Fortnite: Ninja earns $250,000 a month thanks to Epic’s Twitch Prime deal

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 3 minutes

Weird things are happening with Prime subscribers and Fortnite on Twitch. Streamers are noticing anomalies in their communities. The streamer Ninja could be particularly affected. Currently, he is making $250,000 a month just from subscriptions.

Between February 22 and March 3, the well-known Fortnite streamer “Ninja” increased his subscriber count by another 50,000 users. He has now surpassed 100,000 subscribers!  The previous 50,000 subscriptions he had were already a record!

This kind of rapid growth for a livestream channel is unprecedented in Twitch history.

With these subscriptions, Ninja earns at least $250,000 a month (probably more), as each subscriber brings in at least $4.99 and the streamer and Twitch share the total. But how much of that money is real?

Many viewers from the Twitch community and some streamers believe that things have not been right on the livestreaming platform lately. Ninja may be a “victim” of Prime bots.

Fortnite-Ninja-Monster

Pro Player Ninja Gets Subscriber Boost

Tyler “Ninja” Blevins has been known in the pro player scene for a few years now. In 2017, he reached a large audience as a livestreamer while riding the PUBG hype wave and streaming matches of the battle royale shooter. He has now arrived at Fortnite and has made a name for himself in the community with his high skill.

Ninja is not just another streamer who has chosen Fortnite. We already reported at the end of February about him when he broke a record on Twitch with over 50,000 subscribers. He was on track to earn more than $1 million in a year.

Now he has broken a new record, reaching over 100,000 subscribers on Twitch.TV

In this Twitch clip, you can see the moment when the streamer reaches 100,000 subscribers. Above his webcam, you can see the subscriber counter in blue.

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“No channel grows this quickly”

Although Blevins is one of the best players playing one of the hottest games on Twitch, some voices doubt this round success. Can these high subscription numbers really be genuine? The subscriptions appear to be connected to Twitch and Epic’s deal.

fortnite_twitch_prime_loot

Epic and Twitch started a partnership that came into effect on February 28. Players with a Twitch Prime subscription receive an exclusive package of outfits and heroes in Fortnite.

For this reason, many people are likely taking the opportunity to buy Twitch Prime accounts on third-party sites like eBay to grab the popular skins for about $5. The source of these accounts on eBay is questionable, and some fear they could be hacked.

Owners of a Prime account are provided with a Prime subscription each month. Users can gift this to a streamer for free. This could explain the many subscribers of Ninja.

A Twitch Prime account is automatically obtained when one links their Amazon Prime account with Twitch.

Streamers Still Get the Money

Now observers are concerned about the financial side. After all, streamers are paid for the Twitch Prime subscriptions. It is uncertain how Twitch will handle the situation if it turns out that the accounts were hacked.

The unusual accounts have already caught the attention of other streamers and the community. It is noteworthy that accounts subscribe while the livestream channel is offline. Others have not typed a word in chat and still subscribe. Here, streamer Shorty tweets about the problem.

pokemon-geld

The rude awakening might come in early April. Unlike other subscriptions, Twitch Prime subscriptions do not renew automatically. They must be manually renewed by the user. If they were made by bots, there should be significantly fewer subs for Ninja next month.

In its rules, Twitch.TV clearly states against the unauthorized selling of accounts.  So far, there has been no evidence that compromised Twitch Prime accounts have been sold and used for these purposes.

It could also all be legal.  Fortnite is currently THE game on Twitch. The skin package for Fortnite has increased interest in Twitch Prime accounts. It is quite possible that Ninja is simply the “lucky streamer of the month” who is receiving all the subscriptions arising from the Fortnite-Twitch-Prime deal.

Do you like cool content in Fortnite? Here’s how to get John Wick’s glider in a secret Tier 100 challenge

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

New Pokémon GO Update 0.93.3: What’s Inside?

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 3 minutes

The new Pokémon GO update 0.93.3 for Android and 1.63.3 for iOS is on its way to you. The update changes some of the game’s code.

Trainers, a new update for Pokémon GO is on its way to you. The update with the version number 0.93.3 is being rolled out. Gradually, it will be released for various regions around the world.

The patch is said to affect the game’s performance. However, the long-awaited quests cannot be found. We will show you what has changed.

Pokémon GO 0.93.3 Patch Notes / APK Mining

Unfortunately, the changes in the new update do not activate any new features in Pokémon GO or provide you with any other exciting new content. Data mining from TheSilphRoad shows that there are some UI updates and improvements in performance.

Some of the changes are supposed to directly affect bugs in the game or prevent new bugs from arising.

Pokémon GO Plus

A minor change regarding the Pokémon GO Plus gadget (PGP) has occurred. The little helper with which you can catch monsters and spin stops.

In the game’s code, the feature “PgpSetProduct” is now present. It is still unclear what this change means. It may log the Bluetooth device that sends requests to the game. What this means for you trainers and whether Gotcha users are potentially affected is uncertain.

Pokémon bracelet gadget

New Despawn Optimizations

A change affects the despawns in the app. Unlike spawns, despawns describe situations in which things disappear. It is still unclear how this change will impact.

Pokémon Trainer Club – Authentication

The PTC authentication has been attributed the feature “get_ErrorMessage”. According to TheSilphRoad, this could simply be used for internal purposes at Niantic.

This login method often has problems and prevents trainers from entering the game. The disruption on March 6 could be related to Niantic working on the PTC. Trainers using this login method can breathe a sigh of relief: Niantic has not forgotten about the PTC.

Pokémon GO mask event title

QR Code Improvements

With the new update 0.93.3, Niantic has changed the QR code reader of the game. Experts from TheSilphRoad say that this could be a routine update. However, it is also possible that we will soon get more options for scanning QR codes. Let us be surprised by what Niantic has planned.

Part of Unity Library Removed – Possibly More Performance

Without going into too much technical detail: Niantic has removed a code library in the new update that could improve the performance of Pokémon GO. For the curious: The Unity UI.dll has been removed. Possibly because Niantic is already working with a customized interface and does not need the mentioned interface.

No Quests?!

In a previous update (0.91.1), data miners discovered quests. So missions for Pokémon GO. These were mentioned in the code with various types, and can be divided into challenges or stories.

Pokémon GO

Later, these were removed from the Pokémon GO code again. It is unclear if and when quests will return. In the new update 0.93.3, there is no trace of the quests. It’s a shame because such a quest system could refresh the routine in Pokémon GO.

