As part of FYNG Caggtus, MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski and Heiko Klinge, the editor-in-chief of GameStar, engaged in the big open-world talk. On one hand, it was about what makes a good open world. On the other hand, the question arose whether GTA 6 will accomplish exactly that.
What is the open-world talk? As part of FYNG Caggtus 2025, MeinMMO editor Leya Jankowski and GameStar editor-in-chief Heiko Klinge, along with host Julius Jules Busch, tackled the challenging topic of open worlds.
In the beginning, the question was what makes a good open world. Ultimately, they debated whether the highly anticipated GTA 6 will meet these high expectations.
You can catch the complete talk here:
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As part of FYNG Caggtus, three experts discuss the perfect open world and the expectations for GTA 6
The experts hope for good design, role-playing, and control
What do the experts say about GTA 6? An important point for GameStar editor-in-chief Heiko Klinge is especially the mission design of GTA 6. He is very confident that the open world of GTA 6 will once again be very detailed. He also expects a lot of attention to detail.
He hopes that the game will answer positively for him: How much do I get a sense of the open world during the actual game and as the narrative develops? He also states, I hope that GTA 6 will combine the credibility of the world with what GTA 3 or Vice City offered in terms of sandbox.
The role-playing aspect is especially important for our Leya Jankowski. As an example, she cites the story of the streamer Sodapoppin. He had opened a burger restaurant in GTA Online and had to close it because the role-playing became too close to reality. You can read Sodapoppin’s entire story here: Twitch streamer quits GTA 5 RP because played job becomes reality: “It’s brutal”
Host Julius Busch mentions that some developers are afraid to give players control. As an example, he refers to being able to put a car bomb in a car in GTA 3, starting the associated mission only then, and simply blowing up the car to complete the mission. He hopes for more freedoms in GTA 6.
Overall, all three participants in the talk are positive that Rockstar Games will unite everything it has learned thus far into what will likely be a very good open world for GTA 6.
What else was discussed in the talk? Especially at the beginning of the talk, the three participants discuss various good open worlds. Mentioned are Monster Hunter Wilds, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, and No Man’s Sky.
It is important for Heiko Klinge, for example, that the world does not stand still. Specifically, he says: A good open world always gives you the feeling that it continues to live and exists, even when you are not there.
He praises Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 for this and tells how he accidentally left his horse Pebbles behind during a playthrough, which he ultimately could not get back. It would have been worth it to remain loyal to the mare.
MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski, on the other hand, raves about the world in Monster Hunter Wilds. She is particularly enamored with being able to explore areas and simply find and fight monsters in their natural habitat.
A gamer got his 75-year-old father to play the Western adventure Red Dead Redemption on Steam and realizes a year later that it was the right decision.
How did this happen? As the user SlightWerewolf4428 explains in a post on Reddit, his father grew up during the heyday of the Western genre. As a child, he would go on outings with his father, who excitedly told him stories about the colorful personalities of the Wild West.
The player says: He is one of the few people who finds Red Dead Redemption 1 even better than its successor. When he first played the game, he immediately knew it had to be the right game for his father (via Vida Extra).
With the Steam release of the Western adventure in 2024, it was finally time: He bought the game for his father, his brother gave him a controller, and off the 75-year-old went.
Even years after its release, players are still discovering new things in Red Dead Redemption 2:
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This grave in Red Dead Redemption 2 is said to contain a great secret according to fans
For him, it was the right decision to introduce the game to his father
This was the gaming experience: As SlightWerewolf4428 reports, the beginning was a bit rocky. His father first had to get used to the controller controls. He set up WhatsApp and Steam-Broadcast to be able to help his father.
He explained to his father in a video call where the triggers were on the controller and how they worked, how he could shoot from cover, and encouraged him to use some more functions.
After some time, however, his father started to play more independently, completed missions, and handled some dangerous situations. At the time of writing the post, the 75-year-old was already very close to the end of the game, without knowing it.
And did he enjoy it? Apparently yes. The gamer says he checked if his father was following the story and that he remembered all the names and had a similar impression of the characters as he did.
SlightWerewolf4428 concludes: “At this point, I think it’s pretty much certain that he loves the game, more than I could have hoped, but I knew he would.” For him, it was the right decision to introduce the game to his father.
Now, however, the gamer faces a completely different problem: it’s only a matter of time before his father will want to play Red Dead Redemption 2 as well, but he’s not sure if his PC would be suitable for it.
Players discuss the purchase of gaming hardware. And many realize: Those who invested heavily in their PC many years ago have very little left today. Because PC hardware becomes outdated in just a few years.
Many players are now looking back at their spending on their hardware and realize that much of it is worth significantly less today than it was before.
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In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?
High investments in hardware that is hardly worth anything years later
A player reports on Reddit that he built a new gaming PC during the Corona pandemic (around 2019 – 2023): He invested around 3,000 US dollars and bought only the best of the best. Just to find out that he can now get at most 800 US dollars for it:
I spent about $3,000 on my PC at the height of the pandemic. Specialized water cooling, the best of the best, everything. I could maybe get $800 for it now? Computers are not an investment. Have fun with them and use them as long as possible.
Other users also express similar experiences, explaining that they have encountered the same issue. A player who spent 1,800 US dollars on his gaming PC at the time stated that he could sell his gaming PC today for at most 1,000 US dollars.
Hardware evolves very quickly, and today’s products are outdated tomorrow
Rapidly evolving hardware: The problem is that hardware is constantly evolving: Almost every year, manufacturers like AMD, Intel, and Nvidia release new graphics cards and processors, and new standards regularly change what hardware is allowed for specific tasks: While DDR4 was still standard for RAM a few years ago, today it is already DDR5.
Moreover, certain features are only available exclusively for new hardware models, and one would have to forgo these on older hardware. As a result, prices on the used market also drop. Hardly anyone is willing to spend thousands of euros on a graphics card that lacks important features like FSR or DLSS: For example, you can only use FSR 4.0 with AMD’s RX 9000 series, while certain functions of DLSS 4.0 are reserved for the RTX 5000 series.
