The first knife from Counter-Strike 2 was created back in 2003 – Forged by Gabe himself

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

Knives in Counter-Strike 2 are nothing extraordinary today, even though they remain expensive. A knife from Counter-Strike 2 was personally created by Gabe himself.

How was Valve in 2003? Long before Valve became a globally successful video game company, the company was in a deep crisis in 2003. In the early 2000s, the company was embroiled in a legal dispute with Vivendi over the rights to Half-Life and the sale of the Counter-Strike mod for Half-Life in Asia without Valve’s consent.

The legal battle was costly, and so the company tried to find a publisher for Counter-Strike 2 to secure new funding, otherwise bankruptcy was looming. After a deal fell through just before closing, then-COO Scott Lynch did everything possible to find a saving deal.

He succeeded just in time, and with the new funds, Valve could continue to fight the legal dispute until the end. Ultimately, they regained full control over their games. The deal for Counter-Strike 2 was crucial for the first knife of CS2, which came from none other than Gabe Newell himself.

Here you can watch the trailer for Counter-Strike 2:

Start video
Counter-Strike 2: Valve once again impresses with the launch trailer

A Knife to Celebrate the Deal

What does a legal dispute have to do with a CS2 knife? Valve’s head Gabe Newell is a fan of knives, as he has demonstrated multiple times in the past (via www.geekwire.com). As early as 2003, he enjoyed crafting blades and engraving them as gifts.

To celebrate the successful conclusion of the deal, the Valve head also forged a knife. It is engraved with “Counter-Strike 2.” The knife not only bears the inscription like the game’s logo but also features a little character carrying a drawn weapon.

The knife, intended as a gift for the occasion of the deal, has not been lost to this day. It is shown in the documentary (via YouTube) on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Half-Life. Here you can see it:

The knife with the 'Counter-Strike 2' engraving.
The mentioned “Counter-Strike 2” knife

Why did the team need 20 years until the release of CS2? What the developers then envisioned as Counter-Strike 2 was later called Counter-Strike Source. The actual Counter-Strike 2 was therefore released in 2004. It wasn’t until September 2023 that Valve finally released Counter-Strike 2 as a direct successor to Counter-Strike Global Offensive. 

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Later, the publisher that saved Valve with the deal also decided to back out. However, due to the strong sales of Half-Life 2, the company was able to quickly regain the rights to Counter-Strike 2 this time. Only then could they even rename the game, which also contributed to why CS2 did not come out in 2004. Recently, however, there was no last-minute rescue for a CS2 streamer: German Twitch streamer founds a team in CS2, fails just before the hoped goal

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

German YouTuber banned in CoD: Black Ops 6, says his buddy is to blame

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 3 minutes

The German YouTuber “Haptic” can only play against cheaters in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and a friend of his is to blame.

Who is it about? It is about the German YouTuber and CoD expert Cem Gülken aka Haptic/ HapticRush.

  • Haptic has over 889,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel HapticRush and regularly achieves over 250,000 views with his videos.
  • On HapticRush, he primarily discusses Call of Duty, most recently of course Black Ops 6.
  • Haptic has been playing Call of Duty since Black Ops 1 and regularly shows in his videos and streams that he has become an expert over the years, playing the shooter at a high level.

In a video on his YouTube channel, Haptic explains that he can only play against cheaters in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 since he lent his account to a friend.

Update, November 19: In a new video from November 19, Haptic reported that he has been unbanned in Black Ops 6 and can now play normally on his account again.
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CoD Black Ops 6: Prestige explained – Is it worth it?

Haptic in a lobby with spoilsports

Why can he only play against cheaters? Haptic tells in a video that he received a so-called shadow ban in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. However, this ban only affects the main account of the YouTuber, so he can still play normally on other accounts.

A shadow ban differs from a regular ban. After a shadow ban, you can continue to play Black Ops 6 – but only against other players who also have a shadow ban.

These are primarily cheaters and players who were mistakenly banned for cheating. So, in Black Ops 6, he only encounters players who are considered cheaters and spoilsports.

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A friend is to blame for the ban – not the nephew

Why was he banned? According to the YouTuber, he bears no responsibility for his ban. He lent his account to a friend to play. However, the friend is much better than the YouTuber, which is why the anti-cheat system thought he was cheating when a performance boost was suddenly noticed on the account.

In the video, Haptic also explains that the friend is banned on his own account as well. He had earned camos (weapon skins) and therefore performed below his level for a while. When he had all the skins, his performance increased, and the system thought he was using cheats – just like with Haptic’s account now.

Furthermore, Haptic emphasizes that he was not banned for reverse boosting / for nephew accounts – that is, for influencing matchmaking by playing poorly on an account to get into lobbies with worse players.

You can watch Haptic’s video here. We have included a timestamp for the explanation of the ban:

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YouTuber HapticRush explains in the video why he was banned in CoD Black Ops 6.

Can’t he ask Activision to unban him? The ban shows that even Haptic, as a big CoD YouTuber, is not protected from penalties. He himself says in the video that he has contacted Activision, but there is no “whitelist” – that is, a ban can really hit anyone. So he remains banned for the time being.

Overall, false bans are currently a major topic in the Black Ops 6 community, which is being widely discussed on social networks. A post on Reddit collected over 800 upvotes and about 400 comments, for example. Many players write in the comments that they received a shadow ban without cheating.

Just in October 2024, an exploit was fixed that caused a lot of false bans in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone. To provoke a ban, malicious players only needed to type a few simple words: Call of Duty fixes exploit that banned you when malicious players typed 2 words in the chat.

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

Viewers of 7 vs. Wild trigger police operation due to their misunderstanding of a rule

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 3 minutes

Although the current season of 7 vs. Wild has already been filmed, viewers continue to try to explore the series’ filming location. Now, series creator Fritz Meinecke is addressing the viewers with a clear message.

Which rule are we talking about? The fourth season of 7 vs. Wild was recorded about six months ago in New Zealand. The property in New Zealand is privately owned and is otherwise used for hunting, unless seven German-speaking influencers and survival experts are camping there for 14 days.

The exact location where the filming took place was found by fans before the broadcast, so the address is no longer a secret.

However, trespassing on the property is prohibited, as Fritz Meinecke repeatedly emphasizes. On-site, warning signs also indicate that the property is privately held and that hunting is actively taking place there. Additionally, the property is fenced. Therefore, anyone who enters knows exactly what they are doing. Nevertheless, viewers keep trying to reach the filming location.

One of the participants in this year’s season of 7 vs. Wild is LetsHugo. Here you can learn more about the streamer:

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He dropped out of school because streaming was more important to him – The success of LetsHugo

Police have to remove viewers

Why did the police respond? Because hunting is actively taking place on the property, entering it is very dangerous. As Fritz Meinecke explains in an Instagram story, viewers have been coming onto the property repeatedly for weeks.

As proof that fans of the series have once again entered the property, he shows a picture of two strangers sitting next to the candidates’ self-built shelter.

Every time someone enters the property, the owner, his family, or his employees have to apprehend the trespassers. Meanwhile, the police are called, who will likely remove them from the property or even become involved in apprehending the viewers themselves.

Despite the clear prohibition, it happens repeatedly, triggering corresponding police operations.

