The head of Baldur’s Gate 3 was afraid the game would be too short – so they planned regions that never made it into the game

The developers of Baldur’s Gate 3 planned regions that ultimately never made it into the game, as the head feared that the RPG might be too short.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is many things, but certainly not a game that offers too little playtime. The title has various endings as well as numerous dialogues and cutscenes that you only see if you give certain responses or make specific decisions. One ending is so rare that only 34 people are said to have seen it at all.

The choice of whether to play, for example, a Dark Urge or a lawful Paladin greatly changes your experience. Those who want to experience everything and dare multiple playthroughs can let countless hours of play time pass – a single run with the main story and side quests already takes about 112 hours, according to the website HowLongToBeat.

Nonetheless, Swen Vincke, CEO of BG3 developer Larian Studios, initially feared that the Game of the Year 2023 might be too short.

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

What exactly does the BG3 head say? In a video interview on the BAFTA YouTube channel (short for: British Academy of Film and Television Arts), Vincke revealed that the Towers of Dawn used to actually be 2 towers.

Baldur’s Gate 3 ultimately released with only one Tower of Dawn, but for a long time, the ruins of the second tower were in the game. The developers ultimately decided to remove the second tower because the game became too large.

Vincke then states that he actually had the fear that the gigantic role-playing game might be too short, and that’s why they had planned many more regions that never made it into the game:

You would be surprised if you knew that we actually had many more regions planned. Originally, I was afraid that the game would be too short, but I have always been very bad at judging the length of our games.

Swen Vincke in an interview with BAFTA (via YouTube)

Again and again, we learn from Swen Vincke through little stories how much bigger Baldur’s Gate 3 could have been if Larian Studios had stuck to many ideas and regions that ultimately did not make it into the game.

In 2023, Vincke reported that the developers wanted to have the spell “Banish Magic” in the game for a long time. They eventually had to decide against it because the spell would have “doubled the size of the game”: One single spell would have made Baldur’s Gate 3 almost twice as large

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

19-year-old Twitch streamer finally speaks out about what happened with MontanaBlack

19-year-old Alena streams as “snipsska” on Twitch. Since spring 2023, there have been rumors that she is in a romantic relationship with the nearly twice-as-old streamer Marcel “MontanaBlack” Eris (36). In a statement, she now provides a bit more clarity.

Which streamer is being talked about? The 19-year-old Alena has been regularly streaming under the name “snipsska” on Twitch since March 2021. She primarily showcases Valorant or chats with her fans in Just Chatting.

The channel of the streamer received a significant boost in spring 2023 through joint streams with the well-known Twitch veteran MontanaBlack as well as loot box openings in Counter-Strike. Since then, persistent rumors have circulated that the relationship between the influencers is more than just friendship.

An ex-boyfriend of the streamer claimed in June that MontanaBlack had made advances towards snipsska, even though she was allegedly underage and in a relationship at that time.

The rumors were fueled again by a clip from a recent stream of snipsska. There, she says she was very intimidated by “the situation” and feels abandoned (via TikTok). In a detailed post on X, the streamer explained the situation further.

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MontanaBlack is one of the most well-known streamers in Germany – This was his very first video

Streamer says: No one was stolen, no one was 17

What does snipsska say? In her post, snipsska talks about a person who seems to be Berkay “Berki” Sarioba, who claimed that MontanaBlack had stolen his girlfriend. The streamer clarifies:

  • No one has left anyone for someone else.
  • She cut off contact with “the person” because his actions were not okay, he put obstacles in her way, and she got scared when he showed up unannounced at her home.
  • There were also 8 months between the cut-off contact and the contact with MontanaBlack.

snipsska does not confirm a romantic relationship between her and the nearly twice-as-old streamer. She only received a message and thanked him for a compliment. She also emphasizes that she was not 17 at that time. You can read the entire post here:

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The streamer suspects that Berki brought the old story to the public to promote his sneaker business, which is reportedly in financial trouble.

In the comments, many users express their sympathy for the young streamer and wish her only the best. MontanaBlack has not yet commented on snipsska’s post.

The topic surrounding MontanaBlack and snipsska is also particularly sensitive because the well-known American streamer Guy “DrDisrespect” Beahm is currently under fire for messages he allegedly exchanged with a 17-year-old. This is said to have ended his career on Twitch at that time, and even YouTube has reportedly cut off his monetization according to current findings. However, the Doc does not intend to give up: DrDisrespect announces his return after only 51 days on the silent stairs – Receives nasty comments

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

Developer asks you to illegally download her game with 93% positive ratings on Steam

A developer has made a curious request to her followers: she wants them to pirate the game she has worked on for years.

What is this request about? Anisa Sanusi is an English game developer who worked as a UI/UX designer for the British development studio Roll7 until 2022. During this time, she worked on Rollerdrome, an action-packed single-player game that mixes tricky skating with shooter gameplay.

On X.com (formerly Twitter), Sanusi now states that Rollerdrome is her favorite game she has worked on. Then she makes a curious request to her followers: “Please pirate it, because none of us work at the company it belongs to anymore.”

Here you can see a trailer for Rollerdrome:

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Rollerdrome shows skateboard shootings in the cinematic trailer

Developer does not want suit-wearers to profit

What is up with the suit-wearers? Roll7 was acquired by Take-Two in 2021. In May 2024, a report from Bloomberg and industry insider Jason Schreier stated that Take-Two is shutting down the development studio Roll7.

Sanusi refers in her tweet to the reported closure of the studio. Although she left the studio in 2022 after Rollerdrome was finished, she continues to care about the people behind the games. She is not interested in the money and does not want suit-wearers to profit from the game while her friends and former colleagues are losing their jobs:

Two years after my departure, the studio I enjoyed working at no longer exists, and my friends and former colleagues have been laid off. So why should I want the suit-wearers who made this decision to continue profiting while no one from the team is there anymore? It’s not about the money for me.

