Although in the live version of World of Warcraft the patch 7.2.5 and thus the Tomb of Sargeras has just been opened, Blizzard knows no break. On the public test server, the PTR, the next big update 7.3 is already in progress. As already known, this will take us directly to Argus – the homeworld of the Burning Legion.
As Argus is a no-fly zone, flying mounts unfortunately have to stay in the bag. However, this does not mean that travel on the surface of the planet will be slow. Players can utilize the Vindicaar, a ship that presumably belongs to the Draenei. Here there is a large network of portals that takes players to their desired locations, eliminating long walking routes (after initial unlocking).
Traveling with the Vindicaar is fast.
Overall, Argus will consist of three areas, two of which are likely “Mac’Aree” and “Stygian Wake”. The areas are expected to resemble the Timeless Isle, the Throne of Thunder, and the Molten Front in terms of replayability, while also offering plenty of story. Generally, however, Argus is “only” a new zone and does not aim to represent a complete planet (like Draenor).
Argus will be a place full of story
Generally, patch 7.3 is supposed to be a very story-driven update and regain trust that was lost with the 7.2 questline about the Legion judges. At least according to the effort Blizzard has made to create new species and models, this seems to be succeeding. Now the quests just need to deliver what the environment promises.
Finally, patch 7.3 also includes the promised improvements to the caster animations for Restoration Druids, Elemental and Restoration Shamans, Discipline and Holy Priests, and all three Mage specializations. The animations for Shadow Priests are not finished yet but will be added later (still in this patch).
The current version of patch 7.3 is still not complete. In future versions of the patch, more content is expected to follow, such as:
Additional chapters of the Argus questline with “many cinematic story moments”
New world quests
Updates for professions, including epic gems
The Netherlight Tiger, with which one can further customize the relics of artifact weapons
A new dungeon: the Seat of the Triumvirate
A new raid: Antorus, the Burning Throne
Invasion points – repeatable content where one can fight the Legion on various worlds
Further updates and improvements to existing features
In the coming hours and days, we will delve even deeper into individual details of the patch. The displayed screenshots are from mmo-champion (see sources).
Generally, game developers are silent about how often their game has been returned on Steam. The developers of the online survival game Rust are very open about it.
Garry Newman, the developer of Rust, explains that his game has been returned 329,970 times through the Steam return program so far. This amounts to refunds of 4,382,032 US dollars. However, it doesn’t seem to hurt the developer much. He also states that this is only about six percent of total sales.
Developer understands when Rust is not fun for players
The most common reason for the return is “Not fun.” Garry Newman can understand that, as Rust is not an easy game. It is hard to master, and any mistake can have severe consequences. For many, this simply leads to frustration, which is why they cannot get into Rust. While other developers view Steam’s refund system critically, Newman has a different opinion. He believes that the system has even led to more sales.
It is interesting to see what refunds developers are facing. Making comparisons with other games here would be very exciting, but most studios do not want to talk about it.
What is your opinion on Rust? Do you think the game is good? Did you perhaps buy it and also return it? Let us know in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new survey is online for The Division: Massive wants your opinion on the Base of Operations and the Endgame.
After you complete the story missions and reach level 30, you enter the Endgame of The Division. Now it’s time to push the Gear Score to the maximum of 256 and optimize your gear and weapons.
To achieve this, you have several options, namely … what actually?
This is what Massive wants to know in a new survey: Does the Endgame confuse you? Do you know which activities you can play now? Does the Endgame motivate you or does it get boring quickly? And if you have already stopped playing: Why?
Survey on the Endgame and the Base of Operations
Apparently, Massive wants to improve things here in the future. In a multi-page survey, they ask various specific questions about your Endgame experience.
First, you will answer general questions about which platform you are playing on, how many hours you have invested in the game, whether you are playing solo or in a group, and what your favorite activities are.
Then come interesting questions regarding the Base of Operations. Do you find your way around in it? Do you want options to customize the base? Massive may plan for you to be able to design your base individually soon.
After questions about the Improvement Station and the Mega Map, the focus shifts to the Endgame. Does it motivate you? Does it confuse you – do you know all the activities within it, such as HVTs or Underground or incursions or Dark Zone? What are your favorite activities in the Endgame? How would you improve it? And if you are no longer playing The Division: Why did you stop? Finally, Massive also wants to know if you are hunting trophies/achievements.
What Massive will ultimately do with the results of the survey remains to be seen. In the past, there have already been several surveys, but nothing that was asked in them has been implemented so far.
So one should not expect imminent changes to the Base of Operations or the Endgame. Update 1.7 is certainly too early. Perhaps Update 1.8 can be aimed for. Or maybe the developers are collecting feedback for a future sequel…
Bungie is making the transition from Destiny to Destiny 2 as player-unfriendly as possible, believes our author Schuhmann. But hardly anyone is currently angry about that.
Politicians make the most unpopular decisions during the soccer World Cup. As the article “Distraction Maneuver” in Deutschlandfunk describes, during the summer fairytale of 2006, the VAT was raised from 16% to 19%. During the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, the contribution rate for health insurance was increased from 14.9% to 15.5%.
What would have sparked weeks of debates and angry protests in the country went unnoticed amidst the general football fever. We can be glad that the World Cup only takes place every four years.
In a similar way, Bungie. While players rejoice over reports about Destiny 2, Bungie disconnects the current game “Destiny” and makes one unpopular decision after another.
It’s as if there’s an internal competition running: What outrageous act can we commit without upsetting the players?
Here everything remains as it is!
Let’s start small, with a “mini-outrage” and then escalate to the biggest.
Many players are currently struggling with the “meta” in Destiny.
Again and again, you hear that the “current meta is the worst of all time.”
Players are dissatisfied with the balance in the Crucible. The current difficulties:
Politely put: The current meta does not suit everyone’s taste.
Previous metas were more popular, as players were only bothered over time that they became dull. But the current meta has few fans.
Players complain about balancing. Although this state is nothing new and there are always issues with balancing, the worst part of the current balance is: It will never change again.
Because Bungie has decided not to touch the balance in Destiny 1 anymore. This means Destiny 1 will continue with a balance that hardly anyone really likes.
Bungie informed the players casually in a This Week at Bungie: We are currently super focused on Destiny 2. We won’t do anything with Destiny 1 anymore.
Osiris is being discontinued – The end of Destiny 1 is thus sealed
However, the bad balancing isn’t that bad, because soon there will be no reason left to play Destiny 1.
