With Season 12, the Killstreak feature came to Diablo 4, allowing you to level up even faster. However, many players find this feature so annoying that they would prefer to disable parts of it.
What is this feature?
Blizzard introduced a so-called Killstreak system in Season 12, which veterans might recognize from Diablo 3 .
If you kill many monsters within a short time frame, a Killstreak counter starts. As long as the timer is running, you earn points with each additional kill.
In the end, you receive experience points and seasonal reputation (“Brutality”).
Killstreaks are categorized into five levels based on the total score: Killstreak, Slaughter, Devastation, Bloodbath, and Massacre.
The more monsters you take down in that time, the more XP you gather – and the level you reach gives you bonus XP. However, the feature brings not only positives, as many players are currently quite annoyed by it.
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Diablo 4 shows new content from Season 12, the Season of Slaughter, in the trailer
Why does this feature annoy players? Many players are currently expressing their frustrations about the Killstreak feature in the Diablo 4 subreddit. The following aspects irritate the community the most:
The commentator loudly yells “Killstreak!!!” with each starting series, which many players find extremely repetitive and intrusive.
This announcement is apparently classified as “dialogue”. This causes the game to automatically lower music and sound effects with each announcement, which disrupts the flow for many players.
There is no separate slider for the commentary. Anyone wanting to get rid of the screams must mute all NPC dialogues.
The counter for the Killstreaks is right in the field of view and close to the character, which can obscure important ground effects from enemies or loot.
Especially in areas and activities with high enemy density, such as Hell Hordes and Hell Flood, the messages and announcements pop up almost every second.
As if there wasn’t enough going on already on the screen.
This has caused players to already feel annoyed by the season that just started last night. Some explain that they are playing Diablo 4 without sound because of this. Others have muted all dialogues, which feels “not right”, writes domiran in his Reddit post.
Even in the Diablo 4 forum, the new feature is being criticized. Apeira writes in a post that the Killstreak screams do not fit the atmosphere of the game at all. He would ideally like to disable the whole system, but at least the announcements.
Will it remain this way? It is still unclear. There was already criticism of the intrusive appearance of the Killstreak feature on the test server (PTR), but Blizzard made no changes upon the season’s release. Currently, your only option is to reduce the dialogue volume in the menu under “Options > Volume” – with the disadvantage that you won’t hear any dialogues at all.
In just a few weeks, Borderlands 4 will receive its first story DLC, which features a new Vault Hunter and legendary loot.
What is this DLC? Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned is the name of this first story DLC for Borderlands 4. The rough content was already known, and now there is a fixed release date – March 26, 2026.
In this DLC, you will join the mechanic Ellie, who fans may already know from Borderlands 2. The goal is to destroy an alien monolith and penetrate the titular Vault of the Damned. Meanwhile, a cosmic entity threatens Kairos – the planet on which Borderlands 4 takes place.
In the reveal trailer, you will get a first look at the DLC:
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Borderlands 4 shows its first story pack in the trailer, bringing beloved characters back
New Zone, Vault Hunter, and Plenty of Loot
What’s included in the DLC? It sends you to a new zone – the arctic ice desert of the Whispering Glacier. There are new story and side missions, as well as activities and collectibles. Some familiar faces also make an appearance. In addition to the aforementioned Ellie, Mancubus Bloodtooth, Pickle, and Crazy Earl have been announced.
A new Vault Hunter is also included. He goes by the name C4SH and was first introduced at the Tokyo Games Show 2025. The developers plan to reveal more about how he will play next week. It is already known that the Robo-Cowboy uses special cards in combat.
Fresh loot is also ensured: The first story pack contains three new pearlescent weapons and 11 new legendary gear items – including two grenades, two heavy weapons, two shields, and five class mods.
Additionally, there are 28 new cosmetic items:
Two Vault Hunter heads (usable for all Vault Hunters)
Four Vault Hunter skins (usable for all Vault Hunters)
Eight Vault Hunter heads specifically for C4SH
One alternative Vault Hunter body specifically for C4SH
Four weapon skins
Four vehicle skins
Three ECHO-4 drone skins & attachments
One ECHO-4 frame
Overall, the DLC also features two large boss fights and 16 minibosses. A new world boss mechanic will also allow you to interact with monstrous trees that grow in the game world. These will teleport you to a nightmarish dimension, where a random boss awaits you.
What do I need to play the DLC? The Vault Hunter Pack and the Deluxe and Super Deluxe editions of Borderlands 4 already include the story pack. However, you can also purchase it separately. There is no price available yet.
To play the new DLC, you should also have a Vault Hunter at least level 13. However, you can also create a new one at level 13 to dive right into the DLC. As this tells a standalone story, no prior knowledge is necessary.
Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned is intended to be just the first story DLC for Borderlands 4. After all, the loot shooter has already presented a comprehensive roadmap with many new contents. You can find an overview here with us on MeinMMO: Borderlands 4: Roadmap – All Upcoming DLCs
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new role-playing game has been released that should be interesting for anyone craving more Dungeons & Dragons (but who doesn’t always have time for a session with friends). In the first hours after the Early Access release on Steam, it already had over 4,000 concurrent players.
Which game is being talked about? This refers to Solasta 2, the sequel to the May 2021 released Solasta: Crown of the Magister. The cRPG in the style of Baldur’s Gate 3 launched today, March 12, 2026, in Early Access on Steam. Versions for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S are expected to follow at the final launch.
Within the first hours that the game has been available on Steam, more than 4,000 players have dived in simultaneously (according to steamdb.info). So, there is already interest in the game.
Here you can see Solasta 2 in the launch trailer:
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The new cRPG Solasta 2 enters Early Access on Steam, shows its first roadmap in the launch trailer
What kind of game ist it? Like Baldur’s Gate 3, Solasta 2 is a turn-based party RPG in which you travel through a fantasy world with a group of heroes. Both games are also based on the 5th Edition of the popular Dungeons & Dragons ruleset.
