Overwatch has been hearing for a while that the similarities to the shooter “Team Fortress 2” are quite noticeable. Enough material for interesting crossovers, as the YouTuber The Winglet shows in his “Source Film Maker” video! There, the heroes from Overwatch fight against the characters from Team Fortress 2. I wonder how it will end?
Shootouts, humor, romances, and body parts: The Overwatch/TF2 crossover video has it all. From comic-style shootouts including flying body parts to grotesque humor and a romantic happy ending. And the video manages to pack it all into 8 minutes! And who would have thought that Mei could be so “cold”…
Battle for Azeroth brings tons of new content to World of Warcraft. It also has to look good. Blizzard is already taking care of the appearance of Battle for Azeroth. Data miners have now found new models and polished old textures.
New models and improved textures: In Battle for Azeroth, Blizzard is thoroughly polishing existing textures. Some old models, such as those of fire elementals and naga, are getting a makeover. They are likely to get attention thanks to the Island Expeditions.
Image source: wowhead.
Image source: wowhead.
Image source: wowhead.
But there will also be new models. In Battle for Azeroth, fluffy alpacas are making their way into the game! Whether these cute cloven-hoofed animals are suitable as hunter pets or just decoration for the environment is not yet known. However, fans hope for an alpaca mount.
Image source: wowhead.
More detail for notable characters: Some models are even getting a little more love in Battle for Azeroth. They receive not only polish or a new model, but are also equipped with new details.
For example, Jaina Proudmoore gets an anchor as a necklace. Jaina is one of the main characters of the addon, and the anchor is the emblem of the seafaring kingdom of Kul Tiras. Jaina shows her connection to it – despite some issues with her people.
Larvae and ghosts: Besides fiery opponents and pretty protagonists, Blizzard is also taking care of the less beloved inhabitants of Azeroth. Larvae, which can mainly be found in plague areas, are getting a polish.
Image source: wowhead.
A new model is available for banshees and ghosts. The haunting figures now resemble floating corpses rather than distorted spirits. What Blizzard plans to do with the undead is not yet certain.
Image source: wowhead.
What do you think of the new models? Are you excited about the new opponents, or do you also want an alpaca mount? Do you find the detail on Jaina appropriate? Leave us a comment!
The community is currently accusing the developers of Destiny 2 that the new Escalation Protocol event is barely manageable. Bungie has now hinted at an adjustment of the difficulty level.
Escalation Protocol in a fireteam of three? In the “This Week at Bungie” blog from May 24, 2018, Bungie addressed some fan questions regarding the Escalation Protocol. The difficulty level, potential matchmaking, and larger fireteams were the focus of the discussion.
The studio emphasized that this new PvE event is designed to be completed by a fireteam of three maximum-level Guardians. This statement caused a lot of frustration and head-shaking among the fans. Following this, Bungie backtracked and even hinted at adjustments to the difficulty level.
The Escalation Protocol could become easier
Not feasible: Many community members stressed after the developers’ explanation that the event can hardly be managed under these conditions. Many players who have already reached the new max power level of 385 are still not even remotely able to tackle the Escalation Protocol in a team of three. Frustration is spreading.
Even exceptional players like Gigz could only complete the event after eight hours and numerous failures as a trio. Increasingly more fans are demanding that the developers please demonstrate how they successfully finish the event in a three-man fireteam – preferably in a video.
Bungie has now backtracked: On Reddit, the community manager Cozmo wrote that they have reviewed the feedback and are now considering an adjustment to the difficulty level. They were concerned that the event might become too easy and it was possible that they had overdone it regarding the difficulty. While they cannot change the fireteam size, adjusting the difficulty at the end of the event is within the realm of possibility.
Event could become easier: A reduction in difficulty seems highly likely given these statements. However, there has been no concrete confirmation from the studio or a potential timeline for the adjustment.
We will continue to follow the matter for you and report on further developments.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) has actually filed a lawsuit against Fortnite. It concerns a violation of copyright. The lawsuit has been ongoing since January 2018 in South Korea.
Lawsuit filed in January: As reported by the Korean Times, PUBG Corporation has filed a complaint against Epic Games. The court is supposed to determine whether the game from Epic Games “Fortnite” is a copy of “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” and whether copyright has been violated. It is an injunction lawsuit.
Lawsuit ongoing in South Korea: An official representative of PUBG said on Friday that they filed the lawsuit back in January. The lawsuit is ongoing at the “Seoul Central District Court” against Epic Games Korea.
No public statements on the legal dispute
This is what PUBG says: PUBG told the Korean gaming site Inven that they do not want to share any details or the progress of the process. The lawsuit was filed in January to protect copyright.
This is what Epic says: Epic states that there is nothing to share with the public about the process as long as it is still an ongoing procedure.
Evidence of 11 major similarities
Similarities between Fortnite and PUBG: According to a report from Inven, PUBG has submitted evidence of 11 major similarities between Fortnite and PUBG. These similarities include:
the style of the interface,
the mini-map,
the overlay of the crosshair,
the way health points regenerate,
and the number of players in a match.
Source: Invenglobal
There was trouble back in September
Dispute arose in September: The current lawsuit continues a public dispute between PUBG and Fortnite from September 2017. At that time, PUBG complained that Fortnite was introducing a “Battle Royale” mode that clearly relied on PUBG and sought proximity to PUBG in advertising. Epic is the developer of the Unreal Engine, which is also used by PUBG. Therefore, they are partners. Developer Bluehole found it particularly frustrating that such competition was coming from a business partner.
