Console players are already envious of how Valorant deals with cheaters on PS5 and Xbox

Valorant has been playable in beta on Xbox Series and PS5 since June 14, 2024. The first shooter fans are already diligently testing the console version of the tactical shooter and sharing their impressions on social media. A particularly large discussion was sparked by Riot’s handling of cheaters on PS5 and Xbox Series X, as players of another tactical shooter are envious of the strict measures.

How is cheating done on consoles? The biggest cheating problem in shooters on consoles is the use of mouse and keyboard (often referred to as “MnK”) in games that do not support mouse and keyboard play. This applies, for example, to the console version of Valorant, but also to Ubisoft’s tactical shooter Rainbow Six: Siege.

In both games, mouse and keyboard control is not natively supported. Players who still want to play with mouse and keyboard resort to so-called spoofers. These are devices that trick the console into thinking a controller is being used when it is not.

In both Rainbow Six: Siege and Valorant, the use of mouse and keyboard on consoles is considered cheating. Ubisoft and Riot take a clear stance on this and impose penalties when players still use mouse and keyboard on consoles. However, the penalties imposed by Riot Games in Valorant are received much better by players than those from Ubisoft.

Start video
Riot Games shows the console version of Valorant

How does Valorant deal with MnK players? If a player is caught using a mouse and keyboard in Valorant, they are banned and the match is immediately ended – no one loses MMR (points in ranked) or has to waste their time in games against cheaters.

Riot Games states very clearly:

Mouse and keyboard are not supported, and attempts to use them on consoles (e.g., spoofing) will lead to a ban. Valorant for consoles is intended to be played with a controller.

Developers of Valorant on the use of mouse and keyboard on console via riotgames.com

How does Rainbow Six: Siege deal with MnK players? In Rainbow Six: Siege, console players who use mouse and keyboard are not banned. Instead, since 2023 there has been a so-called MouseTrap system.

If “MouseTrap” detects that a player on console is using a mouse and keyboard, that player receives what is known as input lag. Input lag manifests itself, for example, through delayed movements – the player might move their mouse, but the corresponding action in the game only occurs with a noticeable delay.

With Year 9 Season 4, players who have been detected using a spoofer three times to play with mouse and keyboard on console will also be added to the PC matchmaking player pool for 90 days.

“What has Ubisoft actually been doing for years?”

Why are players now envious of Valorant? A Reddit user shared a video in the Rainbow Six: Siege subreddit showing a player banned in Valorant on console for using a spoofer.

The user writes: “Valorant has just been released on consoles and they have already started banning Xim cheaters. What has Ubisoft actually been doing for years?” The user criticizes Ubisoft’s approach with their post and sounds envious of Valorant’s system.

Here you can see the user’s video on Reddit:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Reddit that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Reddit content

Other Reddit users also criticize the MouseTrap system in the comments and praise Valorant for issuing bans. Many players wish Ubisoft would also ban players instead of just giving them input lag.

Rainbow Six: Siege has had a problem with “mouse and keyboard” players on consoles for years. They have a significant advantage in Ubisoft’s shooter because there is no aim assist like in Call of Duty or Apex Legends to help controller players aim.

Ubisoft also has to face a lot of criticism in the current season of Rainbow: Six Siege because they added a new feature to the tactical shooter that is not well received by players: Ubisoft is considering a new feature for their most successful shooter and everyone hates it immediately.

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

ASUS ROG Ally X: Everything you should know before the release of the gaming handheld

The ASUS ROG Ally X is the successor to the ROG Ally and one of the most exciting competitors to the Steam Deck. MeinMMO has gathered all the important information for you and explains what you should pay attention to before making a purchase.

The manufacturer ASUS showcased the ROG Ally X at Computex 2024. The device was introduced as a successor to the popular ROG Ally. But is an upgrade or a new purchase really worth it?

MeinMMO presents you with all the important information regarding the ROG Ally X.

[toc]

ROG Ally X: Price and Pre-order

How much will the ROG Ally X cost? The ROG Ally X will cost 899 euros at release, making it significantly more expensive than its predecessor. For comparison:

  • The ROG Ally launched at a suggested retail price of 799 euros.
  • The Steam Deck OLED costs 679.00 euros with 1 TB of storage.
  • The Lenovo Legion Go cost 699 euros at release.

Can the ROG Ally X be pre-ordered? Yes, you can currently pre-order the handheld directly from Asus.

Oops, unfortunately this affiliate widget is no longer available.

ROG Ally X Release

When will the ROG Ally X be released? The ROG Ally X will be released on July 22, 2024. You can already pre-order the handheld.

ROG Ally X Specs

What are the specs of the ROG Ally X? ASUS has made some adjustments and specifications with the ROG Ally X. While the processor remains the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, other things have changed more significantly. You can find all the details in the following table:

ROG Ally X vs ROG Ally:

ASUS ROG Ally XASUS ROG Ally
ProcessorRyzen Z1 ExtremeRyzen Z1 Extreme
Graphics CardAMD Radeon: 12CUs, up to 2.7 GHz, up to 8.6 TeraflopsAMD Radeon: 12CUs, up to 2.7 GHz, up to 8.6 Teraflops
RAM24GB LPDDRX516GB LPDDR5
Storage1TB PCIe Gen4 M.2 SSD500 GB PCIe Gen4 M.2 SSD
Battery and Power Supply80 WHrs with 65 watt power supply40 WHrs with 65 watt power supply
Operating SystemWindows 11 HomeWindows 11 Home
Wi-Fi and BluetoothWi-Fi 6E (802.11ax, Triple band 2×2) and Bluetooth 5.2Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax, Triple band 2×2) and Bluetooth 5.2

ROG Ally X: Differences from ROG Ally

What differences are there? The ROG Ally differs significantly from its predecessor, the ROG Ally. We summarize all the similarities and differences for you.

Design and Ergonomics:

  • The ROG Ally X is black and no longer white.
  • The grips are rounder and the trigger buttons are wider.
  • The ROG Ally X weighs slightly more than its predecessor (70 grams).
  • ASUS uses Hall effect joysticks in the Ally X, which are said to be better against stick drift.

RAM, Storage, and Connections:

  • The battery is twice as large (40 WHrs vs 80 WHrs).
  • The RAM is larger (16 vs 24 GB) and faster (6,400 MT/s vs 7,500 MT/s).
  • The storage is larger, and ASUS has opted for an M.2 2280 SSD, which is significantly more common than the M2 2242 SSD found in the ROG Ally.
  • Thunderbolt 4 instead of XG-Mobile interface: The proprietary connector for ROG XG Mobile eGPUs has been removed, and instead, a USB-C connector with Thunderbolt 4 has been used.

What remains the same?

  • The display remains an IPS display with 120 Hz, 16:9 aspect ratio, and Full HD resolution.
  • The Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor remains identical.
  • The ROG Ally continues to use Windows 11.

ROG Ally X vs. Steam Deck OLED

The quick facts in comparison:

  • Price: The Steam Deck is slightly cheaper compared to the ROG Ally: The ROG Ally X starts at a suggested retail price of 799 euros, while the Steam Deck OLED costs “only” 679 euros.
  • Hardware: The ROG Ally X offers better hardware, a better display, and overall more performance.
  • Battery Life: The Steam Deck offers slightly better battery life.
  • Operating System: The Steam Deck uses Steam OS (Linux), while the ROG Ally X uses Windows 11. This makes the ROG Ally X more versatile.
ASUS ROG Ally XSteam Deck OLED
ProcessorRyzen Z1 ExtremeAMD Zen 2, 6 nm APU
Graphics CardAMD Radeon: 12CUs, up to 2.7 GHz, up to 8.6 TeraflopsAMD RDNA 2 (8 CUs)
RAM24 GB LPDDRX516 GB LPDDR5 RAM
Storage1 TB PCIe Gen4 M.2 SSD512 GB NVMe-SSD
1TB NVMe-SSD
Battery and Power Supply80 WHrs with 65-watt power supply50 WHr
Operating SystemWindows 11 HomeSteam OS (Linux)
Wi-Fi and BluetoothWi-Fi 6E (802.11ax, Triple band 2×2) and Bluetooth 5.2Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz, 2×2 MIMO, IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Display7-inch, IPS display with FHD (1920 × 1080), 16:9, and 120 Hz7.4 inches, OLED with 1280 x 800 and 90 Hz

More about Gaming Handhelds: Gaming handhelds are on the rise, and since the Steam Deck, numerous new devices have been released. MeinMMO introduces you to the most well-known and important gaming handhelds that you should know: The 8 best gaming handhelds of 2024 that you should know

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

One Piece: In the upcoming manga chapter, there is a person who becomes like Luffy

The leaks for the upcoming manga chapter 1118 of One Piece are out and already reveal what will happen next. The spoilers reveal what Luffy wants to encourage another character to do.

