27-year-old was the hero of LoL in 2022 – ends his career after a big defeat, although he doesn’t want to

The 27-year-old Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu made history in 2022 in League of Legends. As an underdog, he defeated his former schoolmate Faker and surprisingly became world champion with DRX. But now his career is temporarily over: The decisive game for the last spot at the LoL Worlds 2024 was lost. The South Korean military is calling.

Why was Deft the main character in LoL in 2022? Deft is a veteran of the South Korean LoL league LCK. Since 2013 he has played for numerous different teams in the bot lane, never staying at any one place for more than two years.

The unique story of Deft is that he was under the shadow of Faker as a student, who was in his year and at his school. For ten years, all eyes were on Faker as he rose to superstardom in LoL, while Deft was a good player but remained without great fame.

All that changed at the Worlds 2022: Deft and his team DRX started as underdogs at the Worlds, but then defeated all the favorites and upset Faker and T1 in the final, denying them their seemingly secure championship title.

He is the absolute superstar of LoL:

Start video
LoL: Whoever wants the new skin of Faker has to pay 450 €

Deft loses the decisive duel for the LoL Worlds 2024 against Faker

What happened after 2022? Since 2022, Deft has switched teams twice, first joining Showmaker and DK Plus, and in 2024 he played for KT Rolster, who narrowly missed qualification for the LoL Worlds 2024 on Saturday, September 14. Thus, the season is over for Deft.

KT Rolster lost the decisive best-of-5 against Faker and T1 with a score of 2-3. Therefore, Faker will be heading to the Worlds in Europe again, while Deft’s career seems to be over.

LoL Worlds 2023 Video Deft
Deft was honored in the video for the LoL Worlds 2023.

Deft must go to the military

Why is Deft’s career now coming to an end? Deft is being drafted by the South Korean military. He faces 18 months of service. It is considered unlikely that he will continue his career afterward at nearly 30, even if he says the door is not closed for him yet.

He finds it very disappointing to end his career in LoL with a loss to T1 and Faker. Therefore, he hints at wanting to make a return.

But whether a return in 2026 is really realistic seems questionable.

What did his farewell look like? Deft said goodbye to his fans with a personal message. He writes:

I have learned, achieved, and won so much since then, but if I had to give it all up and go back, I would do it because you have given me so many happy and wonderful memories. For that, I thank you very much.

The fans are reacting emotionally to his departure (via reddit). He took farewell “in the best possible way,” says a post on reddit, which many agree with.

And it was a great last game against his great rival for the Worlds – that is also a consensus.

The story of Deft and Faker is like out of an anime

What is behind it: The story of Deft and Faker is for many a typical “anime” story. Two young men meet in school, compete against each other, and a rivalry develops. But one is much weaker than the other and remains in his shadow.

Then, in Act 2, the careers of both diverge widely, one becomes the superstar, the other the hard worker who has to fight for everything.

In the final, the clearly weaker one defeats “the favorite” ten years later and is the hero. That could be exactly the story of an anime.

The story of Deft and the Miracle Run of DRX at the LoL Worlds 2022 has touched many. Numerous current LoL players followed the careers of Deft and Faker over the last 10 years, and it has been an important part of their childhood or youth. The immense significance of Faker can be seen in German LoL players like NoWay4U or Tolkin, who get excited when they talk about Faker.

Actually, at 27, Faker should also be starting his military service soon, but the LoL star seems to have pulled some strings to escape this fate. Because in 2023, he snagged a victory as a substitute player that could free him from military service: LoL: Faker (27) wins game of world stars, likely avoids early career end – didn’t even have to play himself

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

Players cheer over lawyer who settles with Bungie – He says Sony is forcing them to make Destiny 2 better

The lawyer Don McGowan earned $7 million for Bungie in lawsuits concerning Destiny 2. However, he was fired after Sony’s acquisition of Bungie. Now he has clear words about what Sony’s takeover triggers at Bungie, receiving significant support from fans.

What does the lawyer say? Don McGowan spoke on the weekend on LinkedIn about the comprehensive changes Bungie is now making to Destiny 2. Bungie will change how frequently new updates come and wants to adjust the loot:

  • McGowan says these are the changes he wished for when Sony bought Bungie
  • Sony would be getting the shop in order and would force Bungie to “pull their head out of their ass”
  • Destiny 2 will now be managed like a business – Previously, the bosses had made the shooter for themselves and their friends
Start video
Destiny 2: Echos shows its new weapons in Act 3 in the trailer

Lawyer criticizes bosses who make Destiny for “themselves and their friends”

This is how he sees Sony’s influence: McGowan says Sony’s focus is on running Destiny 2 like a “business” and not catering to the desires of the bosses. Because the wrong decisions of the bosses led to many layoffs.

Sony’s focus is on bringing new players to Destiny 2.

Some Bungie employees with their big egos had said during Sony’s purchase, “nothing will change” – but Don McGowan had questioned at the takeover: “Do you think Sony is paying $3.6 billion for the right to say nothing here?”

McGowan says the changes announced now are exactly what needs to be done to keep a “business running” – and not to make “the game you and your friends like.”

pete-parsons
Much anger from employees and players is directed at Pete Parsons.

Who is he criticizing? McGowan does not name names, only refers to the “C-suite,” the bosses. From everything we know, most of the criticism seems to be directed at Pete Parsons, the CEO of Bungie.

Fans critically view Bungie’s independence

How is this being discussed? The former lawyer’s statements for Bungie are causing quite a stir on reddit.

There is a hint of schadenfreude in that Bungie has always strived to be independent, but apparently couldn’t make anything out of that independence and now Sony is regaining more control.

The comment with the most approval states:

“This probably puts all the talk of ‘escaping Microsoft’s tyranny’ to rest. It turns out it was a big mess and they need oversight.”

Bungie and the difficult marriage with Sony and Activision

What’s behind this: A major narrative surrounding Destiny has always been that Bungie develops the online shooter Destiny independently, determining its own fate, and no longer works under Microsoft like with Halo.

Between 2014 and 2018, Destiny was created in collaboration with Activision Blizzard. But in 2019, they separated, probably because Bungie did not want to develop Destiny 3 as the contract stipulated, and the sales figures had sunk to a disappointing level for Activision following the disastrous release of Destiny 2.

In 2019, Bungie then gave the impression that without Activision on board, they could develop the game they had always wanted to make. Yet this game fell far short of fan expectations.

With the purchase by Sony in 2022, it was supposed to get better again, as they hoped for more resources, but apparently, these resources were spent so extravagantly on launching new projects and hiring too many employees that the massive wake-up call came with the layoff wave in 2024.

This is the lawyer: The lawyer Don McGowan, speaking here, has won several high-profile cases for Destiny 2 and Bungie, earning a lot of money. After Sony’s acquisition of Bungie, he was still fired because Bungie is now using Sony’s legal department: Destiny 2: Lawyer wins $7.2 million with lawsuits against cheaters and trolls – Bungie fires him

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

European Organization Speaks Out After Investigation of Real Money Currencies What Many Players Have Long Desired

The “European Consumer Organisation” has addressed the issues of microtransactions and real money currencies in a report. MeinMMO summarizes the most important findings for you.

What was the focus of the EU organization’s investigation? Half of all Europeans aged between 6 and 64 play games. Three out of four children are said to play regularly. This is difficult because increasingly more trading practices are spreading in the gaming industry, to which children can be particularly susceptible.

