Finally, the time had come! The Illuminated invaded Helldivers 2 to conquer the galaxy. But they faced fierce resistance from the Helldivers. And just like that: the threat was history.
There was great excitement among the Helldivers fans when the big update featuring the Illuminated was revealed during the Game Awards. Literally for months, players had been waiting for the invasion of the third enemy faction alongside bugs and robots.
On the weekend, it finally happened, and the space squids attacked. However, the long-planned invasion failed spectacularly. Helldivers 2 saw a significant increase in players, which the Illuminated seemingly could not cope with. Many battles were fought on the streets of the planet Calypso. The result: The new faction was completely defeated. Currently, they cannot be challenged in the game anymore.
This is how it works in Helldivers: The various enemy factions attack multiple systems in the game, which you then should “liberate.” If a faction is so greatly diminished that it falls to zero, it is indeed out of the galaxy for now. And that apparently happened with the Illuminated.
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Helldivers 2: Das neue Update Omens of Tyranny erfüllt langersehnten Wunsch
Helldivers celebrate victory, but not everyone got to enjoy the new enemy
This is how players are reacting: Initial feedback on the new update has been largely positive on social media. The Illuminated, the new vehicles, the new combat environment – all of this excited many Helldivers.
And apparently, this also motivated them to play. After the victory against the new enemies, there is celebrating in the Helldivers 2 subreddit: “We won,” “A hundred years of preparation wasted,” or “Imagine declaring war after a hundred years, only to get beaten down in 2 days” – such remarks can be found from the players (via reddit).
At the same time, there are also comments from players who would have liked to participate. However, others dealt with the Illuminated so quickly that some completely missed the invasion. Anyone wanting to fight against the cool new enemies now will have to wait.
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Is that it for the Illuminated? Currently, they are nowhere to be seen. But players are sure: They will return. This current invasion must have been just a vanguard, and the true battle is yet to come. After all, the Illuminated could only conquer (and then lose) a single planet before they were defeated. Surely, that can’t be all.
Accordingly, everyone is now eagerly awaiting the return of the new enemies. And then it will be clear whether the Helldivers can confront the Illuminated as effectively again – or if the battle will be a bit more prolonged this time. If you want to know exactly who these Illuminated are, read here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Real series of One Piece started successfully on Netflix. Since then, fans of the live-action adaptation have been waiting for season 2. The team has now revealed through an unofficial post how the filming is progressing.
What kind of sign of life is this? Nathalie Walsh is a stuntwoman and shoots the scenes that are too dangerous for Nami actress Emily Rudd. She shared a post on social media that mentions a “Wrap Party”.
In the meantime, the post is no longer available on her profiles, but X user pewpiece saved a screenshot of her post:
None of the actors portraying the Straw Hat crew are visible in the image. Instead, she is celebrating with the other stunt doubles, who are involved in particularly risky scenes. The image features Nathan Barris, Shaun Verth, and Mcrae Douglas.
One Piece – German Trailer for the First Season of the Live-Action Series by Netflix
The end of filming is a good sign
What does this mean? The term “Wrap Party” is used whenever the filming of a series or film has been completed. Accordingly, the filming for season 2 of One Piece was likely completed recently.
Since the end of filming was planned for December 2024, the production of the series is currently fully on schedule. This could mean that One Piece will premiere on Netflix as planned.
What does the community say about this? In the comments, there are many fans looking forward to the new season. One user writes that he absolutely needs to see Chopper, Robin, and the Grand Line. Many cannot wait for the series to finally start.
So far, it is only known what Chopper looks like in his transformed form. Fans are therefore still curious about what the real Chopper will look like. He will likely be a mix of a real actor and CGI effect.
When will the series premiere on Netflix? So far, there is no official release date. Since the production team will need a few more months to edit the scenes, the series will probably not be released until at the earliest mid-2025.
MeinMMO editor Jasmin Beverungen hopes that her favorite scenes from the anime will be well represented. Season 2 is supposed to cover from Logue Town to Alabasta. You can read about the special moments she is looking forward to here: 8 important scenes in One Piece season 2 that Netflix must get right
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of World of Warcraft have an idea on how to change Mythic+. The problem with it: It could change everything.
The system surrounding Mythic+ has served World of Warcraft well across many expansions. However, currently, the system is crumbling as many in the community are not satisfied with it. Especially healers and tanks are currently struggling and are quitting in droves to play simpler roles instead.
But the developers have an idea, which is not universally welcomed.
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WoW celebrates 20 years of the highlights of Azeroth
What is the idea? Several players of World of Warcraft are reporting in various forums that they have been invited to participate in a survey. The survey aims to gather the thoughts of some fans on different ideas from the developers. One idea:
Mythic+ could do without a timer and instead use a system with “lives”.
Instead of completing a dungeon within a specific time limit, you would have to master it without too many group members dying.
This is how the community is discussing it: In the comments on wowhead, the proposal is being actively discussed. The topic seems to split people into two extreme camps, whose views could hardly be more different. A “lives” system instead of a timer would lead to one of two things:
Either: Mythic+ loses all its appeal, because the timer is what makes it fun. The time pressure creates the necessity to plan carefully, learn dungeons precisely, and calculate risks to achieve everything within the time limit. Without the timer, Mythic+ is practically dead.
Or: Mythic+ would be interesting for many other groups that don’t want time pressure and can instead take as much time as they want to wait for cooldowns and complete each pull with full strength.
Both variants certainly have pros and cons, leading to a heated discussion. Some of the comments:
“The fun part of M+ is the speed. If you don’t want a time limit, then just do a raid or invent another Mythic+ system, like ‘Mythic+Hardcore’ with a different type of key stone. With the lives system, that would simply be a different game. What about key stones where the tank dies due to a mistake at the last boss and now the whole group wipes? With a timer, it can still be salvaged. If it’s just 5 deaths, then it’s over. It can be fun, but it would be a different game mode.” – bloodline
“My concern is that a death counter will slow down dungeons and will ultimately lead to people leaving a dungeon if they are wiped due to deaths and not because of the timer. What if we make the timer just an incentive and not a fail condition? […]” – StrobeLightning
“Just no. That would be ‘Torghast 2.0’ mistakes. Then you will only pull when all cooldowns are ready. Get ready to play the waiting game after every pull.” – Nightstalker314
“I don’t want my +10 keys to take even longer.” – Villager720
“Why not both? Mythic+ (Challenge Mode) has a timer. Mythic+ has a death counter but no timer. That way, people could choose. That would also be a good way to bring back rewards in the style of Challenge Modes from Mists of Pandaria.” – Hallows
The appearance at the Game Awards 2024 has done Helldivers 2 a lot of good. On Steam, the online shooter can look forward to an enormous increase in player numbers.
The Illuminati are a highly developed, extraterrestrial civilization that will fight against the players in Helldivers 2 as opponents of the Over-Earth and will attack from the lower part of the galaxy map. The fight against the Illuminati is said to fundamentally differ from battles against the bugs and robots, as you will be fighting in the cities of the various colonies.
You can see the new Helldivers 2 trailer from the Game Awards here:
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Helldivers 2 reveals the new enemy faction in the trailer for ‘Omens of Tyranny’
Comeback in the Top 15 on Steam
How does the announcement affect things? Well, obviously the trailer and the announcement have sparked many fans’ desire to log back into the co-op shooter. Shortly after the Game Awards, the number of simultaneous active players rose to over 72,000 (via Reddit). Over the weekend, the number even climbed to 150,169 simultaneous active players (via steamdb.info).
By comparison: In the days before the event, there were fewer than 25,000 players online at the same time. Comparable high numbers were last seen in April 2024, nearly two months after launch. The all-time high still stands at 458,709 simultaneous active players.
How does the community react to the new peak?
TheSuspectIsHere writes on Reddit: “Don’t you guys have to work tomorrow?”
