LoL admits loss of quality, for the first time in 4 years, it gives up your money

Nico Scheibel Nico Scheibel Reading time 2 minutes

League of Legends has been a free-to-play title since its release and costs nothing to play. However, like any other company, Riot needs to make money, and they do this by selling skins or other optional items from the shop. With almost every update, it is common for new skins to come to the LoL shop. Now, Riot is forgoing your money to fix bugs.

What is happening with League of Legends? As early as spring 2025, Riot released their new battle pass model, causing significant criticism from the community. While they have removed the free Hextech chests, most of the new skins have been exclusively integrated into the battle pass. The first skin series for the pass was called “Black Rose”.

Why is LoL forgoing your money for the first time in 4 years? After the skins from the “Black Rose” series were criticized by players due to their quality, Riot decided to break a 4-year tradition.

With the new patch 25.11, scheduled for release on May 28, 2025, there will be no new skins for the first time since 2021 (via League of Legends). Instead, Riot plans to focus on reworking the “Black Rose” skins of Elise, Vladimir, Renata Glasc, and Samira to bring them to an acceptable quality level.

In the video, you can see the cinematic trailer for the first season of LoL 2025 and appearances of the “Black Rose” champs:

Start video
Welcome to Noxus – Opening Video for the First LoL Season 2025

The community is proud of this decision

What are the community’s reactions? The YouTube channel SkinSpotlights has already uploaded a comparison video of the skin series on YouTube. The revised versions are already available on the test server. In addition to the improved champion models, there are also adjustments to the ability effects. 

User ammarturky5402 is happy that a skin finally looks like it was advertised and writes the following on YouTube: “Finally, Elise looks like she does in the cinematic!”

In another comment under the video (via YouTube), NaueTV speaks positively about Riot and hopes that they will continue and also give other skins, like the recently criticized Ivern skin, a chance to receive an update: “I am absolutely speechless about this move from Riot. Honest applause! Hopefully, they will do the same with the current Spirit Blossom skins. Poor Ivern.”

“Finally something good. I would prefer if they did this more often instead of releasing mediocre skins every two weeks,” writes user IttzMawi (via YouTube), hoping that Riot continues with this behavior.

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After already getting the Hextech chests back, this is another step to rebuild the trust of the community. The “Black Rose” skins are not an isolated case of mediocre quality, as Riot deleted an entire skin when players became vocal: Champion gets a new skin in LoL after 4 years, but it is so bad that Riot deletes it

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. pcgamesn.com
  2. leagueoflegends.fandom.com

The Cybertruck was supposed to herald a new era for electric cars, but now Tesla has vehicles worth millions that no one wants to buy

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

The Cybertruck was supposed to be the next big thing from Tesla and Elon Musk. However, the sales figures are disappointing, and there are several reasons for this: Technical problems and Musk’s political adventures are hurting Tesla’s sales figures.

The Cybertruck is a futuristic vehicle from Tesla. Elon Musk introduced the truck as a prototype in 2019 and intended to usher in a new era of electric cars. After years of delays, series production began in July 2023 at the Gigafactory Texas.

However, the Cybertruck has not been particularly successful. The English-language magazine Forbes reports that the Cybertruck could become the biggest flop in automotive history.

Start video
Slate Auto presents new truck with electric motor

Thousands of unsold Cybertrucks are waiting at dealerships to be bought

What do the sales figures look like? Despite Musk’s bold claims of selling 250,000 Cybertrucks annually and having a million reservations, Tesla sold only 6,400 Cybertrucks in the first quarter of 2025. Reports suggest, however, that there are still more than 10,000 unsold units sitting at dealerships that can’t sell the vehicle.

During a conference call in November 2023, just before the first vehicles were delivered to customers, he stated:

The demand exceeds all expectations. We have over 1 million people who have reserved the car.

In an effort to reduce inventory, Tesla launched a cheaper version with rear-wheel drive for $69,990 in April 2025, which is supposed to feature fewer functions than the standard model.

Quality issues and Musk’s political escapades hurt Tesla and the Cybertruck

What is the problem with the Cybertruck? The Cybertruck has not just one problem, but several that are hampering sales:

On one hand, the Cybertruck has a terrible reputation when it comes to quality: There have been eight recalls in the last 13 months. You can find a list of all recalls in the English-language magazine Mashable.com. Additionally, its polarizing look has earned it the nickname “driveable trash can.”

On the other hand, the Cybertruck has become a symbol of global protests against Tesla, which are severely impacting the brand. Elon Musk’s political adventures are now also harming the Tesla company. Already in November 2024, Musk’s father expressed concerns that his son’s political ambitions could hurt Tesla.

Moreover, political protests in the US have also targeted Tesla vehicles, triggering a brand crisis: There have already been a whole series of violent attacks on Tesla stores and vehicles worldwide, including several cases of arson and vandalism. Many individuals no longer want to drive a Tesla or are considering selling their vehicle.

Another point is the price: Musk had promised back then that a base version of the vehicle with a range of 250 miles (about 402 km) would start at $39,900. However, the official sale price is closer to around $80,000, roughly double the initial promise.

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Declining sales figures and weak revenue. Tesla has presented its financial results, and they look anything but rosy. Tesla is also tempering expectations that things might improve in the next quarter: Plummeting sales figures, increasing protests, and a crisis have plunged Tesla’s finances into chaos.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

„And then people say Germans have no sense of humor“ – Papaplatte presents the nicest guy on Twitch with over 34,000 viewers

Johanna Johanna Reading time 2 minutes

The two Twitch streamers Kevin “Papaplatte” Teller and Ludwig Ahgren decided to give each other a mystery box filled with typical items from their respective countries. One of them was made fun of with a T-shirt.

Who is it about? The Twitch streamers Papaplatte and Ludwig are both big names in the livestream scene. Papaplatte is one of the largest Twitch streamers in the German space, with over 2.8 million followers and an average of over 31,000 viewers per stream (via SullyGnome).

Ludwig has also made a name for himself. He comes from the USA and streams simultaneously on Twitch and YouTube. He has over 3.4 million followers on Twitch and an average of over 12,000 viewers per stream (via SullyGnome). On YouTube, he additionally has over 6.7 million subscribers (via YouTube).

In the scene, Ludwig is considered one of the nicest streamers, who has remained largely free of any scandals so far. That’s why he is sometimes colloquially referred to as the “golden boy of Twitch.”

The two Twitch giants agreed to send each other a mystery box worth 1,000 euros. Inside were gifts, mostly typical items from their countries.

We present Papaplatte’s career in our video:

Start video
This is how challenges for Papaplatte became a livelihood

“I am a son of honor”

What is the prank? In the mystery box that Papaplatte sent to Ludwig, there were “typically German” items, such as Lederhosen or a “Bernd das Brot” stuffed animal, as well as a T-shirt. Papaplatte had it printed himself.

In large letters, it says, “I am a son of a whore,” while the letters are filled with the US flag. Below that, in smaller print, is the supposed translation: ‘I am a son of honor’ (German: ‘Ich bin ein Sohn der Ehre’).