First reviews complain, but fans have a lot of hope
What’s the status of the Early Access? The colleagues at GameStar advise a bit of patience in their review. It may take a while until Solasta 2 truly becomes a strong alternative to Baldur’s Gate 3, says tester Fabiano Uslenghi.
In terms of quality, you should not expect an adventure that matches BG3 directly. That would also be difficult to expect from the 30 developers working on the game at studio Tactical Adventures.
The first reviews on Steam (as of March 12, 2026, 18:06) are balanced, but there are still too few to create a comprehensive picture. In the negative reviews, the character editor is a major topic.
Other players are optimistic that Solasta 2 will grow into something larger during its Early Access. The team has already proven with Solasta: Crown of the Magister that they can do it. On Steam, the predecessor currently boasts 87% positive ratings.
Those looking to buy a gaming PC or upgrade their old machine have to dig deep into their pockets. Especially RAM, which used to be one of the cheapest components, is absurdly expensive at the moment. And experts believe it will remain that way for a while.
Over the past six months, the price of RAM has seen a massive jump. A sample based on the 32-GB DDR5 RAM kit from Corsair shows: from around 125 euros back then, the price has now risen to 450 euros (according to Geizhals.de).
The shortage and high prices have even led to questionable methods to obtain RAM and even brazen theft directly from PCs in stores. A few companies are already taking action, but experts believe it will still take time for the effect to be felt.
Why is RAM so expensive? The current situation explained in 2 minutes
No improvement is expected before the end of 2027
Market researchers from Counterpoint (paywall) have analyzed how the price of RAM has developed in recent months. Compared to the last quarter of 2025, RAM has increased in price by between 130% and 180%, even older models (via The Korea Herald, translated with Google).
Companies like Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Micron, and others are already working to increase DRAM production over the course of the year. However, this alone is not enough to offset the shortage.
According to Counterpoint, RAM will remain scarce at least until the second half of 2027. Therefore, no significant price relief is expected before then.
The high prices cause dissatisfaction and frustration, especially among gamers, some of whom are venting their frustrations. Some are even calling for a boycott of RAM, even though this is unlikely to make a significant impact given the size of the AI companies.
You currently have the chance to try out the Paladin in Diablo 4 for free. With the right build, the new class deals significant damage – and it plays quite relaxing.
How can I play the Paladin for free? Through a “Free Trial”, you have the opportunity to check out the Paladin in Diablo 4 for free. The trial period runs from March 11 to March 18, 2026 (6 PM German time) and started simultaneously with Season 12. The trial phase is available on PC via Battle.net as well as on Xbox and PlayStation.
Anyone who plays the Paladin during the trial up to level 25 and pre-orders the expansion “Lord of Hatred” can transfer their progress and character directly. Once you own the DLC, you can continue playing the Paladin without time limitations.
What kind of build is this? It is the “Auradin” build of the Paladin. With this, you eliminate monsters in quick succession while simply existing. If you are looking for a relaxed build where you hardly have to press buttons or keep complex skill rotations in mind, the “Auradin” build is exactly what you need. The name is derived from Paladin and the Auras on which the build is based.
The experts from maxroll.gg refer to the build as “Walking Simulator” because you move quickly across the map as enemies simply evaporate in your Fire Aura.
The key points of the build:
Falling Star: Your most important mobility skill, allowing you to move quickly between groups of enemies.
Aura of Fanaticism: Weakens enemies, grants you increased attack speed and critical hit chance.
Aura of Defiance: Heals you and grants bonuses to maximum health and armor. Activating the skill makes you unstoppable.
Consecration: Heals you while dealing damage per second.
Lord of Justice: Your ultimate, where you plunge onto the battlefield as the Lord and deal massive damage.
The Disciple’s Oath enhances your Disciple skills like Falling Star and Lord of Justice. In the area form, these skills deal 50% [x] more damage.
You need the unique gloves “Duskfire” for the build, which drop among others from Varshan. This makes Holy Light continuously deal fire damage around you, which is your main source of damage.
For the Auradin build, you use the Disciple’s Oath. More information about the Paladin and its oaths can be found in the official trailer:
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Diablo 4 shows the Paladin and his oaths in the gameplay trailer
This is how the Auradin plays:
You switch between the skills “Lord of Justice” and “Falling Star” to remain in your area form as much as possible.
You regularly activate your aura skills to consistently deal damage while benefiting from bonuses to armor, resistances, critical hit chance and attack speed.
“Consecration” is used mainly in more challenging fights.
The unique gloves “Duskfire” ultimately ensure that your Paladin automatically melts enemies with fire damage.
A detailed build guide including skill tree and Paragon board can be found from the experts and theorycrafters at maxroll.gg.
Two alternative Paladin builds for the endgame
More strong builds for the Paladin: If you are looking for another playstyle for the Paladin in the endgame, there are more strong builds to choose from. The Wing Strike build is also a really strong playstyle. With this, you rely on an automatic skill that remains active as long as you are in the area form. The build is made possible by the “Oath of the Disciple”. A detailed guide can be found at maxroll.gg.
Another strong alternative is the “Shield of Vengeance” Paladin. This build emphasizes thorn damage and Moloch skills. You throw a shield at your enemies and destroy them in the process, making it a strong build at medium range. A variant of this build is also referred to as the “Captain America” build, which deals 5 billion damage per tick and is nearly unstoppable.
The Paladin is one of two new classes that are coming to Diablo 4 with the “Lord of Hatred” expansion. As members of the “Guardians of Light”, they are heavily armored and use the holy power. The second new class, the Warlock, is the exact opposite, as they are dark spellcasters who enslave demons to their will and draw their power directly from hell. You can find all the information about the Warlock in our overview: The Warlock will be the new class in Diablo 4 – What we know about gameplay, abilities, and class mechanics
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In ARC Raiders there is the event “Blocked Gate” on the map “The Blue Gate”. Here players have to find keys, crack a gate, and then collect a lot of loot. How to do this can be found out here.