Which character will become like Luffy? Straw Hat pirate Luffy transforms into his Gear-5 form again in chapter 1118. He unleashes the true potential of his Devil Fruit and becomes the Sun God Nika, defying the laws of physics. During his transformation, he encourages Jewelry Bonney to do the same (via reddit).

As the leaks reveal, Bonney then fully transforms into her Nika form. This gives her the same powers that Luffy has already gained by unlocking his Gear-5 form:

  • Nika can transform the environment into rubber, allowing her to grab lightning or bounce on the ground as if it were a trampoline.
  • The Sun God can enlarge his body parts independently.
  • With this comic-like form, Luffy can create objects out of nothing, such as a baseball bat, helmet, and paint.

Since Bonney can also transform into Nika, she will have the same powers as the Sun God. It was already foreshadowed in previous chapters that only her imagination prevents her from becoming like Nika.

The whole spectacle is still taking place on Egghead Island. You can find the matching trailer for the arc here:

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

These powers lie dormant in Jewelry Bonney

When did Bonney show the powers? Actually, Jewelry Bonney has eaten from the Age-Age Fruit. This allows her to change her own age and that of others at will. That’s how Bonney keeps herself older than she actually is.

Additionally, she can use a special technique that pumps her arm up. This allows her to deliver harder blows, which she used in the fight against Saturn, an immortal being. You can see the technique in the tweet from X-user CJDLuffy:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

Bonney can only use this technique because her faith in the Sun God Nika is so unshakable. Once doubts arise, she loses her powers. Now that Luffy has transformed into the Sun God Nika, she seems to have unlocked her full potential and can fully switch to the Nika form as well.

What else is happening in the new chapter? In addition, there are some other things that the leaks reveal:

  • Dr. Vegapunk’s message is complemented by the words The name is…. This could refer to a person who stands out from the D.-name series. However, the giant robot in which he is located sinks into the sea.
  • The giant robot, however, realizes beforehand that Bonney and Luffy have transformed into Nika. He rejoices with the words “It is here!”.
  • More characters like Leo and Rebecca are seen, who have been following Vegapunk’s message.
  • The Five Elders then capture Atlas and Lilith, two of Dr. Vegapunk’s satellites.

It remains to be seen whether more characters will follow who will gain the same powers as Luffy. Either way, Bonney and Luffy make a good team that can fight against the Five Elders. MyMMO editor Jasmin Beverungen is already excited to see how Bonney’s transformation will look in the anime. She particularly liked Luffy’s transformation: One Piece: Luffy awakens his Devil Fruit for the 2nd time – I’ve watched the transformation 5 times because it’s so good

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

This is the perfect class if you want to start Tarisland as a WoW player

Tarisland will be released on June 21, 2024, and is attracting the attention of many players. Especially veterans from World of Warcraft are interested in the new MMORPG. We will tell you which class is the best fit for WoW players.

What kind of class is it? In Tarisland, there are a total of nine different classes, each with different abilities, orientations, and especially resource systems. One class is not only the most iconic of the game but is also perfect if you want to start with Tarisland as a WoW player.

We are talking about the Barbarian Fighter, who, like a tiger on two legs, wreaks havoc in the world of Tarisland with his two war axes.

You can watch the trailer for Tarisland here:

Start video
Tarisland shows ‘Rage of the Dragon’ in the new trailer

Like the Warrior from World of Warcraft

Why is this class the right one for WoW players? The Barbarian Fighter is a melee class with two war axes and can be played both as a damage dealer and as a tank. In Tarisland, switching between the two roles is possible at the push of a button.

The Barbarian Fighter is one of the strongest classes in the game from the very beginning. He can take some hits as a melee fighter and deal good damage.

Another reason for the recommendation is the resource system, which is the core of every class. For the Barbarian Fighter, it works quite simply, as he has two energies that can be filled up:

  • The first resource is bestiality, which fills up through the ability “Wild Strike”.
  • The second resource is reason, which is gained through the ability “Axe Thunder”.
  • The ability “Wrath of Thunder” consumes 60 units of each energy type and deals damage to the target.
The Barbarian Fighter from Tarisland with two war axes in front of a winter background.
This is what the Barbarian Fighter looks like.

What does the class remind you of? The class is reminiscent of the Warrior from World of Warcraft with his rage system. The mirror class in Tarisland might initially seem a bit simpler, but over time, the rotation and resource acquisition change through the distribution of talent points in the talent tree.

Thus, even the damage-dealing path can be played in two different variants, giving you even more freedom.

Is there anything to consider with this class? The Barbarian Fighter plays quite intuitively, making him suitable for beginners. If you play him as a damage dealer, you should pay attention to the stats of your equipment.

For your equipment, you should focus on the “Combo” stat, and depending on your talent tree, use “Omni” or “Cooldown” as your second stat.

When these stats have reached a certain level, they enhance your passive abilities. You can always check your current status in the talent tree on the right side. Tarisland will launch worldwide on June 21, 2024; you can find all the information about the launch here: All important information about release date, pre-download, system requirements, console and more

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

Pokémon GO finally brings back a popular Shiny for the 8th anniversary

Pokémon GO is celebrating its 8th birthday in a few days with an anniversary event. In addition to numerous spawns and bonuses, it will finally bring back a popular shiny into the game. We will show you which one it is and what other content you can look forward to here on MeinMMO.

What event is it? Pokémon GO is turning eight years old in July and is celebrating this milestone with its traditional anniversary event. There will be many spawns and strong bonuses that should not be missed. You should also not miss a rare shiny on the event days: Shiny Meltan. We have summarized the highlights waiting for you below.

When does the anniversary event take place? The birthday celebration for the 8th anniversary of Pokémon GO starts on June 28, 2024, at 10:00 AM local time and runs until July 3, 2024, at 8:00 PM local time.

Start video
Heavenly teamwork in Pokémon GO – a new season begins

Get Shiny Meltan for the Anniversary Event 2024

What kind of Pokémon is that? Meltan is a mysterious steel Pokémon from the seventh generation of games. It can evolve into Melmetal with the help of 400 candies, which is a solid attacker in the Master League.

Why is Meltan worthwhile? Meltan can spawn from the so-called Mystery Box throughout the year, but it is usually not catchable in its shiny form there. Since its shiny release, the developers have kept the shiny monster particularly rare and only allow it to spawn on special occasions.

Pokémon-GO-Meltan-Shiny
Meltan normal (left) and as shiny (right)

It was last available in March 2023 as part of the Let’s GO-event. Now, after more than a year, it will finally return for a short time on the occasion of the anniversary event. Additionally, the Mystery Box can be activated more frequently during the event, increasing your shiny chances for Meltan. So, it’s worth opening the Mystery Box during this time.

How to connect with Pokémon Home to secure the Mystery Box will be shown in the following post:

More on the topic
Connect Pokémon GO with Home – How does it work and what does it bring?
von Patrick Freese

Pokémon & Shinys for the 8th Anniversary Overview

In addition to Shiny Meltan, which you can catch with some luck from the Mystery Box during the anniversary event, there will be several other monsters celebrating the 8th birthday of Pokémon GO with you. In particular, you can look forward to some costumed Pokémon again. One of them is the poison Pokémon Sleima, which will appear for the first time with a party hat.

In this costumed form, you can even evolve it into Sleimok. What other monsters are lurking in the wild and in raids, as well as what special features the event offers, we have summarized for you below.