A fence at the edge of the private property in New Zealand where 7 vs. Wild was filmed.
Fence delimiting the private property, along with a warning sign in front of an active hunting area.
Photo via Maps

Fritz Meineke speaks about disrespect and massive damage to the project

What does Fritz Meinecke say to the viewers? Fritz Meinecke is quite upset, especially since this is not an isolated incident. Because the rule is repeatedly broken, resulting in police intervention every time, he directly addresses his fans.

He also points out that entering is dangerous and that the viewers are harming the project:

It is massively disrespectful to the owner who gave us this unique opportunity. You’re just screwing things up and don’t realize how much you are harming and sabotaging this project. […] Find a nice hike nearby to enjoy nature. But please turn on your brains for once. Are you not aware that you are harming @7vswild with such behavior?

Fritz Meinecke on Instagram (via Reddit)
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For those involved, this could also have legal consequences. If someone refuses to leave the premises after being asked to do so or even returns, fines of up to 1,000 New Zealand dollars (approximately 550 euros) or 3 months in jail are possible according to the law (via communitylaw.org.nz).

The candidates from 7 vs. Wild have not been on site for months, and the series itself is coming to an end soon. One of the participants of 7 vs. Wild was feeling really bad in New Zealand; now he explains what happened: “Had hellish pain” – LetsHugo reveals how bad it really was for him during 7 vs. Wild

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

Destiny 2: Servers Down for Patch 8.1.5 – All Patch Notes and Information

Christos Tsogos Christos Tsogos Reading time 2 minutes

Destiny 2 is shutting down its servers today, November 19, for a small maintenance. The servers will therefore be unavailable for a few hours. You can find out when the maintenance starts and what is in the patch notes from us.

Update, 6:15 PM: The update is now available for download and is 753.6 MB on PS5. The patch notes are also available and can be found here on the bungie.net page. After the download, you can log in again. We wish you a pleasant evening!

This is what you need to know today: Today marks the start of Act 2 of Episode: Revenant with update 8.1.5. Many changes regarding ultimates will be implemented to lighten the current meta. For this reason, Bungie is shutting down its servers. We are accompanying the downtime and will provide you with the most important information now.

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Destiny 2: The launch trailer for the new episode ‘Returners’

Maintenance on November 19 – All times for the server down

These times are important today: Bungie informs its players on x.com about the exact downtime. It is planned for the servers to be unreachable for 1 hour and 15 minutes today.

This is the schedule for the maintenance:

  • At 3:30 PM, background maintenance starts on all platforms.
  • At about 4:45 PM, the servers will go offline. Players will be automatically kicked from the game.
  • At 6:00 PM, the shooter is expected to be online again and you can log in again.
  • The maintenance will continue in the background until 7:00 PM.
This is to be considered during downtimes: As long as background maintenance is ongoing, there may be connection issues in the game. Additionally, there may be login queues occasionally because Bungie gradually releases access to the servers to avoid problems due to high server load. Therefore, you may have to wait longer until you are back in the game.

Also, keep in mind that third-party applications as well as the official companion app may also not be properly accessible for a while, so you cannot use them.

What changes with the new update in Revenant

The following problems are known: There are also many issues that players have complained about in The Final Shape. Bungie has noted some, but it is not known which of them will be resolved (via bungie.net). However, the following bugs could be addressed:

  • Gunpowder gambling prevents the activation of the healing effect “Facet of Remedy” for the Hunter-Prism focus.
  • Gunpowder gambling prevents the activation of the weapon perk “Adrenaline Junkie” for the Hunter-Prism focus.
  • The IX-shell can glow extremely bright with certain shaders.
  • The exotic rocket launcher Double-tailed Fox does not receive elemental weapon surge armor mods.
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Patch notes for the update on November 19 in Destiny 2

What does the patch notes say? A complete overview of all fixed issues and improvements will only be available tonight or in the afternoon after the update goes live.

We will update our article and provide you with the link to the patch notes. Because it is possible that the patch notes may change later or be corrected by Bungie.

Patch notes for patch 8.1.5 (EN)

These are currently all the information about today’s update. If there are unforeseen changes, we will of course keep you updated. So feel free to check back. Until then, we recommend this article on Destiny 2 on MeinMMO: Bungie listens to the Destiny 2 community, bringing a special armor for fashion fans soon

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

The 7 Best Movies with Bruce Willis in the Ranking

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 4 minutes

Bruce Willis is an actor who became an action star in the 1980s through the movie Die Hard. However, he has not only starred in action films. MeinMMO shows you his 7 best films in the ranking.

How was this list created? The following list is a ranking of his 7 best films. The only relevant factor was that Bruce Willis must have a lead or significant supporting role in the film. Small cameos do not count.

This list is based on the opinion of MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes. If you would like a different movie on this list, feel free to let us know in the comments.

At this point, one must also mention Manfred Lehmann. In most films with Bruce Willis, he voices the star in the German version, and he does it fantastically. In the early films, he perfectly conveys the charm, but also the sadness and anger into German.

[toc]

Honorable Mentions

  • Sin City by director Frank Miller (2005)
  • Armageddon by director Michael Bay (2005)
  • Moonrise Kingdom by director Wes Anderson (2012)
  • Die Hard 4.0 by director Len Wiseman (2007)

7. Looper

Release: 2012 | Director: Rian Johnson

Start video
Looper – Trailer for the Time Travel Action Movie with Bruce Willis

What kind of film is this? Loopers are employees of dubious gangster organizations who travel back in time to get rid of unpleasant people before crime technology is modern enough to analyze such things. But the evidence about the loopers themselves must one day disappear.

What makes Looper so good? Time travel stories are usually a complex topic that can often go wrong. Looper takes such a story and constructs a fun action film that deals with the question: What happens when I meet my old self?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pages: 1 2 3 4

26-Year-Old Nominated for Streamer of the Year on Twitch – Claims She’s Just the Token Woman

Lydia Lydia Reading time 3 minutes

Emily “Emiru” Schunk (26) is nominated in 2 categories at the Streamer Awards, an event for content creators on Twitch. However, she is not thrilled about the nomination and even wants to boycott the event.

What kind of streamer is she? Emily “Emiru” Schunk started her career with League of Legends and cosplays. She is now a variety streamer who belongs to OTK, the gaming organization of Asmongold: The 26-year-old often makes her male colleagues look quite old with her cool demeanor there, especially Mizkif (via youtube).

On Twitch, Emiru has already been one of the biggest female streamers, a status solidified by the departure of former big names like Pokimane and Amouranth. The analytics site Streams Charts ranks her as the female streamer with the most viewers on average for the last 30 days.

This success likely contributed to her receiving 2 nominations at the Streamer Awards, a major event organized by Twitch streamer QTCinderella. Emiru is nominated in the categories “Streamer of the Year” and “Just Chatting,” but she can’t find any joy in it.

In Germany, these female streamers would likely have been nominated:

Start video
3 German Twitch streamers you should know

Streamer hints that more lies behind the nomination

What’s the problem? In a stream, Emiru complains that she was not nominated in the “Sapphire” category for women and marginalized genders. Instead, she has been included as a “quota woman” in two other major categories.

She believes: In the category where she could win, she was not nominated. Instead, she competes as a quota woman against men in 2 other categories, only to lose there.

