We present you the most important trailers and cinematics from the opening ceremony of Blizzcon 2017. There are videos about the new heroes of Heroes of the Storm, the expansion for WoW and Hearthstone. Additionally, a new champ for Overwatch and another map.
Starting off was Heroes of the Storm. Here come the “Double Dragons” with Hanzo and Alexstrasza.
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Hearthstone will receive its next expansion in December: “Kobolds & Catacombs” is basically “Dungeons and Dragons” in the style of Blizzard. As a special feature, each of the 9 classes will receive a legendary weapon. Additionally, a new single-player mode is expected to provide excitement.
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Overwatch has three impressive trailers. This is how the new heroine Moira and the new map BlizzardWorld are introduced. A cinematic illuminates Reinhardt’s backstory.
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In World of Warcraft, Blizzard announced “Classic Servers”. However, this will take some time. The next expansion is called “Battle for Azeroth”, where a showcase trailer and the intro cinematic are already presented.
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At BlizzCon 2017, the latest expansion of World of Warcraft was revealed. We have all the information about “Battle for Azeroth”.
BlizzCon 2017 is in full swing and the Opening Ceremony has just concluded. During this event, Blizzard announced the next expansion of World of Warcraft titled “Battle for Azeroth”.
The new WoW addon focuses on “Horde versus Alliance” in the main story
The name suggests a battle against an epic foe, but it turns out quite differently. At its core, “Battle for Azeroth” revolves entirely around the conflicts between the Horde and the Alliance. But there are also new continents. While the Horde allies with the trolls of the island Zandalar, the Alliance seeks help from the seafaring nation Kul Tiras. Both island regions will each be a new continent!
The latest expansion has plenty of what the speculations had predicted before.
The new level cap will be 120.
There will be “contested” zones that can be controlled by either the Horde or the Alliance.
New raids, dungeons
New races: 3 species will join each the Horde and the Alliance
WoW Battle for Azeroth Intro Cinematic
And as if that weren’t enough, Blizzard has also released the intro cinematic for “Battle for Azeroth”.
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The trailer shows a gigantic battle for Lordaeron – or rather for Undercity. Sylvanas Windrunner and all the races of the Horde are once again in direct war with the Alliance. Under the leadership of Anduin Wrynn and Genn Greymane, Undercity is besieged. You can see how this battle unfolds in this cinematic!
Further information about World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth will follow throughout the night. We will report as soon as there are new details!
The World of Warcraft Intro Cinematic for Battle for Azeroth in German in the trailer
Here is the trailer in German:
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The action MMO Guardians of Ember is a hack and slash game like Diablo with elements of an MMORPG. If you want to take a closer look at the game without paying, you can do so over the weekend.
Guardians of Ember is an MMO that plays like a hack and slash action RPG like Diablo. You choose a hero from four races and six classes and fight through a fantasy world. MMO features include other players in towns, housing, PvP, and dynamic events.
Until now, Guardians of Ember on Steam cost at least 14.99 euros, but there will be a Free2Play trial and discounts this coming weekend.
Test the action MMO for free on Steam
From November 2nd to November 5th, you can play Guardians of Ember for free on Steam. Just download it and play until the Free2Play period is over. If you like the game, you can buy it for 50 percent off in the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions. This offer is only valid until November 6th!
Your progress from the Free2Play period will remain with you if you end up buying the game. So you won’t lose anything.
New content and Act 6 still in 2017
If you are already playing Guardians of Ember or have been tempted, you can look forward to new content. The developers will soon introduce the “Endless Tower mode” Cathedral Abyss. Additionally, Act 6 is also supposed to be released in 2017.
The Trials return on 3rd November not only on PS4 and Xbox One – they will also take place for the first time on PC. If you haven’t had any experience with Trials of the Nine yet or want to refresh your knowledge, you can study our Trials guide here.
If the Trials do not appear in your navigator, it could be due to these access requirements. You must first:
Complete the story campaign
Master the “Call to Arms” milestone at least once
Have at least Power Level 260
Due to daylight saving time, the Trials start today, on 3rd November, at 6 PM. They end on 7th November at 10 AM. The map being played is Javelin-4. The game mode is Survival.
What are the Trials of the Nine in Survival mode?
This time, you will fight in the Trials in “Survival” mode. It is a round-based PvP mode.
You compete in teams of four against each other, with all four players per team sharing a specific number of lives. If a Guardian in your team is defeated, it costs you one life. If you defeat an opposing Guardian, it costs the opponent one life. The defeated Guardian will respawn automatically after a few seconds. Reviving teammates is not possible.
