„Everything Legal“ – Contestant from 7 vs. Wild reveals more details about the show

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

Officially, not much is known about 7 vs. Wild so far. However, a participant has been actively responding to viewers’ questions on Reddit.

Who is the participant? Outdoor expert Joe Vogel has once again commented on the topic of 7 vs. Wild. Recently, the candidate published an interview in which he revealed previously unknown details about the show’s concept.

The participant is also active on Reddit, responding to viewers who express their theories and questions.

LetsHugo is one of the participants in the fourth season of 7 vs. Wild, and you can see more about him in our video:

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

Joe Vogel reveals the details

What has the participant revealed? After the publication of the candidates and his interview about participating in the survival show, the participant went to the Reddit forum of the series and responded to some comments there.

Joe Vogel’s responses are always meant to be understood with a wink and consistently reflect his perspective.

In one post, questions arise about secrecy; specifically, Krynne90 asks on Reddit: “How did you handle the electronic travel authorization NZeTA for New Zealand? If someone else filled it out for you, you would have entered illegally.”

The participant Joe Vogel responds on Reddit: “Powers of attorney. Everything happened legally and without our intervention. Including work visa.”

What other information does he disclose? The user Pryte on Reddit believes Joe Vogel had clarified beforehand that it would not be a group format. According to him, the participant is not interested in such formats.

Participant Joe Vogel himself responds on Reddit: “No, it was completely unknown.” Another user accuses him on Reddit that this confirms a group format. In response, the participant comments on Reddit: “Nothing confirmed. On the contrary.”

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Did he reveal anything else? The Reddit user Interesting-Sock-178 asks how payment looks; according to him, Joe Vogel once said he would only participate if he was paid his normal daily rate.

Joe Vogel himself responds on Reddit as follows: “I want to answer this once for everyone: […] If you have a profession, never make the mistake of letting your performance, work, or skills be devalued. Be aware of your worth. If you deliver performance and invest time, there must be a compensation that is acceptable for you. […]”

However, whether Joe Vogel has actually been paid or if the reach he generates through the project is sufficient compensation for his work remains unknown. Without the help of the participant, savvy users have found a clue about the role of Fritz Meinecke in the new season of 7 vs. Wild: Fritz Meinecke is not a participant in 7 vs. Wild this year, but fans find a hint that he might be involved

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

A hidden detail in the new video of 7 vs. Wild is supposed to reveal that Fritz Meinecke is indeed there 

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 3 minutes

At 7 vs. Wild, the participants of the new season were recently announced. Surprisingly, Fritz Meinecke is not one of the participants this year. However, fans have found a hint that he may still have a role in the fourth season.

Who are the participants of the current season? This year, there will be another season of 7 vs. Wild. On August 20, 2024, a video was released presenting the participants. Included are again amateurs and professionals known from social media:

  • Survival expert Joe Vogel
  • Comedy influencer Selfiesandra
  • Outdoor expert Joey Kelly
  • Twitch streamer LetsHugo
  • Outdoor influencer Stefan from Survival_Deutschland
  • Fitness influencer Flying Uwe
  • YouTuber Julia Beautx

However, what is missing is Fritz Meinecke. The founding father of the series does not appear in the official candidates’ video. The audience is not pleased and makes that known in the comments. However, the community on Reddit has found a hint that Fritz Meinecke is indeed involved.

LetsHugo is one of the participants of the fourth season of 7 vs. Wild, and you can see more about him in our video:

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

The hint is in the video, yet most have overlooked it

What did the viewers find? In a post in the Reddit forum, fans speculate about the role that Fritz Meinecke will take on in this year’s season. Some believe he could be the replacement person mentioned by Joe Vogel in his interview.

Other fans, however, have found a concrete hint that reveals what is happening with Fritz Meinecke this year. Viewers took a closer look at the thumbnail of the YouTube video. It shows seven bright silhouettes that could reflect the candidates and one black silhouette of a man wearing a cap, like the one Meinecke often wears.

This is what the thumbnail of the YouTube video looks like.

Another hint is a response from the official “7 vs. Wild” YouTube channel, which contains only an emoji with two eyes. This is found under a YouTube comment from a viewer who writes, “Am I the only one disappointed that Fritz won’t be there?”.

Fans are now quite sure that Fritz Meinecke will be involved in a special role and not as an official participant. However, there are many speculations about his specific role.

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What kind of role could Meinecke take on? The community has various ideas about what Meinecke could do in the new season of 7 vs. Wild.

The Reddit user pointermess writes: “Steep thesis: Fritz will take on a special role and hunt the participants.” In contrast, Errortrek on Reddit: “Fritz gets to play God and influence the season like in Hunger Games”.

A widely shared theory is expressed by the Reddit user pohainus: “I don’t believe he is really involved; I can imagine he will keep an eye on the participants and, for example, pursue them, and they must escape from him […]” In another post, the Reddit user adds to the idea and believes they might also have to escape as a group from Fritz Meinecke.

Future_Assistant9207 likes the idea on Reddit and adds: “This way, the participants can no longer just ‘sit it out’ for seven days […]”

The fans’ theories are extensive, and it is still unclear what will happen to the participants on site. Even the participants themselves knew very little before their exposure, as Joe Vogel mentioned in an interview before the exposure: Participants of the new season 7 vs. Wild already reveal the concept.

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

The new season of Tarisland brings 20 new bosses, but you still have to wait a long time

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

As part of the gamescom 2024, Tarisland has released a new roadmap. The game will bring many new contents, but you will have to wait a long time for it.

Webedia Gaming (GameStar, GamePro, MeinMMO) is accompanying the big gaming event as the official media partner of Gamescom 2024. It will be an exciting week for everyone making their way to gamescom. But even from the screen, as more streams will take place – for example, the FYNG show by GameStar, GamePro, and MeinMMO.

What kind of season is this? In the MMORPG Tarisland, there are so-called seasons. These last several months and represent segments in the game before new content is released. This principle is known from games like Diablo 4 and Path of Exile, where players are always waiting for the next seasons.

Currently, Season 0 is still running in Tarisland, symbolizing the entry into the MMORPG. Although many players are already waiting for the next season, patience is still required.

Here you can watch the trailer for Tarisland:

Start video
Tarisland: Trailer for the global launch shows cinematic class action

Tarisland brings new content, but not until summer

What content will be coming in the new season? Tarisland aims to bring fresh wind into the MMORPG with Season 1. Recently, all content had been completed by players, and the calls for the next season grew louder.

The new Season 1 promises 20 new bosses, divided across four new dungeons and four new raids. However, it has always been the case that dungeons had 3 bosses, which would mean that the upcoming raids in Season 1 will only have two bosses.

