Raids in World of Warcraft are repeatedly nerfed – much to the dismay of some fans. However, the director explains why this is necessary.
Nerfs are part of everyday life in MMORPGs – whether it’s player classes or nasty raid bosses. Especially with new raids, you can almost set your watch to when strong nerfs will occur. However, this is not necessarily because the developers have made the raid too hard – but rather because the nerfs are planned in advance.
The latest trailer for The War Within:
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WoW: Trailer for the release date of The War Within
Where does the information come from? The colleagues from wowhead conducted an interview with the game director of World of Warcraft, Ion Hazzikostas. It discussed raid mechanics, boss design, and the nerfs that occur repeatedly, making a raid significantly easier after release.
What was said? Amirdrassil was considered one of the hardest raids in the history of World of Warcraft – particularly the jump from the 7th boss to the 8th boss (Tindral) was a hurdle for many raids, across all difficulties. However, other bosses were also nerfed repeatedly. Ion Hazzikostas stated:
The reality is, it’s no secret that there is a broad range within the mythical player base. From World-First raiders to guilds that “only” want to make it into the Hall of Fame, to those who want to secure the “top spot” in the middle of the season, and those who just want to barely achieve this at the end of the season.
There is an incredible range of coordination and skill, and we want to provide all these groups with a fulfilling progression. A series of nerfs are necessary to achieve this, and that’s what our team has been doing since WoW started. […]
Or to put it more briefly: For all player groups to have fun and be able to complete the raid eventually, nerfs are simply necessary. The difficulty that the “World First Raiders” choose is simply not what a majority of the “more normal” mythic guilds can achieve. Therefore, nerfs are an integral part of the planning.
What do you think about the permanent nerfs to raids? A good thing, so that everyone can have fun? Or does it bother you when tough bosses, which you barely managed to beat, later become “given” to everyone? If you’re not happy with that – there are also other factors that could cause frustration in The War Within.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The community of Elden Ring continues to find new ways to battle through the game. A Twitch streamer has made life particularly difficult for himself by turning Elden Ring into a drinking game.
What did the drinking game look like? Players who are already well-versed in Elden Ring tend to take on additional challenges. If the game isn’t difficult enough, one can help others in a solo run against the toughest boss – or turn it into a drinking game.
This was the plan of the Twitch streamer YourBudTevin. He played Elden Ring and decided to take a sip of alcohol in the following situations:
When his character dies
When he summons NPCs or real players for help
Anyone familiar with Elden Ring knows: This sounds like a bad idea. Deaths occur frequently in this game, unless one is a really good player who can breeze through the Lands Between. The streamer made it to the final boss – but not without treating himself to a few drinks along the way.
Elden Ring shows the DLC ‘Shadow of the Erdtree’ in the story trailer
The final boss was too much to handle
How did the run go? The streamer died several times during his playthrough. When he reached the final boss, he had accumulated 50 sips due to deaths and summons. Fifty deaths or fewer is actually not bad, but if you take a sip for each one, that can become a problem.
So, the streamer faced the final boss, which consists of two different phases, well “prepared.” The first phase, where one battles Radagon, proved to be a significant challenge.
YourBudTevin died to him twenty more times. At the 70th sip, the streamer decided to stop for now. As seen in the clip, he freaked out and… well, the images show what he does with the greenscreen.
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Was that the end? Despite his outburst, the streamer did not want to give up. He continued and suffered another 10 deaths, bringing his total to 80 sips.
He was ultimately unable to defeat Radagon. The boss caused the streamer to quit, also for health reasons. It’s understandable and reasonable; the fact that he made it to the final boss is all the more impressive given the circumstances.
Perhaps the streamer has had enough of this. Or he might try the self-imposed challenge in the upcoming DLC of Elden Ring, which is set to release on June 21, 2024. Chief developer Hidetaka Miyazaki has big plans for future games from the studio after the expansion – what exactly, you can read about on MeinMMO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Because many players in Elden Ring had problems with the boss enemy Malenia, a YouTuber helped thousands of times in the fight, earning a very good reputation within the community. But that’s over now. What happened to the humble hero?
Who is the YouTuber? The name of the content creator speaks volumes: Let me solo her. This sums up his mission concerning Malenia quite well. He previously allowed desperate players to summon him and took down the boss solo.
While many players resort to various methods to defeat Malenia, such as throwing jars at her, Let me solo her made quick work of it.
Almost naked and wearing a cauldron on his head, he charged at Malenia and didn’t get hit a single time in the subsequent fight. The YouTuber had perfected the duel against the feared opponent.
However, a few months ago, he announced that he was slowly losing interest in Malenia. He had enough of it, he said.
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Elden Ring shows the DLC ‘Shadow of the Erdtree’ in the story trailer
Malenia leaves, Messmer comes?
What is the YouTuber doing now? The countless duels against Malenia are history. According to the YouTuber, he has defeated the boss between 6,000 and 7,000 times. It’s understandable that he wants to focus on other things now.
Other things, in this case, primarily mean more Elden Ring. He plays the game from the beginning on his YouTube channel in livestreams. With this, he wants to prepare for the upcoming DLC Shadow of the Erdtree.
This is also supposed to be the next big thing on the channel. At the “Final Malenia soloing stream” on June 15, 2024, on YouTube, he announced at the end that he would be ready with new content in time for the release of the DLC. However, he did not reveal whether in the form of guides, playthroughs or other assistance.
Let me solo her remains in the community of Elden Ring. Future players will have to face Malenia without him, but considering that the DLC raises the difficulty level, it is quite possible that Let me solo her will once again battle for the community.
Because it was already noticeable when trying out the expansion: The bosses are tough again and overshadow those from the main game in terms of difficulty. Whether with Malenia’s brother Messmer, who prominently appeared in the DLC trailers, or with another of the many new bosses, remains to be seen.
On June 18, Destiny: The Final Shape was supposed to be even better. The expansion is well received anyway, and on Tuesday evening, the traditional patch day, players were looking forward to the “Grandmaster version” of the 12-player activity. After 10 years, it was meant to provide a worthy conclusion to the saga. It turned out differently.
That was the plan: Actually, everything was supposed to run smoothly:
The harder version of the 12-player mission “Excision” was supposed to go live.
At 15:45 German time, the servers were supposed to be taken down.
By around 19:00, just in time for the end of the workday, players were to be allowed to play again at the latest. With 3 hours and 15 minutes, the downtime was already generous. It should work out.
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Destiny 2: The Final Shape „Edge of Salvation“ Raid Trailer
Downtime delayed by 3 hours on Tuesday evening
What really happened: Nothing happened. The German players are already always upset that maintenance occurs right during their prime time, stealing valuable hours of gaming time in the evening. But anyone expecting to log in precisely at 19:00 was disappointed.
At 19:44, the message came: “We are currently investigating issues after the update was released. More information will be available when it is ready.”
At 20:17, the message came: The already lengthy downtime was extended by 2 hours.
Only around 21:50, which was already bedtime for most German players, did it start up again.
“One more thing like this and I will delete this crap”
How was it commented? With a lot of patience and understanding. Just kidding. The Guardians were once again beside themselves. We compile the best comments from MeinMMO here.
“If we had bought more in the Eververse, we would probably all be back in the game by now” (Pat, MeinMMO)
“Guys, please, I’ve been on that ONE MOMENT PLEASE screen since 20:00. What’s going on?” (Simon90, MeinMMO)
“I’m really starting to get a headache here […] I’m spending good money here and they can’t manage to get back online after 4 hours of server downtime. One more thing like this next week and I’ll delete this crap.” (MachiiNRW81, MeinMMO)
“What Bungie is delivering here is simply sad” (Schattenlord 85)
“So, Bungie. My moment has lasted almost 90 minutes now. How can 340 MB cause a game to collapse like this?” (Enrico Willams, Facebook)
“Maybe just don’t do maintenance in the middle of the day during peak hours to avoid problems. I don’t know – just a thought.” (CoreBri, Twitter)
It’s also kind of nice that some things never change. For anyone who wants to read more, one of the articles with the most comments on MeinMMO is about a downtime in Destiny 2 from 2017. Players had to wait even longer then: Destiny 2: Server down today – Maintenance work, Update 1.03 [Update]
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Elden Ring is considered one of the best games of all time. Nevertheless, the chief developer Hidetaka Miyazaki is not entirely satisfied with the final product. For the next game, he wants to take inspiration from another game by FromSoftware.
