Player becomes a part of Baldur’s Gate 3 after her death – Shadowheart honors her with a special tribute

Caroline Fuller Caroline Fuller Reading time 3 minutes

Jennifer English, the actress of Shadowheart, and her partner Aliona Baranova have been regularly streaming their own campaign in Baldur’s Gate 3 on Twitch since 2023. Their new stream is dedicated to a viewer who passed away in 2024 due to illness. But that’s not all.

How did the fan become part of Baldur’s Gate 3? A fan named Aly was a loyal player and a viewer from day one of Jennifer and Aliona’s campaign. In the latest stream, the Shadowheart actress reports that Aly was a great person with equally great humor and that Baldur’s Gate 3 meant a lot to her.

Their exchange was brief but unforgettable. Through a friend of the fan, they eventually learned about her illness and the prognosis. They then decided to dedicate something special to Aly. Aliona shares that they reached out to Senior Writer John Corcoran, who is mainly responsible for the characters Shadowheart and Halsin. 

Corcoran then included a little something in the latest patch with the permission of Larian’s CEO Swen Vincke to immortalize the deceased fan in the game.

In the Baldur’s Gate 3 trailer for the PS5, Jennifer English is heard as Shadowheart:

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

A close bond with the community

What does the tribute include? The memory of Aly is located in the third act of the game, on the upper floor of the funeral home near the cemetery in Baldur’s Gate.

In the stream, Jennifer and Aliona go to the mentioned place and find the letter, which is a kind of testament from Aly.

The letter was written by Corcoran in the style of the game but written from Aly’s perspective. It states that the mourning person’s gold should benefit the stray dogs, as Aly had also taken in street dogs during her lifetime. Additionally, the letter specifically addresses family members and friends, one of whom was present in the chat.

Jennifer English and Aliona Baranova reading the letter. Both and the Twitch chat become quite emotional.
Jennifer (left) and Aliona (right) reading the letter. Both and the Twitch chat become quite emotional.

What is the reaction? Jennifer and Aliona, along with the Twitch chat, became quite emotional during the reading as none of them had seen the letter before. After a short break, a toast to Aly (with a glass of water) and a hug, the actress turns back to the chat:

Isn’t this game amazing, isn’t the power of this community amazing, aren’t the writers amazing – what a wonderful thing they have made and added. I love you all and thank you John (Corcoran) and thank you Aliona, you really made this possible. To Aly.

Jennifer English, actress of Shadowheart (via YouTube)
More about Baldur’s Gate 3
Astarion’s actor had so much fun with Baldur’s Gate 3 that it damaged his health, his conclusion today: “It’s stupid”
von Johanna
Baldur’s Gate 3: Decipher the ancient book – How to find and open the necromancy of Thay
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Baldur’s Gate 3: Recruiting Minthara – How to Get the Powerful Companion
von Benedict Grothaus

What role does Baldur’s Gate 3 play in their lives? Jennifer is not the only person who played an important role during the development of the RPG. Aliona also contributed to Baldur’s Gate 3 as a Performance Director for Motion Capture. She reports on X that the two met on set and eventually got together after a year and a half of working together.

Now, the two play together on Twitch, regularly invite other actors like those from Lae’zel, Dame Aylin, and Isobel, and share not only gameplay but also some aspects of their everyday lives. Other actors from the game are also experiencing their own adventures in the game and sharing them on Twitch: You can watch your favorite rogue play Baldur’s Gate 3 on Twitch: “Dating myself is weird”

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

A man lost a cryptocurrency fortune of 750 million euros on a landfill – What happened to him?

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

An IT engineer accidentally lost a fortune of 750 million euros in a landfill. Since then, he has been desperately trying to recover his wealth. A decision has now been made in the case before the High Court in England.

James Howells was an IT engineer and has gained sad notoriety among crypto fans. We have already reported on the engineer who lost his fortune in a landfill on MeinMMO:

  • The IT engineer started collecting in the early days of Bitcoin, when the currency was worth nothing.
  • One day, he or his partner disposed of an old hard drive. Unfortunately, it was the model where the Bitcoins were stored.
  • As of today (January 2025), the approximately 8,000 Bitcoins are worth about 750 million euros.

Given the high value, it is not surprising that the engineer wants to retrieve his now substantial fortune. For months, he has been struggling with the Newport City Council to gain access to the landfill.

For this reason, he sued the city. The city of Newport denied him access to the landfill for environmental reasons. And it seems that this will remain the case.

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“We have created a monster” – A Spanish model earns up to 10,000 euros a month, yet she is not real

Court dismisses lawsuit, user is not allowed to search for his money in the garbage

What happens now? The competent court, the High Court, has now ruled in the case. And against the 39-year-old who has been searching for his Bitcoins for years. The court ruled that the plaintiff is not allowed to go to the landfill to find his fortune. This was reported by the English news portal BBC.com.

The presiding judge Andrew Keyser stated that too much time has passed between the disposal and today. Ten years have now passed. Furthermore, the lawsuit has no prospects of success in court, it is also stated.

The plaintiff is understandably disappointed that the court has dismissed his lawsuit. He stated that he would even be willing to share the proceeds, but the English court is not interested in that:

The termination of the proceedings at the first hearing does not even give me the opportunity to explain myself or a chance for justice in any form. There was so much more that could have been explained in a full trial, and that is exactly what I expected. (…)

It’s not about greed for me; I am willing to share the proceeds, but no one in a position of power will have a reasonable conversation with me (…) This ruling has taken everything from me and left me with nothing. The great British justice system has struck again.

He added that he has “tried to contact the Newport City Council in every possible way for the last 12 years,” and now to learn that his time has run out feels like “a kick in the butt.”

More on the topic
Traders are fed up with Amazon accidentally sending whole boxes of PC components
von Benedikt Schlotmann
You are not mistaken: Your favorite AI has really become dumber, and an AMD engineer provides the proof
von Claudio Niggenkemper

Another Bitcoin owner also possesses a large fortune that he cannot access. However, in this case, the city government is not the main problem, but a missing password. Experts are even offering him help now, but he declines: A German still has 2 attempts to access 222 million euros – An expert wants to help him, but he declines the help

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

3 Science Fiction Movies That Show What the Year 2025 Will Look Like

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 3 minutes

Many science fiction films often present an exaggerated future depiction of a world. Of course, there are films that show years that have already happened or are currently happening. There are also a few films that show what the year 2025 should look like.

What do the films have in common? The 3 films on this list take place in their respective universes in 2025. Each film presents a different vision of what the year 2025 will look like. One film on this list is quite realistic and depicts a future that we are not too far from.

If you can think of any films set in 2025, please feel free to write it in the comments.

1. Pacific Rim

Start video
Crashing Kaiju Action in the Trailer for Pacific Rim

Release: 2013 | Currently streaming: Currently not available on any subscription, but available for purchase and rental from various providers

What is Pacific Rim about? The first film by Guillermo Del Toro takes place in 2025. A portal underground causes giant monsters, called Kaijus, to appear and destroy cities. To protect people, giant robots, Jaeger, are used, operated from inside by humans.