Fortnite has overtaken PUBG: Since September 2017, a lot has changed. Back then, PUBG was the huge giant in PC gaming and Fortnite, with its PvE mode, was actually failing. However, Fortnite: Battle Royale has now surpassed PUBG as a free alternative and is enjoying worldwide success. The game is free to play on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and iOS. A port for Android and a release in China are expected to follow. Currently, Fortnite earns over 296 million US dollars a month. Hardly anyone would have believed that possible back in September 2017.
Release of Fortnite in South Korea likely the reason
Fortnite is set to come to Korea: Epic Games is currently preparing to bring Fortnite to South Korea. They have formed a partnership with Neowiz Games, the company behind the MMORPG “Bless.” The two companies plan to release Fortnite in the country’s internet cafes in the second quarter of 2018. Apparently, this is the reason for PUBG to file a lawsuit. Their parent company Bluehole is also based in South Korea.
Could the Fortnite servers be shut down due to the lawsuit?
Before it was a fake: Ironically, there were rumors some time ago that PUBG had sued Fortnite. When on April 12 the servers at Fortnite were down for an extended period, fake news circulated that it was due to a lawsuit by PUBG. Therefore, Fortnite was supposedly “banned” and the servers would be shut down. That was a blatant lie at that time. Ironically, however, the lawsuit was indeed already underway in South Korea. But whether the injunction lawsuit, if successful, will actually have an impact on our Fortnite servers remains to be doubted. We do not know much about the legal dispute yet, but it seems to be about the release of Fortnite in South Korea.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Today marks the early start of the MMORPG Bless Online, with the official launch taking place on May 30. We explain what you should know for the release. What time does Bless start?
When does the headstart begin? Early starters who purchase a Founder’s Pack will begin today at 7 PM. This is actually the standard time when Steam launches new games. Since all players (USA and Europe) start at the same time and there is no pre-load, you should be prepared to wait a bit. There may be issues and queues.
Can you buy the founder’s packs beforehand? No, you cannot purchase Bless or start a download beforehand. Everything is scheduled to start this evening. So it will be quite crowded.
There is one server for the USA and one for Europe. Current information mentions only two servers, one for the USA and one for Europe. However, this does not mean that you will see all players on your server, as there are different instances. You will be randomly distributed into these instances, but you can also switch if you want to play with someone who is in a different instance.
You are bound to your faction. At the start, you choose whether you want to belong to the Union or Hieron faction. You will then be bound to this faction, and each of your characters will automatically belong to this faction. If you want to “switch sides”, this can only be done by deleting all your characters and starting completely over.
The Races and Classes of Bless
Choose between five classes. The early access phase of Bless Online offers you five classes, regardless of which faction you belong to:
Guardian
Berserker
Mage
Ranger
Paladin
The classes Assassin and Mystic will be introduced at a later time.
Each race has its own starting zone. If you want to start together with friends, make sure that you all choose the same race. Each race gets its own starting zone.
What does the ingame shop offer? If you possess the ingame currency Lumina (which you can also earn in the game), you can purchase items like EXP potions, more inventory space, and temporary protection from PvP attacks in the ingame shop – as PvP is possible everywhere in the world.
This should make your entry into the MMORPG Bless Online a little easier.
Shortly after the release of Conan Exiles, Funcom discusses plans for the future of the game. Conan Exiles is set to receive new content, including a DLC. However, the community has mixed feelings about the DLC.
A DLC for Conan Exiles comes in June: Funcom mentioned in its first quarter 2018 financial report that new content for Conan Exiles is on the way. According to reports, Conan Exiles will receive bug fixes and “Quality of Life” updates, new features and functionality, and DLC packs in the coming months.
The new features will generally be free. However, it is still unclear how the DLC will be structured. Nevertheless, the DLC is expected to be released this coming June.
Some players are still exploring the last areas in the game, and something new is already on the horizon.
The DLC brings “optional content”
The most significant gameplay changes will likely come in the free updates that everyone will receive. The DLCs are expected to contain “optional content.” Funcom has not yet revealed what exactly this entails.
The community suspects new cosmetic items and settings. Some players hope for new options in character creation. Others think there could be new materials or a new look for buildings.
These would be innovations that would likely please players on PS4 and Xbox One. PC players already have access to a wide database of mods through Steam. Options such as different character options are already available as mods.
The mods of Conan Exiles.
ARK as a Negative Example
The community is divided: Reactions to the DLC have been mixed in the official forum so far. Many players are excited about new content and are satisfied with what Funcom has already accomplished. They trust that the company will make the right decisions.
Others fear that Conan Exiles might take a path similar to ARK. They are concerned that Funcom prefers to sell new content rather than fix existing bugs. Players are particularly unsettled that the DLC is set to be released so early. They hope that the DLC will not include features that should have already been present in the finished game.
On Monday, the Early Access of the MMORPG Bless begins. We have compiled 5 things that users should know before deciding to purchase.
The launch of Bless: In recent months, the MMORPG “Bless” has been controversially discussed by the community – also on our site. On Monday at 7:00 PM, Early Access starts on PC. There is no preload. The regular launch for players without founder pack is on Wednesday, May 30th. However, even then one will have to purchase access, as Bless is a Buy2Play title. We summarize 5 things that one should know before launch.
1. Bless is an AAA MMORPG and perhaps the last of its kind
High production costs: Bless was announced by the Korean MMO specialist Neowiz in 2011. It is said to have been in development since 2009 and employed more than 150 developers. Bless runs on Unreal Engine 3. The production costs of Bless are estimated at around 61 million US dollars (via mmos). This makes it an AAA MMORPG. MMORPGs with such investment are now almost exclusively developed in South Korea.
Looks good, sounds good: From the beginning, Bless focused on its high production values – the music comes from Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer. The first trailers made waves in 2014. They were well made and showed a fascinating fantasy world. Here is the current Steam trailer.
