The movies of Star Wars are full of creative aliens. However, not all of them are impressive, fascinating, or intimidating. The following 5 can sometimes make it hard not to just burst out laughing.
How was the list created? Star Wars is a franchise that is home to countless alien species. Some of them have really cool designs and abilities. Sometimes they even support the hero team, just think of the hairy Chewbacca or Yoda, who almost didn’t exist.
Others fight against the good guys and appear intimidating – like Darth Maul, who belongs to the species of the Zabraks. However, for our list, we have looked at aliens that simply seem ridiculous despite their good or evil intentions. This can be due to their appearance or their behavior.
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Star Wars Episode 6: Return of the Jedi – Trailer
As always, the selection is based on the author’s opinion and is subjective. If you prefer other species, feel free to let us know in the comments. The order of the aliens is completely random.
The small, cute plush bears are famously infamous. They live on the forest moon of Endor and suddenly become part of the rebellion against the Empire in Episode 6. The fact that this endeavor succeeds and the rebels win is nearly a miracle.
Ewoks, represented as a whole species on this list, look quite clumsy. They waddle uncertainly through the forest, are as small as they are awkward, and somewhat resemble panda bears. While they wave their weapons threateningly, they cannot really be taken seriously.
One would prefer to pick up an Ewok and hug it. They seem like toys and might be perfect as merchandise for the brand owner Disney – but as tools against the Empire’s stormtroopers, they shouldn’t really be of much help.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A company has introduced a home office day to subsequently lay off all participating employees. The company argues that the cuts would help preserve important skills.
Home office is controversial among employees and employers, and many companies want to reintroduce office requirements. However, some employees know how to resist the office obligation with tricks, while others resign or give up against their employer.
The company Stellantis, based in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, has now used the “opportunity” of home office to lay off several hundred employees.
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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
Employees are ordered to work from home and are laid off there
What exactly did the company do? The company Stellantis laid off around 400 employees working from home. Stellantis was formed by a merger of the two automotive companies Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Groupe PSA (including Opel and Peugeot).
The English-language magazine Fortune reports that employees were informed that the car manufacturer would “hold important operational meetings the next day that require special attention and participation.” The statement continued:
To ensure that everyone can participate effectively, we have decided to implement a mandatory remote work day. Employees are expected to work from home unless their supervisor instructs them otherwise.
During the home office session, participating employees were then informed that they would be laid off. Around 400 people are said to be affected.
The company comments on this: In a statement to the Wall Street Journal (Paywall), the company stated that it would offer affected employees a comprehensive severance package and transition support.
It also added that the cuts would help preserve important skills needed to implement production plans for electric vehicles.
Luffy has it tough with his family in One Piece. You probably won’t ever get to see a family member.
What do we know about Luffy’s family? Luffy’s family situation is complicated. He never got to see his father and he grew up with a foster mother and two “brothers”. The only family member that we got to see in detail, is his grandfather Monkey D. Garp.
Although we know that Luffy has a mother, she has never appeared. There was only a flashback in chapter 1057, where her face is not recognizable (via Reddit). However, we see that she has light hair that she wears in a braid.
One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has revealed over the years what the chances are that we will see her again.
Luffy grew up in his childhood alongside the singer Uta:
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One Piece Film: Red – The Official Trailer for the Anime Film in English
Luffy’s mother remains a mystery
Will we get to see Luffy’s mother? In an interview from 2009, the creative mind behind One Piece revealed what Luffy’s mother would be like if she were to appear in the manga (via Reddit). At that time, the mangaka was still unsure whether she should appear. He believes that she is still alive, very tough, and strict. Luffy’s mother is not a beautiful person and probably has a perm.
Shortly afterwards, Luffy’s childhood with his adoptive mother Dadan was shown. It can be assumed that Oda was talking about her in 2009, as she fits his description. Otherwise, the question would remain as to why Luffy had to grow up with an adoptive mother.
In 2015, Oda specified that he fundamentally does not allow mothers in the manga. The mothers of the other Straw Hats have also either passed away or were never shown. And there is a reason for that:
Aha, I see. Well, the answer is simple. That’s because “mother” is the opposite of “adventure.”
The final farewell to Luffy’s mother likely occurred in 2020. In a video interview with Luffy’s voice actress Mayumi Tanaka, the mangaka revealed that Luffy began his adventures after leaving the protective arms of his mother. Oda wants to tell the story of a young man, not his mother (via Comic Book).
Is there still a possibility? There is still a minimal chance that you will get to see Luffy’s mother. As already shown in chapter 1057, it could be that his mother appears in a flashback. The story of Monkey D. Dragon could be the big chance to finally get to know her.
Windows 11 is criticized as a bad operating system. However, if you take a look at older Windows versions, it becomes clear that there have been unpopular versions of Windows before.
In a Reddit post, a user shows a picture of a nearly forgotten Windows version: Windows 8. With the words: “Those who say Windows 11 is the worst must be very young,” he points out that there have been bad start menus and less successful operating systems before.
Anyone who deals with PCs will eventually notice that the first drive is always called C. But why is that? You can find out in this video.
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Why is the first drive in Windows always C?
The Problems of Windows – Present and Past
What criticism is Windows 11 facing? Users often criticize the revised design, which many find cluttered or unnecessary. The center-aligned taskbar, the reduced context menu, and new system elements confuse some users. Additionally, there are technical complaints: Performance issues and annoying bugs are frequently mentioned. Intrusive features like the heavily integrated Microsoft services or the requirement to log in with a Microsoft account also meet with rejection.
The voices in the community, such as on Reddit, paint a divided picture. Some users find the system fundamentally functional and are willing to tolerate its weaknesses. Many recall that earlier Windows versions caused significantly greater problems. For others, frustration prevails. They see Windows 11 less as a step forward, but rather as a regression and wish for more control and clarity to return.
However, even if Windows 11 is not perfect in its current form, the development of Windows has not always been as user-friendly as we know it today.
What was it like in the past? Those who complain about Windows 11 today might have forgotten or never experienced how controversial earlier versions of the operating system were.
Windows 8 (2012): With the complete overhaul of the user interface, Microsoft bid farewell to the familiar start menu and instead opted for a tile look that was primarily intended for touch devices. The classic desktop took a backseat. Although improvements came quickly with Windows 8.1, it couldn’t save the version’s reputation.
