The standalone of ARK, “Survival of the Fittest” is becoming part of the main game again. Thus, Free2Play is history for now.
ARK admits mistakes
Sometimes you have to undo wrong decisions. Almost a year ago, Studio WildCard aimed to release the “Arena Mode” of ARK: Survival Evolved as a standalone Free2Play title. For a while, players could download “ARK: Survival of the Fittest” for free to compete with up to 71 other players in a match of life and death. The goal was to reach weapons, dinos, and especially food the fastest to ultimately emerge as the winner of the match.
Now, Survival of the Fittest has been “brought back home” and is once again part of the main game. According to the developers, the concept simply did not work out, developing Survival of the Fittest as a separate title. They would have had to invest a lot of time and energy in monetization ideas, and an in-game shop was never an option for the developers.
The end for the PS4 and Xbox One version?
Other reasons included the problems with modding permissions. This is legally much more difficult to agree upon with a Free2Play title, which is why players can now look forward to many new tools and aids that will be available for mod development.
With this step, the development of “Survival of the Fittest” for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is also being put on hold for now. The developers want to “take a step back and see how these changes will affect things in the long run.”
Those who still have ARK: Survival of the Fittest in their Steam library can play the game for free for now. However, it is questionable whether there will be new updates released there. A purchase of ARK: Survival Evolved will be necessary.
In the shared-world shooter The Division, we take a look at a particular bug that has a major impact on the game.
Ubisoft’s The Division has a plethora of bugs. This was already the case at release in March, and it is still the case now in early August. Many errors have been fixed over the months, but with various updates, new ones have continuously emerged. An additional page was created in the Ubi forum listing the known issues.
A major bug significantly affects the game, which the YouTuber Skill Up refers to as the “most important bug in The Division”. This pertains to the skill “Ballistic Shield”. However, it is not a game-breaking error like the backpack bug or the map bug. Instead, it greatly influences how we all play in endgame PvE.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
The Ballistic Shield is basically one huge bug. This skill is simply unusable because one cannot rely on it. Every agent currently relying on it is, so to speak, asking for trouble. Sometimes the shield suddenly disappears, or it prevents you from shooting, reloading your weapon, or using consumables. Occasionally, the shield cannot even be drawn out. It is simply a nightmare to play with.
As a result, it seems not to exist at all in discussions about certain builds. Only on reddit does the Ballistic Shield occasionally come up, always accompanied by demands to finally fix it.
No Ballistic Shield, No Tank
Because a functional shield would greatly benefit The Division, as Skill Up notes. It would be a useful ability, with which one could create a strong tank.
Currently, there are no real tanks who can control the enemies, act as a shield in front of allies, and fight in the front line. There are at most agents with toughness beyond 700k, who are not specialized tanks but simply agents with extreme armor values.
Consequently, all fights proceed in the same manner. One increases their toughness to at least 400k, crouches behind cover with healing skills and fortifications, and shoots at the enemies. When rushers charge at you, you can only hope that your firepower is sufficient to stop them in time. You can buy some time with flashbang grenades, but a tank with a shield in hand would certainly have better odds.
Skill Up concludes that the buggy Ballistic Shield prevents numerous combat variants and does not allow for a pronounced tank class. It ensures that all fights are almost identical because since no tanks are possible, the other builds and specializations are also affected.
When Specializations Are Not Specializations
No matter which build one currently looks at, toughness plays an extremely significant role in The Division’s endgame. Builds under 400k toughness simply do not work, as you have no chance against the NPCs – at least not with the playstyle allowed by the game currently.
But if you had a tank in the squad who draws the enemies to him at the front line equipped with the shield and controls the situation, the other agents would have much more room to skill themselves. When you do not have to live in constant fear that the next rusher will storm around the corner, you do not need overly high toughness values. The tank handles that. You do not have to bring toughness up to about 400k before you can finally focus on other attributes.
Then one can fully focus on the firearms and become a powerful damage dealer. The risk as such is higher, as one can quickly go down if the bullets stray in one’s direction, but this effective playstyle will at least become an option again.
Therefore, Skill Up concludes: By fixing the Ballistic Shield, Massive would allow for entirely new player experiences. Specializations and more tactical options would become possible. But currently, this omnipresent bug heavily influences how the fights are conducted, how one skills, and how one plays.
What do you think? Do you disagree? Or do you say, “Yeah, the man is right.”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pokémon GO should be fun, but also respect the environment and public places.
A few weeks ago, the Pokémon fever broke out again in Germany. This time, however, the environment is included, as players find more wild Pokémon in the “real world” than on the couch.
Not only wild Pokémon can be found “outside”. There are also PokéStops, where you can get rewards such as Poké Balls and potions, or gyms that you can conquer with your Pokémon, located in public places.