Golf and tennis were long seen as sports for rich old men. But now Generation Z is pushing onto the courts. The Boomers are far from thrilled about it.
Golf and tennis are considered the sports of old white men. However, in recent years, many sports, including golf and tennis, have seen a significant rise in popularity. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of people who have visited a driving range, a golf course, or consumed golf content has increased by 30% since 2016:
Almost 1.5 million more people than the average of previous years – a total of 3.4 million – played golf for the first time in 2023.
The highest increase is among adults aged 18 to 34.
Golf has become especially interesting for young women: 37% of golfers under 18 were female in 2023, compared to only 15% in 2000.
Ironically, things like exclusivity are becoming increasingly attractive to Generation Z. To the dismay of the Boomers, who have previously dominated golf and would like to continue doing so.
Young people play golf because they want the ‘old money’ feeling
Why has golf suddenly become so exciting? It’s because more and more young people are interested in money, wealth, and power: Two-thirds of Generation Z and almost three-quarters of Millennials stated in a Harris poll 2024 (PDF) that they want to be billionaires.
And standing on the golf course in a plaid shirt with a martini is, for many young people, a hallmark of prosperity. For many young people, money is also a way to become socially more independent: Many newcomers to the golf course are eager to reach a new level of wealth. Conquering the golf course is the first step to conquering the boardroom.
And then there’s the ‘old money’ feeling and the aesthetics that many feel drawn to. However, there are already people saying: The atmosphere of old money fades when thousands of young people flood the courses.
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“We have created a monster” – A Spanish model earns up to 10,000 euros a month, yet she is not real
The older generation is not thrilled about the young generation on the golf course
What do the Boomers have to say about this? The English-language magazine Business Insider interviewed Chris Jenkins, a 53-year-old golfer. He has been playing golf for over 30 years and longs for the quiet days before Generation Z stormed the golf courses: Without loud music, with a strict dress code, and especially with the chance to actually play golf:
I admit it, I am the proverbial “get off my lawn” type. We can’t get tee times, and the rounds now take 5 ½ hours. We blame them all.
(…)
Sneakers on the course, music – I don’t like it. There are people who say: “Oh, you’re such a country club snob”, and frankly, yes.
To avoid the chaos of Generation Z, Jenkins has joined forces with other golfers in private clubs, where they can enjoy their peace to practice their “gentleman sport” in peace. If it were up to him, it would stay that way, but he admits that his generation is at the end of its line: “I get it, my generation is on the way out. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
The first-person shooter PIONER is set to be released in 2025 for PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox. The first trailers look good, and interviews sound promising. The developer team emphasizes the parallels to The Division.
What kind of game is it? PIONER has been in development since 2021, and currently, a team of about 75 people is working on the shooter.
It is a first-person shooter with MMO and RPG elements. The focus is on a world consisting of 5 large maps and a rich variety of loot and monsters.
A release is planned for the second half of 2025.
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PIONER – Trailer for the post-apocalyptic open-world game
New MMO hope after The Day Before disappointed
What does this have to do with The Division? Many players who enjoyed The Division praised the dark atmosphere of the series, but wished for supernatural enemies, maybe zombies, so that The Division plays in a similar scenario to World War Z.
The game “The Day Before” had a similar vibe and created immense anticipation; it was even the most wished-for game on Steam, but it disappointed the high expectations.
The developers themselves compare the PvP part of their game in an interview to the Dark Zone from The Division, but point out that there are some differences (via mmorpg.pl).
What speaks for the game? The developers say that while there will be microtransactions, they will be purely cosmetic. They will also ensure to maintain the dark tone of the game.
Furthermore, the developers emphasize that they know how important content updates are after release. They plan with seasons, large patches, and DLCs to expand the story and game world.
There are many spells and abilities in World of Warcraft. However, these 5 spells simply feel great when used.
World of Warcraft is praised for many things, including the combat system. Although “Tab Targeting” is somewhat outdated, the abilities in WoW have a very special feel that has always been well generated by the designers. Every ability feels “heavy,” and no matter which spell one casts, the impact can be felt.
Of course, there are spells and abilities that do this a little better than others, and with which one feels significantly more powerful than with others. Here we present the five abilities with the best gameplay feel.
This is not about numerical values – which spell produces the largest number on the screen – but simply about which ability feels the best.
For this list, we have used spells and abilities that still exist in the current version of World of Warcraft – specifically the ongoing expansion “The War Within”.
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3 absurde Bugs, die in WoW passiert sind
Void Eruption
Class: Priest (Shadow)
With Legion, Void Eruption was introduced, and even though it has lost some of its shine, it is still one of the most fulfilling spells in World of Warcraft.
During Void Eruption, the priest rises into the air and levitates slightly above the ground, while numerous shadow bolts fly towards the current target.
This eruption triggers the Voidform – an enhanced Shadowform that grants access to new spells and deals more damage. These new spells also allow the shadow priest to be a bit more mobile and cast some spells while moving (like Void Bolt). Although this is just a temporary bonus, it can make a significant difference in certain fights.
Especially cool: The longer you manage to maintain Voidform, the more tentacles sprout from your body, while whispers of the Void can be heard, continuing until you ultimately leave Voidform.
There is no other ability in the game that embodies the madness and the euphoria of the Void as much as Void Eruption.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Bungie has shown the first gameplay of their new shooter Marathon and the community is divided. However, even players who like what they see are facing a problem.
How is Marathon currently being discussed? Opinions are currently widely varied. Some cannot relate to the art style and character design at all, while others are put off by the genre, as Marathon will be an Extraction Shooter.
EsmaraldV speaks of a successful debut: “[…] The art style is so well done that I find it simply magnificent – I cannot understand the criticism in any way. I personally find very few points of criticism graphically as well. The game/gunplay looks stable, but of course, it needs to be tested. The setting, the mysterious story/storytelling, the characters….. WOW! […]”
5kullCOD sees it quite differently: “It doesn’t look cool. I find it way too colorful, overloaded, and colors like yellow and green stand out extremely. There is something written everywhere, even if it’s just a huge number. The design, from my perspective, is garbage. […]”
Direwolf is somewhere in between: “[…] I think the art style is really awesome. Unfortunately, as an Extraction Shooter, it’s not for me. I don’t understand the hype around this genre. […]”
However, Bungie currently has a tough standing in the community. Our editor-in-chief Schuhmann has followed the development of Destiny for years and says: “Bungie could release the best game in the world right now, and the comments would still be negative. I think everyone understands how it has been recently.”