Once all lives are used up, you cannot respawn. If the team that has no lives left is completely defeated, a round is over. Win multiple rounds to decide the match.
After each match, you will receive “Trials of the Nine” tokens, which you can exchange for Trials engrams with the vendor. Additionally, you will receive extra rewards starting from 3, 5, and 7 wins. If you achieve a flawless run (7 wins without a loss), you can claim an extra reward. If you have 3 losses on your ticket, you must start over.
There is no matchmaking for the Trials of the Nine. You must assemble your team of 4 players yourself. Additionally, it is a “locked-loadout playlist.” This means you cannot change your weapons and armor until you leave the playlist.
Blizzard’s MOBA Heroes of the Storm will soon receive new heroes. Thanks to a leak for BlizzCon 2017, the two heroes Hanzo and Alexstrasza have been basically confirmed.
Oops, something went seriously wrong. On the Chinese site of Heroes of the Storm, there was briefly an image of Overwatch archer Hanzo and dragon aspect Alexstrasza from WoW instead of the usual Halloween theme.
Hanzo and Alexstrasza – What are their skills likely to be?
More information about the two new heroes will surely be available at BlizzCon 2017, which starts today (November 3rd) at 7 PM. However, some assumptions about the skills of the new heroes can already be made.
Hanzo as a ranged assassin?
Hanzo is likely to become a ranged assassin. He will probably rely on strong skill shots and shoot bouncing arrows around corners. His ultimate known from Overwatch could work similarly to Sergeant Hammer’s skill “Barrage Cannon”.
Will Alexstrasza be a hybrid hero with two forms?
On the other hand, Alexstrasza is likely to be a bit more original. According to some rumors, she could be another hybrid hero, switching between a healer and an assassin when transforming from her human form into her dragon form.
Overwatch thrives on its community. To keep it that way, Blizzard is taking strict action against cheaters and disruptors. In China, troublemakers have now been denied access.
Those who troll are banned! Blizzard takes action
“This is my team‘s fault, so I don‘t care” and “You play my main poorly, so I keep jumping off the map.” are phrases that you unfortunately read too often in Overwatch. Blizzard has now shown in China that they impose harsh penalties for such behavior.
Several hundred players have now been banned as a result of a massive ban wave in recent days. The reason: Massive trolling, bad behavior, willful sabotage of the game.
Blizzard names the troublemakers
As if that wasn’t enough, the publisher has decided to take it a step further. A list with the names of all players banned for these offenses can be found in official blue posts on the Chinese Overwatch forum.
Blizzard is making a clear stand against reprehensible behavior and cheating in Overwatch. Since the start of the game, almost half a million accounts have already been suspended – most of them through reports from other players.
Stricter penalties for ranked play
In September, Blizzard began permanently banning players for unfair play in competitive matches. Any player who has been banned more than three times in a season risks being permanently banned. Once that happens, there is no way to unlock the account again.
The report system is still in development according to Jeff Kaplan, but it is already functioning quite well and should continue to be used. Only by doing so can it be improved and disruptive players be removed.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Activision Blizzard looks back at Q3 2017. WoW, Overwatch, and Hearthstone performed well in summer 2017 – Heroes of the Storm was rather weak. The present looks bright, and the future seems to be in the mobile sector and with the really big franchises.
We already reported yesterday on Activision Blizzard’s investor call. It included much discussion about Call of Duty and Destiny 2. The numbers are strong. But what else is going on with the industry giant? How does Activision see its future?
Overwatch lives off events – 7.2 keeps WoW stable – Heroes of the Storm struggles
With Blizzard games, Activision praises strong player counts for Hearthstone and Overwatch. Overall, the numbers have fallen from 46 million to 42 million compared to 2/2017 – this is due to a weak Heroes of the Storm and a strong Q2.
For World of Warcraft, the monthly player counts have remained stable. The last patch 7.2 was responsible for this. In World of Warcraft, exact player counts are no longer published.
In Overwatch, the number of monthly users has increased compared to the previous year. This is thanks to the summer games and the Halloween event. The Overwatch community now consists of 35 million registered players. It’s known that events cause a significant increase in playtime and loot box revenues. Apparently, it also worked in 2017.
In the card game Hearthstone, the expansion “Knights of the Frozen Throne” drove the monthly logged-in players up. Here, 2017 is looking better than 2016, with a double-digit percentage increase.
Heroes of the Storm did not perform well. Monthly players have declined this quarter – the offensive in 2/2017 was significantly more successful. They revamped the loot system, modeled it after Overwatch, and ran crossover events with the shooter.