More respect for public places
In an interview with the LA Times, J.C. Smith, Consumer Marketing Director of the Pokémon Company, stated that the game should continue to be fun for aspiring Pokémon trainers, but respect the “real world” nonetheless. “When something is very popular, we have to ensure that we find a way to handle it so that players can enjoy the game safely and with respect,” says Smith. The game was just released recently and has already received so much attention that it is hard to think of all the areas in the world that could be affected in the future.
We have already reported that, for example, the Auschwitz memorial asked the developers of Pokémon GO not to be part of the game anymore. More and more public places are already making use of the function to have themselves removed from the game. On social media, you hear from players who are (rightly) outraged when several teenagers gather in cemeteries, use lure modules there, and have fun loudly in front of the graves. To top it all off, garbage and empty bottles are often left behind at the site.
In future updates, public and private places are to be respected and better protected. However, how exactly these changes will look and whether places will be completely removed or the activation range of these stops and gyms will be increased is still unclear.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Chinese WoW community is in turmoil. Blizzard is taking away a payment option, and many players are up in arms.
Players’ Outcry: Subscription in China without Alternative Option
When it comes to payment methods in MMORPGs, different continents are each cases on their own. In America and Europe, a subscription usually makes for a comfortable experience, but Free2Play is also well received. In China, however, they swear by a “per hour” payment model. But that will be disabled tomorrow, on August 4th, in China. Then World of Warcraft will also adopt a subscription model in China. Long-term players have been looking forward to this, as those who play more than 100 hours per month can benefit from it. All others, who only occasionally play for an hour in the evening, will come out as losers from this change.
The Chinese players can still use their previously purchased playtime until 2018 “as usual” or convert it into days for their subscription. 150 minutes of purchased playtime equal one day of subscription.
Especially in contrast to Taiwan and Korea, players now feel disadvantaged. There, both systems run parallel – players can choose between a subscription and hourly payment.
Mein-MMO believes: It would be easy, from our perspective, to claim that “the Chinese should just toughen up”, after all, the rest of the world also has a subscription model. However, this does not do justice to the situation, as China has had the model of hourly payments for years – and there are good reasons for that. Many “casuals” there simply lack the funds. Now they are forced to pay as much each month as they might have spent over several months otherwise – and this will inevitably lead to a decline in players. What has motivated Blizzard and the local publisher Netease remains a matter of speculation.
Now you can unleash your creativity even more in GTA 5 Online!
In the online mode of GTA 5, everything in recent weeks has revolved around stunts, loops, and crazy races. So far, there are 27 deadly stunt races in the “Cunning Stunts” update. Thanks to the Creator mode, there will soon be many more. Like in Trackmania, you can now build these tracks yourself and then test and rate them with the online community.
Cunning Stunts Creator Mode
With the latest expansion for the “Cunning Stunts” update, you can now create your own tracks with loops and dangerous jumps. Test your tracks thoroughly so that every jump and curve is achievable to make your map popular in the community. With the snap feature, you can quickly and easily connect different individual parts and combine them into a large track.
Raised roads, loops, tubes, or extreme inclines are just a few of the options to make your track a real adventure. Over 250 stunt add-ons are available to you when designing the tracks. Every track naturally also needs a surprise element. For this, there are dangerous obstacles like gas tanks or fire rings, which combined with speed strips can quickly end in disaster!
Put the keys to your stunt cars away and dig out your gun permits, because a new opponent mode awaits you! In Entourage, teamwork is required as bodyguards must escort a well-armored and well-armed target to a specific extraction point. Of course, another team (assassins) tries to eliminate this target in the meantime.
What’s special about it? Both assassins and extraction points are only visible to the target on the radar. The bodyguards must therefore rely heavily on what the target says in order to ensure safety. Secure double GTA$ and RP in this new opponent mode in GTA 5 Online until 11.08.
In Destiny, three new vendors are known. Moreover, there is plenty of information about the contents of “The Rise of Iron”.
With the Autumn expansion, a new “Social Space” will be introduced to the Destiny universe: Felwinter’s Peak. Your first new task will be in RoI, to free this venerable place from enemies so that various NPCs can repopulate it.
The Iron Temple comes to life
So far, three characters are known with whom you will interact in Felwinter’s Peak, in the “Iron Temple”.
Lord Saladin
Lord Saladin is already known from the Iron Banner event in Destiny. He plays a significant role in “Rise of Iron”.
Tyra Karn
This woman will appear as a Cryptarch and will be important for the new artifacts in “The Rise of Iron”. She will, of course, also be happy to decrypt your Engrams.
Once you have acquired an artifact from her, you will go to the corresponding statue of an Iron Lord located in the temple and activate the ability there. More information about the artifacts and their abilities can be found in the link above.
Shiro-4
This NPC is also located in the “Iron Temple”. The screenshot states that he is responsible for scouting missions for Cayde and the Vanguard. He will likely provide you with quests in which you can cleanse the Plaguelands of enemies. He is said to have class items, syntheses, and bounties ready for you.
