„There are always consequences“ – The sacrificed woman in the new Witcher trailer means so much more than you think

Leya Jankowski Leya Jankowski Reading time 7 minutes

In the interview about Witcher 4, editor-in-chief Leya suddenly becomes very emotional. Game Director Sebastian Kalemba explains why the sacrificed woman from their new story trailer is so important for Ciri’s journey.

Just yesterday I watched the Game Awards live in Los Angeles. A major highlight is the new reveal trailer for The Witcher 4, which I see on the big screen. Right behind me is part of the team from CD Projekt Red.

Curiously, I turn around from time to time and look into tense and excited faces. I think to myself: If I were in their place and had to unveil the sequel to the beloved Witcher 3 after almost 10 years, my stomach would be in knots.

Now I sit in a hotel lobby with my laptop, preparing for an interview that I will have in less than 30 minutes with Game Director Sebastian Kalemba and Executive Producer Gosia Mitrega. I have actually already put together my questions. One last time, I carefully watch the just revealed trailer on my laptop.

And then I notice her eyes.

Start video
Trailer for The Witcher 4 shows Ciri as the protagonist

Eyes I Can’t Forget

My focus suddenly shifts to Mioni, the young woman who is to be sacrificed to the monster in the trailer.

At the beginning of the 6-minute trailer, almost 2 minutes are dedicated solely to her. That’s a lot of time for Ciri to be the star of the trailer, I think to myself in that moment. How she is prepared for the sacrifice and led to her certain death.

I begin to study the young woman more closely and lean my nose close to my monitor, where I meet her eyes.

I see fear.

Mioni, Witcher 4 Trailer
Nervously, the young woman looks into the faces of her village.

Although I am following a fictional character, I feel pity for her. I have respect for the powerful depiction of her innermost fear and her eyes, which have burned into my memory.

Shortly thereafter comes the big reveal that Ciri will be the new protagonist of the Witcher series from CD Projekt Red.

However, my attention remains on Mioni, and I think to myself: This can’t all be a coincidence.

Why a sacrifice of a young woman? Why is so much time dedicated to Mioni in the trailer? From the corner of my eye, I see the PR agent Fabian Döhla, who comes to pick me up from the hotel lobby for the interview.

Quickly, I scribble a note for my questions: “Symbolism of sacrificed woman?”

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What is the connection to Ciri?

When I arrive in the room where we will conduct the interview, I am warmly greeted by a happy Gosia Mitrega, although I can see the fatigue on her face. She is the Executive Producer of The Witcher 4 and looks relaxed after the big trailer reveal.

Game Director Sebastian Kalemba also appears calm and cheerful at this moment. We sit down together, and the interview begins. I always write down many more questions than I can get through in the time allotted and spontaneously decide which ones to ask based on the mood and flow of the conversation.

After a few casual opening questions, I only have the sacrificed woman on my mind. As I scan my list of questions, my note catches my eye, and I simply have to know:

“At the beginning of the trailer, I suffered a lot for the young woman. I think you executed that brilliantly because you can see in her eyes how much fear she has. I had goosebumps when I watched it. This also brings the topic of ‘young women as sacrifices’ to the table. This is so symbolic that I wondered: What connection is there to Ciri? Can you elaborate on the symbolism behind it?”

At this point, the whole room is very emotional. Because fears certainly also play a role in the developers’ minds right now. The trailer is shown, the first community feedback read, the expectations high.

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The Witcher 4: What kind of monster is Ciri fighting in the new trailer?
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The Different Trailer Analysis

At this point, I find it not so easy to direct the interview back into a somewhat lighter direction. Additionally, the words about the sacrifice still echo in my mind, and I have trouble finding my focus.

The best I can think of is to continue discussing the monster and its design. And here we went really deep into detail. You won’t find this part of the interview, along with more information about the trailer, here on MeinMMO, but on our sister site GameStar.

Behind the scenes: After it was clear that I would fly to the Game Awards in LA, the editor-in-chief of GameStar, Heiko Klinge, approached me and asked if I would like to conduct this interview. I love interviews, and they are among my favorite activities in my job, which is why he didn’t have to ask me twice.

The complete interview can therefore be found as a guest article on GameStar Plus: We have the different trailer analysis for The Witcher 4: the one with CD Projekt Red

After the interview, I immediately hop into the Uber that takes me to the airport. Mioni keeps swirling in my mind. I go to Witcher 4 with a good feeling.

I don’t know what kind of answer I was actually expecting here. But that I would receive such a detailed and emotional response surprises me.

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It Was a Lesson for Ciri

Sebastian leans forward, and I just sit there, listening intently to the Game Director as his answer pours out:

“Okay, time to get down to earth!

This is exactly the reason we chose this story – to use it as a foundation and show Ciri’s inner conflict and her current emotional state. The young woman, Mioni, has no chance of escaping her fate. She is the servant of a superstition and is used by her father.

Of course, they all have been living in fear for so many years – and that’s what makes it so dramatic – and they still haven’t managed to find another way [than the sacrifice] to deal with the evil. On the other hand, we have Ciri, who – as mentioned before – has been running away her whole life. She has learned that one can and should take full responsibility for one’s actions. She was raised by wolves, she’s here because she faced her destiny – and she is not at all okay with Mioni being led into the woods without anyone intervening.

This pulls her deeper into this situation; for her, it’s a big ‘No!’. On the other hand, she also understands the tragedy of the whole thing… Let’s say she decides not to let [Mioni] go into the woods, then she would have to face the villagers because she knows how a fear-driven mob would react. This fear unites them.

As a professional monster hunter, she had to use Mioni a bit too, to lure the monster out of its hiding place and gain an advantage. [In the trailer], there is a moment where she touches Mioni’s shoulder and says, ‘Run away, disappear!’. She didn’t want to put the young woman’s life at risk. She had good intentions – Ciri is also the [foster] daughter of someone, in this case, Geralt.

So she could empathize very well with this situation, this dynamic where there are no good choices. She had to intervene and do her best to at least try to help the young woman. Unfortunately, in this case, there was [a sad ending]… we really wanted to show that this world is very dark.

There are always consequences; you pay for your actions. But it was also a lesson for Ciri: ‘I did my best, but I can’t control the world around me.’ So it’s all very symbolic. Also, the moment when she enters the forest and hears all these voices – the Bauk [the creature from the trailer] also plays with her own fears and inner monsters.

The creature tries to crawl under Ciri’s skin and drive her away, to stop her from intervening. So she also had to fight through that – that was also a very important moment for her, which really showcases her personality.”

Sebastian speaks from the heart, while Gosia and I just listen

While listening, I get a bit teary-eyed, and I’m not the only one in the room. As the Game Director pours his heart out about Ciri’s journey, it becomes clear how much this heroine and her story mean to him. I realize that this character has been with him for a long time and that Ciri has become a part of him.

After this detailed answer about the symbolism of the sacrifice and how it relates to Ciri, I begin to think about the monster from the trailer. The Bauk.

The Bauk Plays with Ciri’s Fears

I dig deeper into the monster shown:

“I have informed myself about the Bauk. In Serbian mythology, the Bauk is a creature that feeds on fears. That’s why I was also wondering what your intention was in showing the Bauk in the trailer. Because, of course, this is a Witcher game, so it needs a monster. But it is of course crucial which creature you choose for such a trailer.” 

Sebastian: “Yes, that’s a very important decision. And we also wanted a complex monster for that. We didn’t want just any creature, we wanted an intelligent, very powerful monster that we could also use as an instrument to transport certain emotions. In the previous games, we showed various monsters. The Striga, for example. Sometimes the people are the real monsters. That makes this world so dark and so real. And [in The Witcher 4], Ciri is still young; she has yet to prove herself. She tries to prove to everyone that it was a good decision to become a witcher.”    

Gosia: “She wants to prove it mainly to herself. Because the monster plays so much with her fears, she questions herself: ‘Is this enough? Am I enough?’ So there are many monsters here: the actual creature in the woods. But also the people in the village. And also the fears in Ciri’s head. So with the trailer, we wanted to show all these layers, all these aspects of the game.” 