Specifically, the report addresses the use of loot boxes, aggressive advertising, direct solicitations to children to spend money, and the implementation of real money currencies. The report by the “European Consumer Organisation” (BEUC for short) elaborates in detail how dangerous and questionable especially real money currencies in games are.

In Diablo Immortal, you will find a “Best of” the well-known monetization strategies.

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Everything you need to know about Diablo Immortal – in 3 minutes

Current regulations are insufficient

What are the organization’s findings? According to the report (via beuc.eu), there is EU consumer law that applies unconditionally to real money currencies in games and apps in all EU member states; however, it is only inadequately enforced in many countries.

Real money currencies are considered problematic by BEUC for the following reasons:

  • Because there are often multiple different currencies in games and the prices for real money currencies cannot be directly translated to the things that can be purchased with real money currency, players lose any sense of how much the real money currency is actually worth. Experts refer to this as unfair and misleading methods.
  • While online purchases with real money often invoke the “pain of paying” principle (spending hurts), many consumers lose this negative stimulus when using virtual currency. This is exacerbated because many microtransactions in games only involve small amounts.
  • When purchasing with virtual currency, similar mechanisms to gambling may come into play (e.g., the use of chips).
  • The digital environment facilitates immediate payment without further consideration.

In summary, it can be stated that providers deliberately utilize psychological mechanisms to extract as often as possible (usually small) amounts of money from consumers, causing them to spend more than they would in other games or than they actually want to.

More on the topic
Gamer spends 9,000 € on loot boxes, feels “terrible”, no longer dares to use his credit card
von Max Handwerk

What are BEUC’s demands? The European Commission should consider the possibility of completely banning the use of real money currencies in games and mobile apps, according to the organization’s recommendation.

Since BEUC itself knows that this is unlikely to happen, they give further recommendations; here are the main ones:

  • Ban on real money currencies for games and apps for children (under 18 years old).
  • Stricter transparency requirements for games and apps with real money currencies (e.g., displaying costs in the respective local currency).
  • Stronger protective measures for children and stricter regulation of measures (e.g., the option to disable real money currencies and microtransactions).
  • Ability to set a password to prevent unwanted transactions.
  • Consumers should be able to play video games without their economic behavior being influenced by an algorithm. The privacy-friendly mode should be “enabled by default.”
  • Legal warranty rights and the right of withdrawal should also apply to purchases made with real money currencies.
  • Clauses that exclude refund claims should be declared abusive.

Who is BEUC? The “European Consumer Organisation” represents a total of 44 independent consumer protection organizations from 31 countries as an umbrella group and is supported by the European Union. The report from BEUC goes directly to the European Commission and the network of various consumer protection organizations. You can learn more at beuc.eu.

What is the situation in Germany? Although many games specifically exploit the psychological mechanisms of gambling to encourage players to spend money, games do not fall under the gambling sector here. The gambling state treaty, which was closed in February 2020, states (via game.de):

“In its statement, the game takes the opportunity to clearly distinguish the gaming industry from the gambling industry. There is a clear boundary between the two economic sectors. Unlike games, gambling centers around the potential win of money or other valuable items.”

Every friend of games should keep their fingers crossed that this assessment, also through the new report from BEUC, will change in the future. How dangerous gambling can be is shown by the following news from last year: 15-year-old becomes addicted to gambling through Twitch, loses €10,000, warns others of his mistake

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

Diablo 4: The big new feature of Vessel of Hatred fails among players

On the PTR of Diablo 4, the new content from Season 6 and Vessel of Hatred was available for a week. Players tested the upcoming features and provided feedback. After it ended, fans discussed what was good and what was bad. And the most important new items are not well received.

What is this feature?

Start video
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred shows the new features and the new region Nahantu in the video

Diablo 4 players view the new rune words critically

This is what the players say: In a large discussion on Reddit with hundreds of comments, users talk and argue about how good the new rune words are and what could be improved about them.

The general consensus is: In their current state, the rune words are not particularly good. Some of them are fun, but there is a lack of variety and exciting gameplay. The biggest criticisms are:

  • Runes that trigger certain effects or deal direct damage are too weak.
  • In the end, you rely on just a handful of runes out of dozens to actually improve; variation is hardly present.
  • All of this is just “another layer of multiplicative power creep.”

Similarly, the expert Raxxanterax sees it. He says in his video: The runes are quite good and fun, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. Especially in the upper tiers of builds, you will only see a few runes – those that make already strong builds even stronger, instead of introducing new mechanics.

Raxxanterax thinks: If the runes were a bit “crazier” and granted abilities that are not yet in the game, they would be much more interesting. They need the same overhaul as the unique items for Season 5.

“Rune words will be revamped and improved with Season 7”

The community doubts that the runes will change significantly before the launch of Vessel of Hatred on October 8. There is not enough time for that. Blizzard can adjust a few numbers, but not much more.

Fans expect that runes and rune words will come into the game in a perhaps acceptable but not great state, to be revised for the following Season 7.

Blizzard has considered player feedback in recent seasons and has always tried to implement changes promptly. This has earned the developers much praise, and Diablo 4 is currently regarded as a good game among players.

How much the runes will change remains open. After all, with Season 6, Vessel of Hatred, the first expansion of the game is also released, and thus even more content that may still need to be worked on. And at least on the PTR, quite crazy builds were possible: Broken build deals so much damage that even the numbers are not displayed anymore

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

EA FC 25: All 5-Star Skillers for Ultimate Team – These stars can perform the best tricks

Release of EA FC 25 is coming soon, and it’s time to start planning the first Ultimate Teams. We will show you all the 5-star skillers with whom you can outmaneuver your opponents.

What do players with five-star special moves bring you? Players with 5-star skills can perform the best and most effective tricks in FC 25, creating surprising moments in tight games and being a decisive factor.

5-star skillers are in high demand year-round, but they particularly attract the attention of many players at the beginning of Ultimate Team. Therefore, it’s sensible to get an overview of all the exceptional talents. We assist you with our list.

All information about the game and what to expect can be found in our release overview for EA FC 25. 

Start video
New FC 25 shows cover star Bellingham and other professionals on rainy football field in the new reveal trailer

All Stars in EA FC 25 with Five-Star Special Moves

Which players are the 5-star skillers in FC 25? In the list, we have compiled all players with 5-star special moves. The players are sorted by their rating.

It is important to mention that players with strong dribbling stats do not necessarily have to be 5-star skillers. But of course, it is more likely that delicate dribbling artists have a skill star or two.

Here we show you all the gold cards of the players with 5-star skills.