Everywhere in this Social Space, you will also encounter wolves. You can see a wolf on the right side in the following image:
In the following video, you can see more areas of Felwinter’s Peak:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
With ornaments, you will be able to customize your gear and exotic weapons. These are essentially an evolution of the Chromatin System, which brings items to glow. With ornaments, you can change the “geometry” and appearance of the items.
Exotic weapon skins are now therefore a topic. With the ornaments, you can give the guns the SIVA style or the “Iron Lord” style. You can adorn the armor with “Iron Lord” ornaments, that is, with fur and horns.
The ornaments will be obtained in various ways: through “Radiant Treasures”, which are items likely similar to Sterling treasures. By playing, you can earn a certain amount per week. If you want to purchase these “Radiant Treasures” in the Eververse for real money, you can open them without limit.
You will also obtain the ornaments through high-level activities, such as “flawless” Trials runs and probably through the “Wrath of the Machine” raid.
Strike Exclusives and Skeleton Keys
In the Nightfall strike and in the strike playlists, you can obtain a new item upon successful completion: “Skeleton Key”. With these keys, you receive a guaranteed drop of strike-exclusive items when you open a “Strike Hoard” with them. This is a new chest that may appear when you complete strikes. It’s still a bit confusing.
Information about Exotics, the Thorn, and the Khvostov 7G-0X
Every Guardian had the good old Khvostov 7G-02 in hand as their first weapon when playing the very first mission. Now the exotic Khvostov 7G-0X comes into play, a truly unique weapon.
Like the Gjallarhorn and the Thorn, the Khvostov will also be tied to an exotic quest. But unlike other Exotics, this one will not have a single exotic perk that distinguishes the weapon. Instead, Guardians will be able to customize it at will.
You have multiple perks to choose from, with which you can build the Khvostov into the weapon of your dreams. You can set the fire mode, whether automatic, burst fire, or semi-automatic, and the rate of fire (900 RPM and 450 RPM are mentioned here). In addition, there should be numerous other customization options. Gameinformer speaks of over 100 variations that are conceivable. You can thus transform the weapon into a pulse rifle, a scout rifle, or indeed into an automatic rifle.
More information about “The Rise of Iron”:
There will be 5 story missions, plus additional missions and quests. The exact number is not known.
“The Archon’s Forge” will be a cooperative arena in the Plaguelands.
The new raid named “Wrath of the Machine” is available from September 23.
A new PvP mode called Supremacy.
Four new Crucible maps will come. One map is PlayStation-exclusive.
The Iron Banner will be redesigned.
In addition to new weapons and armor pieces, there will also be new emblems, shaders, ghost shells, and sparrows. The factions will also have new items for you.
What do you think of these innovations?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
IDC/Games and the developer studio Gamemag bring the very successful MMORPG Weapons of Mythology – New Age to the West on Playstation 4.
The free-to-play MMO will be released for both PC and Xbox One as well as Playstation 4. A first beta is planned for September. The online game will also be showcased at gamescom. It will be released in the fourth quarter of this year in the languages English, German, Spanish, French, Polish, and Italian.
The battle for a powerful artifact!
In Weapons of Mythology – New Age, PvE and PvP elements are intertwined. You not only pursue a story that guides you through a large game area via quests, but you also fight together with your guild supported by powerful pets in dangerous dungeons or compete against other players in PvP battlegrounds. The story takes place during the Chu-Han Civil War, into which the two opposing clans Zhan and Jie are drawn. You join one of the factions and fight for a valuable artifact of the ancestors.
However, it is precisely this war that the sinister Morkans take advantage of to escape from the underworld and plunge the land into chaos. Only the owner of the powerful relic can save the world!
Guilds, MOBA, and Boss Enemies
Weapons of Mythology – New Age offers a combat system in which you can combine different artifacts to unlock special skills. Pets play as much of a role as a guild system, through which members receive exclusive guild skills and can participate in guild wars. The PvP battlefield offers elements of MOBAs and a ranked ladder system. In the dungeons, many challenges await you, including dangerous boss enemies that you must defeat as a team.
In Destiny, events like the “Sparrow Racing League” are returning. Bungie discusses the time after “The Rise of Iron”.
The developers of Destiny chatted with Gameinformer about the future plans that are coming after “Rise of Iron”. What can the Guardians expect, what events can they look forward to?
Events in Destiny in October and December
Halloween fans can now rejoice: This year there will be the Festival of the Lost, where Guardians can celebrate Halloween. This will take place in October 2016. As part of the event, you can obtain new masks to scare enemies, along with “other surprises”.
Additionally, in December you can polish your Sparrows to a shine. The SRL, the “Sparrow Racing League,” will then kick off. The familiar tracks will be revamped, and two new ones inspired by the “Rise of Iron” environment will be added.
This SRL event is not only about the Sparrow races but will be much more extensive than last year. As the live team director Jerry Hook states, the event will return with a different style and will not only focus on the SRL.
It was noticed last time that many Guardians do not engage much with the Sparrow races. But there will still be activities for those as well during the December event.