What is the vision of the future? The Earth is constantly threatened by giant Kaijus in Pacific Rim. Conventional weapons and defense mechanisms do not work, which is why anime-inspired giant robots are used.

Such advanced robots do not exist yet. Robotics is indeed a constant topic, but mostly associated with AI technology. Unlike in Pacific Rim, however, we don’t have to defend ourselves against giant monsters. Nowadays, small robots can at least take some small tasks off people’s hands.

The sequel to the film takes place in 2035, a whole 10 years later. The series Pacific Rim: The Black takes place even later, in 2038.

More on the topic
More on the topic
The 13 Best Science Fiction Movies According to IMDb
von Marie Friske

2. Repo Men

Start video
Repo Men – Trailer for the Sci-Fi Action Movie featuring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker

Release: 2010 | Currently streaming: Currently not available on any subscription, but available for purchase and rental from various providers

What is Repo Men about? Repo Men is a rather unknown science fiction film featuring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker. In 2025, there is a company The Union that manufactures artificial organs. You can rent them at high rates. However, if you stop paying, the Repo Men come to collect the organs.

What is the vision of the future? The film’s main focus is on the artificial organs with which even hearts can be replicated. Research on artificial organs has been ongoing for some time. You can check examples on TheScientist. Primarily, 3D printers are emphasized. However, this is not widely available to us. A heart cannot simply be printed again.

This technology is not as commercially and freely available as depicted in Repo Men. Instead, it is used less for healing and more for profit. This is also the satire in the film. A company rents artificial organs and kills people who can no longer pay.

More on the topic
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A sci-fi film grossed over 240 million dollars – Still considered a flop and never received a sequel
von Niko Hernes

3. Her

Start video
HER Trailer German

Release: 2013 | Currently streaming: Currently not available on any subscription, but available for purchase and rental from various providers

What is Her about? Joaquin Phoenix plays the writer Theodore, who is in the midst of a divorce. He buys a new AI operating system. He spends hours and days just talking with the AI Samantha. It goes so far that he falls in love with the operating system.

What is the vision of the future? Her feels like a film that could take place today. There are no giant robots or flying cars, but advancements in AI technology. In real life, you can also converse with AIs like ChatGTP . Unlike Samantha, they do not yet have sensitive consciousness.

Her depicts a world where loneliness is increasing. Various studies support this about our world. A study by the Bertelsmann Foundation from 2024 shows that every second young person feels lonely (via ZDF). Virtual worlds seem like a refuge that can indeed reach proportions like Theodore in Her.

More on the topic
More on the topic
A.I. should help you get better in your games – Gives you tips while you play
von Niko Hernes

As sophisticated as in Her, today’s AI technology is not. Nonetheless, Her is a fantastic film to understand why the topic is becoming more prevalent. MeinMMO’s editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski addressed this in her own article: If you want to understand the hype around AIs like ChatGTP, watch this film now

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

Soon you will be able to experience the MMORPG for The Lord of the Rings in the best possible way, even if you don’t pay 13 euros a month

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

Thanks to the data center in Europe and 64-bit technology, you can soon experience Lord of the Rings Online without lag and smoother than ever before. And that even if you do not have VIP status.

What does VIP status have to do with it? When the European data center for Lord of the Rings Online was introduced last year, only the new, legendary server Mordor was running there. However, access to this world is only granted if you have an active VIP status. The associated subscription costs 13 euros per month, 27 euros for three months, 54 euros for six months, or about 90 euros for a year.

All EU servers of the Free2Play version of Lord of the Rings Online, however, are still located in North America – in early 2016, there was the harshly criticized move of the servers to New Jersey. The developers did not reveal any concrete plans at that time to create these worlds in the new EU data center.

The trailer for the new expansion of Lord of the Rings Online:

Start video
Lord of the Rings Online: Trailer for Morgoth’s Legacy Prepares You for the New Expansion

What new plans are there? It is now clear that in the future, Free2Play players of the MMORPG will also gain access to new 64-bit servers. During a stream on Twitch a few days ago, there were specific details about it.

  • The four new 64-bit servers are referred to by the developers as mega servers because they can accommodate much larger populations than the old realms. They are expected to go live in the first quarter of 2025.
  • There will be two servers each for the EU and US regions. The two European servers are named Orcrist (normal rules) and Meriadoc (role-playing server).
  • For now, there are no plans to close the old servers. However, players will be encouraged to transfer to the new servers. If this succeeds in sufficient numbers, they will consider merging or even shutting down the old worlds.
  • All character transfers to the new servers will be free and available in unlimited numbers. The limit is only defined by the number of possible characters per server per account.
  • There will be a short, exclusive name reservation phase for VIP players.

How is the community reacting to the announcement? Players are excited about the provision of more modern servers:

  • Anatar9 clarifies on Reddit: “Most importantly, the EU servers will physically be located in Europe (like Mordor).”
  • Abakus_Grim is pleased (via Reddit): “Maybe this will bring me back to the game.”
  • Vakke is more confident (via Reddit): “I will definitely come back. Thank you very much for this change SSG and hopefully everything goes well!”
  • VPN_FTW writes on Reddit: “Interesting. Sounds like they might finally conduct server merges once the servers have been out for a while, as they want everyone on these new servers.”
More about LotRO:
The 12 Best Free-to-play MMORPGs 2026 in Comparison
von Schuhmann
With a bit of luck, you might soon be able to play the largest new MMORPG 2026 on PC
von Karsten Scholz

There should be an official article on the topic soon on the official website of the MMORPG. Improvements such as 4K resolution, a new launcher, and a crafting overhaul are also set to occur in 2025: What’s the status of the technical modernization of Lord of the Rings Online? Developers give an update

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

The One Piece manga starts in 2025 with a sad record, but the readers don’t mind

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

Actually, the new chapters of the One Piece manga are released weekly. However, several circumstances have led to fans having less reading material than ever before.

What is the problem? In the last three months, since October 22, 2024, only 6 chapters of the manga have been released. One Piece fans have thus been able to read a new chapter on average only every 2 weeks, even though it should actually be one chapter per week.

This has never happened before, unless Oda had announced a break of 4 consecutive weeks. X-user and One Piece insider newworldartur writes that the scene where Luffy meets Loki was already 3 months ago, but only 5 chapters back. The scene is well known among readers because Luffy presumably encounters the antagonist of the new arc here. Therefore, it is still fresh in fans’ minds, although much more should have happened since then.

It would be understandable if some readers are bored or angry that there have been so many breaks lately. However, they show a lot of understanding, as the reasons are more than understandable.

In One Piece, there are many cool ships. Do you know the coolest ones?

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One Piece: These are the 5 coolest ships sailing the oceans

One Piece manga has longer breaks due to Oda

What is the reason? The recent breaks from One Piece resulted from three different reasons:

  • A planned break by Eiichiro Oda, the mangaka of One Piece.
  • A break during which Oda struggled with an illness.
  • A winter break that the publisher of the One Piece manga conducts every year.

By the end of the year, many circumstances came together that led to a new chapter of the manga not being published repeatedly in between.

