IBM laid off thousands of employees in 2023. Now the head of IBM explains: Through the layoffs, new jobs have been created in the fields of programming and sales.
“We have created a monster” – A Spanish model earns up to 10,000 euros a month, yet she is not real
Layoff of thousands of employees led to the creation of new jobs
What lies behind the layoffs? The company’s strategy was to impose a hiring freeze and to automate its areas through artificial intelligence. IBM itself stated that it would fill positions with AI and indicated that at least 30 percent of the workforce would be replaceable.
However, IBM’s CEO Arvind Krishna stated in a conversation with the Wall Street Journal (possibly paywall) that while thousands of employees were replaced by AI, new jobs in programming and sales had been created:
While we have done an enormous amount of work within IBM to leverage AI and automation in certain business processes, our overall employment has actually increased because it allows us to invest in other areas.
The areas (software development, sales, and marketing) where people have been newly hired are referred to by Krishna as areas where “critical thinking” is at the forefront and where employees must do things that “measure up to or against other people, rather than just performing memorized processes.”
For the individuals who were laid off by IBM in 2023, Arvind Krishna’s suggestion that their layoffs led to new jobs may be little solace.
One might think that the shift and eventual announcement of the release date for GTA 6 would alleviate the stress surrounding the release of the simultaneously eagerly awaited and dreaded game. However, the topic remains a focus of the industry. A well-known insider and investigative journalist is annoyed when false information continues to fan the flames.
In the comments, someone speaks up: “As for the person this headline is about – this headline is, of course, misleading bullshit.” It is Jason Schreier, the respected insider mentioned in the article, who criticizes the magazine’s chosen headline.
Here you see the second trailer for GTA 6:
Start video
Rockstar Games presents GTA 6 in the second trailer
Insider is upset about the distortion of his own statement
What was Schreier’s actual statement?On Bluesky, the investigative journalist posted to clarify the situation and his own position. He shows his original 2 paragraphs that he had written regarding the situation surrounding GTA 6. In his text presented as a screenshot, he reports what the release of GTA 6 and a hypothetical (emphasizing hypothetically) further delay would mean for a developer he was in contact with:
For other companies, the delay of Grand Theft Auto VI was a reason for panic. A developer working on a major multiplayer game told me that he had moved the release date from autumn 2025 to spring 2026. This was mainly because the game needed more time, but also because they were far from GTA VI.
Now they are caught in a dilemma. A second delay of the game would be an expensive undertaking that would raise the stakes for the later release. On the other hand, attempting to release the game simultaneously with GTA VI could be catastrophic. But… what if the release gets delayed again and GTA VI slips by with them? There is no guarantee that May 2026 is a sure thing. The best hope would be to release the game in March, April, or even early May and hope that it doesn’t turn into a disaster.
Translation of the text written by Jason Schreier (via Bluesky)
What was presented by Schreier as a hypothetical consequence of an equally hypothetical situation was eventually incorporated into the criticized article as a definitive statement (“no guarantee for a release in May 2026”) and shared in various media, including the Reddit post. This frustrates the journalist, as distorted statements and misinformation would be spread in this way.
How does Schreier express himself about the situation?In the same post, he sarcastically comments on the reporting of his statement (via Bluesky):
Jason Schreier’s post on Bluesky from May 14, 2025 (translation below)
1) I write the two paragraphs on the left side, 2) Reckless video game websites publish headlines like the ones on the right, 3) Aggregators like Reddit and Google spread these headlines everywhere, misleading countless readers. We have a healthy media ecosystem here.
Jason Schreier makes it clear with his statement on Bluesky that his written text does not constitute information for a further delay, but rather merely reflects the situation and thought processes of a developer whose success of their own release plans could be heavily influenced by GTA 6. The speculation about GTA 6 does not cease among the fans either – they already want to uncover large parts of the story: Fans want the big plot twist of GTA 6 to be deciphered already.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new financial report from publisher NCsoft is here. The gaming company also shows how some of the popular MMORPGs are doing, and Guild Wars 2 stands out particularly.
How is Guild Wars 2 doing? The new financial report from NCsoft has provided revenue figures for the current and the previous 4 quarters. The revenues of the long-standing MMORPG mainstay Guild Wars 2 are declining, and this is not just a one-time occurrence but over several quarters.
Q1 2024: around 16.2 million euros in revenue
Q2 2024: slight losses to around 15 million euros
Q3 2024: significant decline to 12.15 million euros
Q4 2024: temporary recovery to 15.8 million euros
Q1 2025: another drop to 12.3 million euros
In total, this means: Guild Wars 2 has lost about 24.1% of its revenue within a year. Even though the MMORPG was able to recover briefly over the winter period, this effect seems to have already faded again in 2025.
Here you can watch the trailer for Janthir Wilds:
Start video
Guild Wars 2: Repentance – Trailer for the Second Update of Janthir Wilds
Only Blade & Soul Shows Growth
What about the other MMORPGs from NCsoft? The NCsoft portfolio consists of several well-known MMORPGs. However, a look at the other titles reveals a similar picture as with Guild Wars 2:
Lineage remains the highest-grossing game, but loses 8% compared to the previous year.
Lineage 2 drops by 18.7%.
The hardest hit is Aion, which loses a hefty 40.4% of its revenue compared to the previous year’s quarter.
The only exception: Blade & Soul. The MMORPG apparently benefits from the successful launch of Blade & Soul: Neo, the remake that has launched both in Korea and the West.
While the PC market for NCsoft shrinks by 8.9%, the Mobile segment looks even gloomier. Here, the company reports a revenue decline of 17.3% since Q1 2024. Particularly bitter: The mobile sector is more than twice the size of the PC business, making it crucial for the overall situation of the company. The most important region remains far and away South Korea, as seen with the upcoming releases.
What’s next for NCsoft? The example of Blade & Soul shows that NCsoft needs new titles to regain strength, and several new ones are set to be released soon. With Chrono Odyssey and Project Q, two new MMORPGs are ready that are expected to launch in Korea later this year.
