FIFA 18: Winter upgrades and ratings refresh – today is the release of the first cards

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 5 minutes

In other words: After the ratings refresh, two versions of standard cards of the respective player coexist in FUT.

FIFA 18 Chemistry Styles – The best chemistry styles for all positions
fifa-18-ronaldo-cover

How do IF cards behave – the Informs – during the winter upgrades?

The “in form” cards, like the “team of the week” cards, are somewhat complicated during the winter upgrades.

In short: If the winter upgrade card of the player is better than or equal to the current IF card(s), the IF cards will be automatically upgraded. These are intended to remain better than the regular cards.

However: If a player changes quality during the winter upgrade (e.g., from Silver to Gold) and the previous IF card was a Silver card, it will remain unchanged.

fifa-aguero-upgrade

An example about Aguero’s IF cards from the past (not current cards):

The regular card at launch had a rating of 87. After the winter upgrade, Aguero received a regular card with 88. Since one of his IF cards already had 88, it will increase to 89. His TOTW card, which was 89, will increase to 90 to remain 2 points better than the new regular card.

By the way: IF cards include not only TOTW cards, but also hero and other special cards.

Every year a new FIFA? – EA says it doesn’t have to stay that way forever

Predictions for the winter upgrades

Update: Here are Bundesliga predictions for the winter upgrades!

Update: Here are predictions for the Premier League for the winter upgrades!

Update: Here are predictions for La Liga for the winter upgrades!

In the near future, we will publish detailed predictions sorted by leagues for the winter upgrades. Until then, we present a few predictions from YouTuber TVM:

  • Young (RV): Manchester United – 75 –> 79
  • Max (LV): Augsburg – 74 –> 77
  • Candreva (RM): Inter Milan – 80 –> 82
  • Handanovic (TW): Inter Milan – 87 –> 88
  • Fekir (ZOM): Olympique Lyon – 82 –> 84
  • Salah (RF): Liverpool – 83 –> 85
  • Kimmich (RV): Bayern Munich – 81 –> 83
  • Iago Aspas (ST): Celta Vigo – 83 –> 84
  • Grainger (LV): Carlisle United – 63 –> 70
  • Finnbogason (ST): Augsburg – 76 –> 80
  • Bobo (ST): Sydney FC – 74 –> 78
  • Ginter (IV): Gladbach – 78 –> 81
  • Kane (ST): Tottenham – 86 –> 87
  • Immobile (ST): Lazio Rome – 82 –> 83
fifa-kane

Keep in mind that this is just a selection of possible predictions. Hundreds of players will be upgraded during the ratings refresh.

More information about the ratings refresh:

  • Who determines the upgrades? A team from EA Sports, but you can let the developers know your favorites in a survey.
  • What do the new player cards look like? Like the previous standard cards (Gold, Silver, Bronze). Players can change quality.
  • What is the difference between the previous standard cards and the new cards? The overall rating and the stats. Only in rare cases does the position change if the player has mainly played a new position in recent months.
  • What happens to the old standard cards? They remain unchanged. However, they are replaced by the new cards in packs. In other words, the old cards can no longer be pulled from the packs.
  • What happens to the existing IFs? These also receive an upgrade if the new standard card exceeds or equals the previous IF card in rating.
  • How long are the “ratings refresh” cards in the packs? Expected until the end of FIFA 18.
  • Can a winter transfer player receive an upgrade? Yes.
  • Are the winter upgrades the winter transfers? No, the winter transfers take place before the winter upgrades. With the upgrades, neither the club nor the league changes.

All information about the TOTY cards, the best player cards in FUT 18, can be found here.

Generally, the Gold cards are upgraded by 1-2 points in rating. Silver and Bronze players receive upgrades of about 4 points. In rare cases, the improvements for Bronze players can reach as much as 15 points.

FIFA 18 – Fastest Players in the Bundesliga, Premier League, La Liga

Release dates of the winter upgrades / ratings refresh in Ultimate Team

Update: It has been officially confirmed that the ratings refresh will start on February 23!

The upgraded cards will not be released all at once, but in “batches.” EA Sports will release the ratings refresh cards sorted by leagues sequentially. The ratings refresh phase will run until March 5.

fifa-17-ronaldo-jubel

How do I get a higher-rated upgrade card?

We will add which players are affected by the ratings refresh as soon as they are known. Update: See the beginning of the article, where we list them with links.

Once the winter upgrade cards are released, they can be pulled from packs. The only requirement is that the pack can contain players. The “old” cards of the respective players will no longer be available in packs from this moment onward.

If you already own a card of a player who is being upgraded, it will remain unchanged. It will not be automatically updated. If you want the card of the player with improved attributes, you must pull it from a pack. It is also possible to acquire winter upgrade cards from other players on the transfer market.

In other words: After the ratings refresh, two versions of standard cards of the respective player coexist in FUT.

FIFA 18 Chemistry Styles – The best chemistry styles for all positions
fifa-18-ronaldo-cover

How do IF cards behave – the Informs – during the winter upgrades?

The “in form” cards, like the “team of the week” cards, are somewhat complicated during the winter upgrades.

In short: If the winter upgrade card of the player is better than or equal to the current IF card(s), the IF cards will be automatically upgraded. These are intended to remain better than the regular cards.

However: If a player changes quality during the winter upgrade (e.g., from Silver to Gold) and the previous IF card was a Silver card, it will remain unchanged.

fifa-aguero-upgrade

An example about Aguero’s IF cards from the past (not current cards):

The regular card at launch had a rating of 87. After the winter upgrade, Aguero received a regular card with 88. Since one of his IF cards already had 88, it will increase to 89. His TOTW card, which was 89, will increase to 90 to remain 2 points better than the new regular card.

By the way: IF cards include not only TOTW cards, but also hero and other special cards.

Every year a new FIFA? – EA says it doesn’t have to stay that way forever

Predictions for the winter upgrades

Update: Here are Bundesliga predictions for the winter upgrades!

Update: Here are predictions for the Premier League for the winter upgrades!

Update: Here are predictions for La Liga for the winter upgrades!

In the near future, we will publish detailed predictions sorted by leagues for the winter upgrades. Until then, we present a few predictions from YouTuber TVM:

  • Young (RV): Manchester United – 75 –> 79
  • Max (LV): Augsburg – 74 –> 77
  • Candreva (RM): Inter Milan – 80 –> 82
  • Handanovic (TW): Inter Milan – 87 –> 88
  • Fekir (ZOM): Olympique Lyon – 82 –> 84
  • Salah (RF): Liverpool – 83 –> 85
  • Kimmich (RV): Bayern Munich – 81 –> 83
  • Iago Aspas (ST): Celta Vigo – 83 –> 84
  • Grainger (LV): Carlisle United – 63 –> 70
  • Finnbogason (ST): Augsburg – 76 –> 80
  • Bobo (ST): Sydney FC – 74 –> 78
  • Ginter (IV): Gladbach – 78 –> 81
  • Kane (ST): Tottenham – 86 –> 87
  • Immobile (ST): Lazio Rome – 82 –> 83
fifa-kane

Keep in mind that this is just a selection of possible predictions. Hundreds of players will be upgraded during the ratings refresh.

More information about the ratings refresh:

  • Who determines the upgrades? A team from EA Sports, but you can let the developers know your favorites in a survey.
  • What do the new player cards look like? Like the previous standard cards (Gold, Silver, Bronze). Players can change quality.
  • What is the difference between the previous standard cards and the new cards? The overall rating and the stats. Only in rare cases does the position change if the player has mainly played a new position in recent months.
  • What happens to the old standard cards? They remain unchanged. However, they are replaced by the new cards in packs. In other words, the old cards can no longer be pulled from the packs.
  • What happens to the existing IFs? These also receive an upgrade if the new standard card exceeds or equals the previous IF card in rating.
  • How long are the “ratings refresh” cards in the packs? Expected until the end of FIFA 18.
  • Can a winter transfer player receive an upgrade? Yes.
  • Are the winter upgrades the winter transfers? No, the winter transfers take place before the winter upgrades. With the upgrades, neither the club nor the league changes.

All information about the TOTY cards, the best player cards in FUT 18, can be found here.

In FIFA 18 Ultimate Team, the winter upgrades and the ratings refresh are coming. Which players will receive an upgrade, what happens to the cards, and when can we expect the release? Predictions and information are summarized here.

Update: The first upgrades are here – Premier League! 

Update 25.2.: Here are the upgrades of the Serie A.

Update 27.2.: Here are the upgrades of the Ligue 1.

Update 1.3.: Here are the upgrades of the Bundesliga.

Update 3.3.: Here are the upgrades of the La Liga.