Is that bad? Under the tweet of newworldartur, a large part of the fans writes that Oda should take his time. As long as he stays healthy and finally gets his 8 hours of sleep per day, everything would be fine.

The reason for this is that Oda has had health problems repeatedly, which may cause the manga to continue to drag on. The first 4 years after the release of One Piece had no breaks at all. Even then, if there were any, Oda only took a break once a year (via claystage.com).

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The mangaka led an unhealthy lifestyle: He reportedly only slept 3 hours per night and skipped meals to meet the publisher’s deadlines. This likely took a toll on his health, as larger and larger breaks occurred over the years. 

Most recently, his condition was so critical that he had to report his blood pressure to his doctor daily. So that Oda does not overwork himself and has many healthy years ahead, fans hope he takes breaks whenever he needs them.

Another longer break Oda had to take about a year ago. The reason for this was the death of his mentor, Akira Toriyama, which he initially had to process. The mangaka was known for the Dragon Ball manga. His death shook the anime and manga world: The creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama, has unexpectedly passed away – We owe everything to him

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

Streamer flees in WoW Hardcore, abandons group and lies cold-bloodedly: ‘I couldn’t have done anything’

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The situation is escalating at the guild OnlyFangs. A streamer has abandoned his comrades in WoW Classic – resulting in increased criticism.

The most exciting stories in World of Warcraft are currently happening in WoW Hardcore Classic. There, every character has only one life and even small mistakes can lead to the loss of the character. For many, this is a journey accompanied by streams. One of the most famous streamers has now coldly abandoned his group – and is facing a lot of criticism for it.

This story shows how quickly drama can arise in WoW Classic Hardcore:

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

What happened? Like many other big streamers, PirateSoftware is currently part of the “OnlyFangs” guild. This is a guild full of streamers in the hardcore version of WoW Classic. The guild is quite popular and essentially single-handedly keeps WoW a constant topic on Twitch. Within the guild, there are various factions, rivalries, and plenty of “social drama” – where the guild leadership can be passed on due to the death of a character.

While visiting the Dire Maul dungeon, there was an unplanned big pull – more enemies than planned suddenly engaged the group in combat. As the heroes slowly fall back, they try to stabilize the fight:

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Why is this so controversial? The community seems to agree that PirateSoftware simply did not play well in this situation and even intentionally lied to his group. Critical points that are raised include:

  • PirateSoftware is the first to flee, even though the rest of the group believes they could still win the fight. He unilaterally decides to abandon the others.
  • Although he is already the furthest from the enemies, he flees even further – and even uses spells to be even faster.
  • He claims that he has no mana and therefore cannot help – before suspiciously sliding his mouse toward his mana gem. It is clear to see that he could have restored mana with both the mana gem and his robe’s use effect.
  • As his mana regenerates, he uses it for “useless” spells in this situation, like the Ice Barrier, so he can continue to say he has no mana.

PirateSoftware ultimately survives the fight – others from the group are not so lucky.

What happened afterwards? When a discussion comes up some time later and PirateSoftware should justify his actions, he simply leaves the conversation prematurely, as seen in this clip:

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The trust of the guild in PirateSoftware seems to have shrunk a bit – and many will now think multiple times before embarking on dungeons with this streamer again.

Even though “this drama” is what many find appealing about WoW Classic Hardcore and the guild OnlyFangs, it has likely led to many viewing PirateSoftware in a slightly different light. Some are already joking that Grubby will now have to add a point to his list of the 21 dumbest deaths in WoW Classic Hardcore…

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

Trainer wastes his valuable Master Ball in Pokémon GO because he doesn’t know an important piece of information

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO, the Master Ball guarantees the capture of every Pokémon. However, many are not aware that it is not worth using on a particular type of especially cool Pokémon.

The Master Ball is the best ball in the Pokémon world and thus also in Pokémon GO. The item debuted in May 2023, but it is very rare, and so far, one could only obtain a few specimens of the ball.

Accordingly, you think carefully about what you actually use the Master Ball for. Ideally, it’s for a particularly rare Pokémon or a particularly strong one – nothing ordinary.

Especially popular targets for the ball are the legendary Galar birds. They only appear when using the daily adventure incense. This is a 15-minute time window where walking provides additional spawns – and if you’re very lucky, that includes Galar Articuno, Zapdos, or Moltres.

They are among the rarest monsters in the game. Unfortunately, they flee extremely quickly and are very hard to catch. Cool monster, rare, hard to catch – so perfect for the Master Ball. Even rarer are their shiny versions, which can be discovered since October 2024.

But: Especially the shiny variants should actually not be caught with the Master Ball. The reason for this is currently highlighted by a post in the Pokémon GO Reddit community.

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Pokémon GO reveals the new season Dual Destiny in the trailer

Wild shiny legendaries do not flee, but many are not aware of this

In the Pokémon GO subreddit, a user proudly posted their catch of Galar Moltres – specifically in the rare shiny variant. The user wrote: “I used my only Master Ball to catch this today” (via reddit).

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Source: Careful_Jury_9195 on reddit

And even though the Pokémon is obviously incredibly cool and rare, the Master Ball actually wasn’t necessary here. At least theoretically.

Because there is no need to worry that this Moltres will flee from the battle: It cannot escape because it is a legendary shiny in the wild. Therefore, you can throw balls until it is caught. Many trainers point this out in the comments, as it’s not the first time someone has “wasted” their ball on a Pokémon that is actually cool.

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This must be considered: At the same time, there are a few reasons why the Master Ball is worth it here anyway.

  • Shiny Moltres cannot flee from the battle, but it is still hard to catch. It’s possible that it breaks free repeatedly and you throw all your balls unsuccessfully. Then you eventually run out of them, and the Master Ball is the only option left.
  • Some trainers mention that Pokémon GO could crash if you’re unlucky. If you don’t want to take the risk, you probably throw the Master Ball as well.
  • If you’re a passenger in a car or capturing monsters while on a bus ride, it might happen that you’re classified as too fast, and catches won’t work.
  • Or simply: You think it’s cool to catch such a rare monster with the Master Ball.

However, the trainer doesn’t seem particularly bothered by it. The user writes in the comments: “Everything is fine, it was worth it for me.” If you want to save your Master Ball for other Pokémon, you can just remember that shinies in the wild usually cannot flee. If you need a few suggestions for what the Master Ball is worth using it on, you can find them here: What should I use my Master Ball on in Pokémon GO?

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

Baldur’s Gate 3: Player suspects Lae’zel in a certain location – then he opens the terribly wrong door

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

Behind the false door in Baldur’s Gate 3, you will not find Lae’zel, but something much more disturbing. This is what a player had to learn.

Even though the companion Lae’zel wouldn’t win a sympathy contest from the beginning in Baldur’s Gate 3, most players want to find her quickly after the tutorial. After all, Lae’zel is a skilled fighter and provides the group with significant strength. However, the search for Lae’zel can prove to be problematic and even traumatic at times – at least when you open the gate to a certain barn and find someone else inside.