Activision presents three major goals and developments for the future to investors.
One is “That the big get bigger” – According to Activision Blizzard, the gaming industry is increasingly focusing on the really big titles. The top 10 titles of a year take an ever larger slice of the pie. Even within Activision, only a handful of brands (Call of Duty, Candy Crush, WoW, and Overwatch) accounted for 69% of revenues in 2016.
Therefore, it is important for Activision to have the top titles, strengthen these franchises, and establish new ones. The games-as-a-service approach is becoming increasingly important. The expectation for the future is that popular franchises will account for an disproportionately high share of revenues. Thus, it is vital for Activision that its top brands compete with the top brands of the competition. This will determine the future.
Additionally, it will be more important to leverage the power of brands outside of games. For Activision Blizzard, the Overwatch League plays a significant role. They are also considering TV series or merchandise.
The next big market is mobile. Due to smartphones and free-to-play games there, gaming has reached new age groups and new regions of the world. It is expected that the mobile market will surpass other segments of gaming. Activision has already brought in a specialist with Candy Crush developer King. But the other studios are also expected to develop mobile titles in the future.
Will we see Blizzard’s next mobile titles at Blizzcon 2017?
Recently at Blizzard, there have been signs that mobile games are to be launched in the future. Perhaps then with a big brand in the background. Maybe there will be first hints about such games at the currently starting Blizzcon.
In Destiny 2 , the Graviton Lance is an exotic pulse rifle. How good is it in PvE and PvP, and is it worth buying?
Imagine space-time as a web tapestry on a web device. This weapon is the needle.
This is how the Graviton Lance is described. It is an exotic pulse rifle introduced with the launch of Destiny 2. According to the in-game lore, it is said to fire black holes as large as a ball – at least that’s what an unknown Guardian says while discussing this weapon with another Guardian.
Sounds promising. Let’s take a closer look at the Graviton Lance.
How to Obtain Graviton Lance – How to Get the Exotic
There are several sources from which you can acquire the Graviton Lance:
Story: After about two-thirds of the campaign, you can choose between Risky Business, Sunshot, and the Graviton Lance as a reward.
Xur sells the Graviton Lance for 29 Legendary Shards. You can buy it up to a maximum Power Level of 270.
What Makes the Graviton Lance Special in Destiny 2? – Perks
The Graviton Lance fired three shots per burst as a pulse rifle until 2018. This was then reduced to 2 shots per burst with Shadowkeep. You fire a burst with each keypress. The weapon is carried in the energy slot and deals Void Damage. The fire rate is 360 and the magazine size is 39. Stability and range are excellent, the exotic has solid stats all around.
Here are the special perks:
Black Hole: The third shot of a burst tears a hole in the space-time continuum. This means it deals increased damage, has no damage falloff, but increases recoil.
Cosmology: Kills with this weapon cause enemy targets to explode.
What Does the Catalyst Do? The weapon has been equipped with a catalyst. Since 2022, this allows the Graviton Lance to have the perks of Vorpal Weapon and Outlaw instead of the previous higher aim assist value.
How Does Graviton Lance Perform in PvE and PvP?
Cosmology is a strange perk that throws enemies back after their death, where they explode shortly thereafter. So you cannot rely on it to deal damage to nearby enemies.
Especially interesting is the “Black Hole” perk: Although the Graviton Lance is very stable, the weapon tends to kick up with the last shot. This can be compensated more easily on PC than on consoles.
This shot deals increased damage – at all distances. This makes the Graviton Lance a nice Void weapon that can eliminate enemies in PvE even from greater distances.
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However: To deal high damage per burst, the last shot – which always kicks up – needs to hit. While the damage of other pulse rifles is evenly distributed across each shot per burst, with the Graviton Lance, the last shot is the main source of damage. If the enemies move a lot, as in PvP, that is a disadvantage.
In PvP, normal shots deal 8 crit damage and the “Black Hole” crit hit deals 51 damage. This results in an optimal TTK of 1.13 seconds – assuming you achieve 9 critical hits with three bursts. This makes the Graviton Lance as good as other pulse rifles like the Coronation Speach or the Cadence-43. Only with the difference that you take a higher risk. Because if the last shot misses, a large part of the damage is lost.
Conclusion: The Graviton Lance looks cool and has a special sound when the second shot is fired. Those alone are reasons to try out the pulse rifle. However, in terms of performance, the weapon cannot convince. In PvE it is decent, in PvP you will find better alternatives that are not exotic.
What do you think of the Graviton Lance? Would you recommend it?
