Call of Duty Speaks for the First Time About Shadow Bans – They Really Exist and Your Friends Could Be to Blame

For years, players of Call of Duty have believed that there are shadowbans. Now, Activision has shared official information for the first time.

What are shadowbans? In Call of Duty, there has been a theory for years that suspicious players can receive a so-called shadowban. This occurs when the game thinks you might be using cheats.

A shadowban, however, is different from a regular ban. After a shadowban, you can still play Black Ops 6 – but only against other players who also have a shadowban.

In shadowban lobbies, you mainly encounter cheaters and players who were mistakenly banned for cheating – at least that was the community’s theory for years.

Start video
Call of Duty shows what Verdansk looks like upon returning in Season 3 of Warzone

Shadowbans are not confirmation that someone is cheating

What does Call of Duty say about it? In a new blog post, Call of Duty explained that the shadowban system indeed exists. The developers call it “limited matchmaking” and it restricts your matchmaking when suspicious activities are detected.

Through limited matchmaking, accounts can still play online matches without disturbing players in normal matchmaking while Activision collects evidence for potentially following actions.

Furthermore, it is stated that a player with restricted matchmaking is not considered a confirmed cheater. This is merely a sign that alarms are going off at Activision, and they will investigate the respective account more closely. Overall, the limited matchmaking consists of only 0.15% of all players.

What gets you into limited matchmaking? Activision lists several examples that can lead to your account being considered suspicious. These include:

  • a significant change in account behavior
  • when a new account achieves unlikely statistics

Additionally, according to Activision, you can get into limited matchmaking because of a friend. If a player in your party has restricted matchmaking, the entire party will be forced to play in shadowban lobbies.

Spam reports, meaning repeatedly reporting a player, do not increase the likelihood of a (shadow) ban, according to the blog post. On the contrary, it even reduces trust in future reports regarding that account.

What exactly Activision interprets as “a significant change in account behavior” was not elaborated on by the developers in the blog post. Based on player reports from the past, this could be a significant performance boost.

Shortly after the release of Black Ops 6, there were increasing reports within the community that players received a shadowban when they played “normally” after the camo grind and relied on good weapons. Previously, they played with relatively bad weapons in order to unlock certain camouflage. With the good weapons, they of course made significantly more kills and could then be considered suspicious.

The German YouTuber Cem Gülken, also known as Haptic/HapticRush, was likely banned because of such a performance boost. He let a good friend who plays significantly better play on his account and shortly after was caught in limited matchmaking: German YouTuber gets banned in CoD: Black Ops 6, says his buddy is to blame

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

Star Citizen introduces an alien with the new update that serves an important function in the SF MMO

In the MMO Star Citizen, the new patch Alpha 4.1 went live on March 27, 2025. With the update, the first alien NPC, Wikelo, entered the game. He plays an important role in motivating players: He offers loot.

What kind of NPC is he? Wikelo belongs to the Banu, a people focused on trade. The alien has a heart for humans and has therefore decided to retire near humans to offer his goods.

A developer summarizes his role in the game like this:

Basically, he can build you cool stuff if you bring him what he needs.

The developers describe the Banu as “the Golden Retrievers of the universe,” always wanting to appear as harmless as possible and be everyone’s friend … until they are not.

Start video
Star Citizen: StarEngine-Trailer – The Future of Gaming

Star Citizen takes an important step towards: Players have something to do

What does he sell? The developers say: Wikelo will never give the player money, but he has many items for sale. There are weapons, armor, cool gadgets, and even spaceships. Some of these will only be available through the merchant. Wikelo will also offer cosmetic items.

Among the items he offers (via reddit), are:

  • Ships like the Polaris, F8C Military, F8C Stealth, Guardian Military, Scorpius Military
  • Weapons like the Kopion Skull Gun, Kopion Tooth Gun
  • Armor

I’m pretty excited. It’s an important moment for a space game to finally get a damn alien.

The developers say: Wikelo will now be an important part of Star Citizen. Players will interact with him repeatedly, so it’s best to get along well with him.

This is his role: In essence, Wikelo is a quest NPC with a variety of possible rewards, intended to motivate players over a long time and apparently also to encourage resource grinding.

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Focus in the new patch is on mining – Players praise the affordable new ship

This is the idea behind the new patch: The backstory in the new patch is that the “Rain” technique no longer works, which originally granted immortality to every resident in the universe of Star Citizen. For players, this changes nothing, but in the game’s story, research is being stimulated and raw materials need to be mined.

Therefore, the focus of the new patch is on “mining.” Star Citizen introduces a new gameplay loop that sends players to Aberdeen and Daymar, where they can extract resources.

In the game, this is expressed not only through the new gameplay activity but also through a “real new mining starter ship” that is sold for $60. This is also the currently biggest topic in the community.

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People are surprised by the relatively affordable price – at least for Star Citizen’s standards.

The developers of Star Citizen emphasize that since December 2024, they are in a strong phase, regularly releasing new and significant patches that significantly improve and expand Star Citizen: Star Citizen presents massive battleship – For nearly 1,000 euros, you can feel like in Battlestar Galactica

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

„We missed it“ – The creator of The Big Bang Theory regrets that he recognized one thing too late

The Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular comedy series of the last 20 years. The quirky nerds have hit the nail on the head and to this day, the characters are solidified in pop culture. However, one of the most important characters regrets how he initially dealt with her.

Which character is it about? Penny is, although not one of the nerds, one of the most important characters in the series. She is not only a counterbalance to the scientists content-wise, but also emotionally. Especially throughout the series, she develops into a multi-dimensional character.

At first, this was not the case. She was rather the cliché of a naive actress who just wants to be famous. This is one of the things that Chuck Lorre, the creator of the series, regrets. He revealed this in a podcast.

Start video
The Big Bang Theory – Trailer of Season 1

She was unfortunately one-dimensional

What does Chuck Lorre say about the character Penny? In the current format The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast (via YouTube), the creator of the series Chuck Lorre spoke with former Warner Chief Peter Roth about Penny and the beginnings of the series. Lorre concludes that he regrets how Penny was written at the beginning:

At the beginning we catered to the cliché: a silly blonde who says dumb things. That is a cliché character, isn’t it? And we neglected it. We didn’t have the knowledge from the start that what she brought to the series and to the other characters was an intelligence that was foreign to [the scientists], you know, intelligence about people and relationships and family.

Initially, there was also a missed opportunity to make Penny the counterbalance to the nerds, which she later became. She was unfortunately one-dimensional. But that’s where the advantage of TV series comes into play, which Chuck Lorre mentioned in the podcast: You can develop characters over a longer period and learn what you may have done wrong.

Kaley Cuoco was the right choice

Originally, Penny was supposed to be the character Katie and played by another actress. But the test audiences hated her. In the podcast, Lorre clarifies once again why Kaley Cuoco was so good for the role.

Kaley’s Penny was never critical of the nerds, she was amused by them. Even when she got angry, she was never harsh or disrespectful. Penny never judged the nerds, who according to Lorre judged her more.

