Pokémon TCG Pocket: One Water Pokémon is enough to render the Mew-ex deck useless

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

With the new booster “Mysterious Island,” Mew-ex has joined Pokémon TCG Pocket. It is possible to build a strong deck around the Psychic Pokémon. However, this can easily be countered.

What kind of deck is this? Mew-ex is one of the 10 best cards of the new booster. With 3 energy points attached, it can copy the ability of the opposing Pokémon. It is possible to include different Pokémon in the deck of the Psychic Pokémon. One option is to boost Mew-ex with Shardrago and Koga. An alternative is to bet on Gardevoir and Blue.

Since Shardrago is also among the 10 strongest cards, many trainers include the Pokémon in their decks. It has the ability to deal 20 damage when it is attacked in the active position. A player on Reddit has now experienced the perfect situation to counter such a deck.

Did you know that there is a lost promo card in TCG Pocket?

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Pokémon TCG Pocket: Promo A 008 – What is behind the missing card?

Mew-ex can become useless with just one Pokémon

How can I counter it? The collector reports that he faced a duel against a trainer with a Mew-ex deck. A screenshot shows that the opponent has Mew-ex in the active position. On the bench, there are two Shardrago and one Dratini.

He himself has only one Pokémon in the active position: Lumineon. It can deal 50 damage to a Pokémon on the opponent’s bench with its attack.

This puts the trainer in the fortunate position to defeat Shardrago and Dratini on the bench. Mew-ex can only copy the attack and strike the Pokémon on the other bench – where there are actually no Pokémon present.

As long as Mew-ex does not retreat, the trainer can wipe out the opposing bench without fearing consequences. This way, the otherwise strong Pokémon suddenly becomes useless. 

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Is there a disadvantage? Once Mew-ex retreats and Shardrago is in the active position, things get dicey. The Pokémon attacks with 90 damage, which would mean instant death for Lumineon’s 80 HP. Since no other Pokémon can come up from the bench, the match would be over immediately.

However, the collector was lucky in the above scenario, as the other trainer did not have any fire energy available. Thus, Shardrago could not attack at all, and its ability would not have helped. Mew-ex also couldn’t do anything, as the player additionally had no Psychic energy, preventing the Pokémon from using its attack along with the 20 damage.

If you do not want to build a deck around Lumineon, there are other Pokémon you can use as counters. MeinMMO has listed 5 options that you can integrate into your deck to beat the best decks from the tier list: Pokémon TCG Pocket: 5 counters against the best decks

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

A God MOBA on Steam and PS5 aims to be especially friendly to beginners, will soon be free to play

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

In SMITE 2 (Steam, PS5) gods and mythical creatures from all over the world engage in battle. The game will switch to a Free2Play model in January and aims to be particularly beginner-friendly.

What kind of game is this? SMITE 2 is a MOBA. Similar to League of Legends and Dota, two teams of 5 players each face off against each other. However, SMITE forgoes the classic top-down view and instead delivers third-person action.

An alpha version of the game was already released on August 27, 2024. For early access, players had to purchase one of the three founder editions, which cost between 30 and 100 €. From January 14, 2025, the game will switch to a Free2Play model as planned.

You can watch a trailer for the latest addition to the gods here:

Start video
Smite 2: The God MOBA Introduces Its Hero with Wonder Lamp

Action-MOBA with gods from around the world

How does SMITE 2 play? Each player takes control of a hero with special abilities. In SMITE 2, these are gods and beings from various mythologies, including the lightning-throwing Zeus, the god of the dead Anubis, and the trickster Loki.

The core of the game is the so-called “Conquest” mode. In this mode, you fight your way through a map to the enemy base to kill their titan. The maps are typically divided into three lanes, which are corridors. These are guarded by towers.

For the Free2Play launch, the developers promise on Steam:

  • 45 gods
  • the new game modes “Joust” (3v3) and “Duel” (1v1)
  • an alpha for the game mode “Assault”
  • and much more
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Comfort features for newcomers to the genre

How hard is it to get into? MOBAs are not exactly known for being beginner-friendly. They are often played at a competitive level and there are so many items and details to keep in mind that it can quickly become overwhelming.

SMITE 2 aims to make it easier for beginners and offers several comfort features such as automated purchases of strengthening items and upgrades. This way, you can already get a feel for your hero without having to wade through tons of descriptions first.

On which platforms is the game available? SMITE 2 is available for PC on Steam and in the Epic Games Store as well as for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

With Paladins, SMITE developer Hi-Rez also ventured into a hero shooter. However, this experiment was abandoned last year. You can find out why they came to this decision in this article: The work on Paladins is being reduced, and developers are laying off many employees

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

26-year-old is the biggest streamer on Twitch – receives criticism for not wanting to pay back her parents the money for university

Lydia Lydia Reading time 3 minutes

Emily “ExtraEmily” Zhang is successful on Twitch, but doesn’t want to pay her parents back for college. She has now received heavy criticism for this.

This was the situation: Emily “ExtraEmily” Zhang is a Twitch streamer who has rapidly grown in the past few years. In early 2023, she joined the content organization One True King and increased her channel from an average of about 2,000 viewers in December 2022 to 7,400 in December 2023. Currently, she is the streamer with the most average viewers worldwide (via SullyGnome).

The 26-year-old is known for quirky actions as well as her scatterbrained nature and a generally rather relaxed approach to money. However, she is currently facing heavy criticism because she does not want to repay her parents for college.

In the USA, attending college is significantly more expensive than in Europe: her parents are said to have paid $170,000 for the streamer’s degree from Columbia, an elite university. In a stream on January 2, ExtraEmily said: “My parents paid for that and said ‘give us the money back’ and I was like ‘I don’t want to.'” She repaid her parents $10,000 and then simply didn’t feel like it anymore.

ExtraEmily herself stated: Her parents only want the money back for college because she doesn’t use her degree. In her eyes, the money for the degree was thereby “wasted” (via X).

These 3 women are at the top of German Twitch:

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3 German Twitch streamers you should know

Viewers judge: stingy and ungrateful

This is how it was discussed: Many viewers and also influencer colleagues viewed the statements quite critically. The streamer xQc said: Not everyone can become rich – it’s fine not to be able to give back a lot to parents. However, if one is successful, he believes one is obligated to repay something to parents (via Kick).

The stream excerpt from xQc received more than 1,000 comments on r/LivestreamFail, the largest streaming community on Reddit. For many users, it seems to be a matter of honor to give something back to their parents. They call ExtraEmily “stingy” and “ungrateful.”

