Al Pacino is a legendary actor who has appeared in many films that are considered classics and masterpieces. However, he has also appeared in many bad films. In an interview, he explained the reason.
Who is Al Pacino? Al Pacino is a legendary performer, known primarily for gangster and mafia films. Some of his greatest films include cult classics like Scarface, Heat, or the entire Godfather series. In 2019, he collaborated again with Martin Scorsese and starred in the mafia film The Irishman. Most recently, he could be seen in A Killer’s Memory and House of Gucci. He almost appeared in Die Hard.
Al Pacino has been nominated for an Oscar 9 times and won one for his role in Scent of a Woman. However, alongside all his good films, he also acted in some really bad productions. In a 2019 interview, he revealed the reason for that.
One of his most legendary films is The Godfather:
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The Godfather – Trailer (German)
Has become my challenge
What does Al Pacino say about his bad films? In a 2019 interview with GQ, he spoke alongside Robert De Niro about their careers. When the question arises as to why the two often say Yes to roles that they could also say No to, Pacino speaks of a bad habit.
I think I’m starting to become a little perverse. I’m starting to make movies that aren’t really good, and I try to make them better. And that has become my challenge.
He doesn’t approach films thinking that they won’t be good. He describes it as an impulse that makes him want to do everything to make the film better. Money is also a factor, but the challenge drives him.
What does De Niro say on the subject? De Niro has a similar approach. Sometimes it’s mainly about money, but one tells oneself that there will be things that will be good. He also describes that one doesn’t always have the luxury of working with people like Francis Ford Coppola.
Among the worst films by Al Pacino are notorious movies like Jack and Jill. For the film with Adam Sandler, he even received a Golden Raspberry. That’s basically the anti-Oscar, which “awards” films and actors for incredibly poor performance. Tom Hanks is also one of the most famous actors of all time and he has also spoken about one of his worst films: “Everyone was miscast, especially me”: Tom Hanks talks about one of his worst films
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In The First Descendant, there are currently issues with the premium currency Caliber and the Twitch drops. Now the developers are addressing the problems and potential solutions.
What is the problem? Currently, when players purchase the real-money currency Caliber, they see the charge on their account but do not receive the premium currency in-game. This issue has been confirmed by the official X.com account of The First Descendant.
In an update on X.com, the developers have now returned with news on the situation.
Here you can watch the trailer for The First Descendant:
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Looter-Shooter The First Descendant announces its release date in the trailer
Caliber currency not received – What’s next
What can you do if the currency doesn’t arrive? While the issues with the real-money currency Caliber have been known since noon, the development team has commented on the problems. The developers wrote that players should regularly check if their delivery has arrived.
You can check this by going to the inventory (I), pressing shop, and then clicking on inbox at the bottom. Your order should be there.
Currently, there are delays of about two hours for the order, the developers state on their website. This could mean that your purchased Caliber will only arrive in your inbox after about two hours. Currently, there is no solution to get your Caliber faster.
The developers are already working on speeding up the system so that you can receive your items more quickly.
What do you need the currency for? The Caliber currency is needed to buy various items from the shop. With it, you can unlock skins as well as additional descendants. The prices for the currency range from €4.99 for the smallest package to €99.99 for the largest package.
Is there compensation? The development team has already stated that they will provide players with compensation. They also apologized for the inconveniences on the day of release.
Are there any other problems? Yes, the Twitch drops are also affected by the delivery backlog. These seem to be taking unusually long to arrive in players’ inventories as well. It should also take about two hours for the items to be there.
If you are currently experiencing issues with The First Descendant, you are not alone. Complaints are piling up on X.com under posts from users who have not received their Caliber currency. Some users also seem to still be missing items from the beta. You can find all information about the launch of the shooter here: Today The First Descendant launches – Everything about the new loot shooter in 2 minutes
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With the expansion Vessel of Hatred, Diablo 4 receives its first new class, the Spiritborn. Starting next week, the first players from outside will be allowed to try it out, promising livestreams.
What’s coming for Diablo 4?
Currently, Season 5 of Diablo 4 is running on the PTR. The new season starts on August 6 and will be the last season before the expansion.
Vessel of Hatred will be released on October 8 – Season 5 will therefore be somewhat shorter or will run until the release. You can find all information about Vessel of Hatred here.
The expansion brings more story, a new area and especially a new class, the Spiritborn. More information about this will be available soon.
This shows Blizzard: Several prominent influencers and Diablo experts are currently tweeting on X that they will get a first look at the Spiritborn on July 12. They are being invited directly to Blizzard’s home, in LA, as stated in the tweets.
Among the experts are Rob, Moxsy, and Darth Microtransaction. MacroBioBoi and wudijo have even announced that they will be showing both the expansion and the new class in the first gameplay live stream on Thursday, July 18.
In initial images, the Spiritborn resemble a type of animal warrior in a Mesoamerican style with jaguar tattoos and a spear. They draw upon the power of spirits and will presumably be able to use both physical and magical attacks in some form.
Players currently suspect a mix between Druid (Diablo 4), Monk (Diablo 3), and Amazon (Diablo 2) in the Spiritborn. They hope for possible shapeshifts or even pet builds.
The MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar offers an axe for the 63rd birthday of Richard Garriott, who is known as Lord British from Ultima. But anyone wanting to have it must splurge on an $80 package. This has given rise to mockery and ridicule.
Who is Lord British?
Lord British is the character and alias of game developer Richard Garriott. He was one of the most important game developers in the world during the 80s and 90s: He is known for the role-playing series “Ultima (1981-1999).”
Garriott was so popular in his time that he wrote himself as the all-powerful figure “Lord British” into the Ultra games, one of the most influential and significant series in video game history.
In 1997, Ultima Online was released, alongside Everquest, certainly the game that established the term MMORPG.
In 2009, the Kickstarter MMORPG “Shroud of the Avatar” was meant to be the spiritual successor to Ultima – but the project is now considered a colossal failure. Garriott’s company sold the MMORPG to the lead developer in 2019.
Start video
Shroud of the Avatar – Trailer
Those who want the axe must pay dearly
This is the axe now: For Richard Garriott’s 63rd birthday, there is a birthday axe in “Shroud of the Avatar.” Those who buy a package for $100, which currently only costs $80, will receive this axe.
This is how it is being discussed: “Shroud of the Avatar” has been bitterly discussed on international gaming sites for many years: The MMORPG promised people, who invested in the game and bought properties, wealth, fame, and a great gaming experience.
At the latest since Garriott stepped down 5 years ago, all these dreams have disappeared.
