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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
League of Legends regularly gets new champions. These champions are often banned at the start. This was also the case with the new champion Ambessa. However, it hasn’t improved for her, even though she has already been nerfed and statistically is not doing that well.
She is most reminiscent of Renekton, but she is much more mobile. With her W ability and passive, she can latch onto her target but also fight her way out of tough situations. With her ultimate ability, she can snatch a solo target.
Upon her release, with patch 14.22, on November 6, 2024, she was a regularly banned champion. However, even after various nerfs, this seems to have hardly changed. She is still the most banned champion in the game.
Start video
Arcane Season 2 Trailer – Nothing to Lose
Players hate playing against Ambessa even after over a month
What is the current status of Ambessa? On the platform U.GG, you can view the current and past statistics for LoL. Pick rate, ban rate, and other numbers are accessible. At her release patch 14.22, Ambessa had a gigantic ban rate of 50.1% across all ranks.
However, her win rate was negative at 47.13%. In patch 14.23 and the current 14.24, she has been nerfed multiple times. But the aversion against her seems to persist. Currently, she still has an extreme ban rate of 33.8% across all ranks. However, her win rate has not improved. She has a win rate of 47.3% across all ranks (as of December 23, 2024).
She is currently the most banned champion. Directly below her is Warwick, who is currently in a strong phase.
Many dashes on a slow lane
What could be the reason? Here, one can only speculate, as it’s not guaranteed to know why a champion is banned when they are not successful. One possibility could be all her abilities. It’s not much fun to play against her. There is a similar case with Yasuo and Yone, who have a negative win rate despite a high ban rate.
She can dash a lot and is very mobile. However, there are many slow tanks on the top lane who can’t necessarily keep up. Players often ban champions they don’t want to play against, regardless of how successful the champion is statistically.
Champions with many dashes are a controversial topic in the community anyway, as the older champions can’t keep up with their old designs. Ambessa is a champion that especially focuses on her mobility.
What can Riot do now? They are in a bit of a dilemma. Nerfing her will eventually lead to her being banned less often. However, if her win rate continues to drop, she could vanish into obscurity. But they obviously want the new champion to be played and seen.
In July, it became known that 450 employees were leaving the developer of Destiny 2, Bungie. As it turns out now, many executives, members of the so-called “C-Suite,” have also left the company in recent months, apparently quietly.
Who from the executive level has left? According to the site TheGamePost, some key individuals from management have left Bungie:
Ondraus Jenkis, the “Chief Strategy Officer,” had been with Bungie for 16 years. He left in October 2024, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Jonny Ebert, who came in 2017 and worked as Chief Creative Officer for the last 5 years, has also left Bungie. This is evident from his Twitter bio.
Previously, the Chief Technology Officer Luis Villegas changed jobs: he switched during the acquisition to Sony.
Bungie had fired Chief Counsel Don McGowan in October 2023 as part of the merger with Sony. He had successfully sued Bungie for many millions of US dollars in 2023.
Start video
Destiny 2: Echos shows its new weapons in Act 3 in the trailer
Top people left Bungie after working for years on nothing
Which departures hurt particularly? As Bungie has mentioned, Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy have also left the company. Smith was responsible for the highlights of the franchise: the raid The Glass Chamber and the expansion The Taken King.
Smith and Noseworthy had been working on a Destiny spinoff, Payback, for the last few years, but the project was canceled.
Pete Parsons, whom many consider the face of the crisis, remains at the company.
How is this being discussed? On reddit, the layoffs are noted calmly. Here, the acquisition by Sony is seen as a disaster, as Destiny 2 has gone off course with the expansion “Lightfall” six months after the acquisition.
Some believe Sony now wants to minimize damage at Bungie and extract the important technology and know-how. This is how companies act with acquisitions that do not go as planned.
Others say that the developers at Bungie are highly qualified, but management has always been a weakness of the company.
Yet others have hope: history has shown that no matter how bad things were for Bungie, the company has always come back, stronger than before.
Bungie has gambled heavily
What is behind this: Even while releasing Destiny together with Activision-Blizzard, Bungie was working on its own vision and independence. They confidently set the goal of becoming a leading global entertainment company, collaborating with Chinese partners like NetEase on new games.
However, Bungie apparently got tangled up, starting too many projects with “cheap money” and hiring too many people. Driven by the acquisition by Sony, they continued down this path.
But the economic indicators worsened on several levels. Due to the changing economic situation, money suddenly was not as cheap anymore. Revenue from Destiny also dwindled due to the flop of the expansion Lightfall. Ultimately, Sony also applied pressure.
Destiny slipped into a financial crisis and had to lay off many people in the summer of 2024, and almost all projects were put on hold, except for Destiny itself and Marathon. The cancellation of new projects is doubly tragic, as developers like Luke Smith wasted the last few years high-paying their time on new games that will never be released. During that time, they could have helped make Destiny 2 as good as Bungie promises and fans demand: Destiny 2: The best people have been working on new Destiny for years – project is canceled, they are fired
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In a thread on reddit, teachers and youth workers discuss how generations are changing. One participant in the discussion says: He supervises young children at a computer camp. Ten-year-olds might be able to create games themselves, but they cannot control them because they have never learned to use a keyboard through games like Minecraft or Roblox. Most would grow up with an iPad and have never used a keyboard.
What kind of discussion is this? Many websites and forum discussions on the internet have been addressing the fact that the younger generation is phone-savvy but lacks the skills to handle a computer.
Although Gen Z (born between 1996 and 2009) is considered “digital natives,” they apparently can only handle phone apps, but not programs like Word or Excel, which are used in offices. They also face problems operating a printer.
Gen Alpha is said to exhibit similar weaknesses.
Start video
Chef ruined his company in 59 seconds on Twitch – What happened to him?
Children only use the iPad, can’t even type with a finger
This is the discussion: In a discussion on reddit, a user says he supervises kids aged about 8 to 12 in a programming/gaming camp, which is the early Gen Alpha: For him, it is shocking how little knowledge the children have about computers. Many of them have only used iPads so far. Because their parents bought them an iPad, and even in schools, only tablets are used:
These children literally do not know how to type. And I don’t mean that they don’t know how to type like an adult, but that they cannot type at all, not even with a finger. They create games and then do not know how to use the arrow keys to move their character. They play games like Roblox and Minecraft (their favorite games and the reason their parents signed them up for this camp) and have no idea how to play on a computer or figure out the controls themselves. This is truly astonishing.
What skills will the job market of the future need?
