A YouTuber builds a Steam Machine from an old mining motherboard. The performance is surprisingly good, yet there are some hurdles that the YouTuber has to overcome. This is mainly due to the very specific mining hardware.
What exactly did the YouTuber use? ETA Prime relies on an ASRock BC-250 for his build. This is a special module that consists of a partially defective PS5 chip. The defective chips were then reused in such mining devices. In contrast to the fully functional PS5 chip, the partially defective variant is about 25% slower.
ETA Prime explained in his video that “ASRock BC-250 boards” can be purchased on eBay for prices between 100 and 120 US dollars. A current sample shows us that prices are currently somewhat higher. Today, you’re more likely to pay 150 to 200 US dollars when looking at prices on eBay excluding shipping costs.
However, since he cannot install SteamOS on the device due to very specific requirements, he used Bazzite. This is a Fedora-based distribution that resembles Valve’s own SteamOS.
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Valve presents the Steam Machine in the new trailer
Cyberpunk 2077 with 60 FPS on medium details at Full HD
How fast is the device?
Left 4 Dead 2 at maximum settings with 150 FPS at Full HD
Spider-Man 2 ran at about 60 FPS at Full HD and medium settings with FSR on “Balanced”,
The Witcher 3 ran at about 75 FPS at Full HD and high settings
Forza Horizon 5 ran at about 80 FPS at Full HD and medium settings.
Cyberpunk 2077 also achieved an average of almost 60 FPS at Full HD and medium settings.
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Can you replicate it? In principle, you can easily buy an Asrock BC-250 used over eBay or other platforms and connect it to a monitor. However, there are some hurdles before you can actually use the device as a proper gaming PC:
The graphics drivers currently only work on Linux; Windows is not supported.
You need both a special case and custom cooling, as the cryptocurrency mining module does not run with conventional hardware.
Some users, for example, on Reddit, criticize the high power consumption at idle and the very slow M.2 slot.
You need a special BIOS to even use the mining card as a gaming system.
ETA Prime had to update the BIOS to a custom version himself for it to work as a gaming computer.
Update 1.15.0 für ARC Raiders ist draußen und bringt das neue Event „Shared Watch“. Alle wichtigen Änderungen findet ihr hier bei uns in den deutschen Patch Notes.
What is this update? On February 10, 2026, at 11:00 AM German time, Patch 1.15.0 for ARC Raiders was released. This includes new cosmetic items as well as the event “Shared Watch” and is 1.3 GB on Steam. What changes and what patch notes you can expect, you can find here in our overview.
Select a MMO video…
ARC Raiders: Patch Notes for Update 1.15.0
What do the patch notes say? The patch notes indicate 2 major innovations that you can enjoy over the coming days:
The event “Shared Watch” focuses on PvE and rewards players who dive into the ARCs together with other Raiders. There is a new outfit for your protagonist as a reward.
The map situation “Cold Snap” will sporadically rotate and make your Raiders shiver again. Additionally, there will be Candleberries to collect, which are not tied to an event. If you want to have fun, you can also throw snowballs at your enemies or friends.
On the second page, you will find all important patch notes translated into English. To the original list, you can go here via the following link: arcraiders.com.
In addition to the event, there will also be further updates that you can expect in ARC Raiders. What these are and what the roadmap for 2026 will bring you, you can find here in our overview: ARC Raiders: Roadmap 2026 – All information that is known
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The shiny hunt has become a whole new kind of game for many Pokémon fans, adding another major challenge that can eat up hundreds of hours. Even a fan who completed a shiny collection for years, which does not relate to the monsters of the game, would agree.
What makes shinies so unusual? In the shiny hunt of player @Noa_Kyogre, the fan is not trying to collect rare Pokémon, but outfits. They ultimately achieved this after more than 5 years in the spin-off “Pokémon Battle Revolution”, which was released in 2006 for the Wii.
Battle Revolution is a pure battle simulator, which gained popularity mainly due to the design of the battles, despite lacking exploration and Pokémon hunting: there is a voiced battle commentator, battle animations, and it reminded players of the kind of battles seen in the anime.
Even though you can’t catch monsters in this Pokémon spin-off, it still offered the challenge of the shiny hunt. Because after a successful battle with a final trainer, you receive the outfits that they wear. And just like with the monsters, the costumes also have a chance of obtaining a rare coloration.
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With Pokémon Pokopia, Nintendo mixes two of its most popular franchises for the Switch
How difficult was this challenge that this trainer set for themselves? To understand how difficult this challenge really was, you have to consider the following:
The probability of getting a shiny costume, based on the catch rate of shiny Pokémon (before Generation 6), is 1:8,192, which is 0.0122 %.
The fastest time to start a costume attempt is 10–15 minutes (based on the experience of a player on Reddit).
Overall, if you count the trainers from the Japanese and international versions of the game, there are 12 trainer costumes for which you can obtain the shiny variant.
Assuming that a shiny attempt takes 10 minutes at best and is successful after an average of 8,192 attempts, around 1,365 hours are needed for a shiny outfit. If you multiply this by 12 for each shiny outfit, you end up with approximately 16,384 hours, which is 683 days or almost 2 years – of pure gameplay time!
What does the fan say about their success? After over 5 years of work, @Noa_Kyogre proudly posts the result of their shiny hunt on X:
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“What the hell,” writes @Eizzah__, “you’re legendary!” But @RickyPDillon also thinks: “That’s so cool! I didn’t even know these existed!”
In response to congratulations from several fans, however, the player reveals one thing they are absolutely sure of: “Never again!!!!!!!” (@Noa_Kyogre on X)
The year 2026 has just begun, and Japan has already crowned the best Manga of this year. Readers are sure that this manga has a special story and will experience a huge hype for the rest of the year.
What kind of manga is this? The manga that resonated best with the Japanese audience is called Stepmother’s Guide. And no, it’s really not what you think. This manga is not a perverse fantasy like a fan-made version of Solo Leveling, but rather an emotional story between a mother and her child.
The protagonist of the story is Victoria. She is the daughter of a poor baron and marries a wealthy duke to financially save her family. However, the cold duke comes into the marriage with his little son named Fini, making Victoria his stepmother.
The special thing: Shortly after the wedding, Victoria remembers her previous life, which took place in our modern world. She suddenly realizes that she is in a web manga she used to read. The problem: Victoria is not the heroine in the original story, but the evil stepmother who abuses and traumatizes her son.
The original web manga ends with Victoria being killed by her son out of revenge. To escape her death sentence, she decides to take better care of her stepson Fini. He is actually a loving child and is seen by her as a little angel.
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Trailer for Overlord, the Isekai anime featuring a monster lich as the protagonist
Evil stepmother turns into a loving mom
Why is it considered particularly promising? The manga is especially celebrated by fans because it contains unintentional comedy. Victoria often tries to appear strict and elegant but fails because she internally flips out due to how sweet Fini is.
Also, the emotional mother-child relationship creates a nice feeling among fans: little Fini slowly blossoms, laughs again, and begins to trust his stepmother. The emotionally cold duke also notices this. He sees how lovingly Victoria treats his son. The marriage of convenience slowly turns into real love.
Contrary to expectations for such a title and the isekai genre, there are actually no ecchi moments. Those looking for a beautiful and emotional experience will find a wonderful story here – at least, according to fans in Japan.
Mother and son from Stepmother’s Guide, seen on X.
How was the best manga of 2026 crowned? The award is given by Comic C’moa. It is one of the largest e-book and manga platforms in Japan. Over 3 million votes were cast by readers in the competition, which shows that the competition has a wide reach among manga fans.
The award is considered a trend barometer and honors works expected to achieve significant breakthroughs in the coming year. Here, only newcomers are considered, who have a maximum of 5 volumes at the time of nomination. The winner often manages to increase their sales and be adapted into an anime.
In ARC Raiders, you should now primarily fight against the ARC for 2 weeks and put your PvP efforts on the back burner.
Update, February 17, 2026: The article has been checked and is up to date.
Why should you shoot robots? A new event called “Shared Watch” started in ARC Raiders on February 10, 2026, running until February 24, with a focus on combating the ARC.
The developers of the extraction shooter remind you with the event of who the real enemy is and aim to promote player cooperation. As the name aptly describes, you should go on watch together and fight the nasty robots.
Those who diligently free the earth from the ARC can look forward to various rewards during the event.
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ARC Raiders receives new matchmaking option and trophy display with Headwinds
ARC Raiders grants you rewards during the Shared Watch event
What kind of rewards are there? In total, there are 21 rewards that you can earn during the event by fighting against the ARC. These include:
Items, such as a carabiner and a health spray
Raider Tokens
The new cosmetic set: The Bat (see title image)
A blueprint for the augment “Tactical Mark 3 (Healing)”
A guitar with which you can play music
The final reward available during the event is a helmet for Scrappy.
