Sony is shutting down its loyalty program on the PS4 and PS5MyMMO summarizes all the important information for you.
Sony launched a digital bonus program for loyal players on the PS4 and PS5 in 2022: “PlayStation Stars.” However, four years later, they are shutting down the loyalty program in its current form. In an official blog post, Sony stated that they will be shutting down the system.
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Sony releases the official reveal trailer for the PS5 Pro
What happens to your points and collected trophies on PS4 and PS5
You should do this: If you are indeed a member of PlayStation Stars and still have points left, you should use them for collectibles and other items. Because they will expire in the end. However, you still have a good year to spend your points: On November 2, 2026, it will be over for good.
What happens to my trophies? Sony promises that you will still have access to your digital collectibles and trophies. After July 23, 2025, there will simply be no further campaigns through which you can unlock new items.
Important information at a glance:
PlayStation Stars will no longer accept new members for this version of the program.
If members cancel their PlayStation Stars membership from today, rejoining this version of the program will no longer be possible, and the members will lose all earned points.
Current PlayStation Stars members can still collect digital collectibles and points and upgrade their status until July 23, 2025 (at 7:59 AM PDT | 3:59 PM BST | 11:59 PM JST). After this date, there will be no new PlayStation Stars campaigns available, and no additional rewards or status benefits can be earned anymore.
This version of the PlayStation Stars program will completely end on November 2, 2026. Current PlayStation Stars members can continue to redeem points as long as their points do not expire by then.
Greg “Ghostcrawler” Streetwas in China to visit some colleagues at NetEase.His enthusiastic praise for the expertise of the Chinese MMORPG developers has encountered resistance.
Since November 2023, it has been clear that he can rely on the Chinese corporation NetEase as a strategic partner. You know, that’s the company with which Blizzard had some beef for a while, causing World of Warcraft and Co. to not be able to appear in China for a long time.
The exact nature of the collaboration is unclear. At the time, Ghostcrawler commented on the partnership as follows:
We want to show the game to the community early and often to ensure that we are on the right track and to consistently incorporate feedback. This is possible because NetEase is a strategic partner who understands our vision and gives us the creative freedom, resources, and support we need to be successful.
First gameplay from the prototype of Ghost – a very early version of the MMORPG:
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Ghost: Gameplay from the Prototype of the New MMORPG by Ghostcrawler
What does Ghostcrawler report from his visit? In the course of this collaboration, the lead developer was now in Hangzhou and Guangzhou to chat with his colleagues from NetEase in person. His subsequent conclusion on X:
Their MMO design is about 10 years ahead of the West, while ours feels a bit frozen. I learned a lot and ate a lot of delicious food. I will be back soon!
Under the post, Greg Street faced some backlash, but many questions were also raised to delve deeper into the reason for this statement. Additionally, some fear that Ghostcrawler might adopt some “bad habits” from Asian MMORPGs for Ghost.
A perpetual hater commented on X: “Your design could be 100 years ahead of the West and the West will still be more successful because the East has proven to be greedy when it comes to MMOs.”
Griffin Best hopes on X: “Please no Auto Play or Pay to Win, that is widespread there.”
SyphinB3 writes on X: “I disagree with the current MMO formula from the East. Aside from the graphics, the fantastic character customization, and the combat, they don’t seem to be able to get the systems right, nor can they develop a strong endgame. It always ends up being a resource grind to level the equipment […].”
How does Ghostcrawler respond to the comments? True to Ghostcrawler’s style, he is very communicative, providing various answers and explanations. In a post on X, the developer explains, for example:
I’m not saying you should love Chinese MMOs if you live in the West. You’re probably not their target audience anyway. I’m just saying that as a designer, I really appreciate the depth of their design, especially the horizontal progression, which is something the game I worked on, WoW, struggled with.
In another post on X, Street adds that Ghost will target a Western audience, so he will focus on payment models, art design, and character progression that are specifically tailored for the West. NetEase is a Chinese publisher that would like to have more of these Western games in its portfolio, the developer further states.
What is interesting in this context: More and more Asian companies are looking to achieve greater success with their MMORPGs in the West and are also adjusting their design orientation for this purpose.
Aldi is betting on cashless stores with an entry fee in London. The Brits are only partially enthusiastic about it. The requirement for card-only payments is also not to everyone’s liking.
What kind of system is this? Aldi Süd has tested a new model in a store in Greenwich, London: Anyone who wants to shop at the Aldi store must pay an entry fee to even enter the store. Aldi calls this principle “Shop & Go.”
The entry fee or deposit is 10 British pounds (approx. 12 euros). Once you have finished shopping, the deposit is deducted from the total purchase. The remainder is refunded. In Aldi’s terms and conditions, it says:
If you spend less than 10 [British] pounds – or nothing at all – the difference will be refunded, but the timing of the reimbursement is controlled by your card issuer.
No more long lines at the checkout, as everything happens automatically and digitally
Why is Aldi doing this at all? With this model, they want to promote contactless payments and especially avoid long waiting lines. Because in the store, everything is automated: there is no human staff at the checkout, and payment is automatically deducted from the account or credit in the app.
Upon entering the store, the AI-controlled cameras track the items taken from the shelves, and the total amount is deducted from the customer card upon leaving the store.
The deposit of 10 British pounds is, by the way, intended as a security for the operator to ensure that the payment method can indeed be charged and that the customer does not end up at the checkout unable to pay for their purchases.
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Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
Criticism from customers and the British press against Aldi
Since the introduction of the new system, there has been criticism from customers and journalists from the UK. This has been reported, for example, by the British magazine GBNews.com. Some customers report that they were charged multiple times upon attempting to enter the store, particularly if they accidentally pressed the app button more than once. According to Express.co.uk, this advance payment in the app was disabled in May 2025.
Another problem: When you want to help other customers, for example, with hard-to-reach products, the AI does not recognize that as help, but instead charges the helping person for the purchase, even if they did not actually buy the product.
