A YouTuber recreates the legendary disposable weapons of the Overwatch hero Reaper. You can find the video of the creation here.
There are always people who get inspired by video games to become creative. YouTuber ZaziNombies drew inspiration this time from Overwatch’s black man with the skull mask and built Reaper’s shotguns out of Lego.
ZaziNombies used around 1,100 Lego pieces to create the shotguns. These weigh a whole kilogram. Almost exclusively smooth Lego pieces were used, with a few chrome chains for decoration. ZaziNombies believes that the weapons wouldn’t be complete without the iconic skull mask and built that in as well. The weapons not only look cool, but they can also fire. The LEGO enthusiast added dart launchers to the shotguns, which are capable of taking on plastic cups and Lego figures – in case they get in the way.
In the video, you can see the weapons in action.
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The weapons of the Overwatch heroes seem to be a popular object for crafters. The blacksmith artists of “Man at Arms: Reforged” have already tackled Genji’s sword.
What do you think of the Lego weapons? Are they well done?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The date for this year’s Steam Christmas Sale has been confirmed. Get your wallets ready, because there are deals in the Christmas Sale!
This winter, you once again have the chance to purchase content on Steam with significant discounts. During the Christmas season, there is the famous Steam Winter Sale, where some games are offered with more than 90% discount. The start date of this sale often changes. Therefore, many gamers are already waiting for the official start date at the beginning of winter. This has now been announced by Paypal UK.
Steam Christmas Sale 2016/17
On December 22, this year’s Steam Winter Sale begins. With a Twitter campaign, the Paypal UK Twitter account has now revealed the start date. Whether we can expect flash sales again this year or how the event will work this year is unfortunately still unclear.
But we can probably look forward to strong discounts on a wide selection of games. Have you already picked out games that you want to buy in the Steam Winter Sale?
Changes in Offers
In recent years, a lot has changed with the Steam sales. During previous sales, there were daily discounts and “flash sales” for specific games. In these offers, various games were significantly reduced for a limited period.
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However, these flash sales and daily offers have not been seen in the last Steam sales. Therefore, it is likely that there will not be offers that are only valid for a few hours during this year’s Winter Sale. This means that you do not have to wait to see if a game will be further reduced during the sale. The games will be available at the same price throughout the entire event in this example.
You just have to be patient for a few more days. In the meantime, read a bit about the latest gaming highlights on Steam:
During the god MOBA SMITE , there are many rewards to claim again during Christmas – the Saturnalia festival entices with offers and gems.
Every year at Christmas time, the developers of SMITE want to do something good for the players. To this end, numerous gems are offered in the form of an event, with which players can purchase skins, voice packs, and other cosmetics. “Skins and games” was already mentioned in ancient Rome – or something like that.
The “7 Days of Saturnalia” begin after a patch-related delay on Tuesday, December 20, and last until Monday, December 26.
During this time, a different pantheon is celebrated each day, accompanied by a specific quest. For example, “Complete three games with a Roman god” – as a reward, 25 gems are granted for each quest, totaling 175 gifted gems.
But that’s not all. Throughout the entire event period, there are double experience points and double the number of followers, with which you can increase the mastery level of the gods and thus unlock the “Mastery” skins.
Last but not least, special offers are available in the shop every day, corresponding to the currently celebrated pantheon. If you want to refresh your skin collection or are just looking for some good bargains, you should check out the god MOBA from HiRez daily.
The Saturnalia event was actually supposed to begin several days ago, but a problem with the quest system led to the need for a fresh patch.
On December 20th, the Survival DLC will be released on PS4. We summarize the information you need tomorrow in The Division.
Tomorrow is finally the day: On December 20th, the long wait for all PS4 agents will come to an end. For about a month, they had to watch the agents on PC and Xbox One play the Survival mode – while the time exclusivity held them back.
Maintenance work will take place tomorrow, Tuesday. An official time has not yet been announced, but we expect a server downtime from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The DLC should be live then. We will report on this tomorrow morning.
The update not only unlocks the Survival mode, but also includes “PS4 Pro” support. Additionally, the error code CE-34878-0 will be fixed.
Information and Tips on Survival
The Survival DLC brings only one novelty: The Survival Mode. All new weapons, armor pieces, or balance changes have already been in the game since Update 1.5.
