Next year, the augmented reality game for Harry Potter fans “Wizards Unite” will be released. Why does such an announcement cause mixed feelings among fans?
Harry Potter fans can already look forward to 2018. A smartphone game is being developed for them that aims to entertain them on the go. Similar to Pokémon GO, the game will interact with the real world. But that’s not the only similarity to the Pokémon game. Players are concerned.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite – What is it about?
The next step in the development of augmented reality games is expected to be “Harry Potter: Wizards Unite”. Have you ever dreamed of being able to cast spells in real life? With the new game and the magical world of J.K. Rowling, that dream might just come true.
In Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, you learn various spells as a player. You explore the real world, ally with other wizards, and fight together against legendary beasts and other strong opponents.
The game is expected to utilize existing AR features but also introduce new features and gameplay mechanics.
Niantic develops Harry Potter: Wizards Unite for 2018
On the evening of November 8, we received news that Niantic is working on a new AR game. The Harry Potter game is being developed in collaboration with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and WB Games San Francisco.
Niantic is the developer responsible for Pokémon GO since summer 2016, which has ignited a huge hype around the world. Pokémon GO is a particularly successful AR game that attracts millions of players.
“AR” stands for augmented reality. In Pokémon GO, that means you search for PokéStops in the real world, and the Pokémon appear in your immediate surroundings (on your phone display). Similar interactions with the real world are expected for Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
In a blog post, Niantic explains: “About five years ago, we released Ingress, our first augmented reality game for mobile devices. Streets, neighborhoods, and real-world locations became a global game board where players can play together.”
Ingress incentivizes players to explore, stay fit, and fosters social interaction. Pokémon GO has taken this entire vision to a whole new level. Now Niantic is planning the next game, which already has a huge community worldwide.
Pokémon GO fans fear for Harry Potter
The news about the new Harry Potter game has caused a negative sentiment among many Pokémon GO players. Lately, some players have been increasingly dissatisfied with the developers at Niantic.
And those are not all the problems. There are frequent complaints about Pokémon GO. Players claim that the game is heading in the wrong direction. On social media, trainers state: “Niantic should fix Pokémon GO first before starting a new game!”
Many players are now wondering whether Niantic is up to the challenge of managing another game. There are fears that Harry Potter: Wizards Unite will bring similar issues as Pokémon GO and upset the community. Some fans are afraid of that.
Will you play Harry Potter: Wizards Unite? Do you believe Niantic can handle it?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
When does Season 12 start in Diablo 3 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One? We show you which sets you will receive from Haedrig’s Gifts and what balance changes are expected.
At the beginning, we want to clear up a misconception: No, Season 12 will likely not follow the same pattern as Season 11 and all the others before it. The new Patch 2.6.1 will significantly change the landscape and bring forth sets that have been buried for a long time. And we will probably see these changes reflected in the leaderboards.
Diversity in the leaderboards – finally able to play what you enjoy and still be successful! The new Diablo 3 update promises a lot.
D3 Season 12 Start – When does it begin?
The official start of Season 12 in Diablo 3 is on Thursday, November 9 at 5:00 PM. Then you can create new seasonal characters again, level up, and tackle the leaderboards.
The non-seasonal leaderboards have also been reset. These are tied to “Ages,” which can last 6-12 months each. The last Age ended on November 8. A new Age has already begun.
Diablo 3 Haedrig’s Gift, Season 12 Builds
For completing certain stages of a season, you will be rewarded with Haedrig’s Gifts. These contain special class sets. This way, you can quickly obtain a complete set for a character at the start of a season.
The set rewards change with each season in Diablo 3. In Season 12, the following sets are available:
In Season 12 of Diablo 3, you will receive wings as a reward. To obtain them, you must successfully complete Chapters 1-4 of the season journey. As a reward, you will receive the Fiacla-Géar wings.
Additionally, there will be a nice portrait frame for you again.
The rewards and sets from Season 12 are presented by YouTuber Bluddshedd in the following video.
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The following season-specific achievements await in Season 12:
Mineral Collection / I have to have them all (HC) – Upgrade three legendary gems to level 65
Boss Mode / A Class of Its Own (HC) – Kill the bosses critical to the challenge on (at least) Torment 10 with a level 70 character within 20 minutes of game start.
Otherwise it would be too easy / Superhuman (HC) – Complete a Greater Nephalem Rift of level 45 solo without equipping a set item.
Cursed and Sewn / Who would have thought? (HC) – Kill at least 350 monsters during a “Cursed Chest” event on Torment 10 or higher.
Portalomania / Dynasty (HC) – Complete a Greater Nephalem Rift of level 55 with the full bonuses of the 6 class sets intended for the challenge.
Patch 2.6.1 throws the meta out of whack
With the new Patch 2.6.1, which we expect for Season 12, everything is supposed to change. Blizzard plans to dig up old sets again and has adjusted the damage of many iconic builds. For example, we will again be able to hit the Whirlwind Barbarian more often and spin through the enemy masses like a top.
With Patch 2.6.1, Blizzard aims to achieve two major goals:
All classes should be able to compete with different builds and play styles at similar levels of difficulty
The experience should be overall more balanced at the higher levels.
How Blizzard plans to ensure more balance among the sets and what changes they are planning, you can find out here: Patch notes for Diablo Patch 2.6.1
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Blizzard has posted jobs for WoW Classic, but some suitable candidates are still hesitant to apply.
Blizzard announced at BlizzCon that they will provide official Classic servers for WoW. This is a colossal task. To ensure that the “regular WoW” does not suffer from the diversion of many resources, Blizzard intends to form a new team to take care of the “Back to the Past” servers.
