A Hidden Boss in the First Act of Baldur’s Gate 3 Seems Unassuming – But It Can Suddenly End Your Run

Many bosses in Baldur’s Gate 3 have a powerful and imposing aura that indicates their status as formidable opponents. However, in the first act of the game, there is a creature that seems absolutely harmless but may be stronger than the actual boss of the area.

Which opponent is being referred to? This is about the confused frog in the swamp area of the first act, hopping around near the house of the hag. It is not directly a hostile creature but suffers from a curse that causes it constant pain. This confuses the little swamp dweller so much that it attacks you if left alone.

However, it is best to think twice about whether you want to engage with this unassuming little fellow. According to other players’ experiences, the frog has destroyed entire teams and ruined honor runs.

Here you can see the trailer for Baldur’s Gate 3:

Start video
Baldur’s Gate 3 is coming to PS5 – Trailer prepares for console release

A small body with a lot of power

What can the confused frog do? Even though it only has 12 HP, the frog has an armor class of 31 due to several bonuses and the spell “Mirror Image”, making it not so easy to hit. 

It possesses the ability “Reflective Slime”, which causes the first projectile that flies toward it to be reflected back at the attacker. After an attack, the slime disappears, but it regenerates each round. 

Additionally, it hurls a poisonous substance at multiple opponents, dealing not only 3D8 + 5 poison damage but also poisoning all targets.

Especially an underleveled team looking to explore the swamp and engage in a nice conversation with a pink, “harmless” frog can find itself in trouble. Many players report in the comments of a YouTube video that this frog cost them their honor run.

How should one deal with the frog? Those who can speak with animals can learn about the frog’s pains. The hag of the swamp area is responsible for it. If you initially leave the frog alone and return after defeating the hag, it will be very grateful and even lead you to a small hidden treasure.

However, if you are not a friend of the frog at all or are planning revenge against it, you can also attack it. With its 12 HP, it does not hold up well, so it’s best to take it out with a surprise attack before it strengthens itself with its mirror images.

How does the community feel about the frog? The comments below the above-linked YouTube video about the confused frog speak for themselves: 

  • “I laughed my ass off when that thing destroyed my party” (@Gilhadriel)
  • “Yes, this frog ended my honor run. I thought I would kill it for XP, but that one frog destroyed my whole damn party” (@JohnnyJetpack)
  • “I hate this frog with the furious passion of a million white suns” (@christianbarrera2489)

Larian itself also noted the community’s opinion towards the little jumper and dedicated an animated short film on YouTube in collaboration with Mashed, where the heroes of the game once again face this powerful opponent.

The group looks visibly intimidated by the little frog (Image Source: YouTube, Larian Studios)

In addition to the confused frog, there are other opponents and moments that can turn deadly. While one can simply try again from the last save point in a casual playthrough, some unfortunate moments, a bad roll, or a cheeky remark can sometimes be the end of a multi-hour honor run: 5 decisions in Baldur’s Gate 3 that can kill you instantly

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

The MMORPG of a legendary developer is set to be like the anime where people can’t stop playing an MMO

The new MMORPG Stars Reach on Steam is being created by a legendary developer. Now he has revealed what inspiration he is using.

What kind of game is this? The Galaxy Sandbox MMORPG Stars Reach aims to provide a parallel world where players can dive deep. The game is intended to function as a sandbox, not as a theme park MMORPG, and players are meant to explore the “deeply simulated lifeworlds in a shardless galaxy”.

In contrast to many genre competitors, there is supposed to be a “fully player-driven economy” here, filled with “peaceful gameplay opportunities.” So, those who are not interested in fighting will still be happy in the MMORPG.

Here you can watch the first trailer for the sandbox MMORPG:

Start video
First trailer shows the new Star Reach

MMORPG by a Mastermind 

Who is behind the MMORPG? Industry veteran Raph Koster was the lead designer of Ultima Online, which was released in 1997. He was also the Creative Director of Star Wars Galaxies from 2003. He is also behind the new MMORPG Stars Reach.

In an interview with Gamesradar, the developer spoke about his inspiration for the MMORPG. He mentioned Sword Art Online as the first example. An anime in which the protagonists’ bodies are connected to their characters from an MMO and only become free when they win the game. If they die in the virtual world, it also happens in the real world of the anime.

About Sword Art Online, he says: “It’s a fantasy, of an immersive parallel world, and players yearn for it, we believe […] Just look at all the isekai anime, the Sword Art Onlines and all that. The games shown there are not theme park games. They are immersive, alternative realities, right?”

Is there already an example from the gaming industry? For Raph Koster, his MMORPG is to be a sandbox where players can leave their everyday life behind. He knows exactly how this can work in a video game.

He cites the cozy game Animal Crossing as an example: “If you look at the rise of all these other sandbox game forms on a smaller scale, it’s pretty clear, isn’t it? I think the way Animal Crossing went viral during COVID is a sign of that. So, yes, when you put these things back in context, we believe there is a huge, huge appetite for it.”

Raph Koster has a clear vision of his MMORPG and knows exactly how it should be. Before the game becomes a reality, funding needs to be secured. For this, the developers are relying on a Kickstarter campaign that is set to launch soon. You can learn more about it here: Legendary developer has been making a new MMORPG for 5 years, now he wants your money

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

5 Animes where you are spared from happy couples

If you have no desire for happy couples in Animes on Valentine’s Day and otherwise, we have the perfect suggestions for you. MeinMMO presents 5 Animes where there are no perfect relationships or cheesy romance stories.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and many couples are drawn to fancy restaurants with romantic evenings. If you are single, not into clichés, or simply a big anime fan without a penchant for romance, we can recommend 5 Animes where you will definitely not encounter overly happy relationships.

In the Animes, romances often appear, but there is usually a crazy twist, which means that it is not a happy relationship. Our last anime, on the other hand, is intended for all singles who want to get tips on how to escape their loneliness.

This list is based on subjective feelings and is in no way related to how they were rated on various platforms. If you have further suggestions for this list, feel free to mention them in the comments!

[toc]

Mirai Nikki

Start video
Mirai Nikki: The German Trailer for the Drama Anime
  • How is it rated? 7.39 / 10 on MAL
  • Where can I stream the anime? Currently, there is no streaming service provider, you are left with the DVD and Blu-ray.

What is it about? Yukiteru Amano keeps a diary on his phone. He is shy and has an imaginary friend: Deus Ex Machina, the god of space and time. One day, however, Yukiteru realizes that many events are displayed on his phone in advance, allowing him to see into the future.

He, along with 10 other participants, is drawn into a survival game, all of whom keep a special diary. The winner of this game gets to become the successor of Deus Ex Machina. During the games, he teams up with classmate Yuno Gasai.

Why are you spared from happy couples? Although Yuno and Yukiteru seem like a couple, their relationship is anything but healthy. Yuno is obsessed with Yukiteru, stalks him, and wants to kill any girl who could compete with her.

There are only a few romantic scenes between the two. Yukiteru is aware that Yuno is not mentally stable. On the other hand, who wouldn’t want a girlfriend who does everything for them? So, really, everything.

