In early June 2025, well-known German streamers will participate in an international football tournament. On Twitch the content creators will meet true legends of football with their teams.
Which streamers are involved? We mean the renowned German streamers Zarbex & Filow, Reeze & Rumathra, and Chefstrobel. They are the presidents in a new football league, the Kings League, which first took place in Germany in 2025.
What is the Kings League? In the small-sided football league, founded in 2022 by former professional Gerard Piqué, active amateur & professional players and former football professionals compete against each other in a 7vs7 format. Similar to the Baller and Icon League, the matches are characterized by a dynamic style of play, many goals, and special rules.
The listed content creators were able to position themselves with their teams during a 4-week league and subsequent knockout phase (April 12 to May 4, 2025) against 5 other teams. As a reward, a meeting with real stars of world football awaits them starting June 1, although just a few weeks ago, they had little to no connection to football.
Why are the streamers allowed to challenge real world footballers? From June 1 to June 14, 2025, the Kings World Cup Clubs will take place, featuring the best teams from various countries that are also hosts of the Kings League. The most successful clubs from Spain, France, Italy, Brazil, the USA, and Germany will be participating.
In contrast to the German format of the Kings League, the teams of the international competitors even include former world footballers. With Ronaldinho and Shevchenko, for example, the Ballon d’Or winners (trophy for the best player) from the years 2003 and 2004 will be participating as active players.
After the video, we will tell you which other legends and stars the streamers could meet. In the short clip, you can see how another football icon is also impressing in a fighting game.
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Neues Kampfspiel FATAL FURY: CotW zeigt Cristiano Ronaldo als Kämpfer
These football stars will participate in the Kings World Cup Clubs
A total of 32 teams will compete against each other. These are filled with former world-class players who are playing themselves and/or active professionals who serve as presidents of their teams.
Legends actively participating in the Kings World Cup
Ronaldinho – Ballon d’Or winner 2003 (FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain)
Andrea Pirlo – World Champion with Italy (Juventus Turin, AC Milan)
Sergio Agüero – all-time top scorer at Manchester City (Atlético Madrid, FC Barcelona)
Joaquín – record player in LaLiga (Real Betis, Valencia CF)
Falcão – multiple futsal world player
Djibril Cissé – former French international (Auxerre, Liverpool, Marseille)
Javier Saviola – former Argentine international (FC Barcelona, Real Madrid)
Active stars representing their teams as presidents
Lamine Yamal – Best young player 2024, Top 3 of the currently most expensive footballers (FC Barcelona)
Neymar – most expensive footballer of all time (FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain)
Javier “Chicharito” Hernández – all-time top scorer for Mexico (Manchester United, Bayer Leverkusen)
Which stars will the German streamers meet? The schedule has not yet been established, so we cannot yet make any statements about which stars exactly the streamers will face with their teams. However, given the high density of stars, the content creators will definitely have to face some legend in order to reach the final.
Interestingly, as presidents, the streamers can also directly influence a match with a penalty shot. We have explained these and other extravagant rules in detail in our overview article about the Kings League on MeinMMO:
We cannot yet say at what time the first match will take place and when the respective streams will start. We only know so far that the tournament starts on June 1 in Paris and ends there on June 14.
In the next few days, more information about the event will definitely be released. As soon as we have new information regarding the schedule and flow of the tournament, we will add it to this article.
With Chrono Odyssey, at least a major MMORPG for PC and consoles is set to be released in 2025. Now the developers have published a 20-minute video in which they talk about their ambitious MMORPG for the first time in this form.
What do the developers of Chrono Studio reveal? Below, we summarize the most important insights from the 20-minute interview about Chrono Odyssey, dividing these into thematically appropriate sections. If you want to watch the interview video yourself, visit YouTube or click start below:
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For the developers, it has been a high priority from the beginning that the basic character development during the leveling phase is as much fun as the later endgame. Another focus is on offering players a limitless world without loading screens.
In this world, you will be able to wander through forests, chop down trees, fish, or battle strong monsters with other players. While nature has been designed to be as realistic as possible, extraterrestrial structures continually provide a strong visual contrast.
In Chrono Odyssey, there is no typical fantasy setting. There are influences from cosmic horror, as well as a threat to humanity reminiscent of the Zerg from StarCraft. In fact, many scenes from the video and previous trailers recall dark fantasy soulslikes like Lords of the Fallen.
Similar to Black Desert, Chrono Odyssey features a parkour/climbing system, allowing characters to access the roofs of houses or the walls of ruins. Exploring the world plays an important role. Therefore, the game also refrains from holding your hand and leading you to your goal with flashing indicators.
The dark setting is reminiscent of dark fantasy RPGs like Lords of the Fallen.
Chrono Odyssey and Time
In the world of Setera, past, present, and future collide. The resulting threats are meant to manifest not only through the challenges in the game but also be supported by an “epic narrative”. In Chrono Odyssey, there is a main quest line that should give players more freedom than in other MMORPGs.
As for the impact of time on gameplay and the world, the RPG classic Chrono Trigger is an important inspiration for the team. Also in Chrono Odyssey, you should use time to prevent a cataclysmic event.
For time manipulation, you use the Chronotector. With this, you can reveal hidden paths or restore destroyed routes while exploring.
Below you will find the trailer for Chrono Odyssey, setting the stage for the upcoming beta in June:
Start video
Chrono Odyssey: Trailer prepares you for the beta in June
Leveling, Crafting, and Dungeons – the Activities
The activities in Chrono Odyssey include crafting, trials, and Chrono Gates for single players and expedition dungeons, as well as fights against world bosses for groups. Since everything is rewarded with experience, you can level up through gathering resources and crafting items if you wish.
In Chrono Gates, you will face tough bosses that you must defeat one-on-one. Trials, on the other hand, are meant to offer more than just combat. There, soloists will also find traps, puzzles, and random mechanics often tied to the time manipulations.
Expeditions, on the other hand, are dungeon challenges for 3 players, where each member must take on a specific role. World bosses, however, are aimed at 5-player teams or even larger alliances.
One of the world bosses from Chrono Odyssey.
Additionally, there are so-called labyrinths, meaning rifts in time and space, where special challenges await you, focusing on exploring an area, overcoming obstacles, and uncovering secrets.
Through time portals, you switch to the past, giving you access to rare materials and items linked to the history of the world. The bounty hunting offers goal-oriented quests for the open world.
Instead of large sieges and arena PvP, Chrono Odyssey relies on a PvEvP system, where smaller groups compete for world boss loot. Overall, the group content of the MMORPG is designed for rather small groups of 5 players.
Through crafting, you can create and further enhance armor, among other things. The materials for this are gathered through exploration and battles. According to the developers, every play style is meant to lead to the goal. In other words: Those who avoid combat and focus on crafting should still be able to obtain the best possible equipment.
Classes and Combat in Chrono Odyssey
The character selection will likely take place at a card table, where six heroes sit, representing the different classes. The Berserker is visible, who can specialize in the three weapon types “Chain Blades”, “Twin Axes”, and “Battle Axe”. Next is the Assassin, with possible specializations for “Sabre”, “Wrist Blades”, and “Musket”.
A quick look at the character creation of the game shows that the models are very detailed:
The character models are very detailed.
The class system with the various weapon categories is meant to provide you with a lot of freedom, allowing you to take on different roles. In groups, for example, you can heal and deal damage solo.
