Warum sind Lootboxen in Overwatch okay, Blizzard?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

Blizzard grants itself absolution for the loot boxes in Overwatch . They did not belong in a controversial discussion, no matter which.

Loot boxes in Call of Duty, in Star Wars Battlefront 2 or in Middle-earth: Shadow of War. There is constant quarrel about microtransactions. In Overwatch, such disputes are absent, and that is also correct, says Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime.

Controversial topic: Loot box

Loot boxes are the topic of the hour:

Indecent and manipulative – criticism of loot boxes in Call of Duty WW2

Blizzard’s Overwatch earns a fortune with loot boxes, but has so far remained untouched by such allegations. And Mike Morhaime assures in an interview with Game Informer that it will remain so. Blizzard wants nothing to do with a controversy around loot boxes.

Overwatch New Skins Butcher Roadhog
Butcher Roadhog

Morhaime says: “I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with having loot boxes that give you random items. I think whatever the loot box dispute is about – Overwatch does not belong in it.”

At Blizzard, they avoid linking loot boxes to “power gain.” It is also not possible to exchange items from loot boxes for real money again. Morhaime considers that a controversial element.

Overwatch New Skins Ecopoint Mei
Ecopoint Mei

Loot boxes in Overwatch: Blizzard does a lot right, but gets away with everything

Mein MMO says: They say in the gaming industry: “Do not orient yourself to Valve or Blizzard – they get away with everything, even things for which others are lynched.”

Indeed: Blizzard earns an insane amount of money with loot boxes in Overwatch, but remains untouched by the loot box controversy. After all, Overwatch is a full-price title.

That is why loot boxes in Overwatch are okay

Upon closer inspection, the Overwatch loot boxes work this way:

  • There is only cosmetics inside
  • You can also find and earn the loot boxes in the game itself at a “reasonable rate”
  • And because Overwatch is a multiplayer title, it seems “okay” for many
  • Even though Overwatch is a full-price title, players probably find the loot boxes okay because they accept that they are financing the further development of the game.
  • Additionally, Overwatch has made concessions during development, addressing the issue of duplicate items

If one of these points were absent or the company were not Blizzard, there would probably be a problem. In Destiny 2, for example, players have to purchase DLCs in addition to loot boxes to finance further development. A title like Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a single-player game. In Star Wars Battlefront 2, there are “not only cosmetic items” included, but also items that affect the strength of the players.

In all these games, there is trouble over loot boxes – not in Overwatch. Is everything perfect in Overwatch? Not really.

Overwatch New Skins Nova Widowmaker
Nova Widowmaker

There is also reason for criticism in Overwatch: Blizzard relies on many small psychological tricks to boost sales. The loot boxes work so well in Overwatch because they exert subtle pressure on the player and Overwatch is designed to encourage the purchase of loot boxes:

  • There are regularly special loot boxes for events, which contain special skins that are only available for a limited time -> Buy loot boxes now, or the skins will be gone
  • Moreover, the skins adorn the heroes and they have a special function in Overwatch; many fans have a deep connection to their favorite characters -> You want to do something good for the hero
  • And you see other players walking around with the skins or you see them in videos – a strong advertising effect
  • Also, the opening of a loot box is constructed to have maximum psychological effect, like a one-armed bandit – the reward effect is all the stronger

Activision is currently experimenting with methods to boost loot box sales. You can see this, for example, in the new Call of Duty or in this patent that Activision has registered:

Activision patents cash shop stuff

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

Im neuen Mobile-MMORPG AION Tempest dreht sich alles um Krieg

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 2 minutes

AION Tempest is currently in development as a mobile MMORPG, inspired by the well-known MMO AION 

AION Tempest is not a mobile version of the MMORPG, but an independent game with a different story.

The developers have not revealed much about this spin-off yet.

aion tempest 1

A mobile war that you determine yourself

AION Tempest takes place about 900 years before the events of Aion and revolves around an ancient war between the Daevas and Balaur. This conflict is known as the Millennium War. Consequently, large battles are also at the center of the game.

The MMO aims to offer a unique feature: It does not dictate the battles you must fight.

You determine through cooperation and disputes where a battle breaks out. Players from the respective faction participate in it. The fights are conducted in real-time and, according to the first trailer for the mobile game, are quite fast-paced. In principle, any small skirmish can escalate into a massive war.

aion tempest logo

Stylish 3D graphics, but no release date yet

AION Tempest utilizes 3D graphics that look quite good for a mobile game. What classes are available, how the battles proceed, how you improve your hero, and what the situation is with skills and quests are all still unknown.

It is also not yet known when AION Tempest will be released. The MMO is being developed by NCSoft.

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

WoW: A lot of story about Jaina, Vol’jin and Sylvanas – Players in the background

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

In World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, the “big characters” like Jaina, Anduin, and Sylvanas take center stage. Will the player heroes become insignificant again?

At BlizzCon 2017, much was discussed about the upcoming expansion of World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth. Various game mechanics were talked about, such as the Heart of Azeroth or the new allied races.

However, quite a bit was also revealed about other content, such as the storyline and quests.