This is also the main characteristic that distinguishes her from the original character Katie, as Peter Roth explains:

There was a sweetness, an affection that she felt towards them, and I believe the audience […] wanted to protect these two boys: The audience wanted to protect these two boys, these two men, these two innocents, and [Cuoco] honored that.

Nowadays, one cannot imagine The Big Bang Theory without Penny. She keeps the madness of the other guys in check and often brings emotional depth and development to the other characters in the series. Instead of a real woman, they originally even planned a robot: The Big Bang Theory: Before the series started, an important character was supposed to be a robot

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

Streamer travels live on Twitch around the world, cannot choose her next destination herself

A streamer is continuously live on Twitch while traveling the world. She has a special rule that makes the journey more exciting.

Who is this Twitch streamer? It is the streamer Verena, who mainly streams in the IRL and Just Chatting categories on her Twitch channel. In the last 365 days, she had an average of 730 viewers and streamed 975,359 hours (via sullygnome).

Before her career as a Twitch streamer, she played Counter-Strike 1.6 and CS:GO. She has also worked for Tesla and BMW and has been streaming full-time since 2023. Currently, she even offers her help to Twitch streamers with coaching and other kits.

Verena frequently collaborates with the Twitch streamer quiteLola, appeared on the Christmas show of Monte & Zarbex, and also attended the Stream Awards. Highlights of her streams are uploaded to her YouTube channel.

Verena is an integral part of the German Twitch IRL scene.

We show you the 5 most relevant German Twitch streamers in our video:

Start video
These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google

Special rule makes the journey uncertain

One rule determines the journey: As a rule, Twitch streamer Verena has set that she takes the cheapest flight to another country every day. She always flies in the evening and has to find accommodation for each destination.

During the day, she explores the city where she has landed and looks at interesting things there, of course, streaming with her viewers. Her goal is to return to Germany. She calls it the “Travelthon”.

Verena took on this challenge once before, about four months ago. Highlights of her previous Travelthon were uploaded to her YouTube channel.

This is how the Travelthon went: Verena started her journey on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Germany, and her first destination was Istanbul and Antalya, both in Turkey. She continued to Nicosia and Larnaca in Cyprus and then to Athens in Greece.

Athens was the last stop, as from there the cheapest flight back to Germany was available. That was on Monday, March 24. The Travelthon lasted a total of 4 days.

With her Travelthon, Verena offers her viewers an interesting way to follow travel content on Twitch. The Twitch platform is full of streamers who take their audience into exciting areas of life. So does master butcher Roegele: A master butcher streams his daily life on Twitch and 10,000 people love it

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

Gronkh speaks out about the accusation that he used the wrong words: „Will not fold on everything“

The German YouTuber Gronkh has now been criticized for using a video title that contains a phrase that is associated with far-right politics. The influencer has made a clear statement about it.

This is the situation: On March 20th, Gronkh released a Let’s Play video of Assassin’s Creed Shadows on YouTube, which originally had the title “A Song of Blood and Honor.”

The motto “Blood and Honor” is a term that appeared in the ideology of the Hitler Youth. The words were also etched on knives used by the Hitler Youth. In Germany, using this phrase is punishable under use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations.

Meanwhile, the video is now titled “A Song of Discipline and Honor.” Already directly under the video, there were a few comments pointing out that the title “could not just be used like that.”

Start video
Gronkh, the man with the voice – Career and life of Germany’s most famous Let’s Player

Gronkh does not want to let fascists dictate his language

Here’s what Gronkh says about the issue: According to Gronkh, he was inspired by Game of Thrones with the title “A Song of” and the game title from Might and Magic VII (“For Blood and Honor”). This is also the name of a WoW book.

Gronkh says (via Reddit): There are certain terms from the Nazi era that he will not use out of conviction, but he also will not start to watch every title or conversation to see if “any idiots” have used a phrase for themselves:

I cannot and do not want to cower at everything and do not want to duck out at any instance where someone connects something in a way only known to those who have extensively dealt with Nazi culture or far-right ideology. Especially since I have little desire to fill my head with right-wing lyrics, networks, and literature just so I don’t accidentally say something that was used in any way there, allowing some fascists to dictate my language.

This is not only ridiculous but restricts language in a way that I – maybe I’m just stubborn – simply do not see.

This is how it is being discussed. Most comments fully agree with Gronkh’s stance. Even critical comments do not suggest any malicious intent on his part; some wished for even more insight.

But the majority of comments agree with Gronkh in his assessment that there is no need to get overly upset about this title.

gronkh
Der Bundesclaner wrote in 2023: You might know me as this Bad Boy from Twitter.

By quickly changing the video title, the potential for discussion was already deflated. There will therefore be no comparable situation to “The Federal Chancellor” as there was with Hogwarts Legacy: Twitch: Fans support Gronkh with €37,000 after the uproar surrounding Hogwarts Legacy – “Should have more shitstorms”

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

Developer raked in nearly 8 million for his MMORPG, hasn’t even finished the website update for months

It’s time for our MeinMMO format “MMORPG News in Two Minutes.” We summarize the most important news about the best genre in the world. Look forward to Chronicles of Elyria, OnlyFangs, and countless new content updates for various online worlds.

The highlights of the week:

What else has happened? With Patch 7.2, the new content update for Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail has been released. As soon as the new features were live, there were discussions about the adjustments for the Black Mage job. An overview of the fresh endgame content of the MMORPG can be found here: Endgame until Patch 7.2 with new raid and new trial.

Here is the trailer for Patch 7.2 of Final Fantasy XIV:

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

New updates everywhere you look

This is what happened with the big MMORPGs:

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This is what happened with the smaller MMORPGs:

This is what happened in the developing MMORPGs:

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We have summarized for you the most important events that have recently taken place in the world of MMORPGs.

What have you been excited about this week? What has frustrated you? Let us know in the comments. If you are looking for a humorous yet informative roundup on online role-playing games, be sure to check out here: Report, columns, talks, and the top list of the best MMORPGs of all time – that was the theme week from MeinMMO

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The First Berserker: Khazan launches “very positively” on Steam, but the difficulty level sparks heated discussions

The new action RPG The First Berserker: Khazan is already well received on Steam. However, one topic currently dividing the community is the high difficulty level of some bosses.

How is the game currently received? The reviews for the hardcore action RPG on Steam are currently 94% positive. While the community is currently showing a lot of love for the game, one topic is being rigorously discussed: the difficulty level.

Start video
The First Berserker: Khazan offers intense battles against powerful foes in Soulslike style

One boss causes particularly many tears

How difficult is The First Berserker: Khazan? MeinMMO author Ody has already played the action RPG and notes for himself: The First Berserker Khazan is a tough nut to crack even for some Souls veterans. Especially the Viper, the third boss in the game, caused problems for him and other players.

  • Mr. Awesome captures the feeling of many players in his review (via Steam): “Died to the boss 20+ times, finally defeat him with 5% HP left, cutscene starts – the boss gets angry, phase 2 begins… with a full health bar.”