Bless did not succeed in South Korea: The original launch of Bless in South Korea was not successful. That was in January 2016. Over the following months and years, more and more servers were merged until Bless was ultimately taken off the market in mid-2017 for a fundamental overhaul. Critics mainly criticized the lack of good performance in the original Bless. Unique selling points were apparently in short supply: a Mein-MMO reader who could test Bless in 2016 described it as an “old-school MMO.“
Fuss over port to Europe: Actually, Bless was supposed to be released here in Europe in 2017. The German publisher Aeria Games was on board. However, after Neowiz announced that it would be overhauling Bless, Aeria Games withdrew. Therefore, developer Neowiz is now releasing the game themselves in Europe and North America.
Steam version without free trial: Neowiz has revised Bless for the global version. However, only a few influencers were allowed to play the newly revised Steam version beforehand. Bless launches on Steam without a free trial period directly with a paid Early Access version.
3. Bless offers faction PvP for everyone
No PvE servers: Bless will not offer PvE servers. The developers emphasize how important the constant war between the two factions Union and Hieron is for the game. There is an item that grants protection against PvP, but it only lasts for 10 minutes. Until the maximum level, it can be purchased with gold, after that with the real money currency Lumenia.
It is unlikely that one can afford to maintain this PvP protection permanently. Even if you can earn the premium currency, the amount that can be exchanged per week is limited.
However, it is equally unclear whether Bless will become the gank festival that critics fear. If you have doubts and want to avoid PvP at all costs, it makes sense to wait for the release and check out initial reports. It is difficult to infer what the actual PvP behavior in the Steam version will be based on the gameplay systems.
4. Bless has a cash shop but swears it will not be Pay2Win
Not a Free2Play game: Unlike many Asian MMORPGs, Bless is not a free-to-play title. The entry price will be around €27. In addition, Bless has announced that it will introduce a cash shop to the game. It will not be purely cosmetic but will contain “convenience” items.
Cash shop with boosters: In the shop, there will be items that make it easier for players to progress. A premium membership can also be purchased, which grants moderate bonuses and is intended to enable faster progression. The previously known percentage values are in the range of 10% or 20%.
Mainly cosmetic: The developers of Bless have repeatedly emphasized that Bless is not meant to be a Pay2Win title. This is important to them. Neowiz primarily wants to earn money for future development by creating cool skins for pets, weapons, and characters and selling them through the cash shop.
5. The community is divided, but many are excited about Bless
Bless discussed controversially: In recent months, discussions about Bless have repeatedly flared up among players interested in MMORPGs. Negative points about the game mainly include the open PvP, the lack of special “features,” and the cash shop. However, there is also an enthusiastic community eagerly waiting to venture into a new MMORPG.
Every beginning holds a magic: For many, the first days in an MMORPG are considered the most beautiful and intense time, when everyone is still a beginner and friendships and experiences are formed.
Bless will in the worst case die down relatively quickly. At the moment it still seems quiet around the MMORPG. A mainstream success is not to be expected. This is a game for the niche. Bless is a big unknown after the overhaul for Steam. A variety of difficulties could arise regarding content supply, the cash shop, or individual gameplay aspects. The fact that Bless starts with only 5 classes and likely retains a lot of content for the time being could also become a problem.
What does Mein MMO recommend? We definitely recommend caution with the large founder packs until you really have a good picture of the MMORPG. There is a lack of a closed or open beta to get an accurate impression. Currently, one is buying a pig in a poke. One should not expect miracles from Bless – it is certainly not a “next-gen MMORPG.” If in doubt, it is advisable to wait at least until Wednesday and the official release date; one can endure the 48 hours – and even then Bless is still “new” and one can take the launch experience with them.
Have you decided to purchase or will you wait for initial reports?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The song “Through the Fire and Flames” by Dragonforce is considered the ultimate killer in the Guitar Hero games. Now, a bard from Final Fantasy XIV has taken on the challenge to play this song using the composition feature of the MMORPG – in its full 7-minute glory.
The compositions are a relatively young feature in Final Fantasy XIV that allows players to play their favorite songs through keyboard and controller inputs. Nevertheless, creative gamer minds have already created countless cool tracks, ranging from Final Fantasy melodies to classics like Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Players now have access to nine different instruments. With each content update, this feature continues to expand.
Has the video sparked your interest in Final Fantasy XIV? Here’s how you can test it for free:
If you don’t have fixed gaming partners, you have to approach the team modes in Fortnite: Battle Royale solo or in a team of random players. A random team? It probably won’t be that bad, thought our author Robert. But he should be mistaken. A report on experience.
Generally, I avoid playing Fortnite: Battle Royale with randomly selected players. Considering the dozens of play styles and tactical nuances, it is nearly impossible to find a complete team that harmonizes with one’s own play style. When an aggressive player encounters three defensively playing players, the chances of success are low.
Now my absolute favorite mode – “Pure Gold” – was active, but my fixed gaming partner was not online. I play the mode alone as well, but since I still had a few challenges to complete that need to be done in a team, I took the plunge into the cold water and completed about 20 games with randomly assigned players.
To put it positively: It was an interesting experience. But always in order.
Joyfully, I start the player search in the “Pure Gold” mode. The loading screen hasn’t even disappeared when a full-fledged argument between two children reaches my ears. Admittedly, my Spanish is a bit rusty – but I undoubtedly witnessed an argument. Probably over the controller (or whatever children argue about).
The deafening noise persisted throughout the entire match. I seem to remember that a third voice joined the “conversation”, but it could also have been my ringing ears.
To my shame, I must admit that it took three complete games before I realized that individual players can mute themselves. Until then, I had to endure tirades in French, Italian, and English. Needless to say, we were not remotely successful in any of the rounds.