How does Elden Ring stand? The large open-world game by FromSoftware was released in 2022 and has won numerous awards. It is regarded by fans as a milestone and a preliminary highlight in the studio’s catalog. On Metacritic, Elden Ring has a score of 96 in the critics’ rating and a user score of 8.0.
However, chief developer Hidetaka Miyazaki believes there is still room for improvement. He thinks Elden Ring is not perfect and there is space for enhancements.
What exactly he wants to change, he explained in an interview with Game Informer. A previous game from the studio is supposed to serve as a model for any new titles, at least regarding the combat system.
Elden Ring shows the DLC ‘Shadow of the Erdtree’ in the story trailer
“Sekiro was a turning point”
What does Hidetaka Miyazaki say? In the history of the Soulsborne games, one title stands out for the Japanese developer: Sekiro.
The game deviates somewhat from the norm and is different in some respects compared to Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or Elden Ring. Especially the combat system resembles more of a rhythm game than actual fighting.
For this reason, Sekiro is especially challenging at first; only when it “clicks” in the player’s mind do fluid duels with the tricky opponents occur. Miyazaki today describes Sekiro as a “turning point” in FromSoftware’s development history.
After the slow fights in Dark Souls and the somewhat faster ones in Bloodborne, he wished for an even smoother and more active system. In Sekiro, Miyazaki came quite close to his vision. But he also says:
“I personally think there’s another level on which we can make the whole thing sharper and refine the mechanics even more.”
What does this mean for new games? In future titles, the design philosophy from Sekiro is to be continued. Battles could become even faster and thus smoother. So even faster than in Elden Ring, which had somewhat slowed down in terms of pace, appearing more like a mix of the previous games.
The mistakes that Miyazaki believes he made in Elden Ring are to be corrected in a new game. He says he has not yet completed the “ideal fantasy role-playing game.”
Some aspects that were not perfect in Elden Ring could still be refined. Whether these high expectations will be realized in a potential Elden Ring 2 or a completely new title remains unclear.
The role-playing game Baldur’s Gate 3 is considered a masterpiece today. But it could have gone wrong. Because on Steam, they chose a path to release that has caused many games to fail and has often frustrated gamers: Baldur’s Gate 3 was released in Early Access – and that already 3 years before the official release.
What is so dangerous about Early Access? Many promising games have died during the Early Access phase on Steam. The sequence of events is roughly as follows:
A game is released with potential, but it is still unfinished: players buy the game, jump in, provide feedback, but then stop playing and hope to return to a better version later.
The developers have made money for the first time and can breathe easy; they start improving the game and implementing player feedback, but progress is slow. The first updates they release are only minimal improvements, and neither old players return nor can they attract new ones.
The team runs out of money and stamina. Player numbers stagnate or decline. It seems as if the market rejects the game, as if there is no interest in it. The game is discontinued while still in Early Access. The team is down and out. The players, who had started with so much hope, are bitterly disappointed, angrily demanding their money back.
We have seen this sequence of events time and again in the past. Early Access games are now critically scrutinized and have a bad reputation. One sad example among many is Scavengers.
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Baldur’s Gate 3 was played for approximately 1,225 years in the first release weekend – Exciting facts and figures
“You sold someone the game – you have to improve it now”
The boss says about Early Access: The Early Access model worked well for Baldur’s Gate 3. 9 major updates were released between 2020 and August 2023.
The head of the studio Larian, Swen Vincke, is a fan of the Early Access model, but only under certain conditions: “For us, it was really good, but you have to take it seriously when you go in there. You have to work with players to improve your game; otherwise, you shouldn’t do it.”
However, Vincke does not recommend an Early Access period lasting 3 years: it tires out the fans and the team. One must persevere and certainly not include broken features in an Early Access game.
The narrative director of Baldur’s Gate 3 agrees: players have paid for a game, after all. So they teach them to improve it. You cannot neglect Early Access. It’s a lot of work and really difficult.
That’s the most important thing, says the boss. Vincke says that Early Access must be taken extremely seriously:
“You should absolutely not approach it with the attitude of, oh, it’s just Early Access. People are playing this who take it seriously, and you have to treat them with respect.”
Baldur’s Gate 3 had weak months in Early Access, but strong backers
Here’s what it’s all about: Yes, the developers of Baldur’s Gate 3 have been on a victory tour for several months, explaining how they managed to make such a hit during dark times. However, this should be viewed critically. Because Larian is not, as it sometimes seems, a small underdog studio that somehow managed, but has Tencent as a powerful business father behind them.
Baldur’s Gate 3 also had some droughts in Early Access in 2022 on Steam: months where they had only 1,070 average players, where interest in the role-playing game seemed to dwindle.
Perhaps other teams would have faltered here, or the backers would have lost faith in the team, but Larian could afford these downturns – an additional factor played into Baldur’s Gate 3.
Many games find it extremely difficult to generate any hype for release after 3 years in Early Access, as people feel the game is “old” and already “over”.
On June 21, the new MMORPG Tarisland will launch. MeinMMO was able to play the game on the server in China and has brought you 5 tips and tricks to succeed in your start.
When the lights turn on in Tarisland worldwide on June 21, 2024, the game has already been out in China for a long time. We were able to get a first impression on the server there and have brought you 5 tips and tricks for your start.
Dungeons, Friend Tokens, and Daily Quests
In Tarisland, there are five different tasks to complete every day. For one of the tasks that occurs regularly, you must complete a dungeon, sometimes on the Elite difficulty, with friends or guild members.
If you can’t find anyone who is interested, there’s no need to be frustrated. It is enough to add the players you are in a dungeon with as friends during your run. As long as they accept before the instance is completed, you will complete the quest.
For successfully completing quests with friends, you will also earn Friend Tokens that you can exchange in the “Friendship Store” for various items, a mount, and silver.
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Tarisland shows ‘Rage of the Dragon’ in the new trailer
Don’t Lose Your Gold When Trading
Buying and selling items in the auction house is part of Tarisland, as in many other MMORPGs. However, one thing is not possible in Tarisland, and that is arbitrage. Arbitrage simply means you buy an item cheaply and sell it at a higher price. All purchased items in Tarisland are bound to you. This means you cannot directly trade them.
If you buy materials and craft something, the final product can be traded again. This way, you can also take advantage of low market prices.
Auction house in Tarisland.
Pay Attention to the Values You Need from the Start
Every beginning is hard, but to avoid being at the bottom of the DPS meter, you can choose the right items from the start.
To find out what values you need, simply open your character window and look at the values you need at the top right, under your current specialization.
So just choose the items that are higher up in the priority list. The values will later unlock levels for your passive abilities, so it is worth focusing on a particular value.
The values sorted from important to unimportant.
After the Story, There’s Exploration
While in other MMORPGs collecting and exploring usually play a subordinate role, this is not the case in Tarisland. Exploring the map and collecting items contributes to your reputation rank. This unlocks new items in the reputation store, which also includes items that affect your character.
Specifically, it mainly concerns the Inscribed Stone Energy. You collect this to spend on passive values and bonuses in a skill tree. The values in this tree contribute significantly to character development.
So if you ever feel bored, take the opportunity to increase your reputation by collecting and exploring the map.
In Tarisland, you are limited in farming and crafting. Every time you do something related to professions, you consume Elation. The Elation refills over time, but when it reaches the limit, excess Elation is lost.
