In EA FC 25, a new mini-patch is set to make 3 important adjustments. The changes affect 2 shots on goal, which were far too powerful, and normal dribbling, which had hardly been used so far.
What kind of update is this? This patch is a so-called live tuning gameplay change. Unlike a larger patch, the changes are made by EA directly in the game, without you needing to download the update separately.
To ensure the adjustments really take effect for your gameplay, you should simply restart the game after the update notification appears.
The latest live tuning change only affects 2 essential aspects, but the impact on the gaming experience could be enormous.
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Start video
EA FC 25 trailer shows new features for Ultimate Team
Update weakens power shots and headers, strengthens dribbling
In a Trello board, EA Sports presented the changes. We explain what effects the adjustments could have on the current gameplay.
What changes does the patch make? In-game, players received the live tuning notification late in the evening or at night on December 11, 2024. EA states that the update includes the following changes:
The reactivity of running dribbling with the ball has been improved
The precision of direct power shots and contested headers has been reduced
Improvement of running dribbling
Running dribbling refers to normal dribbling using the left analog stick. Until now in FC 25, only the really best dribblers could execute quick turns with the ball at their feet. And even with these players, it was hard to move quickly enough to outsmart a defender.
Regarding the new changes, EA additionally states in the notification:
With running dribbling, professionals can now touch the ball more frequently
This change is intended to allow for more reactive turns
With this adjustment, it might finally be possible again to outmaneuver strong defenders with quick changes of direction, thus gaining the necessary space.
Reduced precision of direct power shots
Power shots had until now been one of the most reliable finishes in FC 25 to score a goal. Players who had the suitable play style could deliver a powerful shot on goal in the blink of an eye.
This led to players only shooting from a distance in various situations. Especially dangerous were the direct volleys, as they flew toward the goal with far too much precision.
With the new adjustment, these OP direct shots are now supposed to be significantly weakened according to EA.
Reduced precision of contested headers
Headers were particularly effective after corners to simply score goals. Tall players with the play style “In the Air” were at one time among the most expensive cards because they could head the ball into the net almost every time after a corner kick.
Defending against dangerous corner kicks was only possible if a large player was placed immediately against the opposing header monster, and even then players without the aforementioned play style often found themselves at a disadvantage.
While the new adjustment does not weaken the strength of players with the play style “In the Air”, it should now reward those who pressure the opponent in an aerial duel. Headers are now supposed to fly toward the goal with significantly less precision when you engage your opponent in an aerial contest.
For the 20th anniversary of World of Warcraft, former Blizzard developer Rob Pardo recalled a humorous anecdote from the early days of the MMORPG.
What is that anecdote? In an interview about the 20th anniversary of World of Warcraft, Rob Pardo explained that the MMORPG had far fewer quests during its development phase than in the launch version.
According to the veteran developer, it was the feedback from playtesters that prompted the team to deliver ten times as many quests as planned to satisfy the beta players. They started running out of tasks at a certain point, which made the game “feel broken”.
The solution for the developers was simply to design more quests. While this was extremely labor-intensive, they also aimed to be significantly more accessible and beginner-friendly than the major competitor EverQuest. Quests that lead players to the maximum level were meant to support exactly that.
And the plan succeeded! WoW was considered the most beginner-friendly and accessible MMORPG on the market at launch. Just one reason among many for the enormous success. The large number of quests made available through tester feedback for the Vanilla version of WoW formed the foundation for the more than 38,000 quests currently available in World of Warcraft.
In 20 years of WoW, there have been many highlights:
Start video
WoW celebrates 20 years of the highlights of Azeroth
When players build the MMORPG of their dreams
Who is Rob Pardo? The veteran developer worked at Blizzard from October 1997 (!) to July 2014 and was able to contribute as lead developer to a variety of games, such as World of Warcraft, Warcraft 3, StarCraft, Diablo 2, and Diablo 3. He also held the roles of Chief Creative Officer and Executive Vice President of Game Design.
After leaving Blizzard, Rob Pardo founded Bonfire Studios, which aims to focus on online games for PC and has managed to secure Riot Games as a financial partner. However, in the seven years the studio has existed, it has neither released a game nor announced one.
Why look at EverQuest? While there were quite a few games in the era of the first 3D MMORPGs from which to draw inspiration, the first EverQuest offered the best overall package to date, with a massive game world, 14 classes, twelve races, guilds, and much more. In October 2002, the first raid in MMORPG history followed.
There were two additional points. On the one hand, Blizzard knew that the EverQuest team was already developing a sequel that was supposed to release shortly before World of Warcraft. On the other hand, there were some genre enthusiasts in the WoW team who had played EverQuest ambitiously with their guilds – among them were Jeff Kaplan and Rob Pardo.
It’s clear that the two designers had specific ideas about what their MMORPG should do better or differently based on their experiences with EverQuest. If you’re looking for more anecdotes from two decades of WoW, check out MeinMMO demon Cortyn’s anniversary special: 20 years of World of Warcraft – It’s more than just a game
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On December 12, 2024, Path of Exile 2 received a new patch. Update 0.1.0d brings a total of 82 changes and bug fixes. MeinMMO has the official German patch notes for you.
When is the patch available? The update is already live on the servers of Path of Exile 2. All users should be able to download a new version of the game on their platform. The servers are also back online after they went into maintenance for a few minutes while the patch was being applied. You can now start playing with the new changes immediately.
The patch 0.1.0d brings 82 changes. Among the improvements are balance changes, for example, “leeching” has been buffed. Additionally, small monsters can now be pushed away by the dodge roll, making them more efficient.
There have also been many changes in the Ultimatum that mainly affect the balance. Here, primarily the monsters that were much stronger than the rest have been nerfed, and the monster density is now intended to be more consistent. In addition to these and other improvements, the patch also brings many bug fixes. Below you will find the official patch notes for Update 0.1.0d in German.
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Here you can see the cinematic intro of Path of Exile 2:
Start video
Path of Exile 2: The Cinematic Intro of the Greatest Diablo Competitor
Official Patch Notes for Update 0.1.0d
General Improvements and Changes
The passive block chance now applies to blockable hits from all directions and no longer just to front hits.
The player size is now set to zero units when dodging instead of one unit.
Some smaller monsters can now be pushed when dodging. This includes monsters like the Adorned Beetles in Keth.
Inscribed Ultimatums and Djinn Baryas now indicate whether you receive Ascendancy skill points after completing the Trial of Chaos or the Trial of Sekhem.
World map pins for encounters that do not originate from specific locations in areas, e.g., from monster drops, have been removed.
The behavior of attacks while standing still has been improved.
Rain of Arrows and Firestorm now have a hit cap to prevent them from completely wiping out large bosses. This will have little to no effect outside of boss fights with very large hitboxes.
Leech has been buffed.
Boneshatter now hits the target more reliably.
The duration of Armour Break has been increased to 12 seconds (previously 6).
To improve performance, ‘Incinerate’ now creates circular areas of ignited ground instead of segments.
CTRL+Click shortcut added to open currency exchange with the relevant NPCs.
A button has been added to travel to the Trial of Chaos on the world map.
Graphics for melee support have been added.
2D graphics for the one-time amulet ‘Defiance of Destiny’ have been added.
The keyword “Ascendancy Skill Points” has been added, detailing how sets of Ascendancy points are obtained.
A search function for Gemcutting and merchant inventory when using a controller has been added. The key bindings for searching the stash on a controller have also been updated.
Option to restrict Gemcutting for gamepad has been added.
Recommended supports for “Time of Need” have been added.
The suggested supports for “Bonestorm” have been updated.
An option to open the trading website has been added to the main menu for consoles.
Runes can now be sold to vendors for more gold.
The graphic for Reserved Life and Mana has been updated.
The description of runes has been updated to clarify that once socketed, they can no longer be replaced.
Auras and curses that affect the resistances of allies or enemies now display values in the skill popup window.