However, others pointed out that one does not know the family story from the outside and that “about 20 years of context” would be missing. Furthermore, there are specific dynamics in Asian families. Some believe that the streamer may have felt strongly pressured by her parents. Her unwillingness to repay the money could be the result of a “toxic” relationship.

“I would never let them suffer; they are my parents”

How did it end? The streamer apparently succumbed to public pressure and announced on January 6, 2025, that she would repay her parents for the tuition fees. As proof, she attached a screenshot of a payment of $46,996.86, about €45,500. That is the amount she agreed upon with her parents, not more than she can afford financially at the moment.

ExtraEmily assures, however, that she has set up a system to repay her parents the rest as well.

ExtraEmily repayment tweet screenshot
ExtraEmily shows the repayment to her parents on X

Additionally, the streamer explains: “Contrary to the online opinion, since I became successful as a streamer, I have ensured that my parents’ lifestyle and needs are covered. I would never let them suffer; they are my parents who raised me.” (via X) She supports her parents in other ways.

A clip of a conversation with her mother, in which she stated that she had spent a lot of money on her daughter’s education and had “almost gone broke” for it, was misunderstood and exaggerated, said the 26-year-old. It was meant to be humorous, and conversations on stream are not representative of their relationship.

“We wouldn’t talk about such things on stream if we didn’t have a solid relationship,” assures ExtraEmily. She also admits that without all the fuss, she probably wouldn’t have changed her stance.

In conclusion, the streamer says: “Thank you for thinking about my parents, but I assure you that they are financially stable and well taken care of without my support.”

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ExtraEmily’s statements probably also caused a lot of misunderstanding because for other content creators, it is an explicit goal to be able to buy their parents a house or send them into retirement when they “make it.” However, one streamer received criticism for exactly that.

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

At 24, his life was at a dead end, by 26 he became rich through gaming – This is how clever CaseOh tricked his way into Twitch

Johanna Johanna Reading time 2 minutes

To start as a streamer on Twitch, it takes a lot, and many fail in the dream of being famous for livestreaming. Case “CaseOh” Baker has succeeded, however, with a well-thought-out trick, even though many things initially spoke against his success.

Who is CaseOh? CaseOh, whose real name is Case Baker, is a Twitch streamer who plays video games for his viewers. He does not limit himself to one genre but tries out many.

He seems to be just a normal guy, but he is quite funny and interacts a lot with his community. He has built a practically friendly relationship with them through insider jokes.

In our video, we present the 5 most relevant Twitch streamers in the German-speaking area:

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These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google

CaseOh had tough starting conditions

This is the backstory: In 2015, CaseOh was inspired by YouTubers of that time who made their living through gaming, so he bought equipment to create his own YouTube videos.

But he had two fundamental problems: Since CaseOh had two jobs at the same time, his life was quite stressful, so he often did not have enough time to upload videos or to livestream. Moreover, he had poor internet.

So, he stayed away from the idea of making money with content creation for a long time.

The turning point came when his mother told him that he should try livestreaming again, just to see what happens.

With a trick to 80 viewers during the first livestream

What kind of trick is that? CaseOh tried again, but this time not directly on Twitch or YouTube. Instead, he played the basketball game NBA 2K, edited highlights from the gameplay, and uploaded them as short clips on TikTok.

He pretended to livestream and play the game in the stream. This made people pay attention to his content and want to watch his streams live. That’s why he had 80 viewers during his very first livestream.

Building an audience on Twitch is difficult. Livestreamers who have no prior experience or already have a community often stream for months, if not years, for very few viewers. Having 80 viewers right away, without being a public figure, is remarkable.

After that, CaseOh switched to Hogwarts Legacy and played the game in his livestreams. By changing games, he opened up the possibility of being known not just for one game or one genre of games.

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Meanwhile, he can entertain an average of 60,000 viewers, streams almost every day for 4 to 5 hours, and currently has over 88,000 active subs on Twitch (via twitchtracker). His monthly income is therefore between $160,000 and $200,000, depending on his contract with Twitch and whether he receives 50% or 70%.

Generally, he has had around 60,000 subs continuously since February 2024, which corresponds to a monthly income of about $120,000. Additionally, there are donations from his viewers and potential ad revenues.

With this simple trick, CaseOh quickly managed to build an audience and thus a community. His story proves that sometimes it just takes the courage to dare and approach things with the right plan.

In the German Twitch scene, the streamer NoWay also has a remarkable story. He was originally a pro in League of Legends and then built a career on Twitch from that. We introduce him in this article: Former German LoL pro is now one of the most successful Twitch streamers – This is NoWay

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

Trainer is engrossed in Pokémon GO, finds himself in a life-threatening situation while hunting for a monster

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 2 minutes

The hunt for monsters can captivate trainers of Pokémon GO. A trainer from Germany has now shown that one should be careful while doing so.

What is this warning about? Presumably, all trainers who regularly open Pokémon GO to hunt for rare and powerful monsters are familiar with the game’s message that appears at the beginning: “Always keep an eye on your surroundings! Do not enter dangerous terrain while playing Pokémon GO”.

While most trainers probably don’t pay much attention to the message and quickly dismiss it, a trainer from Bremerhaven has now shown that this warning should actually receive some attention. For the protection of life and limb.

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Pokémon GO reveals the new season Dual Destiny in the trailer

Hunting Pokémon ends in water

According to a report on spiegel.de, the 42-year-old trainer was so engrossed in the game that he strayed off the path. He ended up in the Outer Weser.

While this could be a funny anecdote during the warm months of the year, it became a dangerous situation in this case. After all, it was not only dark at the time of the incident but also dangerously cold with temperatures just above 0° C.

A companion of the man was able to help him by navigating him to a staircase through which he could exit the cold water. Emergency services that were called subsequently took care of the man.

Police officers later stated in a communication that this was indeed a life-threatening situation and that it was thanks to the companion that the man was able to leave the cold water so quickly.

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Be aware of your surroundings! If you play Pokémon GO yourself, take the initial warning of the game seriously. Pay attention to your surroundings and take care of yourself while hunting for monsters.

Speaking of hunting monsters: there are again many events and content waiting for you in the game in the new year. If you want to get an overview of which events are coming in the next weeks, take a look at our overview of all events in January 2025 in Pokémon GO.

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

Monster Hunter Wilds shows gameplay of two new monsters: one of them is guaranteed to be a fan favorite

Alexander Mehrwald Alexander Mehrwald Reading time 2 minutes

Fans of Monster Hunter Wilds have been eagerly waiting for new input to sweeten the wait until the release on February 28, 2025. Now, nearly 18 minutes of new gameplay has been released, showcasing two of the new monsters in action. The community is receiving them well. 

