Every day, new events, tournaments, and special events take place in Monopoly GO!. We will tell you which ones are active today and what you can win here.
The events in Monopoly GO! are meant to encourage you to play the game. They provide you with additional rewards like dice and cash. We regularly update this article with the latest information. So if you want to have all current events at a glance, you can bookmark our overview.
Update: We last updated the article on April 21 at 8:00 AM.
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Monopoly GO shows you how Blocks Boutique works
All active events in Monopoly GO! in April 2026
In Monopoly GO!, multiple events can be active at the same time. As soon as one ends, the next one starts shortly after. Single and tournament events can also give rewards for other events. The times may vary by an hour, which is related to the clock change. This sometimes confuses the in-game display.
Tournaments:
Wheel Boost
09:00 AM — 02:59 PM
Lucky Chance
03:00 PM — 08:59 PM
Cash Boost
April 22, 2026, 03:00 AM — April 22, 2026, 08:59 AM
These special events are running today in Monopoly GO!
The special events in Monopoly GO! provide small bonuses that make rolling the dice more attractive. They are activated when you play during the specified time. Rewards for other events can also be triggered during this. They usually last only a short time. All dates are subject to change, as the developers can make short-term changes.
In Monopoly GO! there are dice that you can get for free. We show you the latest dice links for your dice banks.
Even in April 2026, there are almost new dice links from Monopoly GO! almost every day, which allow you to snag free dice.
We keep our eyes open for you every day and update this article daily by 10:30 AM and once again after 3:00 PM with new links that give you dice, if there are any.
Update: The article was updated on April 22, 2026, at 07:30 AM. There are no new codes.
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Monopoly GO shows you how Blocks Boutique works
Monopoly GO! Free Dice Links – Here’s how to get them
What are dice links? By clicking on these dice links, you receive free dice. For the best results, you should open the app on your smartphone and then click the links.
What are dice used for in Monopoly GO? The most important resource in Monopoly GO! is the dice. With them, you can move across the board and collect other resources like money and event currencies. The dice recharge over time, but they are still quite limited. However, there are additional ways to obtain new dice.
The link doesn’t work – why? If the links do not work for you, it could be due to various reasons.
The links can only be used once; you cannot redeem a link twice.
The links can only be claimed starting from level 15.
The links expire after a short time. We regularly update this list with new redeemable links.
By the way, you can have more dice than your dice limit allows if they come from the links. So you don’t have to worry about exceeding your limit.
Error messages and what they mean
If you receive the error message: “Sorry – This reward has already been claimed”, you have already used the dice link. Using it a second time is not possible.
If you receive the error message: “Sorry – This reward cannot be claimed”, the link you used has already expired. The dice links are only active for a few days, after which they can no longer be used.
Receive dice through friends? Here’s how to get even more dice
How can you get additional dice? You can also receive free dice by inviting friends to the game. To do this, you need to press the friends icon at the bottom right and then the invite button. There, you can invite up to 10 friends and receive 330 free dice.
You can receive more dice if you link your account with Facebook. You can also see that below when you press on friends.
Red: The shop with the free gift – Blue: The friends menu
Every 8 hours you can also collect a gift from the shop. To do this, click on the shop under your level and find a gift ready for collection at the top of the carousel. This gift may also contain dice. If you want to learn more about the success of Monopoly GO!, we have this article for you: Your mom’s new favorite game, Monopoly GO, is more expensive and successful than you think
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Space Marines are the flagship of Warhammer 40,000 and come in dozens of different variants. One of their chapters was not created by Games Workshop itself, but by a video game studio. Today, these Astartes are part of the canon.
Alongside the exotic Aeldari – then still Eldar – and the warrior Orks, the Space Marines could not be missing as the representatives of Warhammer 40,000. However, what was special was that Dawn of War invented its own chapter.
Instead of relying on well-known Astartes like the Ultramarines (who are playable in Space Marine) or the infamous Grey Knights (from Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters), developer Relic created the Blood Ravens, a chapter with its own lore.
In 2026, a new installment of the series will unexpectedly appear with Dawn of War 4, and even though Relic is no longer the developer, the Blood Ravens are returning. But who are these Astartes in red actually? The answer is tricky, as they themselves are not quite sure.
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Der Gameplay-Trailer zu Warhammer 40.000: Dawn of War 4 sieht aus wie ein Cinematic
With the Blood Ravens, it is different: their origin is unclear. Any records from before the 37th millennium have been deleted, and no one knows which gene-father they descend from. There are several theories:
Corvus Corax (Raven Guard) or Sanguinius (Blood Angels), because the heraldry is very similar
Lion El’Jonson (Dark Angels), because they are similarly secretive
Magnus the Red (Thousand Sons), because the chapters share many characteristics
Magnus and his Thousand Sons are known for their immensely powerful psykers and their pursuit of knowledge. This is also the essence of the Blood Ravens, which has given them a dubious reputation.
Blood Ravens are… creative “guardians” of knowledge
In fact, the doctrine of the Blood Ravens aims to preserve important artifacts and thus knowledge so that it does not get lost. However, they do not think too much about who these artifacts actually belong to… and whether they are still in use.
In the campaigns of the Dawn of War series, it happens repeatedly that the Blood Ravens have some items they should not actually own – including legendary weapons from other Astartes chapters, equipment from Custodes or other Imperial institutions, or even artifacts of questionable origin and possible Chaos contamination.
Through this tendency to “preserve” knowledge and artifacts, they have gained a reputation in the community as Space Marines who like to simply take what they “find.” A nicer description for kleptomaniacs.
Games Workshop officially included the Blood Ravens in the canon shortly after the release of the first Dawn of War. They were briefly mentioned in an article about the game in the October 2004 issue of White Dwarf, and in May 2005 they were officially included in the Index Astartes.
There are now even official painting guides for the Blood Ravens to accurately depict the heraldry with colors and patterns. If you want to learn about their origins yourselves: Dawn of War received an excellent remaster in 2025.
