Elder Scrolls Online: Former Lead Reveals How Much Revenue the MMORPG Has Made Each Month for Ten Years

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

A former executive of ZeniMax Online reveals on LinkedIn how much revenue The Elder Scrolls Online has made every month over ten years.

Who is the lead and what does he reveal? Gary Boodhoo was the User Experience Lead at ZeniMax Online for several years and was responsible for interface adjustments for controller controls, among other things.

On his profile on linkedin.com, Boodhoo also writes that he was responsible for the following point: “Interaction design and information architecture for the listing of digital assets, in collaboration with content and business teams, which led to a monthly revenue of 15 million dollars over ten years.”

Elder Scrolls Online has become one of the most successful MMORPGs on the market over the past decade – here you will find the most important information in a nutshell:

Start video
Everything you need to know about The Elder Scrolls Online – in 2 minutes

Two of the most successful MMORPGs now belong to Microsoft

Are the revenue numbers realistic? Also on LinkedIn, Boodhoo, who is now a freelance UX consultant at Skinjester, explains that The Elder Scrolls Online managed to achieve a revenue of two billion US dollars in its first decade. This aligns with a statement from Zenimax CEO Matt Firor from April 2024.

If you divide this sum over ten years or 120 months, you arrive at average monthly earnings of 16.7 million dollars. Elder Scrolls Online achieved this with a fairly flexible payment model, where you can buy the base game, DLCs, and chapters or alternatively subscribe to the Game Pass and the optional ESO Plus subscription. There is also the Crown Store.

How does the community evaluate the revenue numbers? Players discuss the quality of ESO and the payment model on Reddit.

  • SysAdminWannabe90 writes (via Reddit): “I have never felt so sold out in an MMO, so it makes sense to me. There is something related to the cash shop at every turn where they are trying to get you to buy. For a subscription-based MMO, that’s crazy.”
  • CapnTyler97 expresses disappointment with the status quo (via Reddit): “ESO has been my main game since its release (over 10,000 hours of playtime), but today it’s just terrible. The only things going for the game are PvP (which is still incredibly unbalanced) and the Elder Scrolls IP.”
  • Sturminator94 sees it this way (via Reddit): “This doesn’t surprise me. Probably the most heavily monetized game of the big 4. However, it doesn’t feel like they invest much back into the game. They’ve stopped the patches for the mini zones, and the content releases they do are quite formulaic.”

What does MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz say about the situation? On the one hand, it should be noted that it’s quite remarkable that after the mixed launch ten years ago, The Elder Scrolls Online is now one of the most successful MMORPGs on the market.

To achieve this, Zenimax has invested enormous effort over the years, turning essential areas of the game, such as the leveling experience and endgame, upside down. In a comparable form, this has only been achieved by Square Enix with Final Fantasy XIV.

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On the other hand, I can certainly understand the criticism from the community. That the new companions from Update 44 land in the Crown Store or ESO Plus subscription is, again, a new development that can be viewed critically. You can almost feel how the developers want to bring as many Tamriel heroes into the subscription as possible.

By the way: Due to the acquisitions of Zenimax and Bethesda on one side and Activision Blizzard on the other, two of the most successful MMORPGs on the market have belonged to Microsoft since last year. World of Warcraft seems to attract more players than ever to Azeroth right now – and not even thanks to The War Within.

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

New World Aeternum: All info about the launch on console (PS5 and XBOX) – Release, Map, new content, PC version, price

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 3 minutes

New World will receive an expanded version in 2024 called Aeternum, which is set to bring the MMORPG to PS5 and XBOX. MeinMMO provides all the information about the release of the update, the contents, all effects on the PC version, and what else is known.

When is New World Aeternum coming out? The release of New World Aeternum is on October 15, 2024.

On which consoles will it be available? New World Aeternum will be available on PS5. However, to play it on the PlayStation 5, you will need a PlayStation Plus subscription.

New World Aeternum will also be available on Xbox Series X|S. To play on Xbox, you will need a Game Pass Core subscription.

What do you need to play the expanded version of New World for free? To receive the overhaul and associated contents, you need the base game of New World and the first expansion “Rise of the Angry Earth.” Players who already own both on Steam will receive a free upgrade to the Aeternum version on October 15.

Players on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S can purchase the new version directly from the shop. The same applies if you do not yet own New World and/or the “Rise of the Angry Earth” expansion on PC – you can either buy the complete package or, if you at least have already purchased the base game, secure the expansion later.

Is there a map yet? No, there is currently no map of the new regions.

New World Aeternum has a new trailer that you can watch here:

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Trailer for New World Aeternum announces console version

New World Aeternum: Contents, Costs, and Playing Together

What new contents are included in New World Aeternum? The new version of New World aims to transform the MMORPG more into an action RPG. With the update, gameplay and user interface will be adapted and improved for console. The combat system is set to be significantly more action-oriented and controller support will also be introduced.

New content includes, for the first time, a 10-player raid, a faster leveling system, and solo challenges in the endgame. New character archetypes and a comprehensive PvP zone are expected to be included in the expansion. For story fans, there will be a new dialogue system and an improved storyline.

What will the upgrade cost? For players on Steam, the expansion is free if they already own the base game New World and the first expansion “Rise of the Angry Earth.” If not, you can get the “Elysian Edition” with the base game and expansion for €66.98. If you only need the expansion, it will cost €28.99.

For players on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, New World Aeternum (with the base game and expansion) costs €59.99 in the Standard Edition and €79.99 in the Deluxe Edition.

What is included in the Deluxe Edition? The Deluxe Edition includes New World Aeternum, the bear mount “Corrupted Mauler,” and the armor skin “Corrupted Soul.” All pre-order customers will also receive the “Azoth Stalker” wolf mount.

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Can you play New World Aeternum together? Yes, you can play the new version of New World on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC together with your friends, regardless of what platforms they use. All characters can be on the same servers and crossplay is possible.

Can I play my character from Steam on PS5 or Xbox? No, your characters created on one platform are tied to that platform. You cannot transfer your Steam character to PS5, or vice versa. Transferring the character is not possible.

Those who pre-order New World on console before its release will receive the “Azoth Stalker” wolf mount for free. For PC players, a login until the launch of the new expansion on a character is sufficient. Although the announcement of New World Aeternum did not go down well with PC players, someone in our editorial team is really excited about the game: MMO or not? While New World is searching for its place, PS5 and Xbox have reason to celebrate.

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

WoW Player Recognizes the Change: “Tanks are No Longer the Problem – Healers Are”

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Is healing in World of Warcraft becoming too uncomfortable? Blizzard is making healing harder – at least that’s what some players think.

For many years, there was an old saying in World of Warcraft: hardly anyone wants to play Tank. Tank is often the role with the greatest responsibility, especially in time-sensitive “M+” dungeons. However, this responsibility is increasingly being shifted to the healers. At least that’s what some believe who have played multiple roles for years.

Start video
WoW: The War Within – Forces Within

This is claimed: In the WoW subreddit, Kaoshosh explains that he generally plays all three roles. In the past, he found tanking uncomfortable, but now it seems to him that he can “take a break” while doing it. The real unrest arises when he switches to healing:

The saying that every mechanic is a healer mechanic is not just a meme. When tanks were nerfed, I had no worries about my tank specialization, but rather about the additional healing that would be necessary. And DPS are only seen as a light role because all their mistakes are compensated by the healer (or the healer is blamed for them).

Making healing harder from expansion to expansion has not been a glorious act in my opinion. Healing is now by far the most stressful role. Only a small niche of players enjoys that. I don’t know what Blizz wants from us. Why is this role becoming harder while all the others remain roughly the same?

This apparently resonates with many healers, as the post received over 2,000 upvotes within hours. However, some also have explanations for why healing feels so hard right now and that this will likely diminish over time.

