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.
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:
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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.
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.
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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*.
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.
March 2025 continues to be marked by the new 64-bit servers of Lord of the Rings Online. Recently, the developers announced the provision of additional worlds and the comeback of the housing feature.
The trailer for the latest expansion for LOTRO from 2024:
Start video
Lord of the Rings Online: Trailer for Morgoth’s Legacy Prepares You for the New Expansion
Update on new servers and housing
What do the developers announce now? In recent days, the responsible parties of LOTRO have reached out multiple times. In the official Discord channel, Executive Producer Rob “Severlin” Ciccolini has written:
We are in the process of opening new servers, one in the EU and a few weeks later one in the USA. When we do this, we will enable transfers between Orcrist and the EU server as well as from other worlds to these two servers. We still have enough players on the 32-bit servers to justify another server.
Additionally, Community Manager Cordovan provided an update on housing in the 64-bit worlds on forums.lotro.com on March 27, 2025. He writes that they intend to gradually activate premium and classic housing starting March 31, 2025. The activation will take place in alphabetical order by neighborhoods, with premium accommodations being opened first.
The schedule for the introduction is:
March 31: Belfalas
April 1: Eastfold / Erebor
April 2: Kingstead / Lyndelby
April 3: Bree-land / Falathlorn
April 4: Shire / Thorin’s Hall
In a second post on forums.lotro.com, Cordovan explains: There will be additional housing brokers for each neighborhood. Apartments can only be acquired through these brokers. The familiar “For Sale” signs will not be available at this time. There will be temporary discussion channels where the developers aim to answer emerging questions.
Are you looking forward to the return of your accommodations and the new server? Let us know in the comments! After all these years, Lord of the Rings Online boasts a massive game world where one can spend months and years. The virtual Middle-earth is even so vast that it has made it to our list of the 13 MMORPGs with the largest game world.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In a new video, Marco Risch from Nerdkultur discusses the beginning of the series Andor from the Star Wars universe and what makes it so special.
Who is Marco Risch? Since 2015, Marco Risch has been focusing on news, analyses, reviews, and interviews about current films and series on his YouTube channel Nerdkultur.
In addition, he meets weekly with his colleague Yves Arievich and chats on the Podcast Nerd & Kultur about pop culture film topics like Star Wars, Marvel, and DC.
Both the YouTube channel and the podcast are part of the Webedia network, which also includes MeinMMO.
In one of his latest videos, Marco discusses the Star Wars series Andor in light of the second season. He explains why the series is so good and so different from other series in the Star Wars universe.
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Marco from Nerd Culture talks about the first episodes of Andor
Even the look is different from classic Star Wars
What makes Andor so different from other Star Wars projects? Right at the start of the video, Marco makes it clear that you can see immediately why Andor is different. It does not look like Star Wars, but like classic cyberpunk, as seen in Blade Runner (1982).
The first season of Andor does not show how the main character rebels, but how he got to that point. His original goal is to find his sister. Marco explains how the actor, Diego Luna, has a special connection to Cassian. Luna hails from Mexico and understands the feelings of Cassian, who embodies a typical migration story through his name change from Kassa to Cassian.
The inner conflict is also portrayed by the camera, which focuses solely on him. The inner conflict is also evident in one of the first scenes where we see how Cassian has no choice but to kill in this dystopian world.
For the analysis of the first three episodes, Marco focuses on three points: the unique structure, the camera, and the parallels between characters.
What is special about the structure? Marco explains that the first season of Andor is structured into 12 episodes in the form of chapters. Tony Gilroy, the creator of the series, hired a different writer and director for each chapter (each consisting of 3 episodes). He wrote the first 3 episodes himself while Toby Haynes directed them. He is known for Sherlock, Doctor Who, and Black Mirror.
The first 3 episodes have 3 important locations. Marco compares the beginning to the cyberpunk genre, while the junk planet Ferrix resembles Wall-E. Alongside this is Kenari, which tells the backstory of Cassian and shows parallels to Lord of the Flies. To emphasize the previously mentioned focus on Cassian’s past, there is an unknown language and no subtitles on Kenari.
Ultimately, the past also reveals what is slowly happening on Ferrix.
How does the camera narrate? According to Marco, one of the most important aspects is also the camera. It shows the status of the characters. When the camera is with the authorities, it is wide and steady. It shows us order. However, when we are with the oppressed, the camera is more restless. It is close and shaky.
This represents the unrest. But there is also manipulation. When the authorities are in a chaotic situation, the camera is also shaky and restless with them. Marco compares the camera style to an indie film, thus moving further away from Hollywood and classic Star Wars.
Although Gilroy draws on the Western genre, according to Marco, he does not use its heyday but the nihilistic late western.
In the last part of his analysis, Marco focuses on the character Syril Karn. Everything escalates because of him, stemming from the two employees of the security service. Unlike his superior, Hyne, Syril is principled. This is also shown through the staging, which often depicts him standing alone.
He meets Linus Mosk, who is more fanatical but equally enthusiastic. Together they want to capture Cassian, but there is resistance. Mosk, Syril, and their mercenaries are pushed back on Ferrix, using the simplest of means, fitting for a rebellion.
This is also represented by the bell ringer, who initially symbolizes routine and order, but later transforms into a signal for resistance and rebellion. You can find another analysis by Marco here: Disney can’t just copy this
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Foxhole, known for its massive battles on Steam and allowing its players to compete against each other for weeks, celebrates the release of a new update that brings many improvements.
What kind of game is this? Foxhole is a large MMO on Steam where players wage wars and fight for victory. The game is inspired by World War II, so the weapons, war machinery, and uniforms are designed accordingly.
What has changed? The developers of Foxhole have made many improvements, especially regarding performance. Map posts, collision physics, items and supplies, as well as client optimization fall under the adjustments. This is aimed at ensuring a smoother frame rate while players venture into different areas.