WoW Battle for Azeroth Jaina

A particularly exciting detail is that in Battle for Azeroth, the great heroes of Azeroth are supposed to take more center stage. This does not refer to the player characters, but to the well-known Warcraft heroes who appear repeatedly in the cinematics.

The developers want to give each character its own major questline, where players learn more about the respective hero, their story, and their inner conflicts.

The following 5 characters were listed for this undertaking:

  • Jaina
  • Anduin
  • Thrall
  • Sylvanas
  • Vol’jin

Much Story about Jaina and Vol’jin

Since Vol’jin has already died in Legion, players will likely either interact with his spirit or experience something like the “early years” of Vol’jin – but this is still speculation.

wow-legion-voljin

Regarding Jaina, the developers revealed a bit more. They want to showcase all the major decisions in Jaina’s life that have shaped who she is today. This includes the betrayal of her father, Arthas’ cleansing of Stratholme, the siege of Undercity in Wrath of the Lich King, and many other events.

We have more about Jaina’s story in this extensive lore article about Jaina Proudmoore!

All of this sounds as if we as the “great hero” will slowly take a back seat again. Of course, we carry the Heart of Azeroth, the artifact necklace that will certainly still play a significant role. But generally, it seems that Blizzard’s heroes like Jaina, Anduin, and Sylvanas are receiving a lot of attention.

And that is likely a reason for joy for most Warcraft fans.

You can find all the information about the new WoW expansion in our extensive overview article about Battle for Azeroth.

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

Destiny 2: Bungie is performing maintenance today; issues may occur.

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 2 minutes

Maintenance is currently taking place behind the scenes in Destiny 2 . There may be issues.

Anyone wanting to attend to their Guardian duties around noon today may encounter server issues. As Bungie announced via Twitter, maintenance is being performed in the background.

Here is the information:

  • Today, on 8th November, maintenance will start at 11 AM our time.
  • This is a backend server maintenance. This means the servers will remain online, Bungie is just tinkering with the servers in the background.

However, the developers immediately issue a warning: Errors may occur during this time. If you face server issues, you should try logging back into Destiny 2.

destiny-arkologie

Bungie does not reveal how long these works will last. But if you are hit by error codes frequently this afternoon, you now know the reason.

What changes with the maintenance today?

When developers announce backend maintenance, usually nothing changes for players. The stability of the servers is simply increased. Bungie does not provide any further details on this.

Some users suspect that Bungie may be tweaking something in the background to curb the insane farming method that currently allows over 500 faction tokens per hour. The developers have not commented on this – perhaps it will be quietly removed today.

By the way: A few hours ago, there was an issue on Xbox One where purchased silver did not appear in the game. This has already been fixed.

If you prefer to refrain from playing Destiny 2 during the maintenance, you can read interesting articles or participate in a quiz here:

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

Mit welcher Klasse startet Ihr bei Diablo 3 in die Season 12?

Robert Albrecht Robert Albrecht Reading time 3 minutes

It’s about to begin: Diablo 3 (PC, PS4, Xbox One) is entering its 12th season. Blizzard has shaken up the classes and adjusted the balance beforehand. Which class will you start the next round with?

On Thursday, November 9, it will be time. At 5 PM German time, the 12th iteration of seasons in Diablo 3 will start. Blizzard released the major patch 2.6.1 beforehand, which stirred up the classes and sets significantly.

More than a dozen new builds want to be tried across all classes. This is because they have all received extensive buffs. While many combinations were considered “out” in season 11, the number of viable setups has increased significantly now.

Is the Barbarian the secret star of the new season?

Specifically, the Barbarian has been fundamentally revised and has received massive buffs. Where many considered the Barbarian prior to patch 2.6.1 to be the weakest of the available classes, you can now confidently jump in and approach Diablo’s hordes. Whether Whirlwind or Charge Barb, the great Nephalem Rifts are waiting for you!

Diablo 3 Barbar Title
Source: Battle.net – Fan Art

Other classes have also experienced powerful improvements. In particular, the Monk with the Sunwuko set and the Wave of Light, as well as the Wizard with his Arcane Orb, are getting very close to the class leader Necromancer.

The Necromancer as the measure of all things?

Many players expected that the golden days of the Necromancer were over. After all, Blizzard only made the likable necromancer so strong for sales purposes, right?

Diablo 3 Necromancer Story Title

Not at all! Because even the Necromancer has been further buffed and now offers speed farming potential with the bloody paths in combination with Steuart’s boots. With the Pestilence Cadaver Lance build, a completely new setup has even reached the top of the best builds.

The season journey promises big rewards again

Of course, there are again sets to win during the season. The following armors can be acquired with the respective classes:

Find out more about the start of the new season 12 here!

Let us know which class you will play at the start of the new season!

Now it’s your turn! Which class will you start the upcoming season with? In our editorial team, the favorite is already set; colleague Patrick and I will go into battle with the Barbarian – which class will it be for you? Choose your favorite in the following poll:

 

Want to pass the time until the season starts? Then go hunt some goblins – they’re currently appearing in pairs!

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

Wird Anthem Lootboxen haben? – Das sagen die Entwickler

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Anthem is eagerly awaited by many fans. But will the game eventually succumb to the insanity of loot boxes?