Anisa Sanusi via X.com

Her opinion on purchasing Rollerdrome has changed since 2022. When Roll7 still existed and her former colleagues were still working for the studio, she advised players on X.com to buy the game – even though she herself was no longer working for the studio. She believed the team had created something great and that players should experience it.

What kind of game is Rollerdrome? Rollerdrome is a mix between a skateboarding game and a shooter. You race through an arena on your skateboard and do tricks – always with a weapon in your hand.

You not only have to look stylish on your board, but also take out different opponents. For cool tricks, you receive new ammunition.

On Steam, Rollerdrome has almost 1,300 reviews, with 93% positive feedback. Nevertheless, the single-player title has not made it onto our list of the best shooters for PC and consoles. You can see which 25 games are on the list on MeinMMO: The 25 best shooters of 2024 – These PvP and PvE games impress with their gameplay

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Black Myth: Wukong – The most wished game on Steam receives strong reviews, but fans are raging over a rating

The release of the action RPG Black Myth: Wukong is highly anticipated. On Steam, it tops the list of most-wanted games. However, there is currently a heated discussion about the title.

What is the current status? Just before the upcoming release of Black Myth: Wukong on August 20, 2024, many potential players are wondering if the action RPG can live up to the spectacular trailers or if it falls into the “graphics gimmick” category.

The first reviews of Black Myth: Wukong were published on August 16 and are quite hopeful: On Metacritic, the PC version received a good score of 82 from 54 critics. Generally, there seems to be agreement that while the action RPG may not necessarily reinvent the wheel, it can shine with crisp combat and beautiful visuals.

Our colleagues at GameStar, on the other hand, already had the opportunity to try out Black Myth: Wukong.

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Black Myth: Wukong: The final trailer for the action RPG from China

Criticism of Performance, Gameplay, and Diversity

What kind of rating is this? On social networks, some users are currently outraged over a review from the entertainment website ScreenRant. There, Black Myth: Wukong received a rating of 3/5.

The fluid and enjoyable combat, breathtaking cinematography, and diverse mechanics are positively highlighted. However, there are deductions for performance, repetitive gameplay, and the lack of inclusion and diversity among the characters. Furthermore, the game world is not effectively utilized and offers few challenges beyond the bosses.

In her article, the author explained that she did not feel welcome in the game world as a woman. In the first two chapters, there are hardly any female NPCs or bosses. This also coincides with alleged sexist statements from the developers, which IGN reported in November 2023.

Users on social media criticize “woke gaming press”

What is the discussion? On X, there are several threads discussing the review from ScreenRant, with one of the largest having almost 475,000 views (via X). Critics accuse the author of allowing her rating to be influenced by her personal political ideology.

Supporters of the studio refute the allegations of sexist remarks. Additionally, videos are circulating showing that female opponents do appear later in the game.

It seems that Black Myth: Wukong is becoming the subject of a culture war, similar to that which recently surrounded the PS5 exclusive Stellar Blade. A narrative is being employed which claims that Western games are ruined by “woke” elements, while Asian games thrive without this allegedly imposed agenda. This was also evident in the discussion concerning the advisory firm Sweet Baby Inc.

To support this perspective, excerpts from the article are skillfully ignored or taken out of context: it is claimed that the gaming press “hates” the game and is trying to “cancel” it because it does not align with their political ideologies.

In fact, as mentioned at the outset, the ratings are predominantly positive. Even the 3/5 from ScreenRant corresponds to a “very good” according to the website’s metric.

That this criticism only makes up a relatively small part of the article and that the author emphasizes that the focus of her review is gameplay is conveniently ignored.

Due to concerns for the author’s safety, ScreenRant has since removed her name from the article.

It should be noted, however, that these critical voices only represent a portion of the player base. On Reddit, many users express satisfaction with a score in the 80s.

Ultimately, the opinion of the players will be decisive. Until the release, when fans can finally form their own opinions about the action RPG, it remains exciting. Until then, you can find everything about the release, gameplay time, benchmark tool, and editions on MeinMMO here.

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Source(s):
  1. X
  2. Reddit

One of the Greatest Scenes in Television History – Historian Raves About a Series by Steven Spielberg

A historian has watched various movies and historically contextualized them, a series by Steven Spielberg received special praise.

Who is it about?

  • Daniel Robert Snow, better known as “Dan Snow,” is an English historian.
  • Snow operates the History Channel and YouTube channel “History Hit,” where he discusses and contextualizes historical events.
  • On History Hit, Snow also occasionally talks about historical films and how accurately they are implemented.
  • History Hit has around 1.27 million subscribers on YouTube. The channel’s videos regularly reach hundreds of thousands of views. The most viewed video on History Hit has been seen 8.6 million times.

Which series is the historian raving about? Snow spoke about D-Day films in a YouTube video from June 2024. He also talked about Steven Spielberg’s miniseries “Band of Brothers,” which first aired in Germany in 2003 (the US premiere was in 2001).

The series deals with the events of World War II between 1942 and 1945 from the perspective of a company of the US military. They land in Normandy on June 6, 1944, thus becoming part of D-Day.

During the video, Snow comes across a scene that he highlights with praise shortly thereafter. The events follow a small group of soldiers whose task is to eliminate specific German positions. They sneak through the terrain and fight their way to their enemies’ artillery positions to destroy them.

If you enjoy Spielberg’s works, “War of the Worlds” is always worth a look:

Start video
War of the Worlds – German trailer for Steven Spielberg’s Sci-Fi film

“One of the best scenes in television history”

What does the historian say about the scene? Dan Snow hails the scene as “one of the greatest scenes in television history” and explains that the scene is historically very accurate due to the sound design, the soldiers’ roles, and how the actors moved.

I believe this is one of the greatest scenes in television history. They put in tremendous effort to ensure that it is very accurate.

The actors underwent the kind of training that these men would have gone through. The sound design and the weapons are accurate. They fired World War II weapons to create an accurate soundscape. And it shows how important small units of well-trained and well-led men are, each playing their role on D-Day.