In August, the Trials of Osiris and the Iron Banner will end. These PvP modes are the only reason many still play Destiny at all. They are now set to disappear.
Bungie doesn’t provide a real justification for this decision. It seems that they want to give the mode “a break” so that everyone looks forward to its return with Destiny 2, and that everyone buys the new game. No one should come up with the idea of continuing to play for free in the old game.
The decision means, that Destiny 1 will be massively devalued. It will not represent an alternative to Destiny 2. Those who want to play competitive PvP in Destiny must switch to Destiny 2. Destiny 1 is practically dead as a result.
Moreover, the future of Destiny 1 is not secure. It is only known that the servers are supposed to stay online “for the foreseeable future”. When one hears such news, it sounds as if the end is near.
The news of ending Osiris and Iron Banner in Destiny 1 came in the last “This Week at Bungie”, while players were still recovering from E3, and Bungie promised them “souvenirs from Destiny 1 in Destiny 2” with some emblems. This brings us to the biggest outrage that Bungie is inflicting on the first Destiny.
Cosmetic items will not be transferred, even though players paid for them
The hard reset was probably necessary and without alternative: Players lose their weapons and gear to enable a fresh start with Destiny 2. In the game, this is justified by a Cabal attack.
But why should I not be able to dance anymore? Do the Cabal also wipe my brain?
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In Destiny 1 players purchased gestures, including dances, via the Eververse, an in-game shop. Why are those gone with Destiny 2? Players did pay real money for them. The fact that the real money currency, Silver, will not be transferred to Destiny 2 is also an unnecessary decision that is disadvantageous for players. Why? Why do you push players away so unnecessarily?
The site Polygon indignantly addresses this in an article. The argument is: In WoW, players can access cosmetic items they received 12 years ago, and the game is doing wonderfully. And in Destiny, cosmetic items that could be purchased just half a year ago are gone?
It simply makes no sense. Bungie devalues the cash shop by imposing an expiration date on every item: You can buy something, but it will become worthless soon.
Especially the most expensive and valuable fans, who were willing to spend more money on fluff in Destiny 1, are punished by Bungie with this decision: Oh, you wanted to buy that dance for 5€? Yes, it will be gone in three months! That was only for Destiny 1 – Destiny 2 is something completely different!
Players will only realize all this later
The problem with the messages: Players do not notice them yet.
The meta is annoying now, but it used to be too – players do not yet realize that it will not change.
Osiris and Iron Banner will still run for a month, players will only notice their disappearance after a delay or in the worst case, when the mode in Destiny 2 is not fun and they want to return to Destiny 1 for a nostalgia trip.
And the current cosmetic items from the Eververse have only disappeared with Destiny 2.
Similarly, politicians did it during the soccer World Cup. The VAT increase only applied six months after its resolution. However, we still feel its effects today, ten years later.
Who will be the new hero in Heroes of the Storm? Blizzard recently teased contaminated Zerg biomass in a lab on Twitter. Therefore, many players now suspect the contaminated Admiral of the Terrans as a new character.
After the last appearance of the Angel of Death Malthael, a Diablo character in Heroes of the Storm, it is once again time for a hero from Starcraft. At least a teaser image on Twitter suggests something related to Zerg, as it shows a data pad from the “Moebius Foundation” along with various Zerg slime.
Initiate containment protocol 5-P0T immediately! …the Nexus has been contaminated… pic.twitter.com/Ccb0VVbq3o
Is this a hint towards the long-awaited Starcraft character Alexei Stukov or a completely different Zerg?
Heroes of the Storm – Stukov, Dr. Hanson or “Dronius”?
Stukov, a former Admiral of the Earth forces from Starcraft: Brood War, who later mutated into a Zerg and commands both the slime aliens and his contaminated comrades, was already expected by some fans in January 2017. Blizzard teased back then with Zerg eggs. But then the new hero a cute Protoss probe named “Probius”. Hence, players have become more cautious since then.
In a large thread on Reddit, discussions and speculation are lively about who else could be other than Stukov. Among them are some highlights, such as the scientist Dr. Hanson from Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty, who also had quite a connection with the Zerg.
Who wouldn’t want “Dronius”, the helpful Zerg drone, as a new hero in Starcraft?
Rather as a joke, the speculation that the new hero is supposed to be a Zerg drone named “Dronius” seems to be meant. “How is that supposed to work?” ask the players? “A kind of Murky that self-destructs and then becomes a building?”
So much for the speculations on Reddit. Who do you think will be the new hero in Heroes of the Storm? Stukov or someone completely different? And if it should be Stukov, what do you think his role in the game is and what skills could he have? Let us know in the comments!
Free Battlepacks in Battlefield 1 are available from today through a progress bar. Play and finish games to get the packs.
In Battlepacks, you can expect cool skins for weapons and vehicles as well as XP boosts in Battlefield 1. You can either buy these packs for real money or scrap items, or let the game gift them to you. Until now, the Battlepack gifts were only available for players who were lucky at the end of a round.
With the new progress bar, you can see when your guaranteed free Battlepack will be unlocked – without any luck.
Free Battlepacks – Update on Distribution
The developers apparently want to move away from the system of random distribution of Battlepacks. An announcement in the game has already introduced some players to the new system. Reddit user 0asis25 made a screenshot of it:
There, the developers explain that previously you had the chance to receive a Battlepack after a finished match. However, luck had to be on your side. This old system has now been overhauled.
On the end-of-round screen, you will now see a progress bar. Your progress towards the next free standard Battlepack will be displayed there. By playing and finishing multiplayer matches, you can fill this bar.
Furthermore, it is noted that you can fill the bar even fasterif you play “well”. The progress points are apparently dependent on the respective match and your kills/assists and other important stats. You will also earn more points for attacking and defending objectives in the game. Perhaps this is a reason for players to focus more on the objectives again.
The update is set to activate today, on June 29, during the day. If you don’t see the progress bar yet, restarting the game should help according to the developers. No server downtime has been announced so far.
The coop shooter Warframe received the long-awaited PC update “Chains of Harrow” yesterday, on June 28, featuring the graphics update for Earth and the new Warframe Harrow. Harrow is a ruthless priest who self-flagellates and loves headshots.
Warframe has been around for a few years now and it is high time for a proper graphics update. After a graphic overhaul of the maps on Earth was previously announced, it’s finally here. The graphics update arrived together with the new Warframe Harrow on June 28.
Warframe – Chains of Harrow makes Earth beautiful
The PC version of Warframe is made more beautiful with today’s update Chains of Harrow. At least, if you re-enter the good old Earth, as the now green planet has been thoroughly redesigned. Now the maps on Earth are significantly more magnificent and the foliage of the trees looks better. A video from the developers shows what it looks like before and after the update.