Slowly but surely, a community is forming on Reddit that is already waiting for the next big game from BioWare. Anthem is supposed to be a “casual” shooter that can be enjoyed in co-op with a few friends. At first glance, this seems to be a clear attack on the reigning champion Destiny (2).

And if the model shows anything, it’s how to make a lot of money: Different premium versions, a season pass, and microtransactions can be purchased or executed.

anthem5

Loot boxes in Anthem are “still under discussion”

There are many threads on Reddit where players are already expressing their concerns about loot boxes. The worries about a “toxic loot box economy” are immense.

The Creative Director of Anthem, Brenon Holmes, then spoke up and explained that the team is “constantly discussing the topic.” He cannot reveal any concrete details yet because the discussion is still ongoing internally.

In the end, he also tries to reassure:

Anthem Pic

“If it helps you, we are also gamers. Some people on the team share a similar position regarding monetization. This view is definitely represented.”

Since Anthem will likely come out later in 2018, it may be too early to expect definitive statements from the developers. However, the statement did not reassure the potential player base.

What is your opinion on loot boxes? Would that be a reason for you not to buy the game at all? Or are loot boxes now just “part of the deal” and have to be tolerated?

According to an insider, EA doesn’t care about what players want – they are only interested in what players will pay for.

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

Destiny 2: Over 500 Tokens per Hour! – Crazy Farming Exploit in Team Play

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 2 minutes

In Destiny 2 you can collect vast amounts of faction tokens in no time. This exploit for the faction rally is spreading like wildfire.

A few days ago, Bungie released an update that brought changes to the faction rally. Group play was supposed to be encouraged, and Guardians should not farm the lost sectors for tokens over and over again as they did during the first rally. Therefore, the sectors now grant fewer tokens, while strikes grant more.

However, this desired change did not occur: Because just hours after the start of the group event, a farming method emerged that again involves a “Lost Sector” – and is faster than ever before.

3 tokens in a few seconds

This farming method, which is so efficient that it has already been labeled as an exploit, was spread by the YouTuber xHOUNDISHx. Several large English-language sites have already reported about it, and some YouTubers copied this method. This trick can no longer be kept under wraps – on reddit, the post has nearly 9000 upvotes.

The farming method is executed on Earth. Fly to the landing zone of the Twisted Cove and go into the lost sector that is directly nearby. You can see the location in this video:

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Fight your way through the lost sector, defeat the boss, and open the chest. You will now receive three faction tokens.

Do not exit the lost sector through the front entrance, but jump up the rock behind the chest and run down the corridor until you are in another area. Run back again and you can loot the chest once more – it will drop three tokens again.

This can be repeated as often as you like. Over 500 tokens per hour are said to be possible.

A hotfix may be expected in the near future to eliminate this farming method. But maybe not – after all, the faction rally ends next week …

Interesting: Destiny 2: The winning weapons of the 2nd group event – What can they do?

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

There is Space Herpes in Warframe and I need it urgently!

Leya Jankowski Leya Jankowski Reading time 4 minutes

In Warframe, you can catch a Space Herpes, better known as Helminth Virus. Our author Leya was eager to get infected with the virus and reveals to you here why.

One of my latest discoveries in Warframe is the Space Herpes: a pink cyst that grows on the neck and develops into a tentacle. Once the cyst matures, a long hair sprouts from the growth and unfolds its full potential.

I was desperate to have the cyst and voluntarily got infected with the Space Herpes.

“Warframe has me under its spell” – This is how Leya became a Space Ninja out of passion
Helminth Cyst Close

The Space Herpes is a Helminth Virus – Transmitted by Touch

On one of my adventures, an experienced Tenno joined me, who had been playing Warframe for a few years.

While we were on a few casual missions, my companion informed me about the wonders of Space Herpes: It is the Helminth Virus, which transmits from player to player.

If you go on a mission together with a Warframe carrying the Helminth Virus, you get infected yourself. That’s why players gave the virus the wonderful nickname Space Herpes.

Helminth Stürmer Concept Kubrow

I wanted a Tentacle Dog – For that, I needed the Virus

The experienced Tenno told me about the Helminth Stürmers. These are special Kubrows that strongly resemble parasitic tentacles. If you want the Helminth Stürmer, you need a mature Helminth Virus.

Don’t know what a Kubrow is? Here we introduce the loyal pets of Warframe.
 
I looked at pictures of the Helminth Stürmers and immediately fell in love with these strange creatures. I had to have one!

And so it happened that I asked a question I couldn’t have imagined asking.

helminth cyst ripe

“Can you give me Space Herpes?”

Luckily, my companion still had a few Warframe units on hand infected with the virus. He kindly agreed to the infection process, and we set off on another mission. This time, the Tenno had an infected Warframe with him to transmit the Helminth Virus to me.

The catch: I had to wait 7 days until I could get my dog. It takes that long for the Helminth Cyst to mature and be ready for harvest.

Do you want to catch a Space Herpes in Warframe, but fish instead? Then check out our Fishing Guide.

But I had double luck: I was already infected with Space Herpes without even realizing it!

