In CoD: Black Ops 6, Activision returns to its roots and brings back the old prestige system. You can find out how this system is supposed to look and what you should know about it here.
What is Prestige in BO6? Call of Duty has a unique system in its multiplayer, which players know as “Prestige”. While fans level up in their ranks in multiplayer, there eventually comes a level cap – in older versions like CoD: MW2 or Black Ops 2, this was usually level 55.
Once the level cap is reached and all weapons and attachments have been unlocked, you could go into Prestige. After activating Prestige, you received a distinctive emblem and had to grind again up to 55 levels to unlock all weapons and attachments again. An endless grind until you reach Prestige Master.
In CoD: MW3 (2023), Activision did away with the classic prestige resets, but with Black Ops 6, it is making a return. We will show you what you can expect and what has changed.
Update, December 2: The article has been revised and updated with new information.
Start video
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 shows its new multiplayer in the trailer
Black Ops 6: All Information about Prestige
This is how Prestige works in BO6: You level up to level 55 and unlock all weapons, equipment, and perks. After that, you have the option to activate Prestige to reset your Operator’s progress.
Once you activate Prestige, all items will be locked again, and you will have to unlock them once more. Additionally, you will receive a new emblem that adorns your calling card. However, there are some changes you should be aware of:
When you go into Prestige, weapons, equipment like grenades, and perks will be locked and must be unlocked again.
There is no level reset for your weapons. So if you enter Prestige and your AK is at level 7, it will remain locked at level 7. When you unlock it again while leveling, it will retain level 7.
Each time you enter Prestige, you can permanently unlock an item of your choice. So if you want the AK at level 20 at the start of Prestige 1, you can unlock it that way.
Each Prestige has its own rewards, and you will also gain access to Prestige Challenges and XP bonuses through daily challenges.
Your statistics from the previous Prestige will reset when you level up to a new Prestige. However, you can still view your old statistics.
Will I keep my unlocked camos? Camos are an important long-term motivation for many fans in Black Ops 6, and even though they are tied to the weapons, they are not reset. So you can safely grind camos and equip them on your weapons.
Is there a Prestige Master? Yes, there is. After reaching Prestige level 10, you can ascend to Prestige Master to unlock additional rewards. The Prestige Master also includes 1,000 extra levels that you can level up.
Are there rewards? Yes, quite a lot. Activision itself describes its new Prestige system as the most generous ever. There is a lot to unlock, and each Prestige revolves around a theme from CoD history. For example, in Prestige 1, you will find rewards related to CoD: World at War.
However, the developers let it be known that players who only play Warzone and prove themselves there as free-to-play players will receive far fewer rewards than players who purchased Black Ops 6. If you later acquire the full version of BO6, you will immediately be credited all paid rewards.
What do you think about the Prestige system? Do you like the old system, or would you prefer the one from MW3 back? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. If you are still looking for a suitable weapon for the Prestige grind, we have a list of the strongest weapons in the multiplayer of CoD: BO6 for you.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At first glance, Throne and Liberty faces the fate of all online games: the number of players drops significantly in the months following the launch. Upon closer examination, there are clear reasons for the MMORPG from NCSoft and Amazon Games for the absence of players.
The current player numbers are significantly lower, with a daily peak of 100,500 concurrent Steam users on December 1, 2024, which would mean a loss of about 70 percent since the launch two months ago (via SteamDB).
While the MMORPG has earned only a “Balanced” rating from Steam users over its entire lifespan (with 69 percent positive reviews), it has earned a “Mostly Positive” rating in the past 30 days (with 74 percent positive reviews).
The talk by GameStar and MeinMMO on Throne and Liberty:
Start video
The most exciting MMORPG of the year is truly MASSIVE: Discussion about Throne and Liberty from MeinMMO and GameStar
Hope Lies in December
What are the reasons for the declining player numbers? On one hand, it is entirely normal for a new online game to be tried by many interested players at launch, after which the numbers gradually decline. This happens to almost all games and can be observed in particularly drastic form when a free-to-play model is involved, allowing people to try it out without prior commitment.
On the other hand, every individual naturally has one or more very specific reasons for turning their back on a game. In a post on Reddit, a part of the community discusses these very reasons, which in turn allow conclusions to be drawn about the current issues with Throne and Liberty:
Hardcore players have felt restricted by time gating since launch when it comes to visiting co-op dungeons or farming in the abyss dungeons of the open world.
Due to the limited options in character creation, the desire to create a twink decreases.
While there have been regular updates since launch, as well as unlocking fresh bosses, events, and conflict/blessing stones, there is a lack of new content that would relieve the grind of the same content. The new 2-star dungeons are just a drop in the bucket.
The MMORPG’s focus on large guilds/alliances has brought many issues in the first two months that have negatively impacted the experiences of players – see the following examples:
How does MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz assess it? Personally, I also notice it: fewer and fewer players are regularly online in the guild, and my last farming runs through the co-op or abyss dungeons are already a few days ago – although I find beating monsters on the island of Saurodoma or in the shadow crypt quite relaxing.
Does my character have the best possible gear? Nope! But he is “full epic”, that’s enough. I have no desire for the 2-star dungeons with random groups after the first attempts anyway. And I have enough lucent to buy the next “Battle Pass” and one or two extras. That’s sufficient for me as well. So I’m currently waiting for real “new content” and therefore playing other games.
How does Amazon Games react? It has been clear since the roadmap from September 2024 that the first major content update is set to come in December. The 2-star dungeons released in November were deliberately brought forward according to Tico from Amazon Games, as it was understood that many players were waiting for new content.
With the patch in December, the spear weapon will be introduced, which will allow for new builds. The dimension trials (even harder versions of the 2-star dungeons, with leaderboards and without time gating) and the rune system are scheduled for December 5, 2024.
Other innovations, such as the class 2 equipment, the substance transformation system, and the trait resonance system, are set to follow at a later date. It is unclear when new regions with fresh quest and story content will arrive in the West. Here is everything known about the December patch: Throne and Liberty brings a massive update with a new weapon that strengthens melee fighters
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Black Friday and Christmas tempt with offers. Many young people are taking advantage of the option to pay later. But this could become a real problem for many. Consumer advocates warn against using the option “Buy now, pay later.”
While shopping, especially young people utilize the “Buy now, pay later” option. This is especially attractive because you don’t have to pay immediately and can theoretically spend more money, as the bank or company charges you later.