Where the journey of the Blood Ravens with Dawn of War 4 will lead remains open. Their chapter master Gabriel Angelos is not present, but the Dark Angels Primarch Lion El’Jonson himself appears – the first time a Primarch is playable in a video game.
Almost a year after its release on Nintendo Switch consoles and Steam, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma was also released for the PS5. This prompted MeinMMO editor Jasmin to finally catch up on the title, as she is a huge fan of farming simulations. However, she did not expect such a drastic twist in a life simulation.
The Rune Factory series is one of my all-time favorite games in the world. It combines several genres that I really enjoy:
On one hand, it’s about tending the fields every day and harvesting. So it’s partly a farming simulation.
I can find my true love among 16 different candidates, go on dates, and even have children. The game has everything that a good dating simulation needs.
You play as a pre-made character who gets stronger over time and collects experience points. It’s also an RPG.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that it is simultaneously an action game. After all, there are real-time battles that require a bit of skill.
So, anyone looking for the perfect mix of flirting, farming, and fighting will find it well served with Rune Factory. For me, the game stands out against other titles like Story of Seasons, which can get a bit monotonous over time without a strong story.
The latest installment, Guardians of Azuma, came just in time. Since I am still struggling with whether to buy a Switch 2, have trust issues regarding the Switch’s performance, and wanted to own the game physically at the same time, I waited for a PS5 version. This was released at the beginning of the year.
I actually expected that the hardest decision for me would be whether to marry the lavish Ulalaka or the god of Oni Kai. However, in the end, I had to decide the fate of a character, for whose life I had to sacrifice quite a bit.
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Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma – The trailer makes the search for marriage candidates easier
The hardest decision in my gaming life
During the main quests of Rune Factory, you reach a point where you must make a great sacrifice. You have the chance to keep a character alive who – without giving too much away – is particularly important to you.
You can choose from three options:
You can reduce all relationship statuses with the characters you have built up until then.
Alternatively, you can sacrifice your skill levels and thus become weaker in combat.
Finally, you can choose to sacrifice your wealth and surrender all the money you have at that time.
As a final option, you can choose not to make any of the mentioned sacrifices. However, this has the consequence that the character dies and no longer appears in the game.
The decision is particularly nasty because it takes place in the last third of the game. By then, you have spent a lot of in-game time leveling up your skills and strengthening relationships with the characters. Wealth also increases as you progress in the game, as you generate more and more income sources.
At that point, I had already spent at least 20 hours in the game and found it a pity to sacrifice one of those things. But it was also not an option to let the character die. I simply couldn’t bring myself to do that.
I thought for a long time and decided on the lesser evil. Since I wasn’t carrying much money at the time because I had done a big shopping spree the day before, I chose to sacrifice all my money.
The next day, I started with 0 money but was able to generate some budget again through my buildings and a few sales. And the next day, I was greeted with a smile by a character who had survived the death.
Decisions without sacrifices in other games
I was surprised to experience such a serious decision in a JRPG-farming-sim mix that is not particularly known for its groundbreaking story.
I usually know such dilemmas more from Telltale titles, which specifically aim for serious decisions, or other story-driven RPGs like Life is Strange or Mass Effect.
Even in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, there’s a moment like that. During the quest The Bloody Baron, you can decide whether to kill the creature in Whispering Hill or free it.
Depending on your decision, there are consequences; however, I have never experienced that you have to sacrifice your own gameplay progress to achieve something. This realization hit me so hard in that moment that I say it was truly my hardest decision in my gaming life.
The developers of Crimson Desert continue to transform player feedback into meaningful improvements for the open-world adventure. The next update is already on the horizon.
The next update is expected to deliver the promised improvements next week. On X, the developers explained a few hours ago:
We are currently preparing our next update, which will include several features mentioned in last week’s developer update. This includes the introduction of presets for keyboard/mouse and controller configurations, difficulty settings, and category tabs for the inventory. We want to take enough time for testing and final polish before we release the patch – likely sometime next week.
Due to quality improvements in draw distance that we are implementing, this patch will also be larger than our previous ones. We hope you are looking forward to this update, and we appreciate your patience and support!
Make sure to befriend dogs and cats in Crimson Desert:
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Crimson Desert: Pets are helpful loot collectors, here’s how you can tame them
“The people are just great!”
How is the community reacting to the announcement? Many players continue to celebrate the high frequency of updates and the way the developers implement player feedback. The over 3,250 thumbs up and more than 490 comments in this Reddit discussion underline this.
SpreademSheet writes: “‘Thank you for your patience’? We barely had time to enjoy the last patch before the next one fell from the sky! The people are just great!”
heliohm also praises: “‘Sometime next week’ – at this point, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they released it in two hours. Insane update cycle!”
jdbrillz88 explains: “Why can’t more developers keep their games under control like this? Regular updates, communications letting you know what they are working on, and that they actually listen to player feedback.”
Indeed, the developers have addressed a lot of criticisms around Crimson Desert or at least alleviated them, including the initially too small inventory, the non-permanent exotic mounts, the overly complex, non-intuitive controls, or the use of Damiane and Oongka.
The new pirate hit Windrose has only been available for a few days in Early Access on Steam. In the first weekend, over 130,000 landlubbers set sail simultaneously at times, which is multiple times more than the players who played the AAAA blockbuster Skull and Bones from Ubisoft.
How is Windrose doing currently? Within just 3 days, Windrose has fought its way up to become the new hit on Steam. While almost 70,000 pirates set sail simultaneously on release night, the survival game with a pirate setting set a player record of 135,700 concurrent players on Friday, April 17, nearly doubling the player count (steamdb.com).
Why the comparison with Skull and Bones? At a time when there are not many pirate games of this magnitude, Windrose is a ray of hope for fans of the setting. A major “pirate hit” was also supposed to be Skull and Bones from Ubisoft, but the game only managed to reach 2,615 concurrent players on Steam, which is about 50 times less than Windrose’s new record (steamdb.com).