All Players with Five-Star Skills

Name (Rating)PositionLeague
Kylian Mbappé (91)ST, LFLaLiga
Vinicius Junior (90)LF, ST, LMLaLiga
Alexia Putellas Segura (90)CM, CAMLiga F
Caroline Graham Hansen (90)RF, RMLiga F
Martin Ødegaard (89)CM, CAMPremier League
Débora C. de Oliveira (88)CAM, RMNWSL
Beth Mead (88)RF, LF, RMWSL
Sakina Karchaoui (87)LB, LMD1 Arkema
Paulo Dybala (87)CAM, STSerie A
Neymar Jr (87)LF, CAM, LMSaudi League
Jamal Musiala (87)LM, CMBundesliga
Lauren James (86)RF, CAM, RMWSL
Cristiano Ronaldo (86)STSaudi League
Ousmane Dembélé (86)RF, CAM, RMLigue 1
Rafael Leão (86)LF, RF, LMSerie A
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (85)LF, RF, LMSerie A
Riyad Mahrez (85)RM, RFSaudi League
Ella Toone (84)CAM, CMWSL
Christopher Nkunku (84)CAM, STPremier League
Kingsley Coman (84)LM, RM, LFBundesliga
Marta Vieira da Silva (84)CAM, ST, RMNWSL
Amel Majri (84)LF, CM, LMD1 Arkema
Angel Di Maria (83)RM, CAM, RFLiga Portugal
Lieke Martens (83)LF, LMD1 Arkema
Jadon Sancho (82)LM, RM, LFPremier League
Lucas Tolentino Coelho de Lima (82)LM, CAM, LFPremier League
So Yun Ji (82)CAM, STNWSL
Dzsenifer Marozsán (81)CM, CAMD1 Arkema
Marcus Rashford (81)LM, ST, LFPremier League
Wilfried Zaha (81)LM, LFLigue 1
Luciano Acosta (81)CAM, LMMLS
João Félix (80)LF, ST, LMPremier League
Allan Saint-Maximin (80)LM, LFSüperLig
Hakim Ziyech (80)RM, CAM, RFSüperLig
Roberto Firmino (80)CAM, STSaudi League
Deyna Castellanos (80)CM, CAMNWSL
Nuno Santos (80)LM, LB, LFLiga Portugal
David Neres (80)LM, RM, CAM, LFSerie A
Noa Lang (79)LF, CAM, LMEredivisie
Antony (77)RM, RFPremier League
Marcelino Moreno (77)LM, CAM, LFLPF
Ejuke (76)LM, RM, LFLaLiga
Amine Harit (76)CM, CAMLigue 1
Rayan Cherki (75)CAM, LF, RFLigue 1
Georginio Rutter (75)CAM, STPremier League
Eduardo Salvio (75)RF, RMLPF
Jota (75)LM, LF, RFLigue 1

Which German players are included? Among the 5-star skillers for the women are two German national players, Lina Magull and Dzsenifer Marozsán. Additionally, of the men, Bayern shooting star Jamal Musiala is included.

Which skill moves will belong to the new meta is currently uncertain. Acquiring one or more players with these special abilities at the beginning could certainly benefit your creativity in the attacking game.

And if you want to know which players are the fastest, we have the 10 fastest players for you here: EA FC 25 Ratings: The 10 fastest players in Ultimate Team

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

Twitch bans streamer, strips her livelihood – A whole community feels unfairly treated

Twitch has banned the virtual streamer fallenshadow for 30 days. The streamer had spoken about mental health while drinking cream liqueur during the stream. Twitch viewed this behavior as indicating that she might harm herself. The ban is causing unrest in the VTuber community, as virtual content creators feel discriminated against. They believe Twitch hates VTubers.

Who is fallenshadow? She is a virtual streamer on Twitch, appearing not as a person but with a virtual avatar.

fallenshadow has 166,592 followers on Steam and has been on the platform since September 2020. When she streams, about 2,300 people watch her.

Her preferred content includes Just Chatting, Elden Ring, L.A. Noire, and ASMR. These are real ASMR streams and not what Amouranth considers ASMR.

Subscriptions are the basis for many to live off streams, as they ensure a steady income:

Start video
Prime Gaming, the secret behind Twitch’s success

Streamer talks about mental health in a sad stream while drinking

What was she banned for? The official reason for the ban is “self-harming behavior.” According to information from Dexerto, she was intoxicated during the stream.

However, the streamer claims that she only drank three glasses of cream liqueur during the stream. The crux seems to be that she appeared “sad” during the stream and spoke about “mental health” while sipping on the liqueur.

For the stream, she received a 30-day ban from Twitch. (Update from September 16, 15:28: On X, fallenshadow provided an update that the ban was lifted early after about 40 hours. In a follow-up piece, MeinMMO will delve deeper into the lifting of the ban tomorrow.)

Update September 17: “Smells like disrespect” – Twitch lets banned streamer back, but the community is still dissatisfied

The message states that Twitch cares about her. If she has problems, she should reach out to someone who can help her, a doctor, or to a hospital. Content that is suicidal or includes self-harming behavior is against Twitch’s rules.

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Ban threatens the livelihood of the streamer

This is the particularly insidious part of the ban: The notice from Twitch states that a ban of 30 days or longer results in all subscriptions she has received not automatically renewing but expiring while she is banned.

This is therefore a sensitive attack on the livelihood of the streamer, as monthly subscriptions form the important foundation for her financial survival.

Community believes: Twitch hates ‘VTubers’

This is the discussion: On Twitter, people with anime pictures as avatars are speaking out and feel unfairly treated:

  • Gaming streamers can say the worst things on Steam, like “Kill yourself” – nothing ever happens to them.
  • But just because someone talks about mental health and drinks something, they receive a 30-day ban. Twitch is clearly saying, “We hate VTubers”.
  • Others say Twitch has it out for “her”.

This is the malicious part: Another commentator says it is ridiculous for Twitch to pretend to care about the mental health of the streamer while simultaneously jeopardizing her existence through the ban. That would indeed be much more detrimental to her mental health.

VTubers are a phenomenon on Twitch that forms its own niche. For Twitch streamer Asmongold, VTubing is almost cheating, as anyone can appear as an attractive person on Twitch without having to worry about their looks: Huge Twitch star explains: VTubing is ‘like a hack for female streamers’

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

WoW: Farming gold in The War Within is easier than ever before

Right now, you can earn a lot of gold effortlessly in World of Warcraft. Farming resources has never been so simple and rewarding.

In World of Warcraft, you are at a loss without gold. Whether it’s for repairing your own equipment, buying potions, enchantments, or the occasional reward in the form of an expensive mount. Gold is important, and you can never really have enough of it.

One of the simplest methods to earn gold is farming. Especially in The War Within, there are a whole bunch of items that you can farm quite easily and then sell for a lot of gold.

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WoW schenkt euch zwei 34-Platz Taschen – Hier findet ihr sie

In the last few days, I spent a lot of time farming while watching series or chatting with the guild on Discord. In doing so, I earned a significant amount of gold almost unnoticed. You can make between 60,000 and 90,000 gold per hour – for quite trivial activities that require hardly any attention.

The three tips that I want to share with you should be applicable to most of you.

Farm herbs and ores on the same character

The simplest but most important tip: Use a character that employs both gathering professions, namely mining and herbalism. If you combine this with a flask of clear sight, you can virtually fly continuously between the various locations of herbs and ores without ever having to take a break.

Make sure to learn the ability to gather herbs and ores while riding as early as possible.

WoW Gold Farm Auction House Sellings
Resources sell quickly in the auction house – it often takes only seconds.

In addition, you should invest in good profession gear early on. This increases the amount of resources found and gives a significant long-term gold boost.

How much gold you earn by farming this way largely depends on how efficiently you proceed and whether you occasionally manage to snag the best resources (3 stars).

Per hour, I’m making around 40,000 to 60,000 gold just from farming ores and herbs here. However, there would probably be more if I optimized my routes and didn’t consume some for personal use.