Bungie wants to improve communication
According to Gameinformer, Bungie is currently taking a step in the right direction by wanting to talk more openly and clearly about the future than before. What comes after the expansion? What’s next for Destiny? These are questions Bungie previously provided only a few words about. The team now wants to change this and ensure clear communication regarding upcoming content drops.
The new patch titled 2.4.2 for Diablo 3 is now on the servers and brings several changes.
Patch 2.4.2 brings interesting changes regarding class balancing and general gameplay. This week, Season 7 starts in Diablo, and the patch is meant to herald this event. New torment levels with enhanced rewards, modified items with new features, and cosmetic rewards await you in this season as well. In the following patch notes, you can already get an impression of what to expect in the coming days.
Diablo 3 Patch Notes 2.4.2
The beginning of the official patch notes features comments from the developers explaining why specific points in the game have been changed.
In group games, there were tactics where monsters were lured to one spot to fight them from a distance with crowd control effects. This not only led to server problems but also made the game boring. The changes aim to make crowd control effects more situational and give players more opportunities to directly contribute to the group’s damage potential.
Gold rewards have been adjusted so that one can upgrade approximately one-third of the Greater Nephalem Rifts. The increase in gold costs has been reduced, so that gold rewards, like the Realm of Treasures, feel like a real reward again.
Knockback effects increase resistances against crowd control effects by 40%.
If the resistance of monsters to crowd control effects is higher than 65%, then they cannot be knocked back.
Skills with lasting knockback (e.g., Black Hole) can bypass the resistance if a monster has already been successfully knocked back. These skills increase the resistance to crowd control effects with each knockback by 20% instead of 40%.
Class Changes in Diablo
In addition to the gameplay, many changes have been made to individual classes in this patch. The Demon Hunter now has a new, unique mechanic for when and where its Spike Trap deals damage. A hatred consumer triggers the Spike Trap, allowing for precise control over when to deal damage from the trap.
Other skills have also been adjusted in the new patch. The focus was particularly on playing in groups. By adjusting skills that empower teammates, more diverse group compositions should now be possible.
With the introduction of blood shards, Kanai’s Cube and Haedrig’s Gift, the magic find bonus has become increasingly meaningless. A topaz in the helm no longer provides a magic find bonus but has been replaced by resource cost reduction. The reduction of resource costs has the same percentage bonus as cooldown reduction with a maximum of 12.5%.
Gems, such as the Invigorating Gemstone, were unpopular among many players. To make this gemstone appealing again, it has received a new mechanic. The Invigorating Gemstone increases your healing by up to 10%!
Unyielding Elixir of Chaos is a new legendary potion in Diablo. When you use it while having less than 40% health, this potion teleports you to another location.
In the upcoming space simulation No Man’s Sky, the first update was completed even before the official launch.
For a few days now, leaked copies of No Man’s Sky have been circulating. The leakers directly posted gameplay footage and numerous spoiler-filled infos online. Knowledge-hungry fans eagerly absorbed every news about the game – after all, the space simulation is full of mysteries and no one really has a complete picture of it yet. However, there were also leaked infos that the users did not appreciate at all.
A leaker stated that the game crashed multiple times for him and is full of bugs that he listed on reddit. Now, Hello Games is responding with an update that may fix some of these errors.
Many new features, balancing and content
Since No Man’s Sky went gold at the beginning of July – meaning it was completed – the developers have been working on a first update. The work on it is now finished. However, Sean Murray, the founder of Hello Games, did not reveal when this patch will be available. Perhaps it will be available for download as a Day-1 patch at the release on August 10. Since Sony itself is the distributor of No Man’s Sky, the necessary certification process on the PS4 could proceed quickly.
According to a Twitter post by Murray, the update includes many new features, balancing and content. However, he does not go into detail about this.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
This also means that the leaks already online do not show the current version of No Man’s Sky, as it will be at launch. With this update, the developers have added a good month of extra work to the space simulation. Murray also warned the community not to look at the leaks. After all, it is now only a few days until No Man’s Sky is released.
In the open letter from Pokévision to the Pokémon GO developers, you can see how much passion lies behind the game.
After apps and websites like PokéVision were banned a few days ago, the developers of these services have not given up yet. This will make many fans happy, as currently, there is no “reliable” way in the game itself to track down wild Pokémon using a radar. After PokéVision developer Yang Liu declined to comment on the events, he is now breaking his silence with an open letter to Niantic, showing how much passion fans and players have developed for Pokémon.
The players didn’t want to cheat, but to enjoy their game
In his open letter to John Hanke, the head of Niantic, PokéVision developer Yang Liu speaks plainly. He says that not all players used these services to cheat. Many simply wanted an alternative to the search function that doesn’t work in the game itself. PokéVision had up to 50 million different players and 11 million players a day. The reviews in the app stores also clearly indicate that a service like this is well received by players.