Even if you usually skip professions in other games, you should spend your Elation from the start in Tarisland, even if it’s just to mine stones and sell them.
However, those who act wisely and take advantage of the market can earn a lot of gold with their Elation without spending a single cent. MeinMMO author Cedric did this while playing in China and even earned the monthly pass in just a few days: Tarisland is neither a WoW clone nor a mobile game, it is the next big MMORPG
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On Friday, June 21, 2024, the first DLC for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, will be released. Many fans are eagerly awaiting the expansion, but can the new content meet the high expectations of the players? We summarize the reviews from the first testers so you know what to expect.
Shadow of the Erdtree Metacritic – Summary
Metacritic score of 93.67 across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
Lower ratings than the main game, but currently the highest-rated game of 2024.
Positive points: scope, map, atmosphere, bosses, weapons, and spells.
Negative points: navigation, recycled enemies.
Shadow of the Erdtree Metacritic – Here’s how the DLC ratings look
How does the expansion perform on Metacritic? The first reviews of Shadow of the Erdtree are extremely positive. Across all three platforms – PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X – the DLC has an average score of 93.67. (As of June 18, 2024, 6:35 PM).
PS5: 95 (48 ratings)
Xbox Series X: 94 (7 ratings)
PC: 92 (39 ratings)
With these scores, Shadow of the Erdtree does not quite reach the high Metacritic scores of Elden Ring’s main game, but it is still the highest-rated game of the year 2024 so far. The remaining four spots in the top five consist of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (92), Destiny 2: The Final Shape (92), Animal Well (91), and Balatro (90).
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Elden Ring shows the DLC ‘Shadow of the Erdtree’ in the story trailer
Shadow of the Erdtree Metacritic – Here’s how the testers rate it
How did various media outlets rate it? Our colleagues at GameStar and GamePro have tested Shadow of the Erdtree on various platforms.
Shadow of the Erdtree Metacritic – Here’s what the reviews say
What is well-received? Perhaps the biggest argument for Shadow of the Erdtree is the scope of the DLC. The various reviews make it clear that the expansion can hold its own against full-fledged games. This is evident not only in the new story but also in the size of the map and the number of bosses.
These remain a challenge with interesting attack mechanics – especially the final boss. The presentation of the bosses is also successful and contributes to the generally cohesive atmosphere.
You will experience this atmosphere mainly while exploring the game world. If you enjoyed this in the main game, you should have fun in the expansion as well, based on the reviews.
However, enjoyment does not only come from well-staged bosses or an atmospheric game world. The new weapons and spells are also praised, as they meaningfully expand the gameplay and offer new opportunities.
What is not well-received? The biggest criticism is the navigation. If you tend to get lost quickly or have trouble finding certain paths, Shadow of the Erdtree might pose some problems for you.
This also applies to the difficulty of the bosses. Here it is clear: it does not get easier. If the main game was too difficult for you, you will not suddenly become a pro-gamer in the DLC. For some, the high difficulty is definitely a plus, but for some of you, it could also mean frustration.
Some testers noted somewhat frustratingly that some enemies were recycled. That means you may encounter opponents whose fighting styles you already know.
In the interview, Christian Linke, the showrunner of Arcane, talks about what we can expect from Season 2 of the series about League of Legends. Among other things, the dark tone of the series is addressed and why there were internal discussions about it.
Christian Linke has been working for Riot Games, the studio behind League of Legends, since 2010. He has served as the Creative Director in various roles. For five years, he took on the role of composer for the MOBA and also led a team of composers.
MeinMMO: We have recently learned that Arcane will end with the second season, and a major shock went through the fan community. The biggest question for many is: Why is it ending with the second season?
Christian Linke: From the beginning, we had a specific story that we wanted to tell. This also includes a specific ending that has always existed.
We are also just people who don’t like it when series don’t know when to stop. We all know those series.
Another reason is that we now have over 160 different characters in our game, and we have only addressed 11 of them in Arcane with the story. We would love to tell more stories. From a creative standpoint, it was time for us to take the next step and tackle more characters.
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ARCANE: Trailer shows what Season 2 is about
We were surprised at how many fans there are of Silco
MeinMMO: I’m very pleased to hear that because I also find it terrible when series just don’t know when to stop. What I would still be interested in is. That the ending is already so far planned, I understand that. But have things changed internally after the broadcast that were planned differently?
Christian Linke: No, actually not. The scripts for the second season were mostly already finished before the first season aired. We simply had to do it that way because we had too little time for other things. Normally, with something like this, you also have the opportunity to respond to fan feedback. We were able to slightly improve the animation style or the music and learn from it. I am very proud of what we are doing with the music in the second season. It will be much bigger.
Otherwise, we are simply following the path we set out on from the beginning. There were some surprises. We were surprised that so many people are fans of Silco. Silco, who kills or has people killed in both parts of the city.
We just thought: Okay? We didn’t imagine that when we wrote it.
Who conducted the interview? Leya is the editor-in-chief of MeinMMO and has been obsessed with League of Legends during her studies. So much so that she once flooded her ex-boyfriend’s apartment. She has consumed Arcane accordingly and is quite excited about the series. For two years she has been trying to get the interview with Christian Linke and is happy that it has finally worked out.
MeinMMO: I can fully understand that. One must not underestimate how much people love a good villain. Why are characters like Handsome Jack from Borderlands or the Joker so popular? Villainous characters are often interesting, and I think Silco is written well. I also believe it has to do with the loving moments between him and Jinx.
Christian Linke: Our main characters are champions from the game and ultimately all are fighters who fight through the story with fists and weapons.
We thought it would be cool if one of our characters was not a fighter in the traditional sense at all. His weapon is his words. Silco is dangerous because he is extremely intelligent and perceptive. I think that also gave the series a good different nuance.
Silco is one of the most popular characters in Arcane
MeinMMO: Does it bother you a bit that you killed one of the most popular characters from the first season?
Christian Linke: Good question! From a creative standpoint, no.
After all, we told Silco’s story. Silco was special because at the beginning he had nothing to lose. Vander had a family and at some point decided that his family was more important than political ideals. Silco always saw that as a weakness. He told himself that it didn’t matter whether he or one of his people died as long as he achieved his goals. Until one day he realized that Jinx was important to him. She became a person he no longer wanted to sacrifice. Especially not when he eventually got the chance from Jayce and suddenly had something to lose.
This change, realizing that and also learning about oneself happened in the end. That is Silco’s story.
If we had kept him in the story, the story for him would still have been over. Of course, we could have begun a new one for him. But that was the story we wanted for Silco, and that we found very beautiful. And that’s how it should remain.
Jinx has always asked herself whether she is a monster
MeinMMO: Family is always a big theme in Arcane. A strong motive is the sisterly relationship between Vi and Jinx. On the teaser posters, I noticed that we have a mirror here. In the poster for the first season, you can see Vi protectively placing her arm over Jinx. For the second season, you decided that Jinx is looking over Vi and embracing her. How should that be understood?
Christian Linke: On the first poster, the idea was that Vi was trying to protect her little sister from this very dangerous and ugly world. But Powder [before she got the name Jinx] did not turn away, but looked at everything and observed. She always had a fearful but also rebellious look. One always had the feeling that she had to look at it and form her own opinion.
In the second season, Jinx has grown into a very large person. She now also controls more of what happens in the story. I can’t really say more without revealing something you probably don’t want to hear. But internally, we always said that we want to turn everything upside down in the second season. Who the characters are and what they believe in.
In the first season, Jinx always asked herself whether she is a bad person. With the decision at the end of the first season, she more or less says that she is the monster. That is also always in the text of Sting’s song “I’m the Monster you created.” At the end of the first season, Jinx simply accepts that.
The second season then starts with this question and whether that remains the case, as the political ambitions of other characters will also lead to significant events.
MeinMMO: You just mentioned the music and how important it is for the story and the development of the characters. You said that you thought again about how you can get more out of the music for the second season. Can you explain a bit more how you use the music to underscore the story?
