GTA 6 fans have been waiting almost a year for a new trailer, feeling frustrated – Now the boss speaks out about it

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 2 minutes

More than a year has passed since the first trailer for GTA 6 in December 2023, and there is hardly any news about the game. In an interview on Youtube, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick speaks about the frustration of fans regarding the lack of information and the long wait.

What does the boss say? In a Youtube interview with Conner Mather, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick talks about his work and his life, but also specifically about GTA 6. He states that he understands that fans are a bit frustrated because Rockstar keeps quite tight-lipped about the game.

But at the same time, it is also the company’s philosophy to wait until a title is ready before they release the game. The developers at Rockstar are trying to create something that has never existed before:

Our teams focus on what is new and what they have not even thought of yet. You think you’re looking forward to something specific, but what it will be is much bigger and much better and more exciting and more beautiful than you ever could have imagined.

You can get a first impression of the vision that Zelnick describes here with the first trailer of the game:

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

GTA 6 is worth the wait

What else does Zelnick have to say? Conner Mather also addresses the high expectations of the fans in the interview. Zelnick explains that they are absolutely aware of it.

The biggest (gaming) hits are the ones that are not based on something, but bring new, surprising elements: You expected this here, but what it becomes is much bigger and much better and much more beautiful.

Fan feedback is very important, but you cannot rely solely on the data. Game development is not just a business; it is art and emotion. In response to another question, he explains that the developers at Rockstar also work very creatively. You should not only look at past successes and the numbers, but also need creative freedom.

When asked how Zelnick would describe GTA 6, he says: I think [GTA 6] will be exceptional and is worth the wait. The game will be breathtaking.

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If GTA 6 is postponed again, at least one actor from GTA 5 celebrates: “The longer they take, the cooler it will be”
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What about the release of GTA 6? Currently, the release of GTA 6 is scheduled for Q3 2025, so July to September. However, the release window is by no means fixed. In September 2024, the first rumors came up that the game might not be released until 2026.

In fact, Rockstar Games has repeatedly delayed their games in the past: GTA 5 was released six months later than planned. Red Dead Redemption 2 even a whole year. With Strauss Zelnick’s statement that the developers want to wait for the release until the game is ready, the CEO reassures his developers.

In the past, games have repeatedly been released that would have benefited from a few more years of development. In 2021, CD Projekt Red released Cyberpunk 2077 in an extremely buggy state. Only in 2023, with the release of the DLC, was the development fully completed. Nevertheless, there was recently a new patch. The developers are likely to really only release their next game, Witcher 4, when it is ready. More on this game, you can read here: The Witcher 4 is not a sequel despite the title, but you do not have to fully say goodbye to Geralt

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

Viewers of 7 vs. Wild believed in a conspiracy to annoy the villain of the series – But now we know the truth

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

All episodes of 7 vs. Wild and the bonus series “Behind the Scenes” are now online. In the last episode of the bonus series, a mystery is resolved that many believed to be a conspiracy.

What was that conspiracy? In 7 vs. Wild, there are also contestants who usually smoke. To ensure they don’t leave empty-handed, there have been cigarettes for contestants like Jens “Knossi” Knossalla in past seasons.

In season 4 of 7 vs. Wild, there were supposed to be some as well, but the participants couldn’t find the cigarettes that were hidden in the plane, even though they had looked around there multiple times. Over time, many theories arose around the cigarettes.

The most prominent theory was that another contestant had hidden or even destroyed the cigarettes to get back at the villain of the season, Stefan from Survival_Deutschland. However, the truth came to light in the very last chapter of 7 vs. Wild Crashed.

One of the contestants of 7 vs. Wild was Knossi, you can learn more about him here:

Start video
From the Witness Stand with Barbara Salesch to the King of Twitch – Career and Life of Knossi

A perpetrator no one expected

What happened to the cigarettes? In the last episode of the “Behind the Scenes” format on YouTube, Fritz Meinecke, followed by two cameramen, examines the resting place of the participants. He also inspects the dismantled plane that served as a storage place for the participants in the beginning.

At that time, Fritz Meinecke was already aware that, according to the participants’ statements and the footage from the season, they had not found the cigarettes. He made his way to the cockpit in the YouTube video and actually found the cigarettes right where the organization team had placed them before.

Here you can watch the full video, the scene with the cigarettes starts at 31:30.

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The participants had indeed overlooked the cigarettes at first, but the condition of the cigarettes raised questions. They were completely destroyed after the 14 days, as if rodents had gnawed on them. Fritz Meinecke said in the video:

“Look what we have here. Cigarettes, but, and this is quite interesting: They are completely shredded, and I would almost claim that it was some mice or rodents. […] You can really see the gnawing marks on the cigarette box.”

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How are the viewers reacting to the resolution? Viewers are somewhat disappointed with the outcome of the potential conspiracy. On Reddit, vickypeediaa writes: “I was hoping until the end it was a conspiracy after all.”

The user Critical_Top6245 actually suspected Sandra (via Reddit): “I actually thought Sandra had not controlled her addiction. Interesting that mice are in the middle of the camp and no one noticed.”

Aluniah responds to Reddit by saying: “I believe Joe had also shown that the mice had eaten through the backpack with the snacks [editor’s note: pet food that the participants had found].”

That someone wanted to get back at the villain of the season was also one of the many theories surrounding the cigarettes. The conflict with Stefan actually began less than 24 hours after the arrival. So there was enough time to hide the cigarettes. Here you can read again about the situation with which everything started: Not even 24 hours after the drop-off at 7 vs. Wild, the group is already facing a split.

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

Beginner from Path of Exile 2 loots the rarest drop – Pros amazed: ‘Chance of 1 in 20,000’

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

In Path of Exile 2, a beginner looted an extremely rare item. Initially, he didn’t even know it was something special.

Who is it about? The “Path of Exile 2” beginner shizngigglez is not yet in the endgame. He is currently battling through the Cruel version of the Acts with his character. In the second chapter, he takes down Azarian, the boss with the large fire AoEs. Fortunately for him, he drops a Unique.

He is obviously excited about it and shows his drop to a more experienced friend who is better acquainted with Path of Exile 2. This friend can hardly believe his eyes.

Do you already know this useful NPC?

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

It doesn’t get rarer than this

What did the beginner loot? On Reddit, shizngigglez presents his loot. A “Headhunter Heavy Belt” which has some ordinary stats as well as a special modifier. This grants the player the modifiers of a Rare mob for 20 seconds upon killing it. A buff that can be very strong with the right build.

However, the item itself is not so great despite the modifier, especially since Rare mobs in Path of Exile 2 are quite far apart, as Polyscikosis explains on Reddit.

Although the item is not particularly strong, the professionals can hardly believe their eyes because what the beginner has looted is one of the rarest items in the game.

Why is the item so rare? In Path of Exile 2, there are not only the usual rarity levels of items, namely Blue, Yellow, and Unique in Orange, but also various rare Uniques.