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is played by millions of players daily and some cheaters use hacks to cheat. However, if someone does this in a public internet café in China, they can quickly clash with upset cheating victims and even get beaten up.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is an extremely emotional game. When 100 players are killing each other and every step could be the last, nerves are often frayed. If one gets taken out, it often leads to great anger for many players. Well, the other was just better: New game, new luck.
But when one realizes that the opponent was not better, but was just cheating with cheats and hacks, many gamers go into rage mode!
But it does not help because the miserable cheater is surely sitting safely and anonymously miles away at their computer, laughing into their cheating fist.
“Hey, I think that guy up front is cheating!”
However, the situation looks different when one is playing in an internet café as is common in China, rather than at home. There, various cheaters quickly stand out because they can simply be looked over the shoulder.
One quickly realizes that the other has wall hacks, speed hacks, and other cheating tricks running. Some gamers reacted not at all calmly and instead of politely pointing out the cheater’s misconduct, they took out their pent-up anger on the caught culprits physically.
Beatings and Insults for Cheaters in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
In a video from such an internet café, one player is happily cheating away, when suddenly another gamer comes along, notices the cheating, and gives the cheater a proper beating.
We have embedded the video of the retaliation against the cheater here. But be warned, there is real violence in it!
https://youtu.be/KhZswrgmnag
Jürgen says:
Of course, it is annoying when one is taken out by a cheater in the game, but resorting to violence because of it is still wrong. However, telling a cheater live what you think and being somewhat clearer would still be reasonable. But fighting is really unnecessary; in the end, it’s just a game.
The BlizzCon begins in a few hours. We have a schedule so you can experience all the important announcements regarding WoW, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and more!
This weekend (November 3rd and 4th), BlizzCon 2017 takes place in Anaheim. As usual, Blizzard will reveal a lot of details about the upcoming games and expansions that are currently still in development.
To fully experience BlizzCon, you need a Virtual Ticket, which can be purchased for €30. The ticket also comes with some in-game goodies for the various Blizzard games.
If that’s too expensive, you can catch just the opening ceremony with the latest announcements and then watch the eSports streams afterward.
But the BlizzCon has a tight schedule with plenty of programming. If you don’t want to miss any of the big events or need a food break in between, you should carefully consider what you want to watch when. We’ve got the most important dates listed here for you.
BlizzCon Schedule for Friday Night (November 3rd)
The biggest events take place on the “Mythic Stage.” Here, the major announcements are expected. These dates will be discussed on the “Mythic Stage.”
19:00 – 20:00 – Opening Ceremony: The opening ceremony traditionally briefly highlights all major highlights. The new expansions for World of Warcraft and Hearthstone will likely be announced, as well as new heroes for Heroes of the Storm and possibly a new hero for Overwatch. Whether Blizzard has more “aces up its sleeve” remains to be seen.
20:30 – 21:30 – World of Warcraft “What’s Next”: All information regarding the latest World of Warcraft expansion will be discussed here. What is the story about? What opponents are there? What are the new features?
21:45 – 22:30 – Hearthstone “What’s Next”: All information regarding the latest Hearthstone expansion. There will surely be plenty of reveals of new cards as well as an explanation of the setting and introduction of the main characters.
22:45 – 23:45 – Overwatch “What’s Next”: Whatever Overwatch has planned – this will be explored in detail. Is there a new hero? Are new maps coming? Fresh game modes? In an hour, there will certainly be plenty of fresh information.
01:00 – 1:45 – Heroes of the Storm “What’s Next”: Which heroes are next to enter the Nexus? Are there new maps or major changes to the game mechanics?
Minor Highlights on Friday
If you can’t relate to all the games mentioned above, you should also check out the smaller stages. Because at the same time, there are more panels where many details will be discussed. You should also keep an eye on these events:
20:30 – 21:15 – StarCraft II “What’s Next”: The developers of StarCraft II will talk about what new features are still planned. Are there fresh maps and game modes? Perhaps even new story DLCs? On the “Epic” stage.
21:30 – 22:30 – LoreCraft – The Art of Storytelling: The creative minds behind Blizzard games will reveal how to build a proper lore and tell exciting stories within it. This is certainly very interesting for all hobby writers. On the “Heroic” stage.
22:45 – 23:45 – Voices of Blizzard – The Powerful Women of Warcraft: The voices of the female heroes from World of Warcraft explain how they bring the various characters to life. On the “Legendary” stage.
23:30 – 0:30 – Blizzard Art Live – In-Game Animation: For characters to have a personality, their movements must also be animated precisely. The wiggling of a Murloc or the precise cut of Genji’s blade is important for the characters. The developers will explain how they proceed and what to keep in mind. On the “Heroic” stage.