In the official subreddit for the game, the boss is also mentioned quite frequently:

  • krsna_0 writes in a post (via Reddit), after defeating the Viper: “Not going to lie, took me over 7 hours straight – am I done for??”
  • Difficult_Ant5973 was quite taken aback by the second phase of the boss. Many players agree with him in the comments under his post (via Reddit).
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The developers have already responded to feedback and made two bosses – including the Viper – “slightly” easier (via Steam). It felt too much like an “end boss challenge” and is now supposed to fit better into the natural progression of the game.

Should the developers nerf bosses or not?

However, many players fear that the developers will respond to feedback regarding bosses like the Viper and make them too easy. For some, the difficulty level is perfect as it is. They urge the developers not to change anything.

  • “PLEASE DO NOT NERF THE BOSSES!”, pleads WillingMaybe5892 (via Reddit) with the developers. A game like this is needed that tests your abilities and is challenging. His post has over 400 likes and 200 comments.

For all those who want it easier, there is already the easy mode. But does that mean that criticism of the normal difficulty level cannot be justified? Opinions differ.

  • “Can we please have a Soulslike without the FromSoftware fanboys trying to ruin the experience for others with their superiority complex?”, writes Bamberg_07 (via Reddit), but receives a lot of mockery for it. The game is supposed to be that hard, and he should just play the “easy mode” if the difficulty bothers him.
  • “Are these nerfs REALLY that bad, or is this just the typical overreaction from the Soulslike community, as always?”, asks A-Omega16 (via Reddit). The most common response is: Yes, the reaction is exaggerated.

Have you played The First Berserker: Khazan yet? Feel free to let us know in the comments how you are coping with the difficulty level. By the way, you can read our impressions of the game here: I have over 500 hours in Souls games, but The First Berserker: Khazan broke me

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

Monster Hunter Wilds: The Best Build for the Light Bowgun in Endgame

With the Light Bowgun, you can adopt an aggressive playstyle in Monster Hunter Wilds and quickly and effectively pummel your target from a distance. For faster combat in the endgame, we will show you the best build with the weapons, armors, and decorations you need.

How is the build structured? We will first show you a brief overview of the essential items like weapons and armors for the best build of the Light Bowgun. Then we will explain in detail the most important information about crafting your equipment and choosing the right decorations for your armor. Finally, we will reveal the strength of the build.

This build will be continuously updated and completely modified depending on updates to align with the current meta. So feel free to stop by after each update and see what’s changed.

With our directory, you can also quickly jump to the individual points of the build:

[toc]

Light Bowgun Build: Everything about Weapons, Armors & Decorations

Start video
Capcom shows the light bow gun from Monster Hunter Wilds

What is the best build for the Light Bowgun? The best build for the Light Bowgun relies on high base and penetration damage. An element is avoided, as the weapon can deal immense damage when integrated correctly into the build. Let’s take a quick look at the necessary items:

WeaponSzelatya Large Bowgun or alternatively Animilator (Artian Weapon)
ArmorGore Helm B
Gore Armor B
Gore Bracers B
Gore Waist B
Udra Legs B
TalismanChaser Talisman

How to build the best Artian Weapon for the Light Bowgun

What do I need for crafting Animilator? For Animilator, you should ensure to select three attack infusions when crafting your materials. The element is secondary and can be chosen according to your preference.

However, we recommend focusing on the Szelatya Large Bowgun, as the weapon can cause much more effective damage and penetrate your target.

As a secondary weapon, the Artian Longsword “Dimensius” is especially worthwhile. The weapon has many combos that deal multiple hits and makes it easier for you to sever tails during a solo hunt.

Which boost bonus should I focus on? When improving your Artian weapon, the following bonuses are especially important in priority:

  1. Attack
  2. Element

Which decorations are important? You can be more flexible with the decorations and choose the following options:

  • Piercing Jewel 3
  • Precise Jewel II 2
  • Opener Jewel 1

Light Bowgun Build: Armors and Decorations

Which armors are important? For our armor selection, we focus on the following equipment and effects:

Armors

  • Gore Helm B
  • Gore Armor B
  • Gore Bracers B
  • Gore Waist B
  • Udra Legs B
  • Chaser Talisman
MHW Light Bowgun Build Setup
This is what the armor of the build looks like

Set Bonuses

  • Gore Magalas Tyranny
    • Black Darkness II: Causes Frenzy in battles against large monsters

Which decorations should I use? With armor, it’s primarily about selecting decorations that support your Frenzy, Affinity, and raw damage. The following should be equipped:

  • Helm
    • Challenger Jewel 3
    • Reason Jewel 1
  • Chest Armor
    • Challenger Jewel 3
    • Reason Jewel 1
  • Arm Guards
    • Powerful Jewel 2
    • Powerful Jewel 2
  • Leg Guards
    • Challenger Jewel 3
    • Powerful Jewel 2
  • Armor Feet
    • Counterattack Jewel 3
    • Reason Jewel 1

How does the strength of the build unfold?

The Light Bowgun is known for its extremely fast fire rate and the ability to penetrate its targets. To further strengthen this, we focus on Affinity and the boost of raw damage. In contrast to the Heavy Bowgun, you are much more mobile on your feet and can also evade more effectively. The goal is to hit the target as often as possible and stay alive.

The Szelatya Large Bowgun is also the ideal choice if you want to deal damage quickly, as raw damage is more effective than building the weapon around an element. With the Opener Jewel, you can also reload much faster, which quickly increases your damage and Affinity.

To ensure you can also deal damage in close combat, we’ve included the Longsword. Its combos are quick, versatile, and the weapon is a strong option to sever tails and limbs. When you combine that with the Corrupted Mantle, your DPS is high and your Affinity can reach up to 70%.

That was all the important information about the best Light Bowgun build in Monster Hunter Wilds. In addition to build information, tips for combat are also crucial to emerge victorious. Therefore, we have explained everything important again in the combat guide: The ultimate combat guide to Monster Hunter Wilds: Everything about elements, status system, and important tips for the hunt

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. game8.co

Monster Hunter Wilds: The best build for dual blades in the endgame

With the Dual Blades, you can perform lightning-fast combos in Monster Hunter Wilds and deal increased burst damage with demon mode. To ensure a fast-paced endgame battle, we show you the best build with the weapons, armors, and decorations you need.

How is the build structured? We first give you a brief overview of the essential items like weapons and armors for the best Dual Blades build. Then we explain in detail the most important information about crafting your gear, as well as selecting the right decorations for your armor. Finally, we reveal the strength of the build.

This build will be continuously updated and completely modified based on updates to match the current meta. So feel free to stop by after each update and see what’s changed.

With our directory, you can quickly jump to individual points of the build:

[toc]

Dual Blades Build: All About Weapons, Armors & Decorations

Start video
Monster Hunter Wilds: Trailer for the action RPG showcases the dual blades

Which is the best build for Dual Blades? With the Dual Blades, you are extremely fast, and to make that worthwhile, it makes sense to focus on damage and affinity with high elemental damage.