In addition to adjustments, there are also new features. These include:
Jumping while carrying injured players
New options for your loadout
New animations for your character
Camera rotation while aiming
New tooltips to help new players
Moreover, two new weapons are added, such as colonial field mortars and an RPG against tanks. Finally, you can now also hoist flags on the battlefield that have unique designs. More details can be found in the official post by the developers on Steam (via store.steampowered.com).
In addition to Foxhole, there are also other MMOs and MMORPGs that you can test and play on Steam. We have selected a current list of the best titles for you. Here is the overview of the best games 2025: The 10 Currently Best MMOs and MMORPGs 2025
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
As a role-playing game, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 aims to provide all RPG fans with a relatively realistic playground designed to make them feel like they are truly traveling through 15th-century Bohemia. This has clearly left an impression on some fans.
What distinguishes the role-playing game? You can find the long answer to this question in our review of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. The short answer: The developers do an excellent job of throwing players into their role as Heinrich in a game world where freedom, immersion, and a realistic touch are all prioritized.
All inhabitants have a plausible daily routine. They even pack their clothes into a box before sleeping, then wake up, have breakfast, work, and visit the tavern in the evening, swaying home tipsy. This is supported by the day-night cycle of the game world.
All inhabitants react (usually) reasonably to Heinrich’s presence and actions.
As Heinrich, you need to eat, wash, sleep, take care of your armor, and improve your learned skills through constant practice.
Activities like alchemy and blacksmithing are credibly represented in the game, with individual steps involved.
Many locations from Kingdom Come 2, such as the town of Kuttenberg or Trosky Castle, have been designed based on their real-life counterparts. Those familiar with the corresponding locations in the Czech Republic will recognize much in the game.
There are hardly any other games where you can traverse such realistically designed forests.
It is precisely the details that set Kingdom Come 2 apart from other role-playing games:
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Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Details, die das Spiel perfekt machen
Stories of Thieves and Dung
How do fans express their role-playing? The game world of Kingdom Come 2 radiates an atmosphere with its vast meadows and dense forests that both excites and evokes a sense of wanderlust. Accordingly, many fans are currently setting off to visit some of the well-known places from the game and immerse themselves in the old Bohemia.
When you have sneaked through Trosky Castle in the game, only to find yourself suddenly standing in the real fortress courtyard, it is both fascinating and amusing. So amusing that numerous visitors to the Czech Republic write their online reviews as if they were actually one of the characters from Kingdom Come 2.
The result is winkingly humorous accounts filled with allusions to the events of the role-playing game that could easily confuse someone unfamiliar with Kingdom Come 2.
Theodor Heinke writes on Google: “After I had squandered my last coins in the barracks, I found myself in front of the castle gate. We were just announcing our arrival when my traveling companion Hans was soiled with dung by a rogue on the watchtower. I have never seen such foolish nonsense before. I will not set foot in this cursed castle again for the time being.”
Laetitia Junker jokes on Google: “Went with my friend Hans Capon. The dungeon is large and the individual cells are sufficient for 2 people! This place is always worth a visit! Don’t jump into the well; while you may end up in a cave system, you’ll probably break at least one bone.”
Mar schel (MrOMWTF) summarizes on Google: “After my buddy Hans was covered with dung by the guards, I almost left. However, a good Czech beer convinced me to stay. Sure, a guy named Ulrich wanted to send Hans to the gallows later, but we still had a fun outing.”
Mehmet C. summarizes his visit to the Welscher Hof on Google: “Couldn’t visit it, apparently a group of people raided the place and stole all the silver!”
A lawsuit that began in 2021 has now reached its conclusion. The MMORPG company Webzen must pay a large multi-million fine to publisher NCsoft and permanently take a game offline.
What led to the lawsuit and which game is involved? The court case revolved around the MMORPG R2 Mobile (R2M) from the South Korean company Webzen (MU Online, Metin 2), which was released in 2020 for Android and iOS devices.
In their lawsuit, the representatives of publisher NCsoft (Guild Wars 2, Aion, Blade & Soul) stated that R2M is a blatant copy of their own mobile title Lineage M. They argued that Webzen’s game was not only visually reminiscent of the Lineage spinoff but also in terms of systems, mechanics, and loot drop rates.
In August 2023, MeinMMO reported that NCsoft won the initial lawsuit. At that time, the defendants indicated they intended to appeal. Ultimately, the case reached the Supreme Court of Seoul, which delivered its final verdict on March 27, 2025.
Throne and Liberty also comes from NCsoft:
Start video
Throne and Liberty: Trailer shows regions of the Wilderness of Talandre expansion
Heavy fine but also high revenue
What is the ruling of the Supreme Court? As businesskorea.co.kr reports, the court again ruled in favor of NCsoft. According to the verdict, Webzen did not infringe the publisher’s copyright but gained an advantage through unfair competition.
Webzen must
take R2 Mobile offline and may not promote, advertise, reproduce, distribute, transmit or adapt it in the future
pay a fine of 16.9 billion Won to NCsoft, which is about 10.1 million Euros
cover 60 percent of the legal costs
After the initial defeat in court, Webzen would have only had to pay a fine of 1 billion Won (just over 632,000 Euros). NCsoft, on the other hand, would have liked to receive 60 billion Won from the defendant.
Also noteworthy: the current amount of 16.1 billion Won is said to be the highest fine ever imposed in a copyright dispute within the gaming industry at a South Korean court.
According to the ruling, the 16.1 billion Won is said to represent exactly 10 percent of the total revenue that Webzen has earned with R2M over the years. This partly explains why Webzen does not want to lose its mobile cash cow at any cost (it appears they also want to contest this ruling and file for an injunction to prevent the game’s shutdown).
On the other hand, the amount of the fine is not expected to cause Webzen financial problems or deter them from doing something similar in the future. Overall, the R2M project has proved to be financially worthwhile for the free-to-play provider. Therefore, other MMORPG providers are likely to continue risking being sued for copyright infringement. One game has been particularly imitated: 5 quirky games that actually copy World of Warcraft
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Some spells in Baldur’s Gate 3 cause panic even before they are cast. Because then a companion runs for her life.