Hangulman was live at the event (via Reddit): “It took all my self-control to log off for the night. I played an Illuminate flag-raising mission. When the mission started, there were less than 30k people online. When I finished the mission, there were over 100k and more.”
darkyaegavor states on Reddit the simple reason for the increase: “Democracy calls.” RandomRon005 adds on Reddit: “The Helldivers are responding.”
The player increase on PS5 is also shown by the Reddit post from Eliminator12727, which shows 156,069 active Helldivers.
The teaser trailer was followed by the official announcement of the new class from Black Desert. The MMORPG is somewhat stepping away from its fantasy roots.
What kind of new class is this? With a teaser, the developers of Black Desert announced in early December 2024 that the new class of the MMORPG will focus on revolvers and shotguns, thus breaking away from the previous fantasy roots to some extent.
Now there is the official introduction of the Deadeye class. She is the leader of the so-called Canary Gang, known for her beauty and ruthlessness. The cowgirl’s specialties include the projectiles she can use.
Deadeye can freely switch between regular and Marni projectiles:
Regular projectiles deal significant damage to single targets.
Marni projectiles are less harmful but compensate for this with a larger explosion radius that covers a wide area.
Of course, it also makes a difference whether the Deadeye is shooting at her enemies with a revolver or a shotgun. In the new combat trailer, you can see the class in action:
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Black Desert: New trailer showcases Deadeye class in action
“She is literally like the Corsair, but better”
What else is known? The developers are launching a media fireworks show for the new class. Besides the combat trailer, you can already find on naeu.playblackdesert.com the main trailer, with the general introduction (via YouTube). Throughout the day (December 15, 2024), the D-Day Diaries are supposed to reveal more details. Additionally planned:
from December 17, 2024: Comics about Deadeye’s childhood
from December 18, 2024: Story trailer showing a fateful train robbery
coming soon: Audiobooks that delve deeper into the Marni Wave
With the item called “Marni Wave,” Deadeye was able to hear her brother’s voice for a long time. However, contact with Marni was lost, leaving her to fend for herself. Soon after, she met Illezra, who seemed to know everything. As Deadeye had to cling to every little straw in search of her brother, she decided to follow Illezra.
How is the community reacting to the announcement? The announcement of Deadeye is being discussed in several Reddit threads.
Maewhen writes on Reddit: “This movement looks kind of crazy. I’m currently wondering what the cooldowns are. She is literally like the Corsair, but better.”
zippopwnage is struggling with himself and Black Desert on Reddit: “Why is this game so beautiful when it comes to fights and abilities? I want that, but I also want dungeons and raids!”
lmaishi is looking forward to Deadeye (via Reddit): “I love her, she is really cool. The first new class in years that I plan to play for more than just a season.”
itzBT thinks the gender lock is silly but not silly enough (via Reddit): “I wish they would also make a male version. I will play it anyway because it looks fantastic.”
What is your first impression of the new Deadeye class? Will you try it out? Are you even playing the MMORPG? Let us know in the comments! By the way, it is supposed to land in the game with the update on December 24, 2024. If you’re wondering if Black Desert is worth it in 2024, MeinMMO has an answer for you.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, a new MMORPG entered Early Access on Steam on December 13, 2024. By now, the first reviews from genre fans have highlighted one thing particularly positively.
What kind of MMORPG is it? When MeinMMO first reported on Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen in May 2016, it was already clear that the new online role-playing game by industry veteran Brad McQuaid (EverQuest, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes) was aimed at fans of classic PC MMO experiences, focusing on PvE group challenges.
The team at Visionary Realms has remained true to this mission over the years, even when the leading industry veteran passed away in November 2019 at the age of just 50. Furthermore, there have been numerous setbacks during development.
The Fantasy MMORPG Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen is coming to Early Access on Steam
“Great throwback to classic MMOs”
How is the Early Access received? On Steam, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen is rated “Mostly Positive” after the first days, with 72 percent of the over 320 reviews giving a positive conclusion. One thing in particular makes the game great: the player experience of old MMORPGs.
sersi warns on Steam: “This game will definitely not be for everyone, so please check your expectations before diving in. […] In short, if you miss the old school MMOs, this game is worth your time and money. It’s not super pretty yet, but it will continue to grow and is already in a pretty solid place that is a lot of fun.”
Zerobreaker13 raves on Steam: “The game is incredibly fun and is a great throwback to classic MMOs!”
CappinPeanut summarizes on Reddit what to expect: “The game has the core features I want in an MMO, meaning it’s very reminiscent of an EverQuest-like game. There’s no map, you lose XP when you die, you siege mob spawns, and the monsters hit hard. It’s not a quest grind; it’s a mob grind. It’s EQ1.”
Raelie is an EverQuest fan but disappointed (via Steam): “I was an EQ first wave player for 8 years, and I expected it to be similar. […] It looks and feels like a game that was developed in a few weeks and not in 10 years.”
Kraven the Hunter is entirely dedicated to the villain from the Spider-Man universe. The film premiered 2 days ago in theaters and nearly set a new negative record right from the start.
How did it go for Kraven the Hunter? To summarize it succinctly: Not well at all. On its first day, the film earned $4.7 million, which is approximately 4.5 million euros. Given a budget of around 114 million euros, this is a flop that probably won’t be compensated in the coming weeks. This ties it to the film Morbius, which is also about a supervillain.
There are only 3 Marvel movies that fall below the value of Kraven the Hunter. These include Howard the Duck and Punisher: War Zone (both at 1.52 million euros each) and Elektra (4.2 million euros).
If inflation is taken into account, only Punisher: War Zone would be below Kraven the Hunter. Thus, the new Marvel film narrowly scratches the poorest box office start for a film from the superhero universe. Thanks to early film reviews, it also becomes clear why the film is performing so poorly with audiences.
You can watch the trailer for Kraven the Hunter here:
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First original version trailer for ‘Kraven The Hunter’
Critics Reveal Possible Reasons for the Failure
What are the reasons? Film critic BeHaind explains in his video on YouTube what he didn’t like about Kraven the Hunter. A major issue for him was the numerous reshoots. One can tell when a scene was added later.
In these scenes, for example, the characters say something, but their mouths don’t move. It is also not explained what makes Kraven so special and what the potion is that gives him his powers. For him, the film is a “collection of cobbled-together scenes” that he cannot recommend. The “terrible CGI” also adds to the issues.
Our colleagues from Filmstarts share a similar view. They rate the film with only 2.0 out of 5 possible stars. They describe the film as “damn boring,” as there are too many dialogues and too little action. The quality of the CGI animals drops, and the interaction of the well-known actors is disappointing.
To evolve some Pokémon, it is not enough to simply level up or give them an item. For some pocket monsters, you would never figure out on your own how to evolve them.
What is normally needed for a level-up? To evolve a Pokémon, in the first generations, it was necessary to simply reach a certain level or give the Pokémon an item to hold. It only got particularly exotic when you had to trade Pokémon like Kadabra for them to evolve into Alakazam.
But with new game generations, crazier ideas came up from the development team to evolve a Pokémon. MeinMMO has picked out 8 crazy evolutions that you would definitely never have thought of on your own.
There is a cozy series about Pokémon on Netflix:
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Pokémon Concierge – Official Trailer by Netflix
8 Pokémon for whose evolution you need a guide
Hokumil
Now add some sugar, spin quickly, and the evolution is complete.
What kind of Pokémon is this? Hokumil is a Fairy-type Pokémon that has existed since Generation Sword and Shield. Its body is entirely made of cream. According to the Pokédex, it is said to have formed from a collection of sweet-smelling particles in the air. Under the right conditions, it can evolve into Pokusan.
How do you evolve it? Hokumil can transform into 9 different variations of Pokusan. The evolution resembles baking a cake. One has to hold one of seven sugar items, and the protagonist must spin. It’s important at what time of day, in which direction, and how long the protagonist spins.