Here is an excerpt from the letter by Yang Liu to Niantic:
At this point, PokéVision has about 50 million different users and 11 million a day.
These numbers should be taken in.
Half of all Pokémon GO players came to us – but not to “cheat.” The game was simply unplayable for many (not all) players at that time. The actual reason why players used PokéVision was not to gain an advantage. The main reason was that they could play Pokémon GO more. That is what every player wants – to play Pokémon GO more.
When we closed PokéVision out of respect for your wishes (one came directly from you John), we trusted you 100% to allow the community to grow. I really can’t explain it any clearer – we just want to play the game. We can handle occasional bugs, but please at least tell us that you care. Yes, PokéVision gives players some advantages, but is that really TOO much; is it really THAT bad? Pokémon has survived for 20 years – it has even grown, I would say. Pokémon GO made it even bigger. If the argument is “Well, if you found a Snorlax that you shouldn’t actually find, but found it through PokéVision, then you will play less” – if that really is the argument, then I have to say that I disagree! I catch a damn Snorlax, even if I already have 20 of them. Just like millions of us probably caught over 100 Pidgeys or Zubats.
Pokémon is for eternity. The same 151 Pokémon have been around for 20 years now. Do 80 million downloads in a week (before the game was officially released in many major countries) not indicate that people can’t get enough of Pokémon?
After the Pokémon tracker in the game and PokéVision were disabled, the ratings in the stores of iOS and Android dropped from 4.0 stars to 1.0 – 1.5 stars. I am just one person and my personal opinion is not important, but what about the countless players who wish the game was back to how it was at the beginning? I may be biased when I say that the deactivation of PokéVision has to do with the bad reviews, the refund requests, and the uproar on social media – but could it be that there is some truth to it? Nothing else changed when the Pokémon tracker in the game and PokéVision were disabled. Could it be that the tracker, whether made by PokéVision or Niantic, is something that players need? Not “want” but NEED, to play the game? Could it be that this is one of the most important features that keeps many players in the game? I understand that there are players who just want to wander around, and stumble upon a Pokémon. But 50 million different users and 11 million a day, and the ratings of their app (which do not significantly change) are clear signs of this desire. Do users always know best? Especially when over half of the users are looking for a solution outside the game to enjoy something they love? People are inherently curious and in this case, they just want to play more and more. That’s why they were looking for something to help them play more and more.
With our GO Map, you can see Pokémon on a live map. The data is entered manually by the community, and the locations are provided with a rating system to achieve high catch rates. Because these locations are entered manually, apps of this nature are permitted and currently a good way to find rare Pokémon in your area.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter Destiny, Weapons Day is being held today, on August 3rd. What does the Weapons Master bring on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360?
Right now, no one can stay in their seats. Gameinformer dropped some info about “Rise of Iron” last night, and more details about the fall expansion are becoming known. We are preparing all the news in detail today so that you can get all the exciting information.
Here you will find the first bursts of yesterday’s info flood about “Rise of Iron” from Destiny:
This afternoon we will publish at least two more articles that deal with further new aspects of “The Iron Lords’ Awakening.” You won’t miss anything with us.
But today is also Weapons Day. Let’s see what the Weapons Master Banshee-44 brings. If you want to stock up your weapon arsenal before the fall expansion, it’s worth collecting reputation points with him. This way you can receive exclusive exotic weapon quests.
The test weapons available from August 3rd in Destiny
You gain reputation when you complete the following field test weapons:
An auto rifle from Häkke is to be used against Fallen.
An auto rifle from Suros aims for the Crucible.
With a fusion rifle from Omolon, you should take down Vex Minotaurs.
A sniper rifle from Häkke is targeting Cabal Centurions.
A sniper from Omolon wants to compete in PvP.
These 5 weapons can be ordered this week
At the Weapons Master, you can order forging contracts for 2500 Glimmer.
It starts with the Häkke auto rifle Zarinaea-D. It has a firepower of 8 and a rate of fire of 88.
From Häkke comes the shotgun Jingukogu-D. This weapon has a firepower of 52.
Additionally, you can order the sniper rifle Tamar-D. With a firepower of 22, it ranks among the lower damage snipers.
If you want the Häkke sniper Aoife Rua-D, you can grab it this week. Also, firepower of 22.
To finish, there’s the sniper rifle Eirene RR4. This is a powerful weapon and provides a good alternative for the special weapon slot.
These weapons can be collected this week with these rolls
The auto rifle Suros Ari-41 comes with a Custom Stock, Linear Compensator, and Focused Fire.
The pulse rifle Herja-D comes with Crowd Control, Snapshot, and Custom Stock.
The pulse rifle Lyudmila-D can be picked up without strong perks.
The shotgun Jingukogu-D comes with Linear Compensator and Full Auto.
The sniper rifle Tamar-D comes with Unyielding and Devour.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
With an alleged “screenshot of Articuno,” 2 “Pokémon GO” players draw attention on Facebook.
