Like many other Nintendo games, Pokémon Scarlet & Violet is getting an upgrade for Nintendo Switch 2. Several comparison videos show how the versions differ. Some fans are shocked at how Scarlet & Violet looked back then.
What has been improved? As the team behind Pokémon states on their own page, the upgrade increases the image quality and frame rate. Specifically, this means: a resolution of 1080p and a rate of 60 frames per second.
Both on the display of the Nintendo Switch 2 and on the television, the difference is supposed to be noticeable. The increased frame rate ensures smoother movements. The upgrade is available for free, whereas other games for Switch 2 require a price for it.
How does the Switch 2 version compare? On the Switch 2, Pokémon runs significantly better than on the Switch. This is particularly evident in the number of Pokémon that suddenly appear in the wild. Additionally, windmills no longer run in still images, but rather smoothly. The same goes for the children in the classroom.
The textures have only been minimally revised. The upgrade focused more on performance than on the art style. You can see the comparison yourself in several videos, including on the X account of PokéNext.
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Pokémon Scarlet & Violet brings back the most popular starters to the game
“No longer a PS2 game, but a PS3 game”
What are the fans saying? Under several comparison videos, players draw a rather sobering conclusion. YouTuber Lennyficate for example states that through the upgrade he hopes that these technical specifications will finally be the standard for future Pokémon generations.
In the comments, things get a bit more aggressive:
Letskickitup says: “Now it doesn’t look like a PS2 game anymore, but like a PS3 game”
Artorias3966 agrees: “I generally understand the approach of preferring to invest money and get a decent product instead of half-baked upgrades that are given for free later. But seriously, what is being provided here should have been a given, considering the original state of the games.”
Sephiroth1992 compares: “I find it sad that ‘New Pokemon Snap’ just looked so much better than the current games. Maybe Bandai Namco should develop the games next …”
Another YouTuber named LEOsMIND congratulates Pokémon Scarlet & Violet for finally arriving in the 21st century. In his comments, ZeraTroniX summarizes: “I don’t want to say that I didn’t notice the 30fps, but in comparison, it’s unbelievable what we have subjected ourselves to.”
Last night, on June 12, 2025, the embargo fell for the many YouTubers and streamers who were allowed to play Chrono Odyssey for two days. Their reports show: The MMORPG has potential, but also still many issues.
Who was allowed to play Chrono Odyssey and for how long? So far, the new MMORPG from Chrono Studio has only had exclusive focus group tests, the most recent of which allowed a selected group of YouTubers and streamers to play Chrono Odyssey for two days.
Invited were mainly English-speaking content creators who specialize in MMOs and MMORPGs – such as Kanon (YouTube), who has already participated in two tests and can show around 70 hours of gameplay, as well as MMOByte (YouTube) and BagginsTV (YouTube). From the German scene, Entenburg was invited, and you can also find his preview report on YouTube.
The latest trailer for Chrono Odyssey from the Summer Game Fest 2025:
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Chrono Odyssey: Trailer from Summer Game Fest 2025 shows action-packed battles and a dark world
Great potential, but also many issues
What do the testers report? Many genre fans ultimately draw a positive conclusion about their experiences with the “Early Game” of Chrono Odyssey, but emphasize that the developers still have a lot of work ahead of them.
Entenburg describes it in his video, for example, as a game that wants to be a AAA MMORPG but comes from an indie studio and therefore does not (yet) have the polish and the qualities at the top that one would expect from a AAA product.
In the following, we will go through the most important areas and summarize the general sentiment of the testers.
Character Creation
Has many options, but probably does not quite reach the level of builders like the one from Black Desert.
No gender lock for the 6 classes, you can freely choose the gender.
At times, the character models in the game are probably significantly uglier than in character creation.
Structure of the Early Game
At the beginning, you are briefly guided to internalize basic systems and mechanics.
Quite early on (at level 3 or 4), you arrive at the first Chaos Gate, where a challenging boss fight awaits you. Many initially failed there and had to look for other content or activities to level up and improve equipment.
For character progression, you have the free choice of life skills (gathering and crafting), bounty hunts, world events, quests, enemy drops, dungeon content, or exploration of the game world. In exploring the world, you will also encounter enemies that are significantly stronger than you.
Once you have mastered the first Chaos Gate, you will receive the first ability to manipulate time as a reward. After that, you are supposed to find and master the next Chaos Gate. When to attempt this is up to you.
As not many players participated in the test, the world felt quite empty, and it was difficult to find companions for group content. However, many activities can be done well solo – despite the high difficulty level (more on that later).
You can watch Entenburg’s video here:
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The graphics in the beta version are nowhere near as pretty as shown in the first trailers. A Throne and Liberty has a noticeably higher graphic quality, for example.
However, the world is atmospherically and unusually darkly staged, exploring the world feels exciting and rewarding – which is also due to the dynamic events and random encounters and the constant danger from strong enemies. You sometimes have to master jumping passages to reach a hidden chest, for example.
The map of the world unfolds only gradually. You can highlight special places with your own markers. There is no mini-map; you navigate with a compass.
There are still many graphic errors, especially with the lighting in many regions. Some areas are far too dark, others are unpleasantly brightly lit, or the screen flickers continuously.
No one reported performance problems. However, the enemies sometimes move very jerkily and laggy, making fights feel suboptimal. Additionally, their animations sometimes seem oddly subdued and uneven.
The unobtrusive user interface is praised by many players. Only the skill icons could be more distinct.
The characters are quite mobile, can swim, climb low ledges, and have a double jump.
Fights
Many testers generally had fun with the action-packed fights, although Entenburg emphasizes that he finds the equivalent from New World significantly better. He also criticizes that the camera is too close to the character, causing a lack of overview at times.
Kanon explains, on the other hand, that Chrono Odyssey comes as close to a “Dark Souls MMORPG” as possible – which is mainly due to the combat and setting.
Berserkers and sword masters are said to feel wonderfully hefty and possess fun skills.
The ranger, on the other hand, still needs quite a bit of work: the range of the bow is said to be unusually low, while clear hits miss the target. The latter is all the more annoying because headshots reward increased damage.
The sound effects of the crossbow and rapier seem inappropriate. The hit feedback is mixed; at times, attacks feel very hefty, while at other times enemies do not react at all.
With the dodge roll, once started skill animations cannot be interrupted. This can quickly become dangerous, especially with slow weapons like the two-handed axe.
The cooldown times of the skills are initially a bit too long.
Overall, many testers explain that the difficulty level of many contents from Chrono Odyssey is unusually high. There are frequent character deaths. You can achieve a lot very early with skill and perfect dodging/blocking, but mistakes are sometimes harshly punished. This, however, receives a lot of praise because it finally offers a challenge again.
Activities like Dungeons, Crafting, and Bounty Hunts
The bounty quests are probably just simple: Find boss X in region Y, take him down, bring the head to NPC Z. This brings loot and bounty tokens that you can exchange for equipment.
