The Wuxia MMO Blade and Soul revealed its payment model last week and said all the right things.
Asia-free-to-play MMORPGs have a particularly bad reputation, using all tricks to squeeze money out of players. However, Blade and Soul is a big title in Asia. The publisher NCSoft is one from the front row. So, can it shake off the bad reputation that many games have earned for free-to-play models from Asia?
General suspicion of free-to-play titles, especially from Asia
Perhaps you know the scene from the movie “The Other Guys”, where the villain bribes the two quirky heroes with concert tickets and tickets for musicals and sports events. While he is doing this, he denies that he is bribing them by simply repeating: “No, this isn’t bribery. This isn’t bribery.”
It’s somewhat similar with the dreaded term “pay-to-win” in free-to-play games and their payment model. The nastiest psychological tricks can be applied. Players who invest a lot, so-called whales, can dominate like gods and roam through virtual worlds untouched – from the mouth of the PR department comes: “No, it is definitely not pay-to-win. Everything is optional. Everything is great.” In principle, every free-to-play title is announced like this: both fair and not so fair ones. No one says: Yes, sure, you can buy significant advantages. After all, we want to live off something.
Now, not every free-to-play game is equally guilty, but the games are at least under a general suspicion these days, especially if they come from Asia.
The tricky part is that regardless of what nice things are said in advance, one only has to decide in practice and then finally in the end game, after having invested much time: “Is this fair and kosher now? Do I want to engage with it, or does something smell fishy?”
The essential points of the payment model for Blade and Soul
Last week, NCSoft sent out a press release for Blade and Soul. There, they outlined the main points of the payment model for the Wuxia MMORPG:
Every player will have access to all content, nothing is hidden behind a paywall, like in Lord of the Rings Online (or soon in TESO), where you have to pay to access new content
As a premium or cash shop currency, NcCoin will be used, which coins were already used in Aion. With them, players can buy so-called “convenience” items, such as experience potions or food, and also character and inventory slots. Additionally, there will be so-called “vanity” items, which are cosmetic stuff
In addition to NcCoins, there will also be a second currency that players can earn in the game and with which they can buy the items that are offered for NcCoins, that is, for real money
The more players buy things in the cash shop with NcCoins or the earnable currency, the higher their “premium rank” will rise. This premium rank is associated with increasing bonuses. NCSoft promises that these will not affect combat.
They want to regularly bring new game content
From summer, the game will be available for pre-order, probably with the “founder packs”
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NCSoft really says all the right things about the payment model of Blade & Soul
My MMO says: It sounds like a very fair payment model, especially at first glance, there seems to be no quasi-subscription being offered, as most other games do. At least none is mentioned. And the idea that: “Everything that can be purchased can also be earned” is always very positive.
How it will actually turn out can unfortunately only be said in practice. When one notices: “The game bombards me with items so much that I am almost forced to buy more inventory,” for example. Or if the “replacement currency” can only be earned very slowly. Experience has shown that even beta phases do not provide insight into the details here, and even at release, this cannot be said. Only over the months do free-to-play titles reveal their “true” face.
But this should not be a death knell: NCSoft actually has a very good reputation in this regard. Perhaps Blade & Soul will succeed in dispelling the reservations of fans regarding specifically Asian free-to-play games.
Today on June 30th, the new expansion “Rise of Tiamat” for the action MMO Neverwinter starts.
From 4 PM, the servers will be down for two hours. When it resumes on Xbox One, “Rise of Tiamat” is supposed to be active: one of the 5 modules that Xbox One players are supposed to receive this year until they catch up to the PC version of the action MMORPG Neverwinter.
New gameplay content awaits to be conquered. The dragon goddess and her minions lurk in the new area Dragon’s Maw or in the dungeon “Temple of Tiamat.”
But this patch also brings other changes that PC players received last year. In the patch notes , the other changes to the game are detailed: Performance adjustments have been made, frame rates increased, many bugs fixed, and minor improvements made. A mini-map has also been added.