How to get the rewards: You unlock the rewards of the event through Merits. That is the blue currency you earn for completing daily challenges. During the event, you should collect Merits through XP for damaging and destroying ARCs.
You will receive the individual rewards in order. You must first collect one item before you can unlock the next. For all rewards, you will need over 1,000 Merits.
MeinMMO summarizes the story of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as best as possible and explains what is actually going on in the story of the role-playing game. Because some connections can only be understood if you pay close attention.
[toc]
Update from February 10th, 2026: We have added Osquio in the free update.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is divided into several acts. The further the story progresses, the more complicated it becomes. It is sometimes only vaguely hinted at what is happening. Therefore, we summarize the following actions and address important points that may foreshadow the story from later acts:
The information you find here has been gathered by MeinMMO from several dialogues, side missions, or entries in the game. Nevertheless, there are still some aspects that leave some room for interpretation.
Attention, spoilers! At this point, we issue a strong spoiler warning. We talk directly about what happens in the individual acts and what endings exist. Especially in Act III, there are some contents that are optional and you may not have had the chance to experience yet.
Start video
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – JRPG with French Flair has Release Date
Prologue: Lumière
Summary of the story
Here we meet the protagonists Gustave and Maelle. He is the guardian and something like an older brother to Maelle, whose real parents have already died. They talk about Gustave’s ex-girlfriend Sophie being eliminated in the upcoming Gommage. This is an annual event where the maximum age of all people is reduced by one year.
All those who reach the age disappear forever. A gigantic figure, called the Painter, records the new age on a giant monolith. It all started with the number 100, now the counter is at 33. Who is behind the Painter will be revealed later.
Each year, a group of explorers sets out to stop the Painter and reach the Island of the Painter. So far, no expedition has returned successfully.
The people in this world must confront serious questions. There is a discussion between Sophie and another woman about whether to bring children into this world. New children may bring hopes for the upcoming expeditions, but it is also a torment to live in this world, which one might not want to inflict on small children.
Act I: Gustave
Summary of the story
Upon arriving on the island, Expedition 33 encounters an old man who kills a large part of the group in seconds. The group is astonished, as the man has wrinkles and gray hair, which should not be possible. Unlike the dead in Lumière, the bodies on the island do not dissolve. The reasons for the man’s age compared to the dissolution of people will be revealed later.
Gustave also learns that he is not the only survivor. Over time, he finds Lune, Maelle, and Sciel. Meanwhile, Maelle is plagued by nightmares, in which she sees the old man and a girl her age. Her identity will be clarified later.
Additionally, the group encounters the Curator. He seems to be made of a different substance and is also very helpful. Who he actually is will be revealed later.
Nevrones
Gustave encounters the Nevrones. They are enemies who protect the Painter. They are scattered throughout the world and hostile towards humans. The only exception are the nine white Nevrones, who behave peacefully. You can talk to them and complete quests for them.
As it turns out later, the Nevrones were created by a Painter named Clea. Who she is will be revealed in Act III.
The Gestrals, unlike the Nevrones, are friendly.
Gestrals
In addition to the Nevrones, there are also the Gestrals. They have their own being and generally interact peacefully with humans. Throughout the story, we travel to their village and participate in arena battles. The Gestrals cannot die, as they are reborn at a holy river. This requires Chroma, which is why there may be delays in the rebirth process. They were created by the real Verso, whom we meet in Act II.
Gustave’s death
Gustave and Maelle throw stones at the monolith until suddenly the old man from the beginning appears and kills Gustave. Maelle is also close to being killed by the old man until Verso appears. As Verso admits later, he could have prevented Gustave’s death. However, he did not want Maelle to become too attached to life in Lumière. The reason will be revealed in Act III.
Act II: Verso
Summary of the story
The group mourns the dead Gustave but continues the mission. Maelle insists on giving him a proper burial on a battlefield. Verso then suggests visiting his old friend Monoco, as the Painter can only be defeated if her shield is destroyed – and for that, they need help.
To destroy the shield, the heart of the Painter must first be destroyed. It is located in an old manor house, where the group meets a female version of the Curator, the old man, and the little girl. Also, Verso’s true identity comes to light.
For the weapon that destroys the shield, the group must destroy two Axons, particularly fearsome enemies. This allows the Curator to forge the needed weapon. Maelle and the others manage to defeat the Painter and eliminate the old man. But the price comes shortly after: all people dissolve into dust.
The old man
The older man is Renoir. He is the father of the masked girl and Verso. He protects the Painter with his life and destroys anyone who wants to harm her. As it turns out later, however, he is only a creature created by the Painter. We will actually get to know the real Renoir later.
Start video
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – The Role-Playing Game Introduces Sciel, the Serene Warrior
The Painter and the Monolith
The gigantic figure is controlled by a smaller Painter, who looks like a female version of the Curator. It comes out that she was trapped in the monolith and fought a duel with someone else. The gigantic figure did not hold the maximum age of humans at the monolith, but only how many humans it can save.
With the death of the Painter, it became possible for the trapped power in the monolith to unfold freely. Therefore, the people in Lumière were killed.
Verso
Verso is the son of Renoir, the old man. The two were part of the very first expedition but fell out on opposite sides due to a dispute. Renoir wants to protect the Painter and his family, while Verso wants to put an end to the Painter’s machinations. He belongs to the Dessendre family, which will be introduced in more detail in Act III.
Act III: Maelle
Summary of the story
In this act, all secrets are revealed. The world of Lumière is actually just a painting, and Maelle’s family is fighting over the survival of the canvas within the picture. It happens that Maelle resurrects her friends and must face a final battle against the real Renoir.
Lumiére and the Dessendre family
It comes out that the world is merely a canvas once painted by Verso. It is possible for gifted artists to bring such imaginative images to life and even enter them. A piece of their own soul remains in the image. The Gestrals and Esquie are thus, for example, a creation of Verso. The people who enter a canvas then appear as faceless figures that we see as Curator or Painter.
Aline is actually Renoir’s wife in reality and the mother of Verso, Clea, and the masked child named Alicia. She is the head of the Dessendre family and is behind the Painter. Because Renoir and Verso, whom we see in the painting, are merely copies drawn by Aline.
The Dessendre family lives in the real world in Paris, but Verso died many years ago in a fire at the villa. Out of grief, his mother Aline plunged into Verso’s painting, as a piece of his soul is still contained here.
Lumière is an image of real Paris, drawn by Verso. The manor that appears in the game also exists in real life. It is the residence of the family.
The real Maelle with a puppet of Esquie.
Maelle’s true identity
Maelle is actually Alicia. She also entered the painting to pull her parents out of the picture. She is born into the world as Maelle, but without any memory of her true identity, as she does not possess the same Painter power as her parents. After she discovers who she really is, she regains her painter powers, which, however, are not as pronounced as those of her parents. As she grows fond of the people around her, she also gradually succumbs to this painted world and wants to remain in the painting forever.
Curator
Behind the Curator is actually the real Renoir. The reason for his missing face is that he has spent quite some time in the painting and has rotted away over time. The same is true for the Painter, thus Aline.
His goal is to erase the world of Lumière to free his daughter and his wife from the painting. In the real world, his wife Aline’s body is slowly decaying, as she has been trapped in the canvas for far too long, almost as if in a frenzy. By erasing the world, he wants to pull his family out of the painting.
The little boy
The little boy who occasionally appears without a face in the levels of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is made up of the last soul fragment of Verso. He actually does not want to continue painting and wants to find peace, which is why his thoughts seem erratic. There is even a side quest with him where he asks to defeat a monster. So make sure to talk to him every time you see him.
Collecting Chroma
Maelle sets out to collect Chroma to resurrect her friends. For this, she looks for the bodies of fallen expedition members to use their Chroma and bring the others back to life. The Chroma within the canvas is limited, though. The Nevrones and Gestrals have their own Chroma flow, while it’s different for humans. The Curator and other people entering the image from outside have their own Chroma.
Esquie
Esquie and Verso are always good friends. As we learn through a sequence toward the end of the game, Esquie is actually a puppet in the real world that likely belonged to Verso or Maelle. Through the essence of Verso in this canvas, he has become a good friend of the group – after all, it was the real Verso who painted Esquie.
Noco and Monoco
In the manor from the real world, you can briefly look around with Maelle if you ignore Clea’s calls. In one room, you discover two dogs in a basket named Monoco, the third, and Noco. These are the dogs of the Dessendre family.