These are divided into tiers. Uniques of tier 5 are said to be the most common, about every second item corresponds to this tier. Uniques of tier 0 are the rarest, with a chance of about 1 in 20,000 that an item of this tier is generated when a Unique is randomly created.

The user Farpafraf on Reddit is knowledgeable and explains to the beginner: “Uniques of this tier (T0-Uniques) had a drop rate of 1/20,000 in Poe1. Assuming 200,000 players fight against the Cruel Asarianer and 1/10 drops a Unique, then the chances are very good that you are the only player who got a Headhunter or even a T0 Unique from Asarian.”

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Under the post with the crazy-rare loot, many players are once again discussing the Charm slots. The belts in Path of Exile 2 can actually hold up to 3 Charms, but the chances of getting more than one Charm slot on a belt are low.

Even the “Headhunter Heavy Belt” has only one Charm slot despite its drop chance of about 1 in 20,000, making the item much weaker. The Charm slots are currently a hotly debated topic in Path of Exile 2; you can read more about it here: Players of Path of Exile 2 demand changes to the loot, especially one type of item annoys them

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

The big Winterfest event in Fortnite starts today: Mariah Carey is trapped in an ice block, but it is melting

Caroline Fuller Caroline Fuller Reading time 3 minutes

Some players have already noticed the huge ice block in Fortnite, which is located in the middle of the map. At the start of the winter festival event, the block is expected to break open today and reveal the mystery behind the ominous presence.

What does the huge ice block mean? Data miners have already figured out which person is hiding inside the ice. It is none other than the singer Mariah Carey, who has embedded herself in the minds of many during the Christmas season with her chart-topping hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” For some, more willingly than for others.

The ice block is based on a meme stating that a day after Halloween, her song kicks off the Christmas season. Mariah Carey released a short skit on YouTube about this, which might have served as inspiration for Fortnite.

Mariah Carey is unthawed right on November 1st by costumed Halloween characters

Now the singer is also set to spread Christmas cheer in Fortnite and brings some news with her.

Below you can see the trailer for the winter festival event:

Start video
The trailer for the Winterfest event in Fortnite creates a cozy atmosphere with a fireplace

All I Want for Christmas Is You won’t just haunt you on the radio

What does Mariah Carey bring to the game? Alongside people like Ice Spice, Eminem, and Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey will also be available as a skin. The singer will be available in Christmas outfits together with the aforementioned Snoop and Shaquille O’Neal, which are presented by the fairly reliable leaker iFireMonkey on X.

Another leaker named Egyptian_Leaker added on X that Mariah Carey would appear as an NPC from the ice block with a short fireworks sequence and then distribute gifts to players. Additionally, there is supposed to be an emote for All I Want for Christmas Is You, which also includes the song itself. However, it is not yet clear whether this will be available for free.

Which leaks are truthful will only be revealed after the singer breaks free from the ice. 

What other news is there about the winter festival event? In addition to Mariah Carey, the winter festival update includes even more content. Players can look forward to OG Ranked and the new 5v5 Ballistic mode. 

According to data miners, there are also more new cosmetics and sprays, aside from the previously mentioned skins, for which players do not have to spend V-Bucks. These include an emote, shoes, some sprays, and a skin called “Guffmas Tree,” which can be seen as a spray in a tweet.

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Which other famous personalities can the singer count among herself? Fortnite has been integrating various artists, athletes, or characters from other media into the game for quite some time. This includes, among others, Ariana Grande, LeBron James, and John Wick, to name just a few from the long list.

The mass of (sometimes bizarre) franchise collaborations and crossover cameos has now gained another person, and there seems to be no end in sight. Some might hope that the Skibidi Toilet teased by Fortnite could be the last straw.

How the winter festival and Mariah Carey, as well as the Snoop and Shaq skins are received by the players, will become evident later today. Those interested in further current content from Patch 33.11 can better inform themselves with this article on MeinMMO: Fortnite: Servers are online – Everything about Update 33.11: Server status and patch notes

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

These 7 Pokémon and attacks are really worth it at tomorrow’s Community Day – Get them for yourself

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 4 minutes

In Pokémon GO the biggest Community Day of the year is coming up. We have looked at which Pokémon and attacks are particularly worth it.

This weekend in Pokémon GO the big Community Day in December is on. As in previous years, this will bring back all Pokémon that had a Community Day in the current and previous year.

There will also be some exclusive attacks that the Pokémon can learn if you evolve them on Saturday or Sunday between 09:00 and 21:00. We will show you which of them are particularly worth it.

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

The best Pokémon in the Community Day in December

Metagross

Pokemon-Go-Metagross

Metagross is a versatile Pokémon. While you can use it as a Psychic attacker, there is hardly a better Pokémon for Steel attacks. In the Master League, it can at least place itself in the midfield.

Attack: Meteor Mash, Steel-type charged attack.

Where can you find the Pokémon? You can find Beldum, the first stage of Metagross, in the last 10 minutes of each full hour from 14:00 to 17:00 on both days.

Brutalanda

Pokemon-Go-Brutalanda

Brutalanda is the final evolution of Kindwurm. It can shine as a Dragon attacker and is also found in the list of the strongest attackers in Pokémon GO.

Attack: Outrage, Dragon-type charged attack.

Where can you find the Pokémon? You can find Kindwurm just like Beldum in the last 10 minutes of the full hours from 14:00 to 17:00. Both on Saturday and Sunday.

Meistagrif

Pokémon-GO-Meistagriif

Meistagrif is the final evolution of Praktibalk. If you obtain this Pokémon, you will get one of the strongest Fighting attackers you can get.

Attack: Foul Play, Dark-type charged attack.

Where can you find the Pokémon? You can hatch Praktibalk from 2-km eggs.

Maxax

Pokemon-Go-Maxax

Maxax is a Dragon Pokémon that can evolve from Milza. It can be used as a Dragon attacker in raids.

Attack: Dragon Tail, Dragon-type charged attack.

Where can you find the Pokémon? To obtain Milza, you need to hatch 2-km eggs during the Community Day.

Togekiss

Pokémon-GO-Togekiss-Shiny

Togekiss has the types Flying and Fairy and is the final evolution of Togepi and Togetic. This Pokémon is a strong Fairy attacker.

Attack: Aura Sphere, Fighting-type charged attack.

Where can you find the Pokémon? You can also obtain Togepi by hatching 2-km eggs.

Suelord

Pokemon GO Paldeo Felino Suelord
Paldea-Felino and Suelord

Suelord is currently the undisputed king of the Super League. In the Hyper League, it can still place itself in the midfield. If you are active in the Super League, you should definitely get a Suelord if you don’t already have one.

Attack: Bug Bite, Bug-type charged attack.

Where can you find the Pokémon? You can find Paldea-Felino in 2-km eggs.

Rasaff

Pokemon GO Rasaff

Rasaff is the evolution of Menki and the pre-evolution of Epitaff. In the Super League, the Pokémon can secure 4th place and even 2nd place in the Hyper League.

Attack: Wrathful Fist, Ghost-type charged attack.