What does the gameplay show? IGN has released two exclusive videos, each presenting around 9 minutes of new insights into the gameplay of Monster Hunter Wilds. In both cases, we are taken to the “Oilwell Basin” area, where hunting takes place on two of the new monsters.

The fights shown feature the monsters Ajarakan (via IGN) and Rompopolo (via IGN). In the videos, you can see both monsters in action for the first time and follow a complete hunt on them. Not only do they show how powerful they are, but also how creatively they are designed.

This way, you can witness how Ajarakan resembles a Super Saiyan from Dragon Ball and makes its hunter feel the heat with impressive flames and hot magma. In contrast, Rompopolo puffs up with its unique design and attacks with gas and black slime. In the video of Rompopolo, you can also observe how both monsters face off against each other (around minute 3:11).

In our video from the preview event in Japan, you can take a look at another new area:

Start video
Monster Hunter Wilds: 20-minütiges Gameplay zeigt Karminwald und neue Monster

“The new gameplays are insane”

How is the new gameplay being received by the community? In various threads on Reddit, fans are discussing the new videos. They particularly highlight the creativity of the designs and are eagerly looking forward to facing them:

  • User YeahBuddy_LIGHTWEIGH opens their thread on Reddit with: “The new gameplays are insane. My anticipation has skyrocketed, and I can hardly wait to see how tough the monsters will be in the end, because essentially we are getting a Voljiang for the low rank”
  • UltraDemondrug comments in another thread about Ajarakan via Reddit: “Aside from the music sounding a bit dull and reminding me again to definitely turn off the Palico voice, everything else looks SOO perfect. My God, and what the hell, that thing is like a cross between a Rajang and a Nergigante! And I love it.”
  • User TheGMan-123 adds via Reddit: “I love how Ajarakan uses its back like a flint striker! And damn, that ultimate attack is insane!”

Currently, there are more fan reactions to Ajarakan, as its combat seems more impressive at first glance and makes quite a statement. You see how it flings massive amounts of magma through the air, ignites itself, and grabs and roars at its hunters.

However, this could change quickly as fans face Rompopolo themselves and gain deeper insights into its elaborate design. Because when you take a closer look at both fights, you quickly realize that Rompopolo has a very unique design compared to other monsters, which is reflected in its mechanics.

Its body is filled with gas, and when it escapes, it shrinks like a wrinkled raisin. The gas and slime explosions also make quite an impression and have their own atmosphere that no other monster in Monster Hunter has had in this way so far. Therefore, it is very likely that Rompopolo will slimily endear itself to the hearts of the community by the time of release.

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MyMMO’s editor-in-chief Leya is also a huge fan of Rompopolo and simply cannot understand why some fans call it disgusting. She discussed this with the developers at an event in Japan: Because you were mean to Rompopolo in Monster Hunter Wilds, it made its designer sad, and that’s not okay

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

A player has found all rare items from Path of Exile – His collection is as valuable as a luxury car

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

In Path of Exile, there are players who have succumbed to the grind for the rarest and best items. One of them has now taken it to the next level.

What kind of collection is this? On Reddit, the user Present-Plankton-734 showcased the possibly rarest collection of items in the game. In his screenshot, you can see a storage compartment of the gamer with the rarest items in Path of Exile.

The predecessor to Path of Exile 2 was released in October 2013 and continues to receive new “leagues” where new mechanics, items, and features are added. When a “league” ends, all characters automatically switch to the “standard league.” The special thing is: The items in the standard league remain as they are.

Over the years, several items have appeared that can no longer be obtained today, or can only be found in a modified form. Perfect for collectors like Present-Plankton-734, who have made it their mission to collect all rare items.

Path of Exile 2 has a cinematic intro:

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

A ring is extremely rare

Why is the collection so valuable? Since Path of Exile was released over 10 years ago, there are many items, especially from the early days of PoE, that only a few gamers own. The possibly rarest item is the ring “Dream Fragments”. This was given as a reward to the top players of PvP Season 1, which took place between 2014 and 2015. Only two pros in Europe and two in America received a copy.

It is unknown if all four rings still exist today, but Present-Plankton-734 at least has one of them in his inventory. In the comments, players speculate whether the thread creator could have bought the ring for 300 Mirror. That would be approximately €4,500 on the black market, though exact prices are unknown. In the post on Reddit, you can find the blue ring at the top center:

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Link to the Reddit content

Even though trading items for real money in Path of Exile is prohibited, a black market exists on various websites. While items for the current “leagues” are mainly traded there, these marketplaces are probably also the best place to get the rare items. Besides the ring, the collector has many other rare items.

Estimates by PoE expert Russell Adderson from PCGamer.com suggest that the player’s inventory could be worth over $100,000 (about €97,000). For that sum, one could also buy a luxury car, even if it’s still not enough for the car from influencer Trymacs.

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Who is behind the collection? It is uncertain who is behind the profile of Present-Plankton-734. Russell Adderson from PCGamer.com tried to contact the user, but received only a response stating that they wish to remain anonymous, as they are too afraid of becoming a victim of a hacking attack.

If the collector indeed acquired the items through real-money transactions, there is also the risk of being banned by the developers if his identity is leaked. Even though they probably have more to do with the cheaters in Path of Exile 2: Cheaters are targeting unsuspecting players in Path of Exile 2 – New game, old tricks

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

Parent company of LoL loses millions of euros on the stock market due to a decision by the US government

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 3 minutes

For the new year, the US government has updated its list of companies affiliated with the Chinese military. New on the list is Tencent, the parent company of the LoL creators Riot Games.

What happened? According to a report by Bloomberg (Paywall), the current US government has placed the parent company of the developers of League of Legends, Riot Games, on a blacklist for 2025:

The Notice of Availability of Designation of Chinese Military Companies can be translated as Announcement of the Availability of the Designation of Chinese Military Companies. This classifies Tencent as affiliated with the Chinese military.

After the announcement on January 6, 2025, Tencent’s stock price fell sharply. Currently, the price is down more than 10 points. At the time of this news, Tencent is facing a loss of over 376 million Hong Kong dollars, equivalent to over 468 million euros.

Riot Games is a subsidiary of Tencent. The developers recently released a new video for the new LoL season:

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

Millions in losses because a gaming company is said to be military

What kind of decision is this? The United States updates the list of companies they classify as affiliated with the Chinese military each year. Tencent is just one of the companies newly added for 2025.

The listing does not bring any specific sanctions. However, companies classified as affiliated with the Chinese military may be removed from American stock exchanges. According to PC Gamer, the list is also seen as a warning to American companies regarding investments and cooperation with the companies on the list. Tagesschau.de also reports that starting in 2026, the US Department of Defense will no longer be allowed to enter into contracts with companies on the list.