But this trend is dangerous. Consumer advocates warn that especially young people are accumulating more and more debt. According to credit card balances of Generation Z and Millennials, the debt ratio is now 50% higher than in 2022. And yet, people continue to spend a lot of money. This is reported by the English-language magazine Fortune.com.
Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
Young people are encouraged to buy more and sink into debt
What kind of option is this? “Buy now, pay later” seems very attractive at first: because you get the option to either postpone a payment or divide it over several months. Companies like Klarna or Paypal then offer you the option to pay later and charge little or no fees for it.
And according to data company Adobe Analytics, customers are spending 11.4% more this Christmas season when using the “Buy now, pay later” option compared to a year ago. How popular this option is demonstrated by a discussion on Reddit.com. One person writes:
I paid for it [my laptop] before the deadline and did not pay any interest. I can see how it is tempting for people to spend more than usual.
What are the advantages supposed to be? “Buy now, pay later” is particularly interesting for consumers with low creditworthiness or no credit history, such as younger buyers, as most companies offering this service only perform a soft credit check and do not report the loans and payment histories to credit bureaus, unlike credit card companies. However, this leads to several problems.
What is the problem? Consumer advocates warn that this postponement can significantly cost more money later. Because the buyer must also pay interest on the credit card used in addition to late fees, interests, or penalties for the “Buy now, pay later” credit.
Additionally, extra fees occur if one misses a payment. A vicious circle that is difficult to escape from in the end.
Consumer advocates also say that such payment options lead consumers to overwhelm themselves because they don’t have to pay the full price upfront, leaving more money available for smaller purchases.
And this leads to a much bigger problem: especially young people are spending money that they actually do not have. For example, Mark Elliott, Chief Customer Officer at the financial service provider LendingClub, explains:
The challenge is that this leads to excessive spending. The reality is that rising living costs and inflation have put more people in a situation where they are already reliant on revolving credit. The psychographics of ‘Buy now, pay later’ may be different – people don’t see it as debt – but it is.
A revolving credit is a credit that can be repeatedly obtained over a certain period. The maximum amount of the credit is pre-arranged with the banking institution or provider.
Despite high debts, many people continue to spend a lot of money
How bad is it currently? Emily Childers, a financial expert for the financial technology company Credit Karma, stated that internal data shows that the credit card balances of Generation Z and Millennials have increased by more than 50% since March 2022. At that time, the Fed, the American central bank, began to raise interest rates:
Young people are already in the negative this holiday season [Christmas time]. And based on what we see in the data, they are still burying their heads in the sand and spending money.
The current manga chapter of One Piece hints at a character with a silhouette who appeared on a cover 13 years ago. There are 2 plausible theories about who this could be.
Which character is it about? In the last image of chapter 1132 of the One Piece manga, a forest with a gigantic bear can be seen. In front of this bear walks a man with a distinctive hat, who is only represented by his silhouette.
By comparing sizes with the bear, we can infer that this is a normal human and not a giant (via mangaplus.co.jp).
Left: The person from chapter 1132, Right: The cover of chapter 631.
It could possibly be the same man who appeared 13 years ago on the cover of chapter 631. Korkus was drinking with a person who also wore a hat and could be connected to Wano Kuni through his outfit. However, here too, the character is only seen from behind.
Since the chapter hints at the person again, it might be that their identity will finally be revealed. Some One Piece fans have already come up with 2 theories about who the mysterious identity could be.
One of the two possible persons even has his own movie:
Start video
One Piece Film: Strong World – The Trailer for the Anime Movie
One Piece might soon unveil a 13-year-old mystery
Who could be behind this? In the colored version of the cover, it was visible that the person had blonde hair. Therefore, it could be that the character is Shiki, the Golden Lion. Both Shiki and the character have the same hair texture.
In the movie with Shiki, many gigantic animals appeared, which are also native to Elbaf. Therefore, a connection to Shiki is conceivable.
We know Shiki from the movie Strong World.Scopper Gaban was previously only seen in flashbacks.
Another popular theory is that the person is Scopper Gaban. He was a member of Gol D. Roger’s pirate crew several years ago, the current king of pirates. He therefore lived for several years with Krokus, the crew’s doctor, on the same ship.
The fact that the two are drinking so intimately together on the cover could be a hint that this is Scopper Gaban. Also, the tousled hair that can be seen in the silhouette might be an indication.
Since the colored versions of covers in the past have sometimes not corresponded with those in the actual anime, it might very well be that the person is Scopper Gaban. The light hair could actually be white and suggest his age.
The new killer “Houndmaster” in Dead by Daylight is the least popular of all time. Hardly anyone wants to play him – because he doesn’t work properly at all.
Dead by Daylight has pursued a fairly aggressive content plan over the last few years. In essence, a new chapter comes out approximately every 3 months, with a new killer, a new survivor – and sometimes also new maps. Between these major updates, there are always smaller patches with improvements or new game modes, such as the celebrated 2vs8 mode.
However, the abundance of content has drawn criticism. It is increasingly noted that the quality is suffering. The “peak” of this criticism seems to have been reached. Because the latest DLC chapter is viewed negatively by 67%.
Start video
Dead by Daylight: The Dog Master is not for Animal Lovers
What’s going on with Dead by Daylight? Just a few days ago, Dead by Daylight released the chapter “Doomed Course”. It comes with a new survivor, but primarily the new killer “Houndmaster”. The grim pirate lady has a trained dog that she can unleash on survivors. Either as a usable ability or directly from the dog’s perspective. At least, when the killer functions properly.
This is how the community rates the DLC: The chapter “Doomed Course” is currently rated very poorly. Only 33% of the ratings are positive. A staggering 67% are negative (as of: 02.12.2024, 11:00 AM). The biggest criticisms are the numerous bugs and errors that have crept into the chapter. The most common criticisms include:
The new killer is bugged. The killer’s dog struggles with basic pathing, often gets stuck in the middle of the path, or becomes completely passive by the end of a round, leaving you without a killer ability.
The animations are bugged or incorrect. When a survivor tries to save another from the dog, the animations are not “connected” – you essentially scare away the dog from a distance.
“How can anyone take this company seriously when they release DLCs like this? Sloppy, bugged. I mean, what are those dog animations? Absolutely horrific. Maybe it’s time to stop with these many DLC releases and focus on improving the game.” – Jo
“No matter how much money, manpower, or time Behaviour has, they will always find a way to release completely bugged paid content. Literally in my first match playing this killer, the power was completely bugged, so I couldn’t even use it. To be fair, that’s very representative of the killer, because even when the power works (which is rare), it does absolutely nothing.” – metalmanijak
The oh-so-evil dog is currently more of a confused puppy.