This is what the T-shirt looks like (via YouTube).

Ludwig says the sentence a few times and is thus embarrassed by Papaplatte in front of his 34,786 viewers (via SullyGnome).

In the accompanying clip on YouTube, the community of Papaplatte is excited. @DinoDieter writes, for instance: “And people say Germans have no sense of humor.” @feberg8845 writes: “Brilliant!! :D”

What did Papaplatte receive? That Ludwig had nothing but good intentions with his mystery box is evident from his main gift to Papaplatte: an orange-black NASCAR jacket. Papaplatte says in his stream: “I am a professional racist now” (via YouTube), which presumably is meant to say “I am a professional racer now” (German: ‘Ich bin jetzt ein professioneller Rennfahrer’), but it actually means, “I am a professional racist.”

Whereupon Ludwig first reacts embarrassed and then finally shouts “Kevin, it’s racer!” (via YouTube).

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This is not the first time that Papaplatte has been seen in the international Twitch space. He has already had contact with Twitch streamer xQc, albeit for different reasons: “I let you down” – xQc surrenders to German Twitch streamer during the big pixel battle on Reddit and proposes an alliance

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

89% positive and top seller on Steam: A new game lets you shake up the criminal underworld as a tough cop

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

Recently, a new action game has been released on Steam in which you must assert yourself as law enforcement in a crime-ridden city. It is currently receiving very strong reviews and is even a bestseller on the platform.

Which game is being referred to? We are talking about The Precinct – a neo-noir action sandbox, as the developers at Fallen Tree Games describe it. The game was released on May 13 on Steam and is already having a very good start there.

  • At release, the game had nearly 10,000 simultaneous players on Steam (via steamdb.info)
  • Almost 700 player reviews are 89% positive
  • The Precinct is currently the bestseller on Steam, excluding the free Counter-Strike 2. This places the game ahead of Doom: The Dark Ages in this country

Here you can also see the launch trailer for The Precinct:

Start video
The Precinct: The Launch Trailer for the New Police Sandbox on Steam

A promising police game, but with some quirks

What is the game about? In The Precinct, you embody the young policeman Nick Cordell Jr. Fresh from the academy, you hit the streets of Averno City, where you join the fight against crime and investigate your father’s murder. 

Your tasks range from simply issuing parking tickets to thwarting robberies. And since criminals rarely walk directly into your hands, you also engage in car chases through destructible environments – on foot, in the patrol car, or by helicopter.

What do players say? The overwhelming majority already appreciates the game very much, even though there are still some problematic areas. 

  • Belmoelmo writes in his review: “The gameplay is very good, and the graphics are beautiful. However, the AI is not very good, and there are quite a few bugs (none that ruin the game so far)” (via Steam)
  • Hikuran is already completely thrilled: “Worth every cent, not a masterpiece but still quite good. One of my top-3 indie games so far this year.” (via Steam)
  • Shanterpanter is not yet convinced and gives a thumbs down: “Overall, it is a good and entertaining game, but it lacks some fundamental polish.” (via Steam)

The sandbox elements seem to have led to one or two funny situations already. Lilith tells via Steam: “Frank and I chased a suspect into a petting zoo. Short version – I am now afraid of goats.”

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With The Precinct, you might pass some time until you dive back into the other side of the law in GTA 6. By the way, there isn’t much to see about that yet – what is available looks really good, though. More on this in this article on MeinMMO: Fans compare GTA 6 with the real places from the trailer, saying: “Real life is outdated”

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

5 images from the new trailer for GTA 6 that make real life look boring

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

Fans of GTA 6 have analyzed the second trailer of the game and compared the locations from the promotional video with their real-life counterparts. For the community, GTA 6 even looks better than real life.

What have the fans examined? The new trailer of GTA 6 has already sparked many analyses, speculations, and fan theories. Now, a fan has taken the effort to identify the real locations from the trailer in the real world. He used Google Maps recordings from Miami and compared them with the scenes from the trailer. The direct comparison with Google Maps excites other fans especially because of the graphics.

Here you can view the comparison:

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“Real life looks like a game”

How do fans react to the comparisons? The fans of GTA 6 are thrilled by the detail fidelity that Rockstar Games delivers in the new trailer. Especially regarding the graphics, the new trailer is highly praised. Several users even believe that GTA 6 looks better than real Miami on Google Maps:

  • xShawnMendesx writes: “The graphics are so beautiful”
  • Ok_Bother9262 thinks: “real life looks like the game lmao. Rockstar did a pretty good job.”
  • FrostyJurassic comments: “GTA 6 is so much prettier than real life”
  • Daryl_Dixon1899 agrees: “GTA looks better, at least more colorful”
  • Latter-Diet1127 takes it to the extreme: “Real life looks outdated, to be honest”

But it’s not just the good graphics that catch the fans’ eye. The comparison also makes it clear how accurately the game world is built. Fans are discussing how Rockstar Games managed to recreate the city so well.

Mister_Frowdo says: “Is it just me, or does the scale of the real version come really close? I mean, it’s not 1:1 and I don’t expect it to be, but man… Those are some pretty big distances to drive, fly or sail, and I love it!”

Ant0n61, who is from Miami, writes: “It seems like it’s a scale of 0.65 to 0.75, which is crazy. […] and to be clear, I don’t mean all of South Florida. I mean certain areas. So South Beach or an area in general or Key West. The rest is drastically shrunk, so the distance between Vice City and the Keys is scaled 1:200 or so.”

Here you can watch the entire second trailer of GTA 6 again:

Start video
Rockstar Games presents GTA 6 in the second trailer

With the release of the second trailer for GTA 6, the developers of Rockstar Games also published additional information about the map that was not shown in the trailer. What is already known about the new map of GTA 6 can be read here: In GTA 6, we’re going back to Vice City, but there’s more than just the big city – this is what’s known about the map of GTA 6

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Reddit
  2. Foto von Antonio Cuellar:

A woman finds a mysterious USB stick in her husband’s pocket and the community immediately thinks he is cheating on her – Meanwhile, the solution is simple

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

A user finds a strange USB stick in her husband’s jacket pocket. She is puzzled about what it is for, and even her husband cannot identify the device. The community immediately suspects her husband is cheating, and she snoops on him. However, the solution turns out to be quite simple.

A user explained on Reddit that while cleaning an apartment, she found a strange USB stick in her husband’s pocket. But neither her husband nor she knew what the device belonged to. At least the duo discovered that it must be a dongle:

When I found it, I assumed it was the USB connection for his wireless mouse. He was confused, went to his laptop, and we saw that the USB connector of his mouse was still plugged into the laptop, so we had no idea what the thing was or how it ended up in his pocket. He said it couldn’t be from work because they don’t use that kind of technology in his department.

What is the dongle for? The USB dongle is for a third-party gaming controller made for the PlayStation 3. Therefore, the controller must be quite a few years old.

The brand Afterglow belongs to the manufacturer PDP, which is now part of the American company TurtleBeach, specializing in headsets and controllers.

