Pokémon TCG Pocket – Collision of Space and Time: The 10 Best Cards in the New Booster

On January 30, 2025, the new Booster Collision of Space and Time was released for Pokémon TCG Pocket, bringing with it a series of new cards. MeinMMO presents the best cards from the new set.

What does the new set include? With the freshly released set, around 200 new cards have entered the game, including the legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia. The cards are themed after the fourth generation of Pokémon, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.

With so many cards, it’s not only difficult to keep track, but also challenging to determine which are the best cards on your own.

We looked at the set and selected the 10 best cards. We based our selection not on the rarity of the cards, but on their usefulness in battle.

Here you can watch the trailer for the new expansion:

Start video
Pokémon TCG Pocket: Trailer for the Collision of Space and Time Expansion

Dialga ex

Dialga ex from Pokémon TCG Pocket

Dialga ex’s attack Metal Turbo may not seem very strong with 30 damage points, but its ability provides a significant advantage. When you execute the attack, you can attach two Steel energies from your energy area to a Pokémon on your bench.

If you have attached four energies to Dialga, you can deal 100 damage with Heavy Impact. With 150 hit points, Dialga ex can endure quite a bit. In case it gets too intense, two energies for retreat are not too much.

Lucario

Lucario from Pokémon TCG Pocket

Lucario is a strong Fighting Pokémon frequently used in the main games. In Pokémon TCG Pocket, it is especially useful as a bench Pokémon, as its actual attack is not particularly strong.

The ability “Fighting Coach” adds 20 extra damage with every Fighting attack that is performed. Therefore, Lucario is a perfect addition to your Fighting deck.

With 100 hit points, Lucario can take a hit or two in an emergency.

Mars

The Trainer card Mars is perfect for disrupting your opponent’s strategy. When you play Mars, your opponent must return the cards in their hand back to their deck. They then draw one card for each point they still need to win.

Therefore, a maximum of only three cards can be drawn. Mars is particularly useful if your opponent needs only one point to win, as they will only be allowed to draw one card.

Panferno ex

Panferno ex from Pokémon TCG Pocket

With 170 hit points, Panferno ex can take a hit. The attack Flame Blitz requires only two energies and deals 140 damage. Although these energies must be discarded again, they can be built up quickly.

Panferno ex is a Stage 2 card, which means two evolutions are required to get it started. However, that is fair considering the strength of the card. Additionally, Panferno ex has no retreat cost; it can quickly escape from tight situations.

Manaphy

Manaphy from Pokémon TCG Pocket

Manaphy is a strong candidate for the position of the Trainer card Misty. Instead of testing luck like with Misty to get as many energies as possible, Manaphy is much more consistent. The attack Gift of the Sea allows you to choose two Pokémon on the bench to which you can attach one energy each.

However, you should be careful not to let Manaphy get knocked out, as it only has 50 hit points.

Traunmagil ex

Traunmagil ex from Pokémon TCG Pocket

Traunmagil ex’s attack Magical Madness requires only two energies to deal 70 damage and also confuses the opposing Pokémon. In case of confusion, a coin must be flipped to see if the Pokémon can attack. If heads, it attacks; if tails, it remains confused.

Zyrus

Zyrus from Pokémon TCG Pocket

The leader of Team Galactic has his own Trainer card in Pokémon TCG Pocket. When you play the card, your opponent must put a Pokémon from the bench into the Active position. However, it must be one that has already taken damage.

This is particularly useful when you want to deal the final blow to an opponent’s card.

Lucia

Lucia from Pokémon TCG Pocket

Lucia has also been included in the Trainer card collection. She allows you to move an energy from a Pokémon on the bench to your active Pokémon.

This is practical if, for example, you have an energy left from your retreated Pokémon. This way, you can utilize the energy. The best part is that you can use Lucia with all energies; unlike Aquana, which only worked with Water energies.

Darkrai ex

Darkrai ex from Pokémon TCG Pocket

Darkrai ex has the ability to deal 20 damage to the opponent every time energy is attached to Darkrai. This way, you can already attack even if you don’t have enough energies for a proper attack yet.

Its attack Dark Prism deals a solid 80 damage, and with 140 hit points, it can withstand a hit or two.

Snibunna ex

Snibunna ex from Pokémon TCG Pocket

Snibunna ex impresses mainly with the speed of its attack. You only need one energy to attack.

The attack Scratching Claws has the additional effect of adding 40 extra points to the 30 damage if the opposing Pokémon has already taken damage.

Bump Helmet

Bump Helmet from Pokémon TCG Pocket

With the expansion Collision of Space and Time, Pokémon equipment was introduced. You can attach such a card to your Pokémon, linking it to that Pokémon. However, think carefully about your choice, as you cannot detach the card anymore.

The Bump Helmet can be attached to your active Pokémon, and every time the opponent attacks this Pokémon, 20 damage points are added to them.

Which cards from the new expansion do you find particularly strong? Let us know in the comments. The booster pack Mysterious Island, featuring Mew as the cover Pokémon, also offers some strong cards. MeinMMO presents them in this article: Pokémon TCG Pocket – Mysterious Island: The 10 best cards in the set

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

One of the darkest voices in gaming is silenced forever

The iconic voice behind the two “Darkest Dungeon” games has passed away. The developer bids farewell and a community mourns.

The two “Darkest Dungeon” games owe their success not only to good game design but also largely to their iconic narrator, Wayne June. He perfectly embodied the atmosphere and the prevailing sense of despair in the game. Nearly every action, every new screen, and every twist in the battle was accompanied by the narrator, who often commented on the events with slightly lyrical phrases.

You can also hear Wayne June’s voice in the trailer for the second part of the game:

Start video
Darkest Dungeon 2 – The trailer for the dark rogue-like successor

Now Wayne June has passed away and is honored by the developers and the community. The Creative Director of Darkest Dungeon spoke out, said goodbye to Wayne, and explained how much he valued him:

“Twelve years ago, Tyler and I reached out to Wayne to ask him to narrate the trailer for our indie game. Since those first magical moments when we connected his words to the images, it has been an incredible and fulfilling collaboration for us. Wayne’s unique baritone and masterful cadence elevated everything he read. He was a flawless professional, and his love for his work was an inspiration. His unmatched work is so deeply woven into the fabric of this industry that it is unforgettable.”

“It has been a great honor for me to write for him over the past ten years. Even though I could never shake his hand, I valued him as a friend. Thank you, Wayne.”

Darkest Dungeon Wayne June
The creators of Darkest Dungeon 1 and 2 bid farewell.

Some of the most famous lines that many of you surely have ringing in your ears:

  • “Ruin has come to our family.”
  • “Great adversity has a beauty, it is the fire that tempers the blade.”
  • “A man in a robe, claiming communion with the divine. Madness.”

Many of the quotes have become memes in the community, often far beyond the boundaries of the game – or cynical retorts that players hurl at friends and acquaintances.

The community bids farewell to a distinctive voice: The community also mourns the death of Wayne June. In the Subreddit for the game, many players express their condolences. The memorial thread for Wayne has over 10,000 upvotes:

  • “Rest in peace, Wayne. Your voice will be missed, but its echo will resonate forever in these halls.” – Thunderpants98
  • “Oh man. I often find myself inadvertently quoting some of his lines while playing other games or just doing things around the house. His voice will be missed.” – nurse_uwu
  • “‘Many have fallen in the face of chaos, not this one … not today.’ Wayne became a part of our lives in one way or another. Voice actors are extremely talented and able to create images in our minds, but they are extremely undervalued and hard to find. Thank you for the many years of memories you have given us. May you truly never experience darkness in the afterlife.” – FuryMustang95

With Wayne June’s passing, one of the most distinctive voices in gaming has forever fallen silent – even though his work will surely contribute for many years to the fact that many players will build a very special connection with the “Darkest Dungeon” series.

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

One of the strongest attackers in Pokémon GO hasn’t been in the game for 2 years – Now returning for 3 hours

In Pokémon GO, a very versatile and powerful Pokémon returns after a long absence. And you shouldn’t miss it.