The sound of kiwi pets, chimera pets, and baby crowbell pets has been improved to reduce their impact in town areas.
The wording of the passive ascendancy skill “…and Protect me from Harm” of the summoner has been updated to clarify its functionality.
The description of “Hexblast” has been updated to clarify that it only triggers a single curse per enemy in its radius.
The description of “Fiery Death Support” has been updated to clarify that the supported skill does not need to kill the ignited enemy itself.
The defense of monsters from the modifier “Magma Barrier” has been decreased.
Walking Goliaths no longer use their suicide attack when they are rare.
Trigger Gems and Energy Gain
The energy gain from trigger gems was in the wrong place, and it was much too easy to use ailments to trigger spells. One problem with the previous system was that, in a balance designed to allow triggering in boss fights, triggering happened far too often during clearing. To address this, we introduced “Monster Power” as part of the calculation for energy gain. This means that it is much easier to trigger skills from unique monsters than from normal monsters, but you also hit many more normal monsters while fighting. Another issue was the use of low-level skills with unconditional ailment effects like Flame Wall to ignite enemies for triggering. To make the source of Ignite more relevant, energy gain now depends on the strength of Ignite. We also comprehensively rebalanced the entire energy gain.
Ultimatum Changes
The balance of Ultimatum monsters, bosses, and modifiers has been generally improved, mainly adjusting outliers that were too difficult to align them.
The monster density in Ultimatum encounters has been made more consistent.
Stormcaller Runes, Blood Globules, Heart Tethers, and Impending Doom Rings no longer appear while a player is on a lift or near the altars in the Vaal Soul Core area.
A bug has been fixed where player minions could get stuck on top of the lift in the Trials of Chaos.
Bug Fixes
A bug was fixed that caused enemies to be prepared for stun or electrocute earlier than intended while playing in a party.
A bug was fixed where Gemling Legionnaires with the Integrated Efficiency Ascendancy Passive Skill could lose their 3 additional skill slots if they were empty when entering a new area.
A bug was fixed that allowed reviving party members with WASD input from too far away.
A bug was fixed where “Waystones found have a chance to be a tier higher” on the Atlas Passive Tree was not functioning.
A bug was fixed where the Audio Mix setting was not saved after restarting the game.
A bug was fixed where one of the small passive skills in the Fleshcrafter cluster was not connected to the notable passive skill. It is possible your passive skill tree will be reset if you had assigned this cluster – sorry!
A bug was fixed where you could not open a portal on Cruel difficulty in the area The Riverbank.
A bug was fixed where some of the abilities of Zalmarath, the Colossus, persisted after their death.
A bug was fixed that prevented opening a fullscreen panel during the unmaking, which blocked actions until you logged in again.
A bug was fixed where some fire spells, like Volatile Deadand Incinerate, did not function correctly with Raging Spirits.
A bug was fixed where “Buffs on you expire Slower” from the Prolonged Assault Notable Passive Skill and other Chronomancer Ascendancy Passive Skills was also applied to debuffs and other effects instead of only to buffs.
A bug was fixed where non-revivable minions created a Remnant of the Grim Feast Buff upon dying near you.
A bug was fixed where Infernalists with the Pyromantic Pact Ascendancy Passive Skill were considered “on Low Infernal Flame” when at 50% or less of their max Infernal Flame instead of at 35%.
A bug was fixed where the world map icon for Candlemass was not updated correctly in Cruel.
A bug was fixed where you could not upgrade gems even though you met the attribute requirement because the “Adaptive Capability Gemling Legionnaire Ascendancy” passive skill was assigned.
A bug was fixed where Fiery Death Support did not apply damage correctly.
A bug was fixed where Infusion Support Gems applied the extra elemental damage for all attacks instead of only to the Herald skill damage.
A bug was fixed where Expedition encounters could not be generated in the Decay Map.
A bug was fixed where the quality of the Sacrifice Skill caused minions to resurrect 0-5% slower instead of faster.
A bug was fixed where the exit portal for the final boss in the Trial of the Sekhemas was not visually shown after the boss was killed.
A bug was fixed where skills that you did not meet the requirements for did not display their name in the Skills Menu when using a controller.
A bug was fixed where the Elemental Storm skill granted by the Stormweaver’s Tempest Caller Ascendancy Passive Skill sometimes placed the storm beneath you.
A snapshotting bug with the “Loads an Additional Bolt” crossbow modifier was fixed.
A bug was fixed where the Contagion skill did not spread the poison.
A bug was fixed where the Tempest Bell could become invisible.
A bug was fixed where NPCs in hideouts were missing their name labels when using a controller.
A bug was fixed where logging in with a guest account on the PlayStation 5 could delete your in-game friends list.
A bug was fixed where you sometimes could not enter your hideout on the PlayStation 5.
Eight instance crashes were fixed.
Six client crashes were fixed.
A client crash that could occur on Xbox was fixed.
Three client crashes that could occur on PlayStation 5 were fixed.
0.1.0d Hotfix 1
We missed a bug! Cast on Critical Strike now also takes into account the damage of the hit when determining how much energy is gained to prevent the use of high crit, low-level skills. This should mean that using abilities with low hit frequency that hit harder is now much stronger for this mechanic.
What has changed recently in Path of Exile 2? Path of Exile 2 is regularly supplied with new content and updates. The last patch brought a change to the loot. Many players had previously complained about the loot because it was insufficient both qualitatively and quantitatively. All information about the last patch can be found here: Path of Exile brings the first update and finally gives you more loot – Patch notes in German
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Christmas is also just around the corner in Pokémon GO. To celebrate the festivities, there will be an event for you in the game.
What kind of event is this? In Pokémon GO, part 2 of the “Holiday Season” has been announced. The event will start on Sunday, December 22, 2024, at 10:00 AM and end on Friday, December 27, 2024, at 8:00 PM.
In addition to a new Shiny and a few bonuses, there will also be 2 Pokémon waiting for you dressed in festive holiday attire.
Start video
Pokémon GO reveals the new season Dual Destiny in the trailer
Holiday Season Part 2 – All Content
Which Pokémon is making its Shiny debut?Flaniwal, the Ice-type Pokémon from Generation 9, can be encountered for the first time in its Shiny variant during the event. You can attract it using incense on December 23, 25, and 27, and challenge it in 1-star raids throughout the event.
The chance of encountering the Shiny variant is higher in 1-star raids than if you find the Pokémon through incense.
What costumed Pokémon are available in the event? During the event, you will also have the chance to encounter Wolly in holiday attire for the first time. This Pokémon can also appear as a Shiny with some luck. If you evolve it, you will receive Zwollock in holiday attire.
What Pokémon can be found in the wild? In the wild, you can encounter the following Pokémon during the event:
Alolan Rattata*
Kramurx*
Galar Zigzagoon*
Elezeba*
Gelatini*
Zapplardin*
Wolly in holiday attire*
Absol* (rare)
All Pokémon in the wild can also appear as Shiny.
What Pokémon are available in raids? If you want to do raids during the event, you can look forward to the following Pokémon:
1-Star Raids:
Alolan Vulpix*
Galar Flampion*
Lichtel*
Flaniwal*
3-Star Raids:
Snorlax*
Banette*
Zebritz
Tukanon
5-Star Raids:
Giratina (Altered Form)* (from December 26 at 10:00 AM)
Mega Raids:
Mega Latias* (until December 26 at 10:00 AM)
Mega Rexblisar* (from December 26 at 10:00 AM)
Pokémon marked with a * can also appear as Shiny.
Which Pokémon can be attracted by incense? The event will feature changed monsters that you can attract using incense. Each day, different Pokémon will appear.
On December 22, 24, and 26:
Snorlax*
Elezeba*
Makabaja*
Laternecto
Wolly in holiday attire*
On December 23, 25, and 27:
Togetic*
Galar Zigzagoon*
Tarnpignon*
Coiffwaff*
Flaniwal*
All monsters marked with a * can also appear as Shiny with some luck.