Regardless of the actual content, Marathon has another problem: the release date. Because Marathon intends to release on September 23, 2025 – alongside the highly anticipated loot shooter Borderlands 4.
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Bungie shows first gameplay of Marathon in trailer
Users believe: Bold strategy from Bungie
What is the problem? Due to the simultaneous release, Marathon will be in direct competition with Borderlands 4 – and as a loot shooter focused on PvE, the title is actually significantly more attractive for fans of Destiny 2.
Additionally, Marathon – like Destiny 2 – will not be Free2Play at launch. However, many players will probably only buy one of the two games at launch.
It’s such a shame that Bungie is dropping Marathon on the same day as Borderlands 4. The game looks good, but there’s a 0% chance I’ll play it before BL4. Sorry Bungie.
Another user says: “40 $ – 70 $… On the same day as Borderlands 4… In the same season as GTA 6 / rumored to be 100 $ – 120 $) and the 450 $ – 600 $ Switch 2… with their 80-dollar games… In a market where it is the norm for pure PvP games to be F2P… Bold strategy, Bungie, we’ll see how that works out.” (via X)
Why are they doing this? As Destiny expert Paul Tassi writes, Bungie may have actually thought something through regarding the choice of release date. Because it is generally assumed that the release of GTA 6 in the fall of 2025 will overshadow everything else – even the biggest publishers want to avoid the gaming giant.
Since both Borderlands 4 and GTA 6 belong to Take-Two, it can be assumed that the two games are scheduled in such a way that they do not interfere with each other. Bungie may have positioned itself against Borderlands to avoid conflicts with GTA 6. However, it is probably clear to everyone that this is also not ideal. Expert Tassi summarizes on X: “No matter how you slice it, it’s wrong.”
Last Epoch is considered competition for Path of Exile 2 and Diablo 4. However, due to PoE 2, its second season was postponed. Now the official patch notes are out, and they excite the players.
Last Epoch: Trailer for Season 2 of the Diablo Competitor
Improved crafting and completely new endgame content for Last Epoch
What content does the update bring? The second season “Tombs of the Erased” introduces another faction into the game, called the Weavers. With the new faction, you can buy new special missions, referred to as Woven Echoes. These significantly expand the endgame of Last Epoch. The Woven Echoes grant you access to a variety of new areas with challenges, objectives, and even boss fights. Players have already shown excitement about the Weavers in Last Epoch in advance.
Additionally, the crafting system “legendary potential” is being adjusted: In the Temporal Sanctum in Last Epoch, you can craft legendary items. After defeating the dungeon boss and reaching the next room, you will see the “Eternity Short,” where you can craft legendary items. Here, you can combine uniques with “exalted” items (purple). The uniques must have “legendary potential” for this.
The developers are now adjusting the system and simplifying it with the next update. The game will now offer you the option to guaranteed choose a value when transferring an item to the unique.
Furthermore, the “Sentinel” class is being revamped. It has long been considered unpopular among players and is therefore receiving a significant overhaul.
Additionally, you can now reset your chosen subclass at the Chronomancer Lerinne for a certain amount of money. This allows you to customize your characters more flexibly and try out more builds.
Facebook withdrew from the Chinese market many years ago. An insider claims that Meta collaborated with China for years to harm the USA. However, Meta categorically rejects these allegations as outdated and unrealistic.
For years, Facebook was interested in the huge market in China to establish a better position there. However, the plans failed, and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, withdrew from China.
Now, former Facebook employee Sarah Wynn-Williams has stated that Facebook allegedly collaborated with China for years. Wynn-Williams was the Director of Global Public Policy at Facebook from 2011 to 2017. And her allegations are quite serious. In her book “Careless People,” Wynn-Williams makes heavy accusations against the corporation and its top executives. Meanwhile, Meta is taking legal action against the insider’s book.
She claims that Meta attempts to “undermine the national security of the USA and betray American values” in order to “gain favor with Beijing and build an 18 billion dollar business in China.” The English-language magazine ArsTechnica quotes the author as saying:
Meta was willing to compromise its values, sacrifice the safety of its users, and undermine American interests to build its business in China. This has been going on for years, covered up by lies, and continues to this day. I am here [before Congress] at considerable personal risk because you have the power and authority to hold them accountable.
On April 9, 2025, she was heard with her allegations before the US Congress.
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Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
Meta: Allegations are outdated and completely unrealistic
How does Facebook/Meta respond? Meta defends itself and stated that Wynn-Williams’s book contains “false accusations” and claims that are “outdated and have been reported previously.”
In 2019, Mark Zuckerberg gave a speech admitting that Facebook never made a deal with China and that Meta was never really allowed into China. At that time, Wynn-Williams had already left the company, which is why Meta accuses her that her statements have nothing to do with reality.
Meta’s spokesperson Andy Stone stated that Meta has not offered its services in China for a while (via arstechnica.com):
While Mark Zuckerberg himself publicly spoke about our interest in offering our services in China, and details were reported over a decade ago, it is a fact: We do not offer our services in China today.
MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes grew up with Pokémon like many in his age, but the recent games did not convince him. However, the perfect alternative from the competition finally gets a sequel after 8 years.
In my circle of friends, it was usually said: Pokémon has the better games and Digimon has the better anime. I agreed for a long time, especially since I still find the third season of the anime fantastic. As a teenager, the cool, edgy designs of the digital monsters were simply more appealing.
On the other hand, I devoured the Pokémon games. I played Pokémon Emerald at least 8 times. But at some point, the games became increasingly trivial, and Scarlet and Violet were a huge disappointment for me.
After I had almost forgotten about Digimon, Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth was released in 2015 and completely consumed me. It was only on the PS4 and 2 years later as a duo with the spin-off Hackers Memory that I invested over 200 hours into the RPG on the Nintendo Switch. There was a long silence regarding a sequel.