My teammate suddenly noticed that my current Warframe Octavia already carried a fully matured Helminth Cyst on her neck! Due to my ignorance, I hadn’t noticed the cyst at all.

So I could directly create a little tentacle puppy – Yay!

Octavia-Warframe
Due to Octavia’s pink colors, the pink cyst was difficult to recognize.

The Helminth Cyst can be integrated into a Kubrow’s DNA

When the cyst is ripe after 7 days and a long hair sprouts from it, the growth is ready for harvest. My cyst was ready.

Excited and full of anticipation, I took my infected Octavia to my breeding station. I placed a Kubrow egg in the incubator and suddenly had the option to incorporate the Helminth Virus into the DNA of the Kubrow embryo.

Impatiently, I sped up the incubation process, and then she hatched from her egg: My first little Helminth Stürmer – Hello!

space herpes baby

Those who want to permanently get rid of the virus must enter the Infestrum

The cyst was removed from my Octavia through the process, but she still carries the virus within her. To permanently get rid of the Space Herpes, the Afflicted Door in the Infestrum of the player’s spaceship must be opened.

In the Infestrum, there is the antidote to the virus. The door can only be opened by a Warframe infected with the Helminth Virus and bearing a cyst. Those who have the cyst removed in the Infestrum will be permanently immune to the virus with that Warframe!

So, if you want such a fine Helminth Stürmer, you should merge the virus with a Kubrow egg before permanently removing the cyst. The only exception is the Warframe Nidus, who remains infected with the virus forever and was the original Patient-0.

I already have my Helminth Stürmer, which has grown into a large, stately dog.

space herpes4

Attention Spoilers!

Colleague Jürgen has already reached the quest “The War Within” and shared his experiences. However, the following article contains major spoilers about the story of Warframe. Click this link only if you want to read spoilers:

Warframe: “The War Within” showed me what helplessness means!

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

Was sagen Betreiber von Privatservern und Fans zu WoW Classic?

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

The announcement of WoW Classic has triggered a flood of reactions. But how exactly are players and operators of private servers reacting?

Although the topic of Vanilla WoW has always been present, it is only now that it is being hotly debated, after Blizzard announced that they would eventually bring official Classic WoW servers. These servers are the cause of various thoughts and disputes. Particularly in the forums, posts of all kinds are circulating: And not all are positive.

World of Warcraft Troll

For? Against? Whatever!

  • A large number of players have expressed negative opinions about the Classic servers since Blizzard’s announcement. In particular, WoW veterans in the US forums often say “No.” They completed the content 12 years ago and do not want to miss the “Quality of Life” changes that came gradually.  But there is hardly anyone outright against the idea.
  • On the other hand, there are many players who are fully excited. Most supporters are simply happy to finally be heard. They are looking forward to any kind of Classic content.
  • A small number of players also announce that they will only play if Vanilla returns unchanged – that is, also without conveniences.
  • As is rather rare in discussions about Blizzard games, several players take a more neutral position. They are satisfied with the option to play what and when they want. A pleasant change after the intense disputes of recent months.
World of Warcraft
The long way back: That’s why it will still take a while before the Classic servers arrive.

WoW Classic – Competition for private servers?

A loud voice for the project has always been the private servers. On the Twitter channel of Nostalrius, which had been quiet for a long time, Blizzard’s decision is celebrated. Like the Light’s Hope server, they see their goal achieved and will cease operations as soon as the official servers go live.

Light’s Hope was founded by people who distanced themselves after the corruption allegations concerning Elysium. Those who still operate Elysium give no indication of wanting to stop. In a forum post, Admin Shenna explains that the servers will continue to run. They are a good preparation for the official realms.

You can find more about Elysium and the allegations of corruption in our report.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. pcgamesn

Fortnite: A player shoots guys while riding a flying pumpkin

Robert Albrecht Robert Albrecht Reading time 2 minutes

Is this intended? A player managed to take down an opponent with a sniper rifle from a flying pumpkin in Fortnite. We have the video proof!

Streamers have discovered in Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode that rockets not only create large explosions but can also be used as a means of transport.

During a stream, the player Zaccubus found a rocket launcher in Battle Royale mode that shoots pumpkins instead of rockets in Halloween style. Instead of shooting directly at opponents (which anyone can really do), the player sought an elevated position and simply stood on a pumpkin fired by his buddy.

fortnite-building
If you don’t want to rely on flying pumpkins, our guide to Fortnite: Battle Royale will help you!

Riding a pumpkin and taking out opponents with the sniper? No problem!

This action alone would be worth a mention. However, Zaccubus goes even further and makes even Billy the Kid green with envy from his pumpkin. The first enemy is taken out with the sniper rifle, followed by absolute chaos among his opponents:

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The player is celebrated for this action, and the community even demands that this feature be kept in the game because it’s just brilliant. Whether that was intended by Epic or not is unfortunately unknown – but it certainly caused some laughs. So if you want to create great confusion among your opponents, why not try riding a pumpkin!

It should be noted that this is only possible in modes that require a team. In solo mode, this will not be possible. Given how rare rocket launchers are distributed in the game, this method presents a significant advantage if you can manage to hop onto the projectile at the right moment.