Windows Vista (2007): Intended to impress with modern graphics effects and better security, in practice it was long loading times, driver issues, and compatibility problems that characterized the system. The hardware of many users simply was not powerful enough for Microsoft’s ambitious plans at that time.
Windows ME (2000): The Millennium Edition was notorious for its instability: crashes, frozen systems, and data loss were part of everyday life. Many users still consider it the worst Windows of all time, an operating system that provided more frustration than function.
This is what the future looks like: As Windows tester Phantomofearth (via Bluesky) showed, Microsoft is planning to revise the start menu. The controversial recommendation section in the start menu will be made optional. This shows that even this operating system is still in flux. The reactions to Windows 11 seem to have been heard by the company. Whether that is enough to reconcile users with the system in the long term remains to be seen.
While Microsoft is making improvements in many areas, from the start menu to system performance, an iconic element is also being left unchanged: the famous Blue Screen of Death. The company has now announced that it will redesign the BSOD as well. Visually, it will adapt more closely to Windows 11.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Champions are the main focus in League of Legends. For many players, they are just a tool to win a match, but some players love certain characters so much that they play only one. Even if this doesn’t always lead to success.
What kind of players are they? In LoL, there are the so-called One-Tricks. These are players who play only a single champion. The advantage is that you can train and learn a champion intensively and focus solely on the mechanics in the match.
However, the disadvantage of One-Tricks is that they can struggle against champions that counter their main. Often, One-Tricks rely on more complicated champions that are not necessarily widely played, as this also reduces the chance of being banned.
Often, such One-Tricks are players who mainly play ranked, but a passionate Garen main shows that you don’t have to be good to love a champion.
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Das ist LoL – Einmal richtig ehrlich erklärt
After over 10,000 still not perfect, but that seems irrelevant
Which player is it about? As Dexerto reports, there is a Garen One-Trick named nero2108. According to wol.gg, he has played over 11,000 hours of LoL, but one can assume that it is actually much more, as the website can only display playtime since 2018.
11,000 hours alone is already a remarkable time, but what makes him special is that he actually only plays Garen. Looking at his data on op.gg, you see that he has over 10 million mastery points on Garen, followed by Renekton with a measly 12,333.
How good is the player? It can’t really be said because not all data can be viewed. Although he has a win rate of 54% in the last 200 matches (as of: 14.04.2025, 10:50), his ranked past looks less rosy. In 2020, he was iron 3, and in season 9, he managed to reach bronze 2. Iron and bronze are the lowest ranks in League of Legends.
That’s not really successful, although it is also unknown how much ranked he has actually played. The pure grind for more LP doesn’t seem to interest him at all, as he hasn’t played any ranked since 2020 according to op.gg.
Nevertheless, he is an active player who plays matches with Garen almost daily.
Even though this often gets lost in community discourse, there are many people who play League of Legends for fun. If you want to have a relaxed time on the Rift, then Garen is a good choice. After all, he has hardly any complex mechanics. Pros in LoL have it differently, as they can be replaced even when playing well: LoL: In Faker’s team, fan favorite Gumayusi is replaced despite 3 perfect games
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
It’s almost time: On April 14, 2025, Larian Studios will release Patch 8 for Baldur’s Gate 3. The final major content update for now. In addition to new endings, there will be a total of 12 new classes, and we want to know which ones you are most excited about.
We want to know which of these you like the most – if you’re still unsure, you can read about what the sub-classes entail in the news.
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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
12 New Sub-Classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 – Here’s What They Can Do
What can the classes do? The 12 new sub-classes in Patch 8 bring a fresh breeze to Baldur’s Gate. Here you can read about what each class can do.
Barbarian – Path of the Giant
The Path of the Giant gives the normally brawling Barbarian a specialization in ranged combat. In a rage, you receive a double bonus on thrown attacks. Additionally, you can toss enemies around effortlessly – as long as they’re not too large. You can also carry more loot.
Bard – College of Glamour
Bards of the College of Glamour use fae magic to bring stories to life. The special feature of this sub-class is its control and protection spells.
Druid – Circle of Stars
Members of the Circle of Stars do not transform into animals, but into a constellation. You also get the spell guiding bolt, which you can cast multiple times per long rest without using a spell slot. Although the class is more of a supporter, it still deals decent damage.
Warlock – Hexblade
The Hexblade is one of the strongest sub-classes for Warlocks and allows proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons. Weapons bound to you use your Charisma modifier instead of Strength or Dexterity modifiers here. Overall, this sub-class is designed for hard hits and annihilating the opponent.
Fighter – Arcane Archer
For the Fighter, there is the Arcane Archer. Similar to the Path of the Giant for Barbarians, the Arcane Archer brings a ranged specialization for Fighters.
Cleric – Death Domain
As a Cleric of the Death Domain, you use martial weapons and focus on dealing damage rather than healing. Attacks can deal additional necrotic damage, and cantrips that usually hit a single target hit two instead. At higher levels, the necrotic resistance of opponents is ignored.
As a Bladesinger Wizard, you use acrobatics as well as melee weapons while casting spells. The Bladesinging is available to you.
Monk – Way of the Drunken Master
With this sub-class, alcohol can no longer affect you and restores half your Ki points once per day. The most important feature is the status Drunken, which allows you access to all new features – for example, to make your opponents drunk.
Paladin – Oath of the Crown
With the Oath of the Crown, you transform your Paladin into a tank that can greatly support the group.
Rogue – Swashbuckler
As a Swashbuckler Rogue, you no longer need advantage to perform sneak attacks. If you have no disadvantage, the attack is considered sneak. Additionally, there’s a bonus to initiative, a chance to avoid opportunity attacks, and Dirty Tricks.
Ranger – Swarmkeeper
As a Swarmkeeper, the game allows you to summon not just one creature but a horde of them. You can summon bees, jellyfish, or moths that trigger various effects.
Sorcerer – Shadow Magic
Sorcerers of Shadow Magic can endure more than sorcerers of other sub-classes. They can make attacks against themselves more difficult, evade them, or even prevent death strokes.
We will only find out exactly how each class plays when the patch is released. However, if you’re curious about how well the classes compare to each other, we have just the thing for you. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus, a connoisseur of Baldur’s Gate 3, has put together a tier list for them. All new classes from Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 ranked
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Once again, a Spotlight Hour is approaching in Pokémon GO. Along with Imantis, there is also an experience points bonus waiting for you.
