WoW: Don’t forget to pick up your Christmas gift amid all the fuss of ‘The War Within’

Again in 2024, there are Christmas gifts in World of Warcraft. These can be picked up directly for a few days.

The reflective Christmas season with gift-giving is also celebrated in World of Warcraft – in the form of the Winterveil Festival. Every year, there are new gifts for your characters, which mostly end up being pets or toys in your collection. This year, there are also new gifts that you should pick up soon, as you only have a few days.

Just a few days ago, there was new content in WoW, the Siren’s Isle:

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

What gifts are there this year? In 2024, there is a new gift. This time it is simply the “Winterveil Gift”. It contains:

  • Toy “Box of Puntables”.
  • The battle pet “Portentous Present”.
  • 25 Bronze Dragon Celebration Badges that you can spend at the anniversary event.

Additionally, you will also receive an achievement for possessing this year’s gift.

The toy creates a box with which you can summon various creatures that you can then kick around in the best frustration management style. The battle pet shares the same box model, so you have a permanent companion – if you want a spooky gift box hopping behind you all the time.

Where can you pick up the gifts? Where you can pick up the gifts depends on your chosen faction.

  • Horde characters go to Orgrimmar. In the Valley of Strength, in front of the former Warlord’s hut, you will find the large Winterveil tree with the gifts underneath.
  • Alliance characters travel to Ironforge. In front of the bank, you will find Greatfather Winter and the corresponding tree, where the gifts are waiting for pickup.

The gifts are given in the form of quests. However, you only need to accept and turn in the quests to receive the corresponding gift – so it’s not a hassle.

How long do you have? The Winterveil Festival in World of Warcraft lasts until January 4, 2025. So you still have about 10 days to pick up the various gifts and add them to your collection.
If you prefer mounts, you can currently get a very cool one on the Siren’s Isle.

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

Game Master from WoW reports: “I had to explain how to tie shoes”

What was it like as a Game Master in World of Warcraft? A YouTuber reveals this and shares some quirky stories.

Game Masters in World of Warcraft have become a bit of a myth. When thinking about ‘back then’, during the time of Vanilla, players supposedly met Game Masters all the time. Nowadays, the blue robes are rarely seen, and if one is to believe Reddit or the official forums, the responses to tickets are often automated or written by AI.

A YouTuber now shares his daily life as a Game Master. He dispels some myths, reveals the details that Game Masters can see in the game – and also which users were particularly annoying.

Curious incidents in WoW can be seen here:

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3 absurde Bugs, die in WoW passiert sind

Where does the information come from? The YouTuber “Not Your Friend”, whose real name is Clyde, discusses various incidents from the gaming scene on his YouTube channel. Although the videos sometimes seem a bit sensational and contain a lot of opinion, he explains quite factually in the video “Two years as a Game Master broke me – Here’s the whole story” how his daily work as a Game Master for World of Warcraft looked in the years 2011 and 2012.

Tying shoelaces as a test explanation of whether players can be helped

The job interview itself was a bit peculiar. After the usual questions, Clyde was given a rather unusual task. The HR manager wanted Clyde to describe to him how to tie a shoe – in all details. This was presumably to test how well one could explain a problem-solution step by step. Something that would later be particularly important for assisting players.

Game Masters couldn’t freely choose their names

The YouTuber also mentions that Game Masters were rarely allowed to choose their display names for work. This explains why many Game Masters often have names that sound a bit like gibberish.

The reasoning behind this was, according to Clyde, that it had to be a name that brought up no results in a Google search.

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The insight Game Masters had

The capabilities and insights of Game Masters were quite extensive even back then. Basically, it was just as one might have imagined. With the tools, Game Masters could trace almost all activities of accounts.

Blizzard stored this data for all accounts and all characters for 90 days back then. Every single transaction, every gain of honor, every purchase at an NPC, every login to the game, and the entire chat log – everything was logged for 90 days.

Therefore, it was usually quite easy to restore hacked accounts back to their original state shortly after a hack. If someone wrote a ticket saying their character was suddenly naked and all their gold was gone, it was a bit of work, but everything was logged and therefore possible.

It was worse with “zombie accounts”. When inactive accounts were hacked and the corresponding owner returned many years later to find that someone had been misusing their account in the meantime, restoration was nearly impossible. Everything outside of the 90 days was hard to trace.

WoW Game Master Gift Blood Elf Paladin titel title 1280x720
Sometimes there were small gifts for players – if you were nice.

The most annoying tasks: PvP players

While Clyde reports many tickets describing just minor problems or sometimes simply “I just want to talk to a Game Master”, there were also annoying issues. The most irritating by far were PvP players insisting that they had not received the correct amount of honor for a kill.

Because then, all honor gains of the respective character had to be reviewed and manually calculated to see how much honor they received and whether that value was correct. In most cases, the value was correct, and the players themselves were mistaken. This took a lot of time.

Permanent visual performance representation led to burnout

One thing that particularly bothered him was the permanent visual representation of his current performance. On the second screen, not only his work tools were displayed, but it was also permanently highlighted how productive he was. If he processed the required tickets per hour (8 were required back then), it was good and displayed in green or blue. If he managed much more, there was even an epic purple.

However, if he fell below this quota – which could happen with more extensive problems – the screen turned white, gray, or even red, and he usually received a request from the supervisor asking what was wrong. This contributed massively to his burnout and ultimately to the incident that led to his resignation.

Fired because he found too much stolen gold

The reason Clyde ultimately resigned seems curious because he took too much stolen gold out of the economy. However, he was not an “unsung hero”; rather, he was not fulfilling his actual job.

Because the bosses wanted him to process current tickets that were in the queue. However, through his work, Clyde had discovered how to reliably detect stolen accounts and the associated illegal gold trade. Since such incidents often involved many accounts and thereby many different individual cases, he could “resolve” quite a few problems that were good for his statistics.

Technically, Clyde could handle a lot of problems per hour – but not the acute issues of current players that he was actually supposed to address. This led to his boss summoning him to the office after two weeks and giving him quite a piece of his mind.

In response to the last words that he should change his behavior immediately, Clyde told him that he was resigning effective immediately – and he left the office.

The entire video is definitely worth watching and offers some interesting insights into the daily life of a Game Master. However, please also keep in mind that these are the experiences of one individual and that it does not necessarily have to be representative of all Game Masters or other Blizzard locations.
How to make friends in any MMORPG is explained here.

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

The most successful streamer on Twitch is a man

In the week leading up to Christmas, once again a man, the programmer vedal987, is the most successful streamer on Twitch. He has created a chatbot that has become a streaming star since 2022 as a VTuber named “Neuro-sama”.

What kind of statistic is this? The site Steamcharts regularly evaluates who is leading in various categories on Twitch.

In the category “Largest Female Streamer on Twitch” from December 15 to 21, Vedal987 is in first place with 752,000 hours watched, while US streamer Emiru is in second place.