The online action RPG for PC and console “ArcheAge Chronicles” will follow in the first half of 2026, and Aion 2 is expected to be released in Korea in 2025, although it is unclear whether this refers to Project Q.
It’s time for our MeinMMO format “MMORPG News in two Minutes”. We summarize the most important news about the best genre in the world. Look forward to a great event in WoW, exciting announcements, and a new season in New World.
Update 2.10.0 is live for Throne and Liberty. There’s a raid event with a world boss guild (running from May 15 to 29 and featuring special rules and rewards), a bait event for fishing, a new spectator mode, and numerous smaller adjustments. You can find the official German patch notes on playthroneandliberty.com. Throne and Liberty is currently the MMORPG with the most players on Steam.
Black Desert received a new patch on May 15, introducing class changes and comfort improvements for taming and hunting. The patch notes can be found on playblackdesert.com.
The developers of Lost Ark have given a preview of the upcoming updates for May and June. The focus is on the new Kazeros raid, which will receive its prologue next week (via YouTube) and is expected to go live in June.
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Old School RuneScape received a new update on May 15 titled “Yama, the Master of Pacts”. This is an endgame duo boss that you can now challenge. There’s already a list of planned fixes to make the battle smoother. You can find all the info on runescape.com.
For EverQuest II, the Origins PvP server Dozekar has entered beta. This world takes place in the era of “The Shattered Lands,” without any unlocked expansions. You can find all the info on everquest2.com.
The first players are reaching level 500 and beyond in Tibia with the monk class. Currently, the player Bizung Monkas is in first place (via tibia.com). Additionally, three new PvP worlds, Sonira (EU), Kalimera (NA), and Luzibra (SA), will be launched on May 21.
On May 14, a small patch went live for Lord of the Rings Online, bringing new event missions for the current anniversary to Middle-earth. The patch notes are available via lotro.com.
Also on May 14, a new update was released for Dungeons & Dragons Online, providing the final quest of “Tavern Tales”, available via ddo.com.
The developers of Mortal Online 2 want to revise territorial control. You can find an overview of that on mortalonline2.com.
The latest developer stream about Mortal Online 2:
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Things are not going well for the MMORPG Pax Dei. Players are expected to pay monthly for the most important feature before the final release of the game.
Crystal of Atlan is an action-magicpunk MMORPG for iOS, Android, PC, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation 5. The release is scheduled for May 28. You can find the official website at nvsgames.com. The launch trailer is available on YouTube.
Supposedly, the first screenshots of Chrono Odyssey have been leaked, which you can view on mmorpg.org.pl. They show the game menu, a dark scene from the beginning, and the talent tree for the crossbow.
The developers of Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen have published an article on their official website about the iconic abilities of all classes. These are skills that should make each archetype feel essential and important in its role, via pantheonmmo.com.
Raph Koster, the mind behind Stars Reach, discusses the economy of the SciFi MMO and 24/7 goals in a recent talk. Where? On YouTube.
In League of Legends, ranked matchmaking has become indispensable. With 10 different ranks, players are shown how good they are and in which skill tier they play. A German Twitch streamer has now achieved the highest rank in 8 regions and wants to achieve even more.
In addition to training for a muddy extreme obstacle course or his plan to defeat the professional team Los Ratones, there was another goal for the 32-year-old streamer. He wants to reach the highest rank in League of Legends in every region in the world.
What is the highest rank in LoL? The highest rank in League of Legends is called Challenger. Those who have this rank can count themselves among the best LoL players in the world. NoWay has already proven himself as a Challenger in 8 different regions. In his YouTube video of his latest ascent to the top-ranked player, he talked about which regions are next in line to be conquered by him.
In the video, you can see who NoWay actually is:
Start video
Former German LoL Pro is Now One of the Most Successful Twitch Streamers – This is NoWay
One of the toughest servers in the world is the new goal
Which region has one of the toughest servers? In China, there are over 25 servers due to the very high number of players. One of these servers is the so-called Super-Server or Ionia Server, based on the Ionia region within the LoL universe. Only the best players are allowed to prove their skills on this server.
What makes the Super-Server so special? To play on the Chinese server, a few prerequisites must be met. Your rank must not be below Diamond 2, and you must possess a Chinese ID, which is equivalent to our identity card.
Without this Chinese ID, you may play on the server, but you cannot participate in ranked matchmaking. To stay on the server, you must play at least 24 games of League of Legends per month and must not drop in rank, or you could be banned.
How does NoWay plan to reach the Challenger rank on the Super-Server? The playstyle on the Super-Server is said to be aggressive and mechanically very demanding. NoWay already contemplated in his ascent video which champions he wants to face the Chinese server with.
His thought revolved around a correspondingly aggressive champion pool, and he is likely to choose the Arcane favorite Heimerdinger or the swinging midlaner Akshan.
Regigigas receives its own raid tag in its crypto form in Pokémon GO. We will show you how to make the most of it.
When is the event? The event takes place on Saturday, May 17, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. It falls right in the middle of the Crown Clash: Takeover by Team GO Rocket, where you can obtain Crypto-Dialga.
What kind of Pokémon is this? Regigigas is a legendary monster from the 4th generation. It is a Normal type and is the leader of the so-called “legendary giants,” which also include Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Regieleki, and Regidrago.
Start video
Pokémon GO: What’s in the new Season Powerful and Masterful
Raid Tag with Crypto-Regigigas – Contents and Tips
What bonuses are there in the event? During the 3-hour event, the following bonuses are active in the game:
up to 5 additional free raid passes at gyms
increased chance for shiny Crypto-Regigigas
higher attack, defense, and HP values for Crypto-Regigigas
you can participate in crypto raids with remote raid passes
the limit for remote raids is increased from Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 2:00 AM to Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 5:00 AM to 20
free limited research
The opportunity to participate in crypto raids with remote raid passes is not just a one-time action. It was recently announced that in the future, you can participate in both Crypto and Dyna raids remotely.