The community’s reaction: The initial reactions are surprisingly negative, accusing the woman of spying on her husband because she is rummaging through his pockets. Someone explains on Reddit that this is typical for the strange community:

This thread really shows how many stereotypes about Reddit users are actually true. You are damn weird if your first reaction to someone searching their partner’s pockets is to think they are snooping, rather than that they are performing an incredibly basic hygienic task that requires searching the pockets if you are even remotely competent.

Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds

Identifying an Unknown USB Dongle: Here’s How to Do It Easily

If you find a USB dongle at home that you cannot identify because it is unlabeled or does not carry a manufacturer name, there is still an option to find out what it is:

  • Open the Device Manager (Windows) or System Information (macOS/Linux).
  • Look for new entries that appear after plugging in the dongle. Search for the device names, manufacturers, and check the hardware ID (VID/PID or Vendor ID/Product ID).
  • Then you can search the found Vendor ID and Product ID online and usually find a product that can be clearly identified.
  • In some cases, the corresponding product is already listed in the Device Manager, so you can skip the extra search.

What other option is there? In some cases, an installation wizard for the related software automatically starts after plugging it in. This is the case, for example, with the manufacturer Razer or with Logitech devices (Logitech Options+).

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A German artist started an unusual project 14 years ago. He cemented a handful of USB sticks into walls. Today there are over 400 such “Dead Drops” in Germany. Worldwide, 2,300 data carriers are hidden in walls, forming an offline network: In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the “Dead Drops” project?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

The next big MMORPG for PvE fans takes players back to the good old days, pleading: ‘Please don’t destroy my memories’

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

A new and important MMORPG is set to be released in Korea later this year with Aion 2, which will also come to the West. The developers are now showcasing new content for the game, but fans have high expectations.

What kind of game is this? Aion 2 is the current prestige project and a beacon of hope for NCSoft. As the successor to the popular Aion from 2009, it aims to win the hearts of both old and new fans, in Asia as well as in the West. Unlike the original Aion, the sequel is fully focused on PvE. The importance of this MMORPG for the publisher NCSoft is also reflected in the scale of the project.

300 employees are working on Aion 2, and it will utilize the beautiful Unreal Engine 5. The game will feature several language versions to help it succeed globally. Initially, the MMORPG was supposed to launch worldwide simultaneously, but the developers retracted this statement and want to follow the same approach as with Throne and Liberty. First, the game will be optimized in Asia and then released in the West.

The release in Asia is planned for 2025, and accordingly, the developers have now announced new content. A teaser has also been released, generating high expectations among fans:

You can watch the teaser here:

Start video
Aion 2 shows its world in new teaser, reveals date for when there will be more to see

High Expectations for the Sequel

How are the fans reacting to the new teaser? The new teaser contains very few gameplay sequences but includes a date. On May 29, 2025, the developers want to present the MMORPG and also clarify the major questions, such as those regarding the available classes in the game.

For fans, the new teaser comes with high expectations. They love the first part and hope that the sequel will live up to the legacy of the original.

On YouTube, user @Harleen_PC comments: “Please don’t ruin the name of Aion with Aion 2. Leister do a good job, and don’t change the original combat-[System] of Aion. I hope that a real Aion game emerges – and not just the name is used.”

User @릿리-s6n also has a lot of associations with the name Aion: “Wow… this unique and great background music and the soundtrack of Aion itself is so good that I can’t help but get excited again… Please don’t destroy my memories with NC’s bad background music these days. I hope people will remember Aion 2 as a masterpiece of the IP.”

Thus, there are great expectations on both sides regarding the development of Aion 2. The project is important for NCSoft and success is necessary, while for fans of the original Aion from 2009, the MMORPG is a part of the past from the genre’s heyday.

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Whether the developers can convince the fans on May 29 remains to be seen. This won’t be easy given the high expectations of the fans. While Aion 2 is nearing release, the developers are already focusing on the next MMORPG: Throne and Liberty is set to get a sequel with Unreal Engine 5, and development of the new MMORPG is expected to start soon.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. YouTube
  2. aion2.plaync.com

Players in WoW demand ‘tips’ to do their job – Here’s what it’s about

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

A new plague is annoying the community in World of Warcraft. Anyone wanting to run dungeons is expected to tip. But is that allowed?

In the last days and weeks, those searching for a group for high-level content in Mythic+ have been increasingly encountering groups that display strange behavior. The group description states that a “tip” is expected, meaning a gratuity. You are supposed to apply to the group with the appropriate amount in the note.

Start video
3 absurde Bugs, die in WoW passiert sind

What is the problem here? Over the past few weeks, finding a group for dungeons has become difficult. Because when you are excited to find a tank or healer in the group finder who appears to have no other companions, a look at the group description brings disappointment. There, it mentions a “gratuity” that you are supposed to offer the corresponding character.

The promise for that: You will receive a “Res” run, which means a “Resilient” run—a high-level dungeon run that will most likely succeed and provide a rating.

This is nothing more than selling dungeon runs.

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Is this even allowed? No, because such requests for “tips” are an attempt to circumvent the rules for groups that Blizzard established a few years ago. In groups in the “Looking for Group” tool, offering so-called “sell runs” is prohibited. This means dungeon runs where a part of the group pays experienced players with gold.

By stating that a “tip” is expected, you are essentially offering exactly such sell runs—you are simply waiting for companions who are willing to pay the expected price.

If you encounter such groups, you can report them, as they violate Blizzard’s regulations. Such groups will then be removed from your personal listing, and if too many reports occur, penalties will be imposed.

Generally, sell runs are legal and can also be advertised—but only in the appropriate trade channel, which was specifically set up for these services.

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How the community is reacting: In the WoW subreddit, more and more screenshots are being shared in recent days where players express their annoyance about such groups (some of which you can see in this article). The general consensus is negative, as most people realize that this is merely an attempt to circumvent the regulations regarding advertising dungeon runs.

  • “Somebody is listing +17 runs for 15,000 gold all the time, and every time the group fills up, I’m disappointed. But I still report them.” – MissMarvel
  • “The only reason they keep doing this is unfortunately that they still find people who pay for it.” – Ghstfce
  • “I just report every group where I see this. Advertising in the LFG tool is not allowed. Why the hell would I give someone a tip and then help them push their key? We both benefit from it. He gets a key that is above his “Resilient” level and I get a key that I haven’t yet completed within the time limit. That’s a win-win.” – smogedancer
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Have you also experienced such groups and observed them in the group finder? How do you handle it when you discover such groups and players? Are you perhaps even glad about such indirect offers? Or do you rigorously report the affected characters?
Gold can currently be earned in WoW in other ways – not as easy as it has been for a long time.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Player completes Expedition 33 without dodging or parrying once to prove that no ‘gamer reflexes’ are needed

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is designed for players to dodge or parry enemy attacks at the right moment. Not every player is skilled enough to hit this timing right away. One fan has therefore looked for a way that untrained players can also enjoy the role-playing game.