With Team Rayquaza’s victory, there are now these new raid bosses for you in Pokémon GO

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

Get the “Kerrigan” skin for Widowmaker in Overwatch now

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The latest Overwatch skin for Widowmaker is now available! Hurry up, the “Kerrigan” skin is only available for a limited time.

Blizzard is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of the sci-fi universe StarCraft. To celebrate this, there are also some goodies to grab in other Blizzard games.

Overwatch fans can look forward to a very special skin for the sniper Widowmaker.

The skin can be unlocked now! To receive the “Kerrigan” skin, you just need to log into Overwatch once and you should receive the corresponding notification. Afterwards, you can select the skin in the hero gallery and use it from then on.

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The skin resembles the StarCraft heroine Sarah Kerrigan, a Ghost of the Terrans. Before she was integrated into the Zerg swarm, she was a heroine in the Terran campaign and a good friend of Jim Raynor. Like Widowmaker in Overwatch, Kerrigan was a sniper.

Kerrigan skin only available in Overwatch until April 3rd

But beware! The Kerrigan skin is only available until April 3, 2018. So those who want to secure the skin should make at least a short visit to Blizzard’s hero shooter in the next few days.

Or to quote the user Axonn_0 from Reddit:

  1. Log in
  2. Unlock Widowmaker’s Kerrigan skin
  3. Equip Widowmaker’s Kerrigan skin
  4. Continue as before and never play snipers
Overwatch Widowmaker Kerrigan Skin

But maybe you can at least see the skin while playing “Random Heroes” in the Arcade, right?

Do you like the new skin for Widowmaker and will you use it? Or would you rather avoid it because now everyone will be walking around with it and it’s nothing special?

Have you seen the discussion about how Brigitte supposedly looks exactly like Mercy?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. reddit.com/r/overwatch/

Ubisoft’s AI should find errors in the code before programmers make them

Micha Deckert Micha Deckert Reading time 2 minutes

At the Ubisoft Developer Conference in Montreal, the company introduced an artificial intelligence that aims to detect programming errors before they occur. Other systems have already been implemented in Watch Dogs 2 and the upcoming Far Cry 5.

Recently, Ubisoft presented the AI Commit Assistant, which could help developers avoid errors in software in the future. The goal is to identify bugs before they are integrated into the code.

The technology comes from Ubisoft Montreal’s La Forge research and development department, which collaborates with local universities McGill and Concordia. The department’s research aims to advance the field of artificial intelligence as a whole, not just within the gaming industry.

division-glitch

Bugs from Ten Years of Code

La Forge fed the AI Commit Assistant with about ten years of code from the Ubisoft software library. This way, the program should learn where mistakes were made and what corrections were applied. This should allow the AI to predict when a coder makes a similar mistake. By now, the system is reportedly able to recognize six out of ten typical bugs and can signal them, but it still leads to about 30 percent false alarms.

Ubisoft hopes to reduce one of the most expensive and labor-intensive aspects of game design in the future. Eliminating errors is said to require massive teams and can consume up to 70 percent of development costs.

AIs as Development Assistants

In addition to Commit Assistant, Ubisoft is working on other AIs that are supposed to take on specific tasks in games. For example, a program was taught through reinforcement learning, a form of machine learning, that it could achieve its virtual goals more efficiently by following the rules of the digital road, such as braking. This method was later implemented in Watch Dogs 2, making the depiction of San Francisco more realistic and reducing the number of random virtual accidents.

In the upcoming Far Cry 5, Ubisoft has implemented a virtualized version of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a psychological theory of the motivating factors for human behavior, for NPC characters.

The AI is meant to provide the characters in the game with motivations for their actions, largely based on Maslow’s pyramid’s self-preservation levels – physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization.

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Source(s):
  1. Wired

Too much honor! WoW nerfs the Roiling Coast

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The latest battleground in World of Warcraft will be less rewarding. The Seething Shore will be nerfed – on average by 300 Honor per match!

Last week, players of World of Warcraft got a new battleground: the Seething Shore. As a “Brawl,” the PvP area could be accessed directly, rewarding players from both Horde and Alliance with a rain of Honor. Matches granted between 800 and 1500 Honor points and usually lasted only 10 minutes.

With today’s maintenance (Wednesday, 07.03.2018), however, the joyful farming comes to an end. From today, the Seething Shore is part of the regular battleground rotation. Additionally, Blizzard has changed some aspects at the shore to slow down the pace and make the battleground fairer. Finally, the Honor earned at the Seething Shore has also been drastically reduced.

WoW Seething Shore Title

In detail, this means:

  • Gathering Azerite now grants 20 Honor (previously 40).
  • The achievement “A Good Start” now only requires 25,000 Azerite (previously 100,000).
  • The achievement “Blood and Sand” will now display correctly when linked in chat.
  • The Rocket Jump from the Rocket Parachute now has 4 charges (previously 2), allowing players to reach more distant areas on the battleground faster.
  • The geyser duration of Azerite resources is now 30 seconds (previously 20 seconds), meaning more time passes before a resource can be gathered.
  • The respawn time at the graveyard is now 20 seconds (previously 15 seconds).
  • The time to gather Azerite is now 7 seconds (previously 6 seconds).
WoW Seething Shore Azerite Geysir
The green Azerite pillars indicate where a new resource is appearing.

Cortyn says: I really enjoyed the Seething Shore last week and it was a solid way to quickly farm Honor and the associated prestige levels. It probably was indeed a bit too much Honor that could be earned in a short time. However, I really liked the pace of the battleground. You had to be quick and respond fast. With the extended time of the Azerite geysers, that will diminish. Nonetheless, from my perspective, the Seething Shore remains the best battleground in World of Warcraft to date.

How did you like the Seething Shore? Will you still play it with the reduced Honor? Or is the battleground “dead” for you now?

If you’ve had enough of PvP, you should check out the big Style Check – it lasts only a few more days!

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

Check out these stunning wedding rings inspired by Final Fantasy XIV

Irina Moritz Irina Moritz Reading time 4 minutes

Fans go to a master jeweler to have personalized engagement and wedding rings made in the style of Final Fantasy XIV. We show you a selection of these masterful rings.

There are now countless cases of players who have found their better half while playing various MMORPGs.

game-over-playstation-funny-wedding-cake-topper-video-game-groom39s-can-personalize-your-names-gamer-gaming-junkie-brown-hair-awesome-sale

There are plenty of images and reports about creative and nerdy weddings in the style of Star Wars or Lord of the Rings online, and Final Fantasy XIV players are no exception.

Wedding Rings Inspired by Final Fantasy XIV

Players Adam and Chris approached Takayas Custom Jewelry because they liked the attention to detail and the creative approach of the master jeweler.

takayas mizuno jeweler

With over 20 years of experience, Takayas Mizuno is inspired by Japanese nature and art, as well as pop culture.

