Diablo 4 hides a huge change in a tiny sentence, suddenly making Season 5 much harder

World bosses should actually be hard endgame content in Diablo 4. They are designed to be fought by a group of twelve players. In reality, however, this is different: way too strong builds can defeat the Titans in just seconds. That will soon be a thing of the past.

What kind of change is this?

  • In the Patch Notes for Season 5 on the PTR, there is the comment: “World bosses are now more resilient.”
  • While other boss changes, such as the ability to summon in sequence, get a detailed point, this sentence is just a small subpoint in the “General” section.
  • Blizzard does not provide specific numbers on what exactly is changing with world bosses. However, the effect is enormous.

What impact does this have? The Diablo expert Raxxanterax has already played several hours on the PTR of Season 5. Raxxanterax praises almost everything about Season 5 except the new endgame activity.

In his observations, the changes to world bosses are also an important point. He says he fought a world boss with a barbarian who already wore several Mythic items and Uber Uniques. Barbarians are currently the absolutely strongest class.

Nevertheless, the boss lived a long time:

It took eight level 100 players one minute to defeat a boss […] If you don’t have super-strong characters, it could take the full 15 minutes. [The fight] went from an instant one-shot to a one-minute battle.

Raxxanterax on YouTube

Since shortly after release fights against world bosses have been a matter of seconds. At least at world level 4, there is usually at least one player with a completely exaggerated broken build, who often kills the boss before it finishes its spawn animation.

With Season 5, this apparently comes to an end, although the changes are not yet final.

You can find here the best builds in Diablo 4 in the tier list. In the video, you can see the intro to the new expansion Vessel of Hatred:

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Trailer for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred provides insight into the story of the expansion

“The endgame needs to adapt to the changes since launch”

Shortly before the start of the PTR, a user on reddit called for Blizzard to urgently adjust the endgame activities. The “power creep” has become way too strong, meaning: players are too powerful for the game, most content offers no challenge anymore. The user criticizes:

  • Leveling is too fast, after just a few minutes, you already have your special class skill
  • Potions only need to be upgraded sporadically, not whenever they are available anymore
  • You gain points in the Paragon board much too quickly, so you can’t even fill your glyph slots because the glyphs are lacking
  • Dungeons for the next higher tier level are way too easy, someone has already unlocked world level 3 at level 1

And bosses are simply way too easy. This applies not only to world bosses but to almost everything. The blood maidens fall in a few seconds and the formerly terrifying Butcher is now just a joke.

The post receives over 1,500 upvotes and the topic obviously keeps the community busy with over 600 comments. Players clearly agree.

With Season 5, at least one of these points is being addressed, and with enough feedback, perhaps other content will also receive the desired adjustment. You can test Season 5 on the PTR until July 2, 2024, and propose changes. The season will start on August 6, 2024. Here you can find all information about the content and release of Season 5.

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

5 upgrades for your gaming PC that you should keep an eye on in 2024 and 2025

New hardware for PC gamers is expected to be released in 2024 and 2025. MeinMMO presents the most exciting developments you should keep an eye on.

The hardware market is constantly changing, and many manufacturers regularly bring new products and developments to market.

If you are interested in PC hardware or tech, you should particularly keep an eye on a range of products that will be released in 2024 or at the latest in 2025. MeinMMO presents the most exciting innovations of 2024.

AMD’s Zen 5 / Ryzen 8000 Series

AMD has planned innovations in the CPU area for 2024 and early 2025. With Ryzen 8000, the next generation of processors from AMD is already on the starting blocks.

During the release of AM5 and Ryzen 7000, AMD primarily struggled with high prices. Many gamers were hesitant to invest a lot of money in expensive DDR5 memory and new motherboards. However, the release was on September 27, 2022, which is almost 2 years ago.

With Ryzen 8000, AMD aims to make many things different, and above all, better. It is not for nothing that colleagues from Forbes state that the Ryzen 8000 series is regarded as “an important test for AMD’s new Socket AM5 platform.”

With Ryzen 8000, AMD is likely to offer some exciting deals for gamers, such as more affordable upgrade packs for those still using AM4.

Intel Arrow Lake/ 15th Gen Core Ultra

Intel also has new developments in processors. In contrast to AMD, there are two significant differences: Firstly, the new generation will use the new LGA 1851 socket, and secondly, it is expected not to support DDR4 memory anymore. The current generation still offers the option to use either DDR4 or DDR5.

The previous leaks around Arrow Lake promise a significant performance boost and stronger multicore performance. This means for you that the next generation of processors will offer more power.

Intel introduced so-called hybrid processors with the 12th generation (Alder Lake) that rely on a combination of efficiency cores (E-Cores) and performance cores (P-Cores). The E-Cores are supposed to handle simple tasks like office work, while the P-Cores are activated during gaming. This hybrid principle is expected to stay.

The improvements should also lead to lower power consumption in the long run. This means for you that you won’t need such strong cooling and overall will spend less money on electricity.

Speculation is around a release between October 2024 and December 2024.

With the switch to a new platform, Intel is also likely to offer some exciting upgrade deals, similar to AMD. These are often either cheaper bundles or packages with current games. More about Intel and its processors can be found directly on MeinMMO:

More on the topic
Which Intel processor is the best for me in 2024?
von Benedikt Schlotmann
Start video
Check out the video of the new slim model of the PS5

GDDR7 for new graphics cards in 2024 and 2025

Video memory is now integrated into every graphics card and comes in various sizes. While AMD uses GDDR6, Nvidia has already exclusively implemented the successor GDDR6X in some models.

At the beginning of 2024, the plans for the successor GDDR7 have become noticeably more concrete. Samsung and Micron announced that the development of GDDR7 memory is complete.

Reports suggest that GDDR7 will provide a storage speed increase of up to 42% and will equip the next generation GPUs with 32 Gbps and 28 Gbps memory:

  • Nvidia’s RTX 5000 series cards are expected to already use GDDR7 memory.
  • Whether AMD’s 8000 series will also use the new memory is still unknown. The first models of the 8000 series are still expected to use GDDR6.

However, it is quite certain that memory speed and bandwidth will significantly increase. While GDDR6 still offers 1.1 Tbps, GDDR7 is expected to reach 1.5 Tbps. By 2025 at the latest, many high-end models are likely to adopt the new memory as development has now been completed.

You can find the best graphics cards currently available for purchase in the following article on MeinMMO:

More on the topic
The Best Graphics Cards in Gaming for Any Budget 2025 in Ranking
von Benedikt Schlotmann

New graphics cards from AMD and Nvidia

Both AMD and Nvidia are expected to release new graphics cards for gamers in 2024. Speculation suggests that both manufacturers will release them in the fourth quarter of 2024. So far, there are no official dates.

AMD is mainly speculated to release a new mid-range product rather than a new high-end model, where they have always struggled against Nvidia. Currently, two graphics cards are under discussion:

  • One graphics card is said to be only slightly slower than an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT. This is AMD’s current second-fastest graphics card, directly behind the RX 7900 XTX.
  • The second graphics card is expected to be between a Radeon RX 7700 XT and the RX 7600. This represents AMD’s current mid-range lineup targeted at WQHD gaming.

While two graphics cards are expected from AMD, rumors suggest that Nvidia will only have a single GPU with the RTX 5090. Reports from colleagues at GameStar Tech indicate that it will again be a high-end model, as was the case with the RTX 4090.

Gaming PCs without cables

One of the most exciting innovations in recent months is likely the development of making cables almost completely vanish from computers: Motherboards are being designed with cable connections and modules on the back, so the cables are no longer visible on the front. This aims to provide a “clean” appearance, improve airflow, and thus cooling performance.