Once again, confusion arises among Pokémon GO players. Initially, many players believed the authenticity of the statement that Pokémon GO will soon be paid, even though this statement came from the well-known satire site Postillon. Now, a screenshot of an Articuno is causing some “Pokémon GO” players to believe the story of a woman from the USA.
The Articuno was an “apology from Niantic”
Presumably, this article should be written with a laughing smiley after each sentence to clearly show what story the woman wants to sell on Facebook. KaitCovey is her username – and allegedly she has an Articuno in her Pokédex. But how did she get the legendary Pokémon that no one has caught before her into her collection? Not caught, not through a glitch in the game, and not as an early test of the trading feature. It’s much simpler than that.
According to the player’s statement, she received the legendary Pokémon Articuno from Niantic as an apology. In an email, Niantic allegedly apologized to her and added an Articuno to her “Pokémon GO” account as “compensation.” Makes sense, right? As “evidence,” there is also a video accompanying the screenshots that is supposed to confirm her statement.
In the Facebook group, where the videos and screenshots were uploaded, other users (understandably) ask for actual evidence. A video or screenshots can easily be faked. To have an Articuno in your own game, you just need to download a program that changes the skins (i.e., the appearance of the Pokémon) in the game. (Warning: Such software should not be used, as there is a risk of being banned.). After a long back and forth, there was a live stream on Twitch where the alleged email from Niantic was shown.
To convince you that the image is “really 100% real,” you should enlarge it. Unfortunately, the poor image quality doesn’t offer much, but as a Pokémon trainer, you might have noticed something. Since the email is in English, it refers to Articuno as “Articuno.” You can immediately see how generous Niantic is in this whole matter. Not only do they gift the player a legendary Pokémon as an apology – no – there is also a typo for free! An Articundo is supposed to be the gift.
Brand new – A Zapdos was also found
Now the events in Pokémon GO are escalating. The Reddit user goldhedgehog has found a Zapdos on his adventures and clearly states that he did not hack the game. Of course, there is also proof that can only confirm the authenticity of this Pokémon.
This article should, of course, be understood with a good portion of humor.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The online game War Thunder can be described as a major competitor to World of Tanks, which however has an advantage.
Different battles, such as land and air battles, do not take place in separate games, but in one. This means that while some players are fighting with their tanks on an island, others are flying combat aircraft through the air, engaging in heated battles above the clouds. These battles even have an impact on one another.
The naval battles are coming!
What is still missing are naval battles. However, that will change soon. Gaijin Entertainment is currently working on several updates for War Thunder, including naval battles. During gamescom, the developers are supposedly going to reveal more about it; an official announcement is still pending. First screenshots show a Victorian frigate in battle, which could be an indication that a new scenario or simply interesting ships will be introduced. A test of the naval combat system is scheduled to follow in the second half of the year.
Additionally, the developers are working on a new battlefield set in China, and there are plans for Japanese vehicles. Furthermore, the e-sports tournament system is currently being tested. The team is also working on a completely new game that will focus on virtual reality. This game is set to be presented in more detail during gamescom.
The new skins from Overwatch have a pretty big catch. According to Cortyn, there is a price tag that no one can quite pin down.
New Skins in Bad Packaging
It’s Wednesday again, and that means I get to rant again! You have no idea how bad it is to have to wait a whole week for this. It’s time to once again direct my dissatisfaction at one of my favorite games. Hello, Overwatch!
Last night, Overwatch rolled out a patch that – relatively surprisingly – brought quite a few new features. In line with the Olympic Summer Games, there are numerous skins and other cosmetic fluff. Overall, there are over 100 different items that can be included in the new loot boxes. Each box guarantees one item from the new set. However, the event rewards cannot be purchased with in-game credits.
And this is where I have a problem. The new items cannot be purchased with credits and are only available for a limited time. One of these two barriers wouldn’t be so bad, but both together leave a very uncomfortable feeling. Why? I’d be happy to explain.
Let’s say I really want the new skin for Tracer. I then have only one option: to collect as many loot boxes as possible (well, who would have thought…). Within the 20 days that the event lasts, I can only earn a certain number of loot boxes through playing. Even if I played 4 hours every day (which is just not feasible), I might get 80 loot boxes and would still be relying on luck for one of them to contain Tracer.
In the rest of the game, it’s not like that. There is a “safety net.” Because even if I often get something I don’t want, I still earn credits that ultimately allow me to fulfill my wish. There’s absolutely no way to reliably work towards the one desired item.
No Guarantee, No Matter How Hard You Try
None of this would bother me if Overwatch were a free-to-play game. But it isn’t. It’s a full-price title. And now it contains rewards that are limited by a random factor and time constraints. At the end of the 20 days, many players will face the consequence: buying loot boxes with real money or going without certain skins. Until next year. Probably.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
The solution to the issue would be simple. They could have introduced a “special currency” that only applies for the event. Blizzard could have later converted the skins and emotes from the Summer Games so that they would be epic or legendary and thus appear very rarely. But neither of these things is the case. If I like something, I am under massive pressure. Play, play, play. Or throw money at the problem. And even then, there is no guarantee. Maybe I’ll change my mind over the next few weeks. But the thought after sleeping on it for the first night is surely “Meh”.