At what time is the event active? There are several assumptions about this:
Some believe that the event would be active every 12 hours
Sites like OP.gg report that you can check back every 3 hours
We also kept an eye on the timer and observed that the event can even be active every 2 hours. So check the map selection every hour to ensure you don’t miss the event.
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ARC Raiders shows new Hurricane condition and hints at a new enemy
Locations of all keys
Important information about the event: If you are wondering why you do not find a code at the respective locations of the keys, it could be because the players have extracted from the map with them. This creates a softlock on the entire map. As a result, no one can open the gate, and you need to look for a new lobby. Those who have the key can open the gate faster on the new maps to be the first to grab the loot. (Source: reddit.com)
Reinforced Reception
Go to the reception building and try to open and search all containers and canisters. The box containing the code is random, so take your time and explore every free corner in the radius of the POI.
The Reinforced Reception near the village
Ancient Fortress
In the Ancient Fortress, you have three points where you can search for the key:
The Tower
The Storage Room
The Cellar
The Ancient Fortress is located at the edge of the map
Raider Refuge
The Raider Refuge is the church. Here you also have two points where the code can hide. These include the cellar and the ground floor in the church.
The Raider Refuge is in the forest
Pilgrim Summit
The Pilgrim Summit is a gigantic place that can be searched. For this, you should explore the individual server rooms and the tower. Especially the lockers or electronic modules are great hiding places for the code.
The Pilgrim Summit is near the mountain
Once you have all the codes or at least one, head to the gate control room. Once there, you need to enter all the codes to then open the gigantic gate near the security checkpoint. The known other entrances to the tunnel remain closed. You can only access the tunnel through the main entrance.
Why should I play the event? Blocked Gate and the event about the hurricane are the only events in which you can obtain the Bobcat blueprint. This is a powerful endgame weapon that should not be missing in any loadout. So stop by, and if searching for the codes seems too complex, you can also just stand at the gate and wait for other Raiders to open it. This way, you can be sure that you can definitely snag some loot.
That was all the important information about the event “Blocked Gate”. If you want to prepare properly for it, you should check out our list of the best weapons. There are plenty of options to ensure you can defend yourself in a confrontation: ARC Raiders: The best weapons for any situation
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new computer with a 5090 is usually a reason to celebrate. However, a Chinese gamer had an unpleasant experience. In seconds, his gaming rig turned into a fire hazard.
What happened? UNIKO’s hardware reports in an X post dated 11.02.2026, that the Chinese user allegedly filmed his PC catching fire. The original video was uploaded to the Chinese video platform Bilibili, but it has since been removed and is no longer available.
According to UNIKO, the user completed his new PC build with an RTX MSI 5090 Gaming Trio and wanted to record the first startup via video. When pressing the power button, several flames reportedly ignited on the graphics card and additional smoke was produced.
Why can’t the PC builder exchange the card? China is subject to an import restriction from the USA, and Chinese gamers cannot legally acquire an RTX 5090 domestically (via Slashgear).
Here, the same model is available for about 3,359 euros as of 12.03.2026 (via Geizhals).
How the gamer obtained the graphics card is unknown. However, due to the import ban, he has no way to send the GPU back to the manufacturer and claim a warranty. (via Guru3D).
To comply with the import ban restrictions, NVIDIA released the RTX 5090D for the Chinese market, which is primarily reduced in its AI performance. The gaming performance of this GPU variant is nearly identical. (via Trendforce).
By mid-last year, all shipments of the new 5090D variant to China were also halted, and all outstanding orders were canceled. (via TechPowerUp). Thus, it will be very difficult for the user to find a comparable replacement.
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Chef ruined his company in 59 seconds on Twitch – What happened to him?
Small fires can quickly become dangerous
What can I do if my electrical device catches fire? Even a minor fire can quickly become dangerous, and there are some tips on how to proceed in case of a computer fire (via ergo.de):
Immediately remove the power plug if possible, so the fire does not spread further with the flowing electricity. If you cannot reach the plug without putting yourself in danger, turn off the fuse to interrupt the power supply.
Do not extinguish the fire immediately with water, as there is a risk of receiving a life-threatening electric shock. It is best to use a C-class fire extinguisher, which discharges a powder suitable for such fires. If the power is turned off, a class A fire extinguisher that uses water or foam can also be used.
Remove all combustible materials from the vicinity of the fire to prevent it from spreading more easily, and alert emergency services by dialing 112.
One Piece is one of the longest and most popular anime series ever, with over 1000 episodes. However, not all episodes are crucial to the storyline. In our overview, we show you which arcs or episodes you can easily skip if you only want to focus on the main story.
Update on March 12th: We have added the complete Egghead Island arc.
What are fillers in One Piece? Like many shonen anime, there are also so-called filler episodes in One Piece. These episodes or even entire storylines were produced exclusively for the anime and are not part of the official manga source by Eiichiro Oda. They are usually meant to buy time while the manga continues to progress.
In One Piece, in addition to classic filler episodes, there are also so-called “mixed episodes,” in which only parts of the episode contain filler content. There are also “anime canon episodes.” These are episodes that do not directly come from the manga but are accepted by the creator Eiichiro Oda or the production team as part of the official storyline.
In our list, we only list pure filler episodes to maintain clarity. We intentionally exclude mixed episodes or anime canon episodes, as they contribute to the storyline at least in part.
Since One Piece is not yet complete, our list ends with the Wano arc – the last fully completed storyline section of the series so far.
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One Piece Film: Strong World – The Trailer for the Anime Movie
Recommendation: G-8 Arc – A filler you shouldn’t miss
There is one filler arc in One Piece that is truly worth it.The G-8 Arc (Episodes 196-206) is very popular among fans, and for good reason: The story is surprisingly well-written, and the characters are well portrayed. Right after the Skypia arc, the Straw Hats accidentally end up in a well-protected Marine base and have to escape. So if you usually skip fillers, you might want to make an exception here.