What kind of event is this? The Spotlight Hour is a 60-minute event that takes place every Tuesday. In this event, there is at least one Pokémon that takes center stage, along with an additional bonus.
In the Spotlight Hour on April 15, 2025, you can encounter Imantis. The plant Pokémon comes from Generation 7 and has an evolution called Mantidea.
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Pokémon GO: What’s in the new Season Powerful and Masterful
Spotlight Hour on April 15 – Start Time and Bonuses
When does the Spotlight Hour start? Like every week, the Spotlight Hour begins at 6:00 PM. Exactly 60 minutes later, at 7:00 PM, it will end.
What bonus is active? In this short event, there will be a bonus on experience points when evolving Pokémon. You will receive double the amount of experience points for each evolution you perform within the 60 minutes.
The bonus is not limited to Imantis, but applies to every Pokémon you evolve.
Can you catch Shiny Imantis? Yes. If you are lucky, you might also encounter the Shiny variant of Imantis and catch it.
Is the Spotlight Hour worth it? Neither Imantis nor Mantidea are Pokémon that are particularly worthwhile for battles. You shouldn’t plan to use both Pokémon for the battle league or in raids. For raids, you should rather rely on Pokémon from our list of best attackers for Pokémon GO.
If you have some Pokémon that you have been wanting to evolve for a while, you can use the event optimally to collect some additional XP. If you also use Lucky Eggs, you can receive four times the amount of experience points for each evolution.
Not only the Spotlight Hours are waiting for you this month. Many other events are also taking place in April, providing you with a variety of content. Which events they are and when they take place can be seen in our overview of all events in April 2025 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Many streaming services like Crunchyroll and others offer One Piece. However, with some providers, fans who would like to watch the anime with German dubbing have to make compromises. MeinMMO lists all streaming services that offer the anime.
Update on April 14, 2025: We have included ADN as an additional option.
One Piece has been on television for several years and has been accompanying some of us since childhood. Therefore, many viewers have become accustomed to the German voices, which do a really great job. This is why many wish to watch One Piece in German.
Where can I watch One Piece in German? Currently, there are several options to watch the anime, but almost all options have a disadvantage, and it is not possible to stream all “One Piece” episodes in German in Germany.
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Streaming One Piece in German? These options exist
Joyn
What does this option cost? The episodes of One Piece are available for free. The only requirement is a registered account with Joyn.
How many episodes are included? Joyn has the last episodes from the past two weeks that aired on the TV channel ProSieben MAXX in the media library. Currently, the episodes are from the Wano Country arc.
In what language is the anime available? The anime is available in German dubbing on Joyn.
Joyn is an app that can be used on mobile devices or televisions. The service is completely free, but the major drawback is that there are only a fraction of the episodes available.
Who is it worth it for? Since the episodes on Joyn are randomly mixed, they are only suitable as a supplement for those who have seen the anime on Crunchyroll or elsewhere and want to watch some episodes in German.
Alternatively, newcomers can dip into the anime with the episodes. This way, for example, viewers who only know One Piece through the live-action adaptation on Netflix can get a brief impression of the anime.
ProSieben MAXX
What does this option cost? The episodes of One Piece are available for free. The only requirement is access to a television.
How many episodes are included? All episodes up to and including the 1000th episode are airing in the afternoon program on the TV channel.
In what language is the anime available? ProSieben MAXX broadcasts the episodes in German dubbing.
ProSieben MAXX is a German-language television channel that has secured the rights to broadcast the latest episodes of One Piece.
If you can’t make it to the television in time, the last 10 broadcast episodes are available in the Joyn media library. You will need a registered account to watch the episodes for free.
Who is it worth it for? If you have time on weeknights, ProSieben MAXX is the best option to watch the latest episodes in German dubbing. Once all new episodes are shown in a row, there is usually a repeat of older episodes.
If you missed an episode, that’s no problem: You can easily catch up on it in the Joyn media library once it has aired.
What does this option cost? If you want to collect all the DVDs or Blu-rays, you currently need to budget around 1,700 euros.
How many episodes are included? The DVDs and Blu-rays contain all episodes of One Piece up to the current arc.
In what language is the anime available? The anime is available in German dubbing. Alternatively, you can get the relaunch version, which also includes the Japanese audio with German subtitles.
The DVD or Blu-ray collection is probably the most expensive option. Each volume, which contains about 10-12 hours of runtime, costs around 50 euros. But the great advantage here is that you own the episodes and you are not dependent on streaming services.
The first episodes are available in both the standard and a relaunch version. The relaunch version contains the older episodes in HD quality and additionally with Japanese audio on Blu-ray.
Who is it worth it for? This option is only worth it if you have the necessary funds and are a true One Piece fan who enjoys re-watching episodes. Additionally, having the DVDs and Blu-rays means you still have the episodes even if they are removed from streaming services.
Netflix (only German subtitles)
What does this option cost? A subscription to Netflix ranges from 4.99 euros to 19.99 euros.
How many episodes are included? Currently, only the latest episodes from the Egghead arc are included.
In what language is the anime available? Netflix offers One Piece in Japanese original language with German subtitles. It will likely take several more months before there is a German dubbing, if it comes at all.
Netflix is likely jumping on the success of the live-action adaptation of One Piece. The live-action adaptation is also streaming on Netflix and has had such great success that a second season is in the works.
Who is it worth it for? If you already have an active subscription to Netflix and do not want to spend additional money for other services, the streaming service is the best option to watch the current episodes. However, the episodes will be visible roughly a week after their release in Japan.
Start video
The One Piece – Interview with the Remake Team
Crunchyroll (only German subtitles)
What does this option cost? One Piece is a premium series, so you need to pay for a Crunchyroll account. The cheapest option is 6.99 euros per month.
How many episodes are included? Crunchyroll offers all episodes from season 1 to the current episode from Japan. The latest episode is available on Sundays at 9:00 AM.
In what language is the anime available? Crunchyroll offers One Piece in Japanese original language with German subtitles. Even the older episodes are currently not available in German.
The only legal option to watch all episodes of the anime in Germany is the streaming service Crunchyroll. The streaming service has a large selection of animes and has managed to prevail against competitors like Wakanim and Animax. However, the major disadvantage here is that the episodes only have German subtitles and no German dubbing.