What do you think about the whole thing? Don’t you find it troubling that there will be some things that you can never achieve simply due to a lack of time? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
To generate proper attention and adequately prepare players for the upcoming expansion of World of Warcraft: Legion, Blizzard continually releases new information. In addition to comics and cinematics, they have now also released the first part of the audio play “The Tomb of Sargeras”.
In exactly 26 minutes, the first part of the four-part audio play tells of Gul’dan’s arrival on the Broken Isles. The listener accompanies him on his journeys along the coast of Suramar. During this, one learns how Gul’dan communicates with the Legion and what his master Kil’jaeden orders him – and how much he dislikes fulfilling these instructions precisely. The Archdemon instructs the Orc to always head north to find the Tomb of Sargeras and fulfill “his destiny”.
The demon also does not tire of repeatedly mentioning that “the other” Gul’dan failed in this mission. Just as Gul’dan wishes to bend to the will of the demon, he spots a Night Elf Warden. He follows her to her camp and learns that the legendary Maiev Shadowsong is among the Wardens. However, just as Gul’dan intends to strike, another person appears on the scene. How the encounter ends and who else makes an appearance, you’ll best hear for yourself in “The Tomb of Sargeras: The Fate of Another”.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
In Destiny we look at the innovations and the capabilities of the artifacts that “The Rise of Iron” brings.
In the upcoming fall expansion, the artifact slot will undergo a major overhaul. These items, introduced with “The Taken King,” gain “dramatically” in importance.
In “The Rise of Iron,” you can still use and infuse your previous artifacts, but eight brand new artifacts are added. These can be combined with any class and subclass. Each of these new items relates to deceased members of the Iron Lords, such as Felwinter, Jolder, or Skorri.
The new artifacts are available from Tyra Karn
In “Rise of Iron,” you will encounter a new character named Tyra Karn. She is your contact if you want to possess the cool “Iron Lords” artifacts. She sends you out into the infected lands, where you must perform great deeds in honor of the Iron Lords.
When you complete a task, you will receive an item called “Iron Lords’ Legacy”. With this item, you can purchase one of three artifacts from Tyra that she offers each week. It will take approximately eight weeks before you can obtain all the artifacts in this way.
Game-changing abilities of the artifacts
Each of these new artifacts has a “Game-Changing” ability. With one item, you can gain control of enemy units for a short time in close quarters. Another artifact removes your super but gives you two grenades, two melee attacks, and a boost to all your stats.
Each artifact can be combined with exotic weapons and armor pieces and subclasses, creating new “build” options.
By the way: Each artifact has a direct connection to the Iron Lords after whom they are named. For example, Jolder often charged headfirst into danger, which is why her artifact eliminates sprint cooldown.
On Reddit, there is already a list of all artifact abilities. According to this, they are as follows:
Memory of Radegast: This enables your swords (in the heavy weapon slot) to reflect projectiles. This also applies to Ogre attacks and rockets in the Crucible.
Memory of Perun: Guardians are marked in yellow when they have a full super and in red when their health is low.
Memory of Jolder: Sprint cooldown is removed.
Memory of Silimar: Damage over time is severely reduced (for example, the poison from the Thorn hand cannon).
Memory of Felwinter: The super is removed, but you gain an extra grenade and another melee attack. Additionally, there is a boost to all stats.
Memory of Gheleon: You receive a constant detailed radar. Even when aiming with primary weapons (grants precise radar and Third Eye).
Memory of Skorri: Increases the super recharge speed for all nearby allies.
Memory of Timur: Attack an enemy in close quarters to have a chance to temporarily turn them into an ally.
These eight abilities seem to be confirmed by now.
According to Gameinformer, it was a lot of fun to try out these artifacts. Additionally, the system, which will take several weeks to gather all artifacts, may ensure long-term motivation. Furthermore, guardians in the forums will likely actively discuss which artifact they chose that week or which ones are absolutely must-haves.
The latest patch from Overwatch brought a lot of new features. For a limited time, there is a completely new game mode and cool skins.
The Summer Games in Overwatch
The latest patch from Overwatch was quietly released again without much notice on the test server. Just in time for the start of the Olympic Summer Games, the characters of Overwatch are also striving for new best performances. Therefore, there are over 100 new cosmetic items that you can earn. You can see all the new skins and emotes in a quick overview in the official video from Blizzard.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
The new game mode will be temporarily introduced in the form of a brawl and takes place on a completely new map. Basically, it’s a soccer match where 3 Lúcios compete against 3 others. Anyone who has checked out the game “Rocket League” knows exactly how funny it can end.