The YouTuber Varion is starting a new format on his channel. His first guest is the Twitch streamer Trymacs, who had to face manual tasks. As a reward, there were Pokémon booster packs.
Where does Trymacs have to work properly? Trymacs was a guest in one of Varion’s videos. Varion is usually known for his sketch videos on YouTube. A few years ago, that was his recipe for success, to reach a million subscribers in a year.
Now he is starting a new video series where German content creators will be invited to complete manual tasks. This is fitting, since Varion is a trained metal worker and therefore knows about craftsmanship.
For the first video, the Twitch streamer Trymacs was a guest. Varion had a very special technique to keep him entertained.
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Vom Pizza-Lieferant zu einem der größten deutschen Twitch-Streamer – Leben und Karriere von Trymacs in 2 Minuten
Hanging up pictures for Pokémon cards
What did Trymacs have to do? Trymacs’ first task was to hang up a picture. In their joint podcast “Offline + Ehrlich,” the two already talked about how Trymacs had never done that before.
The Twitch streamer would prefer to get someone to do it for him rather than learn it himself. He completed the task with flying colors, even though it was his first time using a hammer drill.
As a reward, Varion had prepared a bowl – though more like a strainer – that contained Pokémon booster packs. For each completed task, Trymacs could take one and open it right away. Unfortunately, he didn’t pull any particularly rare card.
Overall, Trymacs did very well despite lacking solid prior knowledge. The only real difficulties seemed to be in the quiz when he had to name 5 German surnames that are also manual professions.
In the future, Varion wants to invite more German content creators to his format and put them to the manual test. Trymacs joked that Varion could make other people renovate his entire apartment this way.
One week before the release of Crimson Desert on March 19, the developers released a new trailer. As if the open-world game didn’t have enough features, the trailer shows even more than was previously known.
What kind of trailer is it? In a week, Crimson Desert launches on PC and console, and to further fuel the hype around the open-world game, the developers have now released a release trailer. In it, they showcase some new features that have flown under the radar so far. One thing in particular brings joy to the fans.
Here you can see the new release trailer:
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Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train
Jetpack excites the fans
What kind of feature is it? New in the trailer is prominently the “Jetpack,” which lets the protagonist Kliff fly around. In the scene in the trailer, he uses it to fly between the towers of a fortress.
For the fans, this is a great feature, as they are extremely excited in the comments about the innovation that the game delivers here. For many, it is incredible that the trailer already shows further new features that have remained undiscovered so far, even though so much has already been presented.
What features are still “new”? As many content creators, journalists, and the official videos have extensively showcased Crimson Desert in recent weeks, some players may already be familiar with some of the following features. However, new in the trailer were:
Several bosses revolving around the story of Kliff and the Graymanes
Combat from a horse with a musket
New combat abilities like a stomper that creates a shockwave and knocks enemies away
The fan as a weapon that can be used in combat
A moving train on the map
The jetpack
Flight puzzles
Insight into the dungeons with many traps
I’m sure there are even more features hidden in a detailed analysis of the trailer aside from the obvious ones.
Do you want to finish the prey hunts in World of Warcraft Midnight quickly? With these tricks, you will be done in just a few minutes.
One of the new endgame features of World of Warcraft Midnight is the prey system, which you can start after completing the campaign. Here, not only are there stylish rewards, but also a built-in new difficulty for the open world. However, such a prey hunt can take time – if you do not know all the tricks.
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WoW Midnight: Arator’s Light and the Firebrand
What are prey hunts? The prey system is a new feature of Midnight that aims to reward and challenge players in the open world. You will be ambushed by strong NPCs whom you must defeat in a final confrontation to successfully complete the prey hunt.
These hunts begin at the NPC Astalor in Silvermoon, whom you can recognize on the map by his red marker. In his cellar, he gives you new quests and sends you off to find the corresponding targets.
Depending on the difficulty, these prey hunts may take a little longer or shorter and provide different rewards.
At Astalor in his spooky cellar, the prey hunts begin.
Complete Prey Quickly – in Under 10 Minutes
A prey hunt ends when you have gathered enough progress to determine the location of your target and defeat it in a final confrontation. Accordingly, it is important to gain a lot of progress quickly to reach this final confrontation soon. The following actions provide progress while staying in the corresponding area of your prey:
Looting treasures.
Completing world quests.
Interacting with Anguish Remnants.
Looting Anguish after an ambush.
Executing a counterattack after an ambush.
Disarming traps.
While all options here are solid ways to complete your hunt “on the side”, there is one option that is much faster and more efficient than all others: disarming traps.
Disarming traps is the fastest way to complete a prey hunt.
Where to find traps? Traps are usually scattered throughout the area where the prey hunt is active. However, you can find them bundled at specific locations – namely where a current “prey world quest” is active. As soon as you accept a prey hunt, a world quest starts in the corresponding area intended to lead you on the trail.
The trick: Do not complete this world quest. Instead, stay near this world quest and disarm the traps you find there. This has a number of pleasant side effects that can occur.
What happens when disarming a trap? When you disarm a trap, several things can happen in addition to progress in the prey hunt:
You disarm the trap without any further effect.
The trap triggers and you must avoid an area effect.
An ambush begins – your prey target attacks you.
An Anguish Elemental appears and needs to be fought (which can also trigger an ambush).
You receive the disarmed trap.
The disarmed traps are particularly valuable. Because as soon as you are caught in an ambush, meaning your target directly attacks you, you can simply throw the disarmed trap at the target to force it to flee immediately.
The counterattack in the red mist provides additional progress.
Ambush and Counterattack – Make the Most of It
In principle, an ambush is the biggest boost to your progress. However, after you have repelled an ambush, do not just move on but look around carefully:
Loot the Anguish Remnant. This is located where you repelled the ambush. The resource is important for rewards and grants progress.