Healing is the hardest to balance

An explanation comes from the comment with the most upvotes in the post. The healer “audioshaman” explains exactly why balancing healing is so difficult and why it weighs so heavily at the beginning of a new expansion (or season).

The harder the content becomes, the easier healing gets. Because at higher levels, healers are no longer able to compensate for the mistakes of other characters. Anyone standing in a wrong area is just dead instantly:

Ironically, healing usually becomes easier the harder the content gets, especially in M+. Better players make your job easier. Mistakes that you could heal through back then now just one-shot people.

It’s hard to balance. The truth is, healing is not just the job of the healer – but of everyone. The new talent system has given DPS characters more defensive and useful abilities than ever before. Therefore, the content has been designed around these abilities and their use, otherwise, healing would be trivial. If a DPS character dies from a hard hit and doesn’t use their defensive ability, it’s simply not the healer’s fault.

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After Nostalrius came WoW Classic, now the end of Turtle WoW must lead to WoW Classic Plus
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However, many also note that in The War Within there are significantly more sources of unavoidable damage. A multitude of bosses have new abilities that deal damage to all characters and cannot be avoided. This situation, combined with the significantly larger HP pools, would simply lead to healers sweating more, as it takes longer to heal all characters up.

How do you perceive healing in World of Warcraft: The War Within? Do you still enjoy the role? And if not: what needs to change to make healing more attractive again? One problem could also be that while everyone wants hard content, hardly anyone is making an effort anymore.

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

Pokémon GO: All Spotlight Hours in September 2024 and their Bonuses

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 5 minutes

In September 2024, the Spotlight Hours are waiting for you in Pokémon GO as usual. We will show you when they take place and what to expect.

What kind of event is this? Spotlight Hours are small events that take place every Tuesday for 60 minutes. During this time, there is one or more Pokémon that are in focus and appear in very high numbers within these 60 minutes.

In addition to the Pokémon, there is also a bonus that is active during the Spotlight Hour. These can be bonuses on experience points, stardust, or candies.

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

All Spotlight Hours in September 2024

When do the Spotlight Hours take place? The Spotlight Hours start every Tuesday at 6:00 PM. They end again after exactly one hour, at 7:00 PM. On which dates they take place in September and what to expect will be shown in the following table.

DatePokémon & Bonus
September 3Wolly and 2x Evolution EP
September 10Araqua and 2x Catch Stardust
September 17Woingenau and 2x Catch EP
September 24Machollo and 2x Catch Candies

Spotlight Hour on September 3

Which Pokémon is in the spotlight? On September 3, you will find Wolly in the Spotlight Hour. The Normal-type Pokémon has been around since Generation 8. It has an evolution, Zwollock.

Pokemon GO Spotlight Hour Wolly

Which bonus is active? If you evolve Pokémon during this Spotlight Hour, you will receive double the amount of experience points.

Is the event worth it? Neither Wolly nor its evolution Zwollock are among the best attackers in Pokémon GO.

At least in the Battle League, Zwollock can hold its own. Although it is not one of the top Pokémon here, it can be found in the midfield in the Super and Hyper League.

If you have been collecting Pokémon to evolve them for a while, the bonus may be worth it for you. You can double this by using the item Lucky Egg, thus receiving four times the amount of experience points when evolving Pokémon.

Can you catch Shiny Wolly? Yes, starting today, you can encounter the Shiny variant of Wolly.

Spotlight Hour on September 10

Which Pokémon is in the spotlight? In this Spotlight Hour, Araqua, the spider-like Pokémon from Generation 7, is waiting for you. It has the types Water and Bug and can evolve into Aranestro.

Pokemon GO Spotlight Hour Araqua

Which bonus is active? If you catch Pokémon during this Spotlight Hour, you will receive double the amount of stardust. It doesn’t matter which Pokémon you catch – every catch will be rewarded with this bonus.

Is the event worth it? Araqua and its evolution are not top attackers if you plan to use the Pokémon in raids.

In the regular 3 Cups of the Battle League, the Pokémon also play no significant role. However, there are special cups where the Pokémon can score. In the Fossil Cup with Super League rules, for example, Aranestro can rank among the top 40, as you can see on pvpoke.com.

The double stardust bonus can be worth it for you if you catch many Pokémon during the event. If you have saved Pokémon through field research that generally yield more stardust, the event may be even more worthwhile for you.

If you use a Star Piece during the event, you can further increase the amount of stardust received.

Can you catch Shiny Araqua? Yes. If you are lucky, you can also encounter the Shiny variant of Araqua during the Spotlight Hour.

Spotlight Hour on September 17

Which Pokémon is in the spotlight? On September 17, Woingenau, the Psychic Pokémon from Generation 2, is waiting for you. It has a pre-evolution, Isso.

Pokemon GO Spotlight Hour Woingenau

Which bonus is active? If you catch Pokémon during this Spotlight Hour, you will receive double the amount of experience points. It doesn’t matter which Pokémon you catch. The bonus applies to all monsters caught during the Spotlight Hour.

Is the event worth it? Woingenau is not a particularly strong Pokémon. Therefore, you should not plan to use it for your raid teams.

Woingenau doesn’t play a role in the Battle League either, and you should rely on other monsters here if you want to be successful.

If you catch a lot of Pokémon during the event, you can at least enjoy the experience point bonus. You can further increase this by using the item Lucky Egg. Additionally, you can increase the amount of Pokémon you encounter during the Spotlight Hour with incense and lure modules.

Can you catch Shiny Woingenau? Yes, Woingenau is already available in its Shiny form in the game. If you are lucky, you can encounter Shiny Woingenau as well.

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Spotlight Hour on September 24

Which Pokémon is in the spotlight? In the Spotlight Hour on September 24, you can look forward to Machollo. The Fighting Pokémon from Generation 1 has 2 evolutions, Maschock and Machomei.

Pokemon GO Spotlight Hour Machollo

Which bonus is active? If you catch Pokémon during this event, you will receive double the amount of candies for it. This bonus applies to all Pokémon you catch, not just Machollo.

Is the event worth it? Machomei is one of the top attackers of the Fighting type. So if you haven’t been able to catch any good specimens so far, this event is a great opportunity for you. The shadow variant of Machomei is even stronger than regular Machomei. You can collect a lot of candies during this event for that.

In the battle leagues, Machomei can still hold its own, at least to some extent. The shadow variant of the Pokémon is in the upper midfield in both the Super and Hyper League. The regular variant is still somewhat viable in the Super League, but is weaker than the shadow variant.

Whether you want to level up Machomei for raids or battle leagues: In this event, you can gather a lot of candies thanks to the bonus. If you use Razz Berries when catching, you can further increase the amount of candies received.

Can you catch Shiny Machollo? If you are lucky, you can also encounter the Shiny variant of Machollo during this Spotlight Hour.

What do you think of the Spotlight Hours in September 2024? Which ones are you particularly looking forward to? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments and chat with other trainers here. By the way: The first events for the new month have already been confirmed. If you want to know what they are, we have the appropriate overview: Events in September 2024 in Pokémon GO.

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

Asmongold says many are obsessed with the idea that he once had a girlfriend

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

The Twitch streamer Asmongold has now addressed the huge interest in his private life that is being discussed online, especially on Twitter. He believes that the internet is obsessed with him and his short-term girlfriend Kaise.

This is the situation: Asmongold is a popular Twitch streamer who rose to fame with the MMORPG World of Warcraft. He plays with the image of a scruffy nerd who never cleans his room, even though he is successful and wealthy.

The fans closely follow Asmongold’s life and actions and discuss his private life. Asmongold was on and off in a relationship with Twitch streamer PinkSparkles between 2019 and 2022, apparently a heated relationship. It seemed like the real-life version of “Beauty and the Nerd.” At that time, some fans said he shouldn’t have a girlfriend, but should remain as lonely as they are.