Occasionally, the verbal battles were countered by annoyed other players – I do not wish to quote the non-youth-friendly language here. After I finally figured out how to eliminate the annoying background noise, I was faced with the next challenge: Tilted Towers.
Tilted Towers are the Lottery of Fortnite: Battle Royale
Everyone knows that the odds of winning the lottery are infinitesimally small. The same goes for the largest city in Fortnite: Battle Royale. Whoever lands in Tilted Towers first and finds a usable weapon can really go to town. It’s pure luck – nothing more.
If all four team members agree to land in Tilted Towers, that’s okay. However, that has never been the case. Only one player always wanted to land in the Towers, but was outvoted by the others. But that didn’t stop him from his plan.
Needless to say, the player in the city was nearly always eliminated within the first 30 seconds. More importantly, it makes absolutely no sense to land in the Towers when playing a mode like “Pure Gold”.
All equipment items are legendary – always and exclusively. Therefore, there is no advantage in landing in the Towers – on the contrary. It is impossible NOT to stumble over a SCAR, a sniper, and a close-range weapon at any other spot on the map as well.
As sensible as landing in Tilted Towers: The Chewbacca Defense
Landing in Tilted Towers is the Chewbacca Defense of Fortnite – it makes no sense. The only result is a diminished or scattered team across the map with very little chance of success.
To make matters worse, I also frequently encountered a type of player that shouldn’t exist in such a mode – AFK players (AFK – away from keyboard: absent players).
Why start in a mode only to not play it?
Three people choose a drop spot – great, I think, we understand each other. Unfortunately, the fourth player has entirely different plans, namely none at all. If someone doesn’t jump from the battle bus, they will inevitably be dropped at the edge of the map. There, absent players sail peacefully until they are eventually consumed by the storm.
For the rest of the team, this means: One player less and lower chances of success. Thank you very much!
To the absent players out there: You can also complete certain challenges (survive x players in team mode) if you actually PLAY the game. Sounds weird, but it’s true.
After all these stumbling blocks, I decided to go solo again in the “Pure Gold” mode – and it finally became fun again.
What are your experiences with randoms? Do you have any curious stories to tell?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
From May 29th, EVE Online players will be able to advance into a new area of the universe. The Abyssal Deadspace is a new PvE environment that rewards brave players with special items. The expansion aims to bring new players to EVE Online.
New PvE content awaits you on May 29th!
When does the new expansion start? The update will go live on May 29th at 1:00 PM. The servers should be accessible again for everyone 30 minutes later, at 1:30 PM.
What content does the expansion bring? The summer update expands the game with the Abyssal Deadspace, a new PvE activity in EVE Online. It is a kind of parallel dimension where ships of the powerful Triglavian Collective reside.
Additionally, players can find Mutaplasmides in Deadspace. These can be used to enhance or weaken modules, depending on how lucky you are.
The special feature: The content is intended to be suitable for solo PvE players.
CCP is also revising how players colonize planets. The entire process is now supposed to be simpler and faster. Tooltips have been added to make the system more accessible to players.
New system requirements for EVE
The system requirements will increase. This is the first time since 2013 that CCP Games is raising the system requirements for EVE Online.
Windows:
OS: Windows 10
CPU: Intel i7 Series or AMD Ryzen 7 series @ 3.6 GHz or more
RAM: 16 GB or more
VIDEO: NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1060, AMD Radeon RX 580 or better with at least 4 GB VRam
Mac:
OS: Mac 10.13
CPU: Intel i5 Series @ 3.8 GHz or more
RAM: 16 GB or more
VIDEO: AMD Radeon Pro 580 or better with at least 4 GB VRam
The expansion aims to attract veterans and newcomers: EVE has also revamped its tutorial. Developer CCP hopes that this free expansion will bring new pilots to EVE Online and that veterans will find their way back to the MMORPG.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Conan Exiles is successful – and developer Funcom is doing well because of it. Already in 2017, Conan Exiles marked the best quarter for the company in years. The upcoming numbers are likely to be even better. What does this mean for Conan fans?
Conan Exiles “rescues” Funcom: Since its release, Conan Exiles has enjoyed huge popularity. It has already been in the Top 10 of the most played games on Steam and has sold over 1.4 million copies.
Thus, more copies of Conan Exiles have been sold than in the first three years of Age of Conan. Funcom put everything into the development of Conan Exiles and apparently got it right.
Funcom has ripped a leg off – and it worked.
First quarter of 2018 still hesitant, second likely to be larger: The numbers for the first quarter of 2018 could not yet be compared to those from 2017. The early access of Conan Exiles gave Funcom a boost like it hadn’t seen in a long time.
Now that Conan Exiles has been fully released on May 8, the finances in the second quarter should be significantly better. Conan Exiles will soon be Funcom’s best-selling game of all time and is likely to become the new workhorse.
Doing well: Conan Exiles.
A new Conan game is coming in 2019
Funcom uses new energy for more Conan: Fans of the Conan universe should be particularly pleased with Funcom’s good standing. Funcom already has plans for a new Conan game, set to be released in the first half of 2019.
Funcom is collaborating with the RTS studio Petroglyph, which has developed classics like Star Wars: Empire at War and Grey Goo. So perhaps fans will see a Conan strategy game in 2019.
Reunion with Conan? Perhaps, 2019.
How are the other games doing? Funcom is also working on other projects besides Conan Exiles, which are gradually being forgotten. However, there are still some notes in the financial report:
The “Saga of Zath” servers with fresh characters from Age of Conan were very successful.
Additionally, Funcom notes that another game will be released in the second half of 2018. Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is a turn-based tactical adventure game, with the first plans already released in February.