Gamespot indicates that companies on the list can contest the classification.

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Value losses and damage to reputation – What could happen to Tencent

What does this mean for Tencent? Since Tencent is not listed on an American stock exchange but in Hong Kong, the listing will likely have mostly reputational effects. In addition, collaboration with American companies may become more difficult in the future.

Specifically, the listing has already led to the aforementioned rapid loss in stock price: On January 7, 2025, Tencent’s stock was priced at 408.60 Hong Kong dollars per share and has since fallen to 369.20 HKD. The price difference per share is 39.40 HKD, resulting in a loss of 3,760,973,807.20 HKD (approximately 468,598,155.41 euros) based on 95,456,188 shares.

Poor business prospects could affect Tencent’s financial planning and funding for its own projects as well as those of its subsidiaries. These subsidiaries include Riot Games, which recently reportedly suffered a financial flop with the LoL series Arcane. Another subsidiary is Lightspeed Studios, which is currently working on a mobile version of the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV.

Whether and how exactly the current developments will affect Tencent is still uncertain. A spokesperson called the listing a Gamespot mistake in a statement:

Listing Tencent on this list is clearly a mistake. We are not a military company or supplier. Unlike sanctions or export controls, this list does not affect our business. However, we will work with the Department of Defense to clear up any misunderstandings.

Tencent is likely to contest the listing. How things will proceed until then is still open.

Meanwhile, League of Legends is currently launching its new and first season in 2025. The current motto is Welcome to Noxus. Players can look forward to new skins, a new look for the Summoner’s Rift map, and new gameplay mechanics. All the details: LoL: The new season starts today – What changes are there?

Editor’s note: We have expanded the article with information regarding the contract prohibition for the US Department of Defense.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. CNBC
  2. Marketscreener

No, you are not getting Minecraft 2 – Notch prefers to do something else

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The dream of Minecraft 2 seems to be over again. Because although everyone wanted it, Notch has now changed his mind.

A few days ago, Notch, the developer of the original Minecraft, caused a stir on platform X. In a survey, he wanted to know from the community which game he should work on next. The options were the “spiritual successor” to Minecraft or a new roguelike game.

Although “Minecraft 2” won with more than 80%, Notch is now backtracking significantly. They had spoken with the people in the office and have now decided otherwise.

What else you need to know about Notch, you can find here:

Start video
The Story of Notch – The Man Who Invented Minecraft

What is going on with Minecraft? A few days ago, Notch, the former developer of Minecraft, created a survey on X and wanted to know what he should work on next. “Minecraft 2” won this survey by a large margin and initial reactions indicated that Notch really wanted to deal with it.

But this short dream seems to be over already.

Minecraft 2 would be just a nostalgia dive

What did Notch say now? On X, Notch has now announced that the plans have apparently been discarded. Because he writes:

“I spoke with some people in the office. It looks like we’re making ‘Levers and Chests’!”

This game is supposed to be a turn-based roguelike that functions in an old-school style like a dungeon crawler.

In response to the disappointment of some fans who were looking forward to Minecraft 2 after the survey, he further states:

“Trust me, a spiritual successor [to Minecraft] would be much less fun than a dungeon roguelike. Those are usually just sad nostalgia dives.”

Why did Notch even do this? This can probably be speculated about for a long time. One community theory is that Notch mainly wanted to generate attention. By all now talking about a “potential Minecraft 2”, more people are looking at Notch’s X profile and may also become interested in the other game.

However, some also believe that Notch should not be given too much attention right now. Because especially since the turn of the year, some of his posts have become extremely bizarre. He often tweets about the length of his genitalia or gets entangled with the community in discussions about whether he has been telling nothing but the truth all year long.

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The dream of a “Minecraft 2” or at least a spiritual successor from Notch seems to be buried again after just a few days. But maybe that’s not so bad, as the original Minecraft is still being developed and regularly provided with new updates – like the recent introduction of a new, eerie monster.

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

Community Day Classic in Pokémon GO brings you a strong attacker

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO, the first Community Day Classic of the year has been announced. A strong attacker will return, which you should not miss.

What kind of event is this? The Community Day Classic is an event that brings back a Pokémon that has previously had a Community Day. You will once again have the chance to catch many specimens of the Pokémon within a 3-hour period. Additionally, some bonuses will be active during this time.

The first Community Day Classic of the year will bring back Trasla. The Pokémon can evolve into Kirlia and subsequently either into Gardevoir or Gallade. With Gardevoir, you will get one of the strongest Fairy-type attackers.

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

All information about the Community Day Classic with Trasla

When does the event take place? The Community Day Classic will take place on January 25, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

What bonuses are active? The following bonuses will be active during the event:

  • Greatly increased spawn rate for Trasla
  • Eggs placed in incubators during the event require only a quarter of the hatching distance
  • Incense and Lures (except Adventure Incense) activated during the event last for 3 hours
  • Snapshot surprises with Trasla
  • Exclusive Charged Attack “Synchronoise” when you evolve Kirlia up to 5 hours after the event

What limited research will be available? During the event, you have the opportunity to complete limited research. In doing so, you will receive 4 Sinnoh Stones and a meeting with Trasla as a reward. You have until the end of the Community Day Classic to complete this research.

Additionally, there will be a second limited research available at the start of the event. You will receive this when you log in during the event. You have until February 1, 2025, at 10:00 PM to complete it. In this, you will receive a Trasla with a special background.

What other content is there in the event? You can also look forward to field research during the event that aligns with it. In this, you will need to catch Trasla to receive Stardust, Ultra Balls, and further encounters with Trasla as rewards.

Moreover, if you complete team challenges in Party Play with other trainers, you can obtain additional Trasla with a special background.

You can also participate with your Trasla in PokéStop showcases to receive rewards.

In line with the event, you can also purchase an additional special research for $2 (about 2 €), in which you will receive a premium battle pass and an XL special candy along with 3 encounters with Trasla, including a special background.

Besides the option to purchase the ticket as part of a Community Day hyperbox, there will also be various event boxes available. These event boxes can be obtained in exchange for PokéCoins. They contain different items.

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In addition to the Community Day Classic, many other events are expected in January in the game, bringing you various content, Pokémon, and bonuses. If you want to know exactly when you can expect what, take a look at our overview of the events in January 2025 in Pokémon GO.

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

A character in Dragon Ball is almost as popular as Son-Goku, but Toriyama only liked him after 15 years

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

In Dragon Ball, there are so many different characters that there should be something for every fan. Even Akira Toriyama, the creator of the manga, had a favorite. However, there is also a Saiyan that he initially did not like.