This is what it’s about: The striking thing about the discussion is that the people who criticize the youth define their own skills as the benchmark and important: For them, it is more important that children can type than to handle a touchscreen.
That children can design and develop things through creative games like Minecraft and Roblox is not seen as a plus point. It raises the question of whether this is not a short-sighted view.
In the current job market, it is certainly important to be able to use a keyboard. However, what that will look like when the kids enter the workforce, maybe in 10 years, is hardly foreseeable at the moment. Perhaps by then, touchscreens and an AI that can be controlled by voice will already be established in offices as everyday tools: 9 out of 10 executives complain about one thing in Gen Z employees
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Krig C assault rifle is a strong choice for multiplayer in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, particularly in terms of range. How to optimally equip this rifle will be explained here.
In CoD Black Ops 6, the Season 1 Battle Pass includes two new weapons. One of them is the Krig C assault rifle, which has found its fans in the community especially at long distances. To use the best setup for the weapon, we will show you a build for the Krig C.
What kind of weapon is this? The Krig C is a powerful assault rifle that can hold its own especially at medium to long distances. The rifle also has a higher fire rate and range compared to the Model L, which is currently considered one of the best assault rifles. With the right attachments, you can even control the weapon almost without recoil.
Update, December 24, 2024: The article was originally published in November 2024. We last adjusted and updated it on December 24.
Krig C Build – The best loadout for the assault rifle
What is this build? If you’re looking for a strong setup for long distances with the least recoil, you should use this build:
Optic: Kepler Microflex
Muzzle: Compensator
Barrel: Reinforced Barrel
Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
Magazine: Extended Mag 1
Rear Grip: Commando Grip
Stock: Infiltrator Stock
Fire Mods: Recoil Springs
The attachments in English
Optic: Kepler Microflex
Muzzle: Compensator
Barrel: Reinforced Barrel
Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
Magazine: Extended Mag 1
Rear Grip: Commando Grip
Stock: Infiltrator Stock
Fire Mods: Recoil Springs
The reinforced barrel increases the range and bullet velocity, while the underbarrel enhances recoil control – as do the recoil springs, which you can only unlock at weapon level 43. With the grip, you aim down sights faster, and the stock increases your movement speed while aiming. The extended magazine increases your magazine size from 30 to 45 rounds.
Note that for this build, you need to equip the wildcard “Gunslinger” to be able to use 8 instead of just 5 attachments. You unlock the wildcard at player level 33.
If you plan to use a different wildcard, we recommend equipping the following 5 attachments from the loadout:
Optic: Kepler Microflex
Muzzle: Compensator
Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
Rear Grip: Commando Grip
Fire Mods: Recoil Springs
Start video
CoD: Everything you need to know about Black Ops 6 – in under 2 minutes
If you are not that into assault rifles in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and want to create builds for various submachine guns instead, the KSV is a strong option for close combat. More about this can be found here: CoD Black Ops 6: KSV Build – The best loadout for the meta-SMG
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The art of divination is often not taken seriously even in the magical world of Harry Potter. This also applies to the somewhat quirky divination teacher Sybill Trelawney. However, according to a fan theory, there could be more behind her dark death prophecies.
Who is Trelawney? Starting in their third year, students at Hogwarts can take the subject of Divination. This ancient art is taught by Sybill Trelawney. She is a descendant of a very famous seer, Cassandra Trelawney.
At first glance, Sybill herself does not seem very gifted. Her “predictions” often resemble generic horoscopes more than anything. She has a particular fondness for dark prophecies that are supposed to predict misfortune, illness, or even death.
Only two of her prophecies are generally considered true:
The prophecy regarding the fall of Voldemort, which was made before Harry’s birth
The prophecy about Voldemort’s return, from Harry’s third year
But is that really all? According to many fans, the answer is no. Particularly popular is a theory suggesting that Trelawney predicted one, or even two truly significant deaths.
Spoiler alert: There are about to be a lot of spoilers regarding Harry Potter.
Start video
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – Trailer for the 3rd Part of the Fantasy Series
When 13 dine together, one dies
The theory refers to a scene in the third part. It is Christmas, and the students and teachers remaining at Hogwarts gather to eat in the Great Hall. Among those at the table are Harry, Ron, and Dumbledore. When Trelawney joins, she initially refuses to take a seat. At Dumbledore’s request, she says:
I dare not, Headmaster! If I sit at the table, we are thirteen! Nothing could bring more misfortune! Never forget, when thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die.
Reluctantly, Trelawney then sits down as the thirteenth person at the table. When Harry and Ron later get up first, she again prophesies their impending deaths. The prediction thus seems at first glance to be nothing but superstition.
What those present do not know at this point is that there was actually another person at the table all along, namely Peter Pettigrew in the form of Ron’s rat Scabbers. So there were already thirteen people at the table before Trelawney sat down. Consequently, the first person to rise was Dumbledore, when he greeted the divination teacher. And as we know, it was indeed Dumbledore who was destined to die a little over three years later.
More instances? But this was not the only case. In part five, there is a very similar situation. At “Number 12 Grimmauld Place,” thirteen members of the “Order of the Phoenix” dine together at a table. The first to stand up is Sirius Black. He is also the one who will soon die first from the group.
Just coincidence? Did Sybill Trelawney really predict the deaths of two important figures without anyone noticing? Or is it merely coincidence – a lucky shot?
We may never be entirely sure about this. Perhaps it is also just an Easter egg from J.K. Rowling, who cheekily hinted at future events with Trelawney’s predictions.
The “prediction of the 13” is certainly not an isolated instance. Some of Trelawney’s cryptic prophecies can be interpreted in such a way that they ultimately turn out to be true. Particularly prominent in this regard is Dumbledore’s death, as seen in another example:
The Tower Struck by Lightning
In addition to classic prophecies, there are various forms of divination, such as tea leaf reading, dream interpretation, or tarot card laying.
In the latter case, Harry happens to observe his former divination teacher in part 6. The meaning of the cards visibly disturbs Trelawney:
Three of the cards predicted conflict, violence, and evil omens. These all came true shortly afterwards with the Death Eater attack on Hogwarts.
The fourth card means: “A dark young man who dislikes the querent.” This young man could be Draco Malfoy in this context, and the querent could be Snape or Dumbledore.
The fifth card was the “tower struck by lightning.” It signifies misfortune and disaster, which also occurred with Dumbledore’s death later on. The tower is also a reference to the Astronomy tower, where Dumbledore was killed by a “green flash.”
A real prediction? Since Trelawney initially believed this prediction to be a mistake, she kept laying the cards again. But each time, she received the same result.