If the character spins clockwise for less than 5 seconds at night, a green Pokusan emerges, which is supposed to represent matcha cream. Depending on which of the 7 items is held, Pokusan has different decorations in its hair. This makes for 63 different evolutions.
Continue on page 2.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Elden Ring: Nightreign goes in a somewhat different direction than the main game. The development team has now revealed in which direction the title is set to go and what kind of content you can expect.
What kind of game will Elden Ring Nightreign be? Since Nightreign will be a multiplayer game, there was speculation that the title could become a live-service game like Destiny 2 or Fortnite. These are multiplayer games that release new content over the years and entice you with microtransactions so that you keep coming back to the game and spending money.
But as game director Junya Ishizaki from From Software reveals, Nightreign will not be a live-service game. All content will be available at launch. This way, players are not forced to check back into the game after several months because they feel they are missing out on something.
You can watch a trailer for Nightreign here:
Start video
Elden Ring Nightreign: In the new multiplayer mode, you must summon comrades!
From Software keeps several options open
What will be included and what will not? From Software wants to have all unlockable items available at the start of the game. This means there will be no seasons and in-game shops with real money where new content is unlocked gradually.
However, there are a few exceptions: There might be some content that will be implemented into the game even after release. The development team keeps the following options open:
Balance updates
New characters
More maps
Fresh bosses
Additionally, it has not yet been decided whether there will be paid DLCs or free updates. The team wants to focus first on successfully launching the game. But afterwards, the team wants to align itself with the release plans of previous games from their own studio.
Palworld also insists on not becoming a live-service game. Although new updates will be delivered gradually, you are not forced to regularly spend your money on the Steam title. The head of the development studio explains the reasons: Head of Palworld explains why his game won’t become a hated live-service game
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The head of Path of Exile 2 already commented on the future of its predecessor before the release, and now it becomes clear what he meant back then.
Even before Path of Exile 2 was officially released, media representatives had the opportunity to speak with the head, Jonathan Rogers. In an open Q&A session, I was able to ask him some questions, including what the future of Path of Exile (1) looks like.
Who is writing here? Cedric Holmeier is a veteran in Path of Exile and has known the game since the closed beta. Since then, he has spent hundreds of hours in the game and often revisits the first part. He also tested Path of Exile 2 for MeinMMO.
“Will Path of Exile 1 go into maintenance mode when Path of Exile 2 is released? And how long do you plan to support PoE 1 after the launch of PoE 2?”
Without hesitation, he replied that Path of Exile (1) will receive updates, new leagues, and support as long as it has players. He further explained, “I believe both games can coexist well.” The predecessor does not have to die for Path of Exile 2 to thrive.
I couldn’t quite believe that at first, after all, it is quite common for new games to replace their predecessors. A week after the release, however, I am slowly beginning to understand what he meant.
Here you can see how the bosses in Path of Exile 2 are created:
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Path of Exile 2: The new trailer reveals how the bosses of the action RPG come into being
More and more players understand it
It seems that more and more players are realizing that Path of Exile 2 and its predecessor are indeed more different than initially assumed. Be it that the difficulty is on a completely different level and rather reminds of Dark Souls.
All of this conveys a different gaming feeling that does not appeal to everyone. Some of the veterans and professionals from Path of Exile (1) currently seem dissatisfied with the direction that the developers from Grinding Gear Games have chosen for Path of Exile 2. This appears to be exactly the difference that Jonathan Rogers indirectly foretold to me in the interview.
Path of Exile 2 will probably always remain the harder game, more oriented towards Dark Souls, which appeals to a completely different audience thanks to dodge rolls and tough boss fights.
Path of Exile (1), on the other hand, will likely regain some of its loyal players after the hype surrounding its successor, who prefer the original gameplay style.
With the successor, the developers have not only created a competitive product but also a new game with a new approach, aimed at a different type of player.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is the new adventure from Naughty Dog. The developer studio is known for its exciting stories like in The Last of Us. In an interview, director and writer Neil Druckmann revealed that the title was inspired by 2 animes.
What is Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet? At the Game Awards 2024, a trailer for Naughty Dog’s new game was seen for the first time.
The sci-fi game takes place in an alternate universe where traveling through space has been possible since 1986.
You take on the role of bounty hunter Jordan A. Mun.
She is searching for a criminal organization but ends up on the planet Sempiria. No one has managed to escape from this planet for 600 years.
In the trailer, we also see action-packed scenes where Jordan fights against a robot with her lightsaber. This is all accompanied by a catchy 80s sound from the Pet Shop Boys.
If you missed the trailer, you can watch it here:
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Trailer for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, the new game from the studio behind Uncharted & The Last of Us
Intergalactic was inspired by 2 sci-fi animes
What could the story be based on? In an interview, Neil Druckmann revealed that the game was inspired by 2 anime classics that also come from the sci-fi genre.
In Akira, Tokyo is destroyed by a nuclear explosion and rebuilt as Neo-Tokyo. Shotaro Kaneda and Tetsuo Shima are in a gang and engage in fierce street fights. However, when they end up at a military base, one of them develops mysterious powers. Some scenes in the Intergalactic trailer are also seen in Akira, as X user LnL_spark shows.
And the second anime?Cowboy Bebop is such a great sci-fi series that it can even compete with live-action series. It is rated 8.9 / 10 on IMDb. The anime revolves around Spike Spiegel and his team as bounty hunters chasing criminals in space. Earth is uninhabitable, so humanity has spread across several planets.
Here, the inspiration is clearer: Jordan is also a bounty hunter in space. There could possibly be other elements in the story that Naughty Dog has taken from Cowboy Bebop.
When you think of Star Wars, you quickly think of Jedi, Sith, and the Force. However, this is exactly the problem, argues MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes. The new movies and series must do without the most well-known aspect of the saga to become interesting again.
What is the current status of Star Wars? Star Wars has one of the largest fan bases in the film landscape. Since 1977, the series has gathered fans with various movies, series, comics, and many other media forms. Nowadays, however, the excitement is not as great as it used to be.
New series like Star Wars: The Acolyte are not well received by many fans. And this, despite the fact that the series deals a lot with Jedi, Sith, and the mythology behind them. One might think the problem lies in the execution, but I am convinced that the issue is with the concept of Jedi and Sith itself.
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Star Wars Episode IV – Trailer for the download version
The Jedi have become a problem
Why should Jedi and Sith be the problem? In the first trilogy of Star Wars, Jedi and Sith were a mystical concept. This order didn’t really exist anymore. They were legends. Little was said about the background of these orders. The story was simple. Luke is the hero and must not succumb to the dark side.
Of course, before the next movies, books, games, and comics were released that expanded the mythology. Star Wars Legends full of disastrous monsters and difficult family situations were never canon. They were nice stories that fans could read through.
The prequel trilogy gave the Jedi significantly more background. More characters were established, as well as a larger mythology and importance for the world of Star Wars. However, this creates a small problem: The magic of the Jedi is taken away because they have become less legendary and more political.
But as more rules and backgrounds are established, the harder it is to tell something new with the Jedi and Sith. One must concentrate on individual figures, and this is where Star Wars from Disney often fails. Many characters seem like copies of old heroes, and new lore entries are unsatisfactory, as they do not fit with what one believes.
Ironically, a game has done the best in recent years. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has chosen a good approach. With Cal Kestis, there is an interesting main character who only has a peripheral connection to the Jedi. He finds his own way.
If you look at which modern movies and series are popular in Star Wars, you immediately think of The Mandalorian, Rogue One, or Andor. These are all stories that only have a limited connection to the Jedi. It is still Star Wars, but it makes use of the great potential.
Star Wars offers so much more than the battle between Jedi and Sith. So many characters, peoples, and planets have been introduced on the sidelines that are all worth telling stories about.