Digimon Story Time Stranger: English Trailer for the Anime Game
The best of Pokémon and Persona
What makes the Digimon Story series so good? Like Pokémon, the Digimon Story series is a monster collecting game. In Time Strangers, you will be able to catch over 450 Digimon. Unlike in Pokémon, where the creatures have fixed evolutionary paths (sometimes 2), Digimon relies on entire digitization trees.
A Digimon can evolve into multiple Digimon if certain conditions are met. At the same time, you can also devolve Digimon. This is important for unlocking new Digimon, but also for fulfilling specific conditions. Sometimes you can only increase a value after evolving and then devolving the Digimon.
This reminds me of the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series. I love spending hours in the evolution and improvement menu, contemplating what to do next.
A lot of fun comes from the quirky designs of the Digimon. They don’t just look like cute animals, but often resemble Legos, muscular dinosaurs, or sexy angels. You have to appreciate this design philosophy, but the contrast between, this is the coolest design ever and what kind of beast is that, sparks my desire to explore.
The beauty of leveling up also lies in the comfort features. You can speed up the turn-based combat and ensure that you can level up and digitize quickly without having to endure an incredible amount of time and tedious battles.
The sequel looks promising, seems to address weaknesses
Why am I so excited for a sequel? Cyber Sleuth and Hackers Memory also had weaknesses. Since you are only traveling in a digital world, there is hardly any variation apart from occasionally visiting Tokyo. However, in the Time Strangers trailer, you can see more diverse areas; I think we will see more of the Digiworld.
This also opens up more opportunities for the story. Although we see another city, there is also a glimpse of a possible Digimon invasion.
Another promising aspect: More Digimon means I can grind more digitizations, and team building will also be expanded.
Unlike in Pokémon, you always fight with 3 Digimon on the field. Some abilities are also based on this, which expands team building.
But there is also a small disappointment: The game doesn’t really look better than its predecessor after 8 years. While the cel-shading anime look is timeless, I still would have wished for a jump in quality. At least the Digimon look crisper and more detailed in comparison.
However, it is still unclear when exactly the game will be released. It has only been announced that it will be released sometime in 2025. Are you looking forward to the game or do you not care about Digimon? Feel free to tell us in the comments. MeinMMO editor Benedikt Grothaus would probably be more excited about a new Monster Rancher: A forgotten RTL2 anime outshines Digimon
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, you can choose a special subclass for the Warlock: “The Great Old One.” A player has now claimed to have figured out who is behind it.
What kind of subclass is this? Players who want to play the Warlock in Baldur’s Gate can currently choose from 3 subclasses, with a 4th class coming with Patch 8:
With the Devil subclass, you make a pact with a demon or devil in exchange for powerful abilities.
The Archfey subclass involves a pact with a powerful fairy creature.
The new subclass Hexblade, which is added with Update 8, grants powers in exchange for an arrangement with a creature from the mysterious Shadowfell.
In the last subclass, “The Great Old One,” you enter into a pact with an ancient being. However, it is not revealed who this being is.
The description of the last subclass, “The Great Old One,” is as follows:
You have promised something inconceivably to an unspeakably ancient being – which has in turn equipped you with powers of cerebral entropy and control.
There are numerous potential ancient entities that could fit here, but an observant player believes they have identified the “Great Old One” involved in this deal.
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Larian introduces the new subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 – Here is Part 1 with Cleric, Barbarian, Bard, and Druid
The Great Old One could be a member of the Drow Pantheon
Which being is it? A player on Reddit believes they have figured it out. ElectricArrow456 presents a simple theory based on the dialogue with Gale after the game.
They describe a unique dialogue option where a Warlock mentions the English phrase “He Who Lurks,” which translates to “That which lurks.” This phrase is attributed to Ghaunadaur, a greater god of abominations, oozes, and outcasts.
Ghaunadaur is a member of the Drow Pantheon and is described by Lolth as “older than the time of Ao.” However, whether the dialogue actually refers to Ghaunadaur or is general enough for players to envision any deity is unknown.
What was already great about 2024 will be even better this year! We are streaming live for three days from Leipzig as part of the FYNG Caggtus 2025. Today we are heading into the final streaming round with a big discussion about the Open World of GTA 6, the big MMORPG talk, as well as the presentation of the FYNG Indie Award.
Now we’ll let you in on one of our success secrets: crazy ideas! So just trying things that sound too crazy to work. Like building a scale model paper craft castle as a special magazine supplement. Or shooting a video for the Switch 2 overnight in a hotel room.
Or indeed putting together our own big live stream event with Find Your Next Game. The idea was born almost five years ago, when E3 was canceled due to the Corona pandemic. And we thought: then we’ll just organize our own fair party!
Fortunately, the pandemic times are over now, but FYNG has remained. And it has become as big as we couldn’t even dream of back in 2020. Four times a year we now celebrate our big live stream party, and the next bash is just around the corner.
From April 11 to April 13, we will celebrate Find Your Next Game live from the CAGGTUS in Leipzig.
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From April 11 to 13, we celebrate Find Your Next Game Caggtus in Leipzig
What is Find Your Next Game?
Find Your Next Game (abbreviated: FYNG) is our big live event series with which we aim to bring you that special feeling of visiting a trade fair right into your living room. Of course, the focus is always on games, technology, and entertainment, but we also care about more: communities, exchanges with like-minded people, expert discussions, and a healthy dose of nonsense. All of this live and without a safety net.
If you’re at the CAGGTUS in Leipzig, you can of course experience all of this live on site as well. We are currently building the largest booth in FYNG history with plenty of seating. Stop by, we look forward to your visit!
FYNG Show with over 20 premieres
A year ago we had another crazy idea: wouldn’t it be cool to create an editorial showcase? So not a constant barrage of advertising trailers, but a show where the editorial teams of GameStar, GamePro, and MeinMMO decide what is shown and what is not.
A show where our focus is on real gameplay. A show where developers and our experts from the editorial teams authentically get a chance to speak. A show that truly comes from the heart, and hopefully you can see that too.