At this point, the whole room is very emotional. Because fears certainly also play a role in the developers’ minds right now. The trailer is shown, the first community feedback read, the expectations high.

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The Different Trailer Analysis

At this point, I find it not so easy to direct the interview back into a somewhat lighter direction. Additionally, the words about the sacrifice still echo in my mind, and I have trouble finding my focus.

The best I can think of is to continue discussing the monster and its design. And here we went really deep into detail. You won’t find this part of the interview, along with more information about the trailer, here on MeinMMO, but on our sister site GameStar.

Behind the scenes: After it was clear that I would fly to the Game Awards in LA, the editor-in-chief of GameStar, Heiko Klinge, approached me and asked if I would like to conduct this interview. I love interviews, and they are among my favorite activities in my job, which is why he didn’t have to ask me twice.

The complete interview can therefore be found as a guest article on GameStar Plus: We have the different trailer analysis for The Witcher 4: the one with CD Projekt Red

After the interview, I immediately hop into the Uber that takes me to the airport. Mioni keeps swirling in my mind. I go to Witcher 4 with a good feeling.

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

The shooter expert shroud has found a remedy for rages on Twitch – But not everyone can afford it

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 2 minutes

The streamer shroud is currently playing Marvel Rivals on Twitch and struggled with the poor performance of his teammates in a match. Just as he was about to lose it, an unusual remedy helped.

How did shroud fare? There are hardly any shooters in which the Twitch streamer does not excel. But he is also not averse to other genres like MMORPGs. He is currently hanging out on the servers of the free game Marvel Rivals and causing trouble.

However, one stream showed that even the experienced shooter player reaches his limits. He and his team were on the verge of losing. The opponents were giving them a lot of trouble, which slowly but surely drove shroud to frustration.

“We have terrible teammates. I’m getting angry. I’m getting annoyed. It’s hot in my room. Man, I’m actually getting a bit worked up,” he said, as he once again had to eat dirt.

He asked his teammates and himself how he could manage his pent-up anger to mentally refocus on the ongoing match. But shroud probably didn’t expect the answer.

Start video
Marvel Rivals: The launch trailer for the shooter featuring Marvel superheroes on PS5 and Steam

A look at the phone helps

What did shroud do? A teammate suggested simply taking a quick look at his account balance. shroud didn’t think long and followed the suggestion. He picked up his phone and checked how much he had in his account.

It seemed to help. Although the successful streamer did not reveal how high the amount was, it satisfied him. Because after shroud put the phone away, he suddenly played much better.

After respawning, he announced that he was now focused again. He started running and, typically shroud, single-handedly took down half of the opposing team.

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But in the end, it wasn’t enough for a big comeback. Despite shroud’s efforts, his team lost, leaving the streamer frustrated.

For a short while, however, his account balance helped him manage his emotions and get back into the game. No wonder, as according to twitchtracker.com, shroud currently has 6,285 paying subscribers on Twitch. Coupled with advertising deals and other collaborations, the streamer is likely doing very well financially.

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The streamer has thus found a way to deal with outbursts of anger that certainly does not work for everyone. Regularly checking one’s account balance is not always associated with joy, after all. However, shroud could have resorted to another trick: A player discovers that you can annihilate the entire opposing team in Marvel Rivals with a shark in seconds

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

FC 25: TOTW 14 is now live with upgrades for Rodrygo and Isak

Julian Schröder Julian Schröder Reading time 2 minutes

For EA FC 25 this Wednesday the TOTW 14 (Team of the Week) is on the agenda. Who is included this time?

Update, December 18 at 7:00 PM: The new TOTW 14 is now live in FC 25 Ultimate Team. You can take a closer look at the new Inform cards here:

This continues with the original post, and you can see how close the predictions came to the final team.

This is the Team of the Week: Wednesdays are the time for a new TOTW in EA FC 25 Ultimate Team. This team features players who have delivered strong performances in the past football week. These players receive improved Inform special cards, which are available in packs for one week.

Start video
EA FC 25 trailer shows new features for Ultimate Team

These are TOTW predictions: The TOTW predictions are forecasts from the community. The prediction tries to guess which players could make it to the Team of the Week based on their real performances. They provide a good overview of who could be included in the TOTW.

However, it is important to note that these are theoretical predictions and no guarantees. The TOTW 14 on Wednesday may look different than the predictions suggest.

The prediction for Team of the Week 14 in EA FC 25 Ultimate Team

The predictions for the next Team of the Week come from the FUT site futbin.

Goalkeepers

  • GK: Rulli (Olympique Marseille)

Defenders

  • LB: Robinson (Fulham FC)
  • CB: Martínez (Manchester United)
  • LB: Simon (FC Bayern Munich)

Midfielders

  • CAM: Sarr (Crystal Palace)
  • CDM: Zambo Anguissa (SSC Napoli)
  • CAM: Lee Jae Sung (FSV Mainz 05)
  • LM: Son (Tottenham Hotspur)

Forwards

  • RF: Trincao (Sporting Lisbon)
  • ST: Katoto (Paris Saint-Germain)
  • ST: En-Nesyri (Fenerbahçe Istanbul)

TOTW 14 Substitutes:

  • GK: Carnesecchi (Bergamo Calcio)
  • CB: Sergio (CD Leganes)
  • LF: Murphy (Newcastle United)
  • ST: Laba (Al Ain FC)
  • CAM: Plea (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
  • ST: Isi Palazón (Rayo Vallecano)
  • ST: Giménez (Feyenoord Rotterdam)
  • CB: Dussenne (Lausanne-Sport)
  • RB: Kübler (SC Freiburg)
  • CAM: Corredor (SV Darmstadt 98)
  • ST: Gabrielloni (FC Como)
  • RM: Kopic (Viktoria Plzeň)
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So we are already at the end of the predictions. Are you satisfied with the predictions? Do you have any more suggestions? Please let us know in the comments. And if you want to know what important changes the new mini-patch brings to the game, then check it out here: EA FC 25: New Update makes 3 important changes, weakens 2 shots and improves dribbling

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

The creator of Fallout worked for 6 years on an MMORPG that only lasted 4 years – Believes he knows the reason for its failure

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 2 minutes

An experienced developer worked on an MMORPG after successes with the Fallout series. However, the game was only online for a few years after completion – which doesn’t surprise the developer behind it.

Which developer is it? Tim Cain has worked on some of the most famous games of all time. He was one of the creators of Fallout and also contributed to Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, Pillars of Eternity, and The Outer Worlds.

The game he spent the longest working on, however, is another one. We are talking about the MMORPG WildStar, which was released in 2014. It was developed by Carbine Studios, and the publisher was NCSoft. The MMORPG impressed fans with its colorful sci-fi world, action-packed battles, and challenging raids.

Unfortunately, the game was not playable for very long. Only four years after its release, WildStar was discontinued – specifically on November 28, 2018.

By that time, Tim Cain was already no longer part of the development team. He had left the studio earlier and now looks back at the project with surprise. Cain believes he knows why WildStar failed.

Those who miss WildStar can find alternatives to the MMORPG on MeinMMO.

Start video
Trailer for the canceled MMORPG WildStar

A (too) long development

What does Cain say? The developer recalls to PC Gamer about the time when work on WildStar began. Back in 2005, the team was very small, with only about ten people involved. They were mainly veterans who had already worked on games like World of Warcraft.

During development, the creative minds behind the project gathered numerous outlandish ideas and tested them. This prolonged the work even further.

Tim Cain worked on WildStar for a total of six years. That’s longer than any other project he was involved in. For comparison: Cain spent about three and a half years on Fallout 1. Of course, an MMORPG is a significantly larger undertaking, yet the developer believes that the long development harmed the game.

Before its completion, Cain left the company. When WildStar was released in 2014, the developer was busy with other projects and had no time to play himself. But he observed how the MMORPG was performing and how it slowly failed. Cain describes it today as follows:

They worked on it for a total of nine years when WildStar finally came out. And that alone causes problems because the games had changed. What people wanted had changed. Other competitors had come to the market and shown what was possible. You can set a goal and work towards it, but if it takes so long, the target shifts.

