Aeternum should breathe new life into New World, now Amazon Games must once again respond to fleeing players

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

The new Aeternum version of New World has only partially succeeded in sustainably attracting new or returning players to the MMORPG’s game world. Populations are already so low on many servers that action is necessary.

What is the situation with New World? Due to the lack of official numbers, it is unclear how many players have actually tried New World Aeternum on all platforms, but there are several indicators that make it very likely that the revamped version of the MMORPG and the console release have fallen short of expectations.

  • The peak on Steam during the Aeternum launch was 61,437 concurrent players (via steamdb.info). During the expansion the previous year, it peaked at 77,642. About a month after the new high, there are only about 24,700 concurrent active Steam players during prime time – trend declining.
  • This month saw 1,629 new reviews added on Steam. Only 66 percent of user reviews were positive. That’s just enough for a “Mixed” rating.
  • Unlike Throne and Liberty, Amazon Games has not released specific player numbers for New World Aeternum, which is always a sign that there is nothing to celebrate in terms of player count.

The gameplay trailer for the launch of New World Aeternum:

Start video
New World Aeternum: Well-Staged Gameplay Trailer for Launch

History repeats itself

What measures is Amazon Games taking? Due to the low server capacities, the developers had to launch numerous new servers for Aeternum in order to provide a virtual home for all interested players. The EU Central region alone has 13 crossplay servers and one each for PlayStation and Xbox.

Similar to the first launch in September 2021, the inflexible server infrastructure is causing problems now. To avoid ghost servers and ensure healthy populations, Amazon Games has now announced on X the merging of worlds. Below we summarize what is known for the EU servers:

  • The world populations of Centaurus and Asterion will be merged.
  • The world populations of Kronos and Aaru will be merged.

Those affected may transfer their characters to another server in the region between November 25, 2024, and December 5, 2024. On December 5, 2024, the retiring worlds (namely Centaurus and Kronos for the EU region) will go offline. All characters and companies will then be moved to the assigned server.

How is the community reacting? On Reddit and X, the announcement is already being hotly debated.

  • Perx writes on X: “That’s far too few. My server is dead. I can’t say how many are still playing since they are now hiding the server population. This will just be the first round of merges, and more will follow in a few days, or is that it?!”
  • Corechamber explains on X the low player numbers: “With the mount expansion, they drove away too many people. As long as that isn’t fixed, many won’t return, or that’s my opinion based on the posts I’ve read. If they wanted $70 for the game, they shouldn’t have sold it for $40 and then tried to force players to pay more.”
  • No_Reason_TL takes it with dark humor (via Reddit): “Yeah, another server merger. My server history so far is: Crassus, Nyx, Kronos, Aaru. Let’s see how many more there will be.”
  • monchota has a solution (via Reddit): “Just get rid of the faction system and its impact on the cities. Make the servers worlds and split the cities into shards. The vast majority of the player base is punished by the faction system, as it is impossible to get in.”
More about New World:
Amazon silently removes the last hint of the MMORPG for Lord of the Rings
von Karsten Scholz
The most successful MMORPG from Germany since Tibia is not only becoming more beautiful but also conquering new platforms
von Karsten Scholz

The frustration of many players is understandable. Server mergers always result in communities being torn apart, and those affected lose a part of their progress (even if it’s just the reputation they built on their server). Many modern MMORPGs therefore rely on region-wide megaservers, on which populations can be flexibly moved around.

However, this is not the only mistake that Amazon Games has made with New World or the new Aeternum version. You can find MeinMMO’s analysis here: Aeternum was supposed to bring a big boost for the MMORPG New World, but Amazon Games made a blunder on purpose

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

A bug in WoW is still legendary today and even had effects on the real world

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The online role-playing game World of Warcraft turns 20 years old. The world of video games has significantly changed the MMORPG WoW. But one incident was so large that it even had an impact on the real world.

What kind of bug was it? In 2005, the final boss in the then-popular WoW raid Zul’Gurub, Hakkar, had a special ability: He would apply the “Corrupted Blood” to players, which would then spread to other players and slowly kill them irrevocably. The Corrupted Blood was a timer: “Kill the boss before the plague kills you all.”

However, what Blizzard did not foresee was that players could take this plague from the raid into the open world of WoW.

Once unleashed into the free world, the plague spread further and claimed tens of thousands of players across all servers. The capitals were full of thousands of players who were all suffering from the Corrupted Blood.

Start video
WoW celebrates 20 years of the highlights of Azeroth

Researchers studied Corrupted Blood in WoW

How did this affect the real world? As early as 2007, researchers recognized how valuable the WoW plague was, for although this plague occurred only virtually, scientists could draw insights from it about how a crowd or society would behave when confronted with a real pandemic.

The data that scientists collected over the years while analyzing the WoW plague became useful in 2020, when the coronavirus evolved into a global pandemic.

In a lengthy report from PC Gamer, scientists like Dr. Eric Lofgren (Washington State University) explained how their years of study of the plague now impacted their research on social behavior regarding the coronavirus:

For me, this was a good example of how important it is to understand human behavior. How people respond to public health emergencies and how these responses truly influence the course of events. We often see epidemics as something that just happens to people. There is a virus that causes problems.

But in reality, it is a virus that spreads among people, and how people interact and behave, and whether they obey authorities or not – these are all very important things. And also, that these things are very chaotic. You can’t really predict: “Oh yes, everyone will go into quarantine. It’ll be fine.”

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People thought: In the real world, people would be more sensible

Lofgren also explains: In WoW, they observed the phenomenon of “griefing”, where people would deliberately and maliciously infect others. Critics claimed that nobody would ever do that in the real world:

They might not make people deliberately sick, but willfully ignoring the danger of making others sick comes pretty close. There are people who say: “Oh, it’s not a big deal, I’m not going to change my behavior. I’m going to the concert and then visiting my old grandma.” Maybe one shouldn’t do that. That’s an important realization. Epidemics are a social problem … Downplaying the seriousness of a situation is a kind of real griefing.

More about WoW:
WoW punishes players who are too good at playing hide and seek, then sprinkles “salt in the wound”
von Karsten Scholz
One of the Rocket Beans shows why many can’t understand WoW anymore
von Cortyn

The Corrupted Blood is still one of the most important events in WoW almost 20 years after its outbreak, and other games like Star Wars: The Old Republic found the implications of the bug so intriguing that they introduced their own plague into the MMORPG. Blizzard itself immortalized the Corrupted Blood years later in a card in Hearthstone: How an ancient WoW plague rapidly infected Hearthstone

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

S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 launches in poor condition – But 100,000 players on Steam apparently don’t care

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

One of the most anticipated games on Steam, S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chornobyl, launched on November 20, 2024, with significant flaws. Nevertheless, it enjoys high player numbers and great ratings – what’s going on?

What’s going on with Stalker? S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chornobyl was released on November 20, 2024, after years of waiting. However, despite several delays, the developers apparently did not manage to eliminate all the bugs.

The survival shooter is in such poor condition that our Webedia colleagues from GamePro issued a purchase warning.

Despite everything, Stalker 2 with more than 100,000 concurrent players is currently one of the most played titles on Steam and is in a league with GTA 5 and Throne and Liberty. Additionally, there are players who are gaming through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (via SteamDB, as of: 21.11.2024, 18:00).

Even more impressive is the rating of a proud 80% positive that Stalker 2 has achieved with over 13,000 reviews on Steam. How can this be?