This also explains the behavior of Monoco and the little Noco, who is indeed the smaller dog in reality. Especially Monoco is a loyal companion to Verso, who likes to collect feet. This likely comes from the fact that dogs love to play with bones. By the way, Monoco got his name from a real-life counterpart, the happiness manager of the development team (via Sandfall Interactive).
The painted version of Clea appears in a side mission.
Clea
Clea is Alicia’s sister. You learn about her true motives in a side mission in the flying manor. She is a talented painter and possesses the ability to re-paint figures from others easily.
Her version in the canvas, which her mother Aline painted, has been coldly repainted by Clea. The repainted version of Clea, however, is trapped in the manor and condemned to draw Nevrones. Expeditions that are killed by Nevrones retain their Chroma in the corpse. Thus, it cannot flow back to Aline and Renoir, which is why Clea wanted to put an end to the conflict between the two.
After the battle, Clea’s version manages to kill herself and thus free herself.
Simon
Simon and Verso were part of the first expedition, which aimed to stop Aline. He is Clea’s friend and appears as a boss enemy in Act III. The Painter tricked him into believing he could free Clea from the flying manor by defeating the real Renoir. But Simon was defeated by the real Renoir and has since been at the bottom of the monolith.
The Writers
Clea is fighting a war against the Writers in real life. They are also held responsible for the fire in the manor and thus for the terrible injuries that caused the deaths of Verso and Alicia. Who the Writers are has never been clarified. However, there are two theories:
The Writers can create their own worlds like the Painters, just with words instead of colors.
The Writers metaphorically represent the game developers and can control the “real world” in Clair Obscur.
Which theory is correct has not yet been confirmed. This leaves room for interpretations or even a sequel.
The Endings
The true end of the game is a duel between Maelle and Verso in a kind of intermediate world. Here, the two find the last remnant of the real Verso, who is continuously painting the image in an eternal cycle. The siblings argue over what should happen to the canvas in which the entire story of Clair Obscur unfolds.
Maelle wants to live in the canvas, as her brother Verso is still alive here and she still possesses her voice
Verso wants to destroy the canvas, as Maelle should not live in an illusion like her mother
Depending on which of the two duelists you choose, you will experience one of two possible endings. Neither of the two outcomes has a happy ending, as there is always a bitter aftertaste.
Epilogue: A Life for Painting
Maelle triumphs over Verso, who then dissolves and returns to the world of the painting. Several years have passed here and Lumière has been rebuilt. In the opera house, Maelle meets old acquaintances, including Lune, Sciel, and even Sciel’s husband. Even Gustave and Sophie are alive again and join them.
The light dims and we see Verso playing the piano. It is possible that this is a completely newly painted Verso – or the one who actually wanted to disappear from the world forever.
But Maelle gets the same facial features as her mother. This implies that she has lost herself in a canvas just like her mother and forces Verso to continue existing.
Epilogue: A Life for Loving
Verso wins the duel, and this time it is Maelle who dissolves. The young man bids farewell to his friends, who also dissolve – but forever. He tells the little boy that he can stop painting and takes his hand, after which they also dissolve. The little boy is the last essence of the real Verso that remained in the canvas after his death.
Subsequently, we see real Paris. Maelle and her family stand before a grave of Verso, mourning the family member. Here we also see that Esquie is actually just a small puppet. The parents seem to have finally found their peace. Only Maelle’s sister, Clea, quickly turns away – for she still has a war against the Writers to fight.
Osquio is a new boss who appeared with the free update and lives in the drafts of Verso. He is the cousin of Esquie and calls himself the world’s best cake devourer. Unlike Esquie, Osquio was created as the embodiment of Verso’s negative thoughts and serves as the antagonist.
To fully experience the story of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, you must engage in nerve-wracking battles. The difficulty level is quite high. If you are still looking for challenges after the end of the game, the endless tower might be something for you: Expedition 33: The Endless Tower – Why the endgame content is worth it
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Germany is focusing on a new idea for the energy transition: photovoltaic systems that float on water. The problem of lack of space is at least partially solved.
What type of system was opened in Bavaria? In Gilching near Munich, a new type of solar plant has been floating on a gravel pit lake since last year. The approach is as simple as it is brilliant: instead of using valuable land, unused water areas are utilized. Gravel pit lakes and artificial bodies of water provide plenty of free space (SZ, Futurezone).
The basic premise was already presented in May 2024 by the company Sinn Power (SZ). The specific idea: the PV modules are not mounted flat as usual but are arranged in vertical rows on the water. According to their own statements, it is the world’s first vertically floating solar plant (Sinn Power).
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Energy comes when needed
Why is there a focus on vertical modules? The vertical alignment is meant to allow the modules to operate particularly efficiently during the morning and evening hours when the sun is low. Additionally, maintenance efforts are reduced: the standing panels are less susceptible to dirt from dust or bird droppings. (Sinn Power).
The individual rows are separated by water strips to allow enough light to reach the panels for electricity production. With a coverage of only 4.65% of the water surface, the system remains well below the legally permitted limit of 15% according to the Water Resources Act (WHG).
What risks are associated with such systems? In fact, the construction method also brings challenges: the upright solar panels are particularly susceptible to strong winds due to their shape. To address this risk, Sinn Power has developed its own solution: the so-called “Skipp-Float” system (Sinn Power). This involves a 1.6-meter-long underwater keel that provides stability to the system – similar to a sailing boat, where the panels act as sails that need to be balanced (Xataka).
However, it remains to be seen how the use by animals or the inevitable impact of wind and weather will affect the efficiency of the system in the long term. So far, no major problems have been reported since the start of the system.
In China, such systems are already being implemented on the high seas on a large scale (via El Confidencial). However, these do not use vertically arranged panels, but rather horizontally aligned panels.
Vertical, floating, efficient – the system in Gilching demonstrates that innovative photovoltaic technology can also work beyond traditional land placement. Whether it will prove itself under real conditions in the long term remains to be seen. It also remains questionable how resilient the panels are under the new conditions: Not all solar panels are equally resilient, but a trend is recognizable
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The brave soldiers of Helldivers 2 are currently gearing up for the battle for Cyberstan, the homeworld of the Automatons, but new enemies await the heroes there.
What are these new foes? In Helldivers 2, the update “Machinery of Opression” brings a whole series of new enemies to the game on February 10. These include the cyborgs, who belong to the Automatons faction (robots) and have their home on the homeworld Cyberstan.
But the cyborgs are not just humans with supernatural abilities.
Here you can catch a first glimpse of the new enemies:
Start video
Helldivers 2 hints at the arrival of new enemies in the cryptic video
Major update with secrets
What else is missing? Although the developers talk about all units of the new “Machinery of Opression” update in the video on YouTube, fans do not really believe in the completeness of the information – and rightly so. The last major title update “Into the Unjust”, where the Helldivers were sent into the caves of the beetle faction’s homeworlds, had some surprises in store.
There was the Hivelord, a giant worm as the final boss, terrorizing the battlefield and dealing heavy damage to the brave heroes from Übererde with its powerful attacks. Accordingly, the Helldivers look cautiously and almost expectantly at what the cyborgs have in store.
Another final boss, similar to the Hivelords, is almost considered a sure thing by the Helldivers. Players write on Reddit:
Glittering_Muffin433: “I wonder if that’s all there is or if they are hiding more from us.”
Just-Bodybuilder6737: “Well, they kept the Hivelord more or less secret in the ‘Hiveworld Deep Dive’ video. In my opinion, the Vox Engine seems more like a super heavy Leviathan, but we will see.”
Mother_Ad3988: “That’s exactly what I thought; it seems more like a kind of dragon cockroach than a Hivelord.”
ProblemOk9820: “They are keeping Megatron in the fridge until we land. Mark my words, Helldivers: The cyborgs have their own equivalent to the Hive Lord.”
While the “equivalent to the Hive Lord” is still being speculated, the developers have already revealed some of the “normal” enemies in the new video.
Which cyborgs are known? The hack of Übererde’s communication channels has shown that the cyborgs have more abilities than the sometimes very simple war machines of the Automatons. In a new video on YouTube, the developers have already introduced the first units of the cyborgs.
There are the “Agitators”, who with heavy armor coordinate attacks as field commanders and probably buff other units around them.
The “Radicals” have undergone so many cybernetic changes that they can hardly be compared to a human anymore. Armed with heavy shotguns, thick armor, and “Techno Martial Arts” combat skills, they are unstoppable as a tank in close combat.