And it is the sum of all these small actions that led to the success of D-Day and that the Allies suffered fewer casualties than they had feared when they reached the beaches.

Historian Dan Snow on History Hit on YouTube

It has long been known that the actors for Band of Brothers were put through rigorous training to prepare for the series. The training included typical aspects of soldiers’ training, such as a five-mile run in the morning, firearms exercises, tactical maneuvers, simulated firefights, and orienteering.

Read more about the training of Band of Brothers from our colleagues at Filmstarts: “We have no more strength”: Steven Spielberg sent the actors of his war series through hell

Alongside Band of Brothers, Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” is still considered one of the best and historically most accurate war films of all time. Tom Hanks, who played one of the lead roles in the film, was one of the producers of “Band of Brothers” alongside Spielberg.

For his role in the film “Forrest Gump,” Tom Hanks had to undergo quite an effort. For the famous scenes in the film where he runs across the country, they shot for 27 consecutive days, the now 68-year-old reports: Tom Hanks won an Oscar for running across the country: ‘We shot for 27 consecutive days.’

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One Piece: The 7 Most Useful Devil Fruits from the Anime in Power Ranking

The Devil Fruits in One Piece grant special powers to the one who eats the fruit first. Some of these powers are useful not only in combat but also in the everyday lives of the characters. MeinMMO lists seven Devil Fruits that are beneficial for the users.

What was the ranking based on? The ranking considers the usefulness of the individual Devil Fruits for the specific characters, but also for other characters from One Piece. It does not solely focus on the combat strength that a person gains from eating the Devil Fruit.

Additionally, we have decided to initially leave out Ruffy’s newly gained powers. We believe that Eiichiro Oda has not yet shown all the possibilities that the Devil Fruit entails. 

[toc]

Place 7: Ice Fruit / Magma Fruit

One Piece Aokiji Akainu
Their powers can change the climate.

What can the Devil Fruits do? At place 7, we start with two Devil Fruits that belong to the Logia category. This allows the body to transform into and produce a specific element. The Ice Fruit was consumed by Kuzan and allows him to create ice. The current holder of the Magma Fruit is Sakazuki, who can create magma. 

Why are they practical? Depending on the climate on their own island, the users can regulate the temperature themselves. We remember the battle between the two admirals when they fought on Punk Hazard. Their battle was so intense that the island’s climate changed sustainably. In warm regions and in summer, it would be extremely practical to create a huge wall of ice, while in winter or cold regions, nothing could warm more than some magma. 

Especially Kuzan surprises in the Egghead Arc. You can find the trailer for the current anime arc here:

Start video
One Piece: New trailer shows first images from the Egghead Island arc

Place 6: Time Fruit

One Piece Toki
Toki prepares for a time travel.

What can the Devil Fruit do? With the Time Fruit, Toki was able to travel into the future. She not only let herself travel through time but also others. For example, she saved her son Momonosuke from certain death. Unfortunately, she perished during the destruction of the Oden Castle.

Why is it practical? With the fruit, the user can teleport out of dangerous situations. If there is an unpleasant period, it can be easily avoided. Unfortunately, it is not possible to travel to the past with this power; otherwise, we would have placed the Devil Fruit even higher.

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

WoW: Are you playing the early access of The War Within? We want to know from you

The Early Access of the new WoW expansion begins in a few days. We want to know from you if you will put the money on the table – or avoid it.

This coming Friday, August 23, World of Warcraft: The War Within kicks off – at least for those who have secured access to the Early Access. The rest will have to wait a few more days and will start with a slight delay at the official release date on August 27.

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WoW: Trailer for the release date of The War Within

How do you get into the “Early Access”? The answer is simple: Money. To get into the Early Access, you must purchase the most expensive version of WoW: The War Within, namely the Epic Edition. It costs €90, which is a whopping €40 more than the Base Edition. In addition to Early Access, the Epic Edition also offers other goodies, such as pets, a mount, transmog rewards, or guaranteed beta access.

What can you do in Early Access? Many features are already available in Early Access. These include:

  • The intro scenario to The War Within.
  • All level areas from level 70 to 80.
  • The Hero talents.
  • Normal dungeons.

The major world events, heroic dungeons, and more will only begin with the official launch.

However, you can only gain a very slight advantage. Because you cannot properly prepare for the “endgame.” Many of the endgame features with the best gear will only start slightly delayed at the beginning of Season 1 on September 11.

The Early Access will have little impact on the “Race to World First,” namely the first First-Kill race in the new raid.

Survey: Are you playing the Early Access of WoW: The War Within?

But we want to know: Will you play the Early Access of World of Warcraft: The War Within? Or will you only join at the official release? Participate in our survey so that we can get a clearer picture.

If you have a little time now: Then feel free to write in the comments what you think about this practice of giving MMORPG expansions early access. Is it good to spread the “rush” over several days and give the Epic Edition even more value? Or is it all just negative and causes a split in the community and unfair advantages in WoW: The War Within?

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

The highly anticipated MMORPG Throne and Liberty delays its release and fans are relieved: “Just scraped by”

The MMORPG Throne and Liberty was already released in December 2023 in South Korea, but players in the West still have to be patient. Now, the global release has been postponed again, this time by nearly 2 weeks.

When will Throne and Liberty be released? As announced in a post on the official website of Throne and Liberty on August 16, 2024, the MMORPG will not be released as planned on September 17, 2024. Instead, the global release is now set for October 1, with early access starting on September 26.

As the team explains, they need a bit more time to implement player feedback from the beta. They want to deliver the best possible experience at launch, they further state. Our MMORPG expert Karsten had already predicted a delay.

Start video
Throne and Liberty: Trailer for the start of the open beta shows early access packages

Developers announce important changes for launch

Why is the release being postponed? The global launch of Throne and Liberty is expected to differ significantly from the original release in South Korea. According to the website, the MMORPG is to be completely rethought. Player feedback is said to be invaluable for this.