Meanwhile, the game faces open hostility, as Garriott has gone from an icon of the gaming industry to someone who is accused of self-interest and personal enrichment. Many feel disappointed and betrayed by the former hero.
In the comments of massivelyop, it says sarcastically:
The most important anime of 2024 at a glance. MeinMMO shows you what great anime will be released this year.
In recent years, anime fans have received a lot of top-notch series and 2024 already seems to be a real highlight. To help you keep track of what is still coming this year, we have created a list of the most important and significant anime releases.
The list is sorted by different quarters – since new series generally start at the beginning of a quarter and run for 3 or 6 months; in rare cases, even longer.
Additionally, note that this list will be regularly updated, as not all anime releases for the year are known yet. So it’s worth checking back often to discover what exciting anime series are available this year.
Update: The list is current as of 02.07.2024, now includes the anime from the summer season.
[toc]
Anime in the Winter Season 2024 (January ’24 – March ’24)
Delicious in Dungeon
Stream available on: Netflix What’s it about? After a severe setback in the fight against a dragon due to not having eaten enough, the hero group decides to change something. From now on, they will always fight with full bellies and thus break the taboo of processing the dungeon monsters into delicious food…
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Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? In a world full of magicians, Mash Burnedead is an outsider – he cannot use magic. Instead, he swears by his muscle power and makes “magic” happen. In the second season, he and his friends must prove how well they stick together – because at the magic academy, he has inadvertently made many enemies.
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Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? Humans and androids live in peaceful coexistence, but that is threatened. The android girl Rouge is sent to Mars with her partner Naomi to prevent a conspiracy and to murder 9 artificially created beings standing in the way of the government.
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Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? Ten years ago, a gate opened, connecting the real world with a realm full of monsters. Some people with special abilities set out to hunt these beasts as hunters – among them is Sung Jin-Woo, who is considered the worst hunter ever. But he has no choice if he wants to secure medical care for his mother…
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Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? The ongoing first season tells how the once kidnapped Maomao is now navigating the Emperor’s palace. As the personal maid of the supposed eunuch Jinshi, she primarily assists in solving crimes and mysterious incidents, which can almost always be explained with a bit of medical knowledge.
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Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? The unlikely pair of Guidea, the wild girl with long fangs, and Ashaf, the man with a coffin on his back, set out to eliminate witches around the world and free the inhabitants from curses – but many now see the witches as their saviors and fail to recognize the situation they are in.
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Anime in the Spring Season 2024 (April ’24 – June ’24)
Black Butler: Public School Arc
Stream available on:Still unknown. What’s it about? The latest season of the fantasy mystery series brings the young Ciel Phantomhive to a school where strange incidents are frequent. With him is the demonic Sebastian Michaelis, who assists him in the investigation – while waiting to finally claim Ciel’s soul for himself.
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Stream available on:Still unknown. What’s it about? After Tanjiro managed to protect the swordsmith’s village and simultaneously observe a transformation in his sister Nezuko, the next adventure awaits. However, the demons are taking more notice of Tanjiro and his sister – and chaos of devastating attacks is unleashed around him once again.
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Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? Gigantic beasts known as “Kaijuu” regularly attack Japan and are destroyed by defense corps. After that, the cleaners come to dispose of the remains. Kafka Hibino has always wanted to help in the defense but is currently sinking into a mediocre life. However, this changes when he is infected by a Kaijuu with a virus…
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Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! Season 3
Stream available on:Still unknown. What’s it about? When Kazuma died, he was allowed to take one thing with him to his reincarnation in a fantasy world – and he chose the goddess he encountered. Meanwhile, his group consists of incompetent yet lovable characters who experience all kinds of nonsense and are bursting with incompetence. As usual, the story may have little coherent plot, but will still entertain with each episode and thoroughly parody the isekai genre.
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Mushoko Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 – Part 2
Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? The second part of the second season. Rudeus is still grappling with his own issues while the time after his reincarnation in the fantasy world continues to advance. Although his powers are growing, it is becoming increasingly difficult for him to keep the people who mean something to him together.
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Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? The harvest goddess Holo has helped a village achieve prosperity and good harvests for many years. But as the town thrived and spread, the memory of Holo faded more and more. The merchant Lawrence now meets this dormant goddess, who willingly accompanies him. The story revolves not only around fantasy but often also focuses on economic themes.
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Stream available on:Still unknown. What’s it about? The city and thus the realm of the slime Rimuru continues to grow – but this brings new conflicts. Not everyone is pleased with the idea of a monster kingdom gaining more power. And so once again, conflicts arise in which Rimuru and his allies must prove their place in the world through politics and direct confrontation.
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Stream available on:Still unknown. What’s it about? In the 21st century, magic is no longer a figment of the imagination but a reality that can be performed through technology. The two siblings Tatsuya and Miyuki are rated very differently. However, although Tatsuya is ridiculed by everyone, there is clearly much more to him than first meets the eye – especially when it comes to his sister, he knows no bounds.
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Anime in the Summer Season 2024 (July ’24 – September ’24)
Atri: My Dear Moments
Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? The sea level has risen, flooding almost the entire world. After Natsuki lost his mother and a leg in an accident, he just wants to live in peace and seclusion. But in his mother’s lab, he finds Atri – a robot girl who wants to fulfill her last mission. Atri decides to help him – and the two learn more about each other.
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Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? Eiji is not particularly popular but would like to be. Luckily, his classmate Rin wants to help him. She continually takes on various anime archetypes and acts out every anime girl cliché – from cute sisters to tsundere, yandere, and pretty much any other harem protagonist. Even if it’s all just a game, true feelings lie beneath… but will they come across?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC93s7nl89c
Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season
Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? Araragi Koyomi is a high school student who has already had considerable contact with strange beings – vampires and demonic entities that inhabit people. He is repeatedly confronted with new forms of possession that he must solve. The dialogues are often profound, and the themes are highly emotional despite the unrealistic setting.
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Stream available on: No stream, only purchase (e.g., Akiba Pass TV) What’s it about? As the son of the murdered superstar Ai Hoshino, Aqua continues to try to find his mother’s murderer to exact cruel revenge. In parallel, he helps his sister Ruby fulfill her own dream to launch as an idol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7kUv4mejm0
Suicide Squad Isekai
Stream available on: Aniverse (Amazon Prime Video channel) What’s it about? In the crime-ridden city of Gotham, the Suicide Squad is once again summoned. A portal to a foreign world has opened – and the world is waiting to be conquered. Harley Quinn and her companions set out to conquer this strange world, this “isekai world” filled with swords and magic.