If you complete the free limited research, you will receive 10,000 stardust as a reward. Additionally, the amount of stardust you receive for successful raid battles during the event increases from 1,000 to 2,000 per raid. If you purchase the event ticket, it will even be 3,000 stardust.
Event Ticket: For $4.99 (approximately €5), you can purchase an event ticket. In addition to the extra stardust for each successful raid, you will also receive 8 additional raid passes from gyms, an increased chance for XL special candies after raids, and 50% more experience points in raids. The bonuses are only valid during the event.
How to make the best use of the raid tag: To optimally use the raid passes from the gyms, the following approach is recommended for the raid tag:
visit a gym
defeat Crypto-Regigigas
spin the gym disc to receive a new pass
visit the next gym
Keep in mind that Crypto-Regigigas can be quite tough. Since it is a Normal type, you should rely on fighting Pokémon. Additionally, you should challenge the monster with at least 4 trainers and bring the best counter Pokémon against Regigigas.
This month is once again packed with all sorts of events in Pokémon GO. We have looked at what they are, what to expect there, and when they take place, and created a suitable overview for you so you have everything at a glance: all events in May 2025 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The former Twitch star Félix “xQc” Lengyel has achieved great success on the platform. He contradicts the concept of Twitch colleague Kai Cenat, who wants to teach people how to stream.
Who is it about? xQc’s career started as a professional e-sports player in Overwatch; he played for Dallas Fuel from October 2017. However, he was kicked from the team in March 2018. The reason: toxic behavior.
After that, he began streaming full-time on Twitch. Here he managed to gain over 12 million followers (via SullyGnome). His content revolved around gaming, as he was able to entertain his followers with exciting gameplay through his brief professional career.
Adding to that were his unfiltered comments and the fact that he was not shy about being involved in one controversy or another.
From Overwatch professional to number 1 on Twitch to 100 million $ – Who is xQc?
“Reacting, Stalling, Fake Drama”
What does xQc criticize? Kai Cenat is the most subscribed Twitch streamer in the world and has over 17 million followers on the platform (via TwitchTracker). Recently, he announced his new project: the “Streamer University”. A coaching program where people are supposed to learn how to become a successful Twitch streamer.
Regarding the courses offered so far, such as sex education, business management, music production, film, and acting, Kick streamer xQc reacted with confusion. In his opinion, something completely different should be taught there:
They need to change it to “Reacting”, “Stalling”, “Event-Moderation”, “Fake-Drama”, “Clip-Farming” – that’s what you need to know! You don’t need any of that stuff.
He continues to explain that the most important thing in live streaming is stalling. In his opinion, most live content is unnecessary, which is why viewers must be kept engaged somehow.
What does xQc mean by that? By stalling, xQc means that streamers should buy time during their streams. It is also beneficial to jump quickly from one topic to another and generally make the streams exciting so that viewers are not bored.
If streamers host an event on their channel, it automatically brings more followers and subscribers to the channel. This also increases reach and success.
Reacting to external content, such as watching videos from other content creators during the stream and possibly uploading the reaction to their own YouTube channel, has proven to be a reliable source of income in the past. And that with minimal effort.
The reaction channel The crew of MontanaBlack regularly uploads reactions of the Twitch streamer. The videos get views in the six-figure range, which can mean a lot of money.
Furthermore, it has always proven effective in the past to gain attention through “drama” or “beef” with other Twitch colleagues. For example, the dispute between Tanzverbot, Adam SkylineTV, and quiteLola in April and May 2025 led to high viewer numbers at Tanzverbot’s Twitch stream, alongside the question of who is telling the truth and who is not.high viewer numbers at Tanzverbot’s Twitch stream.
Through exciting clips on short video platforms like TikTok or YouTube Shorts, potential new viewers are drawn to the streamer’s content and are willing to tune into the livestream. This is how the Twitch streamer CaseOh achieved success.
When xQc talks about “clip-farming”, he means streamers who intentionally act foolish or do something dangerous during their stream for it to be sufficient for a clip and thus attract new attention.
These rather amoral ways and tips from xQc to succeed on Twitch should not be surprising. After all, xQc himself has repeatedly been criticized in the past for his reactions to videos. His reactions to videos from other creators were criticized by the community (via Reddit) as being nearly a reupload of the original video. This especially harms the creators of the videos. In a stream (clip via kick.com), he made it clear that he did not care about this.
A build in Baldur’s Gate 3 shows how the correct use of certain cantrips, the ideal environment, and the right items can inflict particularly high damage – and can even take down enemies in one turn. The use is rewarded.
What can the build do? The build allows for dealing so much damage in one turn that enemies could be knocked down with a single hit. The synergy of the required skills and items grants an advantage on attack rolls and thus a higher chance for critical hits, protects oneself from other strong attacks, and doubles a large portion of the inflicted damage.
Together with the latest patch 8 from Baldur’s Gate 3, the game received a cantrip that perfectly rounds out the combination for this build: Booming Blade. Those interested in builds in Baldur’s Gate 3 will have noticed that this cantrip is utilized in many new builds, as it can be extremely useful and powerful.
Generally, the main components of the build are as follows:
Booming Blade
Shadow Blade
Darkness and (Superior) Darkvision
Resonance Stone
Here you see the animated short film for patch 8 from Baldur’s Gate 3:
Start video
Der animierte Kurzfilm zu Patch 8, dem letzten Update für Baldur’s Gate 3
The prerequisites for the build
Which classes can utilize the build?
Sorcerer (Shadow Magic)
Warlock (Hexblade)
Wizard (Blade Song)
There are additional classes that can utilize certain parts of the build (like the Arcane Trickster or the Mystic Knight), but the mentioned components together make the build so strong.
Which spells and abilities are required?
Booming Blade (Cantrip):
Normal weapon damage + 1d8 thunder damage + 2d8 thunder damage (if the target moves)
At level 11, damage is increased: Normal weapon damage + 2d8 thunder damage + 3d8 thunder damage (if the target moves)
The spell creates a shadowy shortsword that deals psychic damage. This type of damage is what makes the Shadow Blade so important for the build, as it harmonizes perfectly with an important item (Resonance Stone), which can double the damage.