What do you think of this action? Unfair advantage or just a fun trick? Let us know in the comments!

Also interesting: Read here all about the equipment and strategic map points in Fortnite: Battle Royale!

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

Die neue Karte BlizzardWorld in Overwatch steckt voller Easter Eggs

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 3 minutes

This week the new map BlizzardWorld goes live on the Overwatch PTR. The theme park is not only a tribute to over 20 years of Blizzard – but also packed with Easter eggs!

Blizzard opens the Easter egg hunt!

BlizzardWorld is an amusement park revolving around all universes of Blizzard – except for Overwatch. And what can’t be missing at Blizzard? Right, amusing references to everything!

There are not only obvious pointers to the games, like the massive siege tank in the middle of the map. Even in the details, the creators hide some winks.

Overwatch BlizzardWorld whole map resized

The names of the different attractions already show the creative use of their inspirations. The “Hellscream Roller Coaster” promises pure adrenaline, while the Nydus Worm slide offers a slimy variation. However, it is claimed that the green water in the breeding slime pool water park is still clear every morning…

Ashbringer, Doomhammer and Death Wings

Overwatch BlizzardWorld Snaxxramas inside

A little more love to detail can be found in the snack bar “Snaxxramas”. In the gourmet necropolis, hungry guests can indulge in Protoss waffles with Zerg slime syrup, and wash them down with a drink from a Space Marine cup! Or are you in the mood for something fiery? The Death Wings (my personal favorite) surely burn twice!

And what would an amusement park be without a souvenir shop? In the shops and stands scattered throughout the map, there are plenty of souvenirs:

  • Doomhammers and Ashbringers made of foam
  • Backpacks with Horde, Alliance, or Hearthstone logos
  • Murloc polo shirts
  • BlizzardWorld beach towels
Overwatch BlizzardWorld Gift Shop inside
The new healer Moira is already playable on the PTR!

BlizzardWorld’s dankest memes!

One of the most successful Easter eggs is probably the “Lost and Found Vikings” lost and found office. Not only is the reference to the ancient game built in – but also the meme of the searching John Travolta from the movie Pulp Fiction! Erik, Baleog, and Olaf take on the same poses as Vincent Vega.

  • Overwatch BlizzardWorld Lost and Found Vikings
  • Travolta Meme

These are just the bigger homages. But there are also smaller hints scattered all over the map – sometimes hard to discover:

  • The ropes that secure the balloons can be cut with a shot, causing the balloons to fly away – or can also be shot down
  • The voices of Deckard Cain, Uther Lightbringer, and the Acolyte from Starcraft can occasionally be heard
  • When Torbjörn enters the Diablo area, Deckard Cain warns him that he is not big enough for the attractions
  • When destroying barrels in the Diablo area, the sound of a Legendary drop from Diablo 3 can randomly be heard
  • In Heroes Arcade, there are “Azmodunks”, basketball machines, with a reference to the “Azmodunk” skin from Heroes of the Storm
  • The high scores of some games in the arcade are led by Sombra with 9,999 (HAX!)
Overwatch BlizzardWorld Easter Eggs Heroes Arcade

BlizzardWorld will be released this week on the Overwatch test realm! Get ready to search for more Easter eggs and share them with the community!

Interested in more Overwatch craziness? These crazy concepts unfortunately never made it into the game.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. polygon
  2. venturebeat
  3. reddit

Die zweite Bannwelle trifft Destiny 2 – wieder sind “unschuldige” Hüter betroffen

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 2 minutes

Bungie swings the banhammer at Destiny 2 on PC. Several Guardians complain that they were caught unfairly.

Almost two weeks after the official PC launch, the second major ban wave hits the MMO shooter. Those who use unauthorized tools or unfair advantages in Destiny 2 will be penalized – and fall victim to the banhammer.

If several user posts in the Destiny forums are to be believed, the developers have once again been “too generous” with the banhammer. Complaints are once again piling up from players who claim they “did nothing” and yet received a ban.

Shortly after the PC launch, numerous players were locked out of Destiny 2, unaware of any wrongdoing. Bungie emphasized at that time that every ban had been manually reviewed, which was indeed the case. Shortly thereafter, the developers backtracked, admitting that a glitch had led to some players being wrongly banned. Those bans were then lifted.

Did the same mistake happen again?

banne

This week, several users are once again complaining about an unjustified ban, causing many to look suspiciously at Bungie. Is the mistake once again on the developers’ part, or are only unrepentant cheaters venting their frustration against Bungie? Ultimately, such statements cannot be verified – and cheaters rarely admit to cheating.

Some users speculate that the bans could be due to various third-party programs – and not cheating tools. One affected user writes that he is a programmer who has certain software on his PC that he needs for his work. These could be the reason for the ban; he could not think of any other reasons.

destiny-2-hüter-waffen

Another user writes angrily that he also has various programs on his computer that do not cause problems in any other Blizzard, Steam, or Origin game. That he gets a ban in Destiny 2 for this is sloppy on Bungie’s part. After the first ban wave, nobody would trust them anymore.

In the meantime, Bungie’s community manager Cozmo has spoken out. They have investigated the complaints. The last wave of protective measures was thoroughly reviewed, and in each case, it was identified that cheat tools had been used multiple times.