Crafting feels as good and motivating as in New World, with each tool quality allowing you to gather all associated resources – it just takes a long time to chop down a huge tree with a bad axe. Leveling gathering skills only affects the speed and efficiency of resource gathering. There is no punishing random system in crafting.
As for PvP, in the test you could only duel or mark yourself for PvP in the open world. However, this does not seem to be well balanced.
The first 3-player dungeon of the game offers solid PvE content.
Some of the dungeon content is very unspectacular as it only consists of a few switch puzzles or jumping passages.
In the mazes, you often have to master jumping passages and puzzles to reach a boss. These are very rewarding, but can be frustrating because some traps are hard or impossible to avoid and the character does not always respond optimally.
The world bosses played very challenging during the test, even with multiple players.
The trials are solo content for which you need keys and where you choose between several doors to face the challenges behind them. These can be bosses or the traversal of a room, such as a water basin full of sharks. The quality of this content varies greatly.
The YouTuber Kanon has already hinted that some of the weaknesses mentioned by the testers are said to have been fixed in a newer version of the game. However, he was not allowed to disclose details.
Nevertheless, the impression remains that the inexperienced studio might ultimately overreach itself with the set release in 2025. After all, only the “Early Game” has been tested, which has revealed many issues both technically and in terms of concrete content.
These errors are likely to persist in later regions and activities. Will a few months be enough to fix all of that? We at the MeinMMO editorial team are skeptical, but of course, we want to get our own impression of the game in the upcoming beta test.
By the way: From June 20 to 22, 2025, the closed beta for Chrono Odyssey will take place on Steam, where you will be able to play the exact version that the YouTubers played. About 1 million interested players are supposed to be let onto the servers. Everything you need to know about the test can be found here: Chrono Odyssey: Closed Beta Starting Soon – Here’s How to Join and What’s Included
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At the Steam Next Fest, there are again some demos of upcoming games. MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes has grabbed a short demo of one of his favorite anime and was pleasantly surprised by the genre.
Which anime is it about? The Grappler Baki series by manga artist Keisuke Itagaki can be summarized quite easily: Baki wants to defeat his father Yujiro and become the strongest fighter in the world. Along the way, he meets other fighters, fights, or watches others fight.
It’s as absurd as it is brutal, and I really enjoy it. In every fight, there are explanations of fighting techniques that are so crazy that you just have to laugh. The impact of the fights can convince, and that also applies to the Netflix series, which unfortunately is somewhat less animated.
When I was looking for exciting demos for the Steam Next Fest, I had to download Baki Hanma: Blood Arena right away, and surprisingly it’s not a classic fighting game. It is inspired by an old Nintendo classic, which I liked quite a bit.
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Baki Hanma: Blood Arena – Trailer for the new game in the universe of the fighting anime
Who remembers Punch-Out?
What is the demo of the game like? To my great surprise, Baki Hanma: Blood Arena is not a classic fighting game like Street Fighter or Tekken. The game is based on the Nintendo classic Punch-Out. The camera is behind the character, and you can punch with your left and right fists and dodge in different directions with the stick or arrow keys.
In the fight, you also charge a special meter that executes a strong attack with the appropriate animation. If you or your opponent has no life left, it’s still not over. First, a count is done, and if you then quickly press the attack button, you can get up again. But the opponent can also get up.
In the fight itself, you have to react to your opponent and learn the attacks to dodge perfectly. It’s not particularly lavishly animated, but it helps with visibility in combat, so I actually had no problems with it. The art style is heavily inspired by the Netflix series that started in 2018.
The style is further supported by occasional reactions from other characters from the series, which fits perfectly with the manga and anime series.
As a fan of the series, I felt right at home. You can already see familiar characters in the demo, and the short demo was definitely fun. The first fight played solidly, even though you have to get used to the gameplay. Despite the reduced animations, the flair of the fights was well captured.
The gameplay could also be interesting for non-fans, especially if you want to play a somewhat different fighter. However, you should have an affinity for absurd anime fights.
After the first fight, you get a little sneak peek at other mechanics, and they already promise that the game will certainly want to offer variety. For example, an attack from the opponent to the eyes prevented you from seeing to the left.
It remains to be seen if the game will achieve this in the final version. As a small title for in-between, I will definitely keep an eye on the game.
A new DLC is coming for RimWorld. We reveal what’s in the update of the colony simulation and why the game sets new standards.
Colony simulations have a very special charm. You usually start with a very small group and few resources, gradually building a colony, a village, or even an entire empire. Few games manage this as well and comprehensively as RimWorld, where you can plan the lives of individual colonists down to the smallest detail.
The Steam game from 2018 has been expanded repeatedly over the past years. Now a new DLC called “Odyssey” is coming – and it finally allows us to build our own spaceships (“Gravship”).
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The Official Trailer for RimWorld by Ludeon Studios
What’s in the new DLC? The upcoming DLC named “Odyssey” allows your colonists to build their own spaceships and equip them with various technologies. Whether you build small ships for exploration or even entire flying warehouses is up to you and your colonists.
A well-equipped Gravship acts as a fully functional base, allowing you to fly from map to map to plunder its resources, enslave a few natives, or wipe out one or another alien species. This, of course, only succeeds if you build your Gravship skillfully and protect it from the adversities of space. Because in space it’s cold while the ship’s propulsion technology generates a lot of heat. If a small fire breaks out, the whole crew can quickly meet their doom.
In addition to the Gravships, there are numerous other new contents. New biomes, new species, and quests, as well as new weapons. But beware: Those who draw too much attention in space might encounter an ancient machine being that doesn’t take kindly to competition…
Is there a release date yet? A specific release date has not yet been announced, but it is mentioned that patch 1.6 and the Odyssey DLC should be released “in a month” – roughly around July 11.
That should be enough time to dive back into the many different mechanics of RimWorld. After all, the game is extremely complex and offers many ways to design your own colony – or to lose it in the most disastrous way possible.
This weekend you can challenge Gigantamax Inteleon in Pokémon GO for the first time. We will show you which counters you should use and what else the associated event has to offer.
From Saturday, June 14, 2025, at 6:00 AM to Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 9:00 PM, you can challenge Inteleon in its Gigantamax form. If you are more of a collector and on the hunt for Shinies, you can look forward to an increased shiny chance for 2 monsters during the entire duration of the Phantom Ruins.
Start video
Pokémon GO starts new season Pleasant Days – Trailer for the season
Gigantamax Inteleon – The best counters
Which attackers are suitable against Inteleon? The strong monster is of the Water type. Therefore, you should use the following attackers when challenging Gigantamax Inteleon:
Gigantamax Gortrom
Gigantamax Riffex
Gigantamax Bisaflor
Dynamax Zapdos with Thunder Shock
Dynamax Raikou with Thunder Shock
Gigantamax monsters have a prescribed Dyna Attack, unlike Dynamax monsters where the instant attack determines which Dyna Attack your monster possesses. Therefore, you should ensure that Zapdos and Raikou learn Thunder Shock as their instant attack.