The pirate survival game Windrose finally has a release date, and it is already very close on the horizon
Windrose excites players despite minor weaknesses
Why are players celebrating Windrose so much? On Steam, Windrose has been rated positively by nearly 10,000 players at 87%. Many praise the world and the pirate feeling while their crew sings merry sea shanties on the high seas.
The Steam user Aptiryp has already played 20 hours and believes that while Windrose does not reinvent the wheel, the mechanics work really well together. He specifically mentions the food system with various buffs, the intuitive building system, and the population that can settle in your home port and provides various bonuses.
As a highlight, he also mentions sailing with your own pirate ship. The ships are beautifully and intricately designed, and the wave action as well as the thunder of the cannons are said to feel really good. However, the Steam user criticizes that the wind direction has no effect on the ship. For an Early Access title, Windrose has had a very good start.
Grind and progression are also lightly criticized, as the required resources are said to be too much, especially for solo players. However, one must not forget that Windrose is still in Early Access and has just been released. Not only Windrose is currently in the spotlight, but also the other survival games on Steam are doing well at the moment. MeinMMO has created an overview for you about the golden age of survival games on Steam that is currently taking place: There is currently a golden age for survival games on Steam, and not only thanks to Windrose
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The story game “The Quiet Things” was supposed to be announced at the BAFTA Game Awards on April 17, 2026. The day before, however, the organizers canceled the planned presentation of the new Steam game.
What is “The Quiet Things” about? The new narrative game from Silver Script Games tells the autobiographical story of studio founder Alyx Jones, focusing on abuse and childhood trauma. The story, lasting about 6 to 8 hours, is based on real diary entries and police records, providing a time travel back to the year 2000.
On Steam, it states: “The Quiet Things is not just a game; it’s about giving survivors a voice. Alice’s story is also the story of many others who will never be heard. By addressing topics like childhood abuse, self-harm, and suicide, we aim to combat shame and spark conversations. Together we are stronger.” The release is planned for June 4, 2026, on Xbox and Steam.
If dark thoughts plague you, you can contact the telephone counseling service at 0800/111 0 111 and 0800/111 0 222 – this is nationwide and free of charge.
The moving trailer sets the stage for what to expect in “The Quiet Things”:
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The Quiet Things presents an autobiographical game about childhood trauma in a moving trailer
The planned announcement on a big stage falls through
Why is BAFTA canceled? Alyx Jones apparently learned just the evening before that the planned trailer premiere during the BAFTA Award Show on April 17, 2026, would fall through. On linkedin.com, the developer writes:
In the last two weeks, I had worked hard to edit this trailer together, even though I was already severely burned out, as I believed this would be the biggest chance we could ever get. I was so hopeful that this tiny indie game could actually be seen by a huge audience. Finally, the breakthrough.
The fact that it was pulled from under us the evening before the show was devastating – especially since I had revised the trailer specifically to remove footage that BAFTA had marked as potentially “interpretable as weapons and violence” (an object inspection of a utility knife and a statue breaking out of a mirror), and after I had even been thanked for my speed and the quality of the trailer.
BAFTA reportedly cited the difficult subject matter of the game or the lack of time to appropriately place warnings for the audience as the reason for the last-minute cancellation. Alyx Jones responded with the suggestion to include a suitable warning herself or make other changes. There apparently was no further response to this.
What upset me so much is not just the decision itself, but the fact that this keeps happening to me: doors close because the subject matter might disturb or cause discomfort to people. I have stayed quiet to maintain relationships. I have taken the hits. I have tried not to burn bridges.
I am fed up.
The Quiet Things is deeply personal to me. It is my story. It’s about trauma, abuse, survival, and about giving survivors a voice. It is about people being silenced and what that does to them. So, it is profoundly painful to have to relive this right now.
The developer further criticizes that BAFTA officials publicly flaunt their support for games dealing with difficult and challenging topics, only to make a frustrating exception for “The Quiet Things”: “That was very hard to bear.”
In response to Kotaku, BAFTA officials have now addressed the criticism: “We made a compliance decision not to show the trailer of an unreleased game containing potentially triggering topics, out of consideration for our guests, as we were unable to warn them adequately. We fully support games that tackle difficult themes; this decision was solely about our event, with the well-being of all guests being our priority.”
Alyx Jones has also commented on the incident on tiktok.com:
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Alyx Jones ultimately published her trailer herself and expresses on linkedin.com a request: “Please watch the trailer and decide for yourself whether BAFTA was right to withdraw it. If you can help to increase its visibility in any way, it would mean so much to me and everyone who worked on the game.”
As part of a demo, you can already get an impression of “The Quiet Things” on Steam and add the game to your wishlist.
Final Fantasy XIV receives updates regularly, like almost every MMORPG. Now, the last major patch of the expansion Dawntrail is upcoming and is a reason why MeinMMO author Nico will definitely return to Eorzea.
What’s new in Patch 7.5? With the major Patch 7.5 for Final Fantasy XIV, not only is the main scenario continuing, but there are also some innovations that will be added either with the patch or with smaller updates afterwards. Included are:
A new alliance raid, dungeon, and trial
The new ultimate raid
The new class Beastmaster
New adventures with Hildibrand
An update for Kreszentia, with a new zone, monsters, and phantom jobs
Craftsmen and gatherers can enter a new planet in Cosmic Exploration
Further updates for housing, colors, gear, and PvP
You can watch the trailer for Patch 7.5 of Final Fantasy XIV here:
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Final Fantasy XIV shows the new class in the trailer for Patch 7.5
I’ve been waiting for the new class for over 2 years
Who is writing here? MeinMMO author Nico has been playing Final Fantasy XIV since 2021. Since then, he has already spent over 3,000 hours roaming Eorzea, searching for one challenge after another. The next one will definitely be the Beastmaster.