Crunchyroll offers a 14-day free trial, during which you can watch premium animes that would otherwise cost money. However, the two weeks are probably not enough to watch all of the over 1,000 episodes.
To watch the anime, you must pay 6.99 euros per month. This amounts to 83.33 euros per year, which is slightly cheaper than the annual subscription at 99.99 euros per year. However, you can only stream on one device and watch the episodes online.
Who is it worth it for? Crunchyroll is worth it for all those who do not care about the language and may also be interested in other animes available on Crunchyroll.
ADN (only German subtitles)
What does this option cost? An ADN subscription is required. This costs 6.99 euros per month or 59.99 euros per year.
How many episodes are included? ADN offers the East Blue saga and all arcs that have been released from Whole Cake Island. The new episodes are also included.
In what language is the anime available? ADN offers One Piece in Japanese original language with German subtitles. Even the older episodes are currently not available in German.
ADN is a streaming service that has not been available in Germany for as long as Crunchyroll. Currently, the service is in the process of steadily expanding its program. Therefore, not all arcs of One Piece are included yet. Additionally, there is also the problem that One Piece is only available with German subtitles.
The streaming service offers a 14-day free trial, during which you can watch the paid animes that would otherwise cost. To watch the anime, you must pay 6.99 euros per month. This amounts to 83.33 euros per year. If you need more time to watch, you might as well invest the annual subscription for just under 60 euros.
Who is it worth it for? ADN is worth it for all those who do not care about the language and may also be interested in other animes offered. Compare this to Crunchyroll to see which other animes are of more interest to you.
Unfortunately, it is not foreseeable when Crunchyroll, ADN, and Netflix will also release the episodes with German dubbing. When that happens, we will keep you updated here. By the way, there are also other anime series that Netflix has in its offering: 3 fantastic anime series you can watch on Netflix
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers behind Destiny 2 are now working on Marathon, a new shooter, but they are already making it clear before its release that players of Destiny should consider purchasing the game. Apparently, they are only addressing a small portion of the existing players of Destiny 2, those who enjoy PvP.
This is the situation: Bungie has been working on the Destiny shooter series for 18 years. Part 1 was released in 2014, Part 2 in the fall of 2017, actually, Part 3 was supposed to be released years ago, but Bungie separated from Activision Blizzard instead of developing Part 3 and is now releasing Marathon.
Many players only know Bungie from Destiny, so it is now likely that Destiny players will be interested in Marathon.
The Game Director of Marathon, Joe Ziegler, is now commenting on what players can expect when transitioning from Destiny 2 to Marathon.
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Bungie shows first gameplay of Marathon in trailer
Marathon is not meant to be Destiny 3
This is what Bungie says to players coming from Destiny: Ziegler states that there are some differences between Destiny and Marathon, there are also “hurdles”. With some hurdles, the developers can help overcome them. But with other things, they cannot. They want to be 100% honest about that (via gamesradar).
I think part of it is that we do not expect Marathon to become Destiny 3. Our goal is not to develop a new product that replaces Destiny 2. We believe that Destiny 2 has a future, and the team working on it has really worked hard to understand the needs of the players. But if you like Destiny and happen to enjoy a lot of PvP sandbox experiences […] then we think Marathon could be something very exciting for you.
What is similar? Ziegler says that the weapon system of Marathon is similar to Destiny.
Marathon is for Destiny players who enjoy PvP – so only for 15%?
Whom does Ziegler warn? He says: Destiny players who have no interest in PvP will likely notice that Marathon is not the right game for them.
I think if you are only looking for PvE experiences, Marathon is definitely not the right game for you. […] We feel very comfortable saying, yes, this is not a game for everyone.
A pie chart from Bungie in 2015 showing the activities players of Destiny 1 spent their time on.
Who is Bungie actually developing Marathon for?
This is the problem: The question is how many players in Destiny actually enjoy PvP and the sandbox experience. Bungie released a statistic in 2015 showing the areas where players of Destiny 1 spent their time. The 4 PvE activities Story, Patrols, Strikes, and Raids took up the vast majority of time, while PvP activities accounted for perhaps 10-15%. The time distribution is likely to look similar in Destiny 2.
This is exactly the problem that is emerging with Marathon. Destiny had a unique feature with its strong focus on PvE. However, there are countless pure PvP shooters. It is still not entirely clear how Bungie intends to stand out here.
Especially veteran gamers like to complain about innovations in gaming. One has apparently hit a sore spot when he says: The ancient Morrowind does quest design much better than modern representatives. The post receives enormous support.
What game is it about?
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is the third part of the TES series and was already released in 2002, so 23 years ago.
For the series, Morrowind represented a certain turning point, as the role-playing game was the first Elder Scrolls in “modern” 3D graphics. The predecessor, Daggerfall, still used bitmaps or sprites.
This is what the player says: On Reddit, a player has now unpacked the 20-year-old original Morrowind for the first time in many years. His “unpopular opinion” about it is that Morrowind has a better quest system than most modern RPGs:
I forgot how little it guided you by the hand. No quest markers, no arrows – just hints and vague directions from shady NPCs. At first I was angry… but then? It hit me differently. The game made me pay attention in a way that most modern games no longer do.
These days, the gameplay is only: “Go there. Follow the footsteps. Watch the cutscene. Press X to win.”
Although the creator was concerned that this opinion would be unpopular, the opposite seems to be the case. Within a week, his thread attracted over 27,000 upvotes and almost 4,000 comments. Most of them agree with him.
The Elder Scrolls series even excites the older generation:
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88-year-old bids farewell to one million fans on YouTube and the role-playing game Skyrim
4,000 comments agree, listing new games in the old vibe
Many gamers see it like the veteran, at least in the corresponding thread. They say: Experiencing a game, rather than having it played for you, is simply a whole different experience. However, there are also modern games that achieve exactly that.
The best example is Kingdom Come: Deliverance, both Part 1 and Part 2. In the Hardcore mode, which is still coming for Part 2, you don’t have a map, but have to navigate by the stars and the position of the sun to find the mentioned directions.
Atomfall is also mentioned, where you don’t have “quests” in the classical sense, but a rumor system. The more you learn about a task from NPCs, the better you can estimate where you actually need to go. However, you still have to find the coordinates on your map yourself.