While there are some monsters that you can catch in Pokémon GO almost continuously and in every event (Menki, cough cough), there are others that have not appeared in the game for years.

This includes a mysterious Pokémon that is also one of the strongest attackers in the game. After more than 2 years of absence, you now have a short opportunity to catch this Pokémon.

Start video
Pokémon GO reveals the new season Dual Destiny in the trailer

Pack your insects – Raid Day with Hoopa

What kind of Pokémon is it? The Pokémon is the mysterious monster Hoopa. It is from the 6th generation and has 2 forms: the imprisoned and the unbound.

While the imprisoned form has the types Psychic and Ghost, in the unbound form, it has the types Psychic and Dark. Using Hoopa candies and Stardust, you can switch between the two forms.

When does the Pokémon appear? On Saturday, February 15, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, there will be a Raid Day with Hoopa in the game. During this time, you will encounter the unbound form of the Pokémon and can find and challenge it in large numbers in 5-star raids.

You can earn 5 additional, free raid passes by spinning the photo discs of gyms during this short event. Additionally, the remote raid limit will be increased to 20 raids from Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 2:00 AM until Sunday, February 16, 2025, at 5:00 AM.

How strong is the Pokémon? Hoopa belongs to both forms among the strongest attackers in Pokémon GO. While it can be used as a Psychic and Ghost attacker in its imprisoned form, with the unbound form, you get a good Dark and Psychic attacker.

What weakness does the monster have? The unbound Hoopa has a double weakness to Bug-type attacks and a single weakness to Fairy attacks. So you should focus on such attackers when challenging Hoopa. You can find some recommendations for the battle in our Hoopa counter guide.

January is ending and February is just around the corner. This month, there will of course be several events in Pokémon GO that will bring you a variety of content. You can find an overview in our listing of all events in February 2025 in Pokémon GO.

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

Studio wanted to revolutionize the shooter genre with DrDisrespect – Now it shuts down and users want their money back

The disgraced Twitch streamer Herschel “Guy” Beahm alias “DrDisrespect” wanted to revolutionize the genre with the shooter Deadrop. In 2024, the studio fired him after his scandal. Now, Midnight Society announces its closure. The game will not be released.

What kind of studio is this? Midnight Society was founded in 2021 by former CoD and Halo developers and the shooter streamer DrDisrespect. With the vertical extraction shooter Deadrop, they aimed to usher in a “new era of competitive multiplayer” .

However, after the true circumstances surrounding DrDisrespect’s notorious Twitch ban became known in 2024, the studio parted ways with the famous figurehead. Shortly thereafter, Midnight Society announced the “difficult decision to streamline [their] operations.”

About half of the staff has been let go, according to an insider. However, the studio insisted on wanting to release the shooter in 2025. Now it’s clear that this will not happen.

Start video
DrDisrespect was a celebrity on Twitch – His ban remains a big mystery to this day

Users demand refunds

This is what the studio says now: In a post on X late in the evening on January 30, 2025, it was announced that Midnight Society would close “after three incredible years.” They are actively looking for other gaming studios that might be interested in hiring the talented team members, it further states.

“We want to express our sincere gratitude to each and every one of our community members and deeply regret that we could not achieve our ultimate goal.” (via X)

This goal was likely the release of Deadrop, as ultimately, the studio did not release a single game in its more than three-year history. However, they had already sold NFTs. A total of 10,000 access passes were to be sold for around 50 US dollars each to Founders.

The passes included early access and voting rights on game features, as well as a time-limited NFT collectible.

In the comments on X, it is therefore not surprising that there are increasing questions about refunds for the “Founders.” However, it is rather unlikely that the early adopters will see their money again.

What about DrDisrespect? The former figurehead of the studio seems to have regained his footing in the meantime. The news of Midnight Society’s end comes on the same day that the streamer’s channel on YouTube is monetized again. Find out more about this here: YouTube turned off the money tap for DrDisrespect after his scandal – But he still earns over 20,000 dollars

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

MMORPG with one of the best combat systems in the genre is becoming more beautiful, but one thing annoys the fans

The responsible parties at NCSoft have announced the release date of Blade & Soul: NEO. Like the original, the modernized remaster also relies on a free-to-play model.

What do I need to know about Blade & Soul: NEO? NEO is the revised version of NCSoft’s MMORPG Blade & Soul, which was released in Europe on January 19, 2016. At that time, the game shone with its unusual Wuxia setting and one of the best combat systems in the genre.

The fairytale martial arts framework combined with the usual characteristics of Asian genre representatives (such as restrictions on character creation, graphic style, monetization, quest design) meant that Blade & Soul was never able to achieve a great breakthrough in the West.

However, that Blade & Soul remains an important revenue pillar for NCSoft to this day was already shown by the engine update in 2021. This year, the next visual upgrade is supposed to take place. But not only that. NEO aims to bring back the player experience of the original version of Blade & Soul while also introducing meaningful innovations.

The following trailer reveals the release date of Blade & Soul: Neo – the MMORPG version will be released on February 25, 2025. By the way, NEO has already successfully launched in Korea.

Start video
Blade & Soul NEO: Trailer announces release date for the graphical remaster

More than just a visual remaster

What improves in detail? The main features of Blade & Soul: NEO are as follows:

  • Redesigned graphics and animations: Blade & Soul is supposed to receive improved textures and lighting, improved animations or hit effects, and more environmental details. However, there is NO upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.
  • Unique action-based combat: For the martial arts combat system, the developers want to return to the roots of the classic version – with skill combos, counters, and flexible group roles. You should have more options to expand your individual fighting style and unlock unique advantages via skill books.
  • Infinite Windwalk: The “Infinite Windwalk,” which was previously limited by an endurance bar, is now available unlimited in NEO! Infinite Windwalk lifts you into the air and allows you to move quickly from point A to point B.
  • New character creation tool: There are supposed to be more options for designing your character’s hair, facial structure, eye color, size, and build. You can export the finished setup and share it with other players.
  • Competitive PvP: NEO offers a range of different PvP activities with field battles, faction fights, and organized 6v6 battlegrounds.

The MMORPG’s offerings also include four races, seven classes, a fairly linear, compressed leveling phase, a refined economy, and a series of dungeon and raid challenges.

This trailer shows the visual improvements of Blade & Soul: NEO:

Start video
Blade & Soul new servers trailer

How does the community rate the remaster? In the Reddit post about the release trailer, many players discuss a feature that NEO will probably not offer, but which had its own unique appeal thanks to the martial arts combat system: the 1vs1 arena.

  • RedAvert writes on Reddit: “Before a bunch of people come along and talk about how PvP in the original Blade and Soul is the best. There is no 1v1 arena in B&S NEO.”
  • PerceptionOk8543 responds (via Reddit): “Damn, that sucks. Looks like NCSoft has no idea what made the game attractive in the first place.”
  • SeniorEmployment932 adds on Reddit: “Well, that’s absolutely tragic. I was excited for a minute. The 1v1 arenas were the best PvP in any game, no matter the genre. Unfortunately, there’s no real reason to play it differently.”

What else is the community saying?

  • Callinon remembers on Reddit the original: “I really liked the gameplay of Blade and Soul, but it was just a huge microtransaction P2W fest. You really can’t get around that. The gameplay was great. The ‘cash shop’ was abusive.”
  • VelikiUcitelj responds on Reddit to the question of how much PvE there is: “Most of the gameplay consisted of daily dungeons, solo dungeons, and weekly raids. Solo dungeons were extremely fun due to their difficulty. The raids were also very entertaining. Daily dungeons eventually became boring since you did them every single day. There was also a MUCH harder hard mode that you played for fun and for better loot, that was it.”
  • xRaen wonders on Reddit about the release date: “I really wanted to play this, but lmao, too bad, Monster Hunter Wilds comes out at the same time.”