Our FYNG Show at CAGGTUS starts on Friday, April 11 at 4 p.m.
Look forward to news, trailer premieres, and never before seen gameplay of 27 exciting games, hosted by AK and Maurice Weber. We may even have a world premiere or two up our sleeves. Don’t expect Half-life 3 or GTA 6, but we are pretty sure that by the end of the show you will discover many new cool games that you might have missed without FYNG. And that is exactly the idea.
The FYNG highlights from Friday to Sunday
In total, we are planning over 26 hours of live stream programming for you. Here are our broadcast times:
Friday, April 11 – 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 – 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 13 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Of course, we don’t want to and can’t reveal everything yet, but here’s a little taste:
We are launching a new show format with our friends from Doctor Froid as star guests.
We are playing live the spring hopefuls Titan Quest 2, Commandos Origins, Roadraft, and Tempest Rising.
We are discussing the current status of the German gaming industry with game developers.
If you can’t join us live, no problem. We will also publish a large part of the program as separate videos on GameStar, GamePro, MeinMMO, and our YouTube channels. Also look forward to exclusive previews of the new announcements from our FYNG Show!
This year we are celebrating a very special premiere: for the first time, Steam will broadcast almost our entire program live on its platform. So if any of you open your Steam library over the weekend, you might spot one or the other familiar face in the streaming window.
In addition, there will be a separate Steam page for the FYNG Show. There you will not only find our stream but also an organized list of all the titles of the show along with personalized selections based on your gaming preferences and, if available, playable demos.
Our Steam page goes live on April 10, when we will explain in a separate article how everything works.
For us, the Steam feature is a real accolade that shows how relevant our former crazy idea has become.
We are extremely excited about our biggest show yet. And of course, we look forward to seeing you, no matter where you watch us from!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The announced tariffs by the US government are unsettling many companies and investors. Anonymous sources now report that Apple is planning to bring 1.5 million iPhones to the USA in order to avoid later tariffs.
The tech giant Apple has chartered freight flights to transport 600 tons of iPhones or approximately 1.5 million devices from India to the United States. This is reported by the English-language magazine Reuters, which cites anonymous sources.
Apple is trying to circumvent the new tariffs and replenish its stock of popular iPhones. The USA is, alongside the United Kingdom, Apple’s most important market for its iPhones. This is reported by the English-language BBC.
Update, 04/13/25: Meanwhile, there is a tariff exemption from the US government for electronic devices (via TheVerge.com): Smartphones, laptops, hard drives, computer processors, and memory chips are to be exempted from the 125% tariff imposed by Trump on Chinese goods, as well as the 10% base tariff for most other countries.
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Apple increases production with partners in China, Foxconn raises supply to the USA
The sources cited by Reuters report that Apple wants to get ahead of the high tariffs on its devices. The quoted source says: The company has worked with Indian airport authorities to reduce customs clearance time at Chennai Airport in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu from 30 to six hours.
So far, six cargo planes with a capacity of 100 tons each have departed since March. In terms of weight, there are approximately 1.5 million iPhones in the cargo boxes when accounting for the weight of the packaging.
What else supports Apple’s approach? Apple is supposedly supporting its air freight deliveries by significantly increasing production in the relevant factories in India. To achieve this, they are also having their employees work on Sundays. Two more sources from Reuters confirmed that the Foxconn plant in Chennai now works on Sundays as well.
Foxconn is one of Apple’s most important suppliers, and the largest plant produced about 20 million iPhones in 2024.
It is also noticeable that the value of Foxconn shipments from India to the United States has significantly increased, as evidenced by publicly available customs data.
Between September and December 2024, shipments ranged from 110 to 331 million US dollars.
In January 2025, shipments rose to 770 million US dollars.
In February 2025, the value was still 643 million US dollars.
What about other companies? Apple is not the only company, reports Nikkei Asia: Companies like Apple, Dell, Microsoft, and Lenovo, which had only a few days, are currently pushing their suppliers to fly as many premium devices to the USA as possible before it could become really expensive for customers.
In the summer, the 2nd major Title Update is coming to Monster Hunter Wilds, along with a fan favorite that hasn’t appeared in new installments for 16 years. MyMMO editor Alexander Schürlein revisited the old installment to prepare for the return – and promptly regretted it.
As a player who embarked on my journey as a monster hunter with Monster Hunter Tri on the Wii, I was immediately excited when I saw the teaser for the upcoming 2nd TU. Could it really be true and was my beloved Leviathan Lagiacrus returning? After 16 long years?
The teaser speaks for itself: The promising splashes of water followed by a distinctive claw, blue scales, and the iconic long neck. It’s just seconds, but seconds that are unmistakable for any fan. The hype immediately grabbed me, and I reveled in memories of the long-gone battles of 2009 in Monster Hunter Tri on the Wii.
For longtime fans, the teaser is clear: The lord of the seas is returning
However, many of today’s players only started the series with Monster Hunter World or Rise, and access to this old game is very limited nowadays. If you want to fight Lagiacrus today, you either have to use an old Wii and Monster Hunter Tri or revert to Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on the Nintendo 3DS.
Both options are no longer available in stores, so interested players have to rely on used gems if they want to relive those old times.
I took this opportunity to confront Lagiacrus once again in this old version and would like to take you on this journey. So, I excitedly unpacked my old Wii and nostalgically inserted the CD for Monster Hunter Tri. My old save file from 2012 was even still there. With a racing pulse, I started the hunt for Lagiacrus and set out on my search.
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Monster Hunter Wilds shows its first title update with a new monster
From the dreaded controls and finger acrobatics
Hardly on my way, I realized again how incredibly bad, yet adventurous, the controls were back then. Anyone who knows the Wii from back then knows: There was only one joystick with the Nunchaku – and it served for movement.
The camera was controlled via the D-pad on the second controller (the one that looks like a small remote). With a Classic Controller, it looked different, but back then I didn’t know anyone who had one.
Since you understandably needed the camera quite often and also had to attack with the same controller, some finger acrobatics were necessary if you wanted to keep an eye on everything, attack, dodge, block, and use items. So I usually played with my left index finger stretched across the D-pad, trying to operate it and all other buttons somehow simultaneously.