Collect wax and treasures for even more loot

Wax is not only important for goblins but also for you – as you can exchange it with the goblins for neat rewards. However, collecting wax has several other advantages. Because you can obtain all kinds of resources from wax deposits.

You can find wax literally everywhere in The War Within. It’s little, purple lumps of wax that you can see on the ground. They are not displayed on the minimap, but their purple edges are easy to spot – better on green backgrounds (like on the island of Thorns or Healing Crash) than in other areas.

WoW Wax Place
You can find wax deposits everywhere – and sometimes there are nice treasures hidden inside.

The interesting thing is: You not only get wax but often also other resources from the different professions. Everything from fish to ores and fabrics is included. You can even find already processed materials, including items like:

  • Core Alloy
  • Handful of Bismuth Bolts
  • Apricate Ink

There is something from all professions. You can sell these materials directly in the auction house, as they are needed permanently. This yields several hundred gold pieces.

The “big win” you can get from wax is the Profane Tinderbox. This material is only available from treasures and wax and fetches prices in the auction house between 7,000 and 10,000 gold, as it is required for many recipes. (Update: The price for the tinderbox has fallen drastically as there is now a vendor where you can buy them.)

The best farming spot for this, in my opinion, is Healing Crash. Because there you not only find wax but also many treasures that are displayed on your minimap. This increases the yield and your chance of getting the gold-bringing tinderbox. But all other resources are also worth a nice amount.

Note that the yield from wax improves when you increase your fame with the faction “The Convent of the Deep”.

A fish that brings a lot of gold

If you prefer a more relaxed approach and plan to skill some fishing, you should also swing your fishing rod primarily in Healing Crash or Azj-Kahet. Because here you can catch the Kaheti Slum Shark.

This fish currently costs a hefty 400 gold in the auction house. This is because the fish is needed for the best feast, and many guilds and raid groups require it.

WoW Gold Farm Kaheti Slum Shards
The sharks go for almost 400 gold each – a nice extra income.

You can probably catch the fish with a good chance from the Blood in the Water swarm – both in Healing Crash and Azj-Kahet. More rarely, there are also swarms of this shark directly in Azj-Kahet.

Depending on how many swarms you manage to engage per hour – which also depends on spawn rates – you can earn around 12,000 to 20,000 gold in 60 minutes. This is significantly less than with the other methods, but you increase your fishing skill and have a bit of variety.

The combination brings the gold

I combine all these methods by mostly rotating in Healing Crash, opening treasures, gathering herbs and ores, fishing in the blood, and collecting every wax deposit I can find. This gets me around 70,000 gold per hour – sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less.

Keep in mind with all the tips that prices for reagents will likely fall week by week. So, if you want to get a few hundred thousand gold with relatively little effort, you should start farming right away.

Of course, there are methods where you can earn much more gold. Auction house moguls can earn multiples of that, but it requires a lot of starting capital, attention, and knowledge of the in-game market. Guilds can also earn much more with “sell-runs” through raids.

The bottom line is that the methods mentioned above require very little attention, knowledge, and skill. Basically, anyone can easily replicate them and build a small gold cushion that can last a long time.

The many resources will surely be needed for the “World First Race,” which starts in a few hours. However, some people might be excluded from it, as some professionals are currently using a nasty exploit to obtain infinite gear.

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

McDonald’s and Genshin Impact team up, offer Primogems, wings and more – Codes work in Germany

The free-to-play action RPG Genshin Impact and McDonald’s have come up with something special for a collaboration. There are Primogems, wings, and more – but unfortunately, so far only in the USA. However, there is also some good news!

Update from September 16, 2024 – 1:46 PM: The officials from miHoYo have responded to our inquiry and confirmed that the codes from the campaign, although currently only taking place in the USA, can also be redeemed in Germany. Unfortunately, there are currently no plans to bring the collaboration in a similar form to Europe.

What does the collaboration offer? Players from the USA can look forward to it. From September 17 to 29, 2024, the collaboration will take place and lures with limited in-game rewards into the fast-food chain. There will be two different menus available via the McDonald’s app.

Genshin fans can choose between two options. They can either pick the “Genshin Impact Apple Pie” or the “Genshin Impact Deluxe McCrispy Meal.” For the option with the apple pie, two Genshin characters are depicted on the packaging: Kaedehara Kazuha and Beido. Additionally, they will receive 40 Primogems, a “Golden Apple Pastry” recipe, and three golden apple pies, which can be redeemed via code on the Genshin Impact website.

However, if the choice falls on the “Genshin Impact Deluxe McCrispy Meal,” they will receive a completely different menu and on top of that, the popular “Wings of Delicacies,” which will allow you to glide through the air in Genshin, as well as the name card “Celebration: Crispy and Sweet.”

Here you can see the wings in their full glory:

Genshin Impact: The
The “Wings of Delicacies”.

Hope dies last

Will the collaboration also come to Germany? This year, the well-known fast-food chain delighted with the “Yu-Gi-Oh x Hello Kitty” collaboration. For example, this was launched in Europe first in Belgium and then a month later in Germany. At that time, hardly anyone expected that the plush figures would subsequently come to us – this gives hope.

In the current post on hoyolab.com, it is explained how to redeem the code for the in-game rewards. Furthermore, it is indicated that the code is only valid for the servers in America, Europe, Asia, TW/HK/MO. This may be a hint that the goodies will also come to us.

MeinMMO has inquired with miHoYo whether the collaboration between Genshin Impact will also take place at the local McDonald’s. Additionally, we wanted to know if the code from the USA can also be redeemed here in Germany if it is transmitted by a friend from the USA.

As soon as we receive a response, we will bring this news up to date.

Everything about the new gameplay of Natlan can be seen here:

Start video
Genshin Impact: Trailer shows gameplay for Natlan

Rumors are circulating on Reddit

How can one get the code? There is already hot debate on Reddit about whether there is any way to give the code to friends outside the USA from September 17, 2024. Others are still praying that the collaboration between Genshin and McDonald’s will also be released in other countries. Here are a few examples:

  • katbelleinthedark hopes (via Reddit): “Please let this be global, I want this collaboration to reach my Central European country.”
  • _Pray_To_RNGesus_ tries to trick the system (via Reddit): “It only requires a purchase through the app, and the codes are sent via email. Does that mean I could just buy a meal through the app and receive the codes, but never pick up the meal since I’m not in the USA?”
  • dizietembless is optimistic (via Reddit): “I am waiting for the promo to come to Europe.”
  • missy20201 wonders (via Reddit): “So it means one code per meal, one code redemption per Genshin account, but it never states whether any McDonald’s account can purchase it more than once or not. I want to get codes for my friends outside the USA.”
  • Naruto_xx_Sasuke (via Reddit): “I wonder if the code is valid on my EU server if I ask my friend in the USA for help?”

Unfortunately, it cannot be said precisely at the moment whether and when there will be a partnership between Genshin Impact and McDonald’s in Germany. But as the past has shown, previous collaborations have already made their way to us after being released in other countries.

What is currently available at McDonald’s? Currently, there are toys from Pet Simulator in the current Happy Meal. These have to be scanned via QR code. After that, you can play something on the mobile device with them. However, the small, blocky animals only really run in connection with the online gaming platform Roblox.