There are many secrets to discover in Baldur’s Gate 3:

Start video
There are secret rooms in Baldur’s Gate 3 that only a few of you will ever see

What did the player discover? In the Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit, “radialomens” describes that he searched for Lae’zel during his first playthrough while investigating an abandoned village:

In my first playthrough, I never found her in the cage. I knew that she could be part of the group. And since I knew nothing about [Baldur’s Gate 3], I thought she was some kind of orc.

When I found the barn from which the strange grunting could be heard… well, I listened to my companions and left the door alone. At least until I investigated a small hill nearby and found a large piece of meat described as “A feast for an ogre,” then I made the connection and thought: “Aha! The green lady must have set up camp here after the crash!” … and then I opened the door expectantly…

What kind of door is this? The door to the barn has become infamous among players in Baldur’s Gate 3. In the abandoned village now inhabited by goblins, it is almost impossible to ignore the loud noises. However, when you open the door to the barn, you won’t find Lae’zel, but the ogre lady Buthir and the bugbear Grukkoh.

The two are currently busy and seem actively committed to ensuring that you encounter plenty of enemies in the world of Baldur’s Gate 3 for years to come – because the hero group interrupts them right in the middle of sex.

Both seem not to be very pleased with this interruption, and in most cases, a fight starts immediately. Only barbarians and bards can escape the battle through dialogue options (and success at rolling) – for example, by making jokes about the size of certain body parts.

But no matter how the scene ends, for most players, stumbling unexpectedly into the act is a rather disturbing experience – even for Baldur’s Gate 3, which does not skimp on such moments.

Baldurs Gate 3 Laezel Excited title
Lae’zel was unfortunately not found – but something else…

This is how the community reacts: In the Baldur’s Gate 3 community, stories about the discovery of the barn have become a lasting topic. This time, there are over 6,000 upvotes and plenty of comments:

  • “This is the funniest story regarding the barn I’ve ever heard.” and “This scene and the sequence with Harleap are exactly the two moments when mothers accidentally walk into the room.” – bowtiePalazzo
  • “I love this on your behalf. The fact that the voice actress for Minthara also voices the ogre makes the scene even better?” – ManicPixieOldMaid
  • “My husband tricked me into going into the barn and then I had to fight the two because they were very unhappy that I interrupted their affair.” – PettyBettyismynameO
  • “I love these ‘What I thought’ – and ‘What I then found out’ posts. They are just the best.”-midnightgirlj
More about Baldur’s Gate 3:
Baldur’s Gate 3: Recruiting Minthara – How to Get the Powerful Companion
von Benedict Grothaus
Baldur’s Gate 3 Coop Guide for PS5, PC, Xbox: Tips for Multiplayer
von Benedict Grothaus
Astarion’s actor had so much fun with Baldur’s Gate 3 that it damaged his health, his conclusion today: “It’s stupid”
von Johanna

Where is Lae’zel anyway? After the crash of the Nautiloid, most players usually find Lae’zel relatively quickly. Because when you head from the beach towards the druid grove, you find Lae’zel by the roadside where she is being held captive in a cage by tieflings. Only if you miss her there, she reappears later at the transition to the mountain pass (shortly before going into Act 2). Therefore, it is almost impossible to completely miss Lae’zel.

Even though this is no longer a secret for most, the barn continues to provide amusing stories. You can experience new stories with some fresh content soon in Baldur’s Gate 3. Because the team is currently working on the major Patch 8, which will even bring a few new playable classes.

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

New patch of Path of Exile 2 brings no nerfs, only buffs and the best change for all players on PS5 and Xbox

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 3 minutes

In Path of Exile 2, the next major patch is set to arrive soon. The director himself has now introduced the update.

What kind of patch is this? Path of Exile 2 is currently in Early Access on Steam, PS5, and Xbox, receiving ongoing updates with improvements and bug fixes. The next patch is highly anticipated by players as some time has passed since the last update, due to the developers’ holiday break.

They are now back, and the director personally explained in a video and subsequent livestream what the long-awaited patch will bring.

Here you can see the cinematic intro of Path of Exile 2:

Start video
Path of Exile 2: The Cinematic Intro of the Greatest Diablo Competitor

A gift to the players

What will the next update bring? In a nearly eight-minute video (via YouTube), the director of Path of Exile 2, Game Director Jonathan Rogers, talked about the new features and improvements of the ARPG. He then spent more than two hours answering community questions, moderated by streamers Darth Microtransaction and GhazzyTV.

The new update will not include nerfs to the game; these and other extensive changes are planned for a new league (similar to the seasons of Path of Exile 2). This includes changes to the economy in PoE2.

For players on PS5 and Xbox, there will probably be the most important change. They will gain access to loot filters, allowing them to hide and show items, significantly easing the process of picking up only the desired items. This featurewas recently highly sought after.

What changes in the endgame? There are several changes in the endgame. First, there will be four new tower maps. Alpenkamm, Sinkende Spitze, Bluff, and Mesa are the names of the four that will complement the existing map, which will be redesigned with the patch.

Additionally, the balance of endgame maps has been tweaked; this includes monster density, harbinger artifacts, chests, as well as magic and rare enemies, plus more essences and faster spawns of strongboxes.

In the endgame, there should be a boss waiting for you on about every four maps. However, as some maps could not spawn a boss, the rate was lower. This has now been changed, and you can look forward to more bosses. Furthermore, a new tablet has been added that allows you to add bosses to maps.

Here you can see the update video on YouTube:

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What changes with the bosses? Many bosses and elite enemies with unfair or unfun mechanics have been changed; for example, the Forsaken Miners now throw their grenades slower, making them easier to see and deal less damage.

There are also changes to citadels; they are easier to recognize on the atlas because they stand out above the fog of war. Moreover, when facing the Arbiter of Ash, you will receive up to six respawns. The higher your difficulty level, the fewer attempts you have. This system will later apply to other Pinnacle bosses as well.

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What about the items? There have also been many changes to items in Path of Exile 2. Many unique items have been buffed, particularly those from low-level areas.

The weighting of modifications for rare items has been changed, reducing the chance of getting poor values. An important innovation also concerns runes. These can now be exchanged, which was not possible before and often caused frustration within the community.

Players can also expect many more improvements and adjustments, such as a buff to armor as a defensive value, higher drop rates for certain items, a display of biomes when hovering over the map, faster loading times, and other bug fixes.

The director of Path of Exile 2 also categorizes these changes in the patch by announcing that larger changes will only be associated with the start of a new league. The patch is expected to be released later this week, and is likely to bring many unannounced contents into the game, similar to the massive Christmas patch: Path of Exile 2: Massive update is here, strengthening classes and skills more than expected – Official patch notes in German

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. YouTube
  2. Twitch
  3. pathofexile.com
  4. Reddit

WoW player masters achievement that seems miles away for many because the competitors are simply too bad

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

Through the solo queue for rated battlegrounds, it has become easier for some players from World of Warcraft to achieve various PvP accomplishments. Others get stuck in certain rating ranges because the randomly assigned teammates drag the team down.