Which defenders are good against Inteleon? To withstand the strong attacks from Inteleon, you should use the following Pokémon as defenders:
Turtok (Gigantamax or Dynamax)
Bisaflor (Gigantamax or Dynamax)
Kingler (Gigantamax or Dynamax)
Gigantamax Lapras
Dynamax Heitera
What strategy is recommended for the fight? The Gigantamax battles are the toughest challenges that Pokémon GO currently offers. Accordingly, good preparation and strategy are necessary to successfully complete the fight.
You should have enough trainers with you before starting the battle. Each 4 trainers form a team. Within your team, you should discuss which trainer takes on which role (attacker, healer, shield).
Additionally, you should use your defending Pokémon until your dynamo meter is filled. Then switch to the Pokémon that corresponds to your assigned role and perform your Dyna attacks. After that, switch back to your defender and repeat the process.
To get the most out of your monsters, you should level them accordingly. Teaching and leveling the strong Dyna attacks are also important factors for successfully completing the battle.
Which Pokémon have an increased shiny chance? If you encounter Mollimorba and Paragoni in the wild, through smoke, or in field research during the event, you can expect to encounter the shiny variants of both monsters with increased probability.
Which monsters are available in the event? You can encounter various Pokémon in the event, both in the wild, by using smoke, and in field research.
In the wild:
Rihorn*
Zwirrlicht*
Pionskora*
Rotomurf*
Flapteryx*
Mollimorba*
Golbit*
Paragoni*
Zobiris* (rare)
Palimpalim* (rare)
Through smoke:
Zobiris*
Palimpalim*
Mollimorba*
Geronimatz*
Paragoni*
Gruff
In field research:
Mollimorba*
Geronimatz*
Paragoni*
Gruff
All monsters marked with an * can also be obtained as shiny.
What bonuses are there in the event? In addition to the increased shiny chance for Mollimorba and Paragoni, there are the following bonuses that will be active during the event:
double experience points when catching Pokémon
the collection limit for Dyna particles is increased to 1,600
8 times the amount of Dyna particles at power sources
Other contents of the event: Additionally, there will be collector challenges during the event, where you can earn Pokémon as rewards.
You can also purchase a paid, limited-time research for $1.99 (about €2). Here you will receive 5 smoke as well as encounters with Mollimorba and Paragoni.
The current month brings you, as usual, various events and contents in Pokémon GO. If you want to get an overview of what they are and when they take place, feel free to take a look at our overview of all events in June 2025 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Dune: Awakening players have developed a new method to deal with their opponents in the Deep Desert. However, the developers are not pleased with this and intervene.
What is this new method? In Dune: Awakening, in the endgame PvP area Deep Desert, players have the opportunity to kill other players. Ideally, they should encounter each other in action-packed fights on foot, in the air, or in a vehicle, but players have found a better way to engage in PvP.
Similar to GTA 5 in online mode, players simply park their ornithopters on top of other players to take them out. This crushes the characters and can even lead to death. Those who die drop resources and money, which the attackers can then collect.
In this video on Reddit, you can see how it looks:
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Why is this such a problem? As a player, it is hardly possible to defend against the attacks. If there is no way to shoot rockets at enemy aircraft, for example from a buggy or combat ornithopter, one can only dodge the attacks.
Shooting at the aircraft is exceedingly inefficient and, due to the inability to move much, carries a higher risk of being crushed.
How are the developers reacting? The developers of Dune: Awakening have already responded to the incident on Reddit. They write:
Yes, we are sorry. We have people working to fix the Goomba stomping as quickly as possible.
Despite the developers’ statement, the bug fix did not make it into the latest patch 1.1.0.13. So it remains to be seen when the problem will disappear from the servers.
Have you heard about the one riding the sandworm?
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Spieler schafft das Unmögliche in Dune: Awakening auf Steam, reitet auf einem Sandwurm durch die Wüste
Griefing is getting worse
How bad is the problem? Cedric Holmeier is a freelance author at MeinMMO and currently plays a lot of Dune: Awakening. He says:
On my server, griefing has now taken over. Bases are being built into each other, dungeons are being blocked with bases. Players are flying with combat ornithopters through the Deep Desert and just want to farm kills. This is all different from what the developers want and promised. Even in the beta, players have already tried to block or damage my sandbike with their ornithopter. I have also experienced attempts to “park to death” players with the ornithopter.
The problem is that the anti-grief protection is currently insufficient and rather prevents players from being able to defend themselves. This makes it hardly possible to do anything against the griefers. Reports to support are also not really possible due to the lack of nametags in the open world. The problem runs deep in Dune: Awakening and primarily affects players who just want to be left alone while griefers are having a lot of fun.
New campaign, new quest lines, overloaded depths, and class changes. Patch 11.1.7 for World of Warcraft brings a lot of new features.
The next patch of World of Warcraft is just a few days away. While there won’t be any new raids or dungeons coming into play, there will be some new content, such as a new campaign around the orcs and humans, or many exciting stories about Lorewalker Cho and the history of Azeroth.
Start video
WoW admits: When it comes to housing, it was inspired by WildStar
What’s in the new patch? Although the patch is actually just a rather small update, there are still a number of new content and improvements that will keep players busy for at least a few days or weeks. These include:
The Rise of the Red Twilight: A quest campaign in the Arathi Highlands that revolves around a resurgent conflict between Horde and Alliance.
Lorewalker Quests: Some of the most important WoW quest lines can be experienced with Lorewalker Cho. Including Arthas, the Astral beings, or the origins of Xal’atath.
Overloaded Depths: Some depths are now overloaded – they have better rewards but are also harder. Also, you can upgrade a belt with special abilities.
Single Key Assistant: Do you want to play WoW with just one key? You can! A new option will always select a sensible ability for you, but it comes with a drawback.
Timewalking: Battle for Azeroth: The “Turbulent Timeways” event returns and now also includes the dungeons from Battle for Azeroth.
When will the patch be released? Patch 11.1.7 will be released next Wednesday, June 18, 2025. As usual, the update will go live a few hours earlier in America, so on June 17. For those interested in the full patch notes, you can find them on the next page with all the details. But beware: that’s a lot. Even before the patch, WoW has significantly improved tanks – they now hold aggro much better!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On Tuesday, pre-orders started for a special Special Edition from the universe of Warhammer 40,000. Scalpers were also after it, but Games Workshop was determined to ruin their plans and took drastic measures.
What kind of edition is this? It is a special edition of the anthology Era of Ruin (The Horus Heresy: Siege of Terra) from the Warhammer 40,000 universe. It comes with a stylish leather binding and is strictly limited. The pre-orders were supposed to go live on June 10, 2025, at 11 AM our time (that’s 4 AM CST).