The elemental aspect itself is secondary here – more important is the focus on stamina management to utilize burst damage as often as possible. The build is primarily about an aggressive playstyle.

WeaponTiltcircles (Artian weapon) or alternatives depending on the desired element
ArmorW.-Vulkan Mask B
Udra Armor B
Rathalos Armguards B
Gore Waistguard B
Gore Leggings B
TalismanEnergy Talisman III

How to Craft the Best Artian Weapon for Dual Blades

What do I need for crafting Tiltcircles? For Tiltcircles, you should choose three affinity infusions when selecting your materials. The element doesn’t matter and can be decided based on your taste. We recommend focusing on paralysis or explosion, as these currently offer the most advantages in battle. It’s important that the elements match to take advantage of the elemental infusion bonus.

If you don’t have good components or are unlucky with the reinforcement bonuses for the Tiltcircles, you can also opt for alternative weapons that you can craft from monster parts. It depends on the element you want to play with:

  • Wyvern Lover (Fire)
  • Master Sabers (Water)
  • Fulgur Twin-Gardiana (Thunder)
  • Hunger Claws (Dragon)
  • Cliff Ulokiem (Ice)

As a secondary weapon, the bow is worthwhile, as it is excellent for compensating for the short range of the blades against flying monsters and works just as well with the build. Alternatively, the Heavy Bowgun is also a good choice to boost damage and potentially block.

Which reinforcement bonus should I focus on? When enhancing your Artian weapon, the following bonuses are especially important:

  1. Affinity
  2. Element
  3. Attack
  4. Sharpness

Which decorations are important? For decorations, you should choose the following options:

  • Critical Element Jewel III 3
  • Mastery Jewel 3
  • Variable decoration with Element Attack 3 or Sharp Jewel 3

Dual Blades Build: Armors and Decorations

Which armors are important? When choosing armor, focus on the following equipment and effects:

Armors

  • W.-Vulkan Mask B
  • Udra Armor B
  • Rathalos Armguards B
  • Gore Waistguard B
  • Gore Leggings B
This is what it looks like when you have your armor together.

Set Bonuses

  • Gore Magalas Tyranny
    • Black Darkness I: Unleashes Frenzy in battle against large monsters
  • Scales Layering
    • Adrenaline: Temporarily reduces stamina loss when health is at 40% or lower

Which decorations should I use? For the armor, it is especially important to select decorations that increase your affinity and elemental damage; additionally, due to Frenzy, you need an effect that increases your infection recovery rate while also boosting your critical damage.

Since Dual Blades consume a lot of stamina, especially in demon mode, it is important to minimize your stamina loss. There is also a focus on increasing your burst and elemental damage. Therefore, you should equip the following decorations:

  • Head
    • Phoenix Jewel 2
  • Chest
    • Sprinter Jewel 1
    • Sprinter Jewel 1
  • Arms
    • Phoenix Jewel 2
    • Sprinter Jewel 1
    • Figure Jewel 1
  • Waist
    • Chain Jewel 3
    • Phoenix Jewel 2
  • Legs
    • Chain Jewel 3
    • Reason Jewel 1
    • Reason Jewel 1

How Does the Strength of the Build Unfold?

The Dual Blades are among the simpler weapons and come with simple combos. You only need to keep an eye on stamina consumption, which is optimized with this build. This build also optimizes your burst damage. With the bonuses on elemental damage and affinity, you can effectively exploit monster weaknesses to deal increased damage.

Your damage and weapon affinity increase the more aggressively you play, while stamina consumption decreases. Finally, this build also leverages the Frenzy mechanic to boost affinity. This all combines well with the Corrupted Mantle to consistently deal critical damage.

If you are lucky with your weapon’s reinforcement bonuses, you can even achieve up to 100% affinity.

To top it all off, as a secondary weapon, you can either choose a bow that benefits similarly from this build or a Heavy Bowgun for buffs and defensive tactics.

That was all the important information on the best Dual Blades build in Monster Hunter Wilds. In addition to build information, tips for battle are important to emerge victorious. Therefore, we have explained everything essential again in the combat guide: The Ultimate Combat Guide to Monster Hunter Wilds: Everything About Elements, Status System, and Important Aspects of Hunting

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. game8.co

Blizzard changes rule for WoW Classic Hardcore to prevent the end of OnlyFangs, but they are only planning one last raid

The Blizzard developers have, for the first time in the history of WoW Classic Hardcore, resurrected a large number of deceased characters. Among them are many Azeroth heroes from the well-known streamer guild OnlyFangs.

Update from March 28, 2025 – 11:54 AM: Our reader Furby has pointed out that there has already been a reaction from OnlyFangs regarding Blizzard’s actions on twitch.tv. Thank you for that!

No one wants to leave the Blackwing Lair unfinished just because some trolls want to prevent progress there through DDoS attacks. Moreover, one of the guild’s raids hasn’t even had the chance to visit BWL on the Hardcore server yet.

Therefore, they want to undertake one last ride toward Nefarian with two raids, not this weekend, but next weekend – since many key players will not be available in the coming days after the announcement of the end of OnlyFangs.

Sodapoppin and other players will withdraw from the regular progress routine of OnlyFangs after this raid. Those who want to continue playing with their characters afterward can do so. Whether this will happen under the banner of OnlyFangs or with other guilds remains to be seen.

Original report from March 28, 2025 – 09:30 AM: Why is Blizzard resurrecting Hardcore characters? For some time now, DDoS attacks have been hitting the servers of World of Warcraft at regular intervals. This causes long lag spikes and disconnections, which can quickly become fatal, especially in the Hardcore worlds of WoW Classic.

After the recent DDoS attacks last week, the player experience was so frustrating that the well-known streamer guild OnlyFangs announced the end of their Hardcore project if Blizzard could not get the problem under control in a timely and sustainable manner.

The developers of WoW responded by announcing that they would adjust the previously pursued policy for Hardcore in light of the DDoS attacks. Those who lose their virtual life during a malicious mass event in the future can be resurrected by Blizzard.

In WoW Classic Hardcore, it can happen faster than you think to reach the spirit healer:

Start video
WoW: Guild loses 30 characters on a hardcore server – And it wasn’t even a boss fight

Historic Mass Resurrection

What has Blizzard announced now? Just a few hours ago, the next official statement from Blizzard followed in the official WoW forum. Community Manager Kaivax writes on forums.blizzard.com:

We have begun resurrecting player characters that were lost during the recent DDoS attacks (Distributed Denial of Service) on our Hardcore realms. We initially focused on characters that died during the attacks on March 24, and we are expanding the scope of our review to include the resurrection of characters that were lost during confirmed DDoS incidents after this date.

For dead characters that were transferred from Hardcore realms to normal (PvE) realms, we have taken steps to bring these characters back to the Hardcore realms in the state they were in before the transfer, and we have marked them so that they will be playable at the next login as if they had never died.