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Suicide Squad Isekai – Announcement Trailer for the new DC anime
Tower of God Season 2
Stream available on: Crunchyroll What’s it about? In search of his beloved Rachel, Bam continues to climb the tower, at the top of which awaits the fulfillment of his wish. But as he slowly ascends the floors, the number of participants and survivors is steadily decreasing – and the loyalties of his friends are being called into question.
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Anime in the Fall Season 2024 (October ’24 – December ’24)
Dragon Ball Daima
Stream available on:Still unknown. What’s it about? For the 40th anniversary of Dragon Ball, there is a new season with a brand-new story. Son Goku and the gang are once again reverted to their childhood forms and must undertake several new adventures – which is sure to offer fans a nostalgic journey back in time.
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Apart from the highlights mentioned above, there are also a few series that do not have a specific release date yet but are expected to be released in 2024.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict
Stream available on:Still unknown. What’s it about? The third part of the remake of Bleach brings the battle between Shinigami and Quincy into a decisive phase. Ichigo must use his newly learned skills to save the realm of the Shinigami and the lives of his friends.
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With that, we have covered the biggest anime of 2024, although the list is sure to expand throughout the year as new highlights are announced or revealed during a season.
Do you think another anime should be included in this list? Let us know in the comments, and we might add it.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On this Tuesday, July 2, 2024, a brand new loot shooter called The First Descendant launched on Steam and consoles. At launch, you can snag some cool cosmetics through Twitch Drops.
What rewards are available? The First Descendant offers five different drops rewards that you can earn over time on Twitch:
With the chest trophy “Delicious Pizza,” you can pin a slice of pizza to your chest.
15,000 gold and 1,500 Kuiper shards to help you upgrade your weapons and descendant modules.
With the emoji “Sigh,” you can express your feelings.
The “Twitch Colors” 2-piece paint set will make your character glow in purple and yellow.
A beautiful back can be pleasing – especially with the back trophy “X-Ray.”
Here’s an overview of all Twitch Drops for The First Descendant:
You can currently claim these rewards on Twitch.
Apart from the in-game currency, the rewards are purely cosmetic and do not seem to give you any real advantage in the game. To receive the drops, you need to watch one or more streamers of your choice playing on Twitch.
Below we tell you what you need to keep in mind to secure your Twitch Drops.
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Looter-Shooter The First Descendant announces its release date in the trailer
How to get the Twitch Drops for The First Descendant
What do I need to do? First, you need a Twitch account or you must log in to your existing account. You need to link your Twitch account to your game account to receive the rewards in-game.
To link your accounts, you can visit the website of Nexon.
You can also link the accounts if you have already spent the necessary time in a stream. Just follow the instructions on Twitch.
Once your accounts are linked, you can choose a streamer who is streaming The First Descendant and has drops activated. Here you can find current streams of The First Descendant on Twitch. Keep an eye out for streams that have “Drops” in the title or use a tag like “DropsActivated” or “DropsEnabled”.
Once you have found a stream you like, you need to watch long enough to receive the reward of your choice:
Chest trophy “Delicious Pizza”: 15 minutes
15,000 gold and 1,500 Kuiper shards: 30 minutes
Emoji “Sigh”: 60 minutes
2-piece paint set “Twitch Colors”: 90 minutes
Back trophy “X-Ray”: 120 minutes
You can usually also keep the streams running in the background on your phone or PC; however, the time should still be measured. Once you have watched long enough, you can claim your reward in your Twitch Drops inventory. Click “Claim Now” for that.
After that, you should find your Twitch Drops in your village mailbox in The First Descendant.
Note: Currently, there seem to be delays in receiving the Twitch Drops. On the official X account, it states that they are already working on speeding up the delivery of the rewards and will keep fans updated.
Charlie Sheen was the figurehead of Two and a Half Men. When he was fired, many fans were not pleased, especially after Ashton Kutcher became the replacement. Actually, another actor was even planned, but he declined despite a good offer.
After Sheen, Ashton Kutcher took over the lead role. In the show, he played the tech millionaire Walden Schmidt. However, another actor had been approached previously, who declined despite a large salary of over 650,000 dollars per episode.
Start video
Two and a Half Men – Trailer for Season 11 with Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher
Hugh Grant was also considered
Who was originally supposed to replace Sheen? After Sheen was fired, the producers were looking for a new actor to take on the lead role. Hugh Grant was also considered, as he explained on The Howard Stern Show.
In the interview, the actor explains that the big problem was that they did not provide him with a script. There was also no concept for a new character yet. The producers told Grant to just trust them, but that felt too risky for him.
Hugh Grant became especially well-known through romantic comedies, where he could impress with his charm. Notable films include Notting Hill or Bridget Jones. However, he is now also trying out quirkier roles, such as in The Gentlemen or Wonka.
The fee would have been worth it for Grant. As Screen Rant reports, Ashton Kutcher earned 700,000 US dollars per episode, which is about 652,000 €. Charlie Sheen even received 1.8 million US dollars in his last season, which is almost 1.7 million €. Both Kutcher and Sheen were among the highest-paid actors during their time on the show.
What does Grant say about Kutcher? Grant is also asked by Howard Stern if he watched the show out of curiosity. He says that while the show was still very good, Kutcher’s character was different from the one that was sold to him.
If you look at how well the seasons have been rated on IMDb, you can see a downward trend after Charlie Sheen’s departure. The first 8 seasons always had an average rating of about 8 out of 10. From season 9 with Ashton Kutcher, the show declined, with the last season even reaching a rating of 4.23 out of 10. For those who want more comedy series, they should check out this list: 5 series like Married with Children
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new loot shooter from Nexon, The First Descendant, launched today, July 2nd, on Steam. The free-to-play game has 197,000 concurrent players, but the reviews are only mixed. There has been criticism of the cash shop, which apparently isn’t working as intended.
Nexon is a South Korean MMORPG giant: Their MMORPG “Dungeon Fighter” is nominally the largest PC MMORPG in the world. Their games are largely unknown to us, only MapleStory is somewhat familiar. Their free-to-play MMORPGs are traditionally seen as pay-to-win – there was even a major scandal with MapleStory, because players were lied to for over 10 years.
The launch of The First Descendant was this morning at 9 AM on Steam. It is free to play.
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Looter-Shooter The First Descendant announces its release date in the trailer
This was the rush: Currently, the number of players on Steam is steadily increasing. The record was 197,400 players – but the player count could still rise further.