At CES 2024, MSI presented its “Project Zero.” Manufacturers ASUS and Gigabyte followed with their own product lines: ASUS with “Back to the Future” and “Project Stealth” from Gigabyte.

The only downside: “Wireless” motherboards are currently significantly more expensive than wired alternatives. The price increase can be up to 50 to 60 Euros more.

More motherboards: If you want to buy a graphics card or assemble a gaming PC, you also need a motherboard. The manufacturer MSI has introduced a motherboard that costs as much as a complete gaming PC: New motherboard costs 1,700 Euros – But what can it actually do?

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

Twitch streamer claims that the Amazon delivery person stole his coffee machine for 300 €

The German Twitch streamer Trymacs mentioned in one of his streams that his coffee machine has recently gone missing. He suspects that the Amazon delivery person has stolen his new machine.

Who is the streamer? Maximilian Stemmler, better known by his online pseudonym Trymacs, is one of the biggest names on the German streaming platform Twitch. The Hamburg native has made a name for himself primarily through mobile games by Supercell, such as Clash of Clans and Clash Royale, since the beginning of his career.

Trymacs is not only known for his gaming streams but also for his creative and often large-scale projects, where he regularly invites other streamers. One of his recent projects is a fitness challenge, where he attempts to become more athletic alongside his colleagues.

You can find out more about Trymacs here:

Start video
Twitch: Trymacs is pleading with Apple to finally allow more money to be invested in mobile games

Trymacs reports a brazen theft

How did the topic come up? Recently, Sascha, better known as unsympathischTV, was a guest in Trymacs’ stream for a song battle. During the session, an unexpectedly humorous moment develops when unsympathischTV asks Trymacs for a cup of coffee to prepare for the upcoming song battle.

The streamer chuckles and explains: “The Amazon delivery person stole my coffee machine for 300 €.”

With a mischievous smile, he turns to unsympathischTV and asks: “What do you think about that?” Sascha shrugs and replies with a grin: “Damn. Nothing is working here. PC doesn’t work, coffee machine is stolen, Chrome isn’t working anymore.” Trymacs laughs and confirms: “He took it with him.”

Deliverer is said to have forged signature

Why does the streamer suspect that? Trymacs suspects that the delivery person stole his new coffee machine. He elaborates on how he came to this suspicion.

According to his account, the streamer ordered the coffee machine from Amazon and eagerly awaits the delivery. He further explains that on the day of delivery, he receives a notification stating that the package will be delivered to his neighbor. However, the mentioned neighbor has not received the coffee machine, according to Trymacs.

The streamer mentions that when he sees the signature on the delivery receipt, he becomes suspicious. “It doesn’t look like the neighbor’s signature at all,” he explains, “And now the coffee machine is gone.”

Trymacs suspects that the delivery person forged the signature himself to steal the expensive device. unsympathischTV dryly comments: “He went through with it.”

Amazon customer service can help

What can I do if my package is lost? It may happen that your package does not arrive despite all efforts. To check the status of your delivery, log into your Amazon account. There you will find detailed information and often an estimated delivery time.

If your package is not delivered, you can contact Amazon customer service. You can reach the toll-free hotline at 0800 3638469. Have your tracking number ready, which you can find under “Track Delivery” in your account.

The customer service can arrange for a redelivery or give you the option to place a new order. For goods that were not delivered, you will generally receive a credit to the original payment method.

Trymacs is not the only one who has had bad experiences with delivery people. One user reports that he bought a new gaming PC. However, when he opens the delivered package, he is shocked: It is completely demolished. More on this here: User buys gaming system, but the PC looks like it was run over by a truck: “Something like this has never happened to me”

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

Try the new spear weapon from Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds now in the open beta

Shortly after the announcement of the Janthir Wilds expansion for Guild Wars 2, there is additional information about the spear weapon type. Furthermore, ArenaNet has brought in experienced reinforcement for the new housing feature.

Update from June 28, 2024: The open beta for Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds has started, during which you can test the new spear weapon with all classes until July 1 at 7 AM.

Every valid account of Guild Wars 2, including free accounts, will automatically receive “Beta” marked character slots at the start of the beta event. Click on one of these slots to create a character from one of the nine classes of Guild Wars 2.

Then you can directly explore the open world or try out a game mode dedicated to group play. In the toolbar at the top left of your user interface, you will find options to join the world vs. world and structured player vs. player modes.

If you want to tackle the instanced group content of the Mist Fractals, you need to visit Fort Marriner in Lion’s Arch and enter the portal.

Who is supporting the developers of Guild Wars 2? Joel Eckert revealed on X that he finds it very exciting to work on the new housing system of the newly announced expansion Janthir Wilds. The senior game designer previously worked for Maxis on Sims 4 for many years. He is therefore familiar with games where players can express themselves in their own homes.

However, not much is known about the home of Guild Wars 2 so far. It is clear that the personal housing instance will be available for the entire account. You can look forward to a plot of land and a building that you can decorate and cultivate.

You will unlock the feature through a related mastery path, through which you can further develop your home. You should be able to invite friends and access unlockable resources. More information is expected in the coming weeks.

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Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds – Announcement trailer introduces you to new expansion

Everything you need to know about the spear weapon type

The developers have also revealed more information about the new spear weapon type. You will learn to handle it during training with the lowland kodan of Janthir at the beginning of the new story. Alternatively, you can unlock kodan spear training through PvP. In any case, you need the expansion to unlock the weapon type. Here are the other basics:

  • Spears are two-handed weapons that you can use both on land and underwater. However, if you want to do that, you will need two spears, one for each slot.
  • The spear skills differ on land depending on your class. Some archetypes use the spear as a projectile weapon at range, others as a melee weapon or as a magical focus.
  • All spear skins from GW2 can be used on land.
  • With the first update of Janthir Wilds, a legendary spear will land on the live servers.
  • Classes that cannot use spears underwater now will also not be able to after the release of the expansion.
  • From June 27 to June 30, there will be an open beta during which you can try out the spear with your classes.

What else do I need to know about the Janthir Wilds expansion? Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds will be released on August 20, 2024. The expansion is expected to cost 24.99 euros in the standard version and will receive three major content updates like its predecessor, Secrets of the Obscure, which will be released between August 2024 and summer 2025.

In addition to the standard version, there will also be a Deluxe Edition (around 50 euros) and an Ultimate Edition (around 75 euros) featuring exclusive items. You can find more information about the versions on the official overview page of Janthir Wilds (via ArenaNet).

Other features include the two zones Lowland Coast (the home of the lowland kodan) and Janthir Syntri, the tameable warclaw mount, and a fresh story campaign that ties into the events from Secrets of the Obscure. More about this: Guild Wars 2 Janthir Wilds – Everything Important to Release, Housing, Warclaw Mount, and Spear Weapon Type

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

Bad sign for GTA 6? Often requested new feature for GTA Online ends up behind a paywall

Rockstar Games has implemented a much-requested quality-of-life feature for GTA Online … and put it behind a paywall. Now, fans of the franchise fear that with GTA 6, increasingly more features could end up behind a paywall.

What has Rockstar Games released? For GTA Online, the update “Bottom Dollar Bounties” has been released, which makes you the leader of the bounty hunter group “Bottom Dollar Bail Enforcement.” You are supposed to take down targets, assist LSPD Officer Vincent Effenburger during patrols, and open a new bail office.

In addition, some comfort features are included that have been on the wish lists of GTA Online fans for quite some time.

