LoL: Players Hate a New Skin That Repeats the Mistakes Riot Made 2 Months Ago

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

New skins appear in League of Legends with every patch. However, not all players are happy about new designs for their favorite champions. A new skin has sparked criticism, as it repeats mistakes that caused a skin to never be released in the first place.

Which skin is in question? Since 2025, Riot has taken a new approach to their seasonal structure. There will be 4 seasons per year, and each season will also receive a Battle Pass that fits the theme. The next season, starting in May, will focus on the theme Spirit Blossom.

In this Battle Pass, you can unlock skins again, one of which is even free. In Chapter 1, you can unlock Spirit Blossom Ivern without paying for the premium version of the pass. However, part of the community is unhappy with the skin and feels reminded of a situation that isn’t that long ago.

Start video
Das ist LoL – Einmal richtig ehrlich erklärt

This is a glorified Chroma

How does the community react to the skin? On Reddit, user CJ-03-FIRE posted the thread: Let’s discuss the new Ivern skin. He explains that he was looking forward to a new Ivern skin, but when he saw it, he was disappointed. He says about the skin: This is a glorified Chroma. Chromas are simple skins that swap colors, offering no new effects or animations.

After watching a YouTube video of the skin, his criticism increased: The skin has no unique backport animation, and the abilities are merely recolors of the standard skin. His post currently has 1900 upvotes, and most comments agree with him.

User Rafaap (via Reddit) wonders how this skin can still be released after the criticism of the last Alistar skin two months ago. The Grand Reckoning Alistar was free, but it was also criticized for its quality, and Riot deleted it.

Oleandervine (via Reddit) agrees with the thread creator. He even states that the skin is one of the least elaborate ones. The user criticizes that there are enough games that have shown how to do a Battle Pass right, yet Riot is having a tough time.

Jragon713 (via Reddit) believes there wouldn’t be any problem with the skin if it had been released as just a simple Chroma.

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What do you think about it? Do you find it irrelevant because it’s free, or are you also dissatisfied with the quality? Feel free to let us know in the comments. Skins are a tricky topic in League of Legends, especially since there is a new skin variant: LoL: Riot shows a new €240 skin, but players prefer an old skin from 2016 that costs only €20

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

New Tactics Game is like XCOM, but set in a Fantasy World, reminiscent of a Grim Steam Hit

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

An upcoming tactical game on Steam combines at first glance the intense battles of an XCOM with the dark comic style that players know from Darkest Dungeon.

Which game is being discussed? We are referring to Prelude Dark Pain, the first game from the Spanish indie developer Quickfire Games. It is a tactical RPG with turn-based combat that transports you to a grim fantasy world. Prelude Dark Pain will be released on Steam, but a release date has not yet been determined.

The developers of Prelude Dark Pain are launching a Kickstarter campaign on April 29, 2025, to fund the game. This announcement is accompanied by a trailer that already shows some gameplay and conveys the atmosphere of the game.

You can watch the trailer for Prelude Dark Pain here:

Start video
Prelude Dark Pain: New Tactical Game on Steam Soon Launches Its Kickstarter Campaign

A blacksmith becomes a rebel

What is the game about? Prelude Dark Pain takes place in the world of Statera. It is under the tyrannical rule of the Order of the Ashen Crusade – an order that worships the Lord of Pain, who devastates the land.

You are Soren: once a warrior, now an ordinary blacksmith. With the help of your companions, you lead the rebellion against the bloody regime. You will fight not only against its henchmen but also against the creatures summoned by the order through its activities.

Visually, the game looks remarkably similar to the dark Steam hit Darkest Dungeon. However, that game was a rogue-like that guided you through grim dungeons and dark forests. Prelude Dark Pain is less claustrophobic but still dark.

Turn-based combat with over 20 heroes

The gameplay is more reminiscent of turn-based tactics games like XCOM:

  • From an isometric camera perspective, you move your heroes around in battles like on a chessboard.
  • There are more than 20 heroes to choose from, but you can only take five into battle.
  • Each hero has a specific role – some deal damage particularly quickly, while others support your group members.

If you manage to flank enemies or attack from behind, you deal bonus damage. However, keep in mind that this applies to your enemies as well. Therefore, the proper positioning of your heroes is of great importance.

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A significant contribution to the dark atmosphere of Darkest Dungeon was made by Wayne June’s work. His narration was omnipresent in the game. However, June passed away in January 2025. Developers and the community bid farewell: One of the darkest voices in gaming is forever silenced

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

MontanaBlack explains why an incident on Twitch scared him: ‘I have a lot to lose’

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The Twitch streamer MontanaBlack had an unpleasant encounter during a stream on Twitch. He explains why he seemed intimidated, even though he actually maintains an image as a tough guy and likes to act tough.

What happened? The streamers MontanaBlack and Knossi were out on a “in real life” stream in Berlin. The two popular streamers had security personnel dressed in black with them, who made a strong impression.

Suddenly, a person blocked the street with a wide stance. MontanaBlack spotted him early and assumed that he wanted to punch them.

The person seemed so threatening to the streamer duo that the security personnel addressed the individual and asked him to step aside. However, the person shouted incomprehensible things and identified himself as “Paul”. The man yelled something like they should ask Kollegah and that the streamers would go to jail for ten years.

While Knossi joked, “he’ll take care of it” and said that the guy was probably a friend of MontanaBlack whom the streamer from Buxtehude was ashamed of, as he recognized him by the dialect, MontanaBlack only said: He didn’t know him. MontanaBlack seemed tense in the situation.

Start video
Career and Life of MontanaBlack in 2 Minutes: What Makes Him Unique?

I have a lot to lose

This is what MontanaBlack says about the situation: In a statement, MontanaBlack later explains why he has “respect for such a guy” and seemed somewhat intimidated during the stream (via tiktok):

Bro, I’m 37, I have a lot to lose in life.

For MontanaBlack, the impression was created that the man in the stream was mentally confused. These are people who are just unpredictable. He already has respect for such people.

Those who take issue with him for it not matching his image as a tough guy, he tells: There is nothing worse than such a person who is mentally disturbed.

Here you can see the encounter of the streamers with the person:

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What scared him in the situation? MontanaBlack mentions what the viewers might not have noticed: The person in the stream took hours to follow Knossi and him.

Even after the encounter on the street, the man followed them to an event.

Streamers increasingly becoming victims

Here’s what it’s about: In the USA, there have been repeated burglary and thefts targeting female streamers – a crime motivated by money. Through the streams, it is known in which area people like Amouranth live and that they have a lot of money.

What MontanaBlack describes, the encounter with an unpredictable, perhaps obsessive person, is a different category. Particularly due to this component, that these people apparently have “nothing to lose”, while MontanaBlack has a lot to lose in the situation, it is understandable that MontanaBlack reacts with uncertainty here.

MontanaBlack and Knossi were well protected by security forces in the situation. In the USA, three female streamers, who were only accompanied by an assistant, faced a similar situation. They had no choice but to flee: Twitch streamer is followed and threatened because she doesn’t want to give a fan her number.

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

Final Fantasy XIV: Unlocking Cosmic Explorations in Patch 7.21 – Requirements, Stellar Missions, and More.

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 2 minutes

With Patch 7.21, the Kosmo explorations begin in Final Fantasy XIV. Here’s how to unlock them, prepare for them, and start the new Stellar missions.