No plans for Germany with cashless systems
Does Aldi have similar plans for Germany? No, Aldi has no plans to introduce such a system in Germany. The German-language magazine IT Boltswise reports that the new concept remains limited to the UK: Aldi has no plans to implement it in Germany.
In Utrecht, the first “Shop & Go” store of Aldi was closed at the end of 2024, according to the German-language magazine Lebensmittelzeitung (Paywall). According to the company, the concept is not profitable and will not be further expanded.
German customers will therefore continue to wait in line at the checkout when they shop at Aldi.
By the way, supermarkets are also posing problems for Generation Z. Young people primarily shop online. The corona pandemic has only intensified this trend. However, as soon as young people have to go to a “real” store, it becomes embarrassing or uncomfortable for many: Gen Z explains that their new nemesis lurks at the cheese counter and in the supermarket
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A player on Reddit reports about his first experience with an ending in Baldur’s Gate 3 that has reached very few players – or perhaps no one wants to reach it at all. Because it really affected him emotionally.
Which ending did the player reach? In a Reddit post, the player Ok_Preparation6937 reports on an ending that has been reached by relatively few players. It is the ending “Whole the Dad”: The Dark Urge takes over the Nesserbrain in Bhaal’s name, ascends the Blood Throne – and ultimately destroys the world and all life. An ending that one could easily give the title of the “most evil” ending.
While you think about the coming, glorious deaths, Father sends a foreboding of your red-glossy fate: You are the end. The last living being, while all others were killed by your hand. Alone, amidst their bile, at the end of eternity. Then, and only then, will Father be proud.
Narrator from Baldur’s Gate 3 during the ending “Whole the Dad”.
However, the player felt a little differently than his character at the end of his run: “I just want to cry.” (via Reddit)
Here you can see the animated short film for Patch 8 from Baldur’s Gate 3:
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Der animierte Kurzfilm zu Patch 8, dem letzten Update für Baldur’s Gate 3
Reactions range from fear to euphoria
How did the player feel about his ending? The player writes that the ending completely overwhelmed him:
“I reached an ending that only 3% of other players have gotten. But I feel empty and it was a terrible ending because it was so evil. […] I just have … I have never been able to choose the evil path in games, a nod to Larian for creating a truly damn evil ending.”
He also adds that he is now playing a run in Honor Mode, where he plays a Dark Urge, who rejects his past and his father.
What do other players say about this ending? In his post, he also asks other players of the subreddit if anyone has played the same ending and if they regret it. The reaction is mixed, but sometimes significantly more euphoric compared to the author of the original post:
“After the ending, I had to take some time. It was so far removed from humanity, brutal and abominable at the same time. […] Otherwise, they really nailed it. To become the Absolute and the complete, squandered emptiness of everything. Brilliant” writes tarpex.
“My first campaign. I do not regret it. I have done it so many times already. Send help, I must be broken”, writes ghostarray.
“While I love achieving successes, I am unable to play through an evil run. Therefore, I am very glad about people like you who dare to do it and people who enjoy it. So I can see it”, writes Darth_Peregrine.
Baldur’s Gate 3 allows players to become a hero and savior of Baldur’s Gate or its destroyer. There are surprisingly few moral boundaries set for them here – which many of them gladly accept. Those who want to learn more about the possibilities of an evil finale in Baldur’s Gate 3 can read more here on MeinMMO: Baldur’s Gate 3 shows a new evil ending – and it is really dark
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In a study, over 2,300 people were paid to refrain from using Google and instead use an alternative. Despite financial incentives, most returned to Google after a short time.
What study is this about? Researchers from Stanford, MIT, and Pennsylvania conducted a study a few months ago (via nber.org) in which 2,354 US internet users were paid to stop using Google. Instead, they were instructed to use Microsoft’s search engine, Bing. The aim of the study was to find out how ingrained Google is in users’ daily lives and whether financial incentives are sufficient to change search behavior permanently.
Not only researchers or browsers collect data. In this video, you can see how students spied on pedestrians with a hidden camera and AI.
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Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
The Power of Search Lies in the Familiar
This is how the study took place: The participants were divided into three groups, each receiving different financial incentives to use Bing instead of Google. The goal was to investigate the motives behind Google’s strong market position and to understand how users might respond to regulatory interventions. The study focused on three factors:
the active choice of search engine
the change of default search engine
the amount of the switching bonus
The incentives were equivalent to 1, 10, and 25 euros, and the results were surprising: In the group with 1 euro, 32% of the participants chose Bing, with 10 euros it was already 64%, and in the group with 25 euros even 74%. This shows that money can motivate a change of search engine in the short term.
How long or intensively Bing should be used is not described. The information suggests that participants were observed over a period of two weeks.
What results did the study yield? After the study was completed, many users lost interest in Bing and switched back to Google. The reasons are simple: Google has become a habit for most users. Many find the search engine to be faster, more reliable, and better tailored to their needs. The setting of the default search engine also has little effect on user behavior, as many quickly revert the change.
How can Google assert itself? Besides habit, Google benefits from its extensive ecosystem. Services like YouTube, Gmail, or even Android are closely linked to the search engine, creating strong loyalty. Technically, Google is predominantly faster and often provides more relevant search results. This makes it difficult, according to the study, to convince users to switch, even if they theoretically try alternatives.
Is there real competition for Google? Besides Bing, there are search engines like DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, or Startpage, which focus primarily on better privacy. Nonetheless, other providers have so far struggled to gain significant market share according to statistics from statcounter. However, recent statistics show that more internet users have switched to other search engines than in the last ten years. In the last three months of the previous year, Google’s market share fell below 90 percent for the first time since early 2015.
The study illustrates how difficult it is to sustainably break entrenched user habits even through monetary incentives. Mozilla and its browser Firefox could be seriously at risk if the US justice system enforces its plans against Google. This is because many users are so accustomed to Google that a switch without comprehensive information and motivation is hardly feasible. At the same time, other projects are also closely intertwined with Google, making the transition even more challenging.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
PS Plus Essential will present the new games for June 2025 in a few days. MeinMMO summarizes all known information and explains which games could be included in the free bundle in June 2025.