Tim Cain via PC Gamer

The competition had become larger and more modern. Besides WoW, games like Guild Wars 2, ESO, and Star Wars: The Old Republic were dominating the market.

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According to Cain, it was evident that WildStar had been in development for a long time and could not compete with modern MMORPGs. Some features that distinguished other games were missing, which ultimately led to its demise. Did you play WildStar back then? What do you think about it? Feel free to let us know in the comments. Cain recently shared a funny anecdote: The creator of Fallout explains why beans play an important role in the wasteland

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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EA FC 25: New event causes market to crash even before release, gives you the chance for strong players at rock-bottom prices

Thomas Dummer Thomas Dummer Reading time 3 minutes

In EA FC 25, prices for strong players in the transfer market in Ultimate Team are currently collapsing. This affects not only expensive special cards but especially Icons. On MeinMMO, we explain to you what the crash has to do with the upcoming event.

What event is coming up in Ultimate Team? Insiders of Ultimate Team have leaked information about a winter event that will start on Friday, December 20, 2024. It is likely to be the well-known “Winter Wildcards”.

What are Winter Wildcards? In this event, a variety of new special cards with varying degrees of upgrades await you. In FC 24, not only normal cards but also Icons benefited from these improvements. Therefore, it is quite conceivable that special versions of legend cards will also appear during the “Winter Wildcards” in FC 25.

In FC 24, Winter Wildcards Team 1 offered strong Icons like Pele or Didier Drogba.

Just the fact that the market will be flooded with many new special cards would be enough for the prices of all previous cards to drop. But another announcement about the event is causing the market to crash significantly.

Start video
EA FC 25 trailer shows new features for Ultimate Team

Winter Wildcards likely brings players with two PlayStyle+

A crucial leak concerns the yet-to-be-released Winter Wildcard version of ManCity striker Erling Haaland. He is expected to receive not only upgrades to his stats but also an additional PlayStyle+.

This makes Haaland the first known card in EA FC 25 to feature two of the coveted PlayStyle+. The following leak originates from the X account of the well-known insider Fut Sheriff.

We would like to point out at this point, despite the probabilities, that leaks do not provide an unrestricted guarantee.

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Why are the prices for strong cards dropping so drastically? Experienced FC-25 players know about the importance of PlayStyles this year. Cards with two PlayStyle+ could quickly become the new meta, especially if they possess two of the 6 strongest Playstyles in FC 25 as gold versions.

This also means that other strong cards that only have one PlayStyle+ would lose relevance, even if their other stats are strong. Apparently, many players on the transfer market also fear this.

90+ Icons at low prices – Get your favorite legend as a bargain

Since the first leaks surfaced, the prices of the most expensive icons have already fallen significantly. The probably most famous and extreme example is the price of the Brazilian Icon of Ronaldo.

The price for the most expensive card in the game dropped during the day (December 18, 2024) from around 12.5 million coins for PlayStation and Xbox to under 10 million coins. Meanwhile, the value is recovering from the panic sales and is around 10.8 million coins according to Futbin at 3 PM.

It also hit the German Icons of Bastian Schweinsteiger (from 87,000 to 76,000 coins) and Philipp Lahm (from 300,000 to 254,000 coins) hard, as they became significantly cheaper.

And the negative trend continues for almost all icons, as you can see in the market price trends for icons in FC 25 on Futbin.

So if you’ve always wanted a legend but never had the necessary coins, taking a look at the transfer market might be worth it for you.

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We assume that the transfer market will recover somewhat in the next few hours, before further leaks with the potentially first icons with 2 PlayStyle+ could shake it again.

You should therefore weigh whether your coins are worth your favorite icons, as you probably will not get back the paid price. How you can generally earn coins by buying and selling is also discussed on MeinMMO: Trading Tips – How to earn coins on the transfer market

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

In the German scene of LoL, there is a nasty clash between the big streamers on Twitch and the league

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 4 minutes

In the German scene of League of Legends, there is still bad blood: Even two months after an incident in the Prime League cup final at LoL, a player from the streamer team NNO is still struggling with a decision made by the Prime League. The conflict is flaring up again on December 17, 2024.

Why is there trouble? Apparently, there have been difficulties between the Prime League in Germany and the NNO team, which consists of 5 of the biggest Twitch streamers in LoL in Germany, for a while.

A bug incident in October was the last straw:

  • The team “NNO Prime”, organized and financially supported by the streamers, played in the final of the Prime League cup against the Unicorns of Love.
  • A bug occurred in the Sion ultimate, which the Unicorns of Love complained about. This complaint led to the interruption and annulment of a match in which NNO Prime was well ahead. Due to the decision to abort the match and restart it, the streamers felt disadvantaged and treated unfairly. Ultimately, NNO Prime lost the encounter.
  • Actually, the match should not have been aborted but continued from the point where the bug occurred. However, resuming the match was not possible because the league could not reach a Riot employee who could initiate a restart, a so-called “Chronobreak”.

NoWay is the leading streamer for LoL in Germany and the midlaner for NNO:

Start video
Former German LoL Pro is Now One of the Most Successful Twitch Streamers – This is NoWay

NNO wants to leave the league after referee decision dispute

These were the consequences of the incident: The NNO streamers caused quite a stir with their massive reach and expressed their outrage live on stream over the league’s decision. The mood was heated that evening, and many ugly words were reportedly thrown by the supporters of the streamers, especially in the chats of the league’s own livestreams and in the streams of their opponents, the Unicorns of Love.

The next day, however, the situation calmed down when the streamer NoWay backed down and urged his community not to react aggressively and to exercise restraint. NoWay even announced that he would punish his own fans if they had become abusive.

However, NNO toyed with the idea of leaving the Prime League after the incident, bringing in two Scandinavians or Brits to the team and then competing in the Scandinavian-British league. This was apparently a direct reaction to the referee’s decision.

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Instead of a contemplative Christmas, there is bad blood in LoL

This was the current state: NNO has since dissolved in its old form. But the issue is far from settled:

Employee of the Prime League calls on Karni to apologize for the witch hunt

This has escalated the incident again: The supporter Karni has now written a conciliatory post on Twitch for the end of the year. However, a leading employee of the Prime League reacted to it, urging Karni, while he was in such a reconciliatory mood, to also apologize for his “witch hunt” against an official of the Prime League, which the supporter from NNO had conducted back in October.

But Karni had no intention of taking a festive and conciliatory approach; instead, he escalated the conflict from October again: The person deserved to be denounced back then, writes Karni.

lol-karni

He says that the Prime League wanted NNO to “lick its boots to stay in the league.” He regrets none of his tweets.

Here is the reaction: Karni’s statement, particularly the phrasing about “licking boots”, and the Prime League employee’s comments are being discussed critically on Twitch:

  • His own bot lane partner and supporter, Broeki, publicly calls Karni to order: One should be grateful to the Prime League, which has allowed the scene to profile itself through the Twitch streamers.
  • Kevin Westphal from Eintracht Spandau also says that the tweets are unnecessary.
  • Overall, the phrasing is seen as problematic.

This has polarized strongly. Some believe that Karni is justifiably frustrated. He doesn’t have to forgive anything here – the league must be held accountable for its mistakes. Their conduct is “embarrassing”. The Prime League employee has provoked the reaction with his offensive wording of “witch hunt”.

Others argue, however, that as a streamer one must hold back and be aware of one’s reach. Responsibility for one’s reach must be taken, otherwise thoughtless statements can lead to “hate” against individuals. Karni is also seen as ungrateful towards a league that has brought him to a position where he can now live off content creation.

The worst time for such a dispute

Why is the situation particularly unfortunate? NNO in its “old form” with 5 major streamers would actually be exactly the team that the Prime League needs to generate more attention and attract sponsors. It would be in 2025, after a rule change at Riot Games, practically possible for the team to play in this form for the first time.

But right now, they have fallen out with the league.