Negative reviews are increasingly coming from Asia
This is what the reviews on Steam say: Currently, The First Descendant has only 46% positive reviews on Steam, which is considered “mixed.” This is a weak rating.
However, most negative reviews are coming from Asia:
In Chinese, there are only “26% positive reviews”
Korea, with “34% positive reviews”, views the game significantly more critically than the West
In German and English, 58% of all reviews are positive – while not great, it is still significantly better.
Cash shop and problems within it are lowering the reviews
A positive review in German after 3.5 hours praises the game’s graphics and well-thought-out characters. However, the positive review also notes that players can spend money to progress faster in the game.
This seems to be the main point of criticism for many negative reviews: A too lavish cash shop where you can buy anything your heart desires is being criticized. Exactly what one would expect from “Nexon,” as one reviewer remarks sarcastically.
Several negative reviews occurred due to the launch date on Steam, June 30th. While the timing was marked as the start, and the game did go online, it was only a preload. For that, The First Descendant received some negative reviews on Steam.
Players buy items, but do not receive them
This is the outrage currently: Ironically, it seems to be causing negative reviews on Steam that players buy currency, “Caliber,” for the battle pass but do not receive this currency.
Six trailers show you the various characters you can play in the loot shooter. Their combat style and individual abilities are presented.
What playable characters will there be? The first trailer focuses on the tough fighter Gley.
Start video
Gley nutzt ihre eigene Schwäche, um stärker zu werden
Gley seems to spare no expense in battle. She sacrifices her own HP to switch to what is known as Frenzied Mode, in which she is practically unstoppable. She drains energy from her opponents to restore her own HP. In combat, she keeps her enemies at bay with firearms.
Another trailer introduces Viessa, who fights her opponents with icy attacks.
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Viessa kämpft mit Eis
Viessa uses ice to freeze her opponents and slow them down for a certain period. She employs various attacks and abilities for this purpose. She can target the ice at individual enemies or unleash a large blizzard that explodes after a certain time, hitting many enemies at once.
The character Lepic brings plenty of action to the battlefield with his mechanical arm.
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Lepic uses his mechanical arm for combat
In battle, Lepic demonstrates how effective grenades can be against his enemies. Among other things, he can throw grenades that attract several enemies in the vicinity before they explode. Lepic creates further area damage with his ability “Overkill,” where he generates a kind of energy field that deals continuous damage.
Another trailer introduces Enzo, who proves himself not only to be a great fighter but also a team supporter.
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Enzo proves himself as a perfect support
Enzo uses his drones to inflict damage on enemies on the battlefield. This way, he can hold his own in combat at range. However, Enzo is also interesting as a support for the team. He can call supplies to the battlefield with his drones, providing extra ammunition, for example.
In another trailer, the healer Yujin is introduced as a good support for your team.
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Yujin ensures the healing of the team
Yujin uses his skills and equipment to support his teammates. Among other things, he can throw serum bottles that refill the HP of the other players while also damaging enemies. He ensures that teammates receive healing, even if he is not present, with drones that follow other players, or he creates entire “healing zones” on the ground.
Finally, Esiemo is introduced, who attacks with explosive strikes.
Start video
Esiemo nutzt mächtige Bomben im Kampf
On the battlefield, Esiemo installs bombs that explode shortly after being placed, dealing massive damage. He can also place multiple bombs and mines and ignite them simultaneously with his ability to inflict damage on multiple enemies at once.
With these characters, you can tackle the story mode as well as the strategic boss fights in the 4-player coop mode of the shooter. The First Descendant also has a lot to offer visually. You can find more really beautiful games here: 5 games that surprise with impressive graphics.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The latest expansion of Final Fantasy XIV has finally been officially released. After four days in Early Access, MeinMMO editor Sophia Weiß can say: Dawntrail is a great RPG, but there’s no trace of the MMO in MMORPG.
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail started in Early Access on June 28, 2024, and officially released on July 2. I took the Friday off for the launch and have since invested 25 to 30 hours into the new add-on. Currently, I have about half of all the content behind me and am facing the Level 95 dungeon.
This isn’t my first foray into the MMORPG: My subscription has been practically uninterrupted since 2016, and I’ve played all new content at release except for patches 6.3 to 6.55. Except for hardcore raids.
Accordingly, I have about eight years of experience in Final Fantasy XIV and a total of four out of five expansion launches under my belt going into Dawntrail.
Are there spoilers in this article? I am myself a strong advocate of the unofficial anti-spoiler policy in the English-speaking community (no spoilers for 4 weeks after release), but I won’t be able to avoid it completely. However, I will refrain from specific story details.
The new expansion – This is Dawntrail in a Nutshell
What is Dawntrail like? Dawntrail is vacation, summer, and sunshine. Dawntrail is colorful.
But Dawntrail is also another expansion following the now-familiar Final Fantasy XIV formula. So, first things first:
Yes, the story starts slowly, and at times it is really tedious
The first two areas are again hidden behind two different quest lines
The dungeons are faced with 4 players and each has 3 boss encounters
Every few levels there is a dungeon
There are two boss encounters during the leveling process
We must unlock flying with mounts in the new areas with wind aether sources
This is how Dawntrail compares to previous FF14 expansions: If there was something in earlier expansions that you didn’t like, you won’t like it in Dawntrail either. Although FFXIV mastermind Naoki Yoshida stated that the new expansion is supposed to become more MMO after focusing on single player – there is still no trace of that in the leveling process.
But I must also say that Dawntrail leaves me with a well-rounded and polished impression overall. The team has learned from the last expansions and does what it does really well: telling a beautiful story that is spectacular, almost cinematic. Just with a focus on single player, not group content.
A new story approach: Mentor instead of Main Character
What is Dawntrail about? You still play the Warrior of Light and are a world-renowned adventurer. However, you take a step back to assist the new protagonist as a mentor:
Your protege is Wuk Lamat, a female Hrothgar and the adopted daughter of the current ruler of Tuliyollal. The ruler wants to gradually hand over power to a successor.
It is precisely here that the candidate needs your help. She is one of four candidates for the throne and must now pass seven trials and find a legendary golden city.
The story trailer gives you a good first impression of what to expect:
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Final Fantasy XIV: Launch trailer for Dawntrail prepares for the adventure in Tural
You are not the center of the expansion
This is your role: Surprisingly, Square Enix has written the mentor role really well. The constellation in the game reminds – at least until halfway – of Stormblood:
You are not at the center, but you are a supporter of a good cause. Instead of freeing Ala Mhigo together with Lyse, you help Wuk Lamat to outshine her competitors – some of whom have warlike ambitions.