What is ultimately true about all these complaints can’t be judged from the outside. However, the current situation strongly resembles the one we had two weeks ago. It remains to be seen whether Bungie will comment on this again.

How to optimize your key mapping in Destiny 2 on PC, we show you here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. kotaku
  2. reddit

Log in to Hearthstone & grab this legendary card!

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 2 minutes

Blizzard’s online card game Hearthstone is giving away free legendary cards! If you log in now, you’ll receive a particularly strong card for free!

At BlizzCon 2017, alongside the new WoW expansion Battle for Azeroth and the new Overwatch hero Moira, the next expansion for the card game Hearthstone was announced. However, before “Kobolds and Catacombs” releases, Blizzard is giving you a legendary free card!

Highlights and disappointments of BlizzCon 2017

Marin the Fox as a cool legendary card

hearthstone marin the fox 01

If you log in to Hearthstone before the release of the expansion Kobolds and Catacombs in December 2017, you will receive the card “Marin the Fox” for free. You just need to briefly show yourself in the game, and then “the fox” will be in your deck. If you had purchased a (virtual) ticket to BlizzCon 2017, you will even receive Marin the Fox as a golden card!

The card cannot be disenchanted or crafted in any other way. Marin the Fox is a 6/6 minion that costs 8 mana. That’s actually way too expensive. Its Battlecry ability gives the opponent a treasure chest with the stats 0/8. Also unfortunate. But if you break the chest, you will get an extremely strong card that can be game-changing!

Marin-Fantastic-Treasures
Source: Hearthpwn

How to make the best use of the legendary free card!

hearthstone alchemist

Combine the fox with a card that instantly takes out opposing minions. The “Crazy Alchemist” would be such a candidate. The Alchemist simply swaps an opponent’s attack with their health and thus takes out the chest – which has an attack value of 0 – instantly.

This way, you can trick your opponent and immediately grab the chest loot! However, the combo usually only works starting from turn 10, as you need a total of 10 mana to play Marin the Fox and then the Crazy Alchemist in one turn.

Here you can find all the currently known information about the new Hearthstone expansion Kobolds and Catacombs and the 48 solo bosses included!

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

Draconius GO wächst schnell! – Über 100.000 Downloads pro Woche

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

The Pokémon GO competition has already built a strong base. Now the developers are showing new download figures for Draconius GO.

For the past few weeks, the dragon trainer game by Elyland has been a hot topic particularly in the Pokémon GO community. Draconius GO is the game where you add wild beasts to the bestiary instead of your PokéDex.

The dragon game, however, strikes a chord in the mobile community and has a rapidly growing player base.

Strong community growth in Draconius GO

The development team from Elyland recently spoke with PokémonGOHub about new figures for their game “Draconius GO.” Over 100,000 downloads were added within a week.

  • Current download numbers from November 6: 439,000 downloads on iOS and Android
  • Download figures from last Monday, October 30: 330,000 downloads on iOS and Android
  • Release was nearly three weeks ago, on October 16, 2017
Draconius GO 2

Developers work with the community

The high downloads show that the game is well-received by many gamers. This is probably also due to the developers listening to community requests. Suggestions for changes to spawns and eggs are taken seriously by the developers, who attempt to implement them.

In a recent update, the developers changed the chances of creatures that can hatch from 10km eggs. Weaker standard monsters should no longer come from these eggs, but rather stronger fighters.

Draconius GO

Especially the rural players are happy about the alternative to Pokémon GO. In rural areas, there are few PokéStops and gyms. Dragon catchers in Draconius GO can also look forward to many creatures, pillars, and more.

No news on the dispute with Niantic

We have already reported that Niantic has issues with Draconius GO. In the eyes of the Pokémon GO developers, there is a copyright infringement here. It seems they do not intend to let this go.

Pokémon VS Draconius

The Draconius GO team reacted casually to the complaint. They believe they are in the right and, according to their own statements, have not violated any copyright. However, there is no official statement regarding the current state of affairs. We will keep an eye on the dispute for you.

The similarities between Pokémon GO and Draconius GO are detailed here

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

Lineage 3? Neues PC-MMORPG der Lineage-Reihe angekündigt!

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 3 minutes

The planned Korean online role-playing game Lineage Eternal is officially dead! But instead, a new title called “Project TL” is coming to PC. It is expected to include some content from Lineage Eternal.

Lineage Eternal was once the great hope for the Korean software giant NCSoft. The game was highly praised during its long development period (it was first announced in 2011) in numerous previews and announced features. It was supposed to offer epic sieges, cool action-RPG gameplay like Diablo, and a whole stable of heroes that could be changed at any time.

Lineage Eternal was supposed to be released simultaneously for PC and mobile devices as a kind of hybrid MMORPG.

It all sounded good, but the first betas in South Korea were disappointing. The gameplay was apparently too grindy and not innovative enough, even for Koreans. Therefore, NCSoft first changed the management of the project and later even the entire engine!

project tl 02

Then there was a period of silence, and hardly anyone knew what was to become of Lineage Eternal. Now we know!