Also, Star Wars: Visions is a great example in my opinion. Here, canon does not matter. Talented filmmakers are allowed to do what they want. Samurai Jedi didn’t exist? That’s okay, because it doesn’t have to fit into the timeline of the films. Even if an idea isn’t good, it doesn’t change the entire universe.
All the big franchises have the problem that they take themselves too seriously. They want to create a large interconnected world, yet stories live from unique characters and not from new wiki entries. The individual idea should take center stage, not the given blueprint.
What is my proposed solution? I believe that many of the problems, whether they are blueprints or fixed rules, can be solved by temporarily ignoring the Jedi and Sith. They shouldn’t completely disappear, but there is so much more to tell. Star Wars should experiment more, maybe even become silly or super scary.
And yes, the Jedi and Sith are cool. I mean, who doesn’t love lightsaber battles? But one should choose strong and exciting characters and not try, as in The Acolyte, to tell an entire era with complex connections. Star Wars was also originally a simple, but likable story. Marvel is also not great at satisfactorily handling all characters: I still cannot forgive Marvel after 16 years for how they wasted one of the most exciting heroes
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
It is an open-world action role-playing game where we embody our own character. This character joins the fight against the White Walkers as a fearless warrior.
But what can we, as a small individual, do? In the trailer it says:
“Someone must secure the support of the great houses.”
Presumably that will be our task – alongside beating up living and undead opponents. On this journey we will of course meet many familiar characters. This is also shown to us by the latest trailer:
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Game of Thrones: Trailer for the new action RPG shows familiar characters
Spoiler warning: Spoilers for the first 3 seasons of Game of Thrones follow.
A reunion with many familiar figures
When does the story take place? First, it is helpful to know roughly what point in the story we are at. On the official page of Game of Thrones: Kingsroad (gameofthrones.netmarble.com) it states about the background:
King Robert is dead and the Lannisters control the Iron Throne
Stannis Baratheon is gathering his forces
The North is shaken by the betrayal of the Red Wedding
So we are roughly at the beginning of the fourth season.
Which characters are featured? The new trailer shows some familiar figures that we will most likely encounter in the game:
1. Jon Snow
One of the most important roles in the game seems to be taken by Jon Snow. He sends us on our great mission and has also been seen in the first trailers of Game of Thrones: Kingsroad.
2. Direwolf
In a short shot, we see a large wolf running alongside the player character. It is presumed to be one of the rare direwolves. It could be Ghost, Jon’s direwolf. However, the fur seems a little too dark for the albino wolf.
Alternatively, it could be Summer, Bran’s direwolf, who is also in the North at this time. Of course, it could also be a completely new direwolf that might even fight by our side?
Jon SnowDirewolf
3. Varys
In King’s Landing, we see the Master of Whisperers, Varys.
4. Jaime
Also in King’s Landing, we see Jaime Lannister with his golden hand.
5. Cersei
On the Iron Throne sits Cersei Lannister as Queen Regent.
VarysJaimeCersei
6. White Walker
Granted, not a notable character, but still well-known from Game of Thrones: a general of the White Walkers. He sits on an undead horse, holding a deadly spear.
7. Drogon
In the sky, we see one of Daenerys Targaryen’s three dragons. It is presumably the black dragon Drogon, the largest of the bunch. Additionally, it is likely that we will also encounter the Mother of Dragons herself.
Not in the trailer, but seen on the website of Game of Thrones: Kingsroad are Olenna Tyrell and Oberyn Martell. We will likely encounter them as well.
Another clue is provided by the coats of arms of the great houses, which are also visible on the website:
You can see the Stark, Lannister, Greyjoy, Tyrell, and Baratheon houses.
However, the great houses Arryn, Tully, and Martell are not shown.
This might give an indication of which houses and characters the game intends to focus on narratively.
While we can intervene in and change the course of the known story in Game of Thrones: Kingsroad – many characters will likely still meet their demise. Here on MeinMMO, you can find a list of the 10 saddest deaths in the series: The 10 saddest deaths in Game of Thrones in ranking
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
One of the last great mysteries of Minecraft has been solved. Eerie structures in the game world that no one built – now we know the truth behind them.
Minecraft has been around for several years now and, as with almost all modern games, some myths and puzzles surround this creative game. The most famous is probably the legend of Herobrine, a creepy NPC that some players have allegedly sighted.
But there is another incident that remained unresolved for many years and was dismissed by most as “fake” – until the mystery was finally solved.
Minecraft will soon also have its own movie:
Start video
A Minecraft Movie: First Complete Trailer in German
What incident are we talking about? Over 14 years ago, the YouTuber “Deadsk1nmask” uploaded a video showing him playing Minecraft. In it, he describes that he suddenly found structures and rooms on his private Minecraft map that he hadn’t created himself. His reaction seemed authentic at the time. The video also appeared in various forums and subreddits where it was discussed.
In the video, you can see:
Several rooms with chests and items in them.
Wells leading into the ground.
A large, unfinished bridge.
Plenty of torches.
The video has gathered over 6.9 million views over the years. It is considered one of the biggest myths of Minecraft. You can watch the original video here:
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Although Deadsk1nmask reacted very convincingly, many accused him: “That’s fake. The YouTuber created these places himself and is now pretending it was someone else. A typical creepy pasta video.”
What happened next? Deadsk1nmask insisted that he had no idea where the additional structures came from. He also claimed it was a pure single-player map and no other people had ever had access to it. Another player was therefore out of the question.
As the YouTuber continued to stand by his claims, the community tried to find other solutions. One possible theory was a so-called “chunk error”, meaning a bug.
What is a chunk? Chunks are sections of the game world in Minecraft. Chunks consist of an area of 16×16 blocks (and all blocks in height). Chunks are generated individually but attempt to be contiguous to logically build areas like deserts or forests. In a chunk error, inappropriate things can be seen in the game world. For example, enormous smooth walls of rock when the game generated part of a mountain next to a meadow.
However, in the early versions of Minecraft, there was an even stranger bug. If you create a save in Minecraft and save it to “Save Slot 1”, delete that world, and then create a new save in Save Slot 1, it was possible for individual fragments from your first world to transfer into the second world. This was a very rare bug.
Even if this bug occurred, usually only a few parts were transferred – just individual chunks. Large, contiguous buildings are therefore not possible and have never been proven.
What indicated a fake? Deadsk1nmask saved his game world and made it available to the community so they could see for themselves. In doing so, the community found several clues that the story was made up:
One could discover a single torch quite far away from the mysterious structures, indicating that the YouTuber had indeed been to that spot on the map.
A second clue was the unfinished bridge of the mysterious structures. Because if you were to complete this bridge, it almost exactly reaches Deadsk1nmask’s main base – his main building is in exactly the same direction.
Chunk errors with transfers from old worlds only occur if there has already been another world – but according to the YouTuber, this was his very first world. This was therefore excluded.
In the past few years, interest in the matter largely faded – until a few weeks ago.
The YouTuber iBlali has summarized the entire case again vividly:
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In a forum post about this world from 2010, the user “Zappa2510” responded to the incident and claimed he had found exactly the same buildings in his game world, with small variations – for example, some chests were empty or a waterfall was missing. But the basic design was exactly the same.
The YouTuber trone(y)sauce, who deals with Minecraft myths, managed to contact Zappa2510 after over 13 years – and even received the mentioned save file and appropriate screenshots from him.
This made it clear that these buildings could appear for several people.
The solution behind the mysterious structures is quirky and unique, but ultimately the mystery could be clarified.
When Minecraft became really popular, file-sharing platforms were booming on the internet. Many could not afford (or did not want to) video games and succumbed to the temptation to simply download games illegally from the internet.
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The buildings seen by both Deadsk1nmask and Zappa2510 are part of the game files. The person who first offered Minecraft for illegal download on file-sharing platforms is the original creator of these buildings.