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But the more beautiful Earth is not all that “Chains of Harrow” offers for Warframe fans. The highlight of the update is the titular new Warframe Harrow, a futuristic priest and flagellant who self-flagellates and grants absolution to his enemies through headshots.
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You can find a detailed article about Harrow’s abilities and skills at the provided link. The developers have also created a nice video about Harrow, which we have embedded here for you. In addition to Harrow, the update also features a new quest, a new pistol called Knell, a scepter named Scourge, a stylish stole for Harrow, and a new enemy.
What do you think of Harrow and the new graphics on Earth? Do you wish for such updates for the other planets in the game as well, and if so, which ones? And will you get Harrow? Let us know in the comments!
If someone wants to vent their anger about a computer game, they usually write an intense forum post, an email, or a letter. A fan of EVE Online sent the developers penises.
EVE Online game designer Brenton “CCP Larrikin” Hooper was surprised when he received a letter from the Icelandic customs authority. A package had arrived for CCP Games, but without an invoice. And without an invoice, nothing can be delivered, because in Iceland, taxes are applied to shipments. Therefore, Hooper asked the customs officials to please open the package to see what was inside.
Rubber penises for the developers
The customs authority then wrote to him that the package contained two bags of candy, the contents of which were rubber penises. Additionally, there was penis-shaped confetti included. There was also a note that said “Eat a bag of dicks” – which means “Eat a bag of penises!” When Hooper posted this on Reddit, the person who had sent the penises actually came forward and posted the necessary invoice of $38. However, Hooper had already informed customs to dispose of the penises.
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This is not the first time something like this has happened. Last year, CCP Games received mail containing a huge cardboard penis. Community manager Paul “CCP Falcon” Elsy revealed that he had also received such mail before. However, he did not want to go into detail about what was in the package. He only said that liquids were involved.
At least some of those who criticize EVE Online are quite creative …
Most classes in World of Warcraft are receiving a hotfix today. Almost all classes are being heavily adjusted.
The aftermath of Patch 7.2.5 of World of Warcraft is still being felt. Especially in PvP skirmishes, the balance is far from being even. For this reason, Blizzard will release a hotfix today (06/29/2017) that slightly adjusts almost all classes in PvP. We have listed and translated the complete changes for you:
Death Knight
Unholy
The damage of Crypt Fever has been reduced by 33%.
The strength of the PvP template has been increased by 5%.
Demon Hunter
Destruction
Chaos Strike deals 5% less damage in PvP situations (previously 15% less damage).
Oblivion deals 5% less damage in PvP situations (previously 15% less damage).
The versatility of the PvP template has been increased by 5%.
The agility of the PvP template has been increased by 3%.
Druid
Restoration
The intelligence of the PvP template has been increased by 5%.
Damage done in PvP has been reduced by 5%.
Swift Heal now heals 40% more in PvP situations.
Monk
Brewmaster
The versatility of the PvP template has been increased by 30%.
The haste of the PvP template has been increased by 25%.
Windwalker
Soothing Mist heals now 20% less in PvP situations.
Soothing Mist, cast by the Statue of the Jade Serpent, now heals 20% less in PvP situations.
Way of the Crane now heals for 175% of damage dealt (previously 200%).
The intelligence of the PvP template has been increased by 3%.
Damage done in PvP has been reduced by 5%.
Mage
Frost
Blackout Strike deals 10% less damage in PvP situations.
Hail deals 5% less damage in PvP situations.
Glacial Spike deals 10% less damage in PvP situations.
The intelligence of the PvP template has been increased by 3%.
Paladin
Flash of Light heals 15% more in PvP situations.
Holy
The intelligence of the PvP template has been increased by 5%.
Damage done in PvP has been reduced by 5%.
Holy Light now heals 10% more in PvP situations.
Holy Shock now heals 10% more in PvP situations.
Protection
Holy Duty reduces the cooldown of Blessing of Protection and Blessing of Sacrifice by 33% (previously 50%).
Retribution
The versatility of the PvP template has been increased by 50%.
The haste of the PvP template has been reduced by 10%.
The critical strike rating of the PvP template has been reduced by 20%.
Priest
Discipline
Damage done in PvP has been reduced by 3%.
The intelligence of the PvP template has been increased by 5%.
Holy
Damage done in PvP has been reduced by 5%.
The intelligence of the PvP template has been increased by 3%.
Shadow
The intelligence of the PvP template has been increased by 3%.
The versatility of the PvP template has been increased by 10%.
Shadow Mania now grants 4 Insanity every 2 seconds (previously 3 Insanity).
Mind Trauma now steals 3% haste (previously 1%).
The maximum haste that can be stolen by Mind Trauma has been increased to 12% per target, totaling 24%.
Rogue
Assassination
Poison Bomb now deals 40% less damage in PvP situations (previously 30% less).
Subtlety
Vanish triggered by Deceptive Maneuver now breaks when the target begins casting a spell.
The agility of the PvP template has been reduced by 5%.
Shaman
Enhancement
The agility of the PvP template has been reduced by 5%.
The damage of Stormstrike, Stormstrike off-hand attacks, Windstrike, and Windstrike off-hand attacks has been reduced by 5% in PvP situations.
Warlock
Affliction
Corruption deals 15% less damage in PvP situations.
Agony deals 15% less damage in PvP situations.
Absolute Corruption now increases the duration of Corruption to 24 seconds in PvP (previously 40 seconds).
Unstable Affliction now deals 10% more damage in PvP situations.
Drain Soul now deals 15% more damage in PvP situations.
Mastery of Demons now allows players to use the Demonic Gateway 15 seconds more frequently (was 30 seconds).
Warrior
Arms
Defensive Stance now reduces the damage dealt by the warrior by 20% in PvP situations (previously 10%).
The strength of the PvP template has been reduced by 4%.
The versatility of the PvP template has been reduced by 3%.
Destiny 2 is celebrating a title: It was chosen as the best PC game of E3.
For almost three years, the MMO shooter Destiny has only been available on consoles. With Destiny 2, the franchise takes the leap to PC – and it does so with a bang!
The PC version of Destiny 2 was extremely well received at early play events. “Oh my God, this runs so smoothly,” judged several Destiny experts who previously only played on console. Because Destiny 2 has no upper limit regarding FPS on PC.