01:15 – 2:00 – Overwatch Presents: What’s in the Loot Box?: The moderators on stage will open a gigantic loot box. Until now, there are no hints about what this could contain. Maybe skins for all players? On the “Epic” stage.
Aside from that, we at Mein-MMO will also be continuously reporting on BlizzCon in the coming nights. If you want all the info on the latest announcements from Blizzard, keep an eye on our site this night.
Which BlizzCon panels do you absolutely not want to miss?
Do you want to ensure you don’t miss any important announcements and stay informed? Then mark these two pages with a “Like” on Facebook to be directly informed about the most important news:
League of Legends (LoL) is expecting a new champion. Her name is Zoe. She is cute, dangerous, and can flash multiple times! We present to you the little spell thief and her skills.
In a new trailer, Riot Games introduces us to the next LoL champion that we will probably be able to play in League of Legends very soon. Her name is Zoe, and she seems adorable at first glance.
However, through the use of her abilities, she is a tough opponent in the Rift. Multiple flashes and CC spells demonstrate her strength.
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With the words “Cute but chaotic”, one could describe Zoe. We clearly see the CC with long range that is cast near Rammus. As Rammus rolls over it, he gets held/frozen after a short time. An important CC spell to cut off the path of fleeing opponents or to hold them in place.
Then we see Zoe in a fight against Aurelion Sol, casting two portals and thereby dodging the opponent’s damage.
Later, we see Zoe using three flashes in a fight against Taric and Jinx. If you look closely, the mechanics behind it are explained in the video. After an opponent casts a summoner spell near Zoe, the opponent leaves small bubbles on the ground. In the bubbles, you can see the symbols of the summoner spells the opponent has equipped.
If Zoe collects one of these orbs, she can apparently cast this spell. On Reddit, RiotExgeniar explains that this ability may also work with active items. A second Zhonya’s? Why not!
We are still not quite sure what is coming our way with Zoe. Apparently, the new champion invites trolling with Disney charm. Reactions on Reddit range from “May I introduce? My new main!” to “I already know I will always ban her.”.
What do you think of Zoe?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Problems with internal testing of version 1.0 of PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) are expected to delay public testing. This is no surprise for the community – Many players have anticipated this.
Actually, PUBG developer Bluehole intended to start testing version 1.0 on the test servers now. However, significant bugs were discovered during the update. Bugs that the developers do not want to let the game onto the test servers.
Now the extensive trial of version 1.0 with the community is likely to be delayed. However, the community is far from surprised and has already foreseen such a step.
Version 1.0 tests will probably come later
On Twitter, the developers of Bluehole wrote on November 1 that the preparation of the test servers for the new update is taking longer than planned. The “unexpected bug” persisted a day later. The problems could not be resolved quickly.
The PUBG team explains that the new patch is supposed to run on the test servers for a long time. It is extremely important that the gaming environment is stable.
For this reason, the developers assume that the testing period for version 1.0 will have to be postponed. They are working hard to fix the bug quickly and want to announce the new testing periods afterward.
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On Reddit, the announcement of the testing delay quickly spread. However, most players were not surprised at all.
User nhymu writes: “SPOILER: VERSION 1.0 MIGHT BE DELAYED! Let’s be honest … this shouldn’t surprise you.”
User MaxiF7 writes “All these unexpected bugs are no longer unexpected!”
Mdelally says that Bluehole has major issues with project management. “Bluehole should learn not to announce things before they are good. There should already be a working version 1.0 one or two weeks before the announcement.”
User funkCS writes that he would be surprised if the launch of version 1.0 goes smoothly.
The new Alpha of Wild West Online still hasn’t started and the developers are no longer providing a date. This makes players a bit skeptical. However, there should be new information today.
Update: There is now a release date for the “Early Access Alpha”. It is set to start on November 15. It will bring:
100 quests
20 weapons
Two public events
The release of Wild West Online is still planned for 2017. Recently, there has been unrest among fans of Wild West Online because they have been waiting for this date for a long time. The alpha was supposed to have been running for quite a while now.
Original report:
The current alpha of Wild West Online was supposed to take place from October 10 to November 15. However, it was postponed because feedback from testers in the first alpha indicated that many elements were still missing to make the online game enjoyable. While fans are now waiting for the start of the new testing phase, it has been announced on the game’s Facebook page that there is no new date for the alpha.
No exact date for the next alpha anymore
Currently, it’s only stated that the testing phase will start in November. An exact day is not mentioned. The team explains that players want significantly more content. And they intend to deliver just that. However, since the team is very small, it takes time to create this content. As a result, the alpha has been postponed.
