Just in time for March, Final Fantasy XIV brings the Easter event: the Wonder Egg Hunt. 2026 features glasses designed like eggs and Easter decorations.
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Wonder Egg Hunt 2026
Where do I start the Wonder Egg Hunt event? The Wonder Egg Hunt starts in the forest city of Gridania. Specifically, it begins in Old Gridania:
Period: 23.03.2026 – 06.04.2026
Location: Old Gridania; X: 10.2, Y: 9.4
NPC: Fashionable Dreamer
Minimum level: 15
Not much is known about the event’s story. Specifically, it says on the event page: A fashionable dreamer smiles at you. In English, it further mentions that the character’s day would have improved because of it.
The following rewards can be claimed:
Equipment
Party Egg Glasses
Wonder Egg Glasses
Thin-Rimmed Egg Glasses
Spriggan Glasses
Chicken Glasses
Flower Glasses
Items
Magazine The Insight – Party Egg Glasses
Magazine The Insight – Wonder Egg Glasses
Magazine The Insight – Spriggan Glasses
Magazine The Insight – Chicken Glasses
Magazine The Insight – Flower Glasses
Scattered Saliah Eggs
Filled Saliah Egg Basket
Saliah Egg Basket
Wonder Egg Hunt Poster 2025
Wonder Egg Hunt Poster 2016
Wonder Egg Hunt Table Decoration 2025
Moreover, items from previous Wonder Egg Hunts will also be available from the Dreamer.
What are the next in-game events? Final Fantasy XIV has various events throughout the year. These are the upcoming ones for the year 1016:
Firemoon Festival (Midsummer)
Festival of Rebirth (Midsummer)
All Saints’ Wake (Halloween)
Star Light Festival (End of Year)
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Final Fantasy XIV: Rocking trailer for “Into the Mist” sets the stage for patch 7.4
The Past Events 2026
The Princess Festival 2026
Where do I start the Princess Festival? The grand Princess Festival 2026 is the first in-game event that begins this year in Ul’dah. Players are expected at the Nald Crossroads.
A royal servant from under the Sultana is unsure if he needs support for a research project. If you assist him, the following rewards can be yours:
Equipment
Oversized Ulala Tunic
Oversized Masha Tunic
Oversized Narumi Tunic
Oversized Picot Tunic
Emotes
Cheer (Groove/Red)
Cheer (Groove/Purple)
Cheer (Groove/White)
Cheer (Groove/Yellow)
Cheer (Groove/Blue)
Cheer (Groove/Green)
Items
Sheet music of “Sweet Dreamer’s Melody”
Princess Festival Poster 2018
Princess Festival Poster 2025
Princess Festival Table Decoration 2025
Weeping Cherry
Additionally, there should also be items from previous Princess Festivals available from the NPC Royal Servant.
Valention Day 2026
Where do I start the Valention Day event? The Valention Day festival is celebrated in the in-game city of Gridania. It is Eorzea’s equivalent of Valentine’s Day.
Period: 02.02.2026 to 16.02.2026
Location: Old Gridania, X: 10.2, Y: 9.4
NPC: Astrid
Minimum level: 15
Requirement: Complete Quest The Secret of the Sastasha Cave
This year, NPC Astrid seems to urgently need adventurer help. Her plans for Valention Day went wrong. As a reward, there is quite a lot to grab in 2026:
Equipment
Comfortable Valention Beret
Comfortable Valention Cardigan
Comfortable Valention Pants
Cozy Valention Beret
Cozy Valention Cardigan
Cozy Valention Skirt
Comfortable Valention Shoes
Items
Sheet music of “Affection Confection”
Sheet music of “Flavors of the Heart”
Sheet music of “A Heartfelt Finish”
Valention Chair
Valention Round Table
Valention Carpet
Rolanberries Valention Cake
Valention Poster 2025
Additionally, items from previous Valention festivals will also be available. These will be sold by the NPC Maid of the House Valention.
Heavensward 2026
Where do I start the Heavensward event? The Heavensward festival is celebrated in the in-game city of Limsa Lominsa.
To celebrate the Year of the Horse, there are two new rewards to be earned. One is a golden wall screen for housing, and the other is the companion Little Unicorn – a small unicorn.
Additionally, rewards from previous years will also be available for purchase in-game. Furthermore, it is possible that the major rewards from last year may appear in the real money shop. On page 2, you can find the already past events. If you want to know what tasks are available in the current Patch 7.4, you will find all information here.
Star Light Festival 2025
Where do I start the Star Light Festival? The Star Light Festival 2025 takes place again in Old Gridania. Here are the key details:
Period: 17.12.2025 to 31.12.2025
Location: Old Gridania; X: 10.2, Y: 9.4
NPC: Amh Garanjy
Minimum level: 15
As a reward, new housing items can be claimed: tea cups. On top of that, six different emotes allow the character to sip hot drinks from variously designed drinking vessels.
Additionally, rewards from previous years will also be available for purchase in-game. Furthermore, it is likely that the major rewards from last year may appear in the real money shop.
What is the Star Light Festival? The Star Light Festival in Final Fantasy XIV is a winter or Christmas event. The starting cities of the MMORPG are decorated for Christmas, and there is a short quest with corresponding rewards upon completion.
Additionally, special events and crossovers also start, like recently with Monster Hunter Wilds. Over the past years, there has been ongoing discussion in the Final Fantasy XIV community about whether event rewards have generally gotten worse over time. MeinMMO looked into it: Events in Final Fantasy XIV are actually fun, but fans are dissatisfied – Here’s why
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Behind Cryptic Studios lie turbulent years and the downgrade from a developer of genre-defining MMORPGs to a mere administrator. A new owner and the return of studio co-founder Jack Emmert are set to bring about change. MeinMMO spoke with the industry veteran.
What is the status of Cryptic? In recent years, it looked quite bleak for the 26-year-old Cryptic Studios at times.