He has already created several pieces of jewelry inspired by video games such as Zelda and Kingdom Hearts.

In Adam and Chris’s order, one of the main goals was to make the two rings look like a set, even though the inspirations for them were drawn from two different areas of the game and they appeared quite opposite.

Chris’s ring was to represent the angel wing design of the White Mage’s relic weapon. Accordingly, the lower part of the staff head was projected and mirrored onto the ring.

Adam’s ring, on the other hand, was meant to capture the essence of the leathery and bony wings of the Primordial Bahamut, as seen in the Bahamut weapons. The Primordial plays an important role in the story of FFXIV.

final fantasy xiv bahamut artwork

The challenge was to maintain the elegance of a wedding ring, so the final design was slightly less detailed than the original sketch.

For such a handcrafted and custom-made piece of art, Takayas Mizuno needs about two to three months.

Inspiration from All Areas of Final Fantasy XIV

It is not the first time that FFXIV players have had their rings made by Takayas Custom Jewelry.

The blog on the Takayas website even specifically notes that many of his customers have found each other through Final Fantasy XIV and take their inspiration for their rings directly from the game.

Another couple, players Itsuka and Johann, used the designs of the Paladin job and the NPC character Nanamo Ul Namo as a template for their rings.

For Johann’s masculine ring, a blue topaz was used as the stone, representing the color of the Paladin’s relic sword.

The NPC Sultana Nanamo Ul Namo plays an important role in the bombastic ending of the Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn storyline. The feminine ring of Itsuka was to capture the gentle character of Nanamo with a light pink morganite.

Another example of the creative realization of FFXIV designs in Takayas’ work is a ring based on the Warrior job:

Or another ring designed after the dragon Hraesvelgr, an important character of the FFXIV expansion “Heavensward.”

The cost of such a custom piece is unknown. However, one can submit a request for free on the website of the master jeweler. All pieces of jewelry are made taking into account the design wishes and budget of the customer.

And if you have the necessary funds, it is definitely the most beautiful and creative way to show your bond with your partner and your shared hobby.

Did you manage to get your own house in the last FFXIV update? Here are some tips for cool decorations:

10 cool ideas for how people decorate their houses in Final Fantasy XIV

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

Pantheon – The MMORPG hope for fans of classic PvE adventures

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 5 minutes

With Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, the creator of Everquest aims to provide fans with a return to the old virtues.

Modern MMORPGs always need to have something special: survival elements, open PvP, single-player gameplay…

In doing so, modern MMORPGs are increasingly turning away from what defined the genre in the past – exciting group adventures. And this is where Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen comes in.

We introduce you to Pantheon’s plans. This is what the MMORPG is supposed to look like.

pantheon mountains

The inventor of Everquest returns

Pantheon is being developed by Brad McQuaid, who was significantly involved in the first Everquest and also developed the MMO Vanguard.

Those who know these games know where Pantheon is headed. McQuaid misses the times when players formed groups, explored the wilderness of a fantasy world together, delved into dungeons, and fought against countless monsters. Therefore, Pantheon also focuses on PvE.

Pantheon Map

On to Terminus!

In the game, you are on the world of Terminus, formed from fragments of many other worlds. Therefore, different cultures and creatures meet there. Especially because the world consists of so many fragments of different cultures and planets, there is much to explore here – and exploration is an important aspect of the game.

At the beginning, you create a hero from the races

  • Archai
  • Dwarves
  • Dark Myr
  • Ogres
  • Humans
  • Halflings
  • Elves
  • Gnomes
  • Skar

Each race has different advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider what you want to play. In this way, Pantheon returns to a game system of earlier MMORPGs, where it still mattered which race you embodied. Nowadays, this often hardly plays a role.

Next, you choose one of the classes

  • Cleric
  • Paladin
  • Warrior
  • Direlord
  • Ranger
  • Rogue
  • Monk
  • Summoner
  • Enchanter
  • Wizard
  • Druid
  • Shaman

Again, every class plays differently. So at the beginning of Pantheon, you will spend a lot of time choosing the ideal hero that suits you and your playstyle.

https://youtu.be/sY-O0_cf0aQ

Explore the World

Next, you will find yourself in the vast world. This is divided into zones, as you may know from World of Warcraft. In each zone, many challenges await you. Monsters are lurking everywhere in the wilderness, and you explore ancient ruins.

The ruins also provide you with background information about the lore in the game. As you explore the world, you learn more about its history and the history of the individual factions and races.

Pantheon Landschaft Screenshot 2

Be attentive and find quests

The developers want to offer a particularly interesting feature with the Perception System. Through this, you will find quests in the world.

In Pantheon, NPCs do not simply stand by the roadside with a golden exclamation mark over their heads when they have a quest for you. Rather, they call out to you as you pass by them, or you may witness a specific situation occurring nearby and can then investigate. This will be shown to you accordingly. Depending on how much you have increased your Perception value, you can discover more events or fewer.

So it may well be that you wander through a village, and suddenly an NPC calls out to you. If you speak to him, a quest arises. Another player with a lower Perception value may not even notice the NPC.

This way, the developers want to introduce a “more natural” way for you to obtain quests, while also not forcing you to engage in these missions. However, attentive exploration of the game world will always be rewarded. If you complete quests, they will have an impact on the NPCs. The world will react to your actions.

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Group Play in Focus

Pantheon rewards group play. At release, there will be many raids where you team up with friends to fight boss monsters. Generally, you should form a good group to experience many adventures together. Creating a guild can be useful here.

However, the developers also want you to be able to play alone. So, if you ever feel like not being with friends and want to be the lone wolf, the game will allow you to do so without punishing you for it. However, certain content – such as the mentioned raids – requires groups.

If you want to try a new character, Pantheon offers an interesting system here. You can retire your hero and play a descendant. These descendants possess some traits of your former hero but can be developed in different directions.

pantheon amberfeat 1JPG

Find Skill Trainers

You improve your hero through a skill system. At trainers, you can enhance your skills and learn new abilities. However, you often have to search for teachers who hide in dangerous locations. Only they can teach you the powerful skills. In addition, you will search for legendary artifacts hidden in the game world.

Crafting is also an important point. By collecting resources and creating items, you not only obtain particularly powerful items, but you also participate in the economy of the game world. This is mainly driven by players, but the developers reserve the right to intervene here and there, such as when powerful artifacts are introduced.

https://youtu.be/5oNVecHjiJI

PvP is not the focus

PvP will also play a role, but it will take place on special servers and will not be the focus of Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen. However, there is currently little information about PvP, as the developers want to fully focus on the PvE aspect first.