The combat system relies on switching between two weapons and active dodging and parrying – similar to what was done recently in Throne and Liberty – so that not only the values of the character determine the outcome of the battle. The skills have cooldowns. If you rely solely on one weapon, you will only have part of the possible skills available, which can quickly cause problems with elite bosses.
According to the developers, the skills are often designed to serve multiple functions, meaning you should use them situationally to get the most out of them.
Finally, the developers talked about the further roadmap. The upcoming beta will be the first public test of Chrono Odyssey. The aim is to gather as much feedback as possible to improve the game before launch. Unfortunately, they again did not provide a clear date for interested players. The only certain thing is that the test is scheduled for June 2025.
What the developers emphasize, however, is that after the launch, the game will be regularly expanded to offer new regions, classes, and activities. Chrono Odyssey is set to be released in 2025 for Steam, Epic Games, PS5, and Xbox Series. If you want to participate in the test, you can find the known information here: Closed Beta of Chrono Odyssey starts soon – here’s how to participate and what’s included
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of Path of Exile have announced their new season. After months of waiting, the excitement is back.
What has been announced? On the night of May 23, 2025, the developers released a new teaser trailer for Path of Exile. Under the new name “Secrets of the Atlas”, the next season, which has previously been referred to as Update 3.26, will soon start.
In the teaser trailer, the developers do not reveal much. Apart from the name, there is already the start date for players: On Friday, June 13 at 22:00 German time, the new season “Secrets of the Atlas” is set to start.
However, more detailed information will only be available on June 5 at 22:00 in a livestream on Twitch. Typically, the developers present a pre-recorded livestream that showcases all important features and innovations, as well as a proper trailer.
Here you can watch the teaser trailer for “Secrets of the Atlas”:
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Path of Exile reveals new season ‘Secrets of the Atlas’ in the mysterious teaser trailer
30-second teaser creates huge hype
How does the community react? Although the teaser trailer for the new season does not show much content yet, the mere announcement generates great anticipation among fans. Within 10 hours, the teaser trailer has been viewed over 120,000 times.
Even in the comments on YouTube and Reddit, excitement is palpable, as fans have had to wait over 10 months for a real new season. User @pathofky wrote under the teaser on YouTube: “It’s been exactly 308 days since the last POE 1 trailer 😭, I’m so ready, guys, let’s go.”
User @raul3291-z1h is excited about the announcement: “We will get 3.26 before GTA 6, that’s insane.” User @JessieWiggls also humorously remarks: “I had 3 kids, 2 wives, a heart attack, quit drinking, started again, and got promoted… then fired. And all of this since version 3.25.” He points out that the time between the seasons is far outside the normal range.
What content are players expecting from the new season? With the title “Secrets of the Atlas”, players hope for an expansion of the endgame system Atlas. For example, Reddit user Erionns explains: “An Atlas expansion is overdue; it’s been 3 years since the last one.”
The Atlas system is the foundation of the endgame in Path of Exile. In its current form, it has existed for a long time and has survived several seasons without significant changes. Whether the developers will really change the acclaimed system remains to be seen.
An animation studio that has already proven itself with the popular Spiderverse films is now bringing a new project to Netflix – and is not shy about implementing absurd ideas that fans are already loving.
Which film is being talked about? It is the animated film “K-Pop Demon Hunters” from Sony Pictures Animation, which will be released on Netflix on June 20, 2025. Finally, the first trailer has been released, showcasing an animation style that draws parallels to the studio’s other projects like the Spiderverse films or “The Mitchells vs. The Machines.”
Moreover, the trailer shows what the film aims to shine with besides animation: a mix of action, comedy, and the willingness to perhaps be a little absurd. This seems to resonate with fans even before the actual release of the film.
Here you can see the trailer for K-Pop Demon Hunters:
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The trailer for ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ on Netflix shows action in the exciting animation style of Sony
K-Pop idols balance their careers with fighting their demonic adversaries
What is the film about? The main characters in K-Pop Demon Hunters are, surprise, K-Pop idols. Rumi, Mira, and Zoeys are successful K-Pop superstars, and their fans regularly fill huge sold-out stadiums. However, they must confront a new, supernatural threat – a rather irresistible rival boy band that is actually made up of veiled demons.
Now it is up to the three of them to protect their fans from the “Saja Boys.” Because they not only want to win them over but also steal their souls. The world may see them as pop stars, but now they have to become hunters. And they are ready to protect their fans from the demons.
What has been the reaction to the trailer so far? Under the newly released trailer on YouTube, the anticipation for the animated film is evident:
“I just found out 5 minutes ago that this movie exists, and it has immediately become my most anticipated upcoming animated project. Thank you Sony and Netflix!!!”, writes jellydonuts2343
“Sony Pictures Animation is the only mainstream animation studio that would have the guts to pull something like this off, and for that, they have my eternal respect,” writes cleverusername1997
“The fact that they also managed to animate the characters with anime expressions like drooling and exaggerated faces makes the movie an absolute must-watch for me,” says blue-flare7060
“I want to thank Spiderverse in every way for completely changing the animation landscape and making films like this possible,” comments thevindicator1220
For those who have become curious due to the trailer, unfortunately, they have to wait until June 20 to see K-Pop Demon Hunters on Netflix. Those who enjoy animation and need a bit of inspiration to shorten the wait can find more suggestions here on MeinMMO that particularly include great animation projects on the streaming platform: 5 strong animated series for adults that you can currently stream on Netflix
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Bethesda’s role-playing games are known for giving players a lot of freedom. In the new The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, players can experiment with the magic system. One player was so skilled that he rendered his character useless for 66 years.
What did the player do? On April 22, 2025, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered was released, a remake of Bethesda’s legendary role-playing game. Although the title had some issues at launch, many players fell in love with the fantasy world once again.
As a player, you can, typical of Bethesda, experiment with the world and the system. The magic system is particularly exciting. However, one player on Reddit manipulated it so much that he paralyzed himself for 66 years. With a single spell.
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The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered – Official Trailer for the Role-Playing Game
The magic system of Oblivion Remastered offers a lot of freedom
How did the player paralyze himself for so long? On Reddit, the user Vaverka posted a screenshot of his current status. He is affected by the spell paralysis for a total of 2,097,762,304 seconds, which is about 66 years.
In Oblivion, players can modify spells and thereby change parameters such as duration, strength, or effect. By utilizing game mechanics, players can achieve absurd effects, just like this player did.
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Unfortunately, the player does not explain how he arrived at such an absurdly high duration, but user laxnut90 (via Reddit) has a theory. He believes the player must have repeatedly reinforced his own weakness to magic, thereby increasing the paralysis duration.
How is the community reacting? The post is quite popular. Currently, it has over 16,300 upvotes and over 240 comments (as of 23.05.2025, 09:10 AM). The comments not only amuse themselves over the long duration and what it would mean in the world of Oblivion, but they also joke about other games: Just a few more years until GTA 6 when you wake up! (via Reddit).
A total of 3 events have been announced in Pokémon GO for the coming weeks all at once. Included are 6 Shinies, 3 Starter Pokémon in new forms, and some bonuses.
In the coming weeks, the 3 local parts of the GO Fest 2025 will take place in Pokémon GO, culminating at the end of June in the global part of the biggest event of the year. In line with the 3 local variants, 3 events have now been announced that will take place almost simultaneously.