At this point, one of the largest and most experienced MMORPG studios from the West has developed into a mere administrator of existing services. A studio, mind you, of which almost all final published games are still live today and each has a small but dedicated community.
Only the servers of City of Heroes or City of Villains were shut down inbetween (specifically: 2012), but the rights had already been with NCSoft. But: Thanks to the privately developed Homecoming project, this superhero MMORPG still lives on today, and even with official permission from the publisher.
This underlines how important the legacy of Cryptic is for many MMORPG fans.
Neverwinter is one of the MMORPGs that continues to be supplied with new content by Cryptic to this day.
Reason number 2, announced very recently: With Jack Emmert, one of the original studio founders returns to Cryptic to assume the role of CEO and guide the direction in the future. The industry veteran has worked on all the Cryptic MMORPGs released so far and has also been responsible for continuing DC Universe Online while serving as CEO of Daybreak.
At Cryptic, the developer can leave this unpleasant chapter behind and look forward. But what is on the horizon? This is exactly what MeinMMO discussed with Jack Emmert.
Jack Emmert and his new role at Cryptic
MeinMMO: Jack, you have had turbulent months behind you. It must have been incredibly bitter for the team to have to shelve the Warhammer MMORPG after all that work and search for a new job … Can you take me a bit from there? How do you look back on that time, your own studio, and the project? And how did your return to your old workplace come about? Does that have something to do with the fact that Cryptic no longer belongs to Embracer and has a new owner?
Jack Emmert: It actually has a lot to do with my return. And you are right, it was a devastating experience. I ended up in a very dark place when I had to close down the studio. As a big Warhammer fan, not being able to make the game and implement my vision was hard.
I was in contact with Yoon, the CEO of Arc Games, and he asked me if I wanted to come back. They had just initiated the separation from Embracer, and suddenly the future of Arc Games and Cryptic was back in their own hands. It was an exciting development.
Equally exciting was returning to a studio that has been around for 26 years. That’s not something you achieve easily in any industry. And I liked the idea of returning to help lay the groundwork for the next 26 years. I want to ensure that Cryptic continues to mean something to players in the future and that the studio’s legacy remains alive.
Jack Emmert has worked on several MMORPGs at Cryptic, including Neverwinter.
MeinMMO: So we now have publisher Arc Games, Cryptic Studios, the new owner Project Golden Arc, and the financing from XD Inc. How do all these puzzle pieces fit together? Who has the final say when it comes to the future of Cryptic?
Jack Emmert: My boss, the CEO of Arc Games, told me: Jack, do what you’ve always done, whatever you want to do. And there is so much that I still want to do. However, for the time being, my number one focus is on our current games. I want to know where they stand in detail. I want to get to know the teams. I want to get to know their communities today. We’ll come back to all other ideas when time allows.
MeinMMO: From the outside, it has been difficult to assess what remains of the old Cryptic in recent years. Therefore, I wonder: How much is still left in one of the most experienced MMORPG studios in the West?
Jack Emmert: In fact, many of the people I hired 20 years ago still work at Cryptic. But there are of course also new faces. That’s quite normal in a company of this size.
MeinMMO: What size are we talking about? How many employees does Cryptic currently consist of?
Jack Emmert: Oh, we can’t … you know, that’s internal. Let me put it this way: Our development teams are larger today than they were when I left Cryptic back then.
MeinMMO: Were you able to bring some employees from Jackalyptic into your new adventure?
Jack Emmert: I have not done that yet. I think it wouldn’t be fair to the great people already on Cryptic’s teams. I don’t want to turn everything upside down in the first weeks.
What is clear is that there were some major upheavals under Embracer. That was about a year ago. Everyone who’s here now is part of Cryptic for me. And we all have a goal: How can we make our games better in the future?
MeinMMO: New owner, your return … how does this affect existing services like Neverwinter, Star Trek Online, and Champions Online? In the preliminary announcement, it mentioned that you would like to rebuild the existing game portfolio for a new generation of players …what does that mean precisely?
Jack Emmert: This brings a reassessment of the three current games. You can’t just modernize them. They were made ten, fifteen years ago. However, you can facilitate the entry and improve the player guidance at the start.
One problem all MMORPGs face over time is that they become increasingly extensive and complex. Players who played years ago and then took a long break often hesitate to return. Addressing this is my main goal this year.
Anyone starting with Neverwinter today should have a good time from the start and have fun. The changes that have occurred over the years should not matter. Just jump in and have fun, with access to all the new content as well.
So we are sitting down with all three games to consider how we can achieve this. The people who loved one of the games back then should feel comfortable coming back.
The focus is first on the still ongoing MMORPGs Star Trek Online, Champions Online, and Neverwinter.
MeinMMO: So the focus is on the current services. Is it too early to already engage with ideas for new projects or even concrete plans?
Jack Emmert: Yes, it is still too early to talk about these. Do I have plans for the future? Sure! But none of them are concrete enough. I have only been at Cryptic for two weeks.
MeinMMO: Where do you see Cryptic in 10 years? What is your long-term vision for the studio?
Jack Emmert: I want to release at least one more MMO. I want to ensure that Star Trek Online, Champions Online, and Neverwinter grow healthily on PC and consoles. There are other IPs I would love to bring to life.
MeinMMO: Can you give examples?
Jack Emmert: Warhammer, of course. I have never released a game for Marvel. Ancient mythology also fascinates me as a setting; I am a big fan of that. And then I would really like to make a fantasy pirate game. That would be something really cool.
There are many pirate-themed games out there, but I would create one where you steer an undead ship and fight against fishmen riding sea monsters or something. These are all things that are swirling around in my head. Oh, a new Star Trek game would be fantastic. Similarly, a new game for Dungeons & Dragons.
MeinMMO: Can you reveal which Warhammer universe the MMORPG would have been set in? And how likely is it that Cryptic takes on this franchise for a new game?
Jack Emmert: Unfortunately, I cannot reveal that; I would need permission from Games Workshop.