What does the schedule look like?
PS Plus: Games available from Tuesday, June 3, 2025
PS Plus Essential: All games that could come in June 2025
What games are there? Generally, it can be stated that Sony often assembles a bundle of one strong title and two weaker games for PS Plus. However, no official information is known so far, which is why we have to rely on the fans’ speculations. The final lineup could still change.
For our selection, we compared a wide range of opinions and identified the most frequently mentioned titles. These include predictions from YouTubers Gaming Byte (via YouTube), Gaming Kestin (via YouTube), RoadBlockers Gaming (via YouTube), PlayStation World (via YouTube), as well as various threads on Reddit and posts on x.com.
Until Dawn Remastered
On the occasion of the film released on April 24, 2025, based on the game, the remaster of Until Dawn represents a potential candidate for the free games in June 2025. Until Dawn Remastered is a revised re-release of the horror adventure Until Dawn from 2015.
The game follows a group of teenagers who must survive a night in a remote mountain lodge – threatened by supernatural dangers and their own decisions. It relies on cinematic presentation, quick-time events, and the “butterfly effect” system, where every decision influences the course of the story.
The remastered version offers improved graphics, modern technology, and partially revised animations, but retains the original gameplay.
Start video
Until Dawn is back and shows improved graphics in the trailer for PS5 and Steam
EA F1 24
Another candidate is EA F1 24. The predecessor was already included in the free games for PS Plus Essentials last year, so it makes sense that this year the 24 version could follow the same path (via PlayStation Blog).
EA F1 24 is a racing simulation based on the official Formula 1 season 2024. The game allows you to take on the role of a real F1 driver or a self-created character and participate in races on all official tracks.
In addition to a realistic driving experience, F1 24 features a revamped career mode, improved vehicle physics, current teams and drivers, as well as various multiplayer options. It was developed by Codemasters and published by Electronic Arts.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2
A third frequently mentioned candidate is Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2.
It is a 2D platform fighting game where you battle with well-known characters from Nickelodeon series like SpongeBob, Avatar, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Jimmy Neutron.
The game offers revamped mechanics compared to its predecessor, new special moves, a single-player campaign with roguelike elements, and an expanded online multiplayer with crossplay support. It was released on November 7, 2023, for various platforms.
Other possibilities
In addition to these favorites, there are also a few other games that fans frequently mention as potential options:
Fortnite and PUBG are among the biggest and most important shooters of the last 10 years. Another shooter tried his luck at the same time, but despite good ideas, he sank. Now the developer talks about that time.
Which game is it about? As the new genre of battle royale games rapidly grew in 2017, titles like PUBG and Fortnite quickly experienced a hype that continues to this day. However, a now-forgotten shooter was also seeking its success back then and found a swift end.
The talk is about the arena shooter Lawbreakers, which was released in August 2017. Its lead designer, Dan Nanni, recently spoke in an interview about that time and how he felt about the fight against the giants.
Here you can see the trailer for Lawbreakers:
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Lawbreakers showcases itself in the cinematic trailer of 2017
The Year of Giants
How did the release of Lawbreakers go? Although Lawbreakers was able to pique the curiosity of hundreds of thousands of fans with a strong cinematic trailer, the developers failed to establish a player base for their arena shooter. According to SteamDB, only 7,579 gamers played simultaneously at peak times, while the competition could excite millions of players.
It wasn’t just Overwatch, man. It was PUBG […] PUBG was on top, and at that time Fortnite was transitioning from Save the World to its Battle Royale. And that went into the stratosphere, right? And then Overwatch came and we all just sat there thinking: ‘Oh man, what have we done? We’re like this tiny minnow and around us are barracudas and sharks.’
Lawbreakers only lasted about a year after its release before the servers were shut down. The shooter was not perfect and could measure itself with a rating of 76 from critics at that time (via Steam). But in the end, the competition prevailed.
What lessons does the game designer draw from history? For Dan Nanni, with Lawbreakers also disappeared the work of 5 years into the drawer. In the conversation, he said: “You learn a lot from it […] You learn that no matter how well you play, you have to pay attention to the market. You can easily sink.”
The designer believes that his game would have a better chance today. “Players are more willing to support side titles,” he said in the conversation, likely meaning that players used to have a fixed title that they played continuously. Today, however, gamers are more flexible and switch more between titles.
It would probably have gone a little better [if we had launched today] […] Because then we wouldn’t have been on the rise of Fortnite… I think ideally we wouldn’t have launched when Overwatch was still at its peak, because we were too closely associated with Overwatch. And the problem was this: Gamers want to play with their friends, and if there is a game that their friends are playing that is similar to the one you are playing, you will go there and play where your friends play.
New Enchantments in World of Warcraft pose a simple question: Which Corruption Enchantment is the best?
In World of Warcraft, Corruption Enchantments are back. They originally appeared in Battle for Azeroth, but in light of the revamped Disturbing Visions, they are now available again in altered form. We will tell you how to obtain the new enchantments and which one is the best.
Start video
Only 6 people have a success in WoW – and they don’t know why
One Enchantment Outshines the Rest
Which enchantment is always worthwhile? If you are looking for an enchantment that achieves good values in all cases, then simply choose the “Greater Rune of the Void Ritual” with absolutely any character. This enchantment grants you a strong bonus to all secondary attributes at regular intervals and is suitable for all classes and specializations.
The greater enchantments will only be accessible in the coming weeks. Until then, you will have to make do with the smaller version.
Note: Keep in mind that Blizzard could still change the balance. As for the release (05/21/2025), the information is correct.
Why is the Void Ritual so strong? There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the effects are not as strong as they were in Battle for Azeroth. The “big death ray”, in other words, Twilights Devastation, is just a shadow of its former self – and this applies to nearly all enchantments. While there are specific situations where other enchantments can be slightly stronger, across various combat situations – such as a dungeon or raid – the Void Ritual remains the strongest.