What are Kosmo explorations? The Kosmo explorations are the new endgame for crafting and gathering classes. Players gather on the moon of the world and collectively build a spaceship. This will allow them to travel into the vastness of the in-game space.

Unlocking Kosmo explorations: To participate in the Kosmo explorations, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Crafting or gathering class at least Level 10
  • The Endwalker quest Endschreiter must be completed

The starting quest A Project to Infinity can be found in Old Sharlayan at X 12.6 and Y 13.6 – where the NPC Namingway is waiting.

The area of the Kosmo explorations is accessed by the NPC Drivingway in Mare Lamentorum (X: 21.9; Y: 13.2).

As the Kosmo explorations are just starting, we will expand the article with our own experiences over the coming days and weeks.
Start video
The new trailer for Patch 7.2 of Final Fantasy XIV shows the new, highly anticipated content

Kosmo Explorations: Exotablet, Stellar Missions, and Infrastructure Index

With the Kosmo explorations, a round of new systems comes into play. Here they are:

Exotablet: The Exotablet displays the amount of currently owned in-game currency, which is Kosmo coal and lunar coins. It also has seven functions. The tablet allows players to undertake the so-called Stellar missions.

Infrastructure Index: This index shows which part of the construction project is currently being worked on and how far along the server is. At certain points in the progress, community projects are triggered that elevate the project to the next level.

The further a server progresses in the Kosmo explorations, the more structures are available in the area.

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Stellar Missions: Completing Stellar missions results in crafting and gathering items for the Kosmo explorations. The tasks are adapted to the respective character level and provide rewards.

Once a task is completed, temporary missions can be unlocked, which are active for up to 5 minutes. Additionally, there are ongoing missions that continue as long as the maximum score is reached.

For these missions, there is the Kosmo bag, which specifically stores materials for these missions. They do not clog up the normal inventory.

Emergency missions start randomly and must be completed by specific classes. If the progress bar for the emergency mission fills within the time, a large bonus is awarded. If this is not achieved, the reward is reduced.

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Mecha Operations: Some tasks require heavy machinery – the Mecha operations. One player controls each Mecha, while other players assist as ground personnel.

Kosmo Luck: In exchange for lunar coins, players can spin the wheel of fortune and receive items. These include outfits, umbrellas, and even a mount.

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MeinMMO will also test the Kosmo explorations and will expand this article accordingly. For now, we wish you lots of fun with the new endgame for crafters and gatherers. Finally, Final Fantasy XIV seems to be back on track: After rather poor reviews on Steam following the launch of Dawntrail, the game seems to be slowly recovering: After 8 hard months, Final Fantasy XIV is finally recovering on Steam, but it is still too early to celebrate.

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

Twenty years ago, a rule prohibited Batman from appearing in a popular DC series

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

The 2 most important heroes for DC are Batman and Superman, and you can see that just by how many series and movies have been released about the two. But there were strict rules that prohibited Batman from appearing in a popular series.

Which series is it about? In 2001, the series Smallville started. The focus of the story is a young Clark Kent, who, as Superman, has to not only understand his powers and his legacy but also deal with normal teenage problems.

In addition to the classic Superman characters like Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, or Jimmy Olsen, there were regular appearances of other superheroes like Green Arrow, Aquaman, Black Canary, or Hawkman.

But in 10 seasons, the other big face of DC was missing: Batman. The creators of the series were prohibited from having Batman appear, which is probably related to a rule from the 2000s.

Start video
Smallville – Trailer for the 10th Season of the Superman Series

The Bat-Embargo

What was the problem? One of the creators of the series, Alfred Gough, revealed in an interview (via comicbookmovie.com) that they were allowed almost everything for the series except for Batman and Wonder Woman.

As kryptonsite.com reports, they were indeed interested in having a young Bruce Wayne in the series, but Warner Bros. didn’t want a character to appear in a TV series and a movie. At that time, Batman Begins was already in production.

Coincidentally, in the early 2000s, there was the rule known by fans as the Bat-Embargo. According to dcanimated.com, this was a rule by Warner Bros. and DC that limited how much from the Batman universe could be used in other media. This happened in conjunction with the launch of Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.

The rule was supposed to prevent the target audience from being confused by the many versions. The then-new animated series The Batman was the only one allowed to use well-known villains from Batman. This was especially noticeable in the Justice League Unlimited series. Although Batman appeared, his iconic villains were almost completely absent.

In the series The Batman, Robin only appeared in the fourth season after the series Teen Titans ended with Robin in the lead role.

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Instead of Batman, there were 2 similar characters in Smallville. In the third season of Smallville, Adam Knight was introduced. Even though his true past was revealed later, he was introduced as a martial arts expert who is not only skilled in hacking but also became an orphan.

In season 6, Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) was introduced. The character also exists in the comics. He is a multimillionaire who fights with arrows, gadgets, and his intelligence. In Smallville, he also founded the Justice League. Maybe it was better for this Justice League that Batman didn’t show up: Batman is more brutal than most villains when it comes to defeating his own friends

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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Fortnite: Servers are online – Everything about update 34.40: Server Status and Patch Notes

Christos Tsogos Christos Tsogos Reading time 3 minutes

In Fortnite the new update will be deployed today, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. All info on Patch 34.40 can be found here.

Patch Notes for 34.40

  • LEGO Fortnite Brick Life
    • You can now catch fish
    • You can now cook at the following places:
      • Oven
      • Stove
      • Blender
      • Cutting board
  • LEGO Fortnite Odyssey
    • Find golden chests to unlock new chest templates

Tuesday, 04/22/2025

1:04 PM

The servers are back online and according to Shiina you can log in again, we will now look at the patch notes and list them for you if Epic Games has released them. Until then, we wish you a lot of fun in Fortnite! (via x.com)

12:17 PM

If Epic Games sticks to its schedule, you can expect the start of the servers around 2 PM. However, a delay is also possible. We will keep you updated (source: status.epicgames.com).

11:57 AM

One of the skins that received an update is the Psycho Bandit. This should also be available in the shop in the coming days. He comes from Borderlands.

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11:39 AM

Master Chief is set to return to the shop soon. The protagonist from Halo will also be available with an additional style:

https://twitter.com/ShiinaBR/status/1914614668720558238

11:13 AM

According to leaks, C-3PO is set to appear as a skin in Season 3. Epic Games inadvertently added “C3P0-StarWars” to the data.

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10:40 AM

Shiina has captured all the skins from the update in his video. If you’re looking for an overview, you can find it here:

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10:30 AM

A new crew pack skin has also been discovered. This is set to be released in May:

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10:16 AM

There are many new skins in the data. Here are some of them:

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10:04 AM

The downtime has now begun. The leaks will follow soon. You can no longer log in for a while. We will keep you updated!

9:35 AM

Some skins of the new TMNT enemies have already been revealed. Here they are:

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9:04 AM

Good morning! The server downtime begins in less than an hour. According to leaker Shiina, the downtime is expected to last up to 4 hours (source: x.com). So expect a big update with many leaks and possible login issues.

What happens during the server downtime? The servers will be shut down. During this time you cannot play Fortnite.

Server Down in Fortnite – from when? The servers will be shut down on April 22, 2025, at 10 AM. Shortly before that (about half an hour) the matchmaking will be disabled (via x.com).

When can I play Fortnite again? This depends on the size of the update and the duration of the downtime. It’s a larger update, so expect 1 to 4 hours.