The Survival Mode is a game mode that is separate from the “actual” game. You start it from the terminal. In Survival, you play a kind of “Battle Royal.” You have crashed with the helicopter during a heavy snowstorm and now find yourself together with 23 other agents in the hostile, post-apocalyptic New York.
At the beginning, you have little equipment, you must withstand the cold, hunger, thirst, an infection, and numerous enemies – with the goal of reaching the Dark Zone, retrieving a cure, and escaping by helicopter. If you choose the PvP mode, you also have to watch out for other players. The Hunters, a new enemy faction, are particularly feared as they try to stop you just before the end.
Depending on your performance, you will receive loot in the form of sealed crates that you can then open with your agent in the “actual” game. Everything else you collect or craft in the Survival mode will be lost. Each new Survival session starts from scratch, and if you die, you must start a new session.
Therefore, it is beneficial to approach the situation with the following tips:
The time exclusivity for DLCs actually ends on December 20th. Only Underground and Survival were released on Xbox One and PC about a month earlier than on PS4. The last expansion of the “Year 1” plan, “Last Stand,” will be released simultaneously on all platforms. Initial information about Update 1.6 is already known.
However, one thing remains completely unknown: If there will be a Year 2 in The Division, will future paid DLCs again have a time exclusivity? Tomorrow only marks the end of that for the first year. The future will tell.
The MMORPG Bless Online is still being brought to the West by Aeria Games. The release in Germany is currently not at risk.
Recently, fans have been restless because the teaser page for Bless by Aeria Games was unreachable. Additionally, it was suspiciously quiet about the game.
Now a staff member from Aeria Games has contacted us and assured: Everything is fine. We are still working on the game. The teaser page is only offline because they are moving to a new data center. There is no reason for concern.
The website will be back online soon. We are working closely with Neowiz. The goal of the collaboration is to improve the gameplay of Bless for North America and Europe.
In Destiny, we review 9 legendary Crucible weapons that have been in the game since “Rise of Iron.”
The winter event “The Dawning” is currently running in Bungie’s MMO shooter. PvE enthusiasts and Guardians who enjoy Sparrow racing are in for a treat. The SRL is on, and a new strike feature has been introduced to enhance these PvE activities: The Strike Scoring.
However, one important area in Destiny benefits little from this event: The Crucible, the PvP. A new ghost can be found on Bannerfall, and old weapons and cosmetic items have been added to the possible drops, but no new maps and no new modes have been introduced.
Nevertheless – or perhaps because of this – we want to turn our attention to the Crucible and on the following pages present 9 legendary weapons that you can earn through the Crucible as random rewards after a match.
These are (revised) weapons that came back into play with “Rise of Iron.” Which of these are particularly worthwhile?
Let’s start with one of the strongest weapons in PvP in Destiny.
Matador 64 – This shotgun is too strong
Let’s kick off with a true beast in the Crucible: The Matador 64. This weapon is probably the best shotgun in the game. Just last week, when Bungie spoke about future weapon balance changes, the dominance of this weapon was specifically mentioned. And something needs to be done about it.
Matador 64 is a shotgun with high impact and outstanding range – the archetype that currently dominates. The aim assist is also decent. However, the reload speed and stability are low. Compared to the “Year 1” Matador, the range and stability were actually increased. Here are the specific stats:
For the perks, you should look for a roll that further increases the range. Accurized Rounds or Rifled Barrel would suit the shotgun. Otherwise, Snapshot, Full Auto, or Crowd Control are good perks.
Conclusion: Nothing beats a well-rolled Matador in PvP. However, it is still unknown how long this shotgun meta will last.
You can use the spectator mode of Battlefield 1 to record exciting short films or report cheaters!
In the major December Update of Battlefield 1, the new spectator mode of the game was introduced. In this mode, you can experience the battlefield from a different perspective. As the free camera flies over the map and the battlefield, it captures images of thrilling battles. Following individual soldiers with it, the player experiences a personal story.
By filming these stories, one can create an emotional short film.
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In spectator mode, you have various camera modes and filters that allow you to film footage from the battlefield. You can, for instance, observe the first-person view of the players or fly over the maps with the free camera. The bird’s eye view additionally gives you a good overview of the entire battlefield.
Using the different filters creates a completely different atmosphere of the game. In this cinematic, Reddit user Creeper_798 used the tilt-shift filter:
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With the free camera choice, you have the opportunity to observe many situations in a match. The spectator function also allows you to catch hackers. For example, Reddit user ParanoidZoid followed a cheater in spectator mode. He actually just wanted to capture some nice moments for a cinematic video.