There are many abilities and spells in Baldur’s Gate. Most of them have some utility in combat or during dialogues. However, there is also one spell that is so effective that a party member flees from it permanently – and this even before you have spoken the spell. The reason for this is rooted in the story of this companion.
Plans for Baldur’s Gate 4 are already underway, but not everyone is pleased:
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Hasbro hat Pläne für Baldur’s Gate 4, doch die Fans glauben: “Ein Studio müsste irre sein, um Larian nachzueifern”
The spell in question is “Create Water”. This is an ability that is mostly rather unspectacular and has little effect in most battles. It creates an area of water that extinguishes fire, soaks characters, and thereby gives them a temporary weakness to electrical attacks.
However, while most characters do not react at all to the effect selection of spells, Shadowheart behaves differently. If you want to use “Create Water” outside of combat and merely hover over Shadowheart with the targeting selection, she immediately runs away to avoid being hit.
Why does Shadowheart flee from the spell? The reason is not that Shadowheart is worried about her make-up or is generally critical of the concept of showering. Instead, it has to do with a trait of Shadowheart that is only revealed late in the game through dialogues: She cannot swim. Therefore, her fear of water is so great that she avoids even the possibility of being hit by a large amount of water.
This also explains why the final test of Shar and the transition into her shadow realm is a pool full of water, in which one must practically drown. A final test that likely affects no one as hard as Shadowheart.
In any case, it is quite fascinating how many little details the developers have woven into Baldur’s Gate 3. It will probably take several more years until all the hidden details have truly been discovered – but that is precisely one of the reasons why Baldur’s Gate 3 is still extremely popular today.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Dawn of the Hunt, Path of Exile 2 takes its next big step towards release. On the occasion of the new season, director Jonathan Rogers also talked about the competition in an interview.
Why doesn’t he want to defeat Diablo 4? Although two other games in the same genre as Path of Exile 2, Diablo 4 and Last Epoch, are succeeding, Game Director Jonathan Roger is not worried. In an interview with PC Gamer, he reveals that it is not his goal to leave other ARPGs behind with Path of Exile 2.
“There is room for many different players in this genre. It doesn’t have to be that there is only one game that dominates all others.”
Throughout the interview, he also explains why the competition in the genre does not harm his game, attributing this to the secret recipe of its predecessor, Path of Exile.
Here you can see the new trailer for the season “Dawn of the Hunt”:
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Path of Exile 2 presents gameplay trailer with the new Hunter class
Satisfied under one condition
When is the director satisfied? The fact that players in the ARPG genre switch back and forth between games has been established for years. For the head of Path of Exile 2, this circumstance is a positive one. He explains his goal as follows: “As long as people are willing to play our game for a month four times a year, that’s fine with me.”
Rogers is not about outshining other games but rather about drawing players in the genre back to the game four times a year with their seasonal content and keeping them engaged for a month. If gamers switch to another game with a new season start after that month, it seems to be no problem for the Game Director.
“ARPGs are one of the genres where the player community has embraced the idea of the season, where you play the game for a while, then stop, play something else, and then come back and play the next season,” Rogers says in the interview with PC Gamer. “That is somewhat of an expectation in this genre, partly because our approach to this issue has inspired a lot of that.”
Path of Exile (1) established seasons over many years and ensured that ARPG players keep coming back to their titles. That is probably also the secret recipe of the game, that it manages to consistently provide entry points for players.
Does the director play other ARPGs? Yes, in the interview he reveals that he also plays other ARPGs, but he is not someone who “reaches the full endgame grind of many other action RPGs.” His inspirations for PoE2 often come from games unrelated to the genre.
When I’m looking for inspirations for game design, I usually look at things outside our genre… For example, I want to play Civilization or something like that and then see what interesting mechanisms I could steal from it, as opposed to what I could steal from other action RPGs.
The entry into World of Warcraft can be challenging. We at MeinMMO will tell you which class is perfect for taking your first steps into Azeroth.
World of Warcraft offers a pretty large selection of options to dive into Azeroth with its 13 classes and 39 specializations. But which class should a newcomer choose?
We introduce you to three classes that are perfect for newcomers in World of Warcraft, so you can have an easy start in 2025.
Update: The article was updated on September 12, 2025. The article is now fit for the expansion The War Within and patch 11.2 Spirits of K’aresh.
Cortyn has been playing World of Warcraft for over 20 years and has spent so many hours in Azeroth that one might not want to know the exact number. 11 of those years have already been spent writing articles for MeinMMO.
Over time, different classes have been switched between and played both for the Horde and the Alliance, allowing Cortyn to gain extensive insight into the entire game. Just don’t argue with Cortyn about the lore. That won’t end well.
Paladin – The Allround Talent
Who is the Paladin suitable for? The Paladin is suitable for those undecided players who still don’t know whether they want to heal, tank, or deal damage in the endgame – because the Paladin can do all of that. With his plate armor and numerous defensive abilities, he is a resilient fighter who can also deal serious damage in melee.
What can Paladins do? Paladins in World of Warcraft essentially have three different orientations to specialize in. The Paladin can take on all three roles that are necessary for a successful group. One of their most well-known abilities is the Divine Shield, which can make them immune to any damage for a few seconds.
Protection (Tank): The Protection Paladin equips a shield and a melee weapon to draw enemy threat to themselves, allowing the rest of the group to deal damage without problems.
Retribution (Damage): The Retribution Paladin relies on strong melee attacks that grant him Holy Power. If he accumulates enough of it, he can use it for powerful special attacks that deal significant damage. Additionally, unlike many other melee fighters, the Retribution Paladin also has very strong survivability skills.
Holy (Healing): The Holy Paladin must use their mana wisely to keep their allies alive. Unlike other healers, the Paladin is mostly found in melee range and combines attacks with healing on his group members.
Pro
Extremely resilient
Strong self-healing
Can fill any role
Contra
No ranged options
Limited race selection
Which races can become Paladins? Only a few races can become Paladins in World of Warcraft. The Alliance has significantly more options than the Horde.