The Twitch streamer finds it “a bit strange.” She hints that there might be a reason for this decision, before announcing that she does not wish to attend the event. She appears visibly upset. You can check out the situation here:

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Link to the Twitch content

What could be behind this? Allegations arise at the Streamer Awards that it is an event for QTCinderella and her circle of friends. Streamers outside this “bubble” are said to be disadvantaged. This is a similar discussion to one that was held here regarding the German equivalent of the Twitch streamer Reved.

It seems that Emiru’s nomination in these categories was a strategic calculation to ensure that she does not win any award.

  • The record streamer Kai Cenat is considered the clear favorite for the title “Streamer of the Year.” He has won at the last two ceremonies. Emiru likely has little chance here. She and some viewers seem to believe that she was only nominated to have a woman in the selection.
  • In the “Just Chatting” category, Emiru also competes against Twitch world champion Kai Cenat and her OTK colleague Nmpol. One user even suggests that the two OTK streamers were purposely placed in the same category so that their fans would split between them, and neither would win (via X).

On Reddit, users mention that Emiru has already received heavy criticism on X for her nomination. Should she actually win against the male streamers, she might have to fear even more backlash, claiming that she only won because she is a woman.

In 2024, a woman already won the title of “Streamer of the Year” at the Esports Awards. However, this attracted critics who claimed the streamer was preferentially treated because of her gender: 26-year-old defeats 9 men in the election for Streamer of the Year – Asmongold complains: “Only because she is a woman”

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Even before Emiru’s announcement that she did not want to attend the Stream Awards, QTCinderella had commented on the criticism of her event: 30-year-old leads important award ceremony on Twitch and everyone complains about her – Now she speaks plainly

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
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“I love this sweet, unadulterated nostalgia” – Retro game fan creates setup from legendary Nintendo hardware and DVD player

Gerald Wessel Gerald Wessel Reading time 2 minutes

A visit to a used electronics store led to the revival of a legendary console on a highly unusual screen.

What did the retro fan put together? Reddit user Joshisnot12 visited a local used electronics store. There, he discovered, as he posted on Reddit, a portable DVD player with an integrated screen. By itself, this is nothing particularly unusual, but what piqued his curiosity were the connections. Because they not only allowed the player’s video signal to be transmitted to an external display but also input one as well. That gave him an idea.

Fortunately, he found the necessary cables for his spontaneously conceived project just a few shelves away. At home, a legendary gaming console from Japan came back to life on the special screen.

Speaking of DIY: Students created something dystopian from a META glasses, a PC, and an AI: a spy glasses. We present to you the project, which aims to highlight the dangers of technology, in article form. You can watch the accompanying video directly:

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A special monitor, even for an NES

Which console did he connect? Joshisnot12 connected the portable DVD player to a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). And it actually worked. He can now play classics like the Mega Man 2 shown above or other games like the oldest parts of the Mario series on it. The display appearing bluish in the picture is, by the way, actually black according to him.

I love this sweet, unadulterated nostalgia

Joshisnot12, Reddit

Can I recreate this? Theoretically yes, you only need an NES console, which can be found for under 100 euros on platforms like Ebay. Portable DVD players can sometimes be found on the same site for less than 20 euros. However, you need to ensure that the screen has the correct input or you have a corresponding adapter to use the old outputs of the NES.

Portable DVD player and NES
Here’s what the Reddit creator’s setup looks like. Image source: Reddit, joshisnot12

On Reddit, the project is getting plenty of love. While only a few are interested in such a niche project, for them it is the epitome of exemplary retro:

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Far more than just DIY has a resourceful technician from the northern USA done. He was finally fed up with his slow internet – and so were his neighbors. He set out to become the leading internet provider in the region: Frustrated with his Internet provider, he built his own network – Today he is a competitor to his former provider

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LoL: Favorite for the World Championship title lost against Faker, now they are bringing back his biggest rival to finally become world champions

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In League of Legends, the team T1 with Faker has won the World Championship in the last two years. Their South Korean rival Gen G. does not like this at all. For 2025, Gen G. has supposedly managed to keep the core of the team, with exception players like Chovy and Canyon. But for 2025, they will still be upgrading: According to reports, Ruler is returning. He is supposed to replace the super talent Peyz (18) after the young South Korean underperformed at Worlds 2024.

This is the rivalry between Gen G. and T1: The Gen G. team managed to stop T1 and Faker in the final of Worlds in 2017, back when they were still called Samsung Galaxy, and spoil their 4th World Championship. Faker cried back then – the images went around the world.

This final defeat is still considered the biggest setback in Faker’s legend. For years, T1 has not been able to celebrate major successes.

Also in recent years, Gen G. dominated the Korean league LCK after acquiring exceptional players like Chovy and Canyon. Gen G. has become champions 4 times in the last 6 seasons, defeating T1 on 4 occasions.

But internationally, Gen G. has disappointed so far and has not been able to make an impact. In 2024, they lost 0-3 in the semifinals of Worlds against T1. Although the team is considered high-talented, they apparently could not withstand the pressure on the international stage.

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The Life of Faker – Why He is a Living Legend

Gen G. reportedly keeps Chovy for 2025 – Builds new Botlane

This is how Gen G. is supposed to play in 2025: All player contracts at Gen G. expired on November 18, and the team currently has no one in the roster.

According to a report from a South Korean site (via sportsseoul), Gen G. has managed to extend the contracts of 3 players. Sportsseoul reported this on November 18:

  • Mid laner Chovy (cover image) – “Our Lord and Savior” is considered by many to be the best LoL player in the world right now, but in the semifinals of the Worlds, Faker showed him his limits
  • Jungler Canyon came from DAMWON Gaming and was a brilliant partner to Showmaker.
  • Top laner Kiin also allegedly stays in the club.

Additionally, they reportedly want to recruit ADC Ruler, one of Faker’s biggest rivals.

The open position would then be the support player, provided the current support Lehends leaves the club. Allegedly, they want to count on the South Korean Duro, a 22-year-old who has yet to make a big name for himself in LoL.

This “2017 Worlds Finals – Ruler” line haunted Faker for years:

lol-faker-ruler

Who would leave? If this is true, the 18-year-old Peyz would leave Gen G. He was considered one of the biggest talents in LoL overall. But apparently, Gen G. has decided not to rely on youth, but on experience. Ruler is 25 and an experienced player. He last played for 2 years for JDG in China.

In addition, Gen G. would part ways with Lehends.

Support as Gen G.’s Achilles’ heel?

How is this being discussed? On reddit, players are actually more concerned about the popular supporter Lehends leaving than about Ruler returning. With all the stars, Gen G. is probably too expensive to afford a strong support player like Lehends.

Here, there are fears that Duro could prove to be a weak point in the team.

But fans also say soberly: Gen G.’s bot lane of Peyz and Lehends disappointed at Worlds. And at this level, South Korea is ruthless and does not grant a second chance.

Currently, none of the signings have been confirmed, but transfer rumors in LoL from these sources have often proven true, leading to discussions of these rumors as if they were facts.

If Ruler returns to Gen G., he would be back with his “home team”. Ruler played for many years for the South Koreans, and a significant part of his legendary rivalry with Faker developed here. LoL: 2.3 million watched the battle between the 2 best teams in the world – Viewer record at MSI

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

Sony is reportedly looking to buy the company behind Elden Ring – Their stock immediately jumps to a new all-time high

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

Elden Ring was one of the biggest hits of recent years, and the DLC Shadow of The Erdtree also thrilled many players again. According to a recent report, gaming giant Sony wants to buy the company behind FromSoftware and Elden Ring.