When he found the cheater, he decided to observe how it plays from their perspective. He has already sent the video to Origin, hoping that this player will be banned quickly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy9_OYuLrN4
The title image was captured by Imgur user Hopkinsarino in spectator mode.
In Conan Exiles (PC, PS4, Xbox One) there is first information about slaves and the gods.
“The dead are dead and gone is gone. I have a ship and a battle-ready crew and a girl whose lips taste like wine. I never wanted more,” that is Conan’s favorite part for Joel Bylos, the Creative Director behind Conan Exiles. This pragmatic approach is intended to be reflected in the survival MMO, which is supposed to enter Early Access on PC at the end of January. The game is also being developed for Xbox One and PS4.
Conan Exiles: No hero, but just a desperate man in a harsh world
The player does not take on the role of a hero. He is just another man in a harsh world full of violence, where the power of the stronger counts.
An important part of Conan Exiles will be “Thralls”, slaves. Players can overwhelm NPCs, drag them to their camp, strap them to a torture wheel, and break their will there.
Each type of slave has a specific use. Fighters guard the headquarters, Archers man the palisades, Blacksmiths and Tanners practice their craft, Priests take care of the altars, and Dancers are responsible for the soul of the hero.
Giant snake and metal titan – the gods send help
Those who get along well with the gods, live and kill by their commandments, can expect rewards. A metal titan or a giant snake can be summoned. The titan can attack enemy settlements – the snake protects its own buildings.
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The harsh world of Conan Exiles is also supposed to leave its mark on the player characters. Those who stay near “corrupted things” will be affected by corruption themselves. A enslaved dancer provides distraction and recreation. According to Bylos, a tribute to Star Wars Galaxies and the entertainers.
The latest Overwatch patch brings entertaining incidents. Mei’s ice wall is now stackable – with questionable results.
While most Overwatch players are currently frantically collecting experience points to snag as many loot boxes as possible, a few fans are trying to push the boundaries of the game and physics. Version 1.6 of Overwatch has – alongside all the major changes to Symmetra – also made some adjustments to the game’s physics. Particularly, Mei “benefits” from these changes as she can now take advantage of a new ability. Mei’s ice walls can be stacked on top of each other.
Basically, this isn’t a problem, as the walls are just twice (or three times) as high as before. However, the behavior becomes strange once the first ice wall collapses and the others “move up”. This typically creates bizarre sculptures and scattered ice blocks that don’t really stop anyone, but skillfully defy all the laws of physics.
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On Reddit, the user Mitsiee has published a short video of his experiments, which impressively shows how well the stacking of the ice walls works – or doesn’t.
Cortyn says: This bug is not really dramatic, as in most game modes, there is only one Mei per team, so stacking cannot actually occur. Only in the “No Limits” or random hero mode could one take advantage of these strange physics problems, which probably cannot be exploited for malicious purposes – at least not until a dark mastermind manages to misuse this mechanic.
From Underdog to Mainstream Deck. Pirate Warrior and Pirate Rogue dominate the Hearthstone scene.
As hoped by the developers, the latest expansion “The Streets of Gadgetzan” has really stirred up the Hearthstone meta. Unlike what players dreamed of, there has not been much more diversity, but slowly the “daily grind” is setting in again – and that consists now of Pirate Warriors (Pirate Warrior) and (to a lesser extent) Pirate Rogues – Pirate Rogue.
Pirate Warrior and Pirate Rogue – the Little Buccaneer Dominates the Hearthstone Meta
Warriors have been the masters of slow control decks, but now the pendulum has swung the other way. Thanks to new cards, Warriors can be faster than Hunters and can often end games in a maximum of 5 or 6 turns. The blame for this lies mainly with 2 cards:
The first card is the Little Buccaneer. For just 1 mana, it has stats of 1/2 and additionally the effect that it has +2 attack as long as the player has a weapon equipped. This practically screams for a Warrior or Rogue card.
Captain Glubb is the second “thorn in the side” of many players. For 1 mana, it has stats of 1/1 and Charge. In practice, however, its mana costs do not need to be paid, as it is automatically played from the deck once another Pirate from the same player is played.