The player cards in FUT are quite inflexible. Unlike other game modes in FIFA 18, FUT cards cannot be constantly updated and adjusted to reflect the real performances of respective professional players. Aside from OTW cards (and “Path to Glory” cards), the values on a card remain the same throughout the season.

fifa-18-ultimate-team

Some players will receive “in form” cards (IF-Cards) during the season, but the stats of the standard cards will not change. With one exception: the winter upgrades in February.

What are the winter upgrades / ratings refresh in FUT 18?

Twice a year, the standard player cards in FUT are updated: when a new FIFA installment is released (in autumn) and after the winter transfers, i.e. in February. These adjustments are meant to reflect the real performances of the players exhibited over the preceding months.

Until FIFA 16, there were only “winter upgrades”. Player cards could only be upgraded, only receive better values. In FIFA 17, however, a change occurred: winter upgrades were renamed to “ratings refresh”, which also introduced downgrades. In FUT 18, we see ratings refresh again, but only with upgrades. Downgrades are omitted this year.

fifa-reguläre-karten

The ratings refresh affect the standard cards (Bronze, Silver, Gold):

Generally, the Gold cards are upgraded by 1-2 points in rating. Silver and Bronze players receive upgrades of about 4 points. In rare cases, the improvements for Bronze players can reach as much as 15 points.

FIFA 18 – Fastest Players in the Bundesliga, Premier League, La Liga

Release dates of the winter upgrades / ratings refresh in Ultimate Team

Update: It has been officially confirmed that the ratings refresh will start on February 23!

The upgraded cards will not be released all at once, but in “batches.” EA Sports will release the ratings refresh cards sorted by leagues sequentially. The ratings refresh phase will run until March 5.

fifa-17-ronaldo-jubel

How do I get a higher-rated upgrade card?

We will add which players are affected by the ratings refresh as soon as they are known. Update: See the beginning of the article, where we list them with links.

Once the winter upgrade cards are released, they can be pulled from packs. The only requirement is that the pack can contain players. The “old” cards of the respective players will no longer be available in packs from this moment onward.

If you already own a card of a player who is being upgraded, it will remain unchanged. It will not be automatically updated. If you want the card of the player with improved attributes, you must pull it from a pack. It is also possible to acquire winter upgrade cards from other players on the transfer market.

In other words: After the ratings refresh, two versions of standard cards of the respective player coexist in FUT.

FIFA 18 Chemistry Styles – The best chemistry styles for all positions
fifa-18-ronaldo-cover

How do IF cards behave – the Informs – during the winter upgrades?

The “in form” cards, like the “team of the week” cards, are somewhat complicated during the winter upgrades.

In short: If the winter upgrade card of the player is better than or equal to the current IF card(s), the IF cards will be automatically upgraded. These are intended to remain better than the regular cards.

However: If a player changes quality during the winter upgrade (e.g., from Silver to Gold) and the previous IF card was a Silver card, it will remain unchanged.

fifa-aguero-upgrade

An example about Aguero’s IF cards from the past (not current cards):

The regular card at launch had a rating of 87. After the winter upgrade, Aguero received a regular card with 88. Since one of his IF cards already had 88, it will increase to 89. His TOTW card, which was 89, will increase to 90 to remain 2 points better than the new regular card.

By the way: IF cards include not only TOTW cards, but also hero and other special cards.

Every year a new FIFA? – EA says it doesn’t have to stay that way forever

Predictions for the winter upgrades

Update: Here are Bundesliga predictions for the winter upgrades!

Update: Here are predictions for the Premier League for the winter upgrades!

Update: Here are predictions for La Liga for the winter upgrades!

In the near future, we will publish detailed predictions sorted by leagues for the winter upgrades. Until then, we present a few predictions from YouTuber TVM:

  • Young (RV): Manchester United – 75 –> 79
  • Max (LV): Augsburg – 74 –> 77
  • Candreva (RM): Inter Milan – 80 –> 82
  • Handanovic (TW): Inter Milan – 87 –> 88
  • Fekir (ZOM): Olympique Lyon – 82 –> 84
  • Salah (RF): Liverpool – 83 –> 85
  • Kimmich (RV): Bayern Munich – 81 –> 83
  • Iago Aspas (ST): Celta Vigo – 83 –> 84
  • Grainger (LV): Carlisle United – 63 –> 70
  • Finnbogason (ST): Augsburg – 76 –> 80
  • Bobo (ST): Sydney FC – 74 –> 78
  • Ginter (IV): Gladbach – 78 –> 81
  • Kane (ST): Tottenham – 86 –> 87
  • Immobile (ST): Lazio Rome – 82 –> 83
fifa-kane

Keep in mind that this is just a selection of possible predictions. Hundreds of players will be upgraded during the ratings refresh.

More information about the ratings refresh:

  • Who determines the upgrades? A team from EA Sports, but you can let the developers know your favorites in a survey.
  • What do the new player cards look like? Like the previous standard cards (Gold, Silver, Bronze). Players can change quality.
  • What is the difference between the previous standard cards and the new cards? The overall rating and the stats. Only in rare cases does the position change if the player has mainly played a new position in recent months.
  • What happens to the old standard cards? They remain unchanged. However, they are replaced by the new cards in packs. In other words, the old cards can no longer be pulled from the packs.
  • What happens to the existing IFs? These also receive an upgrade if the new standard card exceeds or equals the previous IF card in rating.
  • How long are the “ratings refresh” cards in the packs? Expected until the end of FIFA 18.
  • Can a winter transfer player receive an upgrade? Yes.
  • Are the winter upgrades the winter transfers? No, the winter transfers take place before the winter upgrades. With the upgrades, neither the club nor the league changes.

All information about the TOTY cards, the best player cards in FUT 18, can be found here.

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

Best price ASUS MG28UQ 4K monitor – Technology offers at Otto

Kevin Nielsen Kevin Nielsen Reading time < 1 minutes

Otto is offering some tech bargains this week. This includes a 4K monitor from ASUS, the iPhone X, a UHD-TV from Hisense, and the PS4 Pro.

This week, Otto entices with interesting tech offers. Additionally, you can take advantage of the “100 days payment pause” free of charge with your order until February 26. Don’t forget that you can pay for your orders in convenient installments at Otto for an additional fee.

Among other things, the ASUS MG28UQ is very interesting, a 4K gaming monitor. It has a screen diagonal of 28 inches and its display uses a TN panel. The response time is one millisecond.

However, it only offers 60 Hz. Those who can cope with that get a good monitor at a strong price. Currently, it costs only 419 euros. Furthermore, it offers a pivot function and can be adjusted to your individual needs.

ASUS MG28UQ for 419 euros

More Tech Offers

All tech offers from Otto
The offers displayed here are equipped with so-called affiliate links. By making 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.

Which monsters are the strongest in Monster Hunter World?

Leya Jankowski Leya Jankowski Reading time 6 minutes

In Monster Hunter World, every battle with a monster feels like fighting an MMORPG boss. However, some monsters are particularly tough and difficult to conquer. We want to know from you: Which monsters in Monster Hunter World are the hardest?

In Monster Hunter World, it’s part of the experience to get thoroughly beaten by a monster. Every species has its own strengths, attack patterns, and peculiarities.

It can sometimes take a while to figure out a monster’s move sets and respond accordingly. The first priority is always to learn how to dodge or attack at the right moment.

There are a few monsters that are particularly difficult to beat. We were curious about which monsters you respect the most. Therefore, we included a survey at the end of the post.

We also selected 7 monsters ourselves that are hard for many players to master.

MHW-Story1

Our Top 7 Hardest Monsters in Monster Hunter World

The more often you fight a particular monster, the easier it becomes over time. You improve your gear throughout the game and learn to handle the individual monsters. Therefore, this listing is primarily about the initial encounter with each monster. 

The order of the monsters does not matter; they are not sorted by difficulty.

Anjanath – The First Great Boss

monster-hunter-world-anjanath

The Anjanath is the first great boss you encounter in Monster Hunter World. The Tyrant of the Ancient Forest requires most hunters to rethink their strategies when they first encounter him.

These battle wyverns have powerful jaws to tear apart enemies and an acute sense of smell. They can jump far and do not let hunters escape easily if they try to flee. They unleash a massive burst of fire that can knock out hunters even if they are still wearing their first armor.

The Anjanath is often the moment for many where they must deliberately improve their weapons and equipment to be able to face him.

We have created a guide for Anjanath that can help you conquer the beast.

Odogaron – The Agile One with Bleeding Claws

Odogaron-Monster-Hunter-World

You first encounter the Odogaron in the Rotten Vale, where a toxic gas flows around. This Fanged Wyvern is highly aggressive, extremely fast, and agile. Additionally, it often jumps back and forth in a zig-zag pattern, making it hard for hunters to memorize its movement pattern.