Start video
Official Launch Trailer of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Stalker fans defy bugs and jank

Why is this interesting? Gamers are usually not very generous when it comes to bugs. On the contrary: A common criticism of today’s game industry is that especially expensive AAA titles launch unfinished. At launch, these games are often penalized with mediocre ratings, which may eventually recover when time and patches have passed.

The prime example of this is probably No Man’s Sky. This survival game launched back then in the worst possible way and continues to struggle even 8 years later to win the trust and favor of players – with success.

With Stalker 2, however, the bugs and performance issues seem to have little impact on the rating.

What’s going on? This could partly be due to the fact that Stalker players are used to hardship. Bugs and jank are practically part of the gaming experience. In the community, hardly anyone expected a flawless release. Some might even feel nostalgic when they see the familiar bugs again – as one author did for the English website PC Gamer.

Another possible explanation is that many players have not yet had enough time to encounter the more serious problems of the game, as described by our colleagues at GameStar.

It is therefore quite possible that we will see a drastic drop in reviews by the weekend at the latest, as more people have time to delve deeper into the game. Unless the developers can keep their word and deliver some fixes by then.

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The developers are aware of the problems and promise improvement. On the official X account, they state: “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is a huge game. We understand that with such a game there are still rough edges: We have literally never released anything on this scale before.”

Accordingly, there will be a number of hotfixes in the first days after the release, and later they plan to transition to larger updates. In December, GSC Game World also wants to publish a roadmap that informs about the future of the game and upcoming content.

Even the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, which launched just one day earlier, had a difficult start on Steam; however, players were far less lenient here. You can read more about it on MeinMMO: Player rush is said to be the reason that a new game from Microsoft is failing on Steam

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

Throne and Liberty fixes issue with 2-star dungeons

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 6 minutes

On November 21, 2024, the servers of Throne and Liberty will be offline for almost seven hours to implement the new features of Update 1.8.0 into the worlds of the MMORPG. MeinMMO has the official German patch notes for you.

Update on November 22, 2024 – 07:56 AM: A few hours ago, there was finally news from the developers (via X) that they were able to find and fix the bug regarding the 2-star dungeons. There will be no maintenance for the implementation of the hotfix. However, all affected players must close the client once, install the update, and then reopen the game.

Update on November 21, 2024 – 14:06 PM: The developers addressed the community via X since the new 2-star dungeons were causing issues on consoles. The message states:

“We are currently investigating why 2-star dungeons are not available for console players. We will share more information as our investigation progresses.”

Update on November 21, 2024 – 13:18 PM: The maintenance is over. Anyone who has downloaded the 11.38 GB patch can log back into the servers. We wish you a lot of fun in Solisium!

Until when are the servers offline? According to playthroneandliberty.com the servers of Throne and Liberty have been offline since 7:30 AM our time and the maintenance is expected to last 6.5 hours. Thus, the MMORPG should be accessible again from 2:00 PM. However, the maintenance periods have recently often lasted significantly shorter than announced.

During the maintenance, the developers are implementing Update 1.8.0 of Throne and Liberty across all platforms. If you want to check the status of the Throne and Liberty servers yourself, you can easily do so. Current reports on server status can be found either on the official X channel of Throne and Liberty or in the server status section of the official Discord channel.

Moreover, there is an overview of the current server status on the official website of the MMORPG, similar to Lost Ark. You can find this overview at playthroneandliberty.com. Below you will find the official patch notes for 1.8.0.

[toc]

Like everything in life, you should enjoy Throne and Liberty in moderation:

Start video
192 versus 4 hours: Woman competes with Throne and Liberty for her boyfriend’s time, clearly losing

Throne and Liberty: Official Patch Notes for Update 1.8

2-Star Dungeons

A new challenge class awaits you – 2-star dungeons.

  • 2-star dungeons are redesigned versions of already existing dungeons, featuring tougher boss versions that must be defeated as well as some completely new bosses.
  • Rewards for 2-star dungeons include all existing two-part and four-part bonus equipment sets as well as new accessory items.
  • Characters must have at least 2,500 combat power to tackle 2-star dungeons.
  • The following 2-star dungeons will be added with this update:
    • Island of Wrath
    • Empty Wastes
    • Island of Fear
    • Valley of Carnage

Wisdom and Sprouts from Solisium

As part of the new program “The Wise from Solisium”, experienced players help newcomers in Solisium learn and make progress in THRONE AND LIBERTY.

  • Characters receive the status of Wise when they:
    • Reach level 50
    • Complete Act 10 of the Adventure Codex
    • Receive 3 one-star dungeon completion rewards for each of the 6 dungeons.
    • Receive 20 participation rewards for dynamic events
    • Use 40,000 Abyss Contract Marks
    • Defeat 20 field bosses
    • Complete 20 subsections to advance exploration progress in the Exploration Codex region.
    • Complete 100 Resistance Contracts
  • A new button and icon will appear in the upper left corner of the character sheet, allowing eligible characters to activate or deactivate the “Wise” status.
  • Characters lose the Sprout eligibility when they:
    • Reach level 50
    • Complete Act 10 of the Adventure Codex
    • Complete 15 one-star dungeons or higher
    • Receive 10 participation rewards for dynamic events
    • Use 10,000 Abyss Contract Marks
    • Defeat 10 field bosses
    • Receive 1 weekly reward
  • A new button and icon will appear in the upper left corner of the character sheet, allowing eligible characters to activate or deactivate the “Sprout” status.
  • Wise and Sprouts receive a title and profile frame to show their status to others.
  • New markers on the map allow the Wise to locate nearby Sprouts on the minimap. The Wise cannot see the symbols for other Sprouts. These symbols do not appear in conflict zones if the Sprout symbols are disabled in a user’s map symbol settings, or if a user has been blocked.
  • A new Sprout chat channel has been added so that Wise and Sprouts can communicate from anywhere in the game.
  • Sprouts can leave the “Like” recommendation on the character cards of the Wise to indicate their willingness to help. A single Sprout can only leave 1 Like for a given Wise.

Changes to Weapon Skill Balance

  • The weapon balance in combat has been adjusted, and several bugs with the skills have been fixed. More information can be found below.
  • Some weapon skills have been expanded with new specializations, and the values for existing specializations have been changed.

Sword and Shield

  • Steadfast Bastion: New specialization added: Reduction of cooldown. Reduces the cooldown of “Steadfast Bastion” upon activation by 15 seconds. Costs 5 specialization points.

Two-Handed

  • Bloody Devotion: New specialization added: Reduction of cooldown. Reduces the cooldown of “Bloody Devotion” by 15 seconds when activated. Costs 5 specialization points.
  • Devoted Shield: Now shows the skill range when the specialization “Devoted Refuge” is applied.
  • Precision Sprint: Has been updated and now counts as a Wutang attack when the specialization “Bindings” is applied.
  • Vital Force: A tooltip notation for the maximum health points limit has been added.

Dagger

  • Vampiric Strike: Increased base damage and healing ability. Increased damage for the specialization: Additional Hit. Increased value of Vampirism from the specialization: Enhancement effects.
  • Wild Sword Dance: New specialization added: Area damage. Increases damage to all enemies within 3 m by 60% of the base damage when activated. Costs 3 specialization points.
  • Knife Throwing: The applied debuff that reduces incoming healing effects has been increased.

Crossbow

  • Selfless Spread: Specialization removed: Remove CC.
  • Mana Exchange: Specialization added: Remove CC. Costs 7 specialization points.
  • Explosive Trap: Increased base duration. Improved duration bonuses from the specialization: Increase duration.
  • Multi-Shot: Reduces the cooldown of “Swift Leap” by 15 seconds when used.