Alliance: Human, Dwarf, Lightforged Draenei, Dark Iron Dwarves, Draenei, Earthen
You should play Paladin if: You want to play a versatile class that can essentially fulfill any role. Paladins are popular among other players because of their versatility, as they can fill any spot in a group and possess strong defensive abilities for all allies.
Recommended specialization: For leveling, it is worth playing in the “Retribution” specialization, as you can handle most challenges solo and deal high damage. Of course, you can switch to Holy or Protection for dungeons if you want to fill other roles in the group.
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WoW: How to quickly farm 500 mysterious sky shards for the mount “Echo of Aln’Sharan”
Hunter – Flexible Killing Machine
Who is the Hunter suitable for? Hunters in World of Warcraft are essentially the ultimate solo class. With a wild animal as a companion, Hunters can handle almost any quest solo and are also well-regarded in groups due to various traps, high damage, and various buff effects. Additionally, there is an extra collection aspect – as there are many rare and great animals in WoW that can be tamed by the Hunter.
Hunters fight from a distance – and can use wild animals.
What can Hunters do? Hunters are responsible for dealing damage in all of their specializations. They ensure that enemies die quickly in a group. At the same time, they can rely on an animal companion, which acts as a tank in solo play, drawing the enemy’s threat to itself. Optionally, there are several control effects to slow down or incapacitate enemies.
Beast Mastery (Damage): As the name suggests, Beast Mastery Hunters specialize in their companions. The animals of this Hunter are particularly powerful and deal a significant portion of the damage. Many abilities enhance the companions or even summon additional wild animals that then swarm over the enemies as a pack.
Marksmanship (Damage): Marksmanship Hunters are the snipers among hunters and can do without a companion. They deal massive damage from a distance using a variety of different shots and abilities. Whether single-target or group damage, the Marksmanship Hunter has a wide range of abilities.
Survival (Damage): The Survival Hunter was significantly overhauled a few years ago and has a unique feature: it is a melee specialization. Instead of attacking from a distance with a bow or rifle, the Hunter engages with the enemy up close, hitting them hard.
Pro
Extremely good solo options
Three varied specializations
Collectible wild animals as companions
Contra
Only DPS specializations
Hunters still have a negative reputation as “bad players” among many
Which races can become Hunters? As Hunters, you have a huge selection of possible races. All playable species on Azeroth can become Hunters.
Alliance: Human, Void Elf, Dwarf, Lightforged Draenei, Night Elves, Dark Iron Dwarves, Gnomes, Kul Tirans, Draenei, Mecha-Gnomes, Worgen, Pandaren, Dracthyr, Earthen
You should play Hunter if: You want a class that can handle almost any challenge solo. Collectors of animals will also be satisfied here. But beware: Hunters have had a negative reputation for 20 years, as many consider them to be bad players – but maybe you can prove everyone wrong?
Recommended specialization: For leveling, the “Beast Mastery” specialization is worthwhile. Not only do you have access to more interesting companions, but they also take on many tasks in combat, such as tanking. Ultimately, however, all three specializations are suitable for leveling and you can choose freely.
Warlock – Diverse Spellcasters with Great Utility
Who is the Warlock suitable for? Warlocks are the perfect class for anyone who wants to play a mage but feels too fragile doing so. Although the Warlock wears cloth, he is extremely resilient and can handle numerous tough fights solo. This is also due to the powerful demons he can summon, which he can even resummon in battle if he dies.
Warlocks have plenty of demons by their side that play important roles.
What can Warlocks do? Warlocks are responsible for damage in all specializations. In most cases, they are accompanied by a specialized demon that can fulfill different roles, such as tanking. Additionally, Warlocks have helpful effects for the entire group. Healthstones count as extra healing potions, and by using summons, the Warlock can directly call his group members to him, reducing travel time. A Soulstone can save a teammate from death or even be used as a resurrection in combat.
Destruction (Damage): Warlocks that focus on Destruction use significantly fewer spells than their colleagues, but all of them deal fire damage and very high damage numbers. A few spells keep the gameplay quite simple while still yielding good results.
Affliction (Damage): As an Affliction Warlock, you’re somewhat in the traditional style of warlocks. You place long-term, diverse curses and debuffs on enemies while slowly draining their life force.
Demonology (Damage): If you specialize in Demonology, then the Warlock does somewhat less damage himself – most of it comes from the minions. However, you summon not just one demon but several dozen. You conjure numerous imps, felhunters, and other creatures that deal the majority of the damage in battle. You are the summoner, and the demons execute your will.
Pro
Extremely good solo options
Top group utility thanks to Soulstone, Healthstone, and summons
Great customization options for the appearance of the demons
Contra
Only DPS specializations
Low mobility in combat
Which races can become Warlocks? To become a Warlock, one only needs to stray a little from the path as a mage or open oneself to dark forces – every race has the potential for that.
Alliance: Human, Void Elf, Dwarf, Lightforged Draenei, Night Elves, Dark Iron Dwarves, Gnomes, Kul Tirans, Draenei, Mecha-Gnomes, Worgen, Pandaren, Dracthyr, Earthen
You should play Warlock if: Warlocks are the perfect compromise if you want to play a spellcaster but can also take a hit. In groups, you are a welcome member thanks to useful abilities for your teammates. If you prefer a generally dark look, want to rain fire down from the sky, and throw around demons, then the Warlock is best suited for you.
Recommended specialization: For relaxed leveling with only a few abilities, the Destruction Warlock is worthwhile. When adventuring alone, summon your Voidwalker to bind enemies for you. This way, you can annihilate them from a safe distance with powerful spells before they can even become a threat.
Play what you enjoy: Ultimately, these are just recommendations. Many classes in World of Warcraft play extremely differently from specialization to specialization, so you should feel free to experiment a bit at the beginning.
However, note that most classes are not “fully” functional until later in the course. Abilities are added throughout the leveling phase. A class that seems boring at level 8 can be extremely challenging and fun at level 80.