Additionally, pure “damage” enchantments for tanks and healers have been nerfed by 30% since Battle for Azeroth. This is not the case for the Void Ritual, where only secondary values are increased.
At the beginning, Augermu only sells the weak enchantments.
How to obtain the new enchantments? The new Corruption Enchantments are only available for the head slot – you can only use one enchantment per character.
Start the quest line for the Disturbing Visions in Dornogal and simply follow the storyline. For one of the last quests, you need to collect 8 Bloodstone Residues from the Disturbing Visions. Once you’ve done that, you can purchase the minor enchantments. If you complete the follow-up quest, you will also be able to purchase the greater enchantments.
Minor enchantments cost 500 Offset Corrupted Relics
The relics can be obtained from the Disturbing Visions. You can farm them endlessly and also send the corresponding enchantments to alt characters since they will be bound to the Warband.
Unlocking the greater enchantments in the first week might be challenging, as you will receive a new talent tree that has a weekly cap. For most people, it will be enough to obtain the minor enchantments in the first week and then focus on the greater ones in week 2 or 3.
What is different about the enchantments? Unlike the original enchantments from Battle for Azeroth, the new enchantments are significantly weaker. They will only account for a few percentage points of your performance. Additionally, there is the advantage that they do not carry Corruption as a downside. So, you do not have to worry about negative effects, but can consider the enchantments as a pure bonus.
It has also been confirmed that the enchantments will only be active until Patch 11.2. In the next major content update, you will no longer be able to use them. Therefore, it is recommended to consider the enchantments as an additional bonus to squeeze out a bit more performance from your character until the end of the season. We have more tips and tricks regarding the Disturbing Visions here for you.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In a new action RPG for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, an evil queen turns steel into stone so that no one can oppose her. To stop her, a grumpy blacksmith and a young scholar are tasked with the challenge.
Which game is being talked about? It is called Blades of Fire and will be released on May 22, 2025, for PC (Epic Games Store) as well as for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
The new action RPG is being developed by MercurySteam – the studio that also worked on the two “Castlevania: Lords of Shadow” games and most recently on Metroid Dread for the Nintendo Switch.
Here you can see a trailer for Blades of Fire:
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Blades of Fire: Trailer for the Action RPG on PS5
What is the game about? In Blades of Fire, you play as Aran de Lira: a somewhat aged, grumpy blacksmith who lives alone on the border of a kingdom ruled by a queen named Nerea, who does everything to stay in power.
The queen has cast a spell on the land that turns steel into stone. Now, no one is able to forge weapons. Her own army is exempt as they possess “divine metal” that shatters any blade.
One day, Aran receives a visit from an old friend. This friend brings him a very special hammer that can circumvent the queen’s spell: freshly armed, Aran sets out to overthrow the queen, accompanied by the young scholar Adso.
In combat, God of War meets For Honor
How does the action RPG play? Blades of Fire features an action combat system with a shoulder camera similar to the “God of War” reboot: strike, block, dodge – so far, so familiar. However, like in For Honor, you decide from which direction your strike will come.
If you play on the controller, the combat controls look something like this:
by pressing the X button, you attack from the left
with Y, you perform an overhead strike
if you press B, you strike from the right
As a blacksmith, you are, of course, able to craft your own weapons. You have a choice of seven weapon types – including swords, battle axes, and halberds. Over time, your weapons will wear out, so you will need to repair them regularly.
Another parallel to God of War is the young Adso. Although he is not a direct combat aid like Atreus, he diligently takes notes on everything you encounter during your journey. These can be snippets of lore or notes about enemies that will tell you how to effectively defeat them.
A major update has fans rushing to the servers of Helldivers 2. The player count has doubled on Steam, but when you take a closer look at the reasons for the increase in players, there is no reason to celebrate.
There is a valid reason why many former Helldivers are now returning to establish justice and order in the name of democracy. The fate of humanity lies in the hands of the players, and if they fail, the consequences could be unimaginable.
Start video
Helldivers 2: Das neue Update Omens of Tyranny erfüllt langersehnten Wunsch
The Helldivers could soon lose everything
Why do players need to give their all now? Helldivers is structured in campaigns. A campaign starts fresh with the conflict of one of the three alien factions and stretches until Over-Earth wins or loses. However, it currently looks like humanity is losing.
The Illuminati are currently carrying out their invasion with unimaginable war machines and mutated creatures. Civilians are trying to save themselves while Helldivers, alongside SEAF units, hold the lines and make the aliens feel the combined power of democracy.
Before the invasion, up to 80,000 players fought during peak times, and since the new update was released, the current 24-hour peak is at 163,581 players simultaneously (via steamdb.info) and that’s just on Steam – with PlayStation players, there are even more Helldivers.
So it’s a good thing that so many active heroes are trying to protect Over-Earth. If the Helldivers are successful, they might have a chance to win the war.
It has been about two weeks since the surprising release of the second trailer for GTA 6, and fans have had enough time to thoroughly dissect the video.
What detail are we talking about? Hold on tight, but there is a devastating mistake in the second trailer for GTA 6. Are you ready? Okay. Don’t say I didn’t warn you: When Jason fires his gun, his face is illuminated before the muzzle flash even occurs.
This discovery was made by GTA detective Cat_With_Banana96, who shared it on Reddit with the words: ‘I don’t know if anyone has noticed this yet, but I wanted to mention it.’ Don’t worry, Cat_With_Banana96, it seems no one has noticed it yet, as the post received almost 9,000 upvotes.
Comments like the following are piling up:
‘I can’t believe I was so excited about this damn piece of trash.’
‘That’s it, I’m canceling my pre-order.’
‘Completely broken. Unplayable.’