Similarly, nothing is currently known about the housing system. The developers are considering how to introduce a housing system that is neither instanced nor clutters the game world with houses. As this is not easy to implement, housing will likely only be available after the game’s release.

In summary, Pantheon offers the following:

  • Focus on PvE
  • Many group contents
  • The Perception System for interesting quests
  • Raids
  • Skill trainers
  • Classes and races with advantages and disadvantages
  • Crafting
  • A player-driven economy
  • Much exploration
  • Plenty of lore
  • PvP on special servers
  • A classic MMO game feel

pantheon amberfeat 2JPG

The developers are taking their time

Currently, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen is in an early alpha phase. The developers are taking their time to create a game aimed at all those who miss the game feel of Everquest 1.

Therefore, it is currently not possible to say when the beta will start or when the MMORPG will be released. However, you will need to subscribe to play – just like the whole game fundamentally.

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

PS Plus 12 Months Bundle with Gran Turismo Sport – PS4 Offers at MediaMarkt

Kevin Nielsen Kevin Nielsen Reading time < 1 minutes

MediaMarkt is offering you some deals on the PS4 today. First and foremost, PS Plus 12 months bundled with Gran Turismo Sport.

Until Wednesday, at 9 AM CET, MediaMarkt is hosting the so-called “Treat Yourself Tuesday”. In this context, there are now some offers for the PS4. Particularly interesting is the bundle consisting of PS Plus for 12 months and Gran Turismo Sport. This costs only 55 Euros.

Along with GT Sport, you also get direct access to Bloodborne and Ratchet & Clank. Both games are part of the PS Plus free games for March 2018.

PS Plus 12 months + GT Sport for 55 Euros

In addition to this offer, you can also get the PS4 Slim 1 TB bundled with a second controller for 333 Euros. Moreover, several games for the PS4 are on offer.

Treat Yourself Tuesday at MediaMarkt
PS4 games on offer

The offers displayed here contain so-called affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we receive a small commission from the respective provider. This does not affect the price.

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

Fortnite is now the hottest game on Twitch, clearly ahead of PUBG

Robert Albrecht Robert Albrecht Reading time 2 minutes

Fortnite’s Battle Royale game mode continues to ride the wave of success. In recent weeks, Epic’s arcade shooter has climbed to the top position for streams and viewers. Even League of Legends can’t keep up.

The site SullyGnome has released new statistics showing Fortnite at number 1 for viewers and streams on Twitch for the first time. The top position has always been reserved for League of Legends, which has at least currently fallen.

In the past 14 days, Fortnite was watched on Twitch for a total of 4,882 years and 208 days – an impressive figure. Content was streamed in the last 14 days that could keep you entertained for the next 246 years and 231 days – non-stop.

fortnite-tanzen-verboten

Fortnite Twice as Strong as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

Fortnite’s main competitor, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, has been clearly outpaced in recent weeks. About twice as many streams and viewers showcase the increased popularity of Fortnite impressively.

The trend over the past 90 days shows that Fortnite has made significant gains, especially in recent times:

fortnite-pubg-vergleich

The increased attention also benefits the streamers. For example, Ninja, one of the best Fortnite players in the world, has recorded a new record with over 100,000 subscribers in recent days.

Twitch Prime Loot as the Trigger for the Hype?

Last week, Twitch Prime members were able to snag cosmetic items in Fortnite, including the legendary Havoc skin. Whether the numbers skyrocketed due to this action or if a more long-term trend is actually emerging remains unclear.

However, it is undeniable that attention towards Fortnite and Twitch has increased due to this action. That Fortnite is increasingly coming into focus for streamers is also recognized at Microsoft.

fortnite-hypezone

Thus, the Hypezone on the streaming platform Mixer was expanded to include Fortnite. In the Hypezone, you can only see Fortnite matches that are approaching their end. With this feature, you can therefore follow the most intense minutes of a round of Fortnite: Battle Royale – and only those!

What do you think of the numbers? Do you watch streams related to Fortnite yourself?

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

Traveling in Guild Wars 2 with the new Pacifist Cats!

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 4 minutes

Episode 2 of Season 4 of Guild Wars 2 is finally here. In “A Glitch in the System”, the story continues. Additionally, you will encounter the nasty gnomes from the Inquest and a new Charr tribe. They are pacifist.

guild-wars-2-st4-ep2-04

After being delayed indefinitely, the latest episode of Guild Wars 2 is finally here. It is called “A Glitch in the System” and revolves around nasty gnomes and a forgotten island with unusual cat beings.

We went out with the developers from ArenaNet and took a look at the story and the new areas.

“A Glitch in the System” – Off to the Lab!

In Episode 2 “A Glitch in the System”, it is about tracking down the undead ruler Palawa Joko. Therefore, you need to infiltrate an Inquest facility. The Inquest is an “evil” faction of the Asura gnomes that conduct all sorts of unscrupulous experiments.

Guild-Wars-2-ep2-s4-10

In the lab, you must sneak unnoticed through the corridors and avoid floating drones. If the drones catch you, they will raise an alarm and trouble will ensue. However, you can always fight your way through with force.

In the end, we find clues to bizarre experiments in the lab, and our excursion ends with a courageous jump from the balcony of the exploding lab.

The Charr in a Different Light

With the short trip to the lab, our story experience for the hands-on session comes to an end. The developers wanted to show us the new open-world map. It is located in a new area, the “Sandy Islands”.

Guild-Wars-2-Charr-03

There, we encounter Charr. However, the huge cat beings with impressive horns are quite different here than their counterparts known from the previous game. Normally, Charr in Guild Wars 2 are a warlike, militarized people who use steampunk technology to build massive war machines. They are somewhat reminiscent of furry Klingons with horns.

“Peaceful” Hunters Instead of Warmongers

On the sandy islands lives a lost tribe of Charr called “Olmakhan”. According to the developers, these Charr are “peaceful”. I ask how one might imagine that. After all, Charr stand about 3 meters tall, are made entirely of fur and muscle, have sharp claws, dagger-like fangs, and massive horns!

Guild-Wars-2-ep2-s4-27

“Well, they are hunters who live in harmony with nature. They hunt to gather food, not for fun!” The Olmakhan are thus a nature-connected people that is not interested in industry and war.

Hunting is the Joy of the Charr!

Anyone who wants to learn more about the Olmakhan lifestyle can join the hunt. Wild animals roam everywhere on the islands. There are foxes, birds, antelopes, rhinoceroses, and buffalo. You can chase all these beasts.