When will patch notes be released? Epic Games now only occasionally presents patch notes for updates, usually only after the downtime. As soon as they are available, you can read them here.

If you missed the trailer for Chapter 6 Season 2, you can catch up on it here:

Start video
Fortnite showcases explosive gameplay in the Season 6, Chapter 2 trailer

Fortnite: Patch 34.40 – What do leakers say?

What can I expect from the upcoming update? Leaker Shiina has already made some guesses on X.com about what exactly could be included in the update. The update is said to bring new content to the battle royale. Here’s what you can expect:

  • New cosmetic items
  • TMNT enemies
  • Teasers for Season 3
  • A skin inspired by Jenna Ortega
  • Crew Pack for May
  • Leaks for Season 3
  • Reskin of the monkey
  • Updates to old collaborations for the shop
  • Shield Breaker EMP comes from the vault
  • Business Turret comes from the vault
  • and more!
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We will follow the server downtime live for you and provide you with the most important information and leaks. Did you know that you owe the creation of the battle royale to a man who was stuck in Brazil, had little money but then had the groundbreaking idea? Here’s more about it: An Irishman stranded in Brazil, messed up his marriage and had hardly any money, changes gaming forever

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

Pokémon GO is bringing back a rare Pokémon in May that you might have missed

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

Pokémon GO has announced the “Growing Up” event. This brings not only bonuses but also the return of Toxel.

When does “Growing Up” start? You can play the event starting Friday, May 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM. It will run until Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 8:00 PM.

What kind of rare Pokémon is this? The event offers you a new chance to get the baby Pokémon Toxel. You may remember: It first appeared in November 2024 during the preparation event for the GO Nature Zone, and then again during the actual GO Nature Zone.

At that time, you could hatch it from 10 km eggs if you were lucky. However, if you were unlucky, you had to forgo Toxel until now. It disappeared again, making it one of the Pokémon that could be easily missed in Pokémon GO.

But now the return is near. Toxel is coming back in the “Growing Up” event, in 10 km eggs. The shiny form can also be hatched if you are lucky. More importantly, Toxel is expected to remain in the 10 km eggs even after the event and thus be hatchable.

But that’s not all. The event has even more shinies and bonuses in store.

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

Good shiny chance during “Growing Up” in Pokémon GO

These are the bonuses: As is common with Pokémon GO events, “Growing Up” also comes with a few bonuses. They are as follows:

  • If you hatch eggs, you have an increased chance of obtaining shiny Reißlaus.
  • In the wild, you are more likely to encounter shiny Karpador, Wablu, and Reißlaus.
  • Additionally, there are double XP for evolutions.
  • Double candy for hatching eggs.
  • And an increased chance to encounter XXS or XXL Pokémon.

In the wild, you will encounter the following Pokémon. Possible shinies are marked with an asterisk.

  • Karpador* (increased shiny chance)
  • Wailmer*
  • Wablu* (increased shiny chance)
  • Tarnpignon*
  • Dedenne*
  • Wommel*
  • Reißlaus* (increased shiny chance)
  • Meikro
  • Micrick*

In eggs, you can find:

  • Wonneira*, Riolu*, Reißlaus* (increased shiny chance) from 2 km eggs
  • Pantimimi* from 5 km eggs
  • Toxel* from 10 km eggs

Additionally, typical event contents such as relevant field research, collector challenges, showcases, and a paid but optional limited research in the shop will be available. This is expected to cost $4.99, likely similar in euros.

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What’s next in Pokémon GO? With the Growing Up event, the first May event is now known. However, a few more dates are coming up to round out the current month. Want an overview of what they are? Then check here: We show you all events in April 2025 for Pokémon GO.

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

Nintendo is hunting the leaker who spread secret information about Pokémon – Turning Discord into an involuntary snitch

Caroline Fuller Caroline Fuller Reading time 2 minutes

About half a year after a major Pokémon leak, Nintendo is finally looking to identify the culprit and is taking legal action.

Which leak is being referred to? In October 2024, a Discord user named GameFreakOUT released confidential Pokémon information on the Discord server FreakLeak. The consequence: The materials not intended for public release were published online with the poster’s comment “Have fun” (and without Nintendo’s consent).

Nintendo now wants to find out the true identity of GameFreakOUT and has requested a subpoena from a California court to force Discord to assist them in the hunt for the leaker.

Here you can see the trailer for Pokémon Legends: Z-A:

Start video
Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Trailer for the Rise of the Royale Champion

Nintendo demands information

How is Nintendo proceeding? On April 18, 2025, Nintendo filed a subpoena request against Discord in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to uncover the personal details of the leaker. This includes the name, address, phone number, and email address of the Discord user, as outlined in the documents, published by Polygon.

An attorney for Nintendo, James D. Berkley, stated that the purpose of this action is to discover the identity of the Discord user GameFreakOUT, who posted infringing content.

What did the leaks contain? In the Pokémon community, this data leak from last year is known as the “Teraleak,” which emerged from the sheer volume of leaked content.

The leaks included confidential employee data from Game Freak, unreleased materials for the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A, as well as other Pokémon titles of the next generation, builds of older games, and a wealth of concept art and lore documents.

Furthermore, the leaker claimed to have obtained the source code for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which the person did not publish.

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This is definitely not the first (and certainly not the last time) that outsiders have gained access to confidential data about games and their companies. On X, another user named Centro LEAKS shared another hint about the upcoming Pokémon title that revealed that a popular aspect of previous Pokémon games will not make it into Legends: Z-A: Pokémon Legends: Z-A – New leak reveals that a popular aspect from the predecessor will not be present

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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Players rave about Last Epoch on Steam, but they are sure: Path of Exile 2 shouldn’t be like that

Christos Tsogos Christos Tsogos Reading time 2 minutes

Last Epoch celebrated the release of its new season. For many, the studio behind the ARPG has done a magnificent job and is so good that it even outshines its competitor Path of Exile 2. Although PoE2 currently plays poorly, GGG however intends to follow its own path.

What is going poorly in Path of Exile 2? Since the release of the new league “Dawn of the Hunt,” many fans have complained about countless problems in the ARPG. Some of these include:

For many, Path of Exile 2 is simply not fun when reaching the endgame and the notorious dopamine rush from loot is missing.

With the release of the new season of Last Epoch, some fans of Path of Exile 2 have now switched sides and are looking forward to the innovations of the ARPG. The game has changed for the better, and although Last Epoch does many things better than Path of Exile 2, fans believe that the team at GGG (developers of PoE2) should stick to their ideas.

Start video
Path of Exile 2 presents a new teaser for the big update Dawn of the Hunt

Path of Exile 2 should remain true to itself

What do fans say about the success of Last Epoch? On Reddit, user mccao commented on the success of Last Epoch. Since the release of the new season, many PoE2 fans have been comparing both games, and while GGG can learn a lot from Last Epoch, it would be wrong to align PoE2 to that standard.