Personally, as an old RPG gamer, I can only agree. Older role-playing games often drew you into the world so much that even today, despite their age, they are still playable – even with outdated graphics.
The Morrowind successor Skyrim is a good example, even though it is newer than the third part. But even here players still find new secrets even after almost 15 years. And what personally makes me happy is that even Gothic is mentioned by the veterans.
YouTube and Twitch streamer Ludwig Ahrens announced on X, formerly Twitter, his new prices for his merch. These are expected to be quite high because of the tariffs imposed by President Trump.
Who is this Twitch streamer? It’s about the American YouTube and Twitch streamer Ludwig Ahrens. On Twitch, he has over 3.3 million followers and entertains an average of 13,437 viewers per stream (via sullygnome). His streaming journey began on Twitch and he switched exclusively to YouTube for several years.
Ludwig also makes money from merch. He has now presented his supposedly new prices for the items offered.
Ludwig is a major Twitch streamer on the international scene. In the video, we present the 5 most relevant streamers on German Twitch:
Start video
These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google
“US influencers are struggling, it’s no joke”
Ludwig posted on X that he had just received the quotes for his merch and the prices were calculated based on the new [US] tariffs. He described them as “not so bad” and listed $74 (approximately 65 euros) for a T-shirt and $293 (approximately 257 euros) for a sweatshirt.
He further wrote: “I hope you continue to give me your money in these uncertain times.”
How is the post to be understood? It seems to be pure sarcasm on Ludwig’s part. This post is a humorous way to highlight what the tariffs imposed by President Trump on imports to the USA mean for production and also for the end consumer.
Presumably, the post is meant to parody influencers who ask for financial support during these difficult times, even though they are still doing well compared to many people. Under one comment, the streamer wrote: “US influencers are struggling, it’s no joke” (via X).
How did the community react? Most in the community understand Ludwig’s sarcasm and respond accordingly:
Keno writes (via X): “Damn, your greed is out of control, man. You’ve really changed.” Ludwig replied (via X): “US influencers are struggling, it’s no joke”
Wade Wilson is willing to pay even more (via X): “I would pay $400 for a sweatshirt, Ludwig,” to which Ludwig replies (via X): “I ordered 10,000 units, please consider spending more.”
HorsieAttack thinks the price is still too low (via X): “Finally, a pricing strategy for merch that reflects American values, exclusivity, scarcity, and a touch of economic dystopia. You’re honestly selling it below its value, triple digits or it’s not real style.”
However, there are also a few voices that don’t seem to understand the sarcasm and probably think Ludwig is serious about the prices:
North writes (via X): “Make them in the USA, just…”
Bradd Buff thinks (via X): “Don’t make your merch in China.”
Chatthoughts11 posted (via X): “No cheap child labor anymore for the rich guy.”
The actual prices of Ludwig’s merch are $40 for a T-shirt, $65 for a crewneck, and $78 for a shirt. While still in the higher price range, they are not at the level his joke suggested.
Ludwig repeatedly emphasizes in his streams that he has enough money, and he has set the maximum amount that can be donated to him in his streams to $5. His merch production may have also increased, but he probably would not ask these prices from his community. Live in a stream of his colleague, Ludwig was tricked into spending more money than he actually wanted: Twitch streamer who is constantly scammed gets tricked again – but for a good cause.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The digital card game Champions of Otherworldly Magic uses the designs of an AI artist for its cards. The developers justify the high salary by claiming that no one is on the artist’s level.
The title image is a symbolic image.
What kind of game is this? The digital card game Champions of Otherworldly Magic, which calls itself the “first true digital TCG” on its official page, uses cards featuring different monster designs. Players can purchase individual packs for around 3 euros to receive 10 random champions. To increase the chance of obtaining rare cards, the creators of Champions of Otherworldly Magic ask for payment.
Players decide which of the monsters they want to choose as the hero for their deck. The hero then determines which element the deck possesses. Each hero has different abilities and advantages that make each deck unique.
What players should know: The heroes are NFTs that can also be sold for cryptocurrency. Moreover, all designs are 100% AI-generated. The pay for the associated artist is likely astronomical.
A digital card game without NFTs is Hearthstone:
Start video
StarCraft in Hearthstone – the old team returns
AI artist of the TCG receives a horrendous amount as salary
Why does the AI artist receive such a high salary? On X, the account of the card game explains that the cards are 100% created by an AI artist. Behind the artist is a real person who uses AI tools to design the monsters.
Since he can create images astronomically faster than a large team of artists by using AI, he earns about 13,200 euros for 10 hours of work. In 6 months, he has designed over 1,000 images for the game. His drawings reportedly have no mistakes such as extra fingers that AI can sometimes generate when creating images:
His art is 100% AI-generated, yet it has no extra fingers, no generic designs, no mistakes… It features consistent developments, skins, alternative art styles – literally no one is at his level. We don’t care how he does it, we just care that the end user enjoys our game.
The 10 hours may just be a meme, but it emphasizes that the artist likely didn’t take much time. In total, the 13,200 euros were supposedly paid out per month, and the artist would have spent hundreds of hours per month on it.
And what about regular artists? Illustrators who create their artworks by hand have the chance to become the assistant of the AI artist. However, the assistant job is much worse paid: here, only around 4,400 to 8,880 euros per month is expected.
As the development team clarifies in the comments, the artist is the most talented in his field. He puts in more effort than any traditional artist they have seen so far.
On Saturday, April 12, Bungie revealed the gameplay of the upcoming extraction shooter Marathon. Now everyone knows what to expect, but for many, the price plays a role and is an important factor. Should the game be free-to-play or cost something? Bungie provides the answer.
What does Bungie say about the price? Marathon is supposed to be a “premium product”. However, they did not mention a specific price during the reveal. The news site GameSpot interpreted “premium product” as a new term for “full-price title,” typically between €60 and €70, as expected from AAA titles in gaming.
On x.com, Bungie caught wind of the speculations and intervened. According to them, there is a distinction between the two terms, with premium product being considered cheaper than a full-price title in terms of price. Details about the price are expected to be released in the summer.