What bonuses are there in the event? You can also look forward to 3 bonuses during the event, one of which will last even longer than the actual event.
double the amount of experience points when catching Pokémon
50% more experience points for successful raid battles
Adventure Incense lasts twice as long (from December 25, 2024, at 10:00 AM to January 5, 2025, at 8:00 PM)
Field Research: There will also be event field research again, where you will be rewarded with additional encounters with event Pokémon for completing the tasks.
PokéStop Showcases: There will also be showcases during the event, in which you can participate with suitable Pokémon from the event.
Collector Challenges: There will also be collector challenges in the event. These will involve tasks related to raids and catching Pokémon. Rewards will include stardust, ultra and hyper balls, as well as encounters with event Pokémon.
Paid Limited Research: For $5 (around €5), you can purchase a limited research ticket for the event. If you complete all the tasks of the research, you will be rewarded with the following:
1 Glacier Lure Module
2 Incense
Wolly jacket for your avatar
Encounters with Wolly in holiday attire
Hyper Holiday Box: In the Pokémon GO web store, there will be 2 different holiday boxes for the event. The first box costs $4.99 (around €5) and includes an extension for your Pokémon storage and item bag, as well as 17 special candies.
For $6.99 (around €7), you can also purchase a ticket box, which contains a ticket for both parts of the “Holiday Season” event, as well as a premium battle pass.
Leading up to the holidays, there are still many events waiting for you in the game. If you want to get an overview of all events and activities in the coming weeks, take a look at our overview of all December 2024 events in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On December 12, 2024, Update 1.11.0 for Throne and Liberty will be released. You can expect the second seasonal world event of the MMORPG, additional spawns for world bosses, new cooking content, penalties for group dungeon searches, and more.
What kind of update is this? New Thursday, new maintenance phase for Throne and Liberty. Once the servers are expected to be back online around 4:30 PM, you can dive into the new content of Update 1.11.0. Here are the highlights:
Until January 9, 2025, adjusted spawns for world bosses will occur, and field and ore bosses will drop rare and epic equipment more frequently.
The lifestyle content Cooking will be significantly updated, including cooking contracts.
In the future, if you leave a group found through the group search, you will receive a penalty that prevents you from re-registering via the group search for a certain period.
New fishing spots will be available.
You can find the complete patch notes at the end of the article.
Just in case you need salt for the new cooking contracts:
Start video
Throne and Liberty: So bekommt ihr Köder und Salz
How is the community reacting to the update? The highlights of the update are being extensively discussed on various platforms.
Lurking_Poster writes on Reddit: “Hallelujah for the changes to Cooking.”
Sad-Bug210 is also excited about the culinary additions (via Reddit): “I can’t wait to see the cooking contracts.”
9rrfing appreciates the dungeon penalties (via Reddit): “I was skeptical about whether they would implement them well, but they did a great job.”
silky_shinely_smooth writes on Reddit: “Overall, this update looks good, but let’s wait and see how they expand it. Did they mention that they will fix the problem with the P5S chat link?”
Also, various other players miss anticipated solutions for existing issues in the patch notes, such as current performance problems, broken targeting, or adjustments for the heavily criticized rune system.
Update 1.11.0 – Official English Patch Notes
Star Tree Solstice Event
The Star Tree Solstice Event spreads festive joy in Solisium from December 12, 2024, to January 9, 2025. Participate in event-exclusive arena matches on Snowdrift Island to receive event-specific rewards. Explore festively decorated villages with gratitude trees, collect festive cosmetic items like Jolly Arsenal weapons through the Event Pass, and much more. Even Gigantrit and your Amitoi will be there.
World Bosses – Additional Spawns for Bellandir and Tevent
Thank you for your patience as we worked on the recently occurred issues with world boss encounters. We understand your frustration. To ensure players can experience these encounters again, there will be a limited-time event from December 12, 2024, to January 9, 2025.
During this event, world bosses will spawn twice at their regularly scheduled times – once in peace and once in conflict. The additional spawn will occur at 6:00 PM (server time) and the regular spawn will continue to occur as scheduled at 8:00 PM. Good luck, adventurers!
Lifestyle Content – Cooking
New cooking contracts can be completed through contract managers.
The number of unique cooked food items has been reduced by bundling food quality levels.
Common foods are now produced as “Unusual,” feast and dungeon ingredients as “Rare,” and elixirs are classified as “Rare” or “Unusual,” depending on the material used.
The quality of the materials used in cooking now determines the number of dishes produced.
Rare materials consume 1 ingredient and produce 3 dishes.
Advanced materials consume 3 ingredients and produce 2 dishes.
Common materials consume 5 ingredients and produce 1 dish.
Feast ingredients have been adjusted to account for the new level bundling and the number of dishes produced in cooking.
The collection of ingredients and the loot chance have been adjusted to consider the new consumption quantities and the number of dishes produced in cooking.
Previously collected high-quality ingredients intended for feasts can be exchanged for new rare ingredients through the dismantling system.
All recipes can now be created at cooking stoves and campfires.
There are now more good reasons to cook regularly.
Penalty for Dungeon Group Search
Characters who cancel the dungeon group search after a group has been found or after they have entered a dungeon via the group search will now incur a cooldown.
This cooldown prevents you from queuing directly for another dungeon. The timer starts at 10 minutes and increases with each subsequent cancellation.
Re-entering a completed dungeon through group matchmaking while the previous instance is still active will trigger a matchmaking penalty upon exit. Players should wait until the previous instance has expired before re-entering the same dungeon through group matchmaking.
General
Field and ore bosses: The drop rate of rare and epic equipment from these encounters has been increased.
PvP: The duration of respawn protection granted after entering conflict areas by reviving at a guild resurrection stone or arriving via a guild summoning circle has been reduced.
AFK characters will now be automatically logged out after 3 hours.
Arena: The weekly reset in the arena has been adjusted to fit the weekly maintenance time – similar to other weekly resets.
Arena: Improved purification stones can now be used in arenas.
Arena: Runes that can be purchased with arena coins have been added to the arena vendor.
Weekly missions: The number of required dimension checks for completing the weekly mission has been adjusted.
Gigantrit: The route that Gigantrit takes between Rockwatch and Saurodoma Island has been adjusted.
Fishing: New fishing spots can appear in waters all around the world and are recognizable by a circling fish effect. Upon seeing this symbol, wise anglers will cast their lines in these waters!
Fishing: The fishing codex has been expanded with new fish species and a new reward level.
War Games: A team chat channel has been introduced for use during matches.
War Games: Player symbols are now visible on the minimap.
War Games: A bug has been fixed that caused the team outfit to remain visible after leaving a match.
War Games: A bug has been fixed that prevented the results button from displaying player results after the end of a match.
Options: An option has been added to automatically decline group invites that do not come from players on your friends list.
Group search: Completing dungeons with the help of random group matchmaking queues now grants 4 soul shard selection chests instead of soul shards that are specific to the respective dungeon.
Combat
Attributes: Tenacity: A bug has been fixed that prevented attribute effects from increasing when the tenacity value was improved.
Ability: Shadow Strike: The teleportation effect of Shadow Strike now works while the player is jumping.
Ability: Mana Exchange: Remove CC specialization: A bug has been fixed that rendered this ability specialization ineffective.
Slaughter Gorge, Valley of Massacre: The coordinated group control needed to complete this dungeon has been adjusted. Group control effects can now be applied individually to enemy targets. An affected enemy will not revert to an invulnerable state.
UI
Auction House: The confirmation button, when the total amount of luzent received from a sale is below 10, has been removed.
Ping Display: The option to display your current ping on the HUD should now be available in settings.
Amitoi Expedition: Zone levels are now displayed on unlocked expedition zones.
Amitoi Expedition: The expedition menu now saves the selected Amitoi setup and expedition duration even when canceling or leaving the UI.
