In the films based on The Lord of the Rings, there are quite a few scenes that did not make it into the final version. Among them is a brief but exciting moment that shows Frodo in a form reminiscent of Gollum.
The adaptation of The Lord of the Rings by Peter Jackson is already long in its theatrical version, and some scenes fell victim to the cutting room floor. Fortunately, there are the Extended Cuts, which include additional scenes.
Anyone who has seen the films rightfully wonders at which point a transformation into Gollum would have fit.
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German trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Shocking but realistic
What exactly does the scene show? From the behind-the-scenes material of the film, we know that this is a vision of Faramir. Boromir’s brother takes a brief look into the future when he meets Frodo.
In it, he sees how the One Ring has so corrupted the Hobbit that Frodo is already transforming. His hair is falling out, his skin is unhealthily pale and streaked with veins.
In the vision, Frodo presses against a rock and grimaces. He turns away from the viewers and presumably looks at his ring. Here you can see excerpts from the scene:
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Particularly exciting: Unlike in Gollum’s case, the crew for Frodo opted against the use of visual effects. The shocking appearance of his face was achieved through elaborate make-up and involved long sessions in the make-up chair.
This can be explained by the fact that Frodo was not yet fully transformed and still wore his usual clothing.
Why is the scene missing in the finished film? The brief moment, which was already in the script, unfortunately had to be cut. We do not know the exact reason. One possible explanation is that the scene would visualize the consequences of Frodo’s task too clearly and unnecessarily prolong the film.
After all, with Gollum, you constantly have the result of an overly intimate relationship with the One Ring before your eyes.
The representation of Chopper was already a major topic among fans before the release of Season 2 of One Piece on Netflix. Ultimately, many are satisfied with the result, which is probably due to the author Eiichiro Oda.
What was the concern? As the creator of the One Piece story, Oda is concerned that his manga is received well. That’s why he is strictly involved in the planning and has a significant say in the matter.
In the official podcast from Netflix, the creator mentioned that Chopper’s appearance was one of the things that concerned him most in Season 2. The Tomorrow Studios had suggested to the mangaka at the start of production that Chopper should resemble a real reindeer rather than a puppet, which Oda was probably not entirely on board with.
Initially, they saw Chopper as a real living being and made sure to consider aspects like the skeletal structure of an animal and to give his appearance a certain realism. Therefore, I suggested that they consider him more as a plush toy. If he is designed too realistically, he falls into the realm of the uncanny. Thus, it’s better to treat him like an adorable doll.
With the suggestion, Oda probably wanted Chopper to appear more like an adorable companion than a bizarre monster. While that would be more realistic, it would feel somewhat out of place in the pirate adventure. Even in the anime, Chopper has become cuter over time, which is largely due to his Japanese voice actress.
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One Piece: Season 2 reveals release year and Tony Chopper
Chopper was well received by the audience
How did it turn out? Even before the release, it was clear that Chopper in the live-action adaptation was well done. The actor for Zorro, Mackenyu, hinted beforehand that he is a big fan of the little reindeer.
There were similar reactions at his reveal in the trailer. The reindeer shows up as a small mascot on two legs. Only with his transformations does he become more reindeer-like or even more human-like. In recent days, several threads have also been circulating on Reddit, stating that Chopper looks adorable.
After the adventures on Drum Island, the Straw Hat crew continues. The Baroque Works is one of the major enemies that the pirates will also have to deal with in Season 2. On MeinMMO, we have listed what happened to the individual members after the events in One Piece: The Baroque Works is the biggest enemy in One Piece Season 2, but what happened to them?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At Path of Exile, there were server issues after the new update. But this time, hackers are not to blame.
What about the server problems? After patch 3.28.0c, there were significant server issues at Path of Exile, lasting about twelve hours. This time, it wasn’t hackers to blame, but a configuration error, as community manager Natalia_GGG mentioned on Reddit.
It seems that accidentally twice as many players were sent to a server as usual. This caused the servers to be overloaded, resulting in gameplay issues.
The developers should usually be able to handle such problems quickly and easily, but instead, they were caught off guard.
Here you can watch the trailer for Path of Exile: Mirage:
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Path of Exile shows new league “Mirage” in trailer – brings changes for the endgame
Emergency alarm doesn’t ring
Why did the developers oversleep? As community manager Natalia_GGG explains on Reddit, the developers actually have a separate alarm for server emergencies. They should also be woken up after office hours if there are problems.
However, the night after the patch, the developers were able to sleep soundly because the alarm system did not trigger. A bug prevented the necessary parameters from being triggered, which is why the system let the developers sleep.
When they arrived at the office the next day and found a horde of annoyed players on the server, the configuration could be quickly repaired.
What do the developers learn from this? In the post, the community manager explains that they have adjusted the parameters for when the alarm will be triggered after the incident. In the future, it should again wake the developers so that you can grind in peace.
How do the players react? The comments under the post on Reddit sound almost as if they haven’t read the post at all. The developers are tirelessly hearing accusations of bad servers, lags, and server issues.
That these are probably the typical DDoS attacks that the developers have to fend off regularly seems to be of no concern to the frustrated gamers. For them, the only thing that matters is to be able to grind in peace, which currently seems impossible again.
The server issues are understandably frustrating the players. The fact that a configuration error leads to 12 hours of extra lags results in an outburst of emotions from the players. What is behind the issues and why they are so difficult to manage has been revealed by the chief himself: The chief of Path of Exile 2 reveals why the servers had problems for so long and blames hackers
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO, luck also plays a major factor in the hunt for special monsters. This is now also proven by a trainer who has experienced surprisingly much of it.
Trainers of Pokémon GO can embark on the quest for ever stronger monsters or the rarest specimens. No matter which of the two types a trainer belongs to, there is one commonality: You need luck.