If Monster Hunter Wilds doesn’t entice you, you can actually download Blade & Soul: NEO in advance via the in-house PURPLE launcher starting February 11, 2025. Character creation is supposed to open on February 18, 2025. The final launch will then take place on February 25, 2025. You can find more MMORPGs with fun action here: In which MMORPG does it really rock? Power ranking for online role-playing games with the best battles

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

GTA 6 might only run at 30 FPS at launch, says a former Rockstar Games developer

Millions of gamers are looking forward to playing GTA 6. However, a former GTA developer believes that you will initially have to settle for 30 FPS.

Who is this former developer? Former GTA developer Mike York was a guest on the podcast Kiwi Talkz. During the podcast, York shared his assessment of whether Rockstar Games aims for 30 or 60 FPS for GTA 6.

  • The FPS describe your frame rate, meaning the number of frames displayed in one second. At 30 FPS, that’s 30 frames per second.

York worked for Rockstar Games as an animator from 2012 to 2017, contributing to Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2. Currently, York is working for Highwire Games on the tactical shooter Six Days in Fallujah.

Start video
The graphic comparison of GTA 6 and GTA 5 in the video

Kiwi Talks has taken the podcast episode with York offline at the request of the animator (via X.com).

GTA 6 at release only at 30 FPS?

What does York say about GTA 6? York expects that GTA 6 will only run at 30 FPS upon release on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The English-language online magazine GamesRadar quotes York: “I don’t know if they will be able to achieve 60 FPS. Then York continued:

I think they will aim for 30 FPS – and locked 30 FPS, which means it will never drop below that. They will try to optimize as much as possible to ensure it never drops below 30. But it could be cranked up to 40, 41, 52, whatever, and I bet that later, when it’s on PC, it will probably be super optimized and changed, and new graphics cards will come out, and you’ll likely be able to run it at 60 FPS.

If York is correct, the highly anticipated action game will not achieve 60 FPS at its console release. When and whether GTA 6 will be released on PC is currently uncertain. When on December 5, 2023 the first trailer for GTA 6 was released, the PC version was not mentioned at all (via take2games.com). A release of GTA 6 for PC is not ruled out; however, based on experience, the game may come out for PC with some delay.

Whether GTA 6 can meet the announced release date for 2025 is currently uncertain. Many experts and analysts suspect that Rockstar Games may postpone the launch. A well-known industry insider with contacts to Rockstar Games also doubts a release this year: GTA 6: Insider is sure the release will be postponed

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

An action game is currently 85% off on Steam, but many can’t play it: ‘Should be illegal’

Although Mirror’s Edge Catalyst from 2016 is considered somewhat weaker compared to the original, it is definitely worth it on sale at Steam – if there wasn’t a big problem.

Which game is it about? Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is an action-adventure game from 2016 and the reboot of the parkour hit by DICE. On Steam, the title enjoys a rating of “very positive” with 80% recommendations.

Moreover, the game is still reduced by 85% as part of the EA Publisher Sale until February 10, 2025, costing just €2.99. Nevertheless, some players warn against purchasing it.

Start video
The official trailer for the parkour game Mirror’s Edge Catalyst

Is EA selling a game that can’t be played?

What is the problem? On December 8, 2023, the publisher EA shut down the servers for Mirror’s Edge Catalyst. As a result, online features are no longer available. Some achievements can thus no longer be earned through normal means.

However, even though the server shutdown should not affect the story or side quests, players report that they can no longer play the game at all. Apparently, the game attempts to connect to the non-existent servers upon starting and then gets stuck on an endless loading screen after the intro cutscene.

The frustration of the players is reflected in a new wave of negative reviews on Steam: For the last 30 days, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is now only rated “mostly positive.”

In the community forum on Steam, one user even complains: “The continued presence of this game on Steam should be illegal.” EA is literally selling an unplayable game here.

Is there a solution? Players have identified the controversial DRM Denuvo as the cause of the problem. Apparently, the game tries to connect to the servers to validate the DRM token. However, the issue does not seem to occur for all players.

For those affected, there is also a solution: It is necessary to force the game to start in a kind of offline mode and skip the critical cutscene. The instructions can be found on Reddit.

The frustration of users plays into a larger dissatisfaction with the gaming industry. Because even if you have already paid for a game, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you really own it: Ubisoft deletes a game from players’ libraries – reminding us that we own nothing

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

The 7 most legendary battles from the movies of Star Wars in ranking

When thinking of Star Wars, one quickly thinks of lightsabers and the spectacular battles between Sith and Jedi. We present to you the top 7 from the movies in our ranking.

How was this list created? In the universe of Star Wars, there are many ways battles are fought. Therefore, we limited ourselves to 2 aspects for this list:

  • We only consider battles from the movies, not from the series
  • It is about the choreography and staging, as well as the relevance to the story

Since the battles differ within the trilogies, the ranking is based on the opinion of MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes. Feel free to share your ranking in the comments.

7. Kylo Ren vs Rey

Which movie is the scene from? Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Start video
English trailer for Star Wars 9: The Rise of Skywalker 

What makes this fight so good? The sequel trilogy did a lot wrong, at least for many fans of the series. However, some action scenes are definitely worth watching. This includes the fight between Rey and Kylo Ren on a destroyed machine in the sea.

The rain and the waves of the sea nicely stage the lightsabers and the differences between Rey and Kylo Ren. The duel has impact in some movements, and especially Adam Driver showcases a significant presence.

The ending of the fight with the emotional scene unfortunately doesn’t work, and Rey’s suddenly appearing ability seems a bit silly and out of the blue.

6. Kylo Ren and Rey vs the Guards of Snoke

Which movie is the scene from? Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi (2019)

Start video
Star Wars: Episode 8 – Trailer for Part 2 of the Sequels with Daisy Ridley

What makes this fight so good? In the sequel trilogy, it is also much about breaking the cycle of Sith and Jedi. This does not always work well, but this fight represents it well. 

The dynamics between Kylo Ren and Rey are good here, and especially Adam Driver fights very entertainingly with his iconic lightsaber. Although there are detail issues in the choreography, especially as some movements do not always seem sensible, it is definitely a fun fight, even if the scene is a bit too red.

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

Trump’s Inauguration Politicizes Twitch: 2 Streamers Particularly Benefit

The change of power in the White House of the USA has just had more influence on the viewer numbers of Amazon’s streaming service Twitch than some new game: Especially two men benefit from it, who stand at opposite ends of the political spectrum.

Who is the big winner on Twitch after the inauguration?

The former MMORPG streamer Asmongold gave up his main channel in December 2022 because the hype around him became too much. Since then, he has been streaming on his second channel zackrawrr. But after 2 years, he has also returned incognito and in exile to have as many viewers as before. Asmongold is, alongside the Brit Caedrel, who benefits from the hype around LoL, the biggest streamer on Twitch in the last two weeks.

Asmongold is now considered “the most important political commentator on the platform” in the eyes of his competitors, as the one with the most reach. The Texan engages daily with the American president Donald Trump and other news of the day.

He uploads clips of his streams through an editor on YouTube, regularly reaching millions of additional viewers.

In the last 14 days, viewer hours for Asmongold have increased by 130%. While he still shows a few hours of gaming, 85% of his content falls under “Just Chatting” – here he has a significantly higher viewer average with 55,000 than when he shows games.

twitch-14.-tage
With Trump, Asmongold is on the rise (via SullyGnome).

Who else benefits besides Asmongold? The streamer HasanAbi has always engaged with politics. He has primarily benefited financially from the turmoil in the White House. His viewer hours have increased by 25% in the last 14 days. With nearly 53,000 subs, he is now ranked 5th on the leaderboard. He apparently receives a lot of support from his followers.

HasanAbi exclusively shows content under Just Chatting and has an average of 33,000 viewers. In viewer hours, he ranks 6th with 3.7 million hours, just behind BLAST Premier, which broadcasts tournaments in Counter-Strike 2.

Start video
Career and life of Asmongold in 3 minutes – What makes him special?

There is tension between the two

Do the two have much to do with each other? Not really. Most of the time, HasanAbi and Asmongold stay out of each other’s way. But since Trump took office, there has been some tension between the two.