Due to the chunk error in this old version of Minecraft, there was a very small chance that the data from the “old” save would now be loaded into the world and merged with the new world. By the way, this also includes the ominous torch that until now served as evidence of a fake.
Both players must have used a pirated version of Minecraft.
It’s time for our MeinMMO format “MMORPG News in Two Minutes.” We summarize the most important news around the best genre in the world. Look forward toa big update for SWTOR, a community achievement in WoW, an important milestone for Pax Dei and much more.
What else happened? A lot has happened recently in Throne and Liberty. While part of the community is angry about the harsh rune grind, other players are happy about the innovations of patch 1.11.0. The update introduces penalties for characters leaving their dungeon group and more loot. Additionally, the Star Tree Solstice event has started.
The player numbers of Throne and Liberty are falling – can Amazon Games stop the trend?
Start video
Throne and Liberty loses more than 70 percent of players on Steam in 2 months
Christmas parties everywhere you look
This is what happened with the big MMORPGs:
If you are in one of the top guilds in Throne and Liberty, you have no time left to try out new content. A player on Reddit complained that his life now consists only of PvP.
The WoW developers have announced the update Siren’s Island for December 18, 2024. The new patch for The War Within brings a new chapter of the campaign, a mysterious outdoor area, ear-related adjustments, cross-faction groups for dungeons, and much more. Here’s Blizzard’s feature introduction with Kelani:
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The team behind Star Trek Online announced a modernized space dock for Earth on playstartrekonline.com, which will replace the previous model from ESD. The premiere of the Probert Station will be celebrated with the flight of the new Enterprise F.
On December 11, 2024, update 71 for Dungeons & Dragons Online went live. Included are fresh quests, the Jester of Festivult, and more. You can find the patch notes on ddo.com.
On December 9, 2024, the latest update for DC Universe Online was released, introducing Wonder Woman as a new ally. More information can be found on dcuniverseonline.com.
Fractured Online also received an update this week to bring a festive mood into the game world. You can find all the details on Steam.
In RuneScape, thanks to an update, you can now bring Woodcutting and Fletching to skill 110 (via runescape.com). Additionally, there was the announcement that the new sailing skill for Old School RuneScape is planned to be tested in the first half of 2025 (via massivelyop.com).
In Lord of the Rings Online, the Yuletide Festival has begun, and you can find the official guide at lotro.com.
This is what happened with the MMORPGs in development:
Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street wants to rethink the MMORPG genre with his project “Ghost.” Now, after only one year of development, he has shown gameplay from the prototype of the game.
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen started early access on December 13, 2024. You can play the old-school PvE MMORPG on Steam. The EA phase is expected to last at least two years.
The update for Pax Dei regarding market stalls and the currency gold, announced in early December, was surprisingly released on December 13, 2024. More about the patch can be found at playpaxdei.com.
On Reddit, there was an AMA session with the developers of Brighter Shores. Topics included future plans for the MMORPG, which are supposed to involve mini-games, additional endgame content, cooperative content, a party system, and PvP.
The end of 2024 is approaching rapidly and it is now time to look back at the still current MMORPG year. What high and low lights were there? MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz draws a conclusion.
After the preview of the upcoming MMORPG year 2025, it is now time to reflect on the past months. In terms of quantity, genre fans probably cannot complain about all that has happened in the realm of online role-playing games in 2024. There haven’t been this many exciting new releases in a long time. But what about the quality?
Below I will share my personal highlights and disappointments, but we will also look at the most important launches, expansions, and early access starts. You can jump directly to the section that interests you the most through the table of contents.
[toc]
Who is writing here? Karsten Scholz is the MMORPG expert of MeinMMO. He has been dealing with the best genre in the world almost daily for 15 years and has played all major (and some of the less significant) new online role-playing games since the launch of World of Warcraft – often all the way to the endgame or over many months and years.
In 2024, there was so much exciting new content for the genre of online role-playing games that many other genres were left behind. For this, Karsten was able to get his hands on almost all exciting new releases, expansions, and early access starts.
The MeinMMO community has voted – the best MMORPGs of all time:
Start video
The best MMORPGs of all time for PC and console
The most important new releases of 2024 in the MMORPG sector
It has been ten years since fans could look forward to exciting new releases for the MMORPG genre almost quarterly. 2014 was the last such strong year, with Wildstar, The Elder Scrolls Online, and the global launch of ArcheAge.
Accordingly, one must be quite pleased about 2024, that at least three titles crossed the release finish line. However, many more releases were actually planned.
The post-apocalyptic MMORPG Ashfall from NetEase (with music by Hollywood legend Hans Zimmer) was originally scheduled to be released on Steam in the third quarter. This has now been silently canceled. Only in China is there still movement.
Considering how poorly Fractured and Tarisland have been received by players and how many potential frustration points the “best new MMORPG of the year 2024” – Throne and Liberty – has drawn attention to since its launch, my conclusion regarding the most important new releases can only be sobering. It was significantly worse than hoped.
Our talk about the launch of Throne and Liberty:
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The most exciting MMORPG of the year is truly MASSIVE: Discussion about Throne and Liberty from MeinMMO and GameStar
The biggest expansions from 2024 for established MMORPGs
That there was an incredible amount to play starting from the second quarter was largely due to the established MMORPGs. You can see it yourself in the list: Almost every major MMORPG received an extensive expansion in 2024. And I had fun with some of the addons for weeks.
This year, however, Blizzard made the biggest impact among the established ones. The amount of content they put online for the great anniversary of World of Warcraft was simply absurd. There was:
new expansions for World of Warcraft (The War Within) and WoW Classic (Cataclysm) with subsequent content updates
the continuation of the Season of Discoveries from WoW Classic
I personally only had time this year for the campaign of The War Within and a nostalgic visit to Pandaria. But that is Blizzard’s current strategy: to offer a suitable WoW content for as many genre fans out there, which draws them back to the servers from time to time. The goal seems to be working. Also the umpteenth version of WoW Classic was overwhelmed at launch.
Next up is the next page with early access starts, highlights, disappointments, and a conclusion.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO, the Raid Day with Necrozma is happening today. You can find everything about the so-called Fusion Raid Day here.
When does the event take place? The Fusion Raid Day with Necrozma starts on December 14, 2024, at 2:00 PM. It will last for three hours, ending at 5:00 PM.
What bonuses are available?
You will receive up to five additional free Raid Passes when spinning PokéStops. A new pass will only be granted once your last free pass is used. Since you receive 2 free passes each day in the current season, you can plan for 7 free raids.
There is an increased shiny chance for Necrozma.
The remote raid limit is 20 on this day.
What is in the raids? You will encounter the two variants of Necrozma in raids:
Necrozma Dusk Mane
Necrozma Dawn Wings
These are the versions of Necrozma that have fused with either Solgaleo or Lunala.
Important: After the raid, you will not catch the fusion form but the regular form of Necrozma. However, you will receive the fusion energy for the variant you battled.
Dusk Mane provides solar fusion energy
Dawn Wings provides lunar fusion energy
About the fusion: You can use the energy to fuse your Necrozma with a Solgaleo or Lunala. For each fusion, you will need 1,000 corresponding energy, 30 Necrozma candies, and 30 Cosmog candies. Additionally, you will need to have Solgaleo or Lunala already in your collection. They evolve from Cosmog.
Necrozma Dusk Mane brings Steel Beam: You can activate this attack outside of battles by using 3,000 stardust and 3 Necrozma candies. It will lure Pokémon that usually appear only during the day for 10 minutes. You can also evolve Pokémon that can only be evolved during the day. And with some luck, you may encounter Rockruff, which can evolve into Lycanroc in its Dusk form.