However, Vedal spends most of his time not streaming on his channel, at least not as himself; that role is taken on by “Neuro-sama”, an AI VTuber and chatbot that livestreams on Twitch and appears as a cute girl who answers all questions from viewers with a dry humor while being funny and quick-witted.

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3 German Twitch streamers you should know

Programmer Runs Chatbot as a Full-Time Job

What is behind Neuro-sama? In an interview with Bloomberg, Vedal explained the background of his creation. He wants to remain anonymous, so his age and location are unknown.

According to Vedal, Neuro-sama uses a language model that responds to users’ questions and announces her answers with a cute voice through a “text-to-speech” application. Vedal says Neuro-sama is his full-time job.

The character was created in December 2022, received a new model in May 2023, and seems to be growing in popularity on Twitch.

If the programmer isn’t careful, Neuro-sama regularly tries to drive him to ruin:

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Especially December 2024 was a great success for Vedal987, in that month he had 12,273 viewers on his bot.

Over the course of the year, the channel gained 47% in viewers and was watched for a total of almost 6 million hours. Apparently, many prefer the chatbot over a real person.

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How is this being discussed? Streamer Asmongold uses the statistic to ask: “Are men perhaps the better women?”

In the comments, people are especially impressed by the AI’s progress: now the AI can remember people and conversations. Overall, he receives a lot of recognition for the work and competence he puts into his project.

Asmongold finds VTubers amusing. According to his thesis, VTubers act like a cheat code for women: they don’t have to wear makeup or get ready and can still appear as cute AI versions of themselves. With a chatbot, the person doesn’t even have to be present: Huge Twitch star explains: VTubing is “like a hack for female streamers”

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

CoD Black Ops 6: Jackal PDW Build – The Best Loadouts for the Community Favorite

In CoD Black Ops 6, the Jackal PDW is currently impressing many players. Therefore, we present you with 2 builds for this popular SMG.

What kind of weapon is this? The Jackal PDW is a submachine gun characterized by a fairly fast rate of fire, a solid time-to-kill, and good damage at maximum range.

Update, December 25, 2024: This article was originally published in September 2024 as part of the beta. We last adjusted and updated it on December 25.

Jackal PDW: Meta Build

What kind of build is this? According to current statistics, a large part of the community is currently playing the C9 with this build. (As of November 2024 via wzstats.gg)

  • Optic: Kepler Microflex
  • Muzzle: Compensator
  • Barrel: Long Barrel
  • Underbarrel: Vertical Grip
  • Magazine: Magazine Extension 1
  • Grip: Ergonomic Grip
  • Stock: Infiltrator Stock
  • Fire Modification: Recoil Springs

Note that you need to equip the wildcard “Gunslinger” for this build to use 8 attachments instead of just 5. You receive the wildcard at player level 33.

If you prefer to access a different wildcard, we recommend equipping the following 5 attachments from the loadout:

  • Muzzle: Compensator
  • Barrel: Long Barrel
  • Underbarrel: Vertical Grip
  • Grip: Ergonomic Grip
  • Stock: Infiltrator Stock

Next, we will show you the build of a CoD world champion.

Jackal PDW: World Champion Build

What kind of build is this? The CoD professional Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro is currently playing the Jackal PDW in the following setup (as of November 19):

  • Muzzle: Compensator
  • Barrel: Long Barrel
  • Underbarrel: Ranger Grip
  • Grip: Ergonomic Grip
  • Stock: Balanced Stock

Who is this build from? Shotzzy became the CoD world champion in 2024 with Team OpTic and was awarded MVP (Most Valuable Player). Before his time at OpTic, Shotzzy was part of the “Dallas Empire” team, with which he also became a world champion in Call of Duty in 2020. In 2018 he was also a world champion in Halo.

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CoD: Everything you need to know about Black Ops 6 – in under 2 minutes

If you don’t like the Jackal PDW and are looking for another strong submachine gun, you should try the C9. Here we show you some strong builds: CoD Black Op 6: C9 Build – Three Strong Builds for the Flexible Submachine Gun

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

All major factions of Warhammer 40,000 in the power ranking – Who could dominate the galaxy?

In the dark future of Warhammer 40,000 there is only war. But who would actually win if it came to a showdown? MeinMMO editor and Warhammer expert Benedict Grothaus dares to make a prediction.

[toc]

At least 9 factions are fighting in Warhammer 40,000 more or less actively for dominance or at least survival in the galaxy. War is constantly raging in different corners of the world, but if they all met at once, there can be only one victor.

The ranking is not about who could seize power at the apex of their strength, but who would actually win right now if all factions were to face off against each other.

Accordingly, some peoples here are somewhat weaker than they could potentially be. You will find an explanation for each faction’s position here in the ranking.

Where does the ranking come from?

About the author

I have spent hundreds of hours in various games and the lore of the Warhammer universe, most recently predominantly in Warhammer 40,000. Alone in Rogue Trader, I have poured countless hours into it. From the tabletop, I have the rulebooks and even a small Sororitas army here, albeit unpainted. The ranking is based on my personal assessment of the strength of the factions.

Benedict from MeinMMO

Benedict Grothaus
Editor and Warhammer expert at MeinMMO

Place 9: Dark Eldar or Drukhari

In direct combat, the Dark Eldar are dangerous opponents, but they are especially feared for their raiding assaults. However, they have a major weakness for direct confrontation: the webway.

Through the webway of a thousand gates, the Dark Eldar can move quite freely, but they can only live there. Otherwise, sooner or later they would be devoured by the Chaos God Slaanesh. Moreover, they need suffering to survive, which means they cannot simply annihilate their enemies, but would have to enslave them.

Considering their extremely low numbers, that would be a… ambitious undertaking.

Some exciting details about the history of the Drukhari and Aeldari can be discovered in the role-playing game Rogue Trader:

Start video
Warhammer 40.000: Rogue Trader – Der Trailer zu den Companions im Rollenspiel

Place 8: Eldar or Aeldari

After their fall, the Eldar are a dying people, merely postponing their death. Although they once ruled the entire galaxy, they today have little significance in the larger picture.

The Eldar are now few and largely refrain from fighting. While they are considered strong fighters and their craftworlds are almost impregnable, they could achieve little against a numerically superior fighting force.

Unlike the Dark Eldar, they are at least somewhat freer in their movements, which gives them an advantage. They are currently trying to revive one of their gods – which may provide them with better chances in the future.

Place 7: Empire of the T’au

The T’au are an extremely young race, which was discovered only about 6,000 years ago. During this time, the T’au have spread and expanded their empire. In doing so, they primarily rely on peaceful expansion, but will resort to weapons if necessary.

Technologically, the T’au are one of the strongest, if not the strongest race, with weapons that few can withstand. However, they simply lack the numbers for a large-scale victory.

The T’au people are quite small and rely on support from other races. They are still exploring faster-than-light travel and need to expand. In the distant future, they could pose a greater threat.