What is it about? As reported by the website Reuters, Sony is currently in talks with the company Kadokawa Corporation. According to the report, it seems that Sony wants to buy the Japanese company. Kadokawa is a large Japanese company that holds many shares in other firms.

Among them is also FromSoftware. The Kadokawa Corporation holds 69.66% of FromSoftware. Sixjoy Hong Kong owns 16.25%, and the remaining 14.09% belongs to Sony. According to Reuters, Sony declined to comment on the reports. Kadokawa said they cannot comment.

The potential purchase has already had a significant impact on Kadokawa, as their stock has risen to an all-time high.

Start video
Elden Ring introduces the boss enemies of the DLC

How has Kadokawa’s stock changed? On the website companiesmarketcap.com, you can see that reports of a possible purchase have already had a large impact on the market value of the Japanese company.

The stock rose by 22.99% from one day to the next to a value of 3.25 billion US dollars, which is just over 3 billion euros.

The company not only holds shares in FromSoftware but also in countless other firms. Besides video games, the company is also active in books, movies, and anime.

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The potential purchase of the giant could therefore be expensive for Sony. However, it would also secure major shares of FromSoftware, with which they could also have exclusive games. With Bloodborne, an exclusive PlayStation game from FromSoftware was released in 2015, which many fans still wish for on other platforms today.

Whether the purchase will actually happen will likely be known in the coming weeks. Sony is not averse to expensive purchases. In 2022, the publisher also bought the Destiny studio Bungie. Nowadays, they are rather dissatisfied with the purchase: Destiny 2: Sony allegedly considers the purchase of Bungie a failure, is angry at “greedy bosses”

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

Chaos on Steam: A German law is to blame for the sudden disappearance of games

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 2 minutes

Players on Steam have noticed that their wishlist has suddenly changed. This is due to a new law that has come into effect.

What is happening with the wishlists? Several users have noticed: Games on their Steam wishlist are disappearing or being partially hidden. On Reddit, those who have noticed this have spoken up. Among them are two German posts – and this is no coincidence.

Because the current phenomenon of games disappearing from Steam is related to a German law that has been in effect since November 15, 2024.

On Steam, there are quirky titles, such as Supermarket Together, with MeinMMO editor Jasmin Beverungen relaxing from everyday life. Here you can see the trailer:

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Supermarket Together: The Trailer for the Simulation on Steam

Age rating is mandatory

What does the law state? In spring 2024, it was announced on Steam, and now the regulation has come into effect: All games offered on the platform must have an age rating starting from November 15, 2024.

A game receives this either through a USK assessment or through Steam’s integrated rating system itself. In the latter case, developers must answer a detailed questionnaire. This can identify sensitive content. According to Steam, community feedback also plays a role in the rating.

Only once a game undergoes the assessment and receives an age rating, is it allowed to be sold in Germany on the Steam store – which, by the way, does not mean that it belongs to you forever.

The regulation applies not only to new games but also to old ones. However, developers can also retroactively request ratings – and must do so if they want to remain in the German store.

This explains the disappearance of some titles that have not yet undergone any assessment.

According to Steam, around 23,000 games are still unassessed. Some of them were probably on the wishlists of the Reddit users and have disappeared for this reason.

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What do the players say about this? On Reddit, users are informing about the new law. However, some also make jokes: “Welcome to Germany,” summarizes killmissy the situation.

Valve has early on, as early as March 2024, drawn attention to the upcoming law. The company is urging developers to contact them via the questionnaire and to obtain the rating. Therefore, it is possible that some of the disappeared games will reappear on Steam. A user recently made an interesting discovery: After 18 years, a gamer discovered that Steam still saves his save files from Half Life 2

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

PS5 Pro: All compatible games that might be worth the upgrade

Benedikt Schlotmann Benedikt Schlotmann Reading time 3 minutes

For which games is an upgrade from the PS5 to the new PS5 Pro even worth it? MeinMMO lists all known games for you.

The PS5 Pro costs nearly 800 euros at launch and is even more expensive with a disc drive. This is why many are rightly asking what the upgrade to the PS5 Pro could actually be worth.

MeinMMO lists all the games that are officially supported by Sony and are therefore known. We are updating our list as more games are announced for the PS5 Pro.

Update: The article was first published in September 2024. On November 19, 2024, we added more games, including Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Lost Islands, and Morels The Hunt 2. In total, we added 6 titles.

Latest updates: 19.11.24, 18.10.24, 09.10.24, 25.09.24, 12.09.24
Start video
Sony releases the official reveal trailer for the PS5 Pro

PS5 Pro: List of all currently known games

Which games are supported by the PS5 Pro? Sony lists in the official blog post some games already, and we have added more through our own research. We have sorted the games alphabetically for you. The current status is October 9, 2024, 4:30 PM:

  • Alan Wake 2
  • Apex Legends
  • Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
  • cyubeVR (PSVR 2)
  • Demon’s Souls
  • Diablo 4 and Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred
  • Dragon Age: The Veilguard
  • Dragon’s Dogma 2
  • Dwarf Journey
  • Dynasty Warriors: Origins
  • Empire of the Ants
  • Enlisted
  • F1 24
  • Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
  • Fortnite
  • God of War Ragnarok
  • Gran Turismo 7
  • Hogwarts Legacy
  • Horizon Forbidden West
  • Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
  • Kayak VR Mirage (PSVR 2)
  • Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
  • Lies of P
  • Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
  • Lost Islands
  • Madden NFL 25
  • Marvel Rivals Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
  • Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
  • Monster Hunter Wilds
  • Mortal Kombat 1
  • Morels The Hunt 2
  • My Little Universe
  • Naraka: Bladepoint
  • No Man’s Sky
  • Outbreak: Shades of Horror Chromatic Split
  • Off the Grid
  • Pro Baseball Spirits 2024-2025
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • Redacted
  • Resident Evil 4
  • Resident Evil Village
  • Retrieval
  • Rise of the Ronin
  • Rogue Flight
  • Silent Hill 2
  • Spine: This is Gun Fu
  • Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
  • Star Wars Outlaws
  • Stellar Blade
  • Subside (PSVR 2)
  • Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown
  • The Callisto Protocol
  • The Crew Motorfest
  • The First Descendant
  • The Last of Us Part 1
  • The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered
  • The Midnight Town Stories: Adam’s Diary
  • Towers of Aghasba
  • Until Dawn
  • Unreal Kingdoms
  • Warfame
  • Warhammer 40.000: Darktide
  • War Thunder
  • Wolverine
  • World of Warships: Legends
  • WW1: Isonzo

According to Sony, there are still more games that will be supported by the PS5 Pro. However, no additional games are mentioned. The supported games should include both first-party games from Sony and so-called third-party titles. So, games that come from other developers.

Note: We will update the current list of supported games as soon as more information regarding the PS5 Pro becomes available.

Can I play normal PS5 titles? Yes, you can play all PS5 games on the PS5 Pro. You will also benefit from the higher performance of the new console on the PS5 Pro.

Can I play PS4 games on the PS5 Pro? Yes, the PS5 Pro also supports backwards compatibility like the original PS5. Sony speaks of “more than 8,500 backwards compatible PS4 games” that can be played on the PS5 Pro.