Will there be a new map as well? Yes, fitting for autumn and winter, a new map called Scardino Icefield will be introduced to the game with Season 1, bringing a wintry snow landscape into play.

What about the story and leveling, will there be progress here as well? Yes, the story and the maximum level of the characters will also be expanded. Players are expected to be able to level up ten levels in the new Season 1. The maximum level in Tarisland will then be level 50.

What will change with the talents? There will be significant changes to the talents and the labeled stone in Tarisland. Both systems will be overhauled. Additionally, there will be a new weapon system, which has not been detailed yet.

When will the new Season 1 of Tarisland be released? The new Season 1 will not come until October 2024. However, a specific date has not yet been determined. Players can look forward to playing the MMORPG on Steam as well; this change was also announced in the roadmap.

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The new content for the MMORPG sounds promising; however, the long wait until the release could also harm the MMORPG. Already, the first opinions after the announcement on Discord fear losing the player base due to the long waiting period. The Amazon MMORPG Throne and Liberty is also coming later than fans would like: The highly anticipated MMORPG Throne and Liberty is delaying its release, and fans are relieved: “Just made it in time”

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

The new trailer for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 looks like darker fun in the Middle Ages

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 2 minutes

As part of the gamescom 2024 Opening Night Live, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 presents a new gameplay trailer that leaves you breathless with laughter. The game will also be featured at the FYNG show.

Webedia Gaming (GameStar, GamePro, MeinMMO) accompanies the major gaming event as the official media partner of Gamescom 2024. It will be an exciting week for everyone making their way to gamescom. But also for those watching from home, as there will be more streams – for example the FYNG show by GameStar, GamePro, and MeinMMO.

What kind of game is this? The medieval RPG by Warhorse Studios will be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Just like in the first part, you step into the shoes of Henry from Skalitz, whose quest for revenge is far from over. The story takes you through medieval Bohemia in the 15th century.

The first part of Kingdom Come: Deliverance already captivated fans with its story and attention to detail, but it also faced criticism for its lack of polish. The mix of role-playing and medieval simulation, which requires attention to hygiene, food, and exhaustion, was already flawlessly executed by the developers in the first part.

Here you can watch the new trailer for the second part of Kingdom Come: Deliverance:

Start video
Trailer for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 shows gameplay

Part Two Will Be Dark

What does the trailer show? This time, the trailer takes a darker turn than the first part. Henry, now of noble birth, assembles a crew to continue his quest for revenge. In the meantime, the antagonist Sigismund is in a truce with Henry’s allied nobles, which is why Henry first visits his old acquaintances.

The trailer shows many new locations such as villages, towns, and castles, which have been created with attention to detail once again. The lush grasses of Bohemia and the beautiful landscapes look inviting as ever.

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What looks dark then? The latter part of the trailer abruptly shifts from the lush grasses to ominous scenes, where a man hangs from the gallows. Another scene shows Henry covered in blood, taking on numerous enemies. He has evidently learned new tricks, as compared to the first part, Henry now commands several new attacks.

It also shows Henry loading a crossbow. This weapon was not present in the first part of the series and is now included in the second part. The trailer ends with Henry holding a blade to another character’s throat. As part of our FYNG program on Twitch, the team on site will discuss the game on gamescom Wednesday. You can find all the information here: FYNG gamescom 2024: What to expect from the exclusive show by GameStar, GamePro, and MeinMMO

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

We asked Blizzard: Will the Hero Talents in WoW stay forever? – ‘Yes, but …’

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The hero talents in WoW: The War Within are well received. However, some are afraid that it is only “Borrowed Power”. We asked.

The hero talents are one of the new major features of World of Warcraft: The War Within. They allow for even more character customization, providing new abilities and powers. However, many are concerned that this is just a new “Borrowed Power” system that will be lost at the end of the expansion. Therefore, we asked Blizzard and received a clear answer.

Start video
WoW: The War Within – Shadows Beneath the Surface

What are the hero talents? You unlock hero talents in The War Within starting at level 71. They grant your character new abilities but are separate from the existing talent system. Each specialization can choose between two different sets of hero talents and can also make several decisions within those sets. This leads to characters of the same specialization often differing significantly from each other.

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Sonderheft zu WoW: The War Within
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What does Blizzard say? At gamescom 2024, our author Benedict Grothaus had the opportunity to ask Blizzard some questions. George Velev (Game Producer) and Michael Nuthals (Senior Encounter Designer) were present to answer them. They also addressed the question of what happens to the hero talents at the end of The War Within and whether it is Borrowed Power:

We treat hero talents, along with many other features from The War Within, as an evergreen system. When I say evergreen, I mean that it will be active for longer than just one expansion. So yes, hero talents are not just going away.

Regarding their expansion, we can’t say anything yet. Right now, we are just trying to make them as good as possible for launch and season 1.

But I think if you look at Dragonflight and what we did with talents there, there were many redesigns. And I believe there will definitely be such things over the course of the rest of the expansion.

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What is Blizzard alluding to? Blizzard is referencing the numerous reworks of the entire talent trees that occurred during the course of Dragonflight. Some classes, such as paladins, underwent massive reworks that fundamentally changed and updated the entire talent design. Such things could also be on the table for the hero talents if it turns out that they do not meet the expectations of the developers or the community.

That said, it seems clear that the hero talents will initially remain as a fundamental concept and will at least be active throughout the entire World Souls saga. What comes after that is still up in the air, even if Chris Metzen is already planning more than 6 expansions ahead.

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

Pokémon GO: Major changes announced for the Battle League, could shake up the meta significantly

Paul Kutzner Paul Kutzner Reading time 3 minutes

In Pokémon GO some changes are coming in the battle league. These could greatly influence the meta.

What is the battle league? The battle league is the PvP area of Pokémon GO, where you can participate in various cups with different CP limits. Participating in the battle league can be really rewarding for you.

As part of the Pokémon World Championships 2024, information about some changes in the Pokémon GO battle league has been announced. These changes will be activated on September 3, 2024 and were announced in a video onYouTube.

Here, in addition to a fundamental change in the battle league system, there will also be many changes to attacks and Pokémon, which can greatly influence and change the current meta.

What exactly will change has been compiled for you.

Start video
Pokémon GO: New teaser shows something ‘big’

A changed timer, many changed attacks

What function is changing? If you want to switch Pokémon in the battle league during a fight, you can do so immediately the first time. After this first swap, you have a cooldown of 60 seconds before you can switch Pokémon again.

This cooldown will be reduced on September 3, 2024. After that, you will only have to wait 50 seconds to switch Pokémon again.

The effects of this change will be evaluated in the next season and it will be decided whether it stays that way or is reversed.

Which fast attacks are changing? In addition to the change in the swap timer, there will also be some fast attacks that are changing. This includes both buffs and nerfs for attacks.