Each of the events brings you an increased Shiny chance for 2 monsters each. Additionally, one Starter Pokémon in Gigantamax form will debut in each of the events. Accompanying the fun will be many Pokémon spawns and some bonuses.
Start video
Pokémon GO: What’s in the new Season Powerful and Masterful
A Celebration for Collectors and Fighters
When do the events take place? The time frames for the events are as follows:
Quiet Reflection: Friday, May 30, 2025, 10:00 AM, to Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 8:00 PM
Instrumental Wonders: Saturday, June 7, 2025, 10:00 AM, to Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at 8:00 PM
Phantom Ruins: Saturday, June 14, 2025, 10:00 AM, to Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 8:00 PM
Which monsters have an increased Shiny chance? The events offer each an increased Shiny chance for 2 monsters.
Quiet Reflection: Somniam from eggs and field researches, Bubungus from the wild and field researches
Instrumental Wonders: Kastadur and Legios, which you can find both in the wild and in raids
Phantom Ruins: Mollimorba and Paragoni, which you receive in the wild and through smoke
Which Gigantamax monsters debut? You can challenge and catch the final evolutions of the 3 starters from the 8th generation for the first time in Gigantamax battles at the respective events.
Quiet Reflection: Gigantamax-Gortrom
Instrumental Wonders: Gigantamax-Liberlo
Phantom Ruins: Gigantamax-Intelleon
What bonuses are there in the events? In addition to the increased Shiny chances, you can also benefit from a collection limit increased to 1,600 Dyna-Particles in each of the 3 events and receive 8 times the amount of particles from power sources.
In the “Quiet Reflection” event, you will additionally receive 1.5 times the amount of hatch experience points as well as halved hatch distance. While in “Instrumental Wonders” you receive 5,000 extra experience points for completed raid battles, the “Phantom Ruins” give you double catch XP and altered smoke spawns.
All monsters marked with a * can also appear in their respective Shiny variants.
There are still a few days until the start of the events. Until then, you can still catch a strong Pokémon or two in the game. Currently, the event “Critical Hit: GO Battle Week” is running, which features 5 strong monsters that you should not miss.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Telegram was long regarded as an alternative messenger to WhatsApp and Line, promising special security. However, the platform is now criticized for betraying its fundamental values.
Telegram launched in 2013 and promised to be a messenger that protects user data, as was noted in media reports such as on FirstPost. Especially in countries with restricted freedom of speech, Telegram became a digital refuge. However, these promises of protection seem to be faltering: In the first quarter of 2025, Telegram provided the data of 22,777 users to authorities.
How easily personal data can be spied on is shown by an experiment conducted by students who observed passersby with a hidden camera. See the video here:
Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
Between Freedom and Control
How did the turnaround come about? In 2024, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested in France, as reported by the newspaper LeMonde. Authorities accused Telegram of providing a platform for extremists and criminal groups. Although Durov was soon released, the mood at Telegram has shifted. The platform is now trying to cooperate more closely with authorities to reduce political pressure while also deterring criminals from using it.
Telegram reported in its transparency report that in the first three months of 2025 alone, the data of 22,777 users were handed over to authorities, a significant increase compared to 5,826 users in the same period of 2024. These numbers were published by Telegram as part of its semi-annual Transparency Reports, which provide insight into government requests and data handovers.
In a public statement (via WIRED), Durov himself states that only a small minority of users misuse the platform for illegal purposes. However, this group threatens the image of Telegram and thus the safety of the nearly one billion users worldwide.
What data does Telegram share? Telegram emphasizes in its privacy policy that it mainly releases metadata, meaning information like IP addresses, phone numbers, device types, or timestamps of messages. Content of messages remains encrypted according to Telegram, at least in the ‘Secret Chats’ that are end-to-end encrypted. All other chats, groups, and channels, on the other hand, go through Telegram servers and are not fully encrypted. Moreover, Telegram’s source code is only partially open, which complicates independent verification.
What does this mean for users? Especially in countries where surveillance is commonplace, even metadata can be dangerous. They are often sufficient to identify individuals, create movement profiles, or expose communication networks. Users who previously saw Telegram as a safe refuge must be aware that their data is now increasingly shared with authorities, even if Telegram emphasizes that it only responds to legally binding requests.
In India, millions of passengers are transported by train every day. However, according to the state railway, there are far too many fare evaders. Together with another company, they have now developed a clever idea to minimize the number of fare evaders. And this is reportedly supposed to work.
Which country is it about? The Indian Railway is the state railway of India and is responsible for the majority of nationwide rail traffic. Approximately 24 million passengers are transported daily. For comparison: The German Railways transport 7.3 million passengers daily (via germany.travel.de)
However, in India, there is a problem: The trains and stations are so overcrowded that the conductors have difficulty checking every single passenger. As a result, there is a large number of fare evaders who travel without tickets. This costs the railway millions in revenue every year.
But instead of responding with stricter enforcement of regulations, the Indian Railway in Mumbai has taken a more inventive approach to convince more people to purchase tickets.
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“We have created a monster” – A Spanish model earns up to 10,000 euros a month, yet she is not real
Every train ticket in India is a potential lottery win
In India, luck, hope, and gambling play a significant role: Indians are said to spend more than the equivalent of $30 billion annually on gambling, which is why this inventive method of relying on a lottery was chosen:
What exactly has been done in India? The Indian State Railway has partnered with FCB India, the largest communication company in India, to develop a lottery called Lucky Yatra.
Every train ticket is now also a lottery ticket, giving travelers the chance to win cash prizes simply by purchasing a valid ticket. Instead of viewing the purchase of a ticket as a duty or obligation, Lucky Yatra turns it into a chance for a potential jackpot.
How does it work? Every train ticket issued by the Mumbai division of the Indian Railway now contains a unique identification number. With this number, the passenger participates in a daily lottery where winners can take home cash prizes. The more valid tickets passengers buy, the greater their chances of winning.
For comparison: A train ticket in Mumbai costs between 5 and 25 rupees. That is between 5 and 25 cents. 100 rupees are approximately 1 euro.
How is the system received? The approach of utilizing an existing need to solve a common problem in the public domain is well received in the community. As one user explains on Reddit, this solution-oriented approach is very good:
A very good approach to think about what the public is actually interested in, and then use that to solve the problem they had.
However, there is also legitimate criticism of the new system of the Indian State Railway. On the one hand, it encourages people literally to engage in gambling, which many consider not to be a good idea. On the other hand, the risk of being caught fare evading is so low that people continue not to buy tickets, argues another user on Reddit:
An interesting concept, but I am not sure if it is effective. At this point, it is more about marketing than politics. The person traveling without a ticket will continue to do so and will not buy a lottery ticket with a cash prize of 1 million. It’s not just about the prize, but also about the hassle of buying the ticket and the low risk of getting caught.
With Worshippers of Cthulhu, a building game was released on May 22, 2025, on Steam where you lead a Cthulhu cult and perform dark rituals. The game has already received great feedback from the demo and in Early Access.
What kind of game is Worshippers of Cthulhu? The building game from Crazy Goat Games and publisher Crytivo makes you the harbinger of cosmic rebirth, leading a Cthulhu cult. Your goal: To summon the ancient god himself. To do this, you must gather followers around you and create cities out of nothing on multiple islands.
Feed your followers, oversee production chains, and organize the workforce. To achieve this, you proclaim dogmas, host feasts, and conduct dark rituals. All unbelievers serve as potential victims and slaves. And of course, you will encounter various “Lovecraftian entities” during your endeavors.