What is currently happening in Genshin Impact? Update 5.0 brought a lot of new content on August 28, 2024, such as the unlocking of World Level 9, the new Natlan region, fresh characters, and much more. You can find out more about the content patch here: Update 5.0 makes Genshin Impact harder after 4 years but also rewards you better

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

MMORPG in post-apocalypse should actually take off on Steam now, shows a sign of life after a long silence

Ashfall will be a Fallout-like MMORPG shooter set in a post-apocalyptic world and is expected to be released in 2024 on Steam. However, there hasn’t been any news from the developers for a long time.

What are the latest updates on Ashfall? In July 2023, MeinMMO reported on the upcoming beta for the new MMORPG from NetEase. On August 3, 2023, a two-week closed beta was initiated for which players could sign up.

After these two weeks, it seems the developers took the community’s feedback to heart – perhaps a bit too much, as there have been very few additional updates since then. The last communication on social media was via x.com. There, the officials stated that the next test is planned for December 2023 or January 2024.

Since then, there has been complete silence. Even on Discord in December 2023, there was only a Christmas greeting and the information that they are still working on the game and optimizing it based on player feedback (via mmorpg.org.pl).

On Steam, it still shows that the planned release date will be in the third quarter of 2024. This would mean the game would need to be launched by the end of September. However, this seems rather unlikely considering that there is currently no further information on the planned release.

Sand: also an interesting new multiplayer shooter on Steam:

Start video
Sand: The reveal trailer for the new multiplayer shooter on Steam

A sign of life from Ashfall

What’s new with Ashfall? Unfortunately, there are no global news regarding further tests or whether the release date can really be met. However, news has been reported in China. The publisher NetEase is based in Hangzhou, a city in eastern China.

In China, the servers are already available for pre-download. Since September 12, 2024, it has been possible to download the game and sign up for the test qualification. The official launch of Ashfall is planned for November 24, 2024, but of course only in China. Unfortunately, there is currently no further information regarding a global release date.

You can watch the official trailer for Ashfall from the Tokyo Game Show 2022 here:

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What kind of game is Ashfall?

What does Ashfall offer you? Ashfall is an MMORPG, but it won’t be a classic fantasy game; instead, it throws you into shooter combat from a third-person perspective. The setting takes place in a post-apocalyptic future that resembles Fallout in the early trailers.

In the game, you can expect all sorts of monsters, such as giant worms or mutated animals. It is also said to feature a dynamic weather system, various random events, lively NPCs, different firearms, and a fast-paced combat system. Ashfall is intended to be available on PC and mobile, allowing for crossplay. This means that you can play the game across different platforms.

Fun Fact: Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer (Dune, Inception, Titanic) along with Steven Mazzaro (Iron Man, The Dark Knight Rises, The Lone Ranger) are providing the music for the MMORPG. Have you become curious about Ashfall? You can find more information about the game here: New MMORPG shooter on Steam plunges the world into a nuclear war – “Hopefully it can surprise”

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

Palworld’s CEO explains why his game won’t be a hated live service game

Palworld is a game on Steam that uses a Buy2Play payment model. The CEO of the development studio, Takuro Mizobe, commented on whether the title could eventually become a live service game.

Update: The development team of Palworld has since commented. A tweet was published on X claiming that the interview is already several months old. The development team is currently not considering switching to a Free2Play model.

Internally, the topic is still being discussed because it is challenging to find the right path. However, the team has already decided that a live service model is not an option. That would not be what the players would want. Instead, there will be DLC and skins in the future.

You can view the post here:

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Original message: What arguments support making Palworld a live service game? In an interview with ASCII, Mizobe was asked what the future of Palworld would look like. He replied that the developer has not yet decided.

While new maps are being created and new pals will be introduced, there are two important directions in which Palworld could evolve. One possibility would be to make Palworld a live service game. There are several reasons for this:

  • Palworld would be more stable
  • The title would be more profitable as a live service game
  • The lifespan would automatically extend

However, Palworld is a game that relies on a Buy2Play payment model. It was planned from the start that it would not be developed as a live service game. Therefore, Mizobi also sees many difficulties that the transition would bring now.

Here you can watch the trailer for Palworld:

Start video
In Palworld, you can explore a new island with the Sakurajima update

There is one factor that decides the future of Palworld

What are the arguments against it? It is difficult to make Palworld a live service game. The first step would be to change the Buy2Play payment model into a Free-to-Play model. This would involve skins, battle passes, and other paid elements.

PUBG and Fall Guys are two examples where the transition to Free-to-Play succeeded. However, this process took several years. Nevertheless, Palworld wants to attract more players. Recently, the game faced accusations from the community.

Monetizing ads is also conceivable. However, that is difficult, especially on mobile. Players on Steam hate ads and get annoyed by them. The way Mizobi describes advertising, it doesn’t seem like we will see ads in Palworld anytime soon.

Moreover, the CEO has already revealed that Palworld had such a large budget that it could have become a AAAA title. So money does not seem to be a major issue.

Who decides? For Mizobe, the most important thing is whether players would want this change. They ultimately decide whether Palworld becomes a live service game. Whether players can actively influence this process is something Mizobe left open.

If you are looking for more survival games, whether Free-to-Play or not, MeinMMO can recommend 27 more games. In the following list, you can find the best games from the genre available for Steam, PS5, and Xbox: The 28 best survival games 2024 for PS5, Steam, and Xbox

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

„Did Ubisoft pay for this?“ – Users find strange comments under the new trailer of Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Ubisoft is planning a new Assassin’s Creed titled Shadows, which is set to be released in November for PC, PS5, and Xbox. The game is already receiving a lot of criticism before its release regarding how the studio is handling the setting, and in the latest trailer, accusations of purchased comments are being raised. Leading the charge is chief critic Asmongold.

Here is the new trailer:

  • The new Assassin’s Creed Shadow is set in Japan and fulfills a significant wish of the fans that they have had for years.
  • The latest “trailer for the world” showcases the open game world in gameplay visuals along with the two main characters and some NPCs in feudal Japan.
  • The video is now under criticism – not for what is shown, but for the comments that have been made underneath it.
Start video
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Der offizielle Trailer zur Open World in Japan

These are the comments: Shortly after the release of the new video, many comments praising the trailer have accumulated. They all have exactly between 4,900 and 5,000 upvotes and come from relatively new profiles.

As Asmongold notes, who has had issues with Ubisoft before, the profiles all follow the same pattern:

  • the names consist of a first name, last name, and 4 digits
  • they all have a “pretty woman” as a profile picture
  • each profile lacks a description; they are virtually meaningless

The comments praise how the game looks and partially address the criticism the game has faced previously, such as the dispute over the historical accuracy of the installment. Others state: Now that the haters are gone, one can finally look forward to the game properly.

The trailer has a rather poor like-to-dislike ratio: Out of nearly 19,000 upvotes, it has over 80,000 downvotes. Among the top comments, there are similar concerns as those voiced by Asmongold.

“Something is not right”

The comments with the most upvotes accuse Ubisoft of having purchased the suspicious comments. These are said to be bots that were used here to present the new trailer in a more favorable light than it actually is.

Users also point out that the respective profiles all come from pretty women who defend Ubisoft. Asmongold, who has recently garnered attention for polarizing statements and little credible theories, appears unusually reflective at this point:

Is this botted? Absolutely. There’s no question about it. I wonder if Ubisoft knows about this. This is basically a scam. Did Ubisoft do this? I don’t know. Is it in Ubisoft’s interest that this happened? Definitely, and something is fishy here. I don’t know what it is, but something is not right.