She eventually shared this with Dumbledore. However, he sent her away, pretending he did not believe her. At that time, Dumbledore was already planning his own death. He must have known that Trelawney’s prophecy was secretly correct.
Another clue is the name of the chapter in which Dumbledore dies. It is named after the tarot card: “The Tower Struck by Lightning.” Therefore, many fans are certain that Trelawney indeed predicted Dumbledore’s death in one way or another.
What do you think about all this? Do you believe that many of Trelawney’s dark predictions are actually true? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments! Many details about such theories can, of course, be found especially in the books. You can learn about the major differences between the films and the books here on MeinMMO: The 10 biggest differences between films and books ranked
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Raid Leader in World of Warcraft is a full-time and bone-breaking job. MeinMMO author Larissa Then reminisces about her time as a raid leader in WoW and shares life lessons from her experiences. Included are curiosities like a roast video.
How did I get into it? Taking the position of raid leader in WoW is a serious decision for many. I just fell into it because our raid lead had quit. And suddenly I had an unpaid full-time job.
The reward was the gratitude of my teammates, which was always enough for me. Additionally, I gained a lot for my future life and collected experiences I wouldn’t want to miss.
This article was originally published on Christmas 2019 on MeinMMO.
What did I lead? My time as a raid lead is a while ago, yet I think about it often. I led the Icecrown Citadel in the 10-player mode at Hardcore (HC) level during “Wrath of the Lich King”. And I did that for about half a year.
The Icecrown Citadel
I want to share with you how I perceived the role of raid leader (RL). This is, of course, subjective and everyone handles it differently. You will get insight into several aspects of my work:
The necessary skills of an RL
The tasks of the RL
The everyday madness
What you can’t be prepared for
My verdict for life
How should a raid lead be structured?
If you are also interested in becoming an RL, you should bring a few skills:
You should not be shy, as you will have to talk a lot
An RL must be able to ruffle feathers. You are often the scapegoat and can’t always be nice
You need an incredible amount of time for the game
Organizational talent is a must
This also involves being able to assign and delegate tasks to others
You must be able to handle criticism and admit mistakes
Your performance as an individual player will automatically suffer, so you should be able to set vanity aside
Tasks of the raid leads: Preparing, Guiding, Debriefing
The final boss of the Icecrown Citadel – Arthas
What is important in preparation? The most elaborate work is preparing for the raid:
I spent hours and hours watching videos. I looked at various strategies for all bosses and memorized them.
Even after the raid was long completed, I kept an eye out for new possibilities. Especially those that fit my guild and the players well.
This also included the necessary addons. I always wanted to stay up to date regarding tools. Especially for the announcements in the raid, having a boss tool was essential.
With every patch came new analyses. I always kept track of which builds and classes were currently working best.
Such analyses exist for every raid
When I had thought through my strategy, I had to assign the roles as RL. It was very important to know the players of my guild or group well. I always asked myself who is best suited for which task. Especially when a player had several characters to choose from.
What happened during the raid? First, the RL had to explain the boss. I should ideally be able to assume that every player in HC knows the bosses. Of course, that was never the case. However, I enjoyed explaining and had fun coordinating different groups.
During the boss fight, I made announcements for the healers and damage dealers about when, for example, to dodge attacks or when a player needed to be rescued from a trap. My tanks communicated independently. I gladly fulfilled this additional task.
Lord Mark’gar, the first boss in the raid
The announcements also served to maintain the raid’s attention. When a player fights through a dungeon for several hours, their mind inevitably wanders. It doesn’t even have to be intentional. With a few sharp words in between, everyone stays focused.
What is best to play as a raid lead? A major advantage for me was that I played a healer. As a druid, I always had an overview of the entire raid.Because I was responsible for supporting all players except the tanks.
But I had previously dealt damage from range. And I had some friends who played melee and shared their experiences with me. That way, I had an idea of each class and role.
Back then still a must as a druid: Tree form
But other classes also have their advantages as RL. A damage dealer, whether ranged or melee, always has the boss in sight and not the health of the players. As soon as the enemy casts an attack, they can react immediately. And the tanks are already very familiar with most mechanics and can coordinate accordingly.
Otherwise, during a raid, it was important for me to laugh sometimes. People simply play better in a good mood and good spirits. Moreover, WoW is still a game, even in HC raid, and it should be fun.
What happened after the raid? When our raid was completed, we held a few minutes of debriefing.This took place within the guild and the core team. We discussed together what went well and what went poorly.
I was very lucky with my guild. For hardly anyone was it a problem to switch roles when necessary. Additionally, all damage dealers were happy to practice their skill rotations on the training dummy.
The loading screen in WOTLK
Our daily madness while raiding
The strangers in TS: We raided twice a week for about 4 hours. It was also natural that all members were present in the voice chat. Back then, we still used Teamspeak.
Every time we had a stranger join us in the raid and they joined the Teamspeak, there was usually a line that many players would recognize:
I make a classification, and the newcomer asks what the 13-year-old boy is doing in TS. As every time, I explain that I’m a girl, of age, and by the way, the raid lead. My guys laugh, and we don’t hear a word from the stranger for the next few hours.
This developed into a running gag over the months. It went so far that my raid sometimes purposely addressed me incorrectly. Names like Kevin, Justin, or Klaus were popular.
The Discord of the past: Teamspeak
Angry parents in the background: The voice chat was always adventurous. A player from our guild almost always argued with his mother. Of course, he didn’t mute himself, and we happily overheard everything.
Sometimes it got so bad that I had to pull him out of the channel or kick him from the server. Depending on what was faster. One time it took almost 15 minutes for him to notice and come back. Then he was mad because he had been talking with us – oops.
Bouncing raid members: What was also never missing in our raid were bouncing healers and damage dealers. First and foremost me as raid lead. If there had been regular videos of our raids, it would have looked like a scene from the Gummy Bears.
This bouncing brought us laughter and good spirits. Especially my druid looked quite funny. When I healed in tree form, my character raised its arms as if cheering. I already miss the tree form in WoW when I think about it…
The popular and cute Gummy Bears gang from TV
The race for damage: As much as the boss and the class of the player allowed, everyone should keep moving. I introduced this rule of jumping mainly for two of my damage dealers. The two always competed for the most damage without paying attention to their surroundings.
They were also immune to announcements in their concentration. This sometimes led to both dying on the first boss. And with them, the whole raid. After all, the first boss Mark’gar was actually no difficulty.