Longbow

  • Healing Touch: Now shares cooldown with the wand skill “Rapid Healing”. Now stacks with the skill “Healing Touch” of other players when applied to allied targets.
  • Purifying Touch: The maximum number of stacks that can be removed when CC effects are weakened has been increased.
  • Devoted Shield: Effect changed. Now creates a shield for 3 seconds when the target is hit at or below 30% health. 60 seconds cooldown.

Staff

  • Row Fire Bombs: The specialization “Focused Fire Bombs” now has an 80 percent chance to reduce the received healing effect by 80% for 6 seconds.
  • Inferno Wave: The specialization has been adjusted: “Raging Lightning Wave” now has 1 base activation and 1 additional activation for Wet and Frozen.
  • Chain Lightning Strike: The “Chain Thunder” specialization has been adjusted to no longer trigger the effect “Mother Nature’s Bowstring” of the crossbow.
  • Ice Spear: A bug has been fixed that caused the frost effect to last shorter than intended. A bug has been fixed that caused the “Bindings” specialization to always ignore defense and resistance.
  • Judgment Bolt: The consecutive ability use specialization now has an additional 80% chance to reduce shield blocking chance by 30% for 4 seconds.
  • Hellfire Meteor: Increased damage. Increased damage of the specialization: “Hellfire Rain” and adjustment of the falling meteor so that it is more centered. Increased debuff effect of the specialization: Healing reduction.
  • Frost Master: Now causes a frost effect with a single attack for 3 seconds on targets within 3 meters. Not stackable.

Wand

  • Clays Redemption: The specialization: “Remove Weakened” now removes all stacks of effects of one type instead of just one stack.
  • Time for Punishment: The Burning Time specialization now adds a debuff to the shield blocking chance as well.
  • Karmic Touch: A problem has been fixed where the spread chance was sometimes ignored. It has been adjusted to ignore shield blocks when spreading.
  • Ray of Corruption: If a target dies during the effect, the effect is transferred to another target within 10 meters. The specialization: “Target Extension” now provides a bonus range of 10 m, increased from 5 m. The specialization: “Reduce Movement Speed” now weakens by 30%, increased from 15%.
  • Rapid Healing: Now shares cooldown with the longbow skill “Healing Touch”.

Inter-Server Conquest Battles

  • Guilds controlling a Rift Stone or Blessing Stone can participate in a bi-weekly inter-server competition for additional rewards.
  • Rift Stones: Participate in an inter-server boss fight in conflict mode against the boss corresponding to your Rift Stone, and receive loot and Luzent from the auction house taxes.
  • Blessing Stone: Participate in a dynamic inter-server event in the zone corresponding to your Blessing Stone. The winning guild receives a sum of Luzent from the auction house taxes.

General

  • Random Matchmaking: Groups with 4 characters can now queue for random dungeon matches. Previously, it was only 2 characters.
  • Chat: A new type of chat channel for alliances (allied guilds) has been added, which you can find with the shortcut “/al”.
  • Chat: The colors for group chat and group recruitment posts have been adjusted to make them easier to distinguish from each other.
  • Chat: The chat UI can now be moved and separated from the chat input field.
  • Various minor adjustments to the UI and improvements to spacing.
  • Boss Portals in Peace Mode: The position of the portal for Junobote events in peace mode has been adjusted to move it outside of the PvP area.
  • Nighthowl Planes: A problem has been fixed that occasionally prevented the Nighthowl Blessing Stone from being claimed.
  • Contracts: A problem has been fixed where the fifth contract was not pinned to the content notification interface after acceptance.
  • Codex: The happiest day of all time: A problem has been fixed that could cause a collection page to not be called.
  • Tooltips: A problem has been fixed that caused tooltips for items opened from the chat to be partially cut off.
  • Battle Pass User Interface: A problem has been fixed that occasionally caused the red notification point not to disappear after the “Collect All Points” button was used.
More on Throne and Liberty:
Amazon silently removes the last hint of the MMORPG for Lord of the Rings
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Amazon’s MMORPG has only 1 percent of its players left, responds to the case with … a new subscription
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What else do I need to know about Throne and Liberty? Throne and Liberty was released on October 1, 2024, for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. There is crossplay between platforms. The MMORPG wants to finance itself through an in-game shop, battle pass, and real money currencies. You can find all the important information in our comprehensive overview: Everything Important about Classes, Release, Crossplay, Gameplay, Payment Model, Early Access, Platforms of Throne and Liberty.

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

WoW Classic launches ‘Fresh’ servers – are full and busy within minutes

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The fresh Classic realms of World of Warcraft have launched and are already causing problems. The demand is huge, and the capacity is quickly reached.

World of Warcraft Classic is launching once again. Some particularly large realms have opened in all regions – and the demand was enormous. Many realms reached their capacity in a very short time, leading to login difficulties.

Start video
WoW Launches Fresh Classic Realms – The Big Birthday Gift

What’s happening with WoW Classic? World of Warcraft Classic launched the “Anniversary” realms last night for WoW Classic. These are brand new realms to celebrate the 20th anniversary of WoW. This is an opportunity for everyone to start anew on a realm “from scratch” and make a name for themselves on the server before large guilds are formed or the content becomes irrelevant again.

What happened during the night? Although the realms opened at 11:00 PM our time on a weekday, the rush was immense. Within minutes, the status of almost all realms changed from “Recommended” to “Full”. Anyone wanting to log in had to either contend with a queue – or hope to actually get into it, as many only received the message “Connecting to the realm …” and then it didn’t go any further.

Meanwhile, the initial rush has subsided, and logging in is now possible.

More about WoW Classic:
Turtle WoW makes it official: The date for the server shutdown is now set
von Cedric Holmeier
Amazon’s MMORPG has only 1 percent of its players left, responds to the case with … a new subscription
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Blizzard wins lawsuit against Turtle WoW, forcing the largest private server for Classic Plus to settlement
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Can you still play on the realms? Yes, that is still possible. Even when the realms are displayed as “full”, characters can usually still be created there. This is partly due to the fact that the capacity of the realms has been significantly increased (compared to other Classic realms), but also because the initial rush generally subsides fairly quickly. While during the first weekend almost everyone who is interested plays a lot, the surge gradually eases over the coming days.

Anyone who wants to experience World of Warcraft Classic “from the beginning” again should seize the opportunity now. Because when – or if at all – Classic realms will launch completely “fresh” again is uncertain. Those who let this chance slip through their fingers may regret it later.
After 20 years, it can also be said: WoW is more than just a game.

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

A player discovers a place in The Witcher 3 after 9 years that only a few have probably seen

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

Some role-playing games like The Witcher 3 keep fans engaged on Steam even years after they were released. A fan discovered a new trick after 9 years that allowed him to access a well-protected area that many of you might not be familiar with.

What kind of area is it? In the southeastern part of Velen, there is a small camp surrounded by a large wooden fence. At the gate, there are two guards who block the entrance with their weapons when someone approaches.

The camp is an important location for the Nilfgaardian army troops. Soldiers can rest there and recover from the strains of battle.

Under normal circumstances, it is not possible to access the small camp. As you approach the soldiers at the entrance, you only hear, “One wrong move, and you’re gone.” However, a player has now discovered a clever trick that allows him to get past the soldiers.

Check out the trailer for The Witcher 3 here:

Start video
The Witcher 3 – PS4 Trailer

Player discovers a trick in The Witcher 3 after 9 years

How did he get in? To finally access the soldiers’ paradise, he teleported to Crow’s Perch. There, he spoke with a merchant and bought the armor of the Nilfgaardian army, which includes the top, pants, shoes, and gloves.