The controls and various gameplay mechanics had to be adapted for mouse and keyboard, which was the responsibility of Activision’s studio Vicarious Visions in collaboration with Bungie. Apparently, the adjustment was successful. The opinions are unanimous – Destiny 2 looks great on PC and plays great.
Thus, it was awarded the best PC game of E3 2017.
Game Critics Awards – Destiny 2 as best PC game
The winners of the Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2017 have been announced. Destiny 2 took the title as best PC game – which may come as a surprise to some hardcore Guardians. After all, it is the sequel to a game that was console-exclusive.
The big winner of the Game Critics Awards is Nintendo’s Super Mario Odyssey for the Switch. This game managed to win awards for best show, best console game, and best action/adventure game.
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The rogue in Hearthstone is in trouble. His quest from Un’Goro is being nerfed!
The developers of Hearthstone are more than satisfied with the current expansion “The Journey to Un’Goro”. According to statements from Blizzard, there has never been a greater number of different decks being played and having success in the history of the card game. Even once disadvantaged classes, such as the Priest, have flourished again with the latest expansion.
However, not everything is perfect. The new quest cards provide excitement and variety – but not for the rogue. The quest “Descent into Madness” requires the rogue to play 4 minions of the same name. As a reward, the card “Crystal Core” is granted, which gives all the rogue’s minions 5/5 stats from then on. Yes, even the little Charge Pig with 1/1.
Descent into Madness – now 25% harder!
Many decks have hardly any counterplay options, which is why the Quest Rogue is the secret star. Blizzard is aware of this and plans to change the legendary card, which should take effect early in the next season (July).
The rogue will now have to play 5 minions of the same name to complete the quest instead of 4!
Blizzard hopes that this will give opponents a bit more time to react to the rogue and possibly turn the match around.
What do you think of this balance change? Did Hearthstone need exactly that? Or should the rogue quest have been left alone, and now is it “unplayable”? Let us know in the comments what you think!
Cortyn says: Honestly, “Descent into Madness” was the only card that really bothered me about Hearthstone because the rogue simply plays “his own game” and doesn’t react to anything that you do. With the extra time, most players will probably be forced to deal with the opponent’s board now if they don’t want to be overwhelmed by the Crystal Core.
WhatsApp is illegal, so suggest some headlines currently. What is the court ruling about this Facebook messenger, is one really committing an offense by using it and could a warning wave be coming our way?
Messaging apps are gaining more and more importance, even in MMOs. After all, this way you can continue to participate in guild life even when you are not online. And even WhatsApp groups are common nowadays for multiplayer games and guild activities. For a spontaneous action, a message via WhatsApp is enough, and the first ones come online, even though they were not in the game before. For cancellations, for example for planned raids, the service is also suitable.
If everyone in the group uses this program, one will probably just install it unless privacy is a concern. That one could be committing an offense by downloading and using it is something one really does not expect. Should we all quickly uninstall the messenger to avoid a warning wave, like the one known from file sharing?
Situation regarding the court ruling: A dispute between parents
How did this ruling actually come about? It was about a custody dispute, or specifically about visitation rights. The father accused the mother of failing to supervise the smartphone use. The son himself used WhatsApp and thus agreed to the following terms of service clause :
You regularly provide us with the phone numbers of WhatsApp users and your other contacts in your mobile phone address book. You confirm that you are authorized to provide us with such phone numbers so that we can provide our services.
Since the child has 20 contacts in the WhatsApp address book, he thus forwarded the phone numbers of 20 people to Facebook. The father believed this to be illegal, as the son never obtained permission from those individuals. And the mother allowed her common child to act unlawfully. For children under 13, parents or guardians must agree to the terms of WhatsApp. Based on this, the man sought visitation rights.
The district court supported this argument. In addition to several other requirements for the mother, it demanded the submission of written consent from all of the son’s contacts to share their phone numbers. The ruling states:
Anyone who allows this ongoing data transfer through their use of “WhatsApp” without having previously obtained permission from each of their contacts in their own phone address book commits a tort against these persons and risks being warned by the affected individuals.
This shifts WhatsApp’s responsibility onto the user. And who has the authorization of their phone book contacts to share their data? If one does not have it, but confirms this terms of service clause, they are acting unlawfully.
Is a warning wave imminent?
According to the ruling, it is indeed possible. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that users of this app will receive a letter from a lawyer. After all, it is their own contacts and thus friends who would have to take this route. There may be isolated cases, but not to the same extent as with file sharing. Much more likely is that WhatsApp will receive warning letters from data protectors.
Antares says: We have here a ruling that perhaps not everyone may feel is fair. After all, it is not the corporation that caused this that is being punished, but a mother whose son certainly did not intend to break the law. Can it really be that the consumer is punished and the company gets off scot-free? That would certainly be an incentive for other companies to do likewise.
The ruling is not binding.
Initially, a ruling against the mother does not mean one against WhatsApp. After all, the ruling was about visitation rights, and the court’s interest lay more with the child and monitoring their smartphone usage by the mother. For other courts, this decision is not binding. This could lead to the clause being declared invalid sooner or later, thus requiring the company to obtain permission from the contacts in the address book.
And until that happens? Well, then one must live with it, or be the first to sue. However, claiming that one did not know about this terms of service does not suffice. Or would someone who is stopped for speeding say: “I generally do not pay attention to traffic signs and signals, so they do not apply to me?” No, so one cannot say, “I generally do not read terms of service, so they do not apply to me.”
WhatsApp itself is of course legal.
However, it would be possible to refer to § 305c BGB. According to this, provisions that are so unusual that one cannot expect them – so-called surprise clauses – are ineffective. But that is something for the lawyers who may soon deal with it in a lawsuit.
In any case, the ruling changed nothing. Warnings could have been issued earlier. Now, this business practice has received renewed media attention. And concerning the legality: WhatsApp itself is not illegal. Only agreeing to this terms of service is probably not allowed without proper authorization. And that can be resolved, either through an empty address book or by asking for the aforementioned consent. If everyone in the address book uses this messenger, that should be feasible.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Marvel Heroes there will soon be a few fewer heroes and costumes. Due to licensing issues, the Fantastic Four will be removed from the in-game shop and will soon no longer be available for purchase.
Anyone familiar with Marvel’s licensing policy knows that by no means all rights to the company’s superheroes still belong to Marvel. Rather, some heroes belong to other companies, such as Fox, which owns the rights to the Fantastic Four.
Therefore, these heroes will soon no longer be available for purchase in Marvel Heroes.