Problem bosses that weren’t really hard: Our biggest problem was the boss Professor Plaguebringer.I don’t really know why. Actually, everything. Pulling the slimes didn’t go well. Many died from the puddles or vials. Here especially the healers, including me, of course.
Professor Plaguebringer is also present in Hearthstone
I racked my brain about how we could optimize everything. I kept watching videos again and again. Their quality at that time was often terrible. It didn’t help much.
After a few weeks, it just flowed naturally. We ultimately defeated him and rarely wiped there again. Interestingly, the last boss, in contrast, was no problem.
We had so many issues with previous bosses, even with the very first one. However, the Lich King Arthas died on the second evening we encountered him. Perhaps it was also because everyone was so excited about him. Everyone was top prepared that day, like never before.
What I wasn’t prepared for…
One evening we had a stranger player with us. He had asked beforehand if he could record the raid. We agreed. I also found it exciting to see one of our runs on video.
The feared Lich King
The stranger wasn’t the best player, but he performed decently. Additionally, he was very friendly in the Teamspeak. At the end of the evening, he said goodbye. He wanted to share the video with us later, but we heard nothing more from him.
A few days later, a friend wrote to me and sent me the video. The good man had only cut together our failed attempts and mishaps.On top, there was corresponding music and funny effects.
We, of course, didn’t find it funny at all. He had explicitly noted our guild name too. That we practically carried him almost to the last boss, he didn’t mention at all.
In hindsight, I can laugh about it. The video was hardly online for long anyway, and it was actually quite funny. He eventually deleted it at the insistence of some friends. Back then, I didn’t find it cool at all. I was hurt and never allowed a video recording again.
My verdict for life outside the raids
Strangely, Arthas didn’t have a laugh with us
The problem with insecurities: In my time as an RL, I learned a lot. I was the only girl in the guild and quite young at that. When I took the position, I was very insecure. However, I gained a lot of confidence over the first raids. I’ve kept this feeling to this day.
As a damage dealer, I always felt the pressure to assert myself. I found it difficult to admit mistakes. Especially at the beginning, I struggled a lot when the raid wiped. I related all the mishaps to myself as the raid leader.
Over time, this has diminished. Furthermore, I eventually became much more able to handle criticism. I learned to separate and not take everything personally. And not just in WoW.
Organization is everything: Furthermore, I gained a lot of organizational talent. Planning the raids, developing strategies, and assigning players became much easier over time.
The Icecrown Citadel remains one of my favorite raids
Even today, in my jobs and hobbies, I apply techniques from the past. For example, I love making lists. And that in every situation in life.
The raid lead as a teacher: I still love to explain things. I discovered this during my time as RL. After that, I always wanted to become a teacher. That didn’t work out, but now I teach at the university. So I’ve preserved the fun of teaching others something.
What I couldn’t acquire: The only thing I could never let go of was my desire for harmony. I always wanted all raid members to walk away happy – which was, of course, impossible. It still hurts me today when people don’t like me. And as RL, that was particularly bad.
The RL is always in the center of events. Dissatisfied players usually blame him. Nevertheless, I learned something important from it. Even if it doesn’t suit me, no one can be friends with everyone. Therefore, it’s all the more important to spend time with loved ones.
In this sense, Merry Christmas and some reflective days with your loved ones! And if you’re interested in cooking something MMO-like, we have 7 nerdy recipes for you here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The MP is a strong choice for multiplayer in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, when it comes to close combat. Here you will learn how to optimally equip this weapon.
In CoD Black Ops 6, the Battle Pass for Season 1 includes two new weapons. One of them is the MP “SAUG,” which has especially found its fans in the community at short ranges. To ensure you use the best setup for the weapon, we will show you a build for the SAUG.
Update, December 24, 2024: The article was originally published in November 2024. We last adjusted and updated it on December 24.
What kind of weapon is this? The SAUG is a small but effective SMG that has found its way into your arsenal with Season 1. The weapon has exceptional mobility and, for its class, an acceptable range. Especially in tight spaces, the SAUG can unleash its true potential.
SAUG Build – The best loadout for the SMG
What kind of build is this? If you are looking for a strong setup for close combat with the least recoil, we recommend the build from wzstats.gg:
Muzzle: Compensator
Barrel: Long Barrel
Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
Magazine: Extended Mag I
Rear Grip: Ergonomic Grip
Stock: Infiltrator Stock
Laser: Target Laser
Fire Mods: Recoil Springs
The attachments in English
Muzzle: Compensator
Barrel: Long Barrel
Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
Magazine: Extended Mag I
Rear Grip: Ergonomic Grip
Stock: Infiltrator Stock
Fire Mods: Recoil Springs
The compensator, the recoil springs, and the vertical foregrip reduce the recoil of the submachine gun, while the long barrel increases the range. The ergonomic grip increases the speed at which you aim, and the infiltrator stock increases your movement speed when aiming. The extended magazine ensures you have 45 rounds instead of 36.
Note that for this build, you need to equip the wild card “Gunslinger” to be able to use 8 attachments instead of just 5. You unlock the wild card at player level 33.
Start video
CoD: Everything you need to know about Black Ops 6 – in under 2 minutes
MeinMMO author Cedric Holmeier showed his girlfriend the world of MMORPGs. Now she is angry because there are no good games anymore.
Except for Sims, my girlfriend had nothing to do with video games for a long time. Like many women, she didn’t see herself as a gamer, but at least there was a basic interest. Occasionally, there was a fascinated look at my monitor, followed by a “That looks cool.”.
In 2021, visits from friends were as limited as the remaining range of series that still interested my girlfriend. Also, the umpteenth banana bread had been baked, and all TikTok trends were already known.
Who is writing here? Cedric Holmeier is a freelance author at MeinMMO and an expert on Asian MMORPGs. He has spent thousands of hours in games like Metin2, Swords of Legends Online, and Throne and Liberty.
In short: My girlfriend was bored. I, on the other hand, was filled with anticipation in June 2021 for a new China MMORPG: Swords of Legends Online. I have always been fascinated by Chinese culture, and a theme park MMORPG with beautiful graphics was just the thing to forget the everyday worries of the pandemic.
I probably drowned my girlfriend in words, I must be honest. The hype was great, probably as great as her boredom. Because one day, during the test just before the release, she asked me: “Can I play too?”
Here you can see the trailer for Swords of Legends Online. The game is now offline.
Start video
Swords of Legends Online – Gameplay Trailer
First solo, now MMORPGs
I let her play my bard during the leveling phase. She listened to the story and hammered on the keys of my keyboard as if that would increase the damage to the enemies. She enjoyed diving into the world and later discussing the game with our friends.