Am I still the main character? Yes and no. Every person is the main character of their own story, so your Warrior of Light remains your personal focus. For Tuliyollal and the future of the country, however, it is more important that Wuk Lamat passes the trials and personally matures with each trial.
After 90 levels in which you were at the center of the story, this is unusual at first.
More beautiful and colorful – Square Enix flexes its graphics and tech muscles
How does the graphic update affect? Final Fantasy XIV does not look like Horizon Forbidden West. Naoki Yoshida warned against expecting that. But with the update to 7.0, the MMORPG received a fresh coat of paint.
Especially in old areas from A Realm Reborn and Heavensward, the difference is noticeable. The younger the area, the less obvious the changes are.
Dawntrail itself boasts a riot of colors. At times it even feels as if the team decided to show how good the game can look with the new areas.
Here are some impressions. Click the images to enlarge them.
One of the ARR regions.Especially the older areas have benefited.The new player hub is rich in color.One of the two first new areas in Dawntrail.New area number 2.I won’t reveal where you find this forest, for spoiler reasons.
The cutscenes are of higher quality with Dawntrail
Are there noticeable technical improvements in the expansion? Final Fantasy XIV tells its story largely through cutscenes. What starts comparatively statically in A Realm Reborn has improved with each new expansion.
Now in Dawntrail, the productions take a significant leap forward:
The camera movements are noticeably more dynamic and varied
The own character reacts much more often and is more in focus (despite the mentor role)
The hand animations are now partially visible and really well animated – in previous expansions, Square Enix always shied away from this
Action scenes are underscored with new, stylish effects
I am personally a big fan of the feature to hide other players when I am standing or interacting with a quest NPC.
Because during the releases of Shadowbringer and Endwalker, I barely saw any quest NPCs: The large groups of players around them at launch made it impossible if you didn’t hide other players.
Now I am noticing: The NPCs even move when you talk to them.
All in all: Dawntrail is a beautiful single player, whose story does not stress me (yet). A welcome change after the universe-threatening challenges of Shadowbringer and Endwalker.
However, this makes me wary: The development team actually wanted to bring more MMO content. However, Dawntrail does not feel like that.
Because the two new classes are damage dealers, group play suffers
So far, I have not played any of the dungeons or the one trial that I unlocked with other players. My main is Dragoon, so an attacker. Because the two new classes are also attackers and everyone wants to level these now, the role queue times for combat content are exceptionally long. You often wait 60 minutes for a dungeon invite.
I would like to use the time differently if I already know it will take a while. For example, taking a break: Walking the dog, going shopping, or enjoying the 32 degrees with bright sunshine on the balcony. But after 30 minutes of inactivity, the game logs you out. Then you only have other in-game content left – but these must not interfere with the queue.
Even if I replace other players for a dungeon, it doesn’t mean I will get in faster: Because there are too few tanks and healers due to the two new damage dealers, the wait time will only shorten if you fill these classes.
My focus in testing was to see as much of the expansion as possible. So I ultimately jumped in everywhere I could with the NPCs. With them, I can immediately access the content – without the annoying wait times.
Yes, I see other players. But I have only interacted with them for small challenges in the overworld so far. There is no reason for me to form groups with others. The game makes it too easy for me to get everything done alone, and too tedious to wait for real players.
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Final Fantasy XIV: Here are the 2 new jobs in Dawntrail – Pictomancer and Viper in under 2 minutes
Level phase is solo-heavy – MMORPG contents are expected to be added later
Final Fantasy XIV is currently supposed to cater to two different types of players: MMORPG fans and story enthusiasts. I suspect that the mandatory main story is designed to be as easy and without waiting times as possible for everyone.
So both groups can get their money’s worth: The story player can role-play undisturbed, while the MMO player is not hindered by long waiting times from reaching the endgame.
Real MMORPG content will likely come in the course of patches. The new Bozja or the next 8-man raids, for example. Until then, however, we are all currently alone in the crowd.
Bozja (Shadowbringers) and Eureka (Stormblood) are instanced content for up to 70 players per instance. Players can either hit the ground running with existing groups or form groups there. For the patches of Dawntrail over the next years, such content for level 100 is promised. Here, there will also be the challenging 48-man dungeons.
I personally love good stories in games. But I miss having to interact with my fellow players. Currently, it is very easy to play completely alone. That may be good for some, but those who start with Final Fantasy XIV in Dawntrail looking for an MMORPG will search in vain for it at least until the Level 95 dungeon.
And I can’t even talk to my friends about it because I don’t know who has unlocked what. I am the last person who wants to accidentally spoil the story for others.
Regularly I log in, we do our dailies, and then go to the endgame – whether it’s raids, trials, or treasure maps. But right now, everyone is busy with the leveling process. And that is unfortunately very lonely in Dawntrail.
Whether the content mix in Dawntrail is good or bad, you have to decide for yourself in the end. Personally, I would prefer it if my fellow players were more than the zone-populating NPCs that I will probably never cross paths with again.
The launch of the expansion went relatively smoothly compared to previous expansions. Perhaps due to the really very good weather, I only had a queue of more than 1,500 people in front of me for the initial login at the Early Access start.
The EM fever has completely gripped Kevin “Papaplatte” Teller. On Twitch, the streamer reports that he watches every game – and hardly recognizes himself in the process.
Since when has Papaplatte been infected with football fever? Recently, Papaplatte reported on Twitch about his newly discovered passion for football. Up until that point, he had apparently followed not just every single game of the ongoing EM but had really cheered along as well. This seems to have unexpected effects on the Twitch streamer.
Papaplatte’s streaming colleague IShowSpeed even traveled to Germany specifically for the EM.
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IShowSpeed gets the receipt for barking at a 6-year-old boy
The “totally cool” EM elicits dad jokes from the streamer
What are the effects? As Papaplatte reports, during the games he has become a “real football dad”: From his living room sofa, the Twitch streamer is said to have commented on the games with classic phrases (“Ah, nice!”). Especially during the Germany games, he was really “pumped”.
When the 1-1 equalizer was scored against Switzerland, he even yelled loudly, although he was watching the game alone at home with his girlfriend. The streamer hardly recognized himself as he sat there with his potato-leek soup, celebrating: “[I] thought: Dude, who am I?”
You can watch the corresponding stream excerpt here:
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The Twitch streamer also tries to explain why this EM has such a strong effect on Papaplatte: Although he himself doesn’t quite know what it is, the EM is “totally cool” and the German team is “really awesome”. The fact that the championship is taking place in their own country apparently adds to the hype.