Before you know it, he has quickly sunk his claws into the flesh of the hunters, causing severe bleeding. To stop the bleeding, hunters must crouch, which limits their movement. This gives the Odogaron even more space to attack.

The Odogaron’s bleeding causes health loss whenever hunters move. Hunters must either crouch or eat meat (such as cooked steak) to stop the bleeding.

Pink Rathian – The Poisonous Wyvern Lady+

Monster Hunter: World_20180219004749

The Pink Rathian is a subspecies of the Rathian and the female counterpart to the Azure Rathalos. The pink variant comes with a sturdier body, more health, and attack power than the regular Rathian. It is essentially a Rathian+. Just like the normal Rathian, this lady is highly poisonous and can poison hunters with both her claws and her tail.

What troubles many hunters are the new attack patterns that a pink Rathian has compared to the normal one. She can move vertically and shoots fire attacks more often and faster around her. Hunters approach the fight with the assumption that they already know the Rathian and are surprised by the strength of the pink species.

As with the regular Rathian, hunters should also try to sever the poisonous tail of the pink Rathian as quickly as possible. It may also be worth farming a armor that provides fire resistance (from Anjanath, Zorah Magdaros).

Nergigante – The Spiky Dragon that Regenerates in a Heartbeat

Monster-Hunter-World-Nergigante

This Elder Dragon is extremely aggressive and gives hunters no moment’s peace. He jumps at them, flails about like a fury, and paralyzes his opponents in the process. Despite his size, this beast is also quite agile.

The Nergigante also has a nasty trick up his sleeve. If his dangerous spikes on his arms and back break off, they can regenerate extremely quickly. Newly grown spikes are white and turn black once they are hardened. Particularly nasty is the fact that the spikes deal even more damage to the hunter once they have regrown.

The Nergigante has an attack where he slams down, causing his spikes to break off. At this stage, he is particularly vulnerable and should be attacked before the spikes regrow.

Those who farm monsters long enough can eventually build up powerful equipment. This Japanese player defeated the Nergigante with the right equipment in 57 seconds.

Black Diablos – The Horned Desert Demon

Monster-Hunter-World-Schwarze-Diablos

The Black Diablos is the female counterpart to the Diablos and one of the most aggressive monsters out there. She quickly falls into blind rage and shows no mercy.

The regular Diablos already causes problems for many hunters, which is why we created a guide for him: With this guide, you can send the Diablos to hell! – Here, you will first learn how to handle a Diablos in general.

The Black Diablos gives little pause between her attacks, making her a challenging opponent. Just like her male counterpart, she burrows underground and attacks hunters from there ambushing. However, unlike the Diablos, she can also attack vertically. This makes it all the more difficult to dodge her fierce attacks.

Those who take on the Black Diablos should watch for burrow tracks in the sand and keep moving. The skill “Earplugs” can help against her paralyzing roar.

Kushala Daora – The Steel Wind Dragon

MonsterHunterWorld-Kushala-Daora

The skin of the Kushala Daora is covered with metal, providing a thick armor. Especially melee fighters have a hard time against the king of the skies, as he often stays in the air. Additionally, it is difficult to penetrate the metal skin.

The wind could also be called the element of this dragon, for he can create a strong wind barrier and attack hunters with wind attacks. The wind shield also reflects projectiles from bows and bow guns.

However, the Kushala Daora has a significant weakness against poison. When poisoned, his wind aura can be suppressed. Melee fighters quickly lose weapon sharpness due to the metal skin, lowering their attacks. Here, you can learn how to improve the sharpness of your weapon.

Bazelgeuse – The Boeing B-52

Bazelgeuse-B52

The Bazelgeuse has a trait that has made this flying wyvern a meme among fans. Fans often refer to it simply as the Bomber-52. The Boeing B-52 is an eight-engine long-range bomber of the U.S. Air Force. And yes, it closely resembles the Bazelgeuse!

The Bazelgeuse roams through all the maps of Monster Hunter World, always looking for a fight. As soon as hunters engage another large monster, the Bazelgeuse flies in and drops its explosive scales on them – or its entire body. Since it intervenes in every fight, it makes it a tough opponent. It simply causes disruptions everywhere.

The legs of the Bazelgeuse are its weak point and should be attacked as soon as there are no explosive scales on the ground. It is also advisable to always carry “Dung Pods.” These pods will scare off all monsters and chase away the Bomber-52 … until hunters engage the next large monster.

Monster Hunter World Palico

Now it’s your turn: Which monsters are the toughest for you?

You have now seen our assessment of the tough monsters, but how about you? We have created a survey with all the large monsters currently in Monster Hunter World.

Give your vote to the monster you think is the toughest. You can only vote for one monster, so think carefully about your choice. When the survey is completed, we will publish another post with your top selection. 

 


Please also let us know in the comments which monsters you found difficult and why.

Do you know who can take you out in just a few seconds? Gajalaka – The Brutal Cats in Monster Hunter World

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

Open Beta starts: In March you can play TERA on Xbox One and PS4!

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 2 minutes

The open beta of the whimsical MMORPG TERA starts in early March on the consoles PS4 and Xbox One. Then console players can finally enjoy one of the best combat systems in MMOs

TERA Thulsa

The online role-playing game TERA from South Korea features colorful graphics, cool races and classes, as well as one of the best action combat systems in the genre. Instead of just mindlessly hitting a monster using tab-targeting, you must time your attacks, land hits precisely, dodge, block, and create deadly combo chains.

Actually, TERA’s gameplay has always been ideal for game pads and consoles!

Open beta of TERA starting soon

After a long and hard development period and closed testing, it is finally here. TERA is set to start its open beta on March 9 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. You can then enter battle as sexy Castanic or cute Popori and knock out opponents with your spectacular moves.

TERA-Moon Dancer

The whole fun will soon be over. The open test will end again on March 12. So there’s only a short weekend to test TERA. However, it shouldn’t be long before TERA fully releases on consoles.

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“Consoles deserve a solid MMORPG, and TERA will deliver that!” said Senior Producer Matt Denomme from the publisher En Masse on this topic.

How can you participate in the TERA beta for PS4 and Xbox One? Where is the download?

On March 9, you will be able to download the beta from the PlayStation Store or the Microsoft Store!

It is an open beta, so you don’t need to register.

You can find an overview of the coolest classes of TERA and which one suits you here.

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

Metal Gear Survive will $10 for 2 save files and the fans hate it

Irina Moritz Irina Moritz Reading time 2 minutes

Those who want more than one save slot in Metal Gear Survive will have to pay from Konami. Because additional character slots must be purchased with the in-game currency “SV Coins”. The second slot already costs $10 – and that in a Buy2Play game.

Long before the launch, Metal Gear Survive faced a lot of criticism from the outraged fans of the series. Accordingly, the launch trailer on Youtube received a massive 21,000 downvotes.

metal gear survive stick

And it probably won’t stop there, because the base game not only costs €39.99, it also has an in-game shop with a comprehensive microtransaction system.

“Pay2Progress” system modeled after MGS V

Initially, you have access to only one character or safe slot. If you want to create a second save, you have to buy it for 1,000 SV Coins, which would be roughly €8.10.

gtsdlhksvb

Additionally, you can also buy booster packs in the shop that increase the productivity of your base and generally speed up various processes in the game.

This includes faster food production and higher amounts of battle points received, with which you can unlock new equipment. Direct interventions in the status values of player characters are also possible, even though they are “only” temporary.

3341142-screen+shot+2018-01-17+at+11.44.10+am

The coins come in five different pack sizes: 

  • 100 SV Coins – $0.99
  • 550 SV Coins – $4.99
  • 1150 SV Coins – $9.99
  • 3500 SV Coins – $29.99
  • 6000 SV Coins – $49.99

No loot boxes or pay-to-win

In an interview with the Official PlayStation Magazine UK, producer Yuji Korekado emphasized that the microtransactions are not a “pay-to-win” system or loot boxes.

Instead, Korekado compared the microtransaction system of Metal Gear Survive to those from Metal Gear Online and MGSV: The Phantom Pain.

metal_gear_survive_monster

Since the game has not been on the market for long, it is still unclear how much the microtransactions will affect the gameplay. 

You can watch the launch trailer for Metal Gear Survive here:

Launch trailer shows what to expect in Metal Gear Survive

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

Today is a good day to jump into Fortnite: Battle Royale!

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 5 minutes

In Fortnite: Battle Royale (PC, PS4 & Xbox One) starts today the 3rd season. It’s worth it for veterans as well as newcomers. Read here why you should definitely get into the colorful battle royale shooter from Epic Games.

fortnite-gameplay-minigun

Fortnite: Battle Royale is a game in the style of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds or H1Z1. You jump as one of 100 players off an island. On the ground, 99 enemies and a large map full of weapons await you.

