beforehand? Do you try to block out all information about upcoming releases? Or do you perhaps check out new games on Twitch or YouTube first? How much do you want to know about games and addons before their release?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Niantic has released an image that finally shows Generation 4 in Pokémon GO. The image features, among others, the starters from Sinnoh: Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup.
When will Generation IV come to Pokémon GO? This is still unknown. Niantic has only published an image showing the three starters of the fourth generation. The image was released on the occasion of Pokémon GO’s second birthday. The journey for Mobile Trainers began in summer 2016.
What is visible in the image?
The characters: There are two Trainers in the image who are trading a Treecko and a Pikachu wearing Ash’s cap. Additionally, we see the three Team Leaders Candela, Spark, and Blanche. Spark and Candela are currently trading a normal and an Alolan Vulpix, while Blanche is looking at an Alolan Egg. Professor Willow is deeply absorbed in research.
the three legendary dogs/cats Suicune, Raikou, and Entei
the three legendary birds Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres
Latias and Latios, the legendary siblings
Absol and Honchkrow, which are usually only found in raids
The three starters of Generation 4:
Turtwig – bottom right in the image, with Croconaw and Torchic
Chimchar – climbing on the pole of the umbrella
Piplup – snuggling up to Absol in the bottom left
Mega Evolution hinted? Many of the shown Pokémon receive a Mega Evolution in the RPG titles. Mega Evolution was introduced in Generation X/Y. For the duration of a battle, Pokémon can change their appearance, gain new powers, abilities, and sometimes even a new type.
The starters of Generation 4: Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup (from left to right)
Niantic promised an Ultra Bonus for the GO Fest: Is this Gen 4?
Could Generation 4 appear at the GO Fest? Currently, there are no indications of a fourth generation in the code of Pokémon GO. The GO Fest is already taking place on the weekend of July 14th – 15th.
What about the Ultra Bonus? It could still be that the fourth generation will at least be partially released at the GO Fest. Niantic promised a mysterious Ultra Bonus after the summer events.
Update July 18, 11:30 AM: The GO Fest ended on July 15. So far, Niantic has not commented on the fourth generation again. We will have to be a little more patient.
Some new Pokémon have already been leaked. However, these still originate from the previously existing generations two and three:
After publisher Travian Games announced that it is shutting down the website of the MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar (SotA), it is now said that the cooperation between Travian and Portalarium remains in place.
Travian Games sticks to its position
What happened? Many fans of the MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar feared the end of the partnership between publisher Travian Games and developer Portalarium. This is because Travian recently announced that it will shut down its own website shroudoftheavatar.game and also delete the player data that has already been transferred. Since SotA is currently not performing well and surrounded by negativity, it would not have been surprising if Travian Games had withdrawn from the cooperation.
Travian stands firm. However, as has now been affirmed in the official SotA forum, the publisher and Portalarium continue to work together. The cooperation remains intact.
Portalarium needs more money. The announcement of a second telethon also caused quite a stir within the community. During the first livestream, only around 54,000 dollars were raised – and that only because the developers continued to accept fans’ money for a while after the livestream. Otherwise, the total would have remained at around 43,000 dollars. Now a continuation has been announced for July 20. They will discuss further innovations and the upcoming Episode 2, while fans can donate money again.
Last month, a similar situation occurred. At that time, only about 42,000 dollars could be raised, which led to another telethon. The reason at that time was that the telethon took place on a Monday and not, as usual, on Fridays. However, this time, the livestream was held regularly on a Friday. The earnings were still not particularly good.
The continuation of the telethon on July 20 is not exactly causing leaps of joy within the community. Some fans are even upset and believe that there is only another livestream now because the first one did not raise enough money, and Portalarium urgently needs the funds now. After all, just recently about half of the staff was laid off for financial reasons. This new “fundraising action” is not particularly well received by fans at the moment.
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MMORPGs have many facets, many subgenres, including Survival games like Conan Exiles. Does this sub-genre perhaps even show the future of modern MMORPGs?