Especially Pirate Warriors quickly develop a huge tempo advantage from the two in turn 1, followed by an axe in turn 2, a Bloodsail Raider and a Southsea Deckhand. But Rogues can also create fun combinations with the “Trio Gang”. Because those who have many “Captain Glubb” in their deck can play them all at once, as in this example:
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Cortyn says: For me, the current flood of Pirate Warriors is a reason to spend my time only in the arena. Basically, I hold the opinion that no game is guaranteed to be lost from the start, but with Pirate Warriors, my attention surprisingly often slips dangerously close to the “give up” button. How nice Hearthstone would be if there were no “flavor of the month” deck and everyone just played with their own creations – but no, that probably won’t happen anytime soon.
Vitaly Bulgarov is helping to build a functional mech. He previously worked on WoW and Starcraft.
Kotaku reports on Vitaly Bulgarov. He is a Concept Artist, which means he creates artwork that will later be brought to life in video games or films. He has worked on Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm, Diablo 3, and the WoW expansions Mists of Pandaria and Cataclysm. But not only video games need a Concept Artist; other projects in the real world – monumental engineering ideas want to take shape.
Currently, Bulgarov is at the Korean company “Korea Future Technology,” which is working on Project Method-1 – they are building a functional mech, and impressive images are available.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCrBC_V92hY
Why is the mech being built and what is it good for? This is still unclear at the moment. It wasn’t built to solve a problem, but to see how it can be used once it’s finished.
To put it differently: The mech was built because it can be.
Who didn’t play cops and robbers as a child? A children’s game that has also been adapted into computer games like Counter-Strike. With Identity, this game principle is packaged into an MMORPG.
Essentially, Identity simulates life. You are residents of a fictional area in the USA and determine for yourself how you want to live your life. Do you want to be righteous or will you turn to crime? Depending on your career path, various routes and professions are available. Righteous players can, for example, become police officers who chase criminals. As a criminal, you deal drugs, carry out robberies, and commit thefts.
Live a second life
The developers at Asylum Entertainment explain that it is essentially a cops and robbers game that offers much more. It is a life simulation. They want to give players as much freedom as possible. They should be able to live a second life in the game and pursue different career paths. Every player should live a life that differs from the others.
Since it is a life simulation, many sandbox elements play a role. For example, you can furnish your apartment or house yourself. Housing plays an important role since you need a place to live. In principle, there is open PvP, as criminals should also be able to pursue their illegal activities. However, in some buildings, security measures exist that can quickly end a criminal career in prison.
The game will be released in phases
Identity was funded in 2015 through a successful Kickstarter campaign. In the upcoming year, three modules for the game will first be released, which represent different aspects of the game. The first module is a Social Hub module, the city marketplace, where players can interact with each other.The second module will bring police operations, and the third will feature chases. The final game will emerge from these three modules, but a release date has not yet been announced.
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As a child, I enjoyed playing cops and robbers on the street with friends. However, Identity aims to offer more than just chases between criminals and cops. This MMORPG could evolve into a kind of successor to Second Life. So, if you are a kind-hearted person in real life, you can indulge in some criminal activity in the game. Sounds good, and I’m curious how it will ultimately play out.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In The Division, we present the best weapon talents for PvP. Talents you should look out for.
With updates 1.4 and 1.5, the talents on your weapons have been revised, and new ones have been added. These talents significantly affect the power of the guns and often determine whether you come out of a firefight alive or not.
Currently, assault rifles are the dominant weapon category following SMGs and shotguns. Especially the LVOA-C stands out. The modern agent carries an AlphaBridge build with a FAMAS to benefit from its unique talent.
Furthermore, two things should be noted when choosing talents:
The enemy armor damage has been effective in PvP since 1.5. This is now an extremely important value.
Critical damage is no longer as powerful as it once was. Therefore, talents now favor other bonuses over crit.
The best talents for PvP
Therefore, look for these talents:
Uncomplicated (FAMAS!): Weapon damage is increased by 15%. However, precision and stability mods reduce this bonus. Particularly strong for AlphaBridge combinations.
Destructive: This weapon increases armor penetration by 15%. One of the most important talents at the moment in The Division!
Brutal: This weapon increases headshot damage by 12%.
Receptive: Damage is increased by 15% at a distance of less than 10 meters to the target.
Competent: Weapon damage is increased by 10% for 15 seconds after using a skill.
Vindictive: Damage is increased based on missing health: 1 missing segment +10%; 2 missing segments +25%.