The trailer gives you a first impression of Worshippers of Cthulhu:
Start video
Worshippers of Cthulhu allows you to establish a dark cult
Play now on Steam
How is the game received?The first demo received really good feedback in August 2024. And even in the Early Access phase, this unique blend of Anno managed to excite many players. The now 809 reviews are 87 percent positive – which earns it a “Very Positive” on Steam.
Pieberry draws another notable comparison on Steam: “It’s like ‘Against the Storm’, but in my opinion, better, with combat and longer maps, so it’s not just about fulfilling objectives.”
Varya has played more than 50 hours and says on Steam: “I personally find the game very good. If you like Anno and Lovecraft – perfect! The graphics are beautiful, quite dark and lovingly crafted in the Lovecraft universe. The mechanics are quick and easy to understand and do not get boring quickly. The game is definitely worth your money.”
Tasslehoff expresses great enthusiasm on Steam: “I’ve only been playing for a few hours, and I find the creativity and attention to detail amazing. I didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t this.”
Anno and Against the Storm are definitely two notable, strong comparisons for the settlement simulation from the small studio. The unusual mix with the Cthulhu setting from H. P. Lovecraft seems to be coming together perfectly. More tentacle stories can be found here: Sorry, I wiped you out, but kissed a tentacle monster instead.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Bungie wanted to establish a large, new brand with Marathon and revive the dusty franchise from the 90s. Meanwhile, the release is only 4 months away and raises concerns – about Marathon, but also about the future of Bungie. Let’s take a look at the developer of Destiny.
What’s going on with Marathon and Bungie?
The first announcement trailer in May 2023 piqued the interest of many players and was viewed a strong 22 million times.
After that, there was a long silence before new information and 2025 first gameplay about the game followed.
In the meantime, players have been able to test the shooter in an alpha version themselves. However, the test did not convince many players.
After the alpha test, there was a scandal involving stolen designs.
Marathon has no chance of being “successful”
Forbes journalist Paul Tassi revealed that he heard Marathon would need to be one of the 5 best-selling games of 2025 in the US to be considered a “success” (via YouTube). Tassi is well-connected with Bungie and claims to have some friends in the studio.
Tassi’s report prompted me to take a closer look at the game releases of the year and question whether this goal by Bungie seems realistic in my opinion. My clear conclusion:
A top 5 placement in 2025 seems impossible to me.
It’s only May, and there are already some really good games:
Noteworthy mentions: Doom: The Dark Ages, Elden Ring: Nightreign, The First Berserker: Khazan.
Upcoming releases: Dune: Awakening, Rematch, Mafia: The Old Country, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Borderlands 4, Dying Light: The Beast, FBC Firebreak, Judas, and Death Stranding 2.
Given the selection of games that have already been released and are set to release in 2025, I would be surprised if Marathon makes it into the top 15. I trust that each of these games will have better sales throughout the year than Marathon.
Because the entire game concept of Marathon is inconsistent.
Start video
Bungie shows first gameplay of Marathon in trailer
Marathon has a tiny target audience that is further limited
The fundamental problem with Marathon starts with the actual game principle. It is an extraction shooter, the current hype genre of the gaming industry. Almost every developer wants to make an extraction shooter. The games all rely on the same core gameplay and only change minor details that are supposed to give each title its identity. In one game, it’s raging forces of nature; in another, playable heroes instead of unnamed characters.
The problem with all of this is: There are only 2 extraction shooters that have been really successful for years, Escape from Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown. New games that have attempted to imitate the genre have failed. This includes games and modes like The Cycle: Frontier and Call of Duty’s DMZ. Some games like Gray Zone Warfare or Delta Force may have a few thousand players on Steam, but they are still far from a top 5 spot in annual sales.
However, this is not just a problem for Bungie and Marathon; it is a phenomenon that keeps emerging in the gaming industry. Over the years, we have seen many different MOBAs that wanted to capitalize on the success of League of Legends and DOTA 2. Positively noteworthy are titles like Smite, Pokémon Unite, or Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Other games have failed, including Paragon, Heroes of the Storm, and Battleborn.
Ultimately, many players often stick with the games they have been playing for years.
A casual game without casual gamers
Extraction shooters are a niche genre, and just because Tarkov is popular, it doesn’t mean that other studios will succeed with it as well. Developers are fighting over a small target audience and do not understand why players choose a particular game.
Iam convinced that a casual extraction shooter like Marathon cannot work. If someone is playing Escape from Tarkov, they want the hardcore experience of a military simulation:
no minimap
a realistic game feel and setting
complicated injuries of the character.
Players love how complicated the game is. It is no coincidence that a Tarkov streamer once said: “You can either study law or be good at Tarkov. Both at the same time is not possible.” I would recommend a Tarkov fan play ARMA or Squad before Marathon.
On the other side, there are gamer dads who want to relax after a hard workday. Relaxing gameplay is simply difficult in an extraction shooter. Even if I have really successful runs for 4-5 days, I will eventually die and lose my equipment. And as a non-competitive gamer, you often die until all your equipment is gone, and you can only use the cheapest weapons that the merchants sponsor for free. Either that, or you generally only use “bad” equipment because you fear losing your good loot.
Extraction shooters are just too punishing for casual gameplay. So, there are likely very few players who want to play a casual extraction shooter. Marathon effectively narrows an already very limited target audience.
Too high a price, no clear unique selling point
One of the most discussed problems with Marathon is also the price.
Marathon will not be a free-to-play game.
According to various rumors, it could cost around €40 at launch. If I am unsure whether Marathon will be fun for me or not, the price heavily pushes the purchase decision towards “no purchase” in the worst case.
Overall, the game lacks a major unique selling point. Something that tells the player: Here you get something special that you won’t find anywhere else.
The “innovative” idea of the game is to combine extraction shooters with playable heroes, but the typical extraction gameplay remains, only now everyone can use different abilities. However, these abilities like invisibility or enemy scanning are not new ideas and have already existed in one form or another in other games.
What has distinguished Marathon for many users on social networks so far has been the art style (cf. X). It is unique and stands out. However, since Bungie has admitted to stealing designs from an artist and using them in the alpha of Marathon, many designs in the game now need to be replaced. The art style will likely remain the same, but the incident casts a negative light on the game’s design.
Bungie has long lost the players
The tragic aspect of Bungie’s and Marathon’s situation is that the studio has been known for years for making really good shooters. The gunplay in Destiny is still considered excellent and is simply fun. However, that very community, the players of Destiny and fans of Bungie, has been lost to the studio months ago. There is a long list of criticisms that players repeatedly raise.
Monetization: Expensive skins; various currencies; costly DLCs;
Recycled content: New content like events are often just recycled versions of old content, events, and similar things repeat, and there are few new ideas and innovations
Seasons, content vault, and fomo: The season model of Destiny 2 often results in content being available only for a limited time. Old DLC content that players paid for is disappearing into the content vault and is never playable again – unless they are recycled in the form of “new” content.
Dealing with feedback: Many players have previously expressed that community feedback has not been heeded, for example, in balancing decisions.
Neglect of PvP / Gambit: The PvP players of the loot shooter feel neglected.
The community’s dissatisfaction leads to a decline in player numbers; these are steadily decreasing. New content has recently brought only a small fraction of the player base according to player numbers on Steam. While Destiny 2 had an average of around 65,000 players on Steam in 2023, there were only about 48,000 in 2024 despite the release of The Final Shape. Since then, the numbers have continued to fall. In the first 4 months of 2025, there are on average only 28,130 players online (via SteamCharts).