  • To complete the process, you must go to the character login screen on your Hardcore realm and log in with the previously deceased character.

In the future, if characters die due to DDoS attacks, we will only restore characters that remain on their Hardcore realm. Please note that a character that dies due to a DDoS attack on a Hardcore realm cannot be restored if they are subsequently transferred to a normal (PvE) realm.

At the end, the Community Manager emphasizes once again: Those who fall victim to a regular lag, disconnect, or bugs on the Hardcore servers are out of luck and will not be resurrected.

How is the community reacting to the announcement? The resurrected characters also include the aforementioned victims of the streamer guild OnlyFangs. However, we have not yet found a statement from the guild leadership regarding the resurrections and whether that is enough to continue the Hardcore project.

However, many other WoW players are commenting on Kaivax’s announcement. The opinions could not be more different.

  • Volcanus criticizes the move on blizzard.com: “Let’s be honest, this will harm the Hardcore community more than it helps. You broke your promise regarding the original state of the Hardcore community and caved in to a bunch of loudmouths. They [OnlyFangs] chose to raid while the servers were under DDoS and then complained because they died due to a server disconnect.”
  • ciarenni sees it quite differently on Reddit: “If you don’t like the servers being attacked with DDoS, you should support this action. The likely main reason the person(s) behind the attacks are doing this is that they enjoy watching people lose these characters forever. If Blizzard brings them back, the perpetrator essentially hasn’t achieved anything more than the inconvenience of not being able to play the character for a while […]”.
  • Tivra sums it up on blizzard.com as follows: “This is a perfect example that you can never make people happy. A large part of the people on a Hardcore realm die, others stop because of it, which is already evident in the economy and how dungeon groups are formed. And someone claims that resurrecting them harms the server more than it helps. Dying due to DDoS is NOT in the spirit of Hardcore realms, and that is a big win for Blizzard.”

As soon as we discover an official reaction from OnlyFangs, we will update this message for you.

What do I need to know about OnlyFangs? The guild of WoW Classic includes or included various well-known streamers and YouTubers such as Sodapoppin, but also Tyler1, Mizkif, PirateSoftware, TimTheTatman, or Jaythebard, who of course mobilized their respective communities. The Hardcore factor – if the character lands at the spirit healer, it is gone forever – added even more spice.

Additionally, the community imposed a series of rules on itself and role-played with their characters. And there have repeatedly been large, personal dramas surrounding OnlyFangs – like in a major daily soap. All of this combined ensured that World of Warcraft was extremely popular on Twitch again thanks to OnlyFangs.

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

The fantasy version of Warhammer gets its 1st new army in over 15 years, exciting even fans of Warhammer 40,000

Warhammer is getting a completely new army for the tabletop, but not for the popular Warhammer 40,000, rather for The Old World. The exciting part: The original game has been dead since 2014, and the new army comes from the successful Total War: Warhammer 3.

What kind of faction is this?

  • The Grand Empire of Cathay is a human faction modeled after ancient China, ruled by dragons. The realm maintains the Great Wall, which protects the steppes in the east from the chaos in the north.
  • Cathay is known for trade and economy, but also for the use of gunpowder in the form of rockets and cannons, war balloons, and the deployment of massive terracotta warriors.
  • The faction is one of the starting races in Total War: Warhammer 3 and was announced for the tabletop with its release in 2021. Now Games Workshop is showcasing the new models.

That’s why the reveal is so special: The last completely new army in Warhammer Fantasy came in 2010 with the Beastmen or in 2003 with the preceding Beasts of Chaos. A few years later, the game was discontinued in favor of Age of Sigmar, only to be re-released in 2024 as The Old World.

The Old World, however, only launched with 9 of the original armies. Other codices from the past have been surpassed but will not be officially supported for the first edition of the game.

In 2021, Games Workshop already announced Cathay as a new army in collaboration with Total War: Warhammer 3. The strategy game is still the largest Total War on Steam and one of the best strategy games you can currently play – and apparently successful enough to influence Warhammer itself.

Cathay exists in the lore of Warhammer long before, but the army itself was first seen in the strategy game on Steam.

Start video
Der Reveal-Trailer für das Großkaiserreich Cathay als Armee in Warhammer: The Old World

“I thought this was just a cash-in for Games Workshop”

The reaction to the reveal of Cathay has been overwhelmingly positive, especially since very few fans expected new units at all. The community has held the assumption that Games Workshop simply will not continue to support Warhammer Fantasy because it isn’t worth it.

In a thread on Reddit, players express their excitement about the look of the miniatures and about getting something new at all:

I can’t believe this is real! I really thought Old World was just a nostalgia cash-in for Games Workshop. The fact that they are making a brand new army shows that they mean business!

St4rry_knight on Reddit

The second army from Total War: Warhammer 3, which has never been seen before in the tabletop, is Kislev. The faction inspired by Polish history from the north consists of bear riders, ulans, and tsars, with a deeply rooted enmity towards chaos. Kislev has recently received a complete overhaul and is now expected as the next army for The Old World.

Warhammer itself only received a completely new army in 2022, but for the dystopian sci-fi version Warhammer 40,000. Here, a year and a half ago, the conglomerates of Votann joined as the first new army since the T’au: In Warhammer 40,000, there are space dwarves and they are even tougher than in Deep Rock Galactic

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

Millions of people watch ChatGPT as it invents images that closely resemble Studio Ghibli

Millions of people are currently excited about ChatGPT and its ability to create images in the Ghibli style.

Anyone currently looking at X.com or other social media will find that many images resembling the style of Studio Ghibli can be found. This is because ChatGPT-4o can generate content in the style of a specific author.

However, the problem is that ChatGPT must have purchased this advantage at the cost of serious copyright violations: it seems that ChatGPT-4o has been trained with content that is associated with, based on, or created by the studio founded by Hayao Miyazaki. And AI like ChatGPT has long been suspected of copying material.

Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds

ChatGPT can create images in the Ghibli style, but it involves protected material

What is the problem? Material or films such as those from Studio Ghibli are protected by copyright. The rights to these films are not in the public domain and therefore cannot be used freely by anyone. This is a problem that has plagued ChatGPT and OpenAI since their inception.

ChatGPT has been trained with an enormous amount of data from the internet – from websites, books, social media posts to academic articles. Content that is freely accessible but not free. Not every image you find on the internet can you use for free unless the author/photographer explicitly releases their work under a Creative Commons license.

However, it is also important to note that no one can stop others from creating works in the style of a person or a studio. Because the style itself is not protected. This is similar to the discussion about fan art: you can create your own image of a Pokémon and hang it on your wall, and no one will mind. However, as soon as you start trying to sell these artworks, it gets legally complicated.

AI companies generally rely on the “Fair Use” doctrine for their data, which is particularly applicable in the US. Just recently, a US court ruled that training AI with copyrighted content does not automatically fall under the Fair Use doctrine (via advomare.de). However, it is important to note: the ruling only concerns non-generative AI and is therefore less relevant for AI models like ChatGPT.