The largest combat unit is the “Vox Engine”. Armed with two laser cannons, this type of XXL tank is absolutely deadly. Additional weapons include a rocket launcher and gatling laser cannons for the flanks.
In the player community of Dungeons & Dragons there are various archetypes that players more or less consciously assign to their characters, even if it wasn’t intended. The character of MeinMMO editor Caro fits enough traits to crown her as the typical “Edgelord” of the group. However, she doesn’t want to be a killjoy, but rather shed the curse of this archetype.
Together with my D&D group, I am on my first, yet already two-year adventure in the north of Faerûn. Our group is a colorful mix of different personalities, each with their own talents but also quirks, just like my warlock Ozen (bonus points to those who know where the name comes from).
Alongside our barbarian, druid, and bard, she is what one might describe as the typical Edgelord character according to absolute warlock clichés: A rather ugly past plus a dark backstory, a connection to a – or now several – sinister entity/entities, and on top of that a lot of unhealthy fear that prevents her from casually talking about all of this.
Such characters are rather frowned upon in the Dungeons & Dragons community, and for good reason. A dark backstory full of helplessness and sorrow can lead a character to be more introverted, speak less, and reveal as little as possible about themselves, their past, and ambitions. And that offers everyone else at the table something very special, namely: nothing.
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The Mighty Nein – First Sneak Peek of the New Fantasy Series on Amazon Prime
What Makes an Edgelord So Problematic?
A character, or rather their player, who acts so withdrawn – whether out of fear, excessive coolness, or dark intentions – brings no value to a shared group. Dungeons & Dragons is primarily one thing, namely a shared player experience, where a group tells a story together and experiences exciting moments.
Especially at the beginning of a campaign, where the characters do not yet know each other and thus do not want to share all the little details about themselves, this can still work well and even create tension. However, this tension quickly turns to boredom when a character constantly tries to appear mysterious in order not to reveal their dark, evil past. It prevents teamwork, shared experiences, and above all, what is simultaneously the salvation of this archetype: character development and depth.
It is not problematic to play a character with a bad past; it can even provide a strong narrative basis for the campaign. And therein lies the solution to foster character development. The problem is not the dark character, but the lack of substance: the person behind that dark mask.
Don’t be like Aragorn in this scene: You may sit edgy in the corner of a tavern. But there has to be more behind it.
How to Play a Dark Character Without Alienating Your Fellow Players
Those who love provocative and dark stories can definitely incorporate them with the consent of the dungeon master and the group. However, it is a shame if a dark story does not go beyond the shock factor and the potential arising from such a background remains unused.
Violence and cruelty without substance are boring and come off as “hollow.” But repressed vulnerability and softness behind them can lead to incredibly strong character moments.
To explain this, I want to take myself and my Ozen as an example, so you can learn from my mistakes and insights on how to play an Edgelord while still advancing the story. Yes, this might get embarrassing, but… aren’t we all a bit cringe?
Ozen truly fulfills every warlock cliché with her tragic backstory, but I’m no longer interested in mysterious silence.
Being Edgy is Okay – But Don’t Lose the Humanity Beneath
To give you a brief picture of what makes Ozen so edgy: She fled from a religious commune in her youth, where she was seen as a bad omen as the only tiefling among humans. Just before that, she was ritualistically bound to an entity, which she agreed to, in order to be somewhat useful to her “home.” She rarely talks about her youth, is often fearful, insecure, and rather quiet. And that made her, especially after the first sessions of the shared adventure with her group, really… difficult.
In Dungeons & Dragons, the story and the development of the characters are particularly important to me. And how should my character develop if she never comes out of her shell? The solution is – who would have guessed it – communication.
I have realized which moments were truly valuable without having to give up the Edgelord character:
Allowing emotions: Due to a delicious meal prepared by the barbarian (with a Nat 20), it was so tasty that Ozen is almost brought to tears because she has never had such a meal in her entire life. It was funny, a bit tragic, and created a special moment between friends.
Not hiding flaws but showing them: Stoic coolness is rarely perceived by others as being as cool as one envisions. Allowing flaws can lead to surprising moments that spark conversation. If this flaw is also connected to the past, it can be processed. Ozen cannot read or write quickly due to lack of education, yet she has the “Comprehend Languages” spell. The group has to patiently wait until she has dictated a message, and they become curious as to why it takes her so long. Boom – direct conversation starter.
Empathy: Most characters have something in their past they are reluctant to talk about because it burdens them. Instead of isolating themselves, they can respond to the pain of others. And this doesn’t have to be limited to fellow players, but also NPCs. Perhaps a dangerous enemy should be taken down, who, however, has a similar past as oneself. One struggles with this or refuses. This can cause conflicts at first, but can also encourage more discussion about the reason. Ozen mourned one of the first more dangerous enemies because the two shared almost identical youth. When the group celebrated their victory over her, Ozen did not feel well about it. This led to a conversation and the first revelation that they were more alike than others thought.
And – even if it doesn’t come from your Edgelord – humor: Humor is very bonding for the entire group, whether it’s the players themselves or the embodied characters. And even an Edgelord cannot escape this. Often, humor arises from coincidences. It is often even funnier when the normally stoic, mysterious character becomes a victim of these moments. When a usually quiet recluse is met with laughter, it can be absolutely healing.
We are already in the second year of our adventure and I am happy, despite the title of Edgelord, to play a character who has already undergone so much development because she engages with the group’s antics. And to be honest – that is much more rewarding than sitting silently in the corners of taverns for years.
The recluse (without depth) is considered one of the least popular character archetypes in Dungeons & Dragons, but it is not the only problematic type of player. In this list on MeinMMO, we have summarized for you which types of players quickly become unpopular at the table due to their behavior and should therefore be avoided: 5 types of characters you better shouldn’t play in Dungeons & Dragons
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Monster Hunter Wilds is getting new updates this year, which hunters who have already reached the endgame content can especially look forward to. The strongest monsters so far are coming to the game.
What is this update about? On the PlayStation Blog, Monster Hunter Wilds presents the upcoming content until March 19, 2026. There will be new event quests at regular intervals. At the end, hunters can even expect a free challenge quest featuring the battle-hardened Arkveld.
Even more exciting is the content from update Ver. 1.041, which can be completed on February 18 by those who have already reached Hunter Rank 100. They will be able to defeat new monsters with a difficulty of 10 stars from this date onward.
In a new quest, the battle-hardened Arkveld, the title monster of Monster Hunter Wilds, will make its first appearance. It must be defeated as the first monster, along with all special environmental quests, in order for the new 10-star monsters to appear in an optional hunter quest.
You can view the roadmap with the content here:
The content for February and March 2026.
As a reward, old amulets that have the chance to be converted into rare talismans will be offered. They can be used to enhance Gogma-Artian weapons.
Additionally, there will be new items designed by the community itself. One will be a new great sword called Shard Soul, which looks like it is about to shatter at any moment. There will also be a cute charm called “Ravenous Attack” available in the game from February 18.
There are also plans for a collaboration with Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. There will be new costumes and side quests that will remind you of the story-driven game.
Start video
Monster Hunter Wilds shows TU4 with the first Elder Dragon and Winter Festival
Community plans their vacation around the new updates
How are fans reacting to the roadmap? In social media, predominantly enthusiastic reactions from the community can be found. Users on Reddit write that they find a bit of variety in the endgame appealing. Also, on X, a user was taken by surprise by the announcement of the 10-star monsters. He is looking forward to the update.
In another thread, a hunter writes that he finally knows his vacation plans. This suggests that he will likely plan his vacation around the updates to play the new content.
Additionally, some users are happy that complaints from the community regarding decorations have finally been fixed. They are already discussing how to best farm the new talismans.
However, there is also some criticism: All previous talismans and weapons would end up as total garbage, says a user on X. However, this is completely normal and a routine process in Monster Hunter that comes with every update.
The Valentine’s Day event 2026 starts in Pokémon GO. It brings you some rare and powerful rewards.
What kind of event is this? Not only in the real world but also in Pokémon GO, Valentine’s Day takes place on February 14th. The corresponding event starts on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026, at 10:00 AM and runs until Sunday, February 15th, 2026, at 8:00 PM.
Collectors, in particular, can greatly benefit from this event, as several Pokémon with an increased shiny chance and 2 Pokémon forms that you can obtain very rarely in the game are waiting for you.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
The highlights of Valentine’s Day 2026
1. Increased chance of shinys: The first highlight of the event is a total of 3 Pokémon that you can catch during the event with a higher probability of being shiny. These are the female and male Nidoran forms and Kikugi.
You can find both Nidoran variants in the wild during the event as well as in 7 km eggs. You can also find Kikugi in 7 km eggs.