Blizzard creates new team for WoW Classic, posts jobs
Job openings for “Classic WoW” have now appeared on Blizzard’s career site. They are looking for a Software Engineer.
Candidates should be familiar with C++ and World of Warcraft, have programming experience, and ideally be passionate about the idea of Classic WoW.
Ironically, the most suitable candidates for the job are still hesitating to apply.
Before there were official servers, programmers had already turned to “unofficial” private servers with WoW Classic – projects like Nostalrius. They have spoken with the US site Kotaku.
Many there enthusiastically received Blizzard’s announcement to release official Classic servers. One even admits that he broke down in tears when the announcement came.
We would like to know if we will be sued if we apply
Classic specialist Namreeb, who has been working on private servers for 8 years, tells Kotaku that he has faced the exact problems that Blizzard is now struggling with when trying to port the old WoW into the present. Of course, he is interested in the job at Blizzard, and he knows some other Classic specialists who could definitely help Blizzard with their tasks.
However, they are still hesitant to apply to Blizzard for the new jobs. The problem: “We would really like to know if we will be sued if we outline our job experiences with Classic WoW in the cover letter.“
Blizzard has taken legal action against private servers in the past.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Project W is the working title for an upcoming super MMORPG from developers Bluehole and Kakao Games. On the occasion of the G-Star 2017 fair in Korea, new images featuring airships, jetpacks, and action-packed gameplay have been released! Will Project W ultimately be more of a shooter than a classic MMORPG?
When two companies with extensive MMO experience like developer Bluehole (TERA) and publisher Kakao Games (Black Desert Online) join forces to develop a new online role-playing game, you can rightfully be excited. However, as is customary in Korea, developers often remain silent for months about projects still in development. The game doesn’t even have a proper name yet, only a project title.
However, at least you can soon hope for more information, as the developers have shown the first new images in a teaser for Project W in light of the upcoming G-Star 2017 fair in South Korea.
Will Project W be a Steampunk action MMO or a loot shooter?
The few images seen in the G-Star teaser show stunning graphics and battle suits equipped with jetpacks attacking heavily armed airships. The style generally resembles Steampunk, a genre where gears, steam engines, brass decorations, and mystical reagents play a significant role.
In addition, it seems that the action in Project W will not be lacking. You jump from ship to ship with jetpacks and fire with Gatling guns. The gameplay snippets resemble a shooter more than a classic MMORPG.
Will Project W ultimately be some sort of loot shooter like Borderlands or Warframe?
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More details will likely only be available at the start of G-Star 2017 in South Korea. The fair begins on November 16 and ends on November 19, 2017.
Update:Project W now has a name – it is called “Ascent: Infinite Realm”, short AIR, and it is an MMORPG that will also come to the West. We will report on this shortly.
Ubisoft believes that the next generation of consoles will hit the market in at least two years.
The cycle of new console generations has been around seven to eight years. The Xbox 360 was released in 2005, the Xbox One came out in 2013. The Playstation 3 was launched in the USA at the end of 2006, in Europe in early 2007. The PS4 followed in 2013 in the USA and 2014 in Europe.
With the PS4 Pro and the Xbox One X (available since November 7), this cycle has been interrupted.
When will the next “real” console generation arrive?
The next “true” generation should be expected around 2021 in this order. According to Ubisoft’s CEO Yves Guillemot, this might be approximately correct. He believes that the PS5 and the next Xbox will come to market in at least two years, likely later.
Currently, Sony or Microsoft have no need for action, since improved versions of the current consoles have been released with the PS4 Pro and recently also with the Xbox One X, which can also run games in 4K resolution.
Is the future in cloud gaming?
Microsoft is currently rumored to be considering “cloud gaming”. In 2012, initial tests of a cloud gaming technology were conducted but were deemed too costly and discontinued. Rumor has it that Microsoft is now looking to pursue this path further as technologies in this area have significantly improved.
Sony is also already active in the cloud gaming sector with Playstation Now and intends to expand this further. Therefore, it could be that one of the next console generations will utilize this technology and essentially be nothing more than a streaming service. But that is still a long way off.
Ubisoft praises PS4 Pro and Xbox One X
According to Ubisoft’s Yves Guillemot, he has no insider information regarding a PS5 and a new Xbox. He speculates only based on the current situation and previous developments about a potential release of new consoles. Furthermore, he praises the Xbox One X and the Playstation 4 Pro, which allow the gaming industry to release games with even better graphics.
In Destiny 2, Coldheart is a unique exotic weapon. What can be done with it in PvE and PvP, what are the perks, and how do I get the Fusion Rifle?
Coldheart caused a stir in the weeks and months leading up to the Destiny 2 release: Initially, it was showcased in a display case at preview events and later was presented as a gift to WWE star “The Big Show”. Until then, only its striking design was known, and players speculated about what made this weapon special:
In July, it was revealed: Coldheart is the first and currently only Fusion Rifle in Destiny 2! A Fusion Rifle is an additional weapon category that fires a continuous laser beam as long as the trigger is held down.
According to Bungie, this required a completely new gameplay technology that took a long time to develop. In a game like Destiny, it is extremely complicated to create a persistent laser beam that behaves “correctly”. Coldheart is now the prototype of this technology.
But – is this laser weapon any good?
https://youtu.be/hwC1dsRHvno
How to get Coldheart – How to obtain the Exotic
Coldheart was part of the pre-order bonus. Only if you pre-ordered Destiny 2 can you currently take this weapon into battle. To acquire “Coldheart” in the game, you must:
complete the entire campaign with all story missions
What makes Coldheart special in Destiny 2? – Perks and Stats
The exotic Fusion Rifle Coldheart deals Arc damage and is carried in the energy slot. As there are currently no comparison values with other Fusion Rifles, little can be said about the stats. The base impact is 6, the rate of fire is 1000 – this enables the continuous laser beam.