Christian Linke: Sure! From the very beginning, it was just interesting for us to have these mini-music videos in the episodes because our relationship with our animation studio Fortiche began many years ago with music videos. That’s why we always wanted to find a moment in each episode where the music takes center stage.
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League of Legends opens the 2024 season with an emotional trailer
The first season was quite difficult because we were also a new studio. We had never done anything like this before.
The second season has become musically much bigger. We could now dream bigger in the second season and have found many great artists to work with who also want to go further to extremes. We will have many different genres, even more than in the first season.
MeinMMO: It’s exciting that you set something completely new in motion with the first season and had to learn a lot in the process. What were the challenges for you in the second season?
Christian Linke: Many challenges in the second season really came from the story. The characters have simply changed a lot.
That was a huge challenge for our voices. We see many other colors of the characters and fundamental changes that are not always easy to capture. That was difficult. We had to push our speakers into different directions from how they voiced the characters in the first season.
Overall, it was simply difficult to visually capture the creative ideas of the story. That might not be a satisfying answer, but you will understand it when you see it.
MeinMMO: I noticed that the teaser that was recently released has a very dark atmosphere. I found the first season surprisingly dark. For example, you see the body of a child, there is the Yordle mother. Was it ever a topic for you that the tone is so adult and dark?
Christian Linke: From the very beginning, this was something where we received quite a bit of internal pushback. Our game has a specific rating that varies in some countries. There are countries where League of Legends is rated for ages 12 and up. And we were already told that we cannot mess with the rating. Otherwise, some people may not be able to play our game.
Paying attention to the rating and making the series we believed our fans wanted are two very different things. We wanted real drama in the series and stories that have consequences. Our characters should have to make difficult decisions.
It was never the plan for there to be murder and mayhem everywhere. But ultimately, stories without consequences are not real. We also went with our gut, and as hardcore League players, we told ourselves this is the series we want to watch.
Now we just have to make sure that we don’t mess with the ratings in Season 2.
All characters have dark moments
MeinMMO: Can we expect an even darker series with Season 2 if you are still concerned about the ratings?
Christian Linke: I would say the tone remains similar. Visually, we are exploring different directions even more. We are leaning a bit more into the abstract, the dark, but also the comical. One can say that characters that one has known positively only so far, like Caitlyn, are now discovering sides of themselves that explore other emotions. All our characters have dark moments.
Caitlyn will also discover a dark side in Season 2.
MeinMMO: Behind a creative work like Arcane, there is often a message or even several. Is there a message that you have placed special emphasis on in Season 2?
Christian Linke: There are probably many messages. But I always think it’s better when we ask questions. I find it very interesting how Jinx is perceived. What has always been central for us here is the question of whether one can ever forgive a monster. Especially when it is one’s own sister.
Especially as a German who has now lived in the USA for a while. It’s very easy to write someone off. When someone goes to prison, it is often said here that life is over. I hope that in Europe, people try to reintegrate these individuals into society. Politically, everything in the world is currently very explosive and dangerous.
We also have many sides in our story that do not get along. The ones that cannot communicate with each other. And then there are figures that sit somewhat in between. I believe the story is also a reflection of our lives, that of the people working on Arcane. Our various perspectives as a very international team are reflected in that.
MeinMMO: Finally, a personal question. Do you have a favorite character in Arcane and if so, who?
Christian Linke: In League of Legends, my favorite champ is Heimerdinger. There’s no better feeling than defeating someone with Heimerdinger.
Heimerdinger will also have some special moments in the second season. There’s only that because I’m the guy who always plays Heimerdinger, and my team always rolls their eyes. Heimer gets special treatment in Arcane.
MeinMMO: Thank you for the conversation Christian, hopefully again at the start of Season 2!
Criticism of the European League LEC in League of Legends is increasing. Fans are pointing out disadvantages and negative developments that could present issues similar to those faced by the notoriously poor US league LCS. Yet, it looked so promising in 2019.
Those were the golden times of the LEC: According to fans, there are 3 things that were true about the LEC 5 years ago but are now missing. In 2019, there were:
Big rivalries in the LEC, especially between the top teams Fnatic and G2, who were in a fierce battle for dominance. Fnatic had dominated the EU LCS in 2013 and 2014. But between 2015 and 2019, Fnatic became champions 4 times, and G2 won the championship 4 times – a real rivalry developed.
Then there were major stars that fans looked up to and had come to know and appreciate over the years, such as Perkz, Caps, and Rekkles. Popular casters in the English-speaking show like Caedrel and Quickshot also shaped E-Sports.
The LEC actually had international success, managing to keep up with teams from Asia: in 2019 G2, with Perkz and Caps teaming up, made it to the finals of the LoL Worlds, only to lose to super-carry Doinb and FunPlus Phoenix.
Seen as an example of the decline of LoL, the increasing commercialization:
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LoL: Whoever wants the new skin of Faker has to pay 450 €
The LEC has significantly declined since 2019
What is the problem? All these advantages are gone today:
G2 completely dominates the league. Since 2019, G2 has been crowned champions 10 times, giving away only 4 titles, and not to Fnatic, but to Rogue and MAD Lions. This started in 2019 when Perkz swallowed his ego, switched to the bot lane, and brought rival Caps (Fnatic) to G2, leaving him the mid lane.
Almost all of the big stars are gone, or they play a minor role like Perkz does now. Only Caps is still around. No real star has emerged since.
Internationally, the golden times of 2019 are long gone. Now, it is already a major success if G2 defeats a single team from Asia, but something like the finals seems unattainable, as the teams from Asia are too advanced.
Too many splits and commercialization, too few stars and successes
This continues to be criticized: In a thread on reddit, Riot is also accused of turning the commercialization knob too hard. The “Hall of Legends” and the excessively priced Faker skin are seen as pure profiteering.
Furthermore, the introduction of the third split has diminished the value of each split.
Another user adds that they have lost Bwipo, Rekkles, and Perkz – there is no connection to the new players. Additionally, G2’s dominance and the lack of a real rivalry are significant points.
A third user adds: If Caps or Jankos were to retire now, it would be hard to remain interested in the league at all.
Many base their criticism on the English casting of the games:
Many fans miss the caster Quickshot (36). He started his career as a caster at Riot on January 10, 2013, and ended his career at Rito on March 24, 2024.
Caedrel worked for Riot Games from January 2021 to September 2023 and is currently the dominant co-streamer for LoL.
Rekkles, the star of Fnatic, is now playing in the South Korean junior league.
E-Sport is now shaped by Twitch streamers
What’s behind this: This could be dismissed as whining from people getting nostalgic and longing for a time that cannot be regained.
But it is something more profound: What we are witnessing is that E-Sport globally is shrinking, and companies like Riot Games are no longer investing as much money into their own shows with accompanying organization and storytelling, but instead, Twitch streamers are broadcasting the games as “co-casters,” leaving the staging of their league to them.
Here in Germany, rights were taken away from the long-time partner Summoner’s Inn and given to a single Twitch streamer. This is similar internationally.
The games and leagues are no longer predominantly organized by Riot, who would also take care of the presentation, but the most important channels in each country are well-known LoL casters, who moderate these games alone or in teams. 6 people are allowed to co-stream the LEC:
The LCS has 9 official co-streamers, mainly consisting of stars from the last generation such as Doublelift, Meteos, or Sneaky.
Those were the days: Super-carry Doinb (left) became world champion in 2019. Caps (right) defeated Faker in the semifinals.
This focus on co-casting rather than a grand show makes it harder for viewers to follow the “sport-entertainment” storylines similar to wrestling.
Additionally, it must be said harshly that the LEC has lost touch with China and South Korea. It is hard to cheer for G2 all year and then see that the team is 2 or 3 steps behind the stars from China.
With Skyrim and Fallout 4, Bethesda landed two major gaming hits in the 2010s. Todd Howard has now discussed in an interview that he is annoyed they did not support both games like service games on a permanent basis.