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

Twitch Streamer Explains Why There Is More to Being an Influencer Than People Think

Two Twitch streamers talked in a livestream about how being a content creator is not as easy as many imagine. The job includes not only the livestreaming itself but also many other tasks and risks.

Who is it about? One of them is the Twitch streamer Aster “AsterPewPew”. He has been part of the Twitch scene since December 7, 2014, and can attract over 800 viewers per stream (via sullygnome). In his streams, GTA V is played or he chats in Just Chatting.

We show you in the video Twitch streamers you should know:

Start video
3 German Twitch streamers you should know

Streaming is not the only job of a Twitch streamer

AsterPewPew spoke with Twitch streamer JenNyan in one of her recent streams. Previously, she mentioned that she had a total of 160 streaming hours last month and that her current streams last 10-12 hours. However, this is too much for JenNyan, and she would like to take more breaks.

Following that, the Twitch streamer received occasional messages in the Twitch chat telling her not to complain, as this is just a normal working day. Previously, the Twitch streamer had to justify her profession.

JenNyan started her Twitch channel on August 15, 2015, and averages over 1,700 viewers (via sullygnome). She mostly streams in the Just Chatting category or plays GTA V. In 2024, she was nominated for a streaming award, but she felt embarrassed by the nomination afterwards.

What do Twitch streamers have to accomplish? Twitch colleague AsterPewPew replied that people do not realize that JenNyan’s job is not just about livestreaming itself. He listed various things that are part of being a Twitch streamer:

  • Calls and meetings
  • Reels need to be filmed
  • Placements need to be prepared
  • Some collaborations require traveling, which can mean being away from home for several days
  • You are constantly confronted with your job

Additionally, there are risks such as harassment or hate messages in the inbox. Moreover, one does not know how long they can continue with this profession.

Your whole life, and I can say this because I know you, consists of what you do. I can’t listen to it anymore because they are so unreflective that they only believe that the stream is the only thing that comes with this job.

AsterPewPew in stream

He further elaborated that there are also differences among Twitch streamers. It is, of course, less work to just sit in the stream and react to YouTube videos. Content creators vary, and so do the contents they produce.

He concluded his monologue with: “To say that this is not a real job or something is utter nonsense.”

You can watch the entire clip here:

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Whether the profession of a Twitch streamer or influencer is a “real” or indeed a demanding job is a question and discussion that has long existed on the internet. Of course, this profession is not as physically demanding as working in nursing, but one should not underestimate the consequences.

It is probably more mentally demanding to constantly be in the public eye, to constantly come up with new ideas for an exciting stream, or to manage the many placements. It is no coincidence that many influencers report that they are heading toward burnout. Recently, Twitch streamer LetsHugo probably withdrew from public life for this reason: “My last sign of life. For now” – Twitch streamer withdraws from public life

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

A malevolent creature in The Lord of the Rings terrorized the world of Middle-earth long before Sauron

Long before the adventures of Frodo and the Fellowship, there were many mysterious figures and creatures in the universe of The Lord of the Rings that we could never see in the movies. One such being is Ungoliant, whose descendants nearly finished off Frodo.

Image rights of The Lord of the Rings are owned by Warner Bros. Pictures

Where does Ungoliant come from? The true origin of Ungoliant is unknown. Some Elves believed that Ungoliant was once an Ainur. The Ainur were created by Eru Ilúvatar before the beginning of the world.

It is believed that Melkor, an Ainur who later became a malevolent dark lord, corrupted Ungoliant. However, Ungoliant was not loyal to Melkor. She acted according to her insatiable urge to consume everything that could satisfy her own emptiness. For this purpose, she then also collaborated with Melkor.

Start video
Epic Trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship

An Insatiable Hunger

Ungoliant wants to satisfy her own emptiness. To satiate her insatiable hunger and flee from the Valar who were hunting her, Ungoliant went to Avathar, a place on the continent Aman, which is west of Middle-earth. There, the creature took the form of a gigantic spider. She consumed more and more light and spun dark webs in a mountain that served as her hideout.

However, it happened that Ungoliant had drained all the light and she began to hunger again. Later, she encountered Melkor once more, who was plotting his revenge against the Valar. He promised Ungoliant to do everything to satisfy her hunger if she helped him.

To this end, they together destroyed the two trees of Valinor, which produced the light of the world. Ungoliant masked the two with her dark webs. Ungoliant drained the trees and the source of Varda and extracted their light. Ungoliant grew, and even Melkor developed fear.

They then fled from Aman to Middle-earth, but Ungoliant realized that Melkor would probably not keep his promise, which is why she captured him. The situation escalated, and Ungoliant attempted to kill Melkor. In a moment of desperation, he screamed and thereby attracted his Balrogs.

The Escape of Ungoliant

Ungoliant could not withstand the Balrogs of Melkor. The Balrogs attacked Ungoliant and prevented her master Melkor from dying. She fled to a place that would later be known as Nan Dungortheb and shielded everything with her spider webs.

There, Ungoliant mated with other spider beings and gave birth to several descendants, making Nan Dungotheb a terrible place, full of creatures that only killed out of malice and hunger. Only two known individuals survived the place and managed to come out alive.

Her descendant Shelob is known from the films as the great spider who almost devoured Frodo in Cirith Ungol and was fought by Sam.

Not much is known about the end of Ungoliant, only that the creature left Nan Dungortheb. In some stories, it is speculated that Ungoliant devoured herself in her insatiable hunger.

The universe of The Lord of the Rings offers so much more than the many films show. An important character that has never been seen on the big screen is Tom Bombadil. Despite his jolly nature, this character is a powerful figure: A character in The Lord of the Rings is so powerful and could have changed everything, yet he is absent in the films

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

Actor from Kingdom Come: Deliverance proudly showcases the role-playing game on Twitch – But he plays the completely wrong version

Actor Luke Dale embodies the nobleman Hans Capon in the role-playing hit Kingdom Come: Deliverance as well as in the newly released sequel. However, something went wrong during his playthrough on Twitch.

Who is the actor? Luke Dale is an actor and voice actor, best known for his role as Hans Capon in the English version of the role-playing hit Kingdom Come: Deliverance. For the freshly released sequel, he once again portrayed the Bohemian nobleman.

On February 11, 2025, the actor played the role-playing game on Twitch. The atmosphere was lively: Dale had dressed up appropriately, was drinking a beer, with his face on the bottle, and cheered when he heard his voice in the game. The fact that he hadn’t installed the Day-1 patch wasn’t that big of a deal… or was it?

Start video
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Details, die das Spiel perfekt machen

Actor calls for help on Twitch stream

What went wrong? Dale dismissed the missing patch at the beginning of his playthrough. The download took too long; he would just play a sort of review version. However, it quickly became clear that there was a bit more to the patch than the actor had assumed.

It became clear that something was completely off with the graphics, textures were flickering and glitching everywhere. As it turned out, the version of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 that Dale was showing to over 1,000 viewers on Twitch was more than a year old.

During the stream, the actor called one of the developers, who explained to him that the patch was so large precisely because it fixed so many bugs. He was playing a version “from God knows when,” where the graphics were “totally messed up.”