Asmongold via YouTube

He adds that the comments themselves are all unique. Someone must have written them just to give the purported bots something to upvote.

How likely is all of this? We cannot confirm whether it is actually bots. However, the recurring patterns with which the profiles have been created and the number of upvotes are indeed signs of automation. That Ubisoft is behind this is, however, rather unlikely. A “false flag” operation that aims to deliberately harm the company’s reputation could be possible.

MeinMMO has requested a statement from Ubisoft, but a response is still pending.

The studio has had a tough time with players recently. Some statements from the past continue to haunt Ubisoft to this day, and a controversial action from April of this year even sparked a Europe-wide petition: Ubisoft deletes a game from players’ libraries – Reminding us that we own nothing

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

In WoW you can find Aeris from Final Fantasy VII – This is what happens to her in The War Within

One of the most popular characters from Final Fantasy appears in World of Warcraft. But Aerith meets her fate here in Azeroth as well – at least partially.

For over 20 years, the developers have hidden a lot of references to other games in Azeroth in World of Warcraft. One of the slightly more well-known Easter eggs is the NPC “Aerith Gainsborough,” who works as a flower seller in Dalaran – just like Aerith in the original Final Fantasy VII (in the German version, she was called “Aeris”).

However, when Dalaran is attacked in “The War Within,” Aerith also experiences the dark fate that is destined for her – at least if you don’t save her.

Start video
Alleria: Light and Shadows – WoW Cinematic to The War Within

What happens to her in The War Within? During the intro quest of the expansion “The War Within,” you must evacuate the city of Dalaran rather spontaneously – because when chaos breaks out, the enemy is already about to devastate the city. Along the way, you can save various NPCs from dangerous situations while others are killed before your eyes.

One of these NPCs is Aerith. You will find her in one of the buildings once the evacuation of the city has begun and the Nerubians have sounded the attack.

Where you can find Aerith is shown in the video by the YouTuber TW_Aussie_Gamer:

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What kind of scene is that? Even after many years, a scene from Final Fantasy VII is still etched into the memories of fans. Relatively mid-game, Aerith is murdered by the antagonist Sephiroth in a cutscene. He jumps from behind her and pierces her body with a large sword. This scene is considered one of the most famous and saddest in the entire Final Fantasy franchise.

Many fans may have been reminded of this scene. Because you can see Aerith in Dalaran on a small platform. There she appears to be dead on the ground, with a sword stuck in her. However, when you click on her, you can remove the sword. Aerith then stands up and comments with a “Phew, that was pretty close.”

After that, Aerith flees and joins the others to be evacuated from the city. Ultimately, upon completion of the quest, she is teleported to the Isle of Thorns along with the other survivors, thereby bringing her to safety for the time being.

Aerith is thus one of the survivors of the Dalaran disaster. It can be assumed that we will see her again. Maybe she will be selling flowers in Thornogal soon.
Another Easter egg in The War Within is Spongebob – you can also meet him along with all his friends.

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

Al’ars Ashes in Blue: These special mounts you can earn at the 20th anniversary of WoW

For the 20th anniversary of World of Warcraft, the Blizzard developers are planning the biggest party Azeroth has ever seen. As part of the event, you can earn several mounts.

What kind of party can all WoW fans expect? In November and December 2024, you can expect all kinds of new content, rewards, and activities in World of Warcraft. The highlights include:

  • Return of the Black Depths as a raid instance for 10 to 15 characters, featuring eight main bosses and five side bosses.
  • Party in front of the Caverns of Time entrance, with many activities and mini-games.
  • Timewalking for classic WoW dungeons (Death Mines, Zul’Farrak, Dungeons of Darkbreaker (East and West Wing) and Stratholme).
  • Chromie’s Codex, where you can re-experience or experience for the first time the opening of the gates of Ahn’Qiraj in a tailored form.
  • New quests where you will support the care of guests.
  • The world bosses Sha of Anger, Archavon, Azuregos, Lord Kazzak, Doomwalker, and Nightmare Dragons are returning, with adjusted loot.
  • Dive into the mode “Kor’kron’s Revenge” in the Alterac Valley battlefield.
  • Earn the T2 sets as modernized transmog templates.

Rewarding loot is already available in WoW, for example here:

Start video
WoW schenkt euch zwei 34-Platz Taschen – Hier findet ihr sie

Supplies for Mount Collectors

What mounts are coming with the anniversary? As part of the 20th birthday party of World of Warcraft, you can earn various new or returning mounts for your collection. So far, the following are known:

  • Enchanted Magic Carpet (from Wrath of the Lich King): Can be purchased from vendor Reginald (timewalking merchant).
  • Amani Hunting Bear (from Burning Crusade): Can be purchased from vendor Reginald (timewalking merchant).
  • Fringed Feather Hippogryph (from Classic World of Warcraft): Can be purchased from Bobadormu (timewalking merchant).
  • Cold Flames Storm: This blue flaming flying mount carries on the legacy of its fiery cousin, Al’ar’s Ash, and lets you showcase your own years in service to Azeroth.
  • Core Hound Chain: Teaches you the core hound as a mount, available for the bronze dragon festival badges of the anniversary.
  • Battle Ram of the Storm Lancers (Alliance) / Frostwolf Snarler (Horde): Reward for completing “Kor’kron’s Revenge.”
  • Azure Blue World Cooler: The blue dragon form of Deathwing returns as a mount at the 20th anniversary – can be purchased from historian Ma’di for 5,000 time-warped badges.
  • Doomhawk of the Illidari: Can be obtained from the Doomwalker with some luck. However, it is also said to be available from historian Ma’di for 5,000 time-warped badges.
  • Reins of the Celestial Onyx Cloud Serpent: Can drop from Sha of Anger with some luck.
  • Reins of the Great Black War Mammoth: Can be obtained by defeating Archavon at the anniversary event.

The anniversary event is currently on the public test server, so you can take a look at the upcoming party. What do you think, are you excited about the event coming in November and December? Let us know in the comments! WoW brings back the best classic dungeon of all time as a raid

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An AI Claims to Predict Crimes Before They Happen – Reminiscent of a Thriller Starring Tom Cruise

Researchers have introduced an AI that is said to predict crimes. This reminds us of movies and books that could soon become reality.

What kind of AI is this? The South Korean “Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute” has introduced “Dejaview” – an AI system that analyzes video surveillance footage to detect and potentially prevent crimes.

This is reminiscent of films like Minority Report, where crimes are also supposed to be recognized in the future. In the 2002 science fiction thriller, Tom Cruise played the lead role. However, Minority Report was about visions and not AI.

Amazon had introduced a robot that fights crime. Its production has been discontinued:

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Amazon presents cute robot – Watch the trailer on how Astro protects your home from bandits

AI relies on predictions and recidivism forecasts of criminals

How does the AI work? Dejaview uses machine learning to analyze patterns and detect signs of impending crimes. In total, over 30,000 data sets are said to have been processed.

Dejaview takes into account factors like time of day, location, previous incidents, and other variables to assess the risk of a suspicious incident.