Why is dodging and parrying so important? Although the battles in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 take place in rounds, players must remain active during the enemy phase. They can:

  • dodge with a slightly larger time window or
  • parry with a small time window and thus deal damage to the enemy

If a character suffers damage from an enemy, it often leads to a one-hit in higher difficulty levels. Even at the easiest difficulty level, it can happen against tough foes that one meets their end if they take every hit in a barrage of attacks.

A player wanted to test whether it’s possible to complete Clair Obscur without dodging and parrying. He thought of his wife and child, both of whom do not have “gamer reflexes”. And indeed, he manages to master the game this way. He reveals how he did it on Reddit.

Start video
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – JRPG with French Flair has Release Date

Clair Obscur without parrying and dodging: Here’s how

How did he accomplish this? To make it as easy as possible, the player selected the lowest difficulty level “Story” and enabled the settings that make the quick-time events occur automatically during the characters’ attacks. He never dodged the enemies.

The characters he used were Lune, Sciel, and Maelle. He maxed out the speed attribute for all characters and ignored how to best distribute points in normal circumstances. Vitality, luck, and defense were also slightly increased. The most useful Pictos were:

  • Revitalizing Pain (+1 AP when hit)
  • Healing Fire (Restores 25% health when attacking burning targets)
  • Effective Healing (Doubles any healing received)

He thus completely relied on compensating for the damage taken with healing. As an attack strategy, he used Maelle with Rain of Fire to spread the Burning status, Lune’s Elemental Trick to maintain her 4 charges, and subsequently with her Elemental Genesis.

For tougher fights, he used Lune’s healer build and also deployed Sciel as a healer. Maelle used a combination of Egide and Guard Up to take as little damage as possible, which then transitions to Maelle. He also used the Melarum weapon, which grants the Armored status to all characters with over 80% health at level 10. Thus, he focuses on ultimate defense.

Is there a downside? This tactic takes a lot of time, as the characters are busy with defense and healing and therefore deal very little damage. It takes longer to reach the grand finale of Clair Obscur. Especially Maelle can deal immense damage with the right build.

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Moreover, the trick only works on the easiest difficulty level. At the other two levels, the enemies deal too much damage, so the trick does not work there. But it is nice to see that Clair Obscur can indeed be completed by players without significant gaming reflexes.

If you’re not afraid to use external tools, there’s another option – at least on PC. Here, a tool can completely take over dodging and parrying for you: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Cheat Engine – This is how every parry and jump is executed

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Reddit

Path of Exile fans were disappointed by the developers, but with a cryptic text, the hype returns immediately

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

In Path of Exile, there was a real new league update with new mechanics, items, and balancing 10 months ago. Now, the developers are sending out a sign of life for their ARPG.

How is Path of Exile doing? The predecessor of the popular Path of Exile 2 is not in a good position. The player counts are at their lowest level in 9 years. This is due to the postponed update 3.26, which was originally scheduled to be released in January. However, the update has been postponed to June, disappointing many players.

Although the release period is coming closer, nothing has been known about the new league so far. Now, the developers have posted the first teaser, which is generating new hype along with question marks.

Here you can watch the trailer for the current season of Path of Exile 2:

Start video
Path of Exile 2 presents gameplay trailer with the new Hunter class

A mysterious text ignites new anticipation

What did the developers post? On the evening of May 13, the developers released the first teaser for the new season of Path of Exile. However, those hoping for a video announcing features will be disappointed: instead, the developers posted an image on Reddit containing a text that could hardly be more cryptic.

Here you can see the image:

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Translated into English, it reads:

For the first time in my life, I have found a meaning. A goal.
A path has emerged, which leads inexorably to the Atlas.
There, secrets are buried. I know it.
Secrets that I was born to find.
The trail is laid.
And I must follow it… to find the creator.

Although this cryptic text hardly hints at anything about the new season, this post is already enough for many to regain their interest in Path of Exile.

Under the developers’ post, user smdth_567 writes: “It’s crazy how much this hypes me, it’s actually happening. I’m going to take so much paid vacation…” But the text also invites some initial speculation.

User henkish suspects: “This smells like an endgame expansion and not just a new league… could it be?” Many fans also believe that the character Zana could be behind the writing. The handwriting could fit her as the master cartographer.

More on the topic
Path of Exile 2 announces new season, the late date heats up players’ expectations
von Cedric Holmeier
What to do if you die in Path of Exile 2 before you can loot? Community helps the affected with a trick, saves the loot
von Cedric Holmeier
Rich player receives ban in Path of Exile, loses 1,500 items and the community celebrates
von Nico Scheibel

Fans’ theories are therefore widely varied and seasoned with a dash of sarcasm. However, the anticipation for the release of the new season has already begun. While the new season of Path of Exile is currently being finalized, the devs will soon also bring an important feature to the successor: Developers of Path of Exile 2 release details on the new patch, set to bring back a missing feature from its predecessor

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Creators of Demon Slayer are angry, threatening fans with prison and fines

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

To promote the upcoming film trilogy of Demon Slayer, the team behind the anime re-screened the very first film in Japanese cinemas. At the end, there was a special treat that is now causing a lot of excitement.

What was there to see? On May 9, 2025, the very first film of Demon Slayer, Mugen Train, was re-released in Japanese cinemas. The film summarizes the first seven episodes of the second season. Tanjiro and his friends join Rengoku, who wants to defeat a demon on a mysterious train.

During the screening, there was also an unreleased trailer for the upcoming film Infinity Castle. The last story arc of the manga Demon Slayer will be released as a trilogy in cinemas, starting with Infinity Castle.

The trailer was presumably meant to hype the upcoming movie. But the Demon Slayer team is now angry about the behavior of the fans.

Start video
Demon Slayer: Trailer for the Infinity Castle Arc Movie

Demon Slayer fans could end up in jail

What was the problem? During the screening, there were several viewers who secretly filmed the trailer. They posted the trailer on social media, where several fans could watch the exclusive video material.

By doing this, the leakers deprived the Demon Slayer team of the opportunity to present the trailer to the public after the cinema screenings. On X, the team’s account shows noticeable anger. They are even threatening severe consequences.

What threatens the leakers? The account clarifies that secretly filming is a criminal offense. By uploading, the leakers also commit copyright infringement. In combination, this can lead to up to 10 years of imprisonment or a fine of approximately 60,720 Euros in Japan. In the worst case, both could be threatened.

A secretly recorded video of the cinema-exclusive trailer for the “Mugen Castle Arc,” which plays at the end of the currently shown re-release of “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train,” has been found on the internet.

Filming secretly in a cinema is a crime under the “Anti-Cinema Piracy Act” (Act to Prevent Secret Filming).

Moreover, uploading secretly recorded footage to X, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, etc. is a copyright violation.

Any copyright violation that contravenes the Anti-Cinema Piracy Act and copyright law can be punished with imprisonment of up to 10 years or a fine of up to 10 million yen or both.

With this threat, the Demon Slayer team aims to warn anyone who secretly films the trailer. They likely hope that viewers will think twice about uploading the trailer online.