HasanAbi has accused Asmongold of creating a “safe space for Nazis” with vague statements about the Holocaust. In an attempt to be “edgy”, he would go too far. The English term can be roughly translated as “provocatively different”.

Asmongold has defended himself against the accusations and his editor accused HasanAbi in a compilation of downplaying terrorism and terror organizations.

HasanAbi sees in Asmongold primarily that he is intoxicated by his own significance and relevance.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

One comes from MMORPGs, the other from politics

When did this start? HasanAbi has always done on Twitch what he is doing now. The streamer comes from this political direction.

The US election in 2020 already played strongly into his hands and brought growth to his channel. Many younger people in the USA seem to inform themselves directly through HasanAbi and watch his channel instead of or in addition to TV news.

Twitch streamer HasanAbi shaking his hands
HasanAbi.

For Asmongold, Trump is like Johnny Depp 2.0

The transformation from gaming streamer to reaction streamer and political commentator happened gradually for Asmongold. Apparently, the trial of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard awakened the hunger for so-called “drama content” in Asmongold and many other streamers. Even today, years after the trial, the clips about Johnny Depp are the most popular on Asmongold’s channel.

In the meantime, Asmongold had gotten a ban after controversial statements about the Gaza conflict and said he used the time to reflect on himself. He then also said he wanted to change.

Does this also play a role in Germany? No, in Germany, Twitch and politics are still quite apart. Recently, there was only a brief visit from Robert Habeck at HandOfBlood. Ten years ago, LeFloid had to meet Merkel – Now Habeck sits before 50,000 viewers on Twitch at HandOfBlood’s tiled table.

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

Player thinks Blizzard should listen less to streamers for Diablo 4, faces a lot of backlash from the community

Numerous streamers offer content about Diablo 4 on Twitch, especially at the start of a new season. One fan claims that Blizzard should simply ignore the creators and their opinions. However, not everyone in the community sees it that way – some point to a completely different group of players instead.

What is the player criticizing? In a post on Reddit, a user criticizes that streamers constantly have something to complain about in Diablo 4. First, the gameplay was too slow, the drops too rare, Uniques not good enough, and Mythic Uniques too scarce. Now, suddenly the game is too fast, the loot drops are too intense – and on top of that, there is a lack of challenging content.

The user thinks that Blizzard should simply ignore the streamers because they only represent a tiny fraction of the player base anyway. They are not game designers and play Diablo 4 in a “not fun” way – an absurd amount of hours every day. Listening to them is pointless. They are just “some guys who only play for clicks on Twitch and YouTube,” he says.

In the comments, there are many opposing voices. While some agree that Blizzard tries too hard to please everyone – they do not see the “blame” on the streamers. Many feel that the real problems lie elsewhere. Earlier, players criticized that Diablo 4 wants to please everyone, which makes it worse than it could be.

Start video
Gameplay trailer for Season 7 in Diablo 4, the Season of Witch Power

“It’s the casuals and gamer dads’ fault”

What does the community say about this? Several people write that they are glad that Blizzard listens to players who obviously have a lot of knowledge about the game – like experts such as wudijo and Raxxanterax, who regularly stream Diablo 4 on Twitch. Streamers reach the limits of the game and recognize problems before casuals do, writes RaveN_707.

If it were up to the streamers, there would be “actually a meaningful endgame – something that many streamers have been demanding since the closed beta,” writes krismate. Experts are currently mastering the endgame with their starting gear. He also criticizes that Blizzard caters more to casual players instead of finding a healthy balance for everyone.

Which player group is mentioned here? Others also note that it was not the streamers who demanded more loot or faster leveling. That the Uniques were not of good quality came from the experts on Twitch as well. According to him, the current state of the game is mainly due to the casuals and “gamer dads”, whom Blizzard apparently wants to cater to.

The user huggarn elaborates on his thoughts in the comment as follows:

What you are pointing out is simply the whining of the casual community. […] That’s why there are raining drops, characters are overpowered, and there are seven difficulty levels to fit your “dad-gaming”. […] We had a game made by designers for a long time – it was okay. It had flaws, but it wasn’t particularly casual-friendly.

Diablo 4 has gone in circles: more loot, too much sorting (for casuals), less loot, still too much reading. Then more loot again, less sorting thanks to ancestral items. Then the same crap again because of the Uniques. Then came the stars. […] Loot is raining, but you don’t have to look at it because the stars mark it. So you fish for 1 item out of thousands […]. Just like at the beginning – only easier.

Some users explain that many streamers act as “intermediaries between the community and developers.” Moreover, they are not the ones complaining about challenges. ThanosWasRightHanded writes: “I am confused. Streamers are usually the ones no-lifing the game. They weren’t the ones complaining that the game is too hard.”

When Blizzard removed the often criticized world tiers and presented the new difficulty levels on the PTR for Season 6, Raxxanterax stated that the goal for the “blasters” in Diablo 4 is to climb to torment 4. But the grind was much easier than Blizzard announced. At the same time, the streamer praised that torment 1 is very accessible. According to Raxxanterax, any player can reach that level – thus no one is prevented from obtaining “divine items” or enjoying the game.

Whether Diablo 4 is too easy, too hard, or just right is a topic of ongoing discussion in the community. Among ARPGs, it is considered THE game for casuals, and many of them rely on the guides of experts and streamers. However, one player notes that Diablo 4 is actually quite complex if you do the work yourself. More on this here: “Diablo 4 is surprisingly complex” – user explains why the game seems too easy to many, touches a sore point.

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

Throne and Liberty: Server merge in February 2025 – these are the new EU realms

The developers of Throne and Liberty fulfill a frequently expressed wish from the community and plan a server merge. MeinMMO reveals what this looks like in detail.

What is Amazon Games planning? After many players had wished for server merges for Throne and Liberty in the past weeks, the announcement followed during the latest episode of “Tico Talks”: The publisher Amazon Games has heard the demand and is delivering!

The planned server merge for the MMORPG will occur in three phases:

  • On February 6, 2025, the auction houses will be merged
  • Between February 13 and 27, 2025, there will be a special transfer period
  • On February 27, 2025, the actual server merge will take place

We will reveal what is currently known about the individual phases and which new EU servers will be created through the merge.

Update from January 31, 2025: Amazon Games has revealed which new servers will specifically emerge from the merge. We have expanded the article accordingly.

[toc]

The player numbers are dropping, therefore server merges are coming:

Start video
Throne and Liberty loses more than 70 percent of players on Steam in 2 months

These are the new EU servers from February 27, 2025

With the server merge, Amazon Games will create a sleek eleven new realms from the previous 46 EU servers. Here are the names and which servers serve as the basis.

  • Destiny (created from Lightbringer and Zenith)
  • Cascade (Talus and Wraith)
  • Rebellion (Ember and Ezekiel)
  • Obsidian (Adriana and Excavator)
  • Arcane (Benny and Torrent)
  • Conviction (Bellandir, Conquest and Kazar)
  • Zephyr (Cornelius, Penance and Starfall)
  • Talon (Arnette, Basilisk, Elleia, Rumi and Vortex)
  • Fortune (Arkhan, Justice, Karchars, Lequirus, Shaderock, Soiri and Titanreach)
  • Judgment (Abundance, Anvy, Brent, Destruction, Mallok, Pakilo, Porfos, Windwhisper)
  • Emerald (Domoore, Junatz, Leonardas, Mankipak, Oliver, Payton, Stallof, Talem, Vanfeld, Zarek)

Keep in mind (see Phase 2): Between February 13 and 27, 2025, Amazon Games is offering one free server transfer per character. Here is the list of merges for all regions:

Throne and Liberty: List of all server merges
Throne and Liberty: List of all server merges

Phase 1: Merge of the auction house

On February 6, 2025, the regional auction houses of the early access and launch servers will be merged. All EU players will then use a single, combined auction house to buy or list items. With the merge, your favorites and the price history of the auction houses will be reset.