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

The big Twitch streamers for WoW are not looking good as they have to lay off employees

The US streamer Matthew “Mizkif” Rinaudo (28) stumbled upon a joke: At the Christmas party of the streamer organization One True King (WoW), he laughed heartily at his own joke. But the gag became true.

That was the gag: At the Christmas party of One True King, the organizers were just fooling around.

One said in high spirits: “We are now making an official announcement on behalf of the company and handing the microphone to Mizkif.”

Twitch streamer Mizkif held the phone in his hand and pretended to read: “The following people are fired” – big laughter.

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“A lot of people were let go”

This is the problem: On December 20, streamer Sodapoppin explained that, in fact, some employees had to be let go before Christmas. The organization OTK had to let go of 8 employees, as became known through posts on social media.

The reason cited is a financial crunch.

According to Sodapoppin, the layoffs caused unrest in the company, and now events have to be canceled as well. However, he didn’t know any details, as he’s currently just been playing WoW all the time, in the Hardcore Onlyfangs.

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What impact on Mizkif? On reddit, there is now discussion that Mizkif looks bad making a joke when the layoffs occur.

He must have known that the layoffs were coming in a few days. Thus, it is a very tasteless joke at the expense of the people who have to worry about their livelihood before Christmas. The insiders must have laughed cruelly.

Others say: Mizkif isn’t that bad. He surely didn’t know. The man wasn’t involved in such decisions.

In any case, that was really poor timing.

Gaming and e-sports in a globally difficult situation

What’s behind it. Gaming is currently in a difficult situation because the overall economic tension is lowering advertising revenues. Furthermore, the e-sports did not turn out to be the “next poker” that some investors had hoped for.

Therefore, all areas, in gaming and in e-sports, are currently saving and cutting jobs. Even growing organizations like One True King have their problems. Recently, their biggest draw, Asmongold, had somewhat withdrawn: Asmongold is banned from Twitch, loses partners and his companies – Explains how it will continue and sounds like a new person

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

CoD Black Ops 6: The best build for the PP-919 – This is how you should play the ‘Bison’

The PP-919 is one of the most popular weapons in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Therefore, we show you 2 strong builds for the MP.

What kind of weapon is this? The PP-919 is a submachine gun that deals solid damage and comes with a large magazine by default. However, many players exchange this for a smaller magazine that can be reloaded more quickly and additionally allows you to aim faster.

The PP-919 has the longest range of all submachine guns, but it has a relatively high time-to-kill (TTK) due to its low rate of fire.

Update, December 25, 2024: The article was originally published in November 2024. We last adjusted and updated it on December 25.

PP-919 Build – The Meta Loadout for the Bison

What kind of build is this? According to wzstats.gg, the majority of the community currently plays the PP-919 with a build consisting of 8 attachments that improve reload speed and aiming time – however, you need to sacrifice ammo capacity for this.

The following attachments are used:

  • Optic: Kepler Microflex
  • Muzzle: Silencer
  • Barrel: Long Barrel
  • Mag: Fast Mag 2
  • Grip: Ergonomic Grip
  • Stock: Infiltrator Stock
  • Laser: Target Laser
  • Fire Mod: Recoil Springs

Note that for this build you need to equip the wildcard “Gunslinger” to use 8 instead of just 5 attachments. You unlock the wildcard at player level 33.

If you prefer to access a different wildcard, we recommend equipping the following 5 attachments from the loadout:

  • Muzzle: Silencer
  • Barrel: Long Barrel
  • Mag: Fast Mag 2
  • Grip: Ergonomic Grip
  • Fire Mod: Recoil Springs

Next, we will show you the build of a CoD World Champion.

Start video
CoD Black Ops 6: Prestige explained – Is it worth it?

Here’s how a CoD World Champion plays the PP-919

What kind of build is this? The CoD pro Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro plays the PP-919 with the following loadout:

  • Muzzle: Compensator with Aperture
  • Barrel: Reinforced Barrel
  • Grip: Ergonomic Grip
  • Mag: Fast Mag 2
  • Stock: Balanced Stock

Who created this build? Shotzzy is a professional eSports player who plays for Team OpTic. He became the Call of Duty World Champion in 2024 and was awarded MVP (Most Valuable Player). Before his time with OpTic, Shotzzy was with the team “Dallas Empire”, with which he also became World Champion in Call of Duty in 2020. In 2018, he was also World Champion in Halo.

If you don’t like the PP-919 and are looking for a strong submachine gun with a higher rate of fire, you should try the KSV. Here we show you a strong build for the fast-firing submachine gun: CoD Black Ops 6: KSV Build – The best loadout for the meta SMG

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

I have 300 hours in a game on Steam that almost nobody has played, yet it belongs to one of the most popular game series

The strategy game series Total War has built a large fanbase over more than 20 years. However, the latest title is not well received by the community and on Steam. Yet this game is considered by MeinMMO author Ody to be one of his favorites after more than 300 hours of gameplay.

I have a peculiar trait when it comes to games: Some might simply call it bad taste. But I would say I have a soft spot for games that have a worse reputation than they deserve. One such case for me is Total War: Pharaoh.

Who is writing here? The first video game of MeinMMO author Ody was Age of Empires. Shortly after, he received a disc of Rome: Total War as a gift from a friend. Since then, he has played every new installment of the Total War series.

Apocalypse in Ancient Egypt

What kind of game is Total War: Pharaoh anyway? As usual for the series, the game is a mix of real-time battles and grand strategy in turn-based format. Pharaoh is the latest entry in the main Total War series. A free update called Dynasties was released later, which doubled the size of the map in one go and added numerous new systems.

The setting is the late Bronze Age around the year 1200 BC – a time when the so-called “Sea Peoples” wreaked havoc in the Mediterranean. Scholars still debate where exactly they came from and why. However, it is pretty certain that the Sea Peoples played an important role in the downfall of many great cities and civilizations in this region. So, the late Bronze Age is actually an exciting (if relatively unknown) setting.

Start video
Total War: Pharaoh Dynasties showcases its gigantic new map and features in the trailer

Catastrophic Release and Missing Players

Upon its announcement, Total War: Pharaoh did not fare well: The game was accused of being an asset flip of a previous title, namely A Total War Saga: Troy. Furthermore, the scope was considered far too small for a full-price title (at the time of Pharaoh’s original release). The map only covered “Egypt, Canaan (present-day Levant) and the Hittite Empire in Asia Minor.” Moreover, the game was not Medieval 3 or Empire 2 – both games that fans have been wanting for a long time.

The pre-release criticism significantly harmed the success of the game. It currently stands among the least played Total War titles on Steam. No numbers are available for players on Epic Games.

According to steamdb.info, the release version of Pharaoh peaked with approximately 5,400 concurrent players. After the extensive update to Pharaoh Dynasties, there were almost 8,000 players (via steamdb.info). For comparison: Rome 2 had a peak of just over 118,000 players, according to steamdb.info. So there was definitely room for more.