Do I have to pay extra for the “PS Pro Enhanced” upgrade? No, the upgrade is included for free with all games. If you own a PS5 Pro and the corresponding game, you can directly benefit from the additional advantages. All “Enhanced” titles support the new PSSR technology.

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More about the PS5: Sony’s console is now over 3 years old. But is it still worth buying a PS5 in 2024? MeinMMO discusses the pros and cons of the Sony console and explains what to consider if you are thinking about a purchase: Is it still worth buying a PS5 in 2024?

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

HandOfBlood says he is bringing 2 Twitch streamers into his pro team for LoL, fans go wild

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

The influencer HandOfBlood runs a leading team in the German League of Legends with Eintracht Spandau. In spring 2024, they even became European champions in LoL. However, now, on November 18th, they have announced the signing of two Twitch streamers: supposedly Trymacs and Chefstrobel will play for Eintracht in 2025. Some fans are outraged on Twitter: This is unfair competition.

This is the news: On November 18th, Eintracht Spandau announced that they have signed Twitch streamers Trymacs and Chefstrobel as part of the new squad for 2025 (via X).

The mission “EMA Masters 2.0 starts now” – they are aiming to win the European championship again. The title was first won in April 2024.

Apparently, the two are supposed to play together with the Twitch streamers and former professionals PowerOfEvil (Midlane) and Broeki (ADC).

According to Chefstrobel, he will either play in the top lane or as a support in the main squad. Trymacs will be a substitute player (via Twitch):

Start video
Everything you need to know about the LoL team Eintracht Spandau – in 4 minutes

Fans criticize unfair competition

What is the reaction? Some fans who take this seriously are angry with Eintracht Spandau for the news. There are furious comments:

  • “What a downfall, man. Who is doing your PR? How can you recruit a sexist son of a b***h like Strobel into the team.”
  • “If this is true, you should be reported for unfair competition.”
  • “Please say this is a joke”

HandOfBlood comments in his role as “President Knabe”, that the signing cost them “half a fortune”. They believe that this signing can make a difference in their sporting operations.

handofblood-title

President Knabe criticizes professionals as “low-reach losers”

Is this a joke? Yes, it appears to be a satirical PR stunt by HandOfBlood and Eintracht Spandau. This is also evident from the fact that HandOfBlood does not comment as “HandOfBlood”, but as “President Knabe”, his quirky parody of Uli Hoeneß. Whenever Knabe takes on this role, everything he says is meant to be satirical and exaggerated.

Almost simultaneously with the signing, it was announced that Eintracht Spandau has brought in top-laner Pride as a new “serious player”; Lilipp is expected to return in the support position. This was reported by sheepesports), and they are usually right on such “transfer rumors”.

Together with PowerOfEvil in the mid-lane and Broeki in the ADC position, Eintracht Spandau would then have 4 players with professional experience in 2025, whereas likely Broekmann would be a weak link, but not as significant a weak link as Trymacs or Chefstrobel.

President Knabe dismisses the report from the e-sports site as “a false lead” that they have laid for the sleazy journalists. The two professionals are “low-reach losers”.

knabe

“Why is that Bronze Olaf 10:1?!”

This is what it’s all about: Trymacs and Chefstrobel are both well-known Twitch streamers who play LoL as a hobby. The two create entertaining content from their LoL games. Most of the time, they insult each other and belittle one another.

Trymacs even made it to the ZDF Magazin Royale with a loud rant about a “Bronze Olaf”:

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Eintracht Spandau wants to focus more on entertainment in 2025, but not like this

The alleged signing of the two has a serious background: Eintracht Spandau has indeed announced that they want to tone down their sporting ambitions for 2025 and focus on players who want to create content. Because winning the European championship practically brought them nothing. They only earn money from content, not from sporting success.

By “players who value content creation more,” they apparently meant former strong LoL professionals like PowerOfEvil, who are at the end of their careers and switching to Twitch.

lol-powerofevil
He will probably be the cornerstone of Eintracht Spandau: Midlaner PowerOfEvil.

Players like Trymacs, who only play LoL as a hobby, would indeed be unfair competition in the Prime League. The whole “signing” can probably be seen as a PR stunt. Perhaps Trymacs and Chefstrobel will become content creators for Eintracht Spandau – they probably won’t be on the roster: In LoL, HandOfBlood’s team is now replacing a key player with a Twitch streamer (33)

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

Players believe that the Gaming Oscars changed their rules so that Elden Ring could win again

Lydia Lydia Reading time 3 minutes

The nominations for this year’s Game Awards 2024 are causing discussions among gamers. For the first time, a DLC could become Game of the Year. This means that Elden Ring could receive the prestigious title almost 3 years after its release. Not everyone is happy about this.

What is the situation? On November 18, 2024, the nominations for the “Game Awards” were announced. This is one of the most important awards in the gaming industry, basically the Oscars of gaming.

Just before the nominations were announced, the Game Awards confirmed that this year, for the first time, DLCs could also receive the coveted title of “Game of the Year.” Now, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, a remake and a DLC, are nominated. In particular, the latter is causing discussions. Elden Ring already won the award in 2022 at the release of the main game.

You can find all the nominees for the Game Awards here on MeinMMO.

The DLC for Elden Ring was almost as extensive as a full game – but is that enough for a nomination as Game of the Year?

Start video
Elden Ring: All weapons and spells from the echoes of the DLC bosses

Players say: As if “The Godfather” won an Oscar in 2001

Here’s the discussion: Gamers are divided on whether Elden Ring with its DLC deserves the title of “Game of the Year.” There is a thread on Reddit with over 1,000 comments discussing the rule change.

In particular, the fact that Shadow of the Erdtree is the only DLC receiving this special treatment so far has led to frustration. It feels as if this rule was introduced just to nominate Elden Ring again.

Others argue that DLCs have always been able to be nominated for important categories like “Best RPG.” The rules haven’t changed; rather, it has been confirmed that they also apply to Game of the Year.

Many users believe that a separate category for expansions would have been a better solution. This way, the achievements of developers behind DLCs could be acknowledged, without overshadowing entirely new games.

One user writes, “[It’s], as if you nominate the DVD release of ‘The Godfather’ as Best Film in 2001.” The Godfather originally hit American theaters in 1972 (via Reddit).

In another thread, a user explains why he is against the nomination of DLCs for Game of the Year: “[…] Even if it’s big enough to be considered a standalone game. If I need a base game to play it, it shouldn’t be considered a standalone game.” (via Reddit)

However, another user states: If your own game loses to a DLC, then you probably deserve to lose. He is, however, downvoted by the community (via Reddit).

Remakes, DLCs and Live Service – When is a game a game?

Some fear that the nomination of a DLC could open the door for the nomination of live-service games. Then the same game could win Game of the Year multiple years in a row.

The discussion shows that there is fundamental disagreement about how to handle different types of games at the Game Awards. For instance, the Cyberpunk expansion Phantom Liberty was not nominated for Game of the Year last year, but did secure “Best Ongoing Game.”

This also caused frustration, as live-service games, which actually receive new content continuously, were overlooked, while Cyberpunk wrapped up with Phantom Liberty. However, it is now believed that Elden Ring could have been nominated in this category instead.

Now it’s your turn! Here you can tell us what you think about this year’s DLC nominations. Do you think the nomination is justified and wish for Elden Ring to win? Do you find the nomination of DLCs acceptable but not enough to win? Or are you completely against it?