The team is said to have started working immediately after the open beta. However, to fully implement these changes and integrate new systems into the game, they simply need more time.

  • The combat system in the earlier part of the game is to be revised and adapted to the positively rated late game
  • Leveling and progression are also to be revised, as players felt overwhelmed by the number of systems introduced in quick succession during the early phase
  • Guilds are to receive more tagging options so that players can find a suitable guild more easily
  • Additionally, 3 new features are to be introduced that were not present in the Korean version: skill specializations, so-called “lifeskills” like cooking and fishing, and Amitoi expeditions, where you can send your Amitois on adventures and receive rewards

Community reacts with composure

How is the community reacting? Fans of the MMORPG are already used to disappointment, as Throne and Liberty was originally supposed to be released in early 2023. Accordingly, one of the top comments in a Reddit thread regarding the delay is also a reference to a well-known song: “Hello darkness my old friend,” writes a user, in German: “Hallo Dunkelheit, mein alter Freund.”

Some players find the delay puts them in a difficult position: one user laments the people who pre-ordered the MMORPG and took leave specifically to dive in fully. Another responds: “I’m retracting my leave.” (via Reddit)

Overall, the community seems to be reacting positively to the news. After all, the main complaints of the players are being taken into account and QoL features are being added. Although the wait is long, it’s great that they are trying to improve the launch experience for everyone, writes one user (via Reddit).

One player even goes so far as to say that they narrowly escaped a misfortune if Amazon’s original plan had included a release without skill specializations (via Reddit).

Another user writes that the developers should be left alone, as it gives them more time for Space Marine 2 (via Reddit).

Are you also waiting impatiently for the release of Throne and Liberty? Let us know in the comments which game you are playing to pass the time. You can find all the important information about the MMORPG here: Throne and Liberty: Everything important about classes, release, gameplay, crossplay, payment model, early access, platforms

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

The MOBA of Pokémon aims to provide more variety – All information about the new game mode of UNITE

The Pokémon World Championship 2024 is currently taking place in Honolulu, Hawaii. Alongside many exciting tournaments, there was also a surprising announcement regarding Pokémon UNITE.

What was the announcement? As part of the Pokémon World Championship 2024, an exciting new feature for UNITE, the Pokémon MOBA (Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS), was announced:

  • A totally new game mode called “500-Point Battle” will be launched soon.

The new mode was showcased in a roughly unanimous trailer. But that’s not all. Two teams of renowned Pokémon influencers were also present on site. They were thrown into the deep end and tried out the mode – without knowing about it in advance – on camera.

You can find the stream on YouTube, with the new mode starting at 10:31:50.

Here you can learn more about the big event in Hawaii:

Start video
Pokémon World Championship 2024: Trailer for the Event in Hawaii

New Features Bring More Variety

What new features are there? The new game mode is primarily designed to add more variety to the game.

  • The game will continue until one team scores 500 points.
  • There is no time limit for this.
  • You can see how many points each team has throughout the game.
  • If a team reaches a certain score, each player can choose a bonus.

Especially the unlockable bonuses, known as “Aeos technology”, are meant to provide more strategic options in the game. You can choose a bonus when your team reaches 0, 50, 100, 200, and 350 points.

The selectable rewards can give you a crucial advantage. You can choose one from 3 randomly offered options each time. So, no round is the same, and a bit of luck is also necessary. Some of these possible bonuses are, for example:

  • Receive a large amount of experience instantly (reach level 4)
  • You gain a level as soon as an opposing Pokémon is knocked out by you (20 seconds cooldown)
  • You level up after successfully scoring points (60 seconds cooldown)
  • Points are scored 100% faster in scoring zones
  • The amount of carryable points is doubled

When will the new mode be available? The new game mode will be launched in China by the end of this year. Unfortunately, European players will have to wait a bit longer.

  • The release is planned for Spring 2025 .

The Pokémon World Championship is interesting not only for UNITE fans. All categories are represented, including Pokémon GO, the trading card game, and the video game. If you tune in to the upcoming streams of the World Championship, you can look forward to free codes in Pokémon GO. Learn how to get these codes at MeinMMO: Pokémon GO Distributes Gifts Through Codes for the World Championship – Here’s How to Get Them

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

6 Games about Borderlands in the Ranking

Borderlands started as a film in theaters but did not do particularly well. Therefore, we look at the games: MeinMMO author Max Handwerk ranks six games from the series.

How was this list created? This list of the best Borderlands games is based on the author’s personal opinion and experiences with the games. Critics’ scores and similar factors do not play a role here at first.

If your ranking looks different: Let us know in the comments!

Which games are missing? Two games from the Borderlands series are missing from this list because the author has not played them yet.

  • Borderlands: Legends, the iOS game from 2012
  • New Tales from the Borderlands, the Tales sequel from 2022

You can find the other six games here in the ranking! And if you wanted to read something about the film, you can find here the film review of Borderlands by MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes.

Start video
English trailer for the video game adaptation Borderlands

[toc]

6. Tales from the Borderlands

Release: 2014

That a strong game like Tales from the Borderlands lands in last place in the ranking shows how strong the game series is overall. The spin-off from Telltale Games impressed with an entertainingly told story – a point that not every Borderlands installment has fulfilled as well.

The gameplay is also fun, but it is far from the actual Borderlands DNA. Instead of plowing through hordes of enemies with skills and weapons, “Tales” relies on many cutscenes, player decisions, and a kind of point-and-click system.

This is really enjoyable, but it mainly serves to guide you through the story. Personally, I play Borderlands mainly for the action-packed combat system in conjunction with looting and leveling. Therefore, there is only room for “Tales” in the last place.

5. Borderlands

Borderlands

Release: 2009

This game started it all – correspondingly, it is quite old by now. When the first Borderlands was released in 2009, I wasn’t allowed to play it at my then 15 years old.

Accordingly, it took a little while before I tried it for the first time. Nevertheless, I was completely thrilled by the vault hunting on Pandora. I played the game with Mordecai and his hawk, and was immediately thrilled by the wild fights and even more by the split-screen mode.