One user even finds another mistake: Jason’s finger hardly bends when he pulls the trigger (via Reddit). You can see all the shame from Rockstar here:
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The comments from fans are, as you might have guessed, not entirely serious. And if GTA 6 unexpectedly doesn’t turn out to be one of the most successful entertainment blockbusters ever upon its release, it will hardly be due to a light appearing a frame too early.
You can watch the almost perfect trailer again here:
Start video
Rockstar Games presents GTA 6 in the second trailer
Although the comments in this case are meant ironically, they are in a way still a reflection of the current state of the gaming industry – because much of this has been read in one form or another regarding countless upcoming releases.
In fact, players have already emerged who have examined the screenshots on their part and found a completely rational explanation for the supposed blunder at Rockstar. Could there be another light source? Is someone possibly shooting at Jason before he pulls the trigger?
Ludwig Ahgren is a Twitch streamer and YouTuber known for being a super nice guy, playing League of Legends really poorly, and constantly losing money. In a stream, he explained why he is currently losing cash.
Who is it about? Ludwig Ahgren, the former “golden boy” of Twitch, returned to the streaming platform at the end of 2024 after a 3-year exclusive contract with YouTube. There, he immediately activated the money hack many Twitch streamers use: he uploads stream clips for secondary use on YouTube.
Like many Twitch streamers, Ludwig has a dedicated YouTube channel for such stream clips. There, 1–3 short videos appear daily. However, clever business people are currently throwing a wrench in his plans.
Ludwig has a very special… friendship? with the LoL streamer Tyler1.
Start video
How the Worst Troll from Twitch Became the Face of League of Legends
Clip channels are stealing Ludwig’s viewers
What is the problem? As Ludwig explains in a recent stream, there are several so-called clip channels on YouTube that also upload his content. However, they do this much faster than he does—often, the moments are already on YouTube a few minutes after they happen in the stream.
While he only posts a few highlights from his streams, the clip channels upload a lot more. This is convenient for viewers, as anyone who misses a stream can easily watch the relevant clips on YouTube. Often, they even thank in the comments for the quick upload.
However, Ludwig himself comes away empty-handed, as the videos from the clip channels sometimes perform even better than his own. He says: “I’m being robbed. It happens on a daily basis, and it’s harming the channel.” He announces that some changes will be made on his clip channel in the future.
You can watch the corresponding clip here—on the official channel:
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What can he do? Many Twitch streamers have faced this very problem, and there are different ways to deal with clip channels. Ludwig describes his options as follows:
Alternatively, Ludwig could hire an editor to fill his channel for him. However, he might face the next problem here: the cutting debate.
It could even be worth hitting two birds with one stone and taking over the annoying clip channels directly while sharing the revenue. We also know this strategy from MontanaBlack.
What does he want to change now? Ludwig explains that the “nuclear” strategy is not an option for him. After all, the viewers of the clip channels are not trying to take his money. These channels simply provide a service he does not offer.
The streamer himself says he can’t even blame the clip channels. It’s simply a failure on his part. The channels fit better into the lives of the viewers.
Therefore, Ludwig now wants to go the route of hiring one or two of the clippers to upload videos on his channel going forward. He wants to take inspiration from one of the currently most successful streamers: Asmongold.
While the streamer explicitly states that he does not want to take over his content, the way Asmongold’s clip channel is run is exactly how his own should operate. Viewers should come to the channel and find five videos from today’s stream ready to watch.
Half Life 3 is like a myth when it comes to the gaming community. Fans have long been waiting for a sequel to the title on Steam: now for over 21 years. A former developer in retirement now reports whether he would help Valve with their sequel, but his opinion on it is already clear.
Which developer are we talking about? This is Marc Laidlaw. He was the lead writer at Valve and one of the leading developers behind the Half-Life games. The story of Gordon Freeman and the disaster at the secret facility at Black Mesa was crafted by his hands.
However, he left Valve in 2016 and dedicated himself to writing various stories. In a new interview with IGN, the veteran now talks about a possible return to Valve, should the studio need his help for Half Life 3. However, his opinion is already set.
Start video
Half Life 2 – Trailer
“The Half-Life part of my life is definitely behind me”
What did Marc Laidlaw report in the interview? IGN asked the veteran if he would agree to help Valve if they needed his assistance for the development of Half Life 3. According to him, he would decline. He felt even back then, when he was still on the team, that he would hinder the development because he had laid the groundwork.
The team didn’t need anyone saying, “Well, the G-Man wouldn’t have done that in my time.” For him, it was important to allow new ideas, and that would not have been possible with him.
He added: “Besides, I am one of the older ones, maybe not the oldest, but it’s so much work. I don’t think I could do that anymore. Although I take care of my own things, they don’t fit with others. And yes, I’m pretty much done. Maybe not entirely with games, but the Half-Life part of my life is definitely behind me.”
Nevertheless, the veteran is not completely out of the gaming industry. If Hideo Kojima contacted him and needed help polishing Death Stranding, he would be on board immediately.
21 years is a damn long time and yet Half Life remains, even though no third installment has been released, an iconic game. According to a developer from Valve, the studio is already working on Half Life 3, we just don’t know when Gabe will decide to announce the game: Valve developer says he has hints that Half-Life 3 is really being developed
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Belial is the new boss in Diablo 4. We will show you how to summon him, how to defeat him, and what you should prepare for.
How to summon Belial: To summon the hideout bosses, you no longer need special materials since Season 8. You can simply travel to Belial’s dungeon and summon him at the altar. Head to the “Palace of the Deceiver” west of Tarsarak in Kehjistan on a torment level. Once you interact with the altar, the boss fight begins.
After defeating Belial, a chest spawns that you can open with 2 “Cloaks of the Traitor” to obtain the loot. You get these from Belial when he randomly spawns after another boss fight. The boss has a special feature regarding his loot, as: You can choose it yourself – more about this below.
What level is Belial?With Season 6, Blizzard abolished the often-criticized world levels and integrated a new difficulty system. Monster levels then correspond to the level you are playing on and are no longer displayed. Belial’s level thus depends on your difficulty level, as does the level of the enemies that await you in the “Palace of the Deceiver.”