It is notable that the aim assist is at a full 100, and the magazine is indicated as 101. Here are the stats:
These are the special perks:
Cold Fusion: The weapon fires a continuous laser powered by cold fusion.
The Longest Winter: The laser does significantly more damage the longer it stays on a target.
The Longest Winter is interesting: If you fire at the same target for several seconds, the damage nearly doubles. However, the “true power” of Coldheart is quite situational since you usually deal with enemies that move a lot – especially in PvP. The weapon can shine against heavy bosses in PvE, such as in the Leviathan raid, who hold their position.
Specifically, this means: If you deal an initial crit damage of 573 to Calus and keep firing at him, the damage increases rapidly. After about 2.5 seconds, the maximum of 998 crit damage is reached. The damage nearly doubles – although these numbers vary from enemy to enemy.
When the maximum damage output is achieved, you will have about 50% of the magazine left. If you shoot briefly past the target, you need to build up the damage again from the start.
Important: To infuse Coldheart to a higher power level, you need automatic rifles – there are no other Fusion Rifles.
Is Coldheart worth it in PvE and PvP?
In PvE, the best place to use it is actually Calus since this boss stands completely still and can be pumped full of laser fire for seconds. Since Coldheart can be controlled quite easily, you can deal a lot of damage over time.
When facing individual adds, Coldheart doesn’t perform well. They move too much and die too quickly for Coldheart to reach its full potential. Basically, Coldheart competes more with power weapons to quickly lower the health of powerful bosses. Compared to power weapons, Coldheart has a large ammunition supply, making the Fusion Rifle a strong option.
In PvP, Coldheart deals 10 crit damage and 9 damage with body hits. The perk “The Longest Winter” provides no advantages here. The Fusion Rifle performs surprisingly well in PvP and can be seen as a cool alternative to automatic rifles. However, it cannot compete with a Uriels Gift.
In summary, Coldheart is a truly unique weapon that is fun to use and can be extremely strong in certain situations. Take it with you when facing heavy bosses.
By the way: Coldheart is made by Omolon, an experimental and futuristic weapons company. According to the lore, they have found a way to construct a weapon that uses liquid ammunition that simultaneously cools.
In League of Legends (LoL) some things are changing. IP are being converted into essences, all runes are free, and you can now continue after level 30.
The preseason changes are turning some systems in League of Legends upside down, which were actually part of the core functions of the moba. We present them.
League of Legends Preseason 2018 – Patch 7.22
Runes and Masteries are now in a new system. The new runes system works similarly to the old one. You get two free rune pages that you can edit (pages you have already purchased are retained). You can purchase more in the shop.
What’s new is that you can now edit and switch these pages during champion selection.
In addition, there is a pre-made rune page for each path that you cannot edit. However, these do not count towards your total number of pages. These pre-made rune pages are meant to ensure that every player has a complete rune page for their role, regardless of their level or how they invest their in-game currency.
The new runes system is more involved in combat
Instead of just fulfilling passive bonuses, the new runes system wants to be more involved in fights. It aims to adapt to your playstyle. There are 60 new runes available for everyone for free.
The runes are divided into five categories, offering you interesting mechanics:
Precision – For improved attacks and higher DPS
Domination – Burst damage
Sorcery – Stronger abilities and AOE effects
Determination – Stamina and CC
Inspiration – Change summoner spells and creative means
Each game you enter with six runes: One Keystone and three runes from your primary category and two runes from your secondary category (without Keystone). For example, you can significantly increase your movement speed with the new system.
Want a really fast Nasus?
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Whoever invested a lot of time and IP in runes over the past years will now receive compensation for their removal. Runes purchased before the start of Season 2017 will be reimbursed at 100 IP per rune (Tier 3 Marks, Seals, and Glyphs). For each Tier 3 Quintessence, you receive 300 IP.
All runes purchased between December 7, 2016, and September 1, 2017, will be fully refunded.
For each rune page you purchased before September 1, 2017, you will receive 1500 Blue Essences.
If you purchased four rune pages with RP, you will receive an epic champion skin. There is one skin per four pages purchased with RP. However, this is rounded up. Already for one rune page purchased with RP, you will receive an epic skin. The second skin is then awarded for five pages, and so forth.
No Level Cap – “To Infinity and Beyond!”
Until now, players leveled up to level 30 with their summoner level in League of Legends. This limitation has now been completely lifted; there is no longer a limit. And no, there are also no seasonal level resets.
For each level up, you now receive a “capsule”. These capsules nearly always contain champion shards. Exceptions occur when milestones such as levels 50, 75, 100, and so on are reached. For those, you will receive “cream pieces” with exclusive rewards.
“Among these rewards are a special eye skin for high levels and milestone stickers that you can upgrade with Blue Essences. At very high milestone levels, you might even get a gemstone”
“I’ve been level 30 for ages. Is my summoner level now over 9000?”
No. In the new system, every player who has already reached level 30 starts at level 30. No matter how many hours you’ve already put into LoL. There is no head start here.
IP turn into Blue Essence
The leveling system is connected to the loot system by Riot. This means that IP (EP in the German client) will be associated with Blue Essence. You can now use these new Blue Essences for anything that previously required EP and Blue Essences.
However, the prices in the shop do not change. If a champion previously cost 6300 EP, you will now have to pay 6300 BE (Blue Essence) for it.