In the Nordic league, however, where NNO now apparently wants to switch, teams are currently being formed with prominent influencers and stars that can enhance the struggling e-sport.

What is behind this: This is an unpleasant situation. Apparently, no one was satisfied with the solution to restart the game back then, not even the league. However, making further comments months later leads to nothing.

But publicly demanding an apology could only end in escalation.

The situation between NNO and the Prime League seems to be so tense also because a member of NNO, the caster Tolkin, has replaced the company behind the Prime League as the main caster for LoL in Germany, even though Tolkin himself once worked for that company. If the “NNO” figurehead leaves the league now, it cannot be good for the German scene: LoL: Summoner’s Inn closes after a former employee outperformed them on Twitch

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

Fortnite: Servers are online – All about Update 33.11: Server Status and Patch Notes

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

In Fortnite today, on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, the new update is activated. You can find all info about Patch 33.11 here.

Update from December 18, 2024 – 14:55: The servers are back online, have fun playing!

Update from December 18, 2024 – 14:34: The time estimated by the developers is up and the servers are still offline. What’s happening, Epic? 😉

Update from December 18, 2024 – 13:10: The maintenance started on time. We will update the news as soon as you can play again.

What happens when the server is down? The servers will be shut down. During this time, you cannot play Fortnite.

Server down in Fortnite – from when? The servers will be shut down on December 18, 2024, at 1 PM. Matchmaking will be disabled 30 minutes before (via x.com).

When can I play Fortnite again? This depends on the duration of the downtime. The developers expect a maintenance phase of one and a half hours (via status.epicgames.com). Starting at 2:30 PM, if everything goes according to plan, the servers could be back online.

When will the patch notes be released? Epic Games now only sporadically presents patch notes for updates and usually only after the downtime. As soon as they are available, you can read them with us.

Start video
Fortnite: Chapter 6 – Season 1 showcases its new skins and Godzilla in the gameplay trailer

Fortnite: Patch 33.11 – What do leakers say?

What can I expect with the upcoming update? The leaker Shiina has already made some assumptions on X.com about what could be included in the update. Here is what you can expect:

  • Free Christmas skins/cosmetics
  • Christmas collaboration with Snoop Dogg and Shaq
  • Collaboration for Skibidi Toilet
  • Return of old DC skins
  • Return of old Winterfest items
  • Ice skates item for Winterfest
  • Snow map update
  • Christmas quests around the Wintervestigation
  • New crew styles
  • Battle Pass Super Styles
  • New Vampire Hunter Pack
  • Possible release of the collaboration for Pixar’s Cars and Cyberpunk 2077
More about Fortnite:
Fortnite: Servers Down for Update 40.20 – Everything about Status, Duration, Leaks, and Patch Notes in the Live Ticker
von Christos Tsogos
Epic Games wants to compete with ARC Raiders, sending Disney characters on the mission
von Alexander Mehrwald

By the way: According to the leaks, the Winterfest will not start directly with the release of Patch 33.11, but only from December 20, 2024. Apparently, the event will then run until January 7, 2025. As soon as there are official patch notes, we will update this message for you. By the way: Thousands of Fortnite players have received refunds – What about players from Germany?

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

I am already playing Final Fantasy XIV on mobile and it has brought back my joy in Eorzea

Sophia Weiss Sophia Weiss Reading time 4 minutes

The Dawntrail expansion for Final Fantasy XIV is currently not well received on Steam. MyMMO editor Sophia Weiß felt the same way until she found the best way to play the MMORPG and is finally having fun again.

Over the years, Final Fantasy XIV has been praised for its great main story. Especially the expansions Shadowbringers and Endwalker were masterclasses in storytelling. However, Endwalker concluded the major story arc with update 6.0 that has been followed since the relaunch with A Realm Reborn.

I found the story of patch series 6.1 to 6.5 to be difficult. It didn’t captivate me at all.

Unfortunately, it continued in Dawntrail, as the story surrounding Tural just barely interests me. Unlike in previous expansions, I am not excited about the end of the story and lack the drive to play. Thus, the weaknesses of the game stand out more.

Who enjoys running quests when it is uncertain whether it’s worth sticking around until the end? Thus, the gameplay was not exciting, but just lonely.

Accordingly, I was still missing a good third of the 7.0 story until last weekend. Emphasis on missing, because I have now found the best way for me to grind through the dull story segments and still have fun.

Start video
Final Fantasy XIV: Trailer for the big ‘Crossroads’ update

I committed one of the biggest sins in Eorzea

In the part of the Final Fantasy XIV community I am part of, jokingly skipping cutscenes is called the biggest sin one can commit in the game. My friends and I are big fans of the story. So when someone skips that celebrated story just to get to the endgame as quickly as possible, we wrinkle our noses.

So far, I haven’t told anyone, but during patches 6.3 to 6.5, I also committed this sin. I simply skipped cutscenes. Because I wanted to move forward, always with the question in my head, when will this be good again.

Anyone who had fun with 6.1 to 7.0 is certainly allowed to have that. But someone like me, spoiled by the absolute heights of Natsuko Ishikawa’s storytelling, couldn’t appreciate the patches.

Sadly, I also had to somewhat struggle through Dawntrail (without skipping cutscenes) and finish the MSQ never left my daily real-life quests:

I am really looking forward to the new 8-man raid celebrated by everyone and I am incredibly curious about how the new chaotic alliance raid will perform. At the moment, I belong to exactly the people I used to judge.

Furthermore, Dawntrail is supposed to be just the start of a completely new story. So should I just grit my teeth and struggle through to enjoy the new, great story arcs of the upcoming expansions?

No longer for me!

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von Sophia Weiss
The 16 MMORPGs with the most players according to official numbers from the developers
von Karsten Scholz
The 12 Best Free-to-play MMORPGs 2026 in Comparison
von Schuhmann
These 5 mounts from Final Fantasy XIV are so absurd that you must have them
von Sophia Weiss

Nothing is better than gaming on the couch

I am now just playing the currently not very exciting story on my Steam Deck. That was the best decision I could have made:

Instead of having to sit at the PC, I can now lounge on the couch while playing. Snuggled up in blankets and pillows, with enough snacks for an entire afternoon, the running quests don’t feel so bad anymore.

While I couldn’t spend half an hour in Final Fantasy XIV over the past two months because I just didn’t feel like sitting down and investing time, I played through seven hours of the main story one Saturday afternoon.

Sure, I could also get comfortable at the PC. But the vibe is just completely different on the couch. And I finally had real fun with the game again. I am so happy.

Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Steam Deck
Small screen? Yes. But so much more relaxed and cozy.

Final Fantasy XIV on the Steam Deck – Here’s how it works

To get Final Fantasy XIV on the Steam Deck, you have two options:

One way is to buy the regular Steam version of the game and install it like any other game. However, you cannot link the Steam version with an existing Square Enix account. So if you already have a regular account via Square Enix, PlayStation, or Xbox, you need to create a completely new character for the Steam version of the game.

Option number two is better for anyone who has completed more than just A Realm Reborn: You install Windows on the Steam Deck. I had a larger SSD installed for that. When purchasing, I followed the advice of the colleagues at GameStar Tech.

The IT expert I trust then partitioned the memory of the mentioned new SSD: One partition still runs the Steam OS that my Deck comes with as standard. On the second part, I installed Windows 11 and Final Fantasy XIV.

And how does that work? Quite well!

I wouldn’t go into raids or boss fights with the Steam Deck. However, working through story missions, enjoying dungeons with NPCs, and the small fights in between all work like a charm. This is because Final Fantasy XIV is also optimized for consoles. The game has one of, if not the best console controls among MMORPGs.

More detailed experiences about this have already been compiled by my colleague Irina Moritz in a dedicated article in 2022: Final Fantasy XIV runs great on the Steam Deck, but the controls became my toughest adversary

I will therefore spend the time between the years questing through 7.0 and 7.1. As far as I can go without having to face the boss enemies. Of course, the winter and new year events are also approaching. And if it’s up to the game’s lead battle content designer, we’ll receive a very special content co-op: The MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV has only one desired partner for a coop, but the collaboration would be absolutely insane for fans

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

WoW Guide: How to Unlock the New Mount Thrayir, Eye of the Siren

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

In patch 11.0.7 of World of Warcraft, a new mount is waiting for you. We will show you how to unlock Thrayir.