Where can you find the Pokémon? You can find Menki mainly on Sunday, December 22, 2024, between 14:00 and 17:00 in the wild.

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Other good Pokémon

  • Morlord: Among the best attackers in the Super League. The pre-evolution Felino can be found in 2-km eggs during the event.
  • Silvarro: Is a good attacker of the Plant type. Evolves from Bauz, which you can catch on Saturday.
  • Primarene: Can be played as a Fairy attacker. To catch its first stage, Robball, you need to keep an eye out in the wild on Sunday.
  • Donarion: Can be used as both an Electric and a Bug attacker. Evolves from Mabula, which you can find in 2-km eggs.
  • Fruyal: Is among the best Plant attackers in the game. For its evolution, you need Frubberl, which can be found more frequently in the wild on Saturday.
  • Brigaron: Is also a solid Plant attacker. For this evolution, you need Igamaro, which can be found in 2-km eggs during the event.
  • Fennexis: Can strengthen your team as a Fire attacker. It is also the final evolution of Fynx, which you can hatch from 2-km eggs.

All Pokémon mentioned in this article can also be found in their shiny forms if you’re lucky.

The year 2024 is coming to an end rapidly. However, there are still other events waiting for you in the last days of the year in addition to Community Day. We also have an overview of all events in December 2024 in Pokémon GO.

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

New World introduces Season 7 of the Conquerors and the first Season World – Community debates whether it’s going to be great

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

In January 2025, the first season of New World Aeternum will start. Now the developers have revealed in detail what all Aeternum adventurers can expect in the new seasonal world.

What do I need to know about the new season? That the new Season 7 (the first season for New World Aeternum) will start in January 2025 is clear since the release of the current roadmap. Thanks to a post on newworld.com, there are now more details about the Season of Conquerors:

  • The Season of Conquerors starts on January 21, 2025.
  • The first seasonal world of New World will revolve around the theme of PvP: All player characters will be marked for PvP starting at level 15. Players looting new resources and loot will also drop them upon their death.
  • At the end of the season, the seasonal world will close, and you can transfer your seasonal character to a permanent world.
  • Season 7 introduces eight new artifacts (more about that below).
  • For Season 7, there will, of course, be a pass with free and premium paths where you can grab loot like artifacts (don’t worry: free), skins, transmog tokens, dyes, and consumables.

As part of the season, there will be three special events:

  • Sulfur Siege (January 28 – February 11, 2025): Defend sandworm eggs against waves of sulfur elementals across Aeternum to receive exclusive rewards.
  • Crassus’ Legacy (February 19 – March 18, 2025): Fight against Crassus and his cyclopean minions to earn top-tier rewards up to gear score 700.
  • The Rabbit’s Revenge (March 19 – April 1, 2025): Hunt evil bunnies for exciting loot.

There are good reasons to dive into New World Aeternum:

Start video
4 Reasons Why You Should Play New World: Aeternum

What else is planned?

  • During a weekend, you can test the new Outpost Rush map “Coral Rift”.
  • M3 Expeditions are set to become more rewarding and be playable via the activity finder.
  • With the start of Season 7, various bug fixes and improvements (including for AI) are expected to come.

What new artifacts are coming? The developers have introduced the following artifacts for Season 7:

  • Wrath Gauntlets: Fracture – Heals 100% more health and deals 50% more damage with Rending Essence. Unlockable by defeating the Tribunal Ice Mammoth, the Pinnacle Winds, and 20 frozen Varangians in the glacier lake.
  • Life Staff: Heceta – Grants -30% damage absorption with Light Touch after a Life Staff ability has been used. Unlockable by completing the quest line in Heceta Canyon.
  • Ice Gauntlets: Ötzi – Inflicts Frostbite by destroying Ice Grave, slows enemies and deals damage over time. Can be found by defeating the Frostbound Howler in the Icewood Caverns.
  • Fire Staff: Flamminator – Sacrifices damage for increased burn effects (15% over 5 seconds). Ember Flames can be collected in the Scorched Dunes.
  • Bow: Wolfswurz – Deals 15% more damage to poisoned enemies. Unlockable with the Poison quest line in the Jungle Wilds.
  • Rapier: Dorgort’s Blade – Adds stacking burn effects with heavy melee attacks. Lava Peak can be earned by defeating Dorgort in the Volcanic Lair.
  • Earring: Justice – Automatically refills healing potions after 20 hits (90-second cooldown). Complete the Alchemist Trials in the Forbidden Labs.
  • Musket: Shrapnel – Enemies bleed from headshots. Can be found by defeating the War Machine Captain in the Ashen Barracks.
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Players Debate Season 7

How is the community reacting to the announcement? Players are divided on how to assess the announcements for Season 7. Critics complain mainly about the new seasonal worlds:

  • shamhoo_ complains on Reddit: “The servers are already dying, and now the seasonal servers will pull even more people away from them.”
  • notkevin_durant sees the danger as well (via Reddit): “It draws people away from the normal servers. That sucks.”
  • Kmantheoriginal, on the other hand, is not interested in starting from scratch again (via Reddit): “Ugh, I’m out. Don’t want to grind for gear for the fourth time.”

However, there are also Aeternum adventurers who are looking forward to Season 7:

  • Dylan_The Don has hardly any complaints (via Reddit): “My only complaint is that the Outpost Rush map is only a preview weekend. Otherwise, it’s solid for a filler season – I just hope it doesn’t last a year like Season 5.”
  • sheyPL is especially excited about a little thing on Reddit: “Wow, Purification Elixirs in APS after 3 years. Nice.”
  • GoldCherries looks forward to Reddit: “I’m looking forward to it. However, I’m sure it won’t be good enough for this sub.”

How do you assess the announcements for the upcoming Season 7 of New World? Share it in the comments! More about the current roadmap and the recently announced beta version of the MMORPG can be read here: Roadmap for New World Aeternum announces two things that should have come much earlier

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

WoW makes the depths even better, brings stronger rewards

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Solo fans will soon be able to earn even better loot from the depths of World of Warcraft – but you need to reach level 11 to get the best emblems.

The depths (“Delves”) of World of Warcraft can be considered a resounding success. They are one of the flagship features of the current expansion The War Within and have enabled many players to access good gear, which can be earned alone and at their own pace – without raids, dungeons, or PvP. However, this has also brought some problems.

Blizzard’s solution: The depths will simply get even better and offer even stronger rewards.

Currently, WoW is playing Patch 11.0.7:

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

What has been discovered? Even though Patch 11.0.7 has just been released, the next update is already on the horizon. Last night, the PTR was updated with Patch 11.1 Undermine(d) and datamining has already begun (via wowhead). Blizzard apparently wants to make some major changes to the reward systems with Season 2, and the depths are also affected by this.

What will change? The “best” emblems that can be obtained in the game are the “Gilded” ones. These are needed to further enhance heroic and mythic items to achieve particularly high item levels. However, these emblems are primarily obtained from high-level “Mythic+” dungeons and the current mythic raid.