What kind of interview was that? The interview was conducted by YouTuber MrMattyPlays. He currently has over 320,000 subscribers on YouTube. You can also find him on Twitch, where he currently has 31,484 followers.
The interview with Todd Howard was published by MrMattyPlays on June 16, 2024, on his YouTube channel. In just over an hour, they discussed Fallout, Starfield, and Elder Scrolls 6 among other topics.
Fallout 76 is also a topic in the interview. New content for it has already been announced:
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The new trailer for Fallout 76: Skyline Valley teases exciting innovations for 2025
Starfield gets a 10-year plan – Because Skyrim didn’t have one
What exactly did Todd Howard say? In the conversation, Todd Howard explained that he regrets not having supported Skyrim and Fallout 4 more significantly over the long term. Both games still receive (smaller) bug fixes and have been expanded with several DLCs or add-ons. However, for Starfield, they already have a 10-year horizon.
The expectation that we will update [Elder Scrolls 6] over many years exists, says Howard, When we look at Skyrim, which we are still updating to a limited extent, and all the creations and mods, [then it is] still a very popular game.
Specifically, he mentions Fallout 4: [We treated] Fallout 4 the same way, but we wish we had supported [the games] longer.
The first game they explicitly wanted to support long-term was Fallout 76 – a live-service game. Todd Howard says about this:
With [Fallout] 76, we knew: “Hey, this is a game that we will support for as long as possible. With Starfield, we approach it with the same understanding. And when we tackle Elder Scrolls 6, we need to start thinking about a 10-year horizon now.
Todd Howard in interview with MrMattyPlays, June 16, 2024
Why would Bethesda have wanted to support Skyrim and Fallout 4 longer? Skyrim and Fallout 4 are two of the best-selling games worldwide: Fallout 4 currently has around 25 million copies sold, while Skyrim has an impressive over 60 million since launch.
Skyrim is also now (almost) 13 years old. With such high sales figures and still high player counts (about 18,700 players of the Special Edition on average monthly according to Steamcharts), one can assume that additional DLCs and add-ons would have also sold well.
Fallout 4 is similar. Here too, a longer provision for the player base would likely have paid off for both sides.
At the same time, it is also the case that there is regularly new content for both games – just not from Bethesda. Especially the modding community of Skyrim has released over 60,000 mods for the game over the years alone on Nexusmods. Fallout 4 can at least boast over 48,000 mods.
Players of World of Warcraft go through several phases, from joy to frustration. Which one are you currently in?
World of Warcraft has become more than just a game for many players. Over the course of 20 years, this MMORPG has become an integral part of life and many players are inseparable from the world of Azeroth. However, in more than a decade, each of us has probably had a time when WoW simply didn’t bring the usual fun – particularly the looming content drought in Shadowlands has driven some players to take a break.
But each of us knows them and has probably experienced them: the 10 phases in the life of a WoW player.
Note: The article originally dates back to 2020, we updated it to reflect The War Within in 2024.
You can view the trailer for the next WoW expansion here:
Start video
WoW: The War Within – All the major features of the new expansion
Phase 1: The Perfect World
“There’s so much to do and always something to experience. Time flies, and I can’t keep up with all the content!”
The happiest time for every WoW player. There are many different experiences to be had, and something new awaits at every corner of Azeroth. Whether it’s dungeons, PvP battles, pet battles, hunting achievements, or simply cozy campfire RP at the lake in Stormwind.
Everything can be exciting, as much is new and unknown. Newcomers experience this phase, as do veterans returning after a long time who have to find their way again.
Phase 2: The Specialization
“Finally raiding and tackling mythic dungeons. I want to improve and constantly set new records with the guild!”
Specialization in WoW – some become PvE friends, others prefer PvP.
Sooner or later, everyone specializes a bit in World of Warcraft. Some focus on PvP, others on PvE or small side activities. One enjoys collecting pets, while another loves increasing achievement points. Some even play the “auction house game” and collect as much gold as possible. Why? Because they can.
Other activities lose value, and those who could previously be excited about many things now focus all their attention on the one goal: the best equipment, the highest PvP rating, or the largest pet collection.
“Another belt in the loot box… can’t there be something in there that I still need?”
Not the desired loot again. Frustration sets in.
Slowly but surely, you become an expert in the area you chose. Improvements from dungeons and raids are now hard to come by. Most pets have been caught. In PvP, the peak of what is possible seems to have been reached. Although you could still improve a bit in all areas, it would take a lot of time and effort. Meanwhile, the content is starting to feel a bit stale – after all, you’ve been doing nothing else for months.
Frustration arises and the longing for something new. At the same time, you don’t want to give up what you’ve achieved. After all, you’ve invested so many hours into this task!
Phase 4: Sense of Duty
“Yeah, come on. Let’s quickly down the last boss so we can get it over with.”
Playing out of a sense of duty – after all, you’re a committed group.
Fun has been pushed to the background for a long time now. Nowadays, most activities are pursued out of a sense of duty or habit. After all, you don’t want to let the guild down, and what would they do without you? Besides, every Friday evening has been a group activity in WoW, and humans are creatures of habit.
Apart from these mandatory dates, you’re still online in World of Warcraft, but not doing anything really productive. You’re standing in Orgrimmar and Stormwind, waiting around, following the server troll’s discussions in the trade chat, and feeling a bit unsatisfied with everything – but not so unsatisfied that you would stop playing.
Phase 5: Maximum Irritation
“How does Blizzard always come up with such garbage ideas? It’s obvious that the developers don’t play their own game. Even I could do it better.”
Your teammates wonder what’s bothering you – the answer is simple: everything.
Not only are you clearly annoyed by the game, but your teammates are also starting to get irritated by you – even if you don’t realize it. The current game design is trash and “always the same.” The changes announced for the future are also garbage, and you can’t understand what kind of idiots must be working there.
Your bad mood also affects your teammates, whose enjoyment in group activities is slowly diminishing as a result. Little by little, everyone loses the fun, and ultimately, you end up canceling your subscription.
“Why are you still playing this game? Since the developers made [any change], everything has been crap! Back in the day, WoW was still challenging, today it’s just for casuals!”
Everything is terrible! Everything is crap!
Finally, you see clearly. You were addicted to World of Warcraft. You were foolish. You simply didn’t know what a really good game should look like and wasted your time on the biggest trash ever programmed.
Don’t all the other stupid sheep see that Blizzard just wants to take their money? Don’t they realize that new content is solely intended to keep the mindless player herd trapped in the spiral for as long as possible?
Obviously, they don’t, because they aren’t as enlightened as you. But you know how to fix that. On news sites, in the subreddit, and in the official forum, you repeatedly proclaim that you haven’t played WoW in a long time because everyone needs to know that. Maybe, you hope, all those players will wake up.
After all, you’ve just discovered [any game] and it is the gaming revelation of the century! If you just repeat it often and persistently enough, surely the WoW idiots will appreciate your game too.
Phase 7: Crystal Ball of Disappointment
“Oh lol, now they’re really ruining the character. If [former Blizzard employee] saw what they made of his character, he would turn in his grave.”
Blizzard is ruining it! You are sure of that.
Blizzard has announced a new expansion for World of Warcraft. Amazing that this garbage game, which probably no one plays anymore, is getting another addon.
Well, it’s probably going to be the same old crap as always. New dungeons, new continents. They can shove that old graphics and outdated combat system where the sun doesn’t shine.
Most importantly: What kind of stupid story is in that trailer? Why is [Character X] suddenly so different? Why has [Character Y] become so weak? Blizzard is once again ruining its own lore, but you have been used to that for a long time.
The developers even blatantly claim that this time they will implement feedback and want to improve some aspects of the game. Luckily, you’re already familiar with that blah blah. Ever since [Developer A] left, everything has gone downhill!
“You’ve always been a Blizzard fanboy. You would still defend WoW even if the developers wanted a euro for every login.”