On the Siren Island in World of Warcraft, most things revolve around the new ring, “Circe’s Ring”. However, there is also a lot to discover beyond that, such as a new flying mount. Thrayir, Eyes of the Siren, has quite an exclusive design and has been long desired by fans. We will tell you how to unlock the flying mount.

What kind of mount is this? Thrayir, Eyes of the Siren, is a large storm bird that has existed in the game data of World of Warcraft for almost 10 years, but only became available with patch 11.0.7. You can obtain the mount on the new Siren Island. You will need to complete several steps, which we will present to you in this guide.

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

Unlock Thrayir, Eyes of the Siren

To unlock the flying mount, you need to collect a total of 5 keys and bring them all to a specific location on the Siren Island. However, most keys are broken into various fragments, so the search can take quite a while. Also, note that you must be in the storm phase of the Siren Island for most fragments.

How do you unlock the storm phase? If you complete all weekly tasks on the island, you will then have the opportunity to speak with a goblin lady in the camp to enter the “Sea Wrath Storm” phase – referred to by most as just “the storm.” Here, there are many elite enemies and other strange occurrences that are not active in the normal phase of the island.
  • Whirling Rune Key: Drops from “Ksvir the Forgotten.” This is a rare enemy in the Forgotten Chamber. However, the NPC is only present in the storm phase.
  • Streaming Rune Key: You will need 7 Streaming Fragments for this. All mobs in the storm phase of the island have a low chance of dropping these fragments.
  • Thunderous Rune Key: Collect 5 Thunderous Fragments. You obtain all fragments of this type from treasure chests on the Siren Island. It can be found in chests in both the storm and normal phases.
  • Cyclonic Rune Key: Drops from Zek’ul the Shipbreaker. This rare enemy appears at coordinates 33 / 74 in the storm phase of the Siren Island. Note that this key is not a guaranteed drop, so you will need several attempts.
  • Turbulent Rune Key: Is made from 3 Turbulent Fragments. You can find them at these coordinates, but only in the storm phase of the Siren Island:
    • 1. Fragment: 33 / 73
    • 2. Fragment: 67 / 78
    • 3. Fragment: 52 / 39
More 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 hotfixes from April 15, 2026 make raids and dungeons easier, fix annoying bugs
von Karsten Scholz

Once you have collected all the keys, head back to the Forgotten Vault (where you found the ring). Make sure you are in the storm phase of the island and then go to the eastern chamber of the vault. Here, you will find Thrayir lying on the ground, surrounded by 5 rune stones. Activate each of the stones with the corresponding key – and congratulations! The flying mount is now yours!
Another, significantly more complex mount is Incognitro – but that requires a lot of work.

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

Large MMORPG on Steam introduces new class, transforms into bear or fox, fights alongside spirit beasts

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

The MMORPG Lost Ark received not only a new update this week on Steam but also a roadmap that extends into March 2025.

What does the new update bring? The patch named “Winter-Solist” is already live and has the following highlights for Lost Ark:

  • Expansion of the solo mode with Legions Raid Thaemine and Kazeros Raid Echidna, plus further changes such as a new protection system, balance adjustments, and fresh rewards.
  • In the prologue quest “Kazeros Raid Act 2,” you will learn the new strategy of the allied forces. After defeating Aegir, the battle against Narok and Brelshaza begins. 
  • The elixir progress system has been revised to make elixir transformation faster and easier.
  • The transcendence system has been overhauled to simplify the progression path.

In addition, there are revisions of chaos dungeons for classes 2 and 3, expansions for enhancement, new advanced enhancement materials, the start of the 6th season of the trial arena, new events, and general updates. You can find the complete patch notes at playlostark.com.

Everything important about Lost Ark in 2 minutes:

Start video
Everything you need to know about the MMORPG Lost Ark – in 2 minutes

Roadmap for 2025

What about the roadmap? In a second article on playlostark.com, the people responsible for Lost Ark gave a preview of the content that is set to emerge in the first months of the upcoming year. Here are the highlights of the 2025 roadmap:

  • January 2025: Kazeros Raid Act 2: Requiem of the Floating Nightmare – this 8-player challenge will once again have you face Brelshaza.
  • January 2025: Introduction of the boundary system, which gradually reduces the difficulty of a raid. This should allow raids to be released first at Korean level. Casual players will simply wait until the content reaches a manageable state.
  • January 2025: Celebration of the 3rd anniversary with the Arkesia festival on an anniversary island.
  • February 2025: The new class Wild Soul will be introduced. The Yoz specialist can transform into animals like bears and Kumiho foxes or summon spirit beasts like birds and foxes. Of course, there will also be new progression events.
  • March 2025: Release of the next play box of memories, further progression events, and more unannounced innovations.
More about Lost Ark:
Amazon silently removes the last hint of the MMORPG for Lord of the Rings
von Karsten Scholz
While MMORPG Lost Ark struggles with weak numbers, the developers announce the potential successor
von Cedric Holmeier

The MMORPG by Smilegate and Amazon Games is no longer performing as well as at launch nearly three years ago. The developers’ new starter help servers apparently haven’t changed anything about the problem. Recently, Amazon thus needed your help and was even willing to pay for it: Amazon wants to know why everyone is quitting the MMORPG Lost Ark, pays 18 euros for tips

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

Player complains about the high difficulty of Path of Exile 2, his build is leaving the community in despair

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

Path of Exile 2 is considered by players to be harder than its predecessor. When a player complains about the difficulty and shows his build, the community can only shake their heads.

Who is it about? On Reddit, the user UppishPolecat created a post. He describes that his friend finds Path of Exile 2 too difficult since he started farming maps. He wants to help him, after all, it’s his friend’s first playthrough in Path of Exile 2, and he apparently has not played the predecessor.

To support his friend, he asks for a screenshot of the character window. What he then sees leaves him and the community in despair.

Have you already heard of this useful NPC in Path of Exile 2?

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

Only Strength for the Titan

What did the character look like? The screenshot of the character reveals the major problems of the PoE newcomer. His warrior is missing all resistances, and he has 0% chance to evade and block. In stats, he has 525 strength, while dexterity and intelligence are only at 37 and 24 points, respectively.

The character has very few life points for a level 72 Titan. His maximum life is only 2,244 points. Even though he can negate much of the physical damage with 69% armor, his build is very unbalanced. The player himself comments on it with the words “STRENGTH ABOVE ALL”.

Here you can take a look at the build yourself:

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How does the community react to the build? The community can hardly believe their eyes when they see the character. Players are somewhat in despair at the sight.

  • bunnyman1142 writes on Reddit: “That is an impressively low life point number for a strength of 525.”
  • Uwino describes the player’s character on Reddit as “2K LP paper Titan”
  • LKZToroH describes the character’s problems on Reddit: “He has no resistances. Probably also no life on equipment. My Deadeye has the same LP as his Titan.”

The community also wanted to know how the player even reached the maps with this character. His friend responds for him on Reddit: “Will and determination, lmao. 350 deaths”. Nevertheless, he is having fun in the game and knows himself that his character is not good. The affected person takes it with humor, as can also be seen in the details of the picture.

More on the topic
Path of Exile 2 announces new season, the late date heats up players’ expectations
von Cedric Holmeier
What to do if you die in Path of Exile 2 before you can loot? Community helps the affected with a trick, saves the loot
von Cedric Holmeier
One thing must improve Path of Exile 2 for Update 5 to be a success, the players say
von Cedric Holmeier

How far the player will get with this character is uncertain. Maybe the massive changes to the game brought by the latest patch will help him. Here you can read the full patch notes in German: Path of Exile 2: Massive update is here, strengthens classes and skills more than expected – Official patch notes in German

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

Players cannot use the best monster in the new Pokémon GO cup: “A warning would have been nice.”