MeinMMO: The legal situation probably didn’t allow you to carry the project to Cryptic, right?
Jack Emmert: Exactly. There are a lot of factors at play, making it difficult to speculate on what could happen in terms of the IP and the specific project.
The Warhammer MMORPG may have failed, but it remains a dream of Jack Emmert to develop a game for the Warhammer universe.
The Future of MMORPGs
MeinMMO: You have been making MMOs for so many years, worked on great games, but you have also seen some projects fail. How has the development of MMORPGs changed in your view over the past decades? Are there things today that must be considered that barely played a role back then?
Jack Emmert: The moment-to-moment gameplay is much more important today. Click A and then automatic attacks trigger just doesn’t work in the current market anymore. Therefore, much more time and craftsmanship must be invested to keep the fundamentals entertaining.
It’s no longer enough to reward players with materials for a rare recipe; they want more. Even that makes a huge difference compared to before.
MeinMMO: What does an MMORPG need today, in your view, to be successful in its niche or in the mainstream?
Jack Emmert: When a large group of players must cooperatively work together in a closed environment, you’re on the right track. We don’t have games today where 100 players fight a dragon together. Modern games don’t do that anymore. However, MMORPGs did do this before, and that is something that MMOs can do better than any other genre.
MeinMMO: Throne and Liberty tried exactly that, but it’s very guild-focused, and hardcore guilds dominate many servers.
Jack Emmert: That’s okay for me. As developers, we just need to ensure that accessibility is sufficiently high, and there are ways to achieve that. It is simply important to me that players feel that massively part of MMORPGs again, because that sets them apart from other games. Equally essential is deep character progression, but that has always been important.
MeinMMO: It’s interesting to observe that many Asian developers are currently taking the opposite approach and focusing on contents for solo players and small groups in their MMO worlds.
Jack Emmert: Yes, that is something we can already observe in the West for some time now. Games like Destiny have emerged from this. I’m not surprised that this is now happening more in Asia, especially since the focus there is much larger on mobile and hence, they have to deal with certain technical limitations.
The developers of ArcheAge Chronicles avoid the MMORPG term and instead refer to it as an online action RPG.
MeinMMO: Something I’ve noticed repeatedly over the last year or two: Developers seem to avoid the term “MMORPG” whenever possible—especially when positioning a game for consoles. In 2024, New World: Aeternum was suddenly re-marketed as an “Online Action RPG.” The developers of ArcheAge Chronicles mostly use the same designation. Do you see the term “MMORPG” becoming toxic in your view, laden with negative associations? Or do you see another reason why that term is being avoided?
Jack Emmert: Personally, I embrace the term. I wouldn’t avoid it. However, I can understand that some might mistakenly believe that the MMORPG term carries a negative connotation due to things like grind or the need to commit to an MMO for an extended period.
However, the enormously successful launch of New World proved that many players still love the MMO genre today. The game quickly sold over 10 million units. And it was an MMO and was marketed as such. So why should one distance yourself from it?
MeinMMO: Last year, not only was the Warhammer MMORPG canceled, but also the Ghost project by Greg Street and the new MMO project by Zenimax. Additionally, there is a huge question mark behind Embracer’s Lord of the Rings MMO. Do you believe we will ever see another ambitious MMORPG from the West that can captivate beyond the launch honeymoon? And which already announced game do you have the highest hopes for?
Jack Emmert: I don’t want to make predictions about others’ projects. That would be disrespectful to my colleagues. I hope all the currently announced MMOs release and are successful.
The costly failures of the past are causing nobody to be willing to fork out a check for a large MMO today. I think the initial strategy was wrong in these cases, but I also understand that today, people are more cautious.
Recently, much of the financing has come from China, but that is now coming to an end as well. Nevertheless, I think that MMOs can be successful today. What players must understand is: There are no longer those large budgets from back in the day for development. You can no longer just throw 100 or 200 million US dollars into a new MMO.
What can be done instead: Develop a more focused, manageable project and grow it into something larger over time. There are many games out there whose current foundation could easily be built upon with an update or expansion.
A Helldivers 2 could easily be turned into an MMO with expansions over the years. That doesn’t mean they will do it. But that’s the model that could work today: Start with a focused project. Maybe it’s just a 10-hour RPG with coop mechanics.
The first expansion could then add an open-world experience, and later come raids, and so on. And step by step you might suddenly end up with a 100 million dollar MMO that actually consists of several interconnected parts, each of which only cost 25 million dollars to make.
MeinMMO: Ghostcrawler described exactly this path when the funding for his MMO Ghost was halted. Plan B was to first create a focused experience from the current prototype and then develop it into the original MMO idea over time.Unfortunately, he also found no investors for that.
Superhero MMORPGs play a significant role in Jack Emmert’s career.
Jack Emmert and Superhero MMORPGs
You worked on City of Heroes / City of Villains, Champions Online, and Marvel Universe Online … as CEO of Daybreak’s studio in Austin, DC Universe Online was also under your responsibility … so one could say that superhero MMOs have followed you through your career. Have you followed the Steam launch of Ship of Heroes, which wants to be a kind of spiritual successor to your works?
Jack Emmert: I have heard of it, but I probably know more about the revival project City of Heroes Homecoming.
MeinMMO: Were you surprised that NCSoft granted the operators of the Homecoming servers of City of Heroes the official permission to operate the servers? And what does it mean to you that a game you worked on so many years ago still has such a loyal community?
Jack Emmert: I think that’s a great thing. I find that wonderful. And it makes me happy that all my games I’ve ever published are still playable today. That’s really something.
MeinMMO: With all the experiences you’ve gathered … what would a superhero MMO from Jack Emmert look like today?
Jack Emmert: I would restrict the open world and choose a focused, urban setting for the game. The missions would take you inside buildings with your self-created superheroes. I would probably opt for character classes. Definitely, individual customization options for things like costumes would play a big role.
But here’s the exciting point, because I’ve always wanted to do this: To make the city feel alive, the players’ actions would affect the missions and enemies that appear in the city.