After donning the gear, he was able to pass by the guards without any obstruction. After a slight flatulence, they stepped aside and allowed the player to see what probably very few others have seen.

If you didn’t think of disguising yourself as a soldier of the Nilfgaardian army, you can see how the camp looks in the following video by Slinger:

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What can be seen in the camp? The camp is extremely small. Besides small stalls with tables, there is a large wooden house if you follow the path. Things get heated there, as lightly dressed ladies dance for the weary soldiers.

Inside, there is another area where the player cannot pass even in his uniform. In the background, a man and a woman can be seen staring at each other in minimal clothing.

Since the player discovered this trick 9 years after release, we can assume that not many players have been able to see the camp. It is all the more wonderful that the YouTuber is sharing his discovery with other fans.

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Until The Witcher 4 is released, players still have to engage with The Witcher 3. Maybe fans will discover other secrets that very few people have seen by then. That the role-playing game is still being supported today can be seen by the fact that a mod editor was released this year: Surprising announcement for “The Witcher 3” – This tool comes now 8 years after release

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

Path of Exile 2 gets a new feature that makes it much easier for beginners – But even I, as a veteran, am excited

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 3 minutes

In Path of Exile 2, the developers are changing how you use your flasks. The new feature will help beginners, but even PoE veteran and MeinMMO author Cedric Holmeier is excited.

What have the developers come up with? In Path of Exile 2, there will only be two flasks: one for healing and one for mana. The developers have thought of something new for the utility potions.

The new feature is called “Charms.” They charge up by eliminating enemies and help you in critical situations. For example, a charm can automatically free you from the “Frozen” status. However, before it can do this a second time, you have to eliminate enough enemies again.

Many different charms will be found in the game. Each one has different effects, allowing you to choose the ones that fit your build. To carry more than one charm, you need a better belt. You can have a maximum of three of these helpers equipped.

Path of Exile 2 will also be released on PS5 and Xbox and will offer a couch co-op mode:

Start video
Path of Exile 2: Announcement trailer for consoles with couch co-op

What is behind the decision? In a press presentation of the livestream followed by a Q&A, MeinMMO author Cedric Holmeier was able to ask the game director and founder of Grinding Gear Games, Jonathan Rogers, about the reasoning behind this design decision.

As Rogers explains, it is physically difficult for “beginners” to press the many different flasks. He states that this has also led to flasks in Path of Exile 1 being able to be triggered automatically through debuffs.

In Path of Exile 2, this decision continues and is being implemented for all players. Therefore, the charms will likely be somewhat weaker than manually drunk potions from the first part, but you will no longer need to worry about them after equipping.

Rogers clearly stated in the press conference that he wants to “reduce the flask piano.” This term was coined by the community because even veterans and professionals in the game often struggle with this mechanic.

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What to do if you die in Path of Exile 2 before you can loot? Community helps the affected with a trick, saves the loot
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Good decision, or?

What does PoE veteran and MeinMMO author Cedric Holmeier think of the new system? I think the new change is brilliant! I want to focus on the hordes of enemies, the challenging bosses, and now on dodging enemy abilities through the new role in Path of Exile.

Who is writing here? Cedric Holmeier is a freelance author and a “Path of Exile” veteran. He has been playing Path of Exile repeatedly since the closed beta in January 2013 and would describe himself as a veteran with hundreds of hours of gameplay. At the press conference, he seized the opportunity to ask his questions to the founder of Path of Exile.

The flask management has always annoyed me! With the charms, a good system has been found to simplify the utilities once and for all.

There is still enough complexity in the game, where you explore the best charm combinations for each build. But with the new feature, I will never again find myself in the situation of pressing keys 1–5 simultaneously just because I don’t have any brain cells left to hit the right potion.

Some professionals might be annoyed by the noob-friendlier version, but I think Path of Exile is difficult and especially complex enough. I can only welcome the fact that now in the second part, they are addressing beginners at this point.

Path of Exile 2 will start Early Access on December 6 on Steam, PS5, and Xbox. The game should have been available long ago, but the developers wanted you to keep all purchases from the predecessor: Path of Exile 2 is delayed so that you won’t lose anything from the predecessor that you have purchased

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

The co-op shooter Space Marine 2 will soon change how you can play online – Find the perfect solution to make everyone happy

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

Since Warhammer 40.000: Space Marine 2 was released in September 2024, players have equipped the game with numerous mods. The developers are now announcing an important change: Mods will no longer be allowed in public lobbies.

What kind of change is this? In a blog post on the official website of the publisher Focus Entertainment, the game director of Space Marine 2, Dmitriy Grigorenko, spoke about the topic of modding. This will not be unrestrictedly possible in online games in the future.

With the next major update in December, players will no longer be able to join public lobbies if they have mods installed. However, the modifications can still be used without any problems in private matches.

In the future, there will also be custom “Eternal War” lobbies where modders can unleash their creativity.

Start video
Space Marine 2 shows in the video what content is coming in the next few months

Mods cause server issues for everyone

What is behind this? The developer emphasizes that mods are a great thing and contribute to the longevity of the game. However, they are currently responsible for a significant portion of problems with server stability, which then affects players who do not use any mods themselves.

They also promise modders that the game will remain easy to modify in the future and that they will take care of fixing access if they accidentally break it with a patch. They even plan to release some dev tools to make modding even simpler.

Saber seems to succeed where Rockstar falters

How is the community reacting? The initial reactions are overwhelmingly positive. It seems Saber Interactive has managed to find a golden mean here. They are praised for not simply banning mods, but instead allowing players to play with or without them.

We have gathered some of the reactions from Reddit for you here.

  • BBBeyond7: “This is the best decision they could have made. They are not just banning them, but also not letting them get out of control (I’m looking at you, Rockstar).”
  • Torontogamer: “My favorite part is that it’s super easy; it won’t take a bunch of developer time away from better things, and still allows everyone to play how they want.”
  • fckinamidr: “Modded ‘Eternal War’ lobbies sound like the best thing ever.”

However, there is one criticism: in private lobbies, it is currently not possible to gain experience points. If this does not change, players will have to choose between leveling up and their mods for the time being.

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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 shows off what the new class can do: puts the iconic Omnissian Axe in the spotlight
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Otherwise, the coop shooter has also shown a good understanding of its community. Just a few days later, they announced that they wanted to reverse an unpopular change: Space Marine 2 reverses changes because players complained about similarities to Helldivers 2

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

Microsoft Flight Simulator makes a crash landing on Steam – Loses about 40% of players in 2 days

Johanna Johanna Reading time 2 minutes

On November 19, 2024, Microsoft Flight Simulator was released. The game had massive launch issues, which are now reflected in player numbers and ratings on Steam.

Why is Flight Simulator losing players? Since its release, Flight Simulator has struggled with significant performance issues. There are long loading times and other bugs that prevent players from even getting into the game.

These problems have frustrated gamers, and although the game managed to reach over 24,000 concurrent players (via SteamDB), they have now fallen to around 9,900. That’s a drop of about 40% within two days.

You can get a first impression of Flight Simulator with this trailer:

Start video
Up in the Air in the Trailer for Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2024

Flight Simulator is the new leader in poorly rated AAA titles

Why is the performance so poor? The developers stated that they simply underestimated how many players actually wanted to play the video game. They had simulated the game with 200,000 players, but there were far more.

Therefore, it was necessary to limit how many players could enter the game: Player influx is said to be the reason for Microsoft’s new game failing on Steam

These are the consequences: The poor performance frustrates players. Flight Simulator 2024 now has over 4,000 user reviews on Steam, of which only 26% are positive, and the game receives the stamp of “Mostly Negative” from Steam (via Steam).