The playing field constantly shrinks, survivors come together in an ever-tightening space and fight for survival. Those who die are out; whoever is left standing at the end wins!

Alternatively, you can also play this exciting survival battle as a duo or in a 4-player team.

7 good reasons for Fortnite: Battle Royale

But why should you specifically play Fortnite: Battle Royale? There are also other games in the genre. So what makes this game special?

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It’s free!

fortnite-fall-schaden

Compared to the big genre competitors PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and H1Z1, Fortnite: Battle Royale is completely free! Only the PvE version “Save the World” still has to be paid for with real money. If you just want PvP fun, you can download it for free and start playing immediately.

There’s no Pay2Win!

Fortnite: Battle Royale is free2play. Does that mean the developers at Epic finance themselves by offering dubious “premium items” for real money? Like better ammunition, special weapons, or clothes that grant gameplay bonuses? Not at all!

fortnite-schneeschuh

You can only buy a handful of cosmetic items every day with a real money exchange currency called V-Bucks. You purchase this currency for Euros or unlock it in the PvE part of Fortnite. Also cool: There are no loot boxes with RNG factor! You buy exactly the item you want.

It’s available on PC, PS4 and Xbox

Battle royale fans on the Playstation 4 have it tough. Neither PUBG nor H1Z1 are currently available on Sony’s console. H1Z1 is only available for PC. Different with Fortnite.

This game was planned from the start for the three platforms PC, PS4, and Xbox One and is played in large numbers on all three systems.

Fortnite-Battle

Millions of players play Fortnite every day. No matter which platform, you can find a match anywhere instantly! There are even crossplay options between PC and PS4. Epic has long been committed to establishing crossplay between the other platforms as well.

It’s easy to learn yet has tactical depth

At first glance, Fortnite appears to be a colorful comic-style game that seems like a kid’s game without depth. And compared to the competition, Fortnite is indeed easier to play. There are no weapon upgrades; guns come in easily identifiable, color-coded quality levels, and aside from running, jumping, and crouching, there are no control options.

Fortnite-50vs50-02

With a bit of skill and luck, even beginners can regularly score a few kills. However, those who dive deeper realize quickly that Fortnite offers a lot of tactical depth. You have to scour loot spots, internalize the pros and cons of weapons, and above all, master the building mode.

fortnite-building-1

Because as in PvE mode, you can break down almost everything in the game world and build new buildings, traps, and fortresses from the raw materials. Therefore, players often barricade themselves in epic castles at the end of a round and besiege each other. This fundamentally distinguishes Fortnite from all other battle royale games.

The building mode in Fortnite is not particularly complicated, but it has been faster and more accessible since update 3.0.

The developers are constantly updating and listening to feedback

The developers at Epic Games are fully behind their product and invest a lot of time and effort. Errors and bugs are quickly fixed; patches and hotfixes come in, and regularly new game modes, weapons, and items are implemented.

fortnite-impulsgranate-2

Especially exemplary: the developers respond on Reddit to requests from players with disabilities and address solutions to their respective issues in the game.

Fortnite has a wacky sense of humor!

Fortnite hardly takes itself seriously and comes with colorful graphics reminiscent of a Pixar movie. The skins you can buy and unlock are often silly, funny, and quirky.

Update-Patch-Fortnite

For example, you can run around in a funky disco look, as a Christmas elf, nutcracker, cherub, teddy bear, or even John Wick! So if you want to experience your battle royale battles in a zany and funny way rather than seriously and gray, you can’t go wrong with Fortnite.

Here you will find all skins and outfits from Fortnite: Battle Royale

Fortnite motivates with Battle Pass to play

Fortnite: Battle Royale has no loot boxes. You always buy skins directly from the regularly changing offer. There is also the Battle Pass. When you level up your account and complete special challenges, you earn points in the pass and gradually unlock skins, emotes, and banners.

Fortnite-Battle-Pass-Season-03-Screenshots-22

This motivates you to play a lot and also to try out other modes and tactics. The pass costs a one-time real money fee (which you can also earn limited in-game), but once you have it, all unlocked items are available without further costs.

You can find the story and more reasons for Fortnite here

You can also use the pass without money, but you will mainly get emojis and banners and no cool outfits and skins. Here are the highlights from season 3 of the Battle Pass!

This is how Fortnite differs from PUBG!

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

The Division increases the chances of Classified Gear, upgrades Supply Drops

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 3 minutes

In The Division, the drop rates for secret gear sets (Classified Gear) are increased. Additionally, there are more ways to acquire these coveted items.

The State of the Game just aired on February 22nd. It was the 90th State of the Game held since the launch of the game. And for the first time in weeks, there were concrete updates on the future of The Division.

division-leamington
Ubisoft Leamington

More secret gear sets for agents, but not so fast

Ubisoft Leamington is another developer studio working on The Division. It was founded in 2017 and includes more than 30 developers. They are currently working on the exotics and the secret gear sets in The Division.

The following changes are currently in the works. It will take a while until they are implemented, and there is no release date yet:

The drop rates for Classified Gear will be nearly doubled in almost all areas. Bosses in the open world previously had a 3% chance of dropping Classified Gear. That will now increase to 6%. The chances in the DZ will also be raised to 6%. Since the last Global Event, there have been extremely many secret set pieces in the loot pool, making it frustrating to search forever for the item you still need.

For completing Legendary missions, there will soon be a 20% chance that you will receive secret gear set pieces. This chance exists every time you successfully complete such a mission.

In future Global Events, there will be new, special Classified Gear containers. These guarantee a secret set piece from a gear set featured in that Global Event. Each event has several Classified Sets featured, so there will be various new containers with guaranteed drops.

division-agenten-17

New Classified Gear containers available at the special equipment vendor. If no Global Event is currently underway, you can buy new containers for 2500 Phoenix Credits, which will guarantee a random secret set piece. This is intended to increase the value of Phoenix Credits.

Supply drops are worth it again

The supply drops that Season Pass holders receive in the Open World have had poor loot in the past. That is set to change soon.

Currently, two things are in demand at the end game: The secret gear sets and Division Tech for the optimization station. Therefore, you will soon be able to obtain both by opening supply drops.

  • Per supply drop, you have a 10% chance of getting secret gear set pieces and 100 Division Tech.
    division-agenten-17

Additional changes:

  • In the future, daily tasks will yield 25 Division Tech and weekly tasks will yield 100 Division Tech.
  • The exotics sold by vendors will be removed from the normal loot pool. They will only be available from vendors.
  • Furthermore, all exotics (except for vendor exotics) will be included in the loot pool of open-world bosses.
  • Resistance bosses will soon grant 100 GE Credits during Global Events.
  • There is still no release date for the Xbox One X patch.

Interesting: The Division: Fan develops top screenshot tool, gets banned for life

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

PUBG predecessor H1Z1 could launch after 3 years in Early Access

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 2 minutes

The badly battered battle royale game H1Z1, the predecessor of PUBG and Fortnite, might finally be released after more than 3 years in early access. According to rumors, the launch could be imminent.

The battle royale shooter H1Z1 emerged in 2016 from a zombie survival MMO. Initially, it was called “King of the Kill”; now, it’s just H1Z1.

In the summer of 2017, H1Z1 was still an incredibly successful game on PC. However, the battle royale shooter has faced challenges lately. Since major competitors PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Fortnite: Battle Royale entered the market, player counts have drastically declined.

Over 91 percent of H1Z1 players have dropped out and likely moved to PUBG or Fortnite. But at least it seems that something is happening with H1Z1 now.

The rumors are intensifying: Launch of H1Z1 is near

According to MassivelyOP, the rumors about an upcoming launch of H1Z1 are intensifying.

The basis: During a livestream by the developer Daybreak, a screen from Season 1 was shown. It was hinted that there would be no further “pre-seasons”.

H1Z1-Underwear

This could mean that it is finally getting serious and H1Z1 is “officially” hitting the market. On the other hand, according to MassivelyOP, it could just be a hint towards the “Royalty Showdown” event that started on February 21, where 75 players from 7 pre-seasons compete for a title.

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Also suspicious: There was a massive test server update, including new loot crates and healing items. It’s quite possible that the features of the release version are already being tested here.

H1Z1 with a turbulent early access period

H1Z1 has been in early access since January 2015 – back then still as a survival MMO. A release of the battle royale variant “King of the Kill” was initially planned. It was supposed to be officially released in 2016 and also come out for PS4 and Xbox One. However, that all fell apart somehow.

Curiously, in China, the carnage in H1Z1 is said to be “educationally valuable.”