Unique Aesthetics and Deep Gameplay

So why have I become so attached to Pharaoh specifically? For one, of course, because the setting has fascinated me since childhood. The Bronze Age has a unique aesthetic and is much too rarely addressed in video games. With the Hittites, a culture that I personally find very exciting and have not seen in any other game since the first Age of Empires, was also included from the start.

Total War Pharaoh – The King of Babylon and his bodyguard
Visually, the Bronze Age has a lot to offer, as the King of Babylon demonstrates here.

The reason I love Total War: Pharaoh (even more than other games in the series) is not just nostalgia. Because aside from subjective preferences, a large part of the criticism can already be countered by playing the game. Although Pharaoh and Troy may superficially resemble each other, they feel very different in many ways. This applies both in battles and on the campaign map.

Here are just a few examples:

  • The battles have been significantly slowed down and feel much more tactical
  • Outposts offer significantly more strategic options on the campaign map to build your empire and move your armies quickly
  • The struggle for the crown can be fought not only in battle but also through influence and legitimacy at court
  • The characteristics of the individual faction leaders come with Ancient Legacies that you can choose yourself and which offer unique mechanics
Total War: Pharaoh – the court
The court provides opportunities for rising rulers to solidify their power beyond the battlefield.

Whether the scope at release was sufficient for a full-price title is open to debate. Shogun 2 and Three Kingdoms, for example, offer a much smaller scope due to their focus on one culture, and the individual factions differ even less from each other.

Nevertheless, both games are very popular – Three Kingdoms has 82% positive reviews on Steam and Shogun 2 even 91% (via Steam). This is justified, as these games are indeed very good. But a focused map does not seem to have been a major exclusion criterion either.

Major Update Doubles Game Content, Costs Nothing

After the free Dynasty update, the community’s mood towards Pharaoh has also changed significantly. The game has become noticeably larger and is now better rated by players. On Steam, the reviews are overall 85% positive.

The update introduced long-awaited elements like a family tree. The map has also been expanded to the east and west, reaching from Greece to Mesopotamia. Now the Mycenaeans, Trojans, Assyrians, and Babylonians have joined as playable factions.

Total War: Pharaoh – Playable factions
The number of playable factions has significantly increased compared to the release.

In addition to the 14 main factions, there are 25 playable minor factions. They do not have unique mechanics, but they offer new starting positions and a special mix of units. Speaking of which: If you missed cavalry at the start, you’ll now find it with the Mesopotamians. Cavalry was not supposed to exist at that time, but due to many players’ requests, it is included anyway.

If you want to get into Total War: Pharaoh, now is the ideal time to do so. The game is as complete as it will ever be and offers much more than it did at release. The standard price has also dropped to 40 euros. So there is not much standing between you and what has, at least in my eyes, become the best historical Total War in a long time with constant updates and a bunch of free content.

Fans of Total War: Warhammer 3 were recently treated to a long-awaited trailer. It also contains a very special curiosity, which you can read more about here: A long-awaited trailer for a Warhammer game on Steam is finally here and surprises with a story twist

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

Dark Actions: The 5 Cruelest Quests in World of Warcraft

We tell you which quests in World of Warcraft are particularly cruel. In some WoW quests, the heroes get their hands dirty. Because in the comic world of Azeroth, some things are morally reprehensible …

The number of quests in World of Warcraft is overwhelming. However, with the countless missions that exist in Azeroth (and other dimensions), we are not always the shining hero. Often our character is exploited, and sometimes at the end of a quest, we wonder: Was I the villain here? We want to highlight a handful of these quest lines.

This article originally appeared in 2017. We have updated it again in December 2024.
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WoW celebrates 20 years of the highlights of Azeroth

Surely one could include every second kill quest in this list if one wanted to. After all, we travel through the world and are asked at almost every corner to wipe out some tribe or enemy village.

However, there are some quests that stand out in memory due to their content and moral ambiguity. We present to you the top 5 of the cruelest quests in World of Warcraft.

Doing the Right Thing

Since the Cataclysm, many areas of the classic world in World of Warcraft have changed. The former war-torn area Hillsbrad Foothills is now almost entirely in the grip of the Horde, which is starting various projects here. The mines of the humans are being plundered and bears are infected with spiders that lay their eggs in the festering wounds, so that the spiders can then be collected from the corpses.

However, all of this pales in comparison to the Sludge Fields, a large camp of the Forsaken that spans several farms and now serves as a testing ground for the experiments of a mad undead.

The atmosphere within the walls is oppressive: some see a similarity to a concentration camp in the Forsaken camp.

WOW 5 Quests das Richtige Tun 2
The shovel – salvation or murder weapon? Image source: wowhead

During the quest line, eventually a new quest giver appears – a shovel. This initiates the mission Doing the Right Thing with the following words:

You are treated to a dreadful sight. Someone has buried all the humans up to their necks, making them look as if they had been planted. The ghouls, who apparently tend this field of human sprouts, regularly leap to the nearest human and devour his head!

You can end this right here and now. Take this shovel and ‘save’ the humans.

Do the right thing.

WoW 5 Quests Das Richtige Tun 1
Image source: wowhead

And ‘the right thing’ in this case is to dig the humans out with the shovel. Those who wish to can free the humans, who subsequently run away. But what if you, as a horde player, have no interest in letting humans go? Well… then there is an alternative. If you like, you can simply behead the humans with the shovel.

Cruel? Definitely. Morally reprehensible? … from an Alliance perspective, maybe.


The next page deals with Murlocs and war crimes.

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

I’ve been waiting for 8 years for the successor of one of my favorite games, but the genre is dying out

The video game genre of Immersive Sims has been on the decline for some time. MeinMMO author Christoph Waldboth finds this really disappointing because one of his favorite games will therefore not receive a sequel.

Dishonored 2 is one of my absolute favorite games. And I am not surprised at all. Because not only do you play as a stealthy assassin with some pretty cool abilities, but Dishonored 2 is also a really good Immersive Sim.

If this term means nothing to you: Games like Bioshock, Prey, Deathloop, or Deus Ex are Immersive Sims.

They throw us into a complex world and give us a lot of gameplay freedom. The story is usually told in cutscenes from a first-person perspective, so the immersion already included in the genre name is not broken. A large part of the backstory is revealed through countless information snippets in the levels.

Dishonored 2 was released in 2016, so it’s been 8 years already. There probably won’t be a third part. The developer studio Arkane has increasingly faced difficulties in recent years. First, titles like Deathloop or Prey were not a major financial success despite critical acclaim (via mcvuk.com), and then the failure of the first-person shooter Redfalleven led to the closure of Arkane Austin.

At this point, I find it unlikely that Dishonored 3 will ever be released. Overall, it saddens me that the genre never quite made it into the mainstream.

Start video
Dishonored 2 Launch Trailer for the immersive shooter in a steampunk world with magic

Why I Love the Genre

I could go on forever about what makes Immersive Sims so good for me. I’d rather spare you that and instead give you three points that essentially summarize their qualities.