So is Papaplatte now a real football fan? Well, when it comes to football knowledge, the Twitch streamer seems to still be a bit lacking. For example, during a football player guessing game, he confidently confused Oliver Kahn and Michael Ballack. See for yourself:
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Fortunately, Papaplatte has the perfect excuse ready to explain the slip-up: He was high and the video was AI-generated (via X). That certainly explains a lot.
Blizzard is revamping the Shamans in World of Warcraft. They will become more important for raids – as they receive a powerful buff.
Even though the pre-patch for The War Within will be released in just a few weeks, there are still many changes and innovations in the beta of the new expansion. Recently, the overhaul of the Shamans was revealed, which also comes with a brand new buff. This replaces one of the popular totems, ensuring that the entire raid benefits from it.
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WoW: Trailer for the release date of The War Within
What kind of buff is it? The new buff will be called “Skyfury,” which translates to “Heaven’s Wrath.” This buff gives all affected characters a 20% chance for automatic attacks to be repeated one more time.
Since many effects, such as poisons or gaining rage, are triggered by automatic attacks, this is a buff that pretty much all melee fighters will appreciate.
Additionally, the buff grants everyone a 2% bonus to mastery.
This ensures that not only melee fighters benefit, but all other classes as well.
Unlike before, the entire raid can benefit from Heaven’s Wrath, and not just the specific group where the Shaman is located.
Shamans receive a new buff – everyone benefits.
Why is Blizzard doing this? The totem buffs of the Shamans feel a bit outdated. Specifically, the Windfury totem often caused annoying issues because only players from the same group were affected – but not the entire raid. Thus, raid leaders always had to build a “melee group” that would then be strengthened by the Shaman. If there were more melees in the raid but too few Shamans, some players found themselves left out and had to forgo the buff.
This was not only cumbersome but also frustrating for those who couldn’t perform at their full potential because there was no room for them in the melee Shaman group.
What do the changes mean? Overall, this new raid buff should ensure that Shamans are brought along to raids and groups more frequently in the future.
Particularly the 2% mastery bonus makes the raid buff quite useful for everyone. Since some specializations – such as the Shadow Priest – benefit massively from mastery, a 2% increase is likely to be significantly reflected in the damage dealt.
What do you think of the new raid buff?
In general, The War Within is doing many things right and brings numerous innovations. However, the story might be confusing for some old fans or newcomers, as many characters that have not appeared before now play important roles. We have introduced 5 of these characters here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Those who have been following Destiny since its release in 2014 know that the Guardians are still wandering within the Solar System and have never explored the vastness of space beyond the known system. However, with Year 11, this could change.
The Solar System is a prison: In Destiny 1 and 2, Guardians are currently only operating within the Solar System – that is, the solar system containing the planets we know: Earth, Venus, Mars, and more. However, technological advancements should allow the Guardians to travel much further to explore distant systems and unknown planets.
While this may be true in theory, the reality is different. For the past 10 years, Guardians have been trapped in the Solar System, despite the lore of Destiny 1 and 2 mentioning many places that could be explored. However, new information regarding Year 11 was revealed during an interview with Bungie, and this might please the explorers among you.
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Bungie shows the future of Destiny 2 after The Final Shape in the new trailer
“We want to expand our worlds again”
What does Bungie have planned? The British video game magazine Edge conducted an interview with Robbie Stevens (Game Director of Destiny 2). This not only discussed Year 10 but also Year 11 and what is to follow. When talking about what should come after the current episodes, Robbie Stevens revealed the following:
All the content coming in Year 10 is the catalyst for what happens next in Destiny 2. And some of these storylines will continue into the future. But what I really want to emphasize here is that we are moving away from the linear narrative […] of Destiny 2 and transitioning to these more standalone experiences and episodes that can be more easily accessed and embraced. So you don’t have to know everything that happened immediately before to enjoy the story and the experience.
Many of the thoughts about Year 11 and how we really embark on the next journey after these episodes will also be based on these ideas. Because we have been doing this linear thing for a while now, and we want to expand our worlds and world-building again, to broaden the Destiny universe as a whole.
How exactly the Game Director means this is not known, and no examples were given to reveal how large these “expansions” will be. With the victory against the Witness, the Darkness has been temporarily banished and Guardians should finally be able to explore vast systems – but which ones could play a role? We have some ideas.
Which places could be added? The lore of Destiny offers many options when it comes to new destination locations. Places that Bungie could consider, for example, could be:
The homeworld of the Hive
The homeworld of the Cabal
The homeworld of the Fallen
The pocket dimension of the Awoken
The ice planet where the Wanderer and his crew were trapped
Moreover, there are still many opportunities for exploration in the Solar System. Old Chicago on Earth or Pluto have not yet been explored. What other places can you think of that Bungie could consider as new destination locations? Let us know in the comments! Destiny 2 announces the next highlight: “One of the largest we have ever done”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
An employee of CIG wanted to work from home for personal reasons. However, CIG prohibited this. The developer now had to pay a fine of around 32,000 euros for discrimination.
A British employment tribunal has ordered CIG, the company behind Star Citizen, to pay a compensation of £27,000 (around 32,000 euros) to an employee. Specifically, it concerns workplace discrimination.
CIG had prohibited its employee from working from home, even though he was diagnosed with autism. This was reported by the English-speaking colleagues from Massivelyop.com
CIG never investigated the claim that employees work poorly at home
The plaintiff initially worked in an office in Wilmslow (UK) but switched to a home office after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to his own statement, he was able to work better with his autism from home than in a large office.
After CIG ordered a return to the office in the company’s new building in Manchester, the employee still wanted to work from home. However, CIG rejected this without discussion.
The employee was ultimately dismissed in July 2022, after he had repeatedly tried to fulfill his wishes.
What was the problem according to the court? CIG argued that work performance in the home office was significantly worse than in the office. However, the British court stated that the company had never properly investigated the alleged performance issues and found that the dismissal of the employee was disproportionate and discriminatory. The court stated in its ruling:
Normal performance measures, such as performance goals and regular appraisal meetings, could have been conducted online. We find that the defendant treated the plaintiff unfavorably because of something arising from his disability.
In total, CIG must pay the former employee £27,000: £14,000 for lost earnings and £12,000 compensation for emotional distress.
Home office under criticism: Companies and bosses regularly argue that working from home negatively affects performance. Individual employees would perform significantly worse if they were not motivated by high performers. This is especially a burden for large teams.