A trainer now shows on Reddit how much luck his girlfriend has had right at the start of the game. And how little he has comparatively received.
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Pokémon GO Fest 2026 comes with Mewtwo and Zeraora
10 Years Against 2 Days
What did the trainer receive? In the trainer’s post is a picture of a Zamazenta in the form of Heroic Warrior. Zamazenta is a legendary monster from the 8th generation that you can currently find in 5-star raids.
However, the Pokémon that the trainer caught is not a regular variant of the monster, but a Shiny. And as if that wasn’t enough, it also has perfect stats in attack, defense, and HP. So it is a so-called Shundo (Shiny + Hundo).
That alone is impressive and rare. Even more impressive is that the monster, according to the trainer, was the first raid his girlfriend has ever completed in the game.
We embed the post on Reddit here for you:
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What did her boyfriend receive? While his girlfriend could rejoice over the Shundo, there was only a regular Zamazenta with the stats 11/11/11 for him, according to the trainer. He notes that he has been playing Pokémon GO for 10 years now. Throughout the entire time, the unfortunate player has not managed to catch even a single Shundo.
His girlfriend, who is level 14 and only started playing 2 days ago, is therefore already ahead of him in this regard. However, the trainer takes it easy and comments on the catch with the words: “This will definitely be a nice memory that we will share together.”
Is there a tip to get Shundos? Yes. If you receive monsters from certain sources, they can have a minimum of IV values. This automatically increases the chance of getting a Shundo, as the chance of perfect IV values is higher here.
These include the following sources for Pokémon:
Research
Eggs
Raids
Reward in the Battle League
Nevertheless, you also need great luck here to not only receive a monster with perfect stats but also as a Shiny.
Your best chance is to trade a Shiny with a friend via lucky trade. Here, the minimum IV values are 12/12/12, and you are guaranteed that the monster is already a Shiny.
How about you guys with Shundos? Do you have any in your collection? Feel free to let us know in the comments. If you want to know which events and content are coming up in the game soon, take a look at our overview with all events in March 2026 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new MMORPG Aion 2 is battling bots in Asia that drive the in-game currency into inflation. Now, the developers present new measures.
What is the status of Aion 2? Aion 2 remains popular in Korea and Taiwan. There are regular updates and player numbers are not declining yet. Nevertheless, Aion 2 continues to face issues. While only accounts that have purchased a subscription for real money are allowed to trade, it seems that the bots are not deterred.
Players on the servers regularly report that the market situation is extremely tense, as all prices are driven up by farming bots. Prices are rising inflationarily, while human players without bots can hardly gather enough currency to purchase items.
The developers are aware of this and are now intervening with a new feature.
Here you can see a trailer for Aion 2:
Start video
Aion 2: New trailer prepares for the Korean launch of the MMORPG
The currency will be divided
What is changing? The developers announced in a livestream that they will divide their free currency, Kinah. Unlike in Throne and Liberty, it can also be traded in the auction house. In the future, however, it will only be possible to trade with unstamped Kinah.
Stamped Kinah, on the other hand, is character-bound and can only be used for trading with NPCs. Once the changes are live, players will only receive stamped Kinah from the usual sources. At the same time, the existing Kinah will remain unstamped.
This will greatly limit inflation, as only about 20% of the earned Kinah will be unstamped, thus tradable, while 80% will be intended only for purchases from NPCs.
What you really need to know about Aion 2, you can find out here:
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How is NCSoft combating bots? Limiting inflation through this measure could make future bots unprofitable and ensure that operators no longer use them. At the same time, NCSoft also needs to act against the bot operators.
Since the end of January 2026, there have been intensified measures against bots, such as blocking various VPN services, an improved in-game reporting system, and hardware bans. The in-game level required to farm resources has also been set to level 45 in this context. With the totality of the measures, the developers should be able to curb the bots in the future.
The success and popularity of Aion 2 also attract bots that can significantly influence the game. The fact that they must even change their own economy shows how serious the problem has become. Whether the developers will achieve their goal with this measure will be revealed over time. Aion 2 is the beacon of hope for MMORPGs and a mega-success in Asia, but what is behind it?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Many companies are currently investing heavily in artificial intelligence while simultaneously cutting back on their employees and their training. An HR expert warns: This very strategy could fail in the long run.
What mistakes does the expert warn against? In a comment in the US economic magazine Fortune, expert Wendi Safstrom recently warned against disastrous misinvestments in the AI sector. Wendi Safstrom is the president of the SHRM Foundation – one of the largest organizations for human resource development worldwide.
The SHRM Foundation is part of the Society for Human Resource Management, which represents millions of HR professionals globally. Safstrom deals daily with the question of how work is changing through technology and what role humans play in it.
Specifically, Safstrom addresses in the comment the imbalance between pure investments in AI tools and the skills of employees in companies.
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Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
What’s happening in companies right now? Many companies are currently investing billions in AI to become more efficient and reduce costs. At the same time, however, a critical area is being cut: training, education, and employee development (Wall Street Journal).
According to the numbers mentioned in the Fortune comment, around three-quarters of all so-called Knowledge Workers are already using AI in their jobs. However, about 60 percent have not received any formal training for this (Work Trend Index).
Knowledge Worker, known in German as Wissensarbeiter, are professionals who create added value for the company through their expertise, critical thinking, and social skills. The focus is often on analysis and problem-solving activities (via IBM & Jacobin).
Artificial intelligence will shape the future of work. Humans will drive it forward. The companies that will prevail are those that do not view investments in the workforce as an item to be cut but as part of their strategy.
While AI spending is rising sharply, according to Safstrom, training budgets are growing only minimally. In some cases, even the average learning time per employee is decreasing.