Marvel Heroes – No more Fantastic Four, but Dr. Doom remains
Since Gazillion Enterprises, the developers of Marvel Heroes, no longer have rights to the Fantastic Four according to the latest licensing agreements, they are not allowed to sell them anymore. This means in clear terms:
You can only purchase the heroes Mr. Fantastic, Human Torch, Invisible Woman, The Thing, and Silver Surfer until July 1 with Gs.
If you want to buy the aforementioned heroes with Infinity-Shards, you only have until today, June at 11:00 PM to do so.
In addition to the heroes themselves, a number of costumes will be removed from the shop and bundles. This mainly affects the costumes for the Fantastic Four themselves, but also a few outfits for Spider Man, Ghost Rider, and Dr. Doom.
Dr. Doom, however, remains regularly available, even though he also comes from the Fantastic Four universe.
Rewards promised by H.E.R.B.I.E. will be replaced by something else (reportedly Groot)
Marvel Heroes – Fantastic Four – Play yes, buy no
Important: You can still play the banned heroes if you have already purchased them, and support (e.g., Omega-items and bug fixes) will continue to be provided for them. You just can’t buy them in the shop or exchange them for shards anymore.
The information comes from an official forum post by Gazillion, which has since been removed. However, the colleagues from MassivelyOP preserved the post, and we have included it here for you as well.
What do you think about the fate of the Fantastic Four in Marvel Heroes? And will you still quickly buy Silver Surfer or The Thing? Let us know in the comments!
The best counters for the raid bosses in Pokémon GO are shown here. This is how you counter the raid Pokémon of difficulty levels 2, 3, and 4.
Raid battles in Pokémon GO have become an important topic in the trainer community in recent days. The battles vary in difficulty depending on the boss, and some require many trainers to be defeated.
To make the battles easier for you, we’ll show you which monsters you can use to counter the raid bosses. This way, you can inflict more damage or take less in order to defeat them faster and more easily.
Pokémon GO Raid Battles – How to counter the strong bosses
With the raids, Niantic has introduced a new gameplay feature that can remain relevant for a long time. Due to the wide selection of raid bosses that can theoretically still be added to the game, there is variety to come in the future.
In this article, we want to show you which Pokémon are suitable for combating various raid bosses and which are the best counters. Experts have analyzed and evaluated the raid battles closely.
An overview from Pokebattler shows the raid bosses and three of their counter Pokémon. Below the image, we discuss the individual bosses and explain which counter Pokémon you can use to win against them. We also show you which attacks are effective against them.
Keep in mind that the following list of counters does not fully match the overview from Pokebattler.com. The reason for this is the versatile options available to you as a trainer in battle.
We show you good and very good counters for the raid bosses, including the preferred fast attacks and charged attacks.
Raid Boss Level 2 – Counters for Sleimok, Kokowei, and Co.
Sleimok counter: Especially good are Rizeros with Mud Shot + Earthquake; Geowaz with Mud Shot or Mud Slap + Earthquake.
Another good counter is Dragoran with Dragon Tail or Fire Breath + Outrage, Hurricane, or Dragon Claw.
Kokowei counter: Especially good is Scherox with Fury Cutter + Bug Bite.
Good counters also include Pinsir with Fury Cutter or Bug Bite + Bug Buzz; Flamara with Fire Spin + Flamethrower or Overheat.
Smogmog counter: Especially good are Rizeros with Mud Shot + Earthquake; Geowaz with Mud Shot or Mud Slap + Earthquake.
Other good counters are Dragoran with Dragon Tail or Fire Breath + Outrage, Hurricane, or Dragon Claw; Despotar with Bite and Stone Edge.
Elektek counter: Especially good are Rizeros with Mud Shot + Earthquake; Geowaz with Mud Shot or Mud Slap + Earthquake.
Other good counters are Dragoran with Dragon Tail or Fire Breath + Outrage, Hurricane, or Dragon Claw; Despotar with Bite + Stone Edge.
Magmar counter: Especially good are Rizeros with Mud Shot + Earthquake; Geowaz with Mud Shot or Mud Slap + Earthquake.
Other good counters are Dragoran with Dragon Tail or Fire Breath + Outrage, Hurricane, or Dragon Claw; Despotar with Bite + Stone Edge.
As you can see, several Pokémon are often used as counters at this difficulty level. Pokémon of different species with the same attacks can also be effective here. For example, instead of Flamara against Kokowei, you can also use Glurak or Tornupto.
Raid Boss Level 3 – Counters for Arkani, Gengar, and Co.
Arkani counter: Especially good are Rizeros with Mud Shot + Earthquake or Stone Edge; Geowaz with Mud Shot, Stone Throw, or Mud Slap + Earthquake or Stone Edge.
Other good counters are Aquana with Water Gun + Hydro Pump or Water Pulse; Sandamer with Mud Slap + Earthquake.
The reason why Ground Pokémon are particularly listed as counters is: Arkani “can” learn Thunder Shock as an attack. If Arkani uses Thunder Shock on a Water Pokémon as a raid boss, things can go south fast.
Simsala counter: Especially good is Despotar with Bite + Stone Edge or Crunch.
Other good counters include Scherox with Fury Cutter + Bug Bite; Hundemon with Standpauke + Foul Play.
Machomei counter: Especially good are Simsala with Confusion or Psyshock + Seer; Psiana with Confusion or Zen Headbutt + Seer.
Other good counters include: Dragoran with Dragon Tail or Fire Breath + Hurricane; Kokowei with Confusion, Zen Headbutt, or Special Sensor + Psychic or Solar Beam.
Gengar counter: Especially good is Despotar with Bite + Stone Edge or Crunch.
Other good counters are Hundemon with Standpauke + Foul Play; Dragoran with Dragon Tail + Outrage.
Aquana counter: Especially good is Kokowei with Bullet Seed + Solar Beam or Seed Bombs; Bisaflor with Razor Leaf or Vine Whip + Solar Beam or Petal Blizzard; Giflor with Razor Leaf + Solar Beam or Petal Blizzard.
Other good counters include Tangela with Vine Whip + Solar Beam or Strangle; Blitza with Spark + Thunderbolt.
Blitza counter: Especially good are Rizeros with Mud Shot + Earthquake; Geowaz with Mud Shot or Mud Slap + Earthquake.
Other good counters are Donphan with Counter + Earthquake; Sandamer with Mud Slap + Earthquake.
Flamara counter: Especially good are Rizeros with Mud Shot + Earthquake or Stone Edge; Geowaz with Mud Shot, Stone Throw, or Mud Slap + Earthquake or Stone Edge.