Since the release of Swords of Legends Online, she has been completely addicted to the MMORPG. Following the story, collecting companions and mounts, and exploring the landscape, all of that appealed to her. Eventually, the first raid was on the horizon, and even though I had to push her a bit to her happiness, she quickly recognizedhow cool it is to tackle demanding challenges together with others.
Our guild members partly consisted of friends from real life, but also a large part from random acquaintances from the internet. We only met these a few months after the game launched, and friendships developed.
Although Swords of Legends Online was really beautiful as a theme park MMORPG, many players quickly left the game. Even though we had truly hung in there for a long time, the acute player shortage and boring content eventually became reasons for us to leave the game as well.
Despite cool trailers, Tarisland could not fill the gap:
Start video
Tarisland: Trailer for the global launch shows cinematic class action
The gap after SOLO
Like many other players, an MMORPG always leaves a gap for me, which I initially fill with other activities before eventually starting an online adventure again. But now we faced a problem: Who can fill the theme park gap?
The big heavyweights WoW, Final Fantasy XIV and Guild Wars 2 did not appeal to my girlfriend. Too old, too poor graphics, or no action unless you logged in just for raiding. In the meantime, I have shown her every conceivable theme park MMORPG that is currently still being actively played, but nothing appeals to her.
I got my girlfriend to play MMORPGs. Now she is angry with me because she has nothing left to play.
She discovered the world of MMORPGs at a time when virtual worlds are becoming increasingly irrelevant, and everything is divided into 20-minute bites so that players have to commit to something with as little time as possible.
This annoys my better half, and thus me, who has to endure the monthly Google research on MMORPGs and the ensuing disappointment. There are currently no modern theme park MMORPGs that offer content for those who do not want to fight in dungeons or PvP all day long.
This gap is now being filled for many players by cozy games, and my girlfriend has also temporarily switched to Disney Dreamlight Valley. However, the part that defines an MMORPG is clearly missing: the community.
However, like a drop in the bucket, Tarisland evaporated in the second month after release. Despite the interesting foundation, it simply provided too little content and especially for my girlfriend, too few “park” attractions.
To get my girlfriend to even try Tarisland, I needed a lot of persuasion. The game was not exactly beautiful, the graphics outdated, and the art style not to her taste. But since it was the first new theme park MMORPG after some time, she pulled herself together but quickly lost interest again.
Theme park MMORPGs are a niche in the MMORPG niche that is already well occupied by the 3 major MMORPG titles. There is a lack of a new competitor who can renew the niche by 10 years, complete with beautiful graphics and a good story. My girlfriend has particularly set her sights on one game for the future: World of Jade Dynasty.
The China MMORPG with “Unreal Engine 5” graphics clearly resembles Swords of Legends Online and at least brings a pretty and diverse world with it. It could be exactly the competitor who complements the niche with modern and vibrant graphics. Whether the game’s content is good is still unclear. The only important thing is that the “park” is good enough; otherwise, even the best “theme” won’t help.
Once again, the Spotlight Hours await you in Pokémon GO in December 2024. We have summarized which Pokémon and bonuses are waiting for you.
What kind of event is this? Spotlight Hours are small events that take place every Tuesday. They are active for one hour and bring you one or more Pokémon that are in focus and appear in large numbers in the game.
In addition to the Pokémon, there is also a bonus that is active during the short event. The bonus can be for experience points, stardust, or candies.
Start video
Pokémon GO reveals the new season Dual Destiny in the trailer
All Spotlight Hours in December 2024
When do the Spotlight Hours take place? Every Tuesday at 6:00 PM, the Spotlight Hour starts. It lasts exactly 60 minutes and ends at 7:00 PM. In the following table, you will find out which contents you can expect on which days in December during the Spotlight Hour.
Which Pokémon is in the spotlight? The first Spotlight Hour in December brings you Zobiris, the Pokémon from Generation 3. It has the types Dark and Ghost, and with Mega-Zobiris, it has a Mega Evolution.
What bonus is active? In this Spotlight Hour, you will receive double the amount of stardust when catching Pokémon. It doesn’t matter which monster you catch – the bonus applies to every Pokémon you catch.
Is the event worth it? Unfortunately, Zobiris is not one of the strongest Pokémon available. It is not suitable for raids or for use in battle leagues.
However, the event can be worth it for you if you want to stock up on your stardust supply. Zobiris is one of the Pokémon that gives more stardust when caught.
For each individual catch, you already receive 750 stardust. During the event, the amount is doubled, allowing you to receive a whopping 1,500 stardust per catch. If you also use a star piece, you can even get 2,250 dust with each catch.
Can you catch Shiny Zobiris? Yes, with a bit of luck, you can also get the shiny variant of Zobiris.
Spotlight Hour on December 10, 2024
Which Pokémon is in the spotlight? Kramurx will be the star of the Spotlight Hour on December 10, 2024. This Pokémon is from Generation 2 and has the types Dark and Flying. It can evolve into Kramshef.
What bonus is active? If you catch Pokémon during this Spotlight Hour, you will receive double the amount of experience points. This bonus also applies to every Pokémon you catch during the event.
Is the event worth it? If you want to use Kramshef in the battle league, you will probably have little success with this Pokémon. However, as a flying attacker, you can use Kramshef, as it is in the top 10 strongest flying attackers.
If you are currently leveling up, this event could also be worthwhile for you to get a little experience point boost.
Can you catch Shiny Kramurx? Yes, you can also encounter the shiny variant of Kramurx.
Spotlight Hour on December 17, 2024
Which Pokémon is in the spotlight? In this Spotlight Hour, there are 2 Pokémon waiting for you. On one hand, there is Schneckmag, the fire Pokémon from Generation 2, and on the other hand, Arktip, an ice Pokémon from Generation 6.
While Schneckmag can evolve into Magcargo, you can obtain Arktilas by evolving Arktip.
What bonus is active? In this event, you can expect a bonus on the candies you receive when catching Pokémon. You will receive double the amount of candies. You can further increase the bonus by using Sananaberries and thus get four times the amount of candies when you catch a Pokémon.
Is the event worth it? Unfortunately, Schneckmag and its evolution do not perform well in raids or in the battle league. However, Arktilas can support your team as an ice attacker.
The candy bonus can be worth it for you if you are missing them for your Pokémon so far.
Can you catch Shiny Schneckmag and Arktip? Yes. Both of these Pokémon are already available as shiny in the game.
Which Pokémon is in the spotlight? Just in time for Christmas Eve, Botogel awaits you with a holiday ribbon during the Spotlight Hour. This Pokémon is from Generation 2 and has the types Ice and Flying.