Others are just having fun while you complain. How stupid are they all?!
One of your friends got into the beta and raves about how great the new areas are. But he is one of those incorrigible sheep who will hang onto WoW for their entire life and will never be able to let go. What a knob.
Sure, what he’s saying does sound kind of cool – but he’s probably seeing it through rose-colored glasses.
You continue to let your skepticism run free. You eagerly comment on announcements, developer interviews, or player speculations. After all, the others must stop having fun. Don’t they still see that the addon is going to be trash and WoW is being pushed even further in another direction?
Phase 9: The Sweet Temptation
“You still play WoW? Aren’t you getting too old for that? I’ve outgrown it. The graphics give me eye cancer.”
They just don’t want to listen…
The expansion has been released. All your friends are playing again, hanging out on Discord and experiencing their first adventures in the new world. You haven’t managed to convert them to [any game]. If you’re honest, you’re not really playing it anymore either, as there’s also a bit of air out of that.
Cunning as Blizzard is, they’ve given you a test access for 3 days so you can check out the new expansion.
Well, what could it hurt? At least you can see for yourself that World of Warcraft is practically dead and that this expansion is the final nail in the coffin that will surely bury the game for good.
Phase 10: The Cycle
“Damn.”
You couldn’t resist and renewed your WoW subscription. Return to Phase 1.
So, which phase are you currently in?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A Titan ring that supports you decoratively, to train and sleep more restfully. We present to you the Amazfit Helio Ring.
What can the Amazfit Helio Ring do? The smart ring, which will soon be available in sizes 10 and 12 (via Amazfit website), is designed to monitor your health and sleep. It will be priced around 300 euros. The surface is coated with a titanium alloy.
According to the manufacturer, the corresponding app, which communicates via Bluetooth, will be compatible with Android starting from version 7.0 and from version 14 for iOS. The ring is also waterproof up to 10 ATM.
Start video
Starfield shows the Chronomark watch of the Constellation Edition
A package of sensors
Which sensors are installed? Devices for monitoring body temperature and heart rate are used; additionally, the ring detects movement for fitness tracking via a 3-axis accelerometer and a gyroscope. Furthermore, an EDA sensor is installed. This registers the change in the skin’s conductivity in response to emotional stress.
How does the ring aim to improve my sleep? The app compiles all data during the night, enabling monitoring of light, deep, and REM sleep phases as well as your breathing quality during sleep, according to the provider. After the analysis, the app suggests ways to enhance the quality of your sleep.
How long does the battery last? Amazfit states that the ring lasts about four days on average usage without recharging. For a complete recharge, the 20.5 mAh battery takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. The process is done wirelessly.
I already have the Amazfit Balance watch, can they work together? According to the manufacturer, they can be used side by side without issues. The data is automatically combined in the app. However, the watch is not necessary for the ring to make sense. It works alone as well.
What about third-party providers? Synchronization with third-party apps like Google Fit, Apple Health, or komoot and others is also possible.
Much more than just a gadget for the finger are the quasi-magical suits worn by the desert dwellers of Dune, the Fremen. Almost no or even any excreted water is lost, securing survival in the deserts of Arrakis. In this article, we introduce you to some Youtubers who have improvised a functioning replica in just one day: The desert suits from Dune sound too good to work – fans built one and are surprised
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Jumanji is an iconic movie featuring Robin Williams. The titular board game makes life difficult for the protagonists, but in reality, the game is not that hard and could be completed in 5 minutes. One should have just read the rules.
What is Jumanji? This refers to the board game that appeared in the film with Robin Williams in 1995. The video game from Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level is irrelevant here. The children Judy and Peter move into the former home of the missing Alan. In this house, they find an old dice game. However, it is not just a simple game, but a curse that brings various obstacles from the game to life.
The difficulty of Jumanji is not playing the game, but surviving the animals and natural disasters that materialize during the game. As Randy Meeks from Sensacine points out, Jumanji can, however, be finished in a matter of minutes.
You can find the German trailer for the cult classic here:
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Jumanji – Trailer for the cult film with Robin Williams
Just try to roll as quickly as possible
In his article, Meeks notes that the protagonists of the film should have simply rolled as quickly as possible. Instead of running or looking at what the next obstacle in the real world causes, each player should have played as fast as they could.
One might argue that the dangers in the real world are deadly, but there are also rules that can be circumvented, as user kinyutaka points out on Reddit.
You must face the danger that the game board sends. […] These dangers focus on the person whose turn it is, but they can also affect the whole group.
This means that not everyone has to try to flee from the dangers or find out what dangers arise, but only the person who just rolled. At the same time, Meeks points out that it is not defined where one plays the game and only the person who is currently rolling needs to be present. If they had tactically split up, they could have rolled more efficiently.
However, it must also be emphasized that rolling quickly sounds easier than it actually is. The threats are dangerous for everyone, including the other players. As one can see with the hunter, the dangers do not disappear when new fields are rolled quickly. Moreover, they are children who are exposed to great dangers and not spectators with sober logic.
Furthering this thought experiment, one must also consider that the demonic game Jumanji cannot simply be outsmarted. As seen in the later films, it is difficult to destroy the game at all. A big internet star almost had a cameo in the sequel to Jumanji: Ninja planned an acting debut in a Hollywood film – scene was cut
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On June 18, 2024, Pax Dei entered Early Access phase. However, the early access did not go smoothly at all. Many buyers are struggling with technical issues. Additionally, some MMORPG fans are disappointed with the scope and direction of the game.
Those who have read the play report from MeinMMO from the last alpha test phase of Pax Dei know: The sandbox MMORPG from Mainframe Industries balances between several genres and has several issues that need to be addressed urgently. Those expecting a classic online role-playing game will be disappointed.
Exactly this is now reflected in the impressions of many buyers of the freshly launched Early Access version of Pax Dei. On Steam, the sandbox adventure currently has just over 500 reviews, of which only 41 percent are positive. At peak times, there were over 10,382 players online in Pax Dei via Steam (via steamdb.info).
The trailer for the launch of the Early Access version of Pax Dei:
Start video
Pax Dei: Trailer for the Early Access launch shows beautiful medieval world
What does the community criticize in detail? In their reviews on Steam, as well as on other platforms like reddit, many players take the time to dissect Pax Dei thoroughly. Here is a selection of the major points of criticism:
Many Pax Dei adventurers complain about lags, bugs, poor server instability, and performance problems.
The limited scope of the Early Access version is criticized, as is the current state of elements like the user interface and systems like combat.
Pax Dei often feels like a typical survival game but does nothing better than its strong competitors.
Games like Enshrouded have the better, more refined building system.
Pax Dei wants to be a social MMO, but important features like trading and currency are not yet implemented, and even the chat leaves much to be desired.
Progression is very slow and grindy. It takes time to acquire important recipes, discover all essential resources, and equip your character well enough to take on bears and other foes. When playing solo, the grind factor noticeably increases.
Here and there, it is also criticized that there are no clear statements regarding the final payment model and the amount of the monthly subscription.
Many of the critics draw a comparable conclusion: In its current state, Pax Dei is not worth 40 to 100 euros. A “product refunded” label looms beneath various negative reviews.
The graphics of Pax Dei receive much praise, but the performance is difficult.
Where Shadows Fall, There is Also Light
Is there also praise from the community? In the positive reviews (after all, 41 percent of 500+), the solid foundation is often praised and the potential that the Early Access version of Pax Dei offers is highlighted.
The user Womp even compares the game to a popular classic (via Steam):
“This game is made for people who loved Star Wars Galaxies. Building is fun and not restrictive, the skills are tricky and rewarding, and it is slow. Players make cute outfits and dress up, and engage in role-playing. They build taverns, houses, and shops which they then operate. They commission other players, trade, and chat. It’s fun.”
Many players also express great enthusiasm about the stylish graphics of the game world, which uses Unreal Engine 5. Especially if you own a computer that runs Pax Dei smoothly at high settings, excitement spreads.