As tank counters, Aquana with Water Gun + Hydro Pump or Water Pulse; Amoroso with Water Gun or Stone Throw + Hydro Pump or Rock Slide.
Raid Boss Level 4 – Counters for Relaxo, Lapras, and Co.
Bisaflor counter: Especially good are Flamara with Fire Spin + Flamethrower or Overheat; Glurak with Fire Spin or Air Slash + Overheat or Flamethrower.
Other good counters include Arkani with Fire Fang + Flamethrower; Dragoran with Dragon Tail or Fire Breath + Overheat, Hurricane, or Dragon Claw.
Glurak counter: Especially good are Geowaz with Mud Shot, Stone Throw, or Mud Slap + Rock Throw or Stone Edge; Amoroso with Stone Throw or Water Gun + Rock Slide, Hydro Pump, or Rock Throw.
Other good counters are Rizeros with Mud Shot and Stone Edge; Despotar with Bite + Stone Edge; Aquana with Water Gun + Hydro Pump or Water Pulse; Mogelbaum with Stone Throw + Stone Edge or Rock Slide.
Turtok counter: Especially good are Blitza with Spark + Thunderbolt; Bisaflor with Razor Leaf or Vine Whip + Solar Beam or Petal Blizzard.
Other good counters include Magneton with Charge Beam, Charge Beam, or Spark + Thunderbolt; Giflor with Razor Leaf + Solar Beam or Petal Blizzard; Sarzenia with Razor Leaf + Solar Beam.
Rizeros counter: Especially effective is Aquana with Water Gun + Hydro Pump or Water Pulse.
Other good counters are Kokowei with Bullet Seed + Solar Beam or Seed Bombs; Bisaflor with Razor Leaf or Vine Whip + Solar Beam or Petal Blizzard; Giflor with Razor Leaf + Solar Beam or Petal Blizzard; Sarzenia with Razor Leaf + Solar Beam; Tangela with Vine Whip + Solar Beam or Strangle; Impergator with Water Gun + Hydro Pump.
Lapras counter: With Machomei, you have especially good chances if it knows Counter or Karate Chop + Close Combat, Cross Chop, or Dynamic Punch.
Other good counters are Skaraborn with Counter + Close Combat; Blitza with Spark + Thunderbolt; Magneton with Charge Beam, Charge Beam + Thunderbolt.
Relaxo counter: Especially effective is Machomei with Counter or Karate Chop + Close Combat, Cross Chop, or Dynamic Punch.
Other good counters are Skaraborn with Counter + Close Combat; Dragoran with Dragon Tail or Fire Breath + Outrage, Hurricane, or Dragon Claw; Ursaring with Counter + Close Combat; Simsala with Confusion or Psyshock + Focus Blast.
Despotar counter: Especially effective is here an Aquana with Water Gun + Hydro Pump or Water Pulse; a Machomei with Counter or Karate Chop + Cross Chop, Close Combat, or Dynamic Punch.
Other good counters are Bisaflor with Razor Leaf or Vine Whip + Solar Beam or Petal Blizzard; Skaraborn with Counter + Close Combat; Impergator with Water Gun + Hydro Pump; Quappo with Body Slam or Bubble + Close Combat.
If you know any other good counters for the various raid bosses, please let us know in the comments and share them with our community on Mein-MMO.de
Co-op fun, weapon violence, and party games can be found in our today’s “Top 5” offers from the Steam Summer Sale 2017.
Today we have gathered an interesting selection of top offers from the Steam Summer Sale 2017 for you. During the summer discount sale, we show you our “Top 5” offers from the daily overview on Steam every day. From classics to niche titles, you can discover cool games that might also end up in your Steam library.
Steam has temporarily said goodbye to time-limited offers. This means you can also purchase interesting games on the last day of the sale. You can find our recommendations from the last few days here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5
The Mein-MMO Top 5 of the Steam Summer Sale 2017 – Day 6 (28.06.)
Today, our “Top 5” highlights are very co-op heavy and may test your friendships. Gang Beasts and Overcooked are two great games that suit a cozy evening with friends. Equipped with enough controllers, you can start local co-op and find out who the better team is. Fun and frustration are guaranteed with these games. Whether you throw each other off buildings or serve the right food faster is up to your choices.
Portal 2 is my recommendation when someone asks me for a good co-op title. I came across this adventure through a Let’s Play and was totally fascinated even while just watching. When I was able to play it with friends afterward, we couldn’t stop laughing.
Funny texts and deadly traps provide ongoing Schadenfreude during the various levels of the puzzle adventure. And there are many of these levels!
Your goal is to create two portals using a portal gun and thereby overcome obstacles. Your partner also has such a gun, so there are already four portals. By combining these teleportation options, not only do you create knots in the brain, but also solutions that bring you to the goal of each level. To make the adventure even harder, small robots equipped with deadly weapons will surprise you from time to time.
With control over your portals, you can determine where you go and into which abyss you send your co-op partners when they go through the gates. You will probably hear an “Oops” or “Whoops” often after your robot is destroyed in the water. This can put both patience and friendship to a special test.
Portal 2 has a single-player campaign and a co-op mode. These two game modes are separate from each other and consist of different levels and “stories”.
If you are looking for a puzzle/co-op adventure, you should take a closer look at Portal 2. While you can’t go wrong at a price of €1.99, if you are still hesitant, the trailer might convince you.
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For PS Plus (PlayStation Plus) in July 2017, the free games are known. You can get these free games for PS4, PS3, and PS Vita.
For PlayStation 4, there are these two games:
Until Dawn: A horror game from Supermassive Games. It tells the story of 8 high school teenagers, where your decisions influence how many will survive the horror.
Game of Thrones – A Telltale Series: It’s going to Westeros, in the world of “Game of Thrones”. It is also a game where your decisions determine the course of the plot. The story does not coincide with the series; instead, it revolves around House Forrester. Familiar faces like Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister do appear, however.
List of Free Games for PlayStation Plus – July 2017
Here is the complete game lineup:
Until Dawn – PS4
Game of Thrones: A Telltale Series – PS4
That’s You – PS4
Tokyo Jungle – PS3
Darkstalkers Resurrection – PS3
Don’t Die Mr Robot – PS Vita (cross-buy with PS4)
Element4l – PS Vita
These games can be downloaded and installed starting July 4th. Until then, the games from June 2017 are still available for download.
What are the free games for PS Plus?
Once a month, “PS Plus” members receive a delivery of free games that they can download from the PlayStation Store and add to their library. This game lineup is included in the subscription of the online service. PlayStation Plus costs just under 50 euros per year.