Whoever has collected a lot of IP in recent years or months is now wondering: “And what should I spend all this stuff on now?” For a few weeks, there will be special offers for you in the shop. It’s worth taking a look!
In the patch notes for League of Legends Patch 7.22, you will find further information about the changes. The patch notes are available on the official League of Legends website: Here is euw.leagueoflegends.com
Does the Mass Effect franchise still have a bright future? At least that’s what a developer promises in the video…
November 7th is a very special day for fans of Mass Effect. Because that’s “N7-Day”. N7 is an elite unit of humans in Mass Effect and an important part of the story – so it only makes sense that the developers celebrate Mass Effect with the community on November 7th.
Yet for many, the 10th N7 Day was rather disappointing and the video on the occasion of the anniversary almost cynical. “Now the 10th anniversary reminds me that one of my favorite games has died in such an ignoble way,” and similar comments can be found in abundance.
Especially annoying is a statement at the end of the video: “The future of Mass Effect is really great. People want to know more about the locations and these characters.”
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This annoys some fans. Because Mass Effect is currently on ice. Although story DLCs for “Andromeda” were originally planned, production of those was halted. BioWare is currently working hard on Anthem, and the former team of Mass Effect: Andromeda has been divided among other productions.
Others are happy about the nostalgic feelings the video evokes and enjoy a few more moments with their beloved characters.
It is quite possible that this “retrospective” video was produced many months ago, when Mass Effect was indeed still dreaming of a bright future.
In the best case, the video is an indication that we might hear from Commander Shepard or the Ryders again in a few years. Or at least from Liara.
However, even the hardcore fans don’t have much hope anymore.
What do you think of this “10 years of N7” video? A nice tribute to a franchise that has meant so much to many for a long time? Or just more salt in an open wound?
Black Desert Online gets two new world bosses. These creatures are so tough that you’ll need to tackle them as a group. Additionally, you’ll need a cannon to even make them vulnerable to attacks.
No one likes trolls! This applies to the kind that sits behind the keyboard spewing hate and insulting people on the internet. But the big, brutal kind that beats people up in MMOs is also not very welcome. This is especially true in Black Desert Online. The developers are soon introducing two overpowering new world bosses, one of which is even the ancestor of all trolls!
Give the troll a full broadside!
The two new world bosses in Black Desert Online are so tough that you’ll need a special cannon to take them down. Only then can you effectively attack these creatures. The cannon is only available from “Vype Steinkeil,” a merchant in Heidel. Given how ferocious the bosses are, you will often meet a gruesome end in battle against them. Therefore, the developers have shown mercy and will waive XP penalties for death.
The two bosses are:
Quint, the first troll: Whether this over troll also has an internet account and terrorizes people online in his free time is unknown. In any case, he is causing trouble in Quint Hill, which is located slightly north of Calpheon. The hefty troll has been turned to stone and only awakens once a week. His attacks grow increasingly powerful, and he possesses an area attack that can instantly annihilate your heroes.
Muraka, the ogre king: This greedy ogre has his camp deep in Mansha Forest. His specialties are wide AOE attacks that can injure multiple players at once.
Great loot after a tough boss fight
The hard fight against the new bosses is certainly worth it. Quint drops mutant enhancers that can be exchanged at the “Contaminated Farm” in Calpheon for witch earrings, shadow marks, or an ogre ring. Muraka rewards you with matte ogre rings, which can be dismantled with a chance for MON or DI ogre rings.
The field boss event with the new bosses will take place for the first time on November 11 at 1:00 PM. After that, the bosses will return every Saturday at 1:00 PM. They spawn on 20 servers, and if they are not attacked within 30 minutes, they will disappear again.
Also cool: From November 8 to 15, the “Berserker Season Event” will take place. There, the seasons change extremely quickly.
Plains of Eidolon will be released on November 14 on PS4 and Xbox One
On Twitter, Digital Extremes announced that Plains of Eidolon will arrive on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on November 14. Starting next week Tuesday, you can start the download for the mega-update.
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There will be tough end-game content in the Plains. Still, you can reach the open map relatively early in the game since it is located on Earth. Earth is the first planet where you can go on missions. There is a village with NPCs that give you quests for the Plains. The village is called Cetus and can host 50 players. You can go on missions with 1-4 players.
The Plains include:
A large open map
A day/night cycle: During the day, basic standard enemies appear; at night, end-game content
The massive monster Teralyst, which you can only fight with a well-thought-out tactic
After Lineage M was a great success in Korea, NCSoft now wants to release Lineage 2 as a mobile version as well. A beautiful cinematic trailer already builds anticipation for Lineage II M.
For the announcement of Lineage II M, NCSoft has so far released only a cinematic trailer. This cinematic features a sexy elf lounging alone in her tower and then calling, taming, and soaring on a cool dragon to fight epic battles.
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Unfortunately, there are currently no gameplay scenes available. According to NCSoft, Lineage II M is supposed to use the premium Unreal 4 engine. Furthermore, the game is specifically optimized for high-end smartphones, such as the current Samsung Galaxy S8 or the upcoming S9.
The game is not supposed to be specifically optimized for older devices, as this would ruin the “technical vision” of the developers. Therefore, Lineage 2 M is expected to be quite a graphical delight.
Open world and better balance than in the PC version
Lineage 2 M is supposed to largely correspond to the PC version of Lineage 2. However, the developers want to solve some issues from the original. The group balance is to be prioritized, and the confusion regarding classes is to be made a bit more manageable. However, they explicitly do not want to abolish the class diversity of the original.
Also cool: Lineage II M is supposed to have a single open world without loading times. All players are expected to interact on a single channel.