The Main Thing is AI
Why does the expert see a significant risk in this? Safstrom warns that this strategy might work in the short term but will have clear disadvantages in the long run.
Because AI only brings real productivity gains when employees can use it correctly. Research shows that tasks are completed 25% faster and with 40% higher quality, productivity increases by 60%, and up to 36% more time remains for more challenging tasks (The Harvard Crimson).
However, these improvements will only occur in the long term if employees are appropriately trained in handling AI, according to the expert.
Additionally, there is an economic factor: According to data referenced in the comment, unmotivated and stressed employees cost the global economy about $9 trillion every year (Gallup).
Looking at this, it quickly becomes clear: In the age of AI, it’s not just technology that decides but mainly who ultimately uses it sensibly. Which jobs are really under pressure and which are not is not always clear: An expert reveals what the biggest risk is for your job in the age of AI
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In addition to memory, storage, and especially SSD prices are rising. This affects not only gamers but also companies that must cope with the increased costs. MSI is now changing its strategy and hitting budget gamers where it hurts the most.
What has happened? In a live report from Taipei on the United Daily News website on March 14, 2026, MSI manager Huang Jinqing explains how the current RAM crisis is affecting the company and what strategies they plan to pursue in the future.
First, due to supply shortages of NVIDIA graphics cards and high memory/SSD prices, gaming products are set to become up to 30 percent more expensive.
Therefore, according to the report, the company aims to pursue three goals:
The focus will be on high-end products, with entry-level models being reduced by up to 30 percent.
The transition from DDR4 to DDR5 motherboards and the establishment of long-term contracts with memory manufacturers for 3-5 years should also be achieved.
Aiming for revenue growth of 50-100 percent in the server sector within five years to meet industry challenges.
According to manager Huang, the year 2026 will be the most difficult for the company since its founding.
Start video
Why is RAM so expensive? The current situation explained in 2 minutes
Budget users need to be strong now
What does this mean for gamers? A price increase of 15 to 30 percent is unpleasant for all MSI product buyers, but the changing focus hits the entry-level segment doubly hard. According to the company, cheap models account for about 30 percent of its sales.
Not only are budget products like laptops, GPUs, and PCs going to become more expensive due to the general price increase.
But since the company wants to focus more on the mid- and high-end segments, according to MSI’s own statements, available budget options are expected to be reduced by about 30 percent. Almost a third of all gamers can expect additional restrictions, such as lower availability.
How high are current hardware prices? Since the end of 2025, the costs for computer parts have been rising rapidly. First, it affected memory, but now other components like SSDs are following:
A basic DDR5-16GB RAM kit cost about 100 euros in mid-2025 and is now four times as expensive at around 400 euros (via Geizhals).
SSDs are also affected. A simple 1TB SSD from WD is currently about 150 euros, twice as expensive, as it cost around 70 euros four months ago (via Geizhals).
Depths should offer glory and honor in World of Warcraft Midnight for all who defeat the toughest end boss. But the fun was over after just a few hours.
One of the biggest goals in World of Warcraft for many is to have something in the game that is particularly rare. Whether it’s one of the ancient “Realm First” titles, a mount like the Spectral Tiger, or another achievement. With Midnight, there should have been a chance for Depths fans to earn such glory if they wanted to enter the Hall of Fame.
In theory, it worked out, but in practice, it was quite unfair. Because even before most people got home from work, the race was already over and the Hall of Fame was overcrowded.
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WoW: What the Trading Post Offers in March
What was new? Depths are a relatively new feature from The War Within that was further developed in Midnight. Similar to mythic raids, Blizzard has included a “Hall of Fame.” Those who defeat the current Depths Nemesis “Nullaeus” on the “??” difficulty can secure a place in the Hall of Fame. This applied to the first 4,000 characters in each region (EU, US, China, etc.).
The catch? The vast majority did not have a fair chance here.
Hall of Fame filled in 9 hours – before players got home from work
What was the problem? The Hall of Fame filled up at lightning speed. The 4,000 spots in America were filled after 14 hours, while in Europe it took only 9 hours. So anyone with a regular workday who got to the PC after 4:00 PM had already lost their chance, as the Hall of Fame was already full by that time.
Did Blizzard miscalculate? Voices in the community are saying that this introduction of the Hall of Fame for the Depths was not a good implementation, because only those who took time off – or were lucky enough not to have to work at launch – had any chance at all. For the future, changes are desired. Some ideas include:
The Hall of Fame should not have limited spots, but rather a time limit. All who achieve success within a time limit (about 3 or 7 days) should be included in the Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame should be sorted by class, so for example, the first 1,000 of each class would receive a spot.
It seems clear that Blizzard will take some lessons from the outcome of this “race” for the future. Whether the Depths Nemesis needs to be a bit tougher or a better solution for the Hall of Fame will be found remains to be seen.
Cortyn says: Honestly, I’m not surprised that the Hall of Fame filled up so quickly. Many have tried in recent days to push their Valeera to the current maximum level and took every little advantage to be able to quickly contend with Nullaeus. However, the Hall of Fame is a significant disappointment when “normal players” have no chance at all unless they take the appropriate day off. This is not even the case with the Mythic Hall of Fame, which is considered the pinnacle discipline in World of Warcraft. Some issues that World of Warcraft, aside from the Hall of Fame, still needs to get under control have been discussed extensively in this article: 3 major problems that WoW Midnight still has to address.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Crimson Desert is a new action-adventure with a huge scope of content and features. No wonder many people are asking how much time one can spend with the game. We took a look at the whole thing for you.
How long does it take to complete Crimson Desert? According to estimates, you should budget the following times:
Only the story: about 50 hours
Story, all side quests and exploring the entire map: about 100 hours
100 %: about 150–200 hours
These estimates were made by our colleagues at GameStar based on various journal entries and their experience during the first hours of play in the preview. Marketing chief Will Powers also revealed in a Q&A via YouTube that the game will offer several hundred hours of content – depending on how players choose to play.