Which character is it? In 1995, Akira Toriyama gave an interview that was published in the second “Daizenshuu Guide Book” in Japan. There, he revealed that Piccolo is his favorite character. In contrast, Vegeta is a character that Toriyama cannot really stand (via Kazenshuu).

Why didn’t Toriyama remove him then? According to Toriyama, Vegeta’s presence would be useful. The manga artist likely refers to the Saiyan origin of the character. Through his abilities and his knowledge about his people, which he reveals to Son-Goku, Vegeta brought a lot of excitement into the story. 

Furthermore, Vegeta has a personality that had not existed before. He develops, similar to Piccolo, from the villain to the ally of Son-Goku – but always remained a rival to Goku, wanting to compete with him on equal terms.

In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, however, Piccolo is in the spotlight:

Start video
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero – The Official Trailer for the Movie

Toriyama changed his mind about Vegeta

Has that changed? By 2010, Toriyama had changed his mind. When he had to name his 5 favorite characters, Vegeta suddenly appeared among the characters – even on par with Piccolo!

Piccolo/Vegeta: A pair that never says anything unless they have to, and that exudes a distant superiority. Their coolness is the only true thing.

Akira Toriyama, Special Column: Akira Toriyama – I’m Answering, via Kazenshuu

Son-Goku, Mr. Satan, and Krillin were also among the top 5. But considering that 15 years earlier, Toriyama could not stand Vegeta, it is surprising that he had become one of his favorite characters.

Why did that change? Presumably, Toriyama had come to terms with Vegeta’s serious character. The Saiyan evolved from Son-Goku’s arch-nemesis to one of his greatest supporters. Vegeta’s role was already extremely important in the film Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods. Here, his useful presence was shown in the fight against Goku’s opponent.

A survey from 2004 also showed that Vegeta is the second most popular character from Dragon Ball, directly behind Son-Goku (via Dragon Ball Wiki). Toriyama would likely have upset many fans if he had removed Vegeta from the story.

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Vegeta appeared in the same year as a cameo in Neko Majin Z 3, a spin-off manga of Dragon Ball. It was already evident here that Toriyama was likely warming up to the idea of incorporating Vegeta more strongly into the main story.

After joining the Z-Team, there was a situation where Vegeta switched back to the side of evil. He received a black “M” on his forehead and became even more powerful. But what does this letter actually stand for? MeinMMO tells you here: Dragon Ball: This is the meaning of the “M” on Vegeta’s forehead

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

Jensen Huang believes: Nvidia has managed to reduce the costs of computers by a factor of millions

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, states in an interview at CES 2025 that Nvidia has significantly reduced computer costs. In fact, graphics cards have evolved tremendously over the past years and decades. However, not only performance but also prices continue to rise.

What does Jensen Huang say? In an interview quoted by PCGamer, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, talks about the past and future of graphics cards.

In this conversation, the CEO of Nvidia claims that Nvidia, through its relentless pursuit of faster and more powerful graphics processors over the last 20 years, has “reduced the costs of data processing by a million times.”

This might seem strange to many gamers at first. Because if we look at the market and consider the prices of graphics cards, in 2024 the prices for graphics cards and computer components were higher than ever. Nvidia had already unsettled gamers with the high prices of the RTX 4000 series and the launch of the RX 5000 series is no different.

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

Graphics cards and hardware have developed significantly over the last 20 years

In comparison, graphics cards have made a huge leap forward, at least when comparing the performance of the components:

  • The GeForce 6800 Ultra offered a performance of 6.4 Gflops in 2004 (April 14). That was a significant achievement at the time. ATi (now AMD) followed with its Radeon X800 XT PE.
  • The modern RTX 4060, on the other hand, offers a performance of 15,100 GFLOPs (or 15.1 Tflops).

Back then, one paid a recommended retail price of 550 Euros for the GeForce 6800 Ultra in Germany, while today, one pays a recommended retail price of 329 Euros for an RTX 4060. You get much greater performance for less money. At least when comparing only the raw computing power of the two graphics cards.

While Jensen Huang does not provide any numbers or a formula for how he arrived at this – a “million-fold reduction” does seem a bit of an exaggeration.

Graphics card prices are also rising in 2025

The newly introduced graphics cards of the RX 5000 series are priced very high and are hardly cheaper than the previous generation:

  • RTX 5090, $1,999
  • RTX 5080, $999
  • RTX 5070 Ti, $749
  • RTX 5070, $549

Many gamers are anything but enthusiastic about this. Because the high prices discourage many from upgrading their systems.

Is there any good news? Yes, because generally speaking: when a new generation of graphics cards comes out, the prices of the old generation usually drop. Therefore, in the coming weeks and months, Nvidia graphics card prices could go down. Because retailers usually try to sell off remaining stock to make room for the new generation.

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Recommendations for graphics cards: If you are looking for an upgrade for your gaming PC, check out our graphics card rankings. Here we present all the important graphics cards from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia that are currently worth buying: The best graphics cards for gaming for every budget

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

WoW: “I Wasn’t Standing in the Fire” Will Soon No Longer Be a Valid Excuse

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

A new visual effect in World of Warcraft ensures that you will no longer have excuses when the boss takes you down.

In World of Warcraft, there are plenty of ways to bite the digital dust. Falling meteors, void zones, fire, or pretty much any other ability from enemies can quickly and indisputably lead to your character’s death. However, sometimes it feels like you were actually safe – because the edge of the nasty effect was not clearly discernible.

This is being changed in Patch 11.1 Undermine(d). A new “Swirly” animation finally brings clarity.

Until Patch 11.1 drops, we will stay on the Sirens’ Isle and improve our ring:

Start video
Siren Island – The New Content in WoW Patch 11.0.7

What is Blizzard changing? With the upcoming Patch 11.1 and the start of Season 2 of the expansion The War Within, Blizzard is overhauling the visual effects of many enemy abilities. The effects previously known as “Swirly”, which are used in almost every dungeon and raid, will receive a significant update.

What does the effect look like now? The new Swirly effect is visually much “brighter” and stands out more from most surfaces. Additionally, the edge of the effect is a bit brighter and better defined, making it easier to see where the nasty effect will hit next.

The difference between “It will hurt here” and “I am safe here” is clearly recognizable. You can see a small example here in dorki’s stream:

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Why is this being done? Swirly effects have repeatedly been considered a problem over the past few years. Generally, these are enemy abilities that one must avoid, and especially with raid bosses or high-level “Mythic+” dungeons, contact with a single area can already mean death.