But that didn’t deter us back then, and today it didn’t deter me either. At least until I encountered Lagiacrus and painfully realized again why this creature hadn’t been seen in a Monster Hunter for so long: because the lord of the seas was primarily found in one place: the damned sea.
The lord of the seas and the damned thunder damage
How was the fight against Lagiacrus back then? And thus, the biggest problem reemerges that this otherwise magnificent monster brings with it. Because you can now imagine this terrible control with additional dimensions underwater. Yes, it was… fun. Lagiacrus was one of the few beasts in Monster Hunter that could be fought underwater.
After Monster Hunter Tri/3, underwater battles never occurred again in a Monster Hunter, as they are simply too labor-intensive. Once you play one of these hunts, you can also imagine well why it would be so difficult to modernize and reintroduce it.
It was incredibly difficult to keep an eye on the monster as it could come from above, below, left, right, or anywhere else. Additionally, you had to somehow move and fight in this multi-dimensional underwater realm.
You can get an impression in this video, for example:
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Additionally, Lagiacrus could also move on land and effectively fight its hunters there as well. So it had 2 different move sets to adapt to.
Underwater, it was much faster than on land and could attack from more angles, which it particularly exploited with its long tail. It could also fire several thunder balls and charge a massive, powerful thunder ball to unleash on its hunters.
Especially annoying were its back spikes, which could unleash powerful electric attacks in its surroundings while underwater and afflict hunters with thunderblight. These could be broken to hinder him.
Far more interesting, especially looking at the upcoming battle in Monster Hunter Wilds, is its move set on land. As underwater battles will not return in Wilds, it is likely that poor Lagiacrus will have to mostly forgo its domain in this installment.
On land, it primarily fired nasty thunder projectiles and posed a threat to hunters with its still agile movements. Whether with a body slam or by swirling its head and tail around – it flung its opponents around or simply knocked them down. Its bites were not to be underestimated either, often striking multiple times in succession.
What could the fight look like in Monster Hunter Wilds? As mentioned earlier, Lagiacrus will likely have to forgo its sea. In Monster Hunter Wilds, it will primarily be found in the Crimson Forest, like the recently added Leviathan Mizutsune or the apex monster Uth Duna.
Both mentioned monsters are also leviathans and have a strong connection to the water realm. They are often found in water-covered areas, and Uth Duna can also be found underwater in some locations, although you cannot fight it there. Therefore, it’s likely that Lagiacrus will be represented in a similar way.
Here you can see Uth Duna underwater:
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For the battle, it is highly likely that his land move set will be used. It will probably be polished and one or two new tricks added. Especially considering that Mizutsune can transform into a Karma Seer Mizutsune during the battle, it’s likely that something similar could be done with Lagiacrus.
In Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, there was also an Ivory Lagiacrus and a Deep Sea Lagiacrus, which might also appear due to this innovation. So it remains exciting to see what we can expect this summer. Nevertheless, this 16-year-old fight probably gives a good taste.
Warhammer 40.000 is known for exaggerating everything and placing little value on morality. This combination leads to the fact that even death does not represent something sacred in any form. Those who die somehow continue to serve – this also applies to the superhuman Space Marines.
For some people, this path is blocked, not out of malice, but as a special “honor” of being allowed to continue serving the Emperor himself even after death.
If a Space Marine performs special services in life and is celebrated as a hero, the chances are good that instead of dying, he will receive a new body: a Dreadnought. These huge combat walkers are rather brutal constructs, not just for the enemy.
Similar to the Dreadnoughts, the Imperial Knights are controlled by a neural interface, but they are as large as cathedrals. In the series Broken Lance, you can see one of these knights:
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Der Trailer zu Broken Lance, der Serie mit den riesigen Imperialen Rittern in Warhammer 40.000
“I serve even in death”
A Dreadnought, also known as a Cybot in German and affectionately called “angry mailbox” by the community, is a combat walker forged from ceramite and adamantium with an embedded armored sarcophagus.
Space Marines as superhuman supersoldiers are hard to kill but not immortal. If it happens that a brother is so severely mutilated that he can no longer be saved, he can be placed in a Dreadnought.
The spirit of the Space Marine is permanently connected to the machine with neural links. He “is” the Dreadnought until his remains inside are destroyed – which is pretty difficult.
Dreadnoughts are heavily armored and nearly indestructible. Among the few weapons that can pose a danger to them, various technologies of the Necrons count. The Cybots themselves are equipped with various weapons, from meltas and heavy bolters to flame and missile launchers to power glaives and other close-combat weapons.
A Dreadnought of the Ultramarines with a Marine for size comparison.
A piece of “living” history
The technology to create new Dreadnoughts has almost completely been lost in the Imperium of Man. Accordingly, most of these walkers are already ancient. Some are said to be so old that they still remember the founding of their chapter.
As a result, Dreadnoughts are not just powerful fighters but also guardians of valuable knowledge that are often consulted for advice. However, this happens rarely, as a Cybot is only awakened in the greatest need.
Most of the time, these war machines spend their time in artificial sleep. This is necessary, as even the brain of a Space Marine cannot withstand the permanent wiring unscathed and would eventually go insane.
The Space Marine and the Dreadnought can no longer be separated without the “pilot” being ultimately destroyed. In general, this coincides with the destruction of the walker; in rare cases, it can still be salvaged and reused.
Cybots have hardly any human… or Space Marine-like?… qualities left. That this is attempted in the design is said to be quite important. In a thread on Reddit, a user asks why the walkers still have slits for sight.
The community’s answer: the brain of the Space Marine is connected to all the sensors of the Dreadnought and actually wouldn’t need this slot anymore. It is just a redundantly unnecessary backup.
However, there is a certain psychological component. The closer the shape of a Dreadnought is to that of a human (or Space Marine), the less likely it is to go insane. After all, one is still a bit more oneself.
By the way, such walkers and questionable techniques exist not only among humans or Space Marines. The battle-hungry Orks with their crude technology have Killa Kans and Deff Dreads, both also combat walkers with a neuro-interface.
