In Destiny we present our video highlights of the year 2016. Here are the top 10.
In 2016, the Guardians community was extremely diligent: They sent us countless amazing works, which we featured every Monday in the “Videos of the Week”.
At Bungie, the community manager Cozmo is responsible for selecting and presenting the best videos of the week. All Guardians who participated in one of the winning videos receive this beautiful badge from him, which they can show off in-game to other players:
As most of the Destiny developers are still on vacation and therefore there are no new “Movies of the Week” this week, we won’t show you any new videos today, but take the opportunity to present our “Videos of the Year 2016”. The video submissions we received from you this week will be taken into consideration next week for the selection of the “Videos of the Week”.
In our 2016 highlights, you will find many musical masterpieces, a lot of creativity, and some breathtaking Crucible scenes. Enjoy!
Lord Saladin at the University
The first video was released with the launch of “The Rise of Iron” and quickly garnered hundreds of thousands of views (currently over 331,000). It is from Impact Props and shows the former Iron Banner vendor Lord Saladin as he goes to the university:
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The selective multiplayer RPG Shroud of the Avatar has changed since the Kickstarter campaign, and this could actually be a good thing.
I have always been an advocate for the original vision of the game, which promised a story-focused game during the Kickstarter campaign that resembled more of a single-player RPG, but also allowed players to play with friends or interact in an MMO mode with many others.
Imagine a kind of Skyrim where you can invite some friends for cooperative play at any time? Or a game where you can switch to an MMO mode to participate in larger events with many other players.
In SotA, heated discussions are almost the order of the day.
Shroud of the Avatar: Changes since Kickstarter concept – good or bad?
However, the game has changed over the years, there’s no doubt about that. The focus is more on the MMO part, but there is still the option to play alone or only with friends.
The story, or rather its presentation, had to be adapted to certain limitations that arose from the focus on the MMO part. For example, no consequences for the actions and decisions of the players can be displayed. This shifts the story and quest aspect away from that of a single-player RPG.
Yes, that is unfortunate, but this new direction of SotA, focusing on social interactions, a player-driven economy, housing, and PvP might have been the right step to make Shroud of the Avatar a game that is played for a long time.
A single-player RPG is usually set aside when the story is done – unless there are modding tools like in the The Elder Scrolls series. Perhaps you might also dig up a game after some time and play it again, but long-term motivation is typically only present in online games.
Online focus for longevity
With the focus on the MMO part, players in SotA have the opportunity to live a second life in a fantasy world. They can significantly participate in keeping the economy running, they can become master crafters or miners, or hunters …
They can take on an important role in cities and play a part they are satisfied with. PvP is also important here, as it brings a certain risk. If all of this works well, a community will be built that keeps the game “alive” for a long time.
This is important for an online game. More important than telling a story that ends after a few hours. There will still be a story with quests, but due to the focus on the MMO part, you simply cannot expect it to play out like in a single-player RPG.
It took me some time to understand this. I was fixated on the announcement during the Kickstarter campaign. I wanted to see a single-player campaign that could be compared to that of other single-player RPGs.
Shroud of the Avatar: A hybrid game that has never existed before
But I’m slowly beginning to understand why some decisions were made the way Portalarium has done. Shroud of the Avatar is not a single-player RPG and it’s not an MMORPG. It is a mix of both and this naturally means that some compromises have to be made.
Due to the hoped-for longevity of the game through an online community, perhaps more compromises were made on the single-player side, but that has to be accepted. Perhaps in the end, an interesting hybrid game will emerge.
The only thing that still bothers me is that these changes should have been communicated better. And even now, to talk about a role-playing game with “single-player narrative structure” and “decisions with consequences” is rather questionable. This raises expectations from developers that the game will most likely not be able to meet.
Perhaps it’s time to make some changes in the game’s description so that it aligns more with what SotA really is – a sandbox MMO with player-driven economy, social and RPG aspects, PvP, and a story.
Last May, Andreas thought differently about this topic:
Are many Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charmander what trainers have wished for? This is the feedback on the starter event at Pokémon GO.
A few days ago, the starter event at Pokémon GO was activated. During this event, there are new gift boxes in the shop until January 3rd. You also have until January 8th a significantly increased chance to encounter wild Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Charmander, or their evolutions. However, there are no double experience points like during the Thanksgiving event. How are these bonuses of the Christmas/New Year event received by the trainers?