Even the positive reviews are sarcastic
If you look at the positive reviews, some of them are seen quite negatively. Because some praise the DLC for the fact that “the new killer is not played, and that’s a good thing, because new killers have never made the game better.” Even the praise is meant sarcastically in several cases, although there are undoubtedly some positive words as well.
“I don’t understand why people are review-bombing this chapter 🙁 The killer is cool, the dog AI is stupid, but the power is fun to play or to play against. Sure, there are bugs, but in the 30 games (without exaggeration) I haven’t experienced a single “game-breaking bug” that everyone is reporting here.” – average James enjoyer
Dead by Daylight can actually do better. The game as a whole still stands at a solid 80% positive ratings, even at 87% in the last 30 days – a very good figure. However, the latest DLC seems to put quite a dent in that image.
Do you see the killer often? The perception in the community: Most buyers of the DLC only play this killer once or twice before they realize that he does not function properly. Normally, it is the case that in the first week after the release of a DLC, nearly all killer fans would exclusively play the new killer – this time, it’s an absolute rarity to even encounter the Houndmaster.
It seems clear that the Houndmaster urgently needs an update to fix the most pressing bugs and issues. However, many believe that something like the rather silly animations cannot be fixed with a simple hotfix. The developers will have to come back and do some fundamental work on it. In stark contrast, the previous killer, Dracula from Castlevania, was a complete success.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new map of Fortnite is filled with many dangers, but one of them is so inconspicuous that you could easily fall into a trap. If you rejoice after a kill, you should be more careful where you dance from now on.
What kind of sign is that? Those who have been playing Fortnite since Chapter 1 probably know the famous signs that indicate dancing is not allowed in an area. Often, they were just iconic props for the map, but in Chapter 6, they are deadly, at least one of them.
If you disregard the rule and dance in front of one of these signs, you will be killed in a very dishonorable way. We will show you where to find this sign.
Start video
Fortnite: Chapter 6 – Season 1 showcases its new skins and Godzilla in the gameplay trailer
New mechanic lets you prank your friends
Where can I find the sign? You can find the dangerous spot northeast of Foxy Floodgate on a slope. You can recognize the place by a sign that says “Dancing Forbidden” and is secured with additional barriers and huts.
The blue arrow shows the locationThis is what the restricted area looks like
Once you arrive there, you must not cross the barrier and dance; otherwise, you will be thrown off the cliff. In a team, this is less catastrophic, and with friends, it could lead to some laughs.
However, if you are playing Solo and dance there after a victory, you will die for good without the chance to revive yourself. So be careful.
Currently, there is only one such place with exactly this mechanic. However, it is quite possible that there are other cliffs with such prohibition signs.
Have you already stumbled upon the Easter egg or are you just now hearing about it? Chapter 6 offers more than just deadly signs. There’s also a new map and mechanics that you can start enjoying right away. More details can be found in our patch notes: Fortnite: Patch Notes for Chapter 6 – All the new features from Update 33.00
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new role-playing game from developer Obsidian Entertainment is just around the corner and is highly anticipated by fans. However, a long-time employee seems surprisingly calm about it.
Which game is it about? Avowed is a new role-playing game from Obsidian Entertainment. The studio is very well acquainted with the genre. In the past, it developed popular and acclaimed titles such as Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, and The Outer Worlds.
An Obsidian developer knows that the game is eagerly awaited by many fans of the studio. It would be reasonable to assume that the pressure on the team is high. However, the said developer appears surprisingly relaxed.
Which developer is it about? His name is Dennis Presnell, and the list of games he has been involved in reads like a best-of of role-playing games from the past 27 years.
These include titles such as Fallout 1 & 2, Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2, or Planescape Torment – some of the best RPGs of all time, created at Black Isle Studios. In 2003, Presnell joined Obsidian Entertainment, where he worked on well-known games like Pillars of Eternity or The Outer Worlds. He was also involved in Fallout: New Vegas.
The developer usually works as an Environmental Artist, meaning he is responsible for the design of landscapes, cities, or dungeons.
Due to his many years of experience, Presnell knows how difficult it is to develop a game. Every time it is a huge excitement. The developer describes it like this:
I have always felt a certain anxiety months before the release of a game; it was nerve-wracking. But I’ve never been this confident at this stage of the project.
By “the project,” he means the new game Avowed, which is set to be released on February 18, 2025, and won’t keep players waiting much longer. While Presnell usually feels nervous during this time, he feels good this time:
I am just incredibly happy with how well everything is coming together. The team is currently finalizing everything, fixing bugs, and working on performance. I will really be proud of this game when it’s accessible to the public. I can hardly wait.
Whether Avowed will resonate with RPG fans at release, and whether expectations will be met, remains to be seen. The developer is indeed optimistic. There has also been criticism ahead of time, as Obsidian Entertainment is participating in the Early Access business model: A developer wants you to pay 90 euros on Steam to play 5 days earlier
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Obsidian has produced some legendary role-playing games like Fallout, which Chris Avellone, game designer and co-founder of the studio, was involved in. But now he is calling for a lawsuit against his former studio.
What kind of developer is this? Chris Avellone founded the development studio Obsidian in 2003 with some colleagues, where he was responsible for Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II and Fallout, among other titles. His last project at Obsidian was the role-playing game Pillars of Eternity before he left the studio in 2015. In 2018, Obsidian was acquired by Microsoft and is now part of the Xbox Game Studios.
Now, Avellone has called in a post for his former studio to be sued for possible discrimination in their hiring practices.
Avowed is set to be the next big role-playing game.
Start video
Avowed – The Combat System in the Trailer
Developer indirectly accuses his former studio of discrimination
What is the lawsuit about? On November 27, 2024, the developer addressed a post on X to anyone who had applied for an artistic position at Obsidian in recent years and had been rejected. They should hire a lawyer. Avellone believes:
The hiring procedures at Obsidian may have been illegal
Since Obsidian is a Microsoft studio, those affected could have a chance of receiving a lot of money: According to Avellone, the plaintiffs might not have to “apply for a job again.”
The developer even promises that lawyers know how much the case is worth and might offer their services at particularly good conditions.
Chris Avellone advises to sue his old studio (via X)
In his post, Avellone refers to “current news.” This likely refers to the discussion around a post from 2020 in which Matt Hansen, the art director of the upcoming Obsidian role-playing game Avowed, offered portfolio evaluations and job consultations to black artists. He wanted to help them replace him one day because there are too many “grizzled white guys” in the industry (via archive.today).