The short version can be seen here:

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On X, the actor shared a message the next day that he apparently received from a developer at Warhorse. The post was seen by over 50,000 people, who humorously commented on the mishap.

  • “But asking for help in the stream was priceless. You were like: ‘Why should I take suggestions from the common people? I will call a nobleman.'”
  • “If only the PS5 had shouted at you…” [Note from the editor: It did.]

Many viewers also agree that this blunder fits Hans Capon perfectly – maybe Luke Dale is just a particularly committed method actor.

GameStar Black Edition Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
GameStar Black Edition Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Jetzt mit Epaper-Updates zu allen DLCs
Bundle aus Heft, XXL-Poster, Papercraft-Burg & Epaper – 148 + 38 DLC-Seiten Guides für Knappen und Burgherren
  • Komplettlösung inklusive Nebenquests und allen DLCs
  • detaillierte Karten der Open World
  • schnell leveln und Geld verdienen
  • versteckte Skills, Alltagstricks und Survial-Guide
  • Papercraft-Burg ist nicht bewohnbar
13,99 €

After all, fans of the role-playing game have now gained insight into the earlier stages of development and could admire how much has changed since then.

What was the outcome? After about an hour and a half, Dale gave up – he didn’t want to show such an old version of the game; that would be terrible. On February 12, 2025, the second first stream of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 with the real Hans Capon – and with patch – followed.

Criminal activities can pay off in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. However, you should be careful; otherwise, you’ll have trouble with the law: A heartbreaking scene in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 can only be seen if you get caught committing crimes too often

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

The best strategy game in the Middle Ages will get even bigger in 2025, allowing you to play in a whole new way

The strategy game Crusader Kings III allows you to experience the Middle Ages as a noble ruler like no other game before. Now the title expands to the east and lets you feel the diverse region.

What is Crusader Kings III about? The strategy game CK3 is one of the most popular games on Steam. With 91% positive reviews from over 78,000 votes, gamers’ opinions align with the insights of MeinMMO editor-in-chief and strategy expert Schuhmann. He has spent nearly 1,500 hours in CK3 and previously predicted what might change in the title this year. One of his predictions is now coming true.

According to the developers, 2025 is set to be the biggest year yet for Crusader Kings III (via Steam). Although the game already has 16 DLCs that bring various new features, traits, and rulers, one of the largest changes yet is on the way.

Here you can watch the trailer for Crusader Kings III:

Start video
Crusader Kings 3: Trailer

Expansion to the East

What new feature is coming next? As the developers state in a developer diary on Steam, they are currently working on expanding their game to the east. Specifically, the upcoming DLC will focus on the nomadic peoples of the steppe.

The gameplay for these peoples will differ significantly from previous mechanics. Instead of expanding your lands through machinations, sieges, or affairs, the new DLC is about herds and hordes. Your gameplay as a nomad will develop very differently from the typical flow of a ruler of a growing empire in Europe.

The nomads do not have a permanent settlement but move with their herds. Herd is also the new currency that these peoples use for various mechanics. For example, they recruit their military from their herd.

The intrigues also work differently. Instead of sending as many children as possible to the noble houses of Europe, the focus for the nomads is all about dominance and obedience. The more powerful a ruler is perceived to be, the more vassals and domains they can have. However, all vassals have an obedience value that determines whether they will fight for your cause or act against you.

How do the lands work? The nomads are known for their mobility. They travel through the lands of the steppe and are always chasing after the most fertile piece of land. In CK3, this means you and your horde will strip your own lands of fertility and then move on once the place becomes barren.

This migration, as the developers call it, leads to frequent conflicts between the nomadic peoples. All peoples want to graze the best piece of earth, but only the strong will prevail.

Abandoned lands are restored by shepherds. They regenerate the fertility of the land so that you can repopulate it later. Fertility is also influenced by the seasons. In winter, all peoples tend to retreat to warm places, where conflicts may arise again.

The different peoples can form alliances, for example, to stop a powerful Gurkhan. The Gurkhan is the most powerful ruler of the steppe and is the character in the game who has reached the highest level of dominance.

Alongside a completely different gameplay system, new characters, decisions, and events inspired by nomadic life await you, such as stories about the famous Genghis Khan. However, it will still take a while before the DLC is released. In the meantime, you can find out how strategy expert Schuhmann managed to create 12,300 descendants with a lonely Viking: Steam: I started as a lonely Viking – 400 years later I have half of Europe, 12,300 descendants, and a problem

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

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 shows no mercy to criminals, punishing them with a secret scene

Criminal activities in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 can be very rewarding. However, if you don’t act cautiously in the shadows, you can quickly run into trouble with the law. This can lead to a secret scene that has a lot to offer.

What crimes can be committed? You can play the protagonist Heinrich in Kingdom Come 2 as an honorable knight, a persuasive diplomat, or a shady criminal.

As such, you break into houses, pick locks, and empty the pockets of wealthy citizens. On MeinMMO you will find a comprehensive guide for thieves. Stealing is worth it in Kingdom Come 2 because the valuable goods can be resold, quickly increasing your bank balance.

Start video
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: The Most Important Tip for a Successful Playthrough

In addition to classic thefts, you can also kill your opponents from behind to get their items. In any case, you should be on your guard: The inhabitants of the extensive game world are always suspicious. If they see you committing an offense, they will quickly call the guards.

They will then impose a penalty on you, which varies depending on the crime. The maximum penalty only comes into play after repeated criminal behavior – and is associated with a pretty emotional scene.

GameStar Black Edition Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
GameStar Black Edition Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Jetzt mit Epaper-Updates zu allen DLCs
Bundle aus Heft, XXL-Poster, Papercraft-Burg & Epaper – 148 + 38 DLC-Seiten Guides für Knappen und Burgherren
  • Komplettlösung inklusive Nebenquests und allen DLCs
  • detaillierte Karten der Open World
  • schnell leveln und Geld verdienen
  • versteckte Skills, Alltagstricks und Survial-Guide
  • Papercraft-Burg ist nicht bewohnbar
13,99 €

No mercy for criminals

What is the maximum penalty? Heinrich and his companions live in tough times. The maximum penalty for criminal behavior adapts to that. It is: Death by hanging.

In Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, you will be sentenced if you are repeatedly caught by the guards. At first, you only pay a fine or spend a few days in the stocks.

Later, you will be branded, so that NPCs view you with more skepticism. Finally, there is the death sentence. It follows a scene that lasts about two minutes. It shows Heinrich sitting in a dungeon. Afterwards, he is led before a gathered crowd to the gallows and executed.

Here you can see the scene in its entirety – it begins at minute 3:30:

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The scene is emotionally staged and shows Heinrich regretting his actions. You will actually only see it if you get caught multiple times.

Since Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 currently does not have a hardcore mode with permadeath, there are no really severe consequences. You simply have to reload after dying. From there, you can decide whether to attempt the same misdeed again or choose not to.

This hidden scene is just a small detail in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. The game is full of secrets, some of which will probably only come to light in the coming months. By the way, you should remain loyal to your mount: Your horse in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 may seem weak at first, but you should definitely keep it.