Unlike with the Space Marines, no quasi-dead beings are used among the Orks. Fallen Orks travel to Gork and Mork in the Great Green. Instead, a living Ork (or Snot) is literally welded into the machine. Permanently, of course.
The once powerful and elegant Eldar also have similar technology. Their wraith constructs, such as Wraith Knights or Wraithlords, are walkers made of wraithbone powered by the soulstone of a fallen Eldar.
If all of this still isn’t harsh and absurd enough for you, you should look back at the humans, more specifically: the fanatical warrior-priestesses of the Adepta Sororitas. They have Repentia and Penitent Engines, in which the captured deserter or sinner is either strapped naked before the walker to do penance, or must directly control the walker while enclosed in an iron maiden: Forget Space Marines: A Sisters of Battle Order in Warhammer 40.000 is much more impressive because they are “just humans”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Streamers from the German Twitch scene, especially from the League of Legends scene, have now determined who really has what it takes as a gamer in a competition. They started an Ironman run in Dark Souls and had to go as far as possible without being defeated. In doing so, they increased the viewership of “Dark Souls Remastered” by 33 times.
The goal was to play Dark Souls 1 for as long as possible and defeat many bosses without dying. Points were awarded for each boss defeated.
There were specific rules for the event regarding what tricks and strategies were allowed and which were not (via soulskeepers).
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HandOfBlood: The most important thing about the YouTuber and Twitch streamer in under a minute
Scenes of the streamers garner many views on Twitch
Who is now the best gamer? Among the 35 participants, the variety streamer Lordpappnase scored the highest with 304 points. He had played a lot of Gothic and Elx last year, which apparently prepared him well for Dark Souls.
In second place was the former LoL caster and now variety streamer Maxim, who scored 291 points.
Maxim took the term “run” literally:
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For a former colleague of Maxim, Sola, the event did not go well at all; he was eliminated after just one boss battle with 5 points. He shares the last place with players like Krokoboss or MrMoregame.
HandOfBlood apparently wasn’t satisfied with his performance either. With 19 points, he only placed in the middle but found himself in good company, landing as a sandwich between his friends Broeki and Kalle.
However, HandOfBlood has the honor of having achieved the death clip on Twitch with the most views.
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Here are the effects on Twitch: Dark Souls Remastered achieved 3,300% more viewer hours in the last few days compared to the previous month due to the event.
The most viewed streamer here was also HandOfBlood, ahead of Bonjwa, Maxim, and Mahluna.
Somehow, it is just nice to watch streamers fail.
Here is what’s next: On April 28th, the streamers will tackle Dark Souls 2.
On September 23, 2025, Bungie’s new game Marathon will be released. The developers have now shown gameplay for the first time and revealed what the battles in the game will look like.
This is how the gameplay of Marathon works: Marathon (PS5, Xbox Series, PC) is Bungie’s new extraction shooter in which you take on the role of a so-called “Runner” – these are cybernetic mercenaries – hunting for loot.
As an extraction shooter, Marathon follows a specific principle: You start a run, loot items, fight against NPCs and other players (PvPvE), and try to extract. If you die, you lose the equipment you were carrying.
Upon release, there will be 2 different maps available where up to 18 players can compete per lobby. Each team consists of up to 3 players.
Before each run, you choose one of 6 Runners, each with different abilities such as a cloaking mode or a forward-facing shield.
In addition, you also prepare your loadout before the start of the round.
If you have lost all your equipment and have an empty stash, the so-called factions can sponsor you a new loadout.
Loot includes items like weapons, materials, and equipment.
With the factions, you can also take on different missions and complete them during your runs for a reward. You also receive rewards for assisting your teammates with their missions.
Bungie’s great strength: With Destiny, Bungie has created a loot shooter that is widely known for its excellent gunplay. The various firearms are easy to handle and yet memorable. Each weapon has the necessary punch and its own characteristics. And the movement fits well with the handling of the various firearms – it just feels consistent.
5 minutes of gameplay give a first taste of Marathon
On April 12, Bungie showcased gameplay for Marathon for the first time. In a nearly five-minute video, we got to see the weapons of the shooter and how they behave in combat. The developers also demonstrated some abilities and gadgets as well as the movement of the Runners.
Before we discuss our observations, you can watch the video here:
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Bungie shows first gameplay of Marathon in trailer
Simple gunplay meets fast movement
What stands out about the gunplay? The gunplay itself feels intuitive. The recoil looks relatively easy to control, and the sights are clear and straightforward. Overall, it feels “smooth”.
Additionally, there is relatively fast, action-packed movement that includes slides, jumps, and dashes, which complements the gunplay well.
The weapons themselves are adapted to the sci-fi setting of the shooter. Depending on the weapon, the shots do not seem to be ballistic rounds fired with much force. Instead, they appear to launch some kind of energy or laser projectile.
In general, different weapons were showcased. We saw for example:
rapid-fire submachine guns
sniper rifles
shotguns
and something that could be a type of machine gun with a large magazine.
The weapons apparently also have different ammunition types. For a submachine gun, for instance, light ammunition was required.
The time-to-kill of Marathon is difficult to assess based on the gameplay trailer, but it seems roughly comparable to the TTK in PvP from Destiny – perhaps it is slightly higher. Battle royale shooters like CoD: Warzone or Apex Legends might have a similar TTK.
In an interview, Marathon director Joe Ziegler revealed that it is at least possible to win 1v3 situations depending on gear, strategy, and skill.
The video also shows that the shields of the Runners noticeably impact the time-to-kill. They function somewhat like the shield system in Apex Legends and ideally regenerate with consumables, as they only fill up slowly on their own. Additionally, you can upgrade the shields and thus receive more shield segments, allowing you to absorb even more enemy fire.
Long-term motivation through endgame content and ranked
What makes Marathon special: Marathon has a strong focus on PvP, and to keep you motivated to play the shooter long-term, there will be endgame content, community events, and seasonal storytelling, as well as some kind of ranked mode. In this mode, matchmaking will also depend on your rating – unlike in the normal explorer mode.