Necrozma Dawn Wings brings Shadow Beam: The counterpart to Steel Beam also costs 3,000 stardust and 3 Necrozma candies. It lures Night Pokémon for 10 minutes but can also attract Rockruff with the potential to evolve into the Dusk form.
How do I use the Raid Day? Consider what fusion you want to perform and what energy you will need accordingly. To get the necessary energy, you will have to do several raids. So head out and work through as many PokéStops as possible to quickly acquire the new raid passes.
Defeating Necrozma: Dusk Mane is a Psychic and Steel type, while Dawn Wings is Psychic and Ghost type. Therefore, use Pokémon that are strong against these types:
Against Dusk Mane: Ghost and Dark, alternatively Ground and Fire
Against Dawn Wings: Ghost and Dark
A detailed overview of strong counters against Necrozma can be found here. Necrozma is a strong raid opponent but can theoretically be defeated with 2 to 3 trainers. Use the best counters at high levels for this. It will be easier if you face the raids with more trainers. For that, you can use the Campfire app, or try to join raids through the friends list. However, you will need remote raid passes for that, which are not free for the event.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Cyberpunk: Edgerunners MADNESS, the successful Netflix series in the universe of Cyberpunk: 2077 is getting its own manga. The full first volume is set to be released in 2025. However, you can already read the first chapter in various languages – including a German version.
What is Cyberpunk: Edgerunners MADNESS about? The manga aims to bring you closer to the backstory of the Netflix series, featuring Rebecca and Pilar as the protagonists. In Night City, the siblings are determined to make their dreams come true.
During their journey, they encounter a mysterious man named “Saffron”, who seems to become increasingly intertwined in their lives. The manga allows you to experience how the two became Edgerunners and the obstacles they face while trying to make a name for themselves.
Here you can see the trailer for the Netflix series:
Start video
Cyberpunk Edgerunners: Fans of the RPG epic celebrate the Netflix trailer, but also hope for a cool story
A Prequel to the Characters Pilar and Rebecca
Where can you read the chapter? On x.com, the manga was not only surprisingly announced, but the first chapter was also released. If you want to dive in directly, you can secure the first chapter for free in German via Amazon.
If you prefer to read the Japanese original, you will find it on comic-walker.com. Additionally, the chapter is also available in Polish, Italian, Spanish, and soon also in French and English.
The first chapter consists of about 42 pages, where you mainly follow the protagonist Rebecca. The story was written by Comic Book & Animation Narrative Director Bartosz Sztybor (via x.com), while Asano (via x.com) provided the illustrations.
How is the chapter being received by the community? In a thread on Reddit , enthusiasm is spreading over the announcement. Many have read the chapter directly and are already looking forward to reading more of it in the coming year.
Fans are also discussing which well-known characters besides Rebecca and Pilar might make an appearance. Many suspect that, for example, Sasha or Kiwi could be involved in the story.
The new trailer for Borderlands 4 showcased plenty of action. Players could get a glimpse of the upcoming maps and vault hunters. However, the latter are not going down well with fans.
What is the problem? In the main parts of the Borderlands series, there are several vault hunters that players can embody. Well-known characters like Lilith have even appeared across multiple installments, making them iconic figures in the franchise.
However, at first glance, it seems that none of the vault hunters from Borderlands 4 have a significant unique feature, according to one Reddit thread. The creator of the thread believes that the characters look bland. They are his least favorite from all the Borderlands installments.
Other players agree with him. Reddit user Pino_jay states, for example, that he misses an alien or robot hunter. All the vault hunters in Borderlands 4 are human, which he does not like. The typical archetypes like Siren and Sniper are also not recognizable.
So, fans are likely bothered by the fact that none of the hunters have a unique feature. However, many players might be able to live with them if certain conditions are met.
You can see the new vault hunters in the trailer for Borderlands 4:
Start video
Looter-Shooter Borderlands 4 showcases its action-packed gameplay in the trailer
New vault hunters look bland, but players are willing to accept it
Under what circumstances would that be acceptable? In the comments under the Reddit thread, two arguments are mentioned where fans could accept the “bland” designs.
On the other hand, players hope that the background stories of the characters are all the more exciting. If the appearance is boring, at least they could be satisfied with an intricate backstory.
Additionally, the story should not be shortchanged. Only with the story would the vault hunters grow on players, as user GeTRoGuE states. For now, it means: wait until the full release, then you can see for yourself about the story and the vault hunters. The trailer merely provides a first impression.
In CoD: Black Ops 6 you can complete the main mission on the map “Citadel of the Dead” to unlock rewards. This mission, also known as an Easter Egg, is not explained and you have to figure out the individual steps yourself. To save you the stress, we will show you how to complete the Easter Egg of Citadel of the Dead.
What do I need to know before the Easter Egg? The Easter Egg of Citadel of the Dead is even more complex and time-consuming than the one from Terminus. However, the main mission can be completed solo without problems; if you want a stress-free experience with some time savings, it is recommended to start with a group.
We will now go through all the steps of the Easter Egg, let you know what you need to do, and provide important tips that you should be aware of. We will also show you the rewards that you can earn. The following steps are crucial for the Easter Egg:
Preparation: What should I consider before starting?
Step 1: Gain access to the castle and activate the Pack-a-Punch
Step 2: Talk to Krafft
Step 3: Build the four knight swords
Important information about the Wonder Weapons
Solais (Lightsaber)
Durendal (Electric Sword)
Caliburn (Fire Sword)
Balmung (Shadow Sword)
Step 4: Build the ritual objects
Important information about the ritual objects
Horseshoe
Brooch
Raven Claw
Ras Anch
Step 5: Complete the falling puzzle
Step 6: Activate the knight statues
Step 7: Fill the Mystic Sphere with souls
Step 8: Defeat the Guardian
Rewards for the Easter Egg of Citadel of the Dead
With our directory, you can quickly jump to the individual steps and get an overview:
[toc]
Start video
Black Ops 6: Gameplay trailer for Citadelle des Morts shows new fights against zombies
Preparation: What should I consider before starting?
Before you start a run for the Easter Egg, you should consider the following gear, weapons, and things:
Your weapons should have silencers – Especially with the GS45
Why? Because weapons with silencers increase the drops for scrap
The following gums should be packed into your collection, if you have them:
Who counts the points?
Profit Sharing (If you are in a team)
On the house paired with Fizz Fountain
Wonderful
Secret Power
Extrastrong
Get smoke bombs in your loadout to escape from the zombies
Set up some builds of your favorite weapons that can also be bought off the walls on a zombie loadout
Why? So that when you pick up the weapon, you get the attachments you used in your build
Step 1: Gain access to the castle and activate Pack-a-Punch
To start the Easter Egg, you must gain access to the castle and activate Pack-a-Punch. So gather enough essence and from the marketplace either take the right or left path to the castle. The direction does not matter, as you should open all doors for the Easter Egg anyway.
Once you reach the main gate, you will discover the locked gates of the castle. You now need to shoot these with the lion cannon located on the castle wall. So buy your way to the castle wall and turn the wheel on the right side of the cannon to aim the weapon at the gates. You fire a shot by interacting with the back of the cannon.
You need to turn the cannon in the right direction
The activated shot will blow away the wooden gates, allowing you to advance further into the castle. Buy your way deeper into the castle until you reach the dungeon room. In this room, you will find a blue box from the syndicate, which is locked with three locks – Shoot these off.
Shoot off the brightly marked locks of the container
A blood-red portal will emerge from the box, where a double ghast will spawn, which you must defeat now. He is weaker than an amalgam but more agile. Try to run your rounds in the basement while shooting at the double ghast during your movements. Once defeated, he will drop the blood etherium crystal, which you need to place into the portal.
The Blood Crystal is your targetNow you can use the machine
After you have placed the crystal, the portal will close and all that remains is the Pack-a-Punch.