As the spell level increases, so does the damage of the Shadow Blade.
When using the Shadow Blade to attack a target in dim light or darkness, you have advantage on the attack roll. And this advantage is fully utilized in this build.
Darkness and (Superior) Darkvision:
Through darkness, this build can take advantage of the Shadow Blade. You are well protected by the darkness and have advantage on attack rolls against targets that are in darkness with you: a significant potential for critical hits and high damage.
For Hexblade Warlocks: The Eldritch Invocation Devil’s Sight: This allows the warlock to see in complete darkness (both magical and non-magical) up to 24 meters. Together with the Darkness spell, it offers a strong advantage.
For Shadow Magic Sorcerers: Eyes of the Dark: Darkness is a spell that grants the shadow magic sorcerer the same ability as the Hexblade warlock. The spell creates darkness in which the sorcerer can see, while other targets become completely blind.
Which items are needed?
The Shadow Blade
Nice-To-Have: Gloves of Battlemage’s Power for Arcane Acuity (+1 on spell attack rolls and your saving throw DC if you also want to use other spells as a spellcaster.)
The Resonance Stone – The item that further boosts the damage of the build.
How an attack with the mentioned elements as a base might look can be seen in this TikTok video by jaydunna:
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The item is located in the Mind Flayer Colony from Act 2 and grants the bearer and all characters within a 9-meter radius the condition “Steeped in Bliss.”
This causes all targets within this radius to suffer double psychic damage. Therefore, if you attack as a melee fighter with the Shadow Blade, the target within your radius will also take double damage. Of course, you are also vulnerable to this, so you should ensure that the opponent does not also attack with this type. However, this is relatively rare.
So beware of:
Mind Flayers and illithid abilities
Ketheric Thorm
Other attacks dealing psychic damage such as Vicious Mockery, Dissonant Whispers, or Wrathful Smite.
If you enjoy powerful builds or would like to test the mighty combination of this build yourself, you might be a suitable candidate for a Hexblade Warlock. Here on MeinMMO, we have explained a strong yet beginner-friendly build that combines melee combat with spells, making it suitable for every situation and playstyle: Baldur’s Gate 3: Hexblade Build in Patch 8 – How to build your Hexblade Warlock
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the new animated series Kill Lupercal, the Imperium from Warhammer 40,000 faces its greatest traitor. How do they plan to defeat him? – With some of the mightiest war machines that the Imperium can muster.
What type of series is this? This is the first animated series on WarhammerTV that deals with the Horus Heresy. The official Warhammer channel on YouTube has already released a short trailer.
You can watch this trailer here:
Start video
Kill Lupercal: The Official Trailer for the New Series in the Warhammer 40,000 Universe
Hunting Traitors with Titans
What is it about? The name of the series is as subtle as the average Space Marine. The Imperium of Man wants to eliminate one of its greatest traitors: Horus Lupercal. He is the main reason for the Great Brother War. That’s why it’s also called the “Horus Heresy” (from the English Horus Heresy).
The fight against the traitor is taken up by the Adeptus Titanicus. This order is known for its massive war machines, the so-called Warlord Titans: fortresses on two legs that (according to the Warhammer 40k – Lexicanum) are at least 30 meters tall. The numbers can vary significantly, with some models said to be up to 200 meters tall.
Since Lupercal is a Primarch – one of 20 genetically modified humans created from the DNA of the Emperor himself – the Imperium’s reaction is quite understandable.
“Trying to kill a Primarch with a Warlord Titan is … a proportional reaction,” comments librarybear3419 under the video.
“Great problems require great solutions,” writes caveiraosedevacante5641
When is the new series coming out? There is still no fixed date for the premiere. However, the first episode of Kill Lupercal is supposed to appear in “a few weeks” on WarhammerTV (via warhammer-community.com). To watch it, you will need a subscription to Warhammer+.
Although Lupercal’s name is inseparably linked to the Great Brother War, his betrayal would probably never have happened without another character. Behind the scenes, someone else was pulling the strings. Read more about it in this article: A man in Warhammer 40,000 is to blame for the two greatest traitors turning evil
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pokémon GO has received a new feature that allows you to participate in local and remote raids as well as crypto raids even more effectively: the RSVP planner.
What is the RSVP planner? The RSVP planner is a new, handy feature in Pokémon GO that allows you to schedule raids with friends and other trainers for local and remote battles. The abbreviation RSVP stands for the French “répondez s’il vous plaît,” which means “please respond” in German.
You can thus make targeted planning requests, to which you can invite friends or other trainers. We will show you how this works and what advantages it has.
Start video
Pokémon GO: What’s in the new Season Powerful and Masterful
Where can I find the RSVP planner? The new feature shows you on the map when and where other trainers have already planned to participate in various raids. This is displayed in white-framed, blue banners over the respective raids.
When you go to a raid, you will find a blue icon with a calendar next to the attack button, through which you can open the RSVP planner. The function is unlocked for each raid as soon as a raid egg appears over it.
How do I plan something with the feature? When you open the planner of a raid, you can see detailed planning information such as time slots, invitations, reminders, and participants. You can even find directions to the arena if you want to participate on-site.
If you want to register, you can choose from various times and also see how many other trainers and who have already signed up for that slot. You can also check through your battle menu which raids you have signed up for or can sign up for.
You also have the option to be reminded of your raids via push notification or invite up to 5 more trainers to your raids – this also applies to crypto raids, where you can catch special Pokémon. A good opportunity to test the new feature right away.
The publisher behind GTA 6 has published its new financial report, which also discusses the open-world shooter. The CEO has great expectations for the title.
What does the financial report say? The new financial report from Take Two (via Take2Games.com), the publisher behind GTA 6, addresses the entire company. The CEO also specifically mentions GTA 6. Although GTA 6 is set to be released on May 26, 2026, this date already falls into Take Two’s fiscal year 2027, for which there are no revenue or success forecasts yet.