In January 2024, the Twitch streamer Kaise appeared in Asmongold’s life, but disappeared quickly. Now the topic has resurfaced in September 2024, and Asmongold is commenting on it.

Start video
Career and life of Asmongold in 3 minutes – What makes him special?

Tweet with the picture of Asmongold and Kaise goes viral

This is how the topic resurfaced: On Twitter, on September 18, a user posted a picture of Asmongold and Kaise, stating: “Now show me your girlfriend.” This tweet received 14.5 million views, making it incredibly successful.

Under the thread, some cheeky comments like:

  • “She is only with him for the money”
  • “He is rich. The guy can live like a pig and still get a girlfriend”
  • “You’re a swan, he’s a frog”

“I am incredibly interesting. Everyone talks about me all the time”

This is what Asmongold says about it: Asmongold made a joke and commented under the tweet: “She broke up with me.” To which a user commented, “Because you took her to Taco Bell on the first date.”

Asmongold laughs about the comments under the tweet, especially about “Get me out of here!”, which apparently is meant to reflect Kaise’s thoughts in this photo.

According to Asmongold, the situation in the photo is portrayed very differently in the comments than it actually was. Because the photo was taken on a “beautiful day,” he had taken her to the best shopping street in Austin, and afterwards they went for a nice meal.

He finds it amusing how much attention is given to him and his relationship. The 34-year-old believes the Twitter user wanted to make some quick money before the end of the month and chose a topic that interests everyone: Him.

The tweet received 14.5 million views – that’s just “insane.”

He wants something that gets a lot of likes, so of course he talks about me. Obviously, I am incredibly interesting. Everyone thinks about me constantly. Everyone talks about me. Of course. He just wants to make money.

He then explains (via youtube):

  • Kaise paid for everything during their dates because he just wasn’t paying attention
  • He made the mistake of taking her to a burger joint on the first date instead of, as it should be, to Taco Bell.
  • It’s also not like she was “using him for clicks”, as he also benefited from her; people watched the videos with her endlessly

He continues to chat online with Kaise, and they are on good terms. Kaise just laughs about this bizarre situation.

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This is how Asmongold sees the situation: Asmongold believes it’s just crazy how much people are interested in his private life. He is just being himself, is happy, and lives his life – what others make of it doesn’t concern him.

Some people are downright obsessed with him:

I’m sure for someone it’s their personal 9/11 that I had a girlfriend at one point in my life.

In the past, Asmongold had said that people rub against him because his life doesn’t make sense from their perspective. He is lazy and eats horribly but is neither fat nor extremely successful.

So what is it really like with Asmongold? From what we know, there’s not much to it. Kaise lives in Vancouver and was in Texas with Asmongold for a short time in January 2024, appeared in his stream, and apparently went out with him a few times.

That was more or less a collaboration between two content creators that both benefited from.

The visit probably just came to an end, and they are still on friendly terms, but whether there was really anything romantically significant happening privately is unknown. The idea was flirted with in the stream. The liaison with PinkSparkles was apparently much more serious: A WoW nerd and his girlfriend are the celebrity couple of Twitch

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

In Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, one weapon is especially popular, but its great strength was not planned at all

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

In Space Marine 2, a weapon is particularly popular among the community. However, the next patch is supposed to make the weapon a bit worse.

Which weapon is it? The melta gun. It is a thermal weapon for short distances that plays somewhat like a shotgun – but instead of shotgun ammunition, the melta gun fires flames.

You can use the melta gun on the tactician and the scout. Additionally, the multi-melta is available to you when playing the destroyer.

The melta gun has various strengths and is highly valued by the community for this. It can stagger opponents with a single shot, deals decent damage, and is very effective for add-clear due to its spread effect.

However, another strength of the weapon was not intended according to the developers. Therefore, the next patch is supposed to remedy this.

Start video
Space Marine 2: So aktiviert ihr Koop und Crossplay

A peculiarity of the melta gun was just a bug

Which strength was not planned? As the developers mentioned in a Q&A session, the melta gun is currently benefiting from a bug (via focus-entmt.com). This bug allows players to heal beyond their actual health (keyword: overheal) when they eliminate opponents.

How will the weapon be nerfed? Since the overheal effect of the melta gun was not planned and is just a bug, the developers want to fix the issue in the next patch.

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Developers have initial plans for balancing updates

Are they nerfing the fun out of the game? No! The developers have not announced any nerfs for the melta gun. They only want to patch the bug – even though that will already make the weapon worse.

If you have played Helldivers 2, you might be concerned that the developers will go overboard with nerfs. In Helldivers 2, even the head of the game believed that they would patch the fun out of the game. This was considered a problem for months and has now been addressed with a major update.

The team behind Space Marine 2 apparently wants to take a different approach from the start. Rather than announcing nerfs for the melta gun, the developers announced that they will be revising the enemies. These feel like bullet sponges on higher difficulty levels, and that is the main issue with bolt-type weapons. Therefore, the developers are testing how they can adjust the enemies so that bolt weapons feel better.

The next patch for Space Marine 2 is also supposed to include an adjustment of the AI companions. While there was a reason for them to act quite passively, the developers are still dissatisfied with the bots: The bots in Space Marine 2 are intentionally bad so that you feel better.

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

The company behind GTA 6 is looking for strong players for a dream job, but one thing is standing in the way of your career

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The game studio Rockstar Games is currently working on GTA 6. A job posting sounds like a dream job: In Scotland, they are looking for a “Screenshot Capture Artist.” You don’t need to have any programming knowledge, but you need a good eye and a lot of skill in games.

What is this position and where is it? A studio in Rockstar is located in Dundee, Scotland. They worked on games like Crackdown 2 as Ruffian Games before Take-Two bought them in October 2020 and placed them under Rockstar.

What they are working on in Dundee is not officially known. However, it is likely that they are involved in GTA 6, as that is clearly the next major release from Rockstar. Even though there are always rumors that Rockstar plans to bring Red Dead Redemption 1 to PC.

Now, Rockstar Dundee is advertising a position as a “Screenshot Capture Artist.” Essentially, they are looking for a player who plays through a still unfinished game and takes stunning screenshots.

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

Rockstar is looking for an outstanding player with a passion for pop culture

This is the job’s responsibility: Dundee states that they are looking for someone who can either capture images or gameplay that can be used for marketing campaigns or in the games themselves, likely referring to something like cutscenes.

You should imagine the job as if you were taking digital photographs from the streets, but in a virtual world. The artist will be given the opportunity to move the camera freely in the game to capture every conceivable angle for the screenshot.

This is a long-term full-time job in the studio in Scotland.

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For the dream job, you need a portfolio with great photographs

What skills are required? They are primarily looking for a good player who is capable of mastering “new and still unfinished games.” They expect someone who “grasp new games faster than anyone else they know.”

In addition to outstanding gaming skills, they also expect a “deep knowledge and enthusiasm” for movies, TV series, pop culture, and music videos. Teamwork skills and a passion for Rockstar’s games are also beneficial. They are looking for someone who does their job well – no matter what obstacles stand in the way.

The catch for many players: Rockstar expects someone who has an interest in photography and a portfolio that shows they can handle a camera, whether it’s a real one or a virtual one. So: “Bring me photos, photos of Spiderman GTA 6.”

It sounds like a dream job, and many potential players of GTA 6 likely meet 90% of the requirements and could really apply if it weren’t for the condition that you practically have to be a professional photographer. This is likely to narrow the field of potential candidates: They’re looking for a passionate gaming fan who either pursues photography as a serious hobby or a career – or at least has an insane collection of screenshots.