  • Stunning: Damage increased from 9 to 12
  • Fairy Breeze: Damage increased from 3 to 4
  • Fire Whirl: Damage increased from 10 to 11
  • Wing Attack: Energy generation reduced
  • Poison Sting: Damage increased from 3 to 4
  • Karate Chop: Energy generation increased
  • Catapult: Damage reduced from 12 to 11
  • Counter: Energy generation reduced
  • Mud Shot: Damage increased from 11 to 12 and energy generation reduced
  • Sludge Bomb: Damage increased from 3 to 4 and energy generation reduced
  • Metal Claw: Energy generation increased
  • Psywave: Energy generation increased
  • Leaf Blade: Damage reduced from 10 to 9
  • Steel Wing: Energy generation reduced
  • Heavy Slam: Damage increased from 5 to 8
  • Waltz: Damage increased from 5 to 8

Which charge attacks are changing? Of course, in addition to the fast moves, the charge attacks are also not completely spared from changes. Here are the following changes:

  • Blast Cannon: Chance for debuff reduced
  • Body Slam: Damage reduced from 60 to 50
  • Shadow Punch: Damage increased from 40 to 55
  • Sky Attack: Damage increased from 75 to 85 and energy costs increased
  • Jewel Power: Damage increased from 80 to 85 and energy costs reduced
  • Bone Club: Damage increased from 40 to 55
  • Night Mist: Damage increased from 60 to 80 and energy costs reduced
  • Parabolic Charge: Damage increased from 65 to 70, energy costs reduced and has a chance to increase defense
  • Dig: Damage reduced from 80 to 70
  • Seer: Damage reduced from 120 to 110
  • Stone Shower: Damage reduced from 75 to 65
  • Star Shower: Energy costs reduced
  • Surfer: Damage increased from 65 to 75 and energy costs increased
  • Pathfinder: Energy costs reduced
  • Whirlwind: Damage reduced from 65 to 55 and energy costs reduced

Which Pokémon can learn new attacks? With the update, there will also be some Pokémon that can learn new attacks. These are the following:

  • Bandelby: Thief Kiss (Fairy)
  • Forstellka: Volt Switch (Electric)
  • Galar-Lahmus: Whirlwind (Dark)
  • Hariyama: Force Wave (Fighting) and Thief Kiss (Fairy)
  • Hisui-Silvarro: Night Mist (Dark)
  • Hisui-Tornupto: Night Mist (Dark)
  • Kapilz: Force Wave (Fighting)
  • Kapu-Fala: Thief Kiss (Fairy)
  • Kommandutan: Whirlwind (Dark)
  • Kryppuk: Rock Grab (Rock)
  • Ledian: Counter (Fighting)
  • Oghnatoll: Whirlwind (Dark)
  • Pandagro: Karate Chop (Fighting)
  • Quartermak: Whirlwind (Dark)
  • Schlurplek: Waltz (Rock)
  • Togetic: Thief Kiss (Fairy)
  • Tropius: Whirlwind (Dark)
  • Wie-Shu: Force Wave (Fighting) and Whirlwind (Dark)
  • Zoroark: Night Mist (Dark)
  • Zorua: Night Mist (Dark)
  • Zwirrfinst: Shadow Punch (Ghost)

How might this change the meta? The number of changes could lead to a significant change in the meta. Just the reduction of the swap timer could become interesting as it allows faster switching of Pokémon, which can enable new tactics.

The changes to such a large number of attacks are also interesting and can lead to some Pokémon that are currently well represented in the battle league being sidelined and others coming to the forefront.

How exactly these changes will affect and how the battles in the battle league will change remains to be seen. However, it can be assumed that many Pokémon will be played differently than before.

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What do you think about the changes? Are you excited about it, or are you less interested in the battle league? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments and interact with other trainers here. You can also find an overview of the upcoming events in August 2024 in Pokémon GO with us.

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

Leak should show the new season pass in FC 25, fans say: ‘Whoever pays for this is hopeless’

Thomas Dummer Thomas Dummer Reading time 3 minutes

For FC 25, EA has already announced that in addition to the free season pass, a paid premium version will be introduced. A screenshot from the closed beta for Ultimate Team has seemingly leaked the price. This is causing quite a stir on Reddit.

How has the season pass worked so far in EA FC? The season pass has been a part of Ultimate Team since FIFA 20. In each new season, it offers you the opportunity to unlock additional content such as special players, bonus packs, or unique club items.

To reach the individual levels of the season pass, you need experience points (XP), which you earn by completing certain tasks. In the new FC 25, there will be a cross-mode season pass for career, clubs, and ultimate team, meaning you can earn XP in each of these game modes and unlock rewards for each mode.

However, it is not this new feature that has fans upset. With the introduction of the paid premium season pass, many fans fear more pay-to-win, as also warned by a FIFA expert who cautioned potential buyers some time ago.

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

Leak on Reddit reveals possible costs of the new season pass

A post on Reddit allegedly shows screenshots from the closed beta of the ultimate team mode in FC 25. The image might reveal the costs for the premium season pass:

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Link to the Reddit content

How much will the new season pass cost? At the bottom center of the screen, it is revealed that access to the premium pass will cost 750,000 coins or 1,500 FC points. 1,500 FC points correspond to about €15.

A season usually lasts between 4 and 6 weeks. Assuming an average of 5 weeks per season, if you want to purchase the premium season pass until the end of FC 25 (about 50 weeks a year), you would need to pay approximately €150 extra, about 10 times €15.

This has left many fans upset. They express their frustration in the comments on the leak on Reddit.

Fans outraged over “unacceptable” price

How is the community reacting to the leak? Most players on Reddit agree that they find this price exorbitant.

The top comment by user GetBent009 with 1,200 upvotes captures the general sentiment of fans: “This is unacceptable for a game that already demands the full price.” (via reddit.com)

EA FC would gradually adopt traits of a mobile game, where the pay-to-win factor would come more into play. (via reddit.com)

Even though players are free to simply play the free season pass, many casuals would not be satisfied with that. User TheReal-Tonald-Drump notes that the power curve in EA FC does not allow casual players to keep up at all without spending real money, if others are investing money in the game at the same time. (via reddit.com)

And indeed, the disadvantage could be significant if one decides against purchasing the premium season pass, as besides the costs, the first bonuses of the paid version have apparently also been shown:

Screenshot Reddit post FC 25 leak on rewards premium season pass
Source: reddit.com

The second image from the Reddit post shows the rewards for levels 12 to 15. In addition to the bonuses of the regular season pass, the extra bonuses of the premium version can also be seen.

What do you get in the premium pass? In levels 12 and 14, for instance, you can expect powerful upgrade packs with guaranteed minimum ratings of 84 and 85 for Ultimate Team. This sounds very strong for the start of FC 25.