The exact numbers will only be revealed when the game lifts the review embargo on March 18, 2026, and the game is released on March 19. We explain how these estimates were created here.
Crimson Desert shows more of the fights and progression in the action RPG in the new gameplay video
Almost 3,000 journal entries give an impression
How did GameStar estimate this time? During their hands-on session, the colleagues from GameStar took a period of the first 4 hours and looked at how many entries they had managed to achieve in that time. At that time, the approximately 32 characters, 6 factions, 24 territories, 20 collectibles, and 12 adventures had been recorded.
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This results in the estimated total playtimes mentioned above. Whether some areas or entries will take particularly long or whether everything will be much quicker than expected will become clear soon.
For almost 2 weeks now, we have been allowed to play Crimson Desert. In our experience report, we reveal to you what the open-world adventure from Pearl Abyss does wonderfully well and what has regularly annoyed us.
“Ecstatic and deeply saddened” – as if old Johann Wolfgang von Goethe had played Crimson Desert a few hundred years ago. Because that’s exactly how I felt about the new game from Pearl Abyss (Black Desert) over and over again.
On one hand, I am thrilled by this immersive world – it sets standards: the graphics are beautiful, the view is breathtaking, and there’s something to discover everywhere. Also, the fights rock. Many of the boss fights are wonderfully varied and challenging. The puzzles are no walk in the park. I often had a lot of fun with Crimson Desert.
On the other hand, I had to struggle for hours with the unintuitive controls before they finally became somewhat second nature. Much in Crimson Desert is frustratingly under-explained. Even as an experienced player, I often think to myself: What does the game want from me? And then the balance is off, making some challenges unnecessarily frustrating.
And then this continent is also so large and packed with content that you can easily spend hundreds of hours in Pywel. Great for open-world fans with plenty of time. Not so great for those who want to see the credits after 50 to 60 hours at the latest.
I’ll elaborate on all of this for you a bit more in the following sections so that you can make a purchase decision suitable for you from the release of Crimson Desert on March 19, 2026. You can jump to the relevant sections via the table of contents:
[toc]
Who is writing here? Karsten Scholz is the MMORPG expert at MeinMMO. He knows the quasi-predecessor Black Desert very well. Additionally, Karsten feels comfortable in open-world games (recently he caught up on Spider-Man 2) and in the action-adventure genre for many years.
Karsten has been looking forward to Crimson Desert since the first trailers. In the past 2 weeks, he has spent almost every spare minute on the continent of Pywel. He has accumulated nearly 65 hours. One first insight: He probably has to invest just as many hours again to beat Crimson Desert.
Start video
Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train
What is the story about?
One of the biggest question marks after the play sessions and trailers was regarding the quality of the story of Crimson Desert. As is known, the main character Kliff is the focus, whose gray mane clan is crushed at the beginning of the game by the rival Black Bears.
One of your tasks is henceforth to find the survivors scattered in all directions, to build a new home for them, and ultimately to revenge yourself on the Black Bears. Triggered by the attack, Kliff also stumbles into a larger conflict that could destroy the entire continent.
Crimson Desert tells the main story and various larger side quests repeatedly in elaborately staged in-game sequences that you can fast forward but not skip. The English speakers usually do a great job in the fully voiced dialogues.
Especially the rough gray mane members have grown dear to me over time as a collective – even though the clan is not as interestingly depicted as, for example, the gang from Red Dead Redemption 2.
In terms of the main character, RDR2 then even wins by a large margin: While I shed tears during Arthur Morgan’s long ride, Kliff’s stoic reactions sometimes feel almost like a parody. No matter how crazy things happen around him, you often don’t get more than a “Hmmph” out of the Jon Snow lookalike.
Ultimately, though, the stories from Crimson Desert work for me much better than the storytelling in Black Desert did. The narrative strands behind the quests infuse life into the various factions and personalities, enrich their conflicts, and let me dive even deeper into the world of Crimson Desert.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Fortnite has revealed its new map for Chapter 7 Season 2. You will land there soon in March 2026. But before you do, you need to know what details exist and how it actually looks. We will show you the new map.
Where does the information come from? Fortnite has released several trailers before the release of Chapter 7 Season 2, including a live-action trailer. In this, there were many hints about new collaborations as well as content for the upcoming season. In a short sequence, there was perhaps the most important detail for Season 2 – a snippet of the mini-map.
Start video
Fortnite shows its new Battle Pass for Chapter 7 Season 2 in the launch trailer
What is changing on the map
What will change? Of course, the snippet is pixelated and very small, but you can immediately see what will change on the new map. Primarily, it affects the northern part of the map, which is completely frozen. Most likely, there is the castle of the Ice King that you can visit.
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Three small spots can also be seen across the map. The shards of the Zero Point could be located there, which were also seen in past trailers and were pulled out by the spaceship of the Cube Queen.
It is possible that they could change your player’s gravity upon contact, allowing you to perform higher jumps. However, it is no longer recognizable what else has changed on the map.
MeinMMO author Ody has explored in a new demo on Steamthe question of how many dudes it takes to defeat a gorilla. Just 20 minutes and hordes of bloodthirsty toddlers later, he knows: 33 dudes are enough, and he definitely wants more of this crazy game.
When I looked for new releases on Steam this morning that I could present to you here, I thought about a lot of things. However, a roguelike autobattler where I box hordes of toddlers or horses the size of ducks with an army of dudes wasn’t on my bingo card.
“How Many Dudes?” is exactly that – and much funnier than one might expect. In the new game by developer Butterscotch Shenanigans, the name says it all, as the only important question is: How many dudes do I need to defeat xy? If you want to get a feel for the game yourself, you can easily download the free demo of How Many Dudes? on Steam.