In the following survey, you can select the option that suits you best. Feel free to leave a comment sharing your thoughts on the nomination of Elden Ring.

When will the Game Awards 2024 be awarded? The Game Awards will be held on Friday, December 13, 2024, between 01:30 – 05:00 AM. In Germany, that is in the middle of the night. The nominated games will be announced beforehand.

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While Elden Ring thrilled critics and players at the time, opinions on Shadow of the Erdtree are much more divided. MeinMMO’s Soulslike expert Christos Tsogos looked into what this could be about: Testers love it, but fans complain – Why are the opinions on the DLC for Elden Ring so far apart?

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

Pokémon TCG Pocket: 5 Counters Against the Best Decks

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 3 minutes

Good counters help against the strongest decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket. To give you the best chance against the S-tier decks built by players, we’ll reveal 5 good counters.

How do I best win against the strongest decks? With each new booster wave, new Pokémon cards come to TCG Pocket. Each time, the tier list of the best decks can change, which players use to build their own decks. Therefore, it’s important to be well-prepared against these decks.

MeinMMO presents you with counters you can use to generally win against particularly strong decks. This way, you are not dependent on the current tier list, and you can always be in the top position.

[toc]

You can find the currently best decks from Pokémon TCG Pocket in the following video:

Start video
Here are the 3 best decks for Pokémon TCG Pocket!

5 counters against the best decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket

1. Combination of Arbok and Smogmog / Tauboss against a strong opponent

If you face a deck that relies heavily on a strong Pokémon, you should aim to send that Pokémon back to the bench. Such a deck could be, for example, the one using Mewtwo-ex. Even more important is ensuring that the Pokémon doesn’t come back in the next round.

That’s why it’s advisable to include Arbok as a counter in your deck. Arbok has the ability that prevents the opponent from switching their active Pokémon in the next round. To send the opponent’s strong Pokémon to the bench, there are two options: You can either include Sabrina in your deck or rely on Tauboss, which can also send opponents to the bench.

In combination with Smogmog, which can poison the active opposing Pokémon once per round, you’ll quickly wear down the opponent.

2. Dragoran as a damage dealer against multiple opponents

Alternatively, the opposing deck may consist of several Pokémon that are strong against you. For example, the Pikachu-ex deck, which also has Zapdos-ex as a strong opponent. In this case, it may be more beneficial to build around Dragoran.

Dragoran deals 50 damage four times. Which Pokémon gets hit by the damage is random. This way, you can also hit Pokémon on the bench and eliminate them before they even make it to the battlefield.

3. Rossana as a counter against many energy counters

Some decks like that of Articuno-ex combined with Misty rely on having as many energy counters as possible right from the start. Mewtwo-ex can also quickly accumulate many energy counters when supported by Gardevoir.

In such decks, Rossana is invaluable. The Pokémon has the ability to deal an additional 20 damage to the opponent for each energy attached to it. This can quickly accumulate to a huge amount of damage, defeating the opponent.

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4. Ditto copies everything – really everything

Ditto is perhaps the simplest secret weapon, defeating opponents with their own weapons. The Pokémon requires the same amount of energy that the opponent’s attack requires. If you have gathered the energy on the bench, you can switch in Ditto and copy the opponent’s strong attacks. Mewtwo-ex would thus be knocked out with a Psychic Drive.

However, Ditto has a significant drawback: you must have the same energy as the opposing Pokémon. If you have assigned a different element, the attack unfortunately does not work.

5. Using weaknesses is always a good idea

And a general tip: Use elements in your deck that are considered weaknesses against the currently strongest decks. This way, the chance of encountering a specific element type that you can easily deal more damage to is high.

Additionally, certain effects like paralysis from electric Pokémon can help keep opponents in check. So study the currently best decks and look for their weaknesses.

There’s a trick that allows your friends to know what you have in your boosters even before you do. This proves that it doesn’t matter which booster pack you take from the selection. The evidence for this can be found here: Pokémon TCG Pocket: Your friends can know before you do which cards you have in the booster

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

Play Pokémon GO today at 6:00 PM, don’t miss the Spotlight Hour

Max Handwerk Max Handwerk Reading time 2 minutes

The spotlight hour in Pokémon GO today is worth it. There is a good bonus and the chance to catch a rare Pokémon.

What is the spotlight hour? The spotlight hour is a weekly event that takes place every Tuesday. It starts at 6:00 PM and usually features a specific Pokémon in the spotlight. This Pokémon appears everywhere for one hour.

What’s special about today: Instead of just one Pokémon, there are two of them this week that will be featured during the spotlight hour.

  • Wadribie
  • Teddiursa

What bonus is there? In addition to the two Pokémon, you’ll also receive double Stardust tonight. This creates a combination that you shouldn’t miss.

Start video
Pokémon GO shows the new season ‘Dyna-Maximum’ in the trailer

Spotlight hour is worth it because of Wadribie

Why should I catch Wadribie? There are two reasons for this. First, Wadribie is a special Pokémon: Only its female variant can evolve into Honweisel. This version is very rare and hardly appears in the game. Since many Wadribie will appear tonight, you have a much better chance of catching a female specimen. And maybe you’ll even be lucky and catch a Shiny – but the Shiny rate is not increased.

Second, Wadribie is among the Pokémon that give you more Stardust than normal Pokémon. This, combined with the doubled Stardust bonus, practically guarantees that you’ll collect a lot of Stardust tonight. And it’s always worth it because you need it, among other things, for leveling up and learning new moves.

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In addition to Wadribie, Teddiursa is also out and about. This can also be worthwhile since it can evolve into Ursaluna via Ursaring. If you still need Teddiursa or candies for evolution, today is your chance.

Are Wadribie and Teddiursa strong? Only to a certain extent, as they and their evolutions are really not suitable as raid attackers. The same applies to Wadribie and Honweisel in the PvP combat league; there are simply better options. But at least Ursaluna, Teddiursa’s final evolution, is good for battling in the Master League. However, you will need a lot of candies for that.

Additional raids at 6:00 PM: Not only is the spotlight hour running at 6:00 PM today. Thanks to the current event, “On to Adventure,” there is also a raid hour at the same time tonight. From 6:00 to 7:00 PM, Anego will appear in almost every gym. The poison attacker is also a good catch. And in the coming days, there will be even more legendary raid hours.

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

GTA 6 can surpass Red Dead Redemption 2 in one area, says a former Rockstar Games developer

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

With Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar Games achieved a highly acclaimed masterpiece in 2018. Nevertheless, GTA 6 could enhance one of the biggest strengths of the action game even further.

There are many things that Red Dead Redemption 2 (short RDR2) does really well. An exciting story with emotional turning points, strong characters with clear life goals, and of course the immersive, always vividly alive open world. The ratings of RDR2 on Metacritic speak for themselves: 97 on PS4, 97 on Xbox, and 93 on PC. However, a former developer believes that GTA 6 could be even better than Rockstar Games’ “Wild West” game with a feature.

The world of GTA 6 could become even more vibrant

What could make GTA 6 better? Former Rockstar employee and GTA developer Ben Hinchliffe states that GTA 6 could have an even more vibrant and immersive world than Red Dead Redemption 2.