At level 15, you are even waiting for double the amount of rewards, which according to the image could promise double coins, packs, and more.

This makes the paid rewards seem really more worthwhile.

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Despite the potential disadvantages, many users still appeal to the community to forgo the paid season pass. Very dramatically puts it, MT1120, when he writes: “The option to buy it for 750,000 coins exists only to make you poor and get nothing in return. If you really buy it with coins, there is no hope for you.” (via reddit.com)

It seems there is already a lot of controversy surrounding the new season pass even before the launch of FC 25.

We would like to point out once again that the discussions are based on a leak that has not yet been officially confirmed. How EA will actually implement the premium season pass in the game remains to be seen. However, what is certain is the new German commentators. They have been received with much goodwill by fans: FC 25 comes without its legendary commentators for the first time in 9 years – but fans celebrate their successors

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

HandOfBlood presents the new game of his company in front of 10,000 spectators on Twitch

Johanna Johanna Reading time 2 minutes

On August 21, 2024, Twitch streamer HandOfBlood announced the release of a new indie game from his company. This time it is supposed to go in a completely different direction.

What kind of game is it? The new game on the gaming horizon is Megaloot (on Steam), an inventory management roguelite RPG. In turn-based battles, you must face monsters and create powerful builds by organizing your loot to progress further. You only have one life; if you die, you have to start over.

If you don’t know YouTuber and Twitch streamer HandOfBlood well enough yet, you can find out more in our video about him:

Start video
HandOfBlood: The most important thing about the YouTuber and Twitch streamer in under a minute

“Have something completely different planned”

This is how HandOfBlood announced the game: “It is gamescom, and games are announced at gamescom,” HandOfBlood begins the introduction to the presentation of the new game. In his Twitch livestream, almost 10,000 viewers (via SullyGnome) are eagerly watching what the new game has to offer. He initially showed the trailer and explained the core elements of the game.

The previous game TerraScape was a completely different genre, which, according to HandOfBlood, INSTINCT3 does not want to cater to for the time being. “That’s why we now have something completely different planned,” said the influencer on Twitch. In general, one doesn’t want to be tied to a specific genre.

HandOfBlood’s first game was a resounding success; it had already received 88 percent positive reviews in Early Access.

When will the game be released? Megaloot will be available on August 30, 2024. Until then, the game can be added to the wishlist on Steam, and a free demo can be tried out.

How much will the game cost? The roguelite RPG will cost 9.75 euros. Until September 5, 2024, there will be a Steam event during which Megaloot will receive a 10 percent discount.

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Who is behind the publishing and development? The company INSTINCT3 of HandOfBlood and the publisher Ravenage are co-publishing Megaloot. The game was developed by axilirate, a solo developer.

HandofBlood has gathered a large community that listens to his game recommendations. Initially, however, the content creator did not know what he actually wanted to become. After his high school diploma, he therefore completed an internship at VW and knew after 3 weeks that he wanted to become an influencer.

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

Molyneux has never understood his own NFT game, but with the money he can now develop something right

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

With Masters of Albion, Peter Molyneux presented his new project at the gamescom 2024, which appears to be a mix of Fable, Black & White, and Dungeon Keeper. The legendary developer can finance the project thanks to the NFT game Legacy.

How successful was Legacy? When Peter Molyneux announced the industry simulation Legacy in 2019, he aimed to develop a modern version of his game “The Entrepreneur” (1984). Well before the launch, in December 2021, there was the first opportunity to purchase properties for Legacy. At that time, however, the project had morphed into a blockchain business simulation.

The sale of the associated NFTs reportedly generated more than 50 million US dollars in the first few days. In an interview with Eurogamer during gamescom 2024, Peter Molyneux clarified that the amount reported was “exaggerated” by the press.

The first trailer for Masters of Albion by Peter Molyneux and his studio 22cans:

Start video
Trailer for Masters of Albion offers insight into the gameplay

Nevertheless, Legacy was successful enough to finance the recently announced Masters of Albion at the Kölnmesse:

Well, I exaggerate, and you do too. You all exaggerated – it was not quite as much as people speculated. But it gave us the money to finance Masters of Albion. We used most of the money to bring Russell, Mark, and Ian back. It’s not cheap to do that. You have to take them away from their jobs.

Peter Molyneux via Eurogamer

Note from the editorial team: This refers to Russell Shaw, Mark Healy, and Iain Wright, whom Peter Molyneux knows from the old Bullfrog and Lionhead days.

The visionary didn’t understand his own game

What else does Molyneux say about Legacy? The initial success of Legacy was not sustainable. The final release in October 2023 fell right in the middle of the burst crypto bubble. Of all the NFTs that at that time belonged to 23 million people, less than one percent were actually still worth anything (via markets.businessinsider.com).

Peter Molyneux admits that he never really understood his blockchain project:

People played it, but unfortunately, at that time, there was not yet the meteoric rise of cryptocurrency that would have spurred real play-to-earn gaming. I think that the play-to-earn concept could only generate flat interest and then even declined. Legacy is still playable on the Gala Games website, but in my opinion – and I’m not someone who really understands it – the economic model works neither financially nor in terms of gameplay.

Peter Molyneux via Eurogamer

Somehow, it’s nice to see that there could finally be a positive example that NFTs actually hold some sort of value. After all, thanks to the Legacy revenue, Molyneux and his team can now develop a proper game that could even turn out to be really good.

What kind of game is Masters of Albion? In the first trailer, the construction strategy simulation seemed like a wild but exciting mix of the three Molyneux classics Fable, Black & White, and Dungeon Keeper. You build during the day and fight at night. With a kind of “Hand of God,” you intervene directly in the gameplay.

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In doing so, you can expect many freedoms to master the challenges of the game – from rats as food to baguette swords for your fighters. The developers promise an open world and a strong focus on the story, with moral choices and quests. Our editorial director is skeptical: The hero of my childhood is back with a new game on Steam – But his idea flopped 7 years ago like Fortnite

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

The new MMORPG Tarisland gives players what they want, but they are still angry

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 3 minutes

The MMORPG Tarisland is only two months old and is now showing its players the new content they can look forward to. But they are angry.

What content has been shown? Tarisland was released about two months ago, and the developers have now showcased the new content that will be introduced with the next season. These include:

  • 20 new bosses, divided among four dungeons and four raids
  • A new winter-themed map called Scardino Icefield
  • Story and max level expansion to level 50
  • New systems for talent trees, weapons, and the labeled stone
  • Release on Steam

In a new trailer, the developers are now presenting Season 1. The snowy area Scardino Icefield, which will welcome players in October, can be seen. There are also new enemies and bosses featured in the trailer.