Which talents can you recommend? Keep in mind that other talents may also be crucial depending on your build, like in this sniper build.
The fantasy MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV is facing a tough decision: Should players be able to skip leveling and questing in the future if they pay for it?
Anyone who wants to start with World of Warcraft now can quickly reach the new maximum level, where the majority of players are. Either they level up quickly with strong boosts or they even receive a level boost from Blizzard up to just before the maximum level as a gift. The new WoW player can essentially start with “the new stuff.”
Anyone who wants to join Final Fantasy XIV today and play the Heavensward expansion must first battle through all the main quests of “A Realm Reborn”, the base game. And that’s not just a matter of a few hours, as anyone who has tried this knows, but it’s real work. Work that newcomers or returning players shy away from.
With the next expansion “Stormblood”, the problem will become even bigger – as players will also have to quest through Heavensward before they can reach the current state and where the bulk of the players are.
In China and Korea, FF14 players can already “buy their way out”
Final Fantasy XIV is aware of this problem and is working on a solution: “Jumping Potions” are the idea here. Another term for “game content can be skipped.”
In the Asian version of Final Fantasy XIV, in China and Korea, Square Enix sells a “Story Skip Potion” that allows a player to skip the main quest of “A Realm Reborn” and completes everything up to and including Patch 2.55. Additionally, there is the option to buy a job directly at the maximum level “before Heavensward”, at level 50.
Both advantages combined cost around €40; if you want just one of them, it costs about €20.
Currently, work is being done on the same potion to skip Heavensward, allowing players in Asia to start right with “Stormblood“, the latest expansion. Patch content up to and including 3.5 Part 2 will be able to be skipped this way.
Stormblood is expected for 2017 and is set to be presented next week at Christmas in Tokyo.
Will this come to us as well?
The current question is whether such “potions” should also be introduced in the western version for Europe, the USA, and Japan. According to Naoki Yoshida, the head of Final Fantasy XIV, such services have become significantly more popular in other MMORPGs.
Yoshida explains in a longer forum post the advantages and problems he sees with such potions. At the moment, the trend is towards games that are easily accessible. An MMORPG is the opposite of that. A game needs new players to survive. So such potions would be good.
A particularity of Final Fantasy XIV is that a character can have multiple jobs, essentially classes. Players with less time could try out a new class here without having to level it painstakingly first.
Yoshida also understands the disadvantages: There would be players who have paid to level up without mastering the character. Furthermore, such an offer could be understood as “Pay2Win.”
The mastermind of Final Fantasy XIV is rather positive towards these “potions” but asks for player feedback. Ultimately, he will decide how it will go forward and he will also take responsibility for it. But the feedback is important to him. If such potions come to pass, it will likely be after the “Stormblood” expansion.
Schuhmann says: I had to catch up on “rest content” before Heavensward. I had to finish things that were newly added to the main scenario with patches, and I felt like I had to catch up on homework. Essentially, such “Jumping Points” wouldn’t be all that bad. The question is, why should that necessarily cost real money? Surely there are other solutions too. I’ve always found the idea of having to pay money to skip parts of the game rather strange.
Currently, there is a possibility for returning players to play Final Fantasy XIV for free for 96 hours:
In Destiny the exotic sniper rifle Icebreaker has returned. Some Guardians see double reason to rejoice.
It was one of the most popular Exotics in Year 1: The Icebreaker, a coveted sniper with an extravagant look that could regenerate its own ammo and thus provided superior advantages in both PvE and PvP. But with “The Taken King”, the sniper rifle was left behind. It had no significance in endgame anymore.
Only one weapon could surpass the cult around the Icebreaker in Year 1: The exotic rocket launcher Gjallarhorn. Whoever owned this weapon was the happiest Guardian of all. Those who did not own it had only one goal: To change that! Some Guardians waited months in vain for the desired random drop and placed all their hope in Xur – but even the Tentacle Face was extremely stingy with the rocket launcher.
The entire first year can be summarized as a great hunt for the Gjallarhorn. And some Guardians now say: The return of the Icebreaker could lead to history repeating itself in a similar way.
Everyone wanted Gjallarhorn!
No luck, nothing works
You can obtain the Icebreaker in Year 3 only through the Nightfall strike loot quest called “Dawn” from Zavala. However, not guaranteed, but as a random drop. If you have three characters, you have the chance to receive the Icebreaker three times a week.