The accusation now is that Hansen preferentially hired people based on their ethnicity and unlawfully discriminated against white individuals. We have asked Obsidian for a statement on this matter and will add it as soon as we receive it.
The Obsidian co-founder explains in another post that an art director is indeed involved in the hiring processes of a studio (via X).
Opinion leaders like former developer Mark Kern, who now goes by “Grummz” on X to criticize the supposedly “woke gaming industry” of the West, have apparently targeted Avowed as the next target.
Kern had advocated for boycotting games regardless of their quality if they include pronouns. He shared a screenshot of an Avowed preview, showing that the player character has the trait “he/him” (via X).
In the wake of the discussion, Matt Hansen, the art director of Avowed, stated that his goal was to annoy Elon Musk with his game. He cannot believe that it actually worked.
Users then found the post from 2020. Hansen has since cleaned out his X account.
However, Avellone emphasizes in his post that his call to sue Obsidian has nothing to do with his personal political views. He believes that the industry should not tolerate any form of discrimination in hiring processes, regardless of the reason.
The gaming industry faced layoffs and studio closures in 2024, leading to uncertainty among those working or wanting to work in this field. Allegations of injustices in hiring processes could therefore weigh particularly heavily. However, layoffs remain a major topic, as demonstrated by the recent wave of layoffs at Activision Blizzard: Update on the layoffs at Activision Blizzard until the end of 2024: 3 locations are affected
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Game of Thrones is infamous for regularly breaking the hearts of its viewers. In the ranking, we remember the 10 saddest deaths in the fantasy series.
How many characters have died? In hardly any other series do characters die as frequently as in Game of Thrones. In all 8 seasons of the fantasy series, there are only four episodes in which no one dies (via winteriscoming.net). The number of deaths is correspondingly high:
In total, 6887 characters have visibly died in the series (via washingtonpost.com).
Which of these deaths one finds saddest is, of course, very subjective. In this list, we still want to attempt to find the 10 deaths that likely had the most emotional impact.
Spoiler alert: Massive spoilers for all seasons of Game of Thrones follow.
Start video
Game of Thrones: Kingsroad shows exciting battles in the trailer
[toc]
Place 10: Oberyn Martell
First appearance: Season 4 Episode 1
Time of death: Season 4 Episode 8
Oberyn’s death may not have been the most emotional, but it was one of the most brutal. In the “trial by combat,” he fights for Tyrion against Gregor Clegane. Initially, it seems he will win. But he hesitates too long. Gregor Clegane seizes his chance and crushes Oberyn’s skull with his bare hands.
Unfortunately, Oberyn was not seen much in the series, otherwise his death would have been even sadder. Nevertheless, he was many people’s favorite from the first moment, partly due to his charismatic actor Pedro Pascal.
Place 9: Khal Drogo
First appearance: Season 1 Episode 1
Time of death: Season 1 Episode 10
In the first season of Game of Thrones, we had to say goodbye to Khal Drogo. Just when he was expecting a child with Daenerys, he finds himself in life-threatening danger due to an infected cut. To save the “moon of his life,” Daenerys asks the witch Mirri Maz Dur for help. She indeed saves Drogo’s life, but now he lies in a kind of coma.
In an emotional scene, Daenerys realizes that she has lost her husband for good. To free him from his suffering, she subsequently suffocates him with a pillow.
Place 8: Ygritte
First appearance: Season 2 Episode 6
Time of death: Season 4 Episode 10
Ygritte and Jon share a tragic story. Although they love each other, they stand on opposing sides. When the wildlings attack the Night’s Watch’s Black Fortress, they meet one last time. With bow and arrow, she aims at Jon but cannot bring herself to shoot him. Suddenly, it is she who is pierced from behind by an arrow. In a touching scene, Ygritte dies shortly thereafter in Jon’s arms.
Even though the relationship between the two was a constant up and down, it is considered by many to be one of the best romances in Game of Thrones. This makes Ygritte’s death particularly sad.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Thanks to the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo 2954, Star Citizen was able to generate several million US dollars once again and thus break a historic milestone.
By comparison: Blockbusters like The Last of Us Part 2, Horizon Forbidden West, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Red Dead Redemption 2, or even Cyberpunk 2077 are said to have cost between 170 and 220 million US dollars (excluding marketing).
The new capital ship Polaris is ringing the cash registers for Star Citizen:
Start video
Star Citizen: The new capital ship Polaris in trailer
Events for the Wallet
Where do the new revenues come from? Revenue of 30 million US dollars in just six weeks… Publishers have implemented morally questionable monetization strategies for much less money in their games.
The responsible parties for Star Citizen, however, do not need to release a game, but only celebrate one of the various community events (and introduce new spaceships for sale during these events, offer a free trial opportunity, promote deals, and advertise upcoming features).
There was also a new concept version of a Paladin gunship (for 260 to 300 US dollars) or the releases of flyable ships like Terrapin Medic (200 to 220 US dollars) and F7C-R Hornet Tracker MK2 (165 to 185 US dollars), which have brought in a lot of money.
In this way, on just day 9 of the event (via Reddit), 3.880 million US dollars were reported. Overall, the ticker currently stands at just over 17.030 million US dollars, slightly above what it was after day 9 of the previous year.
Such events are the reason why the 5,448,000 supporters have, on average, spent more than 139 US dollars on Star Citizen. The starter package currently costs nearly 45 US dollars. By now, some major supporters must have invested many (ten) thousands of US dollars into the ambitious SciFi MMO.
Horror movies are not for everyone. Especially when one shocking moment follows another, some viewers prefer to switch off. Our list presents 9 movies that are indeed creepy in places but are also suitable for more anxious people.
The horror movie is a very popular genre. Perhaps that’s because we humans can watch others in extreme situations while comfortably lying on the couch. This creates excitement without putting ourselves in danger.
At the same time, many representatives of the genre are not for the faint of heart. Whether it gets very bloody and brutal, or whether a jump scare (a surprising scare moment accompanied by a loud noise) happens every few minutes – many people steer clear of horror movies.
In this list, we show you 9 movies that are really good and also suitable for the scaredy-cats among you. They largely forgo conventional jump scares and are not excessively brutal either. The order is chosen randomly.
[toc]
Jaws
Start video
Trailer for the animal horror movie ‘Jaws’ by Steven Spielberg
Let’s start with a film that some might claim is not even a horror movie. The film by Steven Spielberg is classified as an animal horror movie and tells the story of a beach in the USA where the titular shark roams.