No other shooter series can be played as well on one screen as Borderlands. That is also what originally drew me into the game.

Borderlands was a perfect entry point that I do not want to miss. However, both in terms of story and gameplay, it has simply been surpassed later – which is actually a good thing for a foundation for a game series.

4. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel

Borderlands Pre Sequel

Release: 2014

A perhaps underrated part, simply for the reason that there is no large number behind the name “Borderlands”. The spin-off does not fall short of the main games at all. On the contrary: It brings a very cool set of vault hunters and has its own ideas in tow, like low gravity. Thus, the Pre-Sequel stands out a bit from the other games in terms of gameplay speed.

The story is really worth playing, as you can almost follow live how Handsome Jack becomes the grand villain that he was supposed to be in Borderlands 2. Additionally, a Claptrap model is playable, whose action skill can randomly trigger various effects – sometimes better, sometimes worse. To this day, one of my favorite vault hunters.

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

Gamescom: Speedrun for a Good Cause on Friday

On Gamescom Friday, the Bisalina Speedrun Event starts at 12 PM. Donations are being collected for a total of four organizations.

Speedruns and charity events are now firmly linked in the gaming scene. Annual events like Awesome Games Done Quick raise thousands in donations by allowing us to watch extremely talented players complete games in record time.

However, these events are not only held in America, but also in Germany. For several years, Bisalina has been organizing speedrunning events for a good cause here as well. Among other things, at Gamescom 2024. We have gathered all the facts about the event for you.

All important information and dates

  • When? Friday, August 23, 2024, starting at 12 PM
  • Where? Live at Gamescom in Hall 11.3 or comfortably at home on Twitch
  • What? Plenty of speedruns!

Also participating are well-known figures like Leon from Bonjwa, media lawyer Christian Solmecke, and our dear colleague Andreas Sperling.

You can find the preliminary program here:

  • 12 PM – Opening of the stage program
  • 12:10 PM: Speedrun Masterclass: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
  • 1:10 PM: Ultra by Games Academy
  • 1:45 PM: Speedrun Masterclass: Super Mario World
  • 2:50 PM: Resident Evil 2 Race – Germany vs. USA with Andreas Sperling and JJ from Residence of Evil
  • 4:05 PM: Charity Game League of Legends
  • 4:50 PM: Speedrundale LIVE: Elden Ring Boss Rush Race
  • 5:40 PM: Thank You / Conclusion

Bisalina was also a guest in our Gamescom stream last year:

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Link to the YouTube content

For whom or what will the donations be made? 

Donations are made through the platform betterplace.org for a total of four non-profit organizations:

  • Save the Children: Aid organization to help children in need, such as in war zones or after disasters.
  • Preventing famine in Africa: Unicef project that addresses the acute famine in Africa, especially in Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Sudan.
  • DKMS: Organization against blood cancer and for building a wide-ranging donor network.
  • Gamescom forest: official gamescom project by Treemer GmbH to reforest damaged forest areas.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

A young software engineer receives a full salary from Google despite hardly working there

140,000 euros for less than part-time. Sounds like a dream, but for an engineer at Google, it’s everyday life – and he’s not the only one.

The title image is a symbolic image, not of the software engineer.

What kind of job is this? The magazine Fortune spoke with a software engineer in his twenties. Fortune refers to him anonymously as Devon. He has been working at Google for some time now and is programming code – completely from his home office.

For his work, he is paid around 140,000 euros per year. However, he does not fulfill his approximately 40 hours that are stated in the employment contract in any week. According to his own statement, Devon manages at most one hour per day.

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

No full-time, but full pay

Doesn’t anyone notice? No, apparently not, because “Devon” has allegedly been doing this for some time. The programmer says he completes most of his work at the beginning of the week but holds it back. In small packages, he checks off what is expected of him over the coming days. He has no issues with his boss, as he narrates.

After his brief online visit to the Google office, he then devotes the rest of his day to building a tech start-up, which he is currently preparing to establish together with a friend.

How does this work? We do not know what he delivers, how quickly and to what quality. It is entirely possible that “Devon” simply gets too little work assigned. However, this is not surprising, as Professor Vijay Govindarajan explains to the Wall Street Journal. This practice is called Penning and has been pursued by several corporations for several years.

Today Google and tomorrow?

What exactly is ‘Penning’? Penning refers to the behavior of tech companies that hire highly qualified staff, mainly programmers and engineers, even though they don’t technically have any work for them. However, it makes sense as long as the following applies:

  • It is expected that there will be strong growth in the near future, as was the case during the waning pandemic, and
  • Staff is virtually retained and parked to keep it away from competitors. As much as possible, they will receive sufficient work soon.

However, this growth expectation does not always materialize, which is why in January according to Fortune, more than 10,000 employees from Google were laid off. However, if we are to believe “Devon”, highly qualified staff with work experience continues to be underemployed, counting their hours – or using them in alternative ways.

What does the software engineer plan? Should the eventual founding of the start-up ultimately fail, he plans unabashedly to just keep going. Google, in his experience, is “great at” re-hiring former staff.

He seems to have been around long enough to judge that. Because before his current job, Devon successfully completed an internship at the search engine giant – of course with the same work ethic as currently.

Whether SpaceX, Twitter, or Tesla also practice Penning is unclear, but it is undeniable that Elon Musk, the head of these companies, is critical of home office. He once spoke angrily in an interview about the modern form of working for many professions that it is almost surprising: Elon Musk considers home office not only unproductive but also “morally reprehensible”.

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

Almost half of the top CS2 streamers violate Twitch’s guidelines with their sponsorships

Counter-Strike 2 is not only a popular game but also a popular category on Twitch. An investigation found that almost half of all top streamers in the CS2 category are sponsored by skin gambling sites. This is actually prohibited in Twitch’s guidelines.