No competition for Lineage 2 Revolution?
NCSoft, by the way, sees no problem with the extremely successful title Lineage 2 Revolution, which was developed as a licensed product by Netmarble. Lineage 2 Revolution is a reinterpretation of the Lineage setting and not a direct adaptation of the popular PC version, as Lineage 2 M will be.
4 new Lineage games – 1 is also for PC
It is a strange development. The last Lineage was released in 2003. Fans have been waiting for years for a successor that leads the MMORPG franchise into the future.
In 2012, there was a scandal when Bluehole was accused of using content from a planned “Lineage 3” for their action MMORPG Tera. However, Lineage 3 never materialized. The “Lineage” brand is enormous in South Korea – nearly everyone has played the game there. Then in 2016, the Lineage revival began, but in the mobile sector:
In 2016, Lineage 2 Revolution from Netmarble was released with the license of NCSoft – it will also be playable here in Germany on November 15, 2017
Lineage M is from NCSoft itself, which made quite a stir in Korea in early 2017
now Lineage 2 M from NCSoft is also in planning – all 3 titles are mobile games
The originally planned Lineage Eternal as a PC/mobile hybrid has now been converted into a pure PC MMORPG Project TL
If you’re looking for more promising mobile MMOs in 2017, you’ll find them here:
Although everyone is currently talking about Battle for Azeroth, the next expansion of World of Warcraft, the Legion has not yet been defeated. The final raid, Antorus, the Burning Throne, has not yet opened its gates.
In Antorus, players fight against some of the strongest demons of the Burning Legion. In total, 11 bosses must be defeated, including well-known villains like the Dreadlord Varimathras, but the captured Titans also play a role here. In the final battle, even a real Titan, Argus, must be defeated.
Release Date for Antorus, the Burning Throne – Opening
December 6: Mythic difficulty and LFR Wing 1 opens
December 20: LFR Wing 2 opens
January 3: LFR Wing 3 opens
January 17: LFR Wing 4 opens
PvP and lore fans should stay alert
PvP players should also mark November 29 thickly in their calendars, as the 5th PvP season of Legion ends and the 6th season begins.
Moreover, for lore enthusiasts, November 29 is likely to be an important day. Because then the first guilds will surely complete the normal mode, which brings the final cinematic of Legion. Players are hoping for an explanation of how the wound in the world comes about, which later gapes in Silithus.
Are you looking forward to the raid Antorus, the Burning Throne? Or do you not care about the raid and only have the new expansion Battle for Azeroth on your mind?
The continent of Zandalar is the area of the Horde in the new WoW expansion. We show all areas and explain what is happening there.
In World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, there will be two new continents to explore – one for the Alliance (Kul Tiras) and one for the Horde (Zandalar). We take a close look at Zandalar and explain what happens in the three zones and what players can look forward to. The three zones scale from level 110 to 120 – making them the primary quest areas for the Horde.
Zuldazar – The Empire of the Zandalari
Zuldazar is the heart of the troll civilization and also the seat of government for King Rastakhan and Princess Talanji. The city serves as the new capital for the Horde, although there are some problems that players need to address.
However, there is no peace within Zuldazar. A group of rebels is plotting a revolution and wants to overthrow the king and the princess. It is up to the heroes to find out the reasons for the uprising and to crush it.
Of course, a few dungeons are also included. In the catacombs of Atal’Dazar, one can find the resting place of many ancient troll kings and leaders.
Nazmir – A Swamp Full of Blood
In Nazmir, cruel rituals of the Blood Trolls are at the forefront. In this primal swamp, there are many dark, enchanted places. The creepy Blood Moon shines in the sky, under which the trolls hang their victims on poles and “harvest” blood from them – very dark and cruel rituals. In the great necropolis, the Loa of Death,Bwonsamdi, awaits the players and has some quests for them. Whose side the troll god is on, will probably only become clear during the course of the expansion.
Besides the Blood Trolls, there is another mystery. Beneath the earth awaits a titantic research station. Here, the troops and magic of the Old Gods were observed and researched long ago. Of the three seals that are supposed to protect the station, only one is still active – for a long time, some dark creatures have been emerging here.
But there are still a few nice spots. Especially near the sea, there are larger areas and trees where some giant creatures roam, such as dinosaurs.
Voldun – The Desert of Death with the Cute Races
In the desert of Voldun, it gets quite hot. The trolls banish all their undesirable criminals into the burning sands, so they find death here. Only the strongest of them survive here and are not exactly peaceful. The reason for the state of the area is the attack of the servants of the Old Gods many years ago – since then, hardly anything has grown here.
However, two species have settled here. The Vulpera, a race of fox-like humanoids, and the Sethrak, upright snakes. We already know that the Sethrak will have one of their temples, Sethraliss, in this area. Little is known about the Vulpera so far.
How do you like the three zones of Zandalar? Do the areas look cool and appeal to you? Or are you rather disappointed?
The online shooter Warhammer 40,000 Eternal Crusade received a new update that provides more variety – and it is indeed necessary.
Warhammer 40,000 Eternal Crusade has had a tough time. It was marketed as a huge online game with RPG elements where you engage in massive battles across multiple planets. What remains is an online shooter where you compete on several maps. It seems the developers simply overextended themselves and did not achieve the ambitious goals.
Players are disappointed
This is also reflected in the mood of the fans. Especially those who have been there from the beginning are disappointed. However, those who view the game simply as an online shooter in the Warhammer 40,000 universe can certainly have fun with it.
What everyone agrees on, however, is that there are too few maps, and thus too little variety in the battles. And it is precisely this point of criticism that the developers are now addressing.