Especially the Beastmaster piqued my curiosity when it was announced back then. Since I had already played the first limited job, the Blue Mage, back and forth and carefully gathered every one of the over 100 different spells, I hoped for a similar challenge.
And now, at the end of Dawntrail, the Beastmaster is supposed to finally come with an update within Patch 7.5. For me, this is also the sign to renew my subscription and finally return to Eorzea after a long break.
What makes the new class so special? The Beastmaster is a limited job, meaning this class cannot participate in the main scenario or search for content via the normal group finder. Instead, there are unique mini-games and challenges to master.
In the case of the Beastmaster, you will receive a journal with 50 unknown monsters. These must be found, weakened, and then captured. Captured monsters can finally be summoned to fight alongside you. Additionally, the Beastmaster has its own mechanics that are supposed to make combat more exciting. This all reminds me of Pokémon, which is also one of my favorite games and thus seems like the perfect mix of FFXIV and monster collecting.
Are you as excited for the Beastmaster as I am? Feel free to let us know in the comments! Final Fantasy XIV has already been around for 13 years. After such a long time, you might wonder if it’s still worth starting with the MMORPG. MeinMMO editor Alex also asked himself this and you can find his opinion here: Is Final Fantasy XIV worth it in 2026?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Windrose, there are various types of armor, but not all are worth equipping. We will show you what matters and which combinations are the best.
How do armors work in Windrose? In Windrose, there are currently up to 6 armor sets that you can craft. Each of these sets increases your defense – the further you progress on your journey, the more important this value becomes.
Enemies become increasingly stronger, and every bit of additional survival chance is essential. Armors not only provide you with damage reduction but also set bonuses, which are activated with 2 or 4 pieces of a set. With the right combinations, you can refine your build and become an unstoppable pirate.
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The pirate survival game Windrose finally has a release date, and it is already very close on the horizon
The best armors – These combos you should play
The best strategy to benefit from the set bonuses is the “2 + 2” method. You equip 2 pieces from 2 different sets to take advantage of the respective bonuses. This way, strong synergies can be created with each build. The following combinations are currently considered the best:
2x Conquistadors + 2x Tracker (Tank)
Why is this combination good? With this combination, you benefit from a 25% increase in damage reduction. Hits can do less harm to you. You might say that it turns you into a little tank. Especially when fighting bosses, this combination can be very helpful.
2x Buccaneer Gear + 2x Shooter Equipment (Farmer)
Why is this combination good? This combination focuses mainly on farming and your movement. Especially if you want to sprint quickly between ore veins or stroll through fields, you are well served with this armor selection and achieve efficient consumption regarding your stamina.
2x Conquistadors + 2x Buccaneer Gear (Explorer)
Why is this combination good? With the Conquistador armor, you gain a significant amount of damage reduction, and with the Buccaneer Gear, the stamina consumption of your attacks is greatly reduced. In strong builds, you generally use a one-handed weapon like the Rapier (for bleeding) or the Saber (for quick attacks). Here, it’s particularly important to land as many hits as possible to ensure high damage output.
These were all the important pieces of information you should know for the best armors in Windrose. As the game progresses in development, more armors may be added. We will update the list should more information become available. In the meantime, you can find out more about Windrose here: Windrose: How to immerse yourself in the world of your friends without a host
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On the FYNG Show by GameStar, GamePro, and MeinMMO, a certain HandOfBlood briefly barged into the program to challenge moderator Maurice Weber and present 3 new indie games.
What happened? On the first day of the FYNG Show by GameStar, GamePro, and MeinMMO at CAGGTUS 2026, the YouTuber and Twitch streamer Max “HandOfBlood” Knabe interrupted the program. Moderator Maurice Weber and our show received some comments from Hänno:
So, hello there! First of all, I would like to apologize for the rather mediocre program so far. I think, especially for Mr. Weber’s mother, who is surely watching as well, one should apologize specifically. Now the really great program starts at FYNGG, with double G: Find your next awesome games!
After that, HandOfBlood took the opportunity to spotlight 3 small but fine games on Steam, which are supported by Hänno’s indie label Sidekick Publishing for their respective releases. The 3 new trailers for the respective games can be viewed here on Twitch. Below, we briefly introduce the potential gems.
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FYNG 2026: Trailer zu unserem großen Livestream-Event
Keep an Eye on These 3 Games on Steam
What is Die in the Dungeon? It is a turn-based roguelite game with deck-building, which is set to leave Early Access on May 1, 2026, and currently has 92 percent positive reviews on Steam. Instead of using cards, you act with dice that represent different actions. The price is a slim 15 Euro.
What is Gambonanza? Here, the final release is also on May 1, 2026. A turn-based chess roguelike awaits you with wild special abilities and tough boss fights. Sounds wild, but you can already try it out in a free demo on Steam.
What is Wanderburg? The last game of the trio lets you unleash a castle on wheels in a medieval roguelike, where you fight against other fortresses, devour whole villages, and gain more size and power. The release is planned for sometime in 2026; there’s already a demo on Steam that whets the appetite for more.
But not only the FYNG Friday is full of surprises. Feel free to check us out on Saturday and Sunday on Twitch as well; we have some more highlights in store for you. I myself will be on the FYNG stage on Sunday at 10:30 AM to talk about upcoming MMORPGs. You can find the complete program in our overview of the big FYNG Show at CAGGTUS 2026.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
When MeinMMO editor Caro first encountered GTA 5 13 years ago as a teenager, it was an experience she still remembers today. However, she expects the release of GTA 6 with a healthy amount of caution, because one thing the game will not be able to replicate from its predecessor.
Since the first announcement of GTA 6, I count myself among the many people who eagerly await Rockstar’s latest project. The reason for this, besides the obvious general hype, is that the previous installment is simply one of the most vivid memories of my childhood – even though I was actually a bit too young for the game.