Guild-Wars-2-ep2-s4-21

There is even a useful effect: If you stand in tall grass, you become invisible and can sneak up on your prey in the best hunter manner. There are even particularly sought-after elite creatures that you can only defeat as a team.

Elemental Chaos

On the islands of the Olmakhan, it is not just about hunting beasts. A mysterious djinn has unleashed an elemental storm. Since then, more elemental beings keep appearing and causing trouble.

Guild-Wars-2-ep2-s4-25

In the fight against the djinns, you will be blown around by storms and still have to dodge their devastating attacks. And the Inquest goons are also on the islands causing stress. So, there’s plenty to do again.

There is even a new legendary weapon included in the update.

New Cosmetic Options for Charr

Since the Charr play such an important role in Episode 2, there are finally new cosmetic options for the giant cats. On the one hand, the gender lock on horns is being removed. Until now, female Charr had different horns than male ones. Now both genders can adorn themselves with the same horns.

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And those who still can’t get enough of horns can look forward to new horn styles. A cool detail: When you make your horns longer, they rotate. Just like real horns.

The new story is the perfect time to dive back into Guild Wars 2. Read here what you should consider.

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

DFB boss Grindel attacks FIFA 18 and PES: “Absolute impoverishment”

Philipp Junge Philipp Junge Reading time 2 minutes

The large coalition’s initiative to pay more attention to eSports is not well received everywhere. DFB President Reinhard Grindel sharply criticizes eSports and virtual football. He probably can’t make much of FIFA 18 and PES.

EA has long been steering FIFA towards eSports. Since the Weekend League, FUT Champions Cups, and the eWorld Cup, this has become increasingly clear.

The growing reach of eSports – not just for FIFA 18 – is not going unnoticed: The CDU/CSU and SPD have now stated in the coalition agreement that they want to promote eSports more and possibly even provide it with an “olympic perspective”.

Strong headwinds are now coming from Reinhard Grindel, the President of the German Football Association (DFB).

The FIFA 17 world champion has, for now, concluded with FIFA 18

“E-Sports is not a sport to me”

Grindel’s position is clear. For him, football “belongs on the green grass and has nothing to do with other things that are computerized.” He does not see great competition for football clubs in other sports, but rather in virtual football simulations such as FIFA 18 or Pro Evolution Soccer (PES).

fifa-18-deto
The experienced FIFA professional Kai “Deto” Wollin

Grindel sees nothing appealing in the coalition’s plan to provide computer games with an “olympic perspective”. The idea would be “absurd”. He hopes it does not come to that.

In general, he does not consider eSports to be a sport and sees the youth’s engagement with digital devices as an “absolute impoverishment”.

Xbox players are said to have cheated their way to top positions in the Weekend League

eSport-Bund-Deutschland responds on Facebook

The President of the eSport-Bund-Deutschland (ESBD), Hans Jagnow, stands firmly against Grindel’s statements. In a Facebook post from the ESBD, Jagnow is quoted: “Shutting oneself off from digital innovation is rarely a good idea, and I can only warn against it.”

He speaks of reaching a young audience with values such as tolerance, respect, fair play, and teamwork through eSports. He sees the current developments as a great opportunity to complement traditional club sports with digital offerings.

eSports has already arrived in the Bundesliga

Despite prominent opponents like the DFB President, eSports has long found its place in the top German Bundesliga.

esport-bundesliga-vereine

Seven Bundesliga clubs already have their own eSports departments. According to gameswirtschaft another eight teams, including Bayern Munich, are said to be looking into hiring professional FIFA players. Only BVB, SC Freiburg, and TSG Hoffenheim are distancing themselves from FIFA eSports.

Recently, however, the German eSports scene was faced with a scandal. A player intentionally lost against his teammate and was subsequently suspended.

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

Final Fantasy XIV players boost themselves with chat command, get banned

Irina Moritz Irina Moritz Reading time 4 minutes

Final Fantasy XIV players who have exploited a glitch to tackle the hardest battles in the game for months are now facing bans. The amazing part: the glitch involves a simple chat command.

Many Final Fantasy fans are familiar with the Limit Break. Typically, these extremely powerful abilities become available when characters take significant damage.

ffvii limit break

In Final Fantasy XIV, some players discovered the ability to abuse the NPC Limit Break known as “Ungarmax” via chat commands to conquer tough boss battles.

Now Square Enix is swinging the ban hammer.

Exploit massively increases damage output

Initially, the Ungarmax Limit Break was only supposed to be available in certain content. These so-called Command Missions, where you navigate dungeons alongside 3 NPCs, were intended as an alternative way to level solo.

final fantasy xiv yoshida kommando

However, players quickly figured out that the Ungarmax Limit Break could be used relatively easily outside of Command Missions through the chat command “/ac Ungarmax” and that with a massive effect.

In FFXIV, a full group of 8 players has a limit break bar that is divided into three parts and fills up slowly over the course of a battle.

580176a92f8f1ee0fb772ac326b87aa9

The NPC Limit Break Ungarmax has several unique features:

  • The Command Missions can have a maximum of just two limit bars, with Ungarmax consuming only one of them upon activation.
  • This makes it quickly available in long boss fights and can be used multiple times.
  • It increases the group’s damage output by a whopping 50% for 15 seconds.
  • The duration of the effect can be extended to 25 seconds by the Astrologian job’s ability “Opposition”. For a single player, it can last up to 40 seconds.

This extreme DPS boost has been used by some players to conquer difficult content with high DPS requirements.

final fantasy xiv endlose schatten von bahamut

This includes the hardest battle in the game, “Endless Shadows of Bahamut”, and the latest epic raid “Omega: Sigmametrie”.

How this looks in action was demonstrated by the streamer “Feelstoastedman” and his raid group.

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The fight was immediately wiped afterwards as the glitch was used solely for demonstration purposes.

Investigations have been initiated

However, Square Enix’s response to the glitch comes a bit late. Several Reddit users claim they reported the “Ungarmax exploit” to the game masters at least 4 months ago.

When the story exploded in the FFXIV subreddit, the director and producer of FFXIV, Naoki Yoshida, personally addressed the issue in a forum post.

Yoshida_int

In it, he apologized for the delayed response and reported that the game master team is currently prioritizing the following points:

  • Determining whether the claim that the glitch was reported to the GMs early is indeed true.
  • If it is true, finding out why no appropriate actions were taken.
  • Identifying the characters that intentionally exploited this glitch.

The glitch itself was fixed on February 28 during an emergency maintenance of all servers.