The update was urgently needed
A new update has been released, introducing a new 15v15 map called “Promethium Mine,” intended for the Supremacy game mode, but which is solely focused on infantry. In Supremacy, factions must achieve multiple objectives to gain control of the map.
Additionally, the update introduces achievements during the Eldar campaign and also the Autarch Eldar Hero at the end of the campaign. Furthermore, the Steam Workshop is expected to be available soon, and the garrison tutorial has been revised.
With this update, the team behind Warhammer 40,000 Eternal Crusade demonstrates that they are still working on the game. Because many players had already feared that the developers had ceased work on it. However, much more than this one update is needed to turn the online shooter into a long-term successful game.
The second faction rally in Destiny 2 has started. Although Bungie has modified the token system, players are finding ways to trick the mechanic. Our author Robert is not keen on this at all.
The representatives of the factions Dead Orbit, New Monarchy, and Future War Cult have arrived in the Tower again to supply the Guardians with loot in exchange for faction tokens.
As the system could be undermined during the first faction rally through simple farming tricks, Bungie promptly closed the “most popular” farming route. Is everything alright now? Not at all, because players are simply finding other means to collect the maximum number of tokens in the shortest time.
Such farming methods are not fun. Why do so many players still put up with it?
The loot cave is dead, long live the loot cave!
Destiny veterans will remember: the possibilities to earn loot in Destiny 1 were particularly sparse at launch in 2014. “Normal” play did not yield the desired success, so shortcuts had to be found. This was found in a cave in the Cosmodrome with an endless stream of enemies that were shot down for hours to collect engrams that promised lots of loot: the legendary loot cave.
The “output” of a session at the loot cave of Destiny 1
Bungie closed the loot cave and revised the loot system such that activities in the game itself provided more loot.
Now, three years later, the lessons from the loot cave seem to have been forgotten. To earn faction tokens, the Guardians are shooting down enemy supply drops for hours or switching areas for hours to open the same chest over and over.
Up to 500 tokens can be earned in this way – per hour!
In comparison: A strike offers between 5 and 9 tokens per completion. With about five completed strikes per hour, that makes a maximum of 45 tokens per hour.
Up to 600 tokens can be exchanged at each faction before the reward packages only contain shaders – this corresponds to 30 packages. To get 600 tokens through the strikes, at least 13 hours must be invested. Anyone who wants to do this with all three characters has a lot of work ahead.
The most effective method is the least fun – the varied method takes forever
Is it fun to run back and forth for hours and open a specific chest? No!
Nevertheless, thousands of players will resort to this method again to farm the tokens needed for 30 reward packages. Because it is the most efficient method to get loot. No other option offers such an excellent loot/time ratio. And that’s the crux of the matter: The “right” activities in the game should reward me with enough tokens to obtain the loot I want in a reasonable time.
The symbol of a lost sector in the EDZ and a preferred farming spot for tokens
Ideally, I play the activities, have fun, and realize after two hours that I can still redeem faction tokens. I want to forget about the tokens and earn them on the side. Why does that not work? There are not enough activities in Destiny 2 to keep me occupied.
The “I have nothing to do, how do I farm the fastest?” dilemma
It’s a paradox: players complain about too few endgame contents, yet resort to every means to collect faction tokens as quickly as possible.
The (few) strikes are played out after several runs, the raid has been run through from front to back, and even the public events lose their appeal over time. If the activities provided by the game give too few tokens and no longer spark any interest, players will seek ways to trick the system.
Collecting faction tokens in any activity sounds reasonable in theory, but in practice, Destiny 2 offers too little variety and too few tokens as a reward.
Farming faction tokens means farming duplicates!
Players collect faction tokens to gather the special weapons and armor of their respective faction. Completed armor sets look cool and show which faction the player stands for.
Bungie has implemented a mechanic that limits each use of faction tokens to 600 per faction. From that point on, the reward packages only contain faction-specific shaders. So you have to hope that RNGesus is favorable and that you actually get everything you wish for from the 30 reward packages (per character).
The faction leaders in Destiny 2
Unfortunately, voices are already emerging in the community complaining about the one armor piece or the one weapon that the faction does not want to give up. Instead, guardians are overwhelmed with 7 variants of the same automatic rifle.
Anyone who doesn’t get everything has simply had bad luck in the current faction rally. For me personally, this mechanic does not provide motivation to hunt for the tokens.
The exploit will surely be closed soon, but the problem remains
That Bungie will eventually close this token farming method is as certain as the Amen in the church. And then? Should players actually have to spend dozens of hours in strikes to obtain the maximum number of reward packages for three characters?
This very question reveals what ails the entire system. There are too few activities for too few tokens that yield too little and non-guaranteed rewards. Thus, the faction rally becomes a tedious chore that the guardians want to complete as quickly as possible.
Some guardians don’t even log in for this event.
This system can only be circumvented by the current farming trick, which is also incredibly tedious. Sorry Bungie – I’m not keen on that. I want to collect the tokens “on the side” while having fun, and not structure my entire gaming experience around it.
I want to be rewarded for my loot, which helps me progress and doesn’t leave me empty-handed in the end.
Why Bungie repeats the mistakes made with the first loot cave in Destiny 1 in Destiny 2 is a complete mystery to me. Give me a reason to spend time in Destiny 2, and I will be back in the game faster than Cayde-6 can say “Save the puppies”.
What do you think of the whole system surrounding faction tokens? Are you satisfied with it, or do you wish for adjustments?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The magical world of Harry Potter is set to become playable through an Augmented Reality game in 2018. This will be implemented by the creators of Pokémon GO, Niantic.