It is particularly through the talent tree that the true feel of a class only becomes apparent with increasing levels. If you’re unsure, you should at least stick around until level 30 to get a rough feel of the class. Otherwise, it’s always worth having a chat with friends who can share their experiences. We have examined whether starting anew with The War Within is worth it in this article. Which class would you recommend to newcomers and why?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In video games, there are certain rules that transcend various titles and are universally understood by the general public of players. Rules that are taken for granted, which can be applied to almost any game and function without explanation – Or do you not know what a red potion does?
Those who play various video games will likely have noticed that healing potions or potions related to vitality are almost always depicted in red, while mana potions or potions related to magic are shown in blue.
Examples of this can be found in games like Elden Ring (see below), World of Warcraft, Baldur’s Gate 3, or even Dungeons & Dragons. A general understanding that is transferable to many different games.
To clarify the question of why red represents healing and blue represents magic, some knowledge of color theory in relation to game design is needed. What sounds like dry theory is actually more understandable and logical than one might think.
So, which of these potions from Elden Ring is the healing potion?
Thus, a kind of subconscious color language developed over the course of video game development as a medium that almost everyone who plays regularly understands. But how did this understanding come about? And how is each color used in video games?
Colors are used in the visual language of video games to convey information. They serve as signals that are meant to show players at a glance what to expect from something. The game has to explain less through text or dialogue, which the principle “Show, don’t tell” facilitates for better immersion.
What do certain colors mean in video games?
The meaning of individual colors has never been officially “determined” or randomly assigned. Instead, it lies in nature and culture and therefore elicits the same effect in many people.
Green and Red
The colors green and red are often associated with life. Green represents grass, plants, and nature. Red represents blood, decay, but also passion and courage. Life bars are often depicted in green and/or red, and many games use a red vignette at the screen edges to indicate damage taken. For this reason, a red potion is associated with healing and vitality.
Blue
Blue often appears in video games in relation to magic. It is the color of the sky and sea and also represents tranquility and focus. Mana is a resource that users of magic need when they have only a limited amount of spell power available.
The concept of mana in video games mainly comes from Southeast Asian cultures, where mana is considered a sacred power of supernatural origin. This influence of oceanic culture in relation to controlling a supernatural power of nature is the origin and reason why a blue potion is associated with magic and/or mana.
Yellow and White
The colors yellow and white are used in games for information and navigation. They are often employed in UIs to highlight or mark items, but also in the environment to indicate direction. They are bright and eye-catching and thus draw attention quickly, just like white stars in the dark night sky or a light from a lamp that shows the way.
Purple
Purple is often used in games for unknown and unnatural influences. In some cases, it is a secondary color of magic from a “corrupted” source. It is a color that rarely occurs in nature and was very expensive in earlier times. For this reason, the color is seen as a sign of royalty, corruption, and power. Additionally, it is often used for poison.
Of course, there are additional factors that can influence how colors are perceived. The saturation of a color (how bright or muted it is), the color palette (the harmony of the colors used), and the context of a color within a story can significantly influence its effect.
However, this brief excursion into the color theory of video games should clarify the question of why healing potions are red and mana potions are blue. Perhaps now you can even better understand other potions in their color design. By the way, there is also a fixed color code for loot: Why is loot always white, green, blue, purple, and gold?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Warner Bros. is a large game publisher that has suffered significant losses in recent months. Therefore, the company is rethinking some games, including Hogwarts Legacy.
What is happening with Hogwarts Legacy now? As Bloomberg reports, the publisher has canceled a planned DLC for Hogwarts Legacy. Along with this, a Definitive Edition that would have included the base game and the expansion has also been shelved.
The DLC was intended to bring new storylines to Hogwarts and thereby extend the plot. It was originally scheduled for release this year. However, Warner canceled the project this week.
The publisher did not reveal the reason for this decision. However, there is information from close associates of the project that explains why it was scrapped.
You can watch the trailer for Hogwarts Legacy here:
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Hogwarts Legacy: Official Launch Trailer
Warner Bros. changes its course in gaming
Why is this cancellation happening? According to anonymous sources, Warner Bros. had concerns that the scope of the DLC was not large enough. The planned price would not have been justified, which is why they decided to abandon the expansion entirely.
Furthermore, this is not the first significant decision the publisher has made recently. The company has had to deal with several flops:
Things look even gloomier for MultiVersus: It is already confirmed that the plug will be pulled in May 2025. This means it’s already over after Season 5.
This also impacts the sequel to Hogwarts Legacy. The title is now being developed with a different focus. It was originally meant to be a “Games as a Service” title, which means a game that regularly receives expansions and updates. However, Warner Bros. is currently moving away from this model.
The “Games as a Service” model is also prevalent in MMOs. Titles like Destiny 2, GTA V Online, or The Division fall under this category. What exactly is meant by this term and how it relates to World of Warcraft is explained by MeinMMO in a separate article: What does MMO mean today? Games-as-a-service
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Diablo, you have been happily slaughtering your way through the world for decades, taking down demons, ratmen, and other vermin that have the misfortune to land at the other end of your blade. But did you know that the world where all this happens owes its existence to a special stone – which was once part of a dragon?
The story of Diablo primarily takes place in Sanctuary, the world of humans that is occasionally “visited” by angels and demons. In Sanctuary, there are many regions and areas, most recently, the jungle around Kurast was added in Diablo 4, a stark contrast to the desert of Kehjistan or the icy mountains of the Shattered Peaks.
Despite the diverse areas, Sanctuary is relatively small compared to the world as a whole or with other universes like the gigantic Azeroth from World of Warcraft or the absurd scaling of Warhammer.
However, Sanctuary is not meant to be huge. Originally, this small world was supposed to be just that, as the name suggests: a refuge. That it even exists is due to only two beings – and a powerful stone that set in motion the greatest war of the world.
We are talking about the Worldstone, an object that veterans have likely known since Diablo 2 and which still plays an important role today.
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Diablo 4: The Official Story Trailer for Release
A piece of a dragon becomes a point of eternal contention
In fact, the Worldstone is not a “stone” in the conventional sense, but a remnant of the dragon Anu. Anu is the very first being in the world of Diablo and died in battle with his brother Tathamet.
