An excessive urge for cleanliness can disrupt the delicate balance of our microbiome and thus impair our immune system. Researchers emphasize that an almost sterile home can do more harm than good.
The title image is a symbolic image.
What do researchers say? Science agrees: Keeping our homes too clean reduces the diversity of microbes – and that has consequences for our health. According to the Pharmaceutical Journal (via PZ), the microbiome significantly influences our health by regulating the immune system and affecting the risk for certain diseases.
A recent study also shows: Many of the microbes that live in our households protect our immune system and are important for our health (via nature). Their absence is associated with an increased risk for allergies, asthma, and other autoimmune diseases.
Especially new and clean is the Switch 2:
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Nintendo showcases the Switch 2 for the first time in a trailer
What are microbiomes anyway? The microbiome includes all microorganisms that, for example, inhabit our body. These microbes perform important tasks, such as supporting the immune system, producing vitamins, and protecting against pathogens. Each person’s microbiome is individually composed and varies from person to person (via Springer).
It mainly consists of bacteria, outnumbering human body cells. The majority of these bacteria are found in the gastrointestinal tract. Many of them perform essential functions for humans, such as the production of vitamins or protection against pathogens (via DZIF). Additionally, there are also microbes in our environment, such as in our homes, that interact with us and affect our immune system.
A compromised microbiome is rather bad
Why does the microbiome affect our immune system? A diverse microbiome trains our immune system by developing immune tolerance towards beneficial microbes while fighting harmful pathogens. A lack of this diversity can lead to dysregulation of the immune system, increasing the risk for allergies and autoimmune diseases.
Excessive cleaning with antimicrobial products can damage the microbiome and weaken the immune system. Especially in childhood, excessive cleanliness can prevent the immune system from being ‘trained’ through contact with harmless microbes.
Our expertise in the editorial team lies in gaming and not in health. If you have health problems, please contact your trusted doctor. You can find extensive health tips at the Federal Ministry of Health (via bundesgesundheitsministerium.de) or in a conversation with your personal family doctor.
Clean, sterile or disinfected – Where’s the difference? The terms “sterile”, “clean” and “disinfected” are often equated but describe different hygiene states (via Steriblog):
Clean means removing dirt without specifically eliminating germs.
Disinfected describes the reduction of harmful microorganisms.
Sterile, on the other hand, means complete freedom from germs, as is only required in medical fields.
Even though it may sound good, a sterile living environment would likely harm one’s own immune system and overall health because it ultimately jeopardizes the beneficial microbiome. Therefore, a living environment that is as sterile or disinfected as possible is not sensible.
How much is enough? This does not mean we should forgo hygiene, as without regular cleaning, harmful germs like mold or bacteria from food can accumulate. The COVID-19 pandemic has also shown how essential hygiene routines are to prevent the spread of diseases. Regular handwashing and cleaning surfaces remain important measures to protect against infections.
As recommended by NDR (via NDR), aggressive disinfectants should only be used where truly necessary, such as in the toilet or after preparing raw meat. For everyday use, mild cleaning agents like soapy water or vinegar are sufficient. Regular airing also helps create a healthy indoor climate and prevents mold growth.
You can use ChatGPT for free, but there is also a paid Plus model. MeinMMO presents the advantages of a subscription and explains what you can gain from it.
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What kind of subscription is this? With ChatGPT Plus, OpenAI has introduced a subscription model for its AI. It includes additional features and comfort features designed to make your everyday experience with ChatGPT easier.
However, it is important to note: You can continue to use ChatGPT for free without a subscription. There is no obligation to subscribe.
What does ChatGPT Plus cost? Currently, you pay $23.80 per month for ChatGPT. This is roughly around 22 euros. The only payment method accepted by ChatGPT is a credit card. You currently have no other options (as of: March 2024).
The article was first published in May 2023. On January 21, 2025, we updated our article and added another advantage to the article. Now you can find 7 advantages in the article. We also adjusted a list below. In addition, we adapted some advantages to the new model 4.o and added missing information. Last updates: 01/21/25, 04/06/24, 05/31/23
1. Extensive GPT-4o access
The perhaps greatest advantage of ChatGPT Plus is access to GPT-4o. Free users can also access GPT-4, but the usage is highly restricted: Once your time runs out, you will be downgraded to GPT-3.5.
What advantages does GPT-4o have over 3.5?
Multimodal reasoning and generation: GPT-4o integrates text, speech, and images into a single model, allowing it to process and respond to a combination of data types. The model can understand audio, images, and text at the same speed. It can also generate responses via audio, images, and text.
Language and audio processing: GPT-4o has advanced capabilities for processing over 50 different languages.
Sentiment analysis: The model understands the sentiment of users through different modalities of text, audio, and video.
Language nuance: GPT-4o can generate language with emotional nuances. This makes it an effective tool for applications that require sensitive and nuanced communication. Image understanding: The model can analyze images and videos, allowing users to upload visual content that GPT-4o can understand, explain, and analyze.
Data analysis. With its image processing and reasoning abilities, users can analyze data contained in data tables. GPT-4o can also create data charts based on an analysis or a prompt.
File uploads: GPT-4o supports file uploads, allowing users to analyze specific data for analysis.
Memory and contextual knowledge: GPT-4o can remember previous interactions and maintain context over longer conversations.
Particularly the significantly broader approach to language and audio processing or even memory are important developments if you want to use AI regularly and actively. This makes the AI’s responses feel much more natural and less artificial than with GPT-3.5.
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Amazon presents cute robot – Watch the trailer on how Astro protects your home from bandits
2. High stability
Free users know the problem: As soon as many people want to use ChatGPT, the service collapses. Then the servers are unreachable, or the AI’s responses feel like they come hours later.
Plus subscribers have the advantage that they can use ChatGPT almost continuously. The service is set up to prioritize Plus subscribers. Therefore, you can ask the AI your questions even during peak times and receive your answers quickly.
3. Faster responses
The Plus version of GPT-4o is not only faster but also offers better performance. A problem with the free version is that it often becomes unresponsive, and you need to wait for a new response. Or the chatbot struggles with connection problems when there’s a lot going on. With ChatGPT Plus, such outages and pauses are significantly shorter.
If you rely on ChatGPT for work, you can save a lot of time.
The Plus version has the advantage that you can use the所谓的 browsing mode with the GPT-4 model. This way, you can also access the internet with the AI and use more current data, providing the AI with links or digital content to process.
GPT-3.5 was mainly trained with English datasets, but can easily respond to German inquiries as well. The subsequent model, GPT-4, has the advantage of being able to respond even more accurately to non-English inputs, including German.
The new model GPT-4o has undergone significant improvements in this regard. Because GPT-4o has advanced capabilities for processing more than 50 different languages. Furthermore, it also includes real-time translation functionality.
If you are chatting with the AI in German, the GPT-4 model is even better at recognizing linguistic nuances or cultural aspects.
How to set ChatGPT to German or what to consider can be found in the following article:
With the subscription model, you have the ability to integrate what are called plugins into ChatGPT. Plugins are small third-party extensions that you can incorporate into the AI. This way, you can access additional functionalities.
In the plugin store, you can currently choose from around 100 extensions and install them. These show you some additional prompts, commands that you can give the AI. However, you can also use the AI completely without plugins.