In Pax Dei, you can pursue a career as a blacksmith and provide other players with armors and weapons.
How does MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz evaluate the feedback as well as the Early Access version of Pax Dei? Many of the criticisms show that some of the statements made prior to the EA launch by Mainframe Industries did not resonate with parts of the community.
The developers emphasized beforehand that buyers should expect a genuine Early Access phase, with many issues, missing features, and server wipes.
Moreover, they clarified a few days ago on the official website what Pax Dei is not: not a theme park MMO, not a medieval simulation, not a survival game, not a fast-paced game, not a game for single players (via Mainframe Industries).
Additionally, there were numerous play reports from the alpha test phase, thanks to which it was clear what kind of gaming experience Pax Dei currently offers. Various buyers of the founder’s packages seem to have started the Early Access phase quite uninformed, leading to a nasty surprise.
What can also be credited to the developers: On the official Discord channel, there were regular status updates well into the night (03:34 AM). Mainframe Industries was visibly eager to resolve the worst issues promptly. However, it will likely take some time before Pax Dei becomes a recommendable game.
In FC 24, new tasks have appeared for the EURO 2024. If you complete them, you will be rewarded with a decent amount of XP. However, some tasks are hidden behind a riddle. We have the solutions for you.
What are these secret tasks? The new secret tasks are part of the task block “EURO Highlights”. These are meant to remind you of historical moments, teams, or players in the history of the European Championship. You have until July 11 to complete the tasks.
EURO Highlights consists of 5 sub-tasks. Each of these tasks gives you 400 XP when completed. For finishing the entire block, you will receive another 400 XP as a bonus.
3 of the 5 tasks are puzzling and expect you to search for a solution. Here, you can see all the solutions at a glance.
Start video
EA Sports FC 24: Update teaser for the UEFA Euro 2024
EURO Highlights: All solutions for the secret tasks
Below, we briefly summarize the riddles for you and then present the solution. You can complete the tasks in any mode of Ultimate Team.
Le Roi
Riddle: we are looking for the country of a player who scored 9 goals in 5 games in 1984
This is the solution for Le Roi: The Frenchman Michel Platini is the player we are looking for. So grab a player from France and score 9 goals with him in any mode.
Unique
Riddle: we are looking for the professional with the most goals and most games in European Championships
This is the solution for Unique: The Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo is the player we are looking for. With one of his 6 versions in Ultimate Team, you need to score at least 2 goals in 5 separate matches. However, obtaining a Ronaldo card for less than 600,000 coins is currently very problematic because everyone needs CR7.
Trophy Cabinet
Riddle: we are looking for the two nations that have already been European champions 3 times
This is the solution for Trophy Cabinet: The countries meant are Germany and Spain. Create a team with at least 5 Spaniards and 5 Germans and win 4 matches with them.
The tasks can be very well combined. You can build a complete team of Germans and Spaniards to achieve full chemistry. Just add a Ronaldo card and a French player on the bench. Substitute them during the game to score goals with these players. Some have already made history, while others want to write a new success story. With our Make Your Mark Tracker, you can accompany the stars on their journey.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Parallel to the announcement of the release date of Throne and Liberty, an article appeared on the official website of Amazon Games, in which the publisher, as well as developer NCSoft, comment on the upcoming launch in the West.
In South Korea, Throne and Liberty was already released in 2023. However, the MMORPG fell short of NCSoft’s expectations there. Consequently, the leadership of the team changed. Ahn Jong-ok is reported to have stepped down from his position. Executive Director Moonyoung Kap is now setting the direction, and is openly considering a mobile port.
What influence does Amazon Games have on Throne and Liberty? Similar to Lost Ark, the studio behind New World is handling tasks such as localization, marketing, publishing, and management of the live service.
In an article on the official website of Amazon Games (via amazongames.com), Moonyoung Kap explains what fruits this collaboration has already borne:
Even though some international players are already enjoying the experience on Korean servers, we do not often have the opportunity to gather and evaluate comprehensive feedback. Thanks to the collaboration with Amazon Games, we received feedback from a broad audience of global users.
Amazon Games did not simply dismiss user needs as demands. They convinced our team through various reports and data of why certain changes were necessary and how many users would welcome them.
Moonyoung Kap, Camp Captain at NCSoft for Throne and Liberty
According to Daniel Lafuente, Globalization Design Manager at Amazon Games, the direction Throne and Liberty has taken over the past year has been significantly shaped by the hosting of public testing phases and the insights gained from them.
The adjustments arising from the insights aim to ensure that Throne and Liberty “hits the mark with a global audience” upon launch in September. How? By improving the core experience while preserving “what makes Throne and Liberty so great.”
The new trailer for Throne and Liberty introduces you to the world of Solisium:
Start video
Throne and Liberty: New trailer reveals release date, introduces the fantasy world of Solisium
The Strengths of Throne and Liberty
What is to characterize the MMORPG? Throne and Liberty places a strong emphasis on content where large groups of players can cooperate or compete against each other, such as siege battles, guild wars, and world boss challenges.
“For many, Throne and Liberty offers a seamless gaming experience, even in environments where many players meet. This is one of the strengths of the game. A multiplayer online RPG is distinguished from a single-player adventure by the large number of players. That is why we are very proud of the technical skills of our development team.”
Daniel Lafuente emphasizes this strength of the MMORPG:
The game is based on a few really powerful technologies that make massive PvP battles and events, where thousands of players compete against each other, and the smooth experience we have all learned to love, possible.
I love the pursuit of greatness and spectacle, but what excites me the most is the focus on the community. Throne and Liberty has an exceptionally deep guild system that allows players to face challenges together with friends. It’s the perfect mix of modern features for cooperation on such a large scale.
Daniel Lafuente, Globalization Design Manager at Amazon Games
What advantages do guilds offer in T&L? Moonseop Lee also has an answer to this question: “In Throne and Liberty, many goals can be achieved through guilds, such as guild leaderboards, conquest battles, or castle sieges. Guilds are at the heart of strategic, competitive battles.
Guild members pursue common goals hand in hand and benefit from a guild reward system. This includes receiving raid items and rewards from events that are shared among members. However, the greatest incentive of a guild is the sense of belonging. You always have a companion at your side.”
Throne and Liberty focuses on content for large groups of players.
What are conquest battles? Conquest battles are large PvP events in which guilds compete against each other for two objective goals: blessing stones and discord stones. The guild that controls one of the two stones receives valuable bonuses and guild resources. Furthermore, the guild that possesses a discord stone is granted the exclusive opportunity to challenge a daily field boss.
What happens during castle sieges? In castle sieges, players compete against each other to capture a … you guessed it … castle. In these chaotic battles, sophisticated strategies are supposed to lead to victory.
The attackers must strategically divide their forces, effectively use unique elements like golems, and secure respawn points. Smaller guilds are also intended to participate and contribute, for example, by taking over looting sites to collect taxes.
Which animal form from Throne and Liberty should it be?
What else does Throne and Liberty offer? In the MMORPG, you can expect PvPvE dungeons, a classless character system that allows you to switch between two weapon types at any time, as well as a game world that is supposed to make exploration feel rewarding.
The latter is supposed to be supported both by the dynamic transformations into animal forms and by the way the game world reacts to weather phenomena. Torrential floods, for example, can inundate areas extensively.
What experience does Amazon Games have with MMORPGs? Amazon’s Games division has already shown that it can handle successful MMORPG launches with New World (internally developed) and Lost Ark (developed by Smilegate).
With 1,324,761 (Lost Ark, rank 4) and 913,027 (New World, rank 7) concurrent active players, it has managed to etch itself into the all-time top 10 on Steam (via steamcharts.com) not just once but twice. However, retaining a large number of players long-term has not yet succeeded. Both MMORPGs have suffered from various issues since their respective launches, which persist to this day.