Exception: Platform-specific servers for consoles will still have a separate auction house.

Phase 2: Open transfer period

Between February 13 and 27, 2025, Amazon Games will offer a free server transfer per character. There will be no further restrictions on the transfer (aside from the fact that you cannot transfer PC characters to platform-specific servers for consoles).

Characters that have not found a new home by February 27, 2025 will automatically be transferred to one of the new servers at the end of the transfer period. Afterwards, these will be subject to the usual transfer cooldown of 30 days.

Registration rewards and special bonuses

During the transfer period, all characters on all servers will receive:

  • Sollant bonus: 20% more Sollant from monster hunting.
  • Mastery bonus: 50% more mastery experience from all sources.
  • Special registration rewards: You can secure up to 14 rewards by logging in every day from February 13 to 27.

The rewards include an Amtoi, 100 selection chests: runestone category, 2 dimensional essences, 30 soul shard selection chests: 2 stars, and much more. Here is the complete list:

Throne and Liberty: Server-Merges - Registration Rewards
These registration rewards are available in Phase 2.

Phase 3: Server merge

On February 27, 2025, at 21:00 our time, the actual server merge will take place. All untransferred characters will be transferred and the old servers will be deleted. Expect a long maintenance phase.

During the merge, the leaderboards, chat history, and blocks will be reset. A date for the next castle siege will be scheduled in the coming week. The guild with the highest guild rank before the siege will take over the defense.

What does my character keep and what will be reset?

The majority of character-specific items will be carried over to your new server. Here are the details:

Character Information

  • The following will be retained:
    • Character name and growth information
    • Current information on combat/growth pass
    • Character possession information (guardians, transformations, Amitoi, equipment, lithography books, etc.)
    • Progress information (codices, Taedal’s Tower, Portal of Infinity, lawless zone, etc.)
    • Access points to content (Abyss Contract tokens, Dimension Contract tokens I/II, Resistance Contracts, Lawless Zone time, etc.)
    • Purchase limit per character in the shop
    • All currencies, including Luzent
    • Personal relationships (friends, feuds, interests, blocks)

Items in Character Possession

  • The following will be retained:
    • Equipped items and items in inventory/storage
    • Equipped/stored runes
    • Mail and unclaimed items in the mailbox
    • Items in the storage chest
    • Costumes, weapon appearances, and emotes in the mirror boutique

Guild Information

  • The following will be retained:
    • Guild name, level, and members
    • Guild ERF and contract history
    • Guild kill records and relationship/distribution/management records
  • The following will be reset:
    • Reputation of guild members over the last 7 days

Placement Information

  • The following will be reset:
    • Activity/kill rank score
    • Guild rank score
    • Guild level will be retained, but the rankings will be recalculated based on the newly collected activity points of the guild/guild members.

Auction House

  • The following will be retained:
    • Items registered in the auction house on the existing server will be transferred to the new server.
    • Sold and unsold items
  • The following will be reset:
    • Market prices
    • Information on favorite items

Server Environment

  • The following will be reset:
    • Guilds in possession of blessing stones/factions stones
    • Castle legion
    • Luzent/Sollant taxes from the old servers will be aggregated and credited to the castle on the new server.
    • Growth ranks will be recalculated with the data from the target servers on the merged server.

Chat History

  • The following will be reset:
    • All chats, including characters on the merged servers
    • Block history
    • Character profile unchecked
    • If you manually select a transferred character after the merge or log in to the game without having selected one, your profile will be automatically selected.

In-Game Chat

  • The following will be reset:
    • All chats that include characters on the merged servers will be reset.
    • Block history

Other

  • The following will be retained:
    • Information about personal pin
    • Crafting favorites
    • Quick selection slots and game settings

What else do I need to know about Throne and Liberty? Throne and Liberty was released on October 1, 2024, for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. There is crossplay between the platforms. The MMORPG aims to finance itself through in-game shop, battle pass, and real money currencies. You can find all other information in our comprehensive overview: All important information about classes, release, crossplay, gameplay, payment model, early access, platforms of Throne and Liberty.

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

George R.R. Martin has had enough of Game of Thrones being compared to The Lord of the Rings, cites completely different inspirations

George R.R. Martin has created one of the greatest fantasy epics, which has led to a very popular series. Therefore, it is not surprising that he is compared to the most important writer in the genre. However, Martin sees a significant difference.

“A Song of Ice and Fire” is the most well-known book series by George R.R. Martin, and since the release of the TV series, the title of the first volume, “A Game of Thrones”, has become widely established.

Today, Game of Thrones can undoubtedly be called a significant and influential fantasy story. Countless fans are waiting for the continuation of the books. George R.R. Martin himself has often been compared to another author who had an even greater influence on the genre: J.R.R. Tolkien.

The creator of Middle-earth has greatly influenced fantasy literature. However, George R.R. Martin has explained the extent to which Tolkien influenced him.

Start video
In the trailer for season 5 of Game of Thrones, Daenerys wants to break the wheel

A Rougher Kind of Fantasy

Who is George R.R. Martin telling stories to? In an interview with Adria’s News, the writer was asked about Tolkien. Not only do they operate in the same genre, but they have also created works that enjoy great popularity.

However, Martin does not dispute that Tolkien is a significant influence today and even criticizes him. But he has appreciated “The Lord of the Rings” since he read the books at the age of 12. At that time, they impressed him so much that he even considered writing Tolkien a fan letter. However, that never happened.

As a writer, however, Martin has been influenced by much older works:

Tolkien had no direct influence on me when I decided to write “A Song of Ice and Fire”, although my books belong to the fantasy canon that Tolkien improved. I mean, fantasy is very old. We can find it in the “Iliad” or in the “Epic of Gilgamesh”, but Tolkien made it a modern genre, and “A Song of Ice and Fire” shares some of those patterns, but not all.

George R.R. Martin via Adria’s News

Martin looks to authors like Homer for inspiration. He also says that a significant difference is that he writes “dirty fantasy”. It is much rougher than that of Tolkien.

This is indeed evident when comparing the two works side by side. In Martin’s stories, characters are often ambivalent. Classical heroes who only do good, like Aragorn in “The Lord of the Rings”, are rare.

However, Martin has still drawn some conclusions from “The Lord of the Rings”. He praises the treatment of magic in Tolkien’s work (via ign.com). It is not used excessively and is not overpowering. Gandalf draws his sword when he faces an orc and does not just make him disappear.

This creates a more realistic world, and magic appears more mysterious than if it could be used at any time. The writer has also compared his own work with science fiction and points out what really matters in a story: George R.R. Martin does not care if characters fight against aliens or dragons – what’s important for the story is one thing

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

New season of New World brings almost no new players on Steam – German YouTuber for MMORPGs dissects the reasons

The YouTuber and streamer Entenburg, who specializes in MMORPGs, analyzes in his new video why the first season of New World Aeternum is a “disaster that was predictable”.

Who is Entenburg? The German YouTuber (75,200 subscribers on the main channel) and streamer (33,748 followers on Twitch) has made a name for himself in recent years with his MMORPG expertise.

Entenburg has been following New World since its turbulent development. His hope all these years was that Amazon Games could better highlight the unique and partially great aspects that New World offers in some areas. Unfortunately, this was not accomplished with New World Aeternum for the time being, according to his analysis from December 2024.

The gameplay trailer for New World Aeternum:

Start video
New World Aeternum: Well-Staged Gameplay Trailer for Launch

“Disaster that was predictable”

What does Entenburg say now about the Season of Conquerors? But what does it look like now with the Season of Conquerors that started on January 21, 2025? This is exactly what Entenburg focused on in his most recent video, which was released a few hours ago on the second channel Entenburch (via YouTube).