Pokémon-GO-Sleima-mit-Partyhut
Sleima with a party hat (right) and its evolution Sleimok (image from pokemongolive.com)

All Wild Spawns and Raid Bosses

Wild Spawns: In the wild, you can look forward to plenty of event spawns during the event, such as Pikachu with a party hat. However, there is a special feature here: in addition to the Pokémon that you can catch while wild throughout the entire birthday event, there will be additional event spawns on selected days that will be found more frequently.

Time PeriodWild Spawns
whole eventBulbasaur with party hat*
Charmander with party hat*
Squirtle with party hat*
Pikachu with cake hat*
Sleima with party hat*
Eevee with party hat*
Fennex
Krookodile
Kwaks
Alolan Sleima* (rare)
June 28, 2024, at 10:00 AM until
June 29, 2024, at 11:59 PM
Chikorita*
Totodile*
Treecko*
Harry*
Fletchling*
Water Gun*
June 30, 2024, at 00:00 AM until
July 1, 2024, at 11:59 PM
Chespin*
Fennekin*
Froakie*
Serperior*
Snivy*
Oshawott*
July 2, 2024, at 00:00 AM until
July 3, 2024, at 8:00 PM
Rowlet*
Fennekin*
Froakie*
Popplio*
Litten*
Ballow
Pokémon with a (*) can also be found as shiny with some luck

Pokémon in Raids: And also in the Level 1 Raids, you can find different raid bosses on the occasion of the 8th birthday. According to Pokémon GO, you can even benefit from a higher shiny chance (*) here than in the wild. The following are waiting for you:

  • Bulbasaur with party hat*
  • Charmander with party hat*
  • Squirtle with party hat*
  • Pikachu with cake hat*
  • Sleima with party hat*

Strong Bonuses for the 8th Anniversary Event

For the 8th birthday of Pokémon GO, strong bonuses should not be missed. Many of these focus on interactions with your friends. However, as with the wild spawns, there will also be day-dependent bonuses that you should not miss.

General Bonuses: You can benefit from these bonuses throughout the entire event:

  • increased chance of lucky friends
  • increased chance of lucky Pokémon when trading
  • friendship level increases faster with interaction (open gifts, trading, joint battles)
  • chance of getting 8, 88 or more Gierspenst coins when you spin PokéStops with a gold lure module
  • Mystery Box can be opened more frequently
  • Event Field Research
    • Rewards: Mega Energy for Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Sceptile, Blaziken, Swampert, as well as encounters with Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, and Mudkip
  • Timed Research
    • Rewards: XP, Stardust, encounters with Raticate with party hat, Nidorino with party hat, Woingenau with party hat, and Meltan
  • Timed Research for 2 US dollars for spinning PokéStops and evolving Pokémon
    • Rewards: Egg incubator, super incubator, premium battle pass, lucky egg, rocket radar, star piece, incense, Knursp, 88,888 XP, as well as an encounter with Meltan
  • Masterwork Research Forest Whisper for 5 US dollars
    • Encounter with Shiny Celebi
    • additional bonuses: double durability of incense, adventure incense, and lucky eggs
  • Event stickers from PokéStops, gifts, and in the in-game shop
  • New avatar items
  • Showcases with event Pokémon at PokéStops
  • Anniversary box in the Pokémon GO webshop for 5 US dollars

In the following periods, you can benefit from additional bonuses:

Time PeriodBonus
June 28, 2024, at 10:00 AM until
June 29, 2024, at 11:59 PM
Half hatch distance for eggs
June 30, 2024, at 00:00 AM until
July 1, 2024, at 11:59 PM
2x XP when catching
July 2, 2024, at 00:00 AM until
July 3, 2024, at 8:00 PM
2x Stardust when catching

How do you like the contents of the anniversary event? Will you try to secure a shiny Meltan? Or do you have your sights set on another monster? Feel free to let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments and exchange ideas with other trainers. What else is coming in Pokémon GO until then, you can see in our event overview for June.

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

The most lucrative movie by Arnold Schwarzenegger was one where he wasn’t paid at all first

Arnold Schwarzenegger has landed some big hits during his career, which have been especially financially lucrative. However, his most lucrative film was neither Terminator nor True Lies; it was an unassuming comedy that one wouldn’t think of in this context.

Which film is it? Twins is a comedy from 1989 by Ivan Reitman starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. In the film, both are twins who were separated at birth. Schwarzenegger plays a perfect, innocent man who wants to find his brother, but he is quite different from what one would expect.

With a budget of 15 million dollars, the film grossed over 216 million dollars worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). That alone signifies a huge success, especially for 1989. What is special about this film is that Schwarzenegger, DeVito, and Reitman did not receive a salary, but it was likely still the most lucrative film of their careers.

Schwarzenegger was also involved in the first film that cost over 100 million dollars: The first film that reportedly cost over 100 million dollars is turning 30 and is an iconic action-comedy

Even with True Lies, Schwarzenegger didn’t earn that much:

Start video
Englischer Trailer zu „True Lies – Wahre Lügen“ aus dem Jahr 1994

No salary, but a significantly better deal

In an interview with Graham Bensinger, the actor spoke about the film Twins and why he didn’t take a salary for the film. At that time, Schwarzenegger was mainly known for his action films that made incredible amounts of money. However, he also wanted to make a comedy, as he was convinced he could do it well.

To convince the studio of Twins, Schwarzenegger offered to take no salary for the film. The studio would just have to cover the production costs. According to Schwarzenegger, Reitman and DeVito also decided not to take a salary.

The three had a so-called back-end deal. This means they shared in the film’s profits, including box office and TV revenues. Regarding this topic, he stated according to adorocinema.com::

I believe that we all made more money with this film than with any other film we ever made, even though I received 30 million dollars for some films. […] This was the biggest because we had a share in everything: the TV rights, the cable TV rights, the merchandising. […] The money was ours and we made a fortune.

Arnold Schwarzenegger on the profit share from Twins (Source: adorocinema.com)

With a film that grossed over 216 million dollars just at the box office, that must have been an incredible amount of money.

In the interview with Bensinger, he also talks about a studio boss who came to them and simply said: Do you know what you have done to me? […] You have robbed me. According to Schwarzenegger, the deal the three made was so historic that the studio never wanted to do anything like that again. At the Oscars, DeVito and Schwarzenegger met again and threatened a common enemy: At the 2024 Oscars, Schwarzenegger and DeVito meet their arch-enemy

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

A new, small chip from AMD could mean a strong boost for Steam Deck and ROG Ally

AMD has introduced new processors for mobile systems. This could also mean a significant upgrade for gaming handhelds in the future. Early benchmarks indicate about 30% more performance. But there are still questions unanswered. The presented ROG Ally X from ASUS does not yet rely on AMD’s new model.

Which graphics chip is coming? AMD presented details about its new mobile processors at the CES 2024. These chips will be used in the future in laptops, convertibles, and presumably in gaming handhelds.

With the new “Ryzen AI 300” series, AMD also introduced a new iGPU. These are graphics chips that sit on the processor. And AMD has given the iGPU a powerful update compared to the last generation.

Where does the new iGPU stand?

  • The new 890M follows the old 780M and is expected to be installed in all “Ryzen AI 300” products.
  • The new chip is said to have 16 RDNA 3.5 CUs and run at 2,900 MHz. The old 780M only offered 12 RDNA 3 CUs at 2,800 MHz.
Behind the abbreviation CU stands the term “Compute Units”. These are the computing units of a graphics chip, which consist of several components such as Arithmetic Logic Units (ALUs), caches, floating-point units, or vector processors, registers, and a bit of memory to store thread information.

How much more performance is there? The British magazine PCGamer reports benchmarks of the 890M that look very positive so far. In initial comparative tests, the 890M is said to be 31% faster than the 780M. In direct comparison to the ROG Ally, performance is also expected to increase by 33%. In the ROG, the old 780M is installed.

When will Ryzen AI 300 be available in stores? The first laptops with AMD Strix Point (Ryzen AI 300) will be available in stores starting July 15, 2024.