And the simulator is getting something else: The title for the worst-rated AAA title on Steam. The game now surpasses Overwatch 2, which had a similar launch on Steam in August 2023.

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It is to be expected that Flight Simulator will regain better player numbers and ratings with the next updates and patches. Sometimes developers also respond to negative reviews on Steam, as this example shows: Player writes negative review on Steam – receives the worst possible response from the developer

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

German Twitch streamers play Minecraft together, are totally excited when Gronkh suddenly appears on their server

Johanna Johanna Reading time 2 minutes

The Minecraft project “Craftattack”, which most of the German-speaking Twitch scene is currently playing together on one server, is attracting more and more streamers. Erik “Gronkh” Range has finally arrived on the server and is warmly welcomed by everyone, with some even feeling nervous.

What is Craftattack? Craftattack is a Minecraft project that has been taking place every year in the German Twitch scene since 2014. During this project, Twitch streamers build together on a Minecraft server, organize their own in-game events, and provide content for the upcoming weeks.

It’s the twelfth time this project has taken place. This year, there are 78 participants, including the following streamers:

  • Papaplatte
  • Trymacs
  • LetsHugo
  • HandOfBlood

New participants include:

  • MAXIMALSCHRADIN
  • mienah
  • Zarbex

Until now, Gronkh had not participated in Craftattack. However, that changed when he was invited as a guest to the server on November 20, 2024.

We introduce Gronkh in our video:

Start video
Gronkh, the man with the voice – Career and life of Germany’s most famous Let’s Player

Twitch streamers get nervous around Gronkh

Here’s how Gronkh’s visit went: In a clip on TikTok, Gronkh can be seen joining the Minecraft server for the first time. The Twitch streamer stegi gets nervous and whispers, “Oh my God.”

Immediately, many Twitch streamers currently on the server come to Gronkh’s spawn point and greet him enthusiastically. When he speaks his first words, everyone gets even more excited, and so does Gronkh, as his microphone finally works.

You can watch the entire clip here:

https://www.tiktok.com/@crafterhighlight/video/7439462041225563424

The scene perfectly demonstrates that even Twitch streamers who have built up a fanbase can still be fans of others. Within the YouTube and Twitch scene, Gronkh is a respected streamer.

Why do the streamers get nervous? Gronkh is one of the so-called “veterans” of the German YouTube and Twitch scene. He was one of the first Let’s Players to regularly upload content on YouTube.

Some of his most iconic videos were his “Let’s Shows”, where he showcased his self-built structures in Minecraft. These were so impressive that they attracted many viewers. A fanbase quickly formed around Gronkh.

Gronkh shaped the era of Let’s Plays and actively influenced it with his content. Many of today’s YouTubers and streamers took Gronkh as a role model back in the day. Meeting him in a project is clearly very exciting for some.

HandOfBlood and Gronkh in a game for the first time

According to Gronkh (via YouTube Shorts), a viewer writes in the chat: “Oh, boy, what? Gronkh and Hänno in a game. What a fever dream.” HandOfBlood can only agree: “Yes, true, I think that has never happened before.”

This is remarkable, considering that both content creators are among the biggest in the scene and both are also active in the gaming industry.

Here’s how the community responds: The community is also excited about the meeting of Gronkh and HandOfBlood:

  • zoningfrombelow (on YouTube Shorts): “How everyone goes crazy and gets nervous because Gronkh is here. It’s just too cool. It just shows how much respect Gregor Onkh deserves. The father of YouTube Germany.”
  • onepiecer8622 (on YouTube Shorts): “Crossover of the century”
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For many, a heartfelt wish seems to be fulfilled now that Gronkh is also part of Craftattack. Shortly after, Gronkh revealed a big secret about himself and the upcoming Minecraft movie: The new trailer for the Minecraft movie is here and everyone wishes for Gronkh as the voice – he has a surprise on Twitch

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

Post Malone is into a shooter from Frankfurt, has played it for 400 hours

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The 29-year-old musician Austin “Post Malone” Post is one of the most well-known rappers and singer-songwriters in the world. But he is also a passionate gamer. His favorite game is the horror shooter Hunt: Showdown 1896 (Steam, Xbox, PS4, PS5), developed in Frankfurt by Crytek and regarded as a favorite among many gaming connoisseurs, and now also as Post Malone’s favorite game.

How much does Post Malone play? When Crytek learned that Post Malone was a fan of their game, they collaborated with him and brought him in front of the camera for a video (via youtube). In a Q&A, he spoke with the Creative Director of Hunt, Scott Luster.

Post Malone says he discovered Hunt in 2023. A buddy got him into it:

You all did a great job – this is the best game! […] Whenever I’m on tour and can’t play, I miss it. I’ve spent 400 hours on it.

Post Malone on Hunt

Start video
Hunt: Showdown 1896 – Trailer for Ghost Face, the new hunter for the shooter on Steam

A game you have to get into

What makes the game appealing? The developers themselves know that their Hunt is a game you have to get into. The Creative Director says it takes about 100 hours for people to really understand and appreciate Hunt. What did Post Malone like so much?

He says that 100 hours weren’t enough to understand everything. He is still learning. But after 50 hours, he already understood the basics.

Post Malone particularly likes the feeling that you can hear where enemies are in Hunt. He loves hearing opponents behind walls and catching them. He is already looking forward, says Post Malone, to coming home and making a montage of his best kills.

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Is he a real gamer? It certainly sounds like Post Malone is fully into it. He says there are two ways to play: Either you camp, risk nothing, and go for a high KDA, or you take the risk of dying.

He plays hard, takes risks, and thus has a KDA of 1.21, which is very good for his aggressive playstyle. There is definitely a sense of gamer pride in him. He chats with the boss and, like any true gamer talking to a dev, complains about the balance: The Assassin is way too strong – it needs a nerf, the health points need to go down. Spoken like a true gamer.

How is this discussed? The big topic in the comments on YouTube is indeed that Post Malone sounds like a real gamer and this is clearly not a lame PR stunt, but Crytek really has a world star as an enthusiastic fan – which every player of the game somehow feels as personal validation that finding exactly that game cool is the right thing:

  • “This is one of the best interviews I’ve ever seen. You can tell he actually plays and thinks about the game.”
  • “Okay, you can REALLY tell that the man actually plays the game. The answers were so damn accurate and down-to-earth.”
  • “That Post Malone plays Hunt is like Henry Cavill playing Warhammer 40k.”

We have previously reported on US wrestler Randy Orton: Wrestler Randy Orton had to take a long break due to injury and became a hardcore gamer in Elden Ring

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

Player rush is said to be the reason why a new Microsoft game is failing on Steam

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The Aviator Edition of the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 costs 220 € on Steam and Xbox. But the reviews on Steam are devastatingly negative just a day after launch: Currently, only 18% find the game recommendable.

How bad are the reviews on Steam? The reviews of Microsoft’s flagship title are extremely poor on Steam, it’s a dark red “overwhelmingly negative”, only 18% give the Microsoft Flight Simulator, which was released on Steam on November 19, 2024, a positive rating – and some of these positive reviews are ironically meant:

The review with 913 ratings, claiming to be particularly helpful, already explains the problem:

Anyone having trouble logging in: Press Alt and Enter, then you’ll go into windowed mode and the cursor should appear.

A cynical review also receives positive feedback:

After an hour of loading screen gameplay, I can say: This is the most immersive loading screen I have ever seen.

Others add: The Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 runs just like its predecessor in 2020 terribly at launch.