When GTA 6 is released, it could be a huge deal. And the promotional screenshots will be seen by millions of people. Currently, however, it still seems uncertain when exactly we can expect the release of GTA 6: GTA 6: The developers explain whether the rumors about the release being pushed to 2026 are true.

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

The new MMORPG BNS Neo Classic is set to come to Europe with improved graphics

Nathalie Schnee Nathalie Schnee Reading time 2 minutes

The developers of Blade and Soul have been working on their game and will soon release a new version with improved graphics and a different name.

What is the latest update? About a year ago, players were promised the new version of Blade and Soul, called Blade and Soul Neo Classic. Now and then, the responsible parties have given signs of life on social media to show the community the current status of the new version.

However, it became a bit quieter about the title, causing fans to wonder if work was still being done on the new version. On September 19, 2024, the team behind Blade and Soul surprised everyone with a message on social media:

BIG NEWS. We are excited to announce that BNS NEO will soon officially launch in Korea! We are thrilled that the game will be available in a new region, bringing us closer to the global launch!

You can watch the new graphics of Blade and Soul Neo Classic in the following trailer:

Start video
Blade & Soul new servers trailer

What they want to improve

What is new? Blade and Soul is being completely rebooted. The developers want to return to their roots. For some time, the charm of the original version has been lost, and they want to bring it back. Not only the gameplay will be revised, but also the graphics. The developers mention the following points they want to adjust in the game:

  • The combat system should feel more like it did in the past.
  • Improvement of hit effects in combat.
  • There will be new jewel effects. The developers mention “Amethyst,” which increases attack power, accuracy, and life steal in the game.
  • Improving the balance, combat, and economic systems, and much more.
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When is the release? The Korean version is about to launch. It is set to start on October 16, 2024. The upcoming release in Korea gives hope that the global version won’t be too far behind. It has been confirmed by the developers that the game will come to North America and Europe – the exact timing is not known.

Are you looking forward to the new version of Blade and Soul? You can find out more about it here: The MMORPG Blade & Soul aims to bring back its former glory with new servers, showing first images in the trailer

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

EA FC 25: Strong Bundesliga Team under 20,000 Coins at the Start in FUT

Julian Schröder Julian Schröder Reading time 3 minutes

EA FC 25 has launched, but in FUT there are only a few coins available at the beginning. Therefore, we are showing you a budget Bundesliga team for the start here on MeinMMO.

What kind of team is this? Anyone looking to start with Bundesliga players has many options to build a competitive team. However, strong cards are expensive and coins are scarce in Ultimate Team at the start.

That’s why you can find a team here that you can assemble for under 20,000 coins total (current status, 22.09.2024).

When assembling the team for EA FC 25, we focused especially on particularly budget-friendly cards that provide you with a foundation in the first matches to earn initial rewards. Such teams can compete well in Squad Battles to collect rewards or earn initial victories in the lower divisions of Division Rivals.

Over time, you can start replacing players and improving the team.

Start video
EA FC 25 trailer shows new features for Ultimate Team

11 budget Bundesliga players for starting in Ultimate Team

This is the team: You don’t need to worry about chemistry with this team, as all players come from the Bundesliga.

We have ensured that the team costs a maximum of 20,000 coins (as of September 22, 2024). Currently, the team’s price is around 17,000 coins. However, be aware that especially at the start of Ultimate Team, prices can fluctuate significantly.

This is what the team looks like:

Budget Bundesliga team (via futbin)

Who is in the team? In FC 25, Hradecky has received a strong upgrade (+3 points) and is therefore the perfect keeper for the start. He costs only 1,400 coins and should keep the goal clear for you.

In the center-back position, you will find Klostermann (900 coins) and Kim Min Jae (1,800 coins), two fast and physically strong center-backs, although they cannot boast particularly good dribbling skills. However, they are ideal for stopping opposing attackers.

For the left-back position, we recommend David Raum (650 coins) because he is fast, has good passing skills, and is strong in dribbling. Additionally, with him, precise crosses from the flanks are possible. On the right, Bayern newcomer Boey (1,300 coins) is a suitable choice. He has similar skills to Raum but cannot deliver crosses as effectively as the German international.

For the playmaker role, we have Julian Brandt (3,400 coins) from Borussia Dortmund, and as a box-to-box player, Marcel Sabitzer (1,800 coins) is a good choice, as he has strong stats both offensively and defensively. We also have Palhina as the defensive enforcer (3,100 coins), who brings strong defensive stats but has to compromise on pace.

On the left wing, we have the ultra-fast Adeyemi for 5,000 coins, who is also the most expensive player on this team. However, his speed, dribbling, and 4-star skill moves are worth it to leave your opponents standing on the left flank.

For the right side, Olise (2,300 coins) is a good option. The Frenchman is not as fast as Adeyemi and should be used more as a crosser.

Now we only need a striker, which is not that easy. The really good strikers are still quite expensive, so we have to make do with a budget striker with solid stats. We have chosen Marmoush (700 coins) from Eintracht Frankfurt. He is fast, strong in dribbling, and has decent shooting stats. However, you should avoid trying long shots.

Alternatively, you can also put Maxi Beier or Serge Gnabry in the striker position. They cost a similar amount of coins.

More on the topic
EA FC 25: Griddy to Glory – here is how to unlock the goal celebration for FC 26
von Thomas Dummer
EA FC 25: Player Group 23 for SBCs – What is behind the condition?
von Thomas Dummer
Pre Season in EA FC 25: Here’s how to quickly earn rewards for FC 26
von Thomas Dummer

With this starter team, you could start cheaply and collect first victories. Then it will be time for upgrades, for which we will show you a few examples.

  • ST: Malen (9,700 coins)
  • RF: Sané (22,500 coins)
  • IV: Schlotterbeck (10,000 coins)
  • IV: Upamecano (8,000 coins)
  • ZM: Kimmich (7,600 coins)

Which players are you putting in your first team? Let us know in the comments! If you want to know who the strongest players in FC 25 are, then take a look here: EA FC 25 Ratings in Ultimate Team: The most important information on the Top 100 and database of all players

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

He created great role-playing games and says today: A feature that many of you love was a mistake

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

The video game developer Joshua E. Sawyer was a designer on several major role-playing games of the 2000s and 2010s. He led Fallout: New Vegas, which many see as a milestone in the RPG genre. But now he says: Manual save games were a mistake; they are like poison.

What has Josh Sawyer done for big role-playing games? The 48-year-old has an impressive career in the gaming industry, especially in RPGs:

  • He was involved in classic RPGs from the world of Dungeons and Dragons in the 2000s: such as Icewind Dale, Icewind Dale 2, and Neverwinter Nights 2.
  • In 2010, he was the head of Fallout: New Vegas and its DLCs, which many fans regard as a milestone of the genre and “the better Fallout.” It has a Metacritic score of 84%.
  • From 2015, he worked on Pillars of Eternity, which are two popular role-playing games that hark back to the golden days, before Baldur’s Gate 3 sparked renewed hype for this form of isometric RPG.

The Pillars of Eternity series is considered a tribute to the classics:

Start video
Pillars of Eternity: The Trailer for the RPG

“Manual save states were a mistake”

He is critical of this feature: In a tweet from September 18, Sawyer explains:

“Manual save games were a mistake. They are like the Chicken McNuggets of gaming: they provide convenience, but they are bad for you and poison your gaming spirit.”

How is this being discussed? Some players reject the idea. They say:

“I like to save at any time. Then I can go and do things – and I don’t have to replay the whole chapter.”

“I will cheat with saves at every boss – and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

The YouTuber FranklyGaming agrees with Sawyer and says: The honor mode in Baldur’s Gate 3 showed him how games are without manual saves: Every single decision becomes much more significant. Manual saving and “save scumming” ruin decisions in games.