But if the words “limited edition” set off alarm bells for you, you’re exactly right, as they are calling scalpers back into play. To protect against them and their bot armies, Games Workshop set up a digital queue – but that wasn’t enough.
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The trailer for the new edition of the Horus Heresy in Warhammer 40,000
Games Workshop takes its own website offline
How did the launch go? Not well at all. Games Workshop took Warhammer.com offline temporarily that same day. As they later revealed on Facebook, scalpers attempted to circumvent security measures using bots, an “abominable intelligence, if there ever was one” (via PC Gamer).
Anyone who is a big enough Warhammer fan to pre-order the Special Edition surely understands the reference to Silica Animus, also known as “Abominable Intelligence.” It is therefore easy to see how Games Workshop feels about the methods of the scalpers.
What’s next: The launch of Era of Ruin has been postponed for now, and the edition has disappeared from the website for the time being. The authorities state that they are determined to allow real fans access.
Anyone who is such a fan and is flesh and blood can be informed about the re-launch via email from Games Workshop.
On Reddit, players share their messages they received from Gabe Newell when they wrote an email to the Steam boss.
Gabe Newell is the founder of Valve, the company behind the gaming platform Steam. He is a gamer himself and, despite running one of the largest gaming platforms in the world, still appears down to earth.
He repeatedly responds to fan mails, even if they contain seemingly trivial content. Players on Reddit recently shared their stories behind the messages they received from Gabe Newell.
The discussion was kicked off by user TokyoWhiskey, who posted his message from Gabe Newell on Reddit. He was visibly surprised and touched that the Valve founder had written back to him.
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Commercial for the Joule Kitchen Appliance with Gabe Newell from Valve
“He is the GOAT”
What stories do players share? Even more exciting are the comments under the post. Here, people share their stories from their interactions with the Valve founder.
User Flyingsheep_ writes, for example, that he asked Gabe Newell for advice a few years ago: “A few years ago, I sent him an email letting him know that I wanted to get into the gaming industry and asked for his advice. He gave me a whole list of resources and some really solid advice. He is the GOAT.” (Source Reddit).
Apparently, Gabe Newell also had time for jokes, as user Foursiide reports: “When I was a dumb teenager, I sent GabeN short lists of dumb jokes, and he mostly responded with his own.” (Source Reddit).
boom1ng says (on Reddit) that Gabe Newell even helped him name his cat after he received a picture of the pet.
Apparently, a response from the Steam boss does not take too long to arrive. Users Un-revealing and TokyoWhiskey share that Gabe Newell responded within 8 and 2 hours respectively.
Reddit user EgoSenatus explains the background of the messages: “It was a few years ago, but there was a rare Gab interview in which he admitted that he reads every single customer email sent to him and does his best to respond to them in some form. He said that he spends about 4 hours a day doing that.”
MindsEye, the new shooter from the former head of GTA, has just launched on Steam and PS5, but is already facing major problems. The performance is so poor that Sony is even breaking its golden rule and giving players their money back.
What game is it about? MindsEye is the first game from Build a Rocket Boy, the new studio of former GTA head Leslie Benzies. In the first gameplay trailer, the 3rd-person shooter, with its urban flair, fast cars, and action-packed shootouts, also quite resembled its big brother.
Since the release on June 10, 2025, however, a completely different parallel becomes evident: to the disastrous launch of Cyberpunk 2077. Because MindsEye is plagued by performance issues and the reviews on Steam are only “mixed” with just 40% recommendations (via Steam).
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The shooter ‘MindsEye’ shows first gameplay in the new trailer
Screenshots of successful refunds for PlayStation players are already circulating on social media. Those accustomed to the relatively relaxed refund policy of Steam may not find it too unusual at first, but Sony is notoriously known for money being gone once the game is downloaded.
The fact that the refund goes through without problems and the customer service even admits to being aware of the difficulties and “investigating the situation” – as one user shows on Reddit – is a very bad sign for MindsEye.
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In fact, the only larger title where Sony has shown such understanding is Cyberpunk 2077 – or maybe the PS4 killer Anthem. Cyberpunk was removed from the PlayStation Store shortly after its disastrous launch – a fate that MindsEye could also be facing.
With the Twitch streamer Marcel “MontanaBlack” Eris is being advertised for a perfume, although he knows nothing about it.The YouTuber Klengan took a closer look at the advertisement in a video.
What kind of advertisement is this? It is an advertisement for a shop that sells fragrance twins. It imitates expensive scents from well-known large brands and sells them at a lower price.
The company has been advertising on platforms like Reddit for some time, and it seems that the Twitch streamer MontanaBlack is recommending the perfume and promoting it. In a clip, he allegedly raves about the scent Imperial: “I just sprayed myself and the [scent] lasts for two or three days.” (via YouTube).
After that, the Twitch streamer names the perfume and continues: “This is the best scent I’ve ever smelled.”
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MontanaBlack is one of the most well-known streamers in Germany – This was his very first video
MontanaBlack is not the only one affected
What’s behind this? The advertisement apparently originated without the Twitch streamer’s knowledge and is not real. He is not actually promoting the perfume, and his voice in the second part of the video, when he mentions the name of the perfume, seems to be AI-generated.
As YouTuber Klengan uncovered, the clip of MontanaBlack used for the advertisement is several years old, and the Twitch streamer originally talks about a completely different perfume, namely Ombre Nomade by Louis Vuitton. This can also be seen in this TikTok:
The perfume influencer Jeremy Fragrance is also being used for this advertisement, as Klengan shows in his video (on YouTube). However, in this case, the video itself has also been manipulated, and not just the voice imitated, as with the clip of MontanaBlack. The excerpt from Jeremy Fragrance originally comes from an interview with the magazine VICE, as Klengan shows.
The large reach that influencers have built up during their careers is often used by companies for advertising and collaborations. When this is done in consultation with the respective content creator, it is called a collaboration.
Simply imitating the face or voice of an internet star and staging it for one’s own purposes seems, at least morally questionable.
Klengan elaborates in his video that there is not really an effective way to combat such AI-generated content. While you can have the content blocked if you become aware of it, by then a corresponding damage may have already occurred.
Ultimately, the respective platforms need time to review the content and then delete it if necessary. In the meantime, the video may have already been viewed by many.
How powerless one is in the long run against such actions is also demonstrated by the fact that the advertisements were already spread a year ago, as can be seen on TikTok.
MontanaBlack himself has not yet commented on the advertisement. The fact that the Twitch streamer is making advertisements as an AI-generated version is not far from reality. In the past, a fake MontanaBlack advertised new varieties of his beverage brand GÖNRGY, showing that the Twitch streamer could already retire if he wanted. You can read more about this on MeinMMO: A supermarket advertises with a double of MontanaBlack – Shows that the Twitch streamer could retire
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is getting its first DLC with new content as well as a free update for all. The developers invited MeinMMO to see the new class in advance, but that is just one of the highlights.
What kind of game is this?
In Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, you play as a convicted criminal who must complete missions in the macro-pole Atoma that are too dangerous for “normal” servants of the Imperium.
Cultists of Chaos have infected the Underhives, and now you must restore order. Your survival is optional (unless you want to complete the mission).
Similar to Left4Dead, you play in co-op with groups of 4 players and must complete various tasks in each mission, defeat hordes of enemies, and receive a reward at the end.
This is included in the DLC: With the Arbites DLC, the first new class comes into play, the namesake lawkeeper of the Adeptus Arbites. You will have the chance to play as a policeman instead of a criminal for the first time.
The Arbites is a kind of tank class that focuses on high health and enemy control. It comes with a wide selection of new weapons, skills, and a companion:
Arbites shock maul and shotgun are improved versions of the weapons already in the game.
Additionally, you have a shield that you can carry along with a melee weapon or even a pistol.
Your cyber-mastiff is a cybernetically enhanced dog with steel limbs and jaws that you can command to attack enemies.
With your abilities, you can make yourself tougher or empower allies by deploying a speaker skull that propagates buffs for the team (and debuffs for enemies).
The Arbites DLC will be released on June 23 for all platforms (Steam, Xbox, Game Pass, PS5) and will cost €11.99 or €18.99 in the Deluxe Edition with cosmetic extras like skins and portrait frames.
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Der Cinematic zur neuen Klasse in Warhammer 40.000: Darktide, dem Adeptus Arbites
The Space Robocop is cool, but the free upgrades are the highlight
From a gameplay perspective, the Arbites fits excellently into the other classes. It is not significantly stronger or weaker and has its role in the team. Until now, the hefty Ogryns were the meat shields of the team, but they were slow and the “heavy weapons guys.”
The Arbites is a “human” tank with many options and different play styles—either with a greater focus on defense, support, or the companion. Mainly, as an Arbitrator, you are there to incapacitate enemies and enable the team to secure kills.
And yes: You can freely name and pet the dog (and also give it different skins that look quite grotesque, typical of Warhammer).
Along with the paid DLC, there will also be a free update for all players of Darktide. This brings improvements to weapons like shotguns as a general category (so you don’t feel obligated to buy the Arbites for its pump). The free update includes among other things:
an improved story plus campaign that you can play (or skip) – and a “debriefing” after missions to show your impact
better onboarding for new players, meaning: gameplay and story are better linked to make the entry smoother
revised difficulties that you now unlock based on skill and not just level
more missions that are available to you simultaneously, and all are playable on any difficulty
In Dune: Awakening, you build a shelter to protect yourself from the dangers of the desert world. Unfortunately, these structures can sometimes do the opposite and suddenly a giant sandworm shows up. A player has turned this into a tourist attraction.
What are the sandworms after? In a thread on Reddit, a player explains that the sandworms seem to dislike a specific wall panel in the shelter. Once you build that element in Dune: Awakening, the worm apparently spawns directly beneath the base and jumps out of the sand to dismantle it.
The player’s base is not located on open sand, but according to his post, directly in front of a test station completely surrounded by rocks. He then decided to have some fun and turned it into an attraction.
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Dune: Awakening: 7 schnelle Tipps, die das Spiel euch nicht verrät
“Shai-Hulud hates this one wall”
What exactly did he build? The user shadowclaw2000 presents on Reddit his “Shai-Hulud Viewing and Worship Area.” Shai-Hulud is the name of the sandworm among the Fremen. The structure consists of a large platform with seating, lights, and an open area from which you can look outside.
He adds: “Please keep hands and feet in the designated seating area. The souvenir shop is located on level 1. Thank you for visiting Arrakis.”
As soon as the faulty wall is placed, the action begins. The typical sounds of the sandworm are heard, its icon pops up on the compass, and a few seconds later, the colossus wriggles out of the sand to dismantle the wall:
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He got the idea because a user commented on his first clip on Reddit, saying this is probably the most specific bug of all time. He decided to celebrate it – perhaps with a cathedral for the worship of the worm.
What do other players say about it? Under his video, where he showcases his attraction, users praise him for the implementation. And long_man_dan jokingly says, “You are the Shai-Hulud Whisperer.” Trillerion_ recalls that he experienced the bug during the beta: “That scared me to death.”
The user Groundbreaking-Ask-5 has another idea right away: “The attraction could be called: ‘Watch & Feed Shai-Hulud’. With a high platform from which you can throw food into its maw.”
Others ask the builder about the bike that appeared after the worm’s “visit.” Davidiusz jokingly asks if the sandworm gifted him a vehicle. To this, shadowclaw2000 replies that he left his sandbike on the ground floor. But apparently, Shai-Hulud wanted it parked on the first floor.
If you’re just starting with Dune: Awakening and building your first shelter, you shouldn’t invest much time and resources anyway. Just build the essentials because: as soon as you leave the first region for a quest, you’ll need to move. More tips for getting started in the survival MMO can be found here: Dune: Awakening – 10 tips for beginners to help you start significantly easier
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
When it comes to bringing your game to the people, there are various options such as Steam and Epic Games, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, as well as Game Pass. Developers are now talking about Game Pass and how well or poorly it has done for their games.
What do the creators of Palworld say? Recently, there have been many discussions on X.com about Game Pass and whether it benefits or harms video games. While Game Pass offers its subscribers hundreds of games, sometimes on release day, the developers behind the titles also have to keep an eye on the financial aspects.
The creators of Palworld seem to be very satisfied with their release on Game Pass. Both the game Craftopia and their current hit Palworld are playable for subscribers at no extra cost.
I feel like I have a little more knowledge on the subject than most, so I’ll just say: Yes, it’s definitely worth having your game on Game Pass 😌.
By the way, I speak from the perspective of an indie developer. I have no experience in the AAA sector, so I don’t know what kind of deals are being negotiated there, but we have delivered 2 games through Game Pass and were very satisfied with both, so I can only say that I am happy with the experience I had 😌.
Thanks to Patch 0.5.0, you can now play Palworld with your friends from other platforms:
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Update 0.5.0 for Palworld finally lets you play with friends on other platforms
A shooter chief sees it differently
Who is it about? Alex Hutchinson is the Creative Director of the action-adventure shooter “Revenge of the Savage Planet” and has previously worked on games like “Far Cry 4”, “Assassin’s Creed 3”, and “Sims 2”. He is an experienced developer and knows the industry well.
In an interview with GamerSocialClub, he also talked about Game Pass and its impact on the revenue of “Revenge of the Savage Planet”. He sees the matter quite differently from the Community Manager of Palworld. For him, Game Pass has devalued his game.
We have seen that content has been devalued and people are less willing to pay for something, which in the long run will likely lead to fewer games being made and many more studios going under.
The developers’ hope was that through Game Pass, more players would discover the title and “at least buy the small add-on package or encourage a friend to buy it on another platform so they can play together.” However, these hopes have so far remained unfulfilled.