Dthe first trailer for GTA 6 has caused a huge echo:

Start video
Rockstar Games shows GTA 6 for the first time in the trailer

Especially cool: Through the Vinewood Club smartphone app, you can “easily request vehicles, collect all outstanding earnings from businesses, and refill ammunition.” Not having to manually visit every building to collect the regular income saves a huge amount of life time.

Especially stupid: The app is only available to GTA+ members who pay about eight euros for the optional subscription. Of course, there are also the familiar benefits such as additional in-game cash or bonus events.

“GTA 6 will be a complete shitshow with GTA+”

How is the community reacting? Many players are annoyed and look pessimistically at the future of the GTA franchise.

  • LungHeadZ writes on reddit: “GTA 6 will be a complete shitshow with GTA+”
  • Ab-Aeterno_ strikes a similar note with his comment (via reddit): “Why are they locking important game features behind a subscription paywall? Things like this are the reason why my hopes for GTA 6 are slowly starting to fade.”
  • For Asleep_Employment_50, the case is clear: “Listen, Rockstar, no matter what you pack into this subscription, I will not pay the absurd price for it, this feature should be available to everyone for heaven’s sake.”

What do you think? Do you also believe that the situation surrounding the microtransactions of GTA Online will only get worse in the future? Are you using the optional subscription of GTA Online? Let us know in the comments! More about what is probably the most anticipated game of the coming years: CEO talks about the release of GTA 6 and says exactly what fans want to hear

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

THE MMORPG for collectors receives a perfect feature to showcase legendary items, mounts, and all characters

With the upcoming expansion Janthir Wilds, a new housing feature will arrive in Guild Wars 2. Now there are new insights into the homesteads and the features of the housing system.

What is known about the new housing? Arenanet first announced the feature and the associated expansion Janthir Wilds on June 4, 2024. In collaboration with the developers, the website PC Gamer has now released an exclusive preview of the homesteads. Below, MeinMMO summarizes the most important points for you.

  • The new homesteads are an evolution of the home instances, which will still exist.
  • All items collected in home instances can be seamlessly integrated into the new homesteads.
  • Arenanet has fundamentally revised and expanded the building editor for the homesteads in Guild Wars 2. Similar to the grand housing of WildStar, it will also be possible, for example, to scale items in size or have them float in the air.
  • To unlock the building instructions, the developers are introducing a new mastery. More than 300 decorations are planned for the launch. Over the next year, the number is expected to rise to about 800.
  • Your home will be a kind of exhibition for all your skins, armors, weapons, characters, and mounts. You can place all your GW2 heroes on the property (and have them perform those animations), visit your mounts in the stable (and admire your favorite skins), display peacekeepers in weapon racks, and throw stylish outfits over mannequins to showcase them in all their glory.
  • In the homesteads, you can expect various activities such as harvesting nodes, watering flowers, fishing, swimming, chopping trees, or watching “cats doing cat things” (via Arenanet). Yup, your collected house cats will find their new home in the homestead.
  • At the associated dock, you will find the skiff with which you can cruise down the local river.
  • You will gain access to the feature early during the story campaign of the new expansion.
  • Unlike in other MMORPGs, you do not have to win a lottery or pay enormous amounts of in-game money to secure your own property. There is also no rent or other regular costs.

The announcement trailer for the Janthir Wilds expansion of Guild Wars 2:

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Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds – Announcement trailer introduces you to new expansion

New System with Potential

What does MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz say about the new housing? In recent years, I have often felt that Arenanet is only doing the bare minimum to keep Guild Wars 2 alive. It fits with the fact that Guild Wars 3 is supposed to be in development.

Therefore, I am positively surprised by how powerful and well-thought-out the new housing system of Janthir Wilds seems so far. We can definitely expect more than just an alibi home system that offers little more than the home instances. Regarding the variety of options in the editor, the homesteads even remind me of perhaps the best housing system in the MMORPG genre.

From my perspective, this was present in WildStar, which went offline in November 2018 and therefore does not appear in our Top 5 of currently the best housing systems in MMORPGs. In the colorful online adventure from Carbine and NCSoft, it was also possible to have items float in the air or scale their size to one’s liking.

I think it’s great to have so many possibilities to display all the collected achievements – after all, Guild Wars 2, with its horizontal progression, is THE MMORPG for the long-term expansion of your collection.

What I still miss are one or two more contents that are linked to the homesteads. Here again, my gaze turns to WildStar, as there were the so-called housing expeditions that could be completed alone or with friends to earn exclusive decorations.

How has your first impression been so far? What feature do you miss? What do you particularly like? Let me know in the comments! More information about the new expansion, set to be released on August 20, 2024, can be found here: Guild Wars 2 Janthir Wilds – Everything Important About Release, Housing, Warclaw Mount, and Weapon Type Spear

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

MMORPG for Elder Scrolls gives you some of the best story content from Tamriel

The authors of Elder Scrolls Online told a great story over several chapters and DLCs years ago. While the starting point in Morrowind has long been part of the base game, all Tamriel heroes can secure the fantastic middle part of the story for free in July.

Which storyline is it about? The narrative thread is called “daedric war.” The first hints about the events of the story arc appeared in the DLCs Orsinium, Dark Brotherhood, and Shadows of the Hist.

The story really kicked off with the first chapter Morrowind, which is now part of the base game of Elder Scrolls Online. The daedric war continued in the story DLC Clockwork City, only to culminate in an epic finale with the next chapter Summerset.

The latest chapter is called Gold Road and takes you to the West Marshes. Here is the launch trailer:

Start video
The Mirrormoor attacks Tamriel in the launch trailer of Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road

One could say that the authors of the MMORPG have already done on a smaller scale what Blizzard wants to implement in the coming years with the next three WoW expansions of the World Soul saga. Or what Square Enix has accomplished in great fashion with the overarching story arc of Final Fantasy XIV up to Endwalker.

Free trip to the City of Clockworks

What is free? In July, you can secure the aforementioned, highly recommended story DLC Clockwork City for free. To do this, you need to log into Elder Scrolls Online on two different days in July. That’s it!

The gift is part of the celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the MMORPG. Back in April, you could secure the thief DLC Thieves Guild. There was also an oasis as a home, a pig, and much more.

There’s more! From July 2 to August 15, 2024, you can claim the modified action “Gold Road Recall” for free through the Crown Shop if you have completed the achievement “Champion of Vivec.” To succeed, you must master the storyline of the Morrowind chapter.

In addition, there are seals available when you master the various endeavors from Morrowind and Clockwork City. For these, you need to slay leaders in open dungeons or complete the crafting halls.

By the way, MyMMO editor Karsten Scholz had the opportunity a few days ago to talk with Creative Director Rich Lambert about the past decade, criticism of the new chapter, and the hottest MMORPG summer in many years – Lead developer on the most important update of ESO: They were sure, “that we would kill the game like this.”

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

Players celebrate boss from DLC of Elden Ring: “I am so happy that it is just two dudes in a suit.”

The bosses from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC of Elden Ring are tough, no question about it. But did you know that behind a particularly fearsome beast are just two dudes who have thrown on a lion costume? MeinMMO takes a look for you under the cloak of horror.

Which boss are we talking about? In the Tower Settlement of Belurat, you encounter the Theater of the Divine Beast in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC of Elden Ring. Behind this divine beast lies a fearsome Dancing Lion, who has already claimed countless adventurers of the Lands Between.

The name of the monster is no coincidence and already spoils a quirky mystery: Behind the Dancing Lion are two puny dudes hiding under the lion skin to appear as a costumed duo that is larger and more dangerous than they actually are alone.