Start video
Check out the official trailer for the Steam Deck OLED

It is uncertain how good the battery life will be with the new chip

What questions remain? For now, it’s just a few benchmarks and a comparison test. It is also uncertain whether manufacturers will choose an AMD chip with 890M for the next generation of handhelds. For example, MSI chose Intel for the MSI Claw and took a different path. Valve (Steam Deck) and ASUS (ROG Ally) currently rely on AMD.

In the new ROG Ally X, which will be released on July 22, 2024, ASUS still relies on the “AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme” processor with a graphics chip that offers 12 CUs, clocking up to 2.7 GHz (8.6 Teraflops). Therefore, the new Ryzen AI 300 is not yet being used here.

Another question is how the battery life will look with new devices: Steam Deck and ROG Ally provide plenty of performance in their current versions, but especially with modern titles, battery life is no fun.

More on gaming handhelds: Gaming handhelds are on the rise, and since the Steam Deck, many new devices have been launched. MeinMMO introduces you to the most well-known and important gaming handhelds you should know: The 8 best gaming handhelds of 2024 that you should know

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

A manufacturer presents a graphics card designed after Elden Ring, asking only about 200 euros for it

The new addon for Elden Ring is coming out in a few days, and the manufacturer Gunnir has introduced a graphics card designed after the game. Gunnir relies on a chip from Intel. But the chip has been controversial for a long time. Is the GPU even recommended in 2024?

What kind of GPU is this? The graphics card presented is an Intel Arc 750 with “Elden Ring” design. The graphics card features 3 fans and is therefore quite bulky.

While the front side of the GPU appears rather unspectacular in black and gold, the backplate of the graphics card is all the more impressive. Here, the manufacturer has incorporated symbols and an image from Elden Ring. By the way, RGB lighting is not used.

GUNNIR-Arc-A750-8GB-Photon-OC-ELDEN-RING-Shadow-of-the-Erdtree-Edition new

According to Videocardz.com, the performance of the special custom graphics card is 350 MHz above the standard design of Intel itself. In our table, you can see the data of the standard design, from which the new custom model does not really differ.

What will the graphics card cost? According to Videocardz.com, the graphics card is expected to be available for 219 US dollars. Theoretically, you could also order the graphics card in Germany, but you would need to account for import fees.


Intel Arc 750
GPUAlchemist (Arc 7)
Shading Units3,584
Clock Speed (in MHz)2,050
2,400 (Boost)
Memory8 GB GDDR6
256 Bit
16 Gbps
512 GB/s
Power Consumption225 Watts
Price219 US dollars (about 200 Euros)

Is Intel Arc 750 even recommended in 2024?

Should you buy the graphics card? Intel introduced its Arc graphics cards at the end of 2022. At their release in late 2022, Intel’s new mid-range products were a complete disaster. Many testers complained about the abysmal performance and advised against the graphics card. Especially the drivers were in a very poor state at the time of the GPU’s release.

However, Intel worked diligently on its graphics card and its poor drivers. By mid-2023, initial retests showed that the efforts had paid off. The Intel Arc 750 is now a quite recommendable graphics card, ranking at the performance level of a GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB or a Radeon RX 6700 XT.

Nevertheless, colleagues from PCGamesHardware recommend that the graphics card should only be purchased by enthusiasts and fans, as the drivers are still not perfect: “If you simply want to play without much thought, you would be better off choosing an AMD Radeon or Nvidia GeForce.”

Another downside of the graphics card: The Intel Arc 750 is only equipped with 8 GB of video memory. Especially with new games, this could become tight in the long term. Here, 12 or even 16 GB would be significantly more future-proof.

More hardware without AMD and Nvidia: With the KX-7000 series, the company Zhaoxin has introduced its new CPUs for consumers and gamers. And this processor looks really promising. It may not surpass AMD and Intel just yet, but it could still become a hidden gem: A new processor could become a hidden gem for gamers – Coming from neither AMD nor Intel

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

WoW: The big Pre-Patch 11.0 is coming soon, brings first features of The War Within

The next major patch of World of Warcraft is expected to start in a few weeks. It must be done by the end of July at the latest.

The next patch of World of Warcraft will already be the big pre-patch 11.0. This means WoW will finally transition from the Dragonflight era to the realm of The War Within. Now Blizzard has indirectly announced: The big pre-patch will already arrive in July.

Start video
WoW: Trailer for the release date of The War Within

When will the pre-patch start? Patch 11.0 will be released by July 31, 2024, at the latest. This is the date when the pre-event will begin. It’s more likely that the update will arrive a week earlier, on July 24, 2024.

A release before the pre-event is usually the case, so that everyone already has the opportunity to get used to the new system changes.

What’s in the pre-patch? Every new expansion is preceded by a so-called pre-patch. This essentially already brings a large part of the game data and many mechanics of the new expansions, even if the addon hasn’t started yet. The pre-patch also includes the “pre-event”, the limited-time event that ultimately leads to the new expansion.

Features already included in the pre-patch are:

  • The overhaul of the talent trees of many classes. At the start of a new expansion, there are many adjustments that you can already get used to by the end of July.
  • The Warband becomes active. From then on, many unlocks are account-wide, such as farming transmog for all armor classes.
  • Dynamic flying for many mounts. A large number of mounts can be used like dragons in the future.

We have introduced all new features of The War Within here.

What will come later? Not included in the pre-patch are all features that can only be actively used with The War Within: the new areas, dungeons, delves, or the hero talents. In order for you to benefit from these and enjoy the new content, you have to wait until the release on August 27 – unless you pre-order the more expensive Epic Edition, then you can start with the new expansion on August 23.

Are you already looking forward to the pre-patch and the new expansion? Or does everything feel much too fast for you now?

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

NPC from a hit on Steam has offensive name, becomes a meme, must worry for its existence

The community of the Steam game Manor Lords has taken a special liking to an NPC. His name doesn’t sound very appropriate, but according to the developers Slavic Magic, it is historically correct. Players were able to vote on whether his name should be changed.

Which NPC is it about? The names of the peasants in Manor Lords are randomly generated from a pool. This can result in one of the NPCs having the name Cuntz. It could randomly be a oxherd, grave digger, or blacksmith.

The name seems offensive to some players. They derive it from the English word “cunt”, which is a term for the female genitalia. The NPC has thus become the target of many memes. In the following reddit post, you can find an example:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Reddit that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Reddit content

What is the consequence? The community reached out to the developer and asked him to remove the name. Developer Grzegorz Styczeń assured, however, that it was not the vulgar word, but a historically accurate name. The name was taken from a census in the 14th century (via reddit).

Some fans explained that the name is an abbreviation of Konrad and therefore has its validity. But apparently, the explanation wasn’t enough for the critics, which is why a vote took place.

In the following video, you can take a closer look at the strategy game Manor Lords:

Start video
Manor Lord Release Date Trailer

Offensive name from Manor Lords put to a vote

How did the voting go? The developer created a vote on the Manor Lords Discord. The fan community was to decide democratically whether Cuntz could keep his name. The alternative would be to change the name to Konrad.

Meanwhile, the poll has concluded. A total of 8,185 players decided on the existence of Cuntz. The following votes were cast during this time;

  • Cuntz may stay: 6,921 votes (85 %)
  • Cuntz is replaced by Konrad: 1,264 votes (15 %)

And the victory goes to: Cuntz! The development team will not remove the name from the game. It could be that the joke wears off over time and the community finds no joy in using Cuntz for memes.

What is Manor Lords? Manor Lords is a strategy game that was released on Steam in April. It is currently still in Early Access, but has already received 88 % positive ratings on Steam. At times, it was the most desired game on Steam.

The title is well-received not only by the general public but also by Twitch streamers. Strategy expert Maurice Weber explained, for example, what he likes about Manor Lords. It feels like a city builder of the future and is extremely detailed. You can read his full review in the following article: “Manor Lords is THE city builder of the future” – German strategy expert explains what makes the Steam hit stand out

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 3D Juegos

Fans criticize and mock a scene in the new Star Wars series

Since the announcement of Star Wars: The Acolyte, the series has been criticized by fans. The first trailer caused mockery among fans. In the current episode, there is a scene that makes the series even worse for fans.