Are starter Pokémon a reason to be joyful?
Events in Pokémon GO have received positive feedback in the past. The Halloween event increased the chance to encounter spooky Pokémon like Gengar in the wild. Additionally, there were double candies as a reward for various actions in the game. The event received positive feedback from the community.
Shortly after, the Thanksgiving event appeared. During this event, Pokémon GO trainers received double experience points and double the amount of stardust as a reward. It was possible to get over 10,000 XP with a throw.
Source Reddit: PrincePoison, 30wardell, _Winters
Instead of double loot, during the Christmas event, there is a higher chance of baby Pokémon from eggs. Additionally, there are high chances to encounter the starter Pokémon and their evolutions. These bonuses also seem to be well received by trainers. On social media, you often see screenshots of Charizard and Co. Many trainers are proud to have these Pokémon in their collection and are satisfied with the event.
Pokémon GO remains popular
The cold temperatures in winter often make Pokémon hunting uncomfortable. During the summer, you could comfortably hunt the little monsters in shorts and a t-shirt. Snow and low temperatures are not an argument for many trainers to interrupt their adventures.
On Reddit, players often express how thankful they are for the event. Finally, they can gather candies for the starter Pokémon with which some started in the first Pokémon games. Reddit user AyZiggyZoomba uploaded this screenshot and wrote, “My friend has the family together during the holidays.”
With the increased chance of starter Pokémon and their evolutions, Niantic seems to have once again captured the taste of the players. Even though some trainers preferred double experience points, the feedback for this event has mostly been positive.
Demons, Raids, and New Planets – in 2017, players can expect many innovations in World of Warcraft .
The new year has finally begun and is sure to be much better than the hated year 2016. Well, at least in the case of World of Warcraft, Blizzard should just stay the course because the content of Legion has been well received by fans. But is it already over with the Karazhan Patch 7.1? What else does Legion have in store for us in 2017? We want to address these questions with an article.
WoW: Patch 7.1.5 – Little Things That Make Life Easier
Relatively soon, perhaps even during the first or second full week of January, players can look forward to the small “interim patch” 7.1.5 . Although it only has a small number, it is filled with content that primarily aims to improve gameplay quality and experience, rather than just pure “content”.
Twinking will be significantly easier, as “high” characters can now grant artifact knowledge to their lower-level counterparts. Up to 15 knowledge levels can be obtained with a single click if the corresponding main character is far enough along.
Those who enjoy a vibrant world will likely indulge in the Micro-Holiday Events. These are small celebrations all over Azeroth that do not bring special rewards but enliven the game world and are meant to provide experiences where mere participation is reward enough. If one is not interested, they can simply ignore the events.
On top of that, a large adjustment wave is waiting for nearly all classes. Balance is being tinkered with everywhere, and especially secondary stats will be recalculated so that “critical hit rating”, “haste”, and “mastery” should soon be more on par than they currently are.
Patch 7.2 – The Tomb of Sargeras
The developers have also provided fairly specific explanations regarding what to expect in Patch 7.2. The Broken Shore, which has previously only served as a scenario and is currently inhabited by overwhelming demons, is introduced as a playable area. The forces of Azeroth will establish a base there and begin to reclaim the island piece by piece. However, the battle there is only half the story, as true calamity awaits in the Tomb of Sargeras, from which the demons flood into our world.
Players can expect the fresh raid instance Tomb of Sargeras and the 5-player dungeon The Cathedral of Eternal Night. At the end of the raid, players will face none other than Kil’Jaeden himself – one of the highest commanders of the dark titan Sargeras.
Moreover, Patch 7.2 also brings the long-awaited ability to finally fly in the Broken Isles. And if that’s not enough, players will receive a unique mount as part of the continuation of the class campaign. Each class receives a specific mount, which in some cases even changes colors depending on the specialization. For shadow priests, the owl becomes significantly darker, and fire mages leave flames in their wake – it should all be cohesive, right?
However, there are also many small things making their way into Patch 7.2. The Legion has resumed its invasions and is targeting the Broken Isles – the popular “pre-event” of Legion is thus returning in a new form.