What bonus is active? In this Spotlight Hour, a candy bonus is active. If you send Pokémon to the professor in the hour, you will receive double the amount of candies for it.
Is the event worth it? For battles, you shouldn’t use Botogel in the battle league or in raids. It is simply too weak for that.
However, if you are a collector, this event may be worthwhile for you. Botogel is one of the rarer Pokémon in Pokémon GO and is usually only found in events. Here you can take the opportunity to possibly even get a shiny example.
Additionally, Botogel gives you a total of 500 stardust per catch. You can also use the event to collect a small amount of stardust – especially if you also use star pieces.
Can you catch Shiny Botogel? Yes, with a bit of luck, you can also encounter the shiny variant of Botogel.
Spotlight Hour on December 31
Which Pokémon is in the spotlight? Just before the transition to the new year, Togetic welcomes you during the Spotlight Hour. This is the evolution of Togepi and the pre-evolution of Togekiss. Togetic is from Generation 2 and has the types Fairy and Flying.
What bonus is active? If you evolve Pokémon within the 60 minutes, you will receive double the amount of experience points.
Is the event worth it? Togetic is a Pokémon that can be found in the middle ranks of the best Pokémon in the Super League. Additionally, with its evolution, Togekiss, you get one of the best attackers in Pokémon GO of the Fairy type.
If you are actively collecting experience points and have some Pokémon in your bag that you want to evolve, you can also use this event for that.
Can you catch Shiny Togetic? Yes, Togetic’s shiny form is already available in Pokémon GO.
In addition to the Spotlight Hours, there are also many other events and raids waiting for you in December, as usual. In the December raids, there are again a few strong Pokémon that you shouldn’t miss: All Raids in December 2024 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Who is it about? Michael Douse, known on X.com as Very AFK (@Cromwelp), is a developer and “Publishing Director” at Larian Studios, the creators of Baldur’s Gate 3. He frequently comments on games by Rockstar Games, recently predicting that GTA 6 could change video game prices forever.
Now he has once again commented on Rockstar Games and GTA 6, but this time positively.
Here you can see the graphic comparison between GTA 5 and GTA 6
Start video
The graphic comparison of GTA 6 and GTA 5 in the video
Red Dead Redemption 2 is unmatched – For now
What does he say about the games? In a post on X.com, the developer admits to being a big fan of Red Dead Redemption 2. He describes the Western game as: “Product of a bygone era” and since its release in 2018, it has perhaps been surpassed “only by a small correlation of nothing in terms of its meticulous breadth and depth”.
He likely refers to his own game, Baldur’s Gate 3, which has also been highly praised by players for its extensive possibilities. He further explains that only GTA 6 might ever reach the high standard set by Red Dead Redemption 2:
“With GTA6 that is probably the case, but even then the subtlety of pace and performance could still be a completely lost art. It remains to be seen, but it is a fascinating milestone in the sense that it might have been the last real milestone.”
He further explains that games like Red Dead Redemption 2 simply are no longer being developed. The game is “architecturally perhaps the last Housemann complex or the last pyramid. In short, they don’t make them like they used to.”
Does he not believe that new developments in the future could surpass RDR2? Yes, he is even convinced of that, but only in individual areas. Overall, Red Dead Redemption 2 will likely remain untouched according to him: “I believe it will be surpassed in many ways, but in some crucial points I am less optimistic. A calm, ponderous, subtle story about nothing and everything, with a budget that would make a finance officer cry.”
In the Amazon series The Boys, the superheroes, called Supes, parodying well-known heroes, naturally have many different powers. We list the 10 strongest of them in our ranking.
What criteria was the ranking created based on? This list is based solely on the TV series, not on the comics. The ranking takes into account the shown abilities and the battles displayed.
The list only considers the series The Boys. Characters from Diabolical and Gen V are excluded. Deceased heroes are also considered. Characters who only had powers temporarily are excluded from the list.
Warning Spoilers: The following list discusses events from the four seasons of The Boys.
Update: The following list originally comes from July 2024. We updated the list on December 24, 2024, removing Victoria Newman and adding The Deep, based on events in season 4.
[toc]
Start video
The Boys – Trailer for Season 4 of the adult superhero series
Place 10: Starlight
Source: The Boys on Amazon Prime Video
Abilities:
Absorption of electricity
Flying
Superhuman strength
Superhuman endurance
Superhuman reflexes
Superhuman hearing
Regeneration
Annie January, known as Starlight, can absorb electricity in her surroundings and use it to her advantage. For example, she can shoot energy or blind an opponent. She even managed to briefly incapacitate Soldier Boy. She has great potential, but compared to the other Supes, she has not much experience, and she needs a source of energy nearby.
The mostly silly The Deep is not as weak as one might think. In the fight against Starlight in the season 4 finale, he could defeat her in a one-on-one. Basically, as a member of the Seven, he has combat experience. In the water, he would probably be unbeatable. His greatest weakness is likely his mental state.
A-Train is basically the Flash. He is the fastest man in the world, and his strength is higher than many other Supes, as seen in comparison to Kimiko or Starlight. With his experience with his abilities, he knows them well enough. Despite his strength, he can also suffer greater damage from Supes like Kimiko.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The next Spotlight Hour is upcoming in Pokémon GO. In addition to a special Botogel, there is also a candy bonus for you.
What kind of event is this? The Spotlight Hour is an event that takes place every Tuesday in Pokémon GO. Along with one or more Pokémon that are in the spotlight and appear in very high numbers, there is also a bonus for you.
In the next Spotlight Hour, Botogel with a festive ribbon will be the star of the hour. This Pokémon originates from the 2nd generation and has the types Flying and Ice. Botogel has no evolutions.
Start video
Dynamax in Pokémon Go – How to participate in the gigantic battles
Spotlight Hour on December 24 – Start and Bonuses
When does the Spotlight Hour start? As always, the Spotlight Hour starts at 6:00 PM. Sixty minutes later, at 7:00 PM, it ends again.
What bonuses are active? If you send Pokémon to the Professor during the event, you will receive a bonus on the candies you earn. Instead of the regular one candy, you get 2 candies for each Pokémon sent in this way during the Spotlight Hour.
Can you catch Shiny Botogel? Yes. If you are lucky, you can find and catch a Botogel with a festive ribbon in its Shiny variant during the event.
Is the Spotlight Hour worth it? If you planned to use Botogel for battles, you should reconsider this plan. Botogel is not particularly strong in either the Battle League or raids and does not count among the best attackers in Pokémon GO.