To explain his thoughts on the delay, CEO Strauss Zelnick says: “I believe it is a worthwhile investment to give Rockstar additional time for such a groundbreaking project.” The development of the game is said to have only “seriously” started in 2020. The CEO attributes the late start to the massive success of Red Dead Redemption 2, which was released in 2018 and came to PC in 2019.
The expectations for the title are high not only among fans but also at the publisher. Zelnick states: “[…] the team is ready to deliver another amazing entertainment experience that will exceed player expectations.” However, the CEO does not further support this classic PR formulation with new updates from development or with specific features that would revolutionize the game.
Here you can watch the second trailer for GTA 6:
Start video
Rockstar Games presents GTA 6 in the second trailer
Good numbers for Rockstar Games
How is GTA 6 doing right now? Take-Two CEO Zelnick explains to investors that GTA 6 is already breaking records. The second trailer became the biggest video release in history, setting a new record with 475 million views across all platforms within 24 hours.
The first trailer also managed to generate significant attention, with 93 million views on YouTube alone within 24 hours – and that despite the debacle over leaks surrounding GTA 6. The second trailer currently stands at 110 million views there (via YouTube).
The song “Hot Together,” featured in the second trailer, saw its views on the music platform Spotify increase by 182,000%, which, according to the CEO, “[…] is further evidence of Rockstar’s ability to influence pop culture [.]”
GTA 6 is said to have cost 1 billion, but this is not confirmed
What are the development costs about? The website IGN estimates the production cost of the game blockbuster at 1 billion US dollars (approximately 892,717,656 euros [as of 05.16.25, 10:32]), but this estimate cannot be substantiated based on the new financial report.
Nevertheless, this US billion is currently making waves on social media (for example, X.com and X.com), as it would be the probably most expensive video game production of all time, effectively doubling the costs of Red Dead Redemption 2 if the production costs are confirmed (via PCWelt).
Take Two and Rockstar Games have not publicly commented on the production costs yet.
With the new Season 8 in Diablo 4, Blizzard has disappointed many players. Those who, like others, cannot make use of the new content should be pleased now, because the developers announced that they will shorten the season and hold a stream about new content.
Why were fans dissatisfied? At first, it was the promised boss powers that were way too strong, and then the appearance raid events, which bored fans with their monotony. The new content was not well received everywhere.
Lastly, fans also complained about the Battle Pass, as the relics felt like a hidden price increase. While there are indeed players who enjoy Season 8, the overall tone sounds more negative than in previous seasons.
Blizzard is already working on patches and improvements. Nevertheless, the decision has now been made to shorten Season 8. In addition, a stream will soon be released, focusing on Season 9.
Start video
Diablo 4 Shows Updates for Bosses and the New Boss Powers in Season 8
New stream and PTR for Season 9 coming soon
What has Blizzard announced? A new stream for Season 9 has been announced on X, and it will revolve around the upcoming PTR. Adam Fletcher, the Director of Social & Content Marketing for Diablo 4, further states in his post that Season 8 is supposed to end a bit earlier.
Due to the length of Season 7, the schedule for Diablo 4 regarding upcoming content has been slightly shifted, but the early end of Season 8 ensures that Season 9 is back on schedule.
In addition to Season 9, the stream will also cover feedback regarding the relic and other topics, which unfortunately have not been elaborated on yet.
When does the stream start? The stream starts on Thursday, May 22, at 8 PM German time. To join, you need to tune into one of the four following official Diablo channels:
When does Season 8 end? Blizzard has not yet announced an end date. More details will likely come during the stream. Since Season 7 ran roughly a month longer than planned, it is likely that Season 8 will be a month shorter. Season 8 could then end in late June/early July.
AI has become an important part of everyday life for many people today. However, for young people, ChatGPT has not only become a help but a “life coach.” This is explained by Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT.
According to Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, different generations use the AI bot ChatGPT in different ways. Younger individuals tend to use it more as an advisor, while older generations use it as a substitute for a search tool like Google. Altman stated this at the “AI Ascent” event by Sequoia Capital in early May 2025.
Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
Young People Rely on ChatGPT as a Decision-Making Tool
This is what Sam Altman says: In a conversation, Altman explained that different generations use AI differently in their daily lives. He mentioned that young people primarily use AI as “life assistance”: Important decisions are no longer made without consulting artificial intelligence, but only after discussion with the AI (via Fortune.com):
A rough simplification, but older people use ChatGPT as a Google substitute. People in their 20s and 30s use it as life advisors, and students use it as an operating system.
(…)
I mean, these things are all cool and impressive. And then there’s this other thing that they don’t really make life decisions without asking ChatGPT what they should do.
(…)
The difference between how a 20-year-old uses ChatGPT and older generations is incredible.
It reminds me of the time when smartphones came out, and every kid could use them really well. And older people took three years to figure out how to do basic things.
However, while online shopping is not a problem, for many young people, entering a traditional store is a real nightmare. While many young adults aged 20 to 25 are starting to deal with tasks like paying taxes, refueling, or managing a household, going into a store has become a challenging task: Gen Z explains that their new boss is lurking at the cheese counter and in the supermarket
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Canadian developer Jade Raymond has made a name for herself as a producer of Assassin’s Creed, Assassin’s Creed II, and Watch Dogs. With her own studio Haven, she was meant to help strengthen Sony’s service offerings. But now she is leaving her position.
Ultimately, the aim was to significantly strengthen the service games segment for PlayStation, which was part of the reason for acquiring Jade Raymond’s Haven studio and integrating it into the PlayStation family.
The announcement trailer for Fairgame$:
Start video
Fairgame$ Reveal Trailer PS5 PC
Shift to 2026?!
What kind of game is “Fairgame$”? Sony describes the online shooter as a “heist game” in which you join an underground movement of modern-day Robin Hoods to rob the super-rich and create a new balance.
The game jumps on the extraction shooter trend, as you also need to successfully escape with your stolen loot. According to the insider report, the game was initially supposed to release in fall 2025 but has now likely been pushed to spring 2026.