The chief explains that they have not seen these developments “at all or [at least] not yet.” There wasn’t a boost in purchases on Steam from players who then play with other gamers from Game Pass.
However, the developers of “Revenge of the Savage Planet” are satisfied with the collaboration with Microsoft: “But [Microsoft] is a great partner, and we are very happy to be able to work with them.”
Stellar Blade hits like a (very pretty) bomb for the second time. EVE invites over 100,000 players simultaneously to the screens on Steam.
When a game transitions from console to PC, there are often concerns. Many ports are faulty, have FPS limitations, or don’t play as smoothly as on the original console. Stellar Blade seems to be a lovely exception, receiving plenty of praise. The developers at SHIFT UP seem to have done everything right, and it shows: Over 120,000 players are simultaneously playing Stellar Blade on Steam.
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The action-adventure Stellar Blade shows the story trailer for PS5
This is how player numbers have developed: Stellar Blade made an extremely strong entry on Steam. Just a day after the release, it hit over 120,000 simultaneous players, achieving a significant milestone.
It can be assumed that the numbers will rise a bit throughout the day as late afternoon and evening approach.
Stellar Blade is taking off – for the second time. Image source: Steamdb.info
What makes Stellar Blade so good? Stellar Blade is a strong action-adventure with beautiful visuals, benefiting greatly from the highly appealing protagonist EVE. The game blends hack-and-slash elements with RPG components and a pinch of Soulslike.
Only the story and the somewhat mixed art design of the enemies are often points of criticism, leading to a few smaller logical gaps in the game. However, that fades behind EVE, her strong abilities, and the great music that transforms every boss fight into an adrenaline rush.
How does the community rate the game? Stellar Blade is also extremely well-received by the community on Steam. At present, the game is rated “Overwhelmingly Positive” with 96% positive reviews.
Searching through all the positive reviews after serious critiques is not so easy. Most of the reviews on Steam were likely written in a state where the head was a bit blood-starved, as it decided to wander to other regions. However, there are some sensible reviews.
Megatrondeathray writes:
I originally played the game multiple times on PS5. The core gameplay is great. Imagine Nier Automata + Sekiro (but easier than that). It’s a beautifully looking, post-apocalyptic sci-fi game with really great environments and world building, but somewhat questionable voice acting. The timing for parrying and dodging needs to be learned, but it’s not unmanageable. The music feels like it’s straight out of Nier Automata.
Especially praised is the fact that the PC port looks extremely good, and there are no FPS limitations or other issues that usually occur when a game transitions from console to PC. Yukari states:
“An outstanding PC port. The developers should be praised just for that.”
The success of Stellar Blade continues on PC. How long the trend will last for a single-player game remains to be seen, but so far it looks like the game is a full success for the second time. If you want to try out Stellar Blade before buying it, you can do so – the demo can be tried for free.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
For many, Superman is probably considered the prototype superhero. He represents hope, heroism, and a certain superiority. However, in 1993, he was killed by another powerful being in an important storyline.
Which storyline is it? Superman made his first appearance in Action Comics No. 1 in 1938. He quickly became one of the most well-known superheroes, still relevant today. A new film about the hero will be released again in July 2025.
The radiant, seemingly unbeatable hero was killed by DC in 1993 in a popular storyline by one of his most powerful enemies.
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Duel of Two Giants in the Trailer for ‘Batman v Superman’
Superman faced an opponent that no one else could stop
What kind of opponent was that? In 1992, a new powerful enemy freed itself from its shackles in the comic Superman: The Man of Steel No. 18. An unknown humanoid being, surrounded by tubes, fights through a mountain and begins a wave of destruction.
This was quickly noticed by the Justice League America. At that time, the group, aside from Superman who was giving an interview, consisted of rather lesser-known heroes. Maxima, Booster Gold, Guy Gardner, Blue Beetle, Ice, Fire, and Bloodwynd set out to assess the situation.
They began the fight with the being later named Doomsday, after the Last Judgment. It quickly became clear that the heroes stood no chance. Doomsday was simply too strong, and after a desperate battle, Superman received the information that his team needed help.
The cover of the new edition of The Death of Superman.
However, even with Superman’s help, Doomsday could not be easily defeated. After all his friends had failed, only he remained in the fight with the monster, while he simultaneously tried to save lives.
After a fierce and brutal battle, the hero managed to kill Doomsday, but he paid a great price: In issue Superman No. 75, the hero died in January 1993.
Superman’s biggest problem in the early ’90s was sales numbers
Why was Superman actually killed? Superman was seen as a shining hero who could withstand any threat, which is why his death was quite surprising. As Christian Heiß explains in the introduction to the 2025 new edition of The Death of Superman, more violent anti-heroes were particularly popular in the early ’90s. Marvel, in particular, scored points during that time.
As Owen Likes Comics explains in a YouTube video, even insignificant Marvel titles managed to outpace the major DC icons in sales.
Superman’s sales numbers also dropped. The radiant hero did not fit into the anti-hero era. The announcement that Superman would die caused uproar and culminated in the finale of the storyline in the comic Superman No. 75 (1993).
Mike Carlin explains in the documentary Look Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman (via YouTube): The world took Superman for granted, so we literally said: Let’s show the world what it would be like without Superman.
According to Heiß, the issue sold over 6 million copies, a pretty high number for a single issue. By comparison: In 2024, Absolute Batman No. 1 was the best-selling comic of the year with over 400,000 copies sold (source: aiptcomics.com).
The event was so public that it was even reported in CNN News (via YouTube). Although the death seemed quite final, viewers doubted that the great hero would be dead forever. And as we know even today, the hero naturally returned.
What does MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes say about The Death of Superman? Panini has sent us the new collection of The Death of Superman as an editorial review copy. After reading not only the exciting story but also the context behind it, the idea for this article arose.
I have mainly read modern comics, so I had to get used to the ’90s style. But it happened quickly. I found the perspectives of some pages and panels particularly memorable. A whole page using a camera lens is something I won’t forget anytime soon.
I also enjoyed the story. The whole collection has almost nonstop action that plays with the idea of Superman. His role in society and the city is addressed without being pushed on the reader in words.
Particularly good is the adversary Doomsday. Almost as a counterpoint to Superman, he works well as a villain, even though he lacks motivation and a significant character. Ironically, among all the anti-heroes we now see in cinema or TV, this comic was a refreshing change.
How can I read The Death of Superman? Since the story is quite iconic, there are many collections that summarize the story from Doomsday’s appearance to Superman’s death.
For collectors, it’s harder to obtain the individual issues. However, if you’re interested in the story itself, there has been a new edition of the story in the collection by Panini since May 27, 2025. There were also several series about the hero, but he was not allowed to meet one of his best friends: 20 years ago, a rule forbade Batman from appearing in a popular DC series
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Steam Next Fest is currently the best opportunity to test upcoming games. When MeinMMO editor Jasmin Beverungen saw a name, she already knew before trying it out that she would get the game. And that, despite hating the genre.