Funcom’s subsidiary in South Carolina is also working on another game that will not take place in the Conan universe. This game is set to be a shooter, but no information is expected to be released on it in 2018.
On May 28, Bless Online enters Early Access. Players will have to choose one of the two factions by then. But what is the mood among German-speaking players? Which side do they want to fight for: Union or Hieron?
Union prevails, Hieron are rather the underdogs
We have browsed through the forums a bit and tried to capture a sentiment of the Bless community before it all starts on Monday.
Where are the German players playing?
On the fan page Bless EU, there are two subforums where guilds can recruit members. This is done separately by faction. Guild recruitment for Union has slightly more than double the entries compared to Hieron. The majority of players will side with Union.
What does it look like internationally?
To gauge the balance of power, players created a poll on Strawpoll with 1,295 participants.
Union is leading with 54%.
Hieron must expect slightly fewer players with 46% of the votes.
In another poll with 572 participants, the distribution looks similar.
38% want to fight on the side of Union.
28% pledge allegiance to the faction Hieron.
And 34% are still undecided.
The proportion of Union players will probably be slightly higher. Many players compare Union to the Horde in WoW and therefore want to join the “rebels”.
Some are still uncertain
Especially the undecided players will probably spontaneously choose a side. This will have very different reasons.
A player on YouTube writes, for example, that he joins the side with the most beautiful characters.
Another player wants to look at the capitals of the factions first and then decide.
On which server do you play Bless Online?
The server question isn’t as pressing. Bless will only have one server for Europe. The server location is Frankfurt. However, there will probably be several channels on this server. Currently, 2 channels are planned for Europe. The number of channels could still be increased.
Where is the Mein-MMO community playing?
Where do Mein MMO readers play? Readers comment on our posts about Bless and explain why they have chosen a particular faction.
The reader Chiefryddmz checks out Union. He is most interested in the starting area there. His class of choice is the ranger.
Fenrir wants to start strong with faction Hieron in Bless Online because they do not start in a desert, like the Pantera.
To know exactly how it looks in our community, we created a poll. Participate in our survey and tell us which side you want to join in Bless. You have only ONE vote.
Fortnite is extremely successful and could unsettle some competitors. Not EA or Activision, though. They are already rubbing their hands: They believe that new customers for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Battlefield 5 are emerging.
Fortnite attracts many new players: Through Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode, many new players have encountered video games. The game is free-to-play. It is available on PC, Xbox One, PS4, and iOS, making it accessible to anyone who wants to try out “gaming.” There is hardly an easier way to start in the gaming world than with Fortnite.
That Fortnite is so immensely successful pleases the people behind Battlefield and Call of Duty. Because they established shooter franchises see no loss in the huge Fortnite community. For them, this means: Many new potential players.
EA is happy about new players from Fortnite
This is what EA says about Fortnite: EA is responsible for games like FIFA, Madden, Sims, and also Battlefield. Battlefield, in particular, could benefit from the millions of Fortnite players, explains EA.
In front of analysts, Blake Jorgensen stated that the entire gaming market has grown due to Fortnite. “It brings younger people into the market and younger people into first-person shooters. I believe this is healthy for this category, for everyone in the industry,” said EA’s Chief Financial Officer.
This likely means: Thank you for bringing all the kids into action gaming through Fortnite. They may now have an appetite for first-person shooters, and we are ready for that.
Activision is very good at getting “inspired” by the success of others
This is what Activision says about Fortnite: The CEO of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick, sees things similarly to EA. He said in a financial report: “Gaming is constantly evolving and being renewed. This often affects the market. Fortnite is no exception. The game brings many new players of all ages and genders and helps to make gaming increasingly mainstream entertainment.”
Kotick mentioned that Activision Blizzard is very good at drawing inspiration from the success of others (via Forbes). Activision seems particularly interested that Fortnite runs on consoles and mobile. Activision has King, the Candy Crush maker, on board: There seem to be opportunities.
From the Call of Duty publisher, one can read again: Feel free to bring us even more new players into the market. We know where they will land. And your good ideas will surely work even better in one of our games.
Will EA and Activision catch the Fortnite players?
The plan: The calculation of EA and Activision is clear: More players through Fortnite in the gaming market = More potential players in Battlefield and Call of Duty.
Why it could work: The two shooter series have a strong presence in the action genre and regularly release new entries in their franchises.
Battlefield 5 is also open to a Battle Royale mode, but has only announced Grand Operations for now. However, it is noticeable that the style in the Battlefield V trailer now seems much more colorful and action-packed than in the last Battlefield.
Sharing the audience: Both shooters offer certain features in 2018 that Fortnite fans might appreciate. They are already trying out the action genre in Fortnite and learning about different weapons, such as shotguns. The connection to a shooter has already been established. It is quite possible that Fortnite players will eventually want to try how other shooters play.
Battlefield V and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 are also shooters, but they convey a very different impression visually and through their gameplay than Fortnite. Instead of colorful comic graphics and fun, Battlefield V deals with the serious topic of World War II. Additionally, Call of Duty features the crazy zombie mode.
Will the plans of EA and Activision work?
It remains to be seen whether the plans of EA and Activision will really succeed for “that” reason. After all, Fortnite players have valid reasons for playing the game:
It is free-to-play
Runs on mobile as well
Less brutal than BF and COD
Comic graphics
Moreover, there is Fortnite’s attachment power: With every day players spend in Fortnite, they collect skins and points. They become better at the game. Young players build their accounts and learn to master the game. This increases their attachment to Fortnite. The threshold for leaving the game may become higher.
Can Call of Duty and Battlefield win the young Fortnite players?