Moreover, gamers notice that Bungie has recently been involved in multiple plagiarism allegations and has repeatedly admitted to them. This raises doubts about the company’s quality assurance. Bungie needs to create (or improve) an institution responsible for checking the copyright of designs, texts, and other content – at least if one has repeatedly appeared in that field.
Year
Game/ Product
Involved Artists
Type of Allegation
Solution
2025
Marathon (Alpha)
Antireal
Unauthorized use of the artist’s poster designs as in-game textures/assets.
Bungie publicly admitted to the use and stated that a former employee was to blame. They are now contacting the artist.
2024
Destiny 2 / NERF Blaster “Ace of Spades”
Tofu Rabbit
Copy of a fan design for the NERF Blaster without permission.
Bungie apologized and hinted at a compensation (via X).
2023
Destiny 2 (Season of the Deep, in-game cutscene)
Julian Faylona
Strong similarity of an artwork in a cutscene to a work by the artist.
Bungie described it as an error of an external service provider and compensated the artist. (via X)
2021
Destiny 2 (Trailer for “The Witch Queen”)
Relay314
Unauthorized use of a fan artwork (character: Xivu Arath) in the trailer
Bungie confirmed the “accidental use,” apologized, credited the artist, and retroactively obtained permission (via X).
Currently, there is also an ongoing legal dispute with an author who accuses Bungie of having based the story of Destiny 2 on one of his works. Bungie is having difficulties proving the opposite because corresponding old content of the game is no longer available. They rely on videos from a YouTuber who elaborately summarizes the story and lore of the game.
How much patience does Sony have left with Bungie?
I don’t want to be too pessimistic, but it is becoming difficult to remain optimistic about Bungie. Destiny 2 is losing more and more players, the mood among former fans is poor, the new game Marathon has been in development for a long time and could fail brutally, and everything one hears about the internal situation of the studio and employee satisfaction is concerning.
Sony itself is profit-oriented and will keep a very critical eye on developments at Bungie – especially since they suffered a severe financial setback with Concord, a live-service game, in 2024. According to a report from IGN in 2023, it is possible for Sony to dissolve the existing board of Bungie and take full control if financial goals are not met. It is also conceivable that Sony regards incidents like plagiarism admissions as damaging to their reputation and negatively attributes them to Bungie’s leadership.
Overall, it is difficult to imagine that Bungie will have financial success in the coming years – regardless of the quality of the respective product. Bungie’s former fans are so dissatisfied and frustrated that they – as it currently seems – are negatively inclined towards everything Bungie does. The studio must deliver something genuinely good to avoid being hated “on principle.” Instead, they are delivering a game that is too expensive, has no target audience, and features stolen assets.
If Marathon fails – and I can unfortunately easily imagine that – Sony could lose patience with Bungie. I can’t imagine that the company will tolerate the current situation for much longer. Should the allegedly contractually established financial target of Bungie really be missed, a complete takeover by Sony threatens. Bungie urgently needs a success and must avoid damage control with Marathon.
To achieve a top 5 spot in sales in the USA, I believe Bungie would need to make Marathon more appealing to Destiny players, for example, by focusing more on PvE or providing the option to avoid PvP. Even Escape from Tarkov now has a pure PvE mode.
A shift to PvE content would, however, imply a lot of effort and development time, which would likely come with high costs – after all, the developers need to be paid during that time. Since financial success would still not be guaranteed, this would hardly equate to damage control. Bungie’s greatest hope thus remains Destiny 2. The studio must release high-quality expansions and regain the community’s trust. It will be crucial to listen to player feedback.
Because if the mood remains poor, there is a risk that players will be less willing to spend money.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Rogue Trader, one of the best games about Warhammer 40,000 has been released in recent years. Now the creators have announced a sequel that fully embraces the greatest strength of the dark world.
What kind of game is this?
After being a powerful rogue trader in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, you will play as a member of the Inquisition in the sequel Dark Heresy.
In the classic cRPG style for which the developer Owlcat is known, you control a group of apparently up to four characters. On your journey, you will find companions that you can recruit. Romances will likely also be possible.
Dark Heresy is based on the pen and paper of the same name, which you may know in Germany as “Schattenjäger”.
This is what Dark Heresy features: In the trailer and the first images, several companions and enemies were already shown. Especially present are the Kroot, who are primarily known as auxiliary units of the technologically advanced T’au. Kroot are characterized by their ability to adopt traits of enemies they consume.
A Kroot will be available as your companion. Other companions that have already been seen include:
an Ogryn, a bulky metahuman known for its brute strength
The developers also mention fully voiced dialogues. The predecessor Rogue Trader received some criticism in this regard. However, you should not expect a German voiceover.
Dark Heresy is set to be released for PC (Steam, GOG, and Epic) as well as consoles (PS5 and Xbox). A specific release date is still pending.
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Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy in the Announcement Trailer
Dark Heresy introduces the traitors that almost everyone ignores
Not much has been revealed about the story, only that you will fight against heresy and dark powers – so everything is as usual. However, a Chaos Space Marine in a special armor can be seen in the trailer.
Anyone familiar with heraldry will immediately recognize who stands there: a Night Lord. Night Lords are the descendants of Konrad Curze and are known for their expertise in psychological warfare. Their weapons are primarily fear and infiltration.
They instill fear, for example, by attaching the skin or body parts of enemies to their armor. Since Curze’s death, the Night Lords have been scattered and pose little threat to many, which is why they are often ignored. In the ranking of the traitor legions, the Night Lords are in last place.
Owlcat has also announced new content for Rogue Trader as part of Warhammer Skulls. Here you can look forward to the second DLC Lex Imperialis, which expands the story with a strand around the Adeptus Arbites. The DLC will be released on June 24, 2025, and promises a new companion, a new career, and around 15 hours of additional story.
Additionally, Rogue Trader still has the entire Season Pass 2 ahead, which is quite packed. The Season Pass includes two new expansions and cosmetic adjustments. In the third DLC, you will be able to visit a Necron tomb, while the fourth DLC takes you to a graveyard for void ships. Each DLC brings a new companion, quests, and about 15 hours of story. If you want to dive into the universe, Rogue Trader is already one of the best games to immerse yourself in the world of Warhammer.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
After a successful Early Access, the new RPG from a Polish studio launches on Steam and console. This sends players into a dark reinterpretation of the Arthurian legend in a grim fantasy setting.
What kind of game is this? It is the open-world RPG “Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon” from the Polish studio Questline, which will be released today – on May 23, 2025 – on Steam, PS5, and Xbox.
The game has been in Early Access since March 30 and has already convinced many players. On Steam, it currently has a very positive rating (86% of the 4,566 user reviews are positive), which clearly shows the players’ anticipation.
The day before the release, the studio released a story trailer that showcases the dark atmosphere of the game:
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The official story trailer of Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon shows a fantasy version of the Arthur legend
The Arthurian Legend in a Dark Light
What do we know about the story? The story of Tainted Grail is a dark reinterpretation of the Arthurian legend, whose world is trapped in an eternal autumn and presents familiar legends in a different, new light (or new darkness). For this, the game offers the opportunity to make various decisions and thus reach different endings.