Path of Exile 2 is taking a different route to distinguish itself from other games of the same genre and offer freshness – traditional power fantasy does not belong here, as that can be found in PoE1 or Last Epoch. Up to 2,463 (as of April 22, 11:19 AM) fans on Reddit agree with mccao and have shared the following comments:

  • “POE2 doesn’t need to be a reskinned POE1 or a ‘1-to-1’ LE clone, but I really wish it would stop trying to be a Soulslike without understanding what made Dark Souls so good.” – Reddit
  • “LE has some amazing ideas. No one wants POE2 to become LE, but GGG needs to remove the blinders.” – Reddit
  • “I want to love POE2. The graphics, the boss fights, and the skills all look so cool, but I just can’t enjoy getting to the endgame and receiving so few rewards. The game feels more like a job than a game to me.” – Reddit
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Will Path of Exile 2 change further? Currently, the developers of Path of Exile 2 are tirelessly working on the ARPG. They are releasing many patches to address the pain points that the community is currently upset about. Loot will also be addressed soon, but for many fans, that is still not enough: Path of Exile 2 will soon bring more loot into the game, but that is not enough for the community

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

Corporations want to replace human programmers with AI, but one problem stands in the way

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

Since the rise of artificial intelligence, there are concerns in various professions that ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Midjourney, and other AI services could take jobs away from people. In addition to creative professions, it is also expected to affect programmers, as more and more companies plan to implement artificial intelligence.

This is the danger for programmers: More and more companies are relying on artificial intelligence, which is supposed to take over the work of programmers. For example, Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott predicts that by 2030, about 95% of the coded programs will be generated by AI (via TechSpot).

Facebook founder and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also described a similar scenario in a podcast (via YouTube): He believes that in the future, a large part of the code in Meta’s apps will be generated by AI.

Start video
In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?

AI has problems fixing errors

What problems does AI face in programming? Debugging, which is simply defined as the detection and correction of errors, is still problematic for artificial intelligence.

Microsoft explained in a blog post that programmers spend most of their working hours on debugging. This is why the company created an environment called “Debug-Gym,” which allows artificial intelligence to use various debugging tools. The AI is supposed to learn to debug codes like a human programmer.

Subsequently, Microsoft conducted initial tests. The AI “Claude 3.7” had the best success rate in debugging code:

  • without access to debugging tools, the AI had a success rate of 37.2%
  • with access to debugging tools, the AI had a success rate of 48.4%
  • all other AIs had a success rate of less than 35% even with debugging tools

This means that artificial intelligence has been successful in detecting and fixing errors in less than 50% of the cases, even with various debugging tools.

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von Alexander Leitsch

What does this mean for programmers now? Since debugging is an important step in the daily life of a programmer, artificial intelligence cannot replace human workers as long as it doesn’t achieve better results. However, this is exactly why Microsoft’s Debug-Gym is supposed to help the AI learn.

Artificial intelligence proves to be an important tool not only for large companies to perform tasks more effectively. Chatbots like ChatGPT and DeepSeek are also regularly used by many individuals. Many of them do not forget their manners and say “Please” and “Thank you” to the AI – and this costs the companies behind the chatbots a lot of money: ChatGPT’s CEO says users are wasting a fortune by saying please and thank you to the AI

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 3DJuegos
  2. Arstechnica
  3. Unsplash via Sven Mieke
  4. Unsplash via Israel Andrade

What is actually happening with Ashes of Creation, the great hope of the MMORPG genre from the West?

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

In April 2025, we will look at the status quo of Ashes of Creation, one of the biggest hopes for the entire MMORPG genre, which has been in crisis for a decade.

Why is Ashes of Creation so important for the genre? Since 2015, MMORPGs have been in a drought phase that simply does not want to end. While there are glimpses of hope here and there, there is a lack of ambitious new releases from western studios and publishers that could bring some movement to the stuck status quo of the genre.

The only new MMORPG from the past decade, backed by a western team and blessed with a large budget, is New World – but the game from Amazon Games never fulfilled the expectations and hopes of many genre fans despite the enormous launch hype.

While little is known about most other western MMORPG projects currently in development, Ashes of Creation has been pursuing a more transparent path for many years.

The rogue class recently debuted in the Alpha of Ashes of Creation:

Start video
Ashes of Creation: Trailer shows gameplay of the rogue class

The ambitious project by Intrepid Studios and millionaire Steven Sharif, currently involving 250 developers, delivers updates monthly, continuously showcasing new gameplay and documenting the progress the game has made over the years.

Additionally, since October 2024, Alpha Two has been running, allowing players with access to livestream and report without NDA. This provides unfiltered impressions of the game directly from the community.

Status quo of Ashes of Creation

What is the current status? Since January 16, 2025, Phase 2 of Alpha Two has been live, meaning the Alpha servers are up 5 days a week. The original plan was for Phase 3 to start on May 1, 2025, with 24/7 operation, but the developers recently shifted this date to August 4, 2025.

Anyone with Alpha access can play Ashes of Creation 5 days a week in the coming months. The testers can actually expect a noticeably unfinished gaming experience. According to studio chief Steven Sharif, about 70 to 80 percent of the planned core systems and 20 to 30 percent of the content are currently included in the Alpha.

Noteworthy is that a lot has happened in the Alpha in just a few months since the launch of Alpha Two. For example, there was a major update in March that implemented, among other things, the rogue class, a new region, caravan ships, and the siege system for the nodes.

Start video
Ashes of Creation: The Most Important Things about the MMORPG in 49 Seconds

Furthermore, essential progress has already been made in technology through the upgrade to Unreal Engine 5 as well as a breakthrough in the so-called “server meshing”, allowing countless players to exist in a shared world without lag and performance issues rendering the MMORPG unplayable.

This was tested in December 2024 when around 6,000 characters were online simultaneously on an Alpha server. Currently, about 130,000 interested players are participating in the Alpha.

What does the future hold? In the remaining months until the start of Phase 3 of Alpha Two, the developers want to implement further upgrades in technology, introduce the second starting area “The Anvils”, and revise the quest and newcomer experience systems.

Start video
Ashes of Creation – Caravan Gameplay

Moreover, the summoner, the last missing class, is to be released. The races Py’rai, Ren’Kai, and Niküan will make their premiere, and the economy is to be expanded enough to be ready for the launch of Phase 3 in October.

These contents will be complemented by a destruction system for besieged nodes, a monster coins system through which you can take on the role of certain NPCs (including raid bosses), as well as improvements in graphics, combat system, and much more.

When exactly the first beta phase will start after Phase 3 of Alpha Two is currently just as unclear as the final release date of Ashes of Creation.

More about Ashes of Creation:
Amazon’s MMORPG has only 1 percent of its players left, responds to the case with … a new subscription
von Karsten Scholz
Head of Ashes of Creation comments on allegations of fraud in 11 pages, announces legal action
von Jasmin Beverungen

What else do I need to know about Ashes of Creation? Ashes of Creation is a sandbox MMORPG in a fantasy setting, set in a vast open world. You fight against world bosses and compete against each other in PvP. There will also be a system where you level up areas, thereby creating villages and cities and altering parts of the game world – the so-called “Nodes”. Development on the MMORPG began back in 2015. Read more about it here: Release, roadmap, Alpha 2, classes, gameplay, payment model – everything important about the MMORPG Ashes of Creation.

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

Pokémon GO: Today you can easily get a hell of a lot of Stardust – Here’s how it works

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO today, the Spotlight Hour is on. It brings Bubungus – while it’s not strong, it’s still quite useful.

When does the Spotlight Hour take place? The Spotlight Hour is today, on April 22, 2025, at 6:00 PM – as always! It lasts until 7:00 PM, providing you with the Pokémon of the day: Bubungus for a good 60 minutes.