In an interview with IGN, Hinchliffe says that NPC behavior was a major aspect in the development of RDR, as the various people in the towns should be even more realistic. Overall, the game’s world should feel more like a “living, breathing world” because the towns are smaller and have a low population density.

Based on his experiences in game development, Hinchliffe believes that GTA 6 could even surpass the cowboy epic in this regard: “From a theoretical standpoint, and if you have the budget and team size, I see no reason why you couldn’t have the [Red Dead Redemption 2]-level of NPC interaction in a much larger game.”

Start video
Rockstar Games shows GTA 6 for the first time in the trailer

Who made the statements? Ben Hinchliffe is a game developer who worked at Rockstar Games from 2009 to 2022. There he contributed to games like GTA 5, L.A. Noire, and Red Dead Redemption 2 (via MobyGames). For GTA 5, for example, he was responsible for creating activities in the open world.

Today, he is the lead designer at the English game developer “Just Add Water Development,” which specializes primarily in the development of virtual reality. They are behind games like Sniper Elite VR and Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality.

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Ben Hinchliffe has recently shared his assessment of the current development status of Grand Theft Auto 6. He suspects that most of the development work is already completed and reveals what he believes Rockstar Games is currently working on with GTA 6: Former developer of GTA 6 explains which phase the game is currently in

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

One of the best role-playing games on Steam gives you godlike powers in the latest update and a reason to experience the story again

Ody Ody Reading time 3 minutes

An already very extensive role-playing game on Steam is getting even bigger with its latest update. In addition to a revised legend path, there are also new story content that could make replaying worthwhile.

Which game is being talked about here? Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a role-playing game in the style of Baldur’s Gate 3, but with real-time combat instead of turn-based tactics. The game is based on the pen-and-paper RPG Pathfinder and was already released in 2021 on Steam. Since then, it has been fed with plenty of new content and DLCs.

On Steam, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous has a “very positive” rating, and MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus is also a big fan of the role-playing game. He explains why in the following article:

On November 18, 2024, the developers Owlcat Games released a “Game of the Year” edition that includes all expansions for the game. In a final content update, the legend path of the gold dragon will also be expanded.

You can watch the trailer for the GOTY edition of the game here:

Start video
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous – Trailer for the ‘Game of the Year’ Edition on Steam

Better effects and abilities for the endgame

What are the legend paths all about? Legend paths are a specialty of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. These paths provide divine powers and unique interactions later in the game. Additionally, they can have an impact on the ending of your game.

One of the legend paths in the game is that of the gold dragon. This path allows you to become the gold dragon or a corrupted version of it yourself. With the update, you can expect visual improvements as well as new abilities and story moments that come along with the path.

Here is a brief overview of some of the innovations in update 2.5:

  • New spell effects and animations for the gold dragon and a unique look for the corrupted version
  • A new legendary spellbook with a total of 10 new spells (some of them with corrupted versions)
  • 10 new legend features to enhance your dragon breath 
  • New domain and blessings to provide bonuses to dragon followers early in the game
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Two new dragon religions for the main story

To better integrate the legend path of the gold dragon into the story, two new dragon religions are available at character creation: Apsu and Dahak. These are of interest to all those who wish to follow this legend but do not want to commit to one of the two dragons.

Instead of focusing on a major quest, the developers wanted to emphasize a “high level of reactivity” in this case (according to Steam). Additionally, with the wisdom of the gold dragon, “two well-known characters can unexpectedly be led onto the path of good and redemption” – which ones they are, the developers do not reveal.

If you want to lead a new character onto the path of the gold dragon, now is the best time to do so.

No new mechanics or story content are planned for the future, by the way. According to the developers, the game is now complete.

We may also implement some quality-of-life improvements. However, we have no further plans for new mechanics or story content. So if you were waiting for the game to be complete… it is now!

Owlcat Games, Steam

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is just one of 14 role-playing games on Steam that the MeinMMO editorial team can still recommend to you in 2024. If you want more recommendations, you can find them in our list of the 14 best role-playing games you can play on Steam.

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

EA FC 25 Patch Notes: Title Update 5 is here, improving passes and goalkeepers – All new features at a glance

Thomas Dummer Thomas Dummer Reading time 2 minutes

Since November 19, the next update for EA FC 25 is available. The new adjustments improve some passes and the behavior of goalkeepers. On MeinMMO, we show you all the information about Title Update 5.

What kind of update is this? Title Update 5 is the next major overhaul for FC 25 regarding gameplay, various modes, and audio/graphics in general.

The update is available on PS5 with a size of about 1.5 GB. It focuses on improvements regarding passes and goalkeepers but offers even more changes.

For which consoles is the update coming? The update will be released for all platforms except the Nintendo Switch:

  • PC
  • PS4, PS5
  • Xbox One (S), Xbox Series X|S
Start video
EA SPORTS FC 25 | Official Deep Dive into Gameplay

Better passes and goalkeepers: Here are all the new features

In a Trello, EA Sports has listed all changes in Title Update 5. The new features of the update are divided into changes and fixes.

Gameplay

Change:

  • on crosses, the ball can now land slightly further ahead of the receiver

Fixes:

  • Ground passes sometimes landed behind the receiver
  • Ground passes taken during free kicks did not always reach the receiver
  • Lob passes were less accurate than intended
  • Instead of a cross, a lob pass was executed (only Rush)
  • Goalkeepers sometimes could jump higher than intended
  • Improved decision-making by goalkeepers during saves near the goal line
  • Improved positioning of goalkeepers for shots from close range
  • Improved goalkeeper logic when clearing a ball (only Rush)
  • The defensive line sometimes dropped too deep when the opponent controlled the ball
  • Central and defensive midfielders occasionally dropped too deep
  • Tackle inputs were not registered
  • Headers were less accurate than intended
  • Ball physics for contested shots and clearances revised
  • Special moves in contested situations are now more effective
  • Special moves near the sideline were not executed
  • Referee logic for advantages and penalties (both Rush) and offsides (11vs 11) improved
  • A wrong injury animation could sometimes play (only Online)
  • Player substitutions did not function as intended
  • Substitution logic improved (suggestions from assistant AI and CPU AI)

Ultimate Team

Fixes:

  • User interface for the progress of an evolution could display incorrectly
  • Stability issues during transitions from transfer market to SBCs were resolved

Clubs

Change:

  • Before Rush games, rank and club victory points are now displayed

Fixes:

  • It was sometimes too easy to earn high game ratings in Rush

Career Mode

  • Occasionally, agencies could demand a lower salary for their player when they transfer to a club

General, Audio, and Graphics

Change:

  • Game faces, jerseys, stadiums, celebrations, and cosmetics have been added
  • Audio and commentary have been updated

Fixes:

  • Incorrect placeholder texts and user interface elements have been corrected
  • Various stability issues have been resolved
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With this, you have all the new features at a glance. How the respective changes will be noticeable in the game will be shown in the coming days. With the improved passes, a Spanish right-back could now become even more valuable: In EA FC 25, there is finally a defender who can also play strong passes, and it costs only 20,000 coins

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

Some models of the PS5 Pro are hotter and louder than others – Here’s what it’s about

Claudio Niggenkemper Claudio Niggenkemper Reading time 2 minutes

The PS5 Pro impresses with strong performance, but different fan models lead to mixed experiences. Users report high noise levels, annoying whistling sounds, and heat development.