What is skin gambling? In Counter-Strike, it is possible to acquire different skins for weapons. They are mostly hidden in loot boxes that can be purchased for real money. The rarity of the skin determines the value at which the skin can be resold.

Some websites act like online casinos where these skins are used as currency and can also be won. On third-party sites, these skins can then be converted into real money sales. Since only skins and not real money can be won at online casinos, they operate in a legal gray area.

Attention: At MeinMMO, our expertise is in video games and entertainment; we are not lawyers. We can only provide assessments or base our statements on other sources.

When Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was updated to Counter-Strike 2, there were some changes. We present them to you in the video:

Start video
Counter-Strike 2 heralds a new era – The most important changes in the video

Skin Gambling on Twitch

What was the investigation about? The magazine Barron’s closely examined these online casinos related to CS2 and the extent to which they ran ads on Google. By placing ads on Google, a total of 56 million page views were generated.

What is the situation with skin gambling on Twitch? As part of this research, Barron’s also looked at Twitch streamers in the CS2 area. The investigation found that a total of 120 of the 300 top streamers in the CS2 sector are sponsored by such a gambling site. That’s 40%.

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This poses a danger, especially for a younger audience, as children are exposed to the topic of gambling far too early. At the same time, it is presented to them as something harmless, and they can develop a gambling addiction from it.

15-Year-Old becomes addicted to gambling through Twitch, loses 10,000 euros, warns others of his mistake

What is Twitch doing about it? It is stated in the Twitch guidelines that the promotion and sponsorship of skin gambling is prohibited. Twitch does not officially comment on the conditions on their platform. However, users of the platform can report relevant streams.

Counter-Strike 2 is one of the largest games of all time. Since the release of CS:GO in 2000, the game has enjoyed a large player base and has established itself in the e-sports scene. Originally, Counter-Strike was created by two students, one of whom says he is glad he sold it.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Barron's
  2. X

The new shooter ‘Exoborne’ from the creators of The Division shows us during gameplay for the first time whether it has what it takes to be a tornado hit

When it comes to new, ambitious online shooters, our colleague Phil Elsner from GameStar is always critical. However, Exoborne has the potential to be really good: Phil has already been able to play the game at the developers and is more convinced than he has been in a long time. He explains this in an 18-minute video as part of “Find Your Next Game: Premiere”.

Find Your Next Game: Premiere is our format for exclusives, and in this issue exclusive gameplay footage from Exoborne was shown for the first time. “This series ‘FYNG Premiere’ offers our interested players the chance to get a first look at new games that are soon to hit the market.

Exoborne is an extraction shooter based on Unreal Engine 5 and aims to bring the genre into the mainstream. How exactly they plan to do this, aside from in-game tornadoes, you can see in our Find-Your-Next-Game video :

Start video
Exoborne learns from The Division and blows us away during gameplay

Who is behind Exoborne

The Swedish studio Sharkmob was founded in 2017 in Malmö by the leading minds behind The Division, Martin Hultberg and Petter Mannerfelt. Since then, the studio has grown to over 400 employees and has opened a branch in London, where a third title is being worked on. After the battle royale shooter Vampire: Bloodhunt, Sharkmob continues its ambitious projects.

Exciting gameplay in small doses

What makes the game special? Exoborne aims to make the appeal of hardcore shooters like Escape from Tarkov accessible to a broader audience without adopting the frustrating aspects of these games. The focus is therefore on shorter but engaging rounds lasting 20 to 30 minutes, which should not deter newcomers from jumping into the next match.

At the center of the game are powerful exoskeleton combat suits, known as Exo Rigs, and an apocalyptic world that is plagued by extreme weather phenomena. Players parachute onto a map with their squad and fight against both AI opponents and other teams for valuable loot, which they must try to escape with alive.

According to Phil, Exoborne is characterized by its dynamic gameplay, where weather effects and strategic teamwork play a central role. The successful interplay between Exo Rig abilities and tactical maneuvers can make the difference between victory and defeat.

Despite the intense action, the game’s pace remains pleasantly grounded and tactical, without drifting into frantic arena shooter mechanics. Graphically, Exoborne impresses with Unreal Engine 5 and a richly detailed, dystopian game world. 

While there are still some challenges to overcome, such as balancing and long-term live service, the early version of the game already shows great potential. So Exoborne could indeed bring fresh winds to the shooter genre.

Further insights from the gameplay test can be found in the conclusion from GameStar: Exoborne promises not just fresh wind in the shooter genre, but a whole tornado.

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

The Morph Axe from Monster Hunter Wilds makes you a dangerous but stylish whirlwind

The Morph Axe is one of two weapon types in Monster Hunter Wilds, which combines two opposites. How this is supposed to look in the finished game for Steam and PS5 is shown by Capcom in a trailer.

Which game is this about? Monster Hunter Wilds is the latest installment in the popular Monster Hunter series. It is an action RPG where you can hunt monsters alone or in co-op while continuously improving your equipment.

In 2025, Monster Hunter Wilds is set to be released on Steam for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. In several trailers already released by the developer Capcom, they showcase the different weapons you can utilize in the game.

You can take a first look at the Morph Axe here:

Start video
Monster Hunter Wilds: Here is the trailer for the Morph Axe

What can the Morph Axe do? As the name suggests, this weapon type can switch between two different modes. In axe mode, you can hit monsters from a greater distance, while the sword mode is suitable for quick attacks.

New toy for the Morph Axe

The trailer doesn’t directly reveal whether the sword form will consume energy like in Monster Hunter: World and therefore be time-limited. In that game, staying too long in sword mode meant that you had to manually reload the weapon or wait for a while before you could switch back into it.

Additionally, besides the Focus Mode developed for Monster Hunter Wilds, the trailer also shows another new feature: The Morph Axe can now execute counter-attacks. While these require good timing, they are a welcome tool for defense alongside dodging. With this weapon type, you still cannot block.

In Monster Hunter Rise, there was already a counter, the Elemental Burst Counter, with the Morph Axe, but only as a special Wirebug move. As it stands now, Wirebugs are not returning.