The two dragons were absolute opposites: light and dark, good and evil, physical and magical. In a fight, the two dragons killed each other. From Tathamet, the seven evils of hell emerged, while the Worldstone remained from Anu.
The Worldstone, or the “Heart of Creation,” has the power to create and change entire realities or to destroy worlds in an instant. Whoever touches the stone is irrevocably changed – even souls.
An artifact with such power is correspondingly sought after. After it was discovered, the Endless Conflict broke out, the never-ending war between angels and demons. The whole goal of this war is the dominion over the Worldstone. But two people had something against it.
An angel and a demoness steal a stone …
During the war, the angel Inarius and the demoness Lilith met under … questionable circumstances. Tired of the endless war, the two, along with a few defectors, stole the Worldstone and hid it.
To protect Sanctuary and the Worldstone, Inarius hid the artifact in Berk Arreat and bound the power to himself – which made him significantly stronger. At the same time, he weakened the humans, which Lilith, as the mother of humanity, was not pleased with at all. This led to new conflicts.
Ultimately, it was the humans themselves, through their hubris, who attracted demons, most notably Mephisto, the oldest of all evils. Sanctuary was eventually discovered, and the Eternal Conflict expanded into the world of humans.
The Worldstone today: Thousands of shards with incredible power
Throughout Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction, you can observe the Great Evil Baal as he corrupts the Worldstone. Successfully: the Heart of Creation is corrupted, and the angel Tyrael sees no other option but to destroy the stone.
The explosion destroys Mount Arreat, which is why you only know it as a crater since Diablo 3 and Diablo Immortal. The shards of the Worldstone, however, are still powerful enough to corrupt everything they touch or to change reality.
The entire story of Diablo Immortal revolves around the shards of the Worldstone and what happens to them. Today, hardly anyone among the humans in Sanctuary knows about it, except perhaps the Horadrim, who are nearly wiped out by the time of Diablo 4.
Some of the shards have also given rise to soul stones, originally prisons for the souls of angels and demons, which today, due to their corruption, are sources of power.
One exception is the Black Soulstone, created by Zoltun Kul. This special stone was meant to bind the souls of many angels and demons, thus capturing all seven evils. How that turned out is told in the story of Reaper of Souls: An angel killed 90% of the humans in Diablo 3, thrilling fans for Diablo 4
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The dead Heroes of the Storm is coming back – namely in the Game Pass. Does this mean that the development of the game will continue?
Fans of Heroes of the Storm can cling to a small spark of hope that their favorite game will be revived once again. After all, Microsoft has now included Heroes of the Storm in the Game Pass, which brings joy – as some speculate that Blizzard’s MOBA could now be actively developed again.
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Der Cinematic-Trailer zu Blizzards MOBA Heroes of the Storm
What has been revealed now? Heroes of the Storm is coming to Microsoft’s Game Pass. Since Heroes of the Storm is already a “Free 2 Play” game, this comes with some bonuses. Players who experience Heroes of the Storm through the Game Pass will instantly unlock 30 heroes – a significant portion of all available characters. This allows players to jump right into the MOBA and try out a broad range of heroes.
What kind of game was HotS? Heroes of the Storm was Blizzard’s attempt to participate in the big MOBA hype that was mainly divided among games like League of Legends, DOTA 2, or SMITE. With fresh approaches, such as a stronger team-oriented concept and better accessibility through selectable talents instead of complex item builds, the game aimed to break through – but it never succeeded.
The date seems suspicious: Some may find the date a bit suspicious, as Heroes of the Storm was released almost exactly 10 years ago – on March 13, 2014. The fact that the game is now added to the Game Pass almost perfectly on the anniversary brings hope among fans.
How the community is reacting: In the subreddit for Heroes of the Storm, the announcement has garnered the largest post in a long time, with over 2,000 upvotes. Many are hopeful that the game could come back – others warn against too much hope, as it could quickly lead to disappointment.
“Please be nice to the new players. We need them.” – vividimaginer
“Finally, Microsoft notices HotS. It was certainly time for the game to be revived, that’s for sure.” – SilverBeever
“Bring your razors, we’re gonna do a few lines of Hopium.” – itisburgers
Whether Heroes of the Storm will actually be “revived” remains to be seen. A very small team has still been working on patches and updates in recent years, but these only made minor balancing changes. There have not been any major changes to the game design or new characters for years. But perhaps this will change if many people show interest in HotS through the Game Pass. That would be nice, as HotS is still a good game.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
More and more cards are ending up in Pokémon TCG Pocket. This makes a popular ex-card increasingly useful. Or?
It’s that time again: An expansion is landing in Pokémon TCG Pocket and the card pool is growing. The new set is called “Shining Festival” and brings some new arrivals.
One example of the best new cards is the Trainer card “Red”. The legendary Trainer has a cool ability that allows your cards to deal an additional 20 damage when they battle against an ex-Pokémon. And even in the last expansions, Trainer cards have been added that turned out to be extremely useful.
While there were very limited supporter cards at the release of TCG Pocket, the field is now widening. As a result, more emphasis is being placed on strong Trainers, and they are filling more decks. But this, in turn, plays into the hands of a monster that relies on just that: Gengar-ex.
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Pokémon TCG Pocket: New Trailer for the Mini Expansion Shining Festival
Why Gengar-ex is happy right now – and still facing difficulties
As new sets come out, new discussions about the new best cards in the game arise. It usually revolves around fresh cards from the latest set. However, Reddit user Chicken_Grapefruit noticed that the ever-improving Trainer cards are also benefiting the older Gengar-ex card. A corresponding discussion in the subreddit for Pokémon TCG Pocket drew attention (you can find the Reddit discussion here).
The point is as follows: Gengar-ex has an ability that prevents your opponents from playing any supporter cards from their hand as long as Gengar-ex is in the active position. Players relying on cards like Misty, Red, Blue, Giovanni, Cyrus, or other supporters will be left without options.