Niantic is reportedly working on an Augmented Reality (AR) version of the game “Harry Potter: Wizards Unite”. In collaboration with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, the AR developers aim to release the game in 2018.
First rumors appeared in 2016
With Pokémon GO, Niantic’s team achieved massive success worldwide. Is the next big franchise now on the agenda, capturing the attention of millions of players on their smartphones once again?
Last year, there were already rumors about a Harry Potter game from Niantic. However, the original report quickly turned out to be a fake, burying hopes along with it.
However, there is now another report that a magical AR game is being developed by Niantic. The news about the new Harry Potter AR game comes from TechCrunch. They state that the “Harry Potter: Wizards Unite” app is now “officially” confirmed. Here is the article on TechCrunch.com.
However, they do not mention an official source for this statement. It seems as if the author is referring to a tweet. At least he commented on it and received a response stating that the news comes directly from Warner Bros. and Niantic.
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It is still unclear how the game will look. Will players capture creatures or cast spells on other players? Through Pokémon GO, the developers at Niantic have already gained a lot of experience with titles that have a large fanbase.
Pokémon GO
As long as there is no official statement from Niantic or Warner Bros, it is advisable to treat this news with caution. We will inform you when Niantic comments on this topic.
In the meantime, Niantic has officially confirmed the work on a Harry Potter AR game!
The 1.8 update for The Division is coming soon! Here are the main new features that agents can look forward to.
The 1.8 update is not far off. An official release date is still pending, but Massive is expected to announce it soon – perhaps during the “State of the Game” stream on November 9.
However, it will definitely be a few days until the next content delivery hits the live servers. It’s time to get an overview of what 1.8 actually brings!
10 New Features of 1.8 You Should Know About
Several weeks ago, the developers stated that the main goal of update 1.8 is to finally give players what they have long wanted in The Division.
And the best part: All content of 1.8 is completely free. You do not have to spend any additional money for it.
1. Map Expansion of the Open World
The 1.8 update brings the first map expansion of the PvE area of The Division after more than a year and a half. The playable area expands to the northwest towards the West Side Pier.
The West Side Pier is divided into two zones (North and South). The area is expansive – you won’t be fighting on narrow streets between high-rises, but on wide plains.
Compared to other areas in the open world, the enemies in the West Side Pier have a dynamically spawning behavior. They don’t just stand around on the street aimlessly; they appear randomly and surprisingly. A dynamic AI generator is supposed to ensure that no visit is like the previous one.
Some of the “sights” at the West Side Pier include a nightclub, a car wash, a park, and the large aircraft carrier USS Intrepid. Additionally, this area features the Camp Clinton, which serves as a new social hub.
While update 1.8 does not include new story missions, it does bring new narrative content. This comes in the form of audio logs, which can be found in the West Side Pier.
In 1.8, enemy factions unite against the Division agents. They attack in mixed groups, which can create “nasty synergies.” You will discover how this happens in the audio logs, which reveal the backstory.
3. New PvE Endless Mode “Resistance”
“Resistance” is the new game mode that the 1.8 update is named after. It is the first PvE endless mode in The Division, which you can tackle in four-player groups.
In Resistance, you will face endless waves of enemies. The mode only ends when you die. There is no “final objective.” Every five waves, there is a boss wave – these can be viewed as “milestones.” There are no checkpoints.
Here’s the deal: The difficulty depends on progression. The first waves are quite easy. The further you get, the harder the waves become. Every 10 waves should yield better rewards. You will receive crates that have progressively better loot pools.
The 1.8 update introduces not only one new game mode but two! The second is called Skirmish and is a pure PvP mode. No NPCs. No huge maps where the fighting drags on. Instead: Intense PvP action.
The game mode is a simple team deathmatch: The team that first achieves a certain number of kills or has the most kills within a certain time wins. It’s played in 4v4. The normalization from “Last Stand” is also active here.
Skirmish is played on three PvP-focused maps, all located in the West Side Pier. They are significantly smaller than the maps in “Last Stand” to enable more intense battles. “Less running, more shooting” is the motto.
With update 1.8, not only new activities are coming but also new items:
Secret gear sets: Global Event 3 likely brings secret set pieces from Way of the Nomad, D3-FNC, AlphaBridge, and Banshee. Global Event 4 brings FireCrest, Hunter’s Faith, Predator’s Mark, and Tactician’s Authority.
Moreover, there will be more opportunities to obtain exotics and classified gear (secret gear sets).
7. Higher Gear Score
While update 1.8 does not provide a new world tier, it does introduce a higher maximum gear score. Currently, the maximum is 256, which will now be raised to 286. In World Tier 5, items will now drop between 256 and 286.
According to the developers, gear score will be calculated differently in 1.8 than before. Gear optimization will be key.
8. Optimization Station and Division Tech
There will be an optimization station where you can optimize your weapons and armor pieces. This means you can push their stats and attributes to the maximum afterward.
The further you optimize your items, the higher your gear score rises. Only with fully optimized gear can you achieve a gear score of 286.
To optimize your gear, you will need division tech. This resource will finally have a purpose again. In 1.8, there will be new ways to collect division tech.
9. Rogue 2.0
With 1.8, it will again be worthwhile to go rogue in the Dark Zone and hunt down rogues. The rogue system will be fundamentally revised:
You can no longer accidentally go rogue. Friendly fire is no longer possible. You now must declare your intention beforehand. Other agents can prepare themselves that you will attack them.
You must deactivate your manhunt status at a random location in the Dark Zone. Then there will be reward crates. These can contain exotics and secret gear sets.