An example: The more you fight against the criminal gang number 1, the more their negative influence disappears from the streets. There is less graffiti on the walls, more expensive cars drive through the streets. What nobody knew? The gang had kept a secret cult in check. This can now spread in the city and abduct people for its rituals.
Imagine an entire city with many such relationships, and when something happens, something else always results from it. With each login, one never knows what is happening in the city.
MeinMMO: That reminds me a bit of Everquest Next, just without the terraforming.
Jack Emmert: Yes, just a bit more scripted. Everquest Next was supposed to be a bit freer in its sandbox, while mine would have more dependencies.
MeinMMO: As a conclusion to our conversation, do you perhaps have a word of hope for the many frustrated MMORPG fans out there? The last 10 years have been very mixed in terms of releases…
Jack Emmert: If you have ever played one of our games—like Neverwinter, Champions Online, or Star Trek Online—come back. Give the games a chance. I am personally playing these games again after a 10-year break, and the coming year will be all about getting to know these games and reconnecting the communities.
And while you are diving back in like I am, give me some time. Because it is as sure as the Amen in church that one day a new MMO from me will come. Stay tuned!
MeinMMO: Jack, thank you very much for the exciting insights and your time. I wish you and the team at Cryptic all the best!
World of Warcraft: Midnight is about to launch, but Blizzard is already preparing for the new expansion with the pre-patch. This affects all classes, as overall damage has been significantly reduced.
The adjustments apply equally to players and bosses, which has led to the current content becoming ridiculously easy. Accordingly, the current DPS numbers are quite absurd, but give you a good picture of who with raid gear will be ahead at the Midnight release.
Our DPS list shows actual numbers achieved by tens of thousands of players, not simulated values. So here you will find real performances (on average) and usually get a sense of what your class can do in the raid.
Note that characters with similar gear can achieve different DPS values. This is due to numerous factors such as player skill and experience, knowledge of the fight, type of encounter, raid composition, number of critical hits or procs, special tasks, and so on.
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WoW Midnight shows gameplay – All new features
Midnight DPS Ranking: The Best Classes to Start
For our list, we reference data from warcraftlogs. We are looking at the heroic mode with a percentile value of 75 across all bosses and considering only the time since the release of the pre-patch (as of January 27, 2026, via warcraftlogs).
We continuously update the list. The current ranking in heroic mode is as follows:
Rank
Class
DPS
1
Survival Hunter
43,262
2
Unholy Death Knight
42,573
3
Affliction Warlock
40,647
4
Destruction Warlock
40,531
5
Subtlety Rogue
37,299
6
Fury Warrior
36,199
7
Arcane Mage
35,703
8
Windwalker Monk
34,946
9
Havoc Demon Hunter
33,708
10
Enhancement Shaman
33,529
11
Shadow Priest
33,448
12
Beast Mastery Hunter
32,603
13
Frost Mage
29,412
14
Arms Warrior
26,360
15
Elemental Shaman
29,102
16
Retribution Paladin
28,502
17
Devourer Demon Hunter
28,352
18
Feral Druid
27,795
19
Outlaw Rogue
27,450
20
Balance Druid
27,268
21
Frost Death Knight
26,482
22
Marksmanship Hunter
25,852
23
assassination Rogue
24,089
24
Fire Mage
23,847
25
Enhancement Caller
23,508
26
Demonology Warlock
22,735
27
Destruction Warlock
21,632
The overall damage is now only about a hundredth of the values before the squish, and almost all classes that were in the lower half of the list before the pre-patch are now found somewhere in the top or even at the top. In contrast, the previous leaders are now significantly lower – especially hard hit are the warlocks.
However, due to the adjustments, many boss fights now run significantly different, creating a slightly distorted image. Notably, survival hunters, who are usually very underrepresented, now participate in the middle of the most popular classes with over 9,300 records. In contrast, the bottom spot is occupied by outlaw rogues (2,759 parses).
The current scaling not only results in strange numbers for damage but also leads to unusual behavior of healing potions. However, one could expect some absurd situations during the squish – historically, this has happened every time.
However, Blizzard has not only tinkered with the scaling, but is also delving deeper into the game: many addons no longer work, some of which were particularly relevant for raiders. This also affects the DPS list (currently). However, it is not as bad as initially feared: Addons in WoW remain powerful – Blizzard breaks the biggest promise for Midnight
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Highguard, a new free-to-play shooter launched on Steam on January 26, 2026 – and has received terrible reviews right away. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus played it himself and believes that the criticism from many negative reviews stems from a wrong approach to the game.
Yes, Highguard had a pretty strange release: no marketing except for a brief shoutout at the Game Awards, no pre-release testing, and hardly any information before launch. Nobody really knew what Highguard was supposed to be.
It seemed somewhat like the developers were trying to copy the surprise success of Apex Legends, which also just appeared back then. No wonder: Highguard is developed by Wildlight Entertainment, a studio of veterans who have worked on Apex Legends and Titanfall.
That didn’t work out. Unlike Apex Legends, the launch of Highguard is a disaster. With less than 100,000 players on release night (according to SteamDB) and a rating of 30% positive reviews out of over 18,800 reviews on Steam, the signs are not good.
I found the first two rounds entertaining but then became annoyed with the balancing. It seemed like I never had a chance after respawning. It took several more rounds for me to understand how the game works. I have now invested nearly 6 hours on the first evening and think Highguard is really good.
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Highguard zeigt im Trailer, was euch im neuen PvP-Raid-Shooter erwartet
Same developers, similar controls, but Highguard is NOT Apex Legends
My mistake was the same as many others make when looking at the reviews on Steam and elsewhere. Players compare Highguard to Overwatch, Apex Legends, and Valorant. And yes, I understand why:
There are heroes with abilities.
The map visually resembles Apex Legends in mechanics.
The objective is to plant bombs – or defend the base.