To explain why GTA 5 means so much to me and why it is also the reason I worry about my own impressions in GTA 6, I would like to take you on a little time travel:
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Gaming expert fears: GTA 6 will be so big that it will consume all the time and money of gamers
GTA 5 was too grown-up for me, but that made it so appealing
It is 2013, I am 13 years old and I am visiting my friend from the neighborhood with whom I regularly meet. When she lets me into the house, we do not go to hers, but to her older brother’s room, who is currently out.
And on the television screen, I finally saw it for the first of many more times: A man with a gun, another with a Rottweiler, a woman throwing us a kiss – the loading screen of GTA 5.
My friend, who already knew about what GTA was from her brothers, told me about things you can do in the video game that I could hardly grasp. My world of Animal Crossing, Pokémon, and The Sims was overwhelmed by forbidden things: pulling drivers out of cars to get in themselves, trying to run over as many pedestrians on the sidewalk as possible, and aiming for the local strip club as the destination.
Until that moment, I had never thought something like that was possible, and as an edgy teenager, motivated by the unknown and the secretive, I had to see it with my own eyes.
This YouTube video by jackystone could be a snapshot of our player experience back then:
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The story didn’t matter to us, nor did the in-game balance we squandered on paint jobs for her brother’s cars, too many clothes and tattoos, and friendly dancers. After the first secret hours in GTA 5, we could hardly wait for her brother to meet up with friends elsewhere.
Then we would hijack his television along with the PlayStation 3 to wreak havoc in Los Santos. And when there was finally trouble from him, we accepted it. But that couldn’t stop us; the forbidden made the game even more tempting.
When I later bought my own PlayStation, of course including a personal copy of GTA 5, I could truly dive into the game and the story. I spent a lot of time in the game until my graduation in 2018 and have been curious since the announcement of GTA 6 whether I will have as much fun with the sequel.
But precisely because GTA 5 was such a gaming revelation for my 13-year-old self, I worry that GTA 6 will disappoint me due to false expectations.
GTA 6 just won’t hit me as hard as GTA 5, and it can’t help that
GTA 5 was not only a fun game; it was a milestone for my own experience with video games. The many possibilities of my first open-world game, mixed with its themes, were overwhelming for me. They made GTA 5 the craziest thing ever for my still developing brain, and undisputedly.
And therein lies the problem: I can’t imagine that with my now 26 years and far more developed gaming experience I can be as blown away as I was back then.
Just one of my absolute favorite games, Cyberpunk 2077, does exactly what I loved about GTA 5: stealing cars, causing mayhem in the city, and yes, the Jig-Jig Street exists too. Things that I declared GTA 5 a milestone for are still fun, but simply not special anymore.
Looking back, I wonder if I really liked GTA 5 or if I just thought it was cool to play a game rated 18 at such a young age. However, I recognize from my other games – see Cyberpunk 2077 – that I can also find enjoyment in GTA 6 without the same overwhelming feeling.
For that to happen, it needs to be exceptionally good, as I don’t believe that the memory of my childhood will be enough. I have already thrown enough people over the hood in too many games for that.
At CAGGTUS 2026, we welcomed the Twitch streamers Farbenfuchs, HollaDieWaldFee, and junicats to our cozy FYNG stage and reminisced with them about Sauercrowd and WoW Hardcore.
What a talk it was! You probably noticed: At CAGGTUS 2026, GameStar, GamePro, and MeinMMO are back with a multi-day program to provide you during the FYNG Show with exciting announcements, interesting insights, and entertaining discussions.
On Friday, our moderator Lea Herfurtner welcomed the Twitch streamers Farbenfuchs, HollaDieWaldFee, and junicats on stage to discuss Sauercrowd and their experiences in WoW Classic Hardcore for nearly an hour.
Sauercrowd was a several-month-long Twitch event created by Metashi, Papaplatte, and HandOfBlood. In the guild named Sauercrowd, numerous German-speaking streamers aimed to fight their way to level 60 in WoW Classic Hardcore to successfully storm the first raid in Molten Core.
The third expedition is currently underway in ARC Raiders. To gain additional skill points, players have farmed millions of coins, which will not be needed with a new update for now.
What has changed? On April 17, 2026, Embark Studios released a small update for the ongoing Expedition 3. In addition to some schedule information, there is a change regarding the 5 skill points that can be earned through the expedition. Previously, enough coins had to be collected to purchase the skill points.
With the update, the requirement has changed, and the skill points are now earned through dealt damage. How much damage it will be exactly has not been revealed by Embark Studios, but this damage must be dealt during the 5 days from April 28 to May 3. Who you attack for the challenge is up to you, as every damage to any target will count (arcraiders.com).
This small change, however, is currently upsetting many players who had already collected coins in advance or who have other plans than ARC Raiders for these 5 days.
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ARC Raiders brings new Flashpoint update – there are rumors brewing in Speranza
Many hours of preparation have been rendered worthless
How are players reacting? The update is being hotly debated in the subreddit for ARC Raiders. Opinions are mostly negative and mainly concern the changes for the 5 skill points and the short timeframe.
The Reddit user DuhSheet writes that he has collected 3 million coins to “chill” during the last days of the expedition. Now the coins have become practically worthless with the change. Additionally, the user mentions that he likes the change but feels it should have come at the beginning of a season. His post on Reddit has been upvoted by over 3,000 other users (as of April 18, 2026, at 8:50 AM).
The timeframe is also criticized by DuhSheet and many other players, as the Raiders must play during the 5 days, or they will miss out on the rewards. It should be noted that previously missed skill points from old expeditions could also be obtained retroactively.
Do the developers give a reason for the change? Yes, according to Embark Studios, the mindless grind for a monetary value is not the most exciting. With the new damage goal, the developer aims to bring more freedom and variety in completing the expedition. Additionally, the change is intended to encourage that the loot is used instead of hoarding it over the 5-day window.
Windrose has captured the attention of MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus. However, the start was a bit harsh. Some enemies and especially ships heated things up for him, as he simply overlooked a feature.