ChatGPT
ChatGPT Plus
Language model
GPT-4o and GPT-3.5
GPT-4, GPT-4o and GPT-4o mini
Accessand speed
Slow and many pauses with many accesses
Prioritized and few pauses with responses
Basic functions
Limited access to data analysis, image processing, and online search
Full access to data analysis, image processing, and online search
Internet access
No
Yes, GPT-4 model with browsing mode and internet access
Languages
English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Arabic, and Chinese
English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Arabic, and Chinese
Addons
No
Yes, via the GPT store
Architecture and datasets
12-layer model with 117 million parameters
24-layer model with 1.5 billion parameters
Price
Free
$23.80 per month (approx. 22 euros)
ChatGPT vs ChatGPT Plus in comparison
7. Ability to switch between different models
In the free version of Chat-GPT, you can use GPT-4o and GPT-4o mini. However, the GPT-4o model can only be used to a limited extent and is not available to you in full. If you run out of free queries, you will automatically be downgraded to GPT-GPT-3.5.
In the paid version, you can switch between GPT-4, GPT-4o, and GPT-4o mini. If you have simple, less complex questions, you can save your question quota available with GPT-4o by switching to GPT-4 or GPT-4o mini.
Is ChatGPT Plus worth it for me?
Reasons for ChatGPT Plus:
Additional processing capabilities: GPT-4 is better and more comprehensive than GPT-3.5. Moreover, GPT-4 can also analyze images and files.
Current information: The free version of ChatGPT cannot access the internet, while users with ChatGPT Plus can.
Use of custom bots and addons: Access to the GPT store and ChatGPT plugins is limited to Plus subscribers. In the store, you’ll also find specialized bots that you can use.
More accurate and precise answers: GPT-4 is significantly more modern than the old model 3.5. With Plus, you get more accurate and concrete answers. Additionally, you gain full access to all features of GPT-4o.
Dependence on ChatGPT for work: You need ChatGPT for your job or depend on quick answers and reactions.
Reasons against ChatGPT Plus:
Basic functions are sufficient: You find the normal functions sufficient and do not need addons or the complete capabilities of GPT-4o.
Simple inquiries: If you only want to ask simple questions, access to GPT-4o mini is usually sufficient.
Costs: You want to use ChatGPT for free and avoid the costs of around 20 euros or simply don’t have a credit card at hand.
Pure curiosity: You just want to try ChatGPT and are fine with outdated datasets.
Not interested in ChatGPT? Besides ChatGPT, there are already a number of AI alternatives if you would prefer to try other projects. MeinMMO introduces you to the most interesting, free alternatives in detail with pros and cons: ChatGPT: 6 free alternatives to the successful chatbot from OpenAI
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
For Baldur’s Gate 3, there are numerous mods available that allow you to customize the game to your liking. MeinMMO shows you the 10 best mods you should know about, as well as important tools to easily install mods.
Update from 15.04.2025: Today, Patch 8 goes live in Baldur’s Gate 3. Most mods will be updated for Patch 8 over the next few days and weeks. If you want to continue using your mods without complications, it is best to stay with Patch 7.
What are mods? In Baldur’s Gate 3, you can integrate functions into the game through mods that are not normally available. Mods change the game and expand it with new options and features that can enrich your gaming experience in Baldur’s Gate 3 in many ways. Since Patch 7 there is also official mod support for PC and consoles, which is intended to ensure better stability. However, not all mods will be available to console players.
Below we explain how you can easily install the mods and present you the 10 best for your Baldur’s Gate 3 run.
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How to easily install your mods
Before diving into the fascinating world of mods, you should take a look at the following tools to ensure that your mods function smoothly, and that you can install and manage them easily.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Official In-Game Mod Manager
The in-game mod manager provided by Larian can be found on the title screen of the game. It is also accessible to console players. Here you can scroll through available mods and get an overview of already installed mods that you can manage.
Larian has already explained that with the official mod toolkit, comprehensive quest and level designs will not be possible due to technical restrictions. Additionally, there are some limitations regarding the allowed content due to the official ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ license.
If you are playing the game on PC and want to bypass this rule, you must use unofficial mod managers.
What does the mod manager do? The mod manager handles the implementation of your mods, which significantly simplifies the installation of the mods, as you do not have to install them manually. Additionally, the mod manager gives you a good overview of your installed mods and allows you to determine the order in which the mods should be loaded. This is sometimes necessary for the mods to work correctly. The cool thing is: The mod manager updates itself automatically.
Tip: Before installing a mod, be sure to check the notes in the mod description – there you will find all the important information you need to know.
What do I need the mod fixer for? For most unofficial mods, you need the Baldur’s Gate 3 Mod Fixer to make them work. The mod fixer ensures that your mods are compatible with the full version.
What does the mod bring me? When you install and activate mods for Baldur’s Gate 3, you usually cannot unlock achievements anymore. However, this modification allows you to gain achievements even when using mods.
For the Achievement Enabler, you also need another tool called Native Mod Loader. This tool ensures that the Achievement Enabler works. Additionally, some mods require this tool to function.
Below we present you 10 mods for Baldur’s Gate 3 that are worth trying.
Fantastical Multiverse – More Races, New Heads and Hairstyles
What can the mod do? With this mod from Dungeons and Souls, you can play many more races in Baldur’s Gate 3. Some of the fascinating races introduced by this modification come from various Dungeons & Dragons settings like Eberron and Etharis from Grim Hollow.
You can select races from Eberron as well. Additionally, you can choose races from Etharis, the dark world of Grim Hollow. Races from Eorzea, the world of Final Fantasy XIV, are also included.
This mod also includes a selection of various hairstyles and new heads that you can use – including hairstyles from Shadowheart, Orin, and Isobel.
We have put together a small gallery for you:
Currently, the selectable races and subraces include:
For this mod, another modification is required – the 5E Spells. It brings numerous additional D&D spells and cantrips into the game.
5E-Spells – New Spells and Cantrips
With this mod, you can try out a ton of new spells.
What can the mod do? In Baldur’s Gate 3, numerous spells are already available. However, this modification integrates a wide variety of additional spells from first to sixth level, as well as a broad selection of cantrips into your game.
What can the mod do? This modification by Toarie is just what you need if you want to offer your characters in the game more options for hairstyles.
We have put together a small gallery here showcasing a few hairstyles:
Tav’s Hairsalon expands the game with an impressive array of brand new hairstyles, particularly aimed at the various races, including elves, half-elves, drow, tieflings, and humans.
What can the mod do? With this modification from Sildur, you have the option to take all companions into your party at once, allowing you to leave no one behind in the camp. This expands the group limit to a total of 16 members and also allows starting a multiplayer run with up to 8 players.
However, it is highly likely that this mod will disturb the game balance because the game is not designed for so many players. Nevertheless, if you want to play with a larger group of friends, this mod proves to be a good choice.
What can the mod do? With this mod from Various, you unlock another class from the D&D universe, namely the artificer. This class can merge magic and technology to create, enhance, and utilize items.
The class is particularly versatile, as it can perform well in combat as well as support your group.
These are the subclasses of the artificer, each offering a different playstyle and abilities:
Alchemist: This special subclass specializes in the art of potions and elixirs. You can create healing potions to help yourself and your allies.
Armorer: As an armorer, you are a caster who can alter your playstyle through powerful magical armors. You can switch between two modes, the Guardian mode (defense) and the Infiltration mode (stealth and ranged combat).
Artillerist: This subclass masters the art of ranged combat. This grants you the ability to summon and use magical artillery to deal damage from afar. These artillery pieces can create various effects and offer a wide range of tactical options.
Battle Smith: As a battle smith, you create a magical mechanical companion that assists you in combat. With each level increase, your companion also grows stronger.