Here you can see a trailer for the game:
Start video
How Many Dudes? – New roguelike asks the question of all questions, lets you fight against gorillas and toddlers with your buddies
Many different dudes, one goal
At the beginning, the answer to this question is still quite simple: Just one regular dude is enough to defeat 10 bloodthirsty toddlers. However, with each round, the opponents become more dangerous and more numerous. Eventually, you’ll need a whole army.
After the first round, I was also able to choose between two classes of dudes to help me in future battles. I had the choice between a samurai dude who finishes off injured enemies with his katana or a “Fireball Casting” spell dude (you can probably guess what he does).
Being the absolute weeb that I am, I, of course, chose the samurai. And since I’m putting up an advertisement here, I get reinforcements from new dudes of this class between the rounds.
Later, I expanded my crew with some additional types of dudes:
Knight dudes draw the attention of opponents and tank hits for their weaker dudes
Cleric dudes heal injured dudes, prioritizing the ones who are most critically injured
Bard dudes inspire up to 4 random dudes with their songs, making them faster and dealing more damage
And those are by no means all the classes included in the demo.
In chaotic battles, you face not only dangerously bloodthirsty toddlers but also other nasty opponents – such as 50 goats.
More than just a funny meme
Over time, I built a small army of dudes with which I can face every imaginable meme scenario: 33 dudes were enough for me to defeat a gorilla and 14 goats (but you might manage with fewer).
Your dudes fight on their own, by the way – and these fights are quite brutal. So brace yourself for bloodstains in the arena and exploding ducks. Even if you can’t control your dudes directly, you can support them with items. These allow you to launch meteors into the arena, summon lightning, or teleport your fighters to any place in the arena.
If this hasn’t been clear yet – yes, How Many Dudes? is an absolute meme game. If you can’t handle absurd “How many people does it take to defeat xy?” scenarios, the humor of the game might be too much for you.
The game, however, doesn’t just rely on the absurd humor of these memes to entertain. It’s also really not a bad roguelike. There are items that you collect, which give your dudes buffs. Even the exact arrangement of your dudes can have tactical advantages. For example, I collected an item that gives my dudes significantly more health points at the end of the formation. This is especially valuable for placing my knight dudes there since they need to take a lot of damage.
For me, How Many Dudes? could become a very similar experience to Brotato – a game I can spend many hours on while I’m busy with other things. I, for one, will continue playing the demo for a while.
On Steam a new sandbox RPG called Everwind has launched, reminiscent of Minecraft visually and of Hytale in gameplay. Initial reactions from players are predominantly positive.
What is Everwind? It is a game developed by Enjoy Studio S.A., which entered Early Access on March 17, 2026.
Everwind is described on the Steam page as a “new variant of the RPG and sandbox survival genre in first-person perspective.” Watching the trailer quickly evokes associations with Minecraft, mainly due to the look.
The world is primarily made up of blocks or block-like shapes, which is why the comparison is not surprising. In gameplay, Everwind differs from Minecraft and focuses on combat, exploration, and technology.
Alone or together with other players, you can build your own bases, explore floating islands with an airship, defeat enemies and bosses, and collect loot. This leads to the next comparison: Hytale.
The game, which was first hyped and then believed to be dead, was eventually successfully released, is probably most similar to Everwind. And while Hytale itself is not available on Steam, but only in its own launcher, Everwind has now made its debut on Valve’s platform.
Start video
The new sandbox RPG Everwind looks like Hytale, features action-packed battles in the trailer
A successful mix with slight weaknesses
How did the Early Access launch go? On March 17, as announced months ago by the developers, it launched on Steam. Everwind reached a peak of 7,342 concurrent players within the first 24 hours, as of March 18, 2026, 19:00 (via steamdb.info).
The predominantly positive reviews have already spent several hours in Everwind and share their impressions with the community:
“I find it very good, I like it better than Hytale. It is varied and has a cozy vibe, great for relaxing,” summarizes Mr. Goosyou.
“Awesome game, beautiful open world in the style of Minecraft and Skyrim. The graphics are also great, everything runs smoothly. I can’t wait for the full version,” writes Tobi.
“The developer has essentially drawn from many different genres and implemented them very well into their own game. Everwind brings a refreshingly new concept to the market that is pleasing and a lot of fun,” finds suechtitom.
“This game is basically exactly what my younger self dreamed of when I first played Minecraft 15 years ago,” shares Skali.
Along with many enthusiastic reviews, there is currently also criticism on Steam. It mainly concerns the technical state, specifically: the performance. User BennySunzide reports that with a GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER and a Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor, he only gets 28 FPS and therefore doesn’t recommend the game.
Other users echo this criticism. The developers have already responded to the technical issues in the comments. They recommend updating the graphics card drivers, as a setup like that of BennySunzide should comfortably handle the game at the highest settings.
Overall, the atmosphere is very good. Both the technical state and the content of the game will be refined in the coming months. A roadmap announces several updates for 2026 that will bring new enemies, weapons, and story to the game.
Currently, Everwind is 10% off at the start of Early Access, costing €22.49 instead of €24.99. The offer is valid until March 31. Will you give Everwind a chance or have you perhaps already checked it out? If so, please share your impressions with us in the comments. Hytale often has ridiculous stories: Hytale eats a player’s map, and support impresses with their help
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The YouTuber WolfeyVGC is a true Pokémon expert. He has caught all Pokémon up to Generation 9 and created an ultimate ranking. He took his time to do this, specifically almost 4 hours.
What does the ranking look like? In the ranking, the YouTuber distributed 1,133 placements. Actually, there are only 1,025 Pokédex entries. However, many regional forms and Mega Evolutions were included in this ranking.