With Patch 11.1, it seems there will be a change that allows you to obtain emblems from the depths as well. Because the description of the Gilded emblems states the following about their origin:

  • Mythic liberation from Lorenhall (Raid)
  • Mythic Keystone Dungeons +8 and higher (M+)
  • Loot from the Depths Explorer (level 8 and higher)
  • Gilded Supply of the Depths (level 11)

How many emblems you ultimately get from the most difficult depths is still unclear.

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What is suspected? It seems that depths will become significantly more important with Season 2, and there are also incentives to push into the depths that reach up to level 11. Because only then is there guaranteed to be some Gilded emblems at the end, which in turn can be used for enhancement.

This finally creates a reason (aside from achievements) to visit the depths at the highest difficulty. Until now, this has not been necessary, and with depths at level 8, everything relevant was already covered.

Keep in mind with all this information that it is currently just datamining and information from the PTR. A lot can still change before the patch goes live next year, and there will certainly be a lot of fine-tuning.
What is already clear: Addons will likely be even more restricted in Patch 11.0.7.

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

Once Human Roadmap 2025: New Game Mode Lets You Become a Pokémon Trainer

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

The developers of Once Human have presented their roadmap for 2025. In addition to a new season system and a mobile version of the game, the new game modes sound particularly exciting.

What has been announced? In a roughly 30-minute video on the YouTube channel of Once Human, the developers of Starry Studio explain their plan for the coming year. There is also a roadmap where you can read the features again.

At the center of the innovations for 2025 is the “Visional Wheel” system, which brings new events to the generally known scenarios in a season format. It starts with the “Lunar Oracle” event, which begins on January 16. The seasons are expected to last two to three months each.

The first event brings the Blood Moon into play, which makes enemies stronger and drives you to madness. To prevent losing your mind, you must kill enemies. The event also introduces new rewards into the game.

The winter event of Once Human runs until January 12:

Start video
Once Human – Gameplay Trailer for the Major Update The Way of Winter

3 new scenarios

What new scenarios are there? According to the roadmap, 3 new scenarios are expected to be introduced in 2025. These will also be affected and complemented by the season events. The following scenarios are scheduled to be released in 2025:

  • Broken: A 10-day scenario with unrestricted FFA PvP across the entire map, giving players the opportunity to create superweapons.
  • Purification: A PvE scenario where players must eliminate pollution in various areas of the game map.
  • Deviation: A PvE mode that focuses on capturing, raising, and merging pets (called Deviations) to form a team and compete against other Deviations.

The last game mode “Deviation” not only sounds like Pokémon but is precisely that. However, the developers also take a step toward Palworld and do not limit their monsters to just cute little pets, showing in the video samurais and a creature resembling an alpaca but shooting a revolver at enemies.

However, the main focus of the game mode will be on battles with the “Deviations” rather than capturing or raising them. The new game mode will be available only between July and September, and you can find the entire roadmap here:

Once Human Roadmap 2025
Once Human Roadmap 2025

What else is planned? The developers will release a mobile version of Once Human in 2025, aimed for April 2025.

If you want to change your Once Human server even more, you can also look forward to the upcoming updates. The developers are working on developing custom servers for players so you can design your game as you wish.

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Until January 12, Once Human’s winter event is still running, where you can grab some rewards. If you want even more loot, simply input some of the bonus codes: Once Human: All codes in December 2024 – Here’s how you can redeem them

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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You can grab a great game for free today and keep it forever – But you only have a few hours left

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

The indie hit Vampire Survivors is currently completely free in the Epic Games Store, and you can even keep it. However, you have to be quick.

What kind of game is this? Vampire Survivors is an action roguelike with a pixel look. Like in other bullet hell games, you mow down hordes of enemies, collect upgrades, and fight round after round for your survival.

The Epic Games Store is giving away Vampire Survivors until December 20 at 5 PM. So if you want to grab the game, you don’t have much time left.

You can watch a trailer for the game here:

Start video
Vampire Survivors: The indie hit on Steam is now available on the Epic Games Store

How does Vampire Survivors play? At first glance, it plays almost on its own: your character attacks enemies automatically, and you only have to move through the level. You collect dropped orbs from enemies and ensure that you are not overwhelmed.

After every completed round, you buy new weapons and upgrades that make you increasingly powerful. However, you will also have to face larger hordes and stronger enemies.

If you are defeated by your enemies, your current survivor is lost forever. However, the gold you collected will still be useful for your next survivor. So you won’t start completely from scratch.

Playing as a Raid Boss

How is Vampire Survivors received by players? Vampire Survivors is considered one of the best indie games of all time. While there is no way to rate games in the Epic Games Store, on Steam, 98% of the reviews for the game are positive.

The gameplay is engaging and fun – even without the pressure of selling you microtransactions. User Flavius Claudius Julianus writes in his review of the game on Steam: “Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be the raid boss? That’s how it is.”

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A game on Steam translates the gameplay of Vampire Survivors into Norse mythology and even comes with quite stylish 3D graphics. If that sounds exciting to you, feel free to read further in this article: Diablo meets Vampire Survivors: A new action game on Steam lets you fight hordes of undead in the Norse underworld

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

Everything you love about Baldur’s Gate 3 has its origins in another RPG that’s now cheaper than ever on Steam

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

Before Larian developed Baldur’s Gate 3, one of the best role-playing games of all time, they laid the foundation for success with another RPG series. You can now secure the first part at an all-time low price.

What is this RPG series? Since 2002, Larian Studios has been developing games for the Divinity universe, switching between genres with initial lack of success. This only changed when the team led by studio founder Swen Vincke moved away from traditional publisher partnerships and went all in on their vision.

Through crowdfunding and their own reserves, they financed the role-playing game Divinity: Original Sin, which was released in June 2014 and already possessed many of the qualities that would make Baldur’s Gate 3 one of the best role-playing games of all time a few years later.

These qualities include the complex role-playing system, the engaging turn-based combat that allows for environmental interactions and manipulation, as well as the enormous degree of freedom in exploring the world and completing quests.

The mix excited enough RPG fans that the developers could release the significantly more polished sequel, Divinity: Original Sin 2, about three years later – which ultimately paved the way for Baldur’s Gate 3 due to its success.

The trailer for Divinity – Original Sin 2:

Start video
Divinity: Original Sin 2 Trailer

No unicorn is born from nothing

Why was Original Sin important for BG3? When industry experts and other developers or publishers talk about Baldur’s Gate 3, they not only praise the immense quality of the RPG, but also like to emphasize that something like this may never be replicated. Larian’s latest role-playing game is therefore often referred to as a “unicorn,” because such a thing simply doesn’t happen regularly.

An important reason for this: The team at Larian started the development of Baldur’s Gate 3 only after the completion of Divinity: Original Sin 2, but in truth BG3 builds on a foundation that the developers have been working on since at least 2013 – namely in the form of the engine that was first used in Divinity: Original Sin.

All the lessons learned during this development benefited the sequel, Original Sin 2. Ultimately, Baldur’s Gate 3 reaped the benefits of the insights gained from this second production.