A Game World to Immerse In

One of the great strengths of good Immersive Sims is their game worlds. They are often very creatively designed and remain memorable solely because of their design. I will never forget my first steps in the underwater city of Rapture from Bioshock. There, a mysterious world full of dangers opened up to me. I wanted to know what had happened in this place and set out in search of answers.

Bioshock Immersive Sims
Eerie and fascinating: Rapture from Bioshock 1.

I felt similarly in the city of Dunwall from the first Dishonored. While prowling over the rooftops and through the canals of the filthy city, I immediately felt at home in what was actually an uncomfortable environment.

After just a few hours of gameplay, you know the lay of the land, understand how to navigate the levels in the best way, and how to cleverly eliminate enemies. This brings me to point 2.

Gameplay Freedom is Key

In Dishonored, I wield a weapon in one hand, such as a crossbow with deadly bolts. However, I can also switch to non-lethal ones. Or I might grab a pistol, which is much louder and immediately attracts enemies. With my other hand, I use magical powers like teleportation or briefly transform into a rat. This allows me to access secret areas.

How I reach my destination is entirely up to me. And that is what I love. When an attack on a whole group of enemies goes perfectly after extensive shadowing and not a single alarm is triggered, it gives me an incredibly satisfying feeling.

Dishonored Screenshot
The two guards did not see their attacker coming.

The same applies to other titles in the genre. Deus Ex with its cool gadgets and augmentations, which allow me to see enemies through walls. Deathloop with its ability to link multiple enemies and then take out an entire group with a precise shot. Or Bioshock with its firearms and numerous Plasmids that can set enemies on fire or attack them with bees.

Bioshock, oh Bioshock. That game has probably done point 3 best of all Immersive Sims.

The Story is a Puzzle

In Bioshock, just like in Dishonored or other Immersive Sims, there is a storyline that is told at the forefront. However, those who focus solely on this will miss a large part of the narrative. Because all over Rapture, there are audio logs scattered about. The residents of the underwater city tell their life stories on them. We learn about their fates and slowly but surely find the individual puzzle pieces that make up a larger whole.

The levels themselves also tell a story through their design, revealing what might have already happened here. The fact that politics, intrigues, and even philosophical approaches often find their place in Immersive Sims makes them, in my view, a very mature video game genre.

This kind of storytelling is not for everyone, and I understand that. But I enjoy conjuring up the backgrounds of characters and places in my mind. This way, the world becomes even more complex. I carry the stories I stumble upon with me even after playing and continue to weave them in my head.

I can’t quite explain why Immersive Sims have never achieved huge success. Is it the gameplay freedom that some players reject? Is it the reduced narrative style? Or the unusual scenarios?

I am reluctant to be pessimistic, but I fear that the genre will eventually die out.

The only good thing is: Titles like Dishonored 2 are regularly discounted in sales on Steam and co. So if you have been unsure whether the genre is for you, you can try it at a relatively low cost. And who knows, maybe Immersive Sims will have a renaissance after all. I would wish for that. There is still a little hope: For 10 years, I’ve hoped for a new Bioshock, and the upcoming game from the creator shortens my waiting time.

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

The former golden boy of Twitch has to close his company and lay off employees before Christmas

The streamer Ludwig Ahgren has to close his event company and lay off all employees by the end of 2024. He explains what the problem is: streamers do not spend money on cool events. Viewers do not want that; they only want to see people streaming in their bedrooms.

This is the news: Ludwig Ahgren is one of the most successful gaming YouTubers in the world. After his 31-day record subathon in 2021, he was considered the golden boy of Twitch, but he switched to YouTube. He has repeatedly organized elaborate gaming events in the past.

He founded his own company for these events called “Offbrand,” which helps him but also other content creators to organize such events.

But by the end of 2024, this will come to an end: the employees of the company’s production arm will be laid off, and that part of the team will be dismantled.

The event company simply cannot support itself financially, and since his contract with YouTube is ending, Ludwig cannot inject unlimited funds. He knows that it is not nice to lay off people just before Christmas, but time is running out. If things continue this way, the financial distress will become so great that even more parts of the business would be threatened by closure.

Among the German creators, there are also some streamers who organize large events:

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

Viewers want as direct contact with streamers as possible – little fluff

This is his insight: Ludwig says that ultimately there is not enough demand for his offer. His company has spent most of the time organizing its own events, but it cannot survive financially from that. Ludwig himself is just not big enough as a creator for that.

The problem is that almost all large and successful Twitch streamers are simply sitting and playing in their bedrooms. Almost no one wants to spend $250,000 or $500,000 on a cool event. Only the biggest streamer, Kai Cenat, organizes events.

This lack of interest in cool events is ultimately just a reaction to what viewers want.

Ludwig has realized that most viewers want the most unfiltered, authentic experience, where the streamer interacts as much as possible with the chat, that is, the viewers.

On a road trip, it is not about it being elaborately organized, but about the viewer feeling like they are up close and personal. According to Ludwig, this has changed in recent years.

According to Ludwig, viewers want “maximum contact” with their streamer and as little in between as possible.

As evidence that the calculations with events do not add up, Ludwig speaks from personal experience:

  • A “home event” where he played endless LoL with friends in his house cost practically nothing, but brought great viewer numbers.
  • At a real “event,” flights and hotel rooms have to be booked, and employees have to be paid. But the viewer numbers simply do not justify that.

Such events only make sense if you win large companies as sponsors who can financially handle it. But that seems to be not so easy in the current economic situation.

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Personal connection to the streamer apparently more important than high production effort

Where can you still see this? In Germany, the influencer Knossi is mainly responsible for organizing large events reminiscent of RTL2 formats. Other large streamers like Gronkh hold their charity events once a year.

Streamers like Trymacs or HandOfBlood also like to organize events, but they often have a “small scale”: the camera expert SkylineTV is hired as a one-man crew to broadcast the event, and they try to remain as small and authentic as possible while biking around in a group or competing in fasting.

There is a similar example from the German E-Sport. The individual streamer Tolkin has more viewers when he streams League of Legends than the company responsible for it with a large production effort.

It seems that the bond and personal contact with an individual is more important to viewers on Twitch than high production values and effort: LoL: German streamer has more viewers for Worlds on Twitch than the official stream of his former company

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

WoW developers listen to fans: The most annoying affix is finally removed

Mythic+ will be significantly more enjoyable in World of Warcraft. Because the most annoying affix is being removed and replaced.

World of Warcraft continually changes the design of the “Mythic+” dungeons. Especially the affixes are often a source of frustration. While some affixes are relatively simple to play and cause few problems, others cause difficulties and annoying overlaps that make them a gamble.

In Season 2 of The War Within, the affixes from the first season will be retained – with only one major change. Because one of the affixes is being removed and replaced.