Fortnite is already somewhat special with these characteristics, and it may be that players stay for exactly that reason. Due to the almost non-existent brutality, parents probably prefer to let their children play a comic shooter where opponents lie down on the ground after being shot rather than bloody first-person shooters.
It is possible that Fortnite even negatively affects Battlefield and Call of Duty because players now prefer to play epic shooters. The exact numbers will then reveal the player counts and sales of the two games when they are released this year.
Battlefield V will be released worldwide on October 19 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
A Destiny fan presents his ideas for armor design for Destiny 2. Fans celebrate the designs. This is exactly what the community wants to see in the game in the future.
Armor designs excite the fans: The Destiny community has already produced some impressive visual concepts for armors and weapons for their favorite game series.
According to Plain Ben, he practiced a bit for fun and immortalized some resources already present in Destiny in two impressive armor sets.
Cabal-Slayer Set: This armor set is, as the name suggests, thematically inspired by the Cabal units from Destiny 2. The Warlock is modeled after a Psion Flayer, the Titan after a Gladiator, and the Hunter after a Legionnaire.
Fallen-Slayer Set: Even with this compilation, it is unmistakable which in-game templates Plain Ben was inspired by.
This set features numerous typical elements of various Fallen units.
This is exactly what the fans want: This fan art is now extensively discussed by the community. Fans find it astonishing that Guardians from within their own ranks can repeatedly present better ideas than a multi-million dollar game developer.
It is a shame that the game has yet to provide armors of such quality. The Reddit user thealiens2899 says: “Wow, I fell in love with this gear. It’s a kick to the groin that these sets aren’t already in the game.”
Fans had hoped for just such armors from Destiny 2. Redditor ScreamingMidgit says: “This is the divine level of armors I expected from the raids in Destiny 2.”
Although these hopes have not yet been fulfilled, there is now hope that Bungie will recognize what the game has been lacking (visually) based on these images. RhuanSqx expresses towards Bungie: “Fantastic design. D2 armor designers – please, take a look at this!”
This weekend, the new tournament mode Clash should have started in League of Legends. However, due to technical issues, the event had to be canceled. In addition, the LoL mode ARURF, the 2018 replacement for URF, is available.
After the successful beta test, the new team-based competitive tournament mode Clash was supposed to debut this weekend in League of Legends. According to Riot, the opening weekend was a failure due to technical problems, which is why All Random Ultra Rapid Fire, short ARURF, is being played now.
Riot wonderfully honest
Technical issues despite beta: In mid-December, the beta for the new tournament mode Clash took place. This mode was intended to be held several times a month and allow players to compete in teams against equal opponents in brackets with a knockout system.
The new tournament was designed for five-player groups and also introduced special rewards that can only be obtained in this specific mode.
Event canceled: Shortly after the start of Clash, the event had to be canceled again this weekend. The cause was critical technical problems that affected not only the European version but also the international version of the game.
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Riot itself labeled the introductory weekend of Clash as a “failure,” which is why the popular mode All Random Ultra Rapid Fire, short ARURF, is now being played. As the developers did not have much time to test the mode with the current patch, there could be bugs or strange interactions in ARURF. Therefore, it may be that Riot has to disable some champions or runes.
This is what the players say: Many players are disappointed and blame Riot – for example, under the official statement from Riot on the American website. The company has allegedly overhyped the new Clash mode unnecessarily over the last six months, only to cancel it at launch due to difficulties.
Some players had already planned this weekend for a long time and are now disappointed. Riot apologized and announced that they are working hard to ensure that the mode can take place soon. The tickets used for participation in this event will be refunded.
No URF – only ARURF in League of Legends
URF is not returning: The original mode URF, Ultra Rapid Fire, seems not to be returning to League of Legends. According to the developers, URF led players to not want to play LoL anymore.
In this mode, abilities cost no resources and the cooldowns were reduced by 80 percent. Additionally, the movement speed of all champions was increased and gold was earned quickly, allowing for faster item purchases.
All of this led to some champions becoming overpowered. As a replacement, ARURF was introduced, where players are assigned champions randomly.
In Bless Online, two factions with different motivations and worldviews, the Union and Hieron, battle each other. Behind this conflict lies a long history of the struggle between order and chaos.
In this article, we illuminate the origins of the world of Bless and why Hieron and the Union are at war.
The Ancient Gods Make Their Appearance
In the beginning, there was only chaos. Yet, from chaos emerged the first race: the ancient gods. They created the sky, the earth, and life itself.
However, the gods behaved chaotically, causing misfortune and conflict. This continued until the world awakened and sought order.
As a result, Physis emerged, which embodied the world and the many avatars of the ancient gods. With the power of providence, it forced the gods to submit. Those gods who refused to bow fled into the abyss.
5 Dragons, the 5 Protectors of the Elements
The ancient gods had left behind seeds of chaos. And Physis created five dragons to collect these seeds. However, one of these seeds was possessed by the Titans, who refused to submit to Physis and wanted to live by their own laws.
A great war broke out, in which the leader of the Titans, Ymir, fell. From his blood the dwarves and giants emerged.
Badly treated by the giants, the dwarves fled underground. There they discovered ancient gates to another dimension. Thirsty for knowledge, the dwarves opened the gates, and demon hordes poured out.
However, instead of destroying the dwarves, the demons initially taught them numerous techniques. Soon, however, they lost interest in their students and turned to the giants on the surface.
Together, they decided to annihilate the entire world.
In response, Physis sent the five dragons against the united forces of giants and demons. And although Physis won, the dragons were severely weakened and fell into a long sleep.
2 Kingdoms Emerge
Freed from their former oppressors, the dwarves walked the earth again and founded the kingdom of Urgand.
At the same time, Physis recognized the importance of the cycle of life. It planted a seed of chaos in the earth, and the Tree of Life grew. From its fruit, the elves emerged, an immortal race.