Lineage Eternal becomes the new game “Project LT”

project tl 03

At a recently held press event, NCSoft revealed not news about Lineage Eternal. Instead, a new game called Project TL (The Lineage) was announced for PC. This is still a working title. According to NCSoft, it is a new game and despite the previously misleading name, it is the next Lineage.

The “new” game clearly builds on the previous work on Lineage Eternal. It uses the Unreal 4 engine and will retain some of Eternal’s features, but will also get rid of many:

  • The game will continue to be an action MMO with dynamic gameplay.
  • Destructible and interactable environments remain a feature. You can topple columns and squash monsters with them or tear down walls.
  • Massive sieges, a feature from Lineage Eternal, will be present in Project TL.
  • The controversial character system with changeable heroes will be completely removed. Instead, you will have a more traditional hero system and build a character from a previous selection of 5 classes.
  • There will be dynamic weather effects.
  • Gamepad support is expected. The game may also be released for consoles.
project tl 05

Video shows first gameplay and similarities to Lineage Eternal

The progress made on Project TL can be seen in the first video teaser for the game. There, you can see, among other things, cutscenes, powerful heroes, sexy sorceresses, and wild battles. Especially cool: horse fights and an epic siege!

https://youtu.be/Ac1Yl3-oLI0

Some of the characters reminiscent of concepts from Lineage Eternal. For example, the elf assassin from the video strongly resembles the assassin from Eternal. And the heavily armored human knight in heavy armor looked quite similar in Eternal. The same goes for the dark sorceress.

A first closed beta of Project TL is slated to begin in 2018.

In the mobile sector, NCSoft is scoring points with the project “Lineage M”, but faces strong competition from the licensed product Lineage 2 Revolution from Netmarble.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Invenglobal
  2. MMORPG
  3. MMOCulture
  4. Kotaku

Blade & Soul 2 angekündigt – wird ein Mobile-MMORPG!

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 2 minutes

Blade & Soul 2 is coming! But not in the way many might have imagined. Because NCSoft announced the sequel as a mobile MMORPG.

Wait a minute, isn’t there already another mobile game in development – Blade & Soul M?

Yes, but this one is supposed to differ from Blade & Soul 2. Both titles are being developed by different teams and, according to NCSoft, offer a different gaming experience. Both games will be playable on mobile devices.

Blade&Soul-ab-15

A new team is taking care of Blade & Soul 2

Interestingly, the team that developed Blade & Soul for PC is now working on Blade & Soul M. This means that the official sequel is being produced by a different team. This could also be a good thing, as fresh ideas and new aspects might find their way into the game.

What exactly Blade & Soul 2 will be like and how it will differ from Blade & Soul M is currently unclear. NCSoft has only announced the game with a release date for 2018.

The shown trailer doesn’t actually reveal anything about the game. According to NCSoft, Blade & Soul 2 is already completely finished, so nothing should stand in the way of a release next year. Presumably, tests and optimization work are still pending.

Lyn Blade and Soul

Mobile game instead of PC sequel

It will be quite interesting to see how Blade & Soul 2 will play. Some PC owners and fans of the predecessor are probably disappointed, as it is a mobile game. But as current mobile MMORPGs show, they can also be deep and challenging.

Whether a PC version is in the works is currently unknown.

https://www.facebook.com/MMOCulture/videos/1952697758076897/

5 promising mobile MMOs for 2017 & 2018

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

WoW: The standard backpack is getting larger! But there’s a catch…

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

World of Warcraft addresses one of its long-standing complaints. However, not everyone is happy with how the backpack issue is being resolved…

Are you among the players of World of Warcraft who always have full bags, with even the banks bursting at the seams? Then you have probably noticed that the “standard backpack” in World of Warcraft is much smaller than other bags in the game. For example, a Hexweave Bag offers around 30 slots, while the regular backpack only offers 16 slots. The problem: The regular backpack cannot be exchanged.

At the Developer Q&A at BlizzCon, a question was asked that has made it to the developers almost every year:

When will the standard backpack finally be exchangeable?

WoW QA Panel Developers Blizzcon

In the past, the statement was always that this was due to programming issues that are not easy to fix.

Apparently, this has changed in recent weeks, as the developers stated that there will indeed soon be a way to increase the standard backpack.

Larger Backpack – Only with Authenticator

However, there is a catch, and that is the Blizzard Authenticator. The developers want to give players more incentives to use the Authenticator to better protect their game accounts.

WoW Battle for Azeroth Jaina

The Authenticator is available in both physical and digital forms for smartphones. Once linked to the Battle.net account, you must enter an additional code generated by the Authenticator at each login. This adds another layer of security and makes account theft nearly impossible.

Only those who use the Authenticator will be rewarded with additional inventory slots.

As of now, there is no specific date or exact details on the precise increase of the backpack. We will report on this as soon as this bonus goes live.

You can find all information about the WoW expansion Battle for Azeroth in this overview article.

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

Destiny 2: Circus Challenge – How to complete the raid challenge

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 2 minutes

How does the Circus Challenge work in the Destiny 2 raid? Here is the solution for the raid challenge.

On November 7 at 10 AM, the second challenge in the Leviathan raid started. This leads into the Circus Encounter. In this, you have to transport psionic charges through a tunnel and then dunk them in the middle of the room.