2. Rare Pokémon forms: The second reason why you should not miss the event is Furfrou and Spinda. Furfrou has 9 different forms that it can take on. During the Valentine’s event, you can change it into the rare Heartcut form.
To do this, you need to select a Furfrou from your box. For 25 Furfrou candies and 10,000 stardust, you can evolve the Pokémon into the Heartcut form.
You can also obtain Pandir with the rare Heart pattern during the event. You will receive this through the free, limited-time research that is unlocked by completing the global task.
3. A lot of experience points: For each Pokémon you catch during the event, you will receive double the amount of experience points. If the global challenge is completed by trainers worldwide, an even stronger XP bonus will be unlocked: 750 XP for each Pokémon you catch with a curveball.
If both bonuses work together, you can thus receive 1,500 experience points for each catch. Using a lucky egg will double the bonus again.
More contents of the event
Which Pokémon are available in the event? Various Pokémon are available during the event.
In the wild:
Nidoran (male)**
Nidoran (female)**
Furfrou*
Audino* (rare)
From 7 km eggs:
Nidoran (male)**
Nidoran (female)**
Cleffa*
Igglybuff*
Cherubi*
Happiny*
In 3-star raids:
Gardevoir*
Gallade*
While you can catch all Pokémon marked with a * as shiny, the chance is additionally increased for Pokémon marked with **.
If you catch Gardevoir and Galagladi after a raid or evolve one of the two Pokémon during the event, it will know the charge move Synchronoise.
What bonuses are there in the event? During Valentine’s Day 2026, the following bonuses will be active in the game:
double experience points for catching Pokémon
double stardust for opening gifts
increased shiny chance for Nidoran (female), Nidoran (male) and Cherubi
field research where you can encounter additional event Pokémon
What is the global challenge? A global challenge is also part of the event. This revolves around sending gifts. If the challenge is successfully completed, the following bonuses will also be unlocked until the end of the event:
free, limited-time research with Spinda (Heart pattern) as a reward
750 experience points for each catch with a curveball
with a bit of luck, you will receive special candies when opening gifts
Not only is the Valentine’s event waiting for you in February. The current month is again packed with different events, spotlight hours, raids, and more content. If you want to know what they are, feel free to take a look at our overview with all events in February 2026 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Twitch streamer Maxim Markov is one of the players at the Sauercrowd project who get to experience World of Warcraft for the first time. With his unusual playstyle, he has gained many new fans over the past weeks. However, just before hitting level 60, he had an unfortunate encounter …
How did Maxim perform at Sauercrowd? The popular caster of League of Legends has been joyfully diving into World of Warcraft for the first time thanks to the Sauercrowd project of the German Twitch scene for several weeks. Having grinded for a long time, his warrior was at level 55. Over time, his unique playstyle has won him many fans:
Maxim’s goal was to create an unbreakable tank as a complete WoW newcomer, fully utilizing the talents of the Protection tree, defensive stance, a broad shield, and as thick armor as possible.
While his damage was relatively low (which also affected his leveling pace), he took hardly any damage – perfect for the Hardcore mode!
Maxim supplemented his survival build with several rules: no fights in water (due to drowning risks), no heights (due to fall damage), no caves (because they are dangerous). The streamer primarily focused on quests that supported simple mob grinding in the open world.
In dungeons, he was known for making the healer present work-free. However, his teammates appreciated his cautious and calm playstyle. With Maxim as a tank, there were basically no pull mistakes or sudden danger situations. As a result, he even insisted on being the main tank for the first raid in the Molten Core.
As part of this tank fantasy, Maxim worked his way up to being one of the best blacksmiths in the guild. Almost daily, he dedicated an hour in the evenings to crafting for other Sauercrowd members, earning regular praise during the guild’s meetings.
For many weeks, Maxim enjoyed this playstyle so much and was so successful that he even dreamed about WoW and wanted to jump straight onto his PC to continue leveling as soon as he woke up. The streamer reported this some time ago on YouTube.
Start video
WoW Classic: The Hardcore Servers Are Here!
According to Sieglinde, “the best main tank of the guild” has died here.
Suddenly at the Spirit Healer
What went wrong? Anyone who followed Maxim while leveling would probably never have thought that he could fail against a simple opponent without elite status. However, this exactly happened in the Western Plaguelands. While attempting to bypass the ruins of Andorhal, he caught the attention of a 56-level Scourge Ghoul.
Normally, this wouldn’t have been a problem: Maxim was on his mount and could have easily ridden away. However, he stopped after a few meters and considered whether he should fight instead. After a few blows, the player realized that the ghoul deals primarily fire damage, thus bypassing the thick armor of his warrior.
Consequently, Maxim’s warrior’s health points fell unusually fast – for his standards. So, he retreated while trying to keep the enemy in front of him, which increased the chance of being stunned. Unfortunately, he accidentally dealt damage to the ghoul, causing it not to relent.
At this point, one must recognize that Maxim is a WoW newcomer. His attempt to escape with the “Light of Elune/Heartstone” macro failed because he cast it while running. So, while he was protected by the light, he couldn’t activate the heartstone.
He did not use his stun attack, his Piercing Howl, or a slowing Knee Thrust in battle. These measures could have saved his virtual life. Alternatively, he could have simply jumped into the nearby river since ghouls cannot swim. But of course, one only knows that after playing WoW Classic for a long time.
You can watch the whole situation on Twitch as well as on the YouTube channel of Sieglinde, who as an experienced Classic veteran provides his assessment:
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According to Sieglinde, Sauercrowd has thus lost “the best main tank of the guild.” He would have loved to see Maxim in the Molten Core. He has the utmost respect for the WoW newcomer because he went his own way in Hardcore and made it this far.
Why is Maxim’s playstyle a meme? In the context of WoW Classic, this type of tank warrior is typically not played by experienced players because the damage (and thus the generated threat) is too low. Warrior tanks instead often utilize as many offensive talents and gear pieces to deal nearly as much damage as offensive warriors.
Consumables, World Buffs and of course healers must cover the significantly poorer defense… in dangerous moments or against bosses that hit hard, one simply switches to sword and shield and activates a protective cooldown.
MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann has been building with LEGO for many years, but he has recently discovered other building blocks. Here he presents 6 alternatives that he likes even better than LEGO.
I have built and played with LEGO for years. But for the past few years, I have also been looking elsewhere. On the one hand, LEGO has become too expensive for me over time, and there are overall few new sets. LEGO has only updated old sets for years, releasing the umpteenth fire department and the y-th dinosaur set. For this reason, I have been “cheating” for a few years and buying alternative building blocks. I still buy LEGO if I like a set, but I’m always surprised at how much is offered to me outside of the Danes.
Basically, the following things are important to me when I buy building blocks:
The sets should appeal to me, and I want to be able to look at them as well. Play value is also important to me because building blocks are simply toys.
How many bricks, accessories, and figures do I get for my money, or am I just paying “only” for the name or the license at the end?
A certain originality is also important to me: I don’t find the fifth fire department set that exciting anymore, but I would rather buy a nice science fiction model or a steam zeppelin.
Additionally, building blocks have something calming for me because my fingers are busy. Others prefer to knead stress balls.
Most LEGO alternatives offer me exactly that: They provide added value over LEGO by having original ideas, costing significantly less, or simply offering additional accessories like lighting.
By now, I have certainly invested several hundred euros in various building block sets. A half dozen manufacturers particularly impressed me, whom I can truly recommend with some reservations.
This list includes only sets and manufacturers that I have purchased and built. There are surely other recommendable sets, but I cannot assess them because I have not had them in my hands. Did I forget a manufacturer, or do you have a strong recommendation? Then let me know in the comments!
BlueBrixx
BlueBrixx is undoubtedly the most well-known brand for building blocks when looking for an alternative to LEGO. BlueBrixx now has several of its own shops in Germany where you can browse through the sets. BlueBrixx offers an enormous selection: From architecture to display sets for showcasing to pure play sets or huge expert sets, everything is included.
What I see as critical: BlueBrixx also sells sets that clearly have similarities to Star Wars or other well-known universes. BlueBrixx seemingly does not possess an official license.
My current highlights: The inn of Castle Bärenfels (€49.99) and the Advent calendar with Castle Blaustein. Besides that, I also bought smaller sets, such as a railway car. Stickers are sold separately as sheets, printed parts are rare.
The inn of Castle Blaustein. A great set, including interior furnishings, figures, and additional accessories.
Who is it worth it for? If you are looking for building blocks that look and feel like LEGO, then the BlueBrixx sets come closest. Especially since BlueBrixx simply has an enormous selection in its range.