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

In Pokémon GO, the Holiday Cup: Mini Edition has started. However, the big favorite is no longer allowed to compete. Frustrating for players who focused on this Pokémon.

This is the cup: The Holiday Cup: Mini Edition is a PvP mode in the battle league where only monsters with a maximum of 500 CP are allowed to participate. Only the types Electric, Flying, Ghost, Grass, Ice, and Normal are permitted.

This was the favorite: The ordinarily useless Smeargle seemed to become the dominant Pokémon in this cup. On the battle league platform PvPoke, it was identified as the best monster for the competition, we also reported on the potentially strong Smeargle in the cup.

The sudden strength of Smeargle was due to the fact that you can only obtain it by taking snapshots of other Pokémon, and then Smeargle randomly appears in the picture. It then takes on the moves of the Pokémon being photographed.

This allows it to have extremely varied movesets, some of which would have been perfectly suited for the new cup.

But now it is clear: Smeargle will not dominate the cup. Because although it technically fits the cup’s criteria, players cannot choose it. In the game, when you click on Smeargle, it says: “This Pokémon is not allowed in this cup.”

This is frustrating for players who focused on improving their Smeargle beforehand. Others, however, are quite glad about it.

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

Trainers discuss unexpected ban

In the subreddit “The Silph Road” for Pokémon GO, trainers are discussing the ban on Smeargle (Here is the post on reddit). The specific reason for the ban is currently unknown, but it is clear that it was not made known beforehand that Smeargle would not be allowed to participate. However, it has been the case in the past that Smeargle was not allowed in certain competitions.

Accordingly, the comments reflect this. While some support the ban, it is unfavorable for others. A few examples:

  • “I just powered up a hundo… Why is it so hard for them to just announce these things lol,” says user “Fueled System” (via reddit)
  • “I don’t feel guilty about the people who put together a Smeargle in the last few weeks to dominate the cup with a cheat monster, but I still think Niantic should have clearly stated the ban from the start,” said user “krispyboiz” (via reddit)
  • “I was one of those people. I’m not sad, because it was clear that the thing would have been broken, but a warning would have been nice,” said user zurrick (via reddit)

Similar comments continue to accumulate under the post. Other players share that they were just in the process of improving a Smeargle. Others are glad that it is not allowed in the cup because it would have disrupted the balance.

What do you think about the ban? Would you have liked to use a Smeargle, or are you glad not to face it in the cup? Let us know in the comments. And for more news on Pokémon GO, click here: Because a pretty strong box is currently exciting many.

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

One Piece 1134: Spoilers and Release of the Next Chapter

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

Eiichiro Oda publishes a new chapter of the manga One Piece weekly. MyMMO tells you what happens in chapter 1134 and when you can expect the release.

When does chapter 1133 come out? The new chapter will be released on December 22, 2024, at 4:00 PM German time. 

Where can I read the chapter? The Shueisha publishing house releases the latest chapter in digital form every week on the official page of Manga Plus or in the corresponding app on Google Play or in the Apple App Store. There you can read the manga completely in German.

When will the next chapters come? The release schedule for the following weeks is as follows:

  • December 22: Chapter 1134
  • December 29: Break
  • January 5: Chapter 1135
  • January 12: Break

However, the above dates may be subject to change. In the past, there have been several occasions when Eiichiro Oda had to take a health or creative break.

One of the best movies about One Piece is Strong World:

Start video
One Piece Film: Strong World – The Trailer for the Anime Movie

One Piece: Spoilers for Chapter 1134 at a Glance

Attention: The following section contains potential spoilers for chapter 1134 of One Piece.

What happens in chapter 1134? The One Piece insider @pewpiece regularly posts information and leaks about upcoming content of the manga and anime. He has also summarized what will happen for the upcoming chapter 1134 on x.com.

  • Ruffy thanks Saul, the giant who rescued Robin
  • Lilith seems to be planning something of her own on Elbaf, even has a clone of Vegapunk with her
  • In a scene with Loki, he speaks with a person named Mosa
  • In a castle at the highest point in Elbaf, a magical circle appears from which two people emerge
  • One person is said to resemble Shanks, the other is said to be unknown, the face should be visible
  • The Shanks person is supposed to look like in chapter 907, when a Shanks without a scar speaks with the 5 elders in Mary Joa

These are of course just unconfirmed spoilers for the chapter. Individual details or scenes may vary. However, the information from @pewpiece has mostly proven to be quite accurate in the past.

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von Jasmin Beverungen
One Piece: When does Episode 1159 come out? All about the release of the new episode
von Jasmin Beverungen
A member of the Straw Hat crew is missing in an emotional scene of the new episode of One Piece, fans sense a conspiracy
von Jasmin Beverungen

What happened in the previous chapter 1133?

  • The big highlight was the reunion of Robin and Saul
  • The latter saved her as a child during the destruction of Ohara
  • Otherwise, the Straw Hats learned some new things about Elbaf

The reunion with Saul is a very emotional scene that is closely tied to Robin’s story and the arc in Water 7. Moreover, Saul is not just a character from the past. He could also be an important part of finding the One Piece: A character in One Piece might help Luffy find the treasure before everyone else

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. x.com
  2. One Piece Wiki
  3. ClayStage.com

“I Let My Mother Play Baldur’s Gate 3” – Now She Drops Everything for It and Even Wants to Buy It

Caroline Fuller Caroline Fuller Reading time 2 minutes

A mother discovers a new passion with Baldur’s Gate 3. Even though she is a complete gaming novice, she seems completely fascinated by Larian’s role-playing game. On Reddit, her child reports about her first encounters with the game.

How did the mother come across the role-playing game? Shortly before the holidays, a fan of Baldur’s Gate 3 went home to spend time with family. There, the enthusiastic player spoke about the masterpiece of Larian Studios and explained the concept of the RPG to his mother. 

She herself had relatively little connection to video games up to that point, as she had difficulties with handling (especially due to the keyboard controls of many games).

After being assured that Baldur’s Gate 3 was controlled differently and worked through point-and-click, she became curious. Thus, the two began a joint playthrough together.

Here you can see the trailer for the role-playing game:

Start video
Baldur’s Gate 3 is coming to PS5 – Trailer prepares for console release

Mom’s first steps on the Sword Coast

How did the first gaming session go? The first gaming session ended after an hour when they stumbled upon Gale’s portal. The author of the post reports on the observations on Reddit:

His mother took about half an hour to choose a character and decide on its class and race. In the intro, she befriended Lae’zel, although she was initially afraid of being killed by her. Shadowheart seemed a bit exhausting and suspicious to her since she suspected that the half-elf was hiding something from her.

After the nautiloid crash, she was disappointed to hear from Shadowheart that Lae’zel had taken off. She thought they were already friends.

When she encountered Gale and the portal, she decided to let Gale leave alone because she found his portal strange. However, when Gale disappeared, she was uncertain whether it had been the right decision.

Could Baldur’s Gate 3 convince her? Apparently, she seemed to be finding more and more enjoyment in the game. According to the author, the mother began looting everything that wasn’t nailed down, even though she didn’t know exactly what she was collecting and how or if it could even be used.

She seemed so engrossed in the events of the game that even the food she had prepared on the stove became secondary.

When we finished playing, she kept telling me she needed to check the cooking food on the stove. Did she let me check instead so she could keep playing? Yes. Did she keep playing even after the food was done? Yes.

NSgamingFTW via Reddit
More about the game
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
Baldur’s Gate 3: Decipher the ancient book – How to find and open the necromancy of Thay
von Fabienne Kissel
Baldur’s Gate 3: Recruiting Minthara – How to Get the Powerful Companion
von Benedict Grothaus

What’s next? The day after, the Redditor’s mother asked if the two could continue playing. She also wanted to know if and how she could buy the game to play it herself in the future.

The Reddit post has gained a lot of traction and enthusiastic feedback since its upload (over 8,400 upvotes), which is why the author wants to provide an update soon.