The film is very effective in suggesting its monster for a long time without showing it fully. Thus, tension builds up slowly but surely. Whenever someone goes into the water, viewers expect a shark attack. Upon its release, the film caused a real panic and made people afraid to swim in the sea.
Fun Fact: The shark itself is only seen for about 4 minutes in the entire film. For a long time, the camera shows only details, and the whole shark is only revealed after about 80 minutes of runtime. The film led to many not-so-good imitations.
Nosferatu – A Symphony of Horror (1922)
Start video
The vampire classic par excellence: “Nosferatu” in the trailer
The oldest film on this list is a prime example of German horror cinema from the silent film era. The story of Nosferatu closely resembles that of Dracula; however, they did not have the rights to Bram Stoker’s book, which is why the title and names were changed.
Although the film is over 100 years old, it has lost none of its eerie impact. The images are like something out of a horror novel, and Nosferatu’s gaze is unsettling. The film was remade in 1979 by Werner Herzog, and another remake by Robert Eggers will be released this year .
Fun Fact: Because the producers lost the copyright dispute with the Stoker heirs, all copies of Nosferatu were to be destroyed. However, a few edited versions were saved and later restored.
The Silence of the Lambs
Start video
The Silence of the Lambs – Trailer for the Thriller Classic with Anthony Hopkins
In the film adaptation of the novel of the same name, a young FBI agent, Clarice Starling, must collaborate with the feared serial killer Hannibal Lecter to catch another serial killer. The film is consistently thrilling, and especially the encounters between Clarice and Lecter are nerve-wracking.
Lecter is highly intelligent and tries to manipulate the still inexperienced agent. However, the film avoids major shocking moments until the creepy finale. Instead, it captivates the audience with fantastic performances and a dense atmosphere.
Fun Fact: Similar to the shark in Jaws, Hannibal Lecter is also seen on screen for much less time than many often assume. He appears for only about 16 minutes, yet it feels like he is present the entire time. Anthony Hopkins won an Oscar for his performance.
Continue on page 2.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Season 1 of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 starts and brings new maps and additional content. We have compiled the most important information for you.
When does Season 1 start? Season 1 of CoD: BO6 started on November 14, 2024. Originally, the season was supposed to kick off at 6 PM, but it actually began a few hours earlier.
Update, December 2: The article has been updated and supplemented with new information.
[toc]
Thursday, 11/14/2024
7:00 PM
As the servers remained stable until the end, we are concluding the live ticker. We wish you a pleasant evening and lots of fun gaming!
5:25 PM
Season 1 has been online for a few hours now, and many players’ after-work time is approaching. But so far, the servers are still running smoothly.
4:30 PM
Hopefully, you prepared for the season’s launch in advance and leveled some weapons that could be good in Warzone. If you are unsure which weapons to consider for the Battle Royale, you can read our assessment here:
Some players are reporting on social media that their unused XP tokens from Modern Warfare 3 are now available in Black Ops 6. We checked this in the game and can confirm it. We also have numerous XP tokens available now:
Season 1 surprisingly started a few hours before the originally scheduled time and is already live!
Currently, we have no issues with the servers and we can play without any problems.
2:30 PM
Can we expect server problems this evening? We estimate that there will be no issues with the servers, just like at the release of Black Ops 6.
2:15 PM
Meanwhile, the complete patch notes for Season 1 are also online – including various buffs and nerfs. The XM4, one of the most popular weapons, has even been improved.
You can read the patch notes for Season 1 in German here:
Welcome to our live ticker for the start of Season 1 and Warzone in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6! We will keep you updated today on possible server issues, bugs, or exciting new information.
Preload has already started
When does the preload start? In the night leading up to November 14, 2024, the preload for Season 1 in BO6 was unlocked for all platforms. So you can now download the new content to be ready to start playing tonight at 6 PM.
This is what the Battle Pass looks like in Season 1
The Battle Pass offers you 17 pages of rewards that you can unlock. You can watch the trailer for the Battle Pass on callofduty.com.
What content is available in the Battle Pass? You can earn over 100 rewards, including new weapons, weapon blueprints, and new skins for gear and operators. To earn these, you have three options:
earn 20 free rewards (cosmetic content and base weapons)
purchase the premium Battle Pass (1,100 CoD points)
purchase BlackCell
This Battle Pass will also feature Battle Pass tokens. You can use them to unlock rewards and later pages.
Season 1 Zombies: Directed Mode and new map
During Season 1, there will be the Directed Mode for Zombies. This mode allows you to focus entirely on the story at the launch of Season 1. You can reach up to round 15, and all steps of the Easter egg are marked so that you do not miss any steps.
Additionally, the story of the protagonists from the map “Terminus” continues. A new map is set to be released, named “Citadelle des Morts” (Mid-Season). This will take you to Europe to an abandoned castle. What awaits you there is still unknown.
This is what the map “Citadelle des Morts” looks like.
New items for the Zombie mode
To make the fight against the undead even more varied, Treyarch has devised new items for you to test during Season 1. The following is known:
One additional Perk-a-Cola
One additional Field Upgrade
A new ammunition mod
18 new Augments
3 new GobbleGums
The Hand Cannon that you can build
New Wonder Weapons
New enemy type
More details will be available in upcoming blog posts.
A well-known mode returns
In addition to maps, there will be two new modes for multiplayer. These include:
Ransack
You must secure gold from crates and then bring your loot to your teammates’ stash. But be careful, as your opponents can storm your stash and steal from you. This requires coordinated team play.
Prop Hunt
Prop Hunt is a classic from CoD. There are seekers and those who must hide. The players who are hiding turn into various objects to conceal themselves on the map – such as a wooden crate. The seeking players win if they find all the hiding players, and the hidden players win if the timer runs out first.
The Ranked mode is coming, but is still a while away
The Ranked mode for multiplayer will be playable starting November 21 in Season 1. The skins and new rules are already known, which you should be aware of before the start. The skins available for the Ranked mode are, as always, kept simple – except for the Champion skin.
These are the skins.
Now let’s get to some rules and new features:
Access to Ranked Mode: To gain access to Ranked mode, you need at least 50 wins in matchmade multiplayer. This is how Treyarch wants to ensure that no newcomers end up in your squads.
How to rank up: You rank up by earning SR through winning ranked matches. SR is awarded after each win in the ranked game, with the amount earned based on the player’s proximity to their expected rank, their game performance, and the margin of victory. SR is deducted after losses.