In Pokémon GO today the next Spotlight Hour is taking place. This time you’ll find an event Pikachu and an XP bonus.
What kind of event is this? The Spotlight Hour is a recurring event that takes place every Tuesday. During this time, there is a Pokémon that is in the spotlight and appears in high numbers.
The event lasts exactly 60 minutes. Along with the Pokémon, a bonus is also active during this time.
During today’s Spotlight Hour, you will find Pikachu wearing a cake hat. Pikachu is one of the most popular Pokémon, which has existed since Generation 1. It can evolve into Raichu and is an Electric type.
Start video
Heavenly teamwork in Pokémon GO – a new season begins
Spotlight Hour on July 2 – Start time and bonuses
When does the Spotlight Hour start? As always, the Spotlight Hour starts at 6:00 PM. After 60 minutes, at 7:00 PM, the event is over again.
What bonuses are active? In today’s Spotlight Hour, there is an XP bonus for catching Pokémon. If you catch Pokémon within the 60 minutes, you will receive double the amount of experience points.
Can you catch Shiny Pikachu? Yes, with a bit of luck, you might also get the cake hat Pikachu in its Shiny form. The Shiny chance is not increased, but due to the high number of spawns, you have many opportunities to obtain a Shiny specimen.
Is the Spotlight Hour worth it? Pikachu with a cake hat cannot evolve into Raichu. The Pokémon is not worth using in raids, as it is not among the best attackers in Pokémon GO.
Also, you shouldn’t rely on Pikachu for battles in the leagues. It doesn’t matter here either. You should use other Pokémon for this.
If you are actively collecting experience points, this event could be interesting for you. With the double amount of experience points and the high number of spawns, you can gather some experience points here.
If you use a Lucky Egg, you can further increase the experience points you receive.
What do you think about this Spotlight Hour? Are you interested in Pikachu, or are you rather annoyed by the high number of different event Pikachus? Is the bonus interesting for you? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments. If you want to know which events await you in July 2024 in Pokémon GO, we have the right overview for you.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A game is set to be released on Steam soon that could unite all Mech fans and cozy gamers. You can find out more here on MeinMMO.
What game are we talking about? Bounty Star is a new action-adventure game developed by the indie studio DINOGOD. The game promises an interesting mix of action-packed mech battles and relaxed base building, with some farming involved.
The game is set to be released on Steam, PS4/PS5, as well as Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. A new trailer has just announced that the release is scheduled for 2024, although there is no exact date yet.
Start video
In Bounty Star you will become a bounty hunter
What can you expect? You will take on the role of Clem, a former soldier who now lives her life as a bounty hunter. With her mech, she hunts bounties in a post-apocalyptic world to expand her base and her business.
The latest trailer already shows a lot of gameplay. In Bounty Star, you will embark on various missions with your mech to earn money and gather new materials. You will control your mech, which you can also customize and equip. Among other things, you can equip it with new weapons and tailor it to your playstyle.
What do you do in the game? The numerous battles seem to take place in a good hack’n’slash manner. However, alongside these action-packed missions, you will also need to manage your everyday life. You will build your base and design it according to your ideas.
You will also need to take care of your own farming. It will be designed to strongly resemble Stardew Valley. On a small piece of land, you will need to grow various crops, and you are also allowed to cook and expand your own business.
The professional guilds Echo and Liquid faced each other for the first time in Tarisland. Instead of a battle for the best time, the viewers got to see something else.
What kind of competition is this? The two best guilds from World of Warcraft, Liquid and Echo, were challenged to a competition by Tarisland. On July 1, 2024, the teams from both guilds faced each other for the first time.
The goal was to defeat the raid boss Synthesedoktor as quickly as possible on the “Elite Challengemode” difficulty level. The winner was the one who took the shortest time to defeat the boss within a two-hour time frame. It was therefore not a kill race as is typical for the genre, but a speedrun competition.
However, instead of outdoing each other with better times, both teams disappointed their fans in the competition.
Here you can watch the trailer for the new MMORPG Tarisland:
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Tarisland: Trailer for the global launch shows cinematic class action
Two hours without results
How did the competition go for the teams? The teams from Liquid and Echo started on Monday evening at 9:00 PM to face the Synthesedoktor for two hours. The raid had only been released that day at 12:00 PM and accordingly had not been available for long to practice strategies.
The first attempts from the groups already showed that the main goal was to manage the boss at all. The teams tried various strategies, used different buffs, and everything they could think of. However, even after two hours, no team was able to defeat the boss. The competition ended in a draw.
The Liquid team had the better attempt and managed to defeat the boss shortly after the competition ended, but for the tournament, Monday night ended in a tie.
What kind of boss is this? Although the raids in Tarisland have several bosses, they are all individually instantiated and are unlocked gradually. One could also say that each boss stands alone.
The Synthesedoktor is the first boss of the competition between Liquid and Echo. The two last bosses of the “Root of Corrosion” raid will also be tackled by the teams. The next competition will take place on July 4. Then, the two teams will face the forest twins.
Why are the bosses so difficult? The developers of Tarisland have repeatedly asked for feedback during their tests. Many players complained about the easy difficulty levels in dungeons and raids. The developers therefore decided to design the “Challengemode” difficulty level.
In this mode, the bosses not only have more health and deal more damage, but they also have additional mechanics such as attacks or abilities that make the boss fight more challenging for players. Thus, Tarisland offers a mode that is not suitable for casual players, contrary to many others, as MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz finds: Tarisland is so far the perfect MMORPG for casual players like me
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In games like Palworld, there is an ongoing discussion about player numbers on Steam: They were huge at launch, then fell off, and are now rising again with the update, 6 months after release. However, the community manager of Palworld asks players not to engage in this discussion.
This is what the community manager says: The community manager Bucky from Palworld asks fans on Twitter:
They should stop getting involved in discussions about player numbers and trying to defend Palworld. While that’s sweet, it’s a waste of time.
The posts are just meant to lure people into reacting to them – and from these articles, the media will do what their job is: writing articles.
Palworld had 2 million, then 15,000, now it’s 140,000 … that’s no reason to get upset. In a few weeks, the number of players will drop again, and with the next big update, it will rise again. That’s just how it works.
Palworld could literally have 1 person playing it, and that won’t change the fact that YOU have played a fun game and have fun memories of it.
Start video
In Palworld, you can explore a new island with the Sakurajima update
Palworld looks particularly bad in discussions about player numbers on Steam
Is he right? Partly. It is normal for live service games like Palworld to have a significant spike upwards or downwards in player numbers.