What exactly is the problem? Some PS5 Pro owners find that their consoles are louder than expected. On resetEra, X and Reddit, experiences with Sony’s new high-end console are being compared. Initial impressions show that different fan models from manufacturers Delta Electronics and Foxconn are installed – with varying results.

Some users find the Delta fans louder, while others perceive the Foxconn models as more annoying. There is also disagreement on whether the PS5 Pro dissipates heat worse depending on the fan model or if it’s just poorly positioned.

Start video
Sony releases the official reveal trailer for the PS5 Pro

How does this manifest in practice? Measurements from GamePro found that the PS5 Pro reaches a noise level of 37 decibels under full load directly next to the console and 28 decibels at a distance of two meters. For comparison: 30 decibels corresponds to quiet whispering.

However, some users on Reddit and resetEra report a high-frequency whistling that is perceived as disturbing depending on individual sensitivity. This is referred to as coil whine. Coil whine occurs when components vibrate due to current flow, producing a high-frequency sound. This high frequency is mainly associated with the fan model from Delta.

Poorer heat dissipation due to the different fans is not clearly verifiable, contrary to some opinions. The PS5 Pro generates up to 220 watts of waste heat under full load, as tests from PCGH show. This heat is dissipated from the underside and the back. Since the fans are nearly identical in design, it is rather unlikely that the heat production of the PS5 Pro depends on this.

Foxconn or Delta? It’s a matter of luck

What does this mean for buyers? The different fan models turn the purchase into a bit of a gamble, where buyers don’t know which model is installed in their console and what noise development to expect. Some users have therefore ordered two PS5 Pros to reduce the risk.

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Link to the Reddit content

On YouTube and Reddit, you can now find many videos and comparisons showing and testing the various fan models of the PS5 Pro. The tech YouTuber frankyfife has, for example, disassembled both fans and compared their design, and on Reddit, someone describes their experiences with both model variants.

This means you can listen in advance to how loud or high the sounds of the individual models are and consider whether that would bother you. It is important to note: Everyone perceives sounds differently. What is hardly noticeable to one person may be extremely annoying to another.

Are there solutions or recommendations? Currently, there is no official way to identify the installed fan model before purchase. Regarding the heat development of the PS5 Pro, sufficient space is the most important factor – especially if it is placed in a closed TV cabinet. If the ventilation paths are blocked, the temperature inside the case rises, leading to more intense and louder cooling. The official stand by Sony also slightly hinders air circulation at the bottom, according to PCGH, but you should definitely avoid completely blocked ventilation paths (e.g. by objects).

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Sony’s latest high-end console has a significant advantage over previous models. What Nvidia has already demonstrated with DLSS, the PlayStation can now also do with the so-called PSSR. Sony’s AI-supported technology scales lower resolutions to higher ones. You can read how this works and what it effectively changes here: What is PSSR? The new technology of the PS5 Pro explained

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Titelbild via Unsplash
  2. VICE
  3. resetEra

Baldur’s Gate 3: A player has looked through all 13,000 mods – Here are his top 10 recommendations

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 4 minutes
Update from 15.04.2025: Today, Patch 8 goes live in Baldur’s Gate 3. Most mods will be prepared for Patch 8 in the coming days and weeks. If you want to continue using your mods without complications, it is best to stick with Patch 7 for now.

One person has sifted through all 13,000 mods for Baldur’s Gate 3 and discovered a few real gems. We reveal which ones they are.

Since Baldur’s Gate 3 was released, a lively modding scene has developed. Here, small add-ons are continuously released that change certain details in the game. These can be additional clothing items, an increase in the maximum party size, or even new spells and abilities – what can be changed is virtually unlimited.

However, sifting through all the mods can be exhausting. Luckily, neither you nor we have to do it – because one player has taken on the task for all of us.

Start video
Baldur’s Gate 3 is 1 year old and to celebrate the creators share your dirty secrets

What did the player do? LaserLotusLvl6 posted in the Baldur’s Gate 3 Subreddit about having looked at all 13,000 mods for the game. He went through the entire list from top to bottom and took a look at all of them at least once. In doing so, he found some adjustments that he believes deserve a little more attention.

10 Mods for Baldur’s Gate 3 that hide among the thousands

Which mods does he recommend? Ultimately, LaserLotusLvl6 installed a whopping 192 mods that drastically change Baldur’s Gate 3. Many of them are well-known classics that we have also shown you in our article on the 10 best mods for Baldur’s Gate 3. However, he also selected 10 mods that ran a little “under the radar” and are therefore worth a closer look. We present the mods to you in short:

Karlach’s 4th wall break dialog restoration

This mod allows a specific dialog with Karlach to take place again – as it is currently not available in the game. With this mod, you can experience a scene in which Karlach breaks the fourth wall and recognizes the player on the screen.

Link to download on Nexus Mods

Increased Font Size

A mod that allows you to adjust the maximum text size. This is especially helpful when playing on distant screens (like a TV).

Link to download on Nexus Mods

Easycam BG3 Camera Toggle AHK Script

A small mod that allows you to not hold down the middle mouse button for automatic camera movement (which can become uncomfortable during longer sessions).

Link to download on Nexus Mods

Piercing Improvements – Physics

A mod that changes the physical properties of piercings (like earrings) so that they are affected by movements and, for example, swing a bit or tilt downwards when the character is lying down.

Link to download on Nexus Mods

Shorter Staves

This small extension reduces the length of staves in the game. This ensures that the beautiful ends of the staves are visible in cutscenes – as they usually extend beyond the screen and you can only see the shaft.

Link to download on Nexus Mods

Barrelmancy

Barrels in Baldur’s Gate 3 are powerful, especially when they contain explosives. However, only a limited amount can be found in the game – not with this mod. Because then every character learns the spell “Barrelmancy” and can summon barrels to blow up your enemies (and bring some PCs to their knees).

Link to download on Nexus Mods

Restored Homely Clothes

With one of the latest patches, the “casual clothes” in Baldur’s Gate 3 were changed. They now shine and shimmer as if they were permanently wet or made of latex. This small mod reduces the light effects and makes them look like proper fabric clothes again.

Link to download on Nexus Mods

Astarion sometimes has strange facial expressions – this can be fixed.

Astarion Unusual Smile Animation Replacer

Astarion suffered in the last patch – his facial features are sometimes significantly more extreme. He grins widely, and a gentle smile is hardly seen from him. This mod fixes the issues and ensures that the vampire appears friendlier again – at least when intended.

Link to download on Nexus Mods

Furreaky Friday

A mod that allows you to customize the body hair of all races more significantly. You can choose to remove many hairs – or even give hair to races that otherwise have none. Elves with beards, for example.

Link to download on Nexus Mods

Halo Master Chief Armor and MAC5 Assault Rifle

This mod allows you to roam Faerun as the Master Chief from Halo. Together with his assault rifle, with which he normally hunts the Covenant or Flood. No critical questions. Just smile and nod.

Link to download on Nexus Mods

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Note that not all of these mods are available on consoles. Only a portion of them is currently available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series.

Surely these adjustments aren’t for everyone. Some are simply silly, others unnecessary from some perspectives – but for others, they can significantly enhance the enjoyment of the game. Do you have any other mods that are not so well known and in your opinion deserve a closer look? The developers have already presented some as well.

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