Are you looking for the important Scadutree fragments in the Elden Ring DLC? MeinMMO helps:

Start video
Elden Ring DLC: Collecting Scadubaum Fragments – Here’s Why They’re Important and How to Get Them

The Lion Dance is a traditional art form of Chinese culture, where two people get into an elaborate costume that is supposed to represent a lion. One “plays” the head, while the other plays the tail. The dance is meant to bring luck, prosperity, and joy.

Who solved the mystery? The YouTuber BonfireVN shows in one of his latest videos (via YouTube) who is behind the cloak of the Dancing Lion. In front, a standing unknown person carries the head of the beast, while his bent partner shakes the rear. But see for yourself:

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This also explains why the lion moves very abruptly and unnaturally in combat. As a reward for defeating the beast, you can earn 120,000 runes, the Echo of the Dancing Lion, and the Divine Beast Head.

Out of this World

What does the community say about it? Under the video, viewers express their enthusiasm for the idea behind the boss design and the attention to detail that FromSoftware has put into the implementation of the Dancing Lion.

  • CrispyGFX writes: “I am so damn happy that it’s literally just two dudes in a suit.”
  • ericvash9960 adds: “I expected this boss to be a grotesque artificial creation, but no, it’s just two guys.”
  • theophany4935 feels sorry for the designers: “Imagine what a nightmare it was to create the animations for this boss …”
  • mrgustavo3187 celebrates the work: “I would have never imagined that this could be a Barongsai, which is usually depicted with friendly facial features and bright colors. Rethinking this in that form is out of this world. A truly fantastic job by the design team.”

How do you like the design of the Dancing Lion? Let us know in the comments!

What do I need to know about Shadow of the Erdtree? In Shadow of the Erdtree, you enter the Shadow Realm of the Earth Tree – a new dimension where Messmer, one of the main antagonists of the DLC is located. You enter this world through a portal and must now find out what machinations the god is carrying out in this world.

In the DLC, you can expect an open world again, with new areas, bosses, armor, and weapons. Even new talents, like throwing large jugs or dashing through enemies as a hedgehog, can be utilized. And there is a fresh way of character progression. You can find more information here: Elden Ring DLC – Everything about the release, preparation, start, preload, prices, and editions

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

With the money that users have spent on Steam for games that have been pointless, you could buy Bethesda twice

How high is your proverbial Pile of Shame? On Steam, games are said to have been purchased but never played, the value of which would surpass the gross domestic product of many countries.

In younger years, there is time, but often there is not enough money to buy all the games one desires. Later, it flips: Thanks to a job, the money is there, but there isn’t enough free time to play everything one wants. The situation has even worsened in recent years due to the never-ending service games.

However, for many, no time is not a reason not to buy. As soon as the first discount deal comes around, many gaming enthusiasts strike. This leads to a considerable “Pile of Shame” over time, or a “Tower of Shame” of purchased but unplayed games. Optimistic souls like to call it a “Mountain of Joy,” the mountain of (potential) joy.

Also interesting for Steam users:

Start video
A user asks Valve if he can bequeath his many games on Steam – they reply

How much is the Pile of Shame on Steam worth? The people responsible for PCGamesN and SteamIDFinder teamed up to answer exactly this question. They looked at publicly visible accounts in the SteamIDFinder database to find out how much money the respective Steam users have spent on games that have not yet been played.

It should be considered that only about ten percent of the Steam accounts worldwide are publicly visible through SteamIDFinder. The result of the research:

  • On the 73 million verified accounts, there are games worth 1.9 billion US dollars that have remained unplayed in libraries.
  • If this sum is extrapolated to all Steam accounts, it would amount to about 19 billion US dollars.
  • This is more than the entire gross domestic product of countries like Malta, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Mongolia, or Palestine (figures from October 2022, via Wikipedia).
  • With 19 billion US dollars, one could buy ZeniMax Media twice. For the company, which also includes Bethesda, Microsoft had to spend about 8.1 billion US dollars in 2021 (adjusted for inflation, approximately 9.108 billion US dollars).

What gems are slumbering on the Pile of Shame? Unfortunately, the author of these lines has quite a few. This might be due to the MMORPGs that typically consume a lot of time. The victims include Command & Conquer 4 and Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3, as well as Darksiders 2, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and Dishonored: Death of the Outsider.

However, classics like Fallout 1 + 2, F.E.A.R. 3, the two Guacamelee! parts, or the JRPG The Last Remnant are also left unplayed in the library. Additionally, there are various Lego games that were intended for fun co-op rounds with the kids, but have not yet found any appeal. Here’s a current price tip: Survival game from Germany is now fully launched on Steam, available for just under 10 €

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

Developers of Blue Protocol explain what has gone wrong with the MMORPG so far

Despite financial difficulties, Bandai Namco Online still seems to want to bring the MMORPG Blue Protocol to the West. In an interview, the developers discussed what they believe has gone wrong so far.

What have the developers analyzed? In an interview with Famitsu (via Automaton), the representatives of Bandai Namco Online explained why the anime MMORPG Blue Protocol has had a difficult launch in Japan:

  • A significant portion of the criticism can be traced back to one problem: The gameplay is far too repetitive, especially when it comes to advancing the story or crafting weapons.
  • The developers deliberately opted for a time-consuming grind. This also stemmed from the fact that they consider themselves hardcore MMO players who grew up with grind and low drop rates.
  • However, the analysis brings two insights: Firstly, the developers have not managed to make this gameplay loop sufficiently fun and motivating. Secondly, they misjudged their target audience. Instead of attracting fans of hardcore MMOs, they have drawn in casual players or fans of more modern MMORPGs with Blue Protocol.
  • Apart from the main story, there are too few rewarding or entertaining side activities and challenges, as criticized by many players.
  • Fundamentally, there are still several bugs that negatively impact the gaming experience.
  • The developers acknowledge mistakes in communication with the community.

Blue Protocol was released in Japan last year – here is one of the trailers:

Start video
Blue Protocol Update Trailer Japan October 2023

What actions will follow from these insights?

  • The developers want to eliminate anything that feels like filler.
  • Since the grind cannot be completely removed, what remains of the grind or repetitive activities should at least feel much more rewarding. For example, bosses should drop large treasure chests.
  • Furthermore, they want to offer additional content such as treasure hunts or mini-games like beach volleyball with the next update. The developers also hint at a housing feature. They simply want to give players more reasons to enjoy spending time in the anime world of Blue Protocol.
  • User-friendliness will be improved in areas that currently cause players to hit obstacles and leave the MMO for good. Guides and new comfort features for fast travel and the map are intended to further enhance the onboarding experience.

Hope for a Turnaround

Further plans for Blue Protocol were revealed by the developers days ago in a more than three-hour-long stream. There was talk of new areas, a higher level cap, fresh dungeons, and additional story content.

A new quality system for weapons, fresh endgame content, a gacha-like system for cosmetic skins, and comprehensive changes to the season pass are also on the developers’ agenda.

Shortly after the stream, however, news circulated that Bandai Namco Online might be facing insolvency. There has been no official statement from the parent company so far. The Bandai Namco Group itself is likely still doing well thanks to Elden Ring, Tekken 8, and others. More on this: The final nail in the coffin for Blue Protocol? Bad news for Bandai Namco Online comes from Japan

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

A publisher sells a game on Steam with features that no one is actually working on anymore

Many studios were closed in 2024. Numerous developers lost their jobs. This also happened to Intercept Games, the creators of Kerbal Space Program 2. Yet, despite a non-operational studio, Take Two is still selling the game in Early Access on Steam, with features that no one is working on.