Look around carefully right after an ambush. The moment you defeat your target, a red orb moves rapidly in a random direction. There you will find a thin, reddish mist. Once you reach this mist, you can find your prey target recovering. Interact with the target in the red mist to execute another counterattack – this provides further progress.
If you keep these tips in mind, you can maximize your prey progress within 3-5 minutes and will be informed by Astalor that you can now eliminate the target. Then you just have to travel to the location of the final confrontation, win the battle, and turn in the hunt.
If you keep all of this in mind, you can finish the hunts within 5-10 minutes and farm quickly. This can be worthwhile, especially on higher difficulty, as hunts reward solid gear (also for twinks) and decent currency, such as Voidlight Mergel, which is also needed in large amounts for housing.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Crimson Desert has added a notice on Steam that they will be using Denuvo. Denuvo is extremely unpopular among players.
What has Crimson Desert done? Crimson Desert has secretly added a notice on their shop page on Steam that the new action-adventure will use the Denuvo copy protection. The clear notice can now also be found on the German shop page of Steam.
This is what the notice about Denuvo on the shop page of Crimson Desert looks like.
Players are far from thrilled about this: Denuvo is considered a performance hog in PC games and is therefore particularly unpopular.
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Crimson Desert shows more of the fights and progression in the action RPG in the new gameplay video
Many players consider Denuvo to be a performance killer for PC games
What is Denuvo anyway? Denuvo is a widely used, controversial anti-piracy and anti-tamper software (DRM) that encrypts game files and makes access to them difficult. Many developers use Denuvo as an additional protection measure alongside Steam or Epic Games. In many cases, it only protects the release and a few weeks later the protection is removed again.
Why is Denuvo so unpopular? Players have long criticized Denuvo for impairing the performance of games. On Reddit, users are already criticizing the decision and fearing that the copy protection may affect the performance of Crimson Desert. Some are at least hoping that Pearl Abyss will remove the copy protection sooner or later.
As early as 2019, for example, Techpowerup magazine tested the performance losses due to Denuvo and found no real impact at that time: The performance loss was said to be somewhere between 3 and 4%, far from what players officially accuse the copy protection provider. However, there are also opposing reports. For example, in Hogwarts Legacy, performance without Denuvo is said to have increased significantly.
The miniature community that paints small figures for tabletop role-playing games has already filled entire display cases after years in the hobby. However, it turns out that the game that actually belongs to the soldiers, heroes, and monsters often not only fades into the background for many but becomes irrelevant.
What do even veterans admit? The miniature painter RecentEarth shared with the hobby community a picture of a well-stocked display case full of miniatures he painted himself. “I have painted armies/kill teams of Slaves to Darkness, Age of Sigmar Orks, Stormcast Eternals, Thousand Sons, Tzeentch demons, Khorne demons, and Death Guard,” he writes about his picture on Reddit. However, he also admits:
“I still don’t know how to play the game …”
With this statement, he strikes a chord in the community and receives almost 1,000 upvotes from those who can relate to his situation. Despite a full display case showing a lot of work, he has not yet had any experience with the actual tabletop game. And he is not the only one.
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Die neuen Modelle der Adpetus Custodes für Warhammer 40.000 und The Horus Heresy für 2026
The hobby works even without a game
What does the community say to the confession? Based on the number of upvotes and reactions on Reddit, it seems that the hobby is no longer (just) part of Warhammer, but independently captivates many fans.
“I feel the same way,” writes redrock963, “I have no interest in Warhammer tabletop. I just like painting monsters.” Nussknackerknacker also writes: “There’s a game?”
Those in the thread who actually play Warhammer still have a similar perspective as the pure painters.
“For me, Warhammer is 90% painting and 10% playing,” writes Robo_Patton. ChiBurbNerd adds: “Painting is much more fun than playing.”
However, before a general negative wave towards the actual game aspect of the tabletop can occur, rodgeramjit interjects:
“I was the same way for about ten years, but then I finally tried a game (Kill Team) and it changed everything. It’s SO great to see your beautifully painted game figures moving around in the game, even if they get destroyed. It’s a charming excuse to look at your miniatures up close and share them with a buddy. I love the game now.”
Here you can see the OP’s display case:
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MeinMMO editor Caro has also discovered the hobby for herself and finds: I have not painted any Warhammer miniatures yet. Instead, I refer more to characters and creatures that my group and I can use for our campaign in Dungeons & Dragons. At least that was a sort of personal excuse to get started. Ultimately, my miniatures don’t need to have a direct purpose in the game for me to want to paint them.
What started as a kind of “means to an end” has become a hobby that not only bridges the gap until the next campaign but has also become one of my favorite activities on its own. Even if some finished miniatures will never see use in the game, it doesn’t stop me from painting them because of their cool design.
Accordingly, I can imagine giving Warhammer miniatures a chance. Especially the Tyranids have caught my eye on several occasions…
Two strangers are intentionally ruining a player’s raid in ARC Raiders. The community is furious and demands strict penalties.
What kind of player is this? On Reddit, the user “Irock_101” shares an experience he had in ARC Raiders. As he shows in an attached video, his two random teammates threw incendiary grenades at him in the extraction shooter, set him on fire, and did not revive him to steal his loot and gear.
In the comments of the post, several players report that they experienced something similar recently. One user writes that two guys called him a “loot sack” and tried to set him on fire. Fortunately, he managed to escape because the two were “really bad players.”
Just a few days ago, there was a similar post on Reddit. Here, random teammates also threw incendiary grenades at a raider and blocked the exit of the room where the post creator was located with their characters.
Select a MMO video…
Even worse game spoilers than extract campers
This is how the community reacts: Players in the ARC Raiders subreddit agree that the game spoilers are even worse than the “rats” waiting for you at the exit. One user comments: “That’s mean, worse than rats. Compared to that, extract campers are still friendly.”