Step 2: Talk to Krafft
Now you need to talk to Krafft, a crazy, eccentric old man in a cell. You will find him in the dungeon in the room with the perk “Quick Revive.” The cell is located in a niche on the left side of the room when you come from the Pack-a-Punch.
Follow the marker to Krafft’s cellKrafft will bless you
Interact with the door to open the hatch so Krafft can communicate with you. He will reveal further information about the Easter Egg and the castle that you should know – additionally, he blesses you with the power of the Dark Aether.
Step 3: Build the Four Knight Sabers
Now comes the first challenging part – crafting the four knight sabers. If you are in a group of four, each of your teammates can build one saber. However, if you are going solo, you will have to forge all the sabers by yourself.
Important Information about the Wonder Weapons
To build a knight saber, you need a stamp, which you obtain from the knight zombies – you can recognize them by their iron helmets. They only spawn starting from round 10. You can only carry one stamp, so pick one up and head to the dining hall where the four knight statues are located.
This is what the knights look likeYou need the seal for the statuesAll knights and their elements
Activate a statue with your interaction button and collect a sword. Depending on which statue you activate, you will receive the blueprint for the corresponding elemental wonder weapon. In our gallery, we have marked the statues corresponding to the names of the swords as follows:
Solais (Light Sword) front right
Durendal (Electric Sword) back left
Caliburn (Fire Sword) back right
Balmung (Shadow Sword) front left
We will now show you how to build the swords step by step.
The swords take up the melee slot in your inventory. You can therefore carry one sword and two additional firearms with this new type of wonder weapon. Additionally, the swords can be placed at the respective knight statues so that you can pick them up again at any time.
Solais (Lightsaber)
The Solais can be forged by cutting a glowing parasite with your sword, thus cloaking your blade in light. Now head to the place “Upper Village” as you walk towards the castle and keep to the right. Past the well, you will see a canopy with a lamp and a lion door on the right. Strike this door with your glowing sword.
You must kill the glowing parasites with your swordFind the lion door and hit it with your shimmer
Repeat the process three more times to draw all the runes onto the door. Now you can interact with the door to enter a cellar. Defeat the zombies and socket the sword into the holder.
Pay attention to the order of the symbols
Now you will see four glowing symbols jump out of the holder. You must shoot them all in the correct order. You can recognize the order by the column of the holder. If you succeed, the runes will infuse the sword with holy magic and you can claim Solais as your own.
IMPORTANT: If you take too long with the puzzle, you will be thrown out of the cellar and must survive a round before you can open the door again.
Durendal (Lightning Sword)
To build Durendal, you need three rustic lightning rods, which are scattered across the map at the following locations:
On an antenna near Speed Cola – Shoot your weapon and the ammo mod “Dead Wire” at the nearby fuse box to bring the component to you.
Shoot at the white fuse boxThis is what a lightning rod looks like
In the field path area on the ground next to the Perk-a-Cola “Death Daiquiri”.
Hidden in the dark
Im Brustkorb eines gepanzerten Zombies, der sich im Verlies befindet – besiegt diesen. (Er spawnt erst gegen Runde 12)
Defeat the zombie to reach the lightning rod
Equipped with all lightning rods, you now go to the right side of the castle wall and insert them into a pot with three cutouts. Now the lightning rods begin to spin and a storm forms in your area. You need to kill zombies in the storm with your sword drawn until your sword is charged with lightning.
This is what the charged sword and the pot look like
Once your sword is charged, you need to strike the pot once to charge a lightning rod with your energy. You repeat this two more times. Once all lightning rods are charged, you need to socket your sword so that it can be transformed. After a short wait, you can pull Durendal from the socket.
IMPORTANT: Don’t take too long when you want to strike the pot with your charged sword, or the energy will dissipate and you will take damage.
Caliburn (Fire Sword)
To build the Caliburn, you must go to the castle entrance hall and place your sword in the slot in front of the dragon statue located on the stairs. Above the statue, you will find a stone depiction of the map, where three points will light up.
Next to the GateNext to the Riot StarterOn the WallThis is what the map looks like
These points mark fire pits on the map that you need to activate. You must visit the following locations:
On the castle wall on the left side
In the marketplace near the Riot Starter
On the dirt road near a bicycle
Now go to a cauldron, interact with it, and steal the fire from it. You are now on fire and will take damage over time temporarily. Your task is to bring your flame effect to the dragon statue to infuse the sword with flames. To avoid going down, you can kill zombies with one hit to regenerate your health.
Once you have delivered all the flame balls to the statue, the dragon will engulf the sword in flames, and you can now pull the Caliburn from its pedestal.
Balmung (Shadow Sword)
To forge Balmung, you need an old relic that you can find in the secret room on the left side of the dining hall. This is a remnant of a dead animal. The following can spawn:
A Horn
A Jaw
A Bird
A Scorpion
A Fish
Take the relic and now go to the cellar of the tavern in the marketplace. There, you will see a round construct on the southwestern wall – insert your relic there.
Here you must place the relic
Now symbols of zodiac signs will appear on the outer ring and four more signs inside. You must now crack the correct combination by rotating the two discs according to the relic. You can find all solutions here:
Symbols for the ScorpionSymbols for the JawSymbols for the Raven HeadSymbols for the FishSymbols for the Horn
If you have entered the correct combination, you can now socket the blank. Now you need to seal three Shadow Portals. The first is located right by the basement of the tavern. The second on the ground floor in front of the counter, the third one floor up near the pool table.
The first Shadow HoleThe second Shadow HoleThe third Shadow Hole
Now Shadow Balls appear from the construct that will chase you. Lead these to the first Shadow Portal. Three Shadow Balls are enough for you to activate the second portal. Repeat this with the last portals to then go back to the basement.
Interact now with the construct so that your blank is shrouded in shadows. Now you can pick up Balmun.
Step 4: Build the Ritual Objects
As the next step, you need the ritual objects. For each sword, there is a scroll corresponding to its element. But to build them, you need relics of the knights, which are well hidden.
Important Information about the Ritual Objects
The ritual objects take up your grenade slot when built. They have effects and can set enemies on fire, electrify them, send them into a black hole, or heal you. Especially in the final phase of the Easter Egg, these relics are very useful. We will now show you how to get the scrolls.
Horseshoe
Go from the spawn towards the “Path of Nature” up to the stable where the Perk-a-Cola “Deadshot Daiquiri” is stationed. At the exit in the northwestern direction, you will find a horseshoe on the wall above the archway in the stable. Shoot to bring it down.
Shoot in the area of the red markThis is what the horseshoe looks like
Now go to the lion cannon on the castle wall and propel yourself with a shot to the marketplace – you will be struck by lightning in the air. Your horseshoe is now gone, and you have to look for it in the spawn. Look in the sky either in the southeast or northwest direction. You should see dark clouds where lightning is striking.
This is what the clouds look like in the skyPick up the Pegasus horseshoe
Go to the lightning and collect the item “Pegasus Horseshoe” from the ground. Now go again to the marketplace and stop at the gate leading to the Path of Nature. In front of the gate on the left side, you will find a golden symbol – interact with it to place the horseshoe.
Place the horseshoe on the symbol
Now many zombies will appear that you need to take care of. Kill them until a golden chest spawns from the ground. Hit the chest with the energy sword to open it and take the Electric Summoning.
Brooch
Go to the dining hall and head towards the Perk-a-Cola “Vulture Aid”; you will notice a red light on the wall. Shoot this to generate a beam of light. You now need to redirect this beam of light to 4 more lights located in the dining hall and in the secret relic room.
Redirect the beam
Once you have redirected the light to all the lights, it will shine on the chest of a bust. Now the Paladin’s brooch appears. Take it, return to the dining hall, and place the brooch on the golden symbol on the floor to the right of the entrance that leads to the main hall.