What can the mod do? Do you also know that feeling when you walk through a village or town as a druid in animal form, causing the inhabitants to panic or making your undead scare the residents away? Then this modification by pwyb could be the solution for you. With this mod, NPCs no longer run away from summons and druid forms.
What can the mod do? Are you desperately searching for a dye that simply colors your armor black? Then this mod by Aetherpoint might be right for you. With it, you can dye your armor a deep black. The dye will be found in various locations specified by Aetherpoint on Nexusmods.
What can the mod do? The modification by Djmr aims to make the game’s user interface clearer and support other mods. For example, annoying story error messages from installed mods will not be displayed in the game, and some small improvements in character creation are added.
The mod also has optional files that can be downloaded. ImprovedUI Assets is worthwhile because this mod adds images from other mods to see, for example, the image of the artificer. Otherwise, a black image will be displayed visually.
What can the mod do?Vemperen’s Other Heads adds a variety of new heads and faces for character creation, allowing you to customize your characters even more.
The original heads remain available and intact. As usual, you will need the mod fixer, improved UI, and preferably the mod manager for this mod. Additionally, the mod Less Wrinkled Expressions is recommended.
What can the mod do? On Reddit, some players express their dissatisfaction with the current camera controls of the game. But for those who have difficulties with the camera, taking a look at the modification from Ersh could be worthwhile.
This mod allows a flexible and free camera control, even enabling a third-person experience.
For those who prefer the controls from Dragon Age: Origins, there is even the option to combine this modification with another mod – WASD Character Movement – allowing you to steer your character comfortably with the WASD keys and enjoy familiar controls.
These were our recommendations for the 10 best mods for Baldur’s Gate 3. Surely there are other excellent mods – this is just a subjective opinion. The choice of mods depends on personal preferences, which can vary.
Which mods do you like to use in Baldur’s Gate 3? Or are you more skeptical towards mods? If you are looking for a bit more mod inspiration, you might find it on MeinMMO. We have already reported on a player who looked at all 13,000 mods. Here you can see his 10 recommendations: Baldur’s Gate 3: A player has looked at all 13,000 mods – These 10 he recommends
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
As EA still refuses to revive the strategy game series Command and Conquer, a developer from Denmark is taking matters into his own hands: Tempest Rising looks like the spiritual successor and already has a free multiplayer demo on Steam.
What kind of game is it? Tempest Rising is a real-time strategy game by developer Slipgate Ironworks and aims to “bring back the golden age of RTS”. This refers to the time around the turn of the millennium, which was marked by strategy games such as Age of Empires, StarCraft, and Command and Conquer.
You can see a trailer for the game here:
Start video
Tempest Rising in Trailer: Release, Bonuses for Preorders and Free Demo
What is the game about? Tempest Rising throws you into an alternative timeline where the Cuban Missile Crisis led to the outbreak of a nuclear war. The old superpowers have fallen, and three new ones rise – supported by a powerful substance called Tempest.
Of the three new factions, two will be playable at release: the self-proclaimed peacekeeping force of the Global Defense Forces and the Tempest Dynasty – a coalition that resists the Global Defense Forces by any means necessary.
In 2 campaigns with 11 missions, you will fight for control of the Tempest Vines. This resource represents a powerful, albeit mysterious energy source in the new world.
Unofficial remake of a venerable series
In what way is the game the spiritual successor to C&C? Both in terms of story and visuals, Tempest Rising borrows quite a bit from Command and Conquer:
We are in an alternative timeline of our real world and in a modern setting
There are three unique factions that are supposed to play very differently
We are fighting for a mysterious new resource – instead of Tiberium, it is now called Tempest
By the way, for the soundtrack, Frank Klepacki has been brought on board. And what he has probably worked on, you can guess three times – right, Command and Conquer of course. So Tempest Rising not only looks like its big predecessor, but also sounds like it.
When is the game coming out? Tempest Rising is set to be released on April 24, 2025, on PC for Steam. You can already compete in multiplayer battles with other players there. As part of the Steam Festival of Real-Time Strategy Games, the developers have released a demo.
In the demo, you play as the GDF or Tempest Dynasty in skirmish matches against other players. However, you cannot play the campaign missions or matches against AI. The demo is available until February 3rd.
Tempest Rising steps into big footsteps. Because although the Command and Conquer series has been around for many years, and the last new game is already 15 years old, the games were still among the list of the 15 best strategy games for PC last year.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
There is trouble over the role-playing game “Kingdom Come Deliverance 2” (Steam; PS5, Xbox – Release on February 4, 2025). A YouTube video accuses the game of being “woke” now and thereby alienating its customer base. Pre-orders on Steam have decreased. The game’s head, Daniel Vávra, comments on the allegations.
This is the situation: The role-playing game Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is being accused by some influencers and users of being “too woke” now, meaning it corresponds too much to a modern, leftist zeitgeist:
There is a “skippable cutscene” with homoerotic content, and a gay affair is possible for the protagonist Henry anyway.
Part 2 has a significantly more diverse cast than Part 1. The character “Musa,” a nobleman from the Kingdom of Mali, is black.
Woke tendencies have also been observed in the environment of the game.
Therefore, as stated in a YouTube video from January 19, 2025, pre-sales have declined. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 was supposed to be a hope for gamers because it stands against the miserable, soft woke mainstream.
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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 presents dark prospects for Heinrich in the new story trailer
Game Head is Considered Close to Gamergate
Why is this topic so sensitive? There was excitement around the first part of Kingdom Come Deliverance in 2018 because it was criticized for being “not diverse” enough. GameStar dealt with the topic back then.
The head of the studio was praised by some influencers for not succumbing to the woke zeitgeist. He received the highest praise from Asmongold for his “strictly cool anti-woke stance” (via YouTube). The developer is “based” – the opposite of woke. A totally correct guy.
Now, however, the very people who praised the head of the studio back then fear that he might now yield and capitulate.
He has capitulated and given in to the barrage of accusations from the gay community – these are the kinds of accusations Vávra is currently dealing with (via x).
This is what the head says: In a long thread on Twitter, Daniel Vávra explains:
There are no “non-skippable cutscenes” in the game.
No one forced them to use a more diverse cast, and nothing is being done that is forced.
There were already gay characters in the first part.
Kingdom Come Deliverance is a role-playing game: Anyone who wants to have a romantic adventure with a character of the same sex can do so with the protagonist Henry. But they don’t have to. All affairs are optional.
The first part depicted a village, while the second part now depicts a big city, and the population there is simply more diverse.
The character Musa, who is criticized as “too diverse,” came to Bosnia for understandable reasons and is depicted as a “very unusual” character. Musa’s presence is therefore meaningful and not forced.
What about the pre-orders? According to the head of Warhorse Studios, pre-orders have not declined but remained the same. The hype around the game has just slightly diminished, which is completely natural since new games that are on sale have entered the charts. The hype for Monster Hunter has also decreased. That’s all quite normal.
This is what’s behind it. In the background, it resonates that the developer Vávra showed solidarity with Gamergate in 2018. Therefore, he was praised by many influencers from this direction, who are now reacting in shock to whether everything is still “stable”.
A website has published exciting statistics from the year 2024 for Tibia. MeinMMO summarizes the highlights from the German MMORPG for you.
What are these statistics? Even though the name of the website nabbot.xyz might imply otherwise at first glance, it has nothing to do with the sale of bots or cheats. Instead, it helps the Tibia community provide useful features for character tracking, announcements, commands, roles, and more for Discord.