They do not want to commit to a new date for now, as they do not want to disappoint fans again. The new testing phase is still expected to start in November. A specific date should be announced shortly.
Has the team gotten lost?
Fans are divided about this announcement. On one hand, they understand that Wild West Online needs significantly more content and it is also understandable that it takes time to create this content. On the other hand, skepticism is slowly spreading. Have the developers totally misjudged the game’s development? After all, it should be released this year. Would they really have released an online game that has hardly any content?
The feedback from the first alpha has shown that much needs to be done for Wild West Online. And this work is now postponing further testing phases and surely the release as well. As a small compensation, a female character has been shown, as you will soon be able to play as a woman.
The next alpha is particularly important for the title because fans will be able to see if the desired content is truly coming and if the game can survive in the long term in the market, or if it is just a “fake”, as many have feared for months. Skepticism arose, since it was suspected that Sergey Titov has something to do with the game: That Sergey Titov, who is behind the “scandal” surrounding the online game War Z.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Motiga is dead. The studio behind the online shooter Gigantic is being shut down. A few developers will continue to maintain Gigantic.
It apparently was not meant to be. As the CEO of Motiga, Chris Chung, confirmed in a statement to Destructoid, his studio Motiga is closed.
Gigantic does not generate enough revenue – Studio to be closed
Chung says: Perfect World acquired the studio in 2016. Now a decision has been made at the highest level to close the studio. Perfect World is a publicly traded company and has to pay attention to profits. Therefore, there was a decision at Perfect World to cut parts of the company that are not profitable. Gigantic is not generating enough revenue, and that’s why the studio Motiga will be closed.
Gigantic will remain in the hands of a maintenance team, in the hands of some very dedicated members of Motiga. They will continue to work on Gigantic as long as it makes sense.
Chung later apologized a bit for this statement. He says the statement came from an emotional moment, in response to a friendly and concerned inquiry. Chung may not have known all the facts. It was a hard day. Chung thanks everyone for the journey.
Currently, there is no statement from Perfect World.
Update 19:20:In the meantime, there is a statement from Perfect World. Officially, Motiga has not yet closed – but there is a “reduction in staff.” This aligns with the statement from the team – only that the studio is “officially” still alive and a core team continues to work on Gigantic. Additionally, Perfect World has closed the Seattle office of “Runic Games”, the studio behind Torchlight.
Continuing with the original article:
On Twitter, there are some comments about the closure. People mourn the passing of Motiga and try to help the dismissed employees find new jobs and make connections. This can often be observed in the gaming industry after the closure of a studio.
Gigantic has been under a bad sign from the beginning. There were difficulties in development, a shift in platforms, and delays as a result. The studio ran out of money during the development phase.
Moreover, it became clear over the years that Blizzard’s Overwatch would dominate the hero shooter genre. Apart from Overwatch and Paladins, there was little room for other competitors. This was also evident for other promising games like Battleborn and LawBreakers.
In fact, the studio was once dead and all employees had been laid off – but they continued to work without pay because they believed so much in Gigantic.
Perfect World then appeared as the knight in shining armor, bought the company, and ensured that Gigantic was released.
In Destiny 2, the latest hotfix was supposed to solve a performance issue – but it has now caused a much bigger one! Players are complaining about micro stutters.
In the gaming community, there is an old saying for developers: If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. But if something is broken, fix it without breaking anything else.
Unfortunately, the latter has happened to the Bungie developers with the PC version of Destiny 2. Yesterday, on November 2nd, the PC-specific hotfix 1.0.6.1 was deployed, which was supposed to resolve an issue with the clan overview and a problem with performance drops.
The clan overview now works perfectly, but as countless Guardians report: The performance issues are now significantly worse.
Destiny 2 stutters on PC
The new issues are reported by users to manifest as Destiny 2 stuttering significantly. “Micro-freezes” are being mentioned. They are so severe that the gameplay stutters for up to a second at times.
This problem is reportedly particularly common in PvP, during public events, or in raids – whenever there is a lot happening. These issues are said to be noticeable even on high-performance hardware where Destiny 2 ran smoothly before the hotfix.
Bungie has already responded. They are aware of the problem. On Reddit, community manager Cozmo stated that he would inform the team and the issue is being investigated. Shortly after, the official Bungie Help account tweeted that they are actively addressing the stuttering problem.
You can help Bungie with their investigations: If you are affected, you can explain in the Bungie Forum when and how these issues occur.