Which other studio can take ten years to – without pressure from an external financier – continually improve a functioning RPG foundation across three games?

One might find something similar at the big names like Naughty Dog (Uncharted, The Last of Us) or Rockstar Games (GTA, Red Dead Redemption), which have been refining their respective successful formulas for many years due to their success and reputation.

More on Baldur’s Gate 3:
Astarion from Baldur’s Gate 3 will soon conquer BookTok, receives own novel by a strong fantasy author
von Caroline Fuller
Astarion’s actor had so much fun with Baldur’s Gate 3 that it damaged his health, his conclusion today: “It’s stupid”
von Johanna

Is Original Sin still worth it today? Even though D: OS does not reach the quality of its successor or Baldur’s Gate 3 and offers less in terms of humor, German localization, AI, and camera attack points, you will still find a fantastic RPG here that can keep you entertained for 50+ hours – and that’s in the Enhanced Edition from 2015, which is currently only €3.99 on Steam.

We can also highly recommend the sequel, Divinity: Original Sin 2, which is not too far from BG3 in terms of quality and is also on sale for a lower price on Steam. Unlike the first part, the current price of €13.49 for the sequel is not historically low. The historically low price is €12.23 … and there’s a reason for that!

Anyone who treats themselves to The Source Saga bundle on Steam with both parts will save even more, as it only costs €12.23. With both RPGs together, you’ll be easily occupied for 100+ hours.

Of course, there are many more exciting role-playing games on Steam with which you can enhance your Christmas days. Ah, to be able to experience the first time playing Witcher 3, Persona 5, and Nier: Automata again… that would be something. You can find a list of numerous recommendations here: The 14 best role-playing games on Steam

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

Stock of the company behind Elden Ring falls after Sony does not acquire it

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

Recently, news about a takeover of the “Kadokawa Corporation” by Sony has made the rounds. However, the deal is unfolding differently than expected. The stock market is already reacting.

This was the situation: In November, Reuters reported that Sony was in talks with the Kadokawa Corporation. This Japanese company holds shares in many other companies and is, among others, engaged with 69.99% in FromSoftware – the creators of Elden Ring and other Souls games. It also holds shares in many other companies involved in books, films, anime, and video games.

At that time, a possible purchase of the company by Sony was discussed. The stock market reacted promptly: the market value of Kadokawa’s stock rose to an all-time high.

However, today it looks quite different.

Start video
Gameplay trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign shows a boss from Dark Souls 3

Deal between Kadokawa and Sony unfolds differently than expected – stock reacts

This is the deal now: Sony announced in a press release on Thursday that it would invest 50 billion yen (approximately 307 million euros) in Kadokawa. This would increase Sony’s stake to 10% and make it the largest shareholder of the company. However, it is not an acquisition.

Through the deal, both parties aim to work more closely together to enhance the value of both companies’ IPs globally and to make joint investments in content, find new creators, and bring the IPs together. Among other things, Sony mentioned that they would like to discuss the possibility of adapting Kadokawa’s IPs into films or TV dramas in the future.

What is happening with the stock? On the stock market, Kadokawa’s stock has initially fallen after rising to its all-time high of 4,505 yen around the purchase rumors. After this peak, the stock value had already been declining moderately, but following the announcement of the new deal, there was a more noticeable drop. While the stock was at 4,389 yen on Thursday, it has now been listed at 3,689 yen. Before the rise around the purchase rumors, the stock value was at 3,045 yen.

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It remains to be seen how the value will develop further – just as it remains to be seen what the deal between Kadokawa and Sony will ultimately result in. For now, one can only speculate. Many players hope for a series or a movie about Elden Ring – perhaps that would be interesting? At least George R.R. Martin has already commented on the subject.

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

Pokémon TCG Pocket rewards you again with hourglasses, glitter dust, and emblems in the new PvP event

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 2 minutes

Pokémon TCG Pocket regularly brings you new events. Today, the latest one has started, rewarding you once again for battling.

What kind of event is this? The new emblem event (Mysterious Island) is a PvP event where you will be rewarded for battling and winning against other trainers again. It started today, on December 20, 2024, at 07:00 AM and will run until January 10, 2025, at 06:59 AM.

This is the first event that has launched in the game to coincide with the new booster series Mysterious Island. You can collect various rewards and emblems again.

Start video
Pokémon TCG Pocket: Celebi ex Deck – This is how you should play it in this combination

Fight, Win, Collect Rewards

What rewards are there in the event? In the event, you can collect emblems through victories and also complete missions that reward you with items. For the emblems, you need to achieve the following number of wins in the respective mode:

1 win: Participation emblem
5 wins: Bronze emblem
25 wins: Silver emblem
45 wins: Gold emblem

There are 2 types of missions: “Complete Player Battles” and “Win Player Battles.” During the event period, you can complete the following missions:

Complete 1 Player Battle: 3 Pack Hourglasses
Complete 3 Player Battles: 3 Pack Hourglasses
Complete 5 Player Battles: 6 Pack Hourglasses
Complete 10 Player Battles: 12 Pack Hourglasses
Win 1 Player Battle: 50 Stardust
Win 3 Player Battles: 100 Stardust
Win 5 Player Battles: 200 Stardust
Win 10 Player Battles: 500 Stardust
Win 25 Player Battles: 1000 Stardust
Win 50 Player Battles: 2000 Stardust

To complete the missions, all you need to do is battle against other players. It doesn’t matter whether you do this through event, private, or random matches.

How can I participate in the event? To participate in the event, open the “Battle” tab and navigate to “Player Battle.” Here, you will find the “Event Match” section during the event period, where you can earn emblems through victories.

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7 strong spin-offs to Pokémon that are as good as the main parts
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To shine in the battles, you should compete with appropriately good decks to increase your chances of successful matches and defeat your opponents. If you need a bit of inspiration for this, feel free to check out our overview of the best decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket.

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

Despite poor player numbers on Steam, Ubisoft continues to support its ‘AAAA game’ with new content in Year 2

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The player numbers of Skull & Bones are poor. But that might be misleading, as there will be new content in 2025 – an end is not in sight for Ubisoft’s AAAA game.

The last few years in gaming have not only produced a few big hits, but also a lot of flops. One of these flops is likely to have been Skull and Bones in the eyes of many, which previously presented itself boastfully as a “AAAA game,” only to fall far short of expectations. The great success seemingly did not materialize, and the forecasts were not good.

But now it has been revealed: even in year 2 after the release, there will be new content and the player numbers might not be so bad after all.

Start video
Pirate MMO Skull & Bones showcases brutal naval battles and absurd upgrades in the new trailer

What is going on with Skull & Bones? Skull and Bones already struggled with many problems at launch. Not only did it consider itself, perhaps a touch arrogantly, a AAAA game, meaning “even bigger than really big,” but the setting simply did not resonate well. Not to mention that there was also a lack of an engaging single-player campaign.

Many had already written off Skull & Bones, but for the developers, it seems far from over. At least that’s what the site Insider Gaming claims, which says it has internal sources.