First bans followed a week later

The first report regarding a ban associated with Ungarmax recently appeared on Reddit.

In an email, the thread creator was informed that their account was banned for 9 days. However, the following sentence is important: “Additionally, the service account will be investigated and considered for termination.”

The 9 days represent the maximum temporary ban duration imposed for severe rule violations. Based on experience, accounts that received a 9-day ban are often permanently banned.

According to the thread creator’s statement, another member of their group was also banned, who had likewise used the command “/ac Ungarmax”.

final fantasy xiv omega sigmametrie

This raises the question of whether players who used the chat command “just for fun” to see what the glitch actually does will also be affected by the ban.

So far, it seems to only impact players who exploited the glitch before it was made public on Reddit.

The top players who achieved World First kills in the challenging raids have demonstrably not made use of the glitch. 

Another type of glitch has been affecting monsters in FFXIV for some time now. The result looks hilariously funny:

In Final Fantasy XIV, cacti are running around crazily in circles

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

Destiny 2: Weekly Reset on March 6th – last 4vs4 Iron Banner begins

Sven Galitzki Sven Galitzki Reading time 2 minutes

In Destiny 2 today, March 6th, is the Weekly Reset. With the weekly reset, the Iron Banner starts one last time in the 4vs4 format. But other fresh activities, like the Nightfall strike or the Flashpoint, are now live. 

With the Weekly Reset, a new week begins in the Destiny universe. The Guardians can now tackle fresh tasks again.

Simultaneously with the weekly reset, Lord Saladin arrives in the Tower and calls upon the Guardians once again to prove their skills in the Crucible.

The Iron Banner is live – for the last time in the previously familiar 4vs4 format. In this mode, Conflict will be played. Until the next Weekly Reset, you have time to compete against other Guardians in the scope of this event, grab new rewards, and continue your hunt for Iron Banner ornaments.

destiny-2-pyramidion

Let’s see what else the current week brings.

Nightfall starting March 6th on PS4, Xbox One, and PC

This week is the Nightfall “The Pyramidion”.

No modifiers are active in the normal Nightfall strike!

In Prestige mode, you must activate the modifiers via the challenge cards. These cards drop for DLC owners in both the normal and Prestige modes of the Nightfall strike.

The following challenges need to be mastered:

  • Unbroken: Complete the Nightfall with fewer than 3 deaths.
  • Siege Engine: Do not allow Brakion to be shielded for more than 40 seconds before defeating him.
    Destiny 2 Nessus

Flashpoint, Raid Challenge, Treasure Maps, Meditations

The Flashpoint is this week on Nessus. There, public events must be mastered.

Cayde-6 has Nessus treasure maps ready for you.

Ikora Rey has meditations for the missions “Burning” and “Hope” on offer.

The Raid Challenge this week revolves around the final boss Calus in his throne room.

The Eververse Highlights

Tess Everis is not selling any Omega Mechanos armor pieces this week.

Interesting Glimmer purchases:

  • “Curse of the Foreseen” exotic Sparrow – 2500 Glimmer
  • “Sail of Osiris” exotic ship – 2000 Glimmer
  • “Break the Dawn” ornament for Merciless – 800 Glimmer
  • “Eye of Osiris” ornament for Prometheus Lens – 1250 Glimmer
  • “Midnight Sun” ornament for the Wings of Sacred Dawn  – 1500 Glimmer

You might also be interested in:

Destiny 2 is doing a lot to save the messed-up PvP – But is it enough?

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

No pig uses First Aid in World of Warcraft

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

First Aid is an eternal part of World of Warcraft. However, how useless the skill actually is has now been revealed.

In World of Warcraft, there are a handful of secondary professions that can be learned by all characters, regardless of their main professions. While Archaeology, Fishing, and Cooking at least have some recognized use, First Aid is looked down upon. It was actually supposed to allow players to heal themselves and others to compensate for missing healer performance. However, in the time of massive self-healing for all classes, the profession has lost significance. So much so that First Aid will likely be removed from the game with the new expansion Battle for Azeroth.

Survey on First Aid: Almost nobody finds it useful

The colleagues from mmo-champion repeatedly analyze the data from 2.3 million players in Europe and America. These data exclude secondary characters and twinks, and instead, the character with the highest value in First Aid has been selected.

The result is quite sobering and casts a bad light on the secondary profession.

WoW First Aid MMOchampion poll
Source: mmo-champion
  • 6.1% of all players have not learned the profession at all
  • 17.3% of all players have First Aid between rank 1 and 50 – meaning they learned the profession and then never used it again

In the later ranks, there are more players who at least made the effort to level First Aid accordingly.

  • 15% of players have First Aid between 651 and 700
  • 16.9% are between 701 and 750
  • at least 19.1% have First Aid between 751 and 800
WoW First Aid Trainer
Soon unemployed: The teachers for First Aid.

Additionally, mmo-champion conducted a survey in which more than 60,000 players participated and were asked how useful they found First Aid in Legion. The result is devastating:

  • 91% of players saw no benefit from First Aid in Legion
  • 6.6% of players found First Aid helpful in “rare cases”
  • 2.3% considered First Aid “often” helpful
WoW First Aid MMOchampion poll 2
Source: mmo-champion

A sad development that First Aid has taken in recent years. The last time it was truly useful was probably in The Burning Crusade and sporadically still in Wrath of the Lich King. Nowadays, almost nobody needs it anymore.

What is your attitude towards First Aid in World of Warcraft? Is the secondary profession even worth it? Did you only learn it for the achievements? Or is it a good thing that it is likely to disappear with Battle for Azeroth?

Have you seen the huge, new precious mount from Battle for Azeroth?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. mmo-champion.com
  2. buffed.de

Diablo 3 is now rumored to come for Nintendo Switch

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

We are on a roller coaster ride with the Switch version of Diablo 3. Rumors have now provided a special ride.

Last week, the hearts of some loyal Diablo fans raced as a small Blizzard teaser indirectly called for speculation. Fans saw it as the announcement of a Switch version of Diablo 3. However, Blizzard quickly cleared up this speculation.

Now new rumors are emerging that say: Yes, Diablo 3 is coming for the Switch.

Diablo 3 for the Switch, new information

With a small nightlight, Blizzard drew attention to the Switch version of the hack’n’slash a few days ago. The nightlight showed Diablo. The on and off was associated with “Switch” in English – Speculation arose that Diablo 3 would come to Nintendo’s Switch console.

Diablo 3 Switch

After this speculation, Blizzard quickly intervened and said “Don’t worry, we’re not that clever.” But only a few players believed that. Because actually, Blizzard is that clever, and the fans know it.