A stiff breeze at my nose, warm grog in hand – and a fist in my face. Basically, the stereotypical pirate life, but not necessarily what you want in a game like Windrose.
Only on the first island did I notice that the enemies are quite formidable. I’m not a bad player, but I died more often to crabs and undead than I want to admit. (Interestingly, pigs gave me surprisingly little trouble).
Especially with my ketch, I had problems against other ships. One was already a challenge; I couldn’t defeat two or more. This changed radically when I discovered the upgrades…
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The pirate survival game Windrose finally has a release date, and it is already very close on the horizon
Windrose is not like survival games when it comes to crafting – More like Dark Souls
I am an absolute survival veteran. Alone in Conan Exiles, I have spent hundreds of hours, and other titles like Enshrouded, Dune: Awakening, and Fallout 76 add even more. They all have one thing in common: to get better equipment, I need to grind and craft resources.
In Windrose, this is only partially true. Yes, I need resources too, but crafting new weapons does absolutely nothing:
The weapons I have found so far all have the same base damage and only different scalings.
Initially, this is completely irrelevant. Only the playstyle and possibly the damage of individual hits vary depending on the weapon type.
To craft new weapons at all, you must have found them at least once. Otherwise, you won’t get any new items – at least initially.
Weapons only get stronger through the upgrade feature. Using a tab above the workbench, equipment items can be upgraded if you have the corresponding materials – just like in Souls games, to which the combat system is heavily reminiscent.
Windrose explains the system briefly in the tutorial, but it quickly falls into forgetfulness, simply because I’m not used to it from survival games. Not to this extent, at least.
Yes, all three stations have the tab. In some cases, you need improvements first.
After I upgraded my saber and clothing a few levels, everything suddenly became much easier, and it took me another two hours to realize that this also works for the cannons and defenses of my ship. Because: yes, it does.
At the cannon workshop, ship items can also be upgraded, but you have to first remove them from the ship through the shipyard and place them in your inventory. So suddenly, even fights against three of Blackbeard’s squadrons (a total of 7 or 8 ships) became feasible.
New equipment is rarer, but not necessarily better
At some point during my explorations, I found a “blue” sword. You know: Rarity is always green, blue, purple, etc. So it makes sense that the rare sword is better, right? Nope.
Items with higher rarity have, at least in my case after nearly 8 hours, the same starting stats as other weapons and armor. Maybe a slightly better scaling with the player attributes, but this doesn’t matter at this level.
Instead, higher rarities have additional effects. Weapons, for example, can deal more damage under certain circumstances or provide buffs; my current clothing set enhances the use of melee weapons. I still have to upgrade them before they really become “better”.
This requires a lot of grind, especially the poor pigs must suffer for their skins. But well… a tavern keeper also reminded me that some fiend is slaughtering the poor dodos. No idea who he means.
Fortunately, there is the recycling station, which at least refunds the resources for pure crafting. It’s not much savings, but every little bit helps here.
In Crimson Desert, a cliff has fallen from a cliff and has injured itself in the most painful way possible. A whole community empathizes.
What was so painful? Crimson Desert knows many brutal deaths, with blood, severed limbs, and all the atrocities that the developers could think of. However, one player did not need a scripted event to make the entire community feel his character’s pain.
In a video on Reddit, he shared the incident his cliff experienced. He was just climbing a rock wall when he ran out of stamina. His cliff was still clinging to the dagger in the wall before it began its free fall down.
But instead of landing on the ground, he landed on a pole that hit him right between the legs. For many players, a moment to empathize.
Here you can feel the pain through the screen yourself:
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How did the players react? The painful death of the cliff can be felt by the players while watching the video. Accordingly, they respond affected in the comments under the post on Reddit:
Zeldrene: “You will need 2 Power Fist Herb Pastes for that”
chozobee: “Rest in peace, your orbs of lightning”
jmatt9080: “Straight into the Greymanes.”
However, the community does not only show empathy but also offers helpful tips to prevent such painful experiences next time. They explain:
Dizzzy777: “You can drink stamina potions when you run out of stamina while climbing, and they will refill it.”
Itchy-Beach-1384: “You can also just press Glide when your stamina is empty to land safely on the ground.”
With these two tricks, the probably most painful death could have been prevented.
In Crimson Desert, there are countless ways to bite the dust. However, if you have difficulties in a boss fight, you should have enough Power Fist Herb Pastes with you to revive yourself. Where to obtain them and which weapon you can additionally loot, you can find out here: Crimson Desert: Powerful weapon right from the start – many of you have probably overlooked this katana
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
To avoid having to watch an entire anime or movie, many fans are grateful for summaries that include spoilers. This can save important time in life. However, for a 39-year-old man from Japan, it now costs him his freedom.
What did the man do wrong? A website administrator from Tokyo published written summaries of film and anime plots that contained many details and thus spoilers.
So far, there have been two such spoiler articles:
On one hand, there was a complete summary of the movie Godzilla Minus One, released in 2023 and owned by the production company Toho.
Additionally, the third season of the anime Overlord, which is owned by Kadokawa and was aired in 2018, was completely summarized.
According to the indictment, the Godzilla article was supposed to be over 3,000 characters long and detailed the plot of the movie from beginning to end. The summary of Overlord is also said to have included character names, transcribed dialogues, plot twists, and several screenshots from the anime.
This did not sit well with the production companies Kadokawa Corporation and Toho. They filed a criminal complaint against the copyright holders of the website. The two parties argued that this type of article represents an adaptation of the original works and can thus be viewed as copyright infringement.
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Trailer for Overlord, the Isekai anime featuring a monster lich as the protagonist
Man made a stupid mistake with the articles
Why is this a crime? Although the website operator argued that various film material, music, and acting were missing from his summary, the court ruled against him.
The prosecution argued that a problematic point was that the website was monetized. Thus, the operator did not simply publish the articles but sold them for real money. These advertising revenues now cost him quite a bit of money and years of freedom.