Apparently, Baldur’s Gate 3 now has another fan, and that after only one hour of gameplay. Even the mother of Swen Vincke, the CEO of Larian Studios and developer of Baldur’s Gate 3, seems to be following the news about the game. However, this year’s Game Awards confused her: The mother of the ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ boss asks: Why are you giving back your award?

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

YouTuber Fought Bots in WoW, as Blizzard Fails – Now Quitting Because of Death Threats

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

YouTuber Madskillzzhc made it his mission to make life as difficult as possible for bots in World of Warcraft. Now, he announced the end of his channel in a video. The reason for this shocks the community.

What does Madskillzzhc report? In his new video on YouTube from December 17, 2024, the WoW fan explains that there will be no more releases on his channel. The reason for the sudden end: Madskillzzhc has received multiple death threats, the last one just a few hours before recording his farewell lines.

Additionally, he received images from Discord channels in Russia and Taiwan, where his videos were apparently being discussed. A part of many discussions was supposed to be the exchange about what to do with Madskillzzhc if they got their hands on him. And then, his personal data was allegedly disclosed as well.

As compensation, here’s a heartwarming feel-good story from Azeroth:

Start video
WoW Player Moves to Tears with Tribute to Her Father

Don’t mess with the bot mafia

Why this severe reaction? The YouTuber himself is surprised that his videos are being reacted to in this way. He is only hunting bot characters in WoW Classic Hardcore and helping to uncover botting characters. That should actually be a good thing.

However, thanks in part to Madskillzzhc’s videos, a real movement of WoW players has emerged, dedicated to hunting and eliminating bots on the hardcore servers. As a reminder: characters that die on a hardcore server cannot be played any further.

Apparently, there are now so many hardcore bots landing at the spirit healer that those responsible for the illegal business find it no longer amusing. Madskillzzhc even speaks of an organized mafia, and how seriously he takes these threats is shown by his current measures.

  • He will not be publishing any new videos and will delete all current videos from the channel shortly.
  • The player also intends to refrain from playing WoW Classic Hardcore in the future and from hunting or even reporting bots.

Finally, Madskillzzhc explains that he is not willing to risk his life just to fix a 20-year-old game, just because the developers simply cannot get a grip on the bot problem.

More on WoW:
Housing fans can now secure the cutest decoration item ever in WoW if they last 4 hours
von Karsten Scholz
Blizzard responds to criticism of WoW Patch 12.0.5, players suspect: Here an AI apologizes
von Karsten Scholz

How does the community react to the announcement? Many players cannot believe it.

  • TemperateStone writes on Reddit: “As you can see, people who cheat and deceive do not shy away from escalation. I’m sorry he had to deal with this crap.”
  • Used4KillingTime sees a fundamental problem (via Reddit): “It’s funny that someone gets arrested for saying three words to someone who works for a health insurance, but he gets death threats here and has to stop doing something he loves that harms no one and is not illegal. Odd.”
  • Indigo_Inlet holds Blizzard accountable (via Reddit): “It is clearer than ever that we need Blizzard itself to tackle the rampant botting problem. This is a $75 billion company that earns millions by releasing an overpriced mount. It’s not unreasonable to expect them to get the problem under control.”
  • Bowshot125 adds (via Reddit): “It is unfortunate that this man is giving up. He mentioned that his personal data was disclosed, which isn’t really hard to find for someone who knows technology and has access to the internet.”

A short while ago, MeinMMO reported that bots are also annoying in WoW Classic Fresh. To get a handle on the bot problem in WoW Classic, some players are using creative ideas – once again highlighting what is going wrong: Bots are a nuisance even on the “Fresh” realms of WoW Classic – but there are creative solutions

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

WoW: Patch 11.0.7 is live – Here’s what you need to do now

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

The latest patch of World of Warcraft is live. We will tell you what you need to complete today on the Siren Island to stay ahead.

In World of Warcraft, Patch 11.0.7 was released today, on December 18, 2024. Although this is only a relatively small patch, there are still some things to do to get the most out of the update and your character. We will tell you what you should best complete as soon as possible so that you don’t fall behind and can benefit from the new bonuses.

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Siren Island – The New Content in WoW Patch 11.0.7

What should you do today? First, you should accept the quest in Dornogal at the main building of the council today. After a few missions, you will then board a zeppelin and can travel to the Siren Island.

On the island, simply follow the main questline, which rewards you with the ring “Circe’s Ring” after just a few steps. The ring starts at item level 639 and can be upgraded to 642 later this week.

However, it is important that you unlock the important special sockets that require Citrines. You receive them through weekly quests and excavations on the island.

Since there will be especially many players on site at the start of a patch, you should take advantage of this “wave.” Because then an excavation will regularly start, and the associated mini-boss will be unlocked.

If you possess four different Citrines, you have collected all known ones for this week.

The ring “Circe’s Ring” should be “Best in Slot” for all classes and specializations for the rest of the season, at least after some upgrades. So you should unlock it as early as possible.

WoW Siren Island Objectives
You can activate three excavations – and receive rewards for it.

What else can you do? After you have upgraded the ring, you have essentially completed the “mandatory part.” Now you have the following options:

  • Unlock the ring for secondary characters as well. You can skip a large part of the quests, allowing twinks to catch up faster.
  • After completing all quests, visit the storm variant of the island. There are many elite enemies, additional rare enemies, and new quests.
  • Collect Flame-blessed Iron on the island. You can spend this new currency on transmogs and mounts. You will need a lot of Flame-blessed Iron, but you will receive it for almost every activity. You can also farm and spend the currency on secondary characters.

Is it bad to fall behind? No, it is not. There is an upgrade item each week to upgrade the ring, but missing a week isn’t a problem. In that case, rare enemies on the island have a chance to drop an additional upgrade item, so you can always catch up to the current state, even if you can’t play for a week.

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Is there more to come? Yes, not all the content from Patch 11.0.7 is accessible yet. Especially the epilogue questline surrounding the downfall of Dalaran is currently locked. If you visit Khadgar, you can see a timer there counting down for over 20 days – this story will not be playable until early 2025.

Have you checked out Patch 11.0.7 already? How do you like the Siren Island and what is your opinion on the overpowered ring? A cool, temporary addition? Or just something annoying that will soon be forgotten?
You can see the patch notes for Patch 11.0.7 here.

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

Twitch streamer Fibii proudly showcases her own AI, but the chatbot crashes so quickly that she has to delete it just days later

Johanna Johanna Reading time 2 minutes

Streamer Fibi “Fibii” Pfeifer has been streaming on Twitch for several years and has recently launched her own AI chatbot. However, the project faced significant criticism from the community. After a few days, Fibii discontinued the chatbot as she recognized the dangers the project posed.

What kind of AI chatbot is this? Fibii’s AI chatbot can be imagined as a normal chatbot that one can chat with. The Fibii chatbot also has the “personality” of the Twitch streamer. It is programmed to provide responses just like Fibii herself would.

For this, as she mentioned in her announcement, the Twitch streamer trained the program herself. Chatting is a free feature but offered only a limited number of questions that one could ask.

If one wanted to chat more, subscription models of 1.49 euros or 4.99 euros per month could be taken out. Additionally, there was a type of leaderboard where users who had been chatting with the chatbot for a longer time were ranked higher.

Fibii is one of the German Twitch streamers you should definitely know:

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3 German Twitch streamers you should know

Community criticizes chatbot, Fibii realizes mistakes

What is the criticism? The community quickly pointed out the potential dangers to Fibii. For instance, parasocial relationships that viewers might have with the Twitch streamer could be reinforced or could arise through the chatbot.

Parasocial relationships can develop between public figures, such as actors, musicians, or influencers, and their viewers. In this case, the viewer develops a seemingly personal bond with the media figure; however, this bond is only one-sided. Nevertheless, the viewer feels close to the famous person and can build an emotional relationship with them.

This carries potential risks because the viewer can become overly invested in such a bond that is never reciprocated. In the worst-case scenario, these individuals can not only become unhappy but may also slide into problematic behavior such as stalking.