Group Frame: The representation of the selected player in the group frame has been improved, and an indicator will now be shown on the frame when you hover over the target with your cursor.
Ability Menu: Now shows arrows left and right to cycle through presets.
Ability Menu: You can now double-click on abilities at the top of the screen to fill empty equipment slots in sequence from left to right.
Inventory: A bug has been fixed that caused container items to not show a content preview while in full-screen mode in the inventory menu.
Schedule: A bug has been fixed that caused the schedule to display different results when repeatedly switching between daily and weekly views.
Schedule: untranslated text in the event schedule has been corrected.
Multiple overlapping and cutting errors in the UI have been fixed.
The latest updates of the text localization have been applied.
With Patch 1.10.0, the new progression system of the runes came to the global servers of Throne and Liberty. Although the developers have addressed some criticisms compared to the Korean version, the runes are still not well received by many players in their current form.
What are the runes about? The colored gemstones, which come in various rarities and variants, can be used to enhance the equipment of the heroes in Throne and Liberty. To do this, you need to unlock rune slots by investing Sollant and ensure that the type of socket fits your gem.
Through the runes, you can optimize your attack power, resilience, and support abilities. You can farm runes through activities such as the dimension test of co-op dungeons, world bosses, certain events, and weekly missions for co-op dungeons. You can find more details in our guide Runes Explained Compactly.
Those who want to use the best possible runes need to plan many more hours in Throne and Liberty:
Start video
192 versus 4 hours: Woman competes with Throne and Liberty for her boyfriend’s time, clearly losing
Ayio34 sparked a lively discussion with his post on Reddit. His conclusion: “Farming the rune levels is disgusting.” In his view, it’s just frustrating to invest several hours only to end up with another level for a rune.
PrimordialTimelord agrees on Reddit: “What a ridiculous grind.”
linkerko3 criticizes how difficult it is to farm runes with random groups (via Reddit): “This update honestly made me leave the game. I had a lot of fun, and fun is the reason I play games, and this isn’t fun anymore.”
Lurking_Poster writes in his post on Reddit: “I just wanted to point out that farming the runes is a min/max area. It’s designed to be a huge grind for the top 1 percent of players. That doesn’t mean that you can’t still keep up fairly well without them!”
Idebenn is annoyed (via Reddit): “I find the content rather unpleasant than fun. The gameplay mechanics are unbearable, and there is a high degree of randomness. The people in the groups are often unbearable as well, and whenever something goes wrong, blame starts and kicks happen.”
Allekzp fears on Reddit: “Runes will exclude people from future content; parties, guilds, etc. will start looking for people with high-level best-in-slot runes and high equipment values. Values that can only be achieved with high-level runes.”
How do you evaluate the new progression system of Throne and Liberty? Are you still having fun with the grind, or have you checked out? Let us know in the comments! If you are looking for content with less time investment in Solisium, you can check out the new world event: Starbloom Solstice – all information about the Christmas event of Throne and Liberty
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Path of Exile 2 has made a sensational start. Currently, many players are turning to support and asking for help. Developer Grinding Gear Games is facing a staffing crisis but is now willing to address it.
What is going on with Path of Exile 2? Since the release, the developers of the new ARPG have their hands full. On the one hand, there is a lot of praise, but also criticism from fans. For example, the issue of loot is a point with which long-time players are dissatisfied.
A first patch is already on the way. However, as smaller problems arise during gameplay, many players are contacting the support of developer Grinding Gear Games. This leads to further problems. Because although the studio anticipated the massive influx of players to the servers and is actively addressing it, there is a staffing shortage in other areas.
Start video
This NPC in Path of Exile 2 identifies your items
The developers are, quite literally, overwhelmed
What is the problem? Many players have sent support requests and received no response. According to Grinding Gear Games, this is simply due to a lack of personnel to answer the numerous emails.
In the Path of Exile 2 forum, the developers emphasize that they actually want to respond on the same day or even within the same hour. That is their goal. However, due to the currently overwhelming number of inquiries coming in, this is simply not possible.
The internal system is also overloaded, leading to further delays. Furthermore, some emails have not been processed correctly. Therefore, they ask users not to send follow-up messages but to wait until the first message receives a response.
However, a solution is already in the works. New staff is currently being hired to focus solely on support. This should help clear the backlog quickly and provide all players with responses. Additionally, technical improvements are being made so that a larger volume of inquiries can be handled without complications in the future.
In their post, the developers emphasize once again how pleased they are with the great interest from players. They thank fans for their patience during technical difficulties and will strive to improve response times for support inquiries.
With the TurtleBeach Stealth 700 Gen 3, there is a headset that allows you to switch between PS5 and PC in seconds. The trick behind it is two separate adapters for each device. MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann tested the headset and explains why this feature is brilliant. And, why the ergonomics are not so successful.
At Gamescom 2024, I was able to briefly try out the TurtleBeach Stealth 700 Gen 3. My first impression: Strong sound, decent build quality, and a brilliant idea that lies behind the ability to quickly switch between multiple devices. But I still had concerns about the ergonomics and battery life.
In the meantime, I have been able to test the gaming headset extensively for you and will explain whether my first impression was confirmed.
I have a fondness for hardware and tech and now own over 20 gaming mice, as well as several keyboards and controllers. Since 2019, I have been testing hardware for our readers at MeinMMO. In addition to the PC and major consoles, I also game on the Steam Deck.
Our device is a review specimen provided to us by the manufacturer for testing.
Benedikt Schlotmann Hardware Editor MeinMMO
Technical Details
Here you will find all the important technical details of the headset in tabular form:
Model
TurtleBeach Stealth 700 Gen 3
Connection
Cable, Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz
Platform
PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Smartphone
Scope of Delivery
Gaming headset, USB charging cable (2 meters, USB-C to USB-A), two adapters for wireless connection, manual
Special Features
Two wireless adapters for quick switching between two platforms
Weight
403 grams
Price (RRP)
199.99
Design and Build
What’s included in the package? In addition to the gaming headset, the packaging contains a USB charging cable (2 meters, USB-C to USB-A), two adapters for the wireless connection, and a manual.
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Build of the headset: The TurtleBeach gaming headset is fundamentally very understated in design. The silver and black design is unobtrusive, and the manufacturer forgoes RGB lighting or other gimmicks.
The ear cups are firmly attached to the headband and can be rotated about 100 degrees. This is supposed to ensure that the headset can adapt well to your head.
All buttons needed for operation can also be found on both ear cups. At first glance, it seems very cluttered, but due to the various sizes and the texture of the dials, it becomes very intuitive after a few days. In daily use, however, it still happened to me that I occasionally pressed the wrong button.
Build Quality
The TurtleBeach gaming headset is largely made of plastic, including hinges and other elements that need to rotate. However, the manufacturer points out that the Stealth 700 is equipped with a steel-reinforced headband and metal arms that are intended to provide lasting strength. However, these parts are not visible.
Although nothing of that is visible, the headset feels high-quality and robust. This is mainly due to the high weight of over 400 grams. According to the manufacturer, the ear cushions can also be replaced easily.
In the back of your mind, you should at least consider that when putting on the headset, you have to stretch the plastic band of the headset. And plastic breaks eventually. This could affect the longevity of the headset’s build quality, but it did not play a role during my testing period.
Software
The headset uses “TurtleBeach Swarm 2” as software. However, I had some initial problems setting up the headset:
On the first start, the headset wouldn’t connect to my computer.
After two more attempts, it was at least recognized for driver updates on the device. However, Swarm 2 crashed every time I tried to update the headset and the two dongles. Additionally, the software always crashed when I pressed “Retry” during the update to try again.
In the meantime, the headset can be easily used on my PC, even via the wireless transmitter. Still, the initial problems during the setup were quite pronounced.