If you missed the gameplay of Marathon, you can catch up here:
Start video
Bungie shows first gameplay of Marathon in trailer
Price could determine the success of Marathon
Why is the price so important? The price could determine the success of Marathon, as depending on how high Bungie sets it, more or fewer players will buy the game at release. Many were expecting a free-to-play title because Marathon will also have microtransactions and seasons.
With the free-to-play model, Bungie would have the greatest opportunity to reach most players, as many would simply test the game and form their own opinion. However, since the game will cost money, players will have to rely on reviews and streamers to determine whether Marathon is worth the price or not.
How expensive could Marathon become? It remains to be seen how high Bungie will set the selling price. A failed title from Sony could serve as a pattern: Concord, the hero shooter that died in 2024.
Concord was developed by the studio Firewalk under Sony and sold for €39.99 in Europe. Since Bungie is drawing a clear line regarding price speculation, it is quite possible that fans will have to pay the same price for the standard edition as for Concord.
A gamer purchased six games on Steam in 2016, but due to a bad decision, it cost him around 13,000 euros.
How did the gamer lose so much money? The user “Robin_Circle_Music” reports in a post on Reddit that he bought six games on Steam in 2016 and lists five of these games along with their purchase prices in a table:
ShellShock Live – 4.54 US Dollars
Valiant – 19.99 US Dollars
Space Pirate Trainer – 14.99 US Dollars
Tilt Brush – 29.99 US Dollars
Final Approach + Raw Data – 56.98 US Dollars
In total, these five games were worth around 126.49 US Dollars (about 111 €). However, he did not purchase these games with dollars or euros, but paid with Bitcoin. He spent a total of 0.19272 Bitcoin for the five games.
The Reddit user explains that the amount of Bitcoin he paid for the games in 2016 would today be worth approximately 15,216 US Dollars – that’s about 13,355 euros. He therefore paid over 13,200 euros too much for the games, and the money is lost forever.
By the way, the user cannot bequeath the games, even though he paid a high price for them. You can find out more about this in the video:
Start video
A user asks Valve if he can bequeath his many games on Steam – they reply
How does this loss come about? The Reddit user shares in a comment under the post that he owned several thousand dollars in Bitcoin in 2016 and had nothing to spend the money on – the purchased Steam games were among his better buys. This is explained by the appreciation of Bitcoin’s value.
Bitcoin surged in value in 2016 and in the following years. While 1 Bitcoin could be purchased for under 300 euros in 2015, it was around 600 euros in the summer of 2016 (via finance.yahoo). The Reddit user likely had already made a profit at the time of purchasing the Steam games if he had invested in the years prior to 2016.
Since then, Bitcoin has risen even more significantly. Today, one Bitcoin (depending on fluctuation) is worth over 73,800 euros (as of April 14, 2025). Thus, the Reddit user lost several thousand euros when he paid for a few cheap games on Steam with Bitcoin.
Can you still buy Steam games simply with Bitcoin? No, today you can no longer pay for games on Steam with Bitcoin. Valve has not offered this payment method since December 2017 because it is associated with high fees and influenced by significant price fluctuations (via Steam).
The situation of the Reddit user shows that Valve was right to abolish payment via Bitcoin due to strong price fluctuations. The money is gone, and the user himself can now only preserve his sense of humor. He joked about whether he might still be within the refund period.
In Japan, an agency helps employees resign from their jobs. Because Japan is notorious for its tough work culture. For many, it is the ultimate form of disrespect to quit a job at a company.
Japan is notorious for its work culture: Overtime is not uncommon in this Asian country, and many employees would rather voluntarily work overtime than take a vacation. The problem is: No one wants to take a vacation or even give the impression of being less diligent than their colleagues. Officially, as in Germany, a daily working time of 8 hours is provided in Japan (via Betriebsrat.de).
A similar problem exists when it comes to resigning from a job in Japan. Traditionally, an employee works for the same company for decades, if not their entire life. Many view it as the ultimate form of disrespect when someone finally resigns. For this reason, individuals wishing to quit are supported by a “resignation agency.”
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Agency helps employees who want to quit but cannot
The agency Momuri promises to help employees file their resignations, negotiate with their companies, and recommend lawyers in case of legal disputes. Shiori Kawamata, the operations manager of Momuri, stated that they received up to 11,000 inquiries from customers in the past year alone. This is reported by the English-language magazine CNN. “Momuri” means something like “I can’t take it anymore” in Japanese.
The agency explained that the work culture is really harsh and some employees are desperate.
Some people come to us after their resignation letter has been torn up three times, and their employers won’t let them resign, even if they kneel on the ground to bow.
The agency charges 22,000 yen (for full-time jobs) or 12,000 yen (for part-time jobs) for its assistance, which is about 130 euros.
Some employees complain that they are harassed by their bosses when they try to quit, according to Kawamata, and that their bosses repeatedly ring their doorbell and refuse to leave:
We sometimes get calls from crying people asking us if they can quit their job because of XYZ. We tell them that it’s okay and that resignation is a labor right.
In Japan, there has been an effort to accommodate employees with various simplifications for some time: For instance, a four-day work week was offered to relieve overstressed individuals and provide more family time. However, in Japan, this is not enough. They are now offering employees to shorten their daily working hours by an additional 2 hours: In Japan, the 4-day work week is not enough: Thus, it has been decided to cut out two additional hours per day.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pokémon GO has published the first information about the biggest event of the year. Included are legendary monsters, new shinies, and many monsters.
What kind of event is this? The GO Fest is the largest annual event in Pokémon GO. It is one of the three major events alongside the GO Tour and the GO Safari, which took place for the first time in 2024.
In 2025, there will again be local variants as well as the global version of the GO Fest. The latter will take place on June 28 and 29, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. In addition to the time frame, there are now also the first official details about the event’s contents. We’ve summarized them for you.
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Pokémon GO: What’s in the new Season Powerful and Masterful
All Contents of the GO Fest 2025
Which Pokémon will be available as Shiny for the first time? During the event, Rocara and Frospino can be encountered for the first time in their shiny forms. Rocara can be found both days in the habitat “Moonless Volcano,” while Frospino can be encountered both days in the habitat “Hypnotic Tundra” and additionally in 1-star raids.
Which Pokémon are making their worldwide debut? In addition, there are three Pokémon that can be caught globally for the first time. Besides the mysterious Pokémon Volcanion, you can also catch Mähikel and Clavion for the first time globally during the event. These three monsters can only be obtained if you purchase a ticket for the event.