From the nearly 700,000 Tibia characters that registered for NabBot, some very exciting statistics can be drawn for the year 2024:
36 percent of all characters are at level 200 or higher (1.48 percent even at level 1,000 or higher)
The Werhyena is the deadliest opponent in the MMORPG (causing 24,869 player deaths) – simultaneously, no other creature has been killed as often (almost 290 million times)
The Sorcerer Baby Boy is said to have achieved over 19,150 virtual deaths in 2024 (you can find the profile on tibia.com)
The character Dejairzin from the Inabra server gained the most experience in 2024 (85,117,171,200 experience)
The most successful auction (the sale of the level 1,763 character Rayo Legacy) brought in 1,100,000 Tibia Coins – equivalent to over 41,000 euros
Only the top 4 auctions brought in over 400,000 Tibia Coins – in second place is the level 2,436 character Otavio Invencivel, who changed owners for 750,000 coins
The new project of the Tibia developers in the trailer:
Start video
Persist Online is the new MMORPG from the developers of Tibia, showcasing zombie action in the trailer
Fight against cheaters
What’s happening in Tibia right now? In the last quarter of 2024, the developers from CipSoft intensified their fight against accounts that gain an unfair advantage with unauthorized scripts and macros. The first wave of bans affected nearly 8,000 players, including the then highest-level knight (level 2,453).
What do I need to know about Tibia and CipSoft? The studio from Regensburg was founded in 2001, after the MMORPG Tibia, released in 1997, had become a success. The online role-playing game with its charming retro look has attracted 32 million players and generated 200 million euros in revenue over the years, and is said to be more successful than ever before today.
As a result, the studio has been able to grow sustainably to currently 100 employees. In 2019, Tibia even won the German Developer Award in the “Long-Running” category. Thanks to all this, Tibia is among the oldest and most successful online role-playing games in Europe. In the past year, the developers entered the world of cryptocurrencies with the MMORPG by introducing the Tibia Token.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Building camps plays an essential role in Palworld. But how many bases can you have?
While for many players the fun in Palworld revolves around the individual Pals, the construction and functions of your own base also play an important role.
Can you have multiple camps in Palworld? In short: Yes, you can have multiple bases in Palworld. We will show you here in the guide what you need to know about your camp spaces.
More camps through level requirements
This is how many primary camps you can have: At the beginning, you can only establish a single camp. This can be done before you reach level 10. You can establish up to three primary camps. However, these are tied to level requirements.
You unlock the second primary base at level 10 of your Pal Box
You unlock the third primary base at level 15 of your Pal Box
When you reach level 10, you can place the second Pal Box.
Start video
Palworld: How you can level up quickly
How many secondary camps can you have? You can establish an unlimited number of them, as long as you do not use a Pal Box. However, keep in mind that you can only use fast travel to Pal Boxes. It is advisable to place the secondary camps near a fast travel point so that you can easily access them.
You cannot assign Pals to these secondary bases to work on structures there.
What you need to keep in mind: Upgrading your Pal Boxes affects how many Pals can work at your base and the maximum number of your camps. However, only levels 10 and 15 affect the max camps.
If you unlock your second base at level 10, the Pal Box also starts at level 10.
How many Pals can work for me at most? You can assign 15 Pals per camp. With a maximum of three bases, that means 45 Pals can work for you. Through settings in your world, you can increase the maximum number to 20 per base, thus a total of 60 Pals.
AMD’s best and most popular CPU is currently the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. This has also caught the attention of fraudsters who want to take advantage of the demand. Now, some retailers are warning about nasty counterfeits that can cost you not only money.
What kind of CPU is it? AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D is considered the fastest and best processor on the market right now if you are looking for an upgrade for your gaming PC. However, the CPU is constantly sold out, which according to AMD also has to do with weak competition from Intel. It is not surprising that fraudsters want to take advantage of the high demand.
The English magazine TomsHardware reports that several fake AMD processors are currently in circulation. This concerns the brand new processors of the 7000 series, specifically the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. Currently, retailers and buyers are warned to carefully check the products they purchased. TomsHardware translates a Chinese source roughly as follows:
Recently, there have been many cases where AMD CPUs have been opened and exchanged by customers. Retailers, please be vigilant. In the event of returns or malfunctions, the CPU must be carefully checked for any anomalies between the cover and the circuit board, and reported to the police in a timely manner to avoid losses!
How many are affected? The source only talks about “many cases,” and no concrete number of counterfeits or problems is mentioned. It is also unknown in how many countries users of counterfeits are actually affected. However, a scarcity of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is observed worldwide.
Start video
Battlemage: Check out Intel’s new graphics cards in the video
Fake CPUs look very similar to the genuine processors
What is the problem? On one hand, there is the problem that the fake models are supposed to not boot at all. This means your computer won’t turn on. In the past, there have also been fake CPUs where you received a significantly cheaper CPU that at least allowed the computer to start.
On the other hand, the counterfeits are surprisingly well-made, and only experienced users and experts can recognize the differences from the original:
The PCB numbers between the original and the counterfeit do not match. According to the inspection report, a genuine AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is labeled 22050.
Additionally, one can recognize that the color of the chip is slightly different: The genuine processor has a blue hue, while the counterfeit model is more green.
Can you protect yourself against such fraud? In most cases, using common sense when shopping online helps a lot. For example, TomsHardware reports that shortly after the release of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, offers were already available for around 200 euros – but these were scammers selling either counterfeits, junk, or both.
So if you see a fantastically looking deal for a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, it’s best to stay away from it. Currently, the market price is around 590 euros (via geizhals.de).
With 16.5 million subscribers and almost 6,000 videos, penguinz0 is one of the larger YouTubers who regularly deals with games. In his new work, he looks back at the game that has accompanied him for almost 20 years, and how the responsible developers are now losing trust in the community.
What happened? On January 20, 2025, MeinMMO already reported that the developers of RuneScape had sent a survey to selected players to find out what they thought about potential adjustments regarding the subscription or monetization of the MMORPG classic.
When the survey was released by respondents, a shitstorm broke out within the community because, among other things, the introduction of in-game advertising for subscribers, exclusive access for paying players to enhanced account protection options, as well as exclusive support or a subscription with limited access to the game were included in the topics.
The shitstorm was so severe that the CEO Mod Pips personally wrote an apology and promised improvement in his statement. They hadn’t even intended to actually implement these things, but just wanted to gather feedback from players on these theoretical thought experiments.
RuneScape and Old School RuneScape can also be played via Steam:
Start video
Old School RuneScape – Trailer for the Steam Release
The Beginning of the End?!
What is the YouTuber’s reaction? The video released by penguinz0 after the CEO’s statement clearly shows (via YouTube) that the developers have lost a lot of trust with their survey. This is not changed by the subsequent apology from those responsible.
penguinz0 explains that RuneScape has accompanied him since 2005 and therefore many emotions and memories are associated with the MMORPG classic. He has not invested so many hours in any other game. Just in one of the accounts, about 4,000 hours are said to have been spent. When including the other accounts of the player, the playtime in RuneScape is said to double again.
But now they have ruined the game, so the preliminary conclusion of penguinz0. The ideas in the survey only reflect the greed of the developers. Implementing these changes would mean the immediate death of the 23-year-old, until now very successful MMORPG, according to the YouTuber’s fears.