The software is otherwise fine. Each menu item provides a tooltip, but these are limited to the essentials. Neither the tooltips nor the software reveal what features like “Super Hearing” or “Waves 3D” entail. You only know that if you deal with it professionally, as I do. Everyone else will initially scratch their heads in confusion and won’t know what to toggle on or off.
Comfort, Weight, and Battery Life
What does my head look like? My head circumference is about 58 cm, so I have a rather smaller head.
In my daily life, I wore the headset for several hours each day. My biggest issue with the headset: After a few hours, it becomes very warm under the memory foam ear cushions. At first, it’s manageable, but over time it becomes uncomfortable. Unfortunately, there is no alternative like fabric cushions.
What I find much more disturbing is that the headband presses uncomfortably against my skull. Unfortunately, TurtleBeach has omitted a headband in the Stealth 700, causing the entire weight of the headset to sit uncomfortably on the skull. In contrast, SteelSeries uses such a headband in its Arctis series. And SteelSeries is also the clear winner in a direct ergonomics comparison. With the lightweight Arctis Nova 7 from SteelSeries (for review), I never had any issues with comfort.
Weight: TurtleBeach does not state the weight of the headset on the packaging or its website. On my scale, the headset measures 410 grams. This places the TurtleBeach Stealth 700 in the category of heavy models. Most headsets weigh between 200 and 400 grams. For comparison:
The Razer Kaira Pro for the PS5 weighs 330 grams, slightly more.
The high weight is also one reason why I am surprised that TurtleBeach omitted a headband. This would help to mitigate the high weight a bit. At this point, I also wonder why TurtleBeach hasn’t taken inspiration from its own Atlas Air, which not only offers a headband but is also significantly lighter at around 300 grams, making it more comfortable to wear.
Battery life: The Stealth 700 does not need to hide when it comes to battery life. The manufacturer advertises the device with an 80-hour battery life, and I can actually use the headset for several days in everyday life before it needs to be charged again. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless can do just half of that (around 35 hours).
Range: The range of the wireless connection is acceptable but does not match the competition. Typically, I walk with the headset on into the kitchen, where a thick wall and about 7 meters separate me from my computer. As soon as I am in the kitchen, the connection eventually drops, and the headset attempts to reconnect.
For comparison: My SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7, the SteelSeries Gamebuds, or even Sony’s Inzone Buds have no problem with the distance at all.
Sound
How good does the headset sound? Aside from the ergonomic issues, the headset sounds really good. In its default setting (which the equalizer calls Turtle Beach Signature Sound), the bass is a bit too strong and powerful. But that’s not surprising for a gaming-focused headset. No question, the bass sounds good but somewhat overshadows the rest of the sound. Explosions sound powerful and loud, but you can’t hear anything else afterwards.
My recommendation is to experiment with the equalizer settings and give the highs a bit more weight. The mids sound balanced in the default setting and provide a warm sound. With adjusted equalizer settings, the mids can come across almost too artificial.
Microphone
The headset’s microphone is permanently installed but can be flipped up so that it disappears into the body of the device. The microphone itself is okay in the test but faces the usual problems that every wireless headset has:
The voice sounds heavily compressed and very muffled. It sounds as if you are slightly pinching your nose while speaking or have a cold. I uploaded a sound recording comparing the headset and a desk microphone.
No noise cancellation is also barely present: Loud noises, such as objects clattering or a plastic tab being pressed together, can be clearly heard in the microphone.
The microphone of the TurtleBeach Stealth 700 Gen 3 as a test recording:
The Logitech Yeti GX (desk microphone) in comparison as a test recording:
Conclusion: Good Sound, but Too Heavy and Uncomfortable Over Time
For whom is the headset suitable? If you are looking for a very sound-quality gaming headset that makes switching between PS5 and PC a breeze, then the TurtleBeach Stealth 700 offers you a good and unique device. Because you won’t achieve such a quick switch with any other device.
If you game on PS5 and PC and regularly switch between devices, then you will get a really good device with the Stealth 700 Gen 3. On the other hand, there are significantly more comfortable devices for around 200 Euros, but they are not as convenient for device switching. In the end, you’ll have to decide what’s more important to you.
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What alternatives are there?
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless is currently my recommendation if you are looking for a good gaming headset for PC, PS5, or Xbox. Good ergonomics, decent sound, and a functional, albeit not perfect microphone. The battery life could be a bit better.
The Logitech G435 LIGHTSPEED is a good budget option: Good sound and low weight, but it feels almost cheap and offers no additional sound settings (via equalizer).
With the Beyerdynamic MMX 200, there’s another good alternative under 200 Euros: Good sound and especially a very good microphone for a wireless headset. However, the artificial leather cushions, like those on the Stealth 700, become uncomfortably warm over time.
A horror game is supposed to tell one of the best stories in gaming, according to fans. If you want to see for yourself, there has never been a better time to do so (at least on Steam).
Which game are we talking about? SOMA is a horror game by Frictional Games, released on September 22, 2015. The team is also known for the Amnesia series. The game does without combat and instead focuses on exploration and exciting encounters with enemies.
You can watch a trailer for the game here:
Start video
SOMA: Story Trailer for Underwater Horror on Steam
Underwater horror with sci-fi elements
What is the game about? SOMA takes you to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. In the isolated underwater facility PATHOS-II, the radio fails, food runs low, and robots suddenly begin to think they are humans. Consequently, chaos ensues.
As one of the last survivors, you search for secret documents and terminals to get to the bottom of the chaos. Along the way, some will stand in your way, including other humans and insane robots.
If an enemy discovers you, only two things help: run away and hide. Since you cannot fight back, the danger is significantly greater compared to games like Dead Space or Resident Evil.
How is the game received? Considering the recent reviews on Steam, 97% of them are positive. Overall, out of over 36,000 reviews, 95% are positive. With its sci-fi story addressing themes like identity, consciousness, and the question of what it means to be human, SOMA has taken a firm place in the minds of many players.
Saint via Steam: “I still think regularly about this game, even after playing it for only 10 hours, 8 years ago. I can’t recommend it enough.”
Crowbar_XL via Steam: “One of the best psychological horror games out there and one of the greatest stories in gaming. A classic.”
SweetLittleCarrot via Steam: “Wow, what a fantastic game! I’m usually too scared to play horror games myself, but I’m glad I played this. I heard there’s a safe mode, but I played on normal and it was completely doable. It got my heart racing and my mind spinning.”
How much does the game cost? Typically, SOMA costs just under 30 euros. Until December 16, you can get it on Steam for only 1.44 euros. That’s a discount of 95% – according to steamdb.info, the game has never been available in the store for such a low price.
In Pokémon GO there are hundreds of Pokémon to collect. However, some appear only briefly and then disappear for a while. We show you 6 specimens that you could easily have missed.
In Pokémon GO, there are various seasons and events that regularly shake up the Pokémon pool. This brings variety to the game.
However, some monsters can only be seen for a very short time.
In this list, you will find some Pokémon from recent years that you only had a brief chance to catch. For many of them, you simply have to hope that they will appear again soon – or under better conditions.
Which ones do you have? Let us know in the comments and share more examples if you have any!
Start video
Pokémon GO reveals the new season Dual Destiny in the trailer
Toxel
Toxel
Toxel is the most recent example in this list. The baby Pokémon just made its debut at the “Into the Adventure” event, was then available at the GO Nature Zone – and then disappeared again.
It could only be obtained from eggs and was quite rare. Those who didn’t focus on constantly hatching eggs might have missed out on Toxel.
And unlike other monsters that debuted in eggs, it is now no longer available. So here it is: wait until Toxel returns.
Mähikel
Mähikel
The little goat Pokémon is almost a classic among the “wish-they-were-more-available” Pokémon because Mähikel is quite rare. In fact, it could previously only be obtained at certain live events in person. These took place on various weekends in Tainan, Jakarta, Incheon, Mexico City, Barcelona, and Seoul. There has not yet been a global release or a longer period for Mähikel and thus for its evolution Chevrumm. It seems crazy because Mähikel is not a particularly special Pokémon in itself.