The comparison with Lost Ark arises not only because Amazon Games acts as a publisher for another Asian developer here. The payment model will also be comparable in T&L (Free2Play with in-game shop).
Thus, Amazon Games’s goal for T&L must be to create a foundation for the launch in September that avoids the issues of Lost Ark (bots, grind/random factor in endgame, overwhelm) and builds an active community in the long term. More information about the new MMORPG: Amazon Games is bringing Throne and Liberty in September – trailer, date, and open beta
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Gronkh shares his personal sports tip with his community on Twitch to stay motivated.
What sports trick does Gronkh share? In one of his recent streams, Gronkh talks about how he stays active. When asked where he keeps all his sports equipment, he answers that he has everything set up in the living room. The reason for this is that he can watch Animes while exercising.
„Stop giving me money against my will“ – This is how confused Gronkh was by his first donation on Twitch
“I need some motivation”
Why does Gronkh do this? Gronkh explains in his stream on Twitch that he needs it to have motivation to exercise. He compares it to people who always need music to work out; he needs the Animes for exercising. With this perspective, he seems to find a lot of resonance in his community.
When asked how his partner feels about him filling the living room with fitness equipment, he starts laughing: Yes, yes, she always hates me when I do that, but not in a bad way, of course.
Reactions from the community: Although the tip may not seem new to many in the community, some agree that it also helps them motivate themselves for sports. Some users write under the clip on TikTok:
Nerozar writes: Same here. Either I’m watching something or gaming on the console.
Mr.&Mrs. LvL Up comment: Please, what could be better than having a pedal trainer in the living room and gaming at the same time? It’s a total game-changer.
mrsbrown_eye notes: First a round of Sailormoon on the treadmill.
Elden Ring will receive its long-awaited DLC in just a few days. While most fans are still eagerly waiting for the release, I was already given the chance to enter the Shadow Lands and suffer. The content and bosses were impressive, but what drove me to the edge of madness was the map.
With my 10 years of Souls experience in various FromSoftware games, I was thrilled when the editorial team gave me the opportunity to play the DLC before anyone else. I downloaded the update, picked my best build, and immediately threw myself into the Shadow Lands. I thought, “If the DLC is as big as Limgrave, I’ll be through in less than 12 hours” – ha, was I naive.
Alongside the most intense bosses I have ever fought, it was primarily the map that kept me occupied the longest. Everyone wants an overview of the individual areas, but in order to achieve that in the DLC, you will either get lost for hours or resign in despair.
Who is writing here? 10 years in the fascinating universes of Hidetaka Miyazaki and still, MeinMMO author Christos Tsogos can’t get enough of the relentless worlds of Souls games. From Demon Souls to Elden Ring, he has completed it all and platinumed each game. With much experience in bosses and a good sense of navigation, Christos maneuvered through the Souls content like it was nothing, yet the DLC even slowed down our expert and showed him that experience alone is not enough.
In the DLC, everything is winding, including the map
In Elden Ring, there is the majestic Erd Tree – straightforward and pure like the Golden Order. In the Shadow Lands, the Scad Tree – winding and decayed. If you want to explain how complicated the map of the DLC is, just look at the gloomy tree from a distance. Trailers and images from FromSoftware already showed the black Scad Tree on the horizon of the Shadow Lands.
Two trees tightly intertwined – the Scad Tree
I knew the expansion would be complex, but I didn’t expect such complexity. Before I wanted to search the entire map for secrets, I wanted to unlock the map. As usual, fragments must be collected for this, and there are only 5 in total, instead of the 19 examples that could be found in the Interlands.
When you unlock the first part of the map, you would think that the areas of the Shadow Lands are simple, vertical, and easily accessible, but I spent 3 days wandering around the world trying to figure out how to uncover them. It drove me so crazy that I had to take several breaks to avoid completely losing my mind.
Even though the map demoralized me, I have to say that the team behind the DLC did a fantastic job. The expansion gives you the feeling that you don’t belong here. You are supposed to feel lost and disoriented, and that is exactly what the map’s design creates. Although I have now unlocked the entire map, I still get lost and forget paths that I had already discovered.
In addition to the complex map design, there is also praise for the scope of the DLC. Hidetaka Miyazaki promised a lot regarding the content, and I must say, FromSoftware has outdone themselves. I couldn’t collect all items like weapons or armor, but according to Fextralife (source: youtube.com), there are the following contents:
8 new weapon types
95 new weapons
10 new shields
39 new talismans
14 new spells
28 new summons
20 new spirit ashes
25 new war ashes
30 new armor sets
I was already overwhelmed by the amount of upcoming content only to find out that I had only collected half of it. Many users are excited about the information regarding the content density and express their excitement on Reddit:
“Basically, we have a game within the game. The Elden Ring will definitely not be the same after Friday” – Lightjumper0103
“The excitement/magic is back after a few years, the seconds are being counted down” – Dubbs09
“Their servers will finally melt down” – Serious_Ad_1037
“30 new armor sets! More to collect. MORE TO COLLECT.” – astraldreamer1
“I just collected at least one weapon, one talisman or one piece of armor this week. I can’t wait to collect so much more” – ItsRainingTrees
The DLC will not stay behind closed doors for long. It is set to launch in Germany at midnight on June 21. Players will then be able to venture into the Interlands, defeat Messmer, and uncover the secrets of Miquella and Queen Marika. I, for one, was shocked by the ending, and I believe you will be as well. We’ll see each other in the Shadow Lands, Stained.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In World of Warcraft: The War Within, your character cannot complete all quests. Because some tasks are not suitable for you.
With The War Within, there is the usual truckload of new quests for World of Warcraft. Every area is full of them, thus advancing the story. However, with the new expansion, there are some missions that are not intended for all types of heroes. Only those who play with evil forces can see them.
The latest trailer for WoW: The War Within:
Start video
WoW: Trailer for the release date of The War Within
What kind of quests are these? In The War Within, there are some quests that can only be accepted and completed by certain classes or races. For example, on the island of Thorn, only Demon Hunters or Warlocks can accept a mission to catch a demon. However, there is also a quest in Healing Fall that many will never see.
Who is the quest for? The quest “Prove One’s Mettle” is available from Derill Fayn in Healing Fall, after you have completed a few other tasks for him. It is only accessible to the following characters:
Void Elves (Race)
Forsaken / Undead (Race)
Demon Hunter (Class)
Death Knight (Class)
Warlock (Class)
Shadow Priest (Specialization)
Members of these groups will hear derogatory comments from Derill in advance, such as: “Once a creature of the shadows, always a creature of the shadows.”
Derill wants extra proof that he can trust you – he lets you fight against shadows. (Image source: wowhead)
WoW players must prove they fight on the side of light
What happens in the quest? The quest is basically an extra mission to prove to an NPC that you are really fighting on the side of light and not for the darkness. The Arathi Derill Fayn wants you to kill a “manifestation of darkness,” which is essentially the essence of shadows. He doesn’t really believe that you will help, as he thinks you serve the shadows and will abandon him.
So, he is quite surprised when you stand by him and help to vanquish the shadows. Afterwards, he is a bit friendlier towards you and seems to respect that even heroes with shadow or void magic can contribute.
Why is Blizzard doing this? In the past, Blizzard has often included small details that can only be used or seen by certain races or classes. For instance, priests in “Battle for Azeroth” had different interactions with Xal’atath, as they already knew the shadowy lady from Legion. Elsewhere, red dragons react very sensitively to death knights, as they destroyed many dragon eggs in the past.
It is clear that Blizzard wants to show with such mini-quests or additional dialogues that you are not just the interchangeable, nameless hero of Azeroth, but that your own character is recognized in some ways. It makes a difference whether you are a human paladin or a Ren’dorei warlock.
At the same time, Blizzard also ensures with such quests that everyone can somewhat identify within the game world. Especially in Healing Fall, the story revolves strongly around the Holy Light and its powers – which could make a warlock, void elf, or demon hunter feel out of place.