Here you can watch the trailer for the new season:

Start video
Tarisland shows its Season 1 in the new trailer

Seasons are causing problems for Tarisland

What is a season? Tarisland uses a slightly different model than classic MMORPGs. Instead of large expansions, the game is updated several times a year through seasons with new content.

Similar to Path of Exile or Diablo 4, these represent a kind of “reset” that aims to give players a point to start or re-enter by resetting some systems, such as talent trees and the expansion of the game.

What problems does this cause? In the MMORPG Tarisland, the new season is currently causing some problems. At the moment, there is very little happening in the MMORPG, likely because most players have completed the content that interests them. This is also reflected in several comments on Reddit.

This is typical for games with a season mechanic and can be well illustrated by the player numbers of, for example, Path of Exile, which also has a season mechanic. Tarisland does not disclose its player numbers, but there are always users on Reddit who talk about the same phenomenon.

At the start of the season, player numbers for Path of Exile rise again. Source: SteamDB.info

Will everything be fine with the new season? Many players are skeptical. Novel_Jackfruit_8968 writes on Reddit: “I really hope they deliver a lot […], I would even say they risk the whole game with this update.” EmpZurg also writes on Reddit: “Season 1 is a pump-and-dump scheme […]”

Recently, players criticized both on Reddit and Discord that there’s nothing to do until the next season. “I left because I simply didn’t have enough to do,” writes a user on Reddit.

In another post on Reddit, players also discuss the timing of the new season. It is set to release in October, but there is criticism regarding that.

Lower-pal23 comments on Reddit: “Honestly, it’s not enough. It looks like they are adding more of the same, with no mention of guild content, etc. Since TL [note from the editorial team: Throne and Liberty] is also being released in October, I don’t see myself playing s1 Taris.”

Players in the Discord express similar criticism, with user setting_suns stating: “Literally, there’s nothing to do until October. […] The fact that you limit everything we can do in this game really ruins it for me. […]”

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Tarisland already offers so little content that many players are taking a break and will only check back in for the next season to see if the game can engage them again. We reported on the exact details of the next season here: The new season will bring 20 new bosses into the game, but you will have to wait a long time

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

FYNG gamescom 2024: What to expect at the exclusive show by GameStar, GamePro, and MeinMMO

Cedric Holmeier Cedric Holmeier Reading time 9 minutes

During the gamescom 2024, you can look forward to six days and almost 50 hours full of trailers, talks, exclusives, and entertainment live from Cologne. With Find Your Next Game, GameStar, GamePro, and MeinMMO will be live every day from August 20 to 25 on our Twitch channel, on YouTube, and of course, on-site in Cologne. Here you’ll learn what to expect from the show.

Update 23.08.24, 11:30: Our MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus is currently live with Diablo 4 for you. You can find the stream live on Twitch.

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From August 20 to August 25, 2024, the gaming world will once again look to Cologne. The largest and most important gamescom in years awaits us. For us, this is an opportunity after four years of pause to finally be back with a large booth and a full program on-site.

Webedia Gaming (GameStar, GamePro, MeinMMO) accompanies the major gaming event as the official media partner of Gamescom 2024.

In our overview, you can see what kind of program you can expect.

[toc]

Here you can find more details about our show and the highlights you definitely shouldn’t miss:

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Tuesday, August 20

On Tuesday, gamescom kicks off with the Opening Night Live, and we welcome you to our first show. Join us live from Cologne to follow the opening show and discuss the best trailers and new announcements. Here’s the link to the livestream on Twitch and YouTube.

19:30 | Opening Night Live Warmup with Maurice

We welcome you from gamescom in Cologne, where Maurice Weber pulls prominent faces in the pre-show to Opening Night Live before the camera.

20:00 | React: gamescom Opening Night Live (ONL)

Geoff Keighley presents the opening show live from gamescom in Cologne. Michael Obermeier and Julius Busch react to the gala with all new announcements.

22:00 | ONL Highlights with our Editors-in-Chief

Immediately after Opening Night Live, Rae Grimm, Leya Jankowski, Heiko Klinge, and Hannes Rossow from our editorial teams will summarize all highlights live in Cologne and draw initial conclusions.

22:30 | Civilization 7 Livestream with Maurice

Maurice Weber will go live from gamescom again to follow Civilization 7 in the livestream with you.

Next, we continue on the next page with Wednesday.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

An actress from The Boys has a wish for the final season: “Let me finish him, for heaven’s sake”

Niko Hernes Niko Hernes Reading time 2 minutes

The Boys Season 4 is now over and we still have to wait a little for Season 5. Many fans speculate about what will happen next. The actors do not know everything yet. However, one actress has a big wish: She wants to take care of Homelander.

Who wants to take care of Homelander? Homelander is probably the most iconic villain of recent years. Anthony Starr embodies the unpredictable Superman clone very well. Given his powers, the big question is, what happens to him? How and by whom will he be taken care of?

One actress is very eager to become the end of Homelander. Erin Moriarty, the actress who plays Starlight, revealed in an interview that it would be her greatest wish to take care of Homelander in the series finale. But she doesn’t really believe it will happen.

We probably won’t see the comic ending of Homelander in the TV series: The Boys: The Biggest Homelander Twist Will Probably Never Be Seen on Amazon

You can see a trailer for the last season here:

Start video
The Boys – Trailer for Season 4 of the adult superhero series

Someone else should also pay the price

In an interview with comicbook.com, Erin Moriarty talked about her new film Catching Dust and The Boys and the upcoming series finale with Season 5. In the interview, Moriarty is asked which Supe from the Seven she would most like to take out.

She says that everything is open with the last season, and she thinks Starlight should kill Homelander. But she also says that she does not believe wishes can come true. However, she should at least be given a final opponent aside from Homelander:

But she at least has to get The Deep, let me at least kill the fish guy, for God’s sake. But it has to happen under circumstances where she is provoked first, because that is her. She can’t just go out and kill someone. They have to attack her, and it’s self-defense because she is Annie.

Erin Moriarty on her wish for the final season (Source: comicbook.com)

She also talks about a cathartic karma that needs to be fulfilled with the next season, and that all characters deserve. However, she also believes that the new Black Noir is safe, as he is just a replacement from Vought.

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When does Season 5 of The Boys come out? An official date is not yet known. If the rhythm of the previous season is maintained, we can expect a new season only in 2026. However, fans of the universe can be happy, as several spin-offs are still planned.

The teen series GenV is set to get a second season, and The Boys: Mexico and Vought Rising will follow with two more series in the superhero series universe. For those who need more series content in the meantime, they should check here: A series about superheroes even has better reviews than The Boys and Loki

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Vida Extra
  2. comicbook.com

Black Myth Wukong: How many chapters are there?

Christos Tsogos Christos Tsogos Reading time 2 minutes

In Black Myth Wukong, your journey is divided into different chapters. By defeating the final boss of a chapter, you move on to the next one, but how many chapters are there in the action RPG actually? We provide you with the answer.