According to reports, the AI is said to consist of two components (via techspot.com):

  • First, there is a time- and space-based prediction model that evaluates elements like whether a crime previously occurred in a remote area late at night.
  • Secondly, there is a so-called “individual-centered recidivism forecast.” This focuses on individuals who are at high risk of repeating the same crimes. By tracking their movement patterns, the technology can analyze whether their behavior indicates they might commit another crime soon.

In initial tests, it was found that the space-based prediction model works surprisingly well. In field tests conducted with data from the city of Seocho, this predictive crime-fighting system achieved an accuracy rate of 82.8%.

When will the AI be deployed? The AI is said to already be in use, but limited to public safety infrastructures such as airports, energy facilities, factories, and monitoring national events. The commercial use for specialized security services is expected by the end of 2025.

Whether the AI will ever come to Europe or Germany is still questionable. Because at least with the second point, the “individual-centered recidivism forecast,” data protection is likely to play an important role.

More on artificial intelligence: In the state of Texas, more than 4,000 jobs are to be replaced by an AI. The aim is to save money and simplify work. However, enthusiasm is limited, as the software still seems to be prone to errors: AI is currently making more than 4,000 people unemployed because it can save 20 million euros per year

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Many young people do not understand the basics of dealing with computers – this meme about Generation Z makes it clear

What is everyday life for Boomers and even Millennials often causes headaches for young people from Generation Z: where do files land in Windows?

What do young people not understand when dealing with computers? A meme, posted in a thread in the subforum GenZ on Reddit, is currently gathering upvotes and comments. Considering the forum, it seems mainly younger people report on a frustrating issue that concerns them: Where does Windows save files? The following meme posted there as a cover image sums up the essence.

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Translated, it says:

  • Windows: Document saved
  • Me: Where did you save that?
  • Windows: …….

A member of Gen Z is reportedly making fun of themselves with the meme, while the following comments in the post support the struggle of the young generation with Windows. In this, it seems a particular program is the arch-enemy of many.

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In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?

Microsoft Windows, OneDrive, and other annoyances

Wait, who is Generation Z again? They are also called Zoomers and were born between 1996 and 2012. Before them come the Millennials or Generation Y starting from 1980. Baby Boomers began their lives in the post-war period. From 1965 to 1979 follows the birth period of Generation X. All those born after 2012 or those who will be born in 2024 are part of Generation Alpha.

What are people reporting in the Reddit thread?

  • Some complain about the “poor search function” in Windows
  • Many also report regularly being annoyed by Microsoft’s cloud storage service known as “OneDrive”, for example, Key_Researcher_9243: That is my […] arch-enemy.
  • Or as An0n_Cyph3r_ reports: “I once lost a seven-page essay because Windows saved it under a non-existent OneDrive account.”
  • Otherwise, the almost 5,000 upvotes show that some can relate to the meme. Not everyone, however, shares their respective experiences.

However, many also step in to clarify the basics: Typically, Windows saves by default in the Documents folder, and downloads end up in the destination folder set by the respective browser. When files are saved in the OneDrive cloud, it’s best to go via “Save As” manually to specify not just the file type and name, but also the destination.

Is there an explanation for these issues? Ultimately, the thread is not a scientifically based study on the topic, but our colleagues from Genbeta at least express a suspicion that could explain at least individual cases.

iOS and Android provide a more managed experience. Hardly anyone creates folders there, organizes data, or specifies destination paths for files. Everything goes through apps that handle this independently. Members of Gen Z who have not worked separately from all smartphones or tablets with a regular Windows PC probably lack the routine.

Surveys among employers in the United Kingdom also paint a somewhat unflattering picture of the time Generation Z spends in the office. However, there are also good reasons and factors that relativize the not entirely unfounded accusations of the older generations. We also go into these in detail in the following article: Generation Z is often late, wastes work time, and frequently drops out due to mental issues, surveys show.

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

Pokémon GO changes the showcases, now completely different Pokémon are strong

Pokémon GO changes the showcases. And this should please all trainers who do not only have the giant monsters.

Which showcases are affected? The showcases in Pokémon GO are a form of competition where you can submit your Pokémon at certain PokéStops.

There they will be compared with the participating Pokémon of other trainers. The bigger your monsters are, the more points they receive. Whoever has the most points by the end of the showcase wins rewards.

Now there are different types of showcases: Sometimes only a specific monster is required in the showcase, but sometimes a whole type of Pokémon is compared. Example: In the “Electric” showcase, any electric monster, from Pikachu to Zapdos, can be submitted.

The problem: In these type showcases, there were always monsters that were simply unbeatable. Monsters like Wailord in water showcases simply cannot be surpassed by a Sealeo – at least until now. Because now there is a change in these showcases.

Start video
Dynamax in Pokémon Go – How to participate in the gigantic battles

Trainers show how showcases are now evaluated differently

This is the change: From September 16 to September 18, normal showcases will take place in Pokémon GO. Here, all normal monsters can be submitted – and for example, Regigigas would actually be the classic frontrunner here.

But trainers in other time zones, where the showcases are already running, have noticed a change. Now Pokémon are apparently evaluated based on their relative size.

That means: A Snubbull, for example, is now no longer compared with Snorlax or Regigigas for scoring, but with other Snubbull. So a very large Snubbull can be just as valuable as a very large Snorlax – or even more.

You can see such an example here in a user’s post in the subreddit for Pokémon GO, The Silph Road.

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What does this mean? Effectively, this means that now all Pokémon are interesting for competitions. Completely different monsters can suddenly win competitions than before. So it pays off to keep XXL monsters, regardless of whether it’s a Caterpie or a Steelix.

This should make the showcases significantly more varied.

What else is happening in Pokémon GO? This week, among other things, the Psychic Spectacle starts. Here you can look forward to a new Dynamax opponent, as Dyna-Tanhel makes its debut in Max battles. Interestingly, it will be the first level 3 boss in Dyna-Raids; our previous opponents were only level 1. It remains to be seen how difficult the battle will be. However, one thing is clear: a monster should be particularly good as a counter against Dyna-Tanhel.

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

New Game on Steam Lets You Build and Upgrade Your Own Spaceship, Features Looting and Leveling, Receives Strong Reviews

Exploring the universe with a spaceship is a nice thought. In the new space game Starcom: Unknown Space on Steam, you can also loot and level up at the same time, and fans think it’s great.

What kind of game is this? In Starcom: Unknown Space, you start in space as the commander of a small scout ship. Your goal is to explore the universe. But be careful, not all the other spaceships you encounter are friendly.

During the game, you will repeatedly fight against other spaceships and after a won battle, you can collect their parts. However, the special feature of the game lies in how you can upgrade your spaceship. Here, you get to decide for yourself.

Here you can watch the trailer for Starcom: Unknown Space:

Start video
Starcom: Unknown Space shows in the trailer how space strategy and RPG can be combined

Looting and leveling up, but very creatively

How does looting and leveling work? In Starcom: Unknown Space on Steam, there are various resources that you can obtain not only from won battles but also from missions and exploring planets.

You then spend your collected resources in the heart of the game, the shipbuilding mode. Here you have your ship in front of you on a hexagon field and you get to decide how it should be built.

In this process, you can not only choose the appearance of your spaceship but also the individual weapons, stations, and shields according to your liking, place them, and move them around.

Through a tech tree, new technologies and abilities can be unlocked, but this also requires a capable crew. Your crew can be leveled up, and you get to determine in which areas the respective crew members are skilled.