What happened? As reported by MeinMMO in early May, Take Two closed two studios of Private Division, their publishing label for indie games. One was Roll7, the studio behind OlliOlli and Rollerdrome, as well as Intercept Games, the creators of Kerbal Space Program, who were actually working on part 2, which has been released in Early Access on Steam.

As the game director, Quinn Duffy, confirmed on LinkedIn, the studio will be closed on June 28, 2024. Despite this closure, a reddit user noticed that Kerbal Space Program 2 is still being sold in Early Access and is advertising future content.

Take Two is also behind Rockstar Games, who are currently working on GTA 6:

Start video
Rockstar Games shows GTA 6 for the first time in the trailer

Currently, no one can continue development

How is Kerbal Space Program 2 being advertised? As the user Niklasgunner1 points out in a reddit thread, the game is still being sold on Steam for a full price of 50 Euros. It is still in Early Access and continues to advertise future content.

This includes new star systems as well as features like multiplayer. The issue is that as of June 28, 2024, there are currently no developers responsible for the game. In other words, according to the status quo, no work can be done on the content.

This also violates Steam’s rules, which explain in an Early Access FAQ that if an Early Access game cannot be completed, it must be released normally. If the game is not playable, it must be removed.

Another user notes that the game has now also appeared in the Humble Store. While it does not advertise specific future plans, it still promotes major updates.

Even if there were a new development studio for the game, many reddit users doubt that they could fix the broken game. ToothlessFTW simply states: There is no way a second development team is coming in to fix this.

What is the status of the game? Already at release, Kerbal Space Program 2 struggled with technical issues. Buyers were dissatisfied with the game. Currently, the title has Mixed reviews from users on Steam, and in the recent reviews, it even stands at Extremely Negative.

The most common criticism is that the game is unfinished, and with the closure of the developer, hopes for improvement have been in vain. Another criticism is the high price for a title in Early Access. Apparently, a German studio is also facing closure: Gamers discuss the end of a legendary studio: “Could have been the German Witcher”

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

A character in the DLC of Elden Ring screams and moans a lot, yet still captures the hearts of the fans

Also in the DLC of Elden Ring there are once again a series of quests where you encounter various NPCs. One of them has particularly captivated the community.

Which NPC is it? It is about Igon, a strange fellow whom you can meet in the DLC Shadow of the Erdtree. He also has his own quest, just like Thiollier or Ymir.

During your first encounter at the grace site “Waypoint at the Pillar Hall”, you will likely hear him before you see him. Because Igon lies somewhat off the save point on the ground and screams in pain.

As it turns out, he is a dragon warrior who wants to complete his last mission. His target is Bayle, a fearsome dragon. He is the reason why Igon is paralyzed and lives in constant fear.

If you listen to him, you will learn how tormented the poor guy is. He whines and cries, but even then it becomes clear that a great rage lies beneath the fragile surface.

Start video
Start the Igon Quest in Elden Ring, defeat Bayle and become a dragon – Here’s how to do it

A sympathetic berserker

What happens to Igon next? If you follow his quest, you will eventually end up in a boss fight against the dragon Bayle. Igon had previously given you a finger, with which he can be summoned during the fight.

When he appears in the arena, Igon doesn’t waste any time. Filled with rage, he insults the dragon and screams: “Curse you, Bayle!”.

Igon makes it clear how much he hates his enemy. He wants to pierce his “decayed skin” and screams as loud as he can. With his help, you hopefully manage to defeat the boss.

Players have grown to love the tragic berserker and celebrate him and the voice actor who gives the character his voice.

Fans love Igon and his voice actor

What do the players think? While Igon initially stands out mainly because of his oddly sounding whining, he has also won over many players with his eccentric nature.

Especially the voice actor of the NPC, Richard Lintern, receives a lot of praise. He is considered the voice actor of the year, according to the account @EldenRingHQ on X.com.

For the user @blood_gutters on X.com, Igon’s portrayal is even the “best performance in a Souls game.” The way Igon screams and doesn’t want to stop is simply brilliant.

https://twitter.com/Raven__621/status/1805814482771525668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1805814482771525668%7Ctwgr%5E576ca477b79bc4d019b3d8712a323711a5e88d35%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkotaku.com%2Fembed%2Finset%2Fiframe%3Fid%3Dtwitter-1805814482771525668autosize%3D1

Even players who usually play without NPC summons during the rather difficult boss fights have summoned Igon for the battle against the dragon Bayle. He would just be such an impressive hater that it’s worth making an exception, says @SomeDwarf on X.com.

Have you already met Igon in the DLC and accompanied him on his quest against Bayle? What do you think of the NPC and his story? If you want to know exactly how to solve the quest, feel free to check out MeinMMO. There you will find a detailed quest guide.

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

„I am a complete failure“ – Souls creator explains how he managed to finish Elden Ring anyway 

The big topic regarding the DLC for Elden Ring is the difficulty level of the open-world adventure. Many players find the DLC simply too hard. Yet, even FromSoftware’s grandmaster, Hidetaka Miyazaki, is struggling with the DLC.

What is being discussed about Shadow of Erdtree? Many players think the Elden Ring DLC is too hard. It even got to the point where FromSoftware bowed to the many players and adjusted the difficulty level.

But you are not the only ones having issues with the game. The head of FromSoftware himself, Hidetaka Miyazaki, says he is a poor player. Nevertheless, he managed to complete Elden Ring, as he revealed in an interview.

Some bosses from the new DLC can be seen in this trailer:

Start video
Elden Ring introduces the boss enemies of the DLC

He completed Elden Ring, even though he is bad at it

How did he complete Elden Ring? In an interview with The Guardian, Miyazaki talked among other things about his own problems with Elden Ring. He reveals that to prepare for Shadow of the Erdtree, he played through the main story of Elden Ring, despite being bad at video games.

I want to start by saying that I am absolutely terrible at video games, so my approach or play style was to use everything that I have at my disposal.

Hidetaka Miyazaki on how he completed Elden Ring. (Source: The Guardian)

In the interview, he explains that he simply uses everything the game has to offer. He has the advantage that as the creator of the game, he knows all the possibilities. At the same time, the freedom that Elden Ring offers has also helped him. This is a big contrast to many purists, who do not want to receive help.

Through the open world, Elden Ring offers a lower entry barrier, and as a player, he is someone who benefits from it.

Does he not complete all his games? In the interview, Miyazaki explains that he tries to play as much of his games as possible before release, but usually does not want to play them again after release because he would then find things he does not like.

After release, he no longer has any influence on things as he is then just a player. Part of the community says Shadow of the Erdtree is significantly harder than the main game and criticizes the DLC, which is praised by critics, yet where does this discrepancy come from: Testers love it, but fans complain – Why are opinions about the Elden Ring DLC so divergent?

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

Rockstar has often had the chance for a GTA movie, but has always declined – And there are good reasons

Fans have long wished for a GTA movie. Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games, has now explained why a film has never been an option.

Many fans are hoping for a movie or series based on the popular game series Grand Theft Auto (GTA). Dan Houser, co-founder and former chief writer of Rockstar Games, recently explained why this dream has never come to fruition. According to Houser, the high risk was the decisive factor that prevented a film adaptation of GTA.

Fans are hugely excited about GTA 6. The trailer created a huge hype:

Start video
Rockstar Games shows GTA 6 for the first time in the trailer

Why should we do that?

What does Dan Houser say? In an interview with The Ankler (via gamesindustry), Dan Houser explained that although there have been several discussions about possible film adaptations of Rockstar games (GTA and Red Dead Redemption), these were always declined.