Here you can watch penguinz0’s video:
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From the CEO’s statement, penguinz0 reads that the developers still plan to maximize the revenues of RuneScape at the expense of the player experience – for example, by providing advertising directly in the game.
Moreover, he lacks a reasonable explanation for why they asked players for feedback on things they allegedly do not want to implement. For penguinz0, the survey seems to be a clear sign that RuneScape will only go downhill from now on.
How does the community evaluate the video? The emotional statement from penguinz0 has so far generated more than 1.4 million views and more than 3,800 comments. Most viewers seem to share the YouTuber’s concerns and critiques.
SoupRS writes on YouTube: “The survey was an absolute joke. I’m glad the community reacted so strongly.”
kerb755 complains on YouTube: “Putting account security behind a paywall is a whole new level of deception.”
VerfRS is happy about the video on YouTube: “I’m glad so many content creators are dealing with this issue.”
drae explains on YouTube: “The investors don’t realize that the majority of the player base consists of 20 to 30-year-old guys who have experienced this before. If they do anything to turn it into a pay-to-win game, subscription numbers will plummet, because we all know what happens then. As a casual player since Classic, it’s sad to see.”
The video game analyst Matthew Ball published an analysis of the upcoming games in 2025, including the statement that developers hope GTA 6 will cost 100 € at launch. A developer from Baldur’s Gate 3 has now reacted on X to the analysisand gives reasons for his hope.
What is this opinion? Matthew Ball, CEO of Epyllion, is known for his expertise in the video game industry. In a 219-page analysis “State of Video Game in 2025“, he also wrote that there is a possibility that GTA 6 could cost 80 or 100 $ at launch.
The reason for this is that the market is getting worse and worse. Among other things, because the development of games is becoming increasingly expensive, and individual games bind players in such a way that they eliminate other games as competitors. The consequence has been numerous layoffs in recent years.
Here you can watch the trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6:
Start video
Rockstar Games shows GTA 6 for the first time in the trailer
Developer: “That is the uncomfortable truth”
This is what a developer says about it: Michael Douse, a developer of Baldur’s Gate 3, reacted on X to Matthew Ball’s analysis: “You shouldn’t say that out loud!”
He further wrote that a good company should increase in line with inflation, just so that its employees don’t starve. Although this is not the reason why the game industry is currently in a difficult situation, it is “the uncomfortable truth”.
The responsibility lies with game developers to ensure that the offered game can justify the high price and keep its promise.
GTA 6 as a potential pioneer: A comment (via X) criticized that while GTA 6 might be able to have such a high price, it would be more difficult for other games. People would simply wait for a price drop, resulting in nothing being gained.
Exactly this is the problem. We are in a strange phase where retail no longer dictates the direction for output and content – but now no one does anymore. There is no standard. It is hard to see through. It’s like in the “Wild West”. Maybe Rockstar has enough influence to set a new rule, and it will depend on that whether others succeed or fail.
Palworld has now been in Early Access for a year. After the last update, there were 10 times more players on Steam than before, and now there is a new roadmap for 2025. Despite Nintendo’s lawsuit.
What has Palworld announced? For its first birthday, Palworld has released a new roadmap with new features. The following contents are among those planned:
Co-op via Crossplay
World transfer for Pals
World tree / end scenarios
More ways to enhance and strengthen Pals
New content such as new Pals and new technologies
Collaborations with other games, including the game Terraria
Quality-of-life updates, including for placing objects, base Pals, and UI
Regarding a timeline for new content, Pocket Pair remains tight-lipped. In addition to the new content, there is also a hint about another anticipated Palworld theme: the release.
Start video
Palworld: Feybreak – Trailer presents free update with loads of new content
The 2025 Roadmap is set – What about the release?
Is there a final release date yet? Specifically, the developers say via X.com that they want to continue developing the game while preparing for the official release.
According to the developers, Palworld was originally meant to be in Early Access for exactly one year. This milestone has now been reached. However, they do not specify a concrete release date. If the release version is already in the works, it probably won’t be too long.
What new features were recently added to Palworld? On December 23, Palworld received the last major update, with which the number of players shot back up. Among the new content was a complete island that is even larger than the previous Sakurajima (translated as “Cherry Blossom Island”).
With the new island also came new biomes, Pals, items, and above all: a new hardcore mode.
In Pokémon GO, a new event starts today where you can receive a Pokémon for the first time. And there’s even a method to do this that hasn’t been known until now.
What kind of event is this? The event “Steel Resolve” starts on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at 10:00 AM and ends on Sunday, January 26, 2025, at 8:00 PM.
In addition to various monsters and even some exclusive moves, that await you during the event, there will also be a Pokémon debut. And you’ll be able to obtain it in more ways than previously known.
Start video
Pokémon GO reveals the new season Dual Destiny in the trailer
1 Pokémon, 3 Methods
Which Pokémon is it? The new Pokémon is Meikro. The Flying-type Pokémon has existed since Generation 8. It can evolve into Kranoviz and then into Krarmor.
How can I obtain the Pokémon? So far, Pokémon GO has communicated 2 methods by which you can acquire the new Pokémon during the event. This includes hatching 2 km eggs as well as using magnetic lure modules at PokéStops.
Trainers on Reddit are now reporting a third, unannounced method to obtain Meikro. This involves the battle league, where you receive an encounter with a Pokémon for every 3 wins in a set.
Here too, you can receive the new Pokémon starting with the event. Since the “Steel Resolve” event coincides with the PvP Battle Week, you can complete 20 battle sets each day, significantly increasing your chances of getting the new Pokémon.
The PvP Battle Week begins on January 21, 2025, at 12:00 PM and ends on January 26, 2025, at 11:59 PM. So, for the next few days, you have a high chance to acquire the new Pokémon through battles in the battle league, without needing to hatch eggs or use a magnetic lure module outdoors.
What level do I need in the battle league? You can receive the Pokémon in the battle league starting from level 1. It’s only important that you win at least 3 battles within a battle set to receive the Pokémon encounter as a reward and have a chance at Meikro.
In addition to the debut of Meikro, there is another Pokémon that can be found in the game for the first time this week. It’s even the first legendary Dyna-monster available in Pokémon GO: Dyna-Arktos. If you want to defeat it, be sure to check out our tips for fighting Dyna-Arktos.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Update, January 21, 2025: We have reviewed the article and added the exact location of the Moon Lantern, as well as a description of the item in Balthazar’s chest.
In Baldur’s Gate 3 there is a special room in the Towers of the Moonsrise that belongs to Balthazar. We will show you how to enter this room and solve the puzzle around his bookshelf.
Where are the Towers of the Moonsrise? On your journey through Baldur’s Gate 3, you will encounter the Towers of the Moonsrise in Act 2. So follow the main quest until you reach this location.
Once there, you will find a locked door on the first floor of the towers, near Z’Rell’s room. This door will lead you into Balthazar’s chamber and a puzzle.
Start video
5 Tips to Level Up Your Characters Properly in Baldur’s Gate 3
How to Open Balthazar’s Room
Balthazar’s room is located at coordinates X: -132, Y: -182. You will receive the key and permission from Z’Rell himself to open the door to his quarters. After that, you can enter the room and look around.
You can loot a Moon Lantern that protects you from the curse in the Shadowlands. It is located next to the wooden desk near the telescope. If you already have a Moon Lantern, the item is not as relevant, but it can never hurt to have a backup lantern.
To the west of your position, you will find a suspicious bookshelf that turns out to be a secret door. You need to open this now.