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

TERA strikes against Pandas to introduce a new class

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

TERA now finally gets the Brawler for all friends of male characters. To celebrate the day, we first beat up a panda.

The MMORPG TERA is repeatedly facing harsh criticism when it comes to the release of new classes. Often, new classes are only available for female characters, which has ignited numerous discussions in the official forums. Now it seems that they have apparently listened to the community of male characters, as the Brawler class has been made available for male chars as well.

The male Brawler has its own set of animations tailored to the male body. Otherwise, males and females do not differ; their abilities are identical.

To announce the male Brawler, the developers also released a small teaser, which all Peta activists should quickly click away from or take a firm bite into their tofu schnitzel. Because here, a panda is having its face redesigned.

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The little teaser is definitely controversial, but that’s how you create attention. Therefore – it is successful.

Strictly speaking, the panda is actually a Popori, a beast-like species from TERA in various appearance variants.

The male Brawler is likely coming to Europe early in March

Those playing under the flag of En Masse (that’s the North America version) can play the male Brawler starting March 13, 2018.

Tera Hat Placement

For TERA under Gameforge (that’s the Europe version) there is still no fixed date, but according to a statement from Community Manager Nyoka, they are also aiming for the “early March” – it will likely be released almost simultaneously.

Aside from that, the update also brings new customization options. Hats can soon be scaled in size and rotated on the head, allowing for much more individual customization possibilities.

Will you play the male Brawler?

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

The Elder Scrolls Online Level Guide 2018: How to level up quickly

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 5 minutes

In The Elder Scrolls Online has various ways to level up quickly and reach the maximum level for endgame. We show you how to ascend many levels rapidly and earn skill points in our ESO Power Level Guide. The guide is up to date as of 2018.

The Elder Scrolls Online does not really have a classic endgame like other MMORPGs. However, the more levels you gain, the more skill points you have, allowing you to equip better abilities. In crafting, you can use more valuable crafting plans, and upon reaching the maximum level, you can enhance yourself even further with Champion Points.

ESO-Verlies

It’s frustrating when you can’t progress and are still stuck in the lower level range. However, with our tips and tricks for power leveling, you will quickly reach the maximum level!

Preparations for Perfect Experience Points Farming

To prepare for the big grind, you should ensure that every dead creature provides the maximum yield. You can use the following methods:

  • Consume XP boosters like experience scrolls or potions. This can grant up to 150 percent XP. Ideally, you should have the “Connaisseur” skill in provisioning, which makes the potions last longer.
  • If you team up with a player in a group, you get an additional 10 percent bonus on experience points.
  • ESO Plus subscribers receive another 10 percent bonus.
  • If you marry another character through Mara’s Ceremony and wear the wedding rings, you receive an additional 10 percent XP bonus.
  • Lastly, there are also double XP events that can double your XP gains!
ESO-Free2Play-Event-01

Also useful: Optimize your speed by going to Cyrodiil at level 10 and completing the PvP tutorial. The triggered skill “Hasty Maneuver” makes you 30 percent faster.

The Optimal Grinding Gear

For optimal farming, you should build equipment with the “Reinforcement” trait. Ideally in blue or purple quality. Suitable craftable sets include the following options:

  • Stamina builds use 5 pieces from “Hunding’s Rage” and 4 from “Mother of Night”.
  • Magicka builds use six pieces from “Armor of Seduction” and 3 from “Magnus’ Gift”.

XP Grind at Top Locations like Kalthafen, Kargstein, and Alik’r

The-Elder-Scrolls-Online-06

In order to level up quickly, grinding is still a good idea. A particularly rich yield of XP can be obtained in Kargstein in the catacombs of Himmelsgriff, the “abhorrent laboratory” in Kalthafen, or on the north coast of Schildwacht in Alik’r. Ideally, you should go in with your guild team or specifically look for groups. If you are weaker, you should look for groups that can “carry” you for free or for a small fee.

Otherwise, you can identify good grind spots by the many enemies that can be quickly pulled and wiped out with AoE effects. Ideally, these are slow enemies like zombies. And ideally, you are alone there with your group, as foreign players can steal your kills.

Loot Public Dungeons

It’s always a good idea to run through the public dungeons. Each zone has at least one of them, filled with plenty of enemies and multiple bosses. One of them even grants you a free skill point upon defeat for the first time.

The-Elder-Scrolls-Online-02

Do not forget the skyshards in each of these dungeons. Particularly rewarding public dungeons include “Old Orsinium” in Wrothgar and “Forgotten Wastes” in Morrowind.

Farm the Dolmens in Auridon (Aldmeri) and Alik‘r (Dolchsturz)

Anchor in The Elder Scrolls Online

In the regions of Auridon and Alik’r, hordes of players often run from one Daedra dolmen to the next, slaughtering innocent demons. While this can get boring over time, it is straightforward and effective if you want to quickly farm XP.

Farming in the Imperial City – “How about a bit of PvP?”

If the eternal grind of monsters is too dull for you, you can go hunting in the Imperial City. There, you not only farm monsters, but you’ll also encounter enemy players thanks to open PvP.

The-Elder-Scrolls-Online-weissgoldturm

This breaks up the grind a bit. You earn good experience points there and also level up your rank with the Fighters Guild.

Fight Your Way Through Veteran Dungeons

It’s not enough to just farm XP for levels and skill points. You should also level up with the Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, and “Undaunted”, as they offer useful skills. You can work on the Fighters (killing undead) and Mages Guild (collecting books) alongside.

The Elder Scrolls Online Wiege der Schatten

To level up with the Undaunted, you must play dungeon instances. Ideally, you should look for a strong guild that can take you through the rich yet challenging veteran modes. If you are strong enough, you can contribute to the group’s success. Otherwise, the rule is: Don’t stand out and be happy when strong team members carry you through.

If necessary, random groups in the story version of the instances will do as well.

PvP Can Also Be Worthwhile

If you kill many players in the PvP battles for castles and outposts, you can farm massive experience points. If you don’t want to engage in PvP, you can descend into the public dungeons on the Cyrodiil map, defeat the bosses, and farm alliance points there.

The Elder Scrolls Online Anniversary

On a dead server, you can also seize resources without problems and earn alliance points without PvP.

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Follow these tips and you will quickly gain not only experience points and levels but also skill points and ranks in the guilds. Have fun!

If you have suggestions on how to level up even better in The Elder Scrolls Online, please leave us a comment.

Are you looking for class guides in ESO? Here you go:

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Delitas Gaming
  2. Elderscrolls Bote

Monster Hunter World – DLC leak causes a stir, but it’s fake

Leya Jankowski Leya Jankowski Reading time 2 minutes

A list is currently circulating on the internet that allegedly shows all upcoming DLCs in Monster Hunter World for 2018. The list features new monsters that are supposedly making their way into the game.

In recent days, I have encountered a list that is said to show all monster expansions for 2018 in Monster Hunter World. Rumor has it that this was a leak published on the online portal 4Chan.

This list is now making rounds through forums, Reddit, and Facebook, giving players hope for a cool monster lineup.

What is this leak?

The alleged DLC leak for 2018 names the DLC title, the release month, and the new monsters:

March: The World Eater
Deviljho
Savage Deviljho

April: Elder’s Recess Subspecies
Red Lavasioth
Steel Uragaan
Rusted Kushala Daora

May: Into the Jungle
New hunting ground: Mangrove Jungle (a lush jungle filled with waterways and a long coastline)
Includes the following new monsters:
Daimyo Hermitaur
Plesioth
Nerscylla
Duramboros
Nargacuga

June: Mangrove Jungle Subspecies
Green Nargacuga
Plum Daimyo Hermitaur
Rust Duramboros
Shrouded Nerscylla
Green Plesioth

July: Raging Fists
Brachydios
Raging Brachydios
Fatman Bazelgeuse (to Bazel what Savage Jho is to regular Jho)

August: Into the Mists
New hunting ground: a recreation of third-generation’s Misty Peaks
Includes the following new monsters:
Zinogre
Arzuros
Mizutsune
Qurupeco
Royal Ludroth

September: The Tiger’s Roar
Tigrex
Black Tigrex
Molten Tigrex
Lucent Nargacuga

October: Insect Invasion
Seltas Queen & Seltas
Desert Seltas Queen & Desert Seltas

November: Hit the Slopes
New hunting ground: Snowy Slopes (a snow-covered mountain range)
Includes the following new monsters:
Lagombi
Barioth
Gammoth
Blangonga
Jade Barroth
Stygian Zinogre

December: The Coming of Darkness
Gore Magala
Chaotic Gore Magala
Shagaru Magala
Lunastra

monster-hunter-world-bazelgeuse

However, the list is fake and represents the wishes of a fan

The DLC list originally comes from the Gamespot forum. The creator of the list has since commented on his post that this is his personal wish list. The leak is therefore not “real”.