Patch 7.3 – Assault on Argus
Lastly, we have tentatively set Patch 7.3 as “for 2017”, even if Blizzard has not yet provided final confirmation. However, since they promised to regularly add content, 7.3 would ideally be ready by late autumn – potentially between October and December.
As has already been announced, players will not only be taken to a completely new area but rather to a completely foreign planet: Argus. However, this is not a leveling zone, but “only” an endgame area for level 110. Since Argus is steeped in lore – after all, it is the home planet of the Eredar and thus the Draenei as well – we can look forward to exciting quest lines.
What Happens Next?
Everything after Patch 7.3 – such as a return to Azeroth, where the next disaster (keyword: N’Zoth and Azshara) surely awaits – will likely be a topic for 2018. It is possible that with 7.3, “already” the end is reached, and a new expansion will come for the following year. In any case, Legion will have fulfilled its purpose – but first, the developers must deliver and fill 2017 with plenty of content.
For a year, a Guardian recreated parts of the Destiny universe using Lego bricks. The result is impressive.
The Guardian community is creative. They have proven this many times before. When the Guardians are not standing against the Darkness or shooting each other in the Crucible, they creatively engage with the topic of “Destiny” – or admire the works of other Guardians.
A Guardian reportedly spent a whole year building a “Lego-Destiny”. Using Lego bricks and figures, they worked on the area “The Rift” on Earth, crafted a few Guardians, and even constructed a Fallen Walker.
Our title image shows you the overall result, and in the following images, you can see the builds in detail:
“This is amazing!” – And the Walker can even still walk!
The Guardian named ShadowNight36 presented his Lego-Destiny to the global community via reddit, which has shown overwhelming admiration. “Fantastic”, “incredible”, and “great job, great job” are words that users throw around in praise. Even Lord Shaxx is quoted: “This is amazing!”
By the way: The Fallen Walker is supposed to be motorized; it can move in circles. In the near future, the Guardian wants to post a video of it online to prove: The Walker can walk!
The user has already updated his post: He received many requests to put exact instructions online so that other Guardians can also recreate Destiny from Lego bricks. He will provide a guide for the Fallen (Outcast, Vandals, Captain, Shank), but the Walker is too complex. So he won’t reveal how he created it.
He is toying with the idea of turning to the “Glass Chamber” and recreating it with Lego.
In The Division, update 1.6 could bring a conquest PvP mode. Lines in the game code suggest so.
The next big thing in The Division will be “Last Stand” along with update 1.6. It is already known that the “Red Storm” studio is working on large-scale innovations and balance changes to PvP and the Dark Zone. Update 1.6 is expected to change PvP in a similar way to how update 1.4 changed PvE.
In a livestream a few weeks ago, a new Dark Zone feature was already presented: DZ leaderboards, through which you can get tasty rewards. Massive announced that this is far from everything. Now a leak suggests that a new PvP mode could also be coming.
Zone Control in The Division
The Redditor iamunkn0wn has already sifted through the game files in the past and came across DZ leaderboards – which have since been confirmed. Now the data miner looked into the files again and discovered interesting lines.
Some snippets of code suggest that a PvP mode could be coming that truly delivers pure PvP. The current PvP area, the Dark Zone, is only a mix of PvE and optional PvP. Apparently, there could be standalone, time-limited PvP matches:
“The match is halfway complete.”
“The match is half over.”
“One minute remaining”
“Just thirty seconds left”
Further lines refer to a PvP mode that compares to “Conquest” or “Control.” The agents need to capture zones:
“Zone Alpha is now under enemy control.”
“The enemy has taken possession of zone Alpha.”
“We now control Zone Charlie.”
Dozens of other lines provide similar voice lines. This line is also interesting:
“Rogue Agents Control Zone Alpha.”
What this means is open to speculation. These zone control matches could possibly be played as “Rogues vs. Non-Rogues.”
Rewards through DZ Leaderboards
In the data, the data miner found lines about the DZ leaderboards:
“Congratulations! You have finished in tier 3 of the latest monthly Dark Zone Leaderboard Activity. Pick up your rewards from the Resources tab of the Rewards Claim Vendor!”