Veto for maps and modes: Before the start of your round, there will be three map and mode combinations that you can exclude with a veto. If both teams have chosen the same item, one of the two remaining options will be decided randomly.
You will soon be able to forfeit: Treyarch will soon give you the option to forfeit a match. You can then vote as a team to end a match early if you are completely overwhelmed or have one less teammate. The loss will then be counted as a normal loss and will not incur any SR penalties or suspensions.
Forgiveness of losses: The first loss of the day will be forgiven. This bonus cannot be stacked.
More about the rules can be found in the official blog post on callofduty.com.
7 new weapons for Black Ops 6
There will be no shortage of weapons, as there will be a total of 7 weapons during the season that you can unlock in the season and through events. In addition, 2 new attachments are expected for variety:
Weapons
KRIG C – Assault Rifle
SIRIN 9MM – Special
MAELSTROM – Shotgun
SAUG – SMG
AMR MOD 4 – Sniper
Power Drill – Melee
Cleaver – Melee
Attachments
Buffer Weight Stock
Dragon’s Breath
Here you can see the weapons.
New perks, killstreaks, and wildcard in Season 1
Treyarch has also planned some things for your loadouts that you should know about. These include two new perks, a new killstreak, and a wildcard:
Perks
Shadow – Release at launch
Perk Slot: 2
Type: Strategist
Shrapnel Radar – Release mid-season
Perk Slot: 3
Type: Recon
Kills streak
Hand Cannon – From CoD: Cold War and Release at launch
New map for Warzone: Warzone is also looking forward to new content as the mode is integrated into Black Ops 6 with the start of Season 1. The Battle Royale will receive a new map: Area 99, a Resurgence map.
With the integration of Warzone into Black Ops 6, you will also be able to use the new Omnimovement as well as weapons from Black Ops 6 in the Battle Royale.
Start video
Area 99: Launch Trailer for Call of Duty: Warzone
Black Ops 6 enjoys six new maps in Season 1
At the launch of Season 1, Treyarch will offer three new maps. The following are known, and this is what they look like:
Hideout (6 vs 6)
Extraction (6 vs 6)
Heirloom (6 vs 6 or 2 vs 2)
HideoutHeirloomExtraction
Three more maps are expected to be released in mid-season, but when that will be is still unknown. Among the maps is one that players from Black Ops 4 should be familiar with:
Hancienda (6 vs 6)
Racket (2 vs 2 or 6 vs 6)
Holiday Nuketown (6 vs 6)
HanciendaRacketHoliday Nuketown
Warzone will have the following modes:
Battle Royale (120 players)
Resurgence (Solos, Duos, Trios, Quads)
Plunder (120 players)
Ranked Play (Mid-season)
Season 1 of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 promises exciting content that will bring new gaming fun starting mid-November. We asked you in a survey how much fun you are having with the latest installment of the Black Ops series: How is Black Ops 6 received by you? You voted and made a clear judgment
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the 19th issue of the magazine about One Piece, the appearance of 2 Devil Fruits from the Dressrosa arc was revealed. However, fans didn’t even know that one of them existed.
Which Devil Fruits were revealed? The magazine features both Sugar’s Hobby Fruit, a member of the Don Quixote family, and Leo’s Sewing Fruit, one of the dwarves in Dressrosa.
Above: Sugar’s Hobby Fruit, Below: Leo’s Sewing Fruit, via X
Sugar’s Devil Fruit looks like a wind-up toy. The stem of the fruit serves as the winding element, while the rest of the fruit has the standard design with two larger spirals on the side. You can already tell just by its appearance what powers the fruit grants.
In Leo’s Devil Fruit, you can also see what abilities the user will gain. The stem of the fruit is connected to the fruit by a sewing needle. The individual parts of the Devil Fruit are held together by seams.
A new special about One Piece brings fans to tears:
Start video
First Impressions of the Anime Special One Piece FAN LETTER in the Trailer
A Devil Fruit is brand new for fans
What can they do? With the Hobby Fruit, Sugar can turn any person into a toy by touch. As a result, others lose their memories of them. In contrast, Leo can sew everything together, even people to the ground.
What do fans think about it? In the comments under a tweet from pewpiece, many fans write that they can’t understand how someone could willingly eat the Sewing Fruit. With its needle as a stem and the seams, it doesn’t look very appetizing.
Many users were also unaware that Leo had eaten a Devil Fruit. The dwarf was always armed with a knitting needle, and many probably thought he was just good at sewing. Many didn’t even realize while watching the anime or reading the manga that a Devil Fruit was behind it.
Spider-Man is probably the most famous Marvel hero who has been regularly seen on screen since the 2000s. Overall, the friendly neighborhood spider has appeared in 10 movies. Which one is the best is shown by MeinMMO in the ranking.
Spider-Man was first introduced in the 60s in comics and he has evolved into one of the most popular comic characters of all time. First came animated series, then in 2002 the big screen.
Since then, 10 movies (and countless series) have been released, almost all of which are pretty good. Each actor offered a different portrayal of the iconic character.
The following ranking is based on the opinion of MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes. If you have a different list, feel free to let us know in the comments.
[toc]
10. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Start video
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – Trailer for the Sequel with Andrew Garfield
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 tries to continue the personal approach from the first part, but the film lacks the breath for that. It is overloaded with too many villains and Andrew Garfield works less as Spider-Man than the other actors.
There is a dramatic moment that was also big in the comics, but there too little time is given for the character and the tragedy to unfold. However, the best part of the film is definitely the renewed chemistry between Gwen Stacy and Peter Parker.
9. Spider-Man 3
Start video
Spider-Man 3 – Trailer for the Finale of the First Trilogy
Ah, Spider-Man 3. The child in me loves this film, which wanted to be very “cool” and “edgy” fitting to the time. The story around Venom actually fits perfectly to a third part, but the execution is a big problem.
With Sandman and the Goblin’s son, there is simply no real focus, which especially affects the symbiote story. Nevertheless, the film is entertaining and Tobey Maguire is still a fantastic Spider-Man. Many absurd clips have also immortalized the film on the internet through memes.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
When Monster Hunter Wilds is released on February 28, 2025, the race for some monster hunters’ personal Game of the Year might already be over. Those who want to prepare optimally for Capcom’s adventure can do so particularly cheaply on Steam.
Why should one prepare? The games in the Monster Hunter series have long been considered not very accessible and complex. It was just part of the deal to have tough battles against huge monsters, grinding, and hard work. The rather lackluster technology also played a role, as many of the titles were released on relatively weak platforms.