What should you know about Jade Raymond? The producer has been in the industry for a long time and has worked for companies such as Electronic Arts and Ubisoft. In addition to Assassin’s Creed and Watch Dogs, her resume includes Star Wars: Battlefront II, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, and The Sims Online.
However, in recent years, Raymond has not had much luck with her projects. In 2019, she joined Google’s gaming division to develop exclusive games for Stadia, but the division was closed in 2021 without a strong release.
Shortly thereafter, she founded her own studio, Haven, and here too, she leaves the company before a single game is released. By the way, Raymond has not commented on her departure yet.
An artist claims that Bungie has stolen designs from Marathon from her. The developers blame a former employee.
What kind of stolen work is this about? On May 15, 2025, an independent artist working under the pseudonym “Antireal” reported that poster designs she created in 2017 were used in the playable alpha of the upcoming Extraction shooter Marathon, which was held in April 2025 (via X). Marathon is the latest game from Bungie, the developer studio behind Destiny 2, and is set to release on September 23, 2025.
In another comment on the social media platform, the artist writes:
“Bungie is of course not obligated to hire me when they develop a game that largely relies on the same design language I have refined over the last ten years, but obviously my work was good enough to use for ideas and implement in their game without payment or credit.”
Antireal then explains that she has never been able to earn a steady income from this work in the past 10 years and is tired of large companies using her designs while she “struggles” to make a living (via X). However, she does not have the resources or energy to take legal action.
Start video
Bungie shows first gameplay of Marathon in trailer
Bungie admits: An employee helped themselves
What do the developers say about the allegations? On the official Discord server of Marathon, the development team reported that they are investigating the incident.
During the investigation, they found that “a former Bungie artist had included these [designs] in a text URL list that was eventually used in the game.” The current art team of Marathon was not aware of the problem. Bungie is now investigating how this error occurred.
Bungie has also contacted Antireal to “discuss the matter”. They are now making efforts to make things right for the artist.
What lessons does Bungie learn from the incident? In the statement on Discord, the developers also announced that they will now conduct a thorough review of in-game assets to avoid similar problems.
During the review, particular focus will be placed on the designs that come from the former employee who also included Antireal’s designs.
Meanwhile, Bungie’s legal dispute with the team behind Destiny 2 continues with an author claiming that Bungie stole the ideas for the campaign of Destiny 2 from one of his stories. However, Bungie is having difficulty proving otherwise and is relying on YouTube videos about the lore of the loot shooter: Destiny 2 loses in court because the judge does not want to watch 10-hour explanations of the lore
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Recently announced or even occurred price increases in video games have caused an outcry among gamers. Many refuse to spend so much money on their hobby. And luckily, you don’t have to: some of the best games of the last few years cost less than AAA productions and are often even better.
[toc]
The recently released Doom: The Dark Ages is one of the first games with the “new” pricing for AAA games. 80 euros for the story shooter, 10 euros more than similar productions so far. For some gamers, a reason to put on the pirate hat again.
We at MeinMMO have taken this as an opportunity to see if you really have to pay so much for good games. We come to the conclusion: No, you don’t have to.
In our list, you will find 9 games that cost less than AAA productions but deliver at least the same quality. However, this list is not a ranking but an unordered list.
Each of these games has been extensively played by at least one member of the editorial team, so we can definitely recommend them.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Genre: Role-Playing Game/CRPG
Release: August 3, 2023
Players: Singleplayer, Coop
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox, Steam Deck
Price without discounts: 59.99 euros
Start video
Middle finger to the AAA industry: Baldur’s Gate 3 was no coincidence
If you haven’t been sleeping for the last 2 years, you at least know Baldur’s Gate 3 by name. Developer Larian has managed to release a game with so much traction that even some mainstream media have reported on it.
You play as your own or a pre-made character and land on the Sword Coast, one of the best-known scenarios from Dungeons & Dragons. You control a group of up to 4 characters with a selection of various companions with whom you can even have relationships.
However, the greatest strength of Baldur’s Gate 3 is the story. At the beginning of the story, you get infected by a mind flayer larva and want to get rid of it, only to uncover greater conspiracies throughout the game.
Larian has put so much time and effort into the various possibilities that virtually every interaction leads to a different outcome. This freedom has led to players discovering new things even after thousands of hours and simply can’t stop starting over again.
Now, Baldur’s Gate 3 is “fully developed,” with Patch 8 bringing the last innovations into the game. There are officially no more contents to come, but even after 2 years, Baldur’s Gate 3 still has tens of thousands of active players on Steam alone.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Things are not going well with the MMORPG Pax Dei. Before the full release of the game, players are now supposed to pay monthly for the most important feature.
What feature is it? The MMORPG Pax Dei aims to provide its players with a massive sandbox experience. For this, players are supposed to manage not only their own economy but also build and expand their own cities, villages, and production buildings.
While other typical MMORPG elements such as open-world grinding, dungeons, and boss fights are also part of the game, building is the main focus for many players during the ongoing early access. Early tests have already produced beautiful buildings and even entire fortresses in the MMORPG, all constructed by players.
Now the developers are planning to include exactly this feature in the new subscription model, which has been on their roadmap for some time.
Here you can watch the trailer for Pax Dei:
Start video
Pax Dei: Trailer for the Early Access launch shows beautiful medieval world
Building only for money
What will the subscription model look like? The developers of Pax Dei have presented their plans for the new subscription model in a recent post on PlayPaxDei.com. The so-called “Premium Membership Program” is supposed to offer various subscription options that equip players with large and small plots of land.
In the future, anyone who wants a plot of land in the game will have to subscribe. The larger or the more plots you want, the more expensive the subscription will be. If the subscription is interrupted, you lose the plot, but you can rebuild it once you start paying again. Nothing is supposed to be lost. Every buyer of Pax Dei also gets one month of the subscription for free at the start.
This decision comes shortly after the developer studio announced that it had to lay off 30% of its developers, even though the game is still in early access and is supposed to be released this year.
What about players who don’t want a subscription? Those who do not want a subscription can continue to build with their clan as long as other members share the appropriate permissions. Furthermore, Pax Dei offers the possibility to acquire better equipment and weapons through trading, even when playing solo with its economic system.