How was he punished? The man was charged with violating copyright law. The Tokyo District Court sentenced the man on April 16, 2026, to a prison sentence of one year and six months with a probation period of four years. Additionally, he must pay a fine of one million yen, which is equivalent to 5,328 euros.
It’s time for our MeinMMO format “MMORPG News in 5 Minutes.” We summarize the most important news around the best genre in the world. You can expect a new subscription, an exciting playtest, and many WoW dates.
Lost Ark received an update this week called “The Shadows Rise.” Included: the new Shadow Raid for the endgame, fresh solo content named “Chaos Rift,” the Tier 4 armor level, a new subscription for 1,500 Royal Crystals (about 15 euros), and more. You can find all details in the patch notes at playlostark.com. From a peak of 1,324,761 players, only 13,973 are currently playing on Steam during prime time (about 1.05 percent, source: steamcharts.com).
Scars of Honor: New trailer prepares for the first playtest on Steam
Eorzea is preparing for Patch 7.5 and the Fan Festivals
What happened with the big MMORPGs:
From April 21, the XP bonus from “Whispering Travels” is active in WoW Mists of Pandaria Classic. Details: on blizzard.com.
From April 24 to May 22, 2026, you can secure a new Twitch Drop for WoW: the decoration item Cozy Pearly Grrgle. What you need to do is detailed on the official WoW website.
The update Lords of the Shattered World will be released on May 15, 2026, for the Anniversary Edition of WoW TBC Classic. You can find details on blizzard.com.
The developers of World of Warcraft prepared a fresh hotfix package for the ID change on April 15, 2026. Fans of the MMORPG could look forward to several weakened dungeons and raids and fixes for some annoying bugs.
Update 50 of Elder Scrolls Online has landed on the test server, and you can check out the planned changes. You can find all information on elderscrollsonline.com.
Final Fantasy XIV is preparing for the launch of Patch 7.5 on April 28, 2026. The overview page for Trail to the Heavens has been updated with new details by the developers. Additionally, Square has introduced Twitch campaigns around the upcoming Fan Festival on the official Loadstone. Lastly, the Producer’s Letter LIVE Part 92 took place on April 17, and you can rewatch the stream on Twitch.
On April 16, 2026, the weekly update for Black Desert was released, featuring improvements for item exchange, an overhaul of the Blood Altar, the start of the 2nd semester of the Olvia Academy, and more. You can find the German patch notes on playblackdesert.com. An overview of the Blood Altar can also be found on YouTube and below:
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This week, the “Demonic Pacts” league has launched for Old School Runescape, focusing on the eponymous demonic pacts and tough boss challenges. You can find all details at runescape.com.
Until April 23, the “Spring into Life” event is running in Tibia, where you can find newborn dragon babies in dragon nests. Details can be found at tibia.com.
In DC Universe Online, the Superman celebrations have started. They run until April 27 and promise event content, skins, and more. Check out dcuniverseonline.com for more information.
In the context of the legal proceedings surrounding Intrepid and Ashes of Creation, new documents have come to light that seem to confirm a rumor about an investment proposal from Riot worth millions. Riot co-founder Marc Merrill has commented on this.
There are rumors that a new game in the ArcheAge universe is in development. It is said to be developed in Unreal Engine 5, to use an isometric perspective (like Lost Ark), but otherwise adhere more to the original ArcheAge than to ArcheAge Chronicles (via mmorpg.org.pl). However, due to a lack of official announcement, you should take this rumor with caution.
The new Battlepass for Season 2 in 2026 of League of Legends has appeared on the test server. There are some changes that players are not really satisfied with.
What has changed in the Battlepass? In the Subreddit for LoL and on Youtube, the new Battlepass on the test server was discussed. It was noted that there is now only one Prestige skin to earn in the pass. The remaining season skins, which have been included in various Battlepasses since 2025, have been replaced. However, they are not completely gone, as the new Pandemonium skins are supposed to be offered in the real money shop this time.
The replaced slots in the pass, which previously had skins, will be filled with loot boxes (orbs). The orbs contain a selection of different demonic skins, such as those themed around Blood Moon or Infernal. The Prestige skin will be for the champion Shaco.
Here you can see an initial gameplay trailer for Season 2 in 2026 of League of Legends:
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League of Legends shows new trailer for Season 1 from 2026
Players found the old Battlepass better
What are the players’ opinions? According to the Youtube user Roxiua, Riot should have let players choose again between the Prestige skin and the mythic essences.
Before the Battlepass was revised in 2025, LoL players could earn tokens in the pass. These tokens could then be exchanged for various rewards, including 150 of the mythic essences, which could be used to purchase various Prestige skins in the associated shop.
The top comment under a Reddit post also refers to the old Battlepass. Reddit user TheRizzMasta writes: “I just want the old pass back so I can choose a Prestige skin for a champ I actually play, instead of having to settle for [a champ chosen by Riot].”
Overall, the mood in the community is rather negative. Many players write that the Battlepass has already been worsened by previous changes and is now being made worse again. How the Battlepass will ultimately look in the final version of LoL may still change.
Has Riot said anything about the Battlepass? According to Riot, the upcoming season will be shorter than previous ones. This means Act 1 will only last six patches instead of eight. Due to this shortening, the Battlepass has also been adjusted, “so that the necessary time commitment feels roughly equal to the length of the season.” (via leagueoflegends.com)
In addition to new champs, Battle Passes, or other game elements, some older champions are being reworked. These reworks can improve the appearance, gameplay, or both. The jungler Shyvana received her last rework in March 2026, but players believe her biggest problem still persists: LoL brings rework for one of the oldest champs, but his biggest problem remains
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the new role-playing game Shadow of the Road, you traverse a Japan that is reinventing itself: The samurai are at their end, and the emperor wants to secure the future of the country with the help of dangerous war machines. Which side wins is in your hands.