Who is writing here? Jasmin Beverungen hadn’t stepped foot in roguelikes and roguelites a few years ago, as she found it silly to experience the same content over and over again. Moonlighter changed her perspective on the genre and opened the door to more great titles like Inscryption or Slay the Spire.
For several years now, roguelikes and roguelites have been unmissable. Games like Hades and its sequel have skyrocketed. However, I didn’t understand what was so fun about experiencing the same content over and over again, just with different combinations of enemies and rooms. I usually need more variety to keep me engaged with a game.
The first game from the genre that caught my interest was Moonlighter. In this game, the developers mix roguelite gameplay with a shop simulation. Since I’m a big fan of café and store simulations, I wanted to give the otherwise monotonous genre a chance.
And what can I say: It was love at first sight! Moonlighter captivated me with its endless grind to the point where I couldn’t put it down for weeks. At the Steam Next Fest, the second part of the roguelite is currently available for testing. Therefore, I couldn’t resist taking a sneak peek here – and falling back into an endless grind spiral.
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Moonlighter 2: Trailer of the Game on Steam and the Demo
Moonlighter 2 fittingly takes place in the endless Vault
In Moonlighter 2, we once again lead a double life. First, we must venture into the Endless Vault. This consists of a series of dungeons filled with numerous rooms that we must battle through in an action-RPG manner. We collect different items in our backpack and take them back to the village.
Once in the village, we can sell the items in our own store. We can utilize various bonuses and must ensure that the store remains intact through minor repairs. After serving some customers, one can choose between different bonuses that provide additional effects. This adds a bit of strategy to the game, as we want to sell our acquired items for the best possible price.
With the money earned, we can then beautify the store, buy new weapons, or invest in upgrades. Unlike brutally difficult roguelikes, we become stronger through upgrades. This allows us to progress deeper into the dungeon and experience new enemies, loot, and environments.
Furthermore, Moonlighter 2 is not simply about this dull I pick a weapon/character and then head into the dungeon. The shop simulation and investing in upgrades create a great, varied loop that I find hard to step away from after hours.
Wonderful game for newcomers and veterans alike
For me as a roguelike newcomer, the first part was perfect for entering the genre. The visuals of the first part were cheerier than one might expect from the rather dark offshoots, which allowed me to develop more sympathy for the game. The same applies to the second part.
The difficulty level is not as harsh as in other titles. Moonlighter 2 forgives me when I don’t dodge properly. As a newcomer to the genre, I still make many beginner mistakes, thankfully they don’t immediately set me back. Additionally, the shop simulation brings some variety to the game. I usually end up in a spiral of grind and selling, where I don’t want to let go of the controller.
I can also imagine that veterans of the genre would enjoy this game. There is a coherent story and missions to follow. Thus, you don’t just grind aimlessly, providing me with a reason for long-term motivation.
Furthermore, there are different weapons you can take into the Endless Vault. You might already know the principle from Hades, a celebrated game in the genre. This makes runs feel different, even if you end up facing the same types of enemies. As a result, I haven’t gotten bored even after numerous hours of gameplay.
As a fan of Moonlighter, I also appreciate that many characters from the first part are back. The jump to 3D graphics has done the game good, making it visually even more appealing. I’m not a big fan of pixel graphics, which is why the second part looks much more attractive to me than the first installment.
Perfect for handheld but not yet for the Steam Deck
I played the first part of the series back on the Nintendo Switch. Since you can jump in and out of the game any time after a dungeon run, it is perfect for handheld gaming. The gameplay is not so complex that you need to be entirely focused at the PC.
But there was a significant downside that I experienced in the demo: Moonlighter 2 currently crashes on the Steam Deck. Especially in the area where the entrances to the store and the Endless Vault are located, crashes occur more frequently.
This is nothing that couldn’t be resolved with a patch. However, currently, Moonlighter 2 crashes about once an hour. This somewhat diminishes my enjoyment of the game. Yet, I am hopeful that the development team will resolve the issue by the time of release.
Those who want to check out Moonlighter 2 themselves in the demo can do so during the Steam Next Fest in June 2025. The festival runs until June 16 at 19:00 CEST. Depending on feedback, Moonlighter 2 could still be released in 2025.
The universe of Final Fantasy will receive its own set of cards for Magic: The Gathering in June 2025. Included is also a card of the favorite character of one of the heads of Warframe. But when she cannot pull him, but another card for the x-time, she simply eats it.
Who is the head of Warframe? The creative director of Warframe is Rebecca Ford. She has been leading Warframe for three years, taking over from Steve Sinclair. However, she has been with Digital Extremes, the developers of Warframe, since 2011, starting as a studio assistant.
In addition to her work on Warframe, Rebecca Ford is also a fan of Final Fantasy XIV, the MMORPG by Square Enix. She is particularly fond of the character Emet-Selch, who plays the antagonist in the Shadowbringers expansion.
Now, a Final Fantasy set for the popular card game Magic: The Gathering is being released, which also includes a double-sided card of Emet-Selch. Armed with a whole bunch of boosters and a starter set, Rebecca Ford started a stream on Twitch, where she unpacked her cards.
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Magic: The Gathering has a crossover with Final Fantasy – Shows first cards in the trailer
Dancing so mad, she eats one of her cards
What kind of stream was that? The stream of Rebecca Ford on her Twitch channel was an unboxing stream, in which she opened her Magic: The Gathering Collector Booster. The occasion was the Final Fantasy sets coming out on June 13, 2025.
She started according to her X account on June 7 at around 9 PM German time with the event. Her goal was likely to obtain the double-sided card of Emet-Selch. At 12:53 AM on June 8, she posted (via X) that she was already at hour four of the stream, but had not yet drawn the card.
At one point, she even took the time to dress up as Kefka, the villain from Final Fantasy VI. She drew so many cards of him that she simply ate one out of protest:
On June 8 at almost 5 AM German time, Rebecca Ford finally reported success: after almost 8 hours, we pulled emet it was a ride, and by the end we were LAUGHING MAD! (via X)
What kind of card set is this? The collectible card game Magic: The Gathering belongs to Wizards of the Coast, the company behind Dungeons & Dragons. For a few years now, crossover card sets with other IPs have been released, including Fallout from Bethesda, Assassin’s Creed from Ubisoft, and also a set for The Lord of the Rings.
Final Fantasy is just the latest collaboration of the card game with an external universe. In an investors’ call from Hasbro, the parent company of Wizards of the Coast, Chief Executive Officer and Hasbro board member Chris Cocks stated that the Final Fantasy cards are the best-selling in the entire history of Magic (via Hasbro).
Before the beta of Chrono Odyssey starts on June 20, 2025, the developers of the MMORPG are revealing more and more details and gameplay. MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz is particularly happy about one thing.
For a long time, it was difficult to grasp what exactly Chrono Odyssey is going to be as an MMORPG. Although the release on PC and consoles is planned for 2025, there were only a few trailers over the years, which made it uncertain if we were actually seeing real gameplay.