According to them, a lot of new content is planned for 2025. This includes new PvP modes. Additional content will feature new Places of Interest (“POI”), new levels for the world, and more.

There are also supposed to be crossover events, such as with the remake of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag.

Skull and Bones Steam Charts December 2024
At least on Steam, Skull & Bones is rather “so-so.” (Source: Steamcharts, as of 20.12.2024)

What about the player numbers? Looking at the player numbers on Steam, Skull & Bones is currently doing quite poorly. In the last 30 days, only about 200 people have been playing the game simultaneously, with peak numbers just over 400. That’s far from “good” numbers, and for other games, one would say: It’s dead, it’s not going anywhere.

However, you can also play Skull & Bones through Ubisoft Connect, and according to the anonymous source from Insider Gaming, “the actual player numbers of Skull and Bones might surprise people” – even though no specific number is mentioned. This implies that the game is not performing as poorly on other platforms as it seems on Steam. While that is rather unusual, it also doesn’t seem impossible.

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Whether Skull & Bones will achieve the success that it should have as a big AAAA game remains to be seen. At least on Steam, this seems to be no longer a grand pirate adventure, but more akin to a sinking ship. But who knows – perhaps 2025 will turn out well after all, or the player numbers on other platforms are much better than those suggested by Steam.
Maurice Weber was also quite disappointed with Skull and Bones.

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

Corepunk remains offline for 7 days after issues, community is angry and warns against purchase

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

Actually, the update on December 13, 2024, was supposed to noticeably improve the early access version of Corepunk. However, the patch brought such serious problems to the live servers that buyers have been unable to play for a week.

What exactly happened? On December 13, 2024, the developers of Corepunk released a seemingly small but important update that was supposed to improve loot balance, provide new recipes, and optimize server and client performance.

Shortly after the implementation of the update, alarms were already ringing for the developers. There were errors in the server migration process. All environments had to be shut down to find and solve the problem.

What was supposed to take a few hours has essentially dragged on until today, December 20, 2024, accompanied by regular updates from the developers over their Discord channel (via discord.com) and several attempts to bring the servers back online. However, the attempts have not been sustainable so far, as there are repeated crashes of the live environment.

According to an update on December 19, 2024, they have now decided to open extra test servers, which should be available to all owners of a Corepunk account. Meanwhile, the developers are still looking for the cause of the crashes. The actual early access servers, meanwhile, remain offline for the time being.

15 Minutes of Gameplay from Corepunk:

Start video
Corepunk – 15 Minutes Gameplay

Frustration Runs Deep

How is the community reacting to this? Although there have been regular updates from the developers over the past few days, this only partially creates understanding within the community.

  • WaffleBlues calls out on Reddit: “72+ hours of downtime is insane – stop normalizing it just because it’s early access.”
  • Odd_Witness_2340 issues a warning on Reddit: “Please consider that the game has been inaccessible for seven (7) days and is likely to remain so for several more weeks, starting in 2025 and with the onset of the holiday season.”
  • kedaze has a bad feeling (via Reddit): “They decided to release the EA in this broken state, probably because they needed the money, but I believe this is also the reason why the game will not succeed. They took too long to accept player feedback during the alpha phase, and I fear it’s too late now.”
  • Turbotyp1 sees a different issue (via Reddit): “Honestly, I feel that the only reason they are getting so much flak is that the gaming world has completely twisted the meaning of early access. Remember when you could play Rust in early access and then it was decided to completely redevelop the game?”
  • Snaregods rages on Reddit: “Today they set up a PTR after promising that the servers would be online for the third day in a row. Although it means nothing since it doesn’t really work if the live servers are not also online at the same time.”
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MMORPG celebrates comeback with player surge, unfortunately the new developers do not know the technology well enough
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Currently, the issues with Corepunk are causing quite a bad mood within the community that had to pay for early access. The early access launch itself actually went quite well, as many MMORPG fans appreciate the old-school gaming experience: Corepunk has launched, MMORPG fans enjoy the old-school experience: “It’s a hell of a lot of fun”

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

Is Path of Exile 2 too expensive and complex for you? There is now a strong alternative on Steam for the price of a coffee

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 2 minutes

Currently on Steam, there is an alternative to Path of Exile 2 and Diablo 4 available, and it’s at a historically low price.

What kind of game is this? Grim Dawn is an ARPG in the style of Path of Exile 2 and Diablo 4. The game was developed by Crate Entertainment and released back in 2016.

If you’re waiting for the end of the Early Access of Path of Exile 2 and can’t stand seeing Diablo 4 anymore, then this could be an alternative for you. And it’s currently outrageously cheap.

You can watch the trailer for the “Forgotten Gods” expansion of Grim Dawn here:

Start video
Grim Dawn: The Trailer to Forgotten Realms

Action, Crafting, Multiplayer

What can I expect in Grim Dawn? The game promises many of the typical elements found in the ARPG genre. It comes with motivating character development, countless items, a crafting system, and quests where your decisions have consequences.

If that alone isn’t enough for you, you can also play the game with your friends. Both LAN co-op and online co-op are part of the game, which you can currently get for an amazing 2.49 € on Steam.

Although the game was released 8 years ago, it is still actively developed and expanded. After one of the largest patches of the game was released last year, the new update 1.2.1.3 just came out on December 17, 2024.

A new expansion for the game is also on the way and is set to go live next year, as the developers report on their site.

In addition to the main game, the expansions and DLCs are currently on offer. They are each reduced by 35%. If you want to purchase the game with all expansions and DLCs, you can currently save 62% on the entire bundle, which you can get for 25.08 €.

How is the game received in the community? The game does not have to hide its rating behind the best representatives of the genre. On Steam, the game has a solid 93% positive ratings with 79,885 reviews (as of December 20, 2024).

Recent reviews show a similar value. Here, the game has 91% positive ratings with 516 reviews submitted.

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There is also a lot going on with the genre representative Path of Exile 2. The game is currently in Early Access and causes both cheers and frustration in the community with many and frequent changes. They have a particular demand: Path of Exile 2 players are calling for changes in loot, particularly one type of item annoys them.

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

Pokémon GO: All Events in December 2024 – Dates in the List

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

December in Pokémon GO brings some exciting events. We summarize the most important dates.

December in Pokémon GO: December is all about the new season “Dual Destiny”. The new season starts in early December and runs until the end of March.

The first month of this new season brings several exciting events. Among other things, there is always an exciting Community Day in December – this should also be the case this year.

We summarize what else is coming up here in the list for you.