That certain parallels exist cannot be denied, but that is exactly the fallacy that leads to the wrong approach. Because Highguard is definitely not Overwatch or Valorant and especially not Apex Legends.
A particularly important difference, which later determined victory and defeat for us: you need several armors. Upon respawn, you consume one entire armor. If you spawn without one, you die again immediately, especially later in the game. Apex Legends does not have such a rule, as you can only carry one armor. Means: Don’t ping and leave armor behind, but take it. Always.
While playing, I repeatedly noticed that my teammates were looting the map in complete peace while something important was happening. Of course: when I play Apex Legends or another battle royale, I’m constantly on the hunt for loot for an advantage.
But in Highguard, I must not do that, as the loot is already limited in quality. Each section of a round offers only a certain rarity:
Blue in the first section,
Purple in the second
and orange (Legendary) from the third and upwards.
Each section is concluded by a siege. One team must attack the enemy base, and sooner or later, this situation will be enforced by the game. After the siege, it goes into the next loot phase unless one side has already won.
Maybe it’s possible to find better loot early on, but even if: it’s not worth leaving your team behind for that. The individual parts of a round of Highguard are exactly what matters, and here something comes into play that many overlook.
The shooter is much more tactical than you might think
Just as a round is divided into different sections, each of these sections has individual phases:
Preparation: Here you run across the map and gather loot, especially currency. This phase lasts about two minutes.
Objective: The shield breaker (or in later rounds the airdrop) appears and brings the teams to a point on the map. This is where the battle begins. Whoever arrives earlier can prepare traps.
Attack and Defense: Once the shield breaker is taken, both teams continue to fight for dominance. Based on experience, this leads to a deathmatch after a certain time. The surviving team initiates the siege.
Siege: The attackers try to place bombs and have limited lives. The defenders want to prevent this (and even have a chance to deal damage to the enemy base).
Each of these phases requires much more team coordination than one might think because there are only two teams. There can’t suddenly be a third party coming in to distract enemies while you revive your fallen mate. You must play as a team for victory.
With the right approach, you can easily overcome opponents and score victories. I had to lose several times to learn this – but that’s exactly what the developers have planned. Once you understand what approach is right for which situation, Highguard suddenly has much more depth.
With the right tactics, even quick victories are possible.Really long, close rounds with dramatic turns happen sometimes too.
Highguard is better than its reputation, but certainly not perfect
Nevertheless, I can’t simply dismiss a part of the criticism. Highguard has some problems that playtests would have definitely resolved, primarily the size of the map. The maps feel way too large for just two teams.
There’s hardly any friction outside of the planned confrontations at the map events. This became somewhat more pleasant with later understanding of the game, but more action would still be nice. A mode with four teams and perhaps more “Capture the Flag” instead of siege – inspired by Halo, which plays similarly – might have worked better.
Also, the obvious AI translation that was never checked seems questionable to me. The game refers to itself in German as Hohe Haltung (the direct translation, but a term from sword fighting), and even weapon names like Langhorn and Dynastie are translated. But oh well… A for effort, I suppose.
On top of that, there are performance issues and bad servers that are apparently already being worked on, and the terrible battle pass, which was copied from Helldivers 2. That’s a personal issue, but I find the system of having to buy cosmetics first to earn the next tier for cosmetics unappealing.
The biggest problem: No one knows how to play Highguard
What’s even worse is that Highguard does a poor job of explaining everything adequately. The tutorial takes forever, but the features that are truly relevant to the game are not addressed. So if you play Highguard wrong, it’s not really your fault.
Although Highguard looks like a casual game, in my experience, it is only enjoyable if you really dive in and are willing to take a hard hit first to learn. That’s not for everyone.
You can select the new mode as a solo player when starting a round, as long as you are at least level 40. However, trio squads cannot disable the option of having solo players in their lobbies.
Solo players taking on rounds with full squads are rewarded with a small incentive: bonus XP.
Start video
ARC Raiders receives new matchmaking option and trophy display with Headwinds
Poor reward for hard fight
Why is the mode considered a waste of time? Part of the community believes that the mode or the reward is a waste of time and unnecessary, as anyone capable of defeating a trio team alone does not need XP anymore and is likely at max level.
A player directly asks on Reddit: “What should I do with XP?” Another adds: “Yes, there needs to be an incentive. I’m level 75, XP is the last thing I need.” Many players agree that XP is the worst possible reward for the mode.
Many also question who the mode is generally aimed at. They don’t see themselves playing the mode and ask who would voluntarily participate – after all, you are always outnumbered there. Some players believe that the mode is mainly for streamers and are disappointed because they expected something that appeals to the entire community for the “level 40 mode” (via Reddit).
Upon release, there was already criticism that duos were matched with trios in one lobby. Embark then altered the matchmaking so that duos would now primarily play with other duos.
If it were up to the community of Dungeons & Dragonsthey would immediately know which races they would prefer to belong to in real life. They explain themselves why there are so many more interesting alternatives than humans.
What question was raised? In a discussion on Reddit, players asked each other which race they would prefer to embody in real life if given a choice. The requirements are that it must be a playable race from the fifth edition (2014 or 2024) and official, meaning not homebrew. Furthermore, it is a scenario where fantasy races would be normal, and no one would have to wonder why the neighbor is a half-orc and the new coworker is a dwarf.
Over 800 comments shared their opinions on this question, with some favorites distinguishing themselves. However, what might be a clear advantage of the race compared to a ‘mundane’ human for one person could be a complete counterargument for another.
The group from “The Mighty Nein” also consists of representatives from various races. Here you can see the trailer for the animated series on Amazon Prime with the original voices from Critical Role:
Start video
The trailer for Critical Role’s The Mighty Nein on Amazon Prime shows the first conflicts that the “heroes” have to struggle with
The community has a clear favorite, but there are also other strong candidates
Which race is particularly attractive to the Dungeons & Dragons community? Based on the number of upvotes, one can see from the reactions of the Reddit thread that the elf race is especially attractive for real life. Players justify this with various arguments.