If your Pokémon box has filled up significantly over time and you urgently need to sort it out, the bonus of the Spotlight Hour is a good opportunity for this. With the doubled amount of candies you receive for sending, a good quantity of additional candies can be generated.
The KSV submachine gun is a strong choice for multiplayer in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, many players agree. Therefore, we will show you the current meta build for the SMG.
In CoD Black Ops 6, there are 33 different weapons, ranging from assault rifles to sniper rifles. The meta of Black Ops 6 is predominantly dominated by submachine guns and assault rifles – particularly the KSV, which is currently popular among many players.
What kind of weapon is it? The KSV is a submachine gun with a high rate of fire, a very good time-to-kill at close range, and high mobility. However, at longer distances, the KSV is at a disadvantage. This is where various assault rifles like the Model L excel.
Update, December 24, 2024: The article was originally published in November 2024. We have last adjusted and updated it on December 24.
KSV Build – The best loadout for the SMG
What kind of build is it? According to current statistics, a large portion of the community is currently using the KSV with this build (as of November 18 via wzstats.gg).
Optic: Kepler Microflex
Muzzle: Compensator
Barrel: Long Barrel
Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
Magazine: Magazine Extension 1
Rear Grip: Ergonomic Grip
Stock: Infiltrator Stock
Fire Modifications: Recoil Springs
The attachments in English
Optic: Kepler Microflex
Muzzle: Ported Compensator
Barrel: Long Barrel
Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
Magazine: Extended Mag 1
Rear Grip: Ergonomic Grip
Stock: Infiltrator Stock
Fire Mods: Recoil Springs
Note that to use this build, you must equip the wildcard “Gunslinger” to use 8 attachments instead of just 5. You will receive the wildcard at player level 33.
If you plan to prefer using a different wildcard, we recommend equipping the following 5 attachments from the loadout:
Muzzle: Compensator
Barrel: Long Barrel
Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
Rear Grip: Ergonomic Grip
Fire Modifications: Recoil Springs
Start video
CoD: Everything you need to know about Black Ops 6 – in under 2 minutes
If you are not as fond of submachine guns in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and want to create builds for various assault rifles, the XM4 is a great all-round choice to start with. Here we have introduced 2 builds for the weapon: CoD Black Ops 6: XM4 Build – This is how you should play the all-rounder
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Almost everyone has seen a YouTube video where influencers promote something. This often includes Affiliate Marketing. You click on a link, hopefully save some money, and the influencer receives a small commission from the purchase. However, one of the biggest companies in this field is reportedly not acting as it promises. A YouTuber shows how a subsidiary of PayPal is supposedly cheating even the influencers promoting the product.
Which company is it about? Honey is a browser extension designed to assist you while shopping. If you want to buy something in an online store, Honey offers you suitable coupons or discount codes with which you can save money. At least that’s the promise. In 2019, PayPal acquired the company behind Honey for 4 billion dollars (via techcrunch.com).
Honey is known to many viewers in the English-speaking YouTube space because big YouTubers like Mr.Beast or Linus Tech Tips frequently promoted the company, even having a link through which you could shop.
The YouTuber MegaLag has outlined in a recent YouTube video that Honey does not treat its customers or the influencers promoting it in a way that appears to be fair.
Start video
“We have created a monster” – A Spanish model earns up to 10,000 euros a month, yet she is not real
Influencers seem to promote something that does not help them, but harms them
What does MegaLag explain? In MegaLag’s current critical video about the company, it discusses Honey and how Affiliate Marketing does not help the influencers at all.
In addition to conventional advertising segments within videos, there are also YouTubers like Linus Tech Tips who offer an affiliate link for stores. If you click on the link and purchase something, the influencer receives a commission at no additional cost to the viewer. For example, Amazon offers such a program.
Normally, the person whose link you used to switch to the Amazon offer receives the commission.
However, as MegaLag reveals, Honey apparently simply changes the link at checkout if you use Honey as a browser extension and click on a potential coupon.
If you click on a button of the Honey extension before checking out, Honey modifies the cookie by opening a website, thereby making Honey appear as the source that brought the customer to the page.
The influencer or the website that originally directed you to the offer thus ends up empty-handed. Honey takes the commission.
MegaLag tested this supposedly with links from several YouTubers, and Honey allegedly altered the cookies every time. He wrote to Honey and they supposedly responded that if you use Honey as the last page when purchasing something, Honey also gets the credit for the purchase.
You can watch the entire video from MegaLag here:
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Few influencers seem to have noticed that the service disadvantages them
Where is the problem? Ultimately, influencers are promoting a browser extension that makes their own affiliate links useless.
MegaLag criticizes that it is not transparent what is happening behind the scenes in cookies and links.
Have the influencers noticed it? Publicly, it seems only very few have noticed, as MegaLag explains in his video. Linus Tech Tips has supposedly confirmed in a reply on their forum that they have ended the collaboration, but that was only after over 100 videos.
Also, when Linus Tech Tips was asked for a statement, they explained that they had approached Honey to change the system, but Honey apparently did not want to. Now, according to MegaLag, Linus Tech Tips is working with a similar company.
A clip on x.com regarding the topic is currently going viral, in which the big YouTuber Markiplier already had a bad feeling about Honey years ago.
There are also supposed disadvantages for customers
At first glance, there are no disadvantages for customers using it, unless they really want to support their favorite YouTuber. However, MegaLag explains that Honey does not always display the best coupon available.
How plausible are MegaLag’s criticisms? MegaLag shows several examples in his video, as well as statements that can officially be linked to Honey, making his criticism quite plausible. Furthermore, this video is supposed to be just the first part of three videos that deal with Honey and its critical aspects.
The assault rifle AS VAL is a strong choice for multiplayer in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 due to its high mobility. We will show you 2 builds that allow you to play the meta rifle.
What kind of weapon is this? You unlock the AS VAL quite late in Black Ops 6 – only at player level 55. However, once you can equip the assault rifle, you have a strong choice for short and medium ranges. The AS VAL features a built-in suppressor, high fire rate, and quick time-to-kill.
Below we will show you two strong builds that allow you to play the assault rifle in multiplayer.
Update, December 24, 2024: The article was originally published in November 2024. We last adjusted and updated it on December 24.
CoD Black Ops 6: AS VAL – Meta Build
What kind of build is this? According to current statistics, a large part of the community is currently playing the AS VAL with this build (Status: Season 1 starting November 14 via wzstats.gg). Below we will show you the setup that is considered the meta build for the assault rifle.