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

Pokémon GO Events in December – Dates and Bonuses

Event DateEvent Title
December 2Max Monday with Squirtle*
December 3Start of the “Dual Destiny” season
December 3Spotlight Hour with Sableye* and Catch Stardust
December 3 – 9Dynamax Battles with Machop*, Wolly*.
December 3 – 125-Star Raids with Genesect*
December 3 – 12Mega Raids with Mega Banette
December 3 – 7“Waiting and Drinking Tea” Event
December 4Raid Hour with Genesect*
December 7Research Day: Rising Dragons
December 8Gigantamax Battle Day with Gigantamax Lapras*
December 9Max Monday with Krabby*
December 10Spotlight Hour with Honchkrow* & Catch XP
December 10 – 14Event “Young and Wise”
December 11Raid Hour with Genesect*
December 12 – 19Mega Raids with Mega Latios*
December 14Fusion Raid Day with Necrozma
December 16Max Monday with Charmander*
December 17 – 22Holiday Event, Part 1
December 17Spotlight Hour with Swablu, Arctibax, Catch Candy
December 18Raid Hour with Mega Latios*
December 19 – 26Mega Raids with Mega Latias*
December 21 – 22Community Day
December 22 – 27Holiday Event, Part 2
December 23Dynamo Monday with Frigometric*
December 24Spotlight Hour with Botogel* and Sending Candy
December 25Raid Hour with Mega Latias*
December 26 – January 45-Star Raids with Giratina*
December 26 – January 4Mega Raids with Mega Rexblisar
December 29Sparkling Hatching Day
December 30Dynamo Day with Bulbasaur*
December 31Spotlight Hour with Togetic* and Evolution XP
December 31 – January 1New Year’s Event
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Pokémon GO: One of the best attackers gets its own event that you definitely should not miss
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Trainer in Pokémon GO prepares for a strong monster that may never appear
von Paul Kutzner

Which events are worth it in December in Pokémon GO?

These are the most exciting events: In December you can look forward to some highlights. You should particularly keep an eye on the following:

  • The Community Day in December is traditionally big and usually brings back many old highlight Pokémon. We assume that this will be the case again this year.
  • The season start of the new season right at the beginning of the month will be interesting. Note that you can now perform two free raids every day.
  • The Christmas and New Year events are generally always worth it.
  • Gigantamax Lapras will be exciting, but will likely need a lot of trainers to defeat.

In general, Gigantamax has taken on an important role in Pokémon GO since the last season. The new bosses belong to the most difficult you can battle in Pokémon GO. Has the feature perhaps even become too hard? You can read more about the topic of Gigantamax by MeinMMO author Paul Kutzner here.

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

The most beautiful MMORPG in the world has launched

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 3 minutes

With World of Jade Dynasty, the most beautiful MMORPG in the world has just launched. However, the developers are not done yet and are directly providing a glimpse of another graphic upgrade.

What kind of MMORPG is this? World of Jade Dynasty is the spiritual successor to Jade Dynasty, which was online from 2007 to 2018. Just like its predecessor, World of Jade Dynasty offers a theme park in Wuxia style, which is best known in the West from the MMORPG Swords of Legends Online. The game launched in China on December 19, 2024.

The MMORPG features both action combat and tab targeting, and upon release, it offers 5 classes, each with two specifications, along with the holy trinity of tank, heal, and damage dealer.

The MMORPG provides a fully voiced story and a large, beautiful world that can be explored on foot, with mounts, or flying. There is also a dynamic weather system.

Here you can see how beautiful the characters of World of Jade Dynasty look:

Start video
The new MMORPG World of Jade Dynasty shows in the video how beautiful its characters look

It’s going to get even more beautiful

What are the developers planning? Although the MMORPG, powered by Unreal Engine 5, is already arguably the most beautiful on the market, the developers want to take it even further. In a video on X.com, they showcase what they want to achieve with an upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.5.

You can see how World of Jade Dynasty should look after the upgrade here:

Start video
World of Jade Dynasty: Video shows what the MMORPG is supposed to look like after the upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.5

Especially in direct comparison at the end, you can clearly see the differences. The improved light and shadow effects enhance the already better graphics.

What content does the MMORPG offer? In PvE, you can expect not only the open game world but also dungeons, raids, bounty hunts, and world bosses, which you can tackle publicly with all sorts of players.

In PvP, you can expect the typical arenas and battlegrounds that you already know from other theme park MMORPGs. However, one particularity concerns the skills; these are slightly different between PvE and PvP and are therefore balanced independently.

Recreational content is also not neglected in the game. There is supposed to be housing, fishing, collecting, crafting, achievements, and collectible albums to fill – everything that a theme park MMORPG needs.

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Battlefield will also compete with Call of Duty in cinema, hiring an action expert for that
von Christoph Waldboth

World of Jade Dynasty could also come to us

What are the chances of a release in the West? Until a few days ago, fans of World of Jade Dynasty could only hold on to the straw that the predecessor had also run in the West for many years. However, the situation has now changed.

Since the release of the game in China was approaching, the official English X.com account of the developers at Perfect World Games started promoting the game in English, and there are also promotional videos on YouTube.

Among other things, this quote can be found there: “All players are warmly invited to explore the World of Jade Dynasty in the Chinese MMO style starting December 19 and to create their own Xianxia style!” However, the invitation currently seems to apply only to players with a Chinese ID, as one cannot access the servers without it.

However, the fact that the developers are now also promoting their game in English with several posts could really be the first proper hint at a release in the West. When and whether it will actually happen is still completely unclear.

The MMORPG offers a rich cash shop that sells you all sorts of cosmetic items. Here, it is said that players can even manually adjust the colors of individual textiles and fabrics of clothing. You can find out how the MMORPG is currently financing itself in China here: New MMORPG introduces subscription model, battlepass, and ingame shop, but fans can at least determine the price

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. zxsj.wanmei.com
  2. YouTube
  3. weibo.com

Star Citizen’s Chief Reveals Focus for 2025 After 13 Years of Development – Spoiler: It’s Not the Launch

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

In the annual “Letter from the Chairman,” Chris Roberts, the head behind Star Citizen, reflects on the past year, only to give an outlook on the upcoming months.

What does Chris Roberts write in his letter to the community? The mind behind the ambitious sci-fi MMO first discusses the upcoming live release of Alpha 4.0, which is supposed to be an important step forward for Star Citizen.

  • Although the first teaser for the journey from the Stanton to the Pyro system through a Jump Point was already presented in 2019, the implementation has taken much longer than planned.
  • With the release of 4.0, the developers will run two live versions of Star Citizen for the first time, allowing players to choose which version they want to play.
  • The reason for this: During the Christmas season, the team will not be fully available to quickly fix issues. If the new version causes problems, affected players can fall back to the old, functioning version.
  • In the new year, version 3.24.3 will then be phased out, leaving only the 4.0 version from that point on.
  • The lead developer relies on the community generating sufficient traffic to extensively test the new server meshing and the revamped systems.

The new fire system for Star Citizen is coming a bit later but is part of Alpha 4.0:

Start video
Star Citizen: Developers present new fire system of Alpha 4.0 in video

Plans for Star Citizen in 2025

What comes after Alpha 4.0? If you are among the players hoping for a final release schedule after more than 13 years of development, we unfortunately have to disappoint you. According to Chris Roberts, the focus of the developers in the coming year will be on a different, more fundamental area: improving playability.