MMORPGs out, Survival-MMOs in? Survival-MMOs like Conan Exiles or the upcoming Rend are currently very popular among developers. Players are also enjoying the genre. Meanwhile, traditional MMORPGs seem to be stagnating. Few large MMORPGs are being announced. The last hopefuls are either indie games like Ashes of Creation and Pantheon or Asian imports like Lost Ark.
Western MMORPGs like WildStar turned out to be flops. Instead, Conan Exiles was a success and has some imitators: Do we see the “modern version” of MMORPGs with Survival MMOs?
Is classic also just as good?
The problems of classic MMORPGs: Online role-playing games are fascinating because they bring a social component. However, an MMORPG also has to deal with disadvantages. These disadvantages include:
All players are heroes in the game world. It is no longer special to be a hero
Every player does the same quests – regardless of whether another player has already rescued the princess
There are no consequences for actions. The defeated dragon from a quest always comes back and terrorizes the village again
The game world changes little or only very slowly. Players’ actions have no impact on the world
You also often deal with other players that ruin your fun
The unique magical sword is not actually unique because anyone can find it
The story and the relationships in the world change little
NPCs cannot die
The gameplay often proceeds the same way: Talk to NPCs, receive quests, kill monsters, collect rewards, improve character
You usually have to invest a lot of time into an MMORPG. Some raids last several hours
Solo players often face boring grind and do not get a really appealing solo experience
Developers often offer an in-game shop despite the purchase price, which annoys many players
An MMORPG needs to be operated over a long time and kept current and enjoyable, while in other genres sequels can appear that bring many fundamental changes and innovations
There are often too many players in an MMORPG. Most of them are ignored
Survival-MMOs take a different approach. Games like Conan Exiles take the genre and turn it on its head. They simply leave out the problematic features and focus on a sandbox:
There are hardly any “real” quests
The game world changes as players build buildings and cities themselves
Powerful items are crafted by the players
There is often no story, just an overarching background story
The player and their survival are in focus
The number of players is usually tightly limited, which promotes interaction among them
It is possible to enjoy the game alone on private servers
Adventures and challenges arise from situations and are not predefined scripted quests
The mix makes it – What can MMORPGs learn from Survival games?
A combination of classic MMORPGs and Survival MMOs could be the future. More does not always mean better. The MMORPG genre may evolve if it aligns more with Survival games:
A reduction in the number of players. Heroes would again be something special in the game world and you would not feel like ignoring 90 percent of the players because it would be interesting to encounter another player
You get a sense of achievement even if you only play briefly. Even if you only have 15 minutes to play, you should feel like you’ve achieved something
There are no more “unique items that everyone still has.” Either players craft such items or they are truly unique
The MMORPG would need to be designed so that you can have fun alone, without constantly grinding or doing meaningless MMO quests
The story could unfold without linear, scripted quests based on an evolving background story
MMORPGs must change and evolve to be successful again
What do MMORPG players want? The MMORPG genre is a complex field with many different opinions from players:
Veterans who have been around since the beginning want hardcore experiences again,
Progress is important: Yet with all the differing opinions, the genre is stagnating. It needs to evolve again to be as successful as it was during the heyday of WoW. Perhaps survival MMOs can help achieve this goal.
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World of Warcraft receives new social features. We tell you everything you need to know about “Communities”.
With Battle for Azeroth, World of Warcraft gets many new features. Not only in PvP will a lot change, but also the social features of WoW will be improved. The new “Communities” system will be introduced. We will tell you all the details about the new feature and what benefits it will provide.
What are Communities? Communities in World of Warcraft are new social groups. They are linked to your character and not to your Battle.net account. So “Character A” can be in different Communities than “Character B”. Do you have a farming alt who likes to share and discuss the best farming spots with other players? Create a separate community for that! Do you want to build an auction house empire with like-minded individuals? Use a community!
Calendar features for quick group finding. With Communities, it is possible to create events directly in the calendar, similar to guilds. This way, you can also plan cross-server events and quickly assist other members of your community with a task.