Barrel: Long Barrel with Suppressor
Underbarrel: Vertical Grip
Grip: Commando Grip
Fire Mods: Recoil Springs
Magazine: Extended Mag II
Attachments in English
Barrel: Suppressed Long Barrel
Rear Grip: Commando Grip
Underbarrel: Vertical Foregrip
Fire Mods: Recoil Springs
Magazine: Extended Mag 2
What makes the setup strong? The underbarrel increases recoil control, while the grip improves fire rate after sprinting and aiming speed. The recoil springs also reduce noticeable recoil when firing. The long barrel improves damage range and additionally, your position is concealed by the suppressor.
The Extended Mag II increases your magazine capacity to 40 rounds. However, you will sacrifice speed when it comes to reloading and aiming. If that is too slow overall, you can also use the Extended Mag I, which gives you 30 rounds.
CoD Black Ops 6: AS VAL – 8 Attachments
If you plan to equip the wildcard “Gunslinger,” which you get at player level 33 to use 8 attachments, you can additionally to the 5 mentioned:
Optic: Reflex Sight Accu-Spot
Stock: Infiltrator Stock
Laser: Strelok Laser
The stock increases your aiming speed, while the laser provides increased precision when firing from the hip. Be aware that it is visible to your enemies when you aim.
Start video
CoD: Everything you need to know about Black Ops 6 – in under 2 minutes
CoD Black Ops 6: AS VAL – Alternate Build for Beginners
What kind of build is this? If you have just unlocked the AS VAL, you may not have all the attachments to build the meta build yet. Here we will show you an alternative from wzstats.gg that is well-suited for beginners.
For your loadout, it is advisable to play the AS VAL with a strong submachine gun like the KSV. The KSV, with its high fire rate and very good time-to-kill at close range, is currently one of the most popular weapons in multiplayer. For the combination, you need the “Overkill” wildcard.
However, if you are more looking for a strong alternative to the AS VAL that can also perform well at longer distances, we recommend the XM4. The assault rifle is a true jack-of-all-trades and a good choice for beginners since: You can equip it from the start. Here we present you with two builds for the weapon: CoD Black Ops 6: XM4 Build – How you should play the all-rounder
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The German Twitch streamer MontanaBlack has set a new career high for concurrent viewers on Twitch: At his Christmas event, a peak of 257,202 people were watching. He has never had so many viewers before. These are also impressive numbers in absolute terms: No German streamer has had more viewers on Twitch in 3 years. It was almost a record for German Twitch; only during the Corona period did Trymacs and Papaplatte have more eyes on them.
That was the record: On December 22, a peak of 257,202 people watched MontanaBlack’s Twitch stream. This was on a Sunday around 9 p.m. (via sullygnome).
The 257,000 viewers mark is a record on his channel; MontanaBlack did not have that many viewers even during the height of the pandemic or during his gambling phase. His previous high was 202,216 concurrent viewers, from December 17, 2023. That was his last Christmas event.
The viewer record is also the highest value that German Twitch has recorded in 2024. So far, eliasn97 held the record for 2024 with 207,475 concurrent viewers.
In total, the stream lasted over 14 hours: it was watched for 2.5 million hours by an average of 178,387 people. These are extremely strong numbers.
Career and Life of MontanaBlack in 2 Minutes: What Makes Him Unique?
Christmas event brings numerous influencers and musicians together
How did MontanaBlack break the record? The streamer hosts a “Christmas event” once a year, to which numerous influencers from the gaming scene are invited. This year, among others, Zarbex, Marc Gebauer, Max Schadrin, Rohat, Trymacs, Elotrix, Sascha Hellinger, and many more were invited. Additionally, musicians, especially from the rap scene, such as Kollegah and Gzuz, also received invitations.
In advance, the event was critically discussed because there were also individuals invited who are considered controversial.
Twitch streamer SkylineTV felt quite silly in a situation when he didn’t recognize a viewer who introduced himself as MontanaBlack’s father:
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What was a highlight? According to reports from reddit, the highlight turned out to be the Christmas Secret Santa gift exchange. Rapper Kollegah gave away a Golden Record. The gift went to internet personality and chef Bernd Zehner (via x).
You can see the moment when Zehner unwraps the record:
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MontanaBlack was for a long time the biggest streamer on German Twitch, but he was overtaken years ago by eliasn97 and later by Papaplatte; however, he remains the most relevant streamer on German Twitch in terms of significance and recognition – despite or perhaps because of many controversies and scandals: These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google
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In Palworld, a severe bug is currently affecting many players. They are faced with empty characters or missing items or Pals that were definitely there before. Now the developers are coming forward with bad news for the players.
What kind of bug is this? Today, the major update for Palworld was released, which not only introduced a new island and additional companions but also many other innovations.
Since the update became available to players, there has been an abundance of negative feedback on the developers’ social media channels. Players on dedicated servers are facing empty characters. A large portion of PC players play on such servers, which is why the complaints keep piling up.
There are multiple issues with the characters. Items, Pals are missing, or the entire character is completely empty or cannot even be found. This is especially frustrating for those who have been playing Palworld for a long time and are now left with nothing. Now the developers have spoken out.
Here you can watch the trailer for the major new update of Palworld:
Start video
Palworld: Feybreak – Trailer presents free update with loads of new content
The Nightmare of All MMO Players
What do the developers say about the problem? The developers of Palworld have already identified the issue. As they stated in an announcement on X.com, the problem really only affects dedicated servers, and the patch that is supposed to resolve the issue is already being rolled out, so your server will receive an update soon. However, there is a catch.
All characters will undergo a rollback with the new patch. A rollback is often considered a nightmare by MMO players, as it takes away their invested time and progress made. For this reason, many developers want to avoid such a reset. If it does occur, it usually indicates a serious problem that could only be fixed by this drastic measure.
For players in Palworld, it will get really bad: Once the issue is fixed, all characters will be reset to the state prior to the major update. This includes characters that were newly created. So those who have just started with Palworld may find that they lose all the progress they have made in the past hours.
What happens to characters that were created now? Anyone who already had a character on a dedicated server and now created a new one due to the bug will lose their new character. The old character will be restored, explains Palworld’s community manager, Bucky, on the official Palworld Discord.
To ensure your server receives the update, you should restart the server, during which the patch should install automatically. If this is not the case, it’s best to be patient. Depending on the provider, the update process may take shorter or longer. If you are already updating your server, make sure you have disabled a new feature: If you are attached to your Pals, you should avoid the new mode in Palworld – You might lose them permanently
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
