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

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.

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

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:

Start video
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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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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.”

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

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.

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

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:

Start video
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.

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

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:

Start video
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?

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.

Former Bethesda Developer Comments on Major Weakness of Starfield: ‘It Could Have Existed Without It’

When Starfield was released in 2023 as one of the most anticipated titles, there were some criticisms of the ambitious sci-fi game. In an interview, former Bethesda developer Nate Purkeypile, who was involved in the development of Starfield, addresses a particularly significant weakness highlighted by the community.

What weakness is being discussed? The point of criticism is the sheer number of loading screens that repeatedly disrupt players’ immersion. Numerous threads have been created on various channels since the game’s release where players vent their frustrations, such as on Reddit.

In particular, the city of Neon is frequently mentioned, where loading interruptions seem to lurk around every corner. Whether opening a door, entering an elevator, or teleporting from one quest to another, loading screens are always present.

This design choice is critically questioned by many in the community, as the vastness of the space world doesn’t feel “real” in this manner, even though the loading times are quite short (via Reddit).

It is also noted that the placement of loading times often makes little sense from the players’ perspective, as one could, for example, often fly up the same distance outside of buildings with a jetpack that requires a loading screen for the elevator (see Reddit).

Start video
Starfield Reveals Its First Story Expansion Shattered Space in Launch Trailer

“I was surprised that there were so many of them.”

What does the former developer say about this? In a recent interview with VideoGamer, former Bethesda developer Nate Purkeypile, who was involved in Starfield until 2021, expressed surprise at the number of loading screens in the finished game. He also addressed the community’s criticism, particularly regarding the city of Neon:

It could have existed without these [loading zones]. Some of them weren’t there when I was working on it, so I was surprised that there were so many of them.

A main reason for the introduction of so many loading times was performance. The Creation Engine, on which Starfield is built, has certain weaknesses that would otherwise impair the gaming experience. Therefore, many things were disabled, and large areas were divided into more segments to improve overall performance.

He also refers to the transit system around the city of New Atlantis, which is also accompanied by many loading screens as soon as it is entered: “For me, New Atlantis is just about not having to sit through the entire train ride there.”

Nate Purkeypile left the development of Starfield in 2021 because he disagreed with many decisions made by management. Therefore, he preferred to use his time to develop a game with an open world that even rivals Skyrim: He left Bethesda because there were too many meetings – Now he’s making an open world that’s much bigger than Skyrim

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

In WoW you can finally eat pizza, but it makes you fat and slow

New Bufffood in World of Warcraft finally fulfills the gamer dream – but it comes with a significant downside.

The Patch 11.1 Undermine(d) in World of Warcraft will kick off the second season of The War Within. This not only brings a new raid and fresh dungeons, but also a whole bunch of new foods. Finally, the gamer’s favorite dish arrives in the game world – pizza. It is stronger than any other Bufffood but comes with a big drawback.

Currently, there’s action on the Siren Island before heading to Lorenhall:

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

What kind of Bufffood is this? In Lorenhall, you can get the “Pocket Pizza”. This grants you a large amount of your best secondary stat – but it’s so greasy that it’s bad for your health and reduces your movement speed by 5%.

However, the pizza can only be used in the open world of Khaz Algar and in the depths – not in raids or dungeons.

WoW Pocket Pizza Trans

Why does it only work outside? This likely has a simple reason: to prevent dungeons and raids from being negatively affected by characters slowing down in order to gain just a bit more performance.

Presumably, Blizzard wants to avoid unpleasant situations in raids and dungeons, where players might resort to the excuse that they had to stand in the fire because they wouldn’t have been able to get out anyway due to the slowing effect. That would have meant even more stress for healers – and they already have little to laugh about in The War Within.

Are there any other Bufffoods? Yes, in Patch 11.1 there are more innovations from the culinary aspect. Because in addition to the pizza with a slowing effect, there is also a new dish that has the opposite effect. The drink “Impotent Potable” gives you a 10% bonus to movement speed – but currently only in Lorenhall.

However, Blizzard could further develop these foods and they could definitely find several applications. Especially transmog collectors who like to visit old raids are happy about every speed buff they can receive.
A while ago, WoW already answered the question of whether pineapple belongs on pizza…

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

Well-known YouTuber for MMORPGs will no longer create content for Elder Scrolls Online, feels poorly treated

The YouTuber and streamer NefasQS explains at the beginning of the year why all platforms related to ESO University have been shut down and why there will be no more content from him about Elder Scrolls Online.

Who is NefasQS? The well-known YouTuber and streamer goes by the name Caspar and has been producing videos primarily about MMORPGs for several years, with his roots in Elder Scrolls Online. This is evident from several factors:

  • Over all the time, NefasQS claims to have produced more than 1,000 videos on the topic of ESO (via YouTube). He has been playing since the beta in 2013 and has set various world records in raid and arena achievements over the past decade.
  • NefasQS was the driving force behind the “ESO University” project (via esouni.com), which has been providing interested parties with guides, tools, and information about the MMORPG for years.
  • With Vitality, the hardmode stream team, and Council of Raiders, he has established various other community projects for the ESO cosmos.
  • He was one of ten selected players from the community who could provide direct feedback to the developers regarding classes and combat.
  • It is not surprising that NefasQS has been part of the official “ESO Stream Team” since 2020.