Communities are separate from guilds. To be a member of a community, you do not have to leave your guild. You can be in a guild and in multiple communities at the same time. This gives you access to more “social groups” and allows you to be better organized than in regular chat channels.
Voice chat, chat log, and more: The community feature will support a chat log. This way, messages from the past can also be read when you are not online. Apparently, it is also possible to delete messages afterwards if you accidentally posted TeamSpeak data in the wrong channel. At the same time, you can also create multiple chat channels – both for written words and for voice chat.
Who are Communities suitable for? Communities are particularly helpful for those who move in multiple social circles. So, if you are in a role-playing group and at the same time hanging out with a mythic raid group while being in a “fun guild”, communities are just right for you. Everyone else can at least bring their friends together, even if they are not in the same guild.
In simpler terms, you could say: World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth gets an internal Discord.
With Forsaken, each of the three classes in Destiny 2 receives three new paths for their subclasses. In a new video from Game Informer, you can preview the new abilities before release.
The first major expansion for Destiny 2, Forsaken, is intended to give Guardians more options in how they shape their class. Players will then be able to choose a new path for each of their three classes among the subclasses. This introduces nine new paths into the game, which are referred to by the developers as completely new Supers.
In a new video from Game Informer, Bungie’s Senior Sandbox Designer for Forsaken, Claude Jerome, discusses these new paths. He explains why the developers chose these new abilities and what they mean for players.
We have already compiled detailed descriptions of each new path for every class for you here:
The relaunch of Trion Worlds online shooter Defiance in the new version Defiance 2050 did not go smoothly. In addition to poor server performance, there was an even bigger problem: the PS4 version did not appear at all in the German PSN store.
No Defiance 2050 for German PS4 owners yet
Defiance 2050 is launching, just not for PS4 in Germany. On July 10, the online shooter Defiance 2050 was supposed to launch worldwide on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Worldwide? No, because in Germany and New Zealand, players are still waiting to download the shooter for their PS4 from the PSN store.
Players are angry. In the official Defiance forum, discussions are already heated. Why are all others allowed to play on PS4, but German customers are not? A server hotfix has already been applied for other players from the EU, as the performance at launch left much to be desired. This is making some players angry. Other players have already received a patch, and in Germany, you can’t even play.
Trion Worlds responds. In the meantime, Trion Worlds has commented on the situation. The German version of Defiance 2050 is supposedly still stuck in Sony’s certification process and can only go online once Sony gives the okay. Currently, it is not clear how long it will take until Defiance 2050 is available in the German PSN store. Trion Worlds wants to keep players updated.
Not a good start for Defiance 2050. The relaunch of the online shooter has not had a good start. In addition to the missing version for PS4 in Germany, there were severe lags and many disconnections at launch. For this reason, the rating of the game on Steam has also slipped to “mostly negative.” Additionally, it is criticized that Defiance 2050, despite modernization, does not seem particularly up to date.
https://youtu.be/-7OQk2Kdd3U
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
To Fortnite: Battle Royale’s popular weekly challenges are back in Season 5. This time, a few things are different. Find out how to complete the seven weekly tasks of Week 1 in Season 5!
The tasks of Week 1 from Season 5 are here: This time, no one knew what to expect. Now, with the official start of Season 5, the weekly tasks are finally known.
Basics of Season 5
Basically, it works as usual: You complete seven challenges and earn experience points and stars for the Battle Pass. This allows you to advance in the Pass and receive skins and goodies.
Fewer challenges without a pass: However, if you do not buy a Battle Pass, you can only complete three of the seven challenges. Two easy and one hard challenge are available for free. The remaining three easy and two hard tasks are only available to paying customers.
The new Road Trip Challenge: As in Season 4, there is a continuous challenge in Season 5 again. With each fully completed week, you progress one level in the new “Roadtrip” challenge. There are again title images with story and after seven levels (so at the latest from Week 7 of the Season) there is again a special skin.
All Challenges of Week 1 in Season 5
What you still need to do: We have researched the current weekly challenges from Week 1 of Season 5 and compiled them into a table here.