The developers already mentioned this in a livestream: There will be certain tiers (i.e., ranks) that you can play for. Depending on the rank, you will receive rewards, which will likely represent a special kind of sealed crates. Apparently, these are available at the rewards vendor.
Important Note: Keep in mind that this information comes from data mining. It is not officially confirmed. It is possible that these were only embedded for testing purposes and have since been discarded. So take this information with a grain of caution. You can find all leaked lines in our source reference.
Looking for the right game? In this overview, we show you our highlights of the Steam Winter Sale 2016, which ends today.
The Steam Winter Sale 2016/2017 is now in its final phase. The offers are only valid until tonight at 7 PM. There are discounts in various game genres such as MMO, strategy, shooter, and horror. During the event, we showcased our “Top 5” offers every day. In this overview, we present our highlights from the last few days.
Steam Winter Sale 2016/2017 – Our Highlights
Do you want to take advantage of the last day of the Winter Sale and buy new games for your collection? Here we present our highlights from the last few days. Included are open-world shooters, co-op action games, sports games, and great single-player titles. So it’s worth taking a look at the highlights from the last few days.
Highlights from December 23 – On the first day of the Sale, we included an MMO shooter in our Top 5 that was released in March 2016. After initial problems, important updates followed that revamped the entire gaming experience.
Highlights from December 24 – Here we introduced a horror multiplayer game where you play 4 against 1. For players who enjoy thrills, this game is probably just right.
Highlights from December 25 – An exciting single-player story and a multiplayer mode that is regularly expanded with free content. Although this game was released in 2013, it still ranks among the most popular multiplayer games on Steam.
Highlights from December 26 – Special graphics and a large selection of weapons await you in this highlight. This shooter features interesting stories and characters.
Highlights from December 27 – With the wingsuit or snowboard over the mountains. This highlight is sporty and has a large open world that you can explore.
Highlights from December 28 – This highlight is just right for you if you enjoy playing with friends in co-op mode. In two-player mode, you put your friendships to the test.
Highlights from December 29 – In this highlight, you have to read instructions and cut wires. Fun for multiple players!
Highlights from December 30 – In today’s highlight, you control the story. Your decisions affect the entire game.
Highlights from December 31 – Which faction will you join in this world? A versatile skill system adapts perfectly to your playstyle.
Highlights from January 1 – A shooter that is firmly anchored in the eSports scene is among today’s highlights.
Did you take advantage of the current Steam Winter Sale to expand your game collection? What are your highlights and recommendations for our community?
Fans bid farewell to Carrie Fisher in SWTOR . A video shows how the memorial event unfolded.
For many fans, it was a shock that Carrie Fisher, the actress of Princess Leia in the old and newer parts of the Star Wars films, had passed away at the age of 60. Without her, the galaxy “far, far away” will never be the same, which is why players have bid farewell in various ways.
In SWTOR, players had already gathered on Alderaan a few days ago. Now there is a “tribute video” where a player recreated Leia Organa as closely as possible in SWTOR. Numerous players have come together to kneel before her or simply to silently commemorate the actress and princess of their favorite universe.
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Reinhardt probably didn’t expect this surprise just before his death. An icy Overwatch duel at the edge of the abyss.
There are many annoying ways to die in Overwatch. This especially includes situations where you die without any fault of your own. For example, you sprint off the edge of the map with Reinhardt and facepalm during the fall. It is all the more surprising when the free fall is interrupted and you are challenged to a quick duel just before death.
Reinhardt vs Mei – A Cliffhanger?
On Reddit, the user NinjaDuck25 shared an interesting video. NinjaDuck25 played as Mei and was targeted by the opposing Reinhardt during a fight. When the Mei player was pushed off the map, he decided to delay his death with an Ice Wall. To the surprise of Reinhardt and Mei, there was still a showdown between the two characters just before death.
https://gfycat.com/SmoothShortBrownbear
After landing, both players clearly showed confusion. Then the fight on the Ice Wall began. Mei quickly dealt with Reinhardt here and even transformed into a snowman in the end. A nice ending for a duel at the edge of the map.
In Destiny , a unique language has developed. Part of it is the term “Sweating” or “Sweats.”
We wrote an MMO glossary years ago explaining what typical MMO abbreviations like “LFG” or common MMO terms like “Wipe” actually mean, but players of Destiny have developed their own vocabulary.