Many players also emphasize that the Reddit user must report the two players in ARC Raiders and that Embark must ban them.
Such behavior is simply griefing and has nothing to do with how the game is supposed to be played. After all, these are the player’s teammates and not possible PvP opponents encountered randomly on the map.
Can Embark really punish the players? Yes, Embark or the publisher Nexon definitely have the grounds to punish players for such behavior. All players have agreed in the terms of use (via Nexon) to adhere to the code of conduct and thereby certain rules.
Behavior that is considered “harmful” and “harassing” is regarded as a violation of the terms of use, and it is at Nexon’s discretion how they assess the behavior and take action accordingly.
The Twitch streamer Zarbex talks in his stream about how his girlfriend Julia has been engrossed in a specific place in Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen: the casino. There she gets a special Pokémon.
What has Zarbex’s girlfriend been doing for the last 2 days? Twitch streamer Zarbex mentioned in one of his streams (highlight on TikTok) that his girlfriend Julia has spent a lot of time on a specific game mechanic in Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen over the last 2 days.
In Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen, you have to go to a casino during the story, as Team Rocket’s secret hideout is located underneath it. However, you can also play at the slot machines. That’s what Zarbex’s girlfriend has been doing in recent days.
This is atypical for her, says Zarbex, as Julia normally cannot stand gambling in real life.
However, in the game, it’s not really gambling: it’s not based on luck but on actual skill, as you need to press the A-button at the right moment.
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These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google
10,000 coins for a Pokémon
What’s it all about? According to Zarbex, his girlfriend is so engrossed in the Pokémon casino because she wants 9,999 coins. With that, she can buy a Porygon.
Julia has learned the mechanic and thus easily obtained the desired number of coins: within 2 days, she managed to collect 10,000 coins, says the Twitch streamer.
Other Pokémon can also be bought with enough coins, such as a Dratini. Certain moves can also be purchased with the coins.
There are other ways to gather enough coins: You can simply buy them with Pokédollars. However, you need to farm Pokédollars, as 50 coins cost 1,000 Pokédollars.
In the 2000s, many series achieved a certain status in pop culture that still resonates today. MeinMMO editor Niko recently caught up with a crime series and can only recommend watching the 8 seasons before it disappears from Netflix.
Which series is it about? Everyone has heard of Lost, Breaking Bad, or The Walking Dead. Between 2000 and 2010, several series emerged that are still well-known and had a significant impact on the series landscape.
Among them is the crime series Dexter, which I recently caught up on Netflix. I didn’t know much about it, but the memes that resurfaced in 2025 piqued my interest. So I watched all 8 seasons and can tell you: Dexter is still worth it today.
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Dexter – Trailer for Season 1 of the cult series
A Secret Serial Killer
What is Dexter about? Dexter Morgan, played by Michael C. Hall, is outwardly a blood spatter analyst for the police in Miami. In secret, however, he is a serial killer who follows his own code to only kill those who deserve it.
Throughout the 8 seasons of the original series, each season deals with a different serial killer and how Dexter becomes involved in these cases. Additionally, human drama and the emotional development of Dexter are included.
Even 13 years after the release of Season 8, Dexter is a watchable series, especially for those interested in how television was like back then.
What makes Dexter so good? The highlight is undoubtedly Dexter himself. Michael C. Hall portrays him well, creating a character that combines several traits:
To his victims, he is a monster who often relies on humor.
He often has to fake social interactions, making him seem approachable at times because he doesn’t always want to go to the club or eat with everyone.
Thanks to his many internal monologues, he is also a bit of an edgelord, who likes to throw out lines about his own darkness, reminding me of cliché teenage characters.
Dexter does not have the consistent quality of something like Breaking Bad, but there is no other series that is quite like Dexter. Episodes often feel a bit too long, and one constantly questions the decisions of the characters, but that is exactly what makes Dexter so entertaining. Back then, episodes had to be filled for the 1-hour television slot. The series employs dark humor, but even dramatic scenes can feel unintentionally funny.
But I also have to praise the cases. Especially the first 4 seasons feature exciting antagonists for Dexter, and the dynamics with the police work quite well. Seasons 5 to 7 become noticeably more absurd, but I was still able to enjoy it since Dexter never takes himself too seriously. This made it the perfect series for me for a long time, to unwind after work.
The big elephant in the room is, of course, Season 8. The ending is really bad, but like the endings of How I Met Your Mother or Game of Thrones, it doesn’t harm the overall work.
Also, it’s worth checking out the series for internet culture fans, as many well-known memes originate from this series.
Until when can I watch Dexter on Netflix? You have about 2 weeks left to catch up on Dexter on Netflix. The series will disappear from the streaming service on March 30. With 8 seasons, each containing 12 episodes that run just under 1 hour, you have quite a bit to catch up on.
If you happen to have a subscription to Paramount+, you can also watch Dexter: New Blood, Dexter: Original Sin, and Dexter: Revival there. Especially Revival is highly recommended.
MIR4 is one of the most popular MMORPGs on Steam. At the same time, the developers are already working on the 5th installment of the MMORPG series. However, the development is said to have been halted.
What kind of MMORPG is this? Not much is known about MIR5, but the series has quite a few features that can be expected in the fifth installment. The MMORPG is said to be developed in Unreal Engine 5 and to offer an open world in which players can take their place in one of the many production systems, away from typical battles.
MIR4 also offered the opportunity to earn real money through work done in the game. By using its own cryptocurrency, players could earn cents through a Play2Earn model. New in the fifth installment should be AI opponents that learn.
That players can spend their game time as craftsmen, in addition to fighting, is also the secret recipe for the title’s success. Fans can become true masters of their craft – but they also need others to obtain items. The social gameplay is driven by trade. MIR4 is the third largest MMORPG on Steam in March 2026.