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

Developer of a free shooter on Steam threatens influencers if they report incorrectly about his game

Operation: Harsh Doorstop is a free tactical shooter on Steam, positioned as a competitor to first-person shooters with a certain claim to realism like Battlefield. However, the creator’s demands on influencers seem rather unrealistic to many users.

What kind of game is this? Operation: Harsh Doorstop is a free tactical shooter that entered Early Access on Steam on February 15, 2023. The idea behind the game is to offer a kind of free alternative to games like Arma, while heavily relying on the community and placing a strong focus on mods.

The largest update to date is scheduled for February 28, 2025, bringing numerous features such as vehicles, building, and reviving into the game. In advance, however, the game’s creator, known as Bluedrake42, has garnered attention with a warning to content creators who discuss the game.

Start video
Launch Trailer for the Early Access of the Free Tactics Shooter Operation: Harsh Doorstop

Self-proclaimed Battlefield competitor threatens legal issues

What did the developer say? Bluedrake42, who has over a million subscribers on YouTube, issued a warning to content creators in a post on X:

  • Influencers who have accepted more than $10,000 (about €9,645) from competing studios in the past 12 months must disclose this in reviews of his game.
  • Otherwise, “you and I will have legal problems,” said the developer.
  • He is tired of watching these influencers tear down games that do not generate money for them.

How exactly this will play out, Bluedrake42 intends to elaborate on as the release date approaches.

In response to a user’s question about which games he considers his competition, Bluedrake42 answers: “Squad, Delta Force, Battlefield, Arma. Any realistic/semi-realistic FPS.”

The developer also clarifies that he is happy to accept criticism, just not from people who, in his assessment, have a financial interest in seeing it fail.

How should content creators behave? In a video from February 11, 2025, Bluedrake42 explains that he is particularly concerned about content creators comparing his game to another without mentioning that they have a deal with that other game. He therefore suggests phrases like:

“Hey, I recently signed a $40,000 deal with that other game, so I might be biased. But here are my honest first impressions.” (via X)

If the developer’s goal was to avoid biased reviews of his game, the action has likely had the opposite effect so far. On Steam, the reviews for Operation: Harsh Doorstep show a significant downward trend: of the 44 reviews submitted on February 12, only 2 were positive.

In addition to Operation: Harsh Doorstop, the year has several other shooter releases lined up that you can look forward to. We present 10 of them here on MeinMMO: 10 new shooters that are particularly interesting in 2025 – These releases you should mark on your calendar

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

The biggest MMORPG release of 2025 has just been canceled

The year 2025 is not marked by major MMORPG releases, and with Aion 2, the most important title has now been lost.

Which release has been cancelled? The MMORPG Aion 2 was probably the big title that all fans of the genre were looking forward to. The reasons for this can already be found in the development:

  • With NCSoft as the publisher and developer, experienced MMORPG developers are working on Aion 2
  • The MMORPG is supposed to be developed with the beautiful and gamer-favored Unreal Engine 5
  • Over 300 employees are supposed to work on the project to ensure everything goes smoothly by the release

The MMORPG itself also sounds interesting. Aion 2 is the successor to the popular Aion and takes place 900 years before it. It has no class restrictions and was originally intended to focus more on an international audience. The emphasis was on story and PvE, while PvP was intended to be present, it was always meant as an addition.

Now, the release of Aion 2 in the West has been cancelled for this year, and Throne and Liberty is partly to blame.

Here you can watch the trailer for Aion 2:

Start video
AION 2 shows the gameplay of the MMORPG in the trailer

No release in the West for now

What has changed in the development? So far, NCSoft has always communicated the second half of 2025 as the start date for Aion 2. Now, the developers publicly discussed the ongoing projects in their conference call with the company’s investors.

They also talked about Aion 2: “As promised, the MMORPG Aion 2 is supposed to initially be released this year in Korea and Taiwan.” Thus, the MMORPG will only initially be released in Korea and Taiwan, and not globally as previously assumed.

When it will be available in the West is only roughly known: “The global service of the game will be implemented shortly based on the business experiences of Throne and Liberty.”

What does this mean? If NCSoft wants to follow the same path with Aion 2 as with the MMORPG Throne and Liberty from the same company, the MMORPG will first run for a while in Asia before it comes to the West. For Throne and Liberty, there was about a 9-month gap between the release in Asia and the rest of the world (via NCSoft.com).

For the Western release, many game mechanics would also be adjusted to make the MMORPG less time-consuming, and it would ensure that there are fewer mechanisms perceived as unfair than in the original version from Asia. The monetization of the F2P MMORPG might also differ.

In Korea and Taiwan, the marketing for Aion 2 is set to start in the second quarter. Here, we will be able to see for the first time what the MMORPG is all about. Of the 6 MMOs that MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz was looking forward to, only 5 are left. You can find out which ones here: Which MMOs will rock 2025? I’m particularly excited about 6 games

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

ARK: Survival Ascended is now cheaper on Steam than ever – Is it worth it 15 months after release?

When ARK: Survival Ascended was released in October 2023, the game received a lot of criticism. Now there is a discount for the survival game, but is it worth the price?

What kind of game is it? On October 26, 2023, ARK: Survival Ascended (short: ASA) was released. This is a remaster of the popular survival game “ARK: Survival Evolved,” in which you can tame or breed various dinosaurs and mystical creatures to build an impressive base, defeat powerful bosses, or show other players their limits in PvP.

ARK: Survival Ascended aimed to present the old, familiar maps and creatures from the original game in a more visually appealing way – with the help of Unreal Engine 5. Additionally, the remaster introduced mod support for the console versions of the game and new content, including dinosaurs, Mad Max cars, and various structure designs.

Here you can see a trailer for the latest update of ARK: Survival Ascended:

Start video
ARK Survival Ascended showcases Extinction and ‘Mad Max’ vehicles in the trailer

What kind of discount is it? ARK: Survival Ascended is discounted by 45% on Steam until February 24, 2025, costing only 24.74 euros instead of 44.99 euros. This is the lowest price the survival game has ever been on Steam, as the database SteamDB reveals.

  • You can find the offer on Steam

You can also purchase ARK: Survival Ascended at a discount in the PlayStation Store right now. There, the dino adventure costs 29.24 euros and 24.74 euros for PS Plus subscribers as well.

Whether it’s worth it also depends on your hardware

What you should know about performance: The survival game is still not well optimized. If you don’t have a relatively powerful PC, you will struggle with low FPS and stuttering. Even though the game looks quite nice thanks to Unreal Engine 5, you won’t enjoy it much if the FPS drops from 45 to 20 with every tiny movement.

The recommended system requirements on Steam are:

  • Operating System: Windows 10/11 with updates
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Intel i5-10600K
  • Memory: 32 GB RAM
  • Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6800, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Network: Broadband internet connection
  • Storage: 70 GB available storage
  • Additional notes: SSD Required

These requirements are basically the first hurdle. If you don’t meet them, you might not have much fun. Whether the game is worth it also primarily depends on your hardware. Overall, ARK: Survival Ascended runs better now than it did at launch, and if you meet the recommended requirements, you might achieve over 60 FPS depending on settings.