Beware of light spoilers: This article describes a scene from episode 3 of Star Wars: The Acolyte, so if you don’t want to be spoiled, you should come back after watching.

What is it about? In Star Wars: The Acolyte, a story is told that takes place before Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. At this time, there are officially no Sith remaining and the Jedi Order lives in peace and prosperity. However, someone is murdering Jedi Masters, threatening the established peace.

In the third episode of the series, we meet an almost extinct witch order that uses the Force, but differently than Jedi and Sith. The twins Osha and Mae were raised by this order, as they apparently have great significance for the Force. The witch order itself is not new; it has been known from the Clone Wars series or from the Jedi Survivor games in the form of Merrin.

However, a ritual from the last episode has caused mockery and anger among the Star Wars fans, who already had issues with a Wookie in episode 2.

You can watch the trailer for Star Wars: The Acolyte here:

Start video
The Acolyte takes place decades before the Star Wars films

A witch ritual causes mockery

What happens in this scene? In a flashback, we see the twins Osha and Mae as children during a ritual of the witch order. During the ritual, admittedly strange noises are made and it is repeatedly sung The Power of One. The Power of Two. The Power of Many.

Under a tweet on x.com, the scene is ridiculed. There are many sexist comments that have also been observed in many other posts about the series and many statements that Star Wars is dead.

  • @fau1in: It is so… so bad
  • @christianvanck: Star Wars died with Jar Jar Binks. […] Then he was briefly resurrected with The Mandalorian. RIP.
  • @MadamSavvy: They couldn’t even think of a cool song?

Users like @Hereforthetext also dislike the scene, but note that it is standard to use a witch trope. Despite this, he likes how the story is developing.

What is the status of Star Wars: The Acolyte? Even before its release, many fans were not enthusiastic about the series. Previous series had already garnered much criticism. Looking at the ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, there is a significant discrepancy between critics and fans.

Critics have surprisingly rated it 84%, which is higher than the Obi-Wan or Boba Fett series. However, for viewers, it looks quite different. Currently, The Acolyte has a user rating of 14%. This is a catastrophic score, especially for a franchise with such a large fandom.

Whether the user ratings will change remains questionable. Although only 3 episodes have been released so far, The Acolyte has had a poor reputation from the outset. Especially the accusations of being woke plague the series and the Star Wars universe in general. A similar accusation was also directed at Warhammer 40,000: Fans accuse Warhammer 40,000 of trying to sell them out as “woke”

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

„I can’t stop using them“ – Expert on Destiny 2 names a new pistol as number 1 in the game

A legendary pistol is currently the most played weapon in PvE of Destiny 2 and even surpasses a popular exotic revolver.

Which weapon is it? The weapon is called “The Call” and is a legendary pistol of the damage type “Strand,” which was introduced with The Final Shape and can be obtained during the campaign.

Who is the expert? The English-speaking YouTuber Aztecross has presented the new “Number 1 Weapon” of Destiny 2 in a video.

  • On YouTube, Aztecross has 855,000 subscribers and regularly attracts over one hundred thousand viewers with his videos about Destiny 2. On Twitch, he has over 512,000 followers.
  • Aztecross is considered an expert on Destiny because he deeply engages with the loot shooter and its mechanics. He calculates damage numbers for different loadouts, introduces strong builds, and does not shy away from the hardest content in the game.
  • In the contest mode for the raid “Edge of Redemption,” Aztecross was one of the few players to complete the raid successfully with a Titan. The Titan was hardly played at the end of the raid.
Start video
Bungie shows the future of Destiny 2 after The Final Shape in the new trailer

Rocket Ammunition and Damage Boost

What does the expert say about the weapon? Aztecross refers to the pistol “The Call” as the current “No.1 Weapon” in Destiny 2 and says that pistols with rocket support are among the best weapons Bungie has ever given to players (via YouTube). Throughout the video, he concludes: “I can’t stop using it.”

What makes the weapon so good? “The Call” has a so-called “Rocket-Loaded Casing” and fires rocket ammunition, which explodes on impact and causes significant damage.

According to Aztecross, the rocket ammunition should also harmonize with the exotic Titan armor “Dangerous Drive,” which was also released with The Final Shape and temporarily increases the damage of the pistol.

“Dangerous Drive” fires Exodus rockets when you activate your class ability. If you deal damage to targets with these Exodus rockets, it temporarily increases the damage of all other rockets you fire – according to Aztecross, this includes the rocket ammunition from “The Call,” which you fire with each shot from the pistol.

The Call Dominates PvE

How much is the weapon played? “The Call” has a usage rate of 9.35%, making it the currently most played weapon in PvE of Destiny 2 (via DestinyTracker). The pistol is thus significantly ahead of places 2 and 3, which are both occupied by exotic weapons.

  • In second place is the exotic revolver “Sunshot” with 4.24%
  • In third place is the exotic sniper rifle “Still Hunt,” known as the “Golden Gun Sniper,” with 2.75%.

In competitive PvP, however, “The Call” does not play a role. There, the exotic pulse rifle Red Death (improved) is leading, followed by the revolvers “Ace of Spades” and “Rose.”

If you are still missing the “Still Hunt” and want to secure the strongest weapons for PvE, we will show you on MeinMMO how to obtain the “Golden Gun” sniper: Destiny 2: Unlocking “Still Hunt” – Here’s how to get the exotic sniper

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

Pax Dei has entered Early Access: All important information on scope, system requirements, price, roadmap

On June 18, 2024, Pax Dei enters its Early Access phase. MeinMMO summarizes everything important about the early version of the sandbox MMORPG and the plans the developers from Mainframe Industries have for the coming months.

Since early June, it has been clear that the Early Access phase of Pax Dei on PC will start on June 18, 2024. Since June 4, 2024, interested parties can secure various founder packages to play the Early Access version without restrictions. Prices range from just under 40 to 100 euros. The more expensive versions offer more character slots, building land, and exclusive recipes.

[toc]

When exactly does the Early Access of Pax Dei start?

Access will be granted on June 18, 2024, at 2:00 PM.

Here you can see the trailer for the start of the Early Access phase of Pax Dei:

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

What founder packages are available for Pax Dei?

Founder Package Apprentice for 39.99 euros

  • Access to the game for the duration of Early Access
  • Founder role on Discord
  • 1 plot of land
  • 2 character slots
  • Exclusive guides for founder outfit

Founder Package Craftsman for 59.99 euros

  • Access to the game for the duration of Early Access
  • Founder role on Discord
  • 2 plots of land
  • 4 character slots
  • Exclusive guides for founder outfit
  • Exclusive guides for hunting lodge

Founder Package Master for 99.99 euros

  • Access to the game for the duration of Early Access
  • Founder role on Discord
  • 4 plots of land
  • 6 character slots
  • Exclusive guides for founder outfit
  • Exclusive guides for Lindwurm construction set
The different founder packages of Pax Dei.

Note that the developers have not yet decided on the final monetization model for the live version. What is clear is that they prefer a Buy2Play version. They are also toying with the idea of a monthly subscription. Therefore, purchasing the founder package guarantees full access to the game only during the EA phase.

Founders will not have to buy Pax Dei after leaving the Early Access phase. The acquired character slots and guides will remain permanently in their possession. However, a monthly subscription may be necessary to retain access to the game and the plots of land.

How long will the Early Access of Pax Dei last?

The developers at Mainframe Industries want to keep Pax Dei in Early Access for at least a year, meaning at least until June 2025. Until then, buyers of the founder packages will have complete access to Pax Dei.

The developers emphasize that the EA phase is not a marketing gimmick. You can expect an incomplete version of the MMORPG that still needs refinement across all aspects. During the testing phase, there may be server wipes and resets of progress.

Where can I download Pax Dei?

The Early Access version of Pax Dei is available through Steam. Additionally, you can download the launcher from the official website of the MMORPG:

What are the system requirements?