What kind of Pokémon is Bubungus? Bubungus is of the Grass and Fairy type. It originally comes from the games Sun & Moon. Bubungus also has an evolution: Lamellux.

You could honestly ignore both if you’re looking for strong fighters, as they are not particularly dangerous. Nevertheless, you should take advantage of the Spotlight Hour today and catch many Bubungus. Because: There is a lot of Stardust to collect. And you always need that.

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

How to make the most of the Spotlight Hour today for lots of Stardust

That’s why there’s so much dust: Bubungus is among the Pokémon that already give you more Stardust by default. Each Bubungus catch equals 500 Stardust for your Stardust account.

But today, it’s going to be doubled again because during the Spotlight Hour, you get double the amount of Stardust for each catch. In the case of Bubungus, that means 1,000 Stardust.

Bubungus
Bubungus and Lamellux – Normal and shiny

If you want to get even more out of it, you should use a Star Piece during this time if you have one in your item bag. This increases the amount of Stardust per catch by 1.5 for half an hour.

In short: During the Spotlight Hour today, you could casually collect 1,500 Stardust per catch. It’s worth it.

What do I need Stardust for? Stardust is one of the most important resources in the game. You can use it to level up your Pokémon – in conjunction with Candy. You also need it to teach them another move. This is particularly important, if you enjoy playing in PvP. And the additional moves are usually quite expensive.

You usually need Stardust to activate Adventure effects as well. In short: You can never have enough of it.

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What’s next in Pokémon GO? After we recently had the debut of Forgita, April is now slowly coming to an end. But it’s not quite over yet! A few more events are still coming up. This includes, for example, the debut of Knapfel, including the new items on the map: Apples. What’s that about? We’ll show you here: Pokémon GO is soon bringing a Pokémon, the nature of which is somewhat unclear.

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

Blizzard changes direction on Diablo 4, explains how to handle overpowering builds in the new season

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

Slaying demons and butchering zombies are integral parts of Diablo 4. It’s part of the game to eventually become ridiculously powerful. Blizzard allows this, but in the future, it won’t be possible for as long as it has been in the past. The previous philosophy seems to no longer be working.

This has been Blizzard’s approach so far:

What is Blizzard planning now? In a roundtable interview, Lead Live Game Designer Colin Finer discussed changes to the balance system of Diablo 4 (via gamesradar). Finer explained: They want to bring nerfs and other balance adjustments much earlier now.

Instead of waiting until mid-season, nerfs will come in the first days. The approach for the future is:

Already in the first week or so, early in the season, when we see that something is completely overpowered and ruining the game, […] we will act quickly so that you don’t waste much time and investment. We will nip it in the bud before you spend weeks building a character.

Colin Finer

The current approach has not respected players’ time. For example, if someone invested in the Blood Waves Necromancer, one of the strongest builds in Season 7, it was destroyed with the mid-season. They don’t want that anymore.

You can see Season 8 here in the trailer:

Start video
Diablo 4: Der Gameplay-Trailer zu Season 8 mit Belial

“We want to make the power fantasy more satisfying”

The goal now, according to Finer, is that fine-tuning is at the forefront, which “makes the journey of progress more rewarding and the power fantasy […] more satisfying.”

Powerful builds are still important and a part of Diablo. However, players should no longer be able to reach them right at the beginning of the season just by equipping an item, but rather gradually work towards them.

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The emphasis is now on fine-tuning. Even at release, Blizzard reacted quickly and tried to adjust balancing in as short intervals as possible. However, it happened that classes were simply “deleted”, at least in the perception of players.

With the upcoming Season 8, the change in balancing philosophy is supposed to take place. The season starts on April 29, 2025, until then you can still play the current builds. With the new season, new powers will come into play that are supposed to add more variety: Diablo 4 Season 8: Everything about the start, end, and the content

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

Friends have been digging a hole in their garden for almost 40 years, making a discovery like in Minecraft

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

For 38 years, Robert and Alain have been going underground daily. They accidentally discovered a cave system in Robert’s garden and are uncovering great treasures – almost like in Minecraft.

What kind of hole is this? The Frenchman Robert stumbled upon an abyss in the middle of his field in 1987. A neighbor’s horse fell into a hole in his garden. During the rescue, it was discovered that the hole leads into a larger cave system (via YouTube).

Together with his friend Alain, Robert descends about 50 meters below the earth’s surface. They proceeded as follows:

  • They uncovered the cave’s tunnels with jackhammers.
  • They brought the excess earth to the surface in bags.
  • For safety, they built stairs and installed lights.

In the cave, they eventually came across bats and stalactites. The big dream of both friends is to discover a large room with stalactites and stalagmites while they are still alive. After all, they are already 75 and 76 years old.

A live-action film adaptation of Minecraft was released only recently:

Start video
A Minecraft Movie: First Complete Trailer in German

Friends Discover Cave System Like in Minecraft

What treasures have they discovered? During their explorations, the two have found numerous treasures. These include mammoth bones, human jaws, and fossils that are more than 450,000 years old.

Every month, researchers come to the cave to examine the discoveries. The scientists even help transport the bags of earth out of the cave – to take some samples themselves. Robert and Alain are now so old that carrying the bags has become more difficult for them.

What does this have to do with Minecraft? As the name of the game suggests, players arm themselves with a pickaxe in Minecraft and extract valuable resources from the land. They hack their way through the pixelated world and occasionally come across underground cave systems. Since the world is generated randomly, players can never be sure what they will encounter.

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Robert and Alain must have felt somewhat similar when they explored the cave system. They too found special treasures in the cave – although probably none that they could use to create TNT or swords. But perhaps they will still find diamonds.

Minecraft was originally released in 2009, so it is not as old as the discovery made by the two friends. However, to this day, Minecraft still receives updates. One of the updates includes flying creatures, which you can see here: Minecraft gets flying mounts, friends can fly along

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Jeux Video
  2. Le Parisien

Millionaire prefers to spend his life on large yachts rather than solid ground, now he can no longer return

Caroline Fuller Caroline Fuller Reading time 2 minutes

Every person has their own priorities in life: For some, it’s self-actualization, for others, community and family – For an American millionaire nicknamed “Super Mario,” it has been the luxurious life on the water for over two decades.

Who is the millionaire? Mario Salcedo is not only a wealthy businessman but also a regular guest on one of the largest cruise yachts in the world, not only during his vacation time. He consciously gives up on having his own family or other attachments and has lived almost exclusively on the water for 25 years.

Of the 356 days in a year, he spends only around 15 days on land to handle bureaucratic matters, check on his apartment in Miami, or plan the next flight for another cruise.

In these 25 years, he has already completed more than 1,154 cruises, but life on the water also comes at a cost – and not just financially. Because millionaires are also susceptible to sea and land sickness.

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Why do tech billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg keep wearing the same clothes?

Continuous Cruising with Consequences

What ailments does the millionaire suffer from? The huge boats seem to not only harm the environment but also leave their marks on the wealthy permanent guest. Due to his two decades at sea, he developed a land sickness. This disorder affects the inner ear and causes him to constantly feel like he is swaying, even when he is standing still on solid ground.

Normally, this illness lasts only a few days after a limited cruise and then disappears on its own, but due to his permanent stay at sea, the millionaire can hardly walk straight on land anymore. For this reason, he keeps his days on land rather short.