The tide turns again, Diablo 3 for the Switch

Now Eurogamer claims: Our source says that a Switch version of Diablo is definitely on the way. And it should be a port of Diablo 3.

Whether the DLCs “Reaper of Souls” and “Rise of the Necromancer” are included has not been confirmed. However, it would be surprising if these expansions are not part of the port.

Diablo Switch2

That the teaser with the nightlight has such a significant impact on the community, the developers did not expect, says the anonymous source from Eurogamer. However, the actual announcement is said to be months away.

This information comes as a surprise, as Blizzard’s statement still said that the video with the nightlight meant nothing at all.

As mentioned, these are rumors. Take them with a grain of caution and do not treat them as official statements. Until Blizzard announces the Diablo 3 version for the Nintendo Switch themselves (or Nintendo does), it is not yet confirmed.

Are you currently playing the new season? These are the strongest classes of season 13 in Diablo 3 – Tier List

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

The Division: So farmt ihr Classified-Gear in 1.8

Tarek Zehrer Tarek Zehrer Reading time 4 minutes

In The Division, in update 1.8, you have various opportunities to obtain Classified Gear through Global Events. We present the different methods for farming Classified Gear.

Recently, to celebrate the second anniversary of The Division, the Global Event “Outbreak” was active. Global Events provide players a convenient way to obtain secret set pieces. However, outside of events, these pieces are very rare. We show you various options to still acquire the coveted equipment.

How to farm Classified Gear?

Every named boss in the game has a certain probability of dropping a secret set piece. Additionally, there are specific containers, aside from bosses, that may contain set pieces. So where is the best place to start?

 

To obtain Classified pieces, you can

  • clear landmarks in the Dark Zone
  • run underground rounds on the “Challenging” difficulty
  • kill Open World bosses
  • play the Resistance mode
The drop chances for Classified Gear are this high

The Dark Zone

The easiest way to get loot in the Dark Zone is by killing elite bosses at the landmarks. With a good group and knowledge of the routes, you can quickly take down bosses in succession.

While this is one of the most effective methods, you do need some luck with the servers. If there are many rogue agents active, farming can become strenuous.

In that case, simply switch servers by

  • visiting a checkpoint
  • joining a group for the Dark Zone in the player search
  • leaving the group

This method has the advantage that you can also collect Division Tech along the way. Additionally, there is a small chance of obtaining a secret set piece from chests that you can open with DZ keys. Here you can find efficient ways to farm Division Tech.

Never forget the unpredictability of the Dark Zone. If it ruins your enjoyment, you need to consider other options.

The Division Conflict Update

The Underground

The Underground on the “Challenging” difficulty is a good option for killing bosses, both with a group and solo. Additionally, Hunters can appear once per phase. If you defeat them, you have another chance at secret and exotic loot.

A drawback is the time investment, as it can take up to 10 minutes to reach the boss in the phase. Thus, you will likely need more time per boss than in the Dark Zone. Nevertheless, it is a convenient option for PvE players. Moreover, exciting fights await you due to random Hunter attacks.

Keep in mind: The Underground is a DLC, so you must either purchase it separately or invest in the Season Pass.

Open World Bosses

Once you have completed all side missions in the respective parts of Manhattan, you will unlock 15 elite bosses that will subsequently roam the streets of Manhattan. Although they respawn after you defeat them, this only happens after four hours. Thus, you can get a lot of loot after one round, but you will have to wait afterward, which makes this method rather ineffective.

However, if you need a change from the other activities, this stroll through New York is a good idea.

You can find a clear map of the Open World bosses here
division-cool-lamps

Resistance

With update 1.8, the Resistance mode made its way into The Division. A kind of horde mode where you must defeat waves of enemies solo or in a group that get increasingly difficult.

With every kill, you collect SHD Tech, the currency of this mode. You need this for opening doors, ammunition, med kits, and loot crates, which is the focus of this farming method.

division-house

How to quickly get your desired piece in The Division – Resistance Mode

To efficiently farm in Resistance, you should select Pier 93 as the map. The other areas are also suitable, but Pier offers good opportunities for cover and allows enemies to approach you.

The goal is to play until wave 10 and reach a room containing a loot box. To open this, you will need SHD Tech. The box has a high chance of containing Classified pieces and can also be opened multiple times.
However, you should note that opening it becomes more expensive each time. Therefore, it is important to save all SHD Tech.

You need to follow a few steps to end up in the right room with the loot box:

  • Start Resistance at Pier 93
  • Open the first door
  • Go right, open the next door, and climb the ladder
  • Turn right again and open the next door immediately to your right
  • Under a staircase at the back left is the room with the loot box

In which order and which wave you do this, whether you move freely on the map or barricade yourself, is up to you. Important: Upon completing wave 10, you will receive a level 2 resistance container, which also has a chance of secret set pieces, so definitely complete it.

To approach farming as effectively as possible, you should

  • save SHD Tech and only use it for doors when possible
  • have a healing station with ammunition supply, as this is often scarce
  • use a build that keeps you alive (Nomad, D3-F3NC, Secret Stalker, pieces with health on kill)

The YouTuber Gladd shows you an example of how to approach this. This should serve as guidance for your start.

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If you follow this method, you will need an average of 20 minutes per pass and, with some luck, obtain several set pieces. With luck, four to six Classified pieces are possible.

Possible Builds for 1.8

We have already compiled some effective builds for 1.8, with which you will also have fun on various farming routes.

Which farming method do you prefer? Can you recommend another one?

This is how you create the best builds in 1.8

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

Bei Fortnite sind alle heiß auf den neuen „Halo-Skin“: Was ist da los?

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 3 minutes

In Fortnite: Battle Royale (PC, PS4 & Xbox One) there is a mysterious outfit known in the community primarily as the “Halo Skin.” But what is it all about and how can you get this piece?

fortnite-rex-01

Fortnite: Battle Royale is  free-to-play and primarily funded through the purchase of skins and costumes. Particularly sought after were, among other things, the Valentine’s Day outfits or the Dino costume “Rex”.

Recently, however, an image of a new skin has surfaced, in which many fans suspect a reference to Halo.

The Skin “Rogue Agent”: Is it an ODST from Halo?

The skin in question is called “Rogue Agent” and depicts a kind of elite soldier with a golden visor and body armor. Fans of the Halo series clearly see references here. But not to the iconic hero of “Master Chief,” but to the equally tough ODSTs.

fortntie-halo-skin

It stands for “Orbital Drop Shock Troopers,” an elite unit from the Halo universe and the stars of their own spin-off. The battle dress of an ODST actually resembles the style of the Rogue Agent skin from Fortnite.