The free challenges
Number
Reward
Deal damage to opponents with submachine guns
500
5 stars/500 XP
Search a supply llama
1
5 stars/500 XP
Eliminate opponents with sticky grenades, stink bombs, or regular grenades (hard)
3
10 stars/1,000 XP
Here are the tasks for which you need to buy a Battle Pass:
The paid challenges
Number
Reward
Search chests at Snobby Shores
7
5 stars/500 XP
Look for floating lightning bolts
7
5 stars/500 XP
Follow the treasure map from Risky Reels (hard)
1
10 stars/1,000 XP
Eliminate opponents at Retail Row (hard)
3
10 stars/1,000 XP
How to complete the challenges of Week 1 – Season 5
Here you will find out how to ideally complete the challenges. For some challenges, we have even linked extensive guides.
Challenge 1 – Deal damage to opponents with submachine guns
Fortunately, there was a buff! Since SMGs have been significantly buffed lately and are now more accurate and lethal, it shouldn’t be hard to deal 500 damage with them. This task is a gift! This task can also be completed without a Battle Pass.
Challenge 2 – Search a supply llama
Tricky: Unfortunately, supply llamas are extremely rare and not easily found. Moreover, it takes a long time to search them. Breaking them apart is probably not an option. So be careful not to run blindly and then get shot. This task is free and can also be completed without a Battle Pass. A guide with tips about loot llamas can be found here.
Challenge 3 – Eliminate opponents with sticky grenades, stink bombs, or regular grenades (hard)
A tough task! Killing someone with grenades is not easy. Sticky grenades are a bit easier, but you need to hit well. There is a tip on how to make this task easier: Play in a mode with teams, where defeated opponents go down for the first time.
Pro-tip: Stick a sticky grenade to the helpless enemy or blow them up with regular grenades. Then you will also get a kill. Just make sure your teammates know this and let you have the kill. This task can also be completed without a Battle Pass.
Finally something new: We have found out how to quickly and easily collect the lightning bolts in the world in our own guide to the lightning bolts.
Challenge 6 – Follow the treasure map from Risky Reels (Battle Pass only)
Treasure hunting as usual: This task is similar to its counterparts from past weeks. Go to Risky Reels, check out the map there, and try to figure out where the treasure is. We have here a guide to the treasure from Risky Reels for you.
The 08-15 kill job: Nothing has changed here in Season 5 either. Just go to Retail Row and let it rip! The place is luckily quite spacious and full of loot. It should be easy to score kills there.
On July 17, 2018, the update 1.2.3 brings Bounties to Destiny 2. Guardians now have daily tasks to engage in. However, the Bounties have some new features compared to Destiny 1. We have the details.
In Destiny 1, Bounties offered players daily tasks to increase their clan reputation or earn XP points to level up their gear.
However, this feature was removed in Destiny 2. Players were supposed to have fewer “obligations”. No one should feel pressured to accomplish something every day.
However, the studio later realized that it was not a good decision and is now bringing back optional daily tasks with the July update 1.2.3 on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 – with some changes.
Bounties Return – With Two New Mechanics
Bounties will soon be making a return. Bounties in Destiny 2 retain a large portion of the characteristics that the Bounties had during the “Taken King” era.
This is what makes Bounties in Destiny 2 special:
They can be collected from various vendors
They usually provide XP and clan reputation
Some Bounties offer better rewards
Bounties can be redeemed in the field, allowing immediate rewards without going back to the Tower or vendor
Some Bounties may drop in the wild (in Forsaken)
There are two new mechanics: If Bounties are left incomplete, they will expire. However, if you wish to play them later, it will cost you some Glimmer. This is to prevent players from hoarding every Bounty until their inventory is full and then sorting them out later – without restricting Guardians with a very limited Bounty capacity.
The Rewards: In Forsaken, more vendors will offer Bounties. Some Bounties will lure players with legendary or even better rewards for successful completions.
More details should be found by the fans themselves: As to how the individual Bounties work and where to find them, Guardians should discover that for themselves, according to Bungie. And next week you will already have the chance to do so.