Warning: MeinMMO editor Dariusz has encountered crashes in ARK: Survival Ascended despite having sufficient hardware. However, not every player experiences this issue. You’ll need to check whether it occurs for you or consider forgoing the purchase as a precaution.

ASA has changed significantly in 15 months

This is how ASA feels in 2025: ARK: Survival Ascended has received several updates by now – including free ones. For example, you can now play the maps Scorched Earth, Aberration, and Extinction without spending a cent. You had to purchase these maps with DLCs in ARK: Survival Evolved.

If you are missing maps like Extinction and Aberration in the original game, you might consider purchasing ARK: Survival Ascended instead of the DLCs to experience the maps directly in UE5 graphics. At launch, ASA felt like a blatant way to quickly monetize old content – especially since many features were lacking that ARK: Survival Evolved had. However, there are now some of the old maps in ARK: Survival Ascended, and they are free. This even offers some players the opportunity to save money.

In addition to the maps that the game has received in the past months, there are now also new dinosaurs. Furthermore, the paid add-on “Bob’s Tall Tales” includes various additional contents that follow specific themes. The latest update brought Mad Max-style content, while a previous one focused on steampunk. The Wild West is also represented.

Moreover, many talented modders from the ARK community have moved on and are now developing their works for ARK: Survival Ascended instead of ARK: Survival Evolved. You can mainly find new mod maps, dinosaurs, or structures in the remaster, including popular works by the German modder “Nekatus”.

It’s worth it, but the most important argument might not matter to you

Is ASA worth it in 2025? You should think carefully about whether you really want to purchase ARK: Survival Ascended.

The biggest pro-argument for buying ARK: Survival Ascended is likely irrelevant to most PC players: With ARK: Survival Ascended, consoles finally gained the ability to play with mods. This was already possible on PC with ARK: Survival Evolved. For console players, however, this is an important innovation, as mods greatly enhance the game.

The biggest counterarguments are performance and the original game. Anyone who has played ARK: Survival Evolved, owns most or even all DLCs, and has installed the key mods can easily forego the remaster. This way, you won’t have to deal with low FPS or crashes.

ARK: Survival Ascended is worth it for you if:

  • your PC meets the technical requirements and you want to experience ARK in a more beautiful look
  • you are interested in the latest mods from the community
  • you find the new content in steampunk, Wild West, and Mad Max style cool
  • some of the old maps from ARK: Survival Evolved are missing for you
  • you have no problem paying for a graphics/engine update
  • you have never played ARK but are interested in the game mechanics

ARK: Survival Ascended is NOT worth it for you if:

  • your PC does not meet the recommended requirements
  • you own ARK: Survival Evolved including all DLCs and expect much more than a graphics/engine update
  • mods do not matter to you
  • you do not want to spend money on “Bob’s Tall Tales”

Is ASA worth the price? Yes and no. While this largely depends on you, 49.99 euros is definitely too high given the technical issues of the game. In contrast, the discounted price of 24.74 euros is much more appropriate. If you meet 3-4 of the requirements for a worthwhile purchase, then this is a price that is reasonable.

If you purchase ARK: Survival Ascended on Steam and then find within 2 hours that the remaster is not for you, that your PC does not meet the technical requirements, or that the game crashes permanently, you can return the survival game. You can read how to do this and what conditions must be met for the return on MeinMMO: Steam: Returning a game – it’s that easy

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

Fans believe Fritz Meinecke is skipping 7 vs. Wild and prefers to ride a bicycle

Fritz Meinecke is considered by many to be the face of 7 vs. Wild, but fans now believe he might not participate in season 5 at all.

How important is Fritz Meinecke to 7 vs. Wild? 7 vs. Wild started as a YouTube project by Fritz Meinecke, along with 6 other colleagues and co-founders Max Kovacs and Johannes Hovekamp (via Hitscan.de), who served as the organizing team to ensure the contestants’ safety and took over the entire planning of the project.

The project originally ran on Fritz Meinecke’s own channel, and he has since developed into the face of the show. With the second season, the survival series rapidly grew. Well-known faces like influencer Knossi and fitness YouTuber Sascha Huber attracted many viewers with their appearances.

However, there have long been rumors that Meinecke has lost interest in his own format. Instead, he has discovered his passion for cycling. Many see this as a reason why he no longer wants to participate.

You can learn more about Knossi here:

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From the Witness Stand with Barbara Salesch to the King of Twitch – Career and Life of Knossi

Fritz Meinecke and Season 5

What suspicions do the viewers have? On Reddit, many fans are skeptical about whether Fritz Meinecke will still be part of season 5. To the viewers, it seemed recently that the series founder is no longer interested in the show and is increasingly dissatisfied with the developments.

For his new hobby, cycling, Meinecke has already planned the first half of 2025 with tours and travels. The following tours for the coming months can be found in the description on his Instagram profile:

2025 Ultra (Bikepacking) Races

May – 🇩🇪 @peaksandplains.cc (530 km)

June – 🇺🇸(8er) @raceacrossamerica (4,800 km)

July – 🇮🇹>🇳🇴 @northcape4000 (4,000 km)

In addition to the dates, there is also a 4-week vacation in Hawaii, which Meinecke also wants to dedicate to his new hobby. The already planned appointments sound to fans as if Meinecke is no longer involved in 7 vs. Wild.

This is what the first four seasons of 7 vs. Wild looked like

How has the series changed? Since season 1, the series has developed significantly. Instead of being dropped off by boat, the contestants now have to jump out of helicopters or are taken blindfolded to the drop-off point.

The series reached a level that the original team could no longer manage alone. The founders sold the series to Calivision Network, which was supposed to produce the new seasons in collaboration with Amazon. This did not work well from the start, and there were repeated disputes between the organization and Fritz Meinecke.

After misinformation in the “Behind the Scenes” format “Behind the Scenes”, Fritz Meinecke felt compelled to speak plainly and set the record straight.

What happened in season 4? As a consequence of season 3, Meinecke did not participate again in season 4 and instead moved behind the scenes, only appearing occasionally in the series to ensure the proper recording.

To the viewers, he seemed less present in season 4. For example, there was less information from him in advance of the broadcasts, and he reacted to only a few episodes of the series (via YouTube) before he almost stopped commenting on 7 vs. Wild entirely.

In the past, seasons of 7 vs. Wild were filmed in August and September, and no trips from Meinecke are known for these months yet. Therefore, his participation is by no means ruled out. Whether he can still play an important role in season 5 of 7 vs. Wild despite his travels and tours remains to be seen. After all, the first participant seems to have already been found: The first candidate of 7 vs. Wild season 5 is reportedly a vegan influencer – Considering dropping out

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

The release of Elden Ring: Nightreign is set and you won’t have to wait much longer

Elden Ring: Nightreign is highly anticipated by fans. Now the official release date has been confirmed. The good news: The wait for the game will soon be over.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is the latest creation from FromSoftware. The game now has a release date and will be available on May 30, 2025. Players won’t have to wait until the end of the year to play the spin-off of Elden Ring, but only a few months.