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And these 4 (+1) modules are still coming this year
4 more “older” modules are still set to release on Xbox One this year: Elemental Evil, Icewind Dale, Dreadring and Fury of the Feywild. These are modules 1, 2, 3, and 6. Currently, alongside the base game, there is Tyranny of Dragons, the PC module 4. And starting today, there is also Rise of Tiamat, module number 5. The two modules are linked in the story. And it seems Cryptic thought it best to start with the “Dragons” from “Dungeons and Dragons.”
For the PC version of Neverwinter, 2 new modules are also announced for 2015: Strongholds and Underdark. Complicated matter with the version confusion.
This should end soon. The aim is to quickly bring the Xbox One version up to the PC version’s standard. Xbox players should also receive Strongholds this year.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
There will be further maintenance on Xbox One for The Elder Scrolls Online on June 30.
A maintenance has now been announced for The Elder Scrolls Online and is currently underway. Since 3:15 PM, the European mega server for Xbox One has been down. How long the maintenance will last is unknown. It is said that one should expect at least “a few hours.”
The North American Xbox server has been down since 2 PM our time for similar reasons. The maintenance duration is estimated to be two hours.
According to Zenimax, the maintenance is necessary to resolve “connection issues,” as stated. There were already difficulties over the weekend on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Maintenance was avoided here, even though it had already been announced.
In the MMO shooter Destiny a new Wanted Bounty has been added with Petra Venj today. Here’s how Wolf High Servitor works.
On Tuesdays, new bounties have been coming to Destiny since “House of Wolves.” There are two types, and today another “Wanted Bounty” has been added. You don’t have to wait for events like with the Queen bounties. Just start the thing with Petra Venj and it’s time to hunt.
Here’s how Wolf High Servitor works, the bounty leads to the Temple of Crota
The bounty today takes place on the Moon, specifically in the “Temple of Crota.” You need to take out a Servitor. It’s a bit hidden, but in this video from our friends at ProNDC, the way can be clearly seen and followed.
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The summer of Heroes of the Storm is all about Diablo and the Eternal Conflict. In addition to a Diablo battlefield, the developers will also present new heroes. The Butcher has now been given a gameplay preview.
One can learn a thing or two from him!
The Butcher is an antagonist from the Diablo universe with a notoriously bad reputation, having been the scourge of Tristram for over 20 years. His physique is massive. According to legends, he was assembled from the remains of other demons. This leads to him seeing all living beings merely as a collection of parts that he can process.
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In Heroes of the Storm, the Butcher is an Assassin and his corpse harvesting is reflected in his abilities:
Fresh Meat is his passive trait. It ensures that defeated minions leave behind one piece and defeated heroes leave behind three pieces of meat. When the Butcher collects them, the damage of his auto attacks increases each time – until he dies, then he loses all stacks.
The Hamstring is a long-range strike in a straight line that deals damage and slows affected enemies for a short time.
Physically more of a warrior, but gameplay-wise an assassin.
With the Butcher’s Brand, the hero can mark another enemy for 5 seconds. Auto attacks against the marked enemy heal the Butcher for 75% of the damage dealt. If the marked target is an enemy hero, the healing received is doubled.
Ruthless Onslaught is very reminiscent of the Dragon Knight’s charge. The Butcher becomes unstoppable, charges at the targeted enemy, and does not stop until he reaches it (or the path is blocked by a wall). Upon reaching, damage is dealt, and the target is briefly stunned.
His first heroic ability is the Furnace Blast, which deals high area damage around the Butcher after a delay of 3 seconds. This ability can be activated during a Ruthless Onslaught to enable devastating ambushes.
Lamb to the Slaughter is the second heroic ability and binds an enemy hero to a chain. The victim can only move a few meters around the center of the chain for a few seconds and is thus trapped.
The Butcher is likely to be available starting tomorrow once maintenance is complete.
In Guild Wars 2, with the expansion Heart of Thorns, the long-awaited guild halls return to the world of Tyria. The winners of a contest will soon find their own logo in the game world!
A crest for heroes
The guild halls are finding their way into the game. Who wouldn’t want to see their own crest there?
Guild halls were a fixed part of the first Guild Wars; in the second installment, some players missed them sorely. With the first major expansion of Guild Wars 2, Heart of Thorns, the premises find their way back into the game. To celebrate the reintroduction of the halls, ArenaNet is holding a guild crest contest.
The 5 most successful logos will be included in the game and can be worn in Tyria with the release of the addon. Additionally, there are other prizes such as T-shirts, art books, or in-game items.
Anyone wishing to participate in the contest should carefully read the rules and requirements to avoid being disqualified later due to a violation. The crests must, of course, fit the Guild Wars 2 theme and must not be offensive. All details can be found in our sources.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Korea, Devilian has been available for about a year and was initially very popular there. The hack n’ slash principle known from Diablo still appeals to many. Fighting hordes of monsters, finding cool new equipment, and continuously improving the hero.
Devilian fully embraces these elements and spices it up with a very dark scenario revolving around demons. However, the development team drew more from Diablo 2 than from Diablo 3. Additionally, each hero can transform into a kind of devil form.
PvE and PvP
You create your hero from the classes Dualist (Tank), Elementalist (Mage/DPS), Shadow Hunter (Assassin), and Cannon Shooter (Ranged DPS). In Devilian, you explore many PvE dungeons, but PvP is also highly emphasized. There exists a battle mode where 20 players on one side face off against 20 players on the other side. Additionally, you will also fight huge boss monsters that you must defeat together, yet you also compete against each other to claim glory and loot.
https://youtu.be/OxW_Q1MzFGU
Trion Worlds has not officially confirmed yet that the new game is Devilian, but everything points to it.
The artwork featuring the demon comes directly from Devilian. It is not yet known when the action MMO will launch in the “West”, but anyone who enjoys online games in the Diablo style should keep an eye on Devilian. How well it actually plays and whether Trion Worlds has hit the jackpot with the MMO is still to be seen.
Andreas says: The current trend is moving away from complex, deep MMORPGs that require a lot of time investment. This is evidenced by the successes of online card games like Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft or MOBAs like Heroes of the Storm and League of Legends. Online hack n’ slashes fit excellently into this program.
This could develop into the next big trend with Lineage Eternal and Lost Ark, and of course Trion Worlds wants to be on board right from the start. Therefore, it only makes sense to grab such a game and add it to their portfolio. How good Devilian really is, we will only see later.
https://youtu.be/OqmmS3GRgHM
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter Destiny there’s a new cycle on Tuesdays, including June 30th. What will be the new Nightfall strike? How is the Prison of Elders configured? What does the vendor Variks have in store?
But it’s time to get back to the routine. Over the weekend, no disastrous interviews were given. Surprisingly, there hasn’t been any major fire to put out with energy drinks either. Everything is somewhat back to normal. Well, the Iron Banner unexpectedly starts this evening, but that’s not a reason for panic. Let’s get back to the bread and butter of Destiny, the weekly reset.
Weekly Nightfall Strike is against the Ogre with a bad complexion
This week’s Nightfall strike features Phogoth in the Summoning Pits. Modifiers are Juggler, Void Burn and Solar Burn. Guardians haven’t seen Phogoth in the Nightfall for quite a while. Last time was on March 24th.
The heroic Weekly brings Omnigul back
The heroic Weekly takes us back into Crota’s Will, facing Oryx’s daughter Omnigul. The modifier is Juggler. Omnigul was last the target of the heroic Weekly in Destiny 4 weeks ago.
The Prison of Elders in Destiny starting June 30th
Cabal/Exposure – Guardian shields are fortified but do not regenerate
Hive – Arc Burn
Hive – Solar Burn
The 34-light Prison has a Vex problem
In the 34-light Prison of Elders, the Guardians face the Vex, with Qodron returning with his hordes. Here we have prepared a guide, although Bungie has nerfed Qodron anyway. He was considered the strongest opponent in the 32/34-light configurations.
Vex/Catapult – Grenades have a significantly lower cooldown
In the 35-light Prison of Elders, Skolas awaits the Guardians. Here we will have to be a bit patient until the modifiers for him and the 6th wave are available.
Apparently, this week features Brawler/Juggler. This means the melee damage of the Guardians is increased, but no ammo drops for the weapon with which a kill is made.
The path to him is always the same:
Hive – Exposure/Brawler – Guardian shields are fortified, do not regenerate/ their melee damage is increased
Vex – Ground/Airborne – Guardians deal increased damage in the air, but take more damage there
Cabal – Catapult/ Arc Burn – Grenade cooldown is reduced, Arc damage is increased
Fallen – Special/Juggler – Special weapons deal double damage, enemies do not drop ammo for the weapon with which they were killed
Fallen – Trickle/Small Arms – Abilities have increased cooldown, primary weapon damage is significantly increased
What does Variks have in store?
Variks is selling helmets and the scout rifle this week.
The helmets increase recovery and super. For Titans and Hunters, it applies against the Fallen. For Warlocks against the Cabal.
The Warlock helmets have 60 intellect and 65 strength.
The Titan helmet has 113 discipline.
The Hunter helmet has 117 discipline.
Tips, tricks, and guides?
In this section, we will present videos of successful runs throughout the day. They can help you deal with the challenges of this Destiny week. You can learn from them or simply be entertained.
The team at Nexxoss Gaming tackles the Nightfall with Phogoth. With the two burns, it’s a much more rustic affair than it used to be. Nexxoss suggests going all Solar and recommends Abyss Defiant.
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Games based on franchises known from movies, TV series, single-player games, or books are very popular. Because then you can actively experience adventures in your favorite world and not just watch or read.
We have compiled a list of franchises that we would like to see adapted as MMOs. Feel free to join in and post in the comments which book, series, or single-player game you would like to see as an online game.
Game of Thrones
Actually, a PvP-heavy MMORPG based on the popular TV series and book series Game of Thrones is in development. Bigpoint wants to send you into the battle for the Iron Throne. However, nothing has been heard from the game for ages, and whether it is still being worked on is questionable.
Be that as it may: An MMORPG where you can explore the fantasy world of Westeros and engage in the War of the Five Kings would be something special. If that doesn’t work out, there is currently a more than decent alternative in development.
Marc Simonetti created concept art for Crowfall. He works as an artist on Game of Thrones.
With Crowfall, an ambitious MMO will be released, which the creators themselves say: “It’s like Game of Thrones meets EVE Online. In terms of setting, it heavily leans on the fantasy epic. Whether Crowfall will be the right MMO for Game of Thrones remains to be seen until at least 2018.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the god MMO Skyforge, a way has been introduced for players to command their disciples without having to log into the game. With a portal to Skyforge, the Allods team aims to meet all the players’ needs.
However, in contrast to WoW, Skyforge is willing to “go all the way.” As the developers explain, it will be possible to control them “remotely” without needing to log into Skyforge. This will be done through the “Aelinet,” a website, a portal to the game.
Here, players will also be able to communicate with guild members and other gamers. There will also be news available there. Additionally, a talent calculator and other “core features” will be found on the portal. There will be separate “portals” for North America and Europe.
The opposite model to Bungie’s “Do it yourself” approach in Destiny
Mein MMO says: Mini-games and apps are a trend in both offline and online RPGs. The aim is to remain “as present as possible” in players’ daily lives, reminding them to spend a little time with the game, especially while waiting at the bus stop. This increases the likelihood that they will log in when they are back home.
Skyforge aims to bind players “directly to the game” by offering news, talent builders, and a communication platform, providing them with a central place that meets all their Skyforge needs.
Last year, the MMO shooter Destiny started with the idea of not doing this but leaving the information needs to an emerging community. On one site, there are news, on another guides, on a third the talent builder, and a fourth is focused on group search or events. This has worked: the Destiny community is considered a pillar of the game.
In the MMO shooter Destiny , the PvP event Iron Banner will be active starting this evening, June 30th.
This is surprisingly early. The monthly recurring “Iron Banner” event will activate this evening at 7:00 PM our time. Bungie announced this on Twitter last night. In the past, such announcements were usually made several days in advance. Apparently, they didn’t want to do that during the tumultuous last week and held this information back for a surprise effect.
What rewards are available in July’s Iron Banner in Destiny?
In this Iron Banner, players will not only be able to acquire the coveted “Ascendant Light”, but also the following legendary items:
And the legendary pulse rifle Skorr’s Vengeance – for the first time.
To be eligible to acquire these items in Destiny, players must reach a certain reputation rank, which can be achieved through diligent participation in the special PvP event. Here are the level advantages enabled, by the way.
The armor pieces are available at reputation levels 3 and 4; the weapons at levels 4 and 5. Additionally, during the Iron Banner, other Iron Banner weapons like Efrideet’s Spear and Felwinter’s Lie. are also likely to be available as rewards after matches. Most likely, the armors and weapons still have “32 values” and need to be upgraded first.
Iron Banner is also for the diligent players who collect points like a squirrel – laborious, but steady
Unlike the Trials of Osiris that take place weekly, in the Iron Banner, it is not strictly necessary to win in order to score high rewards. Through a special rule, you gain almost as much reputation for losses as for wins. With the “Hardened” bonus, players, especially towards the end of the week, can gather enough reputation points with relatively few matches, to acquire Ascendant Light. This is necessary to bring legendary weapons and armors up to current maximum values.
If you want to know more about the event, here is our detailed presentation of the June event. Aside from the specific items, nothing should have changed. We will cover the exact items and rewards of the July Iron Banner in a later article.
The event is expected to run until next Tuesday, July 7th, at 11:00 AM.
In the MMO shooter Destiny , Bungie presented three secret weapons that will help players succeed in the Crucible.
Bungie has analyzed its data and reported which weapons are “secretly super.” They are said to give players the greatest “lift,” pushing them forward. However, the lift is not as big as many think. The numbers apply to the week, in which the June Iron Banner was active.
You might think that the usual suspects are involved: Dorn, Red Death, The Truth, and similarly dominant killers that propel their users forward. But it actually involves three weapons that are hardly talked about, but have quite a reputation among YouTubers and experts.
By clicking on the weapon name, you will be taken to the German version of Destiny-Tracker, where you can see (and fantasize) how to best reforge the weapons.
Those who still need tips on reforging can find them in this video:
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With the big summer patch, many changes will occur in TERA, at least in Korea. A new starting area and increased fun during the leveling phase are expected to be two of the most important changes for newcomers and returning players.
The Tears of the Goddess – a new area for TERA
The tears of Velik created a magical tree.
In the beginnings of time, there was war between the gods. The consequence of this war was devastation, which made the goddess Velik mourn. Her tears fell between the shattered lands and created a great tree. The mysterious power of the plant attracted various beings who saw themselves as “Guardians” of the tree and built a city within it.
Years passed until the tree gave birth to five children who also possessed strong powers: Those who were in their vicinity felt strong and never got sick. Because great powers always bring corruption, the Guardians decided to hide the island with the tree and the blessed children from outsiders – until now.
The new zone will replace the previous starting area, the “Island of Dusk”. While it will still be possible to visit the island, quests can no longer be completed there, and gathering resources is also no longer an option.
Less grinding, more story
The patch will also triple the experience points gained from story missions. This will result in many of the grind-intensive side quests no longer being necessary. Since we all know how terrible it is for MMO fans to have unfinished quests on the screen, these missions can be hidden. Those who do not want to forgo the small tasks can, of course, still complete them.
Overall, it is expected that the new island and the smoother gameplay during the leveling phase will attract many new players or returnees who might give TERA a second chance.
On June 15, Paul Sage ceased working at Zenimax, and since June 19, he has been the Creative Director at Gearbox. This can be gleaned from his Facebook pages. Eurogamer has now discovered this. It is suspected that he might be contributing to Borderlands 3. This would make sense, especially if they decide to move more towards “MMO” there.
One could speculate a lot about what lies behind the switch. Whether he was no longer satisfied at Zenimax, whether TESO was not developing according to his expectations, or so.
Other pages have a significantly more banal explanation for the switch: Paul Sage simply wanted to go back home, back to Texas. Sage is from Austin, Texas. He studied there. Gearbox is located in Plano, Texas. So it fits, even though there are nearly 350 kilometers between Plano and Austin. But they are significantly closer than the 2,500 kilometers between Hunt Valley and Austin. Zenimax is located in Hunt Valley, Maryland.
Update: A representative from Zenimax has commented on this in the forum. Yes, they say, Paul Sage left the team after the console launch of TESO. He is – like the rest of the team – proud of what they have accomplished. Zenimax wishes him good luck with everything he takes on in the future.
Rich Lambert has moved up to the vacant Creative Director position. Until then, he was the Lead Content Designer for TESO and has also worked on Elder Scrolls: Oblivion.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Korea, MapleStory 2 will launch on July 7. A trailer kicks off the spectacle.
Originally, Nexon had planned a “live” opening ceremony for the launch of the MapleStory prequels, but due to the threat posed by the deadly respiratory disease MERS, it was canceled and replaced with an online presentation and a trailer.
MapleStory 2 starts on July 7 in Korea. Then, more patches will follow shortly: The level cap should increase to 40 in July and even to 50 in August. The two summer patches will bring map expansions, housing arenas, various hairstyles, new bosses, and all sorts of things.
Currently, there are no updates regarding a West release. One should not expect a port this year.
The first MapleStory was released in 2003 in Korea and reached Europe in 2007. Both games are designed as free-to-play titles and employ an aesthetic that Western MMOs typically do not use, as seen in the images and the trailer.
Here is a bit of gameplay again:
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In the Star Wars Battlefront Spanish version of the official game homepage, a mode is mentioned that has not been officially confirmed yet.
As reported by PCGamesN, the Spanish homepage of Star Wars: Battlefront features more modes in the game description than the English version of the site, namely (caution, read with an accent): Héroes contra villanos.
By the way: This mode is also mentioned in the German version of the page (please read without an accent): In addition to Walker Assault, Star Wars Battlefront features exciting and varied multiplayer modes such as Supremacy, Fighter Squadron, Blast, Drop Zone, and Heroes vs Villains, which we will introduce in the coming months.
Deathmatch with cult characters
This is likely a revival of the “Heroes versus Villains” mode, which, according to PCGamesN, found many fans in the Battlefront games 10 years ago. Some of the most famous figures from Star Wars faced off against each other in a sort of “Deathmatch.”
So far it was unknown that this mode would also appear in the reboot of the franchise. However, hero and villain characters should also be present in the new Star Wars: Battlefront. So far, Boba Fett, Darth Vader, and Luke Skywalker (the gentleman on the right) have been confirmed.
Here’s a video of the mode from Star Wars: BattleFront 2.
With the conclusion video of the Hellfire Citadel, it seems that Draenor has been saved. However, there are still many unanswered questions in World of Warcraft – and many thoughts even suggest that peace may not be so likely after all…
Once again, a warning: The post will contain spoilers for the current WoW content.
All’s well that ends well – or not?
There are many wild theories about the future of Warcraft. For a long time, fans have been crafting their own stories and continuing plotlines. But never before in the history has there been so many unanswered questions in WoW’s lore. I will try to outline the most obvious future plans and point out a few mistakes that Blizzard might have made – unless the storytellers have a very brilliant plan in mind.
What does the cinematic reveal about how World of Warcraft could continue?
First of all, I would like to ask you to watch the closing video of the Hellfire raid if you haven’t done so yet:
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Basically, one might assume that everything has found a peaceful conclusion. The Archdemon is defeated and Gul’dan has disappeared. Khadgar bids farewell with the weighty phrase “Gul’dan and the demons that control him are not so easily banished”, before flying off into the distance – very similar to how Medivh did back in Warcraft III. What seems, at first glance, like a typical Blizzard cinematic, indicating possible future dangers with a side remark, quickly turns out to be Swiss cheese with plenty of plot holes. So we can either assume that Blizzard has completely messed up the story (which I don’t believe), or that the video deliberately leaves many things open to quietly hint at future content for World of Warcraft (which I strongly hope!).
Some of the following assertions I have picked up from Anne Stickney on blizzardwatch.com, her original post is definitely worth a look.
Grommash – The symbol of freedom?
Draenei cheers for the executioner of their families. How does this fit together?
Every lover of Warcraft lore should have raised their eyebrows when Grommash Hellscream raises his axe to the sky and proclaims with conviction “Draenor is free”. That the old Gromm is a patriot is no news. However, it is strange that Draenei cheer for him. Right, exactly the Draenei whose prophets he has on his conscience. The Draenei who have lost their sacred temple and a large part of their settlements. Looking at the pure “kill count”, Grommash should have quite a bad reputation with the Draenei.
Even Yrel, who is indeed a good-hearted woman, has lost her mentor Maraad and numerous friends to the Iron Horde. Why then do the followers of the Naaru cheer for the Orc leader? This currently cannot be logically explained. Something must have happened – outside the players’ view – to justify this circumstance.
Yrel stands peacefully beside the Orcs. Why is Gromm suddenly among the “good” ones?
The legendary questline in World of Warcraft
Another discontented murmur triggers the legendary questline. It requires in its final phase that we retrieve 33 books from the Hellfire Citadel. This means for most players that they have already seen the cinematic. We can therefore consider it as “already happened”.
Gul’dan resists – but Archimonde or his pact force him into the portal.
Defeating Archimonde initiates an incredibly important process. The vanquished Eredar attacks Gul’dan using Fel magic and hurls him through the portal along with the threat “You have made a pact!” Since Archimonde himself came through this portal, it is assumed that it leads into the Nether (or to Argus). Why does Gul’dan writhe in fear as he is flung into the Nether?
A warlock who can summon Archimonde with a single gesture (which took several hours in Warcraft 3 and required powerful artifacts) should have no problem returning from the Nether – unless someone or something prevents him from doing so. What else could Archimonde’s spell have affected? There are many clues that lead to wild theories.
Archimonde’s eyes extinguish immediately after the banishment. This could “just” be his death (where demons can only truly die in the Nether, so he is at best temporarily defeated), or it could have greater significance. Perhaps he implanted a part of his essence in Gul’dan, like Sargeras once did with Aegwynn. This would explain Gul’dan’s fear, as he might lose part of his own will to the demon (or even his entire personality).
The staff dissolves – in felmagical green. A sign of further demon magic?
Gul’dan’s staff dissolves after the banishment. Why? Objects do not leave a world just because the owner moves to another world. This is evident from the player’s garrison or from the plans that Garrosh brought from Azeroth. It is therefore possible that Archimonde, in his last breath, completely erased Gul’dan from the timeline of Draenor from that moment on, thus also preventing his return to this world. The Legion’s goal remains the annihilation of Azeroth – perhaps Gul’dan can now only return to Azeroth to complete his mission?
Gul’dan might have been expected on the other side of the portal and was transformed into a “full-fledged” demon. As we know from earlier warlock quests, one has a certain control over demons once one possesses their names or items from them. From this, one could conclude that during a transformation into a demon, old possessions are destroyed.
In any case, it is safe to say that Gul’dan is not dead. Whether he will appear again in this expansion is questionable – at least the legendary questline suggests it.
Everyone celebrates, but Khadgar is in a hurry
A victor’s smile looks different. Khadgar knows more than he tells us.
Khadgar is the killjoy at the celebration, as he does not seem very happy about the victory. He says goodbye to Yrel, who promises him in return to be “here” when he and his people are needed. That sounds more than just a little like “Draenor is safe, and the story ends”. His eyes widen (in fright or realization?) as Gul’dan’s staff dissolves. In any case, Khadgar has a vague idea of the danger that is now rising, but he is not yet ready to share his concerns. He does not give a festive speech to the victors, no encouraging words, nothing. He turns into a raven and disappears. To where is unknown. Back to his tower? Or even… back to Azeroth?
I am now convinced that the next patch will no longer be set in Draenor. The world map itself is complete, the great fortresses of the Iron Horde have been defeated, the elemental forces of Nagrand pacified, and even the demons of the Legion have been defeated – for the moment. Blizzard’s big plan was to have Grommash be the “final boss” of WoD since Blizzcon, and that is still quite possible – just not in Draenor anymore.
What if Grommash travels to Azeroth with a small group of his loyal followers (under the guise of peace, which seems to currently prevail). Interestingly, he would do the same as his son – only in the opposite direction. How many Orcs or members of other races would join the living legend Grom Hellscream?
The homeland of Archimonde, Argus, has been eagerly awaited by many fans for years.
Another possibility would be that Gul’dan attacks Azeroth or Draenor from the Nether. Out of his sense of honor, Gromm would aid the Horde and Alliance. In response to this attack, the player factions could plan an invasion of the demon world themselves: In a last stand of his forces, the former leader of the Iron Horde would fulfill the legendary phrase from the intro “We will be conquerors!” and lead troops into a new world: For example, the homeland of the Legion, Argus.
Corrupted, Grommash could, like so many Orcs before him, become an adversary. Or the last patch in Warlords of Draenor only leads to the Nether and heralds the next addon, which then leads to Argus.
There are countless possibilities for what might happen in the next patch and the following addon of World of Warcraft. Sylvanas has been remarkably quiet, it would actually be time to seize power. Also Azshara is still lurking in the depths of the seas, waiting for over 10,000 years to fulfill the promise she once made with the darkness.
Ultimately, all of this is just theory – we will see how Blizzard will resolve the many questions raised by the cinematic. Do you perhaps have your own theory?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The dark fantasy MMORPG The Secret World is celebrating its third anniversary starting July 1st with rewards in 70s style.
Three years The Secret World has been on the market and has made a small but dedicated fanbase happy. Starting July 1st, a birthday event is set to take place for several weeks. As announced on Twitch, players will once again be able to bring out the Golems. However, they want to ensure that there are not as many lags this time. There will also be boosts for AP and “other stuff” during the birthday weeks.
Rewards have already been presented in a Twitch stream. They want to keep them in 70s style. The motorcycle we have chosen as the cover image will be available and can also be traded. Alongside this, a highly likely handcrafted outfit and – of course – a lava lamp with animations, colors, colors, so many colors. Additionally, there will be a quirky new dance where the dancer falls straight forward at a 45° angle and then back up again. They will probably call it funky, even though it is not funky at all, to quote a song lyric.
In the next Twitch stream, Funcom wants to present the next episode, issue #12.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter Destiny , some of the artists have now presented their design models for weapons and other items from the new expansion “The Taken King”.
Many artists, graphic designers, and designers are involved in creating a game like Destiny. It is common for them to compile their “portfolios”. These are examples of their work that they are particularly proud of and that they bring along when applying for a new job or simply to exchange ideas with colleagues.
Today, this is also done digitally on the page “ArtStation.” In recent days, some designers have showcased their work on models for “The Taken King”, the new expansion.
From David Stammel, a “Hard Surface Artist” at Destiny, comes this Titan Hammer, likely from the new Super:
Maintenance for the login and account system for Xbox One and Playstation 4 is scheduled اليوم on June 29 for the fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online. The servers will not go down, but logging in will not be possible.
This afternoon until evening it will not be possible to log in to The Elder Scrolls Online on Xbox One or Playstation 4. A preliminary time frame was already set last week from 16:30 to 21:30 our time. During this period, the login servers and account systems will undergo maintenance.
Players who are already logged in on Playstation 4 and Xbox One at that time can continue playing. PC players are not affected by this maintenance.
The maintenance works are taking place – annoyingly from a German perspective – at a “convenient playing hour” during prime time. Exactly at the time when most people would have time to play. This is because the European and North American mega servers for consoles need to be maintained simultaneously. This is not the case for the mega server for PC and Mac, which can be maintained separately.
The European mega server for PC and Mac will receive a new patch tomorrow morning, June 30, at 4:00 AM.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