What does his daily routine on the yachts look like? Despite his vacation-like environment, the millionaire continues to work from the cruise ships. On one of the decks, a handwritten sign labeled “Super Mario’s Office” is waiting on a table every day – a nickname he received from the ship’s crew.

“Super Mario” spends around $70,000 to $100,000 annually on his stays. For this, he always books a “simple” inside cabin, as he only needs it for sleeping. The ship is his home.

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The wealthy Super Mario is – aside from his land sickness – in perfect health and for this reason will continue his life on the luxury ships. Returning to land does not seem to be an option for him in the near future. Another millionaire also gives up on having his own house, but invests his money differently: He is a millionaire and doesn’t even own a house: Timothy Armoo shows how differently Generation Z ticks

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

Fans believe: Jason Momoa plays an influencer in the Minecraft movie, but for good reason it is kept quiet

Alexander Mehrwald Alexander Mehrwald Reading time 2 minutes

Jason Momoa’s character “The Garbage Man” in the movie about Minecraft could be heavily inspired by a well-known influencer, according to fans. However, a clear answer as to whether this is true will probably never exist for good reason.

Which influencer is being referred to? Fans who have seen the new Minecraft movie see several clear parallels between the character “Garbage Man” Garrett Garrison played by Jason Momoa and the Twitch streamer DrDisrespect, also known as Guy Beahm. That’s why they believe that Jason Momoa’s character is based on him.

However, these parallels are not without problems: In summer 2024, it was revealed that DrDisrespect had received a ban on Twitch for sending inappropriate messages to minors. This information was only published after the main filming of the movie had been completed a few months ago, making any subsequent changes very difficult.

Given that Minecraft attracts many young people, an official confirmation of the fans’ theory is therefore unlikely for good reason.

Start video
A Minecraft Movie: First Complete Trailer in German

“It is absolutely impossible that Garbage Man is not at least partially based on DrDisrespect”

What parallels do fans see? In various threads on Reddit, fans share their theories about the parallels between Jason Momoa’s character and the streamer DrDisrespect. For example, Garbage Man is known as the video game world champion of 1989. In this regard, DrDisrespect has made his title as the blockbuster video game world champion from 1993 to 1994 a substantial part of his personality. Additionally, both wear distinctive clothing and have a very similar style.

User TR1CL0PS also shares his observations via Reddit: “The gaming championship of 1989, Pitviper sunglasses, long hair with facial hair, boastful demeanor, one-liners, and sometimes speaking Spanish. It definitely felt like they were inspired by Doc.”

DepravitySixx opens his thread on Reddit with the words: “It is absolutely impossible that Garbage Man is not at least partially based on DrDisrespect” and also cites the aforementioned points, as well as a flashy red car as a status symbol.

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However, even if Jason Momoa’s character is based on the well-known influencer, it may never be officially confirmed. And as has been said, for good reason. Officially, a well-known German streamer was supposed to be part of the film as well. Yet fans are struggling to find him in the movie: Gronkh was supposed to have a major role in the Minecraft movie – Now fans are asking: Is he even in it?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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Shadowheart keeps missing with the new spells in Baldur’s Gate 3 again, players say: You’re using them wrong

Benedict Grothaus Benedict Grothaus Reading time 2 minutes

Although she is one of the most popular companions in Baldur’s Gate 3, many players curse Shadowheart’s spellcasting, especially in the early game. However, some players feel this is unfair, explaining what she is doing wrong. Apparently, many simply do not understand how spells work.

What is Shadowheart’s problem?

  • The cleric has several cantrips at her disposal, which she can use when she can’t cast other spells. For spellcasting classes, these cantrips are essential to avoid being completely helpless.
  • However, Shadowheart constantly misses, especially with her two spells Sacred Flame and Fire Bolt.
  • You see a probability of whether a spell hits or not when you cast it. For Shadowheart, this probability often hovers around 50% or lower.

Here’s what’s new: Patch 8 has introduced new subclasses to Baldur’s Gate 3, including the Domain of Death for clerics. Together with this domain is the cantrip “Toll the Dead.”

In fact, the death cleric is more or less the strongest new class comparatively, especially because of the cantrip. Toll the Dead deals 1d8 necrotic damage or 1d12 if the target is not at full hit points. That’s more than most other spells.

However, that only applies in theory. On Reddit, a player complains that Shadowheart also constantly misses with Toll the Dead. Veterans jump in and explain: you are simply choosing the wrong targets.

You don’t want to play Shadowheart as a cleric? Here’s how to reskill her:

Start video
Baldur’s Gate 3: Reset Character and Choose New Class

“Shadowheart is a meme in Act 1”

The problem with Toll the Dead is that the spell requires a Wisdom saving throw. Now, one might argue that an Owlbear cannot be particularly wise. However, in D&D, “wisdom” does not only represent the life experience of older individuals.

Wisdom also reflects instincts and awareness, things that contribute to survival. Consequently, many wild animals in Dungeons & Dragons are very “wise.” Rolls like Perception are thus based on Wisdom.

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Hence, it is difficult to “hit” with Toll the Dead. The opponents’ rolls are simply too good. The same is true for the other cantrips:

  • Fire Bolt uses Intelligence as a modifier, which a cleric usually lacks.
  • Sacred Flame relies on a Dexterity saving throw. Most opponents in Act 1 are very agile goblins and also rangers who are skilled in these rolls.
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However, one user once calculated what the probabilities actually are by trying different percentages 150 times (via Reddit). His result: the probabilities are indeed lower than indicated.

In another comment, it was mentioned that one could forgo Toll the Dead and instead take Chill Touch. This uses a spell attack roll with Wisdom and is more reliable. Otherwise, you just have to choose the right targets. You can also “examine” opponents to see their stats.

Clerics are generally the “healers” in Dungeons & Dragons, as they can specifically specialize in keeping the party alive. However, especially experienced players now agree that this is not the best approach: If you still have a healer in Baldur’s Gate 3, you are making a big mistake

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

A Soulslike on Steam had fewer than 500 players, now there are suddenly over 11,000 – And all thanks to an update

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 2 minutes

The soulslike Lords of the Fallen recently struggled with low player numbers on Steam. Now a major update has been released that has led to a significant increase in active players.

What is the state of the game? Lords of the Fallen was released in 2023 and is the loose successor to the 2014 title of the same name. The game shows significant influences from FromSoftware’s Souls games, thus resembling Dark Souls or Elden Ring. It was a top seller on Steam, despite mixed reviews.

While Lords of the Fallen had around 43,000 players at release on Steam, this number rapidly declined in the following months (via steamdb.com). A month after release, only just over 4,000 users were playing, and that number has since dropped even further.

Just a week ago, the game was languishing with weak numbers of 100-500 users. However, a major update has now been released that gives Lords of the Fallen the version number 2.0. This quickly led to a significant increase in player numbers and an improvement in reviews.

Start video
Lords of the Fallen: Trailer for the Major Update 2.0 for the Action RPG on Steam

Co-op players have reason to rejoice

What does the update bring? Version 2.0 is not just a small patch, but brings changes that are certainly prompting some players to give the game another chance.

Especially co-op players can look forward to this. The centerpiece of the update is a new cooperative mode, where both participants in a session share progress. The only requirement: they must be in the same New Game and have defeated the same number of bosses with a tolerance of one boss difference.

Additionally, the update introduces the possibility of using the “Friends Pass”. In this case, only one of the two players needs to own Lords of the Fallen, while the other can simply join the game.