However, for those who find this waiting period too long, they can get a better impression of the game (as long as they registered in time before January 20 and were selected with enough luck) during the Network Test for Nightreign. This starts this Friday, on February 14, 2025. You can find more information about it here on MeinMMO.

For those who want to learn more about Elden Ring: Nightreign, they can read the impressions report from MeinMMO author Caro. She has already spent 8 hours in the game and shares her experiences and insights: Nightreign is different from Elden Ring – I played it for 8 hours and want more

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

Helldivers 2: Best Loadout – The strongest setup to survive even as a solo player

Helldivers 2 has an impressive selection of weapons and gear. But what is the best loadout that allows you to succeed even solo?

In Helldivers 2, you can assemble your own loadout from various weapons and tactical gear. You have the opportunity to decide strategically and coordinate with your teammates about what you still need.

Alternatively, you can also choose a loadout that allows you to stand your ground solo against various opponents on high difficulty levels. Therefore, we want to show you the best build for solo players against bugs and robots.

The selection of weapons and tactical gear is a personal choice of the author. Do you prefer a different loadout? Feel free to write it in the comments and discuss it with the community.

Update, February 10, 2025: We regularly update the article when the developers make changes to the balancing or add new weapons.

Overview of the best loadouts against bugs, bots, and for all-rounders

In Helldivers 2, it can make a difference whether you are fighting against robots or bugs. Some weapons are strong against robots but almost useless against bugs. Therefore, we recommend three different builds – one for bots, one for bugs, and one that works as an all-rounder for both factions, but requires some compromises.

Helldivers 2: The best loadout for all-rounders

  • Primary Weapon: ARC-12 Blitzer/ PLAS-101 Purifier/ CB-9 Explosive Crossbow
  • Secondary Weapon: GP-31 Grenade Pistol/ GP-20 Ultimatum
  • Support Weapon: GR-8 Recoiless Rifle/ LAS-99 Quasar Cannon
  • Backpack: Shield Generator Backpack
  • Grenade: G-23 Stun
  • Stratagem 1: Eagle – 500 KG Bomb
  • Stratagem 2: Orbital Laser
  • Booster: Hellpod Space Optimization

Helldivers 2: The best loadout for bugs

  • Primary Weapon: ARC-12 Blitzer
  • Secondary Weapon: GP-31 Grenade Pistol
  • Support Weapon: FLAM-40 Flamethrower
  • Backpack: Shield Generator Backpack
  • Grenade: G-23 Stun/ G-123 Thermite
  • Stratagem 1: Eagle – 500 KG Bomb/ Orbital Railgun Strike
  • Stratagem 2: Eagle Airstrike/ Orbital Gas Attack
  • Booster: Hellpod Space Optimization

Helldivers 2: The best loadout for robots

  • Primary Weapon: PLAS-101 Purifier/ SG-8P Plasma Punisher
  • Secondary Weapon: GP-31 Grenade Pistol/ GP-20 Ultimatum
  • Support Weapon: RS-422 Railgun
  • Backpack: B-1 Supply Pack
  • Grenade: G-23 Stun/ G-123 Thermite
  • Stratagem 1: Orbital Laser
  • Stratagem 2: Eagle Airstrike
  • Booster: Hellpod Space Optimization

Helldivers 2: The best loadout for the Illuminated

  • Primary Weapon: PLAS-101 Purifier/ CB-9 Explosive Crossbow
  • Secondary Weapon: GP-20 Ultimatum
  • Support Weapon: ARC-3 Bow Thrower
  • Backpack: SH-51 Directional Shield/ Shield Generator Backpack
  • Grenade: G-23 Stun/ G4 Gas
  • Stratagem 1: Orbital Laser
  • Stratagem 2: Orbital Gas Attack
  • Booster: Hellpod Space Optimization

The Hellpod Space Optimization is pretty much the best booster in the game, as it allows you to jump out of a Hellpod with fully loaded ammo, grenades, and syringes. This makes it the ideal choice for your loadout. However, if you are not playing solo and the booster is already equipped, other boosters are also valid options. In our Tier List for the best boosters, you can see which ones are particularly worth using.

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Helldivers 2: Be careful, because this is how you make yourself really unpopular on Over-Earth

All weapons and stratagems have different strengths

What makes the loadouts so strong? The loadouts take advantage of the various strengths of the individual equipment items. For example, the Blitzer shotgun and the Purifier are a good choice as all-rounders because they deal a lot of damage.

The Shield Generator Backpack is also a good choice against any opponent faction, as it protects you from enemy attacks. The Supply Pack, on the other hand, is a very sensible backpack against the robots because it allows you to reload the Railgun. This weapon is very strong against robots because it enables you to take down armored enemies from a distance with a precise headshot. That’s why we also play primary weapons against the bots that deal significant damage even at long distances.

The Stun Grenade also allows you to temporarily immobilize even large opponents. If you combine that with explosive stratagems, you can almost always guarantee a kill even on the most dangerous enemies of Over-Earth.

The Grenade Pistol is ideal for sealing nests and factories despite the stun grenade. The explosive crossbow can also do this.

Ultimately, more weapons, stratagems, and backpacks can also be considered in various combinations. If you don’t find the Blitzer fun, you can easily make variations to your loadouts in Helldivers 2 or create entirely new ones that also work.

And if your favorite loadout doesn’t work at the highest difficulty levels, just play on a lower one – after all, Helldivers is a game and should be fun for you.

If you want to get an overview of all weapons in Helldivers 2 to create your own loadouts, check out MeinMMO. Here you can find out how to obtain the individual weapons of the co-op shooter: Helldivers 2: All weapons and how to unlock them

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

YouTuber sells shares of his channel to one of the richest influencers in the world, regrets it – but he can save his channel

An American YouTuber sold a share of his YouTube channel some time ago, and it was to one of the richest influencers. As the channel generates more money, he regrets it. Fortunately, he was able to save himself with a clause from the contract.

Which people are involved? It is about American YouTuber CalebHammer. His content revolves around finance. He himself has been in a terrible financial situation in the past and now wants to use his gained knowledge to help others.

Currently, Caleb Hammer has 1.84 million subscribers on YouTube (via YouTube) and promotes his own app, which is supposed to help with budgeting. In one episode of his podcast “Financial Audit” (via YouTube), the YouTuber talked about a part of his own financial situation.

In the German YouTube scene, HandOfBlood is a major content creator. We introduce him to you in the video:

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HandOfBlood: The most important thing about the YouTuber and Twitch streamer in under a minute

“I was anxious and nervous”

Why did Caleb Hammer sell a share of his channel? At the time of selling the shares, the YouTuber was not doing as well as he is today. The channel was generating $10,000 a month, and Caleb Hammer was not yet a full-time YouTuber. He said: “I was anxious and nervous” (via YouTube).

He decided to give a 10% share of his channel to one of the richest influencers in the world: Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson. He invested $25,000 in the channel and received 10 percent of the channel’s earnings every month.

However, over time, Caleb Hammer’s channel became more successful, and he earned more money, from which he also had to give away more money. He regretted his sale more and more.

How did Caleb Hammer get out of the contract? For such a case, however, he had secured himself with a clause: If the channel earns a certain amount in the first year, Caleb Hammer is allowed to buy back the channel.