It is not surprising that many players consider this list to be real. There was already a leak on 4Chan before the release of Monster Hunter World showing all the monsters that would be in the action RPG.

On Imgur, you can still view the list of that leak. Comparing this list with the existing monsters from Monster Hunter World, it is clear that this leak has mostly been correct.

Even though this would have certainly been a nice monster list, it is just a “fake”. You can find more facts about Monster Hunter World on our topic page.

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

Wow, Paladins already has its “Battle Royale” game mode!

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Earlier than expected, mass battles begin in Paladins. The “Battlegrounds” mode is already available and allows 100 players to compete against each other!

The big hype of the last few months is definitely games in the “Battle Royale” genre, such as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) or Fortnite BR. HiRez, the developers of the free hero shooter Paladins, quickly recognized this trend and announced that they would develop such a mode for their game as well.

But where other developers need many months or even years and can hardly meet deadlines, the makers of Paladins have been in a real hurry. The latest patch “Open Beta 66” is already live and has brought the new game mode with it.

Actually, March 2018 was mentioned as the release date for the mode, but the “Battlegrounds” patch is already live, at least on PC.

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Paladins “Battlegrounds” is “Battle Royale” as players love it

HiRez had already boasted in the trailer that they wanted to be “the first hero shooter with Battle Royale”, and now they have delivered. In Battlegrounds, a total of 100 players compete in teams of 2-4 players against each other – a multiple more than in the usual matches.

What does Paladins Battlegrounds have to offer? We have explained the exact details of a match process in Paladins Battlegrounds here.

Apart from the colorful characters and special abilities, as is expected for a hero shooter, Battlegrounds has adopted pretty much all features of other “Battle Royale” games.

Paladins Battlegrounds Release PC PS4 Xbox

Players must scour the maps for crates to improve their character. As time progresses, the toxic fog takes up more and more space on the map, causing the safe zone to shrink. This forces players to engage in fights more often until there is ultimately only one survivor left, who is then declared the winner.

If you want to see the mode for yourself, you can download Paladins for free – the game is still in beta and is free to play.

Do you want to know the differences from the other Battle Royale games? This is how Paladins wants to differentiate itself from PUBG and Fortnite.

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

Season 3 launched in Fortnite: Highlight of the Battle Pass is John Wick

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 4 minutes

Fortnite: Battle Royale (PC, PS4 & Xbox One) has launched Season 3 of the Battle Pass. The theme is space travelers, but there are also unicorns, elite soldiers, flaming poop, and even the killer John Wick from the movie!

Finally, the 3rd Season of the Battle Pass for Fortnite: Battle Royale has started. The pass is optional, costs 950 V-Bucks (approx. 9.50 Euros) and mainly gives you a bunch of cool cosmetic items.

To earn them, you just need to play diligently and ideally complete the daily challenges. Then you unlock slots and receive more and more skins, emotes, animations, and other goodies.

fortnite-astronaut-titel

If you don’t want to spend anything, you will still receive some rewards from Battle Pass increases, even though the most magnificent items are only available to Battle Pass buyers. By the way, if you purchased the pass from Season 2, you get 5 tiers for free!

The Highlights of the Season Pass

The main theme of the new pass is “space travelers”. Therefore, several astronaut skins and other items are available in the Battle Pass. However, if you don’t like space travelers, you don’t have to be upset. Because Fortnite offers other themes:

  • Some items are themed “Elite Agents” or “Contract Killers”
  • If you like unicorns and glitter, you’ll get unicorn emojis and rainbow fall animations
  • If you literally enjoy totally silly stuff, you can be excited about a flaming poop emoji, among other things.
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The following highlights are in the paid version of Season 3 of the Battle Pass for Fortnite.

The Junkyard Killer

Fortnite-Battle-Pass-Season-03-Screenshots-03

Early on, you can get a cool skin with a post-apocalyptic look. With a big shotgun and a pickaxe, you look like you just walked out of the latest Mad Max movie.

Rainbow Fall Animation & Unicorn Emoji

Fortnite-Battle-Pass-Season-03-Screenshots-09

If you enjoy glitter, ponies, unicorns, and rainbows, you will also have a lot of fun in Season 3. Especially the fall animations “Rainbow” (Level 20) and “Star Hour” (Level 50) will make every glitter fan’s heart race. At level 90 in the pass, there’s even a hefty unicorn emoji!

Cool Space Travelers and Mean Killers from Outer Space

Already at level 1 of the paid season pass, there’s a laid-back astronaut in a spacesuit as a new skin. At level 55, the cool “Moonwalker” is added.

Fortnite-Battle-Pass-Season-03-Screenshots-14

The most sought-after space traveler awaits you at level 70 with the “Dark Traveler”. Nobody knows who or what is behind the black helmet visor.

Fortnite-Battle-Pass-Season-03-Screenshots-17

Also highly coveted: The already presented Flame Trail fall animation, which is only available from level 84.

Silly Stuff – Robot Dance and Poop Emoji

Fortnite-Battle-Pass-Season-03-Screenshots-07

Once again, the list of season pass items features totally silly things. Particularly funny is the famous “Robot Dance” at level 95, a pickaxe with a pencil sharpener (level 79), and a level 80 emoji showing an angry, flaming poop! Ideal for taunting opponents!

Elite Commandos and … John Wick?!

As another theme, you will also find the skin of a ruthless elite killer at level 87. But the highlight is at level 100, at the end of the pass! Those who endure for that long and unlock everything will receive a skin called “The Grim Reaper”.

Fortnite-Battle-Pass-Season-03-Screenshots-20

However, this is not the bony grim Reaper. Instead, you can expect a grumpy guy in a suit and beard. He bears a suspicious resemblance to the killer John Wick played by Keanu Reeves from the eponymous film series.

Fortnite-Battle-Pass-Season-03-Screenshots-22

John Wick is considered a hidden gem among action film fans and impresses with hard-hitting action and a cool protagonist. Therefore, the skin in Fortnite is particularly coveted. A sequel was released in cinemas in 2017, and part 3 is set to be filmed soon.

Currently, it is assumed that the servers in Fortnite will be back online around 4 PM.

You can find a list of all remaining skins and outfits from Fortnite: Battle Royale here!

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

Fortnite: Server maintenance brings the start of Season 3 and Update 3.0.0

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 3 minutes

Today, on February 22, there will be server maintenance in Fortnite. During this time, the game will be offline. When will Fortnite be back online on PS4, Xbox One, and PC? What is included in the big update 3.0.0? One thing is clear: with the update, Season 3 in Fortnite: Battle Royale also begins.

To prepare the servers for the new update, version 3.0.0, the servers of Fortnite will be taken offline for an indefinite period.

  • At 10:00 AM German time, the downtime of the Fortnite servers will begin.
  • The matchmaking for the Battle Royale mode will already be disabled half an hour earlier, around 9:35 AM.
  • It is still unknown how long the servers will be offline.
    • We will update this post for you when the servers are back online.
Fortnite-Skydive-01

Problems with the release – Fortnite servers down again

Update: Shortly before 12 PM, the servers at Fortnite came back online. The maintenance is complete. The game is live again.

Too early to rejoice. At around 12:30 PM, the servers went offline again. On Twitter, it says: Epic is investigating issues with the update. The Fortnite servers remain offline in the meantime. They will be back as soon as possible.

Servers in Fortnite back online – players land in queue

Update 14:00 PM: Currently, Epic believes that the Fortnite servers will be back online around 4:00 PM our time. This was confirmed again at 3:00 PM.

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At 3:46 PM, the news came that Fortnite is back online! Hopefully, it stays that way this time. However, due to the large influx, queues are to be expected.

What does update 3.0.0 bring to Fortnite on PS4, Xbox One, and PC?

The patch notes for 3.0.0 are expected to be released during the maintenance.

Here you can see what changes after the maintenance: The patch notes for 3.0.0 are now available!

In advance, Epic explained that the building mode should be accelerated, this is a kind of “Turbo mode,” everything about it can be read here: How Fortnite revolutionizes building mode! From today you build Turbo

Additionally, a new heavy pistol is likely to come to Fortnite:

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Season 3 start with new patch in Fortnite: Battle Royale – Topic: Astronaut

On Reddit, the developers explain that due to the server downtime, the end of Season 2 in Fortnite in Battle Royale is confirmed. During the time the servers are down, patch v.3.0.0 will be deployed. The developers want to release the patch notes for this update once the servers are taken offline.

Fortnite-Skydive-02

As soon as the servers are back up after the maintenance, Season 3 in Fortnite: Battle Royale will begin for you.

If you want to stay updated about Fortnite, subscribe to our Facebook page for 100% news about Fortnite!