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There have already been several cases where a judgment against leakers was enforced. A player had released story spoilers and cut scenes on his YouTube channel. He had to go to prison and pay a fine: Man sentenced to 2 years in prison for posting gameplay and spoilers on YouTube

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 3D Juegos

7 monsters you should definitely catch in the current event in Pokémon GO

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 4 minutes

Team GO Rocket has returned to Pokémon GO. And they’ve brought some strong monsters that you shouldn’t miss.

In Pokémon GO, Team GO Rocket is currently running an event. The “Crown Clash: Takeover” runs from Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 00:00 until Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 23:59.

Of course, they are bringing some interesting Pokémon with them again. We have looked at which monsters from the event are particularly worth it and summarized them for you.

Start video
Pokémon GO: What’s in the new Season Powerful and Masterful

Catch these strong monsters

Crypto-Dialga

What kind of Pokémon is this? The highlight of the event is likely to be Crypto-Dialga. This legendary monster comes from the 4th generation and has the types Steel and Dragon.

Pokemon GO Dialga

How do I get this Pokémon? You can get Crypto-Dialga by completing the new special research of the event. Here, you will receive a Super Rocket Radar that allows you to search for and challenge Giovanni. If you succeed, you can catch Crypto-Dialga from him.

What is this monster good for? Even the regular form of Dialga is a strong attacker in raids. It can shine particularly as a Steel attacker, but it is also a solid Dragon attacker. The Crypto variant will be an even better attacker.

Crypto-Kaumalat

What kind of Pokémon is this? Kaumalat is a 4th generation monster. It has the Ground and Dragon types and can first evolve into Knarksel and then into Knakrack.

Pokémon-GO-Kaumalat

How do I get this Pokémon? You can obtain Kaumalat in its Crypto form by challenging the Rocket Boss Cliff. He has Kaumalat with him since the event started.

What is this monster good for? Knakrack is a powerhouse in raids. It is one of the strongest Pokémon as both a Ground and Dragon attacker and should not be missing from any team.

Crypto-Balgoras

What kind of Pokémon is this? You obtain another strong attacker if you catch Crypto-Balgoras. It can evolve into Monargoras. The Pokémon come from the 6th generation and have the types Rock and Dragon.

Pokemon GO Balgoras

How do I get this Pokémon? Balgoras is one of the new monsters that you can now obtain from Rocket Grunts.

What is this monster good for? Monargoras can showcase its true strength in raids. You should play this monster as a Rock attacker.

Crypto-Strepoli

What kind of Pokémon is this? Strepoli, the Fighting Pokémon, is the evolution of Praktibalk. It can also evolve into Meistagrif. Strepoli has been around since the 5th generation.

Pokemon GO Strepoli

How do I get this Pokémon? Strepoli is one of the monsters that you can obtain in 3-star Crypto raids.

What is this monster good for? Meistagrif is one of the best attackers in Pokémon GO, especially in its Crypto form. If you need Fighting attackers for raids, you should definitely challenge Strepoli and add it to your team.

Crypto-Keifel

What kind of Pokémon is this? Keifel is an Ice and Ground Pokémon that has been around since the 2nd generation. It evolves from Quiekel and can further evolve into Mamutel.

How do I get this Pokémon? You can also find Keifel in 3-star Crypto raids.

What is this monster good for? With Crypto-Mamutel, you can obtain a strong Ground-type raid attacker. The monster is even stronger when you play it as an Ice attacker.

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Crypto-Magnetilo

What kind of Pokémon is this? Magnetilo is a monster that has been part of the Pokémon world since the 1st generation. It has the types Electric and Steel. If you evolve it, you will first get Magneton and then Magnezone.

Pokémon-GO-Magnetilo

How do I get this Pokémon? Magnetilo awaits you in its Crypto form in 1-star Crypto raids.

What is this monster good for? Magnezone is a strong Electric attacker that can strengthen your raid teams.

Crypto-Lapras

What kind of Pokémon is this? Lapras is also a Pokémon that has been around since the 1st generation. It has the types Water and Ice.

How do I get this Pokémon? If you want to obtain Lapras in its Crypto form during the event, you need to challenge the monster in 3-star Crypto raids.

What is this monster good for? Lapras is not very suitable for raids. There are significantly stronger monsters to rely on. However, in the Battle League, Lapras can showcase its true potential. Especially in the Ultra League, it is currently one of the best monsters you can use in competition.

In the current Rocket event, you not only have the opportunity to catch new monsters but also to unlearn the charged move Frustration from your already caught Pokémon. There are several monsters that are particularly worth it: Unlearning Frustration – 18 monsters that are worth it.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

In Warhammer: Space Marine 2, you play as a genetically engineered superhuman, and modders can now create even crazier stuff.

Alexander Mehrwald Alexander Mehrwald Reading time 2 minutes

Developer Saber Interactive now gives interested players free rein when it comes to creating their own content for Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2. To do this, they even provide access to their most powerful tools.

What tools are involved? In the official Discord Channel of the modding community for Space Marine 2, Game Director Dmitry Grigorenko assured players not only of support from the developers for creating their own content, but now even hands them in a way the keys to the game.

Interested players now have access to the internal editor that the team uses for the game’s development. The so-called “Integration Studio” provides them with all the tools to create all kinds of content faster and more enjoyably.

With this, modders have the opportunity to modify the game to an extent, as is possible and popular with Skyrim, design it according to their own ideas, and share it with the community.

Start video
Space Marine 2: So aktiviert ihr Koop und Crossplay

The “biggest milestone in community support so far”

Game Director Dmitry Grigorenko describes this step in the Discord Channel as the “biggest milestone in community support.” Additionally, he highlights the advantages of this approach and looks forward to what is to come:

This is exactly the same editor that we use internally for all game development. No more editing files in Notepad and praying that you haven’t missed a bracket – Integration Studio makes editing SSL-related content ten times faster, safer, and more intuitive.

Not too long ago, I promised to support the modding scene – and we meant it. Watching this community grow, push boundaries, and create incredible experiences has been both inspiring and humbling. We can’t wait to see what you build next – whether it’s a cinematic campaign, a wild new game mode, or something we’ve never seen coming.

What is included in the toolkit? With Integration Studio, interested players can access the following tools:

  • Level scenarios
  • Game modes
  • Custom designs – and even custom game logic
  • AI behavior trees (in progress)
  • The AI director
  • Skills and melee combination logic
  • VFX editing
  • UI and HUD elements

With this, they can basically create anything they can dream of for the game. From their own campaigns to completely new game modes to co-op raids for 12 players (via x.com) pretty much anything is possible.

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Space Marine 2 is among the most successful and best games in the Warhammer universe. In the future, there is also supposed to be an MMO that sounds almost too good to be true. What we already know about it can be read here: A new MMO for Warhammer sounds almost too good to be true – Here’s what we know

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Videogamer

Steam has removed Schedule 1 from some players because the developer forgot something important

Nicole Wakulczyk Nicole Wakulczyk Reading time 2 minutes

In Schedule 1, you build a drug empire like Walter White from Breaking Bad and make a lot of money. However, on one continent, the Steam hit has suddenly disappeared, and that’s due to a small but crucial mistake by the developer.