Caleb Hammer made use of the clause and since then has been able to keep all the income from his channel.

Here you can watch the clip from the episode:

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For Caleb Hammer, this situation turned out well, and he can reclaim all the income from his channel. Those who do not have such a clause in their contracts must be creatively resourceful, just like the German YouTuber ApoRed: The police are after YouTuber ApoRed, but he activates the escape hare – a lawyer explains whether his plan will work

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

LoL: Support and ADC insult each other for an entire match, marry 6 years later

League of Legends has a reputation for being a pretty toxic game with an unfriendly community. However, this does not apply to all players. Many even discover new friends or partners in the MOBA, as a recent Reddit thread shows.

What reputation does League of Legends have? LoL has a difficult reputation even among MOBAs, which many players would confirm. The community is often described as toxic and unfriendly, which is often reflected in the chat. Many even report that they play better when they turn off the chat and the pings.

It doesn’t always have to look like this, as a recent Reddit thread shows, where someone reports that they are soon going to marry someone they met in the game about 6 years ago. The community is unusually positive in the comments.

Start video
Das ist LoL – Einmal richtig ehrlich erklärt

Community congratulates the couple, praises the good side of LoL

How did the couple meet? In a current Reddit thread, Jupit42 shares that she will soon marry her League partner. They are said to have met in Season 9 while he was playing as ADC with a smurf account and she as support. Initially, they even insulted each other in a funny way in the game.

After a few months, they met in person, and after 6 years, they will marry. I’m not sure why I wanted to share this. I appreciate this community and the game so much. I feel like there’s a lot of constant hate and negativity, and I just wanted to share something positive.

What does the community say about this? The post seems to be well received by the community. After about 19 hours, the post has over 8600 upvotes and nearly 400 comments, showcasing their best side and sharing their own experiences:

  • anemone_within (via Reddit) shared that he and his wife initially had a common topic: The first thing my wife and I talked about when we met was how trashy the ADC role was. Back then it was Season 5.
  • Itssvegaaaa (via Reddit) praises the journey to the wedding: From mutual flaming in the solo queue to the “I do” – that is the peak of character development. Congratulations!
  • For pakeliui (via Reddit), it’s not just about playing but also about watching esports together: Congratulations, that’s amazing! […] By the way, I also met my partner through League. I never have to watch competitive games alone again – that’s great.

A few comments complain about smurfs, but that is only occasional. Generally, the comments show that the passion for LoL can unite people and that it’s not only about playing, but also about aspects outside, like esports.

Have you ever met friends or even your partner in League of Legends? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments. Such occasional stories are a good contrast to the current state in LoL. Many players are currently criticizing the game: With a change in LoL, Riot is alienating its most loyal players – saying now: The change is necessary because players spend too little money

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

In a new action game on Steam, you will slay together through the knights of the Round Table

In the new action game SWORN on Steam, you fight alone or in co-op with up to four players through Camelot and face a dark Round Table. The game has now made a strong start in Early Access.

What kind of game is this? SWORN is a co-op action game for 1 to 4 players, developed by Windwalk Games and published by Team17. The game has been available in Early Access on Steam since February 6, 2025.

Players explore a fallen Camelot, now under the rule of a dark King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. The game combines roguelike elements with intense combat, allowing players to face the corrupted knights alone or together.

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Action-Packed Cooperative Adventure in Dark Camelot – SWORN Launch Trailer

What does the Early Access version look like? The current Early Access version of SWORN contains enough content to keep players engaged for several hours. There are four fully developed characters, each with four different weapons and spells as well as individual skill trees. 

So far, four different biomes are available for exploration, where players can encounter familiar allies and enemies from the Arthurian legend. For example, you can meet Merlin or the Lady of the Lake, Nimue.

Early Access with big plans

When will the full version be released? The full version of SWORN is planned for summer 2025. During the Early Access phase that runs until then, the game will be expanded through four major updates bringing new content such as additional weapons, abilities, and biomes, as well as improvements to the co-op experience and balance. 

The developers want to use the Early Access phase to gather feedback from the community and continuously optimize the game.

Community rates the game positively and compares it to Hades

What is the community’s opinion? Players on Steam rate SWORN very positively in their reviews. The fun combat system, good controls, and successful co-op mode are particularly praised. Many also draw comparisons to the successful indie hit Hades.

Here are some quotes from the reviews:

  • “Don’t be deceived… this is Hades. Maybe not one to one, but be aware of that. And now to the important part: Is that a bad thing? ABSOLUTELY NOT!”
  • “A solid game with responsive controls and fun combat. Right now it just lacks a bit in content. The gameplay is strongly inspired by Hades.”
  • “Fast, snappy, stylish, and incredibly smooth.”

While SWORN is already causing a stir with its early access and positive reviews on Steam, there is also another game that many associate with Hades, which has suddenly and without explanation disappeared from the Steam store: A game with 92% positive reviews reminiscent of Hades suddenly disappears on Steam – not even the developers know why

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

WoW Patch 11.1 Lorenhalt – Everything about Release, Raid, Auto-Mount and more

The next big patch for World of Warcraft is update 11.1 Undermined. We have gathered all the information for you.

During the Warcraft Direct, Blizzard discussed the upcoming content for World of Warcraft. Even though patch 11.0.7 was just released a few weeks ago, the next update is supposed to come soon. Patch 11.1 is called Lorenhalt (in English: “Undermine(d)”) and leads to the capital of the goblins: Undermine or in German: Lorenhall.

Note: The article will be regularly updated with new information as it becomes available. It is current as of February 12, 2025.
Start video
WoW celebrates 20 years of the highlights of Azeroth

The essentials at a glance:

  • Patch 11.1 Lorenhalt will be released on February 26, 2025.
  • Season 2 begins a week later, on March 5, 2025.
  • There will be a new raid with 8 bosses, the liberation of Lorenhall.
  • There will be a new dungeon, Operation: Floodgate.
  • Season 2 of The War Within begins with the patch.
  • New tier sets will share some bonuses.
  • Turbo cars serve as new mounts that can be controlled like carts (with drift, acceleration, etc.)
  • The patch brings several class revisions, hunters will get a major rework.

What is Lorenhall?

Lorenhall is the now legendary capital of the goblins. Until now, it has only been mentioned in quest texts and NPC stories, but now the city will finally be accessible as a new area.

This is the center of all goblins, and the biggest trade cartels are in permanent conflict to gain supremacy:

  • Steam Pressure
  • Blackwater
  • Bilgewater
  • Venture Co.

You can join one of these factions and fight for the respective cartel to show the rest of Undermine which goblin boss has the most powerful champions.

The area will be quite urban and will feature technology at every corner (and lots of explosions) – after all, goblins are known for that.

WoW Goblin Leaders Patch 111
The leaders of the goblins want your help – but whom will you join?

New Mount: A Turbo Car

Dragons and griffons don’t suit goblins. Instead, they need thick carts that squeak a lot, are not very environmentally friendly, and have been modified with plenty of upgrades.