Escaping the feeling of fatigue and no longer begging for the grace of morning coffee sounds simply dreamy for many in the community. Also, the long lifespan of elves, around 750 years, makes their abilities advantages that players would like to benefit from in real life.
However, many of them are also aware that there is a significant catch, which is why many other players would never want to embody an elf. The original author of the post explains: “It’s a shame that all the loved ones we have would probably die before us.”
What other races would the community choose? Another race has nearly as many upvotes as the popular elves. And that for a very simple but effective reason. It is the changeling, who players prefer because it completely removes the decision of a race. They can take on any form they want and embody the race they prefer at will.
Other popular races that players would rather choose than humans would be
Hobbits, to avoid as much bad luck as possible,
Plasmoids, to never wake up with a stiff neck again,
Kobolds, to simply be a small lizard type,
Faeries, to be able to fly,
and Tieflings – simply because of the style.
Which race from Dungeons & Dragons would you choose if you could embody it in real life? Would you choose something other than humans? Or are you satisfied with your humanity? Feel free to let us know in the comments if your favorite race is not represented in the survey.
The hit Prison Architect has been a constant presence on Steam since 2015. But this success brings new challenges for the indie developer.
What kind of game is it? The prison-building game Prison Architect was launched in 2015 and sold over 2 million units within approximately a year, generating around 25 million US dollars in revenue. Later, the indie studio sold the brand to Paradox Interactive for an undisclosed amount.
However, the success of Prison Architect also presented the developers at Introversion Software with new problems.
A sequel to Prison Architect even brings 3D prisons:
Start video
Prison Architect 2 lets you build your dream prison in 3D
A hit that changes everything
What changed with the hit? With the great success of Prison Architect and the sale of the brand, the developers generated high revenues for an indie studio. However, the success did not come without consequences. As Mark Morris, one of the studio’s founders, explains:
For the first time in our history, we didn’t have to release a game within the next 12 months, otherwise we would have had nothing to eat […] that’s a luxurious situation, which I don’t complain about, but it is not necessarily beneficial for creativity, as there are no constraints to keep you in check.
For the developers, financial freedom is not just a positive thing. The lack of pressure to release a new game may have contributed to creative problem-solving as well. However, the cushion is also a problem for the developers. Another challenge was to build on the success.
The sequel to Prison Architect, Scanner Sombre, sold only 6,000 copies in two months on Steam and did not replicate the success of Prison Architect. Their Steam hit set a benchmark that has created enormous expectations.
What does it look like financially? Financially, the developers probably should have continued Prison Architect indefinitely or better yet, published sequel after sequel. However, Mark Morris explained in an interview with gamesindustry.biz that this would mean death for a creative studio. They would keep playing it safe and bring fewer and fewer new innovative ideas.
Perhaps that is also why it was a good idea for the studio to sell Prison Architect and the brand to Paradox, as this idea will no longer be in place. However, building on that success is currently difficult.
Even though there are no official numbers for the latest title The Last Starship, 653 reviews on Steam seem little compared to the over 50,000 for Prison Architect.
Michael J. Fox has played into our hearts as Marty McFly. Before him, another actor portrayed the character in the movie, and according to the actor of the villain, it was quite a problem.
Casting the right actor for a role is one of the most important things in the making of a film. Even at this point, much can go wrong. An actor can be unsuitable for a role for various reasons.
In the case of Marty McFly from Back to the Future, today everyone knows Michael J. Fox as the actor. He is still loved by fans for his performance. However, he was only the second choice: Before him, the actor Eric Stoltz got the role and played it for about a month.
Then it was over, and Stoltz was let go by production. An actor who was on set at that time and directly dealt with Stoltz recalls years later the difficult collaboration – and the possible reason for the firing.
Start video
Back to the Future – German Trailer for the Sci-Fi Comedy from 1985
An Actor is not just an Actor
Which actor is it about? Similar to Michael J. Fox, fans will never forget Tom Wilson. He played the antagonist Biff Tannen in Back to the Future and its sequels. As such, he bullies Marty time and again.
Of all people, he had difficulties on set with Eric Stoltz, as their ideas about how an actor should behave on set differed greatly. In the podcast Inside of You, Wilson recently shared:
We were young men working together on a project, and Eric pursued a very strict methodical approach for Marty McFly. That’s why he treated me very poorly because he wanted everyone to call him Marty. Everyone: the hairdresser, the director, everyone. He tried to embody Marty.
Tom Wilson
Eric Stoltz chose an approach known in acting as Method Acting. Meaning: He completely merges with his character and does not leave it even during breaks. Not all actors follow this way of playing, which can sometimes lead to conflicts.
Tom Wilson has clear ideas about what an actor needs to bring to set:
We both need what we need for the scene to work: I am not your servant in this scene, I will not behave in a certain way just to make you comfortable. […] I expect you to know the script and show up here ready to give it your all. There was a lot of drama, anxiety, and things that were, in my opinion, not productive.
Tom Wilson
Despite everything, Wilson appreciates his former colleague Eric Stoltz and emphasizes that he still has great respect for him as a person and his career. But the collaboration did not go as well as perhaps hoped.
What happened next on set? About a month after filming began, it was decided to replace Stoltz with Michael J. Fox, an actor who himself has certain roles he did not play. According to Screen Rant, this happened because the actor did not fit the character in the eyes of director Robert Zemeckis.
Eric Stoltz himself was not significantly harmed by the incident. He built a career as an actor, including films like Pulp Fiction, Jerry Maguire, The Butterfly Effect, and many other productions. What his performance as Marty McFly would have looked like can be seen in clips on YouTube.
The American Twitch and YouTube streamer Ludwig Ahgren had to close his event company at the end of 2024. One of his viewers programmed a game for him, where he could run his company again, at least for a business year. Here, the streamer failed once more before he could win through a glitch.