The core statement that the season is a “disaster that was predictable” – to which MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz also came to a couple of weeks ago – is justified by the YouTuber as follows:

  • Although the season brought some adjustments and additions for the normal servers, it was far too little to entice dissatisfied players to log in with their old characters.
  • The heavy focus on PvP in the first season and the concept of the seasons themselves were so uninteresting or even off-putting for many players of New World that the launch of the new server had almost no impact on player counts (via steamdb.info). Before the season, there were about 14,500 players live simultaneously on Steam, while after the season start, there were a little over 17,150.
  • Like many others, Entenburg thinks it was a big mistake to fully rely on PvP in the first season. PvP fans would have preferred frequently requested content like practice wars or fresh PvP modes. At least those that are still there. According to Entenburg, many PvP enthusiasts from his circle turned their backs on New World a while ago.
  • On the other hand, Amazon Games managed to attract many new players with the increasing theme park orientation and PvE content in Aeternum. To keep them engaged, further PvE content would have been absolutely necessary.
  • It doesn’t help that the PvP requirement in the world has proven to be as frustrating as many players feared in advance.
  • Fundamental problems with the season server are responsible for this: On the one hand, there is no karma system that protects low-level characters. On the other hand, there are no areas in the game world where players can level up characters with less risk, as is the case in other MMORPGs with open-world PvP.

Here is Entenburg’s video in all its glory:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
  • It remains problematic that the most efficient way to level on the season server is by chopping wood (through the conversion of wood into ethereal dust or life spirit orbs that grant experience, among other things).
  • So instead of doing quests and repeatedly stumbling into brawls with other players, most characters are simply clearing the forests of Aeternum.
  • We have already reported on another problem: The first season of New World Aeternum is only worthwhile if you spend money. You have to purchase the premium pass to receive rewards from the season journey.
  • The cherry on top was a recent update that removed all designations of the New World servers. Suddenly, it was no longer marked which server the season was on, which worlds had joined Aeternum, and which realms existed even before Aeternum.
  • An unintended side effect of this: Suddenly, transfers between all servers became possible – which can have a huge impact on the economy, the power dynamics, and more of a world. A saving hotfix came only after many hours. Additionally, players who exploited this were banned. Nevertheless, a lot of brought items and gold are likely still circulating on the PvP servers.

From Entenburg’s perspective, the developers of New World once again deliver a predictable disappointment, which is why the YouTuber does not want to create any more videos about the MMORPG in the near future. One might say it’s a typical Amazon Games move. This concerns yet another mistake: Aeternum was supposed to bring great momentum for the MMORPG New World, but Amazon Games made a mistake that was predictable

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

Pokémon GO: The best attackers by type 2026 overview

In Pokémon GO, you should focus on the best attackers and their strongest movesets to quickly defeat raid bosses. We at MeinMMO show you which monsters you should have in your team depending on their type.

Why is this important? To be successful in raids and gym battles, you need to assemble the right teams. It is important to take advantage of your opponent’s weaknesses and use appropriate counters. We have summarized the best attackers of each type and their strongest attack combinations below.

What does the ranking show? In the following overview, we have listed the 10 best attackers and their movesets for each type. Note that we only considered “normal” Pokémon.

Although Shadow and Mega Pokémon are often significantly better in battles and have various advantages, they are relatively difficult to obtain in the game. Therefore, we show you a selection of the best Mega Evolutions and Shadow Pokémon under the top 10 attackers for each type.

All attacks marked with an * are exclusive moves. You can obtain them only during specific events or by using Elite TMs.

On the following pages, you will find the best attackers of the following types:

Update from June 16, 2025: We have updated the list of the best attackers and their respective movesets to the current state.

Best Ground-Type Attackers

  1. Landorus (Therian Form) with Mud Shot and Fissure*
  2. Groudon with Mud Shot and Precipice Blades*
  3. Excadrill with Mud Shot and Earth Power*
  4. Landorus (Incarnate Form) with Mud Shot and Earth Power
  5. Stoutland with Mud Slap and Sand Tomb
  6. Rhyperior with Mud Slap and Earthquake
  7. Mamoswine with Mud Slap and Heavy Slam
  8. G-Abomasnow with Mud Slap and Earthquake
  9. Rhyperior with Mud Slap and Earthquake
  10. Galgantes with Mud Slap and Earth Power
Pokemon GO best Ground-Type Attackers
These are the best Ground-Type Attackers

The best Mega and Shadow Ground-Type Attackers: If your team needs a suitable Mega Evolution or Shadow Pokémon, rely on the following monsters:

  • Primal Groudon with Mud Shot and Fissure*
  • Mega-Excadrill with Mud Shot and Earth Power*
  • Mega-Swampert with Mud Shot and Earthquake
  • Shadow Groudon with Mud Shot and Fissure*
  • Shadow Excadrill with Mud Shot and Earth Power*
  • Shadow Rhyperior with Mud Slap and Earthquake
  • Shadow Mamoswine with Mud Slap and Heavy Slam
  • Shadow Stoutland with Mud Slap and Sand Tomb

Ground-Type Strength: Ground Pokémon are best used against Electric, Rock, Poison, Steel, and Fire types.

For more information on the best Ground-Type Attackers and what makes them special, we have summarized it here.

[toc]

Best Dragon Type Attackers

  1. Black Kyurem with Dragon Tail and Outrage
  2. Palkia (Origin Form) with Dragon Tail and Spatial Rend*
  3. Dialga (Origin Form) with Fire Breath and Roar of Time*
  4. Rayquaza with Dragon Tail and Hyper Beam*
  5. White Kyurem with Fire Breath and Dragon Pulse
  6. Maxax with Dragon Tail and Hyper Beam*
  7. Palkia with Dragon Tail and Draco Meteor
  8. Catapult Dragon with Dragon Tail and Hyper Beam
  9. Brutalanda with Dragon Tail and Outrage*
  10. Knakrack with Dragon Tail and Outrage
Pokemon GO best Dragon type attackers
These are the best Dragon type attackers

The best Mega and Shadow Dragon type attackers: If you want to include a suitable Mega Evolution or a Shadow Pokémon in your team, consider the following monsters:

  • Mega-Rayquaza with Dragon Tail and Hyper Beam*
  • Mega-Knackrack with Dragon Tail and Outrage
  • Mega-Brutalanda with Dragon Tail and Draco Meteor
  • Mega-Latios with Fire Breath and Dragon Claw
  • Shadow Palkia with Dragon Tail and Draco Meteor
  • Shadow Knackrack with Dragon Tail and Outrage
  • Shadow Brutalanda with Dragon Tail and Outrage*
  • Shadow Dragoran with Dragon Tail and Outrage

Strength of Dragon Type: Dragon Pokémon are particularly effective in battles against other Dragons.

We have summarized more information on the best Dragon attackers and what makes them special.

A selection of the top attackers in Pokémon GO that should not be missing from your team is shown in the following video:

Start video
Pokémon GO: The strongest attackers of all types in the video

Best Ice-Type Attackers

  1. White Kyurem with Ice Fang and Frost Breath
  2. Black Kyurem with Dragon Tail and Frost volt
  3. Espinodon with Ice Fang and Avalanche
  4. Galar Flampivian with Ice Fang and Avalanche
  5. Mamutel with Powder Snow and Avalanche
  6. Kyurem with Fire Breath and Ice Age*
  7. Glaziola with Ice Breath and Avalanche
  8. Snibunna with Ice Shard and Avalanche
  9. Mewtwo with Psycho Cut and Ice Beam
  10. Kolowal with Powder Snow and Avalanche
Pokemon GO best Ice-Type Attackers
These are the best Ice-Type Attackers

By the way: You can also rely on the all-rounder Mewtwo with a moveset of Psycho Cut and Ice Beam. The Psychic attacker benefits not only from its high attack value but also deals significant damage with Ice Beam.

The best Mega and Shadow Ice-Type Attackers: If a suitable Mega Evolution or Shadow Pokémon should not be missing in your team, rely on the following monsters:

  • Mega-Firnontor with Ice Breath and Avalanche
  • Mega-Rexblisar with Powder Snow and Meteorologist
  • Shadow Mamutel with Powder Snow and Avalanche
  • Shadow Snibunna with Ice Shard and Triple Axel
  • Shadow Mewtwo with Psycho Cut and Ice Beam
  • Shadow Pantifrost with Ice Shard and Triple Axel
  • Shadow Articuno with Ice Shard and Ice Beam

Strength of Ice Type: Especially rely on the best Ice-Type Attackers in battles against Grass, Flying, Ground, and Dragon Pokémon.