This weapon takes a different approach than the other exotic weapons: Since “The Taken King” and “The Rise of Iron”, many are linked to exotic quests – mastering those guarantees you the weapon. Other Exotics can be farmed using the Three of Coins.
But the Icebreaker in Year 3 is harder to obtain. You have a maximum of three attempts per week – and the chance of that is very low. Those who receive it can consider themselves lucky. This makes it probably the most sought-after weapon these days. Gjallarhorn vibes are coming! A user writes on reddit: The Icebreaker is the new Gjallarhorn!
Currently the most sought-after weapon?
Hunting fever or frustration?
But this dependence on luck faces two opinions:
Some say: Great! Finally something to hunt again. You have a goal in mind again, the weekly Nightfall has a purpose again. This way, there is an item in the game that everyone wants, but not everyone can run around with after just a week.
Others say: The Icebreaker deserved a brilliant quest line at the end of which you get the sniper. The new variants of the Thunderlord did not need one. Some complain directly: “I never have luck, I will never get the Icebreaker!” And curse the RNG.
But what do you think? Are you glad that there is again an Exotic in the game that not everyone will immediately own? Or would you have preferred an Icebreaker quest?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Darkfall: Rise of Agon, an independent team is working on a revival of the MMORPG classic Darkfall. The new version will offer some changes compared to the original.
The developers are removing the grinding, as leveling up is quick in the new version. This way, newcomers should be able to catch up to the veterans more quickly. Another new feature is that magical scrolls can be crafted by players themselves. These scrolls can enhance spells. The combat system, which partially relies on randomness, has also been changed. The skill of players is now significantly more important. Additionally, balancing changes and adjustments to the UI will also find their way into the game.
You also need to be careful whom you help with buffs or which monsters you kill. Because this can change your alignment. If you cast a buff on an enemy, their alignment can shift towards evil. The team has also revamped the entire crafting system to provide players with more options and possibilities to create items.
This is no longer the classic Darkfall
The monster spawning system has also been changed so that it adapts depending on whether you are playing alone or in a group. If you are riding a mount, you will notice that all mounts have the same speed and only differ in appearance and the duration of the sprint mode. Ships can now be crafted more easily, as it no longer takes as long to gather resources.
These changes and a few others are likely to make the MMORPG Darkfall: Rise of Agon a new experience that differs from the original Darkfall. Those who want to try it can participate in the early access phase since December 16. A free trial is available until January 2. A “character wipe” is expected to take place in spring 2017.
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Heroes of the Storm simply cannot establish itself in the eSports scene. Is HotS perhaps not competitive enough?
Heroes of the Storm is a game where you can escape from the competitive stress that other MOBAs often bring. In HotS, the individual player does not matter as much as the entire group, which has its charm for casual fun. However, this might also be the reason why Heroes of the Storm cannot position itself as well in eSports as Overwatch or League of Legends.
For comparison: A few weeks ago at BlizzCon, Heroes of the Storm had its Autumn Championship. This was one of the most important competitive events of the year for HotS. This event only had 18,000 viewers on Twitch, while League of Legends had 80,000 viewers on the same weekend. Not to mention, there wasn’t even a special LoL event. Overwatch reached 100,000 viewers.
In Sports, It’s About Stories
A Gamasutra blogger excellently pointed out the problem with Heroes of the Storm:
“Sports are about stories. Stories of athletes overcoming adversity: Like the well-known story of a child who fell face-first into a puddle but went on to become an award-winning diver. (Sometimes these stories can be fictional!)
It’s no different in eSports – the best eSports games regularly produce stories of matches, seasons, and careers. A flaw of Heroes of the Storm is that the increased team focus is a green light to keep the game casual, thereby eliminating individual responsibility for losses, which largely destroys the opportunity for players to create central stories.”
This addresses the problem that it may not be as interesting to watch a game where individual performance does not count. There are no meaningful statistics in HotS to compare players individually. It does not matter how much damage an individual player has dealt or whether they managed to save their team with an amazing last-second heal. Since it is so irrelevant for the game, it is also irrelevant for commentators to mention these performances.
Individual Performance Attracts Viewers
When comparing it to this incredible play by Faker in LoL, the commentator practically freaks out: FAKER, WHAT WAS THAT?!