Keldeo
Keldeo
It was almost exactly two years ago that Keldeo first appeared in Pokémon GO. It is a pretty strong raid attacker and made its debut in December 2022 in Pokémon GO.
But: It only appeared as part of the Mysterious Blade event and you needed a ticket for the special research that included Keldeo. At that time, it cost 9.99 euros, which caused criticism.
Accordingly, some must have missed Keldeo. To this day, Keldeo has not appeared in the game again.
Since then, Armored Mewtwo has not made an appearance.
Thus, many players have not yet had the chance to catch the defensive Mewtwo in its iconic design. Will it return someday? That’s uncertain.
The Clone Pokémon
The Clone Pokémon (and Pikachu)
In direct connection to Armored Mewtwo are the Clone Pokémon, which we last saw in 2020. These are variants of Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur, distinguished by a special pattern. Fans of the first Pokémon movie will remember these monsters as they played an important role in it.
Trainers who started after their last appearance in Pokémon GO have not been able to catch one yet.
Even players who caught one or two specimens back then but accidentally sent them to the professor have not yet been able to correct this mistake with a new catch. Fortunately, that has never happened to anyone. Especially not to the author of this article.
However, those who couldn’t manage to organize numerous trainers on that day and complete a raid battle against Cupidos in person probably do not have the monster to this day.
Here we must wait to see when the Pokémon will return. Perhaps it will become a Valentine’s Day tradition.
Overall, unleashed Hoopa would also fit well in this list, as Hoopa could only be caught through top raids and thus was very limited. But: It looks like the Pokémon will return soon. At least it plays a significant role in the announcements for the current season “Dual Destiny.”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Ninja was once the biggest streamer on Twitch when everyone was playing Fortnite. Now he has revealed how much money he made in one month back then.
How big Ninja was back then: Tyler “Ninja” Blevins was in 2018, during the peak of Fortnite, the biggest streamer on Twitch. He had an average of over 77,000 viewers and captivated Fortnite-enthusiastic gamers for over 230 million hours in front of screens (via sullygnom).
Even in December 2024, he has the channel with the most followers on the streaming platform with 19.1 million followers. Ninja is thus still almost 2 million ahead of the Spanish content creator “ibai”.
In the video, you can learn more about the streamer’s career:
Start video
Through Fortnite to the largest streamer on Twitch – Who is Ninja and what is he doing today?
Million-dollar salary thanks to Creator Program
How much did Ninja earn back then? Already in 2021, Ninja mentioned during a livestream that he had once made 5 million US dollars in one month with the Creator Program.
The streamer confirmed this number again in a recent stream when Twitch colleague StableRonaldo asked him what his “best” monthly income had been. However, Ninja revealed that the total earnings for that month were even higher.
“It was probably the month when I earned about 5 [million] with the creators-[program], maybe it was 6.7 [million], I think. I feel like it was 7 [million],” estimated the streamer (via X.com).
StableRonaldo, who initially asked Ninja the question, reacted in disbelief to the sum and said that Ninja was lying. When he insisted that he was telling the truth, he responded: “That’s disgusting.”
Ninja is currently streaming regularly again, as the shooter from Epic Games received many exciting new features recently. On December 11, 2024, Fortnite will also receive a new 5v5 game mode called “Ballistic,” which will be played in first-person perspective and reminiscent of tactical shooters like Counter-Strike or Valorant: Fortnite is bringing a new game mode that looks like a clone of Counter-Strike in just a few days
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Path of Exile 2 is getting a lot of love from many players, but for some, Diablo 4 seems to be the better choice after all. At least that’s what those think who simply want to play relaxed.
On December 6, 2024, Path of Exile 2 launched in its Early Access and attracted more than 1 million players. Many of them seem to really enjoy the new ARPG. On Steam, 84% of the reviews are positive.
On Reddit, players are now explaining why they are returning to Diablo 4 after trying out Path of Exile 2. Some apparently had a really rough time.
Start video
Path of Exile 2: The new trailer reveals how the bosses of the action RPG come into being
What advantage does Diablo 4 offer? In a post on Reddit, a user explains that he played Path of Exile 2 and got as far as Act 3. He had to struggle through the boss fights and couldn’t really enjoy the game. He is finding it hard to find the fun in it as it has been a “complete grind” from the start.
As someone who wants to relax by gaming after a workday, PoE 2 has only increased his anticipation for the next season of Diablo 4. However, that won’t be released until January 2025. He notes that he loves both games – but Diablo just speaks to him more on a “slaughter everything” level. In PoE 2 he had a “miserable time,” he states.
Diablo 4 for the “mindless sprint”
What do other players say about it? The overall tone in the comments shows that some players see exactly this as the advantage of both ARPGs. The top comment comes from pancakebreak. Many seem to agree, as he received over 1,000 upvotes:
I play tons of different ARPGs and love them all for very different reasons. The fact that PoE 2 is not a mindless sprint is what I like about it. At the same time, I also like the fact that Diablo 4 is a mindless sprint. I’m glad that there are both.
The poster replies that this is where “the best of both worlds” comes together. And gorcorps comments that the games seem too different for a real comparison. “People act like you have to like one or the other for some reason. […], but there’s no reason not to enjoy both for different reasons.”
Opheleone also sees the advantages of both ARPGs and comments:
That’s exactly why I will play both. The bosses in PoE 2 make me so happy, and the combat really feels like isometric Elden Ring/Dark Souls, which I’m a big fan of. Besides that, I still need mindless shooting when I’m tired and stressed from work, and Diablo 4 fulfills a power fantasy where I destroy everything.
One side in the comments appreciates the extensive skill tree, the build options, and the challenging fights in Path of Exile 2 – and finds the endgame in Diablo 4 boring and repetitive. Others prefer to casually slice through monsters in Diablo 4 without having to think much. And some just switch from one ARPG to the other – depending on their mood. All the better that there are options with the two titles.
If you are just starting in Path of Exile 2, we have some helpful tips for you. Because MeinMMO author Cedric Holmeier was able to play before the Early Access release and explains the things he wished he had known beforehand to make your start easier. You can read more about it here: I have been playing Path of Exile 2 for 2 weeks – 5 things I wish I had known beforehand
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Of all the many spells in Baldur’s Gate 3, there is one that outshines all the others – because it doesn’t even consume spell slots.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, you have a wide range of abilities to send your friends (or annoying allies) to the digital afterlife. While spells like a big fireball are favorites, there is another spell that counts even as a cantrip and is still so powerful that it outshines many others. We’re talking about Eldritch Blast.
The community celebrates this spell, and rightly so.
Start video
Baldur’s Gate 3 is 1 year old and to celebrate the creators share your dirty secrets
How popular is Eldritch Blast: The popularity of the spell is wonderfully illustrated by a post in the Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit. After just 18 hours, a picture of beloved Eldritch Blast gathered over 7,000 upvotes and many stories of why people will never let go of this spell.
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“Eldritch Blast combined with Hunger of Hadar is so overpowered. I will never not laugh when I shoot someone back to the void from which they crawled.” – Mekanicum
“My campaign is exactly the same when I play Warlock. There’s virtually no reason to use any other cantrip because [Eldritch Blast] is just so overpowered.” – fly3aglesfly
“Screaming DOLOR and then throwing people off cliffs into abysses or back into Hunger of Hadar will never get old.” – chronocapybara
“Eldritch Blast is the only reason I never play a wizard. Somehow, Warlock feels like a ‘wizard light’, with all the useful stuff but none of the overloaded garbage.” – Only_Rellana
What makes Eldritch Blast so powerful? Another bonus is the fact that Eldritch Blast is a cantrip. These are spells that do not consume spell slots (effectively level 0 spells). However, Eldritch Blast can be improved with feats, allowing it to outshine nearly all other cantrips. Some of the useful enhancements include:
Eldritch Blast adds the character’s Charisma modifier as bonus damage.