“Some just can’t play without manual save games”

What do other game developers say? The boss of Dishonored says:

I don’t disagree, but let players decide how they want to play. Some just can’t play without manual save games.

Freedom and frustration vs. Every decision matters

What’s behind this: This is an ongoing debate.

When you can save freely, it removes the risk from role-playing and strategy games. You can take “risky paths,” and if it goes wrong, you just reload and try again until it works. This is often justified by saying: “Even Jesus saved,” in reference to the fact that he resurrected from the dead.

There is also “save scumming.” This way, you can cheat a game mechanic by doing something that has only a very low chance of success, but you reload the game state until it finally works. You roll until the result suits you. This is essentially cheating.

This indeed removes the risk and enjoyment from decisions, but it also protects players from frustration that many cannot handle. Because many players want to play a game “perfectly” and achieve the optimal outcome. If they feel like they have missed or messed up a situation, they find it hard to cope. Such players are called “completionists.”

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This is the alternative: The alternative to “manual saving” is automatic saving. If there is only one save file that gets overwritten again and again, it is referred to as “ironman mode.” This is an option that many games offer today.

From a game designer’s perspective, who wants players to immerse themselves deeply in a game and take every decision seriously, Sawyer’s view is certainly understandable.

An example of particularly egregious save scumming has been described on MeinMMO in an article about Civilization 6, for which I would like to sincerely apologize: Steam: I am obsessed with achieving the perfect start in Civilization 6 and have been loading the same game state for 2 years.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 3DJuegos

Destiny 2 promises to make a class stronger and more versatile: it will gain abilities like those from an MMORPG

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

Bungie has announced a comprehensive overhaul of the “Titan” class in the online shooter Destiny 2 . This will take place with the episode “Destiny 2: Revenant (Returner)” starting on October 8. The Titans will receive abilities similar to those of tanks in MMORPGs. They will be able to draw the attention of enemies to themselves.

This is the idea behind the Titan’s overhaul:

Since February 2023, there has been a discussion about the Titan in Destiny 2. The criticism is that the Titan plays too uniformly across all specializations.

Bungie stated: The “core power fantasies” of the Titan are that he uses his fists. This is already shown on the game’s cover. The core identity of the Titan lies in striking and fighting with fists in a world of blasters and rocket launchers (via gamesradar).

However, this core identity seems to be insufficient for many players. The class comes across as “too simple” and needs to engage in close combat and strike at things.

Start video
Bungie shows the future of Destiny 2 after The Final Shape in the new trailer

Titans in Destiny will become more diverse, can better protect teammates

This is what Bungie says now: In a blog post from September 19, Bungie explains that Titans deserve more than just “the sum of their clenched fists”; they need a distinct class identity. Therefore, Titans will receive deeper gameplay and more tactical options.

Bungie states: They do not want to take anything away from the Titan, but only to add more. However, this will take time.

Soon it will be possible for Titans to draw the “aggro” of enemies with the “Barricade” ability to protect their teammates. In MMORPG terms: The Titan will receive the “Taunt” ability that players from MMORPGs are familiar with.

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28 years old MMORPG is re-released, earning up to 6 million euros daily
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The changes look like this:

  • The Barricade will last longer and protect players significantly better.
  • The Void Shield “Unbreakable” will also last longer and slow down any enemies that hit the shield.
  • The Void Overshield will also increase damage resistance from 50% to 70%.

Along with all the gimmicks, there will also be a straightforward buff. The Titan’s regular punches will deal 5% more damage in PvP and even 20% more in PvE. Additionally, the stun effect is expected to occur more frequently. In the end, a Titan is still a brawler.

You can read about the exact improvements, including those for the Prism Titan, here at Bungie . The complete patch notes are expected to be released on October 8 when the episode Returners goes live.

How is this being discussed? The discussion about the Titan is actually being somewhat overshadowed on reddit. The big topic on reddit is the return of a mechanic that affects all players. This is viewed rather critically: Destiny 2 is bringing back the endgame goal for which you’ll be stretching in vain

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

5 Movies Like Inception

Christoph Waldboth Christoph Waldboth Reading time 4 minutes

Inception is a movie that has imprinted itself in the minds of many viewers. We have five tips for you that thematically go in a similar direction and you might enjoy.

What kind of movies are these? Inception is about dreams, manipulation, and the question of what reality actually is. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a dream specialist in Christopher Nolan’s film. He infiltrates the subconscious of others and alters it for the benefit of his clients.

Inception plays with different levels and can be a bit confusing on the first watch. Accordingly, our selection is anything but ordinary. The movies tell stories that will stimulate your brain cells and keep you engaged even after the credits.

Are you fans of sci-fi stories? Then feel free to check out this list of the best science fiction series.

[toc]

Paprika

Start video
Trailer for the anime Paprika, which inspired Inception

This anime from 2006 is considered a predecessor to Inception and is a major recommendation for all fans of Nolan’s film. Here too, a thief infiltrates the subconscious of their victims and manipulates it.

Paprika is truly crazy and impresses with countless content and visual ideas. There are also references to Greek mythology and strange physics in the anime. The similarities are undeniable, which only shows how taken Nolan is with Japanese cinema.

What IMDb ratings say: Paprika has been rated by 99,840 users and receives an average of 7.7 out of 10 points on IMDb .

Fun Fact: The anime is based on a book, namely the novel “Paprika”, which was released in 1993 and written by Yasutaka Tsutsui.

On page 2, we continue with two more movies.

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

A WoW player clearly says: “Everyone wants to play hard content, but no one wants to put in the effort.”

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

In World of Warcraft there is chaos – at least during some dungeon visits. Because Mythic+ overwhelms many and that leads to frustration.

The start of a new season in World of Warcraft always comes with some hurdles. One needs to learn the routes in the dungeons, memorize boss mechanics, and generally prepare one’s character to keep up.

However, fewer and fewer people want to take the time to truly prepare, as would be appropriate and polite. That’s what many players of WoW believe at least. A post in the WoW subreddit receives a lot of agreement.

Start video
WoW: The War Within – Forces Within

Mythic+ in WoW is currently “worse than ridiculous”

What was said? MollyNtheSufferjets wrote a post in the WoW subreddit and shared his experiences with “Mythic+” in the first days of the new season, which was anything but positive. In the post “WoW has a problem because everyone wants to play hard content, but only 5% of people put in the absolute minimum required,” he writes:

This week finding groups for Mythic+ was physically painful. Last night it was worse than ridiculous.

People don’t want to invest the time to run lower keys and learn mechanics, they don’t use consumables, don’t want to use defensive cooldowns, and literally want to interrupt nothing.

At the same time, these same people believe they should be finishing M+10 already in the first week. And when they ruin keys, it’s because “the dungeon is too hard” and of course not because they are incompetent pig creatures.

Especially the lack of preparation and knowledge seems to really anger the Reddit user. Because many wouldn’t even know the boss mechanics that one should have learned much earlier:

Halfway through, people write stuff like “Sorry, this is my first Mythic+ this season” – while we are in an M+7. I mean, okay, maybe you should do a few 2s first? Or maybe mention that right at the beginning?!

People die to the same mechanic over and over, wipe you on the boss 3 times and then say: “I don’t even know what the boss is doing here.” We’re in the middle of a key and I suddenly write an essay as an explanation after 3 wipes because a DPS can’t be bothered to run M0 or M+2 to learn how a boss works.

Consumables? What are those? I looked at my last 6 runs of M+7 dungeons today and only ONE person used a simple healing potion. 1 out of 24. Meanwhile, I’m standing here with buff food, weapon oil, flasks, and potions.

Even though the post initially seems like the “typical rant” of a frustrated player, it does seem to have struck a chord in the community. Over 5,400 upvotes agree with MollyNtheSufferjets and share similar experiences.