Mattel and MEGA
Many may know Mattel from its MEGA brand, through which the manufacturer has licensed building block sets from Pokémon for many years. The license for Pokémon from MEGA has now expired. However, MEGA Construx also offers other official licenses, including Fallout or Skyrim.
I am really excited about the “Hot Wheels” sets that Mattel currently offers as building blocks. Because these are not only stylish sets but also offer plenty of metal parts and a small mini-model of the real vehicle. And all of this for around €25. For me, these models are a real insider tip right now.
Who is it worth it for? Mattel and MEGA likely have the most official licenses besides LEGO for Witcher, Halo, or even Game of Thrones. If you are a fan of such sets, it might be worth taking a look. Personally, I just don’t like the mini-figures that look more like action figures.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With the new Absolute Universe, DC has achieved something seemingly impossible: The universe surrounding Batman feels fresh and new again. The Joker is also quite different. This is shown by his disturbing backstory, which turns him into a true horror monster.
What is the Absolute Universe? In October 2024, DC launched the Absolute Universe. This is a new world where familiar heroes are reinterpreted entirely. They are darker and more challenging for the heroes. So Absolute Batman was not born as a wealthy heir, but as the son of a family living in the lower class of Gotham. Yet even without money, Bruce became a superhero who protects Gotham.
But not only he became more brutal. His villains also received new variants, including Bane, Mr. Freeze, or Black Mask. Of course, his arch-nemesis Joker couldn’t be missing.
After being portrayed as a true horror monster, he now also received a new backstory. And this turns the clown prince into something that hasn’t been achieved in his almost 86-year history: I fear him.
Start video
A Crazy Joker in the Trailer for “Batman: The Killing Joke”
Immortal Serial Killer with Infinite Resources
Who is the Joker in the Absolute Universe? In the comic Absolute Batman: ARK M No. 1, the backstory of Arkham Asylum in the Absolute Universe is shown. In this world, Amadeus Arkham also founded the psychiatric hospital where people with mental illnesses are supposed to be treated. That is at least the public perception. Inside, many of the patients are suffering terribly.
In 1885, a blood-soaked child came to him, which he adopted. The child became interested early on in the work of his adoptive father, especially in the patient Jack Doe, who was imprisoned and restrained due to violent incidents.
A year later, in 1886, a terrible incident occurred. Jack Doe is said to have freed the other patients, kidnapped the child, and fled. The patients committed many crimes but could be captured. Only Jack himself could not be caught, whom Amadeus thinks is Jack The Ripper: A man who could be more than just a man, but evil itself. A smiling demon, a hellish jokester.
In the comic, Amadeus Arkham tells this story to a potential buyer. In the boiler room in the basement, the buyer is still looking at the walled-up wall through which Jack has escaped. The buyer whispers something to him, which terrifies Arkham completely. At night, he goes to the basement and discovers the corpse of Jack Doe in the bricked-up wall. He realizes that his son is the monster he believes to be Jack The Ripper. One still sees how Arkham Asylum is destroyed by flames.
In the end, one sees the present in Gotham, how Joseph Jack Grimm, the 5th, plans his next steps against Batman.
The cover of Absolute Batman: ARK M No. 1 (Image Source: DC)
Finally a Truly Scary Interpretation of the Joker
Why is this backstory so effective? Since 1940, the Joker has plagued Gotham and Batman. Often, his backstories do not work or are only vaguely told. The Absolute Universe changes that now, and it is really good.
With ARK M No. 1, there are many Gothic elements that one knows from vampire stories. It fits that the Absolute Joker is probably several hundred years old. The comic explains: The child from back then is the Joker, who terrorizes Batman and the world today.
Additionally, there is the contrast to Absolute Batman: The Joker has infinite money resources and builds ARKs around the world, a far worse version of Arkham Asylum. There, he creates the grotesque monsters that Batman must confront.
I fear the Joker for the first time. Not because of his form, but because he has infinite resources and acts as a cold serial killer, more calculated than Batman in his prime. He is thematically not only the blight that plagues Gotham in the Absolute Universe, he is an ancient monster that wants full control over politics, cities, and the world.
On February 10, 2026, the new Spotlight Hour starts in Pokémon GO. What’s in it? MyMMO reveals it!
When does the Spotlight Hour start? This week, the Spotlight Hour starts on February 10, 2026, at 6:00 PM. For 60 minutes, you will find a specific Pokémon everywhere in the wild and receive a bonus.
Which Pokémon appears? Somniam is the star of this week’s Spotlight Hour. It is a Psychic-type Pokémon that can evolve into Somnivora.
What bonus is there? You will receive double XP for each Pokémon you catch during the Spotlight Hour. This applies not only to Somniam but also to all other Pokémon like Raid bosses.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
Is the Spotlight Hour with Somniam worth it?
Is Somniam strong? No, and its evolution Somnivora is not either. So if you are looking for new attackers for raids or the battle league, you should rather look for other Pokémon. Here you can find the best attackers in Pokémon GO.
Can Somniam be Shiny? Yes, Shiny Somniam is in the game. You need a lot of luck, but it is theoretically possible to encounter it during the Spotlight Hour.
Is the bonus worth it? XP is always good if you are on the way to level 80. If you also activate a Luck Egg at the same time, you will even receive four times the amount of XP.
Overall, the Spotlight Hour is an event that is primarily for collectors, or for those who are on the hunt for XP.
Want to know what else is coming in Pokémon GO? A whole lot. On the one hand, there are the standard dates like the Spotlight Hour, and on the other hand, there are some theme events with exciting content. And at the end of the month, the Kalos Tour awaits. The info: All events in February 2026 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Larian, the creators of Baldur’s Gate 3, have announced a new and their most ambitious game to date, called Divinity. MeinMMO provides you with all currently available information about the role-playing game.
[toc]
Update from February 9, 2026: After a detailed Q&A and a few tweets from Larian, there is now new information, including details about the playable races. We have updated the article.
What kind of game is this? Divinity is a role-playing game set in the world of Rivellon, which is intellectual property of Larian itself. Unlike Baldur’s Gate 3, the studio has complete freedom over the story and content. Whether the game will be a turn-based, isometric RPG like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Divinity: Original Sin (a “cRPG”), or a role-playing game like The Witcher or Divinity 2: Ego Draconis, we do not yet know.
When is Divinity coming out? A specific release date is still pending. The release is expected to take place in 2027.
For which platforms will Divinity be available? Here, too, an announcement is still pending. Divinity will certainly be released for PC and probably for consoles, but whether this will be on PS5/Xbox Series X|S or the next generation is not yet clear.
Is there a trailer? Yes, however, for age protection reasons, it is available only on YouTube. And a small warning in advance: It is really quite brutal and contains both sexual and extremely violent scenes. The bear sex from Baldur’s Gate 3 is absolutely harmless in comparison.
For a gameplay impression, here is the direct predecessor of the series, Divinity: Original Sin 2:
Start video
Divinity: Original Sin 2 Trailer
All information about price, pre-order, and editions
How much will Divinity cost? A price is still pending. Traditionally, Larian aligns with the market price and often is even slightly below it. Depending on development, we expect around 60 euros.
When can I pre-order Divinity? There is currently neither a release window nor a price for the game. Pre-orders are expected to be available at the earliest six months to a year before release.
Is there an Early Access? Yes, there will be an Early Access. A specific date and duration are still pending.
What editions are available? This is also still pending. Larian is known for selling “finished” games that do not include significant DLCs and have few to no cosmetics. Additional content includes, in the founder editions, at most artworks and soundtracks, and in one case, a small extra story that is not relevant to the plot.
There are not many hints about the story yet, but the trailer and the press release provide some details. For example, something dark emerges from the burned man in the trailer, which is most likely the Void, traditionally the enemy in Divinity.
With the slogan: “The gods have fallen silent. Rivellon bleeds. New powers awaken,” there is at least an indication that the gods have definitively turned their backs on Rivellon after the events of Divinity: Original Sin 2, possibly due to the actions of the Godwoken.
What the “new powers” are remains hard to say, as the Void is not new but seems to appear as an opponent. Larian has already teased a huge statue before the announcement, which left gamers puzzled for days:
Do I need to know previous entries in the series? No. The developers have explicitly stated that anyone can dive into Divinity, even without prior knowledge. However, those who have played Divinity: Original Sin 2 will be able to immerse themselves a bit deeper into the world.
How much gameplay time is there in Divinity? It is not yet possible to say, but Larian promises an even bigger game than Baldur’s Gate 3. Since players can invest well over 1,200 hours without finishing the game, you can get a rough idea of how the playtime in Divinity will look.