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Diablo 4 shows the new level system and difficulty levels in the video
Another point is your resistance to shadow and poison. This should be at least above 70% for both so that you can start the fight more comfortably. If your resistances are not that high, you can temporarily increase your resistance with a potion – or you can also use (additionally) incense.
What should I watch out for? Belial stays in one place throughout the fight – you stand on a platform in front of him, and the boss himself stays behind this platform. Dodging by “rolling behind the boss” is not possible here. Instead, you have to move cleverly in a semicircle in front of him.
Belial strikes the ground with his fist and drags it across the platform, which knocks you back and deals significant damage. Additionally, he fires a beam that sweeps across the platform. Teleport over it or position yourself on the opposite side right away.
In between, the Lord of Lies spawns poison puddles around you. Make sure not to stand in the puddles, as you will otherwise take high damage. Avoid the waves of poison that emerge from the puddles. Furthermore, Belial summons several eyes that deal damage to you. Position yourself so that no eye is directly aimed at you.
What loot does Belial drop? Unlike the other bosses, you choose your loot from Belial yourself. After defeating the boss, you receive a list of all hideout bosses, from which you can essentially choose a loot drop. For example, if you choose Duriel, the chest drops uniques from Duriel’s loot pool. You have a chance for mythic uniques with all bosses. An overview of all loot drops from the hideout bosses can be found here: Diablo 4 Boss Loot Table: List of all bosses and their drops in Season 8
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Last weekend, a regional edition of the Pokémon Championships took place in Utrecht. One age group was strongly dominated by Germans.
In the competitive Pokémon world, alongside the grand finale, the World Championship, there are also regional editions known as Regionals. Here, players can participate to earn Championship Points, which are necessary to qualify for the finals of the World Championship.
Last weekend, an event of the Special Championship took place in Utrecht. This is a Regional where players can earn Championship Points just like in regular Regionals, but the additional prizes are determined by the organizer.
One thing stood out at the event in Utrecht: in one age group, players from Germany dominated as none other country did.
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Pokémon GO: What’s in the new Season Powerful and Masterful
Strong Performance of German Players
What formats are there at the Regionals? In the Regionals, there are various formats, which are divided into 3 different age groups. The formats include VGC, where battles take place in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, Pokémon GO, as well as TCG, the trading card game of Pokémon. In Pokémon GO, there are no age groups.
The following distinctions exist for the age groups:
Juniors: born in 2013 or later
Seniors: born between 2009 and 2012
Master Class: born in 2008 or earlier
How many players participated in the tournament? The number of tournament participants is as follows:
TCG Juniors: 115 players
TCG Seniors: 149 players
TCG Master Class: 1241 players
VGC Juniors: 15 players
VGC Seniors: 19 players
VGC Master Class: 619 players
Pokémon GO: 180 players
Which formats were dominated by the Germans? In the Master Class, German players were able to place themselves high in both the VGC and TCG.
Joah Wiegner was able to win the TCG in this age group and thus secure first place. Among the top 5, another German player, Jan Schäfer, can be found in 5th place.
In the VGC, even 3 German players managed to place in the top 5. While Michael Kelsch claimed the victory, Louis Markl (2nd place) and Alexander Ubaghs (5th place) can still be found at the top.
In the Pokémon GO category, although no German player could win, one managed to secure 5th place with ‘Zephymastyx’.
How are the other age groups doing? In the other age groups, German players could not dominate as strongly as in the Master Class. Nevertheless, they can be found in the VGC in the Senior age group in 3rd and 5th place and in the Juniors in 2nd and 5th place.
In the TCG mode, at least one German player managed to secure 5th place among the Seniors.
If you are involved in the competitive world of Pokémon GO but are consistently having trouble in battles, you should focus on building a good team and mastering the right tactics. These tips for the battle league from 3 pros in Pokémon GO can help you.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Disturbing Visions in World of Warcraft are back. We show you what is new and how to benefit from all the bonuses.
In World of Warcraft, the feature of Disturbing Visions is back. In Dornogal, you can once again travel into the tainted world of N’Zoth, struggle with your mental health, and unlock plenty of rewards. We will show you what the tributes, the hourglass, and other small buffs entail.
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Only 6 people have a success in WoW – and they don’t know why
The Hourglass
The hourglass is a new, small talent tree that you can select in Dornogal. Next to the hourglass, you will find the NPC Augermu. You can give him the new currency so that he can give you talent points for the hourglass in return.
Which talents you choose is completely inconsequential – because in the end you will unlock all of them anyway. Just choose what is offered to you. You want to take every bonus available, as each one drastically increases your chances in the visions.
But beware: There is time-gating. In the first week, you can only receive and distribute the first 4 talent points. More points will follow in weeks 2 and 3.
Not much more can be done in week 1 – that’s where it ends.
If you are not keen on time-gating, you can wait another two weeks and only then deal with the visions.
Tributes
The tributes are a new feature in the Disturbing Visions. Even if the effects may seem familiar to some, the acquisition of these effects is new.
When you enter the vision and are in the preparation room, you will see around you four different tributes with a percentage display. At the start, this display will be at 0%, but with each visit to a Disturbing Vision, it will slowly fill up. How you fill the tributes differs for each tribute – one requires defeating elite enemies, while another wants you to collect potions and boxes.
The tributes automatically get better just by playing.
The percentage remains over your visits in the visions. You will therefore inevitably get closer to the 100%. At levels 10%, 40%, and 100%, each tribute unlocks an effect that helps you in the vision. The tribute bonuses are permanently active once you have earned them.
Vision Hunter: Defeating an enemy grants you 1% / 2% / 3% additional haste and movement speed for 60 seconds. Stacks up to 5x.
Experimental Destabilization: Your damage is increased by 4% / 8% / 12%.
Clear Sight: You can see and open treasure chests in the tainted / corrupted / lost areas.