We have summarized more information about the best Ice Attackers and what makes them special here.

On the next page, you’ll find the best attackers of the Electric, Fairy, and Fire types.

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

Best Player in Path of Exile 2 Loses Everything for Not Paying Attention for a Second

In Path of Exile 2, the best player of all was momentarily inattentive and had to pay dearly for it.

Who is it about? In Path of Exile 2, besides the normal difficulty, there are also special game modes for gamers who prefer a greater challenge. The hardest of these game modes forbids players from trading, playing in a group, and dying.

While the first two rules cannot be broken, the game ends for the character upon death. However, they are not deleted; instead, they are moved to the normal game mode.

Since day one, there has been a competition in this hardest game mode of Path of Exile 2, which was recently decided. A character named “HDB_oOps” reached level 100 as an Invoker first and thus won the race. The player behind this character is no stranger to the community and has been playing Path of Exile since 2013.

As an Invoker, he focused on Ice Strike and Energy Shield as means to success. But the joy over the record didn’t last long.

Have you met this NPC from Path of Exile 2 yet?

Start video
This NPC in Path of Exile 2 identifies your items

A single misstep is enough

How did the player lose everything? Just three days after reaching the maximum level 100, the player made a fateful mistake. During the fight against the toughest boss in the game, the Arbiter of Ash, the gamer wasn’t paying close enough attention. The boss is notorious in the community for the difficulty of the battle. The developers have since nerfed him.

The Arbiter of Ash is one of the few bosses in the game that can defeat any character with a single hit. This occurs in a sequence where you must always move your character to a safe spot in the boss arena.

Because the player couldn’t find the safe point in the arena quickly enough, he was hit by the boss’s powerful attack and was instantly eliminated. You can see the whole scene here:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

What did he lose with that? Even though “HDB_oOps” will forever hold the record as the first player to master the hardest mode in the game, the death of his character also means the end for him.

He can no longer continue playing in hardcore mode with this character, so he cannot further enjoy his success. For the other players still competing for second place, however, this event may not be of great relevance. They are still fighting for millions of experience points to also reach the maximum level. What could help them would be this rare bow: A player from Path of Exile 2 crafts a bow that rivals Robin Hood

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

The head of a legendary anime studio explains a confusing scene from Spirited Away: „The youth today do not understand it anymore“

Hayao Miyazaki is the director and screenwriter of the Ghibli film “Spirited Away.” A scene in the anime highlights that there are significant gaps between generations.

Which scene is it? Chihiro administers a healing dumpling to Haku in his dragon form, causing him to expel a black worm. Chihiro chases after the creature and crushes it with her shoe. Kamaji, the man with six arms, shouts at Chihiro during this scene to cut the string.

She holds her index fingers and thumbs together. Kamaji then brings his flat hand through Chihiro’s fingers.

In an interview with Hayao Miyazaki and Rumi Hiiragi, it becomes clear that even the 37-year-old Japanese woman does not understand what this gesture means. Miyazaki then explains to her what this scene is about. You can watch the interview and the scene in the YouTube video by yurikuki.

You can find the trailer for Spirited Away here:

Start video
Spirited Away Trailer (English)

Old Japanese Tradition That the Youth No Longer Understands

What does it mean? The act of cutting the string refers to a traditional Japanese gesture. It is essentially a good luck charm performed when one is affected by impurities. Miyazaki mentioned in the interview that it could be, for example, a dog poop that one has stepped in.

The person affected by misfortune holds two index fingers together. Another person then makes a cutting gesture through the joined index fingers and pretends to “cut the string.” This is meant to make the impurity fall away.

Why is it only understood when one is that old? The young voice actress was astonished and remarked that she had never heard of this tradition. Miyazaki replied that this custom is actually well known throughout Japan.

However, a sound engineer added that “young people today no longer know what that would be.” After all, Hayao Miyazaki is 84 years old, which is a 47-year age difference. In the past, Miyazaki has expressed his worries about younger generations, presumably also because they forget such traditions.

Over the years, the custom may have increasingly fallen into oblivion. It’s especially wonderful that Miyazaki is reviving it through Spirited Away.

If the viewers are to be believed, Spirited Away is the best film from the Ghibli animation studio. However, the studio has released several other classics over the years. How the other films rank can be found in the following article on MeinMMO: All Ghibli Films Ranked By IMDb

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

The best MMORPG in space delivers new content 22 years after release – The roadmap for 2025 is now available

The popular space MMORPG EVE Online continues to deliver new content even 22 years after its release. The developers have now presented the roadmap for 2025.

What kind of game is this? EVE Online is a sandbox MMORPG for PC, released in June 2003 and now operating on a free-to-play model. The focus is on exploring space with your own spaceship.

At the start, you receive a basic ship, but your goal is to acquire a better and larger spaceship. You can either craft new ships yourself or buy them from other players.

As a true sandbox, almost all the spaceships and items in the game have been created by the community itself. The community plays a significant role in EVE Online, as the game is built around joining other players and fighting in large wars for control of the universe.

In 2023, an interesting expansion came to EVE Online:

Start video
EVE Online lets you finally be truly evil – Trailer for the new expansion Havoc

Roadmap shows two expansions for 2025

What is planned for 2025? In a presentation on YouTube, the developers of EVE Online spoke about their plans for the space MMORPG. In 2025, two expansions are set to be released.

A summer expansion is planned for the second quarter of the year, from April 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025. A winter expansion will then come in the fourth quarter at the end of the year, between October 1 and December 31, 2025.

A mid-November release is a possibility here. This is when the developers also chose to release the last expansion, Revenant.

In addition to the expansions, EVE Fanfest will also return. This annual event takes place in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, and is a mix of community gathering and gaming convention focused on EVE Online. However, the event was canceled last year.

Roadmap of EVE Online for 2025
Q1: Eve Revenant
Q2: Eve Summer Expansion, Eve Fanfest 2025, Capsuleer Day (22 years of Eve)
Q3: Eve The Alliance Tournament TFeeders, EvE Summer Expansion Update
Q4: Eve Winter Expansion, Alliance Tournament, Crimson Harvest, Winter Nexus
Roadmap of EVE Online for 2025

What content will be the focus in 2025? This year, EVE Online wants to highlight a new system. The so-called freelance projects will allow players to create their own missions, which can then be completed by others for rewards.

For example, players can create their own bounty missions or collaborate with strangers on projects. The fresh system is intended to make the sandbox more vibrant and allow players to create new stories.

Furthermore, there will also be two new spaceships and tools for improved fleet management suitable for fleets of any size. The 22nd anniversary of EVE Online will also be celebrated this year in the second quarter. The developers of the MMORPG have also been working longer on a shooter: EVE Vanguard could be the next big MMO shooter for Destiny fans, but with the difference that you can change the story

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

An Insignificant Supermarket in Costa Rica is Sued by Nintendo but Wins in Court: The Founder is Super Mario

A small supermarket in Costa Rica has won in court against Nintendo. The reason for the lawsuit was the name of the store, which is named after its founder.

What kind of supermarket is this? The supermarket proudly bears the name “Súper Mario”, named after its founder Don José Mario Alfaro González. Don Mario opened the store under this name 52 years ago (via PC Gamer) – 12 years before the first Super Mario Bros. was released in 1985.

At that time, however, they neglected to register the name as a trademark. This only happened when Mario’s son Carlos “Charlito” Alfaro returned from university in 2013 and the supermarket applied for the renewal of its trademark.

As Carlos “Charlito” Alfaro outlined in a post on Facebook, Nintendo became aware of the supermarket through social media and claimed that the name Super Mario belonged to them worldwide. This was followed by a lawsuit from the corporation.