Minimum system requirements

  • GPU: GeForce RTX 2060 (12 GB) / Radeon RX 5700 XT
  • VRAM: 8 GB
  • CPU: Intel i5-7600K or equivalent AMD
  • RAM: 16 GB RAM
  • Storage space: 80 GB SSD
  • OS: Windows 10

Recommended system requirements

  • GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 / Radeon RX 6600 XT
  • VRAM: 8 GB
  • CPU: Ryzen 7 3700X or equivalent Intel
  • RAM: 16 GB RAM
  • Storage space: 80 GB NVMe SSD
  • OS: Windows 10

How extensive is the Early Access?

Based on the scope of the last alpha testing phase, you can expect numerous expansive regions with plenty of building space, special locations, hidden dungeons, and useful resources. These starting regions form a kind of ring around the open PvP areas of the game.

With the available recipes and resources, you can build massive fortifications, individual huts, quaint villages, or convenient material storage facilities. Anyone wanting to see, unlock, and experience everything will likely be busy for weeks.

What does the roadmap for Pax Dei look like?

In our discussion, the developers of Pax Dei already confirmed that the to-do list has only grown longer since the last alpha testing phase. Specifically, the combat system could still use a lot of love. The specific list of planned improvements can be found below:

The roadmap for the Early Access phase of Pax Dei.

Here are the main improvements you can expect:

  • Improved onboarding with adjusted balance and optimized progression system.
  • Expanded crafting with new building elements.
  • Comprehensive improvements and expansions of the combat system.
  • More weapons, armor, enemies, and spells.
  • Indirect storytelling to gradually reveal the history and backgrounds of the game world.
  • Expansion of social features and clans to enhance the interaction between players.
  • Introduction of a marketplace and the currency gold to support trading between players.

What type of MMORPG is Pax Dei?

In our preview report from the alpha testing phase in April, we already described how Pax Dei feels like a survival game without survival elements in the first hours. The developers also emphasize on the official website that Pax Dei is not a theme park MMO, nor a medieval simulator, nor a survival game (via Mainframe Industries).

In the best case, players unite in Pax Dei to form village communities.

Instead, you can expect a social sandbox MMO with a strong focus on resource gathering, building items and structures, and trading goods. Entire villages, cities, and fortresses can emerge from individual plots of land.

Additionally, there are dungeons that groups with tanks, healers, and damage dealers can explore, as well as areas where PvP will be enabled around the clock. It’s up to you to decide which aspect of the game you want to focus on personally.

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

A Western for 50 million dollars is a big disappointment – And 3 films are yet to follow

Westerns are a film genre that has actually faded away. However, series like Yellowstone have given the genre a significant boost. A Western is set to hit theaters as a 4-part series, but the first outlooks are not promising.

Which film is it about? The film Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 will be released in theaters this summer. As the name suggests, the film is not a standalone movie, but the beginning of a 4-part film series that is set to end in the summer of 2025.

The unusual thing about the series is that the American release of Chapter 1 is in June, followed shortly by the release of Chapter 2 in August. Chapter 3 and 4 are expected to follow in the summer of 2025. According to movieweb.com, Chapter 3 is already being filmed.

Such planning carries a significant risk. If the first film flops, money has already been spent on the other parts. The initial reviews are also not particularly positive.

A trailer for the film series can be seen here:

Start video
Horizon: An American Saga – Trailer for the new western with Kevin Costner

Big stars in the genre renaissance

What is Horizon about? The series Yellowstone has shown that the Western genre still has something to offer. The neo-Western was also able to attract countless viewers to the television. The lead role in the series is played by Kevin Costner. With Horizon, we can now expect a classic Western with Kevin Costner in the lead role.

Horizon seems to be a classic Western. The 4-part series is supposed to depict the time of the Civil War between 1861 and 1865. The expansion of America is an important part of the story. Alongside Costner, many great actors are represented, including Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, and Jena Malone.

But what is the problem? On Rotten Tomatoes, the first part of the series has a mediocre critic score of 43%. Many critics are bothered by the slow pace of the 3-hour film, which, despite the many characters, does not tell much and feels more like the introduction to the series.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that the box office forecasts are also not looking better. The projections for the first weekend are only 12 million dollars. With a budget of over 50 million, this is a bad sign. However, Chapter 2 will be hit even harder, as it only starts 2 months later.

Competition is also not resting. A Quiet Place: Day One will be released on the same day, and in July, the financially promising Deadpool and Wolverine will come out. When looking at films like The Fall Guy or Furiosa, it becomes clear that this year other big films also flopped at the box office.

The frustrating thing about a flop would be that the film has been financed independently. Costner himself invested a lot in his passion project. Warner Brothers is only acting as a distributor in this case. In Germany, Chapter 1 of Horizon will only be released on August 22, 2024. Until then, we will know how the film performed in the USA. A Western legend recommends this film: Clint Eastwood raves about the best Western he has ever seen – But hardly anyone knows the film

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

Pokémon GO places an entire city in Pokémon fever as if it were 2016

Great weather, parks full of trainers, and plenty of Pokémon: The Pokémon GO festival in Madrid seemed to put the whole city into a Pokémon frenzy. MyMMO author Max Handwerk was on site.

Even on my way to the event in Madrid, I realize: This weekend is going to be different from anything I’ve experienced in Pokémon GO before.

I’ve been playing Pokémon GO since 2018 and quite intensively at that. But I was only a spectator during the great hype in 2016: My smartphone back then simply couldn’t handle Pokémon GO.

So while I’m used to meeting groups of players at larger events like the global GO Fest or playing with a few people during Community Day, I’ve never experienced a situation where it felt like everyone and everything around me was playing Pokémon GO.

Until the GO Fest 2024 in Madrid.

Thousands of Trainers Roaming Madrid

It’s just before 09:00 on Friday morning and the sun is already blazing down from the sky. I’m on my way to the “Parque Juan Carlos Primero” – just like thousands of other trainers who want to catch as many Pokémon as possible this weekend.

It’s a sight reminiscent of the game’s release: Groups are standing at every corner, throwing Poké Balls at the monsters that are around in the park and the city this weekend.

They’ve come from all corners of the world: Over 80% of the players traveled from outside Spain to participate in the GO Fest, explained Philipp Marz, Director Regional Marketing at Niantic.

The GO Fest enticed with various Pokémon and bonuses, many of which will also be available at the global GO Fest in summer 2024. The special thing about the local GO Fest was precisely that: the location. So many players gathered at once that it felt like being back in 2016.

The gameplay that weekend was divided into two sections: One half of the day was spent in the park, while the second half took place in the city itself, Madrid.

The park was divided into four different habitats, each containing different monsters that players were supposed to explore during the event quest. There were plenty of stops, gyms, and spawns. On the contrary, it seemed almost too generous – with so many Pokémon on the screen, it was a challenge not to accidentally tap the wrong one.

Pokemon GO Fest Madrid 2024 screen
This is what it looked like in the game – not so easy to manage

Additionally, the park presented itself as a true Pokémon world with various decorative elements.

For instance, there were:

  • Real PokéStops where you could take a break and charge your phone
  • A real gym on site
  • A small PvP section where mini-tournaments were held for small prizes
  • An avenue made up of loading screens from previous years

Good Vibes Despite the Heat

The players on site contributed to the atmosphere: Short conversations arose while walking around, raids were completed together, or people simply chatted a bit. There was a lot going on, but it wasn’t overcrowded.

Many dressed up nicely for the event, sporting fan shirts or full cosplays. You could often see trainers with lists on their backs showing which monsters they were looking to trade or which ones they could offer.

A few impressions:

When it comes to outfits, caps, hats, or similar were also in high demand, because as nice as the good weather was: The sun in Madrid is intense.

This unfortunately affected the gameplay, when phones got too hot and batteries drained almost twice as fast. Additionally, the game became choppy as the phone tried to compete with Charmander in terms of heat. No wonder then that during lunchtime, people scurried from shade to shade to avoid burning.

All in all, however, the weather was rather a plus point, which also factored into Madrid being chosen as the event location, as Philipp Marz explained. Clearly: Pokémon GO is simply more fun in warm temperatures and blue skies than in rain, snow, or storm.