Halo3-ODST

Epic seems to be following a similar approach here as with the “Reaper” skin. It looks very much like the action hero John Wick. For legal reasons, Epic likely ensures that new skins resemble well-known film and game characters without copying them exactly.

How to Get the Halo Outfit?

The “Halo Outfit” will likely soon be available as a reward in the “Battle Royale Starter Pack”. This is supposed to be a package for $4.99 (the Euro price is likely the same) that you will presumably be able to buy soon under the “Shop” tab in the main menu. In the shop, you usually buy your V-Bucks.

fortnite-halo-skin-03

The offer for the starter pack was recently revealed through a glitch. It was briefly visible but could not be purchased and was gone shortly thereafter. Fortunately, players took screenshots and shared them on Reddit.

Since the offer is somehow a game, it is expected to be unlocked soon. For $4.99 you will then receive:

  • 600 V-Bucks
  • Rogue Agent Outfit
  • Catalyst Back Bling (a high-tech backpack)

This combination of a cool skin and a low price is causing so many to be excited about the “Halo Skin” in Fortnite. However, whether and when the Fortnite Battle Royale Starter Pack will actually be available in the game is still unknown.

Here you can find more outfits, skins, and costumes in Fortnite: Battle Royale!

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

SoulWorker is officially in soft launch, but players are really upset

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The German publisher Gameforge is criticized for an IP block on its new anime MMO SoulWorker Online. An MMO site even speaks of shady business practices. Meanwhile, SoulWorker Online is now officially in soft launch. There will be no wipes in the open beta.

The German publisher Gameforge is distributing the Korean anime MMO SoulWorker Online in Europe and North America. Last week, the open beta started without much announcement. However, there is now trouble.

IP block after one week locks out players without warning

As reported by the Asia-MMO specialized site MMO Culture, SoulWorker suddenly has an IP block: all players who are not from North America or Europe can no longer play the game after one week.

This mainly affects players from Southeast Asia, who thought they could now play SoulWorker Online in English through the Gameforge version, as the game will probably not be released for their region.

Soulworker-Artwork01

The IP block was only announced when it was practically already implemented. Players from other regions had no prior warning. They are now very upset that they could download and play SoulWorker Online for a week and that this is now over.

On Facebook, numerous comments can be read, claiming it is the “worst IP block ever.” There is a great misunderstanding regarding this step.

MMO Culture even refers to a “shady” publisher. Gameforge had a year to announce this IP block, but they did not do so, instead making it known only after players from overseas had already invested time in the game.

soulworker-Gameplay01

Beta will have no wipes

Meanwhile, Gameforge announces that SoulWorker Online will have no wipes. Therefore, the characters will not be reset, and progress will be preserved.

This was not entirely clear before. Now it is, however, official and certain.

More about the game: SoulWorker – The anime MMO is now in open beta

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

Battlefield V allegedly with co-op mode and single-player system from BF1

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

The leaks about Battlefield V, the supposed new installment of the shooter series, are now overwhelming. A co-op mode could become part of the new game, which is expected to be released in 2018.

Last week, an anonymous source stated that the new Battlefield installment will have a setting in World War II. Now, there is further information from this source. It concerns a special mode and a feature that some of you may know from Rainbow Six Siege.

Co-op and Laying Feature in Battlefield V

Regarding the single-player mode in Battlefield V, the source has now provided further information to Venturebeat. The structure of the campaign is said to be similar to the current Battlefield 1. There, you experience the lives of various soldiers and their stories. This is intended to give players the opportunity to see different perspectives and locations of World War II.

Battlefield V Title

The anonymous source expresses itself somewhat unclear regarding a co-op mode. Apparently, a feature like this is being worked on for Battlefield V. It is intended to be available in a special mode that sends player squads through randomly generated Conquest missions. Whether this mode will also feature a split-screen is unclear.

A co-op mode with split-screen would indeed be a cool feature for the new installment of Battlefield.

Rainbow Six Siege Feature in Battlefield

Allegedly, a laying feature similar to that in Rainbow Six Siege will be available in the new Battlefield installment. This is supposed to allow players to lie on their backs instead of just on their bellies.

Various in-game situations could be improved by this. If you find yourself awkwardly positioned in front of obstacles, you simply lie on your back and do not have to reposition to crawl.

Rainbow Six Laying on Back

However, there is currently little official information about the Battlefield title from 2018. We know that the game is supposed to be released in the fall and will already be playable at the EA Play event. 

So take these leaks with caution. There is no guarantee that these rumors are indeed true and that they will be incorporated into the game.

First leak about Battlefield V – set in World War II, brings cosmetic loot boxes

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. VG247

“Brigitte is a visual copy of Mercy” Overwatch fans find

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Brigitte looks exactly like Mercy. At least, that’s what some Overwatch fans think and hope that Blizzard will make adjustments here.

The newest hero in Overwatch, Brigitte, is currently on the PTR and is well-received by players. In terms of her abilities, she represents a new type of hybrid hero that fans have been longing for. On the other hand, there are significant criticisms concerning Brigitte – her appearance.

Part of the community believes that Brigitte is a spitting image of the healer Mercy. The general shape of the face, her eyebrows, nose, lips, and even the shape of the eyes are almost identical. On Reddit, a user Pillow_1 took the time to create a short video that clearly shows how identical the faces are. Since the short clip has received over 6800 upvotes, it seems that this issue bothers many players.

Brigitte has Mercy’s face. from r/Overwatch

Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem, but Brigitte was presented differently in the cinematic “Glory and Honor.” There, she has fuller lips, thicker eyebrows, and freckles – none of which made it into the game.

Overwatch Has a Female Problem

The characters and their models – especially the female ones – are often a point of contention within parts of the community. Although Blizzard tries to create a diverse world with a wide range of different heroes, critics argue that they fail with the implementation for female characters. While the male characters exhibit massive differences in form and body size (compare Torbjörn, Roadhog, Reinhardt, and Lúcio), this is not the case with the females.

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According to some fans, too many women in Overwatch have the typical “hourglass” figure like Mercy, Symmetra, and Moira. Some exceptions like Zarya and Mei deviate slightly but still appear young.

The fans’ demand is clear: Blizzard should revisit Brigitte’s model and revise it to resemble her portrayal in the cinematics and comics more closely, creating a stronger visual distinction from Mercy.

What do you think about this matter? Do you also believe that Brigitte should be visually reworked? Or do you think she looks just right as she currently does?

Have you seen which heroes are played the most in the different ranking tiers?

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