However, these Swirly effects previously had a “soft” edge; the center was vividly colored, and the effect faded more and more towards the outside. This made it difficult – and on some surfaces nearly impossible – to recognize exactly where the effect ended and where a safe zone was. This will finally be fixed in the upcoming patch.

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Here’s how the community is reacting: Whether in the WoW Subreddit or on wowhead, the reactions from players are mostly positive. The consensus seems to be that there will be more visual clarity in the future – something that World of Warcraft as a whole will benefit from:

  • “Oh my god – thank you, Lord Ion!” – lmaotank
  • “The Monkey’s Paw twitches – Now that you can clearly see the edges, we can make the effects so that they always kill you immediately, right?” – WitchSlap
  • “I’m actually a bit annoyed that such an obvious solution took 20 years.” – Syrairc
  • “Fantastic change. I support any update that makes visual effects clearer.” – Stinfectious

The hope is that these visual adjustments will also be adopted for other types of effects, making the game significantly easier to “read” – which would also help newcomers who currently feel a bit lost in the fireworks of effects, especially if they do not yet know all the abilities of all classes.
How you can nonetheless stay confidently in the fire: Eat pizza in WoW, because it makes you slower…

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

The man who played a significant role in raising over 1 billion dollars for Star Citizen is gone

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

Star Citizen looks back on turbulent months. Following reports of layoffs and a restructuring of the management level, a veteran is now leaving the studio, who has worked on the ambitious sci-fi MMO for more than ten years.

Which veteran is no longer working on Star Citizen? Carl Jones reflects on a long career in the gaming industry, which has taken him to Sega and Crytek, among others. For the past ten years and three months, he has been employed at Cloud Imperium Games.

As VP of Global Business Development, COO & VP of Business Development, and finally Chief Strategy Officer, he has solely taken on leadership roles. Thanks to a post on linkedin.com, we now know that he left the studio in December 2024.

Through ships like the Polaris, Star Citizen has also earned a lot of money in 2024:

Start video
Star Citizen: The new capital ship Polaris in trailer

Goodbye on a positive note?!

What is the reason for the separation? Whether Carl Jones resigned or was let go is unclear. The veteran also does not mention a specific reason: “After a decade of helping Cloud Imperium Games become one of the most innovative and largest independent game developers in the world, the time has come for me to explore new galaxies.”

In his farewell post, Jones reflects on what has been achieved – such as that he was instrumental in raising over 1 billion US dollars from various sources for the development of Star Citizen. He also expresses great gratitude for having had the opportunity to work with some of the best people in the industry.

In the future, Jones wants to work as a consultant for a small number of technology and gaming companies. More details are expected to be provided at a later date.

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What does this mean for Star Citizen? It seems that the studio behind the ambitious sci-fi MMO has been experiencing turbulence for some time. For example, in November 2024, there were reports from within CIG suggesting that employees were laid off without severance after going through a hell of overtime.

Just before the new year, additional anonymous sources (via insider-gaming.com) reported that several high-ranking executives had also been laid off. Furthermore, there are supposed to have been restructurings in the management level. Whether Carl Jones is one of those affected by these adjustments is unclear but would fit into the picture.

In light of the reports, an internal message from studio head Chris Roberts to the staff was also published. The message states, among other things:

To achieve this laser focus [on the release of SQ42 and Star Citizen 1.0], it is more important than ever to ensure that we have powerful and efficient teams working throughout the company. To achieve this, I had to change the structure of our teams from the top of the company down to ensure that we have the right people in the right roles so that everyone can give their best in our hitherto most critical year.

Chris Roberts in an internal message to his employees (via insider-gaming.com)

The departure of Carl Jones is unlikely to have a noticeable impact on the project itself. On the one hand, over 1,000 people are working on CIG’s projects. On the other hand, it has been reported that many experienced developers left the studio due to internal issues in recent years .

Since there is currently a search for several senior developers (via linkedin.com), the savings from recent layoffs are likely to be limited in the medium term. Especially considering the size of Cloud Imperium Games.

The good news for fans of Star Citizen is that the project has again raised an unbelievable amount of money through crowdfunding and investors in 2024. More details can be found in the following report: Star Citizen raised three times more money in 2024 than the development of the best game of the year on Steam cost

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

Pokémon TCG Pocket starts new Wonder Choice event too early, cost collectors some gameplay progress

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

The mobile game Pokémon TCG Pocket apparently accidentally launched the new Wonder Swap event a day early. This led to minor losses for collectors, which are not that significant. After all, 2 new promo cards are up for grabs as rewards.

What kind of event is this? After a new promo card of Bulbasaur was in focus during a Wonder Swap event, it’s now the turn of the other Kanto starters. Through the Wonder Swap, players can get new promo cards for Charmander and Squirtle. Additionally, there are new event shop tickets that can be exchanged for exclusive rewards.

There is another Wonder Swap, where the two new promo cards are available for selection. It costs you 2 Wonder Swap stamina. Besides that, there is the free Wonder Swap, which can bring you hourglasses, tickets, and also one of the two new cards.

Pokémon TCG Pocket particularly stands out due to its nostalgia factor:

Start video
Pokémon TCG Pocket scores with pure nostalgia

TCG Pocket starts new Wonder Swap event too early

How long does the event last? The event officially starts on January 8, 2025, at 7:00 AM and ends on January 22 at 6:59 AM. However, the Wonder Swaps were already unlocked on January 7, allowing players to receive the new promo cards. The missions and rewards in the shop, however, were not yet unlocked.

What are the implications? All new promo cards you collected on January 7 are indeed part of your collection, but they do not count towards mission progress. In the missions, for example, you need to collect the new promo cards or conduct several Wonder Swaps.

Only the cards received from the Wonder Swap starting January 8 will be counted. Also, the number of Wonder Swaps will only be counted starting from January 8.

However, this shouldn’t be too big of an obstacle: After all, you have until January 22 to complete the missions. During this time, you should collect enough Wonder Stamina to receive both new cards. Since the free Wonder Swaps also count, you should be able to complete the missions in time.

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What rewards are there? Both Charmander and Squirtle are now available as promo cards with new artwork. Their abilities remain the same as the standard cards.

In addition, the following rewards are available in the shop:

  • Blue (background) for 3 event shop tickets (Blastoise)
  • Blue & Blastoise (cover) for 3 event shop tickets (Blastoise)
  • Mini temple (background) for 3 event shop tickets (Blastoise)

More rewards will follow in the coming week. Then it will probably be possible again to exchange excess tickets for Stardust.