Eldritch Blast pushes enemies back 4.50 meters.
This is shown in this little YouTube clip by Toyhouze:
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If you combine this with the ability to see perfectly in darkness while enemies are blinded, you can position yourself in darkness and always benefit from an attack advantage against melee fighters, instead of receiving a penalty from being threatened.
With equipment, this can be further enhanced, making Eldritch Blast critically hit more often and causing affected enemies to be frightened.
When players claim that this “cheap level 0 spell” has carried them through the entire game – in many cases, that is true. Those who engage in a bit of multiclassing can even achieve a “machine gun” build, firing 8 or more Eldritch Blasts in a single round. Baldur’s Gate 3 might also get new areas – a mod is said to make it possible.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the gym, an athlete copied the mobile game Pokémon TCG Pocket from two other players. As he downloads it and opens his first boosters, he achieves something that the other two could not.
What did the athlete achieve? The athlete immediately began with the core aspect of the game right after downloading Pokémon TCG Pocket. He got to work opening several boosters. However, right after the first booster, he pulled one of the rarest cards in the game:
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What kind of card is that?The golden Pikachu card has the rarest tier. Along with Mewtwo and Charizard, there are only three such copies. The chance of getting such a card in a booster is only 0.04% as the 4th card and 0.16% as the 5th card. So, finding such a card right after the first booster is an incredible achievement.
The golden card, however, only has a special design and the same abilities as the regular ex cards. But it still looks nice to be able to showcase such a card in your profile.
The ex cards are also part of the currently best decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket:
Start video
Here are the 3 best decks for Pokémon TCG Pocket!
Player makes others particularly envious with his rare card
Why is this so special? It is not a given that players at a higher level possess a golden card. The creator of the Reddit thread is level 26 and does not own a single gold card yet. Even MeinMMO editor Jasmin Beverungen is already level 20 and only knows the rarest cards from pictures of other players.
What do other fans say? In the comments, there are many other players who feel the same way as the thread creator. It creates a feeling of “always the others, never me.” Another user named TriggerhappyGenji said that all his friends pull better cards than he does, even though he showed them the game.
Korixus: “Level 25, 0 Gold, know the pain, because at my work there is this guy who just opens packs and didn’t open them for two weeks because he was on vacation. He appeared next to me with Gold Pikachu and the special Pikachu … I can’t take it anymore.”
dan_nessie: “The exact same thing happened to me with Mewtwo.”
SpaceMonkeys21: “I saw someone pull a God Pack. I was happy for him, but incredibly envious.”
One of the biggest mysteries of World of Warcraft has been solved. We reveal how to unlock Incognitro, the Unsolvable Demon Wheel.
What kind of mystery is this? The mystery was introduced with the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of World of Warcraft. It consists of many individual steps, most of which must be completed in a fixed order for progress to be credited. In doing so, you’ll be sent not only through all of Azeroth, but you’ll also have to solve many smaller secrets before the whole thing can be considered complete.
Note:This guide focuses on the shortest solution path and is based on the extensive guide from wowhead, which in turn relies on the solutions from the riddle community. We have condensed, translated, and limited the intermediate steps and explanations as much as possible.
[toc]
The most important points at a glance:
The riddle consists of 12 main steps and a slightly shorter introduction.
The riddle takes a lot of time. You should plan several hours, but you can take breaks or do other things in between.
All steps of the riddle can be solved solo, but friends can help with individual steps.
The riddle requires a lot of preparation, and it’s helpful if you’ve already solved other riddles beforehand.
In the end, there’s an exclusive mount: Incognitro, the Unsolvable Demon Wheel
Preparation 1: The Preparation for Incognitro
What do you need to start the riddle? To start the riddle, you need to do a lot of preliminary work. You need the character title “Detective”, which you unlock with the achievement “Azeroth’s Best Detective”. Additionally, you need the toy “Torch from Pyrreth”, which you usually receive when you obtain the Detective title.
A list of most of the items and things you need:
The title Detective from the achievement Azeroth’s Best Detective
The battle pet Pugstray
Dogg-Saron costume or Yipp-Saron costume
Twitching Eyeball, All-Seeing Eyes, or N’Zoth’s Gift
Fishing learned
Many lucky items (list in section 3:00 AM: Hatred)
Scroll of Demon Binding
Battle pets from previous riddles at level 25 (at least 3)
Many different mounts, toys, transmogs (see section 6:00 AM – Altars)
Guardian Owl Chick (battle pet)
Furthermore, it’s helpful to have an addon installed that lets you display coordinates. This can be done, for example, with MapCoords or TomTom. Many instructions in this guide give coordinates as targets that you can only see with the appropriate addons.
The baby with the magic wand, next to the “Death Cake”, is just one of the quirky things you see in the riddle.
Preparation 2: Unlocking the riddle
In the second step, it’s about unlocking the actual riddle. To gain access to the main riddle, you need to perform some actions. You need the items “Inactive Strange Key” and “Strange Gem”, which you obtain with this step.
Travel to Un’gorocrater at coordinates 45 / 8. Use the Torch from Pyrreth at a hollow tree stump to obtain the Inactive Strange Key.
Then go to Dornogal at coordinates 55 / 29. Here, a “Dalaranian Survivor” sits on the ground. Equip your “Detective” title and speak to her multiple times to accept a quest called Rat Tail from her.
Travel to Azj-Kahet at coordinates 69 / 93. Enter the cave to find a note in a circle of Fungarians directly to the left after the entrance. Collect the note.
Next, go to coordinates 31 / 21 (City of Threads). Note that the City of Threads has its own coordinate system that is separate from Azj-Kahet. Far up at the edge of a cliff, you’ll find a hastily written note. Collect it.
Now head to the waterfall that connects Azj-Kahet and Healing Plunge. At coordinates 49 / 85 (Healing Plunge), you will find the entrance to a cave. In the pond of the cave, you will find a waterproof note. Pick it up.
Continue to Azj-Kahet at coordinates 55 / 20. Here is the entrance to the Vosh Nest. Enter the cave and find the room where the quest mob Agaricus Eiterblüte can be found. In this room you need to jump on some rocks and then enter a small hole:
Here you have to jump into the hole.
In this new cave, you can see the NPC “Ratts” at a ritual circle. Ratts teleports away as soon as you get close – but leaves behind a jewel. Loot the “Strange Gem”.
Use the key and insert the gem as a socket. This will grant you the “Strange Key”.
Next, proceed to the large riddle dungeon on the next page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Warhammer 40,000:Space Marine 2 was quite a success and for many one of the best co-op shooters of the year. The brutal weapons and constant action are the main features of the game. In a new series on Amazon, players saw a weapon they really want to have in the game.
Which series is it about? On December 11, 2024, the first episodes of Secret Level were released. The anthology series dedicates each of its episodes to a different video game franchise. These include icons like Pac-Man or Mega-Man, but also newer games like Sifu or Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
The 19-minute episode about Warhammer 40,000, Fear No Fear, deals with the popular Space Marines and is well received by the community. In particular, a certain weapon has caught the attention of some players. They even wish to have the weapon in the co-op shooter.
Start video
Teaser Trailer for Secret Level – the anthology series on Prime Video
I really hope we get to see a Power Axe soon
What kind of weapon is that? Episode 5 of the series explicitly focuses on Titus and the Space Marines, so it also has similarities to the game. At one point in the episode, a Space Marine is seen using a Power Axe, a large axe.
The weapon is classic equipment in the Warhammer universe and is mainly used by Space Marines. Either one-handed in combination with another weapon or two-handed to utilize its maximum potential.
The community also really likes the weapon and its portrayal in the episode. Players wish in a reddit thread that the weapon will also be added to the co-op shooter, as llStormbringerll (via reddit) writes: I really hope we get to see a Power Axe soon, it looks pretty cool. ADragonFruit_440 (via reddit) writes it would be his dream weapon.