How many chapters are there? In total, there are 6 chapters in Black Myth Wukong that you can complete one after the other. These take you to different areas and let you defeat new enemies and bosses. The chapters are as follows:

  • Chapter 1: Black Cloud, Red Fire
  • Chapter 2: Yellow Sand, Desolate Dusk
  • Chapter 3: White Snow, Ice Cold
  • Chapter 4: Rosy Cheeks, Gray Hair
  • Chapter 5: Golden Child, Crimson Blood
  • Chapter 6

We will add the German titles of the respective chapters as soon as they are known.

How long does a chapter take? This varies and depends on how thoroughly you explore a chapter. However, you can expect a duration of 5-10 hours, considering the defeat of the bosses.

Can I revisit old chapters? Yes, you can. After completing a chapter, you will be sent to the next one. However, if you missed a boss or item from previous chapters, you can rest at an altar of your choice and use fast travel to return to the old chapter.

This way, you also have access to useful merchants like the Monkey Merchant, who can even improve your items or potions to make them stronger and give them more charges.

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When do I lose access to the chapters? After defeating the final boss of Chapter 6, you will have the opportunity to travel to NG+. If you have not yet collected all quests, secret bosses, or items, you should decline NG+ for now. If you do not, you will be put into a new story run and your old chapter progress will be overwritten.

You will then have to play through all chapters again to gain access to them. NG+ is definitely worth it, especially if you are after trophies and want to complete the game, but it is always advisable to finish everything in the first run that can be completed before starting NG+.

Black Myth Wukong keeps silent like Dark Souls, and so many features are only understood later on. That’s why we have picked out 7 tips that you should know at the beginning of your journey: Black Myth Wukong: 7 Tips I Wish I Knew Sooner

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

Blizzard never wants to deliver something like Shadowlands again – WoW head reveals what went wrong in the last 20 years

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

Holly Longdale, Vice President and Executive Producer for World of Warcraft, talked at gamescom 2024 about mistakes made by Blizzard and the lessons learned for the future of WoW.

What did Holly Longdale say? In an interview with PC Gamer, the Vice President and Executive Producer for WoW discussed the 20th anniversary of the MMORPG, stating that there is one thing Blizzard should have done better all along: listening to the community and drawing the right conclusions from the feedback.

She also includes the eight years during which she significantly determined the direction of direct MMORPG competitors such as EverQuest and EverQuest II as a producer, experiencing World of Warcraft only as an enthusiastic player.

The early access for WoW – The War Within has started, here is the cinematic:

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

Never Again Something Like Shadowlands

Where does this realization come from? As a developer, it is never easy to balance the wishes of the players with what is best for the game. Especially in the early days, much was still uncharted territory. While designing WoW, they relied on their own instincts and experiences.

When Holly Longdale joined Blizzard, however, the balance was completely off. Valuable feedback from the community was ignored. Certainly also due to the pandemic and the working conditions at the time. Ultimately, it took far too long to respond to player criticism.

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This came at a price. The subscriber numbers dropped drastically. WoW was said to be in serious danger. Therefore, the entire team, led by Holly Longdale, committed to giving community feedback significantly higher priority with the upcoming Dragonflight expansion, to ensure that something like Shadowlands never happens again.

The developers are also supported by new tools for social media, to effectively collect and evaluate all constructive feedback.

We listen to the community and are capable of verifying the discussions. Now we have the technology and the data to connect these two aspects. Did we really overlook something? And then we can check if it is indeed a problem.

Vice President and Executive Producer Holly Longdale via PC Gamer

What else went wrong with Shadowlands? This is, by the way, not the only lesson that Blizzard has learned from the Shadowlands expansion. Important insights for the future were also gained in the areas of “Story and Setting” as well as “Gameplay”. The Jailer, for example, was not a good villain for the Shadowlands because no player had a connection to the character.

The entire idea of “life after death” was also not accessible enough. Well-known characters were underutilized or written out of the story. There were ultimately too few contents, not enough variety, and the endgame systems around “Borrowed Power” were also not well received.

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All of these are insights that Blizzard executives shared with the public at the Game Developer Conference 2024. At the GDC, for the first time since 2015, details regarding the development of subscription numbers for World of Warcraft were also shared: For the first time in 9 years, there are current details regarding WoW subscriptions – Then the MMORPG was particularly unpopular.

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

So that you can get intimate with the Mind Flayer in Baldur’s Gate 3, a developer used Oreo cookies as a comparison

Jasmin Beverungen Jasmin Beverungen Reading time 2 minutes

The developers of Baldur’s Gate 3 have put in a lot of effort to make the sex scenes in the game feel particularly authentic. But how can you make an intimate scene involving several tentacles feel especially “realistic”? A “behind the scenes” tweet from Larian Studios reveals that it can be done with Oreo cookies.

How was the sex scene recreated? In Baldur’s Gate 3, with the right dialogue options, it is possible to spend some romantic hours with the mind flayer.

However, unlike the other, more human romances, the mouth of the mind flayer is covered by tentacles. To still be able to touch the lips of our beloved, a developer thought about how the tentacles could be incorporated into the lovemaking.

For this, Senior Cinematic Artist Elodie Ceselli used a pack of Oreo cookies, which he lovingly stroked. Larian Studios shared a short video of the cookie stroking, which another user compared to the original scene:

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In the clip, you can see the player tenderly stroking the tentacles of the mind flayer. If you have to think about stroking a pack of Oreos in the future, now you know why.

What do fans say about it? Many users in the comments are enthusiastic about the idea of using cream-filled cookies as a reference. CloakedOnyx is now wishing for a collaboration between Baldur’s Gate 3 and Oreo.

There are other intimate scenes that fans can experience. One of them even led to a ban from the developers:

Start video
Creators of Baldur’s Gate 3 show intimate love scene with a bear and get banned instantly

That’s why the fling with the mind flayer is worth it

What do I get from the romance? For the lovemaking with the mind flayer, you get the achievement “Mind Blown”. Two special conditions must be met for this to happen. After that, you’ll have access to the rather obvious options that lead to the fling.

The one-night stand with the mind flayer is also one of several lovemaking acts, which have no impact on your other relationships. So if you want to indulge in him without consequences, you can do so without worry.

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The mind flayers are a distinct race in Baldur’s Gate 3. It is even possible to turn a popular companion into a mind flayer. This unlocks what is probably the best ending for this character: You constantly fight against a terrible fate in Baldur’s Gate 3, but for a beloved companion, this is the best ending.

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

The ‘Selfie Camera’ has ruined PvP in WoW

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The developers of World of Warcraft talk about a curious bug. A toy caused massive problems.