Since when can you queue solo for rated battlegrounds? It was first tested with WoW Patch 10.2 and a regularly occurring brawl variant, where two teams of eight players each meet in the Warsong Gulch and other selected battlegrounds.

The concept was well received by a sufficient number of players and was integrated into the standard offerings for PvP fans with the pre-patch for WoW: The War Within. “Rated Battleground Blitz” also relies on 8vs8 matches and a faster pace. You have the option to queue alone or in pairs (with a healer) for rated battlegrounds.

Have you noticed these three bugs in WoW?

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3 absurde Bugs, die in WoW passiert sind

What achievement has the player mastered? Lats9 reports on Reddit that he was able to exceed a rating of 2,400 in WoW PvP for the first time and secure the achievement “Grand Marshal.” He has completed a total of 110 battleground matches for this.

He himself is particularly keen on the elite set. The solo queues turned out to be a “game-changer,” as the rated battleground matches are a lot of fun and the wait times have been much shorter than in arenas.

Not everyone can win

How does the community react to the experience report? Many of the commenting players unfortunately have had rather poor experiences with “Rated Battleground Blitz” when it comes to intentionally increasing their rating.

  • Sodasodapls agrees on Reddit with a player that the queues are not always short: “Yes, I tried to queue up twice and had to wait 30 to 40 minutes. I’m not doing this crap. I don’t play to wait in line, it’s absurd.”
  • Jefok is desperate (via Reddit): “I’m getting nothing but the downward spiral in solo-rated BGs. I queued as a healer with a 1,600 rating for 10 games and lost them all. So many poorly equipped people ruin the fun in the game. I almost gave up trying to earn gear appearances, just waiting for the new season.”
  • Pacific_Marlin feels similarly (via Reddit): “When I win a round, I get annihilated in the next few rounds. It’s insane how little gear some people have in there. I’m stuck at 1,600 and have played about 120 matches like the thread starter. Just unfair.”
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But there are also players who, like Lats9, have had more luck with the solo battlegrounds:

  • Cprice11c celebrates on Reddit: “I got my [achievement] tonight on my enhancement shaman! Congrats, man! I love arena, but I had the time of my life in the battlegrounds. I think I’m getting too old for the arena, haha”
  • lnk-cr-b82rez-2g4 writes on Reddit: “Congratulations! I just managed to do that on my affliction warlock myself and I’m absolutely thrilled. I’m not the best in PvP and never bothered to engage in it due to fear and bad temperament. But this path to the top really helped me improve both my gameplay and my overall attitude towards competitive play.”

What have your experiences been with the solo queues for rated battlegrounds so far? Did you have a good time or did you have to deal with long wait times and poor teammates? Let us know in the comments! By the way, did you know: It’s the “selfie camera” that ruined PvP in WoW.

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

One of the best animes of 2023 will soon feature an intimate scene with a frog

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

In the 2nd season of the anime The Apothecary’s Diaries, the popular frog scene from the original work will likely be featured. The new opening hints at this, and fans are already excited.

What kind of anime is this? The Apothecary’s Diaries started its 1st season in 2023 and is among the best animes released this year. On MyAnimeList, it receives a rating of 8.88 out of 10. It’s no wonder that the anime continues.

What is hinted at in the opening? The new opening of the 2nd season implies two hints that the famous frog scene from the original work is already included in this part (via YouTube):

  • Several hands are shown holding an object. In one hand, there is a frog.
  • In another scene, bubbles are seen rising in the water. In between, the water-soaked Maomao and Jinshi are shown.

Since the 2nd season is supposed to adapt the 3rd and 4th volumes of the light novel, viewers are sure that they will see the well-known scene in the 1st part of the new season. On X, some fans are hyping themselves up, as they are curious about how the moment will be implemented in the anime.

If you are not familiar with the anime yet, you can watch a trailer for the 2nd season here:

Start video
The Pharmacist’s Diaries – Trailer for Season 2 of the Anime

Maomao, the frog, and the man’s best part

Warning, spoiler: We are discussing the plot of season 2 of the anime The Apothecary’s Diaries.

What happens in the frog scene? The scene occurs in manga chapter 63 and at the end of the 3rd volume of the light novel. Jinshi and Maomao, the two protagonists of the anime, are suddenly attacked in the forest. They save themselves by jumping into a waterfall. They are soaked, but find a protective cave.

As the two try to escape the cave, Maomao climbs onto Jinshi’s shoulders. A frog jumps onto her head, causing both to lose their balance and fall. During this, Maomao’s hand lands in Jinshi’s groin, and she realizes that he is not actually a eunuch. To protect his identity, Maomao pretends she hasn’t noticed anything.

Why is she so popular? This scene intensifies the relationship between Maomao and Jinshi even more. She uncovers his biggest secret, which requires a lot of trust. Additionally, it’s simply a funny moment involving intimacy.

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What is a eunuch? In Imperial China, it was common for many courts to have palace eunuchs. These are male individuals who underwent castration, during which parts or even the entire male reproductive organs were removed.

The purpose of the castration was to ensure that there would be no heirs in the imperial palace that were not born of the emperor. If it were revealed that Jinshi is not a eunuch, it would likely lead to many difficulties. Therefore, Maomao prefers to remain silent to protect him and his true identity.

The manga artist of The Apothecary’s Diaries recently had to pay a fine. The tax authority became aware of her because she forgot to declare a huge fortune. You can find out how it all ended here: The artist of The Apothecary’s Diaries has to pay a fine – This is what she did wrong

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

WoW introduces a feature that fans have wanted for 20 years – but not in the way you’d think

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Instead of bringing new character options, World of Warcraft solves an ancient problem in a different way. A new potion is supposed to do the trick.

When it comes to character customization options, World of Warcraft is quite limited compared to newer MMORPGs. Although recent expansions have added more options for existing character models, many things that would today be seen as “standard” are still missing. One of the standard settings is the customization of character size.

In World of Warcraft, all humans are exactly the same size, just like all tauren, all undead, and every other race in the game. Two members of the same species are always identical in size when they are player characters. However, a potion can fix that with Patch 11.1 Undermine(d).

Currently, the Siren Island is the focus of gameplay – but not for much longer:

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Siren Island – The New Content in WoW Patch 11.0.7

What kind of potion is there? There are two new potions you can find in Patch 11.1 that fulfill the desire for a customized character size:

  • Noggenfogger Select UP: Slightly increases your size. Stacks up to 10 times.
  • Noggenfogger Select DOWN: Slightly decreases your size. Stacks up to 10 times.

The effect of a single stack is actually very minimal. Your character only grows or shrinks by a few centimeters. Only multiple stacks make a truly noticeable difference, allowing for almost exact fine-tuning.

These effects are not entirely new. There have been toys and potions in the past to adjust your character size. However, with the new Noggenfogger potions, you have many more different gradations and can give your character exactly the size you think it should have.

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Who are the potions for? The biggest benefit of these potions is likely to come from roleplayers, especially those found on RP realms.