The video starts with the last place, which is occupied by Relluk from Generation 9. The YouTuber reportedly hates this Pokémon because it is small, ugly, and hardly visible in the game.
His top 10 are as follows:
Rank 1: Kyogre
Rank 2: Groudon
Rank 3: Charizard
Rank 4: Fuegro
Rank 5: Cresselia
Rank 6: Xerneas
Rank 7: Dratini
Rank 8: Rayquaza
Rank 9: Salamence
Rank 10: Mimic
To explain the complete ranking in detail, the YouTuber needs around 4 hours. You can watch the full video here:
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For the ranking, Wolfey along with 2 friends evaluated each Pokémon from 1 to 10 across several categories. The average of the scores determined the rank. The favorite Pokémon of MeinMMO editor Jasmin, Sniebel, lands on a solid 309th place.
Professional Ranking with Expert Assessment
How was the ranking created? Each Pokémon was rated using a 10-point system across 3 specific categories. The final ranking was derived from the average of the points assigned by the YouTuber and his 2 friends.
On one hand, the competitive viability in official tournaments was assessed. Important factors included base stats, type combination, available moves, and special abilities.
The second criterion was the design. This category is the most subjective, which is why the YouTuber involved 2 friends with different tastes.
Finally, the cult status of a Pokémon was examined. Important factors included appearances in the anime or their status as mascots. A good question to verify cult status would be: Would my mother recognize this Pokémon?
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MeinMMO was at the 30th anniversary of Pokémon in London
What kind of YouTuber is he? Wolfey is the VGC World Champion from 2016. He has been playing at the highest professional level for over a decade and has won nearly every major tournament. He was so successful that he was invited by The Pokémon Company itself as an official commentator for major tournaments.
Which place did your favorite Pokémon land in? Let us know in the comments!
Also, MeinMMO has attempted a ranking in the past. However, not in the way you might currently imagine. We actually conducted an imaginary taste test and tried to list the Pokémon in a way that made our mouths water: The 5 tastiest Pokémon in the ranking
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Charlie Cox is an important part of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with his voice. After the very positive reaction to the title, the actor is surprised and announces that he will appear in a new game soon.
Who did Charlie Cox play in Clair Obscur? In the role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive released in 2025, the actor is heard as Gustave. Mind you, only heard, as the motion-capture performance of the character was taken over by Maxence Cazorla.
Clair Obscur was uncharted territory for Charlie Cox. Until now, he had never voiced a role in a game and had mainly worked in front of the camera for series and films. Among other things, he played Daredevil in the Marvel series of the same name.
Anyone who has played Clair Obscur knows that the role of Gustave is relatively small. In any case, it is very emotional, without giving too much away. Just this much: Not least the vocal performance of Charlie Cox has surely brought tears to some.
In an interview, the actor now spoke about the reactions to Clair Obscur – and how his journey in the video game world will continue.
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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hinterlässt bei den Spielern eine Leere
A New Path
How was the experience? In a conversation with Agents of Fandom on YouTube, Cox talks about the game and how much he loved being a part of it:
I was completely blown away by the success [of Clair Obscur] and the impact the game had. It apparently opened up a whole new path for my professional work.
Charlie Cox
Cox further shares that he will also appear in a new video game in 2026. The industry was previously unknown to him, but it sounds like he is quite taken by it and open to further projects.
Unfortunately, the actor has not yet revealed any details about the next game. We know neither the title nor which developer it is from. Cox only lets slip that his role will be significantly larger than in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. More work will be necessary for that, more certainly than the four hours he spent in the studio as Gustave.
One reason for the actor’s enthusiasm for the medium may also be the reaction from fans. In the interview, Cox emphasizes how surprised he was by the passion of the players. According to his own statement, he only knows such dedication from Marvel fans.
In Bungie’s shooter Marathon, there is a particularly strong movement technique that only works with a specific class. Players are already debating whether this could be an exploit.
What kind of trick is this?The Thief is one of the playable characters in Marathon. He can use a grappling hook to navigate the map. Normally, he propels a player a certain distance in one direction before going into cooldown. As a result, the Thief can move better than other classes.
There is also a combination that allows you to get the most out of the grappling hook. You need to perform a sprint-slide followed by a jump. When you then activate the grappling hook, the player achieves an incredible forward speed that far exceeds normal levels. It is comparable to the engines of heavy destroyer shells.
What are the advantages? This combination allows players to bypass the cooldown of the grappling hook. It resets immediately, enabling the trick to be executed multiple times in succession. This allows players to literally fly across the map.
Other shells consume a lot of resources to move quickly. However, this trick costs almost nothing. This enables a skilled Thief to outmaneuver any other shell, engage in fights faster, or escape. Furthermore, he can secure the best loot in this way.
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Marathon will learn from the mistakes of ARC Raiders and take a tough stance against cheaters
Trick causes discomfort among players
What are the disadvantages? The trick is so powerful that it completely overshadows other movement-specialized shells. Professionals who master the technique become nearly untouchable. Casual players have little chance to react.
Users are therefore talking about a possible exploit. In the comments on X, many assume that this trick could soon be removed from the game or at least nerfed. One fan, for example, sees the possibility that the cooldown could be set to at least 4 seconds.
Most agree that such a trick should be removed from the game. It would destroy the balancing. An official response from Bungie is still pending.
The release of Crimson Desert is just around the corner, and analysts have already looked at how well the title is selling.
Who is it about? You don’t need to be an analyst to see the strong sales of Crimson Desert, after all, the open-world game is listed among the best sellers on all platforms.
However, the analysts at Alinea Analytics took a closer look at the sales figures and revealed who Crimson Desert appeals to the most.