The way the challenge works in the Circus was uncovered in no time – it is not particularly difficult. It is important to note that the challenge can be played in both normal mode and prestige mode.

Note: If you haven’t got the basics down for the Circus yet, you can read our Leviathan raid guide. We will only show you below how the challenge works.

Solution for the Raid Challenge in the Circus

You need to meet a requirement for the challenge:

  • During the entire encounter, you may only touch the same platform (pillar) once.

This means: As soon as one of you jumps on the same pillar a second time, the challenge is lost. If Guardian A jumps on the pillar with the chalice and Guardian A jumps on the same pillar with the chalice again later, the challenge has failed. This will be displayed with the message “Challenge failed” at the bottom left of the screen:

destiny 2 challenge

How should I best approach this challenge?

  • Divide yourselves (as usual) into two teams of three.
  • Each of the two teams has three roles that each member may assume during the encounter: One Guardian runs in the tunnel, one Guardian positions themselves on the pillars, one Guardian takes care of the spawning council members.

Example:

  • In the first phase, I run in the tunnel.
  • In the second phase, I take care of the spawning council members outside. I will never stand on a pillar in this run.
  • In the third phase, I will stand on all pillars one after another while shooting at the arrows. If a run is open, I jump directly to the next pillar.

This way, you will ensure that you do not step on the pillars twice during the encounter.

Note: To activate the Circus Encounter, you must stand on all four pillars. This does not count as the “first touch”.

Here is a video from Venero TV about it:

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The rewards for successfully completing the challenge are tokens, a guaranteed raid item, and this exclusive emblem:

sneaky

Good luck with the challenge! If you have any more tips, please leave them in the comments!

This is how the raid challenge at the Royal Baths goes.

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

Fortnite Battle Royale hat 20 Millionen Spieler, schlägt PUBG!

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 2 minutes

Fortnite has reached over 20 million downloads thanks to the Battle Royale PvP mode. This surpasses the major competitor PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), which has 17 million players.

Fortnite was originally a pure PvE co-op loot shooter, but now there is a popular PvP mode called Battle Royale. In this mode, you can fight each other in true PUBG fashion on a deserted island. As the gameplay is heavily reminiscent of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, there has already been some trouble with its developer Bluehole.

Fortnite Halloween Art 02

This has actually turned the PUBG developer into a promoter for the competition, especially since Fortnite: Battle Royale is both free-to-play and playable on the consoles PS4 and Xbox One. PUBG is currently only available on PC.

So it’s not surprising that Fortnite now has more registered players than PUBG.

Fortnite leads in player numbers, but PUBG still has the most concurrent gamers

Overall, Fortnite boasts more than 20 million registered players. PUBG has “only” 17 million.

Keep in mind: PUBG costs money and can only be played via Steam on PC. The version for Xbox One is still pending and whether it will ever be released on PlayStation 4 is still unclear. Therefore, Fortnite currently has the edge thanks to console players.

Fortnite Battle Royale 4

However, PUBG still clearly leads in terms of concurrent players. More than 2 million gamers have played PUBG simultaneously. The record for Fortnite is 800,000.

It remains exciting to see how the upcoming Xbox One release of PUBG will affect the situation. Will Fortnite be able to maintain its lead on consoles, or will players flock to the “original”?

If you are interested in whether Fortnite: Battle Royale is worth it, or if it is just a lame PUBG clone, you should read our article on the subject.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. VG247

Warframe: Plains of Eidolon erscheint bald auf PS4 & Xbox One!

Leya Jankowski Leya Jankowski Reading time 2 minutes

The new Warframe expansion “Plains of Eidolon” is coming soon to PS4 and Xbox One! Digital Extremes confirmed that the developers are close to bringing the DLC to the consoles. The final phase has begun.

Plains of Eidolon is a huge open world map with giant monsters and a day/night cycle featuring dangerous creatures. The DLC was released on PC in October. Since then, console players have been eagerly waiting for the new content.

The open world of Warframe scares me – But I want more!

Plains of Eidolon is likely coming this week to PS4 & Xbox

The “Plains of Eidolon” update is already in the certification process with Microsoft and Sony. To be released on the consoles, new updates must undergo a strict review process.

If the update is approved, it could be released on PS4 and Xbox later this week.

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Plains of Eidolon offers a great place to fish! Here is our Fishing Guide.

A specific release date for “Plains of Eidolon” on PS4 and Xbox is still pending – but: It is coming soon!

Today and tomorrow, a patch is coming that is supposed to prepare the consoles for the big update. However, this maintenance patch will likely NOT include Plains of Eidolon.

The patch includes:

  • Relays
  • Dojos
  • Iron Wake
  • Maroo’s Bazaar
Warframe eidolon hunt 15

During the update, hubs may function only partially. Those who can enter the hubs will not find other players there. Normal gameplay missions are not affected by the update.

  • On the PS4, the update will be released today, November 7.
  • On the Xbox, the update will be released tomorrow, November 8.

Learn how to effectively kill the giant beasts on Eidolon here: How to kill the giant Eidolon Teralysts in the Plains

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