How Bungie is handling this issue is surprisingly well received by the community. Many users respond to the tweet saying that Bungie should take the necessary time to resolve the problem. Instead of frustration comments, many voices are heard congratulating Bungie on such a good PC version of Destiny 2. There is great respect for what Bungie has achieved and how they are now dealing with this problem.
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Online games are usually played with other players. Therefore, conversations online usually revolve around the respective game. But what about offline? Do you also talk about games when you’re not online?
Online gaming is a popular hobby and millions of gamers play together or against each other every day on the internet. But what happens when you’re not online? Do you talk to other people offline about your games or do you prefer to keep your hobby private?
Gaming is my hobby and all my friends play too!
Many gamers also have friends offline who are gamers and meet both online and in real life. Of course, games are also popular conversation topics. Games are just a popular subject alongside current movies, series, and everyday events.
But even if only a part of the friend circle consists of hardcore gamers, games can dominate a conversation. For example, when someone is currently playing a particularly cool game and shares their excitement with others in the room. Depending on how enthusiastic or annoying such a conversation is, more or fewer people may play the game in the future.
Gaming is kind of embarrassing for me
However, in every circle, games are not a topic that should be openly discussed. Gaming still has a bad reputation. Many people see it – unlike established hobbies like reading, sports, or gardening – as a waste of time.
It is criticized that one always sits indoors in front of the screen when gaming, and anyone who openly admits to having spent 20 or more euros on a fictional mount or a virtual outfit receives nothing but incredulous looks or even disdain from some people.
Gamers are all psychos!
And then there are of course the infamous “killer games,” whose consumption is supposedly supposed to turn peaceful individuals into bloodthirsty mass murderers. After all, someone who spends their time killing other people online must have something wrong with them!
So anyone who enthusiastically talks about their “killing sprees” in Call of Duty or their awesome orc warlock in World of Warcraft in front of non-gamers, for example, might quickly gain the reputation of being a complete idiot or even a potential psychopath. Therefore, many gamers talk very little about their hobby offline to avoid discrimination.
Jürgen says:
I am lucky that as a games editor, I can also openly talk about games in my work environment without being looked at askew. But if I were to work, for example, in an insurance company or a bank, I would probably also be more cautious about whom I tell details about my hobby.
But enough about me. What do you think about the topic? Do you often talk about games offline or is your hobby more of a taboo that is discussed only with like-minded people? Write it in the comments!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Call of Duty: WW2, the heavily battered series seems to be regaining its former glory. At least the first reviews on Metacritic describe it as the best CoD in years.
After the sci-fi settings of recent years with Advanced Warfare, Black Ops 3, and Infinite Warfare, the latter of which was not well received by many fans, 2017 sees a return to the past.
Today, on November 3rd, the full version of WW2 is released, and the first ratings from the press are in. How does the World War shooter perform?
Successful restart, WW2 is called “the best CoD in years”
Looking at the Metacritic page, there are already 31 official reviews for the PS4 version of WW2. These reviews are almost exclusively positive. Only one rating is in the middle range as of today (November 3, 2017, 10:30 AM).
Thus, WW2 has a metascore of a proud 86 (out of 100) on release day. Critics praise that the game successfully returned to its roots, particularly painting a grim and coherent picture of World War II in the campaign.
In multiplayer mode, traditionally the heart of a Call of Duty, WW2 is said to score as well. There, critics praise the down-to-earth gameplay without much frills and the new “War mode,” in which Call of Duty successfully approaches the mass battle gameplay of Battlefield.
Here are some ratings:
GamesBeat – 94/100
Ausgamers – 9
God is a Geek – 9
PlayStation Lifestyle – 9
Attack of the Fanboy – 4.5/5
Hardcore Gamer – 4.5/5
Impulse Gamer – 4.5/5
GameInformer – 8.75
CriticalHit – 8.5
EGM – 8.5
Multiplayer.it (Italian) – 8.5
NZGamer – 8.5
Xbox Achievements – 80/100
Gamesradar – 4/5
Telegraph – 4/5
The user rating on Metacritic, on the other hand, is less rosy and currently stands at 5.0. However, user ratings should always be taken with caution. They often consist of very emotionally influenced judgments or even fake reviews.
Reviews are currently based only on preview event
However, the current press reviews all relate to a three-day preview event. Thus, statements regarding server stability and matchmaking cannot be made yet, as the official multiplayer servers only go live today, on November 3rd.
It will therefore be seen in the coming weeks whether WW2 can maintain its high rating or if it ultimately remains “just” another 08-15 Call of Duty shooter set in World War II.