The tributes have no time-gating. You can fully develop the tributes on the very first day if you want.
Masks
You can unlock masks during the Disturbing Visions. You can activate them before starting to enable additional affixes that make your life (and survival) more difficult in the vision. However, each mask also increases the amount of currency you obtain.
For each mask, the damage and health of all enemies is increased by 25%.
Additionally, each mask has more effects. One mask places a debuff on you that reduces your maximum mental health by 50% – effectively halving your time. Another mask triggers additional madness effects in the bonus areas that you will have to deal with.
The masks make the visions harder – but there is also better loot.
In the coming weeks, it will gradually become easier to head out with multiple masks. Because as soon as you have fully developed the tributes and your hourglass grants more bonuses, it will always be easier to use multiple masks at once.
How to unlock masks? You will receive the first mask once you have defeated a complete vision – that is, all 4 bonus areas and then the final boss. The first mask will then be in the reward chest.
Put on the first mask and then complete further objectives in the Disturbing Vision to obtain additional masks.
More Bonuses and Tips
There is even more to consider in the visions. We would like to briefly explain some small tricks and hidden mechanics here.
Steeled Mind
Steeled Mind is a buff that you have permanently in the Disturbing Visions. The buff reduces the amount of mental health that you lose from negative effects within the vision.
Steeled Mind consists of two components:
Your current unlock in the hourglass.
The areas of the vision that you have already cleared once.
Each area in the vision that you clear for the first time gives you a bonus of 10% to the reduction of mental health. This means that if you clear all areas once and upgrade the hourglass, you will already have a drastic bonus of 60% in the first week. Thus, it is easy to defeat additional objectives and bosses, even with some masks.
Potions
After your first visits to the visions, you can discover various colored potions everywhere. Consuming these potions grants you different positive effects. Some regenerate HP, others give you an additional area attack, and one potion even restores 100 mental health.
However, there is one potion color that is negative. If you drink this “bad” potion, you lose 100 mental health.
The color of the bad potion changes with every visit to the Disturbing Vision.
This corpse reveals which potion is the bad one – in this case, the purple one.
But there is a trick to identify the bad potion without tasting all the potions. Because at the beginning of the vision, there is a dead NPC with a note. Next to this NPC is always the “bad” potion. Remember the color for the current run and avoid that potion color.
In Stormwind, the NPC lies about 50 meters straight ahead after the start next to a wall.
In Orgrimmar, the NPC is in the bank – when you enter Orgrimmar, on the left side.
Rare Enemies and Buffs
In each vision, the accessible buildings also change. Some doors are open, while others are locked.
In the open buildings, there is always a bonus that you can unlock. Sometimes it is simply defeating one or more enemies, and sometimes you have to interact with an object.
These buffs are completely optional. They can grant you bonuses such as 10% critical strike rating or 7% versatility.
You need to weigh whether it is worth collecting these buffs or if the benefit is not outweighed by the time you spend obtaining them.
Protecting Mental Health
Mental health is your primary resource for surviving in the Disturbing Visions. You start with 1,000 mental health (before bonuses and penalties). You can lose mental health in several ways:
Time: With each second, your mental health slowly ticks down. Depending on which area of the vision you are in, this happens faster or slower. In tainted areas, it is the slowest, in corrupted areas faster, and in lost areas the fastest. So do not pause during a vision.
Abilities: Enemy abilities can cause direct damage to your mental health. These effects are always and unequivocally avoidable. You can either interrupt the ability, step out of the target area, or need to turn away from an eye. Keep in mind which enemies use which abilities to protect your mental health.
You can also regain mental health in various ways. The tribute “Elite Annihilation” grants mental health when killing elite enemies, the respective “correct” potion also brings mental health, and finally, you can unlock 3 spheres in the hourglass that allow you to replenish your mental health before it reaches 0.
Do you have any more tips and tricks for visiting the Disturbing Visions? What strategies and small useful pieces of information do you have to make the visions easier for your fellow players? One tip we have for the end: Avoid Soridormi. Because this NPC makes everything worse…
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Pokémon GO Road Trip has been announced. You have the opportunity to participate in several cities.Two cities are located in Germany.
What is the Pokémon GO Road Trip? The Road Trip is a local event that will take place in 7 European cities. There will be a Pokémon GO truck that will stop in the respective cities.
In addition to the opportunity to meet like-minded trainers, the Road Trip will also bring some additional content.
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Pokémon GO: What’s in the new Season Powerful and Masterful
Content from the Road Trip in Pokémon GO
In which German cities is the Road Trip taking place? 2 of the 7 stops of the truck are located in Germany:
Berlin on August 9, 2025
Cologne from August 20 to August 24 (Gamescom)
Where exactly the truck will stop and during what time period is still unknown.
In which other European cities will the truck make stops? In addition to Berlin and Cologne, the Road Trip will make 5 more stops in Europe.
Manchester, England, July 16, 2025
London, England, July 19, 2025
Paris, France, July 26, 2025
Valencia, Spain, August 2, 2025
The Hague, Netherlands, August 16, 2025
What can I expect here? Each stop of the Road Trip is meant to provide trainers with the following opportunities:
Meetings with renowned trainers and community ambassadors
Joint raid battles
Trainer battles and community challenges
Prize wheel with winnings
Truck with interactive fun
Photo opportunities
More precise information about which trainers will be present, what challenges there will be, and what prizes you can receive is still unknown.
For all trainers residing in one of the countries, there will also be in-game activities. Regardless of whether they can visit the Road Trip or not.
There are still a few weeks until the Road Trip in Pokémon GO. But even until then, there are some events in the game that you can participate in, regardless of your location. Currently, for the first time, you have the opportunity to develop the legendary Pokémon Wulaosu.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Since EA Star Wars Battlefront 2 was discontinued in 2020, fans have been waiting for a sequel to the multiplayer shooter. After all, it is one of the best games for the IP on Steam. Now hope is growing in the community again.