Rogue 2.0 was a controversial topic on the PTS. The developers want to closely monitor how it performs on the live servers and will respond accordingly.
Take-Two is increasingly focusing on microtransactions. But what does this mean for titles like Borderlands 3 and Red Dead Redemption 2?
It is becoming increasingly rare for large games to do without microtransactions or loot box systems entirely. The trend seems to be strengthening. At a Take-Two investor’s call, CEO Strauss Zelnick spoke in more detail about the publisher’s future plans:
“Day by day, week by week. Slowly you fall in love with [our] games and they become a part of everyday life. […] We have already stated that we want recurring spending opportunities for our customers in every title we release.”
Recurring spending opportunities is the magic word
“Recurring spending opportunities” is likely just the new, trendy term for microtransactions.
The line seems to be clear: All games will have microtransactions in one way or another.
What these “spending opportunities” could be is still not revealed by Zelnick. It definitely doesn’t always have to be an “online model” or a “premium currency”.
How exactly such a system could look for Red Dead Redemption 2 or Borderlands 3 is still unclear. Certainly, loot boxes or special skins could also be offered in an additional shop here, but whether that will actually be well received by the players?
Cortyn says: I still hope that with “microtransactions” in Borderlands 3, only DLCs are meant – whether it’s story DLCs, new classes, or level increases, as was the case in part 2. But honestly, the probability is decreasing. Hopefully, Borderlands 3 will still be exactly what fans are hoping for.
What do you think of this development and what do you believe it will mean for Borderlands and Red Dead Redemption?
Guild Wars 2has required players to dig deep in their pockets for new skins for the mount since the Path of Fire expansion. The new skins are only available in expensive RNG loot boxes, which has recently angered the players!
The biggest highlight of Path of Fire, the new expansion for Guild Wars 2, were the mounts. Gradually, you could unlock a raptor, a rabbit, a teleporting jackal, a floating ray, and even the secret griffon flying mount.
If you’re looking for a new look for the beasts, you can look forward to 30 new skins. Or be upset that you have to pay real money for it!
5 Euros for a random mount skin?
Overall, ArenaNet has released 30 new mount skins. The skins are only available via the cash shop using gems (the real money currency). One skin costs 400 gems, which is equivalent to 5 euros. That would be a fair price for a skin, but unfortunately, for your 5 euros, you only get a ticket for a randomly selected skin from a pool of 30 skins! The mount tickets are therefore a kind of RNG loot box!
So if you only want a new skin like the flaming griffon, you might end up spending a lot of money until the desired creature finally appears on your screen. Fortunately, the system guarantees you a new skin with each purchase; you won’t receive duplicates. And the skins apply to your entire account, so you don’t have to buy new skins for each of your alts.
Fans angry about the RNG factor!
Of course, the RNG system for the Guild Wars mounts is still mild compared to other games, like the notorious RNG gambling cats from Black Desert Online. But fans still largely find it terrible. A player who is very unlucky and pulls the “wrong” mount 29 times would have to pay a total of 150 euros for all 30 individual mount tickets and end up with 29 skins they never use!
The complete package available in the shop with all 30 skins for about 120 euros is only a weak consolation. Many fans would find it fairer if they could buy an individual skin, such as the currently available hellhound skin for the jackal, for a bit more money individually.
Fashion grind is endgame!
And other players complain that the skins cannot be unlocked normally in the game. After all, the grind for fashion is an important endgame element of Guild Wars 2, and ArenaNet is ruining the fun for players.
However, some players argue that it is indeed possible to earn the new skins through grinding: You can at least acquire gems with in-game currency, the current rate is 100 gold for 465 gems. Diligent grinders could thus unlock one or the other mount loot box without spending money.
Shortly before the start of the Overwatch League on December 6, a rape allegation has shaken the fan community. The community is, as it always is in such cases: divided in opinion.
What actually happened?
On November 6, Twitch streamer Krystlin sent a tweet accusing NRG eSports manager Maxwell Bateman of sexual assault. According to her, the incident occurred on September 30 of this year after a party with fellow Overwatch players, during which he allegedly put something in her drink.
Upon arriving at the hotel room, he later sexually assaulted her while she was still dazed in bed. It was only a few days later that she recalled more and more details from that night and confronted him via messenger before going public with the tweet on Sunday.
Such allegations always raise doubts about the truthfulness of the statement. Many suspect a thirst for attention or pure defamation. Unfortunately, there are also cases where accusations have indeed been fabricated.
But: In general, one should not fall into the trap of “victim blaming.” Some forget that many victims (whether female or male) do not immediately dare to report. The current #metoo movement has given some courage in this regard.
In this particular case, Krystlin also published the text messages indicating that Bateman actually feels guilty for something and sees an action as reprehensible.
“Yes, I know what I did was wrong. And I promise you that it will never happen again” [Source: twitter]
Perhaps most interesting for us is the reaction of the league and NRG. Bateman was supposed to manage the San Francisco Shock. This team represents San Francisco in the Overwatch League and is owned by Andy Miller, who is also the CEO of NRG Esports. He immediately, just 14 hours later, took consequences from the incident and fired Bateman.
In accordance with NRG ESports zero tolerance policy, Max Bateman will no longer be employed by the organization.
He refers to the “zero tolerance policy” of NRG Esports, which apparently does not tolerate such behavior. They do not want to stand behind such acts and make this very clear with this step. “No tolerance and no protection for the perpetrators.”
What’s next?
The Las Vegas police have not released any statement to this day. Ultimately, one must wait to see what the investigations reveal. Personally, I would like to conclude from this that I fundamentally appreciate that NRG Esports does not support an alleged rapist and communicates this publicly to set a precedent.