In Undermine, you will get a new “mount” – namely a fancy car. You can modify and customize it. Your changes will not only have visual effects but also gameplay effects: You can adjust whether you want a higher maximum speed, better drifting in a turn, or better traction. The car will not behave like a normal ground mount but will be much more dynamic – similar to dragon riding in the air.

Overall, this car is significantly faster than regular ground mounts, so you will basically always want to use your vehicle to speed through the streets of Undermine.

New Dungeon: Operation Floodgate

The dungeon is thematically about an attempt by the goblins to flood the Echoing Deeps by blowing up the dam there. The heroes must (of course) prevent this.

The dungeon will also immediately be part of the new “Mythic+” rotation starting with season 2.

WoW Operation Floodgate Dungeon
In the new dungeon, you must prevent the Echoing Deeps from being flooded.

Also part of the rotation will be “THE GIANT FLOOD!!”, a dungeon many may remember from Battle for Azeroth. It fits perfectly with the goblin theme.

New Raid: The Liberation of Lorenhall

The new raid from patch 11.1 is “The Liberation of Undermine” (“Die Befreiung von Lorenhall”). There are a total of 8 bosses here, which currently corresponds to the average length of raids. The final boss is none other than Gallywix, who reappears after his disappearance at the end of Battle for Azeroth – because he survived and apparently retreated to his old homeland.

As the raid primarily deals with goblin themes, Blizzard has a lot of freedom for crazy ideas – like a weapon that is directly called Best-in-Slot – and hence it will certainly be wanted by many.

The new tier sets are also under some criticism. Some fans consider them uninspired as several classes and specializations share nearly identical bonuses.

WoW Gallywix Liberation of Undermine Raid
Gallywix awaits at the end of the 8-boss raid.

What else is in patch 11.1?

Apart from all the highlights, there are also a lot of little things that might not be relevant to all players – but will likely make a certain niche very happy.

When will patch 11.1 be released? Patch 11.1 Lorenhalt will be released in February, specifically on February 26, 2025. It was noted on the roadmap that the patch is expected to be released relatively early in 2025. If Blizzard maintains its current rhythm, it should be this February. Until then, there are also 3 things you should definitely take care of.

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

Generation Z is tired of being called lazy workers, firmly believes: Boomers had it easier

Generation Z is annoyed because people constantly criticize their work ethic, even though they work over 40 hours a week and still can’t afford to rent an apartment.

The cover image is a symbolic image.

What is Generation Z? Generation Z, or Gen Z, refers to the generation born approximately between 1995 and 2010. Members of this generation are therefore currently between 14 and 30 years old. Gen Z has thus entered the job market in the past 10 years.

There is constant criticism of the work ethic and sense of duty as well as the general attitude towards work of this generation. Executives claim in various studies: Gen Z employees lack professionalism. They often arrive late, do poor work, or fail to meet deadlines.

About 18% of surveyed managers stated that they have considered firing someone because they felt stressed by Gen Z. Nearly 40% of employers stated in a survey that they would prefer to hire a robot than a university graduate from Gen Z.

Start video
What does the N symbol on your phone mean?

What is the criticism of the generation? Part of Gen Z is tired of the constant criticism of their work habits. They also criticize and say: Boomers had it easier. They were able to buy a house and a brand new car with a simple job at the prices of their time. This is no longer possible today.

“Boomers” are referred to as those born during the baby boom period, roughly in the late 1950s to the early 1960s. Boomers are therefore approximately the parents to grandparents of the working Generation Z, although this naturally depends on the respective family.

Influencer Robbie Scott summarized the criticism in a video on TikTok with over 2 million views:

We need to stop expecting that the same damn people who bought a four-bedroom house and a brand new Cadillac convertible with a $30,000 annual salary understand what it’s like to work 40 hours or more a week with a master’s degree and still not be able to afford a 40-square-meter apartment in damn Iowa.

Fortune.com

Also on Reddit, users are convinced that Boomers had it easier than Generation Z: “Boomers really exaggerate their work ethic. I have worked with them and seen their skills and working hours—they had it easier,” writes one user. Another adds: “Much easier and much better paid, with fewer qualifications.”

The generation therefore feels unjustly criticized, as older generations cannot empathize with the situation of Gen Z. They were able to secure a well-paid job even without a high degree and could buy a house or condominium after a few years.

This is not possible for Gen Z. They must find the motivation to give their best at work, knowing that the money barely stretches for a small rental apartment but probably never for a house of their own.

What lies behind the criticism? Members of Generation Z do not criticize older generations but rather the current job and housing market. Millennials and Gen Z are, according to the US magazine Fortune, the best-educated generations. Nonetheless, they face worse financial prospects and challenges in finding work.

In addition to a high degree as a prerequisite, many employers require several years of work experience. Jobs are posted online, resulting in a noticeably higher number of applicants per position. It was easier in the past to find a well-paid job.

Additionally, the current housing market is one of the biggest problems for Generation Z—not just for buying a property. In Germany, rental prices have also been steadily rising for some time, and young people struggle to cover costs in the professions for which they qualify: Gen Z is currently facing two big problems, one of which they cannot solve without help

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

Stellar Blade was a hit on the PS5 because it was supposedly treated like a live service game

Stellar Blade was a real success on the PlayStation 5. This was also because the game was treated like a “live-service game” – at least that’s what is said.

For Shift Up, Stellar Blade was quite a big success – and that, even though the action game with the pretty protagonist was only released on the PlayStation 5. A release on PC is still pending and is expected to bring even more attention and a large player base.

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Stellar Blade, the action-adventure on the PS5 launches demo

What has Stellar Blade achieved? In the report by Shift Up, they go into detail about Stellar Blade and the success it has had. Together with NIKKE, it has brought the company quite a strong year.

Some of the achievements of Stellar Blade that Shift Up presents:

  • The game maintained a rating of 9.2 / 10 on Metacritic.
  • On PlayStation, the rating remains stable at 4.8 / 5.
  • It was number 1 in pre-orders in 62 countries.
  • After the release, it was number 1 in sales in various markets such as the United States or Japan.

In addition, Shift Up clarifies that they treated Stellar Blade like a “live-service game”. There were new boss challenges, new skins and costumes, and also a collaboration with NieR: Automata (via X).

Is Stellar Blade a live-service game? No, it is not. Stellar Blade is primarily a single-player game with a strong focus on action. Even though there were patches and DLCs, these were all relatively small in scope and mainly brought a few convenience features, such as the photo mode.

While there were new contents, they brought relatively little “new gameplay time” – the number of activities in the game and the sheer amount of content hardly increased.

However, the updates definitely helped to keep Stellar Blade in the news and thus relevant. Every time there was a controversy about a new outfit or another innovation through a patch, the game was talked about again – and it surely convinced some players to buy Stellar Blade now.

What’s next for Stellar Blade? Even though Stellar Blade has performed really well on the PS5, more is expected from the game. The PC release is expected to significantly surpass sales on the PlayStation. By the end of 2025, you should be able to control Eve on the PC in battles against all sorts of strange creatures – or enjoy her revealing outfits. However, there is no specific date yet.
We also played Stellar Blade and came to the conclusion: The game is more than just Eve’s pretty curves

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