Overall, the episode is quite well-received. A user writes under the reddit post that it is the best depiction of the Space Marines and praises a fight sequence in the episode.
Concord wanted a piece of the hero shooter pie, but Sony’s shooter failed miserably. Ironically, Marvel Rivals has now successfully launched as a new Overwatch clone. The game director behind the game explains what he believes went wrong with Concord.
Ironically, another hero shooter is currently quite successful. Marvel Rivals reached a player peak of over 480,000 users in its first week (via SteamDB). The reviews on Steam are currently at Mostly Positive.
The game director of the game, Thaddeus Sasser, explained in a podcast why he believes Concord failed and why Marvel Rivals works.
Start video
Marvel Rivals Season 0: The Official Trailer for Doom’s Rise
Concord had nothing original according to him
What does Thaddeus Sasser say? Thaddeus Sasser is an industry veteran who has worked on various shooters like Battlefield Hardline, for instance. He is the game director for Marvel Rivals. In a podcast from Videogamer, he spoke before the release of the game about Marvel Rivals as well as about Concord.
Regarding Concord, he says that he believes the game had nothing original, which is why people wanted to switch to the game. There was no new incentive for Overwatch players.
In the podcast, he also praises the concept of Marvel Rivals, his own game. He believes that his game attracts people because it has the well-known superheroes as its concept. That is already a reason to try the game.
Also, the possibilities that the heroes have are, according to him, an aspect that could attract people. Subsequently, he continues: If we did our job well, they will love what they play, and they will want to play even more.
At least Marvel Rivals has already had quite a good start. But we have to wait and see if it is just initial euphoria or if players will stick with the new hero shooter for longer. For many, the game is currently even better than Overwatch 2. A former Blizzard chief even criticized Marvel Rivals, but also faced criticism himself: Former Blizzard chief calls Marvel Rivals an ‘Overwatch clone’, embarrassing himself in the process
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Quentin Tarantino has a clear opinion when it comes to series. Unlike his beloved feature films, he is rather skeptical about them. Now he explains why.
Quentin Tarantino and cinema is a love affair that is rare. The director, who has made 9 or 10 films (depending on how you count), never tires of emphasizing how important cinema is to him and which films are among the best.
His own works are full of references and homages to older films. He is also one of the few directors in Hollywood who still shoots on analog film – just like his colleague Christopher Nolan.
However, while some other well-known directors like David Fincher (Mindhunter) or David Lynch (Twin Peaks) have also directed series for television or streaming services, Tarantino has so far steered clear of them. This could be related to his attitude towards series.
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Pulp Fiction – Trailer for the cult film by Quentin Tarantino
Series are good, but they are just series
What does Tarantino think? The director spoke on the Joe Rogan podcast about series. After all, they enjoy great popularity among the audience. For several years now, major productions like Game of Thrones have reached cinema level. Tarantino knows this but is a bit more critical.
He admits that series can be good, but they are and remain “just” series. Some rely on classic cinematic language and elements as known from movies. This makes them impressive and captivates their audience.
The big problem: According to Tarantino, most series are forgotten after they end. They entertain during viewing, but usually, not much sticks after the finale. In contrast, Tarantino remembers the story and its characters for a long time after watching a film.
What is the reason for this? Series have many small highlights that emotionally captivate. However, they do not come to a satisfying resolution that stays in one’s mind. This is different with films, which are shorter and where everything told leads to a final point. There are no distractions from the essentials.
Does this apply to all series? Tarantino emphasizes that there is an exception. He mentions the series Homeland and its first season. It is very well written and ends with a finale that stays in the mind for a long time. The reason: everything that happened in the previous episodes serves the emotional conflict of the finale.
Tarantino demands that series skillfully wrap up their storylines and have something to say that sticks with the viewer and makes an impression. His opinion on this topic is certainly controversial. What do you think about it? Are you fans of series or do you watch more movies? Feel free to write it in the comments. The director is also skeptical about a popular movie: “Simply stolen” – For Tarantino, a $3 billion franchise is a copy of a Japanese cult film
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, it has not been beneficial to aim for the most sensitive spot of your opponents so far. However, that is supposed to change now.
What change is being discussed? There has been an ongoing discussion in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 about the damage you cause with headshots (via Reddit). For many players, shooting at the head was pointless until now. The damage multiplier for headshots was so low for many weapons that you needed the same number of hits to the head as to the torso for a kill.
Now Treyarch has slightly adjusted the headshot multiplier, allowing you to need one less hit with most fully automatic weapons. The developers state: “In most cases, the weapons require one less headshot at all ranges to improve the time to kill.”
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CoD Black Ops 6: Prestige explained – Is it worth it?
However, Treyarch explains that submachine guns at maximum damage range are an exception, as the developers feared it could make the time-to-kill too fast.
Does this really make a difference? The developers expect this change to influence the current meta of Black Ops 6. The CHF barrel could also play a role in the future, as it further increases your headshot damage.
Whether the change will provide a practical improvement and whether it will actually be worth primarily aiming for an opponent’s head in future games is still difficult to assess at this time.
However, in a few days, there will surely be the first analyses from the CoD community on how much faster the time-to-kill is with headshots on different weapons now.
Which weapons could this make a difference for? An improved headshot multiplier could particularly affect weapons with a high rate of fire and/or weapons with very low recoil.
The high rate of fire allows you to fire more hits to an opponent’s head in a short time. In Black Ops 6, you often do not have much time to aim for the head of opponents, as particularly skilled players exploit movement in fights and jump or slide a lot. A high rate of fire can make hitting the head easier. The same applies to weapons with low recoil. If you can control a weapon well, you are more likely to consistently hit the head.
For assault rifles, for example, the already strong XM4 or the AS VAL could benefit from the change. The XM4 also lost one damage point in the recent patch (22 DMG instead of 23 DMG at maximum distance), which could mean that Treyarch expects similar results. You can find a strong build for the XM4 here: CoD Black Ops 6: XM4 Build – Here’s how you should play the all-rounder
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Monster Hunter Wilds, many new and familiar foes will arrive on February 28, 2025. In doing so, the developers want to create a special experience for the 20th anniversary of Monster Hunter and build upon previous successes. They are also focusing on the further development of the various behaviors of the monsters and giving them new group dynamics.
What behavior is new? That you fight against multiple large brutes at once in Monster Hunter games is nothing new. However, until now, each monster fought more for itself or against another large beast that got in its way.
In an interview with PC Gamer, Art Director Kaname Fujioka talks about how important high flexibility in the portrayal of the monsters was to them during development. Therefore, they wanted to try something new with the idea of letting the monsters intentionally form groups and act together. They also considered how groups could be controlled and what would happen if entire herds of monsters were to meet.
In the YouTube video of the interview, the relevant section can be seen from around minute 1:13. Previous materials like the beta or videos of the preview version have already hinted at what it might look like in the finished game when the monsters mimic you and turn against you in groups.
Here you can see an excerpt from our studio tour:
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This is how Monster Hunter Wilds is created: We got a studio tour at Capcom
One for all and all for one
How could this mechanic have an impact? In a thread on Reddit, the community is currently discussing what possible forms of monster groups could be encountered in Monster Hunter Wilds. The following dynamics are observed:
Doshagumas form groups of several large monsters that follow an Alpha
Congala leads a group of smaller Congas as a large monster
Yian Kut Kus form groups of large monsters, but without an Alpha
Additionally, some players have observed that monsters of the same species, which are not necessarily traveling in groups, will fight together when threatened, even if they are in the same area. For example, Balaharas or Chatacabras are generally more solitary but will band together when they need to fight.
The system also has the potential to make duo fights, such as with Rathalos and Rathian, more challenging and vibrant. Fans also hope that herds of smaller monsters will gain more dynamics and act together, as real herds do. They could also easily imagine monsters like Gammoth or Nerscylla being in very large groups, should they make an appearance in Monster Hunter Wilds.