New M+ is the problem because people don’t know it

One factor that likely plays into the whole problem is the overhaul of the “Mythic+” system, which probably has passed many by. With the last season of Dragonflight, Blizzard significantly revamped the dungeon system.

A dungeon of difficulty “M+2” is now actually as difficult as an old dungeon of difficulty “M+12”.

Therefore, many players who may have stopped during Dragonflight think that all dungeons in the range of +2 to +10 shouldn’t be that difficult – after all, they weren’t in the past.

The reality, however, is that dungeons starting from M+4 already have many mechanics that can lead to the character’s death almost immediately with a single mistake. A high knowledge of the dungeon and the abilities of the enemies is essential here – because that cannot be compensated for by a healer in a pinch.

More about WoW:
Blizzard wins lawsuit against Turtle WoW, forcing the largest private server for Classic Plus to settlement
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The 16 MMORPGs with the most players according to official numbers from the developers
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After Nostalrius came WoW Classic, now the end of Turtle WoW must lead to WoW Classic Plus
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This is how the community reacts: However, there are also many people who report positive experiences, such as notchoosingone:

I did a +5 Mist of Tirna Scythe last night and we had an Fury warrior who was incredible. Interrupting on cooldown, stuns with Shockwave, and every time he had something ready to reduce incoming damage, he used it. I whispered him afterward and told him how much I enjoyed it and he asked: “Don’t they all do that?”

No, my friend. No, they do not.

Some also believe that Mythic+ has always been like this, such as Walexei. He believes the “fault” of the incident is also that people invite such players:

Mythic+ has never been different. That’s why add-ons like raider.io are so popular and will remain so. Even Blizzard has introduced a Mythic+ rating in the game, which previously required an add-on.
The real question is: Why do you take someone into an M+7 who hasn’t even done an M+2 yet?

What have your experiences been with Mythic+ in the first days of the season? Have you encountered good groups and had positive experiences so far? Or has it been just as chaotic for you? Or… are you perhaps the reason for the chaos? After all, some classes will have an easier time soon, as there are new buffs.

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

EA FC 25: Best Talents for CF, ST – Strong Strikers for Your Career

Julian Schröder Julian Schröder Reading time 2 minutes

Are you looking for talents for the striker position in the career mode of EA FC 25 ? We show you the best and cheapest striker talents.

This is what talents bring in career mode: In the career mode of EA FC 25 you take over a club of your choice or create your own. To lead it to the top, you need strong players.

The best talents are perfect for this: Either you develop the young players into cornerstones of your club, or you train them to bring you a lot of money in transfers.

Strikers are the players who do everything they can to get the ball into the net. With strong and unstoppable shots, they put heavy pressure on the opposing goalkeeper.

Here you will find talents for the striker positions:

  • CF – Striker
  • SS – Center Forward
Start video
EA FC 25 trailer shows new features for the career mode

If you buy the right talents, they can become absolute key players in career mode. However, make sure to keep the following in mind:

  • Potential is dynamic. It depends on your training and performance how much a player exploits his potential.
  • You can retrain players.
  • The market value is not fixed. You can also try to convince your counterpart of a cheaper transfer.

Here we show you a selection of the best striker talents in FC 25.

Talents for other positions: Are you looking for talents in other positions? Then check this out:
– EA FC 25: Best talents with the greatest potential in all positions

Best striker talents in EA FC 25 with the highest potential

This is the striker list: In this first list, you will find the best ST talents with the highest potential. Keep in mind that these may also be established stars who can be very expensive. Further down, you’ll find cheaper striker talents.

All talents are a maximum of 23 years old and sorted by potential.

PlayerAgeOverall ValuePotentialPositionMarket Value
Vini Jr.239094LF, ST171.5 million
Erling Haaland239193ST172.5 million
Endrick177791ST, RF24 million
Rodrygo238691RF, ST102.5 million
Semih Kılıçsoy187288ST, LF, RM6 million
Mathys Tel197788ST, LM, RM23 million
Benjamin Šeško217988ST39.5 million
Victor Boniface238288ST48.5 million
Takefusa Kubo238188ST, RF, RM51.5 million
Vitor Roque238187ST, RF, LF16.5 million
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Cheap striker talents in EA FC 25 under 10 million market value

These are the cheap ST talents: If you play with a small club with little money, cheap talents are very helpful. They may start with lower overall values, but can rise quickly. Here you will find 10 ST talents under 10 million market value that you can buy cheaply.

PlayerAgeOverall ValuePotentialPositionMarket Value
Semih Kılıçsoy187288ST, LF, RM6 million
Karim Konaté207387ST7.5 million
Paris Brunner186587ST, LM2.3 million
Mustafa Erhan Hekimoğlu176286ST, LF, RF1.3 million
Adrian Liso196786ST, LM, RM2.6 million
Can Uzun187286ST, CAM, CM5.5 million
George Ilenikhena177086ST4 million
Sverre Halseth Nypan176686ST, CAM, CM2.3 million
Evan Ferguson197486ST10 million
Kenan Yıldız197085ST, LF3.8 million

Which talents are you bringing to your team? Do you rely on established players, or do you focus on developing young candidates into world stars? Let us know in the comments. By the way, you should also not overlook the new player roles. They provide completely new tactical possibilities.

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

Magic: The Gathering is getting more expensive – Players find creative solution: ‘Cards are cards’

Lydia Lydia Reading time 3 minutes

The trading card game Magic: The Gathering has been popular for 30 years. However, not all players can keep up with the rising prices. They are resorting to a creative solution.

What is the problem with Magic? The trading card game has never been a particularly cheap hobby, but like many things, the packs have steadily become more expensive since the release in 1993 – too expensive for many players.

On Reddit, a player from Italy compares the current prices to the average income in his country and that in the USA. He says: For a box with 36 boosters, one would pay about the same in both countries, but in Italy, one would only earn about half as much. Non-Americans are therefore being priced out.

Players from the USA doubt the underlying numbers and claim that the actual income is lower, but they seem to agree on one thing: “Hasbro is really trying to squeeze every cent out of us.” (via Reddit)

Players from completely different countries are also speaking out:

  • In South Africa, one has to buy the cards through European distributors, which means paying significantly more, while at the same time, people earn even less (via Reddit).
  • In Brazil, the price for a display corresponds to the monthly minimum wage, and players are turning to cheaper alternatives like the Pokémon trading card game (via Reddit).
  • In Argentina, one has to pay high taxes on purchases from abroad. The economy is struggling, but Wizards of the Coast is making it even harder (via Reddit).

Many attribute the development to the decision to replace the previous draft and set boosters with new play boosters (via Magic).

Start video
Magic The Gathering: The 3 Most Expensive Cards by Highest Sale Value

Those who cannot afford cards print their own

What is the solution? The solution to the problem is probably nearly as old as Magic itself: proxy cards. These are substitutes for a card that one does not own or that is so valuable that one does not want to damage it while playing. Proxy cards can also be useful if one wants to try out a new or expensive card first or needs a card for multiple decks.

How does it work? The simplest method to create a proxy is to write the essential information of the card one wishes to replace on a piece of paper and insert it into a sleeve with another card. If desired, one can also “decorate” the note with a small drawing.

Others simply print the cards they fancy. Nowadays, one can even have proxy cards printed professionally. During a game with friends, very few seem to mind if one or another card is replaced by a proxy.

Proxys can even be used in tournaments, for instance, when the real card has been accidentally damaged during the tournament (via Magic Judge).