Here you can watch a trailer for MIR4:
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MIR4 introduces the new class The Darkist in the trailer
Development Halt on Part 5
What about the successor? Despite ambitious goals and a very successful predecessor, there is currently a development halt on the project, according to the Korean magazine MTN . According to the magazine, this is happening due to a “comprehensive project review.”
In the background, there are said to be “efforts to improve organizational efficiency and a partial restructuring within Wemade.” At the same time, there are reports that “a subsidiary is in financial trouble” (Source: 17173).
Is this the end of MIR? No, that is not to be expected. The MMORPG series is very successful and extremely popular in Asia. It is to be expected that the project will continue after the review.
However, it is still not possible to say whether and what changes will occur. Not much is known about MIR5 yet, which suggests an early development stage. So, everything is still open and can change until the MMORPG is released.
Sony will in the future refrain from PC versions of PS5 games. An expert believes that Valve could otherwise win the console war. With the Steam Machine, they have the right alternative to the console on offer.
According to an insider, Sony will in the future no longer bring PS5 games to PC. This marks a reversal of the strategy of recent months: during this time, several important titles such as God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, or Spider-Man were brought to PC.
The former head of the dissolved studio BluePoint, Peter Dalton, recently explained in a conversation that Sony might have good reasons for this. Because Valve could win the console war with its Steam Machine.
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Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
Steam Machine could offer the best of both worlds and thus compete with the PS5
What does Dalton say? Dalton emphasizes in the conversation especially the console-like advantages of the upcoming Steam Machine. And that could become a problem for manufacturers like Sony: all the games of the PC platform coupled with the accessibility of a console. And that could become a problem for Sony if the company behind the PS5 continues to bring its games to PC (via frvr.com):
If Valve releases a new Steam console that offers a console-like experience while simultaneously giving players access to the entire PC game library, this could become a very attractive option. In this scenario, the Steam console could effectively offer the best of all worlds if Sony were to release all its games on PC simultaneously: the simplicity of a console with the full breadth of PC gaming.
(…)
It would be quite ironic if Valve, after decades of traditional console competition, ultimately wins the console war.
Basically, the Steam Machine comes with a few limitations, such as issues with certain anti-cheat systems on Linux. Nevertheless, the Steam Machine should be able to launch thousands of Steam games, including PS5 games released for PC.
The Steam Machine has been introduced. What exactly is this new device from Valve? MeinMMO has compiled the most important questions and answers for you and presents them here. You can read more about it here: Steam Machine: The most important questions and answers
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Spotlight Hours in Pokémon GO are a popular event. However, there is currently a change affecting the event.
What is a Spotlight Hour? This is a small, 60-minute event that has taken place every Tuesday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. During this time, there was at least one Pokémon that appeared in large numbers in the game along with a bonus.
Attentive trainers may have noticed that this event has not taken place in recent weeks. And there is a reason for that.
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Pokémon GO Fest 2026 comes with Mewtwo and Zeraora
New Season, Big Changes
Why are there no more Spotlight Hours? With the announcement of the new season Memories in Motion in Pokémon GO, the plan for weekly content has changed significantly. The Spotlight Hours are also affected.
While they always took place on Tuesdays from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM in previous seasons, Tuesday is now dedicated to showcases in the current season. Accordingly, the day of the week in the game is also referred to as “Showcase Tuesday”.
The Spotlight Hours have been eliminated and are currently no longer taking place in the form you knew. They now seem to appear as part of events, for example at the next big Electric Event, in the game.
However, according to the current knowledge, the bonus of the Spotlight Hour, which has made the event really strong, is missing.
Is this change permanent? Currently, it is assumed that the Spotlight Hours in the form you knew them in the past will not return in the current season. This runs until June 2, 2026, at 10:00 AM.
Whether they will come back in their old form in future seasons is not yet known. If there are any updates, we will of course report on it and adjust this article for you.
On March 5, 2026, the latest game from Bungie was released for Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5: Marathon, an extraction shooter with a strong focus on PvP. The game has been the subject of lively discussions since then. Many gamers wonder if the success of Marathon will be enough to satisfy Sony, or if the shooter signals the end for the studio. MeinMMO editor Dariusz addresses this question.
Marathon is in a strange situation. There is a huge gap between the perception of the game on social networks like Reddit and X and player ratings on Steam.
On social media, Marathon is portrayed as one of the worst games of all time. A post on X claims, according to SteamDB, that Marathon has been returned over 500,000 times. However, SteamDB does not provide figures on refunds.
Even on Twitch, comments in various chats express how bad the game is – even though the streamer is obviously having fun. TheBurntPeanut therefore plays the game offline when he is not live on Twitch (via TikTok).
On Steam, however, the mood is largely positive. Out of 23,105 reviews, as many as 88% are positive. If you filter out players who have played less than an hour, it’s even 90% positive reviews.
Update: We have adjusted some figures to take into account the average global purchase price instead of the regional European purchase price – and while we were at it, we brought the sales figures up to date.
Marathon shows what Bungie’s biggest problem really is
The gap between the perceived mood and the ratings of actual players highlights the biggest problem with Marathon:
Bungie has lost the favor of its fans with Destiny 2.
Many long-time Destiny players have lost trust in Bungie. There are too many criticisms that the community simply cannot forget.
Monetization
Fostering FOMO (fear of missing out)
Recycling content
The so-called content vault – that is, content that has been removed from the game even though players paid for it.
And overall, the community feedback that has simply been ignored for too long.
Overall, it’s hard to imagine that Bungie will achieve financial success in the coming years – regardless of the quality of the respective product. The former fans of Bungie are so dissatisfied and frustrated that they – it seems currently – are negative towards everything Bungie is doing.
This discontent with Bungie is also reflected in our comments on MeinMMO. In my preview report on Marathon, I explained why the game is among the best shooters of 2026, according to me. Some MeinMMO readers see it differently, others don’t even give the game a chance due to their past with Bungie.