Otherwise, Madrid proved to be a great place for such an event. I headed to Retiro Park. A lot of trainers showed up there to enjoy the second half of the day. However, a large part of the city was usable for the event, and players could explore it while playing – a fantastic experience for a newcomer like me in Madrid.

Start video
Heavenly teamwork in Pokémon GO – a new season begins

However, it was sometimes difficult to get internet access within the city. While the park contained network masts that ensured a good connection at all times, there were occasional issues in the city.

But this did not significantly dampen the mood. The main reason: You were simply always surrounded by other players. Raids that were barely possible at home due to a lack of teammates were quickly defeated here. To make a new friend, you didn’t need to search for codes online – you could simply ask someone.

The overall atmosphere was simply something very special. Everyone was peaceful, in a good mood, and eager to go on a Pokémon hunt together. Regardless of age, family, or solo players: everyone was somehow in the right place.

I will always keep the weekend in my memory as a very positive experience, though it also comes with a bit of nostalgia. Because: Just like at such events, Pokémon GO is unfortunately only rarely a part of daily life. Returning to play “normally” after the GO Fest will be an adjustment. If you want to know what’s happening in the game soon: Here you will find all events for June 2024 related to Pokémon GO.

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

One Piece begins an arc that was hinted at 25 years ago – 2 Straw Hat pirates are likely to be important

In the anime and manga of One Piece, the Straw Hat crew is still on Egghead Island. But soon, they will head towards Elbaf. The upcoming island could be of great significance for two Straw Hat pirates, as they will be reunited with important people.

Which two Straw Hat pirates could it be important for? Especially Luffy and Usopp are looking forward to the upcoming island. In chapter 1076, there was a showdown between Shanks’ pirate crew and the Kid pirates. At that time, Shanks and his members, who are among the strongest pirate crews, were on Elbaf and celebrating with the Giant Warrior pirate crew in a bar.

If Shanks’ pirate crew is still on Elbaf, it could lead to two emotional reunions:

  • Luffy and Shanks have not seen each other since his childhood. Shanks had passed on his straw hat to Luffy and then sailed the Grand Line. Luffy followed him a few years later and would now be ready to look his comrade in the eye.
  • Yasopp is a member of Shanks’ pirate crew and the father of Usopp. The long-nosed pirate has not seen his father since his childhood. Since Usopp’s mother has long since passed away, the father figure could play an important role in his life.

Even if Shanks’ pirate crew has long since sailed on, the island of Elbaf would still hold great significance for Usopp. The Straw Hat crew had already landed on Little Garden 25 years ago in the manga and encountered two giants. Back then, Usopp made a decision.

Start video
One Piece – The 26th Opening for the Egghead Island Arc has been released

Usopp wants to become a great warrior

Why is Usopp looking forward to Elbaf? In chapter 117, they encountered Boogey and Woogey, who are currently helping the Straw Hats escape from Egghead Island. The two giants, who come from Elbaf, have been at war with each other there for over 100 years.

Usopp watched the two and admired their pride. He vowed to one day become a fearless warrior like the two giants. Since there is said to be a whole village full of such warriors, Usopp decided to visit the homeland of the two one day. So he teased 25 years ago that Elbaf exists.

What do we already know about Elbaf? The existence of Elbaf has been mentioned several times in One Piece. So far, we know the following information about the island:

  • Elbaf (read backwards Fable) is the homeland of the giants and is located in the New World, the second part of the Grand Line.
  • On Elbaf, there are supposed to be gigantic beasts. The island itself is colossal and has large mountains as well as a gigantic tree in the middle.
  • The giants of Elbaf believe in the sun god Nika, who now lives on as a reincarnation in Luffy.
  • Big Mom lived here during her childhood and destroyed one of the villages. It has since been rebuilt.
  • The theme of the island is Norse mythology. The wooden huts look like they are from the Viking Age, and there is a tradition where the giants celebrate the winter solstice.

When will the Straw Hat crew arrive at Elbaf? As our colleagues from GamePro reported, the Straw Hat crew will arrive at Elbaf by November 2024 at the latest. At that time, merchandise related to the island of giants is set to be released.

This gives at most five months for mangaka Eiichiro Oda to send Luffy and his crew to Elbaf. However, the end of One Piece seems to be a long way off. There are still some mysteries that need to be resolved. MeinMMO has taken a look into the crystal ball and revealed when One Piece might end: When will the story of One Piece end?

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

EVE Online is still going strong after 21 years, celebrates player record for 2024 after update

Thanks to the new Equinox expansion, a record number of adventurers are currently exploring the universe of EVE Online. Even the servers struggled with the unexpected influx.

What kind of expansion is this? The Equinox update was released on June 11, 2024, for EVE Online, bringing the following highlight features:

  • Corporation and alliance leaders have access to new Upwell structures. The orbital Skyhook enables the promotion of new colonization resources (energy, workforce, and reagents). The structures are tempting for criminal elements, thereby creating a regular risk of a pirate orbital blockade.
  • Solar systems undergo significant changes, with planets now playing a vital role in the function of each system and determining their strategic importance.
  • Pilots gain access to four new defensible cargo ships. Each ship is equipped with an infrastructure hangar capable of storing items for the possession and enhancement of sovereign space. 
  • Equinox introduces monthly rewards to provide more incentives for completing daily activities across all careers. This new addition includes a 12-level progress system, where rewards are given at every third step.
  • Creative capsuleers can design their own ship skins for themselves or their organization.
  • There are seven free days of Omega for all capsuleers who visit the New Eden Store by June 20, 2024. Omega gives you access to double training speed, advanced skills, a wide selection of the best EVE ships, the contract system for trading, and more.
  • The corporation window receives a comprehensive update to be more user-friendly and modern. With losses of ships, acquiring loyalty points, and salvage, three new corporation projects are introduced.

New expansions regularly come for EVE Online. Here is the trailer for Havoc:

Start video
EVE Online lets you finally be truly evil – Trailer for the new expansion Havoc

New expansion sets yearly record and causes problems

What kind of player record is this? The new update was able to attract more space adventurers to the Tranquility server cluster of EVE Online than ever before over the weekend. Tranquility runs the live instance of the space MMORPG, where the global community (except for China) operates.

According to Eve-Offline.net, on June 11, 2024, there were 36,918 players online at the same time on Tranquility. This has never happened in 2024. The last peak was in November 2023, with 40,165 players online simultaneously. By the way, the current all-time record is from May 5, 2013, when 65,303 players were online at the same time.

The recent influx not only led to a noticeably livelier space but also caused server problems. EVE Status reported on X about login issues that prevented players from accessing the servers.

Meanwhile, the developers celebrated the first creative works from the community:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from Twitter that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the Twitter content

What kind of game is EVE Online? EVE Online is a sandbox MMORPG for PC that was released in June 2003. It has now adopted a free-to-play model and revolves around exploring the vastness of space with your own ship.

You start with a simple spaceship, but your goal is to acquire a larger and better one. You can either craft it yourself or buy it from other players.

In EVE Online, almost all ships and items are created by players and their guilds (corporations). Other players are also important to tap into the full potential of the MMORPG.

Much of the gameplay revolves around planning missions together or participating in large wars. While you can have fun alone, you miss out on the unique moments of the game. Like this one: Nasty space tyrant survives $3 million world war in EVE Online, vows revenge

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

Amazon Games brings MMORPG Throne and Liberty in September – Trailer, date and Open Beta

The heads of Amazon Games and NCSoft have surprisingly announced the release date of the western version of Throne and Liberty! The MMORPG is indeed set to launch in 2024 for PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC.

What have Amazon Games and NCSoft announced? The insiders from the South Korean business site MTN were right! According to an official press release, Throne and Liberty is set to be released on September 17, 2024, for PC, PS5, and Xbox, operating under a free-to-play model.

Even earlier, from July 18 to 23, 2024, an open beta phase is to take place on PC and consoles – with crossplay functionality enabled.

Here is the new trailer for Throne and Liberty, which went live alongside the announcement:

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

Between Hope and Skepticism

What do I need to know about Throne and Liberty? T&L was originally announced as Lineage 3 or Lineage Eternal and was initially supposed to adopt an isometric perspective, similar to Lost Ark. However, it was completely revamped in 2017 to become a “true next-gen MMORPG.”