However, it is criticized that the potions currently only last for 30 minutes. This is a bit disruptive for long RP sessions, which can often last the entire evening. Because then you find yourself having to constantly replenish the correct amount of potions every few sentences to maintain the desired character size. According to RP fans, the duration of the potion should therefore ideally be increased significantly. Some audible feedback could also bring some relief here.

In the past, Blizzard has addressed the wishes of the RP community with potions. For instance, a potion was spontaneously introduced that allowed Horde and Alliance to communicate with each other – which opened up entirely new possibilities for roleplaying.

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

Borderlands 4 will be released in 2025 – All information regarding release, characters, trailer

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

Borderlands 4 has been announced for 2025. Here we collect all known information about the release and the game content.

What is Borderlands 4? The Borderlands series is known for:

  • Fast-paced shooter gameplay
  • Different characters with powerful abilities
  • Crazy humor & story
  • Countless weapons with various modifications
  • A very good co-op experience, locally or online

Borderlands 4 is now the direct continuation of the main series. In the meantime, there are several Borderlands games, even outside the main series, such as Tales from the Borderlands or Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. You can find a ranking of the Borderlands games here.

Fans of the series are now eagerly waiting for the fourth installment. We summarize all the known information for you here.

[toc]

Start video
In Borderlands 4 könnt ihr überall hinreisen, was ihr im Spiel sehen könnt – sogar zum Mond?

Borderlands 4: Release, Characters, Trailer – Overview of Information

Here you can find the most important information about the game. This article will be continuously updated with new information as it becomes known.

When is the Borderlands 4 release?

The release of Borderlands 4 is on September 12, 2025 (via X). Previously, the release of the loot shooter was planned for September 23 (via 2k.com), but the developers have moved the launch of the game forward by a few days.

On which platforms will Borderlands 4 be released?

Borderlands 4 will be released for:

  • PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store
  • PS5
  • Xbox Series X/S

Nothing is known yet about a possible Switch version. Borderlands 3 was released on the Switch, but Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands was not.

Characters in Borderlands 4

So far, not much is known. The following points are clear:

  • There is a new antagonist called the “Timekeeper”. He wants to maintain “perfect order” and seems to be willing to use any means necessary.
  • There are completely new vault hunters that you will play. They were seen for the first time in the trailer, but we do not yet know their names.
  • Some familiar characters are expected to appear. For example, BL3 vault hunter Zane is briefly seen in the trailer.

It’s best to take a look yourself! Here you can find the trailer.

Trailer for Borderlands 4

Start video
Looter-Shooter Borderlands 4 showcases its action-packed gameplay in the trailer
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Content of Borderlands 4 – Story, Location, what can we expect?

So far, only limited information about the new installment is known. However, some points have already been announced.

  • As usual, there are plenty of weapons, on the official site they talk about “billions of wild and deadly weapons”
  • The story takes you to the new planet Kairos
  • Action skills and skill trees are as usual in the game
  • You join the resistance against the Timekeeper
  • A glimpse of what the story of Borderlands 4 might bring can be found here.

What does the co-op mode bring? You can:

  • Play co-op online with up to four players
  • Locally, the 2-player split-screen is available

When will there be more information? At the beginning of 2025, more details about the gameplay of Borderlands 4 are expected. Fans can already look forward to that. However, more details are likely to become known over time in general. The head behind Borderlands 4 recently commented on whether the game would have an open world – and already hinted at what the world of Borderlands 4 looks like and what freedoms it brings.

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

“Old Diablo Fan” grew up with part 2, doesn’t understand why everyone is criticizing Diablo 4

Nicole Wakulczyk Nicole Wakulczyk Reading time 3 minutes

Diablo 4 is having a tough time, as many players have been criticizing the latest installment of the ARPG series since its release. One fan now says: While it’s not as good as Diablo 2, it is an improvement over Diablo 3.

For many fans of the series, Diablo 2 remains the favorite, and with Diablo 4 Blizzard aimed to return more to the tone of parts 1 and 2. The Druid also returned, who was playable for the last time in Diablo 2. Runes made their comeback with the first expansion, Vessel of Hatred. Additionally, Vessel of Hatred brought back an iconic area from Diablo 2.

What does the fan specifically say? On Reddit, a player comments on the criticism of Diablo 4 and states: The game doesn’t seem that bad at all. He says this as an “old Diablo fan” who grew up with Diablo 2. He rejoined with a friend in Season 6 and is looking forward to Season 7.

In his post, he writes specifically: “Am I crazy? There is constant criticism of this game, but honestly, I don’t think it’s that bad right now. It’s not as good as Diablo 2 (what is?), but at least for me, a significant improvement compared to Diablo 3. Am I overlooking something?”

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“Good for 100 hours, but not for 1,000”

This is how the community reacts: In the comments, many players pick up on the topic. They emphasize that Diablo 4 has evolved significantly with each new season and now offers a much better gaming experience than at release.

The top comment comes from Doomguy231, who receives agreement from over 450 people through upvotes. He writes that people “just like to complain.” Although Diablo 4 will never be the best game of all time, it is great for simply unwinding and casually grinding, he thinks.

Crazycow88 shares a similar view, writing: “I have been playing since Season 1, and in my opinion, it gets better with each season. The story and the expansion were good. When I get bored with the endgame grind, I just play something else. It’s not the best game of all time, but definitely not the worst.”

In a comment, Bierzgal replies to the post creator that Diablo 4 is by no means a bad game, but rather a “decent” one. However, it lacks that certain something to be “fantastic” – something that one would expect from such a legendary series. Diablo 4 is a great game to enjoy for about 100 hours, but not engaging enough to want to invest 1,000 hours, he writes.

What is criticized about Diablo 4? In the post a user comments that Diablo 4 had a poor start. “The loot system was terrible and there was no endgame, which is simply unacceptable for a launch in 2024 after 10 years of Diablo 3 feedback. The campaign was solid, but everything else was not.”

Overall, Diablo 4 has received much criticism from the community since its release. The main points are:

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On January 21, 2025, the new Season 7 in Diablo 4 will start, bringing fresh content to the game. What to expect specifically, we will learn in the upcoming “Campfire Chat” livestream from the developers on January 16. Here on MeinMMO, we will summarize the most important information from the stream for you afterwards. Everything known so far about the new season can be found here: Diablo 4 Season 7: Start date, PTR and contents

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

A developer from Starfield says: Many gamers are tired of having to invest over 30 or 100 hours in a single game

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

Games on PC, Xbox, or PS5 are getting longer and longer. Partly, players can spend hundreds of hours on a single game. One developer explains that many gamers are tired of this trend and prefer shorter titles again. He compares it to “Mouthwashing”: it is also so successful because it is quick.

Games like The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim or Baldur’s Gate 3 can keep a player glued to the monitor for hundreds of hours. However, there is recurring criticism that games are taking longer and longer. For instance, the former PlayStation head stated that even in retirement, he doesn’t have enough time to invest 100 hours in a game.

Now, the Lead Quest Designer of Starfield, Will Shen, has also commented on the matter. And he believes that many players are tired of games becoming longer.

This is what Will Shen said (via PCGamer.com):

In the past, it was the MMOs that did this. With World of Warcraft, there are superfans who will never leave the game. Then suddenly games like Skyrim and other open-world games came onto the market, offering so much content that you could almost play them forever. That was the big trend that captured the gaming industry.