“I maintain my stance mentioned in the article: Bungie has lost my trust and will not get another cent from me. Generally, I will refrain from commenting on the gameplay, as I do not play it, but the criticized battle pass speaks volumes; Bungie-style – whoever still supports that and fails to learn from mistakes – is just plain foolish.”
The struggling Destiny 2 had been considered the studio’s main source of revenue, and Sony is likely to have some expectations for Marathon as well.
Forbes journalist Paul Tassi, who has close ties to Bungie, reported last year that Marathon would need to be one of the top 5 best-selling games in the USA in 2025 to be considered a “success” (via YouTube) – this was however before the shooter’s release was postponed.
Recently, there have also been rumors online that Marathon cost 250 million USD and needed 10 million sales to be considered a “hit”.
However, there has been no official statement from Sony or Bungie regarding the development costs or expected sales.
In an interview with YouTuber Skill Up, Marathon’s game director Joe Ziegler revealed that in 2025, slightly less than 300 developers were working on the shooter. He also stated that at that time, the game had been in development at Bungie for more than 4 years – and since then, another year has been added.
Let’s look at some numbers:
Average salary at Bungie
98,000 USD per year
Development duration
More than 5 years
Estimated salary costs over 5 years
70-110 million USD (About 147 million USD with a constant 300 employees)
The average salary at Bungie is said to be around 98,000 USD per year (source: salary.com). With 300 employees, this results in about 147 million USD in pure salary costs over 5 years. However, it is likely that not all 300 employees worked continuously on the shooter. It is quite possible that salary costs are actually between 70 and 110 million USD.
Additional costs for marketing and office maintenance as well as other infrastructure come on top. According to the information service zipdo, AAA games spend an average of around 25 million USD on marketing. This corresponds with other sources, which state that about 10-20% of the total budget goes for marketing.
The rumored 250 million USD for Marathon seems somewhat high compared to these numbers, but not unrealistic. It could also just as easily be 150-200 million USD.
But even that Marathon has to recoup first.
Player numbers in decline, but sales figures are not a disaster
In the discourse surrounding Marathon, many talk about player numbers. The game is said to be a flop, and the numbers show it. The peak for Marathon only lies just below 88,000 concurrent players on Steam in the release week. Even now, there are only 26,000 players online on Valve’s gaming platform (as of March 10, 1:30 PM). The daily peak is currently usually between 65,000 and 80,000 players (via SteamDB).
These numbers certainly do not compare to the success of ARC Raiders. The competitor of Marathon still sees daily peaks of 170,000 to 250,000 concurrent players five months after release and has sold over 10 million copies.
Bungie and Sony have not yet released sales figures for Marathon. Analysis platforms like gamalytic and PlayTracker speak of 911,000-975,000 copies sold on Steam (as of March 13, 2026).
The player and sales figures of Marathon on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S are unknown. However, Bungie is usually much stronger represented on consoles than on Steam. The tracker “Charlemagne” created by the Destiny community impressively shows the player counts of Destiny 2 per platform.
On March 8, the overall distribution of Destiny players was as follows:
PlayStation: 78,520 (around 45%)
Xbox: 58,290 (around 33%)
Steam: 35,740 (around 20.37%)
The consoles made up 78% of the player counts for Destiny 2 on March 8. If we now speculate that the distribution for Marathon is similar, the shooter could have sold about 3,229,000 copies on consoles. The 911,000 sold units on Steam served as the basis for this calculation.
This would mean:
Marathon would exceed 4.1 million sales in the release week, and Bungie would have already earned 118 million euros with Marathon at an average global purchase price of 29 €. Deductions for taxes or platform fees to Steam etc. are not yet taken into account.
Note: The numbers remain purely speculative. Paul Tassi has learned from his sources that Marathon is currently being played the most on PC.
According to the market research company Alinea Analytics, ARC Raiders sold 2.5 million copies in the release week, with 69.2% of the players being on Steam. So Marathon might not be doing that badly compared to ARC Raiders, as the Steam figures currently suggest.
Concord shows what the worst-case scenario could be for Marathon and Bungie:
On failure, the game is taken offline first, then some time later the studio is closed.
This is a fate that several developers have recently shared. On March 12, the shutdown of Highguard follows, a hero shooter that was only released at the end of January and where the Chinese technology giant Tencent was the secret main financier. The shutdown comes just 45 days after the release.
So the question arises:
Is Marathon facing shutdown and what’s next for Bungie?
A report from IGN from 2023 states that Sony could dissolve Bungie’s current board if financial goals are not met and take full control.
If Sony is unhappy with Bungie’s financial success, this is likely what the next step would look like. After all, Sony paid 3.2 billion euros for the studio, so they will first try everything to get as much as possible out of it.
A closure of Bungie is currently unrealistic.
Conclusion: What lies ahead for Marathon and Bungie
If Sony aims for an early shutdown of Marathon, this will likely become evident in the next 3-6 weeks. This has been the recent timeframe in which such decisions have been made in the industry.
If the speculated figures of 4.1 million sales are accurate, Marathon will almost certainly survive in the coming weeks and months. The game has the potential to steadily gather more players over time, as the negative discourse settles a bit. ARC Raiders also gained a considerable number of players in the weeks following its release.
Bungie already has plans for future seasons and in-game events, which could also attract new players. In addition to game sales, there are revenues from skins and battle passes.
Nevertheless, the leadership at Bungie must show a keen interest in making Marathon a success. If the shooter surprisingly sells best on Steam against expectations, the numbers look worrying.
Then the takeover by Sony would likely be inevitable in the coming months.
Marathon is just beginning, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it is supplied with new content for at least a year. The takeover by Sony or even the closure of the studio is probably not imminent – but Bungie is not yet safe.
If you’re still undecided about whether Marathon might appeal to you, we’ve prepared a short check including a quiz for you. There you will find important information about the shooter and can find out if the game is interesting for you by answering 10 questions: Is Marathon worth it for you? A short check with quiz
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