What keeps fans hoping for a sequel? Star Wars Battlefront 2 had a rough launch, which was due to monetization. On Steam, the game now has over 57,000 reviews, of which 87% are positive.
Recently, the player count of Star Wars Battlefront 2 is said to have risen sharply again. A user on X (formerly Twitter) writes that the shooter peaked at over 100,000 simultaneous players in May. The number of concurrent players has now settled between 80,000 and 90,000.
A source is not given, and the numbers cannot be verified independently. After all, the game on Steam is experiencing an increase in players: While there were only about 1,500 players simultaneously in April, there were around 8,000 in mid-May (via steamdb.info).
The increase in players gives fans of the games hope that if the demand remains, a third installment might still come. However, the catalyst for the hype was not Battlefront 2 itself, but a series.
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Battlefront 2: Gameplay Trailer
Is the hype for the series enough for a sequel?
At the end of April, the second season of the Star Wars series Andor started. It has been very well received by both critics and fans: Metacritic gives it a metascore of 92/100 based on 32 critic reviews and a user score of 7.9/10 based on 215 ratings. The series likely increased interest in the IP and reignited excitement for Battlefront 2.
The call in the community for a successor is getting louder, even on TikTok. Under the hashtag #battlefront3, they want to encourage EA to finally start the development of a Star Wars Battlefront 3. German YouTubers and Twitch streamers like HandOfBlood also join in.
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How likely is a sequel? At least according to the current state, a Star Wars Battlefront 3 – despite the huge hype – seems rather unlikely.
The developer studio DICE is said to have pitched a third installment to EA, but the publisher rejected it (via merchmates)
The reason for this is said to be the high licensing fees for the Star Wars IP: The game would have to sell significantly better than proprietary brands like Battlefield to be profitable.
The DICE team is currently also working on the next Battlefield. Therefore, Battlefront 3 would have to either be developed by another team or only afterwards. And since the new Battlefield does not yet have a release date, a Battlefront 3 from DICE and EA would take many more years to arrive.
A student catches her professor using AI and requests a partial refund of her tuition. The university soon thereafter introduces new AI policies to avoid such issues in the future. The university stated that it “welcomes the use of artificial intelligence to enhance all aspects of teaching, research, and operations.”
While many universities and professors now use AI as a tool, some students feel this is unfair, especially when they themselves are prohibited from using AI or feel they are paying for human instruction but receiving AI-generated content instead. For this reason, a student has now requested a refund of her tuition from her university, but with little success.
Student accuses her professor of using AI, requests her tuition refund
The article in the New York Times reports that the student Ella Stapleton complained that professors use AI for teaching materials and feedback while students themselves are not allowed to use AI. She expresses dissatisfaction over paying high tuition for human instruction but receiving AI-generated content instead. Stapleton is quoted as saying she wants her money back because she does not want to pay for AI-generated content.
Stapleton filed a formal complaint with Northeastern’s business school, citing the unannounced use of artificial intelligence as well as other issues with his teaching style, and requested a refund of the tuition for this course.
As a quarter of the total bill for the semester, this would amount to more than $8,000. The total costs for a whole year at Northeastern are according to official university statements $32,435. However, she is only requesting her money back for one course.
What was the outcome? After submitting her complaint to Northeastern, Stapleton met with a number of university officials. In May 2025, the day after her graduation ceremony, the officials informed her that she would not be receiving her tuition money back.
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Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
Professor admits to using AI and university introduces new AI policies
What is the professor’s response? Rick Arrowood, her professor, confirmed the use of AI. He explained that he had uploaded his teaching files and materials to several AI tools, among other things, to give his presentations a “modern look.”
However, the current situation makes it clear to him that one should handle AI more cautiously and inform students when and how AI tools are used in class.
What is the university’s response? The university has also actively responded to the incident: Northeastern recently issued a formal AI policy that requires citation and a review of results for “accuracy and appropriateness” when using AI systems. A university spokesperson stated that it “welcomes the use of artificial intelligence to enhance all aspects of teaching, research, and operations.”
The developers of Stalker have released a new version of their three original games on Steam, but the technical condition of the Enhanced Editions is causing trouble with fans.
What was given away? The developers of Stalker have released new “Enhanced” editions of their classics. The revised versions of “Shadow of Chernobyl”, “Clear Sky”, and “Call of Pripyat” promise improved graphics as well as new features and are marketed by the developers on Steam as “a must for a new generation”.
All owners of the original games received the new versions for free in their Steam libraries. Many fans did not hesitate and took a look at the revamped titles right away. However, fans quickly realized that the enhanced edition did not only bring improvements.
Here you can see the trailer for the enhanced edition:
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The new trailer for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy – Enhanced Edition
New editions bring new problems
How are the new editions being received? The new editions of the acclaimed game series have not been well received by fans. On Steam, all three new versions currently have a rating of “Mixed.” In the reviews from fans, the reasons why Stalker is currently not scoring points with the new version are readily apparent.
User Matty writes on Steam: “I don’t know how this game was approved for release. There is no DLAA/DLSS […] the game looks worse than the original PC port. The image is so noisy and blurry that it’s hard to bear […]. There is an input lag here and there that is really annoying […]. I was looking forward to this release and was ready to earn all the achievements. My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.”
Fan Grimtasy is also angry and writes on Steam: “Outrageously blurry graphics even at native 4k. The key combinations are completely off compared to the original game. Currently, the game doesn’t even recognize the side mouse buttons. Sloppy and amateurishly put together.”
Does everyone think the new edition is bad? No, there is quite a bit of positive feedback for the enhanced version as well. User FlauschiGER writes on Steam: “In 2025, I get a free and unexpected trip back to THE game of my late youth, with a few improvements and, above all, significantly more compatibility on modern systems. Considering what a hassle it can sometimes be to get the original running on Win11…
So far, I have nothing bad to report regarding the graphics, which many criticize here. After the first brief gameplay and clearing the ‘parking lot’ like in the good old days, it has really been an upgrade from the original for me so far.”