However, by now, the enthusiasm for such gigantic games has waned, and players wish for shorter games again. Just because games are getting longer, it doesn’t mean they are automatically better.

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Games are getting longer, but are stuffed with useless stuff

The problem is, Shen says, that games are getting bigger without offering much meaningful content. The result is that “a large or growing part of the audience is tired of investing over 30 or 100 hours in a game,” says Shen.

Many players might recall Shen’s words with regard to the so-called “Ubisoft formula” . For many in the gaming field, it has become a symbol of open, lifeless game worlds without real content.

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Why should games become shorter? Shen also provides an example of why short games might be much more successful. As an example, he takes the indie game “Mouthwashing.” It is a success because it is so short and not because you have to spend hours on it. He explains:

Mouthwashing is a huge success because it is so brief. There are other factors, such as the execution, the beautiful, iconic graphics, and all those things. But the game would not be nearly as successful if it were longer and had a bunch of side quests and other content.

The brevity is the key point, and this level of engagement was so refreshing to see from a developer who has made many large games. You can have a conversation with the fanbase about a game that is much shorter because the brevity allows everyone to fully immerse themselves in the product.

World of Warcraft is seen by the developer as an example of a game where you can spend hundreds of hours playing. And individual players can be quite unique when it comes to their playtime. One especially bizarre player has racked up a curious amount of playtime. A streamer now reveals his time – and reaches over 40,000 hours: WoW: Player plays 40,000 hours, doesn’t even use a mouse

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

A 23-year-old RPG for D&D has just received a new update because the loyal community still plays the game

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

Neverwinter Nights is a well-known game series in the D&D universe. Now the game has received a new update, primarily thanks to the hardworking community that continues to support it.

Neverwinter Nights is alongside Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale among the most famous game series in the D&D universe. Neverwinter Nights was the next game after Baldur’s Gate 2. However, it relied on a new engine (“Aurora”), almost completely did away with a party, and also utilized 3D. Upon release, many of these changes were not well received by fans. The sequel, Neverwinter Nights 2, was then developed by Obsidian Entertainment.

By now, 23 years later, a loyal community has formed, partly due to the very good editor that gives players much freedom in creating new content. Now the ancient role-playing game has received a new update.

By the way, Neverwinter Nights received an online spin-off a few years ago, which has nothing to do with the old RPG. Here you can see the trailer:

Start video
Neverwinter: Trailer zur Erweiterung „As Above, So Below – Return to Pirates’ Skyhold“

23-year-old game receives free community update

What is this update? In 2018, an “Enhanced Edition” of the RPG was already released. This version was no longer from the old developer Black Isles Studios, but from the new developer Beamdog. There were already some bug fixes and modernizations for the old game.

However, the latest update does not come from the developer itself, but from the active mod scene of Neverwinter Nights. And it is not the first community update that is being distributed for the game. The development team itself writes on Steam about the update:

This version was developed by unpaid software developers from the NWN community for personal enjoyment and out of goodwill for our fellow players and creators:

What improvements are there?

  • Built-in support for multisample anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering.
  • A built-in analysis tool for players and multiplayer server administrators.
  • “Significant” network code and performance improvements.
  • New scripting features and improvements.
  • QoL adjustments to the official level editor, known as the “Aurora Toolset”.

At first glance, there are mainly technical adjustments and improvements. The new graphics settings are nice, but most improvements primarily affect the toolset for campaign development and multiplayer.

However, this is precisely where the community’s focus lies today. Because there are no longer any real new contents, like campaigns, from official sources. Almost all content still being released for the old RPG comes from loyal fans.

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The popularity of Neverwinter Nights among fans even today is also highlighted by the work of a fantasy author. This person is currently developing a campaign for the old RPG that is supposed to offer at least 60 hours of content. You can read more about it on MeinMMO: A fantasy author fell in love with an ancient game, currently developing a 60-hour sequel for it on Steam

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

Nvidia’s new RTX 5090 continues to rely on a controversial component, but with a slight change

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

A component in the GeForce RTX 4000 caused players’ graphics cards to burn out. Now Nvidia has at least made a small adjustment to the GPU’s cable. Nvidia explained that the blame mainly lies with players who did not handle their hardware carefully enough and did not connect the cables properly. For many players, the new change is not enough.

What was the problem until now? In the RTX 4000 series, Nvidia relied on a new power connector. While the RTX 3000 series still used the typical PCIe cables (6+2 pin), Nvidia adopted a 12VHPWR connector for the new cards. But that should cause problems:

Several players reported that the power cables burned out when using an RTX 4090. Many suspected that it must be due to the new connector type. It is still unclear how many players were or are affected by the problems.

Nvidia reacted: The graphics card manufacturer declared at that time that they had investigated the cases. In most cases, it was a mistake by the users who did not install the power cable correctly. The design of the connector was not the problem.

Moreover, Nvidia and other third-party manufacturers warn against bending the power cable and plug too much: Because strong bending can lead to thermal hotspots and in some cases even to melting and burning of the cables.

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Check out the brilliant Collector’s Edition of the NVIDIA TITAN Xp in Star Wars style in the video

Adjustment of the connector should ensure that the graphics card is not connected incorrectly

What is changing? Nvidia has already made slight adjustments to the 12VHPWR connector in newer sales models of the RTX 4000 series: Instead of a 12VHPWR connector, a slightly modified 12V-2×6 connector is now being used. Anyone who bought a graphics card from the RTX 4000 series in the second half of 2024 likely received the new, modified connector.

The new RTX 5000 cards are already reported to have all the modified connectors at release. That is what some players report.

What is the advantage of the change? The modified 12V-2×6 connector has longer power connections and shorter sensor connections. This ensures that the connection is fully seated before being powered. This should prevent the connectors from being only partially connected and the graphics card burning out. A wrongly connected power cable should now be a thing of the past.

On Reddit, the change is being discussed, and many players feel that the change does not go far enough. Many do not understand why Nvidia relies on such an, in their eyes, unsafe connector and thus endangers a graphics card for which one has to pay 2,000 euros. One user explains that theoretically the problems should no longer occur:

Theoretically, that should be the case, as they have shortened the length of the sensor pins so that the cable is only recognized when it is fully plugged in, and increased the power supply pins to create a better connection with the cable.

However, some players are still not convinced. Some say that they did not upgrade from an older RTX 3000 card to a 4000 version because they are afraid of the problems with the power connector. This concern has not been alleviated by the change.

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Nvidia presented its latest graphics cards from the RTX 5000 series at CES 2025. MeinMMO presents all the important information about the GeForce RTX 5070, which is said to provide as much performance as the 4 times more expensive GeForce RTX 4090: GeForce RTX 5070: Price, release, and specs – Is the GPU better than an RTX 4090 for 2,000 euros?