In the history of World of Warcraft, there were not only many new features, but also a lot of errors and bugs. While some are just annoying, others lead to absurd tricks that made Rextroy famous. Some are simply curious and so strange that one wonders how a bug could even occur.

One of these bugs has to do with the selfie camera in World of Warcraft. For it completely ruined PvP battlegrounds for a few days.

Start video
WoW: The War Within – Shadows Beneath the Surface

Where does the information come from? At gamescom 2024, we had the opportunity to talk to George Velev and Michael Nuthals, who are responsible for the combat system, class design, and content like the hero talents. We also asked them some questions, including about the most curious bug they have encountered in their careers in World of Warcraft.

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What is the selfie camera? The “S.E.L.F.I.E. camera” is a toy that was introduced during the “Warlords of Draenor” expansion. As the name suggests, the toy allows you to take a camera in hand and snap a selfie of yourself and other nearby characters. While some have scoffed at the feature, many now use it for unique or funny screenshots. However, the selfie camera had a serious bug that occurred in PvP.

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What kind of bug was it? The bug with the selfie camera caused an amusing problem in PvP. Rogues and druids lost their stealth when they were in the camera’s view:

It didn’t ruin the game, but it was just laughable. Not many people knew about it, but how it worked: We have a toy in the game, the selfie camera. With it, you can take a selfie. Some players then found out: When they take a selfie, everyone around them who is invisible suddenly becomes visible.

Then they went into battlegrounds, stood at the flag, and just kept taking selfies in hopes of revealing rogues or druids in stealth.

The bug is, of course, quite some time ago and was quickly fixed – but it did lead to some curious scenarios. For rogues or druids, it must have been quite surprising the first time they saw heroes of the opposing faction standing in the flag room posing for photos. Let’s hope that we are spared from such curious bugs in the new expansion The War Within.

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

There is a sign of life from the new MMORPG for Lord of the Rings by Amazon Games

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 2 minutes

During the gamescom 2024, Christoph Hartmann, Vice President at Amazon Games, discussed the current status of major projects like the new MMORPG for Lord of the Rings.

What does Christoph Hartmann say? The Vice President spoke in an exclusive interview with IGN about the current state of games being developed at Amazon Games. It was clear that this included the MMORPG for Lord of the Rings announced in May 2023. Here are the key insights:

  • The MMORPG for Lord of the Rings is still in a very early development phase.
  • They are currently trying to find the unique angle or hook for the online role-playing game, as they do not want to simply copy Lord of the Rings Online or other existing games in the franchise.
  • Although Hartmann promised a timely presentation of the MMORPG by June 2024 (via variety.com), it will still take a while before the concrete announcement of the game is made.

One of the currently most important projects from Amazon Games – the MMORPG Throne and Liberty:

Start video
Throne and Liberty: New trailer reveals release date, introduces the fantasy world of Solisium

Amazon Games attacks as a publisher

Was there also a statement about New World and Lost Ark? During the interview, Christoph Hartmann was asked why the two MMORPGs could not establish themselves in the long term after their respective great starts. The Vice President’s response:

With New World and Lost Ark, we had some promising successes. These things are hard to maintain because people invest a lot of time and try new things, but then they quickly return to their evergreen franchises that they have always played, so we just keep going.

But yes, of course we want to have one of those big franchises, that’s what it’s all about. Anything smaller wouldn’t be interesting for Amazon; we are a larger-than-life company. We are not here to try it out and develop a few nice games.

Christoph Hartmann from Amazon Games via IGN

What else did the Vice President reveal? According to Christoph Hartmann, they have not yet established themselves as a publisher, but they want to work on that with new projects. Lost Ark, Throne and Liberty, and Blue Protocol are just the beginning. However, they want to diversify increasingly and not only manage MMOs.

Fresh from gamescom 2024, the “Hack and Slash” co-op game King of Meat was introduced – more on this in the preview from the colleagues at GameStar. It is also already known for some time that Amazon Games is supporting the developers of Crystal Dynamics with the new Tomb Raider. In total, Hartmann mentioned in the interview that ten new games are currently in development.

During the conversation, the Amazon Games chief emphasized that Crystal Dynamics has reportedly been somewhat insulated from the turmoil at Embracer. Therefore, the development of Tomb Raider is expected to make noticeable progress.

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In the financial report, the Embracer executives announced a stronger focus on the licenses of “Middle Earth Enterprises”, especially “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit”. Current projects like the animated film “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” are said to be just the beginning. More on this here: The company aims to fully focus on Lord of the Rings after extensive layoffs – MMORPG from Amazon is just the beginning

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

German Twitch streamer explains why influencers belong at gamescom – but without a camera

Sarah Sarah Reading time 3 minutes

The Twitch streamer metashi12 recently expressed his opinion on the presence of streamers at the gamescom. According to him, it is an obligation for influencers to appear personally at the fair, but without cameras.

Who is the streamer? metashi12 has been active on the streaming platform Twitch since at least 2016. Over the years, he has built a loyal and steadily growing community.

He is mainly known for his streams of the popular MMORPG World of Warcraft, which he has already streamed for an impressive 6,500 hours. The survival game Rust also holds a significant place in his content with over 2,000 hours streamed.

In the last three months, metashi12 has averaged 3,500 viewers per stream (via Twitchtracker).

Even though it is his main content, WoW has often been declared dead:

Start video
3 times World of Warcraft was declared dead

What issue is at hand? In one of his streams, metashi12 recently discussed the conversation that gamescom is increasingly losing its character as a trade fair for games and instead becoming a kind of streamer fair.

This has also been a topic for other well-known streamers like Gronkh. While he loves gamescom and supports its continuation, he is worried about the increasing number of visitors who come primarily because of the influencers. He believes this leads to real gamers having a hard time getting tickets, which he sees as a concerning development.

“Do you know what streamers without viewers are? Homeless”

What does the streamer think about this? metashi12 has announced two meet & greets at gamescom this year and clearly justifies this decision. “Every streamer can be as talented as they want. Do you know what streamers without viewers are? Homeless,” he explained in one of his streams. He emphasizes that a streamer’s success cannot exist without their viewers, and he considers it a duty to appear personally at gamescom and give fans the opportunity to meet him.

He criticizes streamers who spend all day in separate creator areas while fans wait outside. “I think, even if you’re in that position, you owe it to your viewers to at least be active for them in real life once,” he adds.

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“It’s about games, not people”

Where does the streamer see the real issue? In the discussion with his community, a viewer expressed the opinion that gamescom is still a trade fair for games and not a streamer fair. “I think it should be about games, not people,” the viewer wrote in the chat.

metashi12 understood this viewpoint but explained that many streamers come to the fair out of personal interest in games or due to sponsorships. He does not see the actual problem in the influencers themselves, but in those who stream live on-site.