User TwitchSpion even pointed out that the AI chatbot condemned the actions of the Twitch streamer (via X.com):

User TwitchSpion on X criticizes Twitch streamer Fibii.

Moreover, the program had significant security vulnerabilities, making it very easy to read users’ data.

How did Fibii react? Fibii accepted the criticism and initially posted a statement on X, in which she apologized and asserted that she had not been aware of the consequences beforehand. However, this statement has since been deleted. The Twitch streamer then took action and promptly deleted the chatbot.

In another short statement during her Twitch stream (via twitch.tv), Fibii mentioned that she had “not thought” that people could develop a parasocial relationship with her using the chatbot. She then deleted the chatbot in “a brief concluding reaction.”

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This is not the first time that Twitch streamer Fibii has faced criticism for her behavior. When she streamed one of her live broadcasts while driving, her community reacted in shock: 18-year-old Twitch streamer drives so irresponsibly that viewers want to send clips to the police

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

Gold Road was the final chapter for Elder Scrolls Online, everything will be new starting in 2025

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

ZeniMax CEO Matt Firor revealed in a letter to the community what will change in The Elder Scrolls Online starting in 2025. Spoiler: A lot!

What does Matt Firor announce? In the annual year-end letter to the community, the studio head of ZeniMax Online Studios explained – as has been the custom for years – what 2024 holds for the developers and what players of the MMORPG can expect for the upcoming year.

While they are satisfied with the content released in 2024, Matt Firor stated, they want to break away from the structure established with Morrowind in 2017, which consisted of DLCs, free updates, and a major chapter for the future. In other words: Gold Road was the last paid chapter that ESO will receive in the foreseeable future.

The last launch trailer for a chapter of ESO:

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The Mirrormoor attacks Tamriel in the launch trailer of Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road

The Age of Seasons Begins

What comes instead of chapters and DLCs? According to Matt Firor, the previous update corset, which required DLCs and the chapter to be finished by a certain time of year, was responsible for the lack of experimentation in recent years. Therefore, they want to adopt a more flexible model of seasonal content in the future.

  • Starting in 2025, there will be three- or six-month seasons that will deliver a mix of thematically appropriate story content, events, dungeons, shop additions, and more.
  • In addition to smaller content bits, larger innovations are also planned, some of which the developers have been working on for over a year.
  • For instance, there will still be area-based content in 2025, which will be presented in April. In the medium term, however, the plan is to let the new story content take place in existing areas, completing current but still open narrative threads and bringing familiar characters back into the spotlight.
  • As part of the seasons, the community’s desire to take more risks and experiment will be fulfilled. They want to be less predictable and try new types of content.

The developers’ goal is to provide a broader range of content throughout the year and to be able to release content, updates, fixes, and systems more efficiently and in better condition.

According to Matt Firor, among the ideas the developers are currently working on is a Cyrodiil campaign “in which all classes will have PvP-specific (and performance-friendly) skills that will replace the standard skills of the players.” Additionally, they are considering raising the difficulty of battles in the open world.

Furthermore, they want to continue improving the experience for new players or returning players so that they do not feel overwhelmed by the vast scope of ESO. This includes a fresh launcher as well as improvements to the tutorial, visual enhancements for the base game areas, and optimizations of the UI, map, and compass.

More on ESO:
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What do you think of this new plan for Elder Scrolls Online? Let us know in the comments! By the way, did you hear that players affected by the database issues will receive compensation? Elder Scrolls Online compensates players – but not everyone benefits from it

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

Path of Exile 2: Massive Update is here, strengthens classes and skills more than expected – Official patch notes in English

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 12 minutes

In Path of Exile 2 the announced massive update is now here. The exact patch notes reveal even more buffs than initially thought. Here you get all patch notes and hotfixes in English.

When is the patch available? The update for Path of Exile 2 is now available on the servers. All players should be able to download the new version of the game on their platform. The servers are also back online after being temporarily undergoing maintenance for the installation of the patch. You can start right away with the new changes.

The patch notes are really very long this time and the first hotfixes are already available. Feel free to use our overview to go directly to the points of interest:

[toc]

Do you already know this useful NPC in Path of Exile 2?

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This NPC in Path of Exile 2 identifies your items

What has changed? Even though the developers already talked about the most important changes of the new update yesterday and finally fulfilled a demand from the players, there are still some surprises with patch 0.1.0e.

The massive update brings more buffs for classes and skills than expected. For example, the skill Rolling Slam’s Second Slam now does a whopping 50% more damage against stunned enemies. Similar changes have impacted a handful of bone skills, which are supposed to deal about 50% more damage at gem level 25.

Moreover, many of the support gems have been strengthened. Here, almost all characters benefit from a variety of buffs that make support capabilities happen more frequently or simply deal more damage than before.

In addition to these and many other improvements, the patch also brings many bug fixes. On the following pages, you will find the official patch notes of update 0.1.0d in English.

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In Path of Exile 2, there are always complaints about nerfs, mainly because they are quite costly. Path of Exile 2 nerfs the fun parts, and now the players are demanding compensation from the developers. The new buffs and discounts on ability point resets come in handy. On the next page, you will find the official patch notes of Path of Exile 2.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. pathofexile.com
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  3. pathofexile.com
Pages: 1 2 3 4

“That wasn’t on my bingo card for 2024”: Jedi from Star Wars explains the lore of Monster Hunter

Ody Ody Reading time 2 minutes

In a roughly 10-minute trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds, Capcom explains the lore of the series. The story is narrated by an actress known as a Jedi from Star Wars.

Who is this actress? For the trailer, developer Capcom has brought in actress Daisy Ridley. She also portrayed Rey Skywalker in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Now she lends her voice as the narrator.

The trailer is about 10 minutes long and answers many questions that newcomers might have. Among them: 

  • Who are the hunters and what purpose do they have in hunting monsters?
  • Where do the monsters come from and what is their place in the world?

You can watch the trailer here:

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Monster Hunter Wilds: Daisy Ridley explains the lore

Hunters and Monsters in Harmony with Nature

What is the lore of Monster Hunter? Monsters are just as much a part of nature as humans and all other races and animals that one encounters. Accordingly, the hunters’ goal is not to exterminate all monsters.

Monsters are an essential part of nature’s gifts and vital for human prosperity. And hunters work to repay this favor.

The trailer even implies that hunters and monsters might share a “mutual respect” for each other – “similar to two warriors looking into each other’s eyes across a battlefield”

Hunters strive to maintain the balance of nature. Thus, they primarily hunt monsters that are overpopulating a specific area. Seen this way, the monsters are not as malevolent as they often seem, and the hunters are not just pure adrenaline junkies – or are they?

Lore is all well and good, but looking stylish is the main thing

Even as a fan, one must admit that the main motivation in the game is less about harmony: players hunt the same monster multiple times to craft stylish armor and weapons from its parts. With this, they hunt even larger monsters, and the cycle starts all over.

This is also noted by many comments under the trailer on YouTube. There it says:

  • rafaelmartinez5026: “‘The hunter’s intent is not the greed for violence’ she says, as I stare at my incomplete Crown Hit List.”
  • ScootaGray: “Oh boy, here I am again ‘maintaining the balance’”
  • jasongordon1968: “Narrator: ‘Once the hunt is over, nothing is wasted’ – Hunter: ‘I’ll just take these 3 scales from that huge dragon I killed and vanish’”

Also, that one day an actress known from Star Wars would narrate the lore of Monster Hunter was unexpected. leekyonion writes: “That Daisy Ridley presents a Monster Hunter video wasn’t on my bingo card for 2024.”

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Of course, we must end by mentioning that Ridley played the role of Rey Skywalker in Star Wars. And what was the name of the flight wyvern from the open beta, with which the trailer concludes? Correct, Rey Dau! Some things you just can’t make up.

By the way, the clips shown in the trailer mainly come from older entries in the series. Many of the depicted monsters did not appear in the latest main installment – Monster Hunter: World. According to a dataminer, however, a popular monster could reappear in Monster Hunter Wilds.

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