To solve the bookshelf puzzle and unlock Balthazar’s secret Necromancy room, proceed as follows:
The easiest method is to interact only with the row of books located at the top right of the bookshelf. Be careful: If you don’t do this and interact with the wrong row, you will deal with traps in the form of undead corpses or sharp spikes.
If you have touched the right row, you will now have the opportunity to interact with the altar located to the right of the bookshelf.
Your task now is to take the heart of the corpse nearby. Once you have the heart, place it in the altar. Make sure you put the heart in the construct, not on it, otherwise the mechanism won’t work.
What is in this secret room? In Balthazar’s secret Necromancy room, you can find pieces of lore and an interesting, but locked chest that can be easily unlocked. Inside, you will find an elixir and a hat that, once per turn, causes a condition created by the wearer with spells and cantrips to also last for 2 turns as ‘Encrusted with Frost’.
Additionally, in the same room, there is a ritual circle on a wooden table to the north. Now you have two options if you have Gale with you:
Destroy the circle with Gale, granting him a permanent buff for his concentration checks.
Or: You can build a Shadow Lantern. With the lantern, you can summon a shadow spirit after each long rest to assist you in combat.
On January 17, Valve introduced 4 new heroes in their new MOBA shooter Deadlock on Steam. After heavy criticism on Reddit, Valve was forced to release a quick balance patch.
Who are the new heroes? Calico, Holliday, Vyper, and The Great Sinclair have moved from the time-limited test area, the hero lab, to official matchmaking. Their abilities have been adjusted or completely changed. MeinMMO has already presented the new heroes and their abilities.
Which heroes are under criticism? The new heroine Vyper has dealt nearly twice the damage per second compared to all others. With her high fire rate and unlimited ammunition while sliding, Vyper has defeated most opponents within seconds.
The additional bullet and magic resistance from her passive ability has mitigated the significant disadvantage of being a typical glass cannon and has made her one of the strongest heroes in the game so far.
The Great Sinclair has also been criticized for his high damage output and his ability to teleport to his assistant. Particularly in connection with the urn, a game mechanic to earn souls for the entire team, the teleportation was too strong, as normally one has to navigate across the entire map.
What does the community think about the new heroes? Many players criticize the state in which the heroes were released. Some users on Reddit are asking what Valve was thinking and are wondering about the implemented hero lab designed to detect these balance problems early on.
Start video
This is Deadlock – The new MOBA shooter from Valve
Valve quickly recognized the problems and is making adjustments
How did Valve respond? Only 2 days after the release, the first balance patch for all new heroes was released. Vyper has lost almost a third of her damage per second, as well as having reduced resistance while sliding, and The Great Sinclair can no longer teleport with the urn.
Additionally, the base damage of all weapons and damage increase from bullets at each level has been reduced by 10%. How this change will affect our Tier List remains to be seen.
What else has changed with the patch? In addition to the changes to the new heroes, some well-known characters have also received buffs and nerfs.
Buffs
Calico
Holliday
Kelvin
Nerfs
Bebop
Shiv
The Great Sinclair
Vindicta
Vyper
Yamato
Adjusted
Wraith
Mirage
Is there a reason why the heroes were released in this state? Speculation is all that can be done here, but the last update on Steam was several weeks ago.
Due to the partially modified abilities compared to the versions in the hero lab, previous balancing attempts could not be used and had to be quickly remade, but as one player points out, the entire game is still in a testing phase:
“You are all testers of a game in early development and wonder why it feels like a test,” writes jenrai (via Reddit)
With the addition of the 4 new heroes, Deadlock’s hero selection has increased to 26, bringing many new playstyles and hero combinations to shorten the wait for larger updates and innovations.
Palworld is a survival shooter in the cute Pokémon look of the Japanese developer Pocketpair. Here you can read everything we currently know about the release, the roadmap, the gameplay, and the Pals themselves.
Update, January 21, 2025: The article has been updated with the new information from the 2025 roadmap.
[toc]
The release of Palworld: Everything about download, demo, roadmap
When is the release? Palworld was released on January 19, 2024, at 9 AM Central European Time. Initially, the game is expected to be in early access for about a year. This was announced by the developer Pocketpair (via dotesports.com).
What is the download size? At least for an initial installation on PC via Steam, you will need about 40 gigabytes of available storage:
On PC (Steam), you need to download about 15 GB.
The download size for the versions on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S is currently not known.
Is there a demo for Palworld? On Xbox.com, in addition to the buttons for the game pass and the purchased version, there is the point GET Free Trial. With this, you can download a trial version for free.
Editor’s note: We tried to access this trial version via PC. After signing up online at Xbox.com, it can be added to the library. When clicking the installation button, the Xbox app opens in Windows 11. However, the free trial version is currently not available here. We have not yet been able to check the download on an Xbox console.
What is the age rating of the game? Palworld has been rated by the USK for ages 12 and up.
Is there a roadmap for further development? On the occasion of its first birthday, Palworld has released a roadmap for 2025. Some content has been announced that you can look forward to. These include:
Palworld: Feybreak – Trailer presents free update with loads of new content
Palworld: Platforms and Price – will there be PS5 and Xbox versions?
On which platforms will Palworld be released? The game will initially be released only on Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. A release on PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch has not yet been announced.
How much does Palworld cost?On Steam, the game currently costs €28.99. Additionally, you can purchase the soundtrack for €5.89 as DLC.
Via the Xbox app on PC and on the Xbox consoles, you pay €29.99. However, the Palworld full version is also included in the Xbox Game Pass.
The price may change before the later release of the full version.
Gameplay, Endgame and Story of Palworld
What kind of game is this? Palworld is a survival shooter that visually resembles the popular game series Pokémon. Unlike Nintendo’s collection game, your so-called Pals here fight with firearms. Furthermore, you can have them work for you in factories and even eat them.
However, before you can send your Pals into battle, to work, or to the butcher, you must first catch them. Only then can they fight for and with you to survive together in the world. Additionally, the game has units that allow you to tame, ride, and breed Pals.
Which Pals facilitate your start can be found here:
Besides the survival aspect, you also have to defend yourself against poachers who are after your Pals.
Tips for Palworld:The best tips for starting Palworld can also be found directly with us on MeinMMO. These are meant to help you survive in the world of Palworld.
Does Palworld have a story? Currently, the game does not have a real story. According to the game’s Steam page, the focus is on survival, exploring, and building.
Is there an endgame? In the endgame, you can venture into the dungeons and defeat boss Pals. According to players on Reddit, it is possible to obtain better gear in the late game. Furthermore, you can continuously improve and optimize your Pals through breeding.
Palworld and Multiplayer: Is there Coop, Crossplay, or just Offline Single-Player?
Is there multiplayer in Palworld? You can play in groups of up to four members. It is also possible to trade Pals with your friends. The developer also states that battles between players are planned to be implemented.
Does the game support crossplay between platforms? At the start of early access, Palworld will not support crossplay. However, this is expected to be added as soon as possible.
Can Palworld be played offline? Yes, Palworld can also be played offline. However, only single-player mode is available. To play with friends, an internet connection is essential. You also need an internet connection for the initial download and later updates.
System requirements of Palworld
The Xbox versions are tailored to the respective console. Here are the requirements for PC:
What are the minimum requirements? According to the developers, you need at least an i5-3570sK with 3.4 GHz and 4 cores, 16 gigabytes of RAM, a GeForce GTX 1050 (2 GB), as well as Windows 10 (64 Bit) and DirectX version 11.