Who and which company is involved? Ludwig Ahgren is an American Twitch and YouTube streamer. Not only did he entertain his viewers with his gaming streams, but also with regular events. For this, Ludwig also founded an event company, Offbrand, which he unfortunately had to close at the end of 2024.
The reason for this was, according to Ludwig, that viewers were more interested in watching streamers play from their own homes. Not necessarily at frequent large events. The production effort did not add up with the actual earnings and Ludwig closed the company.
Start video
These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google
“All I want to do is not lose 1 million dollars”
What kind of game is this? The story with his event company is obviously known to Ludwig’s viewers. One of them has now programmed a game for the streamer. A kind of simulator where Ludwig had to survive a business year with his company.
For this, he had to keep four metrics in balance: budget, weekly costs, notoriety, and chaos. Before the start, Ludwig said: “All I want to do is not lose 1 million dollars” (source: YouTube from minute 00:58). With this, he referred to his own real loss of about 3 million dollars.
How does Ludwig perform? In his first attempt, Ludwig aims too high. He buys some things that, while increasing his reputation, involve too many fixed costs. His second attempt ultimately fails because his chaos is too high.
In another attempt, Ludwig discovers a glitch in the game: if he keeps his notoriety negative, then his fixed costs are also negative. Thus, he “earns” money automatically.
Ludwig can lead the attempt to success: He survives the business year of his own company, but only with the help of a mistake in the game.
In less than 29 hours, a Chinese company built a multi-story skyscraper – presumably faster than getting a handyman appointment. The high-speed construction is based on a modular building method. Just like you know from LEGO.
How does skyscraper construction work in under 30 hours? In the Chinese city of Changsha, the BROAD Group has made headlines with a spectacular construction project more than seven years ago: A complete residential building with several floors was erected in less than 30 hours.
Meanwhile, entire building complexes of up to 10 floors can even be completed in the same time (BROAD on YouTube).
The key to this speed lies in a modular building method, where building parts are prefabricated and only assembled on site (Source: Xataka). The principle works like a construction kit: The modules are manufactured in the factory and assembled on the construction site using large cranes (BROAD).
This approach not only minimizes the time required but also typical sources of error in the collaboration of various companies. The individual modules fit precisely together, significantly speeding up the entire process.
In WoW, you can build as well:
Start video
In WoW könnt ihr Häuser anheben – Pimp Your House Edition
Like individual LEGO bricks
What is behind BROAD’s technology? The basis for this process is the so-called Holon system from BROAD. This is an industrially manufactured building system that is delivered completely prefabricated. According to the company, the heart is the so-called B-CORE structure – an extremely robust yet lightweight stainless steel that is corrosion-resistant and ensures a particularly long lifespan (Source: Xataka).
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The modules used for Holon Housing already include all essential elements such as electrical systems, air conditioning, and even interior furnishings. In fact, only the modules need to be assembled on-site and connected to utility lines.
An Anime is a cartoon series that originates from Japan. MeinMMO lists 5 of these series that at first glance you wouldn’t suspect are Japanese animated series.
For many, it’s clear: large round eyes, colorful costumes, it must be an anime. However, the definition of an anime is much simpler. For instance, looking at the Duden, it describes it as a “Japanese animated film.” Wikipedia is more precise: Animes are animated films and series produced in Japan.
And that’s exactly why there are animated series that you didn’t even know were actually animes. You watched them repeatedly in your childhood.
Many of the animes presented here aired in the morning program of ZDF or KIKA. So if you spent a lot of time as a child on those channels, you have been an anime fan from a young age.
Start video
3 Animes that you should know as Harry Potter fans
Pinocchio
Original title: Piccolino no Boken
Release year: 1976
Produced by: Nippon Animation, Asahi Broadcasting Corporation, Apollo Film
What is it about? The anime is separate from the Disney film and is based on the book by Carlo Collodi, which is much more moralistic and darker. The old woodcarver Geppetto carves a puppet from a magical wood which he names Pinocchio. In the beginning, the puppet is quite cheeky. He is naive, stubborn, lazy, and easily seduced into bad deeds.
But Pinocchio just wants to be a real boy. To achieve this goal, he is helped not only by the cricket Pepino but also by the little duck Gina. They are Pinocchio’s conscience.
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What’s exciting to know? The duck Gina was completely invented for the series. In the book, Pinocchio is much lonelier. Pinocchio needed someone to talk to when he was lonely. So the creators of the series invented Gina, who often serves as an anchor to prevent the series from becoming too scary.
Continue on Page 2.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Important decisions can determine the outcome of stories and the fates of characters in video games, just like in Cyberpunk 2077. There, MeinMMO editor Caro tested the consequences of a decision she previously would have condemned deeply – and has to admit that she must retract her statement.
Spoiler Warning! The article discusses the ending of the DLC for Cyberpunk “Phantom Liberty”. Anyone who already knows the ending or has no problems with spoilers can read on without hesitation.
So far, I have already played Phantom Liberty twice. During my current and third playthrough, it was the weekend when an important decision had to be made. A decision that seems to determine life and death for allied characters as well as for V.
You either ally with Song So Mi, known as Songbird, or you help Solomon Reed and the FIA capture the netrunner and stop the threat she harbors due to her connection to the dangerous Blackwall.
For me, only the former has always been an option. The parallels between Song and V are so similar that it felt like a betrayal of V itself and a surrender of one’s own moral conviction to hand Songbird over to the FIA.
However, since I wanted to know purely out of curiosity how the other path of the grand DLC finale looks, I decided with a backup save to become a traitor. I aligned myself with Reed and played the path I would never have chosen with a clear conscience.
After the additional hours in the game, I must unfortunately admit … I did not use the old save anymore. I stuck to my decision. And that only because my V and I have a weakness for cool weapons.
Songbird’s connection to the Blackwall led to her tragic fate.
Instead of a clear conscience and life-saving help, I received something much cooler
If you betray Song, you get a completely different endgame of the DLC than if you side with her. Instead of helping her escape to the moon, you must follow a corrupted So Mi into a deep bunker, where she connects with a wild AI of the Blackwall.