This is still partly true today, but the decision-makers at Capcom managed to open the franchise to a significantly larger audience in January 2018. Monster Hunter: World was the first installment of the series for the then most powerful consoles (followed by the PC version in August 2018).
In other words: Those who enjoyed World should carve out some time for Wilds in the coming year. And if you haven’t played the predecessor yet, you can now catch up on it cheaply on Steam – where it stands at “Very Positive” after 284,102 reviews, with 88 percent positive ratings.
World of Warcraft has drawn on well-known ideas. The most famous symbol comes from a stealth game.
In large MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, there are plenty of symbols that have clear meanings for fans. A purple lettering stands for an epic item, a shield symbol for a character in tank specialization, and a green ground effect for healing, where you ideally shouldn’t stand too close to not annoy the healer.
However, some of these symbols were not “invented” by World of Warcraft or even have their origins in entirely different games. One of them is the quest marker that NPCs are equipped with.
Start video
WoW celebrates 20 years of the highlights of Azeroth
What symbol is being referred to? We are talking about the well-known “exclamation points” that mark in World of Warcraft that you can accept a quest from various NPCs and objects. The symbol has been in use since the vanilla version of the game and has – apart from a small graphical enhancement – still been used in exactly the same way as back then.
Where does the symbol actually come from? One of the former lead animators at Blizzard, Kevin Beardslee, explained where he actually knew the symbol from – namely from Metal Gear Solid. He said about it to GamesRadar magazine:
I believe I was playing Metal Gear Solid at the time, and when that “Brrrrrnk!” exclamation point alarm appeared over someone’s head, then I knew A) I was scared and B) I knew that guy hated me. I thought: What if we put that over the heads of our quest givers? Then you instantly know that you should talk to that guy […].
If you are not familiar with Metal Gear Solid anymore: In the early installments of the game series, the exclamation point was a symbol that you had been discovered – typically it meant that panic would break out in the next moment and Snake would be found out. The meaning was thus completely different than later in World of Warcraft. Nonetheless, it apparently was enough to attract people’s attention.
In the meantime, the exclamation point symbol is more than just a fixed part of World of Warcraft. When entering a new area, WoW fans almost automatically scan their surroundings for the yellow symbol that promises a quest. It would surely take a long time to get used to a new symbol. Other things have remained the same in World of Warcraft over 20 years – for example, the price for a service that you have certainly also been using since the launch of World of Warcraft.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Gangster stories are popular templates for movies, series, and of course games. The Yakuza genre is also very popular. The great Yakuza 0 is currently on sale on Steam, and MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes can only recommend it, at least if you have time for karaoke or blind dating alongside hardcore gangster stuff.
What kind of game is Yakuza 0? Yakuza 0 is a rather unusual mix of beat ’em up and action RPG. In the Japanese city of Kamurocho, you are navigating the 80s with Kiryu and Majima and must engage in a criminal Yakuza story in the main narrative.
The great highlight for me in the Yakuza games is the wonderful mix of a serious main story and silly side activities. That’s why I love Yakuza 0, which I’ve spent way too much time on – especially with karaoke and dancing.
Start video
Yakuza 0 – Trailer for the prequel of the Japanese gangster series by SEGA
Great open world with countless side activities
Let’s start with the open world: The two districts you can explore are wonderfully compact, full of life, and packed to the brim with side quests and mini-games. This ensures that there are no empty spots. As a big fan of Japanese games and movies, I love the 80s aesthetic full of neon lights and loud street gangsters.
You can fight them to earn money. With money, you can not only buy items but also skills and new abilities in the skill tree. The 3 different fighting styles can be expanded, and that pays off, as it deepens the combat.
Especially cool are the various interactions during fights. You can throw bicycles or toss enemies onto other enemies. This is well staged and creates a nice flow. The set pieces in the main story are also action-packed. Fans of good and tougher fight choreography will be pleased.
Enough with the hard story, bring on the silly side activities
The real star of Yakuza 0 is the wonderfully silly side activities in the form of quests and mini-games. This is not only the perfect contrast to the very serious story but also a good way to earn money and strengthen Kiryu and Majima. It can get so silly that you might think you’re playing a different game. Let me list my favorite stories and activities:
Singing karaoke
Telephone blind dates that obviously went horribly wrong
Kiryu starts a real estate company and hires a chicken named Nugget that he won in bowling
Majima being harassed by a guy in underwear who dances and is called Mr. Libido
Filming a zombie music video with a parody of Steven Spielberg and Michael Jackson
Kiryu sneaking around to get a dirty magazine for a kid
Kiryu teaching a dominatrix to insult her clients
And these are not even close to all the absurd things you can experience outside the story. You can spend a lot of time, especially with Kiryu’s real estate business and Majima’s hostess club. These are larger side quest chains that allow you to earn a good amount of money.
I have spent over 100 hours on the main story and a lot of side activities. Those who immerse themselves in many mini-games like Mahjong or Poker might even spend more time in the game.
And even if you just want to experience a dark gangster story, Yakuza 0 is worth it. The main story is exciting, has memorable characters, and great action sequences.
Yakuza 0 is the perfect entry point for newcomers as it is designed as a prequel. Currently, the game is available for just under 11 € on Steam. The offer is valid until December 4. If you want to get more parts of the series, you can do so as the entire franchise is currently on sale. A much more relaxing recommendation can be found here: A game on Steam with 91% positive ratings is currently the price of a pack of noodles
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
League of Legends regularly has patches where certain champions are quite strong. That is the nature of a MOBA. However, sometimes champions become much too strong, stronger than intended. This happened in 2019 with a new champion who was just unfair.
Who is it about? On December 11, 2019, with patch 9.24, the new champion Aphelios was released, and he had already sparked a lot of conversation prior to that. His overall package is something special; he even has a different interface and scales stats instead of abilities.
In the game, he has 5 weapons that he can switch between, each offering different secondary effects to his Q ability and his Ultimate. It is also important with Aphelios to combine the different weapons, which creates various possibilities.
This means he was banned by both teams in every match. He achieves over 200% because remakes count as bans but not towards the played matches. In other words, statistically, Aphelios was banned in every match in Korea at that time. Interestingly, Akali and Qiyana also had a fairly high ban rate.
Start video
Former German LoL Pro is Now One of the Most Successful Twitch Streamers – This is NoWay
Complex for the Game and the Players
What makes him so strong? His complicated abilities are not only difficult for players but also for balancing. The interaction possibilities led to strong synergies. When the item Death’s Dance was changed in patch 10.6, it unintentionally created a strong synergy with Aphelios. He could heal himself fully in a few seconds, allowing him to fight groups on his own.