Soon, the elves formed their own kingdom El Gradis in the dense forest near the Tree of Life. Together with the dwarves, they formed an alliance to defend against the barbarian tribes that attacked their borders.
But the peace did not last a thousand years.
The Primordial Dragon Ventus Awakens
After several hundred years of sleep, the dragon Ventus awoke and found himself confronted with a greatly changed world.
To reverse the changes, he swallowed all remaining seeds of chaos and went mad. He then attacked the kingdoms of the elves and dwarves, but could ultimately be sealed away in his lair with united forces and great losses.
Ventus’s attack nearly wiped out the dwarves, who sealed themselves behind a massive wall in their kingdom of Urgand. But the elves also suffered heavy losses. They lost their beloved queen Erlione Liliantes, and the Tree of Life was severely damaged by the flames of the dragon Ventus.
Faced with an uncertain future, the ruling class turned to chaos. Many elves disagreed with this decision. A civil war broke out, leading to a division of the elves into two groups.
The chaos-loyal elves remained in the city in the north, while the other elves migrated south.
Humanity Appears
On the continent, however, other beings also roamed. They emerged from the chaotic life that the ancient gods had created at the beginning of time.
These creatures were independent of Physis and followed their own will. They were driven by passion and could not resist the influence of chaos. Some of these peoples became known as barbarian tribes.
But there were also beings that emerged through evolution. They had their own will, independent of the order created by providence. Thus, humans developed and built a nation that they named after the hero who had driven out the orcs. The nation of Lumen was born.
Due to the war with the dragon Ventus, the elves lost their immortality, prompting them to form an alliance with humans to pass on their immense knowledge. Through this cooperation, the Empire of Lumen was formed.
The elves taught humans to use magic and imparted their immense knowledge of technology. This is also why humans mastered magic. There was once again a time of peace.
The Rise of Hieron
For a long time, mages formed the ruling class of the population. But over time, they lost much of their former influence. To regain their former power, they performed a dangerous ritual that opened a gateway to another dimension. Once again, demons poured into the land and threatened the existence of all life.
However, through a coalition of the Sylvan Elves, humans, and Lupus, this catastrophe was successfully averted.
As a result of this war, the Empire of Hieron was established, ruled by King Aygor Valor. However, just a few years after its establishment, the young empire was plagued by a civil war over the succession to the throne.
Union Develops
While the heirs of the deceased king fought in the north, the peoples in the south flourished. Faced with a strong power in the north, the south decided to form a defensive alliance. The races of Aqua Elf, Amistad, and Pantera united under a common flag.
When the civil war in Hieron ended after seven years, the empire regrouped and marched south towards Union’s territory.
This is Why the Factions Fight Each Other
Both factions represent opposing goals. The Union is an alliance of free peoples opposing Hieron’s rule. Hieron, on the other hand, seeks to unite the entire continent under its flag.
This is how the conflict between the nations escalates:
While Hieron wants to unify the continent, the Union demands sovereignty.
Hieron then demands tribute payments, which the Union does not pay.
In response, Hieron bombards the important city-state Padana.
Although Hieron attacks with united forces, the Union receives reinforcements that banish the threat from the north. Motivated by this victory, the free peoples of the south, under a common flag, conquer the southern half of the continent and drive out the resident barbarians.
Currently, both realms are separated by the Cornus Mountains. But the war continues to simmer.
The Assassin – Agile and deadly. Assassins wear light armor made of fabric and leather, reinforced with iron. The armor must be flexible to allow for quick movements. The Assassin strikes suddenly from the shadows and vanishes just as quickly. Assassins also like to hide their faces behind a mask or wear a hood.
Gunslinger – Death from afar. Like Assassins, Gunslingers also wear light armor, primarily made of fabric and leather. A Gunslinger must be agile and capable of quick movements, necessitating elastic armor. For additional protection, supportive metal patches are attached to their shoulders and elbows, which also reduce recoil when shooting. The Gunslinger is quite self-assured and enjoys wearing luxurious clothing. To conceal their deadly weapons and mobility, they often wear long coats.
The Lion as a flying mount. Flying mounts are extremely important in AI:R, as many actions and PvP battles take place in the air. Among these mounts is the “Lion”. With special harnesses, you can fight freely on the back of the Lion, allowing you to defeat your opponents in the skies. You can also upgrade the mounts on ranches, making them even more useful to you.
In Fortnite, a new mode “House Fight” was tried, but it has already been disabled twice. This time it seems to be for longer. Allegedly, Epic removed the new mode based on player feedback, but fans are now complaining.
Disabled an hour after launch: On Friday, a new mode “House Fight” was activated in Fortnite. In this mode, there are only shotguns and jetpacks. But after just one hour, developer Epic Games disabled it. There were apparently technical issues, as the mode could not be played solo.
It returned on Saturday: Early Saturday morning, Epic had fixed the issue and reactivated the mode. But this only lasted a day. Overnight from Saturday to Sunday, Epic removed the mode from Fortnite: Battle Royale again. This time it seems to be for the foreseeable future. There are no plans for the new mode to return to Fortnite anytime soon. There are solid gameplay reasons for this.
Fortnite: Skybases feedback leads Epic to deactivate “House Fight”
Sky castles are the problem: According to Epic, they deactivated the mode based on player feedback. It concerns “Skybases”, the large bases that players build in the air. Since only shotguns were active in “House Fight”, the prevailing tactic in “House Fight” was to erect such sky castles. In normal matches, they can be easily brought down by destroying the stairs up. This is difficult with shotguns. Additionally, normally one would fall to their death from such a skybase, but in the new mode, jetpacks prevented that.