The team aims to achieve this through three factors: performance, stability, and content. The live environment should work much more reliably, with fewer bugs, and be more consistent in the future. If successful, Roberts continues, Star Citizen would already provide “an unparalleled experience in its current form.”

Additionally, they want to learn from past mistakes and fundamentally change their working methods. The development of features should be completely decoupled from the creation of content and general bug fixing, so that new functions and systems no longer hinder the content supply or destabilize the live servers.

Specifically, new, complex features are to be tested and refined in a separate area first. Only when there is a complete approval will these then make their way to the regular test or live server. In other words: there will be an alpha version for the alpha version in the future.

More about Star Citizen:
26 MMOs that wanted your money via Kickstarter – A sad balance after 14 years
von Karsten Scholz
500 fans hold a large meeting in Star Citizen, player rants: I would prefer if the devs met
von Dariusz Müller

Chris Roberts on the advantage of crowdfunding: Lastly, Chris Roberts explains in his letter that in his long career, he has rarely encountered managers and decision-makers who were able to see and share his visions.

Therefore, he decided many years ago to start crowdfunding instead of seeking a contract with a publisher.

Star Citizen and Squadron 42 are two games that would never have received the green light from any of the big publishers. They are both too ambitious and belong to a genre that until recently was considered a niche. They require patience and investments that hardly any publisher would be willing to provide.

Chris Roberts via robertsspaceindustries.com

Because within the community, there would be many who would share his vision and who want to play exactly the game he himself desperately wants to play (and therefore is now developing himself, as no one else is doing it). In 2024 alone, 500,000 supporters are expected to join. A million testers logged 32 million play hours this year.

And when is the release? Unclear. Chris Roberts only hints that the launch of the single-player spinoff Squadron 42 and the release of the roadmap (!) for version 1.0 of Star Citizen are clear goals for the team. As soon as there is more information on this, we will keep you updated on MeinMMO, of course. In the meantime, you can read about how well the project is doing here: Star Citizen breaks the next historical milestone because fans simply have no self-control

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

Helldivers 2: A strong armor and weapon cost real money – the players are angry because it is too expensive

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

The new update in Helldivers 2 finally delights players with a new enemy faction. However, the players’ good mood seems to be somewhat dampened now. The first crossover of the cooperative shooter seems to not please some fans at all, and this is due to the price.

What kind of crossover is this? Helldivers 2 has now received its first crossover after a long time. In the game, there are skins for Killzone. This is basically Sony’s Halo, which certainly has its fanbase. However, the series was never able to become really big. The last installment was released in 2013 in the form of Killzone: Shadow Fall.

The skins include a skin for the weapon, armor, helmet, cape, the banner, and the logo. If you want to purchase all of them, you will pay 1,975 Over-Credits. That is roughly about €20. This has led to criticism from many players, to which even the head of Arrowhead has responded. Arrowhead seems to be generally experimenting with the Over-Store as the first weapon was also offered there recently.

Start video
Helldivers 2: Das neue Update Omens of Tyranny erfüllt langersehnten Wunsch

Players are unhappy with the price

What do the players say about this? In a recent reddit thread, players express rather negative opinions about the new bundle and the associated price. The weapon, which costs 600 Over-Credits, is also a source of much criticism.

Additionally, the armor is criticized because it has a strong effect that cannot be found in any other armor. It costs 500 Over-Credits and gives you 50% damage reduction against gas, acid, and electric damage.

Players express their negativity in the thread, which now has over 7,500 upvotes and 1,200 comments.

  • Zakharon (via reddit): Honestly, it should have been a war bond.
  • GoCommitYeetus (via reddit): This is a very bad precedent. It feels like they are testing the waters.
  • A different reddit user is mainly bothered by the weapons: I understand the price increase for crossover cosmetics due to licensing […], but having a weapon in the superstore is what annoys me. If enough people buy it/not express their aversion, then AH/Sony will continue to enforce these monetary practices.

Many users also mention that it was supposed to be a war bond, but this cannot be officially confirmed. A well-known leaker on x.com mentioned a Killzone war bond a few days before the shop content was released.

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Helldivers 2 finally brings new enemies, but they were killed so quickly that many players even missed them
von Max Handwerk
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„I wouldn’t be surprised if they were just trolling us“ – Helldivers 2 hints at new enemies, but players are skeptical
von Dariusz Müller

The goal was clearly not achieved

What does the CEO say about this? The CEO of Arrowhead, Shams Jorjani, commented on the topic on the official Discord (via GamesRadar) and said at first:

First: This is our first collaboration, so we will work it out gradually. Let us know what you would like to see in the future. Second, it is voluntary – the more we sell, the more Illuminate stuff we can offer for free.

Later, he added that the goal was clearly not achieved. They want to find a perfect point between content and price. Here, the CEO seems to admit that they did not hit the mark with the price.

For the current Killzone content, they want to look at the numbers. What will happen with future crossovers and new content in the Over-Store remains to be seen. Until then, you can check out our tier list of the weapons here: Helldivers 2: Tier list of the best weapons and grenades for every mission

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

WoW: The Sirens’ Island is a Dream for Role Players – So Many Cool Items

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

On the new island in World of Warcraft, role players receive a lot of cool stuff. A little RP dream comes true.

The Siren Island in Patch 11.0.7 of World of Warcraft is likely to entertain most players for only a few hours. Every few days, you get an upgrade, complete a handful of quests – done. However, there are plenty of new unlocks on the island that will be particularly beneficial for RP fans.

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Siren Island – The New Content in WoW Patch 11.0.7

What items are involved? Even though there is relatively little pure content on the Siren Island – there are significantly more unlocks. While transmog of all kinds already makes the hearts of RP fans (and also all other transmog enthusiasts) beat faster, there are also various toys that have interesting and unique effects.

The quartermasters offer various crates that go straight into the toy collection. The crates have almost no cooldown and provide several options when used – you can hold a book in your hand, study a map, simply carry the crate, or sit on it.

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Why is this so helpful? Roleplaying in World of Warcraft is quite multifaceted, and pretty much everyone in the RP community longs for more opportunities to modify their character or the environment. For this reason, for example, the tents from Dragonflight are extremely popular (and make some people rich), while engineers with the weather machine have ensured that many RP events have a nicer atmosphere.

If toys and items now allow characters to adopt new positions for longer periods – and especially without dreadful cooldowns – it is a clear enrichment for roleplay.

More news about WoW:
The 16 MMORPGs with the most players according to official numbers from the developers
von Karsten Scholz
WoW: Midnight Tier List – Ranking of the Best Classes for DPS, Tanks and Healers
von Christos Tsogos
WoW: 6 classes get big buffs, shadow priests celebrate
von Cortyn

It’s worth taking a longer look at the different vendors – especially as an RP fan. Besides the transmog and the toys, there are also some holy crystals that allow you to channel a beam of light for a long time. Wonderful for anyone who also wants to cast a healing spell in RP that doesn’t just dissipate while typing the next chat message.
Have you already gotten the cool Prismatic Snapdragon as a mount?

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