Players follow in the footsteps of King Arthur and attempt to unveil the mysteries surrounding his legend and the kingdom. Meanwhile, a chaotic force returns to the world, making survival even more difficult – in addition to the many foes, cults, and a hostile environment.
What is the mood around the game? The anticipation for the release is evident in the comments under the trailer on YouTube and the Steam reviews:
nis_gia comments on YouTube: “I can’t wait for tomorrow, the demo was so good, aside from the performance issues that are to be expected and hopefully fixed with a patch. Keep it up, it seems to be a game and a team that deserves support, and if given time, I think it will really shine. Huge praise for the world-building, and that’s just based on the demo and leaks.”
Ogma writes on Steam: “Risking sounding like an insufferable snob: If you’re looking for a more mature, better-executed version of Elder Scrolls gameplay, this is it.”
Trogdor Burninator comments on Steam: “The story and dialogues are great. […] A lot is told, you find bits of the story in notes, diaries, town conversations, rumors from people you meet, and then you stumble upon these strange and wonderful mystical things out there, and there’s this wow factor when you do. In one word: immersion. Skyrim did it, and these guys too.”
In the multiverse of Dungeons & Dragons there are a lot of spells that sound really cool. Especially at low levels, you tend to learn or pick them up, but some of them are not as useful as their description suggests. We present you with 5 of them, so you don’t fall for them.
We have selected 5 spells for you that sound cooler based on their description than they are actually useful in practice. Especially at the beginning or at low levels, with a class that is unknown to you, it can quickly happen that you learn or take them, even though they are not particularly practical.
What is not so bad for clerics, wizards, or druids aside from cantrips is a bigger problem for bards, warlocks, or sorcerers, as they must choose their spells for each level up. To ensure that you don’t make a mistake here and know which spells sound better than they often are, we have selected 5 offenders for you.
No spell is completely useless, as it depends on how you use it. However, the specific limitations, high effort, or the necessity for specific situations that occur relatively rarely often make them less useful in practice.
How were the spells selected? For the selection, we focused on spells from the 5th edition, taking into account the rules from 2024. We also made sure to represent a wide range of different spells. For our list, we decided against a direct ranking, as the power of a spell depends on too many factors to compare them well.
A spell can be powerful because it deals a lot of damage or because it can manipulate the world around it significantly – or because a player cleverly uses it at an opportune moment.
[toc]
What kinds of spells are there? In Dungeons & Dragons, there are hundreds of different spells you can choose for your characters. There are cantrips that cost no spell slot when cast. They may not be particularly strong, but are often very useful.
If you want to cast more powerful spells, you can choose from spells of various levels from level 1 to level 9, which each cost a corresponding spell slot. The rule is: the higher the level, the more powerful the spell. Also, not every class can learn every spell.
The spells belong to one of the 8 schools of magic:
Abjuration
Conjuration
Evocation
Illusion
Necromancy
Transmutation
Enchantment
Divination
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Baldur’s Gate 3: Cast two spells in one go
Bestow Curse
Spell Level: Level 3
Available Classes: Bard, Cleric, Wizard, Paladin (Oathbreaker, Oath of Conquest)
The name sounds fantastic at first – “Bestow Curse”! The effects (disadvantage on attacks/checks, wasted actions, damage disadvantage) sound powerful and can potentially cripple a single opponent. Additionally, you can cast it without concentration when using a spell slot of level 5 or higher.
The big catch is that the target must be touched to be afflicted with a curse – you will have to engage in melee combat to do this. This is dangerous for a spellcaster, who typically stands further back, in most combat situations. Alternatively, you can send a familiar to cast the curse on the target, provided you have one.
Moreover, the spell allows for a Wisdom saving throw, and many of the most dangerous opponents have high Wisdom scores. If the curse takes hold, it is strong, but the hurdle of casting it and overcoming the saving throw often makes it a poor choice in combat. For the same spell level (base level 3), there are often more effective control or damage spells.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Godzilla has been terrorizing major cities and screens around the world for over 70 years. Over time, there have been many versions of the giant lizard, but one in particular stands out. In 2016, perhaps the scariest variant of the iconic film monster was released,which MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes analyzes.
Which version is it? In 2016, after 12 years, a new Godzilla movie from Japan was released again. For Shin Godzilla, the legendary director Hideaki Anno took the helm. He is best known for Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Although the film was inspired by the original from 1954, it presented Godzilla in a new, frightening light. This is due to several factors and a horrific event in Japan.
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Shin Godzilla – Trailer for the monster movie by Hideaki Anno
Shin Godzilla has several forms that become increasingly terrifying
What does Shin Godzilla look like? The monster from the film does not have just one form; throughout Shion Godzilla, it continuously evolves. Like the first Godzilla, the creature was an ancient sea creature that was polluted with nuclear waste 60 years before the events of the film.
Instead of dying, the creature adapted, fed off the nuclear remnants, and grew. It evolved to the point where it could come ashore. In the film, the second form is then shown. With large bulging eyes, Godzilla manages to come ashore and crawls through the streets, destroying everything and causing radioactive contamination.
However, the monster does not seem to destroy consciously. It appears as if it is in pain, gasping for air. This is further emphasized when it is learned that Godzilla must return to the sea to cool down. Afterwards, it returns even bigger and more dangerous. Its fourth form further develops this.
Close to the classic design, it now walks on two legs and looks significantly more sinister. It almost seems as if Godzilla now has a malicious consciousness. It does not have classic scales, but resembles techno-organic designs by H.R. Giger, which can also be found in the Xenomorph from Alien.
The fourth form of Shin Godzilla (Image source: godzilla.com)
The red spots on its body appear like open wounds and are meant to cool it down. Its destructive power also increases with each form, and it seems unstoppable. It not only has the iconic atomic breath but also lasers that it can shoot from its tail and body.
Perhaps the strongest ability of Shin Godzilla is its rapid adaptation. It adapts to every situation and mutates simultaneously. This is also evident in its final form. People manage to defeat the monster by freezing it. But instead of a dead body, a fifth form is seen.
From its body, seemingly small creatures grow that resemble humanoid beings. Here, Godzilla almost looks like a being from cosmic horror works. While we do not know what happens next, these humanoid beings fit into the continual evolution of Shin Godzilla.
Why is it so scary? Shin Godzilla represents, like few horror works, a special kind of despair. Like the first Godzilla, this monster was originally created because humans used nuclear weapons.
A monster has been created that can hardly die because it continuously evolves and seems to suffer in the process. In the film, Godzilla is also referred to as the incarnation of God and could also be interpreted as punishment that mimics human evolution. Its final form particularly fits this.
The despair of the people is also reflected in the soundtrack. Shiro Sagisu is responsible for it, whom fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion or Bleach might know. With pieces like Persecution of the Masses or Who Will Know, Sagisu opts for less epic sounds but instead for calmer operatic vocals.
In Persecution of the Masses, innocent people are sung about, whom one should not blame. In Who Will Know, the question is asked whether one will remember the person. This highlights the situation of ordinary citizens who are not responsible for the emergence of Godzilla but still suffer from it.
Hideaki Anno already dealt with the downfall of humanity in Neon Genesis Evangelion, which they themselves triggered. Godzilla transforms from a harmless creature into a diabolical object of destruction. The people of the destroyed cities cannot defend themselves and rely on the government. For this, Hideaki Anno draws on a tragic event as a source of inspiration.