However, these player numbers on Steam have a certain significance:
A game generally has the most players at launch, and after about 6 weeks, a drop in player numbers, even a severe drop, is quite normal: People have reached the max level, and they play less or not at all.
However, there are some games that offer particularly much content, like Baldur’s Gate 3 or games that rely heavily on live service, which can keep this drop in player numbers relatively low for months.
It can also happen that a game, like Baldur’s Gate 3, increases its player numbers significantly again after a few months – a sign that it is experiencing a resurgence.
Player numbers already indicate a trend
What can one read from player numbers on Steam? Therefore, player numbers on Steam indicate a trend and provide a certain statement about the quality of a game and what motivation it offers. This is a basis for discussion:
Helldivers 2 has maintained its player base well in the first months after release and “only” lost about 50% of its players in the 2nd month after release: they dropped from an average of 274,304 in February 2024 to 142,853.
Palworld, on the other hand, fell from 1.146 million players at launch in January 2024 to 83,497 in March 2024.
Baldur’s Gate 3 fell from 450,962 at launch in August 2023 to 481,108 in August 2023, but had even risen back to 160,228 in January.
This shows that games provide different levels of motivation and are developed differently.
In Palworld, the drop is particularly stark: No game on Steam has lost more players in such a short time as Palworld after its release.
It is a sign that Palworld, with its premise of “Pokémon with guns”, attracted many players but could not retain them for long. Palworld simply lacked substance – and the player numbers say exactly that.
While almost all successful games look poor in Steam player numbers after release, Palworld looks particularly bad. Therefore, it is understandable that the community manager wants to downplay this discussion somewhat.
Player numbers shouldn’t be interpreted too drastically
This is the problem with discussions about player numbers However, threads like “Palworld loses 90%” of its players or “Palworld’s player numbers rise by 800%” sound much more dramatic than they actually are because they describe normal occurrences in a game:
Player numbers are dynamic expressions of the state of a game at any given moment
However, it is not an indication of whether a game is “dead” or a “flop”
Player numbers can also create a false picture, as many believe that the MMORPG “New World” is a flop because it lost a dramatic number of players after release, whereas the “Buy2Play” game was actually much more popular at launch than anyone had assumed and reached many players outside the MMORPG niche, which it then couldn’t retain:
Amazon had to massively open new servers in the case of New World
But then had to massively close those servers again when player numbers went down
Because of the enormous initial success, the impression paradoxically arose that the game had flopped
Palworld is also the case of a game that was bigger at launch than it should have been. The balloon was thus massively inflated and then popped loudly.
The players you lose later have still bought the game
The developer is right when he says that player numbers should have nothing to do with a player’s personal enjoyment – unless an MMO enters the death zone where there aren’t enough players to form a group.
Son Goku has two children and one grandchild in Dragon Ball now. Pan is the daughter of Son Gohan and Videl and completes the family happiness. Thanks to Goku’s wife Chichi, we know that she would have likely continued the family’s naming tradition had Pan been a boy.
What would her name have been as a boy? In Episode 9 of the Dragon Ball Super anime, Videl reveals that she is pregnant. For the ritual to become a Super Saiyan God, Son Goku lacks another Saiyan. Therefore, Videl decides to let the news out. Since Son Gohan is the father of her unborn child, it is a quarter Saiyan.
Since the family already has a Son Goku and a Son Gohan, she suggests the name Son Gomen for the unborn child. You can watch the complete scene in the following YouTube video:
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At that moment, Chi-Chi probably forgot that Son Goten also follows this naming tradition. If Pan had been a boy and Videl had agreed to the name, she would thus have been the fourth family member whose name fits into the Son family.
Pan has a larger role in the latest Dragon Ball movie. Here you can find the trailer for Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero:
Start video
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero – The Official Trailer for the Movie
Pan also follows the naming tradition
What does Pan mean? However, Videl and Son Gohan had a girl and named her Pan. Thus, they stay true to their own naming line, as Pan means, like her father, a type of food.
Gohan means something like “lunch” or “rice,” while “Pan” translates to “bread.” The mangaka of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama, often had a pattern in naming his characters. Many Saiyans are named after vegetables, while the Ginyu Force are named after dairy products.
However, Son Gomen would also have fit well into this tradition. The suffix “-men” is the ending for many Japanese noodle dishes such as Ramen or Somen. If she had been a boy, she would still have been a carbohydrate-rich meal.
The many new weapons in the DLC of Elden Ring are quite powerful. One of them helps against the difficult bosses so effectively that players are sure: This weapon will soon receive a nerf.
Which weapon is it? Among the over 100 new weapons in the DLC Shadow of the Erdtree, there are also a handful of shields. Besides small shields or large shields, there are also thrust shields.
Two of them are in the game. The Duelist Shield and the Carian Thrust Shield. Especially the latter has caught the attention of players. The special thing about the weapon is: It is not just a means of defense. While you hide behind the shield and block the attacks of opponents, you can also attack – with the same shield.
If you use it with a good build and upgrade the thrust shield to the highest level, you deal high damage while being well protected.
Of course, a high level of stamina and good stamina regeneration is a prerequisite, which can be achieved, for example, with the Green Crystal Tear. If you face the tough bosses with it, they no longer seem so intimidating.
Start video
Start the Igon Quest in Elden Ring, defeat Bayle and become a dragon – Here’s how to do it
The weapon is strong – but for how long?
How do you fight with it? In battles, it is enough to hold the shield with both hands, block simultaneously, and spam light attacks. The opponents’ attacks do not get through, but they also take damage.
This works against normal enemies in the open game world just as well as against bosses. Even the final boss buckles under this method. User @DrDecomposing shows on X.com his fight against the final opponent of the DLC, where he uses the Carian Thrust Shield. Moreover, he does not play with a gamepad, but with a saxophone – just to note.
User @pirochanbazai also shows on X.com his duel against Rellana, for which you can find a dedicated guide on MeinMMO. With the help of the thrust shield, the fight is no longer a problem.
Will the weapon remain this strong? It is questionable whether FromSoftware will leave the weapon this strong. Players like @pirochanbazai do not believe so. “A nerf is inevitable,” writes the user on X.com.
He even believes that the shields are currently still faulty and that the opponents’ attacks consume too little stamina. So it could be that FromSoftware intervenes in the upcoming updates and nerfs the shields.
Whether you want to make life easier in Elden Ring with such a weapon is of course up to you. You can defeat the final boss of Shadow of the Erdtree in many different ways. One player defeated him without rolling or blocking – how he managed that you can read on MeinMMO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