With Update 44, there was a complete overhaul of the battlegrounds PvP in ESO:

Start video
Elder Scrolls Online: Conquer the Battlegrounds – Trailer introduces the highlight of Update 44

What has NefasQS announced? In his first video for 2025, the YouTuber explained that he will no longer be producing content about Elder Scrolls Online in the future. He also wants to have nothing to do with the MMORPG as a private gamer from now on.

This decision naturally has direct implications for ESO University, the associated Discord server, the Patreon campaign of ESOU, and the podcast: everything has already been discontinued and taken offline. Caspar has also not been part of the “ESO Stream Team” since December 2024.

Bye, bye – Tamriel!

What is the reason for the drastic departure from ESO? To answer this very question, NefasQS took more than 42 minutes. Anyone who wants to know everything in detail should check on YouTube.

Recommended editorial content

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Link to the YouTube content

Below is the still quite long summary of the main points:

  • In 2022, a group that is said to have connections to alt-right movements initiated a coordinated hate campaign on Twitch and Discord. The victims were members of NefasQS’s guild and community as well as the YouTuber himself. Several other affected streamers even withdrew from the community due to the constant attacks.
  • ZeniMax’s initial reaction was said to be “frustrating,” as it apparently seemed to be evaluated as simple “PvP drama.” It seems that something only happened from the official side when the hate campaign expanded to other areas. Later, there was supposedly even a phone apology from the officials because they hadn’t taken the reports seriously at first.
  • Shortly after these incidents, Update 35, one of the worst content patches in ESO’s history, was announced. For NefasQS, many of the combat adjustments were nonsensical, too extreme, and poorly timed (too soon after the introduction of the new raid). Many players are said to have lost confidence that the developers knew what they were doing and how to improve ESO.
  • When the update landed on the test server, the player experience was so bad that NefasQS’s community project Vitality, which until then had more than 300 raid leaders, collapsed in a very short time: 185 raid leaders announced their departure from ESO almost immediately because they had no hope left for the MMORPG.
  • When NefasQS released a video titled “The Worst MMO Update Ever” about the update, he was criticized by a community manager from ZeniMax for not being constructive and fair in the video. One should not report so emotionally about the game. Whether the criticism is justified, you better make up your own mind on YouTube.
  • At this time, the stress from working with ESO is said to have first negatively impacted NefasQS’s health, resulting in shingles.
  • In 2023, NefasQS increasingly felt like just the “token Asian” in the official “ESO Stream Team.” While other members often received very quick and positive reactions to inquiries, his experiences were often quite different.
  • There were repeatedly ideas to involve ZeniMax staff (not just developers) in the podcast or in community raids, or to hold an ESO stream during certain events. According to NefasQS, there was no serious engagement with these proposals.
  • Instead, there were apparently increasingly frequent attempts from the “ESO Stream Team” to exert influence over podcast guests, video content, or Discord moderation (e.g.: user XY should be banned).
  • In 2024, several major events related to ESO were on the agenda, such as the anniversary party in Amsterdam or TwitchCon 2024. According to NefasQS, not a single event was free of problems with the officials.
  • NefasQS particularly felt bad about the moment when he was forced by Senior Creator Engagement Manager Gina Bruno to end the stream during the ongoing stream at TwitchCon in San Diego. He describes it as a form of “public humiliation” that he had never experienced in this manner before.
  • Moreover, the increasingly rarer videos about ESO caused increasing frustration.
  • Although NefasQS had already reported several times about datamining leaks and always made it clear that he himself would not engage in datamining and that no one should spoil anyone with the leaks, after his video on the battlegrounds leaks, he was apparently confronted by a community manager claiming that he was tarnishing the hard work of the developers.
  • Later, it turned out that the community manager hadn’t even seen the video, but had only reacted to a report from the ESO community.

In the course of the video, NefasQS repeatedly shows video scenes or messages that support his claims. He reportedly withheld many other screenshots and evidence to protect the affected employees at ZeniMax. He does not want anyone to be fired because of these matters or for the community to initiate a boycott or a shitstorm.

How does the community react to the allegations? It is clear that the video from NefasQS is generating many reactions – for example, over 1,880 comments on YouTube or over 670 comments in this Reddit post.

  • sawmanUK seems to have had bad experiences as well (via YouTube): “A certain Richard Lambert described my content as ‘shock jock’ content… I also started collaborating with a number of other game studios afterward.”
  • PainInTheAxe is shocked (via YouTube): “It’s such a shame because you were always someone who really tried to make this game/this community great.”
  • Arttea can relate to the feeling of public humiliation (via YouTube): “The clip from San Diego was really tough – I was uncomfortable just watching it, and I wasn’t even there, so I can only imagine how you must have felt at that moment.”
  • General-Oven-1523 summarizes the case on Reddit as follows: “It’s really nothing interesting, just one of those so-called content creators who think they are the center of attention and realize that a company cares neither about them nor others.”
  • Ukonkilpi is also not on NefasQS’s side (via Reddit): “I don’t know the guy, but after this video, I get the impression that he is a narcissist who is incredibly difficult to work with and whose world always revolves around him.”