Players who only purchased early access can now find storage space in the new spawn zones; there is limited storage space available there and the option to craft simple products.
Building your own house along with a workshop is probably the most important element in Pax Dei. The fact that the developers are now implementing this feature with a subscription model could fundamentally change the game. The impact of this decision remains to be seen. The development of the MMORPG is progressing further: Beautiful MMORPG soon improves the rough combat and allows you to heal properly
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Blizzard has tinkered with the Whispering Tasks and the Whispering Tree in Diablo 4 – but one important feature that made life easier for players suddenly went missing: the Ravens of the Tree. Now they are back – but different from before.
What did Blizzard forget? Players recently pointed out that the 2025 roadmap mentioned permanent additions for the Whispering Tasks in Diablo 4. While a few adjustments were made, players missed an important feature.
We are talking about the Ravens of the Tree. They spawned in Season 7 in the so-called “Witch Tides” and took away the annoying journey to the Whispering Tree. Once you had collected 10 gifts, you could simply exchange them for loot directly with the Raven.
In the patch notes for Patch 2.2.1, Blizzard did not mention the Ravens – however, they are now appearing in the game.
Start video
Diablo 4 Shows Updates for Bosses and the New Boss Powers in Season 8
The Ravens have moved to the capitals
Where can you find the Ravens now? The Ravens of the Tree have settled in the major cities of Sanctuary. You will find them in:
Cerrigar
Gea Kul
Ked Bardu
Kyovashad
Kurast
Zarbinzet
Previously, they spawned directly in the “Witch Tides” areas where you completed the Whispering Tasks in Season 7. This allowed you to simply run to the Ravens in between, drop off 10 gifts, grab a loot box, and continue slaying monsters. Now, while you have to return to a capital city for that, at least the journey to the Whispering Tree is spared.
According to community manager Adam Fletcher, the Ravens “quietly slipped in”. He revealed this on X in response to Diablo content creator MacroBioBoi, who said Blizzard should “market such changes better”. Had he known, he would have been looking forward to the patch.
In the English patch notes, Blizzard has now added the Ravens, while the German version still lacks this information (as of May 15, 2025, 3 PM).
This is what the update also brought to the game: In addition to the comeback of the Ravens, Patch 2.2.1 also returned the “Mother’s Blessing” event to the game. During the event, you will receive bonuses on XP and gold. How long this will last this time is not yet entirely clear, but based on experience, it usually lasts about a week.
In Fortnite today, on Friday, May 16, 2025, the first update for Chapter 6 Season 3 has been released. All info about patch 35.10 can be found here.
Patch Notes for Update 35.10
Fortnite: Ballistic
New Map: Cinderwatch
Gadgets are now free
Economy Changes
The number of credits received for a round win has been reduced from 3,300 to 3,100.
The number of credits received after a lost round has been reduced from 2,500 to 2,300.
The credit cost of smoke grenades has been increased from 200 to 300.
The credit cost of flashbangs has been increased from 200 to 300.
The credit cost of the Salvo assault rifle has been increased from 2,000 to 2,300.
New Weapon: DL-44 Blaster Pistol
New Feature: Surrender Vote
Changes to the Map “Storm Chaser Cove”
Map Adjustments:
Storm Chaser Cove
Two exploits have been fixed that allowed players to leave the starting area before the barriers were disabled.
Diverse bugs related to the asynchronous nature of the mini-map and game area have been fixed.
A bug has been fixed that caused players’ feet to clip into the ground of the attacker spawn area.
A bug has been fixed that allowed proximity mines to clip into a pillar in “B – Position”.
Hammer Fall
A bug has been fixed where players could use the impulse grenade to reach an unintended position near the statue area.
Other Changes:
The duration of the shine effect has been reduced from 12 to 10 seconds, and the shine effect fire rate has been halved.
A bug has been fixed that prevented players affected by the shine effect from defusing the Rift Point Device.
A bug has been fixed that occasionally caused the game to crash when players selected “Back to Lobby”.
Friday, 16.05.2025
3:00 PM
The article has now been updated with the current patch notes. You can find out more on the official Fortnite page.
1:11 PM
The servers are back online and you can log in. Soon we will list the patch notes for you, but until then we wish you a nice day and have fun in Fortnite!
12:42 PM
The downtime should end at 11:30 AM according to Epic Status, but it is still ongoing. There has been no statement from Epic regarding how long the downtime will last. We will keep you updated.
12:26 PM
These are all the skins that have been data-mined from the new update so far. Others are still encrypted and should be revealed in the coming days:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
The downtime has started. Soon the data miners will release new leaks.
9:30 AM
The player search has now been disabled and fans can no longer start a new round. So be prepared, because at 10 AM the servers will be completely shut down.
8:58 AM
Good morning! The server will start, beginning at 10:00 AM German time. So get ready and play your last matches until Epic Games pulls the plug. When the servers are down, we will provide you with the most important leaks that data miners can dig up.
What happens when the server is down? The servers will be shut down. During this time you cannot play Fortnite.
Server Down in Fortnite – when? The servers will be shut down on May 16, 2025, at 10 AM. A little while before that (about half an hour), matchmaking will be disabled (via x.com).
When can I play Fortnite again? That depends on the size of the update and the duration of the downtime. This is a larger update, so expect 1 to 2 hours.
When are patch notes released? Epic Games only sporadically presents patch notes for the updates and usually only after the downtime. As soon as they are available, you can read them here.
If you missed the trailer for Chapter 6 Season 3, you can catch up on it here:
Start video
Fortnite shows its new season with Star Wars in the trailer
Fortnite: Patch 35.10 – What do leakers say?
What can I expect with the upcoming update? Leaker Shiina has already voiced some speculations on X.com about what might be included in the update. The update is supposed to bring new content to the Battle Royale. You can expect the following:
General Grievous Cosmetics
New Skin for the Mandalorian
New collabs and gameplay
Epic Games may possibly hide one or two shop items in the data. So expect data miners or leaks to uncover plenty of information about upcoming content. Details regarding the next superhero season and the mysterious XP shop are particularly likely.