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

Monster Hunter: The 10 coolest flagship monsters in the power ranking – Number one could be meeting you again soon

Alexander Mehrwald Alexander Mehrwald Reading time 7 minutes

The release of Monster Hunter Wilds is within reach. With Arkveld, alongside a bunch of other monsters, a new flagship monster will join the fray. We took this opportunity to look back at the previous giants and asked ourselves: Which of them was actually the coolest? 

What are flagship monsters in Monster Hunter? Flagship monsters are a type of “boss monster”, particularly strong opponents that represent the hallmark of every Monster Hunter game. They characterize the artwork as well as the story of the respective installment.  

These monsters represent the main theme of the game and pose a special challenge as a kind of “final boss” for players. The most well-known flagship monster is Rathalos, which served as the main monster for the very first installment of Monster Hunter. 

The monsters reappear in a weakened or altered form in other games, giving them a kind of cult status and bringing many fans to them. 

Who is writing this? MeinMMO editor Alexander Schürlein has logged over 1,000 hours as a monster hunter. Over the years, he has played numerous titles on various consoles and prefers to go hunting with dual blades.

For my personal power ranking, I reminisced to answer the question of which of them is actually the coolest and which I would love to see again in Monster Hunter Wilds. 

Feel free to write in the comments whether you share my opinion in the end or if your ranking looks completely different.   

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Start video
Monster Hunter Wilds: Daisy Ridley explains the lore

Place 10 – Brachydios 

Brachydios

Starting off is Brachydios at my personal place 10. He is the flagship monster of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, even though the azure Rathalos is featured on the international cover of the game while gracing the original Japanese cover. 

Brachydios is a combat wyvern that stands out with its cool design: Its stubby front legs and rounded, blunt horn are covered in green slime, which also brings the status attack “slime”. According to hunter notes, the green goo consists of a unique slime fungus that becomes explosive through the wyvern’s saliva. 

If he strikes the ground with his head or stumps, puddles form that change color before exploding after a few seconds. The slime can also stick to hunters and explode after a while if the respective hunter doesn’t do anything about it. When Brachydios gets angry, it’s better not to get in his way because then his slime explodes without delay. 

Place 9 – Tigrex 

Tigrex

Tigrex is a flying wyvern that at first glance looks like a T-Rex with wings. However, upon spotting his hunters, he charges at them on all fours with raw power. He is the flagship monster of Monster Hunter Freedom 2 and is known for his deafening roar.

Even though he has wings, he is rarely seen flying. He owes his name to his coloring, which is adorned with striking stripes. He impresses his hunters with raw power and high speed, thanks to his strong front legs.

He has multiple lungs that give him his distinctive roar. This intimidates his opponents, making it easier for him to take them down while they are in shock.

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Place 8 – Zinogre 

Zinogre

Zinogre is the flagship monster of Monster Hunter Portable 3rd and a fanged wyvern. He is associated with the element thunder and summons thunderbugs, whose electrical abilities he absorbs like a sponge. This way, he charges his electrical power, causing his back and claws to start glowing.

The higher his electric charge, the faster he moves and deals more damage. His charge has two stages, which can be interrupted if the hunters deal enough damage to him. However, they have little time to do so.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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Legendary developer has been working on a new MMORPG for 5 years, now he wants your money

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

The MMORPG expert Raph Koster made a name for himself with Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies. His team has been working on the new project Stars Reach since 2019. Now there is an exciting update on the development.

What kind of update is this? During a campfire chat on the official Discord channel, the studio Playable Worlds announced that they plan to launch a Kickstarter campaign for the MMORPG on February 10, 2025. The main page of the crowdfunding project is already viewable via kickstarter.com.

Although MeinMMO reported on the studio founded by Raph Koster and the new MMORPG project back in October 2019, Stars Reach is still in a (at least playable) pre-alpha phase more than five years later.

The project has thus far primarily been funded by investors who are said to have invested 38 million US dollars. With the new Kickstarter, they aim to secure funding for the next phase of development:

Players are invited to help shape the future of the game on the way to early access. In today’s challenging market, private investments in game development have become increasingly rare. To maintain momentum, Playable Worlds is turning to its passionate player community to help get Stars Reach over the finish line.

Playable Worlds via massivelyop.com

What do the developers promise? The target amount for the fundraising campaign is just as little visible as the different supporter tiers that Playable Worlds will certainly offer. However, the benefits earned through the tier levels should not affect the in-game economy or the balance of the MMORPG in any way.

Moreover, Raph Koster stated to massivelyop.com that they are supposed to be close to the alpha, with early access planned for the end of 2025. A final launch is apparently aimed for 2026.

Who exactly is Raph Koster again? The industry veteran was the lead designer of Ultima Online (released in 1997) and the creative director of Star Wars Galaxies (2003). The veteran is also known for his expertise in development: In an interview with MeinMMO, Koster spoke about the development of MMOs and explained that WoW killers almost killed MMOs.

Here is one of the trailers for Stars Reach:

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First trailer shows the new Star Reach

What do I need to know about Stars Reach? The ambitions for the galaxy-sandbox MMORPG are high. There are expected to be hundreds of worlds that feel alive and can be altered. The game is set to feature an action-packed yet tactically challenging combat system.

However, there should also be peaceful ways to have fun with Stars Reach. For example, players should be able to create planetary maps that can then be turned into profit. Or you will become a miner, an elected governor, or pursue a completely different profession within the player-driven economy.

More on MMORPGs:
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As an ultimate challenge, you should even be able to take ownership of an entire planet and build an infrastructure on it. How ambitious the team’s goals are can be seen from the following announcement from July 2024: Stars Reach is meant to do for science fiction what World of Warcraft did for fantasy.

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

With a simple trick, you can easily defeat one of the most annoying enemy types in Path of Exile 2

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

In Path of Exile 2, there is a type of enemy that annoys players with its affix, but with a simple trick, it can no longer harm you.

What type of enemy is it? In Path of Exile 2, all enemies can have different affixes that grant them additional effects and abilities. One of the most annoying affixes is the one that drains mana. It usually comes with additional electrical damage and is marked by a blue ring around the elite mob.

Enemies with this affix can quickly drain your mana. But instead of mindlessly attacking the enemy or even trying to run away from it, you can simply outsmart it.

A powerful enemy was already seen in the cinematic intro of Path of Exile 2:

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

Just do nothing

How to defeat such enemies more easily? Those who panic and flee from the mana drainers without mana are only doing their enemies a favor. The easiest way to avoid running out of mana is to simply stand in front of the enemy.

The affix that drains mana from the enemy only works when you’re near the blue circle. So if your character is not fast enough to run away from the elite enemy, you should just stand still and position yourself next to the monster.

Within the blue circle near the monster, you are close enough to be protected from the affix. There, you can easily defeat the enemy with your usual skills.

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One thing must improve Path of Exile 2 for Update 5 to be a success, the players say
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In Path of Exile 2, there are more annoying and sometimes dangerous affixes. One of them has been wanted to be removed by players from the predecessor for five years, yet the developers have decided to include it again. How players feel about this can be found here: For 5 years, players have wanted to ban a mechanic, but it continues to annoy in Path of Exile 2

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. TikTok @misoxshiru
  2. Reddit Vlyn