Collect the brooch from the bustPlace the brooch on the golden symbol
Now defeat the zombies that appear in large groups and charge the brooch until a small golden chest rises from the ground. Open it with a strike of the lightsaber. Now you have the Light Summoning.
Raven’s Claw
To find the Raven’s Claw, you need to activate the slide in the Pack-a-Punch room. Slide down the tunnel until you see a raven at the end of the tunnel. Scare it off with a shot. Now sprint up the stairs to the marketplace and look up to the sky. Shoot the same raven in the air so that the Raven’s Claw falls down.
Follow the path to the airlockSlide down the water slide and scare the ravenPick up the Raven’s claw
Take the Raven’s Claw and return to the castle underground. Place the claw in the middle of the room and collect souls again through zombie kills.
Place the claw on the golden symbol
Once you have collected enough, you can open the new chest with a strike of the shadow sword. Now you can pick up the Dark Summoning.
Ras Anch
You can obtain Ras Anch by spawning a special Double Ghast. For this, it is best to have three Molotov cocktails. Go to the castle wall and light three bonfires for this – the order does not matter. They are located at the following places:
On the roof above the Perk-a-Cola “Elemental Soda”
On the roof of the castle entrance gate
Above the Perk-a-Cola “Speed Cola” on a cliff
Ignite the points to spawn the Double Ghast. This and other zombies will now chase you. Defeat the Double Ghast, pick up Ras Anch, and place it on the last golden symbol in front of the castle.
This is what the Anch looks likePlace the relic on this symbol
Collect enough souls again and then open the chest with the Flame Sword. Now you can take the Fire Summoning from the chest.
Step 5: Complete the Trap Puzzle
The trap puzzle is divided into three parts:
the keypad
the book pages
activating the traps
You can approach the steps without the keypad and the book pages, but we wouldn’t recommend it. The correct order also matters here. We will now show you each step in detail.
The Keypad
To solve the trap puzzle, you first need the Perk-a-Cola “Metzel-Macchiato.” Then head to the back dungeon room where you last placed the Raven Claw and punch the suspicious-looking wall on the left side. You will now discover an ancient keypad with runes.
Hit the marked spot
Now, you need to shoot 6 runes in the correct order. You get these from the black jugs in the tavern. Interact with them to reveal their symbol – they are also numbered to help you keep track of the order. It’s best to take a picture or write down all symbols and then go back to the keypad.
The first jugThe second jugThe third jugThe fourth jugThe fifth jugThe sixth jug
If you have entered the correct combination, a red glowing orb next to the keypad will reveal the wall to disclose an old book. However, it is missing the pages that you now need.
The Book Pages
Now that you know which traps you need to approach in which order, you need the missing book pages. You can find them scattered around the living room. In total, you have to collect 4 pages. The pages may be on the sofa, on the tables, near the castle walls, or on the floor.
This is what a page looks like
Their locations are unfortunately always random, so you should ideally always leave a zombie alive during your search, so you can scout the surroundings more comfortably. The pages usually glow red, which can make your search easier.
Activating the Traps
The last step is activating the traps in the correct order. Take your four collected pages and bring them to the back dungeon room to insert them into the mystical book that you uncovered at the keypad.
Note the order of the book
The order is:
Symbol 1: Page from the top left
Symbol 2: Page from the bottom left
Symbol 3: Page from the top right
Symbol 4: Page from the bottom right
Remember the order and now search for the correct traps. There are 4 variations of them:
Eye in the Ring
Eye with Eyelashes
Eye with Four Spikes
Eye with Eight Spikes
This is what an Eye Trap looks like
To activate them, you need to spend 1600 essence. Afterwards, a small area around the ground plate will light up. Now you need to stand in the red area and kill enough zombies. Once you have defeated the desired amount, the plate will extinguish, and you can move on to the next plate.
IMPORTANT: If you do not kill a number of zombies in time, the plate will deactivate, and you must wait until your cooldown has expired before you can recharge it again. Also, note that the zombies do not need to be in the aura’s vicinity for the kills to count, only you need to stand inside.
Step 6: Activate the Knight Statues
Once you have completed all the steps, you can activate the statues and pay your respects. Go to the vaulted staircase and remember the order of the knight symbols. The numbers will help you.
The order always runs clockwise
Now you need to take the knight’s sword and its summoning. Cast the spell on the statue and then inspect your sword for a short animation. If you follow the order, the respective knight will return your greeting, move, and then glow brightly.
The knight returned your greeting
Repeat this with the non-glowing knights in the correct order. Meanwhile, the knights will focus a beam of light at the center of the dining hall, allowing the item “Mystical Sphere” to spawn. Now you need to fill the sphere with souls.
Step 7: Fill the Mystical Sphere with Souls
Once you have the Mystical Sphere, you need to take it to four locations, socket it there, and then charge it. Each location corresponds to an element of the knights. It is important that you have the appropriate knight element depending on the location. Here are the locations and what you need to do:
Location: Second floor in the dining hall, opposite the Perk-a-Cola “Vulture Aid”
Element: Lightsaber, Light Summon
How do I charge them? Collect the green glowing spheres in the dining hall
Location: At the marketplace near the horseshoe seal
Element: Lightning Sword, Lightning Summon
How do I charge them? Kill enemies with the ultimate of your sword or summon
Location: In the open field in front of the castle entrance near a trap
Element: Fire Sword, Fire Summon
How do I charge them? Kill enemies with the ultimate of your sword or summon
Location: In the back dungeon room near the raven seal
Element: Shadow Sword, Shadow Summon
How do I charge them? Kill enemies with the ultimate of your sword or summon
If you have managed to manifest all the elements in the Mystic Sphere, you now need to deliver them to the right place.
Step 8: Use the Mystic Orb and collect the Watcher’s Key
Take your charged Mystic Orb and bring it to the wall that told you the order of the knight greetings. Here you can use it. Afterwards, a hidden room will open with a remnant and the glowing item “Watcher’s Key”. Take this and bring it to the marketplace.
The Point of No Return
To initiate the last step of the Easter egg, you must place the Watcher’s Key at the base of the statue that stands in the marketplace. However, before you begin the fight, you should have made preparations. You should:
consumed the most important perks,
punched and upgraded your weapons to the maximum level,
collected strong gums
and acquired the best armor vest.
If you are absolutely sure that you want to face the boss fight, you can now use the Watcher’s Key. The statue awakens to life after a short animation and then challenges you.
Step 9: Defeat the Guardian
Although the Guardian seems quite brutal and intimidating, he is one of the easier bosses. The boss has three phases, and the further you progress, the more aggressive the statue becomes. Your task now is to tear off his armor to attack the vulnerable spots of his outer shell.
Place the key at the base of the statueThe fight is easy but the boss has a tough health bar
Fire at his shoulders, arms, legs, and knees. Focus on one point to break the armor efficiently. Once you have caused enough damage, the vulnerable point of his body will be exposed, allowing you to deal real damage.
After you have drained enough health from him, the Guardian will pause his fight and gather in the middle of the arena. During this time, he is immune to damage, and you will have to fight against a wave of zombies. Once this is finished, you will receive maximum ammunition and can continue to fight the boss.
Having survived three phases and destroyed his health bar, the fight ends and the Easter egg is over. Afterwards, a cutscene follows and you will have the choice to either finish your round or continue.
Those who complete the Easter Egg will receive the following rewards:
Operator skin “Knife” for Weaver
5,000 XP
A calling card
If you complete the Easter Egg before the launch of the “Guided Mode,” you will receive an alternative version of the banner with a golden skull. This is meant to show other players that you were one of the first to complete the Easter Egg before it was simplified.
The Easter Egg of Citadelle des Morts is challenging, especially for solo players. It is worth teaming up with others you can communicate with. Are you looking for more tips for Zombies to survive more rounds? Then we have just what you need: CoD Black Ops 6 Zombies: 15 tips for beginners on how to survive more rounds
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