How do you evaluate the situation and the end of NefasQS’s ESO career? Can you understand that the streamer no longer wants to work with Bethesda and ZeniMax? Would you have liked to see the developers show more sensitivity at some points? Share your thoughts in the comments! What the future holds for ESO can be found here: Gold Road was the last chapter for Elder Scrolls Online, everything will be new from 2025

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

Call of Duty loses almost as many players in a month as it gained with the release of Black Ops 6 on Steam

In just one month, Call of Duty has lost over 145,000 players on Steam. That’s almost as many as the launch of Black Ops 6 has gained since its release in October 2024.

How many players does Call of Duty currently have? Call of Duty reached a peak of 192,000 simultaneous active players in December 2024. This includes the combined players from Modern Warfare 3, Warzone, and the new Black Ops 6.

The numbers come from the online database SteamDB, which shows the player counts of all games on Steam. Thus, players who are playing Call of Duty on console or through the Xbox Game Pass are not included.

In October 2024, when Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was released, the player count on Steam increased by about 94% – nearly 149,000 additional players joined. However, in December, the shooter lost nearly 123,000 players, which is almost half of the active player base on Steam.

Start video
TOP 10 Shooters in 2024 – for Veterans and Newcomers

After record release, frustration grows among many players

What is the situation with the game? According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Black Ops 6 was the most successful CoD release of all time and received mostly positive feedback upon release. However, many players are currently frustrated, and there are several reasons for this:

Now, many players seem to be turning their backs on the shooter on Steam for the time being. Under the post by CharlieIntel, players are discussing what the declining numbers mean and how to reverse the trend.

  • KLG Subonekd: “Warzone’s failure is complete. In a month, it has destroyed everything BO6 brought to the game. It’s time for Warzone to stand on its own and not be tied to main games anymore. It needs its own dedicated dev team, dev cycle, and support.”
  • ihatethecap: “Remove crossplay with PC, and the numbers for consoles will go up. Get either an anti-cheat, or do something. The content year after year cannot just be camo grind.”
  • LunchTime: “One would think that many new players would join in December/Christmas. This drop-off should worry CoD, hopefully enough to support their game.”

Lastly, a world champion in Call of Duty wanted to prove that aim assist on controllers is not as powerful as many players think. However, this attempt backfired – how exactly you’ll find out in this article: Call of Duty: World Champion wants to prove that aim assist is not a huge advantage – Completely backfires

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

“Monsters Should Follow the Same Rules”: Path of Exile 2 Gamers are Upset Because Their Opponents are Cheating

Although players spend most of their time fighting against computer-controlled enemies in Path of Exile 2, they often die unfairly because the enemies have unfair advantages.

How do the enemies cheat? A user on Reddit has now shared an extreme example. In his post, he shows a video where he gets taken out by enemies that are far outside of his screen.

In doing so, the character can hardly defend itself and is almost immediately defeated completely. You can watch the video clip here:

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Link to the Reddit content

There are several unfair deaths in Path of Exile 2, but the complaints from adventurers are likely due to the fact that characters in the predecessor could still effectively deal with enemies outside of their own screen.

This mechanic has been deliberately nerfed with PoE 2 to slow down the game. However, the enemies have not had this ability taken away. This violates the developers’ own rules, which state that the battle should take place on the screen, not off it.

You can watch the cinematic intro of Path of Exile 2 here:

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

Trouble with unfair deaths

How does the community react to death? The community is angry, as the video shows something that many other users have experienced as well.

  • Probably_Not_Sir writes on Reddit: “The same rules should apply to monsters as to players. We can’t shoot over ledges, but they can. That’s incredibly harsh, in my opinion.”
  • Spirit_mert replies to him on Reddit: “It’s such terrible logic, I remember trying to hide behind a pillar-like object because I couldn’t shoot through it, but the monsters shoot right through it LOL. Makes zero sense, hopefully they’ll change it.”
  • E_N_I_GM_A reports a similar problem on Reddit: “And the minion resurrection types literally revive their minions from the other side of the map in less than a millisecond.”

Why is dying in PoE 2 so frustrating? When a player dies in Path of Exile 2, there are several negative consequences. Firstly, you lose 10% of the experience points for the current level, which can mean the loss of hours of progress for higher-level characters.

Additionally, players lose all items that are still on the ground when they die. For the Atlas system, the waypoint stone is destroyed and the map is sealed in the event of too many deaths, meaning you have to find another way. Especially with high-value maps, a defeat means losing a lot of currency.

It was important for the developers that the fight should take place on the screen and not beside it. For adventurers, it is just difficult to understand that enemies cheat and do not adhere to their own rules. Another mechanic, according to gamers, should also be banned: Players have wanted to ban a mechanic for 5 years, but it continues to annoy in Path of Exile 2

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