Start video
Up in the Air in the Trailer for Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2024

Developers say: They simulated 200,000 players, but everything crashed anyway

What’s going on? Microsoft’s prestige game has launched terribly and there are numerous complaints: Loading times are way too long and there is a lack of content. Some players are stuck in the loading screen for hours. Additionally, certain airplanes are missing.

This is what the developers say: The developers say they knew many people were looking forward to the game, but they underestimated how many it actually was (via polygon).

They simulated that 200,000 people wanted to play, but still, the servers were completely overwhelmed on launch day. Therefore, they had to limit how many players could log in simultaneously. But then everything crashed.

The absence of certain airplanes is attributed to the fact that some people are shown the “critical systems”, but not the optional ones. This is not normal, but is also due to the server.

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Peak at release was about 25,000 simultaneous players

Are more than 200,000 people playing the game? According to Steamcharts, the peak number of simultaneous players was about 25,000 – this number does not account for how many players tried to log in to the game outside of Steam.

The predecessor version had nearly 62,000 players at its peak on Steam four years ago.

What do you get for 220 euros? There are mainly more airplanes and airports than in the standard edition. The Microsoft Flight Simulator is an example of a modular game, where you can continually purchase more gimmicks and parts. More expensive than flying is taking the train on Steam: 5 of the most expensive games on Steam – for virtual train rides you can pay up to 10,000 €

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

A horror movie from 2024 featuring Spider-Man’s best friend is currently number 1 on Netflix in Germany

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

New movies regularly appeared on Netflix, even just a few months after their theatrical release. These include many horror films that enjoy great popularity even in Germany. A new horror movie on Netflix is storming the charts and currently sits at number 1.

Which film is it? On May 16, 2024, Tarot – Deadly Prophecy was released in theaters. On November 18, 5 months later, the horror film was also released on Netflix. The film seems to attract many horror fans, as it is currently at number 1 in the German Netflix charts. Recently, there was also a Netflix film in the charts.

A group of friends is on a trip at an abandoned estate. As boredom sets in, the friends search the house and find some strange things, including a creepy tarot set, which they immediately try out. This, of course, leads to terrible events.

You can watch a trailer for the film here:

Start video
Tarot – Trailer for the horror movie where teens encounter a cursed game

Clichés and Cursed Objects

What kind of film is Tarot? Tarot is most reminiscent of films like Final Destination. In this case, it’s teenagers who are cursed. Their curses are based on the tarot cards they drew at the beginning of the film. The structure of the film then unfolds in a familiar way: interchangeable teenagers are pursued until they learn mystical backgrounds leading to a finale.

The jump scares and premises are quite familiar, and nothing new is attempted. Such things have always existed, recently with films like Truth or Dare from 2018.

There’s also no need to expect standout performances from the actors. They are okay, just clichéd teenagers. The most well-known actor is Jacob Batalon, who plays the funny stoner Paxton. He is best known as Ned Leeds, Spider-Man’s best friend in the Tom Holland films.

Apart from ghostly appearances, there are also monsters that remind one of the corresponding tarot cards.

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Ripped Apart by Critics, but Number 1 on Netflix

How was the film received by critics? Upon release, the film was ripped apart by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a score of only 17% based on 63 reviews. The audience response is slightly better. With over 250 reviews, the film has a mediocre 58% rating from users.

Despite the poor reception, the film was a success. With a modest budget of 8 million dollars, the film grossed nearly 50 million dollars (via Box Office Mojo).

Why is the film still popular on Netflix? Even though it sounds strange, horror films can also be comfort food. Especially when they cater to familiar clichés and narrative styles. Just like generic action films, there are also people who want to enjoy generic horror films. Those looking for light horror to watch on the side won’t go wrong with Tarot. Those who prefer harder horror films should check this out: 5 horror films rated 18 that are not for the faint of heart

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

12 Skills from LoL in Arcane You Can Only Discover If You Look Closely

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 4 minutes

The Netflix animated series Arcane is based on the game League of Legends, and you can see that not only through the characters. Many abilities from the game have made their way into the series. You just have to look closely.

Attention Spoiler: The following article contains spoilers up to Arcane Season 2 Episode 6. If you are not that far yet, you should read later.

What is Arcane? Arcane is an animated series on Netflix that started in 2021. Now, in 2024, Season 2 is airing. The series is based on the MOBA League of Legends and tells the story of Vi and Jinx, who are caught in a conflict between two cities.

As an adaptation of the game, there are naturally also details that players recognize. Examples include items or jungle monsters. The abilities from the game are also represented, you just have to look closely.

Arcane is among the most expensive animated series of all time:

Start video
How much Arcane cost

The Champions and Their Abilities

In Arcane, there are of course action scenes. The characters use various abilities that can be recognized by LoL players. Sometimes it is not even the champions who use the abilities, but their partners. Here are a few we list:

Caitlyn

LoL Caitlyn Splash Art

With Caitlyn, it is more challenging to deduce which abilities she is using. One can speak of her ultimate in terms of her accuracy. When she uses the ultimate in the game, the shot does not miss unless someone gets in the way. You can see this in Episode 3 when she aims at Jinx and Vi seemingly blocks the shot.

In Episode 6 of Season 2, we also see her E ability. This is a net that slows down the opponent. However, it is not used by Caitlyn, but by Vi when she takes out Ambessa with it.

Jayce

LoL Jayce Splash Art

During the first season, Jayce builds his iconic hammer. In the second season, he also uses it actively and we can see one of his abilities: the Q ability. In Episode 2 of Season 2, Vi grabs Jayce’s hammer and uses his ranged Q. A short time later, they use this ability together again.

Jayce can switch between ranged and melee combat with his ultimate. In Episode 5 of Season 2, he uses his hammer in melee against council member Salo, who is possessed by Viktor.

Later, he kills Viktor in Episode 6 of Season 2 with a ranged Q.

Jinx

Jinx-LoL

Jinx’s entire kit finds its way into Arcane. She uses her Q in the form of a minigun in Season 1 against the Firelights. In Episode 3 of Season 2, Jinx uses her minigun and the rocket version of Q against Vi. At the end of Season 1, she also uses her ultimate. She attacks the council of Piltover with a rocket.

Throughout the series, Jinx also uses several bombs. This reminds one of her E ability. If you walk into the bombs, they explode.

In Season 2, she frequently uses her W ability. This is her cannon, which has a Hext core inside. You can see this in her fight against Vander in Episode 5.

Her passive can also be seen in the series. In fights, Jinx is incredibly fast. This could represent her passive. If she takes down an opponent, turret, monster, or inhibitor or is involved in doing so, she gains movement speed.

Vi

LoL Vi Splash Art

Since Vi primarily fights with her fists, it is hard to deduce whether she is using abilities. However, through her Hex-Tech gloves, you can see steam escaping, which resembles the E ability.

In the fight against Warwick in Episode 5 of Season 2, you see Vi’s gloves glowing and she gives Warwick a strong uppercut. This could be interpreted as a Q ability or the start of her ultimate.

Viktor

LoL Viktor Splash Art

Since Viktor does not really fight in the series, we don’t see much of his kit. In Episode 4 of Season 1, Viktor and Jayce present Heimerdinger their new research with Hex-Tech. During this, Viktor shows a laser that strongly resembles his E ability. This is also a laser executed through an extra arm.

Warwick

LoL Warwick

We learn about Warwick’s new backgrounds in Season 2. His passive and his W are seen in Episode 4 of Season 2. Lured by Singed’s blood, Warwick sees only a red trail that he follows like an animal. In LoL, Warwick can sense enemies with low health and gains movement speed when hunting.