Start video
Nintendo showcases the Switch 2 for the first time in a trailer

The family was about to give up – but ultimately wins

How did it go in court? The prospect of going to court against such a large international corporation caused fear for Alfaro and his family. They were close to just giving up and changing the name to avoid an expensive lawsuit.

For a moment, we thought about throwing in the towel; how would we defeat such a commercial monster? Even more so because of the number of legal documents they submitted to secure victory.

Carlos “Charlito” Alfaro via Facebook

Ultimately, however, they decided not to back down. The decision of the National Registry of Costa Rica came – completely unexpectedly – in favor of the supermarket. The reason: While Nintendo had trademark rights in a variety of categories like video games, clothing, collectibles, toys, and more, they did not have rights for the sale of food.

In a short video that Carlos “Charlito” Alfaro later also published on Facebook, he proudly points to his father Don Mario in the background and says: “He is Don Mario, he is my father, he has been here for 52 years, and he is the founder of Super Mario.”

Nintendo is notoriously famous for protecting its trademarks in court: whether it involves fan projects or other games. For example, the survival hit Palworld was sued by Nintendo, which led the developers to even change an animation in the game.

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

In League of Legends you could soon attack faster than ever before

Riot Games might soon bring a change to League of Legends that alters how often you can attack per second.

What kind of information is this?

  • In the League of Legends subreddit, a user posted a series of changes they found through data mining on the PBE (Public Beta Environment).
  • The PBE is a kind of testing environment where upcoming patches can be tested before they are released in the actual game.
  • Data mining refers to searching the game files for clues about upcoming updates that are not yet visible in the game.

The changes shared were discovered in the files of the PBE and could appear in League of Legends in the future.

Start video
Welcome to Noxus – Opening Video for the First LoL Season 2025

Riot raises attack speed limit

What kind of change is this? Among the changes shared by the data miner on Reddit, there is also an increase in the attack speed cap. The attack speed cap is being raised from 2.5 to 3.003 attacks per second. You will then be able to attack up to 3 times per second.

An employee of Riot Games has since confirmed the change on Reddit and revealed that 3.0 will be the new upper limit for all modes that do not have a separate cap.

This means that if you manage to fully utilize the limit with a champion, you can attack faster than ever before.

How the new limit looks in practice is shown by the YouTuber Remus in comparison:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

What does the community say about the change? The community is currently divided on whether the change could actually affect the current meta.

Some League players believe that the increased limit will not be very noticeable. One user commented on YouTube: “I don’t feel like this will be as big of a change as people interpret it. Most crit ADCs will not reach that [limit] […] For super on-hit champions like Vayne, I can see it slightly changing things, but even then I believe this will only affect very few situations.”

Other players think that primarily champions like Jinx will benefit from the change, who can stack attack speed over the course of a match. How heavily this change will affect gameplay and which champions will benefit the most from it will ultimately become clear over time.

When will the change take place? According to the online magazine PCGamesN, the change to the attack speed cap is set to go live with patch 25.S1.3 on February 5th. Then you will be able to test the increased limit in a normal game for the first time.

The current season in League of Legends just started on January 9, 2025, which included patch 25.S1.1 with the new mode Swift Play. What else this season has in store for you can be read on MeinMMO: LoL: The new season has started – What changes are there?

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

25-year-old was considered the best German in LoL for years, then Fnatic kicked him out, now he is back

25-year-old Elias “Upset” Lipp was the focal point of Fnatic, the popular e-sport team in Europe for LoL, for two years. During that time, the ADC was considered the best German player in League of Legends. However, the roster fell apart after the LoL Worlds 2021, and German Upset was replaced by Swedish superstar Rekkles. This led to two tough years for Upset and the Fnatic team. But that has now come to an end.

This is how Upset’s career went: Even at 15, Upset was a successful player in LoL and switched to Schalke. In hindsight, he would have preferred to skip that and join the perennial champion G2, as he says today in an interview with Tolkin (via YouTube), but back then he didn’t know better.

After stints with Origen and Astralis, he landed at Fnatic in November 2020 as a “great German talent.” They had just lost their star player Rekkles to G2 and needed a replacement. At Fnatic, Upset finally matured into an elite player and made Fnatic “his team.”

He dominated 2021 and 2022, topping individual rankings for stretches, collecting so many kills while dying very rarely himself. During that time, he was considered the best German player in LoL.

Start video
Many consider a German to be the best SoloQ player in LoL – How does Agurin play?

After Upset had to leave the Worlds, things went wrong

This was the turning point: But in 2021, there was a crash in the team: Upset had to leave the Worlds in Iceland for personal reasons. To this day, it remains unclear what exactly happened; only “family reasons” are mentioned.

This was a huge disappointment for Fnatic at the time, as the players had worked the whole year to earn a place at the Worlds. But they could not make use of that place. Without their focal player, Fnatic was eliminated without a chance.

After those Worlds, there was ongoing turmoil at Fnatic. A young teammate accused Upset of leaving the Worlds simply because his partner missed him. Upset defended himself against such accusations. But by then, the rumor was already out: Upset’s wife even received death threats.

The team’s morale took a dive, as Upset says today.

Two really tough years begin for Fnatic and Upset

This is how it went for Fnatic without Upset: Ultimately, Fnatic disbanded the roster in 2022 and replaced Upset with the “big name,” Rekkles, who returned to the team after not doing well at G2.

But Rekkles was no longer the franchise player he once was. He later even switched to support. At Fnatic, he could never really establish himself.

There followed two years in which Fnatic constantly rotated the roster but found no real success anymore.

After Upset, 8 more players left Fnatic within 2 years, particularly the support player changed constantly. On the bot lane, the Korean Noah played after Rekkles’ quick departure.

This is how it went for Upset: Upset also struggled without Fnatic in 2023 and 2024. First, he joined Perkz in his “super-team” Vitality. However, that turned out to be super unsuccessful. Perkz mentioned after the season that it didn’t feel real but more like a nightmare.

After that, Upset transferred to Karmine Corp. – and nothing worked there either. He ended the Spring Split 2024 in last place 10.

At Karmine Corp., however, there was no longer any place for the German in 2025: Now the wonder kid Caliste plays there as ADC.

In a rather silly video, Fnatic shows how jungler Razork time travels to bring the former Fnatic players Mikyx and Upset back to Fnatic:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Upset is ready to take on responsibility and spread good vibes at 25

This is how Upset is doing now: Upset returned to Fnatic in 2025 and forms a strong bot lane here with Mikyx, perhaps the best-known support in Europe.

In an interview with Tolkin, Upset says he feels like “the prodigal son” who has returned to Fnatic. The last time the team had many issues and tensions. But he has now resolved to be sensible at 25, emit only positive vibes, and make the calls.

In the past, at 15, he says he was terribly toxic. Tolkin adds: Upset constantly pressured people to play a lot of SoloQ. Only when everyone was a Challenger was Upset satisfied.

The 25-year-old smiles: Even today, it is still important to him that everyone plays a lot. But Upset seems to have found ways to communicate his goals without being as toxic as before. Especially with Mikyx as a partner, whom he praises repeatedly, he seems to feel comfortable now.

lol-mikyx-titelbild
For Mikyx, things didn’t go so well in the past few years, but in 2025 he seems to be exceptionally strong.

Upset is once again a statistics monster

This is how it is going for Upset at Fnatic: Apparently, Upset has ended both his own weak phase and that of Fnatic in the two weeks he has been playing at Fnatic: The newly formed Fnatic recently wiped out G2 – Upset played 4-1-9 on Ezrael.

With 5-1, Fnatic, Karmine Corp., and Movistar KOI are currently in 1st place in the LEC.

In the KDA, Upset currently stands at 11.2 after 6 games, placing 2nd in the LEC, only the new wonder kid Calisté is doing even better with 14.2. Calisté and Upset seem to meet the high expectations placed on them at the start of the new season: An 18-year-old is performing so well in LoL that the European champion is allegedly offering half the team and a lot of money for him

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