This is what Schedule 1 is about:

Now the developer has spoken out on X – with a message to his fans. Because: The game has suddenly disappeared from Steam on an entire continent. And it seems that Tyler messed it up himself.

Start video
Schedule I shows in the trailer what the simulation of criminal life looks like

No release in Australia – where the development studio is located

What did the developer screw up? In Australia, there is an age rating system for movies and computer games. This means they must be classified before they can be released. If the classification is skipped, meaning effectively refused, the game cannot be sold, advertised, or distributed (source: classification.gov.au).

And this is where the catch lies. The developer apparently thought this only applied to consoles or physical games and simply overlooked the classification. On X, Tyler explains:

To everyone in Australia: You may have noticed that Schedule I is no longer visible on Steam. Don’t worry – the game has not been banned. It turns out that all games sold in Australia must receive an age rating/classification (I thought this only applied to console and physical releases 😅).

I will contact the responsible authority today to clarify this as soon as possible. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Tyler_TVGS, May 12, 2025

Anyone currently trying to find the game in the Australian Steam store gets according to PCGamesN just the message: “This item is currently unavailable in your region.”

Little fun fact: The development studio TVGS is based in Sydney, Australia – exactly where the game is currently blocked (via scheduleonegame.com).

Is it the same in Germany? There are now clear rules in Germany as well. Since November 15, 2024, it has been mandatory for all games on Steam to have an age rating. The reasoning behind this regulation lies in youth protection.

This initially caused quite a chaos because many games suddenly disappeared from the German store. However, Schedule 1 is still available – both in the store and in your Steam library. Thus, nothing stands in the way of your digital drug empire in Germany.

More about Schedule 1:
In the Steam hit Schedule 1, you not only have to fear the police but also tangle with a nasty cartel
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Expert dismantles Schedule 1, finds tricks for more money and EXP
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When Steam will respond to Tyler’s request and unlock the game for Australia remains open for the time being. What is certain is that an expert has already examined the source code of Schedule 1 and found some tricks to help you earn money and experience points faster. You can find out more about it here: Expert dissects Schedule 1, finds tricks for more money and EXP

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. PCGamesN

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 would actually have been a completely different game, but the developers should have just gone for it

Nicole Wakulczyk Nicole Wakulczyk Reading time 2 minutes

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is already considered one of the best games of all time. However, it could have been a completely different game where you would have fought against zombies in a steampunk setting. The developers were encouraged to “just go for it” – and you know the result.

This is how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is received: On Metacritic, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the highest-rated games considering the user score. And also on Steam the role-playing game is very well received – about 94% of nearly 50,000 ratings are positive. The game is the debut work of the developer studio Sandfall Interactive. And that’s why no one was as surprised that the game would succeed as the developers themselves.

The editorial team at MeinMMO also greatly appreciates the artistic and emotional role-playing game. Jasmin has detailed her assessment of the game in the review of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. There you will also find additional opinions from the team.

As has now been revealed, the role-playing game was originally supposed to have a completely different feel. And it sounded… quite bizarre.

Start video
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – JRPG with French Flair has Release Date

“All right, restart. We start from the beginning”

What was the original plan? Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 takes players on an emotional and unique journey – packed with unusual locations and quirky creatures. But originally, everything was planned quite differently.

According to Narrative Lead Jennifer Svedberg-Yen, not much would have changed in the gameplay – however, the story would have been entirely different. “It took place in a Victorian steampunk England, with zombies, aliens, and all sorts of strange things,” she revealed in an interview with TheGamer.

This led the developers to rethink: After the team had worked on the version for six months, everything changed. The investors motivated the developers to think bigger. They were told not to hold back just for fear of financing – and just to go for it.

Svedberg-Yen recalls the decisive moment: “If you could write freely – what would you do?” And the Game Director Guillaume Broche then said: “All right, restart. We start from the beginning.” And that’s how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was born.

The new version of the game was based according to Svedberg-Yen on a painting and a short story she was currently writing. It is about an artist who dives into her own paintings. Names like Maelle, Verso, and Lune as well as some gameplay ideas made it from the steampunk zombie project into the final version.

More about Clair Obscur:
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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 succeeds in evoking a lot of emotions in the players and impresses with smooth gameplay, a great story, and wonderful art style. According to MeinMMO demon Cortyn, this is partly because it skillfully combines familiar mechanics and elements from other games. You can read more about it here: Expedition 33 is so good because it has “borrowed” almost all content.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. TheGamer

“For a second I thought these were just photos from real life”: Player shows his version of Middle-earth – in Minecraft

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

A gamer shares images of a famous mountain from Lord of the Rings on Reddit. These look extremely realistic, but they are not from the movies or the real world – they come from Minecraft.

Who made these images? Uploaded by a Reddit user under the name Fornad. Since the screenshots were shared directly on r/Minecraft, one can naturally assume that they were also made in the game. However, if you don’t pay close attention, you might mistake them for real photos at first glance.

This is how many Reddit users wrote in the comments under the post:

  • “For a second I thought these were just photos from real life or a realistic 3D game. Then I saw the grass and realized that THIS is Minecraft.” (TheDelftenaar)
  • “WAIT THIS IS MINECRAFT” (PlimphTheProtogen)
  • “So either you’re incredibly talented or you used a Minecraft filter over real photos. That’s impressive” (Then-Scholar2786)
Start video
Minecraft shows in the video how the graphics of the game will improve

A small part of a larger project

With a video on YouTube, Fornad proves that this is also not a fake. For the right look, he used the ArdaCraft modpack, the Conquest Reforged mod, and Bliss shaders.

The screenshots shown are just a fraction of what Fornad intends: He aims to depict all of Middle-earth (at least the known part). He has been working on this for over 11 years, he replied to inquiries from TheDelftenaar.

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Which mountain is depicted here? This is a recreation of the Misty Mountains. This is the location of numerous events in the canon of Middle-earth. Additionally, many famous places such as Rivendell, Moria, and Isengard lie at the foot or near this mountain.

Here, Sméagol hid with the ring for over 500 years and eventually became Gollum. The Fellowship of the Ring also attempted to pass over the Misty Mountains via Caradhras. When that did not work, they took the path beneath the mountain – and through the ancient dwarf city of Moria.

The mountain also played a role in The Hobbit. The dwarves (and Bilbo) under Thorin passed through the Misty Mountains on their way from the Blue Mountains (with a stop in the Shire) to the Lonely Mountain, where they encountered stone trolls and goblins.

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The Misty Mountains are also known to appear in the films of The Lord of the Rings. For the associated scenes, the actors were flown to the filming location by helicopter. Only one refused: One of the companions from The Lord of the Rings was anything but brave on set and had to climb a mountain for hours as a result

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Reddit

Elder Scrolls Online: Seasons of the Worm Cult – How to prepare if you have never defeated Molag Bal

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

The Worm Cult seasons continue the story of the base game of Elder Scrolls Online from 2014 in June. MeinMMO reveals which content you should play now to be prepared for the upcoming adventure.