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Next Saturday, November 23, 2024, will be the grand finale of the series, and we’ll see if more abilities made it into the series. LoL fans have already spotted a champion in the last episodes: Arcane Season 2 has hidden a champion in Episode 5 that you can only recognize by their hairstyle

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. x.com
  2. League of Legends

The RPG Avowed Could Finally Fill the Gap Left by Skyrim

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 3 minutes

The new action RPG Avowed from Obsidian is set to be released in February 2025. For MeinMMO author Max Handwerk, the release cannot come soon enough after a first test.

To be honest, I hadn’t really had Avowed on my radar until now. I knew it was going to be a fantasy RPG from Obsidian, who created titles like “Fallout: New Vegas” and “The Outer Worlds” – two games that I enjoyed very much.

Nevertheless, Avowed had flown a bit under my radar so far. But that’s about to change. After getting to test the game’s beginning, I can hardly wait to play the rest.

This is what the game looks like in the trailer for Avowed, which was released earlier this year:

Start video
Avowed – The Combat System in the Trailer
When is Avowed being released? Avowed was initially scheduled for release in 2024, but has since been postponed to February 18, 2025. It will be released for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

In Avowed, you fight however you like

We start the game as a so-called “Godlike” sent by the emperor to investigate the rampant “soul plague.” However, we suffer shipwreck and wash up on a beach.

A new friend picks us up and assists us with advice and action. It’s the classics: “Here, your first weapon. Look, over there you can use a healing potion. Oh dear, enemies suddenly attack – quickly, we need to fight them back.”

It may not be surprising at first, but: It’s damn well executed. The world Avowed immerses us in glows with bright colors. The blend of beach, jungle, and caves completely captivates. We climb a wall, blaze a path through spider webs with flames, discover a prison, meet our first companions who help us – it’s action-packed.

Immediately, the game offers us a wide range of options. “Here you have a bow. And a spell book. And a mace. And a vine ability. This is how stealth works. This is how you attack from the front. There, try it with a shotgun. Or with a wand.” You can tell right away: In Avowed, from the start, there are an incredible number of options to shape your role.

Like in Skyrim, we can equip our two hands with different weapons and thus determine how the game unfolds. Whether sneaky assassin, furious warrior, or skilled battle mage: it’s up to you how you approach battles against the well-designed and varied enemies.

A magical world that you want to explore immediately

After finishing the prologue, we arrive at the docks of Dawnshore, the first real area in Avowed. It’s not an open world per se, but the area is large and offers, among other things, a coast and a forest area that can be freely explored.  I felt a bit like in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. You see a lighthouse, a mountain, or a cave in the distance and immediately want to check if you find something cool there.

There are also plenty of characters at the docks that you can talk to. This includes the first “real” companion of the game, Kai, who will actively support you in battles from now on.

Especially notable: The dialogues offer a variety of response options, sometimes determined by the class and backstory you choose at the beginning of the game. The texts shine with wit and a certain seriousness at the same time. You quickly realize: The world here is indeed haunted by the “soul plague,” which suddenly drives friendly citizens to madness – and no one really understands why that’s happening. Naturally, you want to uncover that.

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Skyrim left a gap – does Avowed fill it?

It’s been almost 13 years since The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim was originally released. I don’t know how many hours I invested in that game back then – but it was many. And even though I’ve played many great RPGs since then: No game has yet managed to fill that very specific niche that Skyrim established.

However, Avowed makes, at least in the first few hours, a strong impression on me that I absolutely did not expect. The gameplay resembles Skyrim due to the view and combat system, but it is faster. The world immediately pulls you in like Elder Scrolls – even though it has a very different mood than the snowy Skyrim landscape. And the first breadcrumbs that Obsidian lays out in terms of story make you crave more.

Additionally, there are “little details” that I liked right away. I love that I can make decisions in dialogues immediately that feel like they significantly impact the course of the game. Enemies fly through the air when hit by a heavy strike. The music in the game sounds good, just like the (English) voiced dialogues.  You constantly come across little places you want to explore to find a chest with valuable items. The spells look cool, and there are details like freezing water when you cast a cold spell on it.

Sure: I haven’t seen a ton of Avowed yet. But the first hours provide an entry that I would prefer to continue right away. And that, to me, is a very good sign for a new game. I am very curious what the game has to offer when it fully releases. February cannot come soon enough.

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

“Frustrating and Unfair” – Star Wars Outlaws Launches on Steam and Says Goodbye to Unpopular Mechanics

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

Star Wars Outlaws has not been the success Ubisoft desired so far. The role-playing game is set to release on Steam on November 21, 2024, and will change everything with a huge update.

Everything about the release on Steam: Star Wars Outlaws is slated to launch on November 21, 2024, after Ubisoft gave up its 5-year exclusivity. The Store Page on Steam is already live, but the game is not yet available for purchase.

However, with the launch on Steam, Patch 1.4 is also set to be released, addressing some of the biggest shortcomings of Star Wars Outlaws.

Start video
Star Wars Outlaws introduces the underworld of the galaxy

Players should be able to shoot their way through

What is set to change? One of the most important points is that Star Wars Outlaws will no longer force players to behave stealthily. Drew Rechner, the new Creative Lead of the game, admits in an update on the official website that the compulsion for stealth gameplay has not been well received by all players:

Restrictions in quests such as “Do not raise the alarm” or “Do not get caught” forced players into stealth playstyles, limiting their ability to choose whether to use combat or not.

The result was that some quests felt frustrating and unfair.

As a consequence, the forced stealth mechanics are now being removed. Sneaking around will still have its rewards and should be the preferred method in some cases. However, if caught, the mission will not fail and will send players back to the last checkpoint.

Much more, players should be able to seamlessly transition into combat and “shoot their way through” if they are caught.

What else is included? In addition to the revamped stealth missions, there are several other changes that the developers are highlighting, including:

  • Improved enemy AI and detection: Players will be notified when enemies notice them
  • Enemies have been given weak points to reward strategic gameplay. Targeting these can cause explosions or send enemies “to their demise in new, spectacular ways.”
  • Kays blaster has been reworked, and players should be able to use two-handed weapons in more situations
  • Facial expressions and animations in dialogue scenes have been improved

You can find the full patch notes on Steam.

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With the release on Steam, there is also the possibility to snag the sci-fi RPG at a bargain during one of the many sales. If you have been waiting for just this opportunity to play the game, we have the perfect starting guide for you: Star Wars Outlaws: 8 tips you should know before your start

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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Gamer challenges an internet billionaire to a 1v1 because he loses in Call of Duty – and is surprised

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

Most of you probably know it: You’re playing a PvP game like a shooter such as Call of Duty or a MOBA, and at the worst moment, your internet lags, and you die. Apparently, this also happened to a gamer who blamed an internet billionaire for it. But the investor’s reaction surprised him.

What’s behind the story? An angry gamer who goes by the username “JimmyBLLT” on X.com challenged internet billionaire Xavier Niel to a fight in front of a Lidl in Marseille, France.

In a post from May 20, 2024, the gamer wrote: “Xavier Niel, I hate you. I offer you a 1v1 in front of the Lidl on Rue Sainte in Marseille.” (via X)

Xavier Niel is a billionaire entrepreneur who founded the French internet provider “Free” and also holds shares in various operators, including the telecom subsidiaries in Monaco and Italy.

According to the online magazine Dexerto, the user later explained that he lost control when he got taken out in Call of Duty because he was lagging.

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Billionaire Surprises Gamer

How did the internet billionaire respond? To the surprise of the gamer, the billionaire actually showed up for the meeting and posted a photo on November 15, showing himself in front of the Lidl in question. Niel wrote, “I’m in.”