Unfortunately, you cannot use the old event tickets, such as from the Wonder Swap with Bulbasaur, for the current event. They simply expire after the event ends. To avoid this happening, you should keep an eye on the roadmap for Pokémon TCG Pocket on MeinMMO: Pokémon TCG Pocket Roadmap: All new info and leaks about upcoming expansions and events

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

Insider says: Ubisoft has only one chance left in 2025 – and next month the future of the company could be decided

Johanna Johanna Reading time 2 minutes

According to a Bloomberg journalist, Ubisoft may only have one chance, and that would be in the form of a new video game release in February 2025. If the game fails, the insider sees a bleak future for the company, and Ubisoft could be sold.

What insider are we talking about? The Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier is well-connected in the gaming industry and has numerous contacts with various developer studios and publishers. His predictions have often come true.

Sometimes, however, his leaks are also annoying for developers, for example, concerning GTA 6, when the head of Rockstar Games nearly discarded the entire plan just to annoy Jason Schreier.

In his latest article “Video Game Industry Predictions for 2025” (via Bloomberg.com), he writes about his speculations on what will happen in the video game industry this year.

Here you can watch the trailer for Assassin’s Creed Shadows by Ubisoft:

Start video
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Der offizielle Trailer zur Open World in Japan

Ubisoft can only be saved by one game

What’s going on at Ubisoft? The company Ubisoft is in a precarious financial situation after several flops and failures. The Ubisoft stock is as weak as it was ten years ago.

The reasons for this are various factors: For example, the sales figures for Star Wars Outlaws were not high enough, or the much-anticipated title Skull & Bones also flopped.

What can still save Ubisoft? According to Jason Schreier, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is Ubisoft’s only hope. If the open-world game fails, the journalist does not see a positive outcome for the company, and it could thus be sold.

Jason Schreier sees the Chinese company Tencent or the Saudi Arabian company Savvy Games Group as potential candidates. Tencent already holds shares in Ubisoft, and Savvy Games Group announced its intention to expand this year.

If Ubisoft is not sold, the company would need to undergo drastic restructuring to avoid further fading into obscurity. In any case, all eyes are on Ubisoft, especially on the latest installment of Assassin’s Creed, and the fate of Ubisoft will be determined from the release date, which is February 14, 2025.

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Jason Schreier has made several predictions within the video game industry. Some of them were true, while others were false. Regarding the upcoming title from Rockstar Games, the journalist has also provided a tip: GTA 6: Insider is sure, the release will be postponed

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 3D Juegos

A man built his dream gaming PC over the years – selling it to spend time collecting memories with his terminally ill wife

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

A player spent years building his gaming PC, but now he has sold everything. Because his wife is seriously ill and he has to take care of their daughter in addition to working.

In a widely noted post on Reddit, a player explained that he has almost completely given up his gaming hobby. 2024 has been really tough for him, as it was discovered that his wife, with whom he has been together for 14 years, is seriously ill with stage 4 appendiceal cancer.

Stage 4 cancer is usually incurable. For comparable diseases like stage 4 lung carcinoma, the German Cancer Society states that one usually has 12 to 24 months to live with such a disease.

He adds that in addition to his sick wife, he also has to take care of their 5-year-old daughter and continue working. Therefore, there is not much time left for gaming:

Well, 2024 was the worst year of my life. We found out that my partner (38F) had stage 4 cancer, which completely turned our lives upside down, as I am now the primary caregiver for our 5-year-old daughter and still working. Nowadays, I have very little free time, and what I have, of course, I want to spend with my partner.

Player sells gaming PC for family experiences but doesn’t quit gaming for his wife’s sake

This is what he did: In his post, he explains that he dismantled his gaming PC and sold the components. He couldn’t bear to see his setup just sitting there losing value. He kept only the case and the power supply from his PC.

He also sold his OLED monitor since it wasn’t ideal for home office use.

Is he completely quitting gaming? No, because he mentions in his post that his wife suggested he buy a PS5. Then she could watch him play The Last of Us 2. According to him, his wife loves this series.

The remaining money he got from selling his PC, he wants to invest in memories with his family. Due to his wife’s illness, it is uncertain how long the family can still have beautiful moments together:

Then my wonderful partner turned around out of the blue and said, why don’t you buy a PS5 and I’ll watch you play TLOU2 (she loves the series).

I managed to secure a Samsung Neo G7, which works without burn-in risk, and all the other money I earn from selling my PC will go into family experiences and memories, as long as we still can.

In a second addition to his original post, he explains that he has built PCs for years and will return sooner or later: “When things turn for better or worse, I will eventually come back.”

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A man reports how he discovered his love for gaming after a serious operation and how the shooter Helldivers 2 on the PS5 saved his life. You can read the entire story right here with us on MeinMMO: A chronically ill man reports how gaming helped him through the worst year of his life

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

Developers promise GTA 6 and Baldur’s Gate 3 on mobile, but those who spend money get nothing

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

Baldur’s Gate 3 and GTA 6 today directly on mobile sounds too good to be true. However, those who go for it will quickly fall victim to a nasty scam.

What kind of apps are these? Apps for popular games like Baldur’s Gate 3 or GTA 6 keep appearing in the App Store. They promise that you can easily play these popular games on your mobile.

To make it believable, many of the fake apps use screenshots from the real games to which they add mobile control elements using image editing software. However, instead of gaining innovative cloud solutions from the original developers, you will lose a lot of money if you fall for the fake apps.

If you own Baldur’s Gate 3 on PC, take a look at the secret rooms:

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

Expensive scam instead of real gaming fun

How does the scam work? The fake apps use similar or identical names to the famous titles that many gamers would probably love to play on their smartphones. “Baldur’s Gate 3” becomes “Baldur’s Gate 3 – Mobile Turuk” and “GTA 6” becomes “GTA 6 Mobile / Gangster Game”.

Depending on which fake developer is behind the game, you can expect either completely different games or real scams that can cost you a lot of money. One of these can be explained well using the example of “Baldur’s Gate 3 – Mobile Turuk”.

Here you can see a screenshot of the product page of the scam app:

Screenshot from the App Store with 'Baldur's Gate 3 - Mobile Turuk'
Screenshot from the App Store featuring Baldur’s Gate 3 – Mobile Turuk.

Instead of the best game 2023, you will probably only see the title screen prompting you to purchase the “full version”. This is revealed in a review of the game (via apple.com). The app costs about 30 € – per month. However, if you buy the “full version”, you receive nothing. There is no game behind the main menu, let alone BG 3.

Instead, you now have a subscription that takes 30 € from you every month as tuition fees until the game is removed from the App Store or you cancel it, or request a refund. Those who do not know how to do this can easily lose hundreds of euros a year.

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Is this trick only in the App Store? No, this trick exists on all platforms where games are available. It primarily affects games that are currently very popular and for which fake developers hope to make a sale.