How is the game received? Starcom: Unknown Space was released on September 2 on Steam and has since received almost exclusively positive reviews. The game currently holds 91% positive ratings from over 1,300 submitted votes.

The reviews also praise the game. Lightmaster Ix writes on Steam: “This game was an incredible surprise. It captures a true sense of discovering mysteries and unexplored space that many other space games with much higher budgets cannot achieve.”

Fiora also recommends the game on Steam: “Have you ever thought: ‘I’m kind of bored with all this empire-building stuff. Wouldn’t it be better if I could just play as an exploration ship instead?’ If so, then this game is made for you.”

The few negative reviews mostly come from users who have played the game for a bit longer. They mainly criticize the endgame, level scaling, grind, or that some gameplay content repeats. They also feel that the standard price is a bit too high at around €25.

In real life, many people train for years to fly into space. Along with the training, a lot of skill and some luck are also required to truly get the chance to fly into space. A man who wanted to go to space especially had a lot of bad luck: Astronaut trains his whole life for space – Now an actress messes up his last chance

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

Professional match in Counter-Strike 2 lasts longer than a soccer game, forces players to take a break

Matches in Counter-Strike 2 can indeed take quite a while. A duel has even set a record and caused a pause.

What was special about this duel? The match was between fnatic and M80. The two teams played against each other on September 11, 2024, in the ESL Pro.

The match took place on the maps Anubis and Inferno. While the duel on Inferno had no special features, the duel on Anubis could go down in ESL history.

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

Long Match and Human Needs

What was special about the match? With the score at 12:12 on Anubis, the game entered overtime. And it was intense. Both teams were tied for a long time and gave no quarter. This led to multiple overtimes, as a game typically ends only when a winner is determined.

This meant that the duel on the map remained undecided even after 2 hours and 25 minutes and 63 rounds. More than enough time to fill the players’ bladders.

Therefore, bodyy, a player from the fnatic team, asked in the lobby if both teams would agree to a bathroom break. This was affirmed by both teams, and the players took advantage of the brief pause.

After the break, the duel on the map continued and finally ended after 2 hours and 50 minutes and 71 rounds with a score of 37 to 34 for team M80.

This match thus sets a new record for the longest match on a map in CS2 in the ESL.

How did the match day end? M80 was also able to win the second map, emerging victorious with a score of 16 to 13. Thus, the team won the match day overall 2:0.

While both teams had to invest a lot of time to complete this match day, there are other players who instead invest a lot of money to achieve different goals: Rich user reportedly invests over €500,000 on Steam to become number 1 – risks everything with skins in CS2.

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

An insider at One Piece allegedly knows where part of the Straw Hat crew is located in the new arc, has good arguments

The new chapter of One Piece surprises with an open ending and leaves the fate of part of the Straw Hat crew uncertain. A well-known insider of the anime, who also worked on the live-action adaptation of One Piece, has a plausible theory.

What happened? By the end of the chapter, part of the Straw Hat crew, along with the Thousand Sunny, has disappeared. Specifically, it is the part of the members who have been in the crew the longest. This includes Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper. Among them are two members who could be important in the upcoming arc.

At the end of the chapter, it is shown that Nami awakens from unconsciousness or sleep. She suddenly wears Viking clothing and has a sword on her back. Moreover, she cannot remember where she is.

However, inferences can be drawn from the surroundings about where Nami and presumably the others are. The well-known One Piece insider newworldartur believes to know where the Straw Hat crew is located.

All members who have disappeared also appear in the movie where Chopper joins the crew. Here you can find the trailer:

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One Piece: Chopper and the Miracle of the Winter Cherry Blossom – Trailer for the 9th Anime Film

One Piece: Some Straw Hats May Already Be in Elbaf

Where could Luffy, Nami, and the others be? Nami wakes up in a building that looks like a castle. In the background, stone walls and a railing can be seen. However, on closer inspection, it can be seen that the individual objects have bumps on them.

According to the insider, the surroundings could be a house made of LEGO. Since the giants are much larger than humans, Nami and the others could be in a toy house built by one of the giants.

You can watch his video on the theory here. The theory is discussed starting at 11:58:

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How likely is that? Since the Viking ship with the Straw Hat crew keeps moving towards Elbaf, it could indeed be the case that part of the crew has already landed on Elbaf. 

Nami’s outfit suggests that someone who is from Elbaf must have dressed her. The Viking outfit thematically fits the upcoming arc. Since Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, is a big fan of LEGO, the theory could also fit.

There are already some things that the manga has hinted about Elbaf in advance. For example, the land is ruled by Prince Loki, and some of the places you have already seen in flashbacks from Big Mom. To prepare yourself well for the arc, you should read everything you need to know about it: One Piece sets sail for the new arc in the new chapter – Everything you need to know about Elbaf

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

Anyone looking to buy a complete PS5 Pro will soon have to pay more than 1,000 euros

There is a heated debate about the price of the PS5 Pro. However, the PS5 Pro could soon become significantly more expensive.

How much does the PS5 cost? Sony announced the official price and release date of the PS5 Pro:

  • The PS5 Pro will cost 799.99 Euros in Germany.
  • For a drive, you will pay an additional 119.99 Euros, and for a stand, around 30 Euros. For a second DualSense controller, you will pay around 60 Euros.
  • For the complete package, you will pay around 950 Euros. A subscription for PS Plus is not included if you want to play online.

However, prices may still rise in the coming days and weeks. Therefore, the release in early November is likely to be exciting. At least if you want a PS5 Pro with all the accessories.

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Sony releases the official reveal trailer for the PS5 Pro

Accessories are sold out, scalpers are asking for double

What are the current issues and prices? In recent days, players and scalpers have purchased PS5 drives, and now the accessories are almost sold out everywhere. Currently, you are paying around 150 to 200 Euros for the PS5 drive on eBay and other relevant websites.

What are scalpers? Scalpers are people who buy items that are in limited supply. Due to increased demand, they hope to sell their purchased items significantly above the MSRP.

Additionally, Sony has raised the price of the DualSense controller by 5 Euros. The stand remains at 29.99 Euros and is still (currently) available.

How much do I have to pay for the PS5 Pro? If you want the PS5 Pro fully equipped, you would have to pay just under 1,000 Euros so far. If Sony cannot supply enough drives at the release of the PS5 Pro, prices for a PS5 Pro with a drive will likely rise significantly above 1,000 Euros.

A rush for the PS5 stand is likely to be limited, as many third-party suppliers offer alternatives that are often cheaper than the officially sold part from Sony.

What is still uncertain? It is still unclear how strong the demand for the PS5 Pro will be. In the worst-case scenario, the PS5 Pro could be sold out again immediately upon release, with scalpers snatching up the few available models and selling the console for double. However, it is not possible to estimate this at the current time, as many people are complaining about the price of the console.

If the “worst case” does indeed occur, which we hope does not happen, the PS5 Pro is likely to cost significantly more than 1,000 Euros.

More about the PS5 Pro: The PS5 and PS5 Pro look very similar at first glance, as Sony has hardly changed the design. But what are the similarities and especially the differences between the PS5 and PS5 Pro? MeinMMO presents all the details and explains what you should pay attention to: PS5 Pro vs PS5 Comparison: What similarities and differences are there?

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