In the trailer, people dance happily before the catastrophe occurs.
Gameplay and Content
What characters can I play in Divinity? Whether there will be Origins, meaning characters with a fixed background story that you can explore, is still unknown. However, the likelihood is high, since Divinity will place great importance on companions and their stories and companions are often part of the Origins. For custom characters, you will probably have the following races available:
How does Divinity play and who is it for? Divinity will be a turn-based role-playing game in isometric perspective (cRPG) that places great importance on storytelling and less on action-based combat. The game is suitable for fans of:
Baldur’s Gate
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
the Divinity series
Dungeons & Dragons
Fantasy in general
These features also exist: The focus of development is among other things the loot system of Divinity. In the predecessors, it was largely randomly generated, in Divinity it should no longer be the case.
The Divinity series has existed since 2002. The first part, “Divine Divinity,” was released then, which was played like an action RPG in the style of Diablo. With “Divinity 2: Ego Draconis” (2009), Larian switched to more modern 3D RPGs and with Divinity: Original Sin (2017) to cRPGs, for which the studio is known to this day.
Divinity is based on the world of Rivellon, which comes with its own gods and cultural peculiarities, such as:
Elves who are very nature-oriented but can eat body parts to experience the memories of the deceased
Lizardfolk who have built a dominant empire and hold other races as slaves
“Eternals,” an ancient race of undead who have lived in Rivellon for millennia but eventually disappeared
With the upcoming installment, simply titled “Divinity,” the developers aim to create the largest game in the series so far, even larger than Baldur’s Gate 3. Larian states, “It’s the Divinity we always wanted to make and you will have a lot of fun with it.” If you want to shorten the wait, you can find the 14 best RPGs on Steam here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
MeinMMO gives you an overview of all online games that will be released in 2026 and are relevant to us. These include cooperative titles, competitive multiplayer games, MMOs, and MMORPGs. It does not matter whether these games will be released for PC, PS5, Xbox Series, or Switch.
Which games can be found in the list? The list includes only MMOs and multiplayer games that are set to be released in a final or at least an early access version in 2026. We have also included major expansions that are particularly relevant for MMORPGs.
Update from January 9, 2025: We have added the release dates for Marathon, YAPYAP, and HumanitZ.
Game
Genre
Release
Platform
StarRupture
Survival with Online Co-op
January 6, 2026 (Early Access)
PC (Steam)
Arcane Rivals
PvP Action
January 6, 2026
PC (Steam)
Dzyun Battle 2026
PvP Action
January 7, 2026
PC (Steam)
UNKNOWN FACES
Multiplayer Social Deduction Game
January 7, 2026
PC (Steam)
Clownfield 6
Online Shooter
January 7, 2026
PC (Steam)
Past Fate
MMORPG
January 7, 2026 (Early Access)
PC (Steam)
Dreadmyst
MMORPG
January 9, 2026
PC (Steam)
wonderking
2D-MMORPG
January 12, 2026
PC (Steam)
Hytale
Sandbox-RPG
January 13, 2026 (Early Access)
PC
Wizard101
MMORPG
January 13, 2026
Nintendo Switch
Ragnarok X: Next-Gen
MMORPG
January 14, 2026
PC, Mobile
Super Woden: Rally Edge
Arcade Racing Action
January 15, 2026
PC (Steam)
Heartopia
Multiplayer-Sim
January 17, 2026
PC (Steam)
Naica Online
8bit-MMORPG
January 19, 2026
PC (Steam)
LORT
Co-op Action Roguelite
January 21, 2026 (Early Access)
PC (Steam)
Eldegard
Mini-MMO-Action-RPG
January 21, 2026
PC (Steam)
SUSPECTO
Multiplayer Social Deduction Game
January 22, 2026
PC (Steam)
Our Journey: The Silent Voice
Creative Card Co-op Game
January 22, 2026
PC (Steam)
PlaneShift
MMORPG
January 22, 2026 (Early Access)
PC (Steam)
Woofy Run
Multiplayer Dog Racing
January 23, 2026
PC (Steam)
Highguard
PvP Raid Shooter
January 26, 2026
PC, PS5 and Xbox Series
Dreadway
Co-op Extraction Horror Game
January 27, 2026
PC (Steam)
hackSociety
Immersive-MMO
January 28, 2026
PC (Steam)
Project: Gorgon
MMORPG
January 28, 2026
PC (Steam)
The Midnight Walkers
Hardcore Online FPS
January 29, 2026
PC (Steam)
Whisper of the Swallows
Co-op Survival
January 29, 2026 (Early Access)
PC (Steam)
Running Fable Petite Party
Party Game
January 30, 2026
PC (Steam)
Downfall MMORPG
MMORPG
January 30, 2026
PC (Steam)
Faehnor Online
MMORPG
February 3, 2026
PC (Steam)
YAPYAP
Co-op Horror
February 3, 2026
PC (Steam)
HumanitZ
Open-World-Sandbox-Survival
February 6, 2026
PC (Steam)
REANIMAL
Horror Adventure with Online Co-op
February 13, 2026
PC, PS5, Xbox Series and Switch 2
Tides of Tomorrow
Survival with Asynchronous Multiplayer
February 24, 2026
PC (Steam), Xbox Series, PS5
The Story Page
MMORPG
February, 2026
PC (Steam)
Marathon
Extraction-Shooter
March 5, 2026
Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando
Co-op Shooter
March 12, 2026
PC (Steam, Epic), Xbox Series, PS5
Anseion
2D-MMORPG
March 2026
PC (Steam)
Elderwood Online
2D-MMORPG
March 2026
PC (Steam)
Starsand Island
Cozy Game with Online Co-op
Q1 2026
PC (Steam, Epic), Xbox Series, PS5, Switch
Legend of YMIR
MMORPG
Q1 2026
PC (Steam)
Monsters & Memories
MMORPG
Q1 2026 (Early Access)
PC
Scars of Honor
MMORPG
Q1 2026 (Early Access)
PC, Mobile
GTA 6 (with a new version of GTA Online?!)
Open World Blockbuster
November 19, 2026
PS5, Xbox Series
ArcheAge Chronicles
MMORPG
Q3 2026
PC (Steam, Epic), Xbox Series, PS5
Aion 2
MMORPG
Q3 or Q4 2026
PC, Mobile
Chrono Odyssey
MMORPG
End of 2026
PC (Steam, Epic), Xbox Series, PS5
Loftia
Cozy MMO
2026
PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch
Forza Horizon 6
Racing Game with Online Content
2026
PC, Xbox Series
Grimrain
MMORPG
2026 (Early Access)
PC (Steam)
Brighter Shores
MMORPG
2026 (currently EA, final launch)
PC (Steam)
Camelot Unchained
MMORPG
2026 (Early Access)
PC
Corepunk
MMORPG
Q4 2026 (currently EA, final launch)
PC
Subnautica 2
Survival with Co-op
2026 (Early Access)
PC (Steam), Xbox Series
Stars Reach
MMORPG
2026 (Early Access)
PC
2040World
Third Person MMO Action Game
2026
PC (Steam)
ALARA Prime
Online Shooter
2026
PC (Steam)
SpaceCraft
MMO
2026 (Early Access)
PC (Steam)
Ashfall
MMORPG Shooter
2026 (Early Access)
PC (Steam)
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4
Real-Time Strategy
2026
PC (Steam)
MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls
Fighting Game
2026
PC (Steam, Epic), PS5
Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game
Fighting Game
2026
PC (Steam), Xbox Series, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch 2
Expansions and Updates
In the coming months, a lot is happening in the MMO and MMORPG space. Here are the most important expansions that already have a fixed date:
Which new releases from the new year are particularly appealing to you? Which already announced MMO or multiplayer game are you looking forward to? Or do you prefer single-player games? Share your thoughts in the comments! Below, you can find the list of MMOs and multiplayer games that were released in 2025 if you’re interested.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Helldivers 2 now drops you onto a new planet and resurrects a forgotten enemy of Over-Earth.
What is this update about? In Helldivers 2, the fight against the robots escalates further. After Over-Earth equipped its brave fighters last week with patch 6.0.1 with a tank and a too powerful hammer, they are heading to a new planet tomorrow, on February 10, 2026: Cyberstan.
The Helldivers are to prevent the robots on Cyberstan from building a powerful weapon of war using the stolen blueprints of the “Star of Peace”, capable of destroying entire planets.