Houser repeatedly asked the executives: “Why should we do that?” The answer from the decision-makers was often that it was an opportunity to be allowed to make a movie.

Houser made it clear why he considered this idea to be bad. He feared that a film project without the full creative control from Rockstar would pose a great risk. Additionally, we would have to pay for something that already belonged to us.

He stated the following:

They thought we would be blinded by the lights, but that just wasn’t the case. We had intellectual property [IP] worth several billion dollars. […] The risk wasn’t worth it. Back then, the view was that games made for bad movies.

Dan Houser to The Ankler

What is Dan Houser actually doing now? A poor outcome could potentially damage the reputation of the GTA brand. However, Dan Houser emphasizes that times are different now. Today, many video game adaptations are successful, as the series Fallout and The Last of Us show.

Houser admitted that it is now a different time for collaboration between the gaming and film industries. Dan Houser left Rockstar and publisher Take-Two behind in March 2020 – and founded his own development studio.

With his new studio Absurd Ventures, he aims to build new franchises through more cost-effective formats. The focus is on storytelling – in the form of audiobooks, comics, and games. Currently, the studio is developing an open world action-adventure.

A particularly well-known example of an offer for a GTA movie was what Rockstar received after the success of GTA III. A producer planned a film with rapper Eminem in the lead role and Tony Scott (Top Gun) as director.

But Sam Houser, Dan Houser’s brother and founder of Rockstar, declined. He probably recognized that the GTA brand was bigger. They preferred to focus on their gaming franchise. GTA was already in the process of surpassing the film industry (via RockstarIntel).

Although a GTA film never came to fruition, interest in a possible adaptation remains. Hollywood has significantly evolved in recent years regarding the quality of video game adaptations. Perhaps one day there will still be a GTA movie. In the meantime, you can look forward to GTA 6. By the way, a major new update for GTA Online was recently released: What’s in Bottom Dollar Bounties.

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

Blizzard buffs all classes in Diablo 4 with Season 5, but one will even become weaker: “40% less damage”

At the moment, Blizzard is testing the upcoming Season 5 on the PTR of Diablo 4. In addition to new content, there are changes for all classes – and almost exclusively buffs. However, during testing, players have noticed that sorceresses are even weaker than before. And they were already far from strong.

This is what is currently in Season 5:

What is happening with the sorceress? Although the damage of many abilities is being increased, Blizzard has nerfed several skills for sorceresses in the current PTR patch. This primarily affects defensive spells:

  • Teleport has a longer cooldown
  • Ice Armor has a higher base barrier but is no longer increased by damage
  • the cooldown of Flame Shield now only starts when the invulnerability has expired

All these skills are present in almost every top sorceress build because otherwise the class simply wouldn’t survive. Compared to other classes, sorceresses lack health points and defense.

Barbarians, for instance, are running around with almost 500,000 health points, while sorceresses struggle to reach 20,000 health points, rarely exceeding that. Additionally, there is another nerf to some of the sorceress’s passive glyphs:

  • Burning Instinct grants less intelligence and is capped at +40%
  • Elemental Summoner is capped at +30% damage

A user on Reddit directly compared the numbers for an Incinerate build between Live and PTR. His result: Sorceresses deal 40% less damage with this build in its new state.

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

“Sorceresses are the only balanced class”

In another thread on Reddit, the creator describes in detail the problems with the changes and the class itself. Sorceresses have been at the bottom of tier lists along with druids for a while now, and are hardly worth mentioning compared to the overpowering barbarians.

After his lengthy analysis and some contemplation, the user concludes: It is not the sorceresses that are the problem, but all the other classes. The way sorceresses scale is just right, that’s workable – with all others, it is not:

We scale in a reasonably predictable manner. All our builds (except Shatter) cluster closely together. A factor of 2 or 3 better than the others, at most. Honestly, that’s wonderful in a game with multipliers due to our scaling. The problem is: Because of this, we couldn’t keep up with the content, with our buffs. And we were unable to exploit other bugs like other classes.

The user argues: Either sorceresses need to “have their handcuffs removed” or all other classes need to be adjusted downwards. And that is exactly the right way, it is said. It is much easier to balance everything when everyone is only dealing millions and not billions of damage.

The comments and other threads on Reddit at least agree that sorceresses are currently far behind all other classes. Even druids have the potential to deal damage in the billions or more.

The criticism mainly is: Sorceresses are forced into certain builds and these are then nerfed because they are apparently “used too much.” Season 5 is still in the testing phase, and a lot can change by the release in August. The expert Raxxanterax agrees that the balancing is off but praises almost everything else about the PTR. Only the most important feature still needs help: Expert plays Diablo 4 Season 5 for 7 hours – explains what needs to be improved in the most important feature

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

Former Destiny Producer explains why the live service model is “so much better” for you than the 60-euro purchase model

Joe Tung, former producer at Bungie for hits like Halo 3 and Destiny, is clearly in favor of the live service model. He explains why it is so much better.

What is the problem with the 60-euro purchase model? Tung tells in an interview with PC Gamer that he is not a fan of the traditional 60-euro purchase model. He explains that developers in this model have to focus on selling as many copies as possible within the first 48 hours.

During his time at Bungie, he often had to make decisions that were not in the best interest of the players. The model forces developers to think short-term and promise features that would ultimately never make it into the game.

E3 trailers and clips (not necessarily from Bungie) would often be filled with unrealistic features, which he refers to as ‘Bullshit Vaporware’. This is intended to impress the audience and boost sales.

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

The Benefits of Games as a Service

What does he say about live service? Tung left Bungie at the end of 2012 and moved to Riot Games, the developer studio behind the popular MOBA League of Legends. There, he worked on LoL and gained experience in the world of live service games that are free-to-play. In 2020, he also left Riot Games to found Theorycraft Games. With his new developer studio, he is currently working on a MOBA-like battle royale called Supervive – which is also intended to be a live service game.

Tung believes that the model Games as a Service is so much better for developers and you players.

He emphasizes the following strengths of the model (in an interview with PC Gamer):

  • It allows for making much, much, much better decisions overall.
  • One can think long-term about what is best for the player.
  • Moreover, developers can continuously work on the game after release and incorporate direct feedback from players.
  • This flexibility allows for decisions that are advantageous for both players and the company in the long run.

There are also critical voices against the live service model, especially due to the increasing microtransactions. However, one model does not necessarily exclude the other. The shooter hit Helldivers 2 is currently the best example of this and has found a middle ground. Helldivers 2 essentially combines both models and is extremely successful in doing so. MeinMMO editor Dariusz Müller reveals what makes Helldivers 2 so good: 5 reasons that make the shooter so good.

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

If you were a fighter pilot, a virtual “R2D2” from Star Wars would soon accompany you

Researchers from the USA have developed an AI assistant that only lacks an astromech body from Star Wars to achieve sci-fi perfection.

Do the USA now have astromechs in fighter jets? No, there is no R2D2 sitting behind the pilots in F35 or F22 fighter jets of the US Air Force or any other branches of the United States military. However, a first step in this direction has been taken with the prototype of the Virtual Intelligent Pear-Reasoning agents, also known as VIPR.

What is VIPR? VIPR is a virtual co-pilot for aircraft crews that can also take control of the aircraft. Whether it can independently trigger weapons or select targets is not known. However, it reads in the article from the developing Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) of Johns Hopkins University not so.

John Winder, a computer scientist at APL who co-leads the project, refers in the text to the famous astromech droid R2D2. That droid faithfully supports Anakin Skywalker and later his son Luke – whether in transit or in the cockpit of starfighters.