Like the original, Shin Godzilla is based on a trauma
What is behind Shin Godzilla? Even in 1954, Godzilla was not just a film about a giant monster, it was the processing of a historical trauma. This also applies to Shin Godzilla, as the film is a metaphor for the Fukushima disaster that occurred in 2011 (via The Crescent Magazine).
On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake struck Japan, causing damage at the Fukushima power plant. Radioactive materials were released into the atmosphere and water, contaminating everything around the area.
The metaphor for a societal catastrophe is also shown in an important aspect of the film: the politicians. In the film, much time is spent with politicians who discuss which ministry needs to take care of which problem during the destruction of Japan and what bureaucratic measures will be taken.
These are not action-packed scenes, but they also symbolize the criticism of the Fukushima incident. There was also criticism of the government, authorities, and disaster management during the Fukushima incident for acting too late (via nuklearforum.ch).
Why is Shin Godzilla scary? Shin Godzilla does not rely on jump scares, ghosts, or brutal kills. The film recalls cosmic horror. Godzilla is a force of nature created by humans. It shows that humans can create something that cannot be stopped and that could mean the end of humanity.
Microsoft now offers its formerly exclusive games on other consoles as well. The current major success comes surprisingly from the strong competitor PS5.
What kind of strategy is this? Traditionally, exclusive games were a main reason for choosing a console. However, these strict boundaries are increasingly blurring. While Sony makes more and more PlayStation titles accessible on PC, Microsoft goes even further and brings its own games directly to Sony’s competing consoles.
This strategic change by Microsoft is really paying off now, as the latest statistics from PlayStation show.
The popular racing game Forza Horizon 5 is also succeeding on the PS5:
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Forza Horizon 5: The racing game from Xbox is now also available on the PS5
No turning back
How does the new strategy work? April 2025 will likely be marked as a great success for Xbox. According to the latest data from Circana (via Bluesky), Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered was the best-selling game last month. It is followed by the second Microsoft title: Forza Horizon 5.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle also jumped to 4th place due to its release on PS5. 5th place goes to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which, since the sale of Activision Blizzard to Microsoft, also belongs to the Xbox family. With Minecraft, another last Microsoft game is comfortably in 7th place among the top 10 best-selling PS5 games in April.
Here you can see the complete list of the 10 best-selling titles on PlayStation platforms in April 2025:
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With upcoming titles like Hellblade 2 and Gears of War: Reloaded, celebrated Microsoft titles will also be released on the PS5 in the coming months. However, the releases on the competition are a double-edged sword.
Of course, Microsoft generates new revenue for its gaming division with the titles. At the same time, when choosing between Xbox and PlayStation for the next generation, gamers may think that they can play all titles from both manufacturers on the PS6, but only those from Microsoft on Xbox. Additionally, PlayStation earns a little bit with each sale. Whether the strategy ultimately pays off over the years remains uncertain.
In World of Warcraft a foe has hardly been seen in recent years. Now he is returning – as the story is being revisited.
That in World of Warcraft a foe is never truly defeated, but often comes back two or three times, is now an old hat. However, especially in recent years, Blizzard has eliminated many “classic” Warcraft enemies. The Old Gods are defeated, the Burning Legion has been vanquished, and the Lich King has been in retirement for many years.
Now an old enemy is likely to return and gain new strength again – at least there are clear indications of this.
Spoiler Warning: It should be obvious by now, but this is about the future of WoW.
Start video
Only 6 people have a success in WoW – and they don’t know why
Who is returning? The Burning Legion doesn’t seem to be completely gone yet. This is evident from the announcement of a new Warcraft book by Christie Golden. The book “Blood Ties,” which could be translated into German as “Blutbande,” is about Alleria Windrunner, Exarch Turalyon, and their son Arator. Blizzard announced the book on the WoW website.
Someone has taken up residence in an old base of the Legion – a demon who intends to use Azeroth once again for nefarious plans.
What about the Burning Legion? The Burning Legion was defeated at the end of the “Legion” expansion. Many of the leaders are defeated and permanently eradicated. The fallen titan, Sargeras, is currently being held by the other titans and Illidan. At the same time, the World Soul of Argus was destroyed, drastically slowing the regeneration of demons in the Nether. Demons are still reborn in the Nether (as long as they don’t die in the Nether), but the process takes longer.
Since then, the Burning Legion has been leaderless. Exact details are not known, but Blizzard has repeatedly hinted that there is now an internal conflict among the demons, with several powerful figures attempting to secure their piece of the Legion. However, this is no longer a huge cosmic threat as it was under Sargeras’s leadership.
Many powerful leaders of the Burning Legion have been defeated – permanently.
Since then, demons have only played a minor role. They appear only sporadically in the new expansions and, apart from some specific class quests, have nearly been forgotten.
What does the book say? So far, there is only the blurb of the book. It states (translated):
(…) Arator embarks on a new journey to investigate rumors of a strange glow emanating from the ruins of an abandoned Legion base. Turalyon and Alleria offer their help, eager to destroy this old foe before he can threaten the world again. As the family delves deeper into the mystery, Arator tries to reconcile his parents’ heroic legacy with the flawed people he has met. He sees both parents in himself: his father’s high moral standards, his mother’s intelligence, and both’s unwavering will to defend Azeroth. But Arator finds himself at the center of their greatest strengths and weaknesses – weaknesses that are revealed when the demonic threat turns out to be a former lieutenant of the Burning Legion who aims to use Azeroth for a new campaign of destruction.
We will probably only find out how the return of a commander of the Burning Legion looks and whether it will have implications for the “real” World of Warcraft when the book is released – or if Blizzard reveals new details about the next expansion “Midnight” by then.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In a livestream, Blizzard revealed how they want to bring fresh wind into the endgame of Diablo 4. The new features are set to be permanently introduced with Season 9 – and you can try them out right now.
How does Blizzard plan to shake up the endgame? In the “Campfire Chat” livestream, Blizzard provided insights into new features that will be permanently introduced in Diablo 4 with Season 9. Specifically, the Nightmare dungeons are getting an update, as: Escalating Nightmare dungeons, “Horadrical Treasure Rooms,” and a few quality-of-life improvements are being added:
Horadrical Treasure Rooms: These mini-dungeons appear in Nightmare dungeons and feature powerful enemies and strong loot. However, to complete the dungeons, you only have limited time.
Escalation Nightmare Dungeons: You will be sent through a chain of three connected Nightmare dungeons, where the affixes stack. But not only does the difficulty increase, so do the rewards. You receive the seals for the dungeons from treasure room chests. At the end, you will reunite with Astaroth, a well-known boss from the campaign.
Quality of Life Update: From Season 9, you can directly activate the next Nightmare dungeon within the dungeon and continue without detours. This saves time and loading screens.
New Affix Types for Nightmare Dungeons: The seals for Nightmare dungeons also receive new affixes – including “Horadrical Reserves.” This provides access to special chests full of gold, obuls, gem fragments, and other resources.
Below you can see the screenshots from the English-speaking YouTube livestream from May 22, 2025:
The Nightmare dungeons receive updates.The Horadrical Treasure Rooms in Season 9.The Escalating Nightmare Dungeons in Season 9.Astaroth returns in Season 9.
When can I test the new features? You can test the new features and the changes to the base game on the PTR (Public Test Realm) for Season 9 from May 27, 2025 to June 3, 2025. You can find the PTR in your Battle.net client as a dropdown menu for Diablo 4. At the NPC Mrak, you can boost your player characters and pick up various items and materials.