You will receive Volcanion in a special research.
Which legendary Pokémon will be available? In the GO Fest 2025, you can challenge Zacian and Zamazenta in their royal forms. Zamazenta can be challenged on Saturday, and Zacian on Sunday in 5-star raids.
Both monsters await you in their royal forms. After the battle, you can catch them in their heroic forms. At the GO Fest, it will also be possible for the first time to change the two Pokémon into their royal forms. The exact method for this is not yet known.
What bonuses are available at the event? During the event, there are bonuses available exclusively to ticket holders as well as bonuses that are active without a ticket. The following bonuses are available to you even without the ticket:
Incubators last 1 hour
the maximum duration of team play has been increased from 3 to 8 hours
Surprise encounters in GO snapshots
These bonuses will be active for ticket holders on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM:
increased chance of shiny Pokémon
Special research on Volcanion
Branching special research, where you can choose between sword and shield
Event Pokémon are attracted by smoke
hourly global challenges
Collector challenges for the respective habitats
3 surprise encounters in GO snapshots
Additionally, ticket holders can enjoy the following bonuses on both event days from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM:
more buddy hearts with all interactions
up to 9 free raid passes daily by spinning photo discs at gyms
up to 40 gifts can be opened per day
up to 6 special trades per day
halved stardust costs when trading Pokémon
Which Pokémon are there in habitats? As usual, the GO Fest will feature the so-called habitats. These rotate every hour and bring different wild Pokémon.
The habitats will take place on both days at the following times:
Moonless Volcano: 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Galvanic Dojo: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Hypnotic Tundra: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Fairy Swamp: 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
In the following table, you can see which Pokémon you can expect in the respective habitats:
Which Pokémon are also in the wild? On both Saturday and Sunday, there will be Pokémon that can appear all day, regardless of the current habitat.
All-day Pokémon on Saturday:
Chaneira*
Panzaeron*
Larvitar*
Schilterus*
Schnutzhelm*
Skallyk*
Kommandutan*
Viscora* (rare)
On Sunday, the following monsters will be in the wild:
Galar-Porenta*
Tragosso*
Trasla*
Laukaps*
Gladiantri*
Kapuno*
Quartermak*
Miniras (rare)
Pokémon marked with a * can also be encountered in their shiny forms.
Additional contents of the event: Ticket holders can lure various forms of Icognito using smoke, which can also appear as shiny.
Moreover, all players, whether with or without a ticket, can complete event field research during the event.
It will still be a while until the GO Fest in June takes place. But even until then, there are many events happening in the game to provide you with content. If you want to know which events are in the current month, then take a look at our overview of all events in April 2025 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In 2007, Steve Jobs presented the iPhone to the public for the first time. What few people knew was that the device didn’t function properly during the presentation, and the developers had to come up with a plan to ensure that this didn’t come to light.
The presentation of the first iPhone in 2007 went down in tech history as a legendary event: Steve Jobs showcased the iPhone by playing music and videos, browsing web pages, sending messages, making a call, and using Google Maps to find a Starbucks and order 4,000 coffees. However, no one could have guessed that this high-tech iPhone was, at that moment, a perfectly rehearsed performance.
This is reported by Andy Grignon, then senior engineer at Apple, in an interview with the English-language magazine NewYorkTimes (possibly behind a paywall). The iPhone was not functioning properly at the time of the presentation. Instead, some tricks had to be devised to avoid being exposed.
The software of the iPhone was full of errors during the presentation
What were the problems? According to Grignon, the iPhone’s software was full of bugs, and Jobs had practiced for 5 days to make the presentation work. However, even on the last rehearsal day, the iPhone still dropped calls occasionally, lost internet connection, froze, or simply shut down:
It felt like we had run the demo a hundred times, and each time something went wrong. It was not a good feeling.
For this reason, the chief technicians at Apple had to come up with a contingency plan to ensure that the device would actually work during the final presentation.
How were the problems solved? Apple’s engineers developed a workaround: the “golden path.” This was a precise sequence of actions that Jobs had to follow without deviation. Only in this way could it be ensured that the iPhone wouldn’t stop responding in the middle of a demonstration.
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In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?
Getting through the presentation with many tricks
Many backup devices: Steve Jobs had several identical devices on stage. If one failed, he switched to the next device without the audience noticing.
Modified chip for image transmission: For the presentation itself, engineers built special plates and video cables into the iPhone that took the signal from the iPhone and forwarded it to the projector. This way, no camera needed to be aimed directly at the model. This made the presentation particularly “magical.”
Wi-Fi connection: Another problem was the Wi-Fi: with thousands of people in the room, the connection could be compromised. To avoid this, Apple modified the AirPort software responsible for the iPhone’s connection. It was adjusted to operate on frequencies reserved for Japan, outside the range typically used in the United States.
Phone calls: There was also a trick behind the phone calls: Apple collaborated with a telecommunications provider to set up a mobile cell tower nearby. Additionally, the iPhone was modified to always show full connectivity.
Diablo 4 is intended to run as a service game for quite some time, which has been clear since its release. In a “chain interview,” franchise head Rod Fergusson explained that he already has relatively concrete plans for the next 10 years. Fans are rather cautious about this.
What does the future of Diablo 4 hold?
Season 8 of Diablo 4 starts on April 29 and brings several changes. The game will become harder, Torment 4 is supposed to be a real challenge, and Belial will return as a boss.
Now, the General Manager of Diablo, Rod Fergusson, has revealed that he has already planned the next 10 – actually even 12 – years of Diablo in a roadmap.
Here’s what Fergusson says: The gaming website Game File conducted a “chain interview” where interviewed developers could ask a question to the next interviewee. In this case, the question came from Riot co-founder Marc Merrill to Rod Fergusson: “What do you think about the next big turning point and the next part of Diablo?” Fergusson’s answer:
We are planning for the long game. We had a recent long-term planning session, and I made a roadmap, a 10-year roadmap … actually even a 12-year roadmap. I see this, that, and all these different things we can do, which is really inspiring. And exciting. We are focusing on what players want; I can’t say much more about it.
Fergusson himself has recently spoken about finding battle passes “outdated” and planning a new system. There are at least ideas to redesign the individual levels.