“It will be impossible to play without proxies”

Although proxies are not new, players on Reddit say they are increasingly evolving from a possible alternative to a necessity in order to be able to play at all:

  • “And Wizards also stopped printing in Portuguese, lmao. Everyone here should just use proxies.” (via Reddit)
  • “Proxy everything. Commander with friends? Proxy everything, even the lands. Want to draft with friends? Proxy the whole damn cube. Even the basic lands.” (via Reddit)
  • “Here [in Argentina] we have a beautiful community, but it will be impossible to play without proxies.” (via Reddit)

While there can also be disputes over the use of proxies, and not every playgroup accepts a deck that consists only of notes, for many players, the advantages seem to outweigh the disadvantages.

A player explains that he sold all his cards and now only plays with proxies: “If you are not playing in official tournaments, there is basically no reason to invest hundreds or thousands of dollars in cards to play casually. Cardboard is cardboard.” (via Reddit)

More on the topic
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Even though proxies are quite common and accepted in casual games, it still feels quite different to be able to put the original on the table. Twitch streamer and Magic fan HandOfBlood knows this powerful feeling and has paid a lot for it: Twitch streamer HandOfBlood shocks opponents in Magic: The Gathering by playing with the most legendary card ever

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

LoL: 25-Year-Old Becomes Master in the USA, Rants in High Altitude on European Players

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The 25-year-old Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau has become a champion in the USA after a long dry spell in League of Legends. This success triggers a wave of insults from Bwipo towards European players of the LEC. The fact that Bwipo himself speaks so disdainfully about other players in LoL is viewed critically.

This is the situation: The Belgian Bwipo started his career at Fnatic strongly. The top-laner won two championship titles in Europe in 2018.

But that was it for titles, as he was considered a strong player in the following years but remained in the shadow of Wunder and G2, who constantly became champions in Europe.

In November 2021 Bwipo went to Team Liquid in the USA, apparently for a lot of money , where he disappointed and was benched. Since November 2023, he has been playing for FlyQuest, where he became the LCS champion in the Summer Split 2024. His first title in 6 years.

The pride of Germany in the e-sports of LoL:

Start video
HandOfBlood wanted to change e-sports with his LoL team, now he is finally the German champion

Bwipo criticizes EU players, says they steal salary checks

This is what Bwipo says: In a Twitch stream, Bwipo criticized “European players” just before the LoL Worlds. He said:

  • European players think they are the best and have huge egos
  • They are just “boosted”, meaning overrated – but they don’t realize it themselves
  • In reality, they are “stealing salary checks”
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Players believe Bwipo has let one title go to his head

This is how it’s being discussed: Bwipo’s statement is being critically discussed on reddit and Twitter. Because it is believed that Bwipo himself is the prototype of the player he describes. He has the “biggest ego” of all players in LoL. The one championship title in the USA seems to have gone to his head.

Some even suspect that Bwipo was under the influence of Adderall during his tirade against European players, as it’s hard to explain how he could act like that. While the criticism of the mindset of European players is fundamentally accurate, the same can be said about US players and Bwipo himself.

After all, Bwipo also clearly switched to the USA for a “big salary check” and then did not deliver the performance that was expected of him.

Some say: They can’t wait for Bwipo to play at the LoL Worlds and get eliminated 0-6. That would let some air out of his inflated ego. In any case, a strange appearance where he has lost some sympathy: Riot presents the official power ranking of the best teams in LoL, but it immediately causes controversy

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

After 7 hours of gameplay, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is everything I have ever loved about BioWare

Rae Grimm Rae Grimm Reading time 5 minutes

Dragon Age fan Rae was able to play Dragon Age: The Veilguard for seven hours at a preview event – and is absolutely thrilled.

When it comes to BioWare, I have a lot of unpopular opinions. Dragon Age 2? Absolutely underrated. Mass Effect Andromeda? Far from as bad as often claimed. Mass Effect 2 the best part? No way. And no, Anthem didn’t deserve its early end!

So. Now that this is out of the way and you may have potentially lost all trust in me, let me explain why you should still believe me when I say that Dragon Age: The Veilguard could be the best Dragon Age in the series – whether you’re a veteran of the series or a newcomer.

I had the opportunity to try out the latest installment of the RPG series for nearly seven hours and ask the development team questions. During this time, I could see that BioWare – despite all doubts – has found itself again.

Start video
Dragon Age: The Veilguard shows 20 minutes of gameplay from the new fantasy adventure

Who’s writing here? Rae is Head of Editorial at Webedia and part of the editorial team at MeinMMO. She loves RPGs and fell in love with BioWare over 10 years ago with Dragon Age: Origins. When she’s not making the same decisions in RPGs for the 317th time, although she “definitely wants to do everything differently this time,” she mainly plays multiplayer shooters and cozy games.

The character creator is a dream for RPG fans

BioWare relies on old strengths

What exactly could I play?

  • about 7 hours of Dragon Age: Veilguard
  • five different save slots from Act 1
  • four different builds: 2x mage, 1x warrior, 1x rogue

If you ask a BioWare fan what they consider the special strengths of the studio, two things are usually mentioned: characters, story, and decisions with consequences.

After only seven hours with an RPG that will likely land in the higher double digits in terms of hours played, I obviously can’t make a definitive statement about those aspects just yet. However, there were a few indicators for me that suggest BioWare has returned to its former strength.

Don’t worry, this preview remains spoiler-free! I won’t reveal any details about the plot but will only provide assessments of moments that left me with the impression that BioWare is on the right track.

The Veilguard sends us into battle against the gods

Let’s start with the characters and the story.

The characters and especially the companions I encountered were very well-rounded and full of personality from the very beginning. The dialogues, despite the dark situations, were full of humor and life – even if fan-favorite Varric wasn’t around to make a joke.

Almost always there were conversations happening in the background, and there seemed to be more party banter than in previous installments. Depending on whom we took with us, the dynamics were also completely different.

While Qunari Taash was relatively taciturn with me in combination with mage Emmerich, she was much more open with Kevin from GamePro, who had her with another companion.

Fans already know Scout Harding from Inquisition

Main character Rook also made a good and rounded impression. Even in my short time with her, there were repeated references to her previously selected background in the character creator.

This is something I sorely missed in Inquisition, especially compared to Dragon Age: Origins, which had six different playable beginnings. Unfortunately, we are similarly denied this in Veilguard, but it’s good to see that it’s not completely irrelevant which background our Rook has.

At the start, we can decide in the character editor which faction Rook belongs to, and thus what background story he or she has:

  • Veil Jumper
  • Grey Wardens
  • The Mourn Watch
  • Shadow Dragons
  • Lords of Fortune
  • Antivan Crows

They all come with their own bonuses, and regardless of which one you choose, you can still undertake the quests of the other factions. However, yours is naturally the one that is most positively inclined toward you and will be referenced repeatedly throughout the game.

There are six different origin stories to choose from

For my self-created character, I chose the Shadow Dragons, an underground organization that fights against slavery in Tevinter. Thus, I already had additional conversations with one of my first companions, Neve, as she also belongs to the Shadow Dragons.

As for the story itself, I don’t want to say too much to avoid spoilers. However, I was positively surprised from the start, especially regarding Solas’s role and possible intentions. The fact that BioWare changed the title of the fourth Dragon Age game from “Dreadwolf” to “The Veilguard” already hinted at that. Still, it’s nice to see that the studio enjoys playing with fans’ expectations.

And of course, a story in every BioWare game also involves hard decisions with consequences. And yes, there will be this in Dragon Age: The Veilguard again.

What consequences this decision had, I don’t know yet.

Right at the start, it had visible effects, which companion I chose in a mission. As a result of my choice, she was injured and looked visibly worn out in the following scenes. This is naturally a minor detail overall; however, I can’t say anything about the major decision I made later in Act 1 for NDA- (and spoiler-) reasons.

But let me reveal this much: You will be thrown into situations that will have larger impacts on the subsequent gameplay, similar to the “Templar vs Mage” question in Dragon Age: Inquisition, making multiple playthroughs of The Veilguard worthwhile.