The new version is intended to appeal to a wide audience. It offers action-packed combat in third-person view, removes annoying features like autoplay, and promises an interesting mix of PvE and PvP.

Here are the key features of the MMORPG:

  • Mass Battles: Experience epic PvP and PvE battles, including dungeons and fortress sieges in a persistent open world of vastness and diversity.
  • Robust Social Life: Interactions in guilds and alliances are a core component of the game.
  • A dynamic, interactive environment: Day and night cycles have a significant impact on gameplay, and unpredictable weather effects alter gameplay, terrain, and access points.
  • A fresh approach to exploration and mobility: To move quickly, players can transform into flying or swimming creatures – or even take on the form of a defeated boss to influence the outcome of a battle. Use grappling points to reach platforms and gain an advantage in combat.
  • Two-Weapon Combat: Customize your playstyle by equipping a weapon in each hand, such as a sword and shield, longbow, crossbows, greatsword, staff, daggers, or wand and spellbook.

What has the community feedback been so far? A major focus of Throne and Liberty lies on group content and PvP battles with many participants. Many players have expressed enthusiasm about how smoothly the battles play out. Frame rate drops have reportedly been minimal, even with 1,000 and more participants.

The flexibility of the class system is also praised, as players can freely switch weapons and easily take on different roles, along with the large world, with its dynamic weather effects and day-night cycles, and the wide range of content.

In Korea, Throne and Liberty has already been released but initially failed to meet expectations. Subsequently, the leadership of the team changed. Ahn Jong-ok is reported to have stepped down. Executive Director Choi Moonyoung is now setting the direction and is thought to be considering a mobile port.

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

Diablo 4: The effect of an Uber Unique is stronger after the mid-season patch – but that is misleading

The Uber Unique “Andariel’s Visage” was supposed to be enhanced with Patch 1.4.3 during the Mid-Season in Diablo 4 – and it certainly seems that way. However, the powerful effect is currently only visual.

The Mid-Season Patch was expected to fix several bugs, such as the issue where the damage of the “Holy Bolt” elixir scaled “unintentionally high.” Patch 1.4.3 weakened the effect of the elixir while also causing additional bugs. The developers disabled the elixir.

The update also introduced some buffs for the five classes – as well as for several Uniques and Uber Uniques. This opened up new possibilities for strong builds. In particular, the Uber Unique “Andariel’s Visage” was in the spotlight. The effect of the Uber Unique helmet received an adjustment.

What is this item? Andariel’s Visage is an Uber Unique, which means an ultra-unique item in Diablo 4. You can get it as a drop from the bosses Duriel and Andariel, and in rare cases outside of that. The helmet increases the following stats:

  • all attributes
  • attack speed
  • life steal
  • poison resistance

Additionally, there is a chance with the lucky hit to trigger a poison nova that inflicts poison damage on enemies. After the patch, this should be quite visible to them, and the damage of the poison nova should be increased as well. But the effect animation is misleading.

Update: On June 20, Community Manager Adam Fletcher wrote in the forum that the bug was fixed with a hotfix: “A problem was fixed where the poison nova of Andariel’s Visage caused damage around the player, even though the visual effect was around enemies. A problem was fixed where the poison nova of Andariel’s Visage dealt less damage than intended.”

Start video
Diablo 4 Season 4 “Loot Reborn” in the gameplay trailer

Enemies in a large poison nova – but only visually

According to Patch 1.4.3, the following changes were to be made to Andariel’s Visage:

  • “Poison nova” now appears on the enemy instead of the player.
  • Damage of “Poison nova” increased by 50%.

This means that not only is the damage of the poison nova effect higher. The area of effect can now also reach over a greater distance and is no longer limited to the immediate vicinity of the player character. However, players are now noting that the change to the helmet seems to be faulty.

Why is the change misleading? On Reddit, “zopikl0n” writes on June 17: “Andariel’s Visage is bugged. Only the visual part of the [poison] nova triggers on enemies. It still deals damage around your character, but the visual part is triggered on the enemy.”

And “SamGoingHam” writes in the comments: “Damn. I was looking forward to playing the Andariel build.” Since the Mid-Season Patch, the Andariel build for huntresses is at the top of the tier list for endgame builds in Season 4.

This is Blizzard’s response: Under a post from Community Manager Adam Fletcher on X, which is actually about the “Holy Bolt” elixir, users address the issue with Andariel’s Visage. Fletcher responded: “The problem with Andariel has been identified internally, and we will provide a future hotfix to address this issue.”

What do experts say? The Diablo expert wudijo explains the problem with the Uber Unique in his YouTube video as follows: One can clearly see the poison explosions on the enemies based on the green poison areas. So it really looks like the effect is working.

However, what is actually happening is that the effect still occurs around the character instead of on the enemies, as described in the patch – and as visually recognizable. However, this is a “fake animation.” Tests have shown that the damage is higher. Essentially, nothing is different than before the patch.

With the buff for the Uber Unique, further builds might emerge in Diablo 4 – if the effect works correctly. According to wudijo, sorceresses could also benefit from the helmet. The Mid-Season Patch brought several buffs for the classes in Diablo 4. However, players of two classes have been particularly disappointed and believe: They deserve much more love.

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

Destiny 2: Servers Down for Patch 8.0.0.4 – All Patch Notes and Info

A new week begins in Destiny 2, which also means a new patch. Bungie is taking down its servers for update 8.0.0.4 to refresh its loot shooter a bit. Here’s what you need to know about the downtime.

Update, 21:50: The servers are back online and you can finally log in. Enjoy and have a nice evening!

What you need to know today: Today, Bungie is releasing a tougher version of the 12-player mission “Excision.” In this one, players fight against the weakened Witness to eliminate him once and for all.

Bungie promises good loot, and to ensure the servers can handle it, they will be taken down for a standard maintenance. We will keep you updated on the downtime and any issues that arise.

Start video
Destiny 2 shows the launch trailer for The Final Shape

Maintenance on 18.06. – All times for server downtime

These times are important today: Bungie informs its players about the exact downtime via x.com (formerly Twitter). It’s planned that the servers will be unreachable for 3:15 hours today.

Here’s what the maintenance schedule looks like:

  • At 15:00, background maintenance will start on all platforms.
  • At around 15:45, the servers will go offline. Players will be automatically kicked from the game.
  • At 19:00, the shooter is expected to be back online and you can log in again.
  • The maintenance will continue in the background until 21:00.
What to consider during downtimes: As long as the background maintenance is running, there may be connectivity issues in the game. Additionally, there may occasionally be queues during login because Bungie releases access to the servers gradually to avoid problems caused by high server load. Therefore, you may have to wait longer until you’re back in the game.

Please also note that third-party applications as well as the official companion app may also be unavailable for some time, meaning you can’t use them.

What changes with the new update in Episode: Echos

The following issues are known: There are many issues in The Final Shape that players are complaining about. Bungie is aware of some of them, but it is not known which of these will be fixed (via bungie.net). However, the following bugs could be addressed:

  • PC players with 3D audio enabled cannot hear any sound
  • The popup “Leaving for The Final Shape” has the wrong key art
  • When prismatically gifted hunters activate their new ultimate while wall-running, they fall
  • The hunter aspect that boosts your blade of flames ultimate doesn’t work
  • The description of the arc staff ultimate for hunters does not mention a blind effect after a three-combo or slam attack

Patch Notes for the update on 18.06. in Destiny 2

What’s in the patch notes? A complete overview of all fixed issues and improvements will be available only this evening or afternoon after the update goes live.

We will update our article and provide you with the link to the patch notes. It is possible that the patch notes will be changed or corrected by Bungie afterward.

These are all currently available details regarding today’s update. If there are any unforeseen changes, we will, of course, keep you updated. So feel free to check back later. Until then, we recommend this article about Destiny 2 on MeinMMO: An expert on Destiny 2 plays the toughest contents solo, but for the new duo mission, he has to resort to tricks

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