What are the recommended requirements? The developers recommend an i9-9900 with 3.6 GHz and 8 cores, 32 gigabytes of RAM, a GeForce RTX 2070, again Windows 10 (64 Bit), and also DirectX 11.
Additionally, you cannot play the game without an SSD – this is a prerequisite.
YouTuber and streamer Jason Thor Hall reflects on turbulent weeks. After delicate actions in WoW Classic and Ashes of Creation, a claim from November 2023 is now hitting him hard.
What did Jason Hall claim? You have surely heard that the former Blizzard developer has established himself quite quickly under the name “Pirate Software” in the YouTuber and Twitch scene .
He succeeded in this partly thanks to regular insider insights into his experiences at the company behind milestones like World of Warcraft. One of the first, particularly exciting anecdotes was about his time in the team that developed StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty.
Hall reported a two-year-long crunch phase, with countless overtime hours, worked weekends, colleagues quitting, and broken marriages. The development is said to have lasted a total of seven years.
Therefore, many viewers are currently watching him very closely and even digging up old anecdotes like the mount story to shed light on them afterwards. User Sem1SkillD has published his insights on this in a lengthy post on Reddit.
The most important points:
The claim of Jason Thor Hall cannot be backed up with the known figures from Blizzard. It is said to be based solely on assumptions, an internal joke from the StarCraft crew, and the sales figures of StarCraft 2.
On the contrary, Hall apparently used false numbers as a basis in an explanatory post on Reddit. He stated that the development of StarCraft 2 was supposed to have cost around 100 million US dollars. This sum was mentioned due to a report from the Wall Street Journal but was later marked as erroneous and significantly corrected downwards (via gamespot.com).
The sales figures cited by Hall for the WoW mount were based on unofficial character statistics. There is no documented evidence for the revenues of 71 to 84 million US dollars.
Even if one would use Hall’s numbers for the calculation – that is, 100 million dollars development costs for StarCraft 2 plus 84 million dollars revenue from the mount – StarCraft 2 would still show higher profits (150 million versus 84 million dollars).
According to a report from Blizzard in 2010, the full-price game was said to have sold 4.5 million times by this year (via activision.com).
Considering the comparatively low effort behind the design of an in-game mount, it is still absurd how much money the heavenly steed made compared to a complex prestige project like StarCraft 2. However, the former developer’s core thesis, that the mount would have generated higher profits, cannot be substantiated.
How does the community react to this? Jason “Pirate Software” Hall somewhat resembles Icarus, who aimed too high and made a historical crash landing. This is also reflected in many comments on Reddit:
Few-Comparison2996 writes on Reddit: “As someone who works in the industry, I find the amount of untruths and dangerous generalizations that the guy in question (piratesoftware) spreads astronomical, and I hate that he does it in a way that seems to impress the masses for so long in combination with his highly compressed microphone.”
Rhodehouse93 adds on Reddit: “Pirate gained so much credibility through the explosion of his YouTube Shorts that he has basically become the uncritical expert. The claim is ridiculous in itself, but because a popular person who previously worked at Blizzard said it, everyone took it as true. Now that his reputation is going downhill, it’s nice to see memories like this come back up.”
born_to_be_intj concludes on Reddit: “The more I engage with Pirate, the more he seems to be a braggart. He claims to have worked at Blizzard and developed a game, but looking at the code in his game, it’s horrifically bad, as bad as a beginner. It seems like he has exaggerated everything he says to make himself look better.”
With Season 7, Blizzard is once again tweaking the loot in Diablo 4 and wants to ensure that you are less frustrated. The items that cause frustration are finally supposed to be really good. We summarize the highlights from the patch notes for Patch 2.1.0 for you.
Which loot is frustrating? With Season 6, Blizzard overhauled the “legacy” items (ancient items). This, however, resulted in the ancient items dropping very rarely in their best form, that is, with large affixes (GA) only rarely. A player killed 2,400 bosses in Diablo 4 and listed the drops. The result: even the super-rare Mythic Uniques drop more often than the best GA items.
In Season 7, this is supposed to change, and Blizzard wants to improve the ancient items so that you can be happy again when they drop. The “larger affixes” (GA) also play an important role. We summarize how the developers improve the loot below.
You can find the detailed patch notes on page 2 of the article. But be warned: They are VERY extensive.
Start video
Diablo 4 shows its witch powers in Season 7 in the trailer
The more GA, the better the drop
How will the loot be improved? Regarding the ancient items, Blizzard is making some changes in Season 7:
The overall drop chance for ancient items will be increased.
The more large affixes (GA) a “legacy” unique has, the higher the roll of the unique aspect will be. If a unique has more GA, the roll of the unique aspect will increase per GA.
Ancient items are supposed to have higher rolls on aspects more often. This is intended to facilitate filling the aspects in the Codex of Power.
Players will have the opportunity to craft random legendary amulets and rings with gem fragments. At the Qual levels, there is a chance that the items are “legacy”.
At the jeweler, you can craft amulets and rings from gem fragments starting in Season 7. Source: Blizzard livestream on YouTube
Apart from that, monsters drop fewer elixirs, but the drop chance for Hellhorde compasses is increased – for example, from chests in the Hellflood. The compasses are also finally stackable starting in Season 7 and clutter the inventory less. At the Tree of Whispers, you can then get a chest with compasses and keys for Nightmare dungeons. There will also be a box for crafting mats available there.
Season 7 starts on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 in Diablo 4 and brings new content to the game. The season is all about witch powers, which is also reflected in the special mechanics. You will receive powers of witchcraft and “Occult gems”, with which you can expand your builds. You can find all the info about Season 7 in our overview: Diablo 4 Season 7 starts on Tuesday: all about release, PTR and the content
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Diablo 4 has already received its first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, in autumn 2024. Now, a few months later, Diablo expert Rob sums it up. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus spoke with him.
This is what the expert says: Rob considers Vessel of Hatred a successful first expansion for Diablo 4. 40 euros is a “fair price” for the new content of the game. The Spiritborn may be a bit overpowered, but the class itself and the new expansion are really cool.
Rob is an expert on Diablo 4 and known for his strong builds and his skills in theorycrafting. His assessments are significantly included in the tier list of the best builds in Diablo 4.
The streamer was able to get an impression of the expansion before the release of Vessel of Hatred and was together with me at Blizzard’s home to test the new class. The expansion met his expectations—only in one area does he have criticism.
What’s in Vessel of Hatred? The first expansion for Diablo 4 costs 40 euros and gives you access to:
The Spiritborn as a new class
The new region Nahantu with another act in the game’s story
Diablo IV reveals the expansion Vessel of Hatred in new gameplay trailer
“Everything is a bit confusing now”
Spoiler Warning! This is about the end of the campaign for Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred. If you haven’t played the story yet and don’t want to be spoiled, you should not continue reading.
Rob would have liked a proper final battle with Mephisto at the conclusion of the Diablo 4 campaign. Although the Lord of Hatred does appear, he then disappears again, and we only see a cryptic cinematic. The expert says:
I had hoped that the Mephisto fight would be as epic as Uber-Lilith. With cool mechanics and of similar significance – just like Lilith at the end of Classic Diablo 4. But that was really missing; that left a negative impression on me.
Rob continues to point out that Diablo head Rod Fergusson has already promised one expansion per year. Logically, it would somehow involve a major villain per expansion, which you then defeat before moving on to the next.
Because Mephisto is still alive, “everything is somehow confusing.” What will come next in the next expansion, which hopefully brings the Paladin, is unclear.