What is OpenAI doing about it? OpenAI claims to have implemented a ban to prevent the creation of images or artworks that aim to replicate the style of a living artist. Deceased artists, on the other hand, are acceptable. It is also okay to copy “studio styles,” which presumably includes Ghibli Studios (via xataka.com).

Lawsuits Against OpenAI and Demands for Protected Material

How do artists and authors view this? OpenAI and other AI companies have already been sued for serious copyright violations. This includes artists and image databases that are opposing OpenAI using their content for free, even though it is not free. Among others, 17 prominent authors, including George R. R. Martin, have joined a lawsuit against ChatGPT.

The authors’ accusation: the AI learns from texts that are illegally downloaded from the internet. In a statement at that time, it was said that “generative AI threatens to destroy the profession of authors.”

By the way, OpenAI is currently using this as an opportunity to demand access to protected materials. They believe that if they do not gain access, China will win the AI race: OpenAI says they urgently need access to legally protected material – because of China

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

YouTuber Completes Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn in 15 Hours, Ties His Hands Behind His Back

A YouTuber took on a new challenge in Final Fantasy XIV: Instead of wanting to be the fastest or the player with the highest damage, he aimed to complete A Realm Reborn without using any abilities.

What was the challenge? YouTuber Kiba Frost wanted to face a special challenge and set out to play the base game “A Realm Reborn” in Final Fantasy XIV – without using class abilities.

This meant he could only use the standard auto-attack for damage and didn’t even do his job quests. However, he allowed himself to use Sprint, Teleport, Return, and the Limit Break, although he chose not to use the latter voluntarily. To avoid disturbing other players, he also aimed to play as much as possible with NPCs.

In fact, Kiba Frost managed to pull through with A Realm Reborn in just 15 hours. This is how the challenge went.

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

Finally having fun with A Realm Reborn

How did the challenge go? With the requirements in mind, the YouTuber took on A Realm Reborn. He chose a server with a high experience point boost – the higher the player’s level, the better gear they can wear, and the stronger the auto-attack.

The combat instances he had to complete alone were the first problem, as the player’s damage output wasn’t high enough for some content. Kiba Frost himself says that he wouldn’t have succeeded in the challenge if he hadn’t been able to adjust these contents to an easier setting.

Another problem was the boss fight against Ifrit (normal): Here, the nails summoned by the boss need to be destroyed – a DPS check. Which the NPCs and auto-attacks could not handle. The YouTuber ultimately had to do the fight against Ifrit with real players.

Otherwise, the run went very well, and Kiba Frost himself is satisfied with the challenge. In the intro, he already mentions that he had much more fun with A Realm Reborn than before: He had to focus on his gear and the challenges now.

Nevertheless, the combat content was very tedious, and the challenge with Cap Westwind was an almost 45-minute nightmare. Still, the YouTuber managed to complete A Realm Reborn in just 15 hours. Those who play normally and perhaps follow the story more intensively take much longer.

Who is the YouTuber? Kiba Frost has been on YouTube since September 2023. Currently, only three videos are listed, but according to the channel description, he is back and has already released several videos. His challenge is the first visible video that is gaining more attention.

By the way, being able to do everything with NPCs would not have been possible just a few years ago: NPC support was only introduced in 2019 with the expansion Shadowbringers, and since then, it has been implemented in all previous combat content. This allows single players to enjoy the MMORPG as well. However, with Patch 7.2, there will be more content for MMO fans: Final Fantasy XIV is finally (once again) an MMORPG: The head promises the largest content update of all time

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

Pokémon GO: Cuddly Buddy brings 4 Shinies – Here’s how to make the most of the research day on Saturday

On March 29, the next Research Day will take place in Pokémon GO. Take the chance to secure some Shinies.

What is the event? The Research Day runs under the motto “Cuddly Buddies”. And these buddies are four little bears that you can catch in large numbers this Saturday.

  • Teddiursa
  • Petznief
  • Pam-Pam
  • Velursi

They will hide in various field research tasks during the event. The special thing is: With all four, you will receive an increased Shiny chance during the event. So you have a good chance of catching the shimmering bears.

When does the event run? On Saturday, March 29, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. So you have three hours to complete as many research tasks as possible.

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

How do I use Research Day in Pokémon GO?

Here’s what the Shinies look like: Do you want to check if the Shinies are even distinct enough to be worth the effort? Then we have the graphic with all four monsters and their evolutions for you:

Shiny Teddiursa Pampam Velursi Petznief

Here’s how to get the monsters: The four Pokémon do not appear in the wild but are found through field research tasks. You receive these by spinning different PokéStops.

Your plan should ideally look like this:

  • Visit and spin a PokéStop
  • Pick up research tasks
  • Go to the next stop
  • Complete the research on the way to create space for new tasks

Note: You want to complete as many research tasks as possible during the event period in order to increase your chances of getting the Shiny bears. You might want to simply delete the more time-consuming tasks and hope to receive an easier one at the next stop instead. Otherwise, your task stack may get processed too slowly and won’t have space for new research tasks.

If you play in an area with few Pokémon spawns, it may be worthwhile to activate a smoke or at least the daily adventure smoke. You can use the spawns from that to complete the tasks if you’re missing anything.

Do I need the research in the shop? The research in the shop costs 2.19 euros, but it is optional. The bonuses mentioned above also apply if you do not buy a ticket. The ticket gives you additional encounters with one of the four Shiny bears. Whether you need them is up to you to decide.

March is coming to an end: The Research Day with the Cuddly Buddies is the last major event of March in Pokémon GO. However, April continues with numerous appointments. Among other things, the debut of the plant Pokémon Cottini is coming up. But there will also be no shortage of raids and spotlight hours in the next month. Do you want an overview? Then check here: All events in April 2025 for Pokémon GO.

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

Player Uses Underrated Weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds to Take Down One of the Most Powerful Creatures in 92 Seconds

In Monster Hunter Wilds, the tempered monsters are currently the toughest challenges a hunter can face. One player demonstrates in a speedrun how powerful an underestimated weapon can be by taking down one of the strongest monsters in the game in just 92 seconds.

Which monster is it? The tempered monsters are stronger variants of the normal creatures in Monster Hunter Wilds. Accordingly, the tempered Arkveld is one of the toughest monsters in the game.

If even that seems too easy, one can challenge speedrunning, attempting to take down a monster as quickly as possible. In a video on YouTube, a player shows how good the underestimated insect glaive is, defeating the tempered Arkveld with his build in just 92.7 seconds.

Soon you will face the Mizutsune:

Start video
Monster Hunter Wilds shows its first title update with a new monster

The insect glaive can be quite powerful

What build is the player using? The user キリン男爵 occasionally posts videos on YouTube where he takes down difficult monsters with an insect glaive, a weapon that is generally positioned towards the lower end of the tier list.