What is the Worm Cult about? Behind it lies a sect that worships the Daedric Prince Molag Bal. The Daedric Prince is the final boss in the base game of Elder Scrolls Online from 2014. The heroes of Tamriel defeating the old Bal does not sit well with the followers of the Worm Cult. After licking their wounds and reorganizing, they thirst for revenge.

With the first season of Elder Scrolls Online, you will not only deal with familiar enemies but also with various allies playing important roles in already playable quests.

If you joined ESO later and have had little to no interaction with the Worm Cult, we will show you how to optimally prepare for the story surrounding the Worm Cult seasons.

The gameplay trailer for the Worm Cult seasons of ESO:

Start video
Elder Scrolls Online: The Seasons of the Worm Cult in the New Gameplay Trailer

These regions may contain traces of the Worm Cult

The first recommendation should be obvious after the introduction: Complete the first story campaign involving Molag Bal and defeat the Daedric Prince in an impressive final battle. Tip: The current Golden Tasks, which are active until May 29, 2025, revolve around some quests and enemies waiting for you in the base game of ESO.

So you can kill two birds with one stone and secure yourself the Great Gallery of Tamriel (a mansion in Rift) as a home. More details on that can be found at elderscrollsonline.com. Also, visit the following areas to fight the Worm Cult:

  • the city of Nimalten in Rift
  • the Bone Garden in Grahtwood
  • the vault of Aba-Loria in Coldharbour
When do the Worm Cult seasons start?
The Worm Cult seasons consist of several parts included in the paid content pass:
– Dungeon DLC Fallen Banners (already released in March)
– The zone of Sun’s Dusk with all its content (June 2, 2025, on PC, June 18, 2025, for Xbox and PlayStation)
– The world event surrounding the wall and another dungeon pack (Q3 2025) – though the developers explained that even without the content pass, players should have the opportunity to contribute to the success of the world event (in what form, it is unclear)
– The season finale with an expansion of the region plus new content (Q4 2025)

More information about the content pass can be found here: Elder Scrolls Online changes its payment model – Here’s what the up to 90 Euro content pass brings you and what’s happening with ESO Plus

Continue to look for Dark Anchors in the game world where the cultists gather. And when you join the Fighter’s Guild, the related questline will also connect you with the Worm Cult.

Speaking of which: The already playable prologue quest for the Worm Cult seasons revolves around the Fighter’s Guild. When you accept the quest “A Guild in Crisis” from the Crown Store, you will join Prince Azah of Shieldwatch to find the missing Guildmaster of the Fighter’s Guild. The outcome of your search leads directly to the events starting in June.

ESO: Skordo the Knife
Skordo the Knife

Reunion with old friends

Some Tamriel veterans may still remember the good Prince Azah. After all, he is also part of the area story of the Alik’r Desert. There will also be reunions with other familiar faces:

  • Skordo the Knife: Plays a role in quests from Craglorn, Coldharbour, and the Hollow City.
  • Gabrielle Benele: You will meet the sorceress during the area story of Glenumbra, in Coldharbour, in the Hollow City, and in Angof’s Sanctum.
  • Razum-dar: The popular Khajiit is the first person to speak to you in Khenarthis Rest and provides you with initial quests. He plays an important role in the fight against the Sheogorath’s Legacy and the Maormer. He was also part of the chapters Summerset and Elsweyr.
  • Vanus Galerion: The Altmer mage is one of the founders of the Mages Guild and was trained by the Psijic Order. You will meet his spirit during the quests in Coldharbour.

By the way, you can not only prepare for the upcoming adventure in regards to the story or the characters. The season also brings the free Update 46, which includes new subclasses.

More about ESO:
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von Karsten Scholz
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If you want to combine as many class skill lines as possible right from the start, you should create Twinks for the different classes and unlock or level those skill lines with them. And of course, you should have a main character at level 50 with as many skill points as possible. More about the subclasses can be found here: The MMORPG of Elder Scrolls will soon have 3,000 classes

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. The Elder Scrolls Online

Former Blizzard employee recalls what it was like when the Leeroy Jenkins video went viral

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

Almost exactly 20 years ago the Paladin Leeroy Jenkins stormed into a room full of dragon eggs, creating the most famous wipe in the history of World of Warcraft and one of the first and most well-known memes from the gaming world. 

What meme are we talking about? We’re talking about a video from the World of Warcraft community that was uploaded on May 11, 2005, to the platform warcraftmovies.com and has spread like wildfire across the internet since then.

In the clip that is not even three minutes long, you see 13 members of the Alliance guild “PALS FOR LIFE” standing in the Upper Blackrock Spire – that’s a dungeon from World of Warcraft. They are preparing for the upcoming battle; like in a military briefing, the team has gathered in a circle around their leader, who is assigning tasks and briefing everyone.

A nice story from the WoW community:

Start video
Sein Freund wurde in WoW verewigt und er findet es erst 12 Jahre später heraus

Only a certain Leeroy is sitting somewhat disinterested off to the side of the group. While the fighters check their gear and set their spell order, you see the suddenly active Paladin jump up with a “Alright Chums. Let’s do this. Leeeeeeeroy Jenkins! and rush into the room, destroying the first eggs.

From each egg, aggressive dragon whelps immediately hatch, blowing the counterattack. Panicking, his surprised comrades follow him, only to witness the most famous wipe in WoW history moments later. The following video alone has over 26 million views:

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Legendary Fake for the History Books

Is the video authentic? For many years, the community debated whether the scene in the video was staged or if it actually happened. It is now clear that the guild PALS FOR LIFE practiced the Leeroy clip. Nevertheless, Leeroy Jenkins was able to develop into a pop culture meme and internet phenomenon.

There are references in Mass Effect, How I Met Your Mother, My Name is Earl, or Psych. Even in the Blizzard universe itself, Leeroy has been immortalized, with his own Hearthstone card, a garrison follower, and a WoW achievement.

More on WoW:
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von Max Handwerk

Moreover, the clip has repeatedly been a topic for studies, such as in this article titled Leeroy Jenkins and Mission Command from the US military. Or in a lecture on “Media and Society”, which discussed one of the first viral videos from the gaming sector.

What does the community say for the anniversary? Many players still remember the video well, including a former game master for World of Warcraft. Mikimao writes on Reddit:

I had been working as a Game Master for World of Warcraft for about 2 weeks when this video came out. I had just finished my night shift and was on my way home when a group of GMs crowded around one of the workstations …

That was THE video, and we laughed so hard at how funny it was. For me, it’s an absolute “I remember where I was” moment in gaming history, lol.

ouphking also feels nostalgic on Reddit: “Damn, I remember when this was brand new. It’s incredible that WoW is still running after more than 20 years.” AnthMosk has never played WoW and celebrates the meme (via Reddit): “I’ve never played this game. I know nothing about it. But I still laughed so hard 20 years ago when watching it. It’s still a blast.”

By the way, Blizzard itself congratulates on the official X channel for the 20th anniversary of Leeroy. They say: “Congratulations on 20 years of fearless memorability.” And there was a nice picture too:

WoW: Leeroy Jenkins turns 20.
Leeroy celebrates his birthday.