Currently, there is a lot to experience on the Siren Isle in WoW:

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

Which affix will be replaced? We are talking about “Xal’atath’s Deal: Forgotten”. With this affix, black orbs appear regularly around the current battlefield and slowly float towards enemies. When the orbs reach the opponents, all enemies receive a stackable buff. If the player characters collect the orbs, then the group receives a buff.

However, the affix had several problems. On one hand, the orbs often passed through natural barriers like walls or rocks, and on the other, there are situations where players simply cannot move or are not allowed to avoid boss mechanics. In that case, the choice remains between: “Do we die because we ignore the boss mechanic or do we die because the orbs reach the boss?”

This was frustrating and led to many people playing less or not at all during the weeks with “Xal’atath’s Deal: Forgotten”.

What will come as a replacement? This will be replaced in Patch 11.1 with the new affix “Xal’atath’s Deal: Pulsar”. While the exact gameplay is not yet clear, the effect sounds significantly simpler:

Xal’atath summons Void Pulsars that circle player characters. After 15 seconds, the Pulsars unleash their energy and grant enemies the effect of Xal’atath’s Gift, which increases damage dealt by 10% and reduces damage taken by 20%. This effect is stackable.

Player characters that come into contact with the Void Pulsar empower the characters, granting them 4% mastery and 2% leech for 30 seconds. This effect is stackable.

In simple terms, this means: All characters will now be circled by orbs that other characters in the group must collect. Through skillful positioning, the orbs will effectively “find their way” to an ally and provide a buff.

While there is concern that the Pulsars will also lead to some amusing moments when two players try to collect each other’s Pulsars – it should still be significantly easier to manage than the current affix “Forgotten”.

What do you think of this change? A good idea to retire the old affix for Season 2 of The War Within? Or did you find “Forgotten” not so bad and would have liked to continue playing with the effect?
Currently, you can also earn many cool items on the Siren Isle.

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

One of the currently most exciting MMORPG projects presents new content and allows you to play around the clock now

The fantasy MMORPG Ashes of Creation is receiving new content, including two playable races and a dungeon. For around two weeks, you can also play the game around the clock.

What kind of game is this? Ashes of Creation is a sandbox fantasy MMORPG developed by Intrepid Studios. The game is still in the alpha phase but is already playable and excites MMORPG fans – although there are many criticisms as well. For our MMORPG expert Karsten Scholz, Ashes of Creation is one of the most exciting MMORPG projects for the upcoming year.

In a livestream, the developers announced that the “Alpha Two” of Ashes of Creation has reached Phase 2. This lasted approximately 90 minutes and also includes gameplay from a new dungeon.

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What’s new in Ashes of Creation? Phase 2 of Alpha Two brings a number of new contents, and you can find a complete overview at forums.ashesofcreation.com. Here’s a summary of what are probably the biggest innovations:

  • two new playable races
  • a new dungeon
  • Housing
  • three new nodes in the Sandsquall Desert
  • marketplace and marketplace vendors
What are the Nodes?

The open world of Ashes of Creation is divided into so-called nodes, which can be conquered and developed by players – from a small campsite to a metropolis.

New playable races, a dungeon, and more

The two new races are the Dwarven Dünir and the desert people of the Vaelune. The new dungeon is the “Fallen Forge,” a large underground complex. Once a home of the Dünir, the forge has now been abandoned.

Those who want to fulfill the dream of homeownership in the game can buy one of the “Freeholds.” For testing purposes, such freeholds can be purchased by any level-20 character for only 100 gold.

Until January 6, 2025, the test servers where you can already play the game are expected to be online around the clock. After that, they will be available for at least 5 days a week, as the development team announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

One of the most important gaming YouTubers and former Blizzard employee also raves about Ashes of Creation. He particularly loves one arguably controversial design decision; find out what it is here: YouTuber raves about new MMORPG because a feature is missing that you want in every game

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

WoW: Just in time for Christmas, players manage to bring back the worst plague

The worst incident of World of Warcraft is back. The Corrupted Blood is raging once again and ruining entire cities.

In the 20-year history of World of Warcraft, there have been some incidents that have now become legendary among players. Special events and occurrences contribute to this, as well as quirky bugs with interesting consequences. The most devastating event was probably the “Corrupted Blood” incident, which crippled entire cities and realms.

Some were able to recreate this once again – and almost completely take down a realm.

This is what it looked like back then:

Start video
Virtual epidemic nearly destroyed WoW – How did this happen?

What kind of incident is this? We are talking about the “Corrupted Blood”. This is a debuff that comes from “Hakkar” in the raid “Zul’Gurub”. The debuff deals damage every few seconds and jumps to all nearby targets.

Actually, the debuff was only supposed to appear within the raid – but hunters managed to take the negative effect “outside” through their pets. This allowed the effect to jump to NPCs and other characters.

The result: For several days, entire realms felt deserted. Everywhere, players were infected. The plague was carried from one character to another, and some had fun spreading the effect even further.

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The incident even became so large that scientists later used the data to create pandemic models that were used during the Corona years.

Now the incident has been repeated – on the realms of the “Season of Discoveries”.

On which realm did this happen? The realm “Living Flame (EU)” was once again plagued by Corrupted Blood. There are some videos from last night circulating, showing the city of Stormwind. Everywhere, you can hear the “bursting” of blood effects, while NPCs and player characters keep flashing red, taking damage and passing the effect on to those nearby.

Even though the chaos does not reach the same intensity as it did many years ago, it has still brought a nostalgic tear to some fans. For it has not been possible to see Stormwind in such a deserted state for a long time.

An actually dark chapter of World of Warcraft, which is, however, associated with much nostalgia and was able to celebrate a revival – or the exact opposite of that – for a few hours. So Merry Christmas, and here’s to many more nostalgic experiences.
Currently, many are playing WoW Classic on the “Fresh” realms – and are actively combating bots.

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

One of 5 bosses has considered resigning because he was stressed by Gen Z

Generation Z (Gen Z) is gradually taking over the job market and naturally brings its own principles and working methods. For the older generations, this often leads to a kind of culture shock – after all, the younger generation has a different attitude towards work than was common 30-40 years ago.

What is Gen Z? Generation Z, or Gen Z, refers to the generation born roughly between 1995 and 2010. Members of this generation are now between 14 and 30 years old.

This means that some members of Gen Z have entered the job market in the past 10 years and brought their strengths and principles with them. For example, this generation is said to be “always online” but also very tech-savvy.

Moreover, the generation is said to be very health-conscious. In the workplace, this means for many: “My health/well-being is more important than my job.”

Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds

What’s up with the annoyed bosses? The website Intelligent.com conducted a survey with 1,000 managers in the USA. It turned out that about one in five of the surveyed managers (18%) has considered quitting – due to the stress of managing Gen Z employees.

A third of the surveyed managers stated that managing Gen Z employees leads to disappointments. About a quarter of the respondents noted that this has also resulted in increased workload and the need for additional resources.

About 20% indicated that they have seen a decline in their own productivity due to managing and/or feel overwhelmed. 27% of the respondents even stated in the survey that they would avoid hiring a Gen Z applicant.