What you shouldn’t expect, however, are subtle options or hidden choices like in Dragon Age: Origins or most recently in the excellent Baldur’s Gate 3. Here it often happened that we didn’t realize we were altering the course of the story until hours later when we were confronted with the consequences. That doesn’t seem to be the case in The Veilguard.

As in Dragon Age: Origins, you can again join the Grey Wardens.

The decisions I made during my seven hours with the RPG were always very clearly recognizable as such and the outcomes foreseeable. Of course, there may be more hidden in the final release, but I wouldn’t expect any subtlety.

This is unfortunate because it’s one of the things I love about Baldur’s Gate 3 and that has ensured I still think back to my first, disastrous playthrough of Dragon Age: Origins after 13 years. Making a decision and only having the “Oh Shit!” moment hours later is part of what makes RPGs so appealing to me. It would be nice if Veilguard offers more in this regard, especially for those who may have only found enjoyment in the genre through BG3.

E-sport player destroyed his career on live camera, became a laughing stock – Now he is allowed to play again

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

A e-sports player ruined his career in Counter-Strike in 2018 in front of thousands of spectators, but now the former professional player is allowed to return.

Who is it about? Nikhil “forsaken” Kumawat was an e-sports player for the CS:GO team OpTic India in 2018. At that time, OpTic wanted to help in building new regions. E-sports was not very established in India at that time and forsaken was even seen as the CS:GO hope of the country.

Only a few months after the team’s founding, OpTic India managed to qualify for a LAN tournament in Shanghai, where 16 teams from all over Asia played for a prize pool of 100,000 US dollars. The first-place team would eventually receive 40,000 USD.

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However, the tournament was set to take a disastrous turn for the Indian team. After OpTic lost the first match decisively, it seemed to go better in the second match. But then there was a technical timeout during which the tournament admins took a closer look at forsaken’s computer.

The tournament management suspected that the Indian e-sports player could be cheating. This suspicion would soon be confirmed as the referees discovered that besides CS:GO, another program was running: word.exe. However, this was not the Microsoft word processing program but cheat software that forsaken attempted to disguise as “Word”.

The e-sports player tried to delete the program quickly, but it was already too late: forsaken was caught cheating live – in front of over 6,000 spectators and a running camera. Today we know that he used an aimbot that assisted him in aiming.

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No mercy for cheating e-sports players

What happened next for the e-sports player? For forsaken, the discovery of the cheat also meant the destruction of his career. He was banned for 5 years by the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) from participating in any e-sports activities.

This ban is said to have expired on September 19, 2024, according to the e-sports database Liquipedia. The online magazine Dexerto reported as early as October 2023 that forsaken could participate in competitions again.

A return to e-sports is generally considered impossible for the former CS professional. He has already withdrawn from social networks years ago. Furthermore, hardly any team would take him in. His career as an e-sports player is over and forsaken has become a laughing stock. Word.exe – the name he used to disguise his cheat software – has achieved meme status to this day.

Even though forsaken’s return to e-sports is considered extremely unlikely, a comeback is not completely ruled out. Just in 2023, the esteemed e-sports organization Astralis signed the Dane Nicolai “HUNDEN” Petersen, who had previously been banned twice: Team signs a coach who was banned in CS:GO for cheating – receives strong backlash from the community

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

Twitch streamer loses her channels on YouTube because she does not want to reveal her identity

Lydia Lydia Reading time 2 minutes

The Vtuber ironmouse is one of the most successful female streamers on Twitch. In a short time, two of her channels were removed from YouTube. A nasty scheme to unveil her identity might be behind this.

What kind of Twitch streamer is she? ironmouse is a Vtuber, a virtual streamer who presents herself through an avatar in the form of an anime girl with pink hair. Little is known about her identity, but it is known that she aspired to a career as an opera singer, which she had to give up due to an immune deficiency.

ironmouse is currently the most watched female streamer on Twitch, where she is holding a subathon for her 2 million followers (via SullyGnome). However, while she is successful on one streaming platform, she is taking a heavy loss on YouTube: two of her channels were removed within a few weeks.

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Fans believe in terrible blackmail

What is the situation with the blocked channels? At the beginning of September 2024, ironmouse announced that her VOD channel, where recordings of her streams are uploaded, had been removed from YouTube. The reason appears to be baseless copyright strikes.

In the night of September 21st in our time, ironmouse announced on X that her main channel has also been removed from YouTube. She is incredibly sad and shocked and apologizes to her fans. Her legal team is already working on the matter, assures the streamer.

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What could be behind this? The copyright strikes could be a nasty scheme to reveal the identity of the Vtuber. Ironmouse explained in a stream about the ban of her VoD channel: to save her channel, she must contest the copyright complaints. However, she would need to provide personal information such as her name and address.

However, she fears that the person behind the copyright claims could use this information to dox her, i.e., publish her private contact details. This is a criminal offense in Germany, punishable by up to 3 years in prison (via Recht.Help)

The streamer stated that she does not intend to provide her personal data. The protection of her identity takes higher priority.

Fans fear that the person behind the strikes may actually aim for just that and use the copyright claims to extort personal information. This is a “terribly stupid system” by YouTube (via X).

For Vtubers, protecting their identity is generally an important issue: Twitch apologizes for accidentally turning on the cameras of streamers who do not want to be seen

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Other users note that there is currently a real wave of bans against virtual streamers. They believe: Twitch and apparently also YouTube have something against Vtubers. Recently, we reported on the case of the Vtuber fallenshadow on MeinMMO, due to which an entire community felt disadvantaged.

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

WoW: World First Race – Team Liquid Caught Cheating, Blizzard Responds Immediately

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The professional guild Liquid was caught exploiting a bug while cheating – and this has sparked a discussion in the community of World of Warcraft.

Currently, the race for the World First Kill of Queen Ansurek is taking place in World of Warcraft – the final boss in the raid Palace of Nerub-ar. The professionals have not yet reached Ansurek, but the best guilds in the world are slowly making their way. Every little advantage is crucial, but sometimes morally questionable methods are used.

Now, Team Liquid has been caught exploiting, as mages took advantage of an ugly bug that allowed them to deal massive damage.

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WoW: Liquid exploits a game bug with the mage to their advantage

What was the exploit about? The exploit affects mages who chose the heroic talents of “Spellslinger.” The talent tree revolves – broadly speaking – around Arcane Shards. These are small spikes that the mage fires at their targets, leaving a debuff behind.

Normally, these shards are consumed when using certain spells. In most cases, it isn’t possible to have more than 8 stacks active on the opponent – in exceptional cases, 16, but even that only for a short duration.

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However, with the exploit, it was possible to stack the shards on the opponent nearly to infinity, resulting in increasingly more damage. Only at an extremely high amount of stacks, beyond 200, does one switch to the target and let all shards explode at once to deal high damage again.

The exact process – including screenshots and clips as evidence – was published by tiker442 in the WoW subreddit:

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The exploit was possible because the mage wrote a macro that targeted spells not at their current target, but merely at their focus target. At the same time, they had to not choose the last talent in the Spellslinger talent tree.

Only when both factors came together – using “focus” macros and not selecting the last talent – could this exploit be used.

Or to put it plainly: This exploit could not occur by chance.

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How did Blizzard respond? As soon as Blizzard was made aware of the bug, a hotfix was implemented immediately, and the heroic talent tree was changed. It is no longer possible to build up more than 8 stacks of the debuff before choosing the last talent. Therefore, it is no longer possible to exploit this bug and increase damage to absurd heights.

Many are demanding that the mages who exploited this bug knowingly should receive bans for several days. After all, this was clearly an exploit and a conscious exploitation of it. So, there is no talk of an “accident.”
Another bad piece of news recently came for guild bank owners – as many items seem to be gone forever.

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