Every month, online gamers on PS4, PS3, and PS Vita eagerly look forward to what games they will receive from Sony this time. However, the games are often very controversial in the community, as they can never meet everyone’s taste.
What do you think of these games?
Currently, it is especially worthwhile to be a “PS Plus” member. Because there is currently a sale in the PlayStation Store, from which “PS Plus” members particularly benefit:
The Tier 1 mode in Ghost Recon Wildlands has now been unlocked. The difficulty increases there, and you can upgrade your weapons.
Today’s update 1.07 has unlocked the new Rank 1 mode in Ghost Recon Wildlands. However, the developers said nothing about the new game mode in the patch notes. Perhaps an official introduction will follow soon – For now, we will show you what is known about it.
You can expect new difficulty levels and the ability to buff your weapons for even more damage.
Update: 06/28 18:30 – In the meantime, Ubisoft has officially introduced the new mode. We have added the new information to the article.
Rank 1 mode in Wildlands – What is it about?
The Tier One mode in Ghost Recon Wildlands is available to players who have reached level 30 and unlocked the feature. With this mode, you unlock a new difficulty level. Additionally, your “level-ups” will no longer depend on the usual experience points, but on tier points that you earn in this mode.
Source: VinSilver
You start in the new game mode at level 50 and then work your way down towards “Rank 1”. As you level up, the difficulty also increases. Next to your name, your tier level will be displayed in the game. To reach the next level, you need the tier points, which can apparently also unlock rewards. No new levels or missions have been noticed so far. You activate the mode in the map overview menu, and off you go.
For every new level reached (i.e. 49, 48, and so on), you get 1000 points added for each supply. This is how Reddit user Neko_Len explained that he initially didn’t know what to do with further supplies. But then he noticed additional weapon upgrades.
Source: VinSilver
Upgrade your weapons! If you click on your weapons to modify them, you can “upgrade” the damage. There are several levels that you can unlock with resources. This way, Ubisoft continues to keep the supply missions attractive.
Among the unlockable content, there are also special masks / bandanas. More cosmetic rewards may await us on the way to Rank 1. The development team has built new unlockable special rewards for every five tier levels.
You can disable the Tier 1 mode at any time. Your progress will be saved and can be retrieved again when the mode is reactivated. Have you already tried the new mode?
Monster Hunter World remains a game where hard work is required to reach your goal. This does not fit the modern Western gamer. Capcom promises that the new installment of the franchise will not be easier for the West.
“Monster Hunter” games are more complex than they might seem at first glance. Broken down, the gameplay consists of: “Beat the monster until it is dead. And don’t let the monsters beat on you.” But it goes a bit beyond that.
Players traditionally deal with different types of weapons. These have different move sets. The move sets determine how long an attack takes, where it hits, and how much damage is dealt. Additionally, the weapons have different damage types: Slash and Strike.
The learning curve in Monster Hunter is slow and tedious
The monsters that a hunter takes down all have different traits. They can be highly aggressive or tend to flee, for instance. Injured monsters may run away; there is no fixed opponent.
Each beast has different weak spots: For one beast, this might be the eye, while other monsters are sensitive around the chest or feet. For yet other creatures, elemental damage works particularly well, and they may not tolerate fire or ice.
Monsters have different body parts that the hunter can cut or break off. Among other things, wings, heads, tails, teeth, or bones are coveted in this game world. They are used to craft various items that make hunting easier. Crafting is important here. This also plays a significant role in Monster Hunter. Experimenting with different recipes and learning how to create potions or traps are essential for a successful hunt.
Yes, in the “Monster Hunter” universe, there is much to learn to become a successful hunter.
The learning curve progresses slowly, and players must earn their knowledge through trial and error. The necessary skills to use the weapon types correctly must be trained laboriously.
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Fans fear: Monster Hunter World will be adapted for the West
Capcom aims to make Monster Hunter mainstream with the title “World” and establish it in the West. Fans were concerned that this decision would mean that Monster Hunter would be adapted for the West and “simplified”.
Monster Hunter is especially a big hit in Japan. Here, gameplay often functions differently than in the West. Progress is slower, often more complex, and less action-oriented. In the West, we like games that offer frequent checkpoints, fast action, double XP rewards, linear levels, and simple maps.
Action-based weapons, like guns and grappling hooks
New features designed for a direct reward, like the camouflage cloak
The environment can be destroyed
All of this seems somehow off in a “Monster Hunter” game at first glance. Because things like the scout flies are a significant relief in the hunt. In previous installments of the franchise, you had to mark monsters with paint and chase them across the entire map to catch them within a specific time limit. So now you need to put in a bit less work tracking down the monsters.
Monster Hunter World remains static as usual – even in the West
Fujioka Kaname is the lead director of Monster Hunter. He assured fans that Capcom would not “fix” the game for the West to sell it better there.
Monster Hunter World is merely an evolution of the franchise. So we can expect the following structure as usual:
Hunters operate from a central hub
The hub leads to the hunting areas to complete quests
Monster Hunter World will retain the 14 known weapon types that we saw in the last installment “Generations”. The weapon system will only be expanded.
Despite seamless maps, the areas will still be divided into different zones. These zones will be marked on the map and may feature climate changes. Only the loading screen between the zones will be removed.
Players will still need to prepare for quests and devise a hunting strategy.
All this means that Monster Hunter World will retain a static core. Player progress remains slow and involves a lot of learning. Strategies and planning phases will still be required to successfully complete quests.
Seamless maps change the gameplay, not the core of the game
The biggest change for the developers was the seamless maps. The various zones of a map are no longer separated by a loading screen.
The developers have incorporated their gameplay decisions from this change. Whether a feature was removed, revised, or newly added was decided based on whether it fits the new, seamless environment.
Changes like those with the weapons or the introduction of scout flies had little to do with better marketing in the West, according to the developers.
In reverse, this means for those hoping for a West-typical title from Monster Hunter World that they are at the wrong address.
Monster Hunter stands out because it feels so “real”. The preparation for the hunt, learning about the monsters, the weapons, the environment – One can easily imagine that it would work just like that as a real monster hunter.
The changes are meant to support the feeling of authenticity and not to adapt the game for the West.
In FIFA 17 FUT, the TOTW 41 (Team of the Week 41) is known. These players receive Inform cards in Ultimate Team.
As the TOTS phase slowly approaches its end – currently taking place the ultimate Team of the Season – EA Sports continues to tirelessly release the Teams of the Week.