What do managers criticize? The bosses criticize Gen Z employees for excessive smartphone use, work ethic, and professionalism. Especially, the communication skills are seen as unprofessional and lead to tensions with older generations.

Expert advises that bosses need to adapt: The career development consultant from Intelligent.com, Huy Nguyen, explains that many members of the generation have not had the opportunity to develop skills such as time management, teamwork, or communication. He believes that while they possess more developed technical skills than previous generations, they lack practical experience in the workplace.

According to Nguyen, bosses should act more like a coach and less like a boss. They should recognize the generational shift and adjust their expectations, providing structured guidance and clear guidelines to the generation.

Among the principles of Generation Z is also that they do not want to do just any job. They want to pursue a profession that they actually enjoy or that means something to them. However, this leads to one of two problems that the generation is currently facing: Gen Z is currently facing two major problems, one of which they cannot solve without help

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

GTA 6: Fans gather clues about when the next trailer will arrive – Keep finding the same number

It has been over a year since the first trailer for the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 was released. Since then, fans of the series have been waiting for more information about the blockbuster set to release in 2025. Part of the community is eagerly collecting clues about a date when the next trailer might be released and keeps finding the same number.

What do fans think about when the trailer will be released? Part of the GTA community believes that the second trailer for GTA 6 could come on December 27, 2024 – so this week (via X).

What are these clues? On one hand, there is the license plate of a police car, which is visible in an image posted by Rockstar Games for the holiday update. If you add up all the numbers on the license plate, it equals 27.

Fans have also noticed that the Rockstar Games Instagram account has exactly 27 posts. Additionally, in a picture from November 2024, posted by Rockstar as part of the Heist Challenge, a 27 can be seen on an Akula attack helicopter (via X).

The 27 has also been discovered by fans in the first trailer for GTA 6. It appears after about 27 seconds in a side window of a pink lowrider making a right turn into a yard (via X).

Here you can watch the entire first trailer again:

Start video
Rockstar Games shows GTA 6 for the first time in the trailer

Clear clues for a date or complete nonsense?

How plausible is the theory? The entire theory surrounding the number 27 and the collected “clues” are absolute nonsense. If a trailer were to actually come on December 27, it would be a complete coincidence and has nothing to do with the “clues”.

You could come up with a theory for virtually any number. If you look for a specific number, you will always find it again. But that doesn’t make it a valid theory; it is simply figuratively grasping at straws.

What argues against the theory? The police car’s license plate is pure coincidence. If Rockstar Games had never shown a license plate in an image, it would be somewhat surprising why one suddenly appears. But Rockstar consistently features license plates in their images, and – surprise – the numbers depicted usually do not add up to 27.

Here is an image from Rockstar with several license plates that I found within a few minutes of searching (via rockstargames.com):

GTA Online image LS Drug Wars
GTA Online: Los Santos Drug Wars – and license plates without the 27

Moreover, Rockstar did not just randomly post an image of a police car. The image is part of the announcement that the aforementioned police car, a “Willard Outreach Faction,” can now be purchased in GTA Online.

Furthermore, the Akuma attack helicopter from GTA Online always features the number 27 in the design seen in the image from Rockstar Games. Oh, and the Rockstar Games Instagram account now has 28 posts (as of December 25, 2024). So that was nothing, too.

When can we expect a new trailer? Currently, no one can say for sure. Traditionally, one can expect that Rockstar Games will ramp up marketing about half a year before release – similar to what happened with GTA V.

At present, however, we do not know either a specific release date for GTA 6 nor do we know if it will actually be released in 2025 as planned, or if it might be postponed. Accordingly, the release of the second trailer is also difficult to estimate. But as soon as we know more, you will find out here on MeinMMO: GTA 6: Release, Trailer, and Map – What we know so far about the action game

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

A survival game currently costs on Steam as much as a coffee, and 100,000 people are playing it right now

Currently, the annual winter sale is happening on Steam. Many games are being offered at reduced prices. A popular survival game is also available for a low price. The sale on Steam has led to a surge in player numbers.

Which game is it? The Forest was released in May 2014 in Early Access and is a horror survival game where players find themselves stranded on an island. However, the island is not as deserted as it seems. Dangerous cannibals inhabit the island.

Apart from gathering resources and building bases, nighttime defense is crucial. The game’s horror elements are a special highlight. The mutants are reminiscent of films like The Hills Have Eyes.

Accordingly, the game is quite explicit. It should only be played by those who can handle brutality and shock effects.

However, due to the new winter sale, it seems that many people have found their way to the island.

Start video
Sons of the Forest: Release Trailer for the Full Version of the Survival Game on Steam

Good offer attracts more players than ever to the island

What is the current price of The Forest? Until January 2, 2025, you can get The Forest with a 90% discount for €1.67. This seems to have encouraged many players to make a purchase, as the game has reached a new peak in player numbers 10 years after its release.

On SteamDB, you can see how player numbers have changed over the past weeks and days. The game reached a new peak of 97,964 concurrent players in the past 24 hours. Since December 20, 2024, player numbers have been rising in intervals, fluctuating between approximately 25,000 and 40,000 players.

How is the game received? On Steam, the game has an impressive 95% positive reviews, earning the rating of Extremely Positive. The reviews praise the game highly:

  • Frostbyte: One of the most entertaining, if not the most entertaining survival co-op games I’ve ever played with friends.
  • Iron-Blade: A very nice survival game with great building features. Awesome.
  • JOttaD: Classic, great co-op game. The caves are insane. The graphics are still beautiful in 2024.

If you’re still in the mood for mutants and dangerous islands after The Forest, you can also grab the sequel, Sons of The Forest, at half price. If you’re looking for new survival games, check out this list: The 29 best survival games of 2024 for PS5, Steam, and Xbox

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

Steam shows which games sold best in 2024: But the game that caused the most fuss last year is missing

Steam releases the top list The Best of the Year every year. You can sort them into different tabs, but the most relevant list is probably the one for the Top Sellers 2024. All top games from 2023 have made it into the ranking again this year, except for one game: Starfield.

What kind of list is this? Steam releases a list of the top games on the platform every year. The most important factor for Steam is the list of top sellers. This is based on gross revenue, which is why Free2Play games are also at the top.

The top sellers are divided into Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Every Platinum game from 2023 has also made it onto the 2024 list. With one single exception: Starfield. The space role-playing game from Bethesda didn’t even make it to Bronze, although other titles from the studio are on the list.

Since the release, expansions have also come into play:

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

Bethesda is on the list, but not with Starfield

What does the list look like? On the current Steam top list, there are many Free2Play games in the Platinum category. This includes Apex Legends, PUBG, Dota 2, and CS 2. But single-player games have also made it. Included are:

  • Helldivers 2
  • Space Marine 2
  • Palworld
  • Baldur’s Gate 3
  • Black Myth Wukong
  • Black Ops 6
  • Elden Ring

If you look at the other divisions, you can see in comparison to the 2023 Steam list that every Platinum game is also represented in 2024, except for one: Starfield. The space role-playing game from Bethesda is missing from the current list.