One of the most convoluted words in this context is “Sweating” or the English equivalent “Sweats.” The word is also often found on our site in the comments.
Sweating is not a gland problem, but Destiny slang
“Sweating” refers to PvP matches under competitive conditions, meaning at eSports level or at a level that at least feels like it. This means: “the worst Sweaters” are not guardians with gland problems, but strong Destiny PvP players or at least ambitious players who clearly want to “win” and where “winning” is the priority.
Whenever “Skill-Based Matchmaking” comes to the forefront and forces matchups between strong players, it is said: “It’s going to get sweaty.” Especially the Trials of Osiris are considered a “sweat chamber” when strong teams clash with multiple victories on the map.
Competitive PvP – once done manually, now in Private Matches
“Sweat” is thus a descriptor for “Competitive PvP” under competitive conditions or at this level. The word can be used in various forms, also with hidden meanings. When someone says: “Only Sweaters are around today,” they usually mean: “Oh, we are only going to get beaten. Maybe we should stop.”
There are dedicated channels, for instance on Twitter, where player teams arrange for “Sweating.”
In the past, such duels between strong teams were organized by “simultaneous registration.” Nowadays, thanks to “Private Matches”, it’s not as complicated anymore, and a real eSports scene can actually form in Destiny for “joint Sweating.” However, this is still in its infancy, especially since the Private Matches came at a rather quiet phase for Destiny when the game was experiencing a content drought.
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Custom rules and turns are forming for the Sweats – Bungie is playing along
For “Sweats,” that’s what the matches are called, arrangements can also be made. For example, certain Exotics, weapon types, or abilities perceived as “too strong” can be banned and excluded from the match.
Bungie has already responded to this – since the last updates, PvP players can now literally wave off “heavy ammo” – if all participants wave, there is no Heavy phase in the match.
Most Sweats are played as “3vs3” – as is usual in Osiris, the mother of all sweating.
In 2015, rumors emerged that a subsidiary of Cryptic Studios was working on a Dino MMO called Jurassic World Survivor. Now it is confirmed: Perfect World has secured the rights to the game – so the dinos are indeed coming.
However, it seems that this is no longer the Jurassic World game that Cryptic Studios Seattle was working on until 2015.
The studio has since been dissolved and the game was initially supposed to enter Early Access in 2015. The success of the movie Jurassic World and the planned sequel likely prompted Perfect World to pursue this game on a larger scale.
The dinos are on the loose!
The original game was rumored to be similar to the zombie online game H1Z1, but with dinos instead of zombies. The story would have merely been an accessory, with the survival aspect taking center stage.
Perfect World has now secured the rights to Jurassic World: Survival and seems to be working on the game again. The company also purchased the domain www.jurassicworldsurvivor.com.
The new development studio (which is presumably Cryptic Studios California) seems to place more emphasis on a story. Nonetheless, the survival aspect is still supposed to remain central. There are already quite a few survival sandbox games, which may have also compelled Perfect World to take a different direction.
It is also clear that: Ark Survival Evolved currently covers exactly the niche that the original game aimed to enter.
A dash of story seasoned with survival
Survival is still popular, but combining it with a story and quests could make the genre even more interesting. This story is supposed to begin shortly after the events of the movie Jurassic World. The survivors on Isla Nublar must deal with the chaos caused by the escaped dinosaurs. No one knows how help will look, which is why everyone wants to survive as long as they can.
An official announcement of the game is still pending. However, a sequel to the movie Jurassic World is planned for 2018, which would be the ideal time to release an online game based on the film. Therefore, we can expect to hear more about Jurassic World: Survivor throughout this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7GAz6u1VCY
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Ark Survival Evolved, the confusion is complete. The survival MMO is supposed to get an MMO spin-off for the Asian market.
To get through Ark Survival Evolved, one needs a precise version plan.
Ark Survival Evolved is a Buy2Play MMO with dinosaurs. It is still in Early Access on PC and Xbox One. However, on PlayStation 4, it is already “fully released”, as Sony does not want early access titles on its platform but is making an exception for Ark. Therefore, it seems they turned a blind eye to some dinosaur issues.