Start video
Trailer for Star Wars Outlaws, the first open-world game in the ‘Star Wars’ universe

What can VIPR do? Of course, we do not have technical documentation, but according to APL’s information, the following is possible:

  • Acceptance of voice commands
  • The role of a co-pilot to assist in handling aircraft systems
  • Active control of the jet as well as fluid transition from pilot to co-pilot and vice versa
  • Communication with members of the combat unit (squadron)
  • Parallel control of several unmanned aerial vehicles in conjunction with the own jet
  • Continuous, constant monitoring of the airspace around the aircraft (radar, cameras, etc.)
  • Perception of the cognitive state of the pilot
  • Estimation of the pilot’s intentions before he actively issues commands

Is VIPR already in use everywhere? No, so far only tests have been conducted, but everyone who has tried it has been quite enthusiastic. And according to the team, it seems to even make untrained individuals competitive, as one of the lead developers explains:

I, as a non-pilot, might survive about eight seconds in a virtual simulation. With VIPR, I win.

John Winder, APL

When will VIPR be widely used? That is not known. Next, flight tests are planned in real aircraft with real external combat pilots from the armed forces. So far, only internally employed, but also trained as combat pilots, individuals have tested VIPR in the simulator.

Artificial intelligence can already do a lot today – even help with cheating. In another article on MeinMMO, we tell you about the bold plan of a university applicant in Turkey. What he attempted during a state exam will likely follow him for life: Because his cheating attempt with a camera, cell phone, and AI failed, but the police are quite impressed.

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

CoD MW3 & Warzone: Season 4 Reloaded – Everything about the roadmap, start and content

Activision has announced Season 4 Reloaded for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone with a new trailer and a roadmap. We will show you when the season starts and what new content to expect.

On June 26, the Reloaded update for Season 4 in CoD: MW3 and Warzone was released and brings two new weapons, a new multiplayer map, new modes, new content for the zombie mode and for Warzone. Additionally, new weekly challenges and events are introduced.

[toc]

Start video
Trailer shows new content in CoD MW3 Season 4 Reloaded

CoD MW3: Season 4 Reloaded – Update & Download

When will the update arrive? The update has already been released on June 26, 2024, at 6:00 PM across all platforms.

How large will the update be? The update is nearly 22 GB in size.

CoD MW3: Season 4 Reloaded – New Map, Zombies, and Events

What does the roadmap of CoD: MW3 Season 4 Reloaded show? With Season 4 Reloaded, MW3 will receive a new map for the multiplayer mode, new content for MWZ, and two new weapons. But many other contents are also planned.

CoD MW3 Season 4 Reloaded – A brand new map

What new maps does Season 4 Reloaded bring? CoD MW3 Season 4 Reloaded brings a brand new map to the multiplayer mode. It is the new map Incline.

This map takes place in the snowy mountains of Urzikstan, featuring a research outpost and a transit facility. You can use the cable car for strategic oversight and the climbing points for tactical advantages.

CoD MW3 Season 4 Reloaded Incline
Multiplayer map Incline in CoD: MW3

CoD MW3 Season 4 Reloaded Zombies – New content for MWZ

What new content is there for MWZ? The zombie mode in CoD: MW3 also receives new content with Season 4 Reloaded. In the unstable Rifts, you can face new wave-based challenges until you have killed all enemies or are overwhelmed yourself.

Per game, you will have several opportunities to enter the unstable rifts, but only the fastest among you will make it inside.

CoD MW3 Season 4 Reloaded – Events

What new events are there in Season 4 Reloaded? In total, Season 4 Reloaded in CoD: MW3 brings four new events:

  • Altered Strain (June 26 to July 24): Collect mutated DNA samples for rewards and mode effects. There are a total of 19 rewards.
  • Retro Warfare (June 26 to July 10): Experience Retro Warfare with the Bit Party Playlist Modifier and XP rewards. There are a total of 10 rewards.
  • Vacation Squad (July 3 to July 10): Task Force 141 enjoys summer vacation with tropical rewards. There are a total of 7 rewards.
  • Vortex: Death’s Grip (July 10 to July 24): Unlock rewards and use the Horsemen Death Ultra Skin for boosts. There are a total of 10 rewards.

Season 4 Reloaded brings new modes, playlists, weapons, and attachments

New modes in Season 4 Reloaded for CoD MW3

What new modes does Season 4 Reloaded bring? With Season 4, four new modes are introduced to the shooter:

  • Mutation Mode: In this mode, humans fight against mutants. The humans have normal gear and increased ammunition reserves, while the mutants possess unique abilities and NPC support. Both teams strive to defeat each other and switch roles at halftime. The team with the highest score wins.
  • Havoc: Havoc follows the rules of Team Deathmatch, with many different modifiers coming into the match. The goal is to be the first team to reach 75 points.
  • Headshots only: In this mode, players must eliminate their opponents exclusively through headshots, as the name suggests. Weapons and throwable lethals like throwing knives are only effective if they deal head damage, as are grenades.
  • Blueprint Gunfight: In the Blueprint Gunfight playlist of CoD: MW3, players can enhance their gunfight matches with a selection of maps and pre-made loadouts featuring various new weapon blueprints.

CoD MW3 Season 4 Reloaded – New playlist modifier and comeback

What new playlist modifier does Season 4 Reloaded bring? With Season 4 Reloaded, a new playlist modifier comes to CoD: MW3 – the Bit Party. Additionally, the Vortex Mosh Pit and G3T_H1GH3R return to the game for a limited time:

  • Bit Party: In the new Bit Party playlist modification of CoD: MW3, available for the first time in Season 4 Reloaded, the size of your operator’s head changes based on your performance in the game. By eliminating opponents, the head grows (small, medium, large), which brings targeting bonuses but also increases the risk of being an easier target. Additionally, a new variant of the map Favela called Bitvela is introduced.
CoD MW3 Season 4 Reloaded Bitleva
Multiplayer map Bitleva (variant) in CoD: MW3
  • Vortex Mosh Pit: The “Vortex Mosh Pit” playlist returns for a limited time in Season 4 Reloaded of CoD: MW3. In this playlist, players compete in a new hellish landscape, along with Airborne, Satan’s Quarry, Skidgrow, Sporeyard, and Tetanus as part of the current lineup. Here, we receive a variant of the map Das Haus called Das Gross.
CoD MW3 Season 4 Reloaded Das Gross
Multiplayer map Das Gross (variant) in CoD: MW3
  • G3T_H1GH3R: In the map G3T_H1GH3R, you explore a retro-futuristic utopian environment full of floating neon grids and platforms. Your goal is the utopian Thought Palace, a fortress under the synthwave sun.
CoD MW3 G3T_H1GH3R
Limited-time multiplayer map G3T_H1GH3R in CoD: MW3

CoD MW3 Season 4 Reloaded: new weapons

What new weapons does Season 4 Reloaded bring? With Season 4 Reloaded, two weapons are introduced to the game that you can obtain through the Battle Pass of Season 4:

  • Reclaimer 18 (shotgun)
  • Sledgehammer (melee weapon)
The Reclaimer 18 (shotgun)
The Sledgehammer (melee weapon)

CoD: MW 3 Season 4 Reloaded – Warzone

What’s new in Warzone in Season 4 Reloaded? Warzone also has new changes in Season 4 Reloaded of CoD: MW3. Among others, we can expect a new mode and a new event:

  • Popov Power Plant: After the detonation of a DNA bomb at the Popov Power Plant in CoD: MW3, new paths have been opened, and a toxic chemical substance has been spread. The power plant is heavily damaged, featuring a collapsed main cooling tower and a destroyed reactor.
  • New Mode: In Rebirth of Mutation in CoD: MW3, you must navigate near the destroyed Popov Power Plant and use the normal rules of Resurgence. You can equip your operators with mutant abilities by collecting and upgrading DNA to achieve victory.
  • New Event: In Call of Duty: Warzone, you can trigger the event Runaway Train in Urzikstan during Season 4 Reloaded. It’s about taking control of a train that moves across the map as a safe zone. Players fight against enemy squads and must dominate the train to win the match.