What kind of game is this? In August 2024, Owlcat Games, the creators of Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and the Pathfinder games, announced a new role-playing game: Shadow of the Road. However, this is not being developed by Owlcat themselves; they are acting solely as the publisher.
Shadow of the Road is the debut work of the Polish studio Another Angle Games. The RPG veterans from Owlcat are merely serving as the publisher for the new title.
Now there is a new trailer for the game that presents the premise once again:
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Shadow of the Road: The cRPG on Steam shows a Japan between Samurai, Steampunk and demonic Yokai
Japan between Samurai, Steampunk, and Demons
What is the game about? Shadow of the Road takes place in 1868 and weaves together historical events with magic and steampunk elements. The shogun and his samurai are fighting in a civil war against the emperor’s army, which is supplied with modern weapons by the East Nippon Company.
However, in this alternative timeline, the emperor’s modern weapons include not only rifles and cannons but also tanks. These stomp across the battlefield like scorpions on six legs, shooting lightning from their “stings.” You are likely to encounter one or another officer in a powerful exoskeleton during your travels.
Speaking of travels: Your adventure begins with the two former samurai, Satoru and Akira. Since the death of their master, they have been wandering the land as ronin, masterless samurai, until they are tasked with an important mission by an agent of the shogun. They are to protect a mysterious boy with enormous powers.
However, the mission proves to be more difficult than expected. Moreover, the chaos of the civil war unleashes yokai, demons.
If you want to get a first impression of the game, you can download a demo of Shadow of the Road on Steam.
How does Shadow of the Road play? The combat takes place in turn-based tactics. Similar to the XCOM games, the correct positioning of your individual team members plays an important role. Otherwise, you will quickly be overwhelmed in battles.
Aside from combat, you have many decisions to make: Will you remain true to the samurai code and preserve your honor? Or will you do whatever it takes to survive and avenge your lord’s death?
Your decisions are also said to influence the relationships between your characters and the outcome of the civil war. Whether the future of Japan in this version of history belongs to the emperor or the shogun is decided by you.
Emberville, which will soon enter Early Access on Steam, is considered a mix of Stardew Valley and Diablo 4. It was the farming sim aspect that impressed MeineMMO editor Jasmin so much that she looked forward to the interview with the developers. However, they tempered her anticipation for now, as the game has almost nothing to do with Stardew Valley.
When I first saw images of Emberville, it seemed to me like there was a Stardew Valley with lots of combat behind it. There are scenes where the main character cultivates a field and fishes, but also slays tons of monster hordes. Overall, it looks totally cute, aside from the combat scenes.
I hadn’t formed a clear picture yet. It seemed to me that the game could be a somewhat more action-oriented farming simulation. The pixel graphics contributed to its cuteness.
However, during the conversation with Brynjar Gigja (CEO / Game Director), Alex Jordan (Voice Acting Director), and CohhCarnage (YouTuber / Creative Director), I realized that I had completely misjudged the game and that it is actually more for fans of Diablo 4.
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Emberville: Announcement trailer for the dark and grind-heavy pixel adventure
Dark Fantasy meets Stardew Valley, but not quite
In Emberville, the main character awakens without memories in the Vitromotus. This is an endless magical underground prison where death is no longer final. The goal is to escape this darkness and uncover the secret of a mysterious energy called Kymia, which is driven by emotions.
In the depths of the prison, we meet other survivors. If we rescue them, they teach us new crafting skills in return and help rebuild the destroyed hometown of Emberville. Over time, the town grows into a vibrant place.
What sets the game apart from the dark atmosphere of Stardew Valley is the combat and class system. The game offers action-oriented fights with various weapons and combos. There is a flexible class system where we can switch between different combat classes at any time with the push of a button and combine abilities.
In our conversation, the developers revealed that there will be five classes at the beginning of Early Access. Three of them are really classic, and every RPG veteran should know them: namely Mage, Shooter, and Knight. There are also two special ones they didn’t want to reveal yet. By the full release, there should be over 15 different classes that can be switched at the push of a button.
Apart from the quick class switch, it is also possible to wildly combine skills. You can choose your base class but add the skills of other classes to generate subclasses. Particularly in the late game, these can become very specific.
As if that weren’t enough, each class can be combined with all weapons. For example, a mage can walk around with a two-handed sword. You just have to accept that certain skills or passive abilities may be lost in the process. Additionally, the many options through equipment reminded me strongly of Diablo 4 and other veterans from the genre.
On second, third, and every other glance, Emberville is quite dark.
The Hunt for Loot
When I asked the developers in which areas players can satisfy their grind lust, they replied that a motivating goal of the game is to collect certain armor sets with special effects. There are several rare drops that can be looted from bosses or enemies in the world. These bosses can also respawn.
In Emberville, there is supposed to be RNG-Crafting. This stands for Random Number Generator, meaning the outcome of crafting relies heavily on chance. You never know 100% beforehand which equipment piece you will get when crafting.
The items can have random stats, a random rarity, or random bonus effects. This keeps players motivated to create the ultimate gear they desire for the game. It should feel rewarding for players when hunting for the perfect armor set. The developers cited Terraria as inspiration.
Another strong feature that sets the game apart from others is that players must earn the quality-of-life features. At the beginning, items can only be picked up one at a time; later, you can pick up multiple at once, and eventually, there is an autopick that automatically collects all dropped items.
Even with inventory organization, there are improvements over time that players must earn.
It is also particularly great that there is complete voice acting, which the developers placed a lot of importance on. This makes the experience even more immersive.
When the developers said that the original idea was to create a dark Stardew Valley focused on combat, I immediately understood the analogy. The main part of the game is spent slaying hordes of enemies, and the atmosphere feels very oppressive in trailers. The farming is only a side aspect, and so far, there are no romances for which farming simulations are known.
As much as my first impression misled me, I was still impressed. For my part, I will definitely check out Emberville, even if it has little in common with farming simulations. Because one can still interact with the inhabitants and unlock fresh features by rescuing new characters.