Twitter Screenshot Xavier Niel in front of Lidl in Marseille

In contrast to the billionaire, the CoD player did not show up for the meeting, which resulted in a lot of mockery on X.

The gamer himself had various explanations. In one comment, he wrote that Niel hadn’t even informed him that he would really come to the Lidl. In other comments, JimmyBLLT explained that he had been sick and had a fever.

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Maybe the gamer should have challenged the billionaire to a 1v1 in Call of Duty instead, as it would likely have been easier to find a time when both were available and not feverish. Alternatively, he could invite tech billionaire Elon Musk to play Diablo 4: Elon Musk sets new record in Diablo 4, is now practically the best player in the world

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

World of Warcraft: The War Within – All Information on the 2025 Roadmap

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The upcoming plans for World of Warcraft have been revealed. The year 2025 is packed with new content. Here you can read about what to expect.

During the Warcraft Direct stream on November 13, 2024, Blizzard spoke in detail about the future of World of Warcraft. Not only was the Housing feature finally announced after 20 years, but the roadmap for 2025 was also presented. This shows what changes will take place in The War Within in the coming months.

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All content of the WoW Roadmap 2025

What are the contents of the 2025 roadmap? In 2025, new content will continue to roll out rapidly:

  • Still in winter, Patch 11.1 titled “Undermined” will be released – this will take players to the Goblin metropolis Undermine. It includes new depths, a new dungeon, and an 8-boss raid against Gallywix.
  • In spring, 11.1.5 will be released, bringing the new content “Nightfall,” along with a revamp of the Horrific Visions from Battle for Azeroth.
  • Also in spring, Patch 11.1.7 will come with new quests.
  • In summer, the major Patch 11.2 will arrive. A new raid, new dungeon, new challenges in the open world, and world events await.
  • The summer will then end with the official announcement of “Midnight.”
  • In autumn 2025, the “Epilogue” of the story will follow, namely patches 11.2.5 and 11.2.7. These will likely lead directly into the next expansion.
WoW Roadmap 2025 The War Within
The roadmap for the year 2025 – packed with content.

Will there be a patch in 2024? Yes, because strictly speaking, the roadmap includes not only 2025 but also the end of the year 2024. In December – a week before Christmas – Patch 11.0.7 will be released, providing new content over the holidays.

You can read all about the contents of this patch here: WoW shows new content patch – brings new island with a big puzzle

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The future of The War Within

Will the story of The War Within be completed? Whether the story of The War Within will conclude with Patch 11.2.7 is still not entirely clear – however, it looks that way.

What comes after The War Within? If Blizzard maintains the rhythm of “Dragonflight”, it would mean that we are likely to see another expansion in the “Remix” variant by the end of 2025, before the Midnight expansion (hopefully) arrives at the beginning of 2026. However, Blizzard has not yet made any concrete commitments, so currently, only a look into the crystal ball helps.

In any case, the year 2025 will be quite filled for fans of World of Warcraft. Players can expect a lot of content throughout the year and should be well taken care of – whether they like dungeons, depths, or raids. Perhaps there will even be a little time left, so that WoW finally becomes a bit more accessible to newcomers.

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

One of the original voice actors leaves The Simpsons after 35 years, but not without one last tradition

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

The Simpsons are an essential part of the television landscape. To this day, new episodes of the beloved family can be regularly viewed. But now, there is a significant change in an important cast member, which also affects several characters.

What is The Simpsons? The Simpsons premiered on December 17, 1989. The animated series is inspired by classic sitcoms and parodies social or pop culture themes in many episodes, and it has been doing so for 35 years.

In addition to the titular family, there are also countless other important characters who have been present since the beginning of The Simpsons. One of them even appeared before the actual series started, but fans of the original will soon have to adjust, as Milhouse is getting a new voice.

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Already Bart’s Friend Before the Series

What happens to Milhouse? Milhouse Van Houten is Bart’s best friend, who has been around since before the actual start of the series in 1989. In a promotional clip titled The Butterfinger Group, Bart’s school friend made an appearance in 1988, when The Simpsons were still short segments on Fox.

In the regular series, he became a constant companion to Bart, even getting his own episodes. In the original, he is voiced by Pamela Hayden. According to Games Radar, she is retiring after 35 years. She voiced not only Milhouse, but also smaller supporting characters such as Jimbo Jones, Rod Flanders, Malibu Stacey, and Sarah Wiggum. In a statement regarding her departure, she said:

The time has come for me to hang up my microphone, but how do I say goodbye to The Simpsons? Not easy. […] It has been an honor and a joy to work on such a funny, witty, and groundbreaking series.

Pamela Hayden on her departure from The Simpsons (via The Hollywood Reporter)

Before her farewell, there is a tradition. Hayden will make her last appearance as the English voice of Milhouse in a new episode of Treehouse of Horror. This is an annual tradition in which The Simpsons parody famous horror movies or stories in short tales. Afterwards, a replacement will be sought.

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In German, Milhouse is voiced by Michaela Amler, who has been doing so since the first episodes. Do you watch The Simpsons in German or in English? Let us know in the comments. Some characters are important, even though you never see them: Five characters from The Simpsons appear for only a few seconds but are more important than one might think

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Why you should definitely wait to buy a graphics card on Black Friday

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 2 minutes

Black Friday entices with great deals in the PC and hardware sector. However, it may be worth waiting before making a purchase. Because in a few weeks, new hardware could be revealed.

Graphics cards and processors are very expensive. Little surprise that many gamers want to seize the opportunity on Black Friday to save some euros when buying a new graphics card or other hardware. However, it may be worth waiting until January 2025 to make the purchase.

Because with the CES 2025 in Las Vegas, new hardware will be introduced, and then prices will drop again.

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New products will be introduced at CES, and old ones will be discounted

The following date is important: From Tuesday, January 7, 2025, to Saturday, January 11, 2025, CES will take place in Las Vegas. Every year at CES, important products in the hardware and tech sector are introduced. There are already rumors that Nvidia will reveal its next generation of graphics cards (RTX 5000) at CES in January 2025 and that the first cards will be released shortly thereafter.

Why should one wait? When new models of a product come to market, the old products are usually discounted to make room for the new stock. This means that sellers often offer significant discounts to clear their inventory. We reported on MeinMMO that Nvidia is already preparing for the launch of the “RTX 5000” generation.

This means: It is quite certain that new graphics cards will be introduced and enter the market in spring. By spring at the latest, the prices for graphics cards should drop. Because if many gamers are waiting for the release of the new graphics card, the inventory will not be cleared. And sellers will then try to address the situation with discounts.

What else should one consider? Additionally, some sellers increase their prices shortly before Black Friday to make their discounts look better on Black Friday. The website Janado.com warns about such fake bargains.

This makes it all the more important to compare prices around Black Friday. Use websites like Geizhals.de, Idealo.de, or tools that show you price changes. Generally, Geizhals.de and other websites help quickly determine if there are truly good deals (“best prices”) or just inflated offers.

A tool that shows you instantly how good deals on Amazon really are has also been presented in more detail on MeinMMO.

Who should buy a graphics card? Do you urgently need a graphics card because yours is broken, or are there other reasons that make the purchase of a graphics card necessary? Then you should be able to find a decent deal for yourself on Black Friday.

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Are you looking for the best graphics card for gaming in 2024 or just searching for a good upgrade for your gaming system? MeinMMO presents the best and recommended graphics cards for gamers: The best graphics cards in gaming for every budget in 2024

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