And as new sets also introduce new, strong supporters into the game, Gengar-ex becomes increasingly useful.
Gengar stops supporters – theoretically at least.
But: One fundamental problem of Gengar-ex is not resolved. The card still carries several weaknesses.
The big issue is that Gengar is the second evolution of Gastly. This means that you first need to evolve Gastly, and then also evolve Haunter to Gengar. By the time you manage that, it might already be too late.
Additionally, Gengar does not deal a lot of damage. 100 damage is simply too little for some monsters.
Moreover, the ability is only triggered in the active position. This is also inconvenient compared to other abilities in the game.
What can be said in favor of Gengar is its 170 hit points. That’s quite a lot, assuming it hasn’t taken too much damage before evolving. Additionally, Gengar can be made more useful with healing cards or Pokémon tools.
In conclusion, it can be said: Yes, Gengar is getting stronger. However, it is still questionable whether it will truly become a top option or if other cards will outpace it in the long run. What do you think? Let us know in the comments! And if you want to discover some of the best combinations in the game: Check out our list of the best meta decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In August 2024, the gaming magazine Game Informer closed and laid off all employees. The magazine had been around since 1991, serving as a gateway to the world of video games for many Americans. Now, three-quarters of a year after the end, the website and print magazine are making a comeback. Behind the miracle are a studio from Frankfurt, Germany, and Neil Blomkamp, the director of District 9.
What is Game Informer and why is it so important to gaming? Game Informer was founded in 1991 and was a classic monthly gaming magazine in print, similar to GameStar in Germany.
In 2000, Game Informer was acquired by the retail chain GameStop. This increased the magazine’s visibility: The retail chain promoted the magazine, and it was available in many of its stores across the USA.
In the years that followed, Game Informer featured numerous exclusive stories on AAA games in its print magazine and on its website, hoping to gain attention from the collaboration. At its peak, the print magazine reached a circulation of 8 million.
However, in August 2024, the now heavily troubled company GameStop closed Game Informer after 33 years and laid off all employees. The issue from June 2024, number 368, was the last issue of the print magazine. The website simply stated “Farewell.” It was a blow for employees and readers alike.
The new game from Neil Blomkamp, Off the Grid. He has now saved the magazine:
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Off The Grid shows gameplay in a dystopian cyberpunk world
Gaming studio buys magazine, rehiring all employees
This is now the news: The editor-in-chief of the magazine reported on the revived website that two crazy things have happened in the past months (via gameinformer):
The Game Informer brand has been bought and revived
The entire team that previously worked on Game Informer has been rehired and is working together again
They will now resume work, and the print magazine is expected to be published again. The editor-in-chief himself seems incredulous about what is happening:
The entire team. Seriously – I still have to pinch myself.
German gaming studio saves US magazine
Who is behind this? The savior of the magazine is director Neil Blomkamp (“District 9”, “Chappie”).
Blomkamp co-founded the gaming studio “Gunzilla Games” in 2020 and works there as Chief Creative Officer on “OFF THE GRID”, a free battle royale title.
Game Informer states: The new owners have assured that they would keep their hands off Game Informer, and that the editorial team should work 100% independently.
This is how it is discussed: On reddit, the news is received positively:
“This is great news. I hope the archived material over the years isn’t lost. There is real gaming history in there.”
However, there are also some doubts:
“Gunzilla Games – whose only known game is an early-access NFT game that barely works”
“I think it’s good news, but how can Gunzilla Games afford this?”
This is behind it: Game Informer, due to its strong ties to the retail chain “GameStop”, was not a magazine that criticized the gaming industry particularly, but the exclusive stories were informative and unique in the media landscape. Its absence was felt.
The decision to even bring back the print magazine now seems to go against every current trend. Gaming magazines have recently been in a phase of consolidation, with more magazines being shut down and jobs cut. Therefore, this resurrection really resembles a miracle for the laid-off employees. Let’s see how this develops. Gaming site acquired by IGN, loses last editor, sends nice greetings
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With March 2025, this year’s winter season of animes also comes to an end. There were again several series that were highly praised by fans. Which anime did you like the most in the last 3 months?
Spring is approaching, and new animes are on the way. But that also means that the last episodes of the current season are being aired. Fans have to wait until a new season begins or hope that the animes will be aired in 2 cours.
Solo Leveling: Trailer for Season 2 Arise from the Shadow
Vote for which animes impressed you the most in winter 2025
Therefore, vote for which series you liked best from January 2025 to March 2025. Since there are several animes to choose from and we do not want to limit you to just one anime, you have 3 votes to distribute.
The biggest highlights are available for you to choose from. We did not differentiate whether it is a completely new anime, a new season, or the continuation of a season. The only important thing was that the anime had not been aired on any other German streaming service yet.
If we forgot an anime, you can vote for “Another anime” and tell us in the comments which series you liked best. There will be no separate article for the evaluation, so be sure to check back regularly to see the current status!
There will also be great hits in the upcoming seasons of 2025 that fans can look forward to. You probably won’t manage to watch every anime that interests you. If your time is limited and you need to sort through, we recommend you watch the following series: If you can only watch 10 animes in 2025, then these
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With “Day of Reckoning: Aftershock”, DC Universe Online not only expands the current story arc, the superhero MMORPG also follows in the footsteps of WoW with a new feature.
What kind of new feature is this? Since June 2022, the once feuding factions Horde and Alliance in World of Warcraft have been able to tackle instanced content together, such as battlegrounds, dungeons, or raids. This was a historic adjustment that sparked heated discussions in the community.
With the freshly released Aftershock update for the “Day of Reckoning” story arc that started in January 2025, all fans of DC Universe Online can now expect something similar. The heroes and villains of the MMORPG can now join the same league (read: guild) for the first time and play under a common banner.
However, it seems that a mixed group cannot yet join the queues for the different content of the MMORPG.