This article is a small excerpt from a large interview that you can read here on MeinMMO this weekend. It also addresses Path of Exile 2 and its differences and similarities with Diablo 4.
Rob also doesn’t know exactly how the story will continue. Bringing Mephisto back into the game together with the Crusaders would, however, make sense from a lore perspective – Diablo himself, but only later. If you’re interested in the Prime Evils and the role of Mephisto, Diablo, and others, you can find all Evils of Diablo in the massive Power Ranking here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The streamer Rachel “Valkyrae” Hofstetter (33) has only recently returned to Twitch but is already fed up. During a practice match for a tournament in Marvel Rivals, she felt treated unfairly and wanted to speak to the manager. She had waited 5 years to play a Twitch Rivals, but is now bitterly disappointed.
This is Valkyrae: The streamer Valkyrae was an emerging star on Twitch around 2018, gathering fans with the shooter Fortnite, just like many back then.
However, the head of YouTube Gaming saw great potential in the then relatively unknown streamer and lured her away from Twitch in 2020 with an exclusive contract. Valkyrae struggled initially on YouTube, but during the pandemic, she took off with Among Us, became the largest gaming streamer in the world, won an award as “Gaming Creator of the Year,” and made it onto the Forbes 30 under 30 list.
Her exclusive contract with YouTube has now expired like many other YouTube talents – YouTube and Twitch have not been distributing financially lucrative contracts since the end of 2023. Therefore, Valkyrae announced in December 2024 that she would stream again on Twitch. After nearly 5 years, she is now back on Twitch.
Start video
3 German Twitch streamers you should know
Valkyrae is frustrated because she loses against Uber-Team in Marvel Rivals
What frustrates her? Twitch regularly hosts tournaments for streamers. The events are called “Twitch Rivals” and occur in the hottest games on Twitch. Currently, the hottest game on Twitch and Steam is the hero shooter Marvel Rivals.
Valkyrae recently participated in such a tournament for Marvel Rivals, but she viewed the tournament as “total rubbish.”
The tournament “Marvel Rivals Showdown On Twitch Rivals” started on January 18. There was $200,000 in prize money on the line. In the end, the team hogzmr won.
During the preparations for the tournament, some practice matches, called scrimmages, took place.
Valkyrae played in a practice match with some friends who, like her, are rather mediocre in Marvel Rivals. However, she faced a top team with 4 players holding Grandmaster titles, including “Necros,” the streamer for Marvel Rivals who has the highest rank in the game. Also, Valkyrae’s close friend, Sykkuno, was on the opposing team, which Valkyrae felt was excessively strong.
Valkyrae was outraged during the practice match and admonished her own top player Sleepy not to be afraid. After all, he is a professional.
However, Sleepy explained to her that the opponents also had 4 players of his caliber on their team.
Valkyrae was incredibly upset about losing in the practice match. She said: There are “5 professionals” on the opposing team – it doesn’t matter what you do, her team has no chance.
I waited 5 years to participate in Twitch Rivals, just for this kind of crap to happen. This is insane. Who planned this shit?
Valkyrae asked (via x), “who had this rat-ass idea” and who changed the rules to allow 4 Grandmasters on one team. Before the rule change, only 2 players at that level were allowed per team.
She says Twitch even asked her to host the tournament, but she declined. She had hoped that her complaint would change something now.
Twitch changes rules a second time, causing chaos before the start
Did the complaint work? Yes, indeed. Twitch quickly changed the rules again and instead of “4 Grandmaster players per team,” only 2 are now allowed.
This forced teams to make last-minute adjustments, making the whole situation difficult.
In the later winning team, for example, the team captain, the V-Tuber Dokibird, stepped down less than 24 hours before the tournament’s start because she had to remove 2 players who had too high a rank. Dokibird then withdrew from the tournament herself (via twitter).
“Uber-Team” finishes last in the actual tournament after the second rule change
This is how the tournament went: The so-called Uber-Team “Team Necros” lost almost all games in the actual tournament and was eliminated in the preliminary round. In the end, they finished in last place. Valkyrae’s team, Team Abe, at least made it to round 1 of the playoffs and finished in rank 5-8.
How was her tone? Valkyrae was pretty shrill and upset. But there was also a bit of a wink involved. She apparently recognized herself that she came off like a “typical Karen” who first starts ranting and demands to speak to the manager.
There seemed to be a bit of exaggerated excitement as well.
“They call me a whiny bitch”
So it continued: Valkyrae had to listen to some mockery for the complaint. She says she was called a “whiny bitch.”
However, she wouldn’t have been the only one complaining. Others also expressed outrage over the last-minute rule change. The rule allowing 4 Grandmasters on one team was changed only shortly before the start.
She says Twitch even asked her to host the tournament, but she declined. She had hoped that her complaint would change something now.
Twitch changes rules a second time, causing chaos before the start
Did the complaint work? Yes, indeed. Twitch quickly changed the rules again and instead of “4 Grandmaster players per team,” only 2 are now allowed.
This forced teams to make last-minute adjustments, making the whole situation difficult.
In the later winning team, for example, the team captain, the V-Tuber Dokibird, stepped down less than 24 hours before the tournament’s start because she had to remove 2 players who had too high a rank. Dokibird then withdrew from the tournament herself (via twitter).
“Uber-Team” finishes last in the actual tournament after the second rule change
This is how the tournament went: The so-called Uber-Team “Team Necros” lost almost all games in the actual tournament and was eliminated in the preliminary round. In the end, they finished in last place. Valkyrae’s team, Team Abe, at least made it to round 1 of the playoffs and finished in rank 5-8.
Path of Exile 2 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor and stands out as a complex game for gamers who enjoy in-depth mechanics. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus spoke with Diablo expert Rob about the game.
Who is the expert?
Rob is among the best Barbarian players in Diablo 4 worldwide and is particularly known for his expertise in theorycrafting around builds.
The expert regularly streams in English on Twitch, most recently Path of Exile 2. He quite enjoys the new action RPG.
This is what Rob says about Path of Exile 2: I talked with Rob about various topics regarding Path of Exile and Diablo 4 – including the entry into the new ARPG. Many players and experts agree here: the complexity of PoE 2 deters many newcomers.
Rob agrees with this, but also finds the way Path of Exile 2 handles the entry into these complicated systems exceptionally good:
You notice right away: This is a tough game. I personally find that really good. Many might not like it that much, but you know right away what you are getting into. It is a game that is significantly harder than Diablo and that from the very beginning.
The further you progress in the game, the easier it becomes, the expert explains. He himself started a new character, a Monk, after his Warrior became too slow for him after a few hours of gameplay.
Diablo takes a completely different approach with various difficulty levels, which is better for newcomers and casual players. However, he does not want to directly compare the games.
Start video
Path of Exile 2 shows new gameplay trailer for early access
“There is a very clear separation”
Rob explains that Path of Exile and Diablo have a large overlap in their player base. However, there is also a very clear separation of players who are appealed by the respective games.
Path of Exile is good for “those who want to invest more time” and people like him who enjoy complex mechanics. Diablo, on the other hand, is better suited for those who do not have much time.
The constant dispute between the communities annoys him: “You can also play two games.” You don’t have to constantly compare and speak poorly about the other game. However, both communities do not give each other anything in terms of behavior.
The full interview can be found here on MeinMMO this weekend. It will cover topics including Season 7 of Diablo 4, the future of Path of Exile 2, and there will be a brief overview of the expansion Vessel of Hatred.