Now Snail Games, a Chinese publisher, wants to release a “Free2Play” MMO version of Ark for the Asian market. 150 beta servers launched on January 1st for the Asia-Pacific region. As is common with “online ports” for Asia, it is supposed to be a Free2Play game with a cash shop. The title is “Ark Survival Evolved Online.” It is expected to add mailbox features and a more detailed tutorial – typical for Asia-MMO. Allegedly, “graphical improvements” are also to be expected.
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The Asia-focused site 2p has reported: The game is also supposed to come to North America and Europe later. They had to walk that back. A representative from Snail Games contacted them: It is too early for such a statement. The situation there is still uncertain. Announcing Ark Survival Evolved Online for a market where the MMO Ark Survival Evolved is already running could lead to misunderstandings and confusion.
Snail Games is right about that. I already feel quite dizzy.
By the way, there is another variant of Ark – with Virtual Reality:
In the fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online housing will be possible starting tomorrow, although initially only on the test server.
The first update in 2017 will be “Homestead” at The Elder Scrolls Online, bringing housing. Unlike the major content DLCs from last year like Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood, “Homestead” will be free.
Homestead was already introduced in detail last year. But standing in your own four walls and experiencing housing yourself is still something different than just reading about it. Until now, it was only known: “It will come to the test server in January.” On New Year’s, the announcement was made: “We will do it in the first week.”
From Tuesday, January 3rd, Homestead is supposed to run on the test server. We can then certainly expect first videos and more detailed reports soon. The maintenance work for the test server will start on Tuesday at 4 PM our time.
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Earlier than calculated, some players have snagged the maximum Artifact Knowledge. Was there some cheating in World of Warcraft?
One of the core mechanics of World of Warcraft: Legion is the accumulation of Artifact power. This is needed to continually improve your weapon and unlock additional traits. The endeavor is accelerated by Artifact Knowledge, which builds up only slowly – those who started at the beginning of Legion receive about one level of Artifact Knowledge every 5 days.
The current maximum of Artifact Knowledge is level 25, at which point there is also an achievement for exploring the “complete backstory of the artifact weapon”. Back then, players calculated that the maximum of Artifact Knowledge could be reached at the earliest on January 2, 2017 – which is today. However, some players actually achieved this success as early as December.
According to several posts on Reddit, this is attributed to server issues. There were several DDoS attacks (which we remember painfully). These led to crashes. Occasionally, items were consumed without their effects taking place – such as the scrolls for Artifact Knowledge. Players wrote tickets asking for the scroll with Artifact Knowledge to be returned – which was often granted.
The bottom line is that some players have already had the maximum Artifact power a few days ahead of the rest of the world.
Cortyn says: As always, when someone gets something that another does not have, there will be complaints on Reddit and in the forums as if the world is coming to an end. The affected players are accused of exploiting the system and “lying” to the GMs. While this may have been the case in individual instances, it is likely hard to prove for each player separately.
In the end, the benefit is not that powerful – a one or two-day head start at a level of Artifact Knowledge is unlikely to irreparably throw the game balance out of whack.
Steam publishes the 100 games that earned the most money in 2016. Some games on the list are quite surprising.
The much-despised year 2016 is finally behind us, and now comes the time for great statistics. Which games performed well in the past year? Valve has released a very special list for the conclusion of the Steam Winter Sale this time. It notes the 100 most successful games – based purely on revenue, including sales of the game, DLCs, or in-game goodies.
Although Steam did not publish exact rankings, it categorized the 100 best games. The top 12 places are “Platinum”, the next 12 “Gold”, the following 15 are “Silver”, and the rest are “Bronze” – so it can at least roughly be said how well a game performed.
In the Platinum category, there are only a few surprises. Alongside superhits like Witcher III, Civilization VI, GTA V, and The Division, the disappointing No Man’s Sky also made the top 12 – despite numerous disappointed customers. Besides that, Dota 2 and CS:GO are also represented.
Still in Silver is TESO, together with the MOBA SMITE or the RPG Skyrim. Also included is the enduring Rust, which often causes some controversies due to its CEO’s clear words.
It gets significantly mixed in the bronze category. Games like Tree of Savior, DayZ, or a port of Final Fantasy X can be found here. Oh, and the fantastic Life is Strange should definitely not be forgotten.