With Season 4 Reloaded, you can pass the time until the release of the new part of the “Call of Duty” series. The new title Black Ops 6 has already received a reveal trailer, indicating that it could be controversial: The reveal trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 shows: The shooter could be controversial

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

Expert says: Everything about the new Season 5 in Diablo 4 is great, except for one thing – Unfortunately, it is also the most important one

You can already test Season 5 on the official PTR of Diablo 4. Many players and experts are looking at what the next season has to offer and giving feedback. One of them, Raxxanterax, has extensively talked about what Season 5 is already doing well and what definitely needs improvement.

This is what you can currently test:

  • Until July 2, 2024, the PTR for Season 5 is ongoing, where you can test the new content, including: the season quest, new items, and especially the new season event or the mechanics.
  • As a new activity, Season 5 introduces the Roguelite mode “Infernal Hordes”, where you must defeat waves of monsters. You will receive buffs and curses, and at the end, you must defeat bosses for rewards.
  • The content is supposed to keep you busy the entire season, similar to the Hell Floods and the Pit in Season 4. However, at least Diablo expert Raxxanterax sees a major problem here.

Here you can find all info about the release and content of Season 5 in Diablo 4.

What Raxxanterax says: According to the expert, the hordes are simply not fun. In a new video on YouTube, he analyzes his approximately seven hours of gameplay at that time. The biggest problem is actually the core functions of the activity:

  • Too much time passes between waves where you do nothing and have to wait.
  • The “Boon & Banes”, or pros and cons between each round, are simply not good. The buffs do nothing, and the disadvantages feel boring.
  • Even the bosses at the end are a disappointment: For some reason, you have to leave the arena and walk into a new room. After the fight, there is not even loot from the opponents. It only comes with the reward chests.

It is already difficult to interact with the activity at all. You need an Infernal Compass to activate it. You can obtain these roughly through the chests of the Hell Floods – but not guaranteed. The drop rate of the compasses is far too low.

Additionally, it is extremely difficult to actually get decent loot from the event. With the largest chests for 250 ether, the new reward currency for the hordes, you can get guaranteed legendaries with Greater Affixes, but obtaining so many is nearly impossible:

“I have not heard a single person think that [the rewards] are appropriate. I assume they will get better by Tier 8, but at Tier 3, where I played the most, the monsters were already at level 100. Most people will never get past Tier 3. The most ether I have gotten in a run was 69 […] and the Greater Affix chest costs 250. I wasn’t even in the dimension to spawn one of the best chests.

And ether does not carry over when you leave [the activity], so you can never open the best chest. […] I spent the entire 69 [ether] on the gold chest, and that gave me less than three million gold. So my best performance there is worth less than three million.”

Raxxanterax gives a few ideas in his video on how the content could be improved, such as with new buffs and curses and especially better rewards and higher mob density. However, he is very satisfied with the season in general.

After Season 5, the 1st expansion of Diablo 4 will already start. Here you can find all info about Vessel of Hatred, in the video the rather bloody intro:

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Trailer for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred provides insight into the story of the expansion

“Season 5 goes in the right direction”

The expert praises most of the changes that will come to the PTR with Season 5 and thus presumably also in this form to the live servers in August. According to Raxxanterax, good improvements include:

  • the ability to hide damage numbers and effects for better visibility
  • clearly visible and audible drops of the new Mythic items
  • Buffs for Uber Uniques, which will become significantly better for many builds
  • the change that you can now simply summon bosses in a row
  • Improvements to minions, which no longer just mindlessly follow you

Raxxanterax particularly highlights a little-noticed change to world bosses. They are now actually a challenge. He was there with a barbarian who had several Mythics and Uber Uniques equipped, a perfect build.

Nevertheless, the boss lived for a minute: “It took eight level 100s one minute to defeat a boss […] If you don’t have super strong characters, that could take the full 15 minutes. [The fight] went from an instant one-shot to a one-minute fight.”

However, there is still criticism of some of the content. Raxxanterax says that the hardening system introduced with Season 4 is now better, as recipes are somewhat more targeted. However, it is still not perfect, as there is still too much randomness.

However, the “rerolling“, that is, fishing for the right stats at the enchanter, is worse. Here he spent over 170 million gold in just a few moments to find a stat he needed.

Furthermore, balancing remains a problem. Barbarians are far too strong, while sorceresses and druids still linger somewhere at the bottom. Blizzard is already working on implementing feedback from the PTR and will certainly make several changes before the start of Season 5.

Raxxanterax believes: Diablo 4 is currently on a good path and is steadily improving – especially when feedback is taken into account. One of the biggest topics here will probably remain class balance. After all, the discussion about classes has dominated the community for a while: Player wants to show off with his barbarian with almost 500,000 health, immediately causing criticism of the class

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

Fans celebrate the characters in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, you fight as Trunks from the future, Yajirobe, and Goku Black

In October, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is set to be released on the PS5. A new trailer now highlights several characters.

Which game is being discussed here? Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO will be the newest installment in the popular Dragon Ball Budokai Tenkaichi series and is set to release on October 11, 2024, among other platforms including the PS5. Since 2005, the Tenkaichi series has captivated several generations of players and anime fans worldwide.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO promises to offer a plethora of playable characters, as Bandai Namco assures, returning to the roots of the Tenkaichi games. A total of 164 character slots are indicated. A new trailer now introduces some of the playable characters.

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In Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, you can expect a lot of characters

Which characters are included? The trailer showcases several characters that will be playable in Sparking! ZERO. You can also get a first look at their fighting styles. It becomes clear that some characters fight with swords rather than just their fists.

Among others, you can play as Trunks, the son of Vegeta, from the future. He is known for using a sword to battle his opponents since his early appearances in the manga and anime. Naturally, he utilizes this in the game as well.

Other swordsmen featured in the trailer are Yajirobe and Dabura. However, you can also expect many “classic” fist fighters, with the trailer showing that there is much more in store than just various Gokus and Vegetas.

Among the playable characters, you will find Mr. Satan, Goku Black, Roasie and Ribrianne, Spopovich, and Anilaza.

What are the reactions? The reactions in the comments (via YouTube) clearly indicate that many fans and players are looking forward to the new installment of the Tenkaichi games. One user commented that he still cannot believe the game is really real. Many fans agree with him, and one user wrote in his comment: “What a time to be alive”.

The best Dragon Ball game and game of the year?

Another user is confident that the developers have created the best Dragon Ball game possible. “This will be the game of the year,” a player similarly stated in his comment.

Many fans are also very positive about the newly announced characters. “This game will really have EVERYONE,” one user noted in his comment. Especially the two swordsmen Trunks and Yajirobe are mentioned in many comments, and some players seem already sure that they will be their main fighters.

What do you think of the announced characters? Which fighter are you particularly looking forward to? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments. Sparking! ZERO will especially be the perfect game for Goku fans: The new game for “Dragon Ball” is perfect for Goku fans: There are 164 character slots, including 11 different Gokus

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