This and several other fixes, such as improved movement in combat, are resulting in a huge rise in players. At least in relation to the last few months. Just a week ago, a maximum of 500 players were online; last weekend, thanks to the update, Lords of the Fallen reached a solid 11,000 users (via steamdb.com).

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The CEO of the publisher CI Games thanked for the sudden interest on x.com:

10,000 concurrent players, 18 months after launch. Just a week ago we were about 500. This means a lot to us. Thank you very much to everyone who believed in us, supported us, and joined us. We will always be there for you.

Marek Tyminksi

The extra work has therefore paid off and attracted more players again. Have you played Lords of the Fallen again? Feel free to let us know in the comments. MeinMMO author Christos Tsogos was already very impressed at release: Lords of the Fallen is finally the competition to Dark Souls that I have been waiting for 10 years

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

Player in Final Fantasy XIV reached level 100 without abilities – Impressed fellow players: ‘I’ve had worse tanks’

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 2 minutes

In the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV, players level the first class with the main story, while the secondary ones mostly involve combat. One player has now brought a class to level 100 without using any of its abilities.

What happened? The Reddit user Catfish017 shared a post showcasing his gunblade at level 100. The character still wears the starting gear but has a relic weapon from Endwalker, which can be redeemed through quests and Allagan stones.

In the post’s title, the user states that he did not use a single ability while leveling with the tank. He reportedly achieved this by farming experience points through Khloe’s Adventure Album. In a comment, he mentions that it took him a total of 1.5 years from the starting level 60.

In the comments, players praise Catfish017 for his effort but also express mild cynicism and exchange additional tips for leveling without combat. For specifics, you can read under the video.

Start video
The new trailer for Patch 7.2 of Final Fantasy XIV shows the new, highly anticipated content

Level 100 without abilities? I’ve had worse tanks

How does the community react? Some players find the idea really great. One writes that he is afraid of tanking and wants to use the new leveling technique to complete the role quests (via Reddit). Another specifically states, uh, I’ve had worse tanks (via Reddit).

Reddit user KingBanhammer has even had such bad experiences that he trusts Catfish017 more than random players now. Dragon_Yeti (via Reddit) has likely had a few bad tanks as well: […]the level [of a character] is not even remotely an indicator of a player’s experience and skill.

Overall, players regard the achievement very highly. At the same time, there is also dissatisfaction about bad teammates and the unexpectedly easy farming of the last relic weapons.

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

In Season 8 of Diablo 4 you take on the powers of the toughest enemies when you defeat them

Nicole Wakulczyk Nicole Wakulczyk Reading time 9 minutes

In the “Campfire Chat” livestream, the developers gave an early glimpse of Season 8 of Diablo 4 – including new features. One of them allows you to take on the powers of defeated bosses and enhance your builds with them.

On the evening of March 7, 2025, the Diablo 4 developers discussed the upcoming Season 8 in their “Campfire Chat” livestream on YouTube. Prior to this, Diablo head Rod Fergusson announced that the current Season 7 would be extended by two weeks, because the update requires more development time than originally planned.

Update, April 22: The article has been adjusted and updated. Since Blizzard has made changes to the boss powers, we have revised the listing and replaced values with X to maintain currency in case of potential changes. You can find concrete details about the boss powers at Blizzard.

What is this feature? The new mechanic in Season 8 is the boss powers. You receive the special powers of the hideout bosses after defeating them for the first time. You can then use these skills for your builds. According to Blizzard, there will be a total of 24 different bosses whose skills you can take on.

You can already test the new mechanic on the PTR for Season 8 next week. The test server will be available for players on Battle.net from March 11 to March 18. The preload is scheduled to start on Monday.

Start video
Diablo 4: Der Gameplay-Trailer zu Season 8 mit Belial

24 bosses grant you new powers

What are these powers? In Season 8, you can take revenge on the toughest opponents and defeat them with their own attacks. For example, you can dig through the ground like Duriel when dodging, spawn a blood pool like Lord Zir, or take down enemies using Lilith’s spike wave.