You cannot nerf a whole ability with Aphelios; you have to change individual weapons and combinations for healthy nerfs. If you nerf him universally, he becomes too weak and less played.
His Ultimate was also a major issue. He could achieve multiple kills with ease because it caused too much AOE damage in combination with the flamethrower weapon.
The other reason is his complexity. Sure, to play him properly, you have to understand him, but this also applies to the opponents. One must comprehend his various weapons for good counterplay. In a chaotic team fight, it is hard to keep track. This was also a problem for esports commentators at the time.
You can see how strong he really was back then in a YouTube video by Vandiril:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
His many nerfs in the early patches also indicate that not everything was perfect with the stats. Regularly, values were adjusted to weaken him (via League of Legends Wiki).
In the first hotfix, directly at his release, synergies with on-hit effects were nerfed because they apparently worked too well.
Aphelios was the great example of a meme with which he had nothing to do
Due to Aphelios’s excellent performance, he essentially became the face of a meme within the LoL community. It refers to 200 years of game design experience. The meme originally stemmed from a discussion about Wukong nerfs.
There, RiotLutzburg responded to a player on X.com: Being good at playing a specific character in a video game is valuable, but I think I’ll take the more than 200 years of experience in professional game design (via YouTube)
This became a meme in the community, especially with Aphelios. When he performed way too strong, people liked to refer to 200 years of game design experience.
What is the current situation of Aphelios? Looking at his statistics in the current patch, 14.23 on U.GG, you can see how little influence he still has today. He has a pick rate of 3.5% and a moderate win rate of 48.58% across all ranks. In higher ELOs, this is hardly better. In Challenger, he has a pick rate of 3.9% and a disastrous win rate of 43.84%.
The 2nd season of the successful series Arcane has just been released on Netflix. The story of the sisters Powder and Vi may be concluded, but thanks to new background details from the production, you might view some scenes from a different perspective.
Attention Spoiler: The article discusses events from episode 7 of the second season of Arcane.
Which scene is it about? In Arcane, many characters showcase their abilities known from League of Legends. Some of them can only be discovered if you pay close attention. In episode 7 of the second season, the somewhat eccentric Professor Heimerdinger reveals a completely unexpected talent and surprises with a musical performance.
In an interview with ScreenRant, Alex Seaver, composer of the Netflix hit, reveals that there is more to the scene than meets the eye (via Vida Extra).
At least part of Arcane’s budget must have gone into localization.
Start video
How much Arcane cost
“Only Arcane would do something this crazy.”
What is special about the scene? As Seaver reveals, Heimerdinger’s performance has been translated into all 25 languages in which Arcane is available. The composer himself worked with the voice actors of the different versions.
Seaver speaks about the surprising musical number: “The Heimerdinger song in episode 7. That’s one of those things where you think, only Arcane would do something this crazy, but actually do it really well. And we had Mick Wingert, the fabulous voice actor of Heimerdinger, he sang it so beautifully.”
However, they wanted to create a special moment that viewers around the world could experience. Therefore, in other countries, you do not hear Mick Wingert, but the respective voice actor who sings in the local language.
While it may seem like a small, if not trivial, detail at first glance, it involves an enormous amount of production effort.
It was a lot of work, but that was one of the cooler moments of the season, I think. It’s crazy. We have great partners who helped us with the localization in general. The voice actors for all countries are very important to Riot. This is not something done casually. It’s more about their concern for who the cast is in China, who the cast is in Germany, and who the cast is everywhere.
In Germany, by the way, it is Santiago Ziesmer, whom you might have heard in his role as SpongeBob SquarePants or as the regular voice of Steve Buscemi. You can find the other German voice actors of Arcane with our colleagues at Filmstarts.
While it is not unusual for large productions like Arcane to be translated into many languages, musical units are often kept in their original language and simply subtitled. That the song has been translated into so many languages demonstrates a special love for detail.
Especially in the German-speaking area, we are very spoiled regarding localizations. However, many people fundamentally reject the German voiceover and prefer the original, especially in anime. The reasons for this could be explained by MeinMMO demon Cortyn: Why German localizations are so bad in anime
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Campaigns on Kickstarter have become a common option for developer studios, including Obsidian Entertainment. Director Joshua Sawyer reports in an interview about the hurdles he had to overcome with his idea and his fears that his game could fail even before it was developed.Today, his game has 87% positive ratings on Steam.
Which game is it about? We’re talking about Pillars of Eternity. The CRPG was released on March 26, 2015, for the PC. It was later released for PS4 and Xbox in August 2017, and for the Nintendo Switch in August 2019.
It was previously funded through a campaign on Kickstarter, which reached its funding goal after just 27 hours. After its release, the game received a lot of praise and numerous positive reviews, making it one of the most popular representatives of its genre today with around 87% positive ratings on Steam.
However, the game’s success was not initially guaranteed, as director Joshua Sawyer reported in an interview with Edge Magazine (Issue #404), there were several concerns about the Kickstarter campaign.
Here’s the trailer for Pillars of Eternity:
Start video
Pillars of Eternity: The Trailer for the RPG
“I thought the chance of us being funded in a month was 50/50.”
What was the problem with his idea? At that time, the financial situation of Obsidian Entertainment was not particularly stable, leading to the consideration of funding new projects through crowdfunding. The idea was to create a game that would combine the best elements from games like Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale, and Baldur’s Gate. But old-school RPGs with isometric camera angles were not in demand back then.
And even though other studios were very successful with their campaigns at that time, Sawyer faced opposition from the studio owner with his idea. It would be too big of a risk. However, Sawyer insisted on his plan, and other members of his team supported him in that.
The studio had already established itself in the RPG genre with titles like Neverwinter Nights 2 and Fallout: New Vegas, and the concept of the planned game was well received by the team. So ultimately, the risk was taken, and the campaign launched on September 14, 2012.
Still, Sawyer feared the game might not succeed: “I thought the chance of us getting funded within a month was 50/50, and the fact that funding was completed in 27 hours blew us away.”
How did the campaign go? With over 73,000 supporters, nearly 4 million USD was raised during the campaign period until October 16, 2012 (via kickstarter.com). This was almost four times the budget that had originally been set as a funding goal.
Joshua Sawyer had already been involved in many well-known titles and is also a big fan of the RPG genre. However, during a playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3, he realized that one feature was too overused by players and thus affected the gaming experience: He has created great role-playing games and says today: A feature that many of you love was a mistake.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