The full list of the 100 top titles on Steam is in any case quite interesting. Because who would have thought that an “old game” like Left4Dead2 is still so relevant in 2016 to appear in the top 100 of earnings?
Cortyn’s Steam hit 2016 unfortunately did not make it onto the list:
In Final Fantasy XIV fans see the Blue Mage confirmed as a new class in statements by Naoki Yoshida.
Naoki Yoshida is the head behind the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV. The man is 43, simultaneously the producer and director of the game, thus also the chief creative and head of
Yoshida (left) is the head of FF14. Here he poses with our chief Dawid Hallmann at a press event.
organizer of the MMORPG. Yoshida is almost cultishly revered by fans after he turned around the already leaking ship Final Fantasy XIV. And Yoshida-san, as many call him, loves to tease his playthings with the fans.
Is the Blue Mage coming to Final Fantasy XIV with Stormblood as a new class?
New classes in Final Fantasy XIV are recruited from the long, long history of the franchise, and so there are always classes that fans desperately want to see in the new addon. Now for “Stormblood,” many suspect that the “Blue Mage” could join the already confirmed “Red Mage.”
They believe they read this from a “Spiderman” t-shirt that Yoshi-P wore at the Tokyo Fan Convention. Just as Spiderman adopted the powers of a spider that bit him, the Blue Mage can adopt powers from enemies he comes into contact with.
In the duality of “red” (scarlet) and “blue” (azure) in the text and in other motifs, fans now see “Blue Mage” confirmed. From the outside, it somewhat resembles the excitement surrounding Half-Life 3. Valve is known for “gags” and vague allusions. Therefore, fans have been constantly seeing hints everywhere for years that the long-missed Half-Life 3 should finally be released soon. To this day, in vain.
However, in Final Fantasy XIV it is much more likely that the Blue Mage will come. It is already confirmed that more classes will celebrate their entry into Final Fantasy XIV on June 20 with “Stormblood.”
A few toys that were considered “unreachable” have appeared in World of Warcraft from old vendors.
In a game as large as World of Warcraft, many items have accumulated over the years, hidden deep within the game files. Some items, like certain toys, could only be obtained during very specific occasions. For instance, during Patch 5.3, the “Siege of Orgrimmar,” there were some toys for which players had to defeat the elite Orcs of the Kor’krons that populated the Barrens. As of now, the corresponding vendors are no longer in the game.
At the launch of Legion, the items had a brief revival. Those who participated in the “Broken Shore” scenario (or still play it today) could spot the vendors outside Orgrimmar or at the harbor of Stormwind. However, those who have already completed the scenario might be left disappointed – or so it was thought.
Bom’bays Colorful Potion
Xan’tish’s Flute
Spirit Drum of Sen’jin
Full Body Shrink Ray
However, Blizzard actually gave the four toys to other vendors, who can now be found in Stormwind and Durotar. Ravika is located on the Echo Islands (starting area for the Trolls), and Lenny “Finger” McCoy is found in the Old Town of Stormwind.
In addition to the mentioned toys, there are also a few pure “flavor items,” such as various charms or the (not-so-pretty) luck shirt, which you can also add to your collection.
Both vendors have part of the toys in stock; anyone who wants to collect them all – and doesn’t already own them – will have to visit both Horde and Alliance.
WoW looks not only back at new items but also something awaits in the future:
The 20th anniversary of Diablo is an occasion for the Blizzard team to share their memories in this video with the fans.
It has been 20 years since Diablo was released. The game launched in North America on December 31, 1996, quickly captivating its first players. In 2000, Diablo 2 followed, which received the expansion Lord of Destruction the following year. This part of the Diablo story was also popular among players.
Since 2012, there has been Diablo 3 – the latest installment in the series. With Seasons, the developers regularly introduce new content to the game, providing players with new goals.
On the anniversary, Jeff Kaplan and other Blizzard employees reflect on the history of the hack and slash title.
Diablo: Stories, Action, and Loot
One of the initial ideas concerning Diablo was to design this game as a turn-based RPG. Interesting moments and memories are shared by the Blizzard employees in this video with the community. It features the most popular boss fights with the Butcher and other nasty characters from the Diablo universe.