Leeroy Jenkins is actually named Ben Schulz, hails from Colorado, and is an industrial lighting repair technician. After the viral success of the video, he founded the company “Leeroy Jenkins Entertainment,” which is no longer in operation. You can find out more about the people behind the meme here: What ever happened to Leeroy Jenkins?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

New World: „Season of the Divide“ has launched, but without the seasonal hardcore servers yet

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

On May 13, 2025, the new “Season of the Divide” for New World has started. You can expect hardcore servers for the first time, fresh content for the Outpost Rush, a test of a “Capture the Flag” variant, and a new world boss event.

What do I need to know about the hardcore servers? The new season of New World is scheduled to start on May 13, with maintenance planned from 3:00 PM to around 5:00 PM. However, the new hardcore servers are expected to go live only in early June – no exact date has been given yet.

In the official patch notes, the rules for the hardcore experience are documented:

  • On the hardcore servers, you will level up noticeably faster. Instead of the main quest line, there are new quests that familiarize you with the progress and crafting cycle of the servers. The goal is for you to quickly obtain endgame gear and artifacts.
  • As a result, you will also level up your professions faster and gain early access to artifacts and high-quality materials.
  • If your character dies, access to the Set-3 rewards will expire. Create a new character to regain access. For each virtual death, you will receive a bonus to all attributes up to five times (+25 each).
  • Those who venture into the hardcore servers can earn two sets of armor through travel. Additionally, a third set is possible if the character with which you complete the journey has not died even once. Furthermore, there are cosmetic rewards, resources for the main server, trophy materials, and more.

The gameplay trailer for New World Aeternum:

Start video
New World Aeternum: Well-Staged Gameplay Trailer for Launch

What else does the season bring?

  • For the Outpost Rush, the mode “Bone Dry” and the map “Coral Divide” are coming. In the new variant, all equipment advantages are disabled and all players are upgraded to the maximum equipment value. Based on community feedback after testing the changes, the devs have announced various improvements.
  • In the PvP modes, the available maps are set to change hourly instead of every two weeks in the future. However, at the beginning of Season 8, this only applies to 3vs3 arenas.
  • In the new hair salon, you can invest a hair salon token to change every aspect of your appearance. The token is sold for 10,000 luck tokens in the shop.
  • A new world boss event is coming, presenting you with legendary expedition opponents that change weekly and lure you with higher quality loot (IL 715–725). Three world bosses have been announced: Mammoth Lord Mahantaram, Scarab Boss Khepri, and Ifrit Fire Naga.
  • With the new season, 7 additional artifacts and 5 new survival potions will be introduced.
  • Aiming at targets and target assist will be added, allowing players with controllers to aim as well as those with mouse and keyboard.
  • Two new types of gems and a series of combat effects will debut this season: Jade gems introduce sickness mechanics, while turquoise gems offer armor and penetration advantages.
  • A spectator camera for defeated players in 3vs3 arenas will be introduced. PvP in the open world is set to gain a new level through PvP camps.

All details on the mentioned innovations as well as an overview of all balancing adjustments and fixes can be found in the German patch notes on newworld.com.

“A great patch for PvP fans”

How does the community react to the upcoming season? In the current discussion on Reddit, there are indeed more comments (150+) than “thumbs up” (50+), which is always a bad sign, but there is certainly praise for some of the improvements.

  • fadedcurry writes on Reddit: “Am I the only one who thinks this is a great patch for PvP fans? New gems, new OPR modes and maps, BLAST SHOT BLUNDY, Aim Lock Nerf? Sounds great!”
  • bluejaymewjay is also looking forward on Reddit: “This will be an unpopular opinion, but I think the main things here look great. There’s a lot here. Capture the Flag is a new game mode […], they finally added a makeover kit […] and the open world bosses offer 700+ items […]. This solves a lot of problems that people always complain about.”
  • AlcoholicLimaBean has only one complaint on Reddit: “I like most of this. But 10,000 tokens for cosmetic changes???”

Late-Let-4221 points out under AlcoholicLimaBean’s comment that there will be a hair salon token for free through the new season pass.

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The most criticism is directed at various balancing adjustments for weapons as well as effects, as some players cannot understand them. Additionally, some complain that many of the innovations are once again geared towards PvP fans. The focus was already on PvP in the last season, which did not sit well with many players: New World changed its focus from PvP to PvE just before the start of PvP – the new season shows why that was the right move

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

MMO expert is known for sharp criticism, explains why ARC: Raiders achieves what Marathon does not

Christos Tsogos Christos Tsogos Reading time 2 minutes

ARC: Raiders and Marathon are two games developed for fans of the extraction genre. Both games have been conducting tests to gather feedback from fans. While the former managed to surprise players, many tuned into Marathon with boredom. An MMO expert now explains what might cause Marathon to fail when it goes to release soon.

Which expert is speaking here? This is “Bellular” Bell, a YouTuber known for videos related to World of Warcraft and Blizzard. Bellular is particularly known for his sharp criticisms of Blizzard, addressing factual problem points.

Recently, however, he addressed the controversy surrounding the upcoming extraction shooters “Marathon” and “ARC: Raiders.” Both games ran a test where fans could check if they liked the games. ARC: Raiders was convincing, while Marathon left skepticism. What the critic has to say could particularly displeasure Bungie.

Start video
Gameplay Reveal for ARC Raiders, a new shooter for Steam and PS5

ARC: Raiders does many things right

What does the expert say about ARC: Raiders? Bellular speaks of an advantage that ARC: Raiders can enjoy, namely the head start in development. The game was announced back at the Game Awards 2021 – at that time, there wasn’t much to see other than a trailer. The title was initially supposed to be a PvE extraction shooter, but the plans have changed since then.

The studio behind ARC: Raiders was thus able to smooth out the game over four years, remedy problems, and draw learnings from other games to polish their game. They dared to leap into the PvP area to also appeal to hardcore fans and ensure excitement.

Proximity chat was implemented, and the setting was refined to fit the genre. Not to mention the possibility to start a round solo. The efforts have seemingly paid off, as testers praise the shooter.

However, it looks different for Marathon. Bungie is taking a different approach. They deliberately forego the immersion and realism that makes an extraction shooter and exclude proximity chat. Additionally, the setting is less appealing, and the focus is not so much on PvP, but rather on co-op with other players.

Bungie does not aim to appeal to hardcore fans but rather to create a game that could be interesting for a broader audience. However, the alpha test showed that not many could make use of Marathon.

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What is Bellular’s conclusion? The critic believes that studios and funders are trying to create a genre hit, just like Fortnite did with Battle Royale. However, he is not sure if anyone can achieve this, especially in the extraction shooter genre.

ARC: Raiders looks good, but it remains to be seen whether the release can attract a large player base. Marathon simply lacks time in development and the right decisions to make the game more interesting.

According to him, the release of Escape from Tarkov version 1.0 is also planned. The game would soon leave early access and finally be complete. If such a hit is not released this year, it could become difficult. More about version 1.0 regarding Tarkov can be found here: “1.0 Release? Who are you?” Escape from Tarkov surprises fans with launch date, reveals plans for the future

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.