Here you will find all new boss powers to expand:
  • Chest Beam of the Wandering Death (World Boss)
    • Main power: While channeling a skill, you summon a beam that deals X % frostbite damage per second. You deal X % [x] increased damage to affected enemies for 1 second.
    • Modifier: Your main boss power instantly kills non-boss enemies with less than X % health. When you execute enemies, you gain X primary resource.
  • Ashava’s Acid Breath (World Boss)
    • Main power: If you hit an enemy affected by damage-over-time effects, you summon an acid wave that deals X % poison damage over X seconds. For every X % of the current enemy health affected by damage over time, this effect deals an additional X % poison damage.
    • Modifier: Once per use, your main boss power also deals X % poison damage for X seconds.
  • Knorzer’s Explosive Ore (World Boss)
    • Main power: When you gain an excess of primary resources, you summon a piece of ore. After X seconds, this piece of ore explodes, dealing X % fire damage. You can summon up to X pieces of ore at once.
    • Modifier: Activating your main boss power consumes all your primary resources to increase the damage by X %[x] per resource point spent.
  • Alleks Claws (Event Boss)
    • Main power: When you cast a basic skill, you deal X % spark damage to affected enemies over X seconds.
    • Modifier: Gain X % movement speed, which increases by X % for every X % cooldown reduction you have, up to a maximum of X %.
  • Lesson of the Beastmaster (Event Boss)
    • Main power: Each time you cast a summoning skill or call a mercenary for assistance, one of your mercenaries or summons stuns your enemies for X seconds and gains X % damage reduction.
    • Modifier: Your summons deal X %[x] more damage, which increases by X %[x] for every X % bonus on critical hit damage you have from items and the Paragon system, up to a maximum of X %[x].
  • Sabotage of the Extortionist (Event Boss)
    • Main power: If you cast a core skill while you have a barrier, enemies in close proximity are knocked down for X seconds. This cannot occur more than once every X seconds for the same enemy.
    • Modifier: Each time you gain sturdiness, you also gain X % of that amount as a barrier.
  • Disturbance of the Flesh Cutter (Event Boss)
    • Main power: If you deal damage to a vulnerable enemy, their vulnerability is removed, stunning them and surrounding enemies for X seconds. This stun makes bosses stagger X % more.
    • Modifier: You gain X %[x] damage against vulnerable targets, which increases by X %[x] for every X % bonus on crowd control duration you have, up to a maximum of X %[x].
  • Haste of the Embrace of Hatred (Event Boss)
    • Main power: If you cast a shadow or fire skill, you gain X seconds of increased movement speed by X %, up to X %.
    • Modifier: You gain X %[+] critical hit chance, which increases by X %[+] for every X % shadow resistance you have, up to a maximum of X %[+].
  • Kirma’s Spark (Event Boss)
    • Main power: If you escape, you deal X % spark damage to nearby enemies over X seconds.
    • Modifier: Your cooldown for escape is reduced by X %. This increases by X % for every X % lightning resistance you have from bonuses, up to a maximum of X %.
  • Eagle Eye of the Outlaw’s Sniper (Event Boss)
    • Main power: If you deal direct damage to a distant enemy, they and surrounding enemies are slowed by X % for X seconds.
    • Modifier: You deal more damage to enemies the further they are from you, up to X %[x].
  • Sinerat’s Flames (Event Boss)
    • Main power: Using a mobility skill burns nearby enemies for X % burning damage over X seconds.
    • Gain X %[x] increased damage against all elements. You gain an increase of X %[x] damage for each X % resistance of an element from bonuses for that element, up to a maximum of X %[x].
  • Skerg’s Toxins (Event Boss)
    • Main power: If you take damage from an enemy, you deal X % poison damage to them over X seconds.
    • Modifier: If you take damage from damage-over-time effects, you have a chance of X % to heal instead. This chance is increased by X % of your poison resistance from bonuses, up to a maximum of X %.
  • Torusks Wrath (Event Boss)
    • Main power: If you deal damage to a target with loss of control, they and surrounding enemies become unstoppable, but you gain increased damage, attack speed, and movement speed for X seconds.
    • Modifier: Gain X %[+] attack speed, which increases by X %[+] for every X % damage against targets with loss of control that you deal, up to a maximum of X %[+].
  • Belial’s Crystal Bait (Hideout Boss, from Qual 1)
    • Main power: If you cast an agility, defensive, or macabre skill, you summon a crystal that taunts enemies and explodes after X seconds, dealing X % shadow damage.
    • Modifier: Activating your main boss power instills nearby enemies with fear for X seconds and deals X % shadow damage.
  • Belial’s Eye Rays (Hideout Boss, from Qual 1)
    • Main power: After drinking a healing potion, you gain X seconds of X % damage reduction and summon eye rays that corrupt enemies for X % over X seconds. Afterward, your healing potion is disabled for X seconds. You can drink your healing potion at full health.
    • Modifier: If you activate your main boss power, you gain stealth for X seconds. After the stealth begins, you deal increased overwhelming damage of 11 %[x] for 2 seconds.
  • Lilith’s Wind of Hatred
    • Main power: Attack enemies with a wave of spikes that lasts for X seconds and deals X % physical damage when you cast a spell. Enemies take increased damage by X %[x] from Wind of Hatred each time they are hit until reaching X %[x].
    • Modifier: If you hit an elite enemy with a main boss power, an inactive bubble clone with X % of the maximum health of your enemy appears for X seconds. If you kill this bubble, the elite enemy loses X % of their health. An elite enemy can have up to 1 bubble, and a boss can have up to 2 bubbles active. Enemies with resilience cannot generate bubbles.
  • Duriel’s Burrow (Hideout Boss, from Qual 1)
    • Main power: If you escape, you now burrow underground, incapacitating enemies at your entry and exit for X seconds and dealing X % damage to them. You deal X % damage every X seconds while burrowed. The cooldown of escape is increased by X seconds, and cooldown reduction has an effectiveness of X % while escaping.
    • Modifier: Activating your main boss power grants you increased dodge chance by X %[+] for X seconds. Each time you dodge an attack, you incapacitate nearby enemies for X seconds.
  • Andariel’s Flame Skull (Hideout Boss, from Qual 1)
    • Main power: After staying still for X seconds, you summon a skull that orbits around you and breathes fire, dealing X % burning damage to enemies over X seconds.
    • Modifier: Burning enemies take X % more damage from your damage-over-time effects. After activating your main boss power, you deal burning damage over X seconds to enemies for X % with all your other attacks.
  • Graupel of the Beast in Ice (Hideout Boss, from Qual 1)
    • Main power: After casting 3 skills that cause loss of control or stagger effects, you fire sleet spikes that deal X % cold damage and freeze enemies for X seconds.
    • Your main boss power now chills enemies to X %[x].
  • Grigoires Lightning Square (Hideout Boss, from Qual 1)
    • Main power: After casting a core skill, lightning tiles emanate from you for X seconds, dealing X % lightning damage per hit.
    • Modifier: Once per activation, enemies hit are stunned for X seconds when you deal damage to them with your main boss power.
  • Lord Zir’s Blood Pool (Hideout Boss, from Qual 1)
    • Main power: After dealing damage to an enemy, you summon a blood puddle that causes X % bleed damage over X seconds. You can have up to 3 active puddles.
    • Modifier: Activating your main boss power heals you for X % of your maximum health over X seconds.
  • Varshan’s Life Steal (Hideout Boss, from Qual 1)
    • Main power: Every second, you attach a blood-sucking ray to the enemy closest to you, dealing them X % corruption damage and restoring X % of your maximum health.
    • Modifier: Activating a main boss power deals X % corruption damage to nearby enemies over X seconds.
  • Urivar’s Throwing Bombs (Hideout Boss, from Qual 1)
    • Main power: After casting an ultimate skill, you throw X bombs that deal X % fire damage. Gain X % cooldown reduction.
    • Modifier: If you kill an enemy with your main boss power, the cooldown of your ultimate skill is reduced by X seconds.
  • Salvo of the Messenger of Hatred (Hideout Boss, from Qual 1)
    • Main power: After dealing damage to a vulnerable enemy, you fire piercing projectiles that last for X seconds, deal X % fire damage, and make enemies vulnerable. Deal increased damage by X %[x] to vulnerable enemies.
    • Modifier: If you cast a basic skill while at max resource, this is completely consumed to make all nearby enemies vulnerable. Activating your main boss power grants you increased damage against vulnerable targets for X seconds by X %[x].

How do I use the new powers? Once you defeat one of the hideout bosses, you receive a new power. You find all boss powers in a dedicated tab in your inventory – exactly where the witch powers are located in Season 7. Each boss power has two effects – a main power and a modifier power that activates depending on which slot you put it in.

You have one slot for a main power and 3 slots for modifier powers. The 4 selected boss powers are active as soon as you place them in the slots. The main power enhances your builds while the modifiers push the main power further.

The new boss powers in Season 8 of Diablo 4.
You can take down enemies even with Lilith’s skill.

Belial as the new “Pinnacle Boss”

From whom do I receive the powers? You will receive the powers from all hideout bosses you defeat in Season 8. There are a total of 24 different bosses, divided into three categories:

  • World Bosses, such as Knorzer and Ashava
  • Hideout Bosses (formerly “Ladder” bosses), such as Duriel and Andariel
  • Event Bosses, which spawn during a seasonal event that can regularly appear throughout Sanctuary

For the hideout bosses, you need to be at a torment level, while the world and event bosses can essentially be approached during early leveling. The hideout bosses are also divided into three tiers: Candidate, Greater, and Exalted. The greater ones include Andariel, Duriel, and the Messenger of Hatred. The exalted hideout boss is Belial, who is said to be quite a formidable opponent.

Three new bosses in Diablo 4: Urivar, The Messenger of Hatred, Belial

With Belial, a new hideout boss is introduced, which Blizzard had previously teased as an “old friend”. After the announcement, the community speculated on who that might be. Alongside Belial, Urivar and the Messenger of Hatred also appear as new bosses in Season 8.

To summon them, you no longer need boss materials – but you can use them to open chests after the boss fight for more loot. The new bosses are expected to remain in the game, along with the new classification of hideout bosses into levels and the changes to the summoning system.

More about Diablo 4:
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Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred on Metacritic – What the first reviews say about the new DLC
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On top of that, the bosses will have more health so that they won’t just fall over easily at high levels when you fight them with strong builds. Currently, the most powerful builds, such as the bloodwave necromancer, can one-shot the toughest bosses easily. Some players are currently intentionally opting for less powerful builds: Player plays Diablo 4 with a weak build, stating: “This is how the game should be”

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