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This video gives an impression of what went on behind the scenes of Diablo. Initially, a few thousand players played the game, but soon it became many more. The project grew so large that it was no longer a part-time job for the employees, but a dedicated team was needed for it. Because the game was so important, Blizzard established the BattleNet team for this purpose.
Thanks to Pokémon GO, a trainer decided to go Pokémon hunting on a hot summer day and ended up saving a kitten’s life.
Last summer, there was a Pokémon GO trainer who decided to go Pokémon hunting on a particularly hot summer day. It was that summer when the streets were still filled with trainers everywhere.
“Joelalmeidaptg” was this trainer and was among the few who chose to play Pokémon GO on a scorching 38° Celsius day. Despite sweating. At the end of the year, he shared his story on Imgur.
If he had chosen differently, a trapped kitten would likely have died in the heat. As Joelalmeidaptg strolled past a power box, he heard a bird chirping. However, with his trained senses, he realized there were no birds in sight. Moreover, it was far too hot for birds to be flying around. Joelalmeidaptg became skeptical and went back to find the source of the sound. There he found a little kitten crying for help.
The kitten was stuck with its head trapped.
With its last strength, the kitten cried for help
The kitten was trapped behind the power box, with its head wedged between the box and the wall. The trainer was baffled as to how the kitten got into this situation. However, Joelalmeidaptg was sure that it had been in its precarious situation for a long time. The kitten had barely any energy left to meow and kept its little mouth wide open. The trainer could only hear the whimpering to know that the kitten was still alive.
Joelalmeidaptg did not hesitate. He did not want to leave the kitten to certain death. He called his parents, who ensured that the local fire department was called for assistance. Even the police and a specialist for the power box came and together managed to free the kitten.
With joined forces, the kitten was freed.
Stay vigilant. Always keep an eye on your surroundings
Joelalmeidaptg and his family took the kitten in and named it Spock because of its large ears. They nursed Spock back to health as a family and jokingly referred to it as “The Ugly Duckling”.
After months of being lovingly cared for, the frail kitten had transformed into a handsome tomcat with shiny fur and a bushy tail. Joelalmeidaptg is sure that he has never seen a prettier cat and feels happy to have his new, real Pokémon.
Spock, shortly after his rescue.
Leya says: Of course, one could say that it wasn’t Pokémon GO, but a young man with a heart for animals who saved Spock. But would he have chosen to wander outside on a much too hot summer day if he hadn’t been on the hunt for Pokémon?
I would much rather hear these stories than those of trainers who deface monuments. The start screen of Pokémon GO at least says “Stay vigilant. Always keep an eye on your surroundings.” This vigilance has clearly been demonstrated by trainer Joelalmeidaptg, saving Spock’s life.
Spock, six months after his rescue: Healthy and lively.
MMO shooter The Division is reported to have earned nearly 50 million US dollars more digitally in 2016 than Destiny on PS4 and Xbox One.
The market research company SuperData evaluates, according to its own statements, all possible sources to determine how many dollars games earned digitally in 2016. We recently presented the results on PC.
To what extent the data is absolutely secure and comprehensive is hard to say with such “reports.” SuperData protects its sources. They make their money with data and their analysis. Much of what one wants to know falls under “trade secret.”
In terms of consoles, that is, on PS4 and Xbox One, only North America and Europe play a role. In the other parts of the world, consoles are hardly widespread.
FIFA 16 and Grand Theft Auto also earned a bunch of money in 2016… or two bunches
In terms of revenue from digital “premium console titles” from January to November 2016, “Call of Duty: Black Ops 3” ranks first with 591.1 million dollars. Following in 2nd and 3rd place are FIFA 16 (387.4 million) and GTA V with 378.9 million.
In 4th place is The Division with 261.8 million US dollars. Destiny comes in 5th place with 214.1 million dollars.
In comparison to the previous year, not much has changed. In 2015, Call of Duty and FIFA were in 1st and 2nd place – albeit with “older” versions. Then came GTA V and Destiny.
The Division only 50 million dollars ahead of Destiny, although not much has happened
For The Division, 2016 was the release year, while for Destiny, besides “Rise of Iron,” there was no new, paid content late in the year. It’s interesting that the lead is not significantly larger. The other titles on the list of revenue from digital games are all “long sellers”; they were released before 2016 but continued to make significant money in 2016.