In 2023, the game was among the bestsellers on Steam and was the major title for Microsoft and the Xbox Series last year. However, in 2024, it seems that hardly anyone is interested in the space game, even though an expansion has been released.

Other games from Bethesda have also made it to the top list of 2024. Fallout 4, Fallout 76, and The Elder Scrolls Online are all on the list.

Another game quickly stole the show from Starfield

What happened to Starfield? Starfield was released on September 6, 2023, and was actually well-received by fans. However, the implementation was criticized right from the start. As is typical for Bethesda, there were many bugs and technical issues.

In the same month, the add-on for Cyberpunk 2077 and the 2.0 update were also released. This was met with great enthusiasm from the player base, and Cyberpunk 2077 earned a good reputation. Many players likely switched quickly from Starfield to Cyberpunk, which is also among the top sellers on Steam in 2024.

Regarding Starfield, it must be said that it is just a classic Bethesda game, only in space. It has never achieved a significant impact like Skyrim or Fallout 3. Also, mod content is not as developed as that of the old classics.

Meanwhile, the reviews on Steam are now only Mixed, which likely represents the general impression of the game quite well.

So how do you see it? Do you still have Starfield on your mind, or did the game never captivate you? Let us know in the comments. You can also feel free to tell us which game captivated you the most in 2024. In 2025, many game highlights are again waiting for us. Especially Souls fans can look forward to: You have already completed Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree? These Soulslikes are coming in 2025

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

CoD Black Ops 6: XM4 Build – Here’s how you should play the all-rounder

The assault rifle XM4 is a strong choice for multiplayer in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which is available to you right from the start. We show you 2 builds that you can use to play the XM4.

What kind of weapon is this? The XM4 is available to you right when you start the game. Once you reach level 4, you also have access to your equipment and can customize it.

The XM4 is a strong choice for multiplayer at medium to long distances, especially when you don’t have other weapons available yet. Here we show you two builds that you can use to play the assault rifle.

Update, December 24, 2024: The article was originally published in November 2024. We last updated it on December 24.

CoD Black Ops 6: XM4 – Meta Build

What is this build? The XM4 is still considered one of the best weapons for multiplayer according to wzstats.gg. Below we present a setup that is regarded as a meta-build for the assault rifle (as of November 13, 2024).

  • Optic: Kepler Microflex – unlock through AS VAL
  • Muzzle: Suppressor – from level 11
  • Barrel: Reinforced Barrel – from level 44
  • Underbarrel: Ranger Foregrip – from level 45
  • Stock: Buffer Weight Stock – from level 1
  • Grip: Quickdraw Grip – from level 2
  • Fire Mod: Rapid Fire – from level 27
  • Magazine: Extended Mag I – from level 7

Note that you need to equip the wildcard “Gunslinger” to use 8 attachments. Otherwise, you will be limited to 5. You will gain the wildcard at player level 33.

Attachments in English
  • Optic: Kepler Microflex
  • Muzzle: Suppressor
  • Barrel: Reinforced Barrel
  • Underbarrel: Ranger Foregrip
  • Stock: Buffer Weight Stock
  • Rear Grip: Quickdraw Grip
  • Fire Mods: Rapid Fire
  • Magazine: Extended Mag I
Start video
CoD: Everything you need to know about Black Ops 6 – in under 2 minutes

What makes the setup strong? The suppressor ensures that your position is not given away on the minimap with a shot. The reinforced barrel increases your firepower and improves bullet speed and damage range. Since you unlock the barrel only at weapon level 44, you can initially equip the progressive twist barrel or the long barrel.

The stock and grip increase recoil control. The grip also improves aim speed. The extended magazine increases your magazine size to 45 rounds. You can also choose even larger magazines, but you sacrifice speed. The “Kepler Microflex” sight has a particularly thin frame and thus hardly restricts your view.

If you plan to use a different wildcard, we recommend equipping the following 5 attachments from the loadout:

  • Underbarrel: Ranger Foregrip
  • Magazine: Extended Mag I
  • Grip: Quickdraw Grip
  • Stock: Buffer Weight Stock
  • Fire Mod: Rapid Fire

In Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, you have the option to choose from various weapons to create your loadout. You have numerous weapons available to you, including assault rifles, LMGs, submachine guns, and sniper rifles. You can see which weapons are currently popular here: CoD Black Ops 6: Meta – The best weapons at a glance

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

In the new Star Wars series, you can discover a hidden detail about a movie that you officially cannot watch

Probably every major franchise has moments in its history that it would like to forget or suppress. Star Wars also has such a movie, which was released back in 1978. Although it cannot be watched officially, the latest series at least pays tribute to the film with a small detail.

Which movie is it? In 1978, The Star Wars Holiday Special was released. It’s about Chewbacca’s family preparing for a kind of Christmas celebration. Even though Han, Leia, Luke, and the respective actors appear, it has almost nothing to do with the Star Wars we know today.

There are confusing dance sequences, terrible dialogues, and a nonsensical story. Although it was the first appearance of Boba Fett, the film is considered the worst Star Wars production of all time. According to The Guardian, George Lucas reportedly once said that he would have destroyed every copy of the film if he could have.

The film is not available anywhere, not even on Disney+, and is said to have spread only through initial bootleg copies that found their way onto the internet. It seems that Disney is also trying to ignore the film forever. Especially considering that other small productions like the two Ewok movies are available on the platform.

Only the sequence with Boba Fett can be viewed in the form of the short film The Story of the Faithful Wookiee on Disney+.

However, surprisingly, the new Star Wars series pays tribute to the old film. If you pay attention in Skeleton Crew, you can see a homage to the special.

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Star Wars: Skeleton Crew -Trailer for the new series in the well-known sci-fi universe

Children have probably been watching the same show in the Star Wars universe for almost 40 years

What can be seen in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew? The latest series in the Star Wars universe is Skeleton Crew. It tells the story of a group of children who discover a Jedi temple and thus get caught up in a dangerous adventure.

The home planet of these children resembles a futuristic small town. At one point, you can see the house of the child Neel, who is a kind of elephant alien. There, you can see his siblings sitting on the couch watching a hologram. The hologram is a quirky dance show with unusual costumes.

Those familiar with the Holiday Special will recognize the hologram. The dance show is from the film. There, the Wookiee children are also watching this performance. It goes on a little longer there.

And if you think that was strange enough, you can’t even imagine what else happens in the Holiday Special.

Star Wars is a franchise that often draws from past things, so it is refreshing to see that even the darker sides are acknowledged.

Those who want to delve deeper into perhaps forgotten productions can do so with the Star Wars Vintage Collection on Disney+. There you will also find the quite good animated series on Clone Wars, which appeared before the animated series. The Holiday Special, however, remains the worst film in Star Wars history: All 15 Star Wars films ranked.

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