Both Apple and the other platform providers regularly take action against fake apps. However, developers always manage to release apps that trick you into thinking they are the mobile version of your favorite game.

In addition to GTA 6 and Baldur’s Gate 3, Palworld and Helldivers 2 also faced the same problem. Here, however, the scammers did not sell a mobile version, but rather a deceptively real copy on Steam: Scammers sold fake versions of Palworld and Helldivers 2 – Here’s what to watch out for

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

20th Anniversary of WoW is Over – Bronze Dragon Celebration Badges Are Not Lost After All

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

On January 7, 2025, the grand anniversary celebration of World of Warcraft for its 20th birthday ends. In the official forum of the MMORPG, community manager Linxy revealed what you need to know by the end of the party.

Update from January 8, 2025: A few hours ago, community manager Linxy surprisingly announced another update: They have now decided to convert the unused Bronze Dragon Celebration badges of players into Time-Warped badges with the release of Patch 11.1.

The conversion rate is expected to be 20 Time-Warped badges for each Bronze Dragon Celebration badge (via eu.forums.blizzard.com). The conversion will occur automatically as soon as you log in to WoW for the first time after the update is released.

What happens on January 7, 2025? The big event for WoW’s 20th anniversary has been running for more than two months. January 7, 2025, marks the last day of the party. After that, of course, all event content will disappear, such as the raid “Blackrock Depths” or the anniversary world bosses.

But what about the Infernal Motorcycle Incognitro and the earned Bronze Dragon Celebration badges? How long will certain vendors be available to you? In the official WoW forum, community manager Linxy answered these exact questions (via us.forums.blizzard.com). Here’s what you need to know:

  • Incognitro: After the celebrations conclude, Alyx will head to Darnassus to continue providing you with clues for the chests there. This means: you can still find all eleven chests to start your search for the Infernal Motorcycle.
  • Bronze Dragon Celebration badges: Once the event ends, you will no longer be able to spend your earned Bronze Dragon Celebration badges. So make sure to redeem them beforehand.
  • Vendor for “Legacy Anniversary Items”: This vendor will disappear with the end of the party and is not expected to reappear in the coming years. Only during the next “big anniversary” in 5 years could there be a comeback. So if you are interested in an item from this vendor, act now!
  • Vendor for “Classic Timewalking”: The Timewalking vendors will revert back to their normal rotation after the event ends. During an active event, you can find Bobadormu in Stormwind and Grannadormu in Orgrimmar.

This content will disappear from WoW on January 7, 2025:

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WoW celebrates its 20th anniversary – Here’s what you can earn

Start of the year 2025

What’s next after WoW’s 20th anniversary? There is still no release date, but the release of Patch 11.1 is firmly planned for the remaining weeks of winter. The major content package titled “Undermine(d)” will take you to the capital city of the Goblins of the same name.

In Undermine, you can expect the major trade cartels of Azeroth, the dungeon “Operation Floodgate,” the raid “Liberation of Undermine,” fresh depths, an update to the Warfront UI, as well as a major professions reset. In line with the Goblin theme, you will also earn a new turbo car as a mount, which can be customized to your liking.

More about WoW:
WoW has brought back Shadowlands and you haven’t noticed
von Cortyn
The only MMORPG based on The Lord of the Rings that we will play in the foreseeable future is 19 years old – Who feels very old now?!
von Karsten Scholz

As soon as you can try the first content of Season 2 of the current expansion WoW: The War Within on the public test server, we will inform you on MeinMMO. Until then, you can find all the important information about Patch 11.1 in our overview article: Everything about release, raid, auto-mount and more from WoW Patch 11.1 Undermined.

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

A 22-Year-Old MMORPG Asks How It Can Win Back Its Players – They Give a Clear Answer

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

When the 22nd anniversary of Final Fantasy XI was on the agenda in May 2024, those responsible at Square Enix wanted to find out through a survey what would have to happen for players to return to the MMORPG-oldie.

What kind of survey is this? Although Final Fantasy XI belongs to the important MMORPGs that paved the way for World of Warcraft, not much happens on the servers of the online role-playing game anymore. Until May 2023, Square Enix provided the genre-oldie with content updates. After that, the content support was officially discontinued.

Nevertheless, the developers used the 22nd anniversary last year to gather feedback from the community through a survey. The goal was to derive measures for the future operation of the game from the players’ answers. 13,878 interested parties are said to have contributed their responses worldwide.

Final Fantasy XIV is expanding with a mobile spinoff – here is the job trailer:

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Final Fantasy XIV Mobile – Trailer showcases the 9 jobs and first gameplay

More solo content and cheaper, please!

What does the survey reveal? On playonline.com, there is the complete evaluation of all questions about Final Fantasy XI. Below, you will find the most important insights from the players’ answers:

  • While nearly half of the survey participants still play FFXI, the majority of the remaining players turned their backs on the MMORPG in 2015 or later. The era “The Voracious Resurgence” starting in 2020 caused the greatest loss of players.
  • In Japan, 47 percent of current players and survey participants report playing an average of three or more hours per day. Outside of Japan, this figure is 66 percent.
  • Many players express in their responses that they prefer to play FFXI solo. This aligns with the developers’ repeated indications of a desire for more solo content.
  • Outside of Japan, 57.4 percent of respondents indicate they would consider returning if the monthly costs were reduced. In Japan, it is only 25.7 percent. Here, the answer “Change in my lifestyle” received the most mentions (41.1 percent)—meaning: they currently have too little time for the MMORPG.
  • Unsurprisingly, FFXI is not a game that appeals to a young audience. Most Japanese survey participants were between 40 and 50 years old. The participants from the rest of the world were largely between 30 and 40 years old.

Interestingly, the developers add that many players have not only wished for a reduction in the subscription fee for FFXI but also for FFXIV. There was repeatedly a mention of a saving offer when a player subscribes to both FF-MMORPGs. Would that be something for you?

More about Final Fantasy:
A single-player mode for “Final Fantasy XIV” would be possible, but Yoshida explains where the big problem lies
von Benedikt Schlotmann
Final Fantasy XIV brings crossover with legendary anime and fans cannot understand the world anymore
von Christoph Waldboth

This wish is certainly not surprising. Although FFXI does not receive major content updates, there is still the monthly fee of $11.95 per month, plus $1 per month per character and $2 per month for the Mog-Wardrobe. When adding the FFXIV subscription, one quickly reaches $30 that is sent to Japan every 30 days. If you want to experience Final Fantasy as an MMORPG in a different way, check this out: I already play Final Fantasy XIV on mobile and it has brought back my joy in Eorzea

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