An important role in Season 3 will once again be played by the new Battle Pass. This time, it is dedicated to the theme of science fiction in Fortnite: Battle Royale, but the real highlight lies elsewhere:

Season 3 in Fortnite started: Highlight of the Battle Pass is John Wick

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

PUBG stutters after update – Here’s what you can do against the lags

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

The new update of PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) causes stutters in the game. Here’s how you can improve performance.

On the night of Thursday, February 22, a new update for the battle royale shooter PUBG was rolled out to the live servers. This includes two new loot boxes and is supposed to improve performance at the start of the game. However, in other areas, performance has declined.

Players complain about stuttering during their PUBG matches.

PUBG is lagging – FPS lags after the February update

Anyone playing with the latest PUBG update will notice that the game’s performance has negatively changed.

Now there are micro-stutters in PUBG. The community has been complaining about this since the patch became available on Thursday morning. Apparently, a few bugs have crept into the update. Despite good FPS values and powerful PCs, PUBG stutters every few seconds.

PUBG Man Title Weapon Cape

The community has long been complaining about the game’s performance, and the developers are trying to improve it. In a previous update, a trick was used to make PUBG more stable.

The developers are already aware of the latest issues and are working on a solution.

PUBG is stuttering – Solution against the stutter

On Twitter, the PUBG support account replied:

“PC players, we are aware that some players are noticing periodic stuttering in the game. Our technicians are already investigating this issue.”

At the same time, they also offer a temporary solution that should fix the stuttering for now until the technicians have resolved the issue: “Please disable the replay and death cam features.”

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Disabling the replay and death cam features should, according to some Reddit users, actually fix the disturbances. This should make the game run more smoothly again. If disabling does not help, players should then restart the game.

Update 16:55: The issue with the stuttering is now apparently resolved.

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These two new loot boxes are in the game. The Fever and Militia crates are bringing especially rare items to PUBG.

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We asked the chief designer of Elite Dangerous: What comes next?

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 3 minutes

Elite Dangerous aims to make a significant leap forward with the update series Beyond. The focus is on new ships, more multiplayer options, and the story involving the aliens. We asked the lead designer what the Beyond update holds for Elite Dangerous.

In Elite Dangerous, you can explore our galaxy to your heart’s content and do whatever pleases you. However, with the planned update series Beyond, the range of activities is set to expand significantly.

We spoke with Sandy Sammarco, the lead designer of Elite Dangerous, and received some information on the progression of the upcoming Beyond updates.

Ships, Aliens, and Squadrons

Elite-Beyond-Pictures-02

With the update “Beyond: Chapter One”, you can expect known changes to some core systems – including the new crime system – as well as the multiplayer wing missions. In the subsequent two updates of Beyond, new ships, more missions, and a continuation of the story will play a significant role. 

Aliens in Retro Style

The aliens of the Thargoids have been a part of the game for a while, and it remains unclear what these foreign beings truly want. The mysterious machinations of the invaders continue to be an important topic in Elite.

Elite-Beyond-Pictures-04

The developers plan to weave more details about the aliens into upcoming updates and also address the mysterious first conflict with aliens in the past. A hint of this is the appearance of “new” Thargoid scout ships, which just happen to look like the alien ships from the original Elite from 1984.

The aliens from Elite: Dangerous might actually exist!

Why this is the case should be revealed to players in an upcoming update of Elite.

Furthermore, the aliens will make no attempts to withdraw. However, those who are not interested in battles with the Thargoids should still be able to keep their distance and continue with their normal daily tasks in the universe.

Arms Race with the Alien Creatures

But it’s not just the aliens that are getting new ships. Those who don’t care about peaceful contact can look forward to the new ship Chieftain. This ship has been specially designed to kill aliens.

Elite-raumschiff-chieftain-01

However, the developers don’t want to stop there and plan to introduce even more new ships in later updates. An exciting arms race is ahead.

Focus on Multiplayer

As another focus, the developers plan to add more multiplayer content to Elite. The cooperation with other gamers is a big feature in Elite. Therefore, with the first chapter of Beyond, cooperative wing missions will come that you can complete together with other players.

Elite-Beyond-Pictures-03

By the end of 2018, the long-awaited squadrons are set to arrive. These player groups can appoint a “squadron leader,” who can then assign players hierarchically. There will also be improved tools and communication options within the squadron.

Squadrons can acquire a large carrier ship to reload, repair, and refuel on the go.

Whether multicrew ships can also be part of squadrons could not be answered yet.

No Fear of Star Citizen

Star Citizen is the major competitor of Elite Dangerous and receives a major update in 2018. However, the developers at Frontier Developments remain calm. They have always anticipated that a genre like “space simulation sandbox games” would not consist solely of one game.

Elite-PS4-01

Therefore, there’s room for two major games of this kind. Just as the existence of Call of Duty does not prevent new parts of Battlefield from regularly appearing. They do not fear competition. Rather, at Frontier, they welcome the fact that the long-neglected space genre is finally moving forward.

A major feature of Elite: Dangerous is the complex stories that arise from the interactions of the players around the sandbox. Among them the touching story of a doomed player and his difficult final journey to the edge of the galaxy.

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FIFA 18: Are professionals cheating their way into the top 100 of the Weekend League?

Philipp Junge Philipp Junge Reading time 3 minutes

The blockers are now receiving criticism from all sides. Wolfsburg’s “SaLz0r” said: “These are just not professionals.” “MoAubameyang” even goes one step further:

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AA9skillz defends himself

Many FIFA gamers are now testing whether they have been blocked by current top 100 players. And lo and behold – a Reddit user who regularly makes it into the top 100 discovered that he had been blocked by the well-known streamer AA9Skillz.

AA9skillz, who was confronted on Twitter with many posts about this issue, subsequently uploaded this video:

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In summary, his statement: No, I did not use the “blocking cheat”; I just learned about this trick recently, but now I am also starting to use it.

EA announces investigation

EA has already confirmed to Sport1 that they want to address the issue. How the reaction will unfold and whether the “cheaters” will be punished is unclear. However, if it comes to light that the trick works, it would cast a shadow over the qualification for the eWorld Cup.

However, it has not yet been proven that the trick works reliably. Nevertheless, many top 100 players are applying it. We are looking forward to EA’s statement.

The “blocking cheat” is not the only negative headline for FUT 18. The FIFA World Champion of 2017 pauses his career because he now hates the game.

The Weekend League is the most important mode in FIFA 18 Ultimate Team. Recently, a rumor has emerged that many Xbox players are using a trick to make it easier to reach the top 100 of the leaderboard.

Since FIFA 17, the Weekend League (WL) has been part of FUT. It is now the most important online mode where the best FIFA players compete for the best rewards.

This month, the competition is even about more than just coins and packs: Qualification for the FIFA eWorld Cup in the summer. Only the best 64 players of February on Xbox One and PS4 will get the chance to participate in the FIFA World Cup.

It is even more devastating that a new cheating method has allegedly been uncovered in the Weekend League.

What kind of cheat is this?

In the Weekend League, 40 games against random, similarly skilled opponents decide the ranking. If a pro plays against slightly weaker opponents, it is easier for him to achieve a good ranking. If matchmaking assigns him several strong esports players, it becomes significantly more difficult.

With a seemingly clever trick, some players want to outsmart this random matchmaking: Several pros on Xbox have started blocking strong players. This can be done through the menu if you know the gamertag of the opponents. Because: They believe that blocking will lower their chances of having to face that player.

If they do this with all known pros and regular top 100 players, they will only face weaker players. This significantly increases the chance of going undefeated through the Weekend League. And a 40-0 record brings qualification for the FIFA World Cup much closer.

fifa-18-rodriguez

What is the truth behind this “cheat”? Whether blocking a player really prevents playing against him is unclear and can be difficult to test. The trick is said to work only on Xbox, not on PlayStation.

Even though there is no clear evidence, a noticeable indication is the increased number of players who achieved 40 wins out of 40 games last weekend. There were 27 in total; normally, it is only about half that number.

What the latest patch for FIFA 18 changes

Serious accusations against well-known FIFA pros

In an interview with Sport1, Italian FIFA esports player Gabry revealed that a large number of French and American pros are using this cheat. Among them is Lucas “DaXe” Cuillerier from Paris Saint-Germain.

Gladbach’s Michael “Phenomeno” Gherman tested this and found out: The top 3 of the Xbox leaderboard in February had blocked him. Among them was a German, David “DHoudek” Houdek.

The blockers are now receiving criticism from all sides. Wolfsburg’s “SaLz0r” said: “These are just not professionals.” “MoAubameyang” even goes one step further:

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AA9skillz defends himself

Many FIFA gamers are now testing whether they have been blocked by current top 100 players. And lo and behold – a Reddit user who regularly makes it into the top 100 discovered that he had been blocked by the well-known streamer AA9Skillz.