He referred to the case of MontanaBlack88, who attended gamescom 2022 with an impressive security detail of 35 bodyguards and about 500 fans and streamed the event live. However, not only he, but also numerous smaller creators stream from gamescom every year.

This is exactly the point that bothers metashi12: He wants to spend a nice time with his community – without cameras.

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Unforgettable moments at gamescom

Despite the criticism and concerns, metashi12 looks back on his experiences at gamescom positively. Especially the meet & greet in 2023 is, according to him, one of the most beautiful moments of his streaming career.

About 150 of his fans participated, and the streamer still shows enthusiasm for the warmth and consideration of his community. For him, it was a moment he will never forget.

In 2022, Marcel “MontanaBlack” Eris (35) made headlines at gamescom. To avoid similar incidents in 2023, the gamescom management decided to preemptively exclude a Twitch streamer from the event in 2023. You can find out more about it here: gamescom excludes Twitch streamer from the fair, fearing a second MontanaBlack incident

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. metashi12 auf Twitch

One of the best CS2 players of all time hints at a comeback – but probably not for his old winning team

Dariusz Müller Dariusz Müller Reading time 2 minutes

The eSports player s1mple is one of the most successful players in the history of Counter-Strike. Currently, he is taking a break, but he is no longer interested in it.

Who is it about?

  • The 26-year-old Ukrainian Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev is considered one of the best Counter-Strike players of all time.
  • In his career, he played for HellRaisers, FlipSid3 Tactics, and Team Liquid. However, s1mple reached the peak of his career at Natus Vincere (NaVi).
  • He played for NaVi from 2016 to 2023. During this time, he won several highly lucrative tournaments with the team, such as the Intel Grand in September 2021.
  • For his achievements in various competitions, he was also awarded as the best player of the year multiple times. He received the award in 2018, 2021, and 2022 and was also a title contender in 2019 and 2020.

On the evening of October 26, 2023, s1mple announced that he would take a break from Counter-Strike because he needs to fix some documents and take care of people in his life (via X.com).

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

“NaVi doesn’t need s1mple, Sasha needs NaVi”

What does this hint at? s1mple hinted at a possible return to eSports in Counter-Strike in a post on Telegram on August 19. Nearly 10 months after his break, he writes: “NaVi doesn’t need s1mple, Sasha needs NaVi.”

He subsequently explains that it is hard for him to understand that he is not part of the team. NaVi has, of course, hired a replacement for s1mple in recent months and seemingly has no room left for the once star player. However, he seems ready for his return: “I hope that one day I can come back, I’m tired of doing nothing.”

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Some fans on Reddit believe that s1mple is in a difficult situation with NaVi. On one hand, it is evident that he would like to return to the team with which he celebrated his greatest successes. On the other hand, he wants to play but is not utilized at NaVi.

Some speculate that s1mple is still stuck in his contract and that the buyout clause is so high that only major eSports organizations could afford it. However, s1mple has not shown in the era of CS2 that he can still play at the highest level in the “new” game. After all, all his successes were in CS:GO.

With Counter-Strike 2, s1mple had a difficult start. Shortly after the release, he was dissatisfied with many factors in the game, expressed sharp criticism, and even advised other players against the shooter: One of the best Counter-Strike players of all time says you should not play CS2 right now.

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

Pax Dei removes almost 8 percent of all properties from paid Early Access in a comprehensive cleanup

Karsten Scholz Karsten Scholz Reading time 3 minutes

Those who walk through the world of the Early Access version of Pax Dei will stumble upon numerous plots of inactive players. Now, the developers are taking a remarkable measure to address this problem.

Update from August 23, 2024: According to the developers of Pax Dei, the process of clearing inactive plots has been completed. In total, 7.8 percent of all plots have been removed. As a result, most of the full servers have switched to “High” status (via Discord).

What is the current state of Pax Dei? Since the start of the Early Access phase on June 18, 2024, quite a bit has happened in the world of the sandbox MMORPG. The developers at Mainframe Industries have implemented numerous hotfixes and optimizations to address the worst issues in Pax Dei.

Having achieved that, the team is now working on new content as well as expanding and improving existing systems and features – such as combat systems, PvP, social interactions, marketplaces, and PvE content for solo players (via Discord).

The delay in content and feature updates has had its cost, MeinMMO already reported about this in the second preview report from July 2024. Player numbers have significantly fallen, leading to an increasing number of inactive plots in the world.

Strolling past all the abandoned houses and tools felt like walking through a graveyard of construction sites, which slows down the remaining active communities and hinders new players from finding a good spot for their own plot.

The world of Pax Dei is beautiful, here is the trailer for the Early Access launch:

Start video
Pax Dei: Trailer for the Early Access launch shows beautiful medieval world

Understandable but drastic measure

How are the developers addressing the problem? On one hand, the new content and expanded features are intended to lure back as many players as possible into the world of Pax Dei. On the other hand, the devs already announced via Discord in July that they wanted to conduct a cleanup operation in August to remove abandoned plots and thus create new space.

Now, the developers revealed the specific dates for the cleanup operation on their Discord channel:

  • On August 19, 2024, the plots that will be removed during the cleanup operation will be marked.
  • The actual cleanup operation is scheduled to take place on August 21, 2024.

All (!) of the following criteria must be met for a plot to be removed, according to the developers: The affected plots are those

  • whose owner has not been active since July 22
  • that have played less than 120 minutes in total
  • that have crafted very few items during this time (less than 50 in total, less than 20 in the past month, less than two in the past two weeks)
  • that have placed very few items on their plot (less than 40 in total, less than 20 in the past month, less than two in the past two weeks)
  • that do not belong to any clan with two or more members

Furthermore, the affected plots are those

  • that contain zero items and the number of items added in the past month is zero
  • that have produced zero items and the number of crafting events from the past month is zero
  • and whose owner does not belong to any clan with two or more members

If you are concerned that your plot might be affected, the developers have a simple tip for you: Log into Pax Dei before August 19 and place an item on your plot or craft something there.

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How does MeinMMO evaluate the action? With the multitude of criteria that must be met at the same time, the developers ensure that only players who have been inactive for a long time are affected.

Nevertheless, the cleanup operation carries a certain stigma. After all, Early Access access costs between 40 to 100 Euros, depending on the edition, and a benefit of the founder’s package reads on Steam as follows:

  • You will receive unlimited access to the game for the entire duration of Early Access (i.e., until at least June 2025), along with a specified number of plots.

So we want to know from you: What do you think of the action? Should currently inactive buyers of the EA version rightfully forfeit the paid benefits to improve the experience for active players? Share your opinion in the comments! More about the game: Pax Dei is the best bad MMO for relaxed walks against a beautiful medieval backdrop in Early Access

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