In his latest YouTube video, he shows how strong the weapon can actually be, defeating the tempered Arkveld in just 1:32:70 minutes. That is quite impressive, and he also demonstrates his skill and the associated build in the game:

  • Weapon: The Artian weapon Diprielcha with explosive element (attack boost 3 when crafting and attack boost 4 / affinity 1 when enhancing)
    • Weapon decorations: Critical Boost 3 and 2, Flight or Expert
    • Kinsect: Slaughter Bug
  • Headgear: Gore Helm Beta
  • Chest protection: Blango Armor Beta
  • Arm protection: Gore Armguard Beta
  • Waist protection: Gore Waistcoat Beta
  • Leg protection: Gore Leggings Beta
  • Charm: Cutting Charm 3
  • Cloak: Corrupted Cloak
    • Armor decorations: Power Jewel 3x / Potential Jewel x 2 / Reason Jewel x 2 / Challenger Jewel x 1 / Chain Jewel x 1 / Bomber Jewel x 1

However, note that the player does not show where he got all the attack buffs before the fight.

You can find the speedrun video here:

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Not just the build is important

At the start of the fight, one can see that the Arkveld is standing in front of the environmental trap, and the player can trigger it directly. This stuns the monster, and with a good hit from the kinsect, the player can immediately collect all 3 stacks for the weapon.

Just before the Arkveld gets up, the player uses the 3 stacks for the special glaive finisher and immediately recovers 3 stacks with a focus attack. He repeats this over and over, as the Arkveld is stunned again by the focus attack.

Perfectly timed, he sets a trap, tranquilizer bombs, and strikes again to catch the Arkveld.

It’s also important to mention that he has no Palico with him, as it would heal him, causing him to lose buffs.

Monster Hunter Wilds offers many subtleties in gameplay that can be optimized beyond the builds, allowing you to become a strong hunter. Especially speedruns show what you are capable of. You can find another one here: Speedrunner defeats powerful beast in Monster Hunter Wilds in just 37 seconds – Doesn’t even let the monster attack

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

Many employees demanded a 4-day workweek, but now they want something entirely different: flexible working hours

Employers want to abolish remote work and return to the office in the long term. However, employees have long demanded more flexible models for working hours. Even the widely discussed 4-day workweek suddenly becomes unattractive.

  • During the Corona pandemic, many companies switched from office routines to a flexible remote work system.
  • In the meantime, however, many companies are returning to the office or demanding employees to be present in the office.
  • Some employees use tricks to resist the office requirement, while others resign or submit to the employer.

However, the employers’ demands regularly provoke loud criticism from employees. Meanwhile, other demands are becoming louder: Moving away from rigid, fixed working hours toward more flexible options that are more compatible with family life.

Many employees demand more flexible working hours

Why are flexible working hours being demanded? According to employees, flexible working hours have the advantage that one can organize daily life more flexibly and improve the compatibility of work and personal life. While the so-called “9 to 5” model binds one to a fixed time window, flexible models allow for setting the hours.

Flexible working hours, which are being demanded by many, have two noteworthy advantages:

  • On the one hand, they allow for working from anywhere and save commuting costs for both the employee and the employer.
  • On the other hand, flexible systems enable employees to interrupt their workday to attend to personal or family obligations, especially when children or close relatives are sick and need attention.

The desire for flexible options has now grown so much that employees are willing to forgo money if they receive more flexible working hours. This is also shown by the annual “Labour Market Guide 2025” from Hays (PDF file): Access to flexible working hours is the second most important reason (24%) for many employees, while a higher salary is the most important reason (52%).

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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

Even the 4-day workweek has become unattractive

What is the problem with 4 days? Officially, the 4-day workweek reduces working hours, but experts explain that this does not reduce employee stress in the long run. Mathilde Collin, CEO of the customer communication platform Front, warned in an article from FastCompany:

A simple reduction of workdays [will] not solve our problem. Rather, it could increase stress and burnout as more meetings are crammed into fewer days and less time remains for creative and reflective work.

The idea of a shorter workweek is tempting, but it does not fully meet the needs of many employees for work-life balance and flexibility. Many employees do not resign because they have to return to the office, but because they lose the flexibility that remote work provides.

A company abolishes remote work to save costs. However, employees are fighting against the employer’s plans. With surprising consequences: a quarter of the workforce resigns, and strikes shake the company: A company abolished remote work and now has an unusual problem: 25% of employees resign

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

“Everyone, just not her” – New hiring causes panic among fans of Baldur’s Gate 3, as she could be working on part 4

The former head of Dragon Age: The Veilguard is now working for Wizards of the Coast, the company behind Dungeons & Dragons. Now fans of the franchise are worried about the next installment of Baldur’s Gate, perhaps a Baldur’s Gate 4, and about the RPG itself, but some say: unjustly.

Who is getting hired?

Start video
Dragon Age: The Veilguard Unleashes the Dragon in Official Launch Trailer

These are now the concerns: The latest Dragon Age received mixed reviews. In particular, fans of the series are disappointed. The biggest criticism includes the mediocre writing with flat story, whose depth was exchanged for modern themes like neopronouns – at least that’s how players feel.

Hasbro, the company that owns Wizards of the Coast and thus Dungeons & Dragons, recently discussed big plans for Baldur’s Gate 4. There is no concrete information yet, but it is certain that the company wants to make the game.

On Reddit, fans of Baldur’s Gate 3 are now worried that Corinne Busche could work on Baldur’s Gate 4 after The Veilguard.

In a different thread, users emphasize that a poor release wouldn’t even have to be Busche’s fault. They write: Hasbro itself has already had trouble maintaining its franchises well. However, Busche would be the perfect addition for a failure.

“I don’t understand the hate”

Among the well over 1,000 comments, there are several remarks that Busche has nothing to do with the flop of Veilguard at all. She joined the team only in the last 2 years of development, after the new Dragon Age had already been in development for 6 years.

The game has been rebooted several times during that time, many writers have been fired. Busche made something from the wreckage that was at least somewhat playable:

I don’t understand the hate for her. She came in and landed the plane wonderfully, creating a mostly bug-free game after Bioware shot itself in the foot by rebooting the game three damn times. It’s a miracle we got something as good as we have.

OurLAdyAndraste on Reddit

The head made a meal from “rotten, already burnt food” that is somehow still good enough to serve.

There is already skepticism towards Baldur’s Gate 4 and Hasbro as a whole. Many fans have low expectations for the new game or don’t need it at all. Baldur’s Gate 3 is so good that it can still be played for a long time, and now they are just waiting for what Larian will bring next instead of relying on the Baldur’s Gate IP.

Larian has apparently built a loyal fanbase with Baldur’s Gate 3 and the previous RPGs, even though the studio offers a niche product with classic RPGs. Whether Baldur’s Gate 4 will be good and whether Busche is even involved or not, is simply irrelevant to many users; they would rather wait for what the Belgian studio produces next: Instead of Baldur’s Gate 4: Larian is working on two new games

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

The director of Lies of P has played Elden Ring: Nightreign and is talking about FromSoftware’s new game

Choi Ji-won, director of the Souls-like Lies of P, has already played Elden Ring: Nightreign. In an interview with Eurogamer, he shared his thoughts on the new game from FromSoftware.