In the code of Pokémon GO, two new monsters appear that fans are excited about. A data miner used a trick to make the 3D models visible.
This discovery comes as a surprise to many trainers: a data miner found the 3D models of two more special Pokémon in the code of Pokémon GO. Whether it is already time for a new hype is hard to say. So far, not all the necessary conditions for the release of the two monsters in the game have been met.
Celebi and Ho-Oh found – A trick makes it possible
On Reddit, user Chrales, a PoGODev data miner, presented the 3D models of Celebi and Ho-Oh. He obtained the images by tricking the game into thinking that his Pokédex allegedly stored Ho-Oh and Celebi as “captured”.
When this trick worked, Chrales was able to render the 3D images of the new Pokémon. Ho-Oh exists in its normal form and as shiny. However, a shiny model of Celebi was not found.
Note: The gender icons under the Pokémon are a byproduct of data mining. The three should not appear with different genders in the game.
The finding of these images does not mean that the three can now be released in the game without further updates. Crucial conditions are still missing. As Chrales writes, the 2D icons (for example, the preview images in the Pokédex – “sprites”) have not yet been incorporated into Pokémon GO.
Only when the 2D images are in the game can we speculate about an imminent release.
How strong are Celebi and Ho-Oh in Pokémon GO? Boss CP and Catch CP
Using the Raid Boss formula, which calculates the maximum Boss CP and Catch CP of the current bosses, we can draw initial conclusions about the strength of Ho-Oh and Celebi.
Ho-Oh – presumably Tier 5 raid with a maximum of 48276 Boss CP
Maximum Catch CP: 2222
Celebi – presumably Tier 5 raid with a maximum of 37733 Boss CP
Maximum Catch CP: 1766
We are curious to see when we will hear and see more from the new Pokémon.
Fans of Ubisoft’s battle epic For Honor should mark the 14th of November on their calendars, as the fourth season “Order & Havoc” launches on that day.
With each new season, Ubisoft introduces more heroes, new maps, and additional improvements to the action game. This time is no different with Order & Havoc.
New Heroes
Season 4 brings two new heroes:
The Aramusha joins the Samurai and fights with a mix of very fast attacks and effective defense.
The Shaman, on the other hand, belongs to the Vikings and fights with an axe and a dagger. If her opponents bleed, she can enter a blood trance, through which every hit on an opponent grants her health points. Alternatively, she can dive down upon enemies to deal significant damage.
Both heroes will be available automatically for Season Pass holders starting November 14. All others can purchase the characters for 15,000 steel each a week later.
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Season 4 also includes the two maps “Market Town” and “The Gauntlet” as well as the new mode “Tribute”.
In this mode, two teams consisting of four players each compete against each other to control three offerings on the map. These must be secured at a shrine to receive buffs. The buffs include Vindicator (stronger attacks), Guardian (a regenerating shield), and Oracle (enemies are revealed on the map). These abilities provide notable advantages in battles.
Additionally, the “Ranked Domination game” will be introduced, where you can showcase your skills and compete for in-game rewards.
Want to try it for free?
Before the start of Season 4 in For Honor, there will be a free trial weekend from November 9 to 12, during which you can try the action game. If you are a For Honor player in need of steel, unite during the trial weekend with a friend who does not yet own the game via the “Warrior Training Program”. For five completed group games, you will receive 5,000 steel.
Black Desert Online offers gigantic conquest battles in PvP for guilds. For players who do not have an appropriate guild, there is now the opportunity to join a militia and as mercenaries to side with one of the factions.
PvP is an important feature in the sandbox MMO Black Desert Online, and every Saturday guilds fight for control over their own territories. It’s unfortunate if you are a tough PvP player but do not have a guild that excels in these fights. Until now, such players could only watch longingly as others fought for glory, honor, territories, and loot.
But since the last update on November 1st, all players have the opportunity to join the militia and participate in the area battles.
How to join the militia
The militia is a mercenary group that can side with one of the two factions in a conquest war. There is an offensive and a defensive militia. To participate, you just need to apply for one of the two troops through the militia menu and have a combined AK and VK of at least 400.
You can apply no later than 45 minutes before the start of the battle, and each militia can contain a maximum of 50 players. Additionally, only up to 10 players from the same guild can be in the militia of a territory. As a reward, there are plenty of silver, activity points, and guild assets.
Troops as a new group feature
In addition to the militias, the new update for Black Desert Online introduced the feature to create a “troop.” Troops are loose groups that can be created briefly to achieve a common goal.
Troops can contain a maximum of 20 players and have no features like shared XP or group buffs. However, you can see each other on the world map and use a group chat.