You can also test the seasonal features with Mrak – including the new mechanics related to Horadrical Powers and brand new Jewels. You can find the complete patch notes for the PTR on page 2 of the article – we will update them as soon as the German version is available.
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Tochter löscht alle Diablo 4-Charaktere ihres Vaters
You can equip a Catalyst, a supportive Infusion, and three Arkanas to shape your spells. Each component brings unique effects, providing you with numerous combinations. On the PTR, you receive the powers from Mrak and then in Season 9 as usual through a seasonal quest series – and Arkanas by exploring Nightmare dungeons.
Additionally, starting from Qual 1, you can find so-called Volumes in the Horadrical Treasure Rooms – these can be used to craft new, socketable jewels. These Horadrical jewels further enhance your spells and provide additional strong bonuses. They are used in amulets and rings.
Game of Thrones: Kingsroad has left early access and has been available for free download on Steam since May 21, 2025. However, if you look at player reviews, you might want to skip it.
Why is the download not worth it? It’s free! That’s true, of course. And Game of Thrones, despite the lackluster final season, is still a franchise with draw and many fans that deserves a worthy video game adaptation.
With Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, however, developer Netmarble catapults you back to a time when disastrous movie and series adaptations were more the rule than the exception. Although the action-adventure RPG does have its gameplay strengths, the fun really stops when it comes to monetization – and that also applies to the final release version.
Because Game of Thrones: Kingsroad has an online co-op and offers free-to-play access, it wants money from you in various forms. For progress in the story or access to bosses. For battle passes. For fast travel, and much more. Of course, there are also countless currencies in the game, so that in the end no one knows what’s going on.
One of the trailers for Game of Thrones – Kingsroad:
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Game of Thrones: Trailer for the new action RPG shows familiar characters
“Maybe the most aggressively and unethically monetized game I have ever seen”
Hyde criticizes on Steam: “Maybe the most aggressively and unethically monetized game I have ever seen. There are microtransactions upon microtransactions, hidden behind endless fake currencies to rake in money for everything.”
Romez complains on Steam: “Korean pay-to-win mobile game, ported to PC with Unreal Engine marketplace asset slop. Right and left click spam simulator with 3 abilities. Console auto-target combat system. Avoid it like the plague.”
DethCometh also criticizes the gameplay on Steam: “The story just doesn’t engage you. The combat is generic and outdated. The movement feels awkward and clunky.”
Slug criticizes the online co-op on Steam: “What a great multiplayer game. You can only do co-op in dungeons…”
From many of the positive reviews, however, one can read that fans of Game of Thrones can somewhat accept the payment model and that they are just happy to have found an open-world game that takes them to Westeros. However, this praise is often accompanied by remarks like “It’s not as bad as feared” – for instance here on Steam.
Our recommendation: Skip the download. Instead, invest a few euros and get games at a low price that are actually good. There are more than enough of them. Specific tips can be found in this article by colleague Benedict Grothaus: Here are 9 games on Steam that are just as good as AAA games, but cost less
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Valheim is one of the most popular survival games on Steam and has a rating of 94% positive votes, making it nearly perfect. The developers are working hard on the next biome, but first, they want to address one of the game’s remaining weaknesses.
What kind of game is Valheim? Valheim is an open-world survival game set in a Viking environment, where you awaken as a fallen warrior in the tenth world of the world tree Yggdrasil. There, you must prove yourself by gathering resources, crafting tools and weapons, building settlements, and defeating mythical creatures.
The game world is procedurally generated and offers various biomes such as meadows, swamps, or mountains, each with its own dangers and boss opponents. You can experience Valheim alone or in co-op with up to ten players, working together to survive, explore, and build in a Nordic-inspired world.
Although Valheim has been in early access for over 4 years, it currently achieves a rating of 94% positive votes and around 25,358 players at its 24-hour peak (as of May 22, 2025). This makes the Viking survival game one of the most popular representatives of the genre.
With “Deep North”, Valheim’s next and final major expansion is in the works. Not much is known about it so far, and the developers want to let players “explore” as much as possible, as they stated in the latest developer blog. However, before the expansion can launch, they want to iron out one of the last weaknesses of the game.
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The trailer for the new Valheim expansion heats things up
The combat system as the last thorn in the side
Which weakness do the developers want to address? In the developer blog “Word From the Devs“, the developers have now commented on the current state and introduced one of the new opponents in the Deep North biome.
However, before they bring the update into the game, the developers want to address one of the remaining significant weaknesses of Valheim: the combat system. This is set to be specifically revised and smoothed out before the final expansion. In particular, the melee combat system should be improved to feel significantly better and cleaner than it currently does.
Players should also look forward to a new armor set that will be added to the game. In addition to this announcement, the developers will share a few small teasers about the final expansion Deep North.
In the blog and the latest YouTube video, you can catch a glimpse of a new opponent from the area named Elaking, who makes his way through the darkness with lanterns. However, when the expansion is set to be released remains unmentioned.
In addition to Valheim, there are also other survival games that draw from the Viking world and aesthetics. For example, ASKA, which does many similar things as Valheim but also has some differences. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus put the demo to the test for about 5 hours and faced some setbacks: I lost to the first boss in a new survival game on Steam – I just wanted to build a Viking village
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On Steam, there are dozens of games related to Warhammer 40,000, most of which are rather mediocre. However, one stands out: Dawn of War has been popular since its release and is still celebrated today. Now, the news everyone has been waiting for is finally out. The game is coming as a big remaster.
You choose one of many factions and then play in classic RTS style with base building and real-time battles. What makes it special are super units like a Living Saint or awakened gods.
What will happen to it now? To keep it short: Dawn of War is coming as a remaster in the “Definitive Edition” with improved textures, 4K support, and modernized graphics. There have been rumors about it, since an important person visited Games Workshop in Nottingham.
One of the biggest issues with the game on modern computers is the camera, which will also be overhauled, with a widescreen-optimized HUD and battlefield. The content will remain the same and comes as a complete package:
all the content from Dawn of War as well as the standalone expansions like Soulstorm
4 campaigns
9 armies
over 200 maps
In addition, the game supports more than 20 of the most popular mods. The release is still set for 2025 on Steam and GOG, but there is no specific date yet.
“Warhammer 40,000 is more popular than ever”
Fans have been wishing for a remaster of Dawn of War or a continuation of the series for years. The second part received mixed reviews and has a completely different gameplay style, while Dawn of War 3 was released in 2017 and was soon discontinued.
Since then, players have been waiting for a way to properly play Dawn of War on modern computers. In the press release, Relic CEO Justin Dowdeswell stated: “Warhammer 40,000 is more popular than ever, and we wanted new players to experience where the classic Dawn of War started.”
During the Warhammer Skulls event, not only was the remaster for Dawn of War announced. The show was packed with surprises, such as Boltgun 2, a remaster for Space Marine, new content for Rogue Trader, Space Marine 2, Darktide, and more.
For me personally, Dawn of War is one of the two biggest announcements from Skulls, on par with the new cRPG from Owlcat: Dark Heresy. After Rogue Trader was so incredibly good, the developers now want to build on their successes.
There are also a few new contents in the strategy genre, such as a DLC for Total War: Warhammer 3 and for Gladius. Gladius really surprised me and should also be quite interesting for everyone who likes Dawn of War: A 6-year-old Warhammer game is becoming my new favorite strategy game
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