How is the weapon being received? In the comments on YouTube, there is mostly praise and anticipation.

  • For example, randizer writes: “We are so back Morph Axe gang.”
  • BananaHoardX is excited about the constantly changing moveset of the weapon: “The movements of the Morph Axe change with every installment; the day never gets boring with a Morph Axe.”

The Morph Axe is just one of 14 weapon types to master in Monster Hunter Wilds. For a complete overview of all weapon types – whether ranged or melee, defensive or offensive – you can check out this article: All 14 weapon types from Monster Hunter Wilds at a glance

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

A swivel chair aims to revolutionize gaming in virtual reality, supporting various VR headsets

This gaming chair for virtual reality aims to solve everyday problems of playing in VR and deepen the immersion.

What should I imagine the Roto VR Explorer to be? It is a compact gaming chair without armrests, which is mounted on a round platform. On this platform, the chair rotates in response to commands from a tracker that is attached to your head. The VR headset continues to serve as a visual display, while the chair simply enhances the experience.

Start video
The “Deep Dive” is supposed to immerse us into MMORPGs deeper than ever before – What is it actually?

Rotation follows virtual reality

What does the Roto VR Explorer aim to achieve? First and foremost, it aims to increase immersion, as apart from the independent rotation that reacts to the player’s movements in the respective game, the chair also features a rumble function. This shakes the seat to accompany various events in the game or to simulate surfaces. It receives commands wirelessly from the headset to which a dongle is attached.

Does this help with nausea? VR still causes dizziness and nausea in many people today, despite all improvements in technology. The reasons for this can be simplified to a confusion of our balance organ, as our body sees something different than it perceives through movement. The field of vision changes, but otherwise, nothing changes.

Here, this gaming chair could help, as it at least simulates movement in the horizontal direction, which theoretically should help the brain feel more comfortable.

Does the Roto VR Explorer work only with Meta Quest? No, according to the developers, it also supports Vive XR Elite, Pico Neo 3, and soon Apple Vision Pro. However, support is primarily geared towards the Meta Quest product line.
Not supported are: PSVR 1&2, Varjo, Pimax (PC version), Oculus-S, and Reverb G2.

Which games are supported? In general, the Roto VR Explorer should work with all VR titles from yesterday, today, and tomorrow that are not explicitly designed for use while standing. The developers highlight some titles as their favorites at launch:

  • Asgard’s Wrath 2
  • Assassin’s Creed
  • Population One
  • Iron Man
  • Rec Room
  • Luckey’s Tale 2
  • Epic Roller Coasters
  • Job Simulator
  • The Climb
  • Among Us
  • Dig VR

Can I already buy the VR chair? The Roto VR Explorer has not been released yet, but it can be pre-ordered on the official site. It is supposed to be delivered in October. However, you will have to dig quite deep into your pockets. It will cost around £799, which, including shipping, is sure to be more than €850. You can find all the information on the official homepage.

A central element of many VR environments today is upscaling via neural networks, such as through Nvidia’s DLSS. Anyone interested in the background and developments of this technology can find information and further links in this article: Intel, AMD, and Google have no chance against Nvidia – This is why you should be interested in the arms race in AI as a gamer.

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

Wrestler Randy Orton had to take a long break due to injury, became a hardcore gamer in Elden Ring

The wrestler Randy Orton (44) has been a worldwide star in WWE for over 20 years. But he also loves gaming. As it has now become known, he dedicated himself to the game Elden Ring during a long injury phase in 2023.

This was already known about his passion for Elden Ring: In October 2023, we wrote an embarrassing gaming news piece about Randy Orton on MeinMMO:

  • He had stated in April 2022 that he was really into Elden Ring.
  • But it became known that he did not level up himself, but supposedly paid someone $1,000 to get him “Infinity Runes” and thus a max character.
  • Randy Orton is said to have said: He loves Elden Ring, but it is too hard for him. Instead of “grinding through the crap,” he preferred to pay $1,000. A stain on his gaming honor.

Elden Ring is considered one of the best games of recent years:

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

During long injury break, Randy Orton played 600 hours of Elden Ring

This has now become known: Between May 2022 and November 2023, Randy Orton was injured for a year and a half.

As he now recounts in a video, he spent a large part of the time playing Elden Ring:

I love Elden Ring damn it. Let me preface this next statement by saying that I was out of commission due to spinal fusion surgery, so I had a lot of time on my hands. I spent about 600 hours with the game … I love this game. The DLC just came out.

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In a conversation with the current WWE champion Cody Rhodes, Orton says he would also like to play Elden Ring with Rhodes, but he understands that as the face of WWE, he is currently short on time:

“I wish you were one of the tarnished, but you are not.”

Wrestling and gaming often seek proximity to each other, one of the most impressive encounters of these two worlds occurred when The Undertaker met the then Twitch star DrDisrespect: WWE star Undertaker meets Twitch streamer DrDisrespect, goes for his throat

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Xur will soon become the best merchant in Destiny 2 – Will offer valuable items that players have been farming for weeks

The old Tentacle Face from Destiny 2 is known for its exotic and curious goods, but before its rework, it was considered almost useless. Now, another change is coming that will especially please the god-roll hunters among you.

What does Bungie have planned? On August 20, 2024, Bungie plans to roll out a new update. Patch 8.5.0.2 will refresh Xur’s inventory, the black market trader. The reason for this is the exotic class items, which players can currently farm with difficulty from the Bleached Heart of the Traveler. With the update, Xur will now be able to sell these items for just 41 Strange Coins. (via bungie.net)

Note that only in the week of August 20 will Xur guarantee to offer the exotic class items. After that, it will be pure chance whether Xur will have them available on his next visit. Additionally, you must have completed the “Destiny Duel” mission with your Guardian at least once, otherwise you can only purchase one exotic engram for 71 coins per account.