What does the head of Lies of P say? Choi Ji-won found Elden Ring: Nightreign to be “very refreshing and new,” as he revealed in an interview with Eurogamer. He himself had the opportunity to play the spin-off of Elden Ring during a network test. In a network test, developers check how stable the servers are in operation before releasing the game to the majority.

Start video
Gameplay trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign shows a boss from Dark Souls 3

Developer sticks to single-player games for now

This is what the head of Lies of P says: According to Choi, it becomes clear while playing Nightreign that good developers are behind this project:

 I tried [Nightreign], and it was very refreshing and new. This gave me the impression that they are good developers who are constantly pushing their limits, their imagination, and their vision – and you can feel that.

What does this mean for the future of Lies of P? Nightreign has motivated him to deliver the best possible experience with Overture – the first expansion for Lies of P. When this will be released is still uncertain. What is known is that the storyline starts before the main game.

However, Lies of P: Overture will remain purely a single-player experience. According to Choi, they want to build on the lessons learned from the base game. However, he does not want to rule anything out for future projects. “As far as our future endeavors are concerned, we are definitely open to all kinds of considerations,” says Choi.

Internally at developer NEOWIZ, they are also discussing what the future of the genre might look like. Choi explains:

Instead of predicting how the soulslike genre will evolve in the future, we are focusing on finding our own identity and our unique strengths.

When will the game be released? Elden Ring: Nightreign will be released on May 30, 2025, on the following platforms:

  • Steam
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • PS4
  • PS5

Are you among those who have been waiting for a PS5 upgrade or even a PC version of Bloodborne for years? This hope is not dead yet, but it is not truly alive either. For all those missing Bloodborne, Lies of P might be worth a look.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 3DJuegos

“Like Team Rocket”: In Pokémon Legends: Z-A, you will become the thug at night, attacking others from ambush

In the latest issue of Nintendo Direct, new gameplay footage of Pokémon Legends: Z-A was showcased. For the first time, scenes are shown at night, where the city transforms into a lawless place.

What happens at night? As previously reported, there were rumors that a league takes place at night in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Thanks to the Direct, we know that the leaks are true. In the Switch title, there is a tournament called Z-A Royale that takes place at night.

  • In the battle sectors, other trainers appear at night who challenge you to a fight upon eye contact. The dynamic battle system is used here.
  • Finally, we also know why the game is named this way: You fight your way up from rank Z to A.
  • According to Centro Leaks on X, there is a structured process: During the day, trainers prepare, buy items, and catch Pokémon. At night, they participate in battles, receive prize money, and can buy items again the next day.

However, the video shows a special detail that can give you an advantage in battles. This turns you into a sneaky thug who ambushes other trainers.

You can watch the new gameplay here:

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

At night, Pokémon Legends becomes a Fight Club

What feature is it about? You can sneak up on trainers and their Pokémon and ambush them. Your Pokémon attacks with a preferred move; in the video, for example, it’s Lucario’s “Light Cannon”.

This gives you a surprise attack advantage and strikes before the battle has begun. This gives you the advantage that the opposing Pokémon starts with less HP.

In the main series games, this was never possible. Battles could only be initiated by starting a conversation or making eye contact. The manner in which these battles are triggered has caused amusement among many fans.

How do fans react? In the comments under the video on Reddit, the surprise attack is a hotly debated topic. Many find it amusing that you can sneak up on other trainers and attack them so easily. One user even compares it to Team Rocket, which in the anime has a different method each time to ambush Ash and his friends.

Many fans are therefore amused and write:

  • zappy487 thinks there’s more to it: “The twist for Z-A: There’s no tournament at all; you’re schizophrenic and randomly attack people at night.”
  • Thechristo96 finally gets his revenge: “After 30 years of being challenged to battle just by staring at people, it’s finally time for sweet revenge.”
  • Lukthar123 compares it to other big cities: “Canonically officially Paris.”

There are also numerous memes on X, in which large gangs are fighting in the streets. Some even compare it to the movie series “The Purge,” where for one night a year, no rules apply, and people are allowed to commit crimes.

Thus, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces another innovation compared to its predecessor Pokémon Legends: Arceus. However, a feature that appeared in the first part of the series will not appear in Z-A: Pokémon Legends: Z-A – New leak reveals that a popular aspect from the predecessor will not be present

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

Pokémon GO brings the next new Pokémon, and you can catch it easily

The next event in Pokémon GO brings a new Pokémon into the game. You can easily collect it while walking.

What kind of Pokémon is it? It is “Cottini”, a grass-type Pokémon from the games “Sword & Shield”. It has an evolution named Cottomi, which also belongs to the grass type. In Pokémon GO, you need 50 Cottini candies for its evolution.

Now both are appearing for the first time in Pokémon GO during the event “Spring into Spring”. The good thing: you can easily encounter Cottini in the wild. You don’t have to hatch eggs, complete raids, or similar activities, but can simply encounter it while on the go. This makes it the second Pokémon after Kleptifux to debut in the wild in a shorter time. Last year, new Pokémon were often tied to other features of the game.

When does the event start? Spring into Spring begins on Wednesday, April 9 at 10:00 AM. It ends on Monday, April 14, 2025, at 8:00 PM. During this period, you will also encounter Cottini – and other Pokémon. The event brings some bonuses and content.

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

What does “Spring into Spring” bring to Pokémon GO?

What bonuses apply? Four strong bonuses are active during the event.

  • Lucky Eggs last twice as long, so one hour
  • You receive double the amount of candies for hatching eggs
  • Remoraid and Dartiri have an increased shiny chance
  • And eggs take only half the time to hatch

Which Pokémon appear? Basically, three Pokémon will appear more frequently throughout the event: Remoraid, Dartiri, and Cottini. For Remoraid and Dartiri, you have an increased shiny chance, but Cottini cannot appear as shiny.

After that, the spawns will be adjusted by days. You will frequently encounter the following monsters at specific times. Possible shinies are marked with an asterisk*.

DatesPokémon
April 9 & 10Marill*
Loturzel*
Piccolente*
Araqua*
Lapras*
April 11 & 12Vulpix*
Ponita*
Camaub*
Leufeo*
Hisui-Fukano*
April 13 & 14Myrapla*
Hoppspross*
Roselia*
Kikugi*
Alola-Kokowei*

What else is included in the event? On one hand, you can hatch Magby*, Knospi*, and Mantirps* from 2 km eggs, while 5 km eggs will bring Remoraid*, Dartiri*, and Cottini.

Additionally, there will be relevant field research, collector challenges, and showcases for the event. Also, you will find an optional paid limited research in the shop that offers further rewards.

And after that? After that, there will be more April events, as spring brings several dates for Pokémon GO. Among other things, there will be spotlight hours, raid hours, and plenty of events. We will show you which ones. Here you will find all events in Pokémon GO in April 2025.

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