The gameplay trailer for the PS4 version of DC Universe Online:
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DC Universe Online PS4 Gameplay Trailer
What else does the new update bring? Aftershock intensifies the fight against darkness and, in addition to the faction merging, delivers the following highlight innovations:
A new open-world boss awaits you in the infernal Overlord Neron
There is now an elite plus version of the alarm surrounding the attack on the Kaznian Necropolis
There is an elite plus version for the raid of the Kaznian Necropolis
There is an elite plus version for Neron’s Underworld raid
Anyone who fully collects the new exorcism kit will receive a supernatural Hellblazer aura
In heavily populated areas, phasing is now expected to run much smoother
Dazzling_Newspaper43 writes in a discussion on Reddit: “I’m not sure what the point of a mixed league is if you can’t queue up with a mixed group.”
Last_Manufacturer397 responds on Reddit: “Since the leagues on the hero side are more active, people are likely to join an active league with buffs rather than one that has nothing.”
Vilkath criticizes the update on Reddit: “I mean, it’s pretty standard fare … elite plus versions of some of the worst content ever. Double rewards for items we’ve been grinding for one or two months already … The league thing is nice, but […] I don’t think it helps when you can’t form groups with a mixed team.”
ThickChickLover520 also wishes on Reddit: “Just merge villains and heroes into one faction. That will help save the dying population.”
The Kickstarter campaign of the SciFi MMORPG Stars Reach by developer veteran Raph Koster has successfully ended. The team behind the game was not only able to raise several times the targeted amount but also welcomed a new investor.
Meanwhile, the campaign has ended, and the ticker on kickstarter.com shows 752,936 US dollars (approximately 698,550 euros). 5,318 supporters have backed the project with their money. But it is not only for this reason that the crowdfunding initiative of Playable Worlds is a success.
In a post on mailchi.mp, the developers explain that thanks to the successful Kickstarter campaign, they were able to welcome an initial investor who is bringing in a sum that is expected to exceed the crowdfunding results on Kickstarter.
This allows Playable Worlds to have at least 1.5 million US dollars to finalize the MMORPG, which is already playable in a pre-alpha version.
A first trailer for Stars Reach from the pre-alpha:
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First trailer shows the new Star Reach
700,000 Dollars for Playable Vampires
Which stretch goals are financed? In Kickstarter campaigns, it is common to unlock additional development milestones when certain amounts of money are raised through crowdfunding. MMORPG fans who have an eye on Stars Reach can look forward to a total of 7 new features.
These include alliances for guilds, visual customization options for crafted items, a comprehensive expansion of the building system, and four races. It has already been clear for a while that the Hansian, Hyugon, and fairies will be included in the game. However, shortly before the end, a vampire race called the Stokadi also qualified for the launch. A new blog post on kickstarter.com shows the first artworks.
Who is behind the project? The industry veteran Raph Koster was the lead designer of Ultima Online (released in 1997) and the creative director of Star Wars Galaxies (2003). The veteran is also known for his expertise in development: In an interview with MeinMMO, Koster spoke about the development of MMOs and explained that WoW killers almost killed MMOs.
But many other veterans are also part of the team, having worked on titles such as EverQuest, EverQuest 2, Eve Online, Diablo 2, Diablo 3, StarCraft, StarCraft 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Rift, Age of Conan, and many other well-known games.
What do I need to know about Stars Reach? The ambitions for the Galaxy Sandbox MMORPG are great. There are to be hundreds of worlds that should feel alive and can be changed. The game aims to feature an action-packed yet also tactically demanding combat system.
However, there should also be peaceful ways to have fun with Stars Reach. You should be able to create planetary maps that can then be turned into profit. Or you could become a miner, a chosen governor, or pursue a completely different profession within the player-driven economy.
When someone calls a person a “troll” on the internet, they usually don’t mean it positively. But why are the troublemakers and instigators actually called that?The new Trivia article from MeinMMO reveals it to you!
In the give and take of the internet, the terms “troll” or “trolling” occasionally come up. However, this does not refer to the big-footed, often stylishly groomed trolls from World of Warcraft (via worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com), but to people who deliberately want to drive others crazy. But where does the term come from? MeinMMO reveals it to you.
One of the many troll stories from this thing called the internet:
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How the Worst Troll from Twitch Became the Face of League of Legends
On the trail of trolls
Here you will find some of the reports in which MeinMMO has itself used the term “troll” to describe a clearly defined type of person:
All the “trolls” mentioned in the articles have one thing in common: They operate in a way that clearly has a negative impact on the gaming experience of others. It’s about deliberate provocation, from a certain position of power – because the victims of the “trolls” often cannot defend themselves.
However, so-called “trolling” is not limited to games. It often refers to people who deliberately torpedo discussions in social media, forums, chats, or other communication platforms by posting provocative contributions.
Their goal is often to make other participants so angry that they lose their temper and respond with emotional, irrational answers. Or they try to incite conflicts within a community to harm it in the long run, or spread fake news and misinformation to unsettle certain groups.
“Trolling” can even escalate to targeted bullying and systematic harassment of individuals.
Hatred and incitement have no place at GameStar, GamePro, and MeinMMO. What we do every day against hatred is explained in our Statement Against Hate.
Where does the term come from? While the trolls in WoW are really chill dudes, the mythological figure of the clumsy troll is often attributed with malicious traits. However, the term for internet trolls did not emerge from this.
Rather, the term derives from fishing. “Trolling” refers to the technique of gradually pulling a line with bait through the water, fighting for the attention of the fish. This constant baiting and deliberate provocation has then been transferred to the trolls on the internet, who try to do something similar with people.
What motivates trolls? Here we can only refer to the various studies that are quoted on Wikipedia. Trolls apparently seek attention, combat their own boredom, enjoy fun and entertainment, or have personal motives such as revenge.
For those who want to know more, we recommend the lecture by Prof. Dr. Diana Rieger on the topic “Trolls are not just in fairy tales – propaganda, hatred, and misinformation” – you can find it on verfassungsschutz.de.
When it comes to social and political issues, professional groups often stand behind troll activities, specifically engaged in propaganda for their cause. This includes unsettling the followers of the other side, creating unrest among them, and thereby weakening them.