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

Xur will soon be the best trader

Why is Xur worth it now? Previously, Xur only offered some armor, weapons, and exotics that players could buy with legendary shards. After his major rework, players can now farm the iconic currency “Strange Coins” and spend them with him.

With the coins, players can still acquire weapons, exotics, and armor. Additionally, the trader now has a progression system to reward players who spend many coins. On top of that, two random catalysts for exotic weapons will be added to the inventory, so you no longer have to rely on RNG, which is often unfair.

Lastly, you can purchase random engrams from him to potentially acquire materials or cheap blue items with a bit of luck.

The armor and weapon rolls may still not be the best, but the fact that the exotic trader now offers much more for sale than before his rework makes a visit much more worthwhile.

You should also know: For those who don’t know yet and want to complete their blueprint collection – if you have enough Strange Coins ready, buy engrams from Xur that equip you with weapons. With a bit of luck, they may drop old seasonal weapons and even with a red frame. This way, you don’t have to force yourself into activities that are part of the current rotation.

What do you think of Bungie’s workaround? Do you like that you will soon have another option to obtain exotic class items? Feel free to let us know your opinion in the comments! More about Destiny 2 can be found here: Destiny 2 encounters the next major error – This time they take away Guardians’ most valuable asset, their name

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The corporation wants to fully focus on Lord of the Rings after extensive layoffs – MMORPG from Amazon is just the beginning

The Embracer Group has gone through turbulent years. After extensive layoffs, studio closures, project cancellations, and a restructuring of the entire group, there may finally be a light at the end of the tunnel.

What is fueling the optimism? Initially, not the figures in the freshly published business report for the first quarter of the financial year 2024 (via embracer.com). While the results are within expectations, the targeted revenue forecasts have not been met.

The main reason: Between April and June 2024, there were hardly any releases, whereas in the comparative quarter of 2023, there was a hit with Dead Island 2. CEO Lars Wingefors, however, is optimistic that the situation will significantly improve when hopeful titles like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, Titan Quest 2, and the Gothic 1 Remake are released.

Fans of medieval RPGs should keep an eye on Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 – here is the trailer:

Start video
Trailer of the open-world action RPG Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Saints and Sinners on Steam

Strong focus on Middle-earth

What measures are planned? In the financial report, the Embracer executives announce a stronger focus on the licenses of “Middle Earth Enterprises”, primarily “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit”. Current projects like the MMORPG from Amazon Games or the animated film “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” are intended to be just the beginning.

Furthermore, the expansion of the franchise is ensured by a long-term partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema for additional film projects. Additionally, several game concepts and prototypes are currently undergoing a greenlight process to identify more exciting game projects for the Lord of the Rings franchise.

Moreover, Embracer is still undergoing consolidation in the form of splitting the group into three independent, publicly traded entities:

  • Asmodee Group (board games, collectible cards, tabletop)
  • Coffe Stain & Friends (PC, mobile, and console games with small to medium (double-A) budgets) – this unit includes THQ Nordic, Black Forest Games, HandyGames, and the remnants of Piranha Bytes
  • Middle-Earth Enterprises & Friends (this unit contains the key brands for blockbuster productions: Lord of the Rings, Tomb Raider, Metro, Dead Island, or Kingdom Come: Deliverance) – this unit includes Plaion, Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Fishlabs

Initially, Asmodee is set to spin off before the end of the current financial year, which is by March 2025. Coffe Stain & Friends is expected to follow during 2025. If you want to revisit the entire plight of Embracer, check this out: Group miscalculates, has to lay off 1,400 employees, and who is to blame? The war and COVID

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

YouTuber Julien Bam announces his last main videos – „I am just so incredibly excited“

Julien Bam is one of the biggest YouTubers on the platform, known especially for his elaborately produced videos. This era of YouTube videos is now set to end, as he announces in his latest video.

What are Julien Bam’s main videos? Julien Bam has been regularly uploading content for eleven years, but his most popular videos were always the short films on the JuBaFilms channel, which he created together with his friend Gong Bao.

Nine years ago, the channel was shut down, and Julien Bam began to publish elaborate productions in the form of short films on his own channel. This led to two main video series, which achieved the greatest success on his channel: The “Man on the Moon” and “Songs from the Bean” series. His videos were a huge success. Partially, he received 700,000 views in five hours.

In 2022, the YouTuber announced that he would release the last three main videos and take his leave from his channel. Along with these three videos, there were also two planned spin-offs, three additional main videos, and the plan to produce five more main videos. Now, the last five main videos are set to be released.

There are some big personalities on YouTube. Max “HandofBlood” Knabe is one of them. We introduce him to you in the video:

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

Julien Bam’s Last Productions

What is new about the main videos? For the first time in the history of his videos, these will not only be uploaded to YouTube. Julien Bam is making the same deal as the fourth season of “7 vs Wild” and will upload his main videos on Freevee and Prime Video two weeks prior. There will still be a release and a corresponding online watch party with viewers and team on YouTube.

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In his latest video, Julien Bam provides all the necessary information about his last main videos.

When are the videos coming? The release dates on Freevee and YouTube are as follows:

  • The Secret of the Tooth Fairy: 17.08. Freevee / 31.08. YouTube
  • Act 4: 07.09. Freevee / 21.09. YouTube
  • Act 5: 5.10. Freevee / 19.10. YouTube
  • Sandman Spin-Off: 02.11. Freevee / 16.11. YouTube
  • Act 6: 30.11. Freevee / 14.12. YouTube

This is what Julien Bam says about his videos: In his YouTube video, Julien Bam hinted at how excited he is about the upcoming releases: “I am just so incredibly excited.”

Julien Bam emphasized that it is perfectly fine for YouTubers and/or streamers to react to his main videos. However, only once the corresponding video has been uploaded to YouTube. Reacting to the content from Freevee is not allowed.

The effort behind this video series is enormous. There are constantly special guests from the YouTube world, new filming locations, and entire sets that need to be built. In one video, Julien Bam discussed the exact costs of his videos and noted: “Every minute as expensive as a small car”

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