This week, it is the TOTW 41’s turn. The highlight of this team is Rigoni with an overall rating of 84. Additionally, there is a special card of Dani Pacheco.
TOTW 41 – The Players from Team of the Week 41
Starting XI:
Substitutes:
FUT 17 – These were the Predictions for Team of the Week 41 in Ultimate Team
These predictions come from the futhead site. Keep in mind that these are just predictions. The official Team of the Week is revealed on Wednesdays. We will update this article promptly.
Prediction Starting XI:
Andre Blake – GK
Kim Jin Su – LB
Drew Moor – CB
Ike Opara – CB
Emiliano Rigoni – LM
Federico Higuain – CAM
David Accam – LM
Pal Andre Helland – RW
Dani Pacheco – RM
Edu – ST
Dario Benedetto – ST
Prediction Substitutes:
Augusto Batalla – GK
Rasmus Lindkvist – LB
Sebastian Dubarbier – LM
Patricio Vidal – LM
Lars Veldwijk – ST
Jack McBean – ST
Yang Dong Hyen – ST
What is the TOTW in FIFA 17 Ultimate Team?
Every Wednesday, EA Sports reveals the Team of the Week in the “Ultimate Team” mode of their annual football simulation. This is also the case in FIFA 17. Players who have shown outstanding performances in real football over the past week are rewarded with special cards that have improved attributes.
You can pull the TOTW cards from packs containing Rare (Gold) players within a week. However, the chances of this are considered low. Additionally, it is possible for you to buy these on the transfer market if they are offered by other players. The prices are often extremely high.
The new TOTW players can be obtained in packs on Wednesdays starting at 7 PM.
The Free2Play game Master X Master may seem at first glance like a clone of Heroes of the Storm. But within NCSoft’s colorful genre mix, there’s so much more than just HotS in green. Find out here why Master X Master is currently Jürgen’s new favorite game.
Are you looking for a free PC game that you can play anytime without much introduction, that excels in PvP and PvE, and is interesting for fans of MOBAs, arena brawlers, top-down shooters, and even platformers? Then Master X Master could be your game!
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Master X Master – MOBA? Arena Brawler? Top-Down Shooter? What is it actually?
Master X Master is a colorful genre mix for PC that refuses to belong to just one genre. Currently, MXM has four game modes, each targeting a different type of player, which you can conveniently select from the lobby:
Arena Mode: Here you play 3vs3 battles in a small arena that changes during the game. You have 5 minutes to achieve more kills than the enemy with your team. Power-ups occasionally appear.
MOBA Mode: Here you play 5vs5 matches on a classic 3-lane MOBA map. In between, there’s the obligatory jungle with NPC monsters that you can take out for XP and points. The goal is to destroy the enemy’s energy core, but you can also summon particularly tough super NPCs called Titans to quickly deal with the opposing defense.
PvE Stage–Mode: If you don’t like PvP, you can prove yourself in specific stages with up to two friends (or alone). There, you shoot and slash your way through AI enemies and nasty obstacles, fight mini-bosses, and face the final boss at the end.
Minigame Mode: The minigames are a package of silly and fun little games for in-between. It’s about avoiding obstacles, collecting candies, and jumping from platform to platform.
All these game modes are not played in the usual “point-and-click” control of MOBAs like LoL or Heroes of the Storm. Rather, you move your hero with the WASD keys on the keyboard. You aim and shoot with the mouse. Along with the pleasantly clear camera distance, this control is intuitive and easy to learn. A few practice rounds should be enough to get the hang of it.
Master X Master – Hero Selection – Standard fare, but tasty
The hero selection of Master X Master currently includes 37 characters, some of whom should be familiar to you from other NCSoft games. For example, the grim Charr Rytlock from Guild Wars 2 and the former archvillain Jinsoyun from Blade & Soul make appearances in MXM.
Additionally, there are a large number of entirely new heroes, such as the gun-toting mercenary Lua or the wild barbarian Cagnazzo. However, there are currently no truly original heroes like Cho’Gall or Ragnaros from HotS. MXM offers solid standard fare without major surprises.
Master X Master – Tag Team – Double heroes, double fun
Unlike the usual genre representatives, you don’t just have one hero. You always have another hero with you, which you select before the round and can switch at any time with the middle mouse button in the game. The currently inactive hero regenerates health points and can be switched back after a short cooldown. With this “Tag Team Mechanic,” you can build particularly effective combos:
You use a tank hero with control skills to pin down an enemy. Then switch to a tough DD hero and unleash your strongest damage skills on the helpless opponent.
You are a weak caster DD and take a lot of damage. Switch to your second hero, who is a big tank, and laugh at the pathetic pinpricks from the enemy!
You are a supporter who distributes strong shields. Buff yourself with it and then switch to a tank who becomes even tankier due to the ongoing buff.
Master X Master – No power to the meta!
Also cool: Due to the double combo of the players, the notorious “meta” (the currently very trendy hero selection) establishes itself much slower than in other games, as many combinations of heroes are possible in MXM.
Also, thanks to the Tag Team Mechanic, you can play your favorite DPS and still take the urgently needed tank or supporter as a second pick. This way, everyone has fun and is not forced to give up their favorite hero for the sake of the team.
MXM – Why is it so much fun?
Master X Master is simply a great fun. This is because it offers so many cool game modes that are all easy to learn, yet thoughtful and fun. Even if one – like me – prefers PvE over PvP, I find myself playing a few rounds in the arena or even in MOBA mode again and again.
Due to the strict time limit of 5 (Arena) or 25 minutes (MOBA), the PvP rounds are manageable and do not unexpectedly escalate into hours of torture like in LoL or HotS. This is ideal when you want to play a round shortly before going out and don’t want to explain to your partner why the “short round” has already lasted over an hour.
What I enjoy the most about MXM is in the Coop mode with my friends. The higher difficulty levels require good teamwork and are more than just mindless shooting. The loot is significantly better, allowing you to upgrade your Masters after the battle, buy new skins, or unlock new heroes. If you play long enough, you get all heroes without spending real money in the mandatory cash shop. Only the rather long grind in the same stages to unlock certain heroes can be a bit annoying. Also, the fact that you can only choose the PvE level with paid tickets and otherwise only play random stages.
Conclusion: Master X Master is a truly fun game that delights for many hours and offers something for every player’s taste. NCSoft fans also get the added value of beloved heroes from the publisher’s franchise games. So if you’re a fan of arena brawlers, MOBAs, or top-down shooters and play on PC, there’s really no reason not to try MXM. It doesn’t cost anything!