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Diablo 4: Trailer for Vessel of Hatred Looks Like a Short Film, Showcases Nahantu and the New Class
Players are skeptical, saying: They would prefer 5 years of good planning
On Reddit, where the interview has been shared, one player even mocks: “That’s a lot of hellish floods in new colors, I have to give him that.” Moreover, they do not want to have to buy so many expansions as that would not be feasible.
Others point out that the “fans” apparently forget that Diablo 3 also had a long run. Since the release of its predecessor in 2012, 11 years have passed until Diablo 4 was released, and the third part had only one major story expansion.
Only the issue with consoles is a problem. In the coming 10 years, we can expect 3-4 new generations, according to a prediction from the discussion (editor’s note: realistically, it’s probably more like 1-2 console generations). The performance of Diablo 4 will then be hard to guarantee, the players fear.
In March 2025, the studio “Happy Cauldron Games” acquired the MMORPG Fractured Online. The new owners have now spoken about their ambitious plans for the game, which is currently rated “Balanced” on Steam.
What are the new owners planning? They discussed this just a few days ago in a nearly 90-minute-long stream on YouTube. To save you from watching the entire stream, here are the key insights:
The new team plans to implement such extensive and profound adjustments that Fractured Online will be taken offline for a period of time. The developers draw a comparison to the historical relaunch of Final Fantasy 14, which also went offline after a disappointing start in 2010 and returned as a markedly improved “A Realm Reborn”.
The updates will include an action combat system with WASD movement and a reduction in spells and abilities to better highlight class identities. Additionally, housing is set to be expanded.
There will be more content for solo players and groups, and the systems for hunger and energy will be removed. There are also likely to be updates to the models – a revamped version of the male human model was shown in the stream.
For the implementation of the relaunch, they aim to define and publish a list of milestones. Moreover, discussions are ongoing regarding the payment model that Fractured Online will adopt after the relaunch. However, the developers promise that there will be no Pay2Win, Pay2Progress, or any crypto implementations.
One of the trailers for Fractured Online:
Start video
Fractured Online – Early Access Launch Trailer
The Turbulent Life of an MMORPG Developer
What about the old team? Before the sale to “Happy Cauldron Games,” Fractured Online belonged to Dynamight Studios (which continues to be listed as developer and publisher on Steam). The management therefore had to downsize the team by 2024, leaving only three developers remaining (via massivelyop.com).
These three developers have joined the new owners as part of the deal and are allowed to continue working on Fractured Online. By January, the MMORPG was already ported to a new engine, which is intended to help deliver new content to the game more efficiently.
The acquisition is just one of many milestones in the very turbulent development history of Fractured Online. The online role-playing game from Dynamight Studios launched in Early Access on Steam on September 15, 2022, but the launch was under a bad star. There were many issues and technical problems.
In January 2023, the team decided to return to closed development. In November 2023, they celebrated a relatively successful comeback. This time, however, without the previous publisher gamigo. Although the Steam reviews increased, they never reached really good ratings. The regular updates, the final launch in July 2024, and the transition to a Free2Play model did not change that.
On the contrary, at one point, they even ignited the wrath of fans because after an update, players could suddenly spend real money tokens for gold and gold for real money tokens. They had previously promised that they would never implement such a feature in Fractured Online. More on this here: Steam MMORPG breaks promise and announces Pay2Win feature, causing community uproar
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
You won’t have to wait long for a new movie from Marvel after Captain America: Brave New World. In just a few weeks, the next title will be released, introducing an unusual team of heroes. The most eccentric member is the Russian Captain America.
Which movie is it about? In early May, Thunderbolts* will be the next movie from Marvel. This will be the first time the titular team is introduced, consisting of less heroic characters:
The Winter Soldier, played by Sebastian Stan, is the leader of the group and known to fans from many Marvel movies.
Florence Pugh plays Yelena Belova, the adopted sister of Natasha Romanoff, who was first seen in Black Widow.
This character also appears in that movie, Taskmaster, played by Olga Kurylenko.
David Harbour returns again as Red Guardian.
Hannah John-Kamen plays Ghost, known from Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Wyatt Russell reprises his role as U.S.Agent after the series Falcon and Winter Soldier.
The Thunderbolts resemble Marvel’s Suicide Squad, which suits the character selection. The wildly assembled team has three characters that share parallels with Captain America—besides Winter Soldier and U.S.Agent, especially the Red Guardian is an eccentric character.
Start video
In the trailer for Thunderbolts, Marvel showcases its own ‘Suicide Squad’
The Russian Captain America
Who is the Red Guardian? The Red Guardian was first seen in the MCU film Black Widow in 2019. There, he plays the adoptive father of Natasha Romanoff and is portrayed by David Harbour, known from Stranger Things.
The Red Guardian is actually the Russian Alexei Andreovitch Shostakov. He was a Russian agent and became a super-soldier during the Cold War through the serum developed by the Russians based on the US serum. As Red Guardian, he effectively became the Captain America of the Soviet Union.
During an undercover mission in the USA, he had to play a family with Melina Vostokoff, Yelena Belova, and Natasha Romanoff. Over time, they developed a familial bond. These events can be seen in the film Black Widow.
Through his super-soldier serum, he has similar abilities to Captain America, although he does not appear as muscular. He possesses enhanced strength, endurance, speed, reflexes, and a better healing process than normal humans. Additionally, he is trained in combat with weapons and is an experienced spy.
The Red Guardian is on the right next to Yelena (Source: Disney)
The Red Guardian in the Comics
How is the Red Guardian depicted in the comics? In the MCU Thunderbolts, he reports to Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and carries out missions for the CIA. However, his comic history differs from this. In the comics, Alexei Shostakov is a Red Guardian trained by the KGB to become the Russian equivalent of Captain America.
The major difference is: he is not a superhuman. The comic Red Guardian is a master of martial arts, a pilot, and also an excellent spy. In the comics, he is also actually the ex-husband of Black Widow. Unlike in the MCU, she is “upgraded” in the comics through the Black Widow program and is significantly older than she appears.
Before he was with the Thunderbolts, he was the leader of the Dark Ocean Society as Ronin. When the Thunderbolts, led by Winter Soldier, planned to attack Red Skull’s castle, he was informed by Yelena and later joined the team.
By the way, in the comics, he also has a red shield made of vibranium.