So that your matches don’t just consist of watching your surviving teammates after a lost gunfight, they can revive you at any time – provided your opponents allow it.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new survival shooter called Frostrail is set to release on Steam. The cooperative game aims to challenge you with hard survival in a frozen environment and Lovecraftian horror monsters. Your only protection: a steam locomotive. And the creators definitely know what they’re doing.
The emperor of the realm you find yourself in has made a pact with the void. As a result, not only has the land turned to ice, but cosmic shadow monsters now roam.
As the “Gardener of Penance,” you are now tasked with combating evil and finding “redemption amidst the icy wasteland.” Frostrail is set to release in early access on Steam in 2026, where you can already add it to your wishlist.
This is what Frostrail offers: The focus of the game is on exploration. While you will drive your train through the land – either alone or in co-op – you must frequently stop to replenish supplies. Hunger and thirst don’t affect you, but the cold certainly does.
In ruins and other dungeons, you will find useful items for crafting: you can create and upgrade weapons and tools yourself. Whenever you leave the train, you expose yourself to the dangers posed by the shadow monsters that hunt you.
The central element of the game is your steam locomotive. Throughout the game, you can expand your train, attach and furnish new carriages. This allows you to create additional storage, workshops, and turn your train into a fortress. However, you cannot stay stationary for long – similar to Snowpiercer.
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Der Trailer zu Frostrail, dem neuen Survival-Shooter auf Steam, im dem ihr in einer Dampflok durchs Eis fahrt
Previous game by the creators already makes players suffer
Frostrail comes from FakeFish, the studio that created the Dwarf Fortress-inspired Barotrauma. Barotrauma is considered a significant challenge among players on Steam.
In the survival game, you must manage a crew in a submarine in space, which is constantly attacked by cosmic horror beings. Chaos and despair are the order of the day, and survival is rather the exception, at least at the beginning.
Providing protection in an immensely limited space within an otherwise vast world with only a few stops is something that FakeFish has already executed well. Horror and survival are recurring themes here as well. Barotrauma has a 94% positive rating on Steam.
Unlike Barotrauma, the developers are trying their hand at a first-person shooter with a realistic look this time, rather than a 2D game with comic graphics. The challenges are likely to be similarly tough. If you’re looking for more options in the genre, you’ll find the best survival games for PC, PS5, and Xbox in our list.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Larian has announced the release for Update 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3. But some players are already complaining that they have to restart their run now. Another issue that’s troubling players is: What about popular mods that the community actively uses?
However, not all players are enthusiastic; instead, they are “grumbling” about Larian: Just a few days ago, they had started a new run, and now the new update is coming. Of course, the complaints are not meant to be taken too seriously.
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Larian introduces the new subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 – Here is Part 1 with Cleric, Barbarian, Bard, and Druid
Update 8: “It’s like saying goodbye to a dear friend”
What are the players “grumbling” about? Some players report that they recently started a run of the game. But with the new update, that would more or less be in vain now. One player jokingly complains: “I’ve just started a new run, you can go take a hike, Larian. Lovingly, a fan.”
In general, old save files are compatible with new updates, but certain content can only be used if you start the game from the beginning. Such as the new subclasses.
Other players are also sad that with Update 8 the game is supposed to be officially completed. The game has accompanied them for a long time, and the developers have continuously surprised the loyal fan base with new content. But that seems to be coming to an end now. One player writes (via Reddit.com):
This actually makes me quite sad. This game has been a big part of my gaming life for the last year and a half, and Patch 8 means the official end of new content.
I know that some spectacular mods are in the works that will keep the spirit of the game alive for many more years, but it’s like saying goodbye to a dear friend who is moving to another continent.
Are there real problems as well? Yes, some players fear that the patch will likely break many popular mods initially. One person asks (via Reddit.com): “The patch will definitely destroy many of my mods, right?”
For particularly popular modifications, it is probably just a matter of time before the developers behind the content bring out a new update to make the mods compatible again.
For Baldur’s Gate 3, you have numerous mods available that allow you to customize the game to your liking. MeinMMO shows you the 10 best mods you should know about, as well as important tools to install mods easily: Baldur’s Gate 3: The 10 best mods for your run
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
V Rising, a popular survival game on Steam, is getting a major update. This includes not only new weapons and enemies but also new ways to play the game.
Now the developers have presented a trailer for the new update 1.1 titled “Invaders of Oakveil” (via steampowered.com).
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V Rising: The trailer for the 1.0 release of the vampire game
“Invaders of Oakveil” brings new enemies, weapons, and an arena
What does “Invaders of Oakveil” bring? Invaders of Oakveil introduces new mechanics, new weapons and spells, improved alchemy, deeper customization, and of course, many new features for your vampire castle. Additionally, with Megara, the Queen of Serpents (the lady in the title image), there is also a new boss in the game.
The update also brings three new weapon types: The Claw, the Twin Blade, and the Throwing Dagger. All three weapon types come with new abilities and functions. Furthermore, the developers have revamped blood types and added a new type called “corrupted blood”. Moreover, you can now better customize your equipment at the new fusion forge. Two new modes for multiplayer are also included: Duels and Arenas.
Duels and arenas are meant to be casual “PvP without risk”.
The first new mode is called “Duel”. The two vampires fight against each other, and at the end of the conflict, when one player’s health drops to 0, the duel ends. The health points of both players are reset to the state before the fight began, undoing all the damage done during the conflict. You can challenge other players to duels (almost) anywhere in the open world.
The second new mode is the “Arena” and is actually a whole feature: Arenas are supposed to provide a controlled PvP experience that you can customize extensively. The concept is to designate a specific area within your castle where organized fights can take place. This includes an arena station, a new type of structure you can build in your castle to define the boundaries of your arena. Theoretically, you could transform half of your castle into an arena.
There are also flags that allow vampires to assign themselves to different teams, creating a structured and competitive environment for duels and team fights. Whether you plan a 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, 4v4, or something entirely different is up to you.
With the new PvP modes, the developers aim to cater to players who have found PvP in V Rising too risky so far but have always wanted to give PvP a try.