Here you can watch the trailer for Crimson Desert:
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Crimson Desert: Launch trailer shows new bosses, dragon action and the storming of a moving train
Over 350,000 sales
How is Crimson Desert performing? Even though the review embargo has not even been lifted yet, Crimson Desert is selling wonderfully. According to analysts, the game has already sold over 363,000 copies on March 16, just 3 days before the release.
This is reported to result in revenue of over 20 million euros, just on Steam. Sales on PS5, Xbox, Epic Games, and GeForce Now are still to come on top of that.
But that’s not all. Most players are reportedly still waiting. About 2.2 million players have the title on their wishlist on Steam and are likely waiting for the first reviews before purchasing.
Who does Crimson Desert appeal to? It is also interesting to see who Crimson Desert actually appeals to. The analysts from Alinea Analytics mention three titles and indicate whether players have Crimson Desert on their wishlist and what they have already played.
The largest overlap is likely with The Witcher 3 and Crimson Desert, as according to analysts, 62% of all players who have Crimson Desert on their wishlist have played that. Elden Ring also has a high correlation with 44%.
That Crimson Desert is not a true RPG has likely been understood by the fans of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 as well. Only 16% of players who have Crimson Desert on their wishlist have previously played the medieval RPG.
Many players are waiting for the reviews from testers. We at MeinMMO will keep you updated around the release of Crimson Desert with articles, guides, and everything you need for a successful gaming weekend. The most important information is already available here: Crimson Desert: Start time, preload, and embargo – Everything you need to know
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Actually, MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus wanted to test the new Starfinder: Afterlight on Steam. He did – but due to something an NPC mentioned in passing, the desire for an old role-playing game suddenly resurfaced: Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous.
As you may have already noticed, I am really looking forward to the upcoming Starfinder: Afterlight, a cRPG from a Spanish indie studio that has managed to get the help of Baldur’s Gate 3 star Neil Newbon.
With Afterlight, the developers of Epictellers Entertainment are focusing primarily on companions and their stories, with an emphasis on narrative and the relationship between player and companion. This already caught my attention during the presentation, and I am in constant contact to absorb as much new information as possible.
We have now been invited to see some new features in advance and especially to play the upcoming playtest right now. There wasn’t much to do in the game yet and it is… still very raw, but I am still really excited. Starfinder: Afterlight knows exactly which buttons to push for me.
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Das Sci-Fi-Rollenspiel Starfinder: Afterlight zeigt die freche Piraten-Kapitänin im Trailer
A single hint awakens beloved memories
The playtest is just that: a test in a very early stage of the game. In an hour or less, you can already get through the content available in the playtest:
Three pre-made characters with fixed archetypes and weapons are available; character creation will come later.
You get to know two of the companions, the space grasshopper Preach, actually G’og N’o (along with a cute, very awake larva), and Sterling.
There is a tutorial fight, a boss fight, and an optional fight.
A few smaller decisions lead to some alternative paths at least.
The narrator, Roger Clark, who also voices Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption, plays a large part in the narrative.
However, in one of the first conversations, the bartender of the dive I go to right at the beginning dropped a single word that made me sit up straight: Iomedae. I clicked through the dialogue and started over just to make sure I heard it right.
A mouseover over the text field and the underlined word “Iomedae” confirms what I suspected: it is indeed about a goddess from the world of Pathfinder. And one that I know all too well.
Already 400 hours in Wrath of the Righteous, now it will be even more
Iomedae is one of the central figures in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and one of the possible patrons for a faithful player character – with appropriate hints in the game itself when you worship her.
For me, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is one of the absolute best role-playing games ever, even though it can be quite confusing for beginners due to its complexity. Actually, I have already completed the game twice and started several runs, but right after the playtest of Starfinder, I reinstalled it for a new run.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous offers an enormous amount of content that one cannot see in just one run because much depends on one’s own choices:
There are different “mythical paths” that you can take, some of which can literally change the course of history.
Evil, good, chaotic, and lawful actions affect how NPCs react to me and sometimes even how the town I manage looks. In my first run, for example, I was a lich and quite a few of my citizens were… not quite alive anymore.
The behavior towards companions also plays a role, as does who I enter into a relationship with and who I don’t.
When I played my first run back then, I could hardly decide which path to follow. Meanwhile, I know the stories of the lich and the aeon – now my goal is to play a trickster who knows he is in a game and can take corresponding actions. I am really excited about that!
Select a MMO video…
Starfinder evokes the right feeling, but is still quite raw
The reason I’m falling back into Pathfinder is not just the word “Iomedae.” Epictellers Entertainment has taken inspiration from the games of Owlcat and Larian, and you can definitely tell in the short playtest.
There are many familiar details, such as a visible die for tests and, of course, the UI that many cRPGs share. However, the atmosphere emanating from Starfinder immediately reminded me of Pathfinder – and also Rogue Trader as a science fiction inspiration.
Nevertheless, I didn’t stick with Starfinder but switched to Pathfinder. Why? The simple answer: because I have completed the test. There’s simply not much more to see yet. Plus, the game in its current state is still quite rough.
Fights are somewhat awkward because there are hardly any proper hotkeys; attacks must be performed manually by clicking on weapons and opponents. There is no tutorial, and you can’t save. And closing loot windows doesn’t work with escape, only with a click on a very small button, similar to annoying pop-up ads.
Epictellers definitely needs to work on these things, and this should serve as information for you: if you play the playtest yourself, don’t expect too much. Check out the world, but keep in mind that the game is still a long way from release. You can sign up for the playtest on Steam, which starts on March 19. Early access is still planned for this year.
I have to admit I have a bit of a bias toward Starfinder because I want this game to be good. Still, I am convinced that the gameplay is already on a good path and can become really strong with proper polish. Then again, I’ve only seen an hour of it and hope for more.