The new loot boxes are available only for the duration of the event, until August 22, 2016. They temporarily replace the regular loot boxes and can be obtained through leveling up. Each of these boxes contains at least one item from the Olympic collection, with multiple items possibly showing up at the same time. The special skins, voicelines, emotes, and victory poses can only be obtained until August 22; afterwards, they will no longer be available. They cannot be purchased with credits either.
If you don’t have to smile at this pose, you simply have no sense of humor.
Moreover, there were some bug fixes and improvements to the interface. Players can now also see who has registered as a group in the “Quick Play” mode. Additionally, there are small design changes on the map “Watchpoint: Gibraltar” to balance the ratio between attackers and defenders.
For more news and articles about Blizzard’s hero shooter, check out our Overwatch game page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In World of Warcraft, the Exotic vendor Xur from Bungie’s MMO shooter Destiny makes an appearance in Legion.
The creative minds at Blizzard have provided numerous humorous surprises with plenty of Easter eggs in their games. Several of the NPCs in WoW bear names that are familiar from various games and other areas of the entertainment industry.
The sixth expansion titled “Legion” will apparently not be an exception when it comes to amusing references. For the famous vendor Xur from Destiny makes a spectacular entrance.
Xur’ios brings items related to Destiny
Xur is a mysterious vendor in Destiny, who appears every Friday and brings random exotic items. Players eagerly check his inventory every weekend – as there might be something cool to enhance their characters.
In WoW, a vendor will now make an entry that has clear references to Destiny. In the mage metropolis Dalaran, on August 30th, Xur’ios will appear, who not only has this distinctive name but also bears a resemblance to the original Xur. Additionally, Xur’ios will have a special item every day that should be instantly recognizable to Destiny fans: There will be ‘Gjallar’s Horn’ or ‘Krota’s Shield’.
By the way, in WoW you don’t pay “Xur” with Strange Coins, but with Curious Coins.
In Destiny, we take a look at the progression system in “The Rise of Iron.” The new maximum Light Level makes a significant jump.
Now the time has come that many Guardians have been waiting for. Concrete details about the Fall expansion are being released. The major English-language site Gameinformer has secured the rights to announce the exclusive announcements for “Rise of Iron.”
This was shared by the site and Bungie yesterday evening. A nice trailer was released, containing details about “RoI.” About an hour later, GameInformer published several additional articles revealing upcoming, exciting aspects of Destiny’s Fall expansion.
Detailed reports have been posted online that we will thoroughly process over the next few hours so you won’t miss any information. Similar to Gameinformer, we want to take a closer look at each aspect. However, since we do not want to withhold any information from our readers, we will now summarize the most interesting innovations:
The Light Level will increase to 400.
The Festival of the Lost and the SRL return.
The hand cannon Dorn is returning.
Eight new artifacts will come, bringing very special abilities.
Numerous innovations affecting weapons and armor pieces.
Now let’s take a look at all the information related to the progression system in “The Rise of Iron.”
The level remains, the Light Level raises
Gameinformer spoke with Bungie for three days and extensively played the new expansion. They also discussed the new Light Level that can be achieved.
The character level remains at the current maximum of 40. However, in “RoI,” the Light Levels can be significantly increased. The current maximum is 335. At the start of the Fall expansion, you can achieve Gear up to 385.
This maximum will be increased to 400 once the hard mode of the new raid is unlocked. This is expected to happen a few weeks after the launch of “RoI.”
You can ascend in Light level with new rare (blue), legendary (purple), and exotic gear. Furthermore, Gameinformer states that the loot system with item drops seemed “very similar” to what is already known.
A unique triumph book for “RoI”
With “Rise of Iron,” you will receive a unique triumph book. Such an item is already known from the SRL event last winter and through the current “Year 2” triumph moments.
This book will accompany you throughout the entire expansion and record your progress. It also contains tasks that need to be completed. The more tasks you complete, the higher the “percentage” increases. At certain values, you will receive “new armor, emblems, and more.”
Many new options to beautify yourself
In “The Rise of Iron,” you will have numerous opportunities to change the appearance of your character. There will be “a large number of new weapons and complete armor sets.”
New sets can be obtained through the Iron Banner PvP event, through the Iron Lords (available via the triumph book), the Trials of Osiris, the new raid “Wrath of the Machine,” and the new arena “Archon’s Forge.” All factions will also offer you pretty things.
Furthermore, there will be “ornaments,” decorative items: a new aesthetic customization feature that allows you to change the “geometry and appearance” of individual armor and exotic weapons.
In Rise of Iron, the progression system will not be completely overhauled. The expansion aims to provide new content to discover. Moreover, the options for the Guardians to look and play as they wish will be “dramatically expanded.”
What do you think of this information?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
![WoW: Legion – Audioplay released concerning the backstory of Legion [Update: Now also in German!]](https://images.mein-mmo.de/medien/2016/08/WoW-Audio-Drama-Fate-of-Another.jpg)