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This consequently leads to a lack of stories to tell, where a player had a rough start and managed to turn the game around with a fantastic comeback. Or conversely, a player who starts off swinging like a berserker and suddenly hits the ground. In Heroes of the Storm, it’s either the team plays well or it plays poorly.
Furthermore, Heroes of the Storm is relatively easy to play compared to other eSports titles. While HotS does have its quirks and obstacles, it’s a bit more laid-back compared to other MOBAs. A relaxed gaming experience might be great for the player, but it makes it rather unexciting for the viewer. Viewers enjoy being impressed by how professionals master complicated game mechanics and sometimes leave them in awe. This also contributes to the stories.
The focus on the whole team and the casual gameplay is primarily the goal of Heroes of the Storm and HotS has mastered these goals with flying colors. However, these same goals may also mean that it is not entirely suitable for eSports, as it leaves no room for great stories.
What is your opinion on the suitability of Heroes of the Storm in eSports? Do you enjoy watching the matches, or would you rather follow the Overwatch League next year?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Use the last hours of the alpha phase to get an impression of Amazon’s “Breakaway”. A preview is already available in the trailer.
Amazon not only sells games but is now also launching its own titles. The partnership with the streaming platform Twitch.TV was just the first step towards video games. Therefore, Amazon has been on a shopping spree in recent years, hiring top-tier developers from various studios until they presented their plans.
Three games are planned, all designed to achieve successes on Twitch.
The first title from Amazon Game Studios is called Breakaway and is currently in the alpha phase. You can still participate in this alpha phase for free until tomorrow and try out Breakaway. In the video, you can see the first scenes of the 4 vs 4 game.
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In Breakaway, teamwork is crucial. Each team has 4 players who fight against each other in the brawl. You can choose from 8 different heroes that have been released so far.
Breakaway combines elements of Rocket League, LoL, and Powerstone. You and your team try to get a ball into the opponents’ goal using your heroes. Each hero has their unique set of special abilities. In Breakaway, it’s important to choose the right team composition and to combine the right special abilities.
If you want to try out the game yourself, you can sign up here: Breakaway Alpha Registration. To register, simply use your Twitch.TV account. Afterwards, you can download and install the game. Among other things, you will install the Twitch launcher, which works similarly to Blizzard’s Battle.net client and allows you to download games there.
In this case, you will start the download of Breakaway in the Twitch launcher and can play the game until tomorrow evening. This Breakaway alpha phase ends on December 19 at 7:00 PM.
In The Division, we present a list of all named weapons that have existed since update 1.5. We will also reveal where you can find these “named weapons.”
In other games, such “unique weapons” are the ultimate goal and spark the collection drive of players. That’s why many also want to know in The Division: Where can you find the named weapons?
What has changed with 1.4 regarding named weapons
The named weapons in The Division faced criticism for a long time. None of them could be recommended, as they were inferior to the “standard weapons.” Fixed talents and a gear-score dependency deterred agents.
Update 1.4 enhanced the named weapons, all of which belong to the high-end quality. From now on, they are no longer tied to a gear score; instead, their equipment value is determined by the world rank. An exception here is the Damascus, which can only be obtained at the end of the last story mission.
How to get named high-end weapons – Here’s how you can find them
There are two ways to acquire named weapons since 1.4: Some are only available as random drops, while others can be purchased directly from vendors.
Named Assault Rifles
Caduceus: Named bosses in the open world (outside the DZ)
Liberator: Special equipment vendor in the terminal for Phoenix Credits
Damascus: As a reward for completing the last story mission.
(Defiler: Exclusive season pass weapon)
Important Note: Keep in mind that the list of locations does not claim to be complete. There should also be some named weapons in the boxes you receive through experience gain.
So let us know in the comments: Where did you get your named weapons?
The Pokémon GO developers have now commented on recent rumors regarding the Apple Watch port. Allegedly, development has been halted.
In recent days, a rumor circulated about the compatibility between Pokémon GO and the Apple Watch. Among other things, 9to5mac reported that work on this project has been put on hold. The developers of the popular app Pokémon GO officially deny this.
Since the announcement, the developers have not published any significant information on this topic. After the rumors that the project had been put on hold, there has now been an official statement from Niantic.
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Pokémon GO for the Apple Watch will be released soon. However, no further information has been provided.
In a blog post from September 7th, it was stated, “Pokémon GO will be available for the Apple Watch later this year.” So we can look forward to whether the developers will keep their word and release the project this year.