With the launch of Chapter 7 Season 2: Showdown, a new episode full of content starts in Fortnite. First, the servers need to go down so that you can download the new update. When the downtime begins and how long you have to wait, you can find out here in our live ticker.
Thursday, 19.03.2026
3:01 PM
The servers seem to be running smoothly. Therefore, we are concluding our live ticker and wish you a lot of fun in the new season!
12:20 PM
The servers seem to be functioning, and you can log in again. We are monitoring the situation and will give you an update if there are any problems.
Good morning and welcome to our live ticker! The server down has already begun and many leakers are already actively posting the first leaks for the new season. We will list them for you shortly.
12:25 AM
Only a few hours separate us from the upcoming server down. However, we will first get some rest and check back early today with the ticker to keep you updated. So feel free to stop by again so you don’t miss anything.
Wednesday, 18.03.2026
9:12 PM
New Map Teased!
In the latest live-action trailer, there was a short teaser for a map that does not fit Chapter 7 Season 1. Fans assume that this is the map for Season 2. Here’s what it looks like:
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Welcome to our live ticker for the upcoming server down of Fortnite. It is not yet exactly known when Epic Games will take the servers down. Therefore, we are monitoring all official channels of the developers and will report on the latest news.
What happens during the server downtime? The servers will be taken down. During this time, you cannot play Fortnite.
When does the server downtime in Fortnite start? There is no official start time yet, but past downtimes usually started in the morning between 7 and 9 AM German time. We will report you the official start as soon as Epic Games communicates it.
When can I play Fortnite again? According to the timer, the downtime ends around 12 or 1 PM on March 19 – depending on whether delays occur or not.
When will the patch notes be released? For every release of a new chapter or season, Epic Games releases the patch notes. They are still missing, but if the developers release them, we will publish a separate article with all the upcoming changes.
The new battle pass of Chapter 7 Season 2 will be introduced in the fresh launch trailer:
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Fortnite shows its new Battle Pass for Chapter 7 Season 2 in the launch trailer
Chapter 7 Season 2: What is known about the new season?
What can I expect with the upcoming update? In addition to the already well-known line-up of the upcoming battle pass, there is said to be a story around “The Foundation” and the “Ice King”. The Zero Point seems to play a central role in the story again, which needs to be saved by you once more.
Besides that, according to leaks, there will again be collaborations with famous brands. The following is already known (Source: x.com):
Overwatch
Toy Story
Looney Tunes
Super Meat Boy
Crimson Desert
Brainrot
Please note that these are leaks and the collaborations may still change.
Of course, you can expect new map changes, weapons, and gadgets, as well as events that hold many earnable cosmetic items for your locker.
These were all the important information regarding the downtime of Chapter 7 Season 2: Showdown. We will list the patch notes of Update 40.00 as soon as Epic Games releases them. Until then, you can of course check out the overall overview of Chapter 7 Season 2: Fortnite: Chapter 7 Season 2 – All about release, battle pass & map
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Marathon, players are currently solving a complex puzzle to unlock a new map. The complexity and structure of the puzzle are reminiscent of good times.
What kind of puzzle is this? In Marathon, players are currently solving what is known as an Alternate Reality Game (ARG). It is essentially a puzzle that consists of numerous smaller puzzles created by Bungie.
The community never knows what the next step of the ARG looks like or how many steps are still to follow. They have to figure everything out themselves. Some information comes from an external website, while others are found in the game. For example, the puzzlers had to find terminals on different maps and interact with them in a specific order.
Later, they had to visit locations in the game shown to them in photos and check the compass to get the solution to a new puzzle based on the compass markings. At one moment, they decipher coordinates; in the next, they follow clues from cryptic images.
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Bungie presents Marathon in the launch trailer
The solution to the puzzle brings the endgame
Why is the community doing this? Once the community solves the ARG, a new map will be unlocked for all players of Marathon. This map is called Cryo Archive and initiates the endgame of the extraction shooter.
Bungie emphasizes that Cryo Archive should be a real challenge for players. Therefore, they must meet certain requirements to even be able to play the map. For instance, they need to be at least level 25 and carry equipment worth over 5,000 credits – which is a lot, so we’re talking purple weapons, backpacks, etc.
What lies behind the 60 pages? The solution to the ARG has been ongoing for several days. Every time the community solves a puzzle, they receive a new one.
To ensure that all players participating in the puzzle are up-to-date, understand the previous puzzles, and can assist in solving the current puzzles, the community maintains a document. This document collects not only puzzle solutions, hints, and theories but also a wealth of screenshots.
The entire document spans over 60 pages – that’s almost 8,000 words and about 48,000 characters. For comparison: This article has about 4,100 characters.
What is the status of the ARG? Players are likely in the final phase. It is expected that the ARG will be solved soon. Bungie has already added the new map Cryo Archive to the game.
How does this remind me of the greatest strength of Destiny 2? Okay, this might be a bit controversial, but: The ARG and how deeply part of the community puzzles while other players simply play reminds me strongly of what I truly love about Destiny.
When talking about the greatest strength of Destiny, one could also think of the excellent gunplay, the appealing loot, or the raids and dungeons. However, I primarily think of world-building, the lore, and how deeply one can get entangled in it – if one wishes to.
There have also always been ARGs in Destiny, where the community puzzled for days on end. I find that fascinating every time. Not many games manage to create a situation where players can spend days outside of the game wracking their brains to solve puzzles. But that allows fans to dive even deeper into the story of the respective universe.
The art of it is that you are not forced to participate. If you just want to farm loot, you can do that. It is not part of a playable story campaign where at some point you are forced to solve a puzzle to continue playing. If you are not interested in the lore or simply don’t like puzzles, you can completely ignore it.