AA9skillz, who was confronted on Twitter with many posts about this issue, subsequently uploaded this video:

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In summary, his statement: No, I did not use the “blocking cheat”; I just learned about this trick recently, but now I am also starting to use it.

EA announces investigation

EA has already confirmed to Sport1 that they want to address the issue. How the reaction will unfold and whether the “cheaters” will be punished is unclear. However, if it comes to light that the trick works, it would cast a shadow over the qualification for the eWorld Cup.

However, it has not yet been proven that the trick works reliably. Nevertheless, many top 100 players are applying it. We are looking forward to EA’s statement.

The “blocking cheat” is not the only negative headline for FUT 18. The FIFA World Champion of 2017 pauses his career because he now hates the game.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. sport1

Rocket League is testing tournaments – Here’s how you can participate in the beta now

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

In the car soccer game Rocket League, the tournament beta is now active. We show you how you can test the new feature.

In the next hours, the developers from Psyonix are testing the upcoming tournament mode of Rocket League. You can check out the new feature in a PC beta before it is released in the spring update.

Keep in mind that this beta is only for PC players or Steam users. Players on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One do not get access to the Tournaments beta.

Tournament Beta – Start and End

The tournament beta started on Wednesday. It will remain active until Saturday, February 24, 2018, at 2:00 AM.

During this time, you can organize, start tournaments, and compete against other players or your friends.

Rocket League Flight

Rocket League Beta Participation on PC, Steam

To participate in the testing phase, open Steam on your PC. Go to your library view and look for Rocket League. Once you find the game, right-click on it and choose “Properties”.

Click on the “Betas” tab at the top and select “tournamentsbeta – Tournaments Beta” from the dropdown menu. If this option does not appear in the dropdown menu, you should restart your Steam client.

Rocket League Beta

After that, an update for Rocket League will automatically queue in your Steam account. The update is about 2.3 GB in size.

Once you have downloaded it, you can try out the tournament feature in the game.

Differences between Beta and Live Version

When you play the tournament beta, there is no way to compete online against other players (except in tournaments).

  • You cannot trade with other players or use keys or crates.
  • Some new items in the inventory may not be displayed, such as items from the Victory crate.
    • This is just a display error. You still own the items in the “live version” of Rocket League.
  • You may see new color options that are planned for the future.
Rocket League Jump

If you have played enough tournaments in between and want to play “normally” against other players again, simply switch back to “None” in the betas tab in Steam.

Known Issues with the Rocket League Tournament Beta

  • Crashes may occur if you finish a tournament before a match series.
  • Sound issues when entering a match or training.
  • Crashes when leaving tournaments.
  • Issues when multiple group members enter a tournament at the same time.
  • Third-party mods or programs can cause the beta to crash.
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Our 10 most anticipated MMOs and online games in 2018

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In Destiny 2, the Sunshot will be more explosive – but unfortunately not until May

Sven Galitzki Sven Galitzki Reading time 3 minutes

In Destiny 2 a large portion of the exotics is currently being revised. The developers have now given a hint about what the Sunshot might look like.

In the last “This Week at Bungie” on February 15th, Bungie provided the first insight into the planned sandbox adjustments. A main component of these changes is the revision of most exotic weapons and armor, with the developers specifically addressing the Graviton Lance.

destiny_2_edz_public_event_04

Recently, Senior Designer Jon Weisnewski spoke up on Twitter and gave a hint about how another exotic, the “Sunshot,” is set to become even more exotic.

The “Sunshot” as the latest example of exotic changes

With a GIF and a few words, Weisnewski teases the “new” Sunshot:

https://twitter.com/sharkeatsman/status/966108580104425472

“I just saw a kill chain explosion from the Sunshot for a triple kill in the exotic tuning PvP test”

In the GIF, you can see a bridge being blown up, with multiple explosions occurring one after the other. Weisnewski does not elaborate further on the Sunshot changes, but many Guardians are sure: The exotic is going to be more explosive in the future! 

What is the “Sunshot”?

The Sunshot is a hand cannon that is used in the energy slot. It deals solar damage and is one of the few truly solid exotics that Destiny 2 can still boast about in PvE. It resembles the Fatebringer from its predecessor and excels particularly when it comes to taking on larger groups of enemies. When you eliminate an enemy with this weapon, they explode in a fireball. The explosion is sufficient to take down other nearby enemies.

What is the problem with the “Sunshot”?

The interesting thing is – there isn’t really a bigger problem with the Sunshot. The weapon represents one of the few exotics in Destiny 2 that genuinely plays exotically and feels that way too. This weapon already meets the designation of “Exotic” – which is sadly not a given in Destiny 2.

destiny-2-sonnenschuss

Nevertheless, this weapon will also be enhanced as part of the exotic tuning and will receive new or revised perks. Some Guardians on reddit are pleased about this.

How will the Sunshot look in the future?

Its intrinsic perk “Sun Explosion” is likely to remain in its base form. Because it already functions as expected from an exotic, and Bungie also announced that they do not want to change the identity of exotics, but rather uphold and improve them.

Whether the perk will be expanded with certain mechanics or whether the weapon might receive an additional exotic perk that chains enemies with explosions when achieving triple kills is purely speculative. However, Weisnewski’s tweet strongly suggests that Bungie is working on something regarding the Sunshot explosions.

In May, we should know more. Because the exotic changes originally planned for March 2018 have now been postponed to May by Bungie.

destiny-2-exotisches-engram

Conclusion:

It remains difficult to assess the extent to which Bungie will manage to enhance the exotics in Destiny 2 – as many of them definitely need it. But both the changes to the Graviton Lance and the recent hints regarding the upgraded “Sunshot” rekindle hope that Bungie can breathe new life into the exotics in Destiny 2. It would certainly be desirable, as exciting loot would greatly benefit the game in its current state.

What do you think about this? Do you agree with Bungie’s chosen direction for the exotics?

Also interesting: These 3 exotic weapon flops in Destiny 2 are likely to be revised

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  1. reddit

How Fortnite revolutionizes the building mode! Turbo building is coming

Robert Albrecht Robert Albrecht Reading time 3 minutes

Especially on consoles, the building mode of Fortnite often caused frustration among players. Lag, the wrong material, or obstacles in the way – all this Epic wants to address with update 3.0.0. Today, a Turbo Building mode arrives in Fortnite and Fortnite: Battle Royale on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

The building mode is the core of Fortnite, whether battling zombies or against human players – those who build cleverly win games!

Unfortunately, luck often plays a part. Because often due to lag, the wrong building piece is selected. This is frustrating, especially in critical situations. The fact that when resources are low, there is no automatic switch to the next available resource bothers many players.

fortnite-beste-basis

Epic now promises in a blog post that all these issues will be a thing of the past with update 3.0.0.

Turbo Building and Automatic Material Switch

With Turbo Building, Epic will introduce a feature into the game that I have long wished for. With update 3.0.0, you can automatically build pieces by pressing and holding the build button.

In what situations is this useful?  When you are being shot at, hold the build button and turn around your axis – et voila, the fortress is built! Even when building large stairs on mountains (or to the sky), you no longer have to spam the build button, you can just hold it down.

fortnite-fall-schaden

Want to build a fortress and running out of materials? That is frustrating, especially when you are visible to other players. In the future, you will be able to select in the game settings that the game automatically switches to the next resource if the first one runs out.

With update 3.0.0, you can build through objects!

Many players know this situation: They want to build a fortress in a forest and cannot continue because the tip of a tree is in the way – instead of having to chop down the tree first, you can build freely in the future.

It does not matter what object is in the way. You will be able to build anywhere and anytime!

Note: Your structures still need to be connected to the terrain. If the connection is lost, the structure will collapse. Example: A ramp in the air that runs through a tree will fall if the connection to the terrain or ground is destroyed.

The ability to build through objects and the automatic building will be demonstrated in the following video:

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Faster Switching Between Building Pieces (Battle Royale only)!

Particularly on consoles, lag can cause the wrong building pieces to be selected. This leads to frustration and, in doubt, to a screen death because instead of placing a wall, a floor piece has been laid.

Epic has changed the network code so that switching building pieces no longer runs through Epic’s servers. Whether this means the purely client-side switching of building pieces is not known. However, Epic promises that switching building pieces will now feel more consistent.

fortnite-building-1

This change will initially only be available in Battle Royale mode – the Save the World mode is expected to follow!

What do you think of all the improvements surrounding the building mode?

Do you need building tips for Fortnite: Battle Royale? Then check this out:With our guide to fortress building, you are not reliant on luck!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Epic Games