Fans react negatively: The fans express their disappointment on Reddit that the mode is gone. Many didn’t even have the opportunity to try the mode out. Others find the mode attractive because of the skybases. It makes the difference from a normal match. You build your own battlefield in the air. For some, it was even the “best mode ever.”
Fortnite: New mode “Pure Gold” reactivated
Pure Gold reactivated: Epic says they brought back the mode “Pure Gold” because they know how much players love this mode. However, the reactions tell a different story. In “Pure Gold”, players only find weapons of legendary quality. Many players already know this mode. Apparently, some are eager for “House Fight.” When and in what form “House Fight” will return to Fortnite is not known.
Overwatch is popular and successful on all platforms. This raises the question of whether the developers have ever considered other ports or even a sequel. Assistant Game Director Aaron Keller and Senior Game Producer Matthew Hawley answer these questions.
An “Overwatch 2” is unlikely: Currently, Overwatch is celebrating its second birthday with its Anniversary Event. After two years on the market, the question arises as to whether an Overwatch 2 is already planned.
Keller and Hawley answer this question with a rather ambiguous “no”. Overwatch is doing well and requires maintenance as it functions as a service. The team prefers to focus on satisfying players with Overwatch instead of developing a sequel.
Overwatch on Switch and Mobile? Possible, just not now: At the moment, Overwatch is only available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. When asked if there are at least new ports planned for Overwatch, the answer was likewise rather unclear.
In general, Switch and smartphones are platforms on which they would like to bring Overwatch. However, resources are currently lacking. The core team of developers is working on supporting the already existing versions.
Overwatch for the Switch? Possible, but not now.
New stories will come over time: There are always discussions in the forums about the need for more depth in the Overwatch story. The developers also see it that way: Overwatch has a lot of potential.
There should be “tons of story” that the developers would like to tell and will. However, they enjoy that they don’t necessarily have to. Whenever the opportunity arises, new parts of the story should find their way into Overwatch.
The story of Overwatch should be told – but at the right time.
More heroes are already “real”: A piece of news that will delight many fans is that many previously unknown heroes already have good concepts. The team is discussing previously unreleased heroes already by codenames and has concrete ideas.
From the list of over 50 heroes from the early stages of development, many heroes are still on the radar. They are supposed to arrive – just lacking time and opportunities to create them so far.
Jetpack Cat, anyone?
Heroes could also be removed – but that takes time: The possibility of permanently or temporarily removing heroes from the game is also being discussed. It would even be possible to make heroes playable only seasonally.
As soon as the team deems it necessary to disable a hero, it will also happen. However, there is currently no reason for that – all heroes are therefore safe for now.
Allowed to stay despite little playtime: Symmetra.
What do you think about Blizzard’s future plans? Is it good that they are taking care of Overwatch and maintaining it first, or should they prioritize differently? Let us know in a comment!
In the upcoming MMORPG Bless, you not only choose which of the two sides, Hieron or Union, you want to stand on, but you also create your hero typically for the genre from several races and classes. We introduce you to the 7 races in Bless and what class they can become.
There are two factions in Bless – the Hieron Empire and the Union, between which you can choose. This choice determines which races you can use for your character.
Hieron
Hieron is an empire that was founded after a holy war by humans, elves, and the Lupus and has ruled over the northern continent for hundreds of years. Religion is very important to the peoples. Currently, the alliance consists of four races.
Habichts
The Habichts are a group of humans who are loyal to the Hieron Empire and are considered leaders. As a Habicht, you start in the northern parent village, which suffers from constant attacks by orcs. As a Habicht, you can choose between these classes:
Guardian
Berserker
Ranger
Mage
Paladin
Sylvan Elves
The Sylvan Elves descend from the elves of the ancient Millenial Kingdoms and live in the deep forests of the northern continent. They believe their days on Earth are numbered. As an elf, you start in the city of El Gradis, where you must protect the dying tree of life. You can choose between the classes:
Guardian
Ranger
Mage
Paladin
Lupus
The wolf-like Lupus are regarded as experienced hunters and honorable warriors, whose loyalty has earned them high esteem in the Hieron Empire. You begin in the village of Ahanu and complete a rite of passage to be considered an adult. You can choose between the following classes:
Guardian
Berserker
Ranger
Mascu
The Mascu originally come from a continent that is far away but had to flee from there and settled in the Hieron Empire. They are involved in trade and advance technology. As classes, you can choose between:
Guardian
Berserker
Ranger
Mage
Paladin
Union
In addition to the Hieron Empire, you can also choose the Union as a faction. After the holy war, the peoples of the southern continent took care of their own problems and formed a community under the protection of humans, the Amistad, which focuses on progress, science, and freedom, thus opposing the ideals of the religious Hieron Empire. The races of the Union comprise four races.
Amistad
The Amistad people fight by any means for their freedom and therefore stand against the Hieron Empire. As an Amistad, you start in the village of Padana, where you hear of an execution that changes your life. You can choose between these classes:
Guardian
Berserker
Ranger
Mage
Paladin
Aqua Elves
The Aqua Elves separated from the Sylvan Elves a long time ago. They defend free thinking and love adventure. They do not believe that elves are destined to perish and want to take their fate into their own hands. As a class, you can choose between:
Guardian
Ranger
Mage
Paladin
Panthera
The panther-like Panthera live in clans and are therefore spread across the entire southern continent. They have joined the Union to retain their freedom. You start in the village of Seqqara and participate in a ritual to prove your worth to your tribe. As a class, you have the choice between:
Guardian
Berserker
Ranger
Mascu
As the Mascu had to flee from their homeland, part of them settled in the Hieron Empire and part with the Union. Even in the Union, they help to advance the people technologically and in trade. You choose between the classes:
