On the new leaderboards of Monster Hunter Wilds, more and more players are settling in, dealing out maulings faster than Lucky Luke can shoot.Is everything above board?
Which times are rocking the leaderboards? Those who take a look at the expedition record table of the Great Site, which opened its doors with the first title update, currently see (April 9, 2025, 11:33 AM) the following records – the leaderboards automatically include all platforms:
Arena: Rathian – Solo: 1 second and 48 hundredths
Arena: Rathian – Duo: 29 hundredths
Arena: Chatacabra – Solo: 17 hundredths
Arena: Chatacabra – Duo: 86 hundredths
Challenge quest “Doshaguma from the Rift” – Solo: 1 second and 3 hundredths
Challenge quest “Doshaguma from the Rift” – Duo: 30 hundredths
In the subsequent places, there are always numerous other kills that could be completed within seconds. It is noticeable that there is a significant difference between the top ranks. For example, the 2nd place in the duos for Arena: Chatacabra took about 7 seconds and 33 hundredths.
The new title update of Monster Hunter Wilds in the trailer:
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Monster Hunter Wilds shows its first title update with a new monster
Capcom is obliged
How is the community reacting to this? Still very dissatisfied. After all, Capcom announced that they wanted to take strong action against cheaters and their group members, who have cheated to gain an advantage in the leaderboards with their external, unauthorized tools.
shoohoo1 hopes on Reddit that a timely ban wave will clean up the leaderboards: “I know they said they would deal with the cheaters in the time hunts, but I hope they are thorough.”
MyDymo fears on Reddit: “Yes, the obvious ones with extremely low times will be thrown out, but what stops people from simply aiming for ‘credible’ times without having to really work for them?”
TheSilentTitan criticizes on Reddit the fundamental system: “Rewards should clearly be time-based and not rank-based. How Capcom was unable to figure this out is beyond me.” In other words: Anyone who can beat a certain time receives the reward.
ZeongsLegs admits on Reddit: “Unfortunately, the MH speedrunning scene has been plagued by cheaters for years. Changing the monster AI in the client is very easy, so even times that are not obviously hacked are questionable. The game needs to be completely redesigned to ensure some integrity of kill times.”
The role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was a big hit on Steam in February 2025. The RPG streamer CohhCarnage played it on Twitch and explains what makes it so good.
According to the analytics site TwitchTracker, CohhCarnage has showcased nearly 1,000 different games in his streams, with data being recorded only since November 2016. Therefore, it is likely that he has played far more games.
In a recent video, he mentions that he has played thousands of games and explains why among all these titles, the role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one of his favorites.
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Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Details, die das Spiel perfekt machen
MMO-feeling in singleplayer
What excites him about KCD 2? Cohh describes the game as “a love letter to fans of sandbox adventures.” He had already extensively played and enjoyed the predecessor, but it was still a rather rough experience. With the second part, the studio has now shown what it can really achieve with the necessary resources.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has everything that made the very good predecessor stand out, but better. It is bigger, bug-free, and has many quality-of-life improvements. Additionally, the streamer praises that the developers have listened to the community and implemented player feedback.
He says he has spent more than 135 hours in the role-playing game, enjoyed every second of it, and still hasn’t seen everything.
Here you can see how the streamer raves:
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What exactly does he like? KCD 2 reminds Cohh of an MMORPG: There is so much to do that often you don’t even know what you will do when logging in. You can simply do whatever you feel like at the moment – whether it’s hunting, stealing, or perhaps even focusing on the story. For some players, this abundance of content may be overwhelming, but if you embrace it, it’s “an endless barrel of greatness.”
The streamer also finds the NPCs well done, with some you spend so many hours with that you can really get to know them.
All of this makes Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 a particularly immersive experience for Cohh. It is not only one of the best games he has ever played, but also a great example of what a fantastic entertainment medium video games are in general.
Although Batman, unlike most members of the Justice League, does not possess superpowers, he is one of the most dangerous members of the group. This is not only due to his wealth but also his intelligence. However, this is not always good for his colleagues.
Batman has a plan for almost everything. This is one of his greatest strengths. Even against powerful alien invasions, he comes up with something. Although he relies on teamwork with the Justice League, he also wants to be prepared in case someone turns evil.
Since his colleagues are among the strongest beings on Earth, he has prepared an emergency plan for nearly each one to defeat them. Batman takes a more brutal approach than some villains.
Even in Batman v Superman, he confronts a powerful alien:
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Duel of Two Giants in the Trailer for ‘Batman v Superman’
A brutal plan for every comrade
What are Batman’s contingency plans? The mere idea of having a contingency plan for each of his friends is insidious, as he has been able to gather a lot of information. Nevertheless, Batman has made preparations to defeat members of the Justice League in case they would switch sides. His contingency protocol is designed to allow him or any of his other Bat-Family members to take down the superheroes.
Diverse ideas are utilized by Batman in the Injustice series, but the worst case occurred in 2000 in JLA: Tower of Babel. The villain Ra’s al Ghul stole Batman’s plans and attacked the Justice League with the plans so that he could execute his own scheme.
Batman often resorts to insidious methods in his planning that would make even well-known supervillains look old. In another story, he uses other plans; however, in this article, we will focus on his strategies from Tower of Babel (via cbr.com), but we will also mention other methods.
To defeat Superman, Batman created an artificial red Kryptonite. This causes Kryptonians to be overloaded with solar energy, their bodies cannot withstand it, rendering them unable to act. It also causes immense pain due to sensory overload.
Other plans involve magic, nuclear weapons, electricity, or exploiting his love for Lois Lane.
For Wonder Woman, Batman relies on virtual reality. Wonder Woman does not give up in a fight; that is one of her mantras. Batman fools her with a virtual program that creates an opponent equal to her, exhausting her.
One of the nastiest fates Batman has devised for Aquaman. Through Scarecrow’s fear gas, Batman would induce hydrophobia, the fear of water. Since Aquaman needs water to survive, this would eventually kill him.
Another plan would be to imprison him and completely dehydrate him.
The most brutal fate awaits Flash in Batman’s plans. He would shoot Flash with a vibrating bullet, which he would not be able to remove due to the vibration. Batman would shoot the bullet into his spine, causing countless seizures for the Flash.
Other plans might include using magic or freezing.
To trick Green Lantern, he would hypnotize him in his sleep and make him believe he is blind. The ring would trigger this upon wearing it, and without his sight, he would be unable to create objects with the ring.
Other plans include Scarecrow’s fear gas or Batman using the yellow ring of the lanterns.
Even with Martian Manhunter, Batman is not gentle. His greatest weakness is fire. Batman would coat his skin with magnesium, which ignites upon contact with air. This would incapacitate the Martian Manhunter.
Plastic Man does not fare well either in Batman’s plan. Through his ability to manipulate his molecular structure, Batman would freeze him with liquid nitrogen and then shatter him. While this would not kill him, it would put him in a traumatic situation.
In Tower of Babel, Batman is also tested by Ra’s al Ghul. He offers to resurrect his parents. But Batman resists. Due to the events with Ra’s, the Justice League’s trust in Batman is shattered, and in a vote, it is narrowly decided that Batman must leave the group.
A French authority has investigated the consumption behavior of the population. It has found that older people love linear television, while young people are hardly interested in it anymore. This poses a long-term challenge for companies that have primarily relied on linear TV.
In France, the Arcom (Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique), an independent regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication, has published a study examining the main audio and video trends for 2025.
The study not only looked at which devices are used in households but also which services are consumed by users. Television and radio remain the preferred media, yet there are significant generational differences. While older people primarily prefer linear television, young people increasingly use digital and streaming services.
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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
Older people watch television, young people prefer digital content
What do the numbers look like?
Nearly 60% of 15- to 34-year-olds consume content daily through streaming platforms like YouTube, Netflix, or TikTok. At the same time, the ratings of major channels in this age group are declining sharply.
For those over 65, 71% of video time is accounted for by linear TV.
What about Germany? The platform Statista reports on a transformation in our country. The figures are from November 2024 and also show that linear television is primarily used by older people. Young people particularly prefer digital and streaming content, which they consume predominantly:
Among 40- to 49-year-olds, about 27% spend more than eleven hours a week in front of the television, for the 30 to 39 age group it was 20%, and Gen Z barely reaches 11%.
In comparison, Gen Z mainly consumes digital content: Among 18 to 29-year-olds, 30% spend more than eleven hours consuming digital content, and among 50 to 64-year-olds, this number is the lowest at 16%.
Why is this data important? For traditional players in the audiovisual sector, this change poses a significant challenge. They must try to retain the attention of young people, for whom content must always be immediately and directly available. The typical system, where a new episode of a popular series airs on television every day, is no longer acceptable for many young people.
Many companies in this field are now considering how to sell their products to their users. The question of how to advertise in the future is also frequently raised.
Gen Z and the so-called Boomer generation differ significantly from each other, including in terms of purchasing and consuming certain goods. This is noticeable in the direct comparison of the generations. We present to you things that are used or purchased daily by “Boomers,” which have hardly any relevance for Generation Z: 6 things Boomers spend money on every year that Gen Z would no longer do today
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The American Preston “Juev3nile” Dornon (36) is a successful coach in the shooter Valorant by Riot Games, the company behind LoL. He has been a coach since 2020, most recently working as head coach for the team Global Esports and almost made it to the finals in 2024. But now his career is over, and in a way that makes one want to hide.
This has now come to light: There were complaints against the coach Fantomas, who allegedly approached women in Valorant from smaller regions with inappropriate messages. In the course of this, women aged between 18 and mid-20s came forward and made accusations against Juv3nile, the 36-year-old head coach of Global Esports.
After the first women shared the coach’s chat messages, more women came forward with their messages.
It turned out that the coach had messaged young women unsolicited, using pre-prepared pickup lines like: “I understand you. Let’s play in duo so I can start gaslighting you. Then I’ll fly you out, and we can meet in real life at the Riot arena.”
These messages were received poorly by women who were interested in e-sports and not in dates. They shared the messages, saying things like “Isn’t it a prerequisite for a coach to be weird?” or just a question mark.
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Valorant celebrates with anthem the most important tournament of the shooter – fans praise the crazy music video
Should I coach you or should we skip that part?
What were those messages? The 36-year-old began conversations with unknown women who play Valorant, using phrases like:
“Should I coach you in Valorant or should we skip that and I fly to you for sweet dates? For real for real”
Or: “I would even say worse things, but then you would cancel me so quickly” (via X)
Also bad: “People like to hide their true feelings and are too shy to go after what they truly desire.”
To a photo, he wrote he would show up at her place and then do “cnc” with her – that’s an abbreviation for “consensual non-consent,” a type of agreed-upon sexual assault.
That is the consequence for the coach: In a message from Riot Games, the coach has now been banned from every tournament organized by Riot for one year. Riot Games emphasizes that every participant in e-sports also represents the community and must therefore meet “high professional standards”.
The coach must also complete a course in professional behavior.
His team Global Esports states that they respect Riot Games’ decision (via X). They believe that integrity in behavior is non-negotiable. Although the team does not explicitly state that the 36-year-old is losing his job, he will not be allowed to work as a coach for a year.
Additionally, the coach is widely ridiculed on social media by Valorant fans for his behavior. He has no “rizz,” no charisma, they say. His behavior is simply described as “weird,” they keep saying.
There is no statement from Juv3nile himself regarding the accusations.
Aragorn is a human and a great hero in the books and films of The Lord of the Rings. As the heir of Gondor, he plays an important role. Originally, however, author J.R.R. Tolkien had something else in mind for him.
In The Lord of the Rings, there are several heroes traversing Middle-earth. Among them are Frodo and Sam, who carry the One Ring to Mordor, and Boromir, who shows courage despite his weaknesses – unlike his actor.
Alongside them, Aragorn is one of the most famous heroes in Middle-earth. He is a human who leads the Fellowship of the Ring after Gandalf’s death and ultimately claims his rightful heritage as king of Gondor.
However, the creator of Middle-earth, J.R.R. Tolkien, had different plans for Aragorn. In the early drafts of The Lord of the Rings, the character was anything but a proud warrior.
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Epic Trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship
A Hobbit with Wooden Feet?
What did Aragorn look like at first? In Tolkien’s early versions of his world-famous novel, Aragorn was not called Aragorn but Trotter. Moreover, he was not a human of the Dúnedain species but a hobbit.
So he was quite similar to Frodo, Sam, or Bilbo. Trotter was a nickname; the character’s full name was Peregrin Boffin, and he was even a cousin of Bilbo.
His distinctive feature were wooden feet, which he had acquired after being tortured in Mordor. Yes, you read that right: this version of the later Aragorn was already confronting Sauron and his minions before the actual storyline of The Lord of the Rings.
Over time, Tolkien further developed his story and changed the character of Trotter. Not only did he get a new name, namely Aragorn, but his race and appearance also changed.
He became a human with an impressive background and a promising future. Nonetheless, Tolkien stuck to the nickname “Trotter” until the first proper version of his book. “Strider,” as many initially called the character, only came much later.
Though the concept of Aragorn as a hobbit seems amusing, it was a good decision by Tolkien to alter the character and give him significantly more importance in the story. Who knows if Sauron would have been defeated without the help of Aragorn. He has certainly gathered enough experience in his 87 years of life, but he is by no means the oldest: This is how old the characters from The Lord of the Rings are at the time of the story.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the Nintendo Direct, the Switch 2 and its new features were introduced in more detail. This makes the hybrid console a good alternative for communicative MMO players.
For players on Nintendo Switch, it looks bad if they want to communicate with their teammates. There are hardly any options to talk with other players within the games. Either the individual group members can only use emojis and predefined sentences like in Mario Party, or they type very short sentences into a keyboard like in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Alternatively, there is the option to join the voice chat of the Nintendo Switch Online app. However, all participants have to download the corresponding app first, which can be too cumbersome for many. Moreover, there is no way to see the other participants while playing.
With the Nintendo Switch 2, that will change: Nintendo is introducing new features that will make it even easier for you to interact with other players. There are several features that are a big advantage, especially for MMO gamers. This will make the Switch 2 even more social than the Switch.
You can see the social features of the Nintendo Switch 2 here in the video:
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Nintendo Switch 2 becomes more social thanks to new features
Nintendo Switch 2 gets more social functions
GameChat as a direct voice channel
A major feature announced during the Direct is the GameChat. With this function, owners of a Nintendo Switch 2 can start a conversation with their friends at the push of a button – anytime. No external software is needed anymore to communicate with others. Nintendo has significantly improved the chat with the Switch 2.
This will make it especially easy for MMO players to communicate with their team members. For tasks that must be completed together with friends and strangers, predefined sentences or emojis are not sufficient to coordinate with others.
This is evident, for example, in MMORPGs. In raids, gigantic PvP battles with countless players and bosses, it is crucial that players coordinate who stands where or executes which skills. Without communication, it is nearly impossible to execute more difficult routines smoothly.
In Final Fantasy 14, for instance, it is essential to coordinate with other players about which class moves to which spot. Without a person announcing which attacks are coming next, it becomes difficult for some not to die. Direct communication is crucial here, as seconds can determine whether the entire group is wiped out.
Difficult bosses are hardly manageable without direct communication.
The alternative is to coordinate with friends in the chat. But that becomes annoying over time, as you have to discuss things after each round and the error analysis takes time. The app for voice chat on the Switch is also not a good alternative, as not everyone might want to download the app.
Final Fantasy XIV is still not available for Nintendo Switch. However, I can imagine that with the voice chat and improved hardware, it could now be possible to release the MMORPG for Nintendo’s console.
In survival games as well, it will be easier on the Switch 2 to discuss task distribution through the voice chat. In titles like Minecraft, fans could then decide who will focus on resource gathering, who will build a fortress, and who will simply explore the area.
This way, friends also get informed if something happens in the surroundings. You can warn your teammates of lavafalls or enemies that suddenly appear in the vicinity (due to one’s own fault). That was not possible on the Switch without detours before.
Consoles like the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One were released long before the Switch 2, but they already had voice chat. Nintendo missed the opportunity to integrate such an essential feature into the console in time. It is all the more pleasant that the new hybrid console now has it.
Screen sharing is long overdue
As with MMORPGs, it is very practical to be able to share the screen in MMOs and shooters as well. Everyone can benefit from the ability to provide quick guidance to each other.
This way, you can show other teammates in seconds where you are or what you are describing. This is practical for multiple genres, whether for MMORPGs or survival titles. The larger the map, the easier it is to lose sight of each other.
Furthermore, players can help when one is stuck on a task. In MMOs like Palia, for example, one quest follows another to progress. Here, an extra pair of eyes can help if one cannot find an NPC or is looking for an enemy that drops a certain item.
Until now, there was no way for Nintendo Switch to inform others about what the problem is. The only alternative was to take a photo of the screen with a smartphone so that others could understand the complications.
What is completely new: Thanks to the mouse function of the Joy-Cons 2, shooters become particularly interesting for PC players. Many fans are used to aiming with the mouse on the PC. Once they have to aim with sticks, it is a strong adjustment for many.
With the mouse function, this will no longer be necessary. With the Joy-Con 2, the controller can be used like a mouse, making it easier to aim in shooters like Warframe. However, there will still be 2 disadvantages that PC players will have to get used to:
On the couch, there is often no flat surface for players to navigate the mouse. A pant leg is not an alternative to aim accurately in shooters. Only a portable stand could help.
If PC players set up their Switch 2 on a table, the screen is significantly smaller than a PC monitor. It might be challenging to recognize certain details in the games.
Moreover, a player can share their screen with other friends. This way, you can show other teammates in seconds where you are or what you are describing. This is especially practical for MMOs that work with large areas.
A new survival game throws you right into a zombie outbreak in a city in Texas. The demo on Steam has already made a very good impression on many players.
We’re talking about Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days: The survival game from developer PikPok will be released on April 10, 2025, on Steam. According to the developers, it is expected to stay in early access for at least a year before the full release.
If you want to try the game, you will find a free demo of Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days on Steam.
A trailer for the game can be viewed here:
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Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days – Trailer for the new survival game on Steam
What kind of game is this? Into the Dead is a 2.5D sidescroller. You move sideways on the screen and not in a three-dimensional space. You lead a group of people from Walton City – a Texan metropolis in the 1980s that became the site of a zombie apocalypse.
Your goal is to withstand the hordes of zombies and ensure the survival of your group. To do this, you move from one hideout to the next and reinforce them with barricades to keep the undead hordes at bay.
The members of your group need to eat and rest. You should also keep an eye on the mental state of your companions: If despair spreads among them, it can have serious consequences.
Zombie apocalypse in Texas is already well received
The demo for the game is already very well received: Of nearly 2,000 reviews on Steam, 93% are positive.
ShortnSweetD is pleasantly surprised: “I have to say, it wasn’t what I originally expected, but it was a nice surprise. It reminds me a bit of This War of Mine, but I was a bit more into the gameplay here. I was actually disappointed when I realized I had reached the end of the demo.” (via Steam)
KiLeRiKa is already very excited about the release: “For anyone who likes 2D action games, it’s perfect! I have played it [the demo] several times – unfortunately, it’s only a few runs. I can’t wait to play more of this game.” (via Steam)
DARK CENROS is convinced by the demo but also criticizes one aspect that he feels is not mature enough: “It’s really fun, but … The only thing that really breaks the game is when they’re in the house. So honestly … how can you tell me that there’s no life, with your surviving companions?” (via Steam)
super weaner is not convinced by the demo: “A good game. However, it was clear to me from the start that it would quickly turn into very repetitive gameplay.” (via Steam)
A player has finally gotten engaged and gifted his girlfriend a ring. Since he doesn’t want a ring for himself, his fiancée thought of something else: she gifts him an expensive RTX 5090.
A player explained on Reddit that he has finally gotten engaged to his girlfriend. To celebrate the occasion, he bought her an engagement ring. However, when his girlfriend wanted to give him a ring as well, he explained that he only wanted a plastic ring because he wasn’t really into gold.
In the end, she decided to gift him an RTX 5090. The RTX 5090 is one of the best graphics cards you can buy. The user stated that they checked various providers multiple times a day to find the best price. In the end, they decided on a hardware bundle priced at $2,999, which is around 2,700 euros.
Does his fiancée also play on PC? He explained in another post that he can’t really convince his future wife to get into gaming. After all, she occasionally plays “Sims.” But at least she respects his interest in computer hardware. Maybe that’s why she also gifted him an expensive graphics card (via Reddit.com):
It would be nice! I can get her to play Sims, and that’s about it. She respects my love for computer parts.
Start video
In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?
RTX 5090 is more expensive than ever and barely available, AMD is faring better
What are the prices for an RTX 5090 like? If you look at price comparison portals like Geizhals.de, prices for an RTX 5090 start at 2,700 euros and quickly go significantly over 3,000 euros. Nvidia continues to face the issue that demand is very high, but they is unable to meet that demand. Nvidia has now lowered prices for the 5000 series, but this price drop is likely to have reached very few buyers and players.
Many now fear that with the US trade war, prices could rise significantly again since many components are produced in Asia.
Jarvis Khattri was on his way to becoming a star on Twitch and YouTube with the online shooter Fortnite in 2019. But he got caught cheating. Epic Games made an example of him. He was permanently banned from Fortnite. Even 6 years later, there is only one topic for the Brit: Playing Fortnite again.
This was the ban: FaZe Jarvis had used an aimbot to entertain his fans, creating a video in November 2019. Since he was on a secondary account, the 17-year-old thought he wouldn’t get into trouble. Maybe just a slap on the wrist, a week or two off.
FaZe Jarvis cried in a video over this harsh punishment, apologized profusely, and begged for mercy. Even his mother stepped in for him and major content creators like Dr Disrespect and Ninja urged Epic not to be so harsh. He is still so young. But none of that helped; Epic Games stood firm.
Start video
17-year-old is banned from Fortnite, cries in front of 20 million people, uses it for his YouTube career
Jarvis lives off the reputation as The boy who got banned from Fortnite
These were the consequences of the ban: Since 2019, Jarvis has been in a predicament because he was known only for Fortnite and was not allowed to play anymore. He started numerous attempts to leverage his fame as “The guy who got banned from Fortnite for life and cried about it.”
In countless variations, he created videos about how he supposedly managed to sneak back into Fortnite and play. Or how he is now looking for a new job because he can no longer play Fortnite.
However, one of these attempts got him a permanent ban on Twitch, which lasted 4 years and was only resolved now.
The first videos after his ban.
Jarvis has a large YouTube channel, but it’s almost dead
What else has he done? Jarvis’s career outside of Fortnite has been erratic. He has rapped a bit, done a lot with his brother, and even started a boxing career while gaining muscle.
Despite having a YouTube channel with 5.7 million followers, he barely uploaded any videos last year. Most of his successful videos are 5 years old and came right after the ban. To this day, his apology video and a music video about his ban are the two most successful videos on his channel.
Even now, 6 years after the ban, his current videos are still about him supposedly getting unbanned from Fortnite.
But that is not true. The ban from Fortnite is still in effect. And FaZe Jarvis has still not overcome it and will likely forever be the guy who messed up his life with a mistake.
This is his latest action: In April 2025, his ban on Twitch was lifted after more than 4 years, which he received for attempting to sneak into Fortnite despite being banned.
The creator of an extremely successful hit on Steam is doing what many developers wish for. He plays his own game all the way through. This way, he would not only understand his game much better, but he also reports that it has helped him with stress management.
Which developer is being referred to? We’re talking about LocalThunk, the developer of the game Balatro, which was one of the biggest surprise hits of 2024. Despite the success and popularity, the indie developer only managed to complete his own game over a year later.
He announced on April 3 with a proud post on Bluesky, where he presented his success and recognition in the game: “I have beaten every deck on every difficulty! I still want to complete the game 100%, it’s really fun for me, and I believe I know my game much better now.” (LocalThunk via Bluesky)
Here you can see the trailer for Balatro:
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Trailer for the roguelike poker game Balatro by LocalThunk
Developer enjoys his own game
What has the developer achieved? In Balatro, there are 15 decks and eight difficulty levels that can change and make the player experience more challenging through various modifiers. LocalThunk has completed every deck at every difficulty, which means he has tackled a total of 120 runs in Balatro with increasingly higher challenges.
In a subsequent post on Bluesky, he also shares his build that helped him achieve this personal milestone.
How does he feel after the experience? LocalThunk writes in his post that playing Balatro helped him release all the negative emotions that arose after the stress of the release.
LocalThunk is a developer who started his game as a hobby project and never sought attention in the spotlight before its success and millions of copies sold. In another article here on MeinMMO, we reported on a publisher’s statement about the man behind Balatro: he found it hard to cope with the pressure of success.
How is the developer perceived in public? Despite his presence on social media, LocalThunk has chosen to remain anonymous. He simply wanted to be left alone during the development of his game, to live his life in peace. He continues to maintain this anonymity. This is exactly what helped him have a very special experience at GDC 2025 (Game Developer Conference): Developer of the best game on Steam 2024 does not want to be recognized, plays his own game anonymously in public
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of Path of Exile 2 have revealed in their new announcement what changes are coming to the ARPG soon. Four classes are particularly happy about the buffs.
What have the developers announced? The developers of Path of Exile 2 have announced further changes to the game in their new statement. Previously, there was increased criticism of the new season “Dawn of the Hunt,” which many found too difficult and sluggish.
In their new post on PathofExile.com, the developers introduced new buffs that are supposed to improve the ARPG. They explain that they are now done with the nerfs and want to move on to buffing weak classes.
Four classes are in focus in the new patch, which is set to go live later in the week. There are also new features for the entire game that affect all classes.
Here you can watch the trailer for the new season “Dawn of the Hunt”:
Start video
Path of Exile 2 presents gameplay trailer with the new Hunter class
Buffs for Four Classes
Which classes are receiving buffs? The new update has already revealed buffs for four classes:
The most improvements go to the Witch. She receives more area damage, longer debuffs on enemies, more combos, and a faster build-up of elemental effects.
The Huntress is also being buffed. Enemies that are hit by her parry can no longer evade after being struck. Additionally, the skill Rapid Assault now deals more damage, has a larger AoE, and causes enemies to bleed every time the skill detonates.
The Warrior receives improvements to his new expansion class “Smith of Kitava”; the ability “Temper Weapon” now adds 3 enhancements per hit to the weapon and is 25% faster. The skill Shield Wall can now be detonated through “Battle Cry,” allowing for new combinations. Furthermore, the “Armour Break” that monsters deal has been nerfed, leading to better defensive values.
The Ranger gets increased range with the skills “Stormcaller Arrow” and Lightning Arrow. The skill Lightning Rod deals 30% more damage and lasts longer, plus the skill “Tornado Shot” stays active longer. “Stormcaller Arrow” also spreads its shock effects to nearby enemies.
What changes affect the general public? Another important change concerns the rare monsters in Path of Exile 2. The developers found that enemies at the edge of the map were often overlooked, which is why opponents will now permanently appear on the minimap. The full patch notes can be found on PathofExile.com.
What else do the developers share? At the beginning of the new season “Dawn of the Hunt,” players discovered a trick that allowed them to reroll items infinitely. This way, they could select exactly the valuable items they wanted. This led to several hundred players quickly accumulating a lot of wealth. These cheaters have now been banned by the developers until the end of the season.
Streamer Darren “IShowSpeed” Watkins Jr. is the biggest livestreamer on YouTube. His career had an extraordinary start: a donation of 1.60 euros set everything in motion.
Who is the streamer? It is the streamer IShowSpeed. He is considered the biggest gaming streamer on YouTube (via Statista), even though he now mainly produces IRL and lifestyle content. In 2016, at just 11 years old, he created his YouTube channel, with which he took off in 2021.
In his streams, one might think he is always looking for the next possible escalation, as he seems to have no real impulse control. Viewers tune into his streams primarily to watch dangerous actions, like when he jumped over a moving car: YouTube: 19-year-old shows the stunt that ended Thomas Gottschalk’s career.
IShowSpeed gets the receipt for barking at a 6-year-old boy
A donation changes everything
In a YouTube livestream from 2021, a moment went viral: a donation from viewer Bradley of 1.60 euros came with the question of which football team he would support. IShowSpeed responded: “Cristan [sic!] Ronaldo. SUI!” (via YouTube).
The mispronunciation of Cristiano Ronaldo’s name and the strange “SUI,” the famous cheer of the football player, made the clip go viral. IShowSpeed was only 18 years old when the virality of the stream snippet brought him sudden fame.
The “SUI!” and the fact that he is a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo become his trademark. In 2023, IShowSpeed gets to attend the Ballon d’Or, an important award for football players, and is sad that Messi is receiving the award and not his idol.
Now, at 20 years old, IShowSpeed has built a career as a content creator that has made him a millionaire. On YouTube, his channel has over 38 million followers and has garnered over 347 million views in the last 30 days (via SocialBlade).
In an interview at Complexcon 2024, IShowSpeed gave vague hints about his wealth. It is estimated to be around 10 million US dollars, to which the streamer only replied, “Something in between.”.
MMORPGs are known for their large game worlds, but some representatives of the genre take it to the next level: MeinMMO takes you in the video to the 13 largest maps.
What is this list based on? In the games mentioned here, it’s not the size of the game world in square kilometers that matters, but how much time you can spend in it before you’ve discovered every corner of the map. Many developers do not disclose exact figures regarding the size of their MMORPG.
What will be covered in the video? Whether you’re traversing a dense fantasy world like in Black Desert Online or exploring the seemingly infinite expanses of space in EVE Online, it doesn’t matter: The main point is that the world is large and offers new corners to marvel at even after a long time.
If possible, we also mention specific estimates in the video. So if you’re interested in how big Azeroth in World of Warcraft or Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings Online is – you will learn both and much more in the video. By the way: The latter is said to be as large as a neighboring country of Germany, according to one estimate.
Albion Online, an MMORPG from Germany, is also represented on the list. It makes it onto the list thanks to its large, and especially lively game world. The MMORPG changes over time and is dynamically shaped by the players – where nothing stands today, there could be more going on tomorrow.
Have we forgotten any MMORPG? Feel free to let us know in the comments which game worlds you have spent the most time in and if we’ve perhaps missed one that you think belongs on this list. If you liked this list, we would greatly appreciate a like and a subscription to our YouTube channel. A list of the most beautiful MMORPGs can be found here: TOP 5 MMORPGs with the most beautiful graphics in 2025
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Compared to video games like GTA, breaking the law in real life also has real consequences. A 19-year-old from America had to learn this through personal experience and questionable decisions.
How did the chase begin? On February 20, 2025, a young man from Utah was reportedly driving without a license plate when a police officer attempted to stop him. However, the suspect had no intention of stopping and instead decided to accelerate and engage in a chase with the officer.
In fact, the 19-year-old managed to escape, but about a month later, on March 23, 2025, authorities received an email containing videos of the chase: self-recorded footage from the armed driver along with the words: “I’m in GTA, Bro!”
Here you can see the trailer for GTA 6, a world where the 19-year-old might prefer to be:
Start video
Rockstar Games shows GTA 6 for the first time in the trailer
Suspect Provides His Own Evidence
What did the driver do? During the chase with the police officer, the driver ran a red light and nearly rammed another vehicle at 95 MPH (approximately 150 km/h). The officer ultimately had to abandon the pursuit for safety reasons.
When police reviewed the evidence videos from the email a month after the chase, the officers were surprised that the perpetrator not only recorded them himself but also published them on social media.
What do the videos show? The news site KSL from Utah reports the following about the footage:
In the first video, the defendant films himself while driving, accelerating, and mentioning the police officers who are pursuing him.
In the second video, the 19-year-old films himself again and says this time: “I’m in GTA, Bro!” While doing so, he holds a black handgun in front of the camera.
The third video shows the defendant filming the police in the rearview mirror.
The 19-year-old was ultimately charged with ignoring the officer’s stop signal, resisting arrest, as well as reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and using a phone while driving.
Time and again, people film themselves in cars and display improper driving behavior. Particularly among influencers, fans do not find this funny at all. This was also the case for the German streamer MontanaBlack in the summer of 2024 when he filmed on the highway while criticizing the driving behavior of others: Twitch: MontanaBlack’s driving behavior criticized – “Reported clip to the driver’s license authority”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The next event in Pokémon GO is about to start. In addition to a Pokémon debut, there will also be an increased shiny chance and other bonuses waiting for you.
When does the event take place? The “Jump into Spring” event starts on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 10:00 AM. It runs until Monday, April 14, 2025, at 8:00 PM.
How to obtain Cottini? Cottini, the grass-type monster from Generation 8, will debut at the event. It can evolve into Cottomi. You can find the new monster in the wild during the event and in 5 km eggs.
Start video
Pokémon GO: What’s in the new Season Powerful and Masterful
Jump into Spring – All the event content
Which Pokémon are in the wild? During the event, there will be several Pokémon that appear more frequently in the wild. Additionally, there will be time periods when extra monsters will appear more often in the wild.
Throughout the event in the wild:
Remoraid*
Dartiri*
Cottini
From April 9 at 10:00 AM until April 10 at 11:59 PM:
Marill*
Loturzel*
Piccolente*
Araqua*
Lapras* (rare)
From April 11 at 00:00 AM until April 12 at 11:59 PM:
Vulpix*
Ponita*
Camaub*
Leufeo*
Hisui-Fukano* (rare)
From April 13 at 00:00 AM until April 14 at 8:00 PM:
Myrapla*
Hoppspross*
Roselia*
Kikugi*
Alola-Kokowei* (rare)
All monsters marked with a * can also appear as shiny.
Which Pokémon are in eggs? If you hatch eggs that you obtained during the event, you can receive the following monsters:
2-km eggs:
Magby*
Knospi*
Mantirps*
5-km eggs:
Remoraid*
Dartiri*
Cottini
Pokémon marked with a * can also be hatched in their shiny variants.
What bonuses are there in the event? During the event, the following bonuses will be active:
increased chance of encountering shiny Remoraid and Dartiri
double duration of lucky eggs
double candy when hatching eggs
halved distance for hatching eggs placed in incubators during the event
More event content: You will also have event field research, collector challenges, and PokéStop showcases during the event.
For $2 (approximately €2), you can also purchase a paid, limited-time research. Here you will receive 5,000 experience points, 1 lucky egg, 2 super incubators, as well as encounters with Remoraid, Dartiri, and Cottini.
In addition to the “Jump into Spring” event, there are many more waiting for you this month. If you want to get an overview and find out when they take place, feel free to check out our overview of all events in April 2025 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Twitch streamer and gaming influencer Adin Ross (24) was one of the major supporters of Donald Trump before his election as US President. In August 2024, Ross conducted a live interview with Trump in front of 500,000 viewers and urged his fans to vote for Trump. But now the young and wealthy man is suffering the consequences. He says he has lost over 10 million US dollars in the stock market due to the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump.
This is how Ross campaigned for Trump in 2024: The former gaming influencer Ross conducted an interview with Trump during a livestream on Kick in August 2024, because he was banned from Twitch at the time. He gifted Donald Trump a Tesla Cybertruck and a golden Rolex during the livestream.
The interview lasted about 80 minutes, peaking at 500,000 views. Since then, the interview has garnered another 2.8 million views as a video on YouTube .
In the stream, Ross gave his guest the opportunity to rant extensively about Kamala Harris, claiming she is even worse than Biden. Trump bragged about having great relationships with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and promised to end the war in Ukraine on day 1 of his presidency.
Ross did not question any of this, but fully recommended that his young viewers vote for Donald Trump. He basked in the significance of the interview and the fact that Trump had come to his stream at all. For him, the protégé of Andrew Tate, it was the most important show ever.
Start video
These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google
Ross says he lost 10 million $ due to the tariffs
Now comes the harsh awakening: Since the announcement of tariffs against the whole world, global markets have crashed. Adin Ross’s total fortune, estimated at around 24 million $, has suffered from the market crash.
In a stream with DJ Akademiks, Ross now discusses the current difficult situation in the stock market.
Akademiks says: “People are getting killed in the stock market. Me too. How about you?”
Ross rolls his eyes: “Bro … holy shit, it’s so bad.”
Akademiks shakes his head sympathetically: “Come on, spill it. Be honest.”
Ross breathes out, sniffs: “8 digits” – meaning at least 10 million US dollars.
Akademiks pleads: “Kamala! Come back to me!”
Ross has to smile a little and then reassures himself: “It will get better again.”
This is how it is commented: In the comments on Twitter, you can read some famous perseverance slogans that investors know well: “It’s only a loss if you sell.”
However, there are also some who make it clear to Ross that he chose this path and paved it:
“His decision led to this result”
“He voted for Trump, he did this to himself”
Some who have invested money are in a much worse situation than Ross: “I lost half of everything since the tariffs and I feel physically and mentally so bad.”
One says: “Who cares? Influencers should all work at Burger King anyway.”
Since the first major update, the Leviathan Mizutsune has also found a home in Monster Hunter Wilds. Along with it, some new weapons and armors have arrived. A new build also takes advantage of its own bubble blight, making even the final boss Zoh Shia look even paler than he already is.
What kind of build is it? imredthewolf shares on TikTok his simple build, with which he has already successfully fought against the harder variant of the final boss Zoh Shia multiple times. In his video, he presents the build and explains how it unfolds its strength.
The build utilizes the status effect “bubble blight” that the new monster Mizutsune has brought into the game. Similar to builds revolving around the gear of Gore Magala with its frenzy virus, this build derives its benefit from an inherently negative status effect and generates higher affinity values, resulting in higher damage output.
What you need to do and how the build works, you can find out here.
Start video
Monster Hunter Wilds shows its first title update with a new monster
This is how the bubble blight bowgun build works
Which weapon is the build for? The build is designed for the light bowgun, more specifically the one from Mizutsune called “Nifl-Mist.” This offers the ability “Polished Blade” level 3. It causes your affinity to briefly increase by +9% when you are wet and by +21% when you are afflicted by the status effect “bubble blight.”
For modifiers, you should use the perforation magazine and the rapid-fire magazine. This allows you to use 6 shots simultaneously and deal more damage. For decorations, you should equip the following onto your weapon:
Perforation-Jwl 3
Opening-Jwl 2
Critical-Jwl 1
Additionally, you need the following armor pieces and decorations:
W.-Fulgur-Helm B
Jump-Jwl 2
Mizutsune-Armor B
Jump-Jwl 2, Dodge-Jwl 2
Mizutsune-Armguard B
Challenger-Jwl 3
Mizutsune-Waistguard B
Challenger-Jwl 3, Dodge-Jwl 2, Figure-Jwl 1
Mizutsune-Leggings B
Challenger-Jwl 3
Talisman
Advantage or Chain Talisman II
Cloak
Corrupted Cloak
When you have the armor assembled, it looks like this.
How does the build unleash its strength? The build cleverly exploits the bubble blight status by utilizing the collected stacks and converting them into affinity increases. Through the armor pieces of Mizutsune and the accompanying set bonus “Bubble Dance II,” the triggering of heavy bubble blight is prevented, allowing you to nullify the strong negative effects of the blight.
Additionally, you receive stacks of bubble blight through the bonus from repeated dodges. Thus, by combining with the weapon ability “Polished Blade” level 3, you can comfortably gather bubble blight stacks while dodging, thereby increasing your affinity.
The whole thing is supported by the various decorations and equipment that focus on dodging and increasing affinity. This way, you can constantly boost your affinity through frequent dodges without having to worry about the negative effects of bubble blight.
Especially in battles against Mizutsune, but also against other powerful monsters, the build is likely to provide a significant advantage. However, to recreate the build, you need all parts of the new leviathan. How to defeat it and what you should pay attention to, you can find out here: Monster Hunter Wilds: Mizutsune Guide – This is how you defeat the elegant leviathan
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In conversations with various people from the video game industry, they were asked to share their stories and daily encounters with artificial intelligence in the workplace. The reports range from absurd to extremely depressing – But above all, they all seem to share a certain basic mood.
The title image is a symbolic image.
Who is speaking up?In an article by the online magazine Aftermath, various artists, game designers, and other developers discuss the impacts of artificial intelligence in their workplace. They explain how AI affects the tasks for which they were trained and hired.
Their names and employers have been changed for their identity protection, and despite their different fields, companies, and experiences, they all share a certain basic mood: AI is meant to be a tool for many companies to accelerate processes, solve problems, and achieve faster results.
However, the developers describe the exact opposite. For instance, a game artist mentions their trained and experienced art director who is now “not even able to write a damn email without ChatGPT.” (via Aftermath)
Start video
“We have created a monster” – A Spanish model earns up to 10,000 euros a month, yet she is not real
AI is supposed to solve problems that do not exist
Why is AI steering game development in the wrong direction? The anonymous game artist who is upset about their art director has more to share in the article: “I have no idea how he became art director if he can’t even imagine what he wants without seeing a direct end result. He does not understand that not only the end result is important, but also the path to it and the questions one answers along the way.”
But it is not just the creative vein that suffers from AI, but also the declining standards and quality of a game. Right at the beginning of a project, it is said in exchanges with publishers and investors:
They [the studios] find it difficult to obtain financing because a game is handled like a car sale, where AI-generated images with no substance are used to represent some vision. The whole game is based on the prompt ‘What if a game…’, but without any idea of whether it would even be fun or how to make it entertaining. This is madness.
Why is AI not a help? The article reveals that developers have a clear opinion about artificial intelligence in the creative process of game development: They have developed AI to solve problems that actually do not exist.
“The only problem I face as a professional art director in the video game industry is that my art teams and I just want to be left alone to make cool art,” a director thinks about the supposed purpose of AI in the artistic field of video game development, “There is no problem to solve here.”
In some areas, artificial intelligence is not only hard to integrate, but actually makes the developers slower and less productive. A game designer reports that they spend their time teaching the AI how it works correctly. This takes so long that they could have programmed it faster themselves. It is a huge waste of time and feels like an attack against their expertise, for which the game designer was actually hired (via Aftermath).
However, the preference for AI over experienced professionals is not only a relevant topic in the video game industry. More and more people are losing their jobs because artificial intelligence is becoming better and smarter. You can learn more about this threat to human jobs here: Because AIs like ChatGPT are getting better, thousands of people lost their jobs last month
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The German Twitch streamer Dominik “Reeze” Reezmann spoke about the expectations for GTA 6 in a stream. For him, it is clear that players will be disappointed at release, as previous titles have set a high standard for expectations.
What kind of streamer is he? It’s about the German Twitch streamer Reeze. He regularly streams on his Twitch channel and was able to captivate an average of 1,048 viewers there last year (via sullygnome). His content revolves around gaming, and he can often be seen at streaming events.
Reeze co-hosts the podcast Edeltalk with the Twitch streamer Papaplatte, where they discuss various topics from their lives each week. We introduce you to Papaplatte’s career in our video:
Start video
This is how challenges for Papaplatte became a livelihood
“Jesus Christ as a Steam Download”
GTA 6 will make big waves with its release in fall 2025, as it is one of the most anticipated games. It’s no wonder that the expectations and hopes for the game are enormous.
Twitch streamer Reeze agrees: “This has to release, and it has to be awesome. (…) It has to be there, and it has to rock” (via YouTube).
He believes that GTA 6 will appeal to all age groups, both young and old. Moreover, the game is for people who don’t play much, as well as those who last played many years ago.
In response to a criticism from his chat that Rockstar Games would only make GTA 6 to cash in on the first two months and make a lot of money with the game, Reeze responds as follows:
“They are never just about the money. They want it to be really good. I still believe that people will be disappointed.” The pressure created by GTA V is such that people think Jesus Christ has “personally descended from heaven” and “turned into a Steam download” (via YouTube).
He continues to explain that one must be realistic and consider what one can expect. With GTA 6, the wheel cannot be reinvented. In his opinion, the sixth part will simply be a better GTA 5, with better graphics, AI, and more possibilities in a larger world.
Reeze’s attitude towards GTA 6 seems healthy: he is excited but also does not expect too much from the game. In their joint podcast, Papaplatte and Reeze not only discuss current topics that concern them but also regularly invite exceptional guests: “What a fever dream” – German Twitch streamers interview Mark Forster
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