We will follow the server down live for you and provide you with the most important information and leaks. Have you just started Fortnite and are still a total beginner? Then we have 6 tips for you to improve immediately: 6 Quick Tips in Fortnite to Help You Improve Instantly
Fortnite: Ballistic
New Map: Cinderwatch
Gadgets are now free
Economy Changes
The number of credits received for a round win has been reduced from 3,300 to 3,100.
The number of credits received after a lost round has been reduced from 2,500 to 2,300.
The credit cost of smoke grenades has been increased from 200 to 300.
The credit cost of flashbangs has been increased from 200 to 300.
The credit cost of the Salvo assault rifle has been increased from 2,000 to 2,300.
New Weapon: DL-44 Blaster Pistol
New Feature: Surrender Vote
Changes to the Map “Storm Chaser Cove”
Map Adjustments:
Storm Chaser Cove
Two exploits have been fixed that allowed players to leave the starting area before the barriers were disabled.
Diverse bugs related to the asynchronous nature of the mini-map and game area have been fixed.
A bug has been fixed that caused players’ feet to clip into the ground of the attacker spawn area.
A bug has been fixed that allowed proximity mines to clip into a pillar in “B – Position”.
Hammer Fall
A bug has been fixed where players could use the impulse grenade to reach an unintended position near the statue area.
Other Changes:
The duration of the shine effect has been reduced from 12 to 10 seconds, and the shine effect fire rate has been halved.
A bug has been fixed that prevented players affected by the shine effect from defusing the Rift Point Device.
A bug has been fixed that occasionally caused the game to crash when players selected “Back to Lobby”.
Friday, 16.05.2025
3:00 PM
The article has now been updated with the current patch notes. You can find out more on the official Fortnite page.
1:11 PM
The servers are back online and you can log in. Soon we will list the patch notes for you, but until then we wish you a nice day and have fun in Fortnite!
12:42 PM
The downtime should end at 11:30 AM according to Epic Status, but it is still ongoing. There has been no statement from Epic regarding how long the downtime will last. We will keep you updated.
12:26 PM
These are all the skins that have been data-mined from the new update so far. Others are still encrypted and should be revealed in the coming days:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
The downtime has started. Soon the data miners will release new leaks.
9:30 AM
The player search has now been disabled and fans can no longer start a new round. So be prepared, because at 10 AM the servers will be completely shut down.
8:58 AM
Good morning! The server will start, beginning at 10:00 AM German time. So get ready and play your last matches until Epic Games pulls the plug. When the servers are down, we will provide you with the most important leaks that data miners can dig up.
What happens when the server is down? The servers will be shut down. During this time you cannot play Fortnite.
Server Down in Fortnite – when? The servers will be shut down on May 16, 2025, at 10 AM. A little while before that (about half an hour), matchmaking will be disabled (via x.com).
When can I play Fortnite again? That depends on the size of the update and the duration of the downtime. This is a larger update, so expect 1 to 2 hours.
When are patch notes released? Epic Games only sporadically presents patch notes for the updates and usually only after the downtime. As soon as they are available, you can read them here.
If you missed the trailer for Chapter 6 Season 3, you can catch up on it here:
Fortnite: Patch 35.10 – What do leakers say?
What can I expect with the upcoming update? Leaker Shiina has already voiced some speculations on X.com about what might be included in the update. The update is supposed to bring new content to the Battle Royale. You can expect the following:
General Grievous Cosmetics
New Skin for the Mandalorian
New collabs and gameplay
Epic Games may possibly hide one or two shop items in the data. So expect data miners or leaks to uncover plenty of information about upcoming content. Details regarding the next superhero season and the mysterious XP shop are particularly likely.
We will follow the server down live for you and provide you with the most important information and leaks. Have you just started Fortnite and are still a total beginner? Then we have 6 tips for you to improve immediately: 6 Quick Tips in Fortnite to Help You Improve Instantly
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
League of Legends has had the same controls for 15 years. With a right-click, you move your champion and attack simultaneously. A new leak now shows that you could control your champs with more than one key in the future.
What does League of Legends allegedly want to change? The X user SkinSpotlights showed in a tweet a new control scheme for the popular MOBA. The data miner found an option that allows the classic right-click control to be replaced with a modern variant.
Which 4 keys could become more important? With the new control scheme, the keys W, A, S, and D will become significantly more important for League of Legends. According to SkinSpotlights, you can control your champion with them and give your right-click a break after 15 years. How the controls behave when using skill shots or the popular “Flash,” which is set to the D key by default for many players, was not uncovered by SkinSpotlights.
In a personal comment under the tweet, he pointed out that this new feature will be purely optional and no one is forced to use the new controls.
In the video, you will see the trailer for Season 2 of 2025 in League of Legends:
Start video
The launch trailer for the new Season 2 2025 in League of Legends
Community is concerned about the new controls
What does the community say about the leaks? The comments under the Reddit post are mixed. The user qonoxzzr lamented on Reddit that the day of the leaks is not April 1. Another user named SpearmintFlower also highlights the positive sides of a new control scheme and writes on Reddit:
“Wow. I honestly think that would be the biggest change in League’s history. It completely alters how new players interact with the game. Personally, I find the idea cool; even if it fails, it will make it significantly easier for new players to get into the game. But for a game like LoL, which has been around for so long, such a change seems extremely late, especially considering that the existing player base has been accustomed to the old system for over 10 years.”
Especially new players who have no MOBA experience could find it easier to get into League of Legends with the WASD controls, which are widespread today, than before. In addition to the benefits for new players, Reddit user 2hopp worries about the e-sports scene (via reddit.com):
“This could completely destroy the professional scene; imagine if WASD actually becomes the superior input method and there is no guarantee that the currently best players in the world will remain at the top with the new controls.”
It is important to note that this information is merely rumors based on data mining. Whether the new controls will make it into League of Legends is not confirmed.