Additionally, this is the first game from developer Chrono Studio, and it is supposed to be an ambitious AAA MMORPG that will launch simultaneously worldwide on multiple platforms. Accordingly, I was quite skeptical in our MMORPG talk during the FYNG show at CAGGTUS in Leipzig:
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Wir sprechen über das MMORPG Chrono Odyssey auf der CAGGTUS
Don’t worry: Before the beta starts next week, we will provide you with a fresh overview of all the known information about Chrono Odyssey so far. But first, this should be about the reasons why my skepticism has almost completely evaporated.
There is Surprisingly Much Soulslike in Chrono Odyssey
In the past months, I have repeatedly noted that the scenes from the trailers remind me of Dark Fantasy Soulslikes like Lords of the Fallen or the iconic titles from From Software – which also show influences from cosmic horror and sci-fi universes like Starcraft.
In one of the new interviews, the developers also explained that they were heavily inspired by Elden Ring when designing the open world. Exploring the regions plays an important part in the player experience. Instead of a minimap, you only have a compass available for direct orientation. Distinct Points of Interest will guide you through the world, where various unpredictable encounters are expected – just like in Elden Ring.
This screenshot could also be from Lords of the Fallen.
A lot of Souls-like flair is also radiating from the freshly shown gameplay of the MMORPG. From a third-person perspective, you control your character, with the camera being quite close to your figure in all shown scenes – just like in Dark Souls and Co. The scenes also quickly clarify: Targeted dodging and blocking is vital for all classes to survive the fights. This is not going to be a walk in the park.
The Berserker in Action:
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Even just watching conveys the skills of the swordsman, ranger, and berserker a palpable force and dynamism. The transitions of the animations flow smoothly into each other. The current gameplay makes comparable action combat systems from MMORPGs, where players can switch weapons at the push of a button (like in New World or Guild Wars 2), look ancient.
All of this excites me tremendously, as the combat system of Chrono Odyssey must be fun to encourage players to dive repeatedly into activities like world quests, battles against world bosses, solo challenges, or group dungeons.
I also find it great that for group challenges there will be the Holy Trinity of tank, healer, and damage dealer, with tanks and healers having access to damage options through their three available weapons. The paladin can even play a tank/healer hybrid.
However, it remains to be seen whether there will be the build/meta diversity promised by the developers.
The battles already feel wonderfully powerful just to watch.
Time as a Factor in Combat
For a long time, it was an open question how much the time manipulations would affect the combat. It was known that players could freeze enemies and rewind maneuvers. The first skill controls your victims for a certain period, while the second skill allows you to plunge from a height onto a target, only to hop back to safety afterward.
The new gameplay reveals even more time manipulations:
You can summon a being from another time that will fight at your side.
You can manipulate time to float through the air or make a great leap to overcome high obstacles.
Can there be more? Hopefully! Generally, I find what has been shown so far promising. What remains unclear is in what form players can manipulate time within the open world. However, it is clear: like all weapons, your time-manipulating Chronotector has its own talent area that you can level up and expand to further enhance your skills.
Some skills from the swordsman:
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I must admit: All of this seems more fun, higher quality, and more polished than I expected from the newly founded studio for Chrono Odyssey. This is certainly also due to the fact that I enjoy playing action RPGs from a third-person perspective – like Souls games – very much.
Additionally, Chrono Odyssey is taking a completely different approach compared to Throne and Liberty and focuses on content for solo players and small groups, despite being an MMO world. Thus, I could even imagine playing this new MMORPG with a controller.
For the new gameplay scenes and information also make it clear: The battles were designed primarily with consoles and controller input in mind. If they work great there, according to the devs, porting to PC should be relatively easy.
Testers like Kanon are reporting, however, that the user interface of the PC version still needs quite a bit of work. So it’s not a given.
But no matter if with mouse and keyboard or controller: I am now very much looking forward to the upcoming beta. This MMORPG should definitely be on the radar of all genre fans. Of course, I will report on my testing experiences once I receive an invitation. Until then, you can find out more about Chrono Odyssey here: The biggest and most beautiful new MMORPG 2025 finally reveals how it wants to captivate you
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Players left thousands of negative reviews on Steam and accused the game and the development studio of spying on players and their data due to a clause in the terms of use.
Several reviews stated that the Borderlands games would install spyware. Players refer to a section of Take-Two’s privacy policy.
When Borderlands 2 was available for free on Steam from June 5 to June 8, a multitude of bad reviews emerged again.
In the past 30 days, the second part of the series received over 8,500 negative reviews. The entire franchise reached over 12,000 criticisms in the same period. Many players stated that they do not even want Borderlands 2 for free (via Steam).
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Looter-Shooter Borderlands 4 showcases its action-packed gameplay in the trailer
Data analysis expert explains what is behind the spyware accusation
As a dataminer, he examines large amounts of a game’s data in detail to discover relationships or valuable information. Oftentimes, it is dataminers who uncover unreleased, new content in games and then “leak” this to the public before it is officially presented by a developer.
EpicNNG, as a Borderlands modder and dataminer, is thus an expert who knows the files of the loot shooter and is capable of assessing whether there is spyware in the games.
Dataminer is convinced that Borderlands contains no spyware
This is what EpicNNG says about the allegations: EpicNNG clearly states that, according to his findings, Borderlands contains no spyware:
First, the biggest question: Does Borderlands contain spyware? The answer is no, there is no spyware in Borderlands. Personally, I have modded every Borderlands game and can confirm: The games contain no spyware anywhere. And yes, this also includes access at the kernel level to your PC. It simply does not exist. The most invasive thing these games have ever done, in my personal opinion, is the implementation of DRM, best known as Denuvo […].
The dataminer then explains that the games do have a system to gather statistics like enemy kills: “The absolute most ‘spyware’ that Gearbox has built into these games is the collection of statistics in the form of tracking activity completions, enemy kills, and character selections. This has been around since 2012, to my knowledge. […] It is extremely common in almost all video games connected to an online service.”
Can the developers secretly add spyware later? EpicNNG is convinced that the developers could not secretly add any form of spyware to the Borderlands games, as modders log and check every hotfix. He explains:
“The Borderlands games contain a hotfix system, which allows Gearbox to make changes to the games from their side. To our knowledge as modders, they currently have no way of sneaking in spyware, nor is there a way for them to mine your personal information for their theoretical benefit. However, if they were to do so – and even if we did not understand how they would do it – we would know immediately that they were doing something, because every single time they apply a hotfix to their server, it is logged by us. We log every single hotfix that goes live. We are able to check and track the changes as soon as they become publicly available on the server.”
This is what the developers say about the allegations: Meanwhile, the developers of Borderlands, Gearbox Software, have also commented on the allegations. They state clearly that the Borderlands games do not contain spyware and that the privacy policies apply to all media and platforms.