Over-Earth has already discovered many factories on the planet. In trailers for the update, the planet already looks like a robot hell:
A new enemy in the galactic war
What is this threat? In Helldivers 1, Cyberstan was known as the home planet of the cyborgs. The cyborgs, like the robots, are a hostile faction that fought a bitter war against Over-Earth.
In contrast to the robots, the cyborgs are former humans who led a rebellion against Over-Earth and were obsessed with the cybernetic augmentation of their bodies.
According to the history books of Over-Earth, the cyborgs have been defeated once and for all, but everything suggests that this is changing now. In the latest video from Helldivers 2, a voice that no longer sounds particularly human says:
You enslaved us in the name of freedom. You tried to eradicate us in the name of freedom. But we endured. We survived. We are the cyborg legion. And now we are free.
So it could be that Helldivers is laying the groundwork for the return of the cyborgs as enemies of Over-Earth with this update. The cyborgs would then be the fourth faction of enemies after the bugs, the robots, and the Illuminated.
Here you can see the video with the cryptic comeback message of the cyborgs:
Start video
Helldivers 2 hints at the arrival of new enemies in the cryptic video
What does this have to do with the robots? The exact connection between the robots and cyborgs remains unclear, but back in February 2024, players theorized that the cyborgs had created the robots.
Ashes of Creation is based on the ashes of a dream that will never become reality. The perfect moment for every long-time critic to say: “I told you so, it’s a scam!” Our MMORPG expert Karsten Scholz analyzes this accusation that has been circulating on the internet for years.
What are the current discussions based on? On the sudden end of Ashes of Creation. The long-time dream of a revolutionary sandbox MMORPG has come to an end. The man behind the dream, Steven Sharif, is gone. Along with him many senior developers. The remaining team? Fired. The game? Still online in Early Access Alpha, but no longer available for purchase.
Not all questions behind this sudden implosion have been clarified yet. However, the already available reports, research findings, and statements provide a first glimpse:
In the same month, a lawsuit started circulating, claiming that a cloud service provider was demanding $850,000 in damages from Intrepid. The reason: unpaid invoices. The studio head downplayed this lawsuit at the time, noting that it would roughly correspond to the studio’s weekly operating costs.
In January 2026, there were layoffs at Intrepid. Steven Sharif stated that 9 people were affected and that these were just normal fluctuations. The development of the MMORPG was not affected.
A document from January 16, 2026, proves that Steven Sharif lost his position on the legally responsible board of Intrepid on that date. Until then, it was always communicated externally that the studio head had sole leadership and was not accountable to anyone.
When exactly Steven Sharif involved external investors in the development of Ashes of Creation is unclear. However, due to the extremely high monthly costs of the studio, it seems that investors gained significant influence in the fourth quarter of 2025 – which likely led to the unplanned Early Access launch on Steam and the demands for significant cost reductions.
My colleagues at GameStar have summarized the sequence of events and all known information in video form on YouTube – it’s worth watching:
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Another reason: the long development time and slow progress. Ashes of Creation was announced in 2016, with a release originally scheduled for 2019. Since the project is currently in the last alpha phase, a beta was only realistic this year. A final release would probably not have occurred until 2027 or later.
Who is writing here? Karsten Scholz is the MMORPG expert at MeinMMO. He has been dealing with the best genre in the world almost daily for 16 years. His private initial contact was in 2005. Since then, he has accumulated several years of playtime in various online role-playing games and has played almost every relevant genre representative of the past two decades at least for a while.
It is understandable that some critics are now going around the internet with “I told you so, it’s a scam!” after the sudden end of Ashes of Creation. Even more so, because Steven Sharif suddenly left the sinking ship, there are suddenly hints of an investor board that was never supposed to exist, and because Sharif is said to have sold his house to his husband. The latter protects the property because potential creditors can no longer access the house.
This simple devaluation of Ashes of Creation as a scam does not do justice to the complexity of the case. This is also shown by the discussion in the current GameStar Talk on YouTube with MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski, MMORPG YouTuber Entenburg, GameStar author André Baumgartner, and moderator Lea Herfurtner. Be sure to check it out!
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How does MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz assess the situation? For me, Ashes of Creation is still not a planned scam from the start, aiming to take money from genre fans and make studio head Steven Sharif rich.
In such a scam, the mastermind behind it would never invest around $30 million of his own wealth into the project or build a studio with hundreds of employees burning just over $3 million per month.
How is a scam defined? The word can best be translated as fraud, scheme, or rip-off. A scam is a fraudulent plan to deprive someone of their money, personal data, or property. It usually involves deceiving the victim.
A game that I clearly consider a scam is The Day Before. A small team that relied on the free help of many naive fans who were supposed to take care of things like community management and quality assurance. Testing phases and gameplay presentations were repeatedly postponed. Foreign assets were reportedly used for trailers. There was a legal dispute over the name. Very little love and effort went into the released product.
A scam like this would not involve bringing the community on board so early and allowing them direct involvement in progress and issues over many years. Or that the responsible developers regularly report from development and show gameplay. None of this makes sense if one intends to eventually trick the followers.
By the way, I also do not consider the sudden Steam release as a type of exit scam designed to bring in cash so that Steven Sharif can escape as a made man before everything explodes. The payout system from Steam simply does not allow that. To this date, Intrepid has not received any money from Valve for the December sales of Ashes of Creation.
As a result, Steam buyers actually have a good chance of a full refund, even if they have already spent many hours in Ashes of Creation. At least various players on Reddit report that their refund request was successfully processed – as discussed in this discussion.
However, I believe that Steven Sharif made two crucial mistakes that build on each other:
He had the dream of a sandbox MMORPG with a hardcore PvP focus for the hardcore niche, which at the same time consumed the AAA budget of a blockbuster mainstream project. Therefore, I was very concerned in December 2025: Is Ashes of Creation too expensive for its own niche?
Due to the high costs, at some point he apparently involved external investors and then did not communicate this with the community.
What is the legal situation? The Kickstarter campaign promoted the promise: “If Ashes of Creation does not appear, you get your money back.” Has the Early Access launch on Steam legally fulfilled this promise? Is there also a chance for buyers of supporter packages to get their money back?
To clarify these and other still open questions, we have contacted a media lawyer. As soon as we have the answers, we will inform you on MeinMMO.
From the second mistake, one can actually speak of deception from my point of view. After all, the promised independence of the project was an important reason for many genre enthusiasts to financially support Ashes of Creation. At this moment, Sharif betrayed his community and set in motion a stone that buried Intrepid a few days ago.
In the end, there are no winners in this situation. The dreams of many players have been shattered. The beleaguered genre of MMORPGs has lost another hope from the West. High financial investments have gone to waste – equally from the community, from Steven Sharif, and from external investors. The developers have poured their heart and soul into the project over the years for nothing, now have to look for new jobs, and some are still waiting for unpaid salaries.
Streamer Félix “xQc” Lengyel was for a long time the number 1 on Twitch. However, he could only become that big on the platform because he was kicked out of his eSports professional team before.
Who is it about? Streamer xQc is one of the biggest names in the international streaming world. From 2020 to 2022, xQc was the most-watched Twitch channel (Source: SullyGnome.com).
However, xQc has since returned to Twitch after his contract with Kick expired. His success is primarily based on one factor: His expulsion from the Overwatch pro team Dallas Fuel.
Start video
From Overwatch professional to number 1 on Twitch to 100 million $ – Who is xQc?
2 Suspensions Lead to Twitch Career
Why did xQc have to fear for his career? Things didn’t always go as smoothly for xQc as they do now. Before his career as a streamer, he was a professional player on the Overwatch team Dallas Fuel. In January 2018, Dallas Fuel lost to the Houston Outlaws team, after which xQc made a homophobic insult against one of the opposing players (Source: PC Gamer). This led to xQc receiving a suspension for the current stage.
In the following stage in early March 2018, xQc was allowed to play again but was immediately suspended again. This time, xQc used an emote in the Twitch chat towards the moderator in a racially disparaging manner (Source: PC Gamer). A few days later, Dallas Fuel announced that they would permanently part ways with xQc.
In an interview with Dexerto, the former pro player explained: “I didn’t know what to do. I really thought I was finished. I thought that was pretty much the end of my career.”
Prior to that, xQc had often streamed on Twitch. However, after his expulsion from Dallas Fuel, he was able to focus entirely on the platform, and due to his controversy with Dallas Fuel, many viewers tuned in from the very beginning.
Ultimately, this led to his rise as one of the biggest streamers, as he initially played Overwatch and was able to impress his viewers with his skills.
In summary, it can be said that xQc’s expulsion from Dallas Fuel led to a successful career on Twitch. Only then could the 30-year-old focus on the platform and his content there.