While V is pursued by a Militech “Cerberus” controlled by this AI, I came across two items in the facility that you can combine with the remains of the nasty hunter to create one of two special items. And in this way, I stumbled upon my new absolute favorite weapon in the game: the Power SMG “Erebus”.
Erebus is an experimental prototype weapon that caters to all my Tech-Warlock fantasies. It houses an AI from beyond the Blackwall that even regularly speaks and possesses an eye that blinks and moves.
I equipped the weapon to test it once, ready to reload my old save to save Song, but then within minutes I realized with Erebus: This is love at first sight.
Start video
Cyberpunk 2077: The Ultimate Edition trailer shows a ‘City of Dreams’
Erebus turns V from a mercenary into a dark tech sorceress with a pact weapon
Erebus is not only a powerful weapon. What really makes the Power SMG great, besides its damage, is simply its vibe.
When an enemy is brought below 33% health by Erebus, it sends the Quickhack “Blackwall Gateway” through their synapses. Enemies are completely fried by the AI, screaming as if they are possessed by a demonic entity, after which Erebus almost boredly comments on how fragile humanity is and that it is absolutely effortless to eliminate them.
I tested the weapon – as it should be – on a group of Scavengers, one of the worst gangs in the city, who deserve it. Erebus made the exploiters collapse, while the Blackwall AI from the weapon sent the culprits writhing into cyber-hell. When my weapon commented on that with “That was depressingly easy,” I knew we would grow into a dream team.
In this clip, you can see what it feels like to fight with Erebus:
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Erebus gives V a new, much darker vibe that really appeals. Yes, I still condemn myself for not saving Songbird. I wish I would regret it. But I do not. Erebus and V together are just an absolute force.
Based on Erebus and the level design in Cyberpunk 2077, I realized that opinions can change. Whether I will save So Mi in future playthroughs or not will probably be a significantly tougher decision than I felt in my first playthroughs. However, what I am still a hundred percent sure about is my opinion of an NPC that gave me one of the most uncomfortable moments in gaming: In Cyberpunk 2077, a player feels pity for an NPC, discovering for themselves why he is disliked by the community
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of Starfield are said to be working on the major Update 2.0, which is supposed to completely revise the space game. A critic now explains what he knows about it.
What can we expect from Starfield 2.0? With Update 2.0 of Starfield, the game is supposed to be significantly revised, bringing new features and fundamentally overhauled systems into the game, at least that’s the rumor, as an official confirmation from the developers is still pending.
Actually, fans were already expecting this big update in 2025, as “exciting things” were announced for the year. A first piece of evidence for the existence of the update is now presented by a YouTuber who has seen the update.
Modifying Starfield is also possible with mods:
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Diese Mod für Starfield ist ein Muss für jeden Star-Wars-Fan
Update 2.0 Lives
What does the YouTuber explain? Gene Park, video game critic from the Washington Post, was the guest on the “Defining Duke” podcast recently. The experts also talked about Starfield 2.0. Video game critic Gene Park took the opportunity to say: “I’m very excited for Starfield 2.0, whenever that may be.”
However, the excitement for the update does not come from nowhere. The critic claims that he has not yet played the game, and that the official information about the update is unknown to him, but that YouTuber MrMattyPlays has confirmed the existence of the update.
In the podcast, MrMattyPlays says: “The way Bethesda is handling [Starfield] 2.0 is strange […] I’ve seen it behind closed doors; they said: ‘You can’t talk about this, [but] you can say that you have seen it.’ I was like: Ok? They didn’t give us a release date or anything, so I have no idea [when it will be released].”
The update and the existence of Starfield 2.0 are thus likely confirmed, even if Bethesda remains silent for now.
When is the update coming? According to rumors, Starfield 2.0 is also expected to follow the release on PS5. Some even believe that the developers are working on a release for the Switch 2. However, whether these ideas will actually materialize remains open.
A release, possibly as early as spring 2026, also remains in the stars. Without official confirmation from the developers, only the word of the few who have already seen the update remains, and the chance that it may never be released.
With Starfield 2.0, the developers could re-emphasize their role-playing game, provided that the update actually releases and fundamentally improves the game again. However, there are still more open questions than real answers. For those who want to improve Starfield themselves until then, here’s a good idea: A free mod finally makes Starfield the game that fans always wanted, but not everyone can play it
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Update 1.13.0 for ARC Raiders is out now, bringing the changes from “Headwinds” to the servers. What to expect is detailed here in the patch notes.
What kind of update is this? On January 27, 2026, at 11:00 AM German time, patch 1.13.0 for ARC Raiders was released. This includes the major “Headwinds” update, which aims to deliver new content to Speranza and is 10.4 GB on Steam. What changes to expect and the patch notes can be found here in our overview.
[toc]
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ARC Raiders receives new matchmaking option and trophy display with Headwinds
ARC Raiders: Patch Notes for Update 1.13.0
What do the patch notes say? The patch notes show 5 major changes that you can enjoy over the coming days. These include:
New Mode: Solo vs Squads
Players from level 40 compete in a matchmaking where solo players face off against teams. Players will then receive 20% more XP at the end of their rounds.
Trophy Display
Here Raiders are working to build a kind of “showcase” for your trophies. This task is tied to 5 steps, and for each completed step, you will receive rewards like a guitar, 300,000 coins, and more.
Bird City
This is a new map situation where birds hoard many valuable resources and items in their nests. You can visit these, loot them, and then escape safely from the map. But be on your guard, many Raiders have the same goal as you.
2 new items
Augmentations of epic rarity
7 new quests
On the second page, you will find all the important patch notes translated into German. Here is the link to the original list: arcraiders.com.
Besides Headwinds, there will be further updates that you can expect in ARC Raiders. What they are and what the roadmap for 2026 will hold for you can be found here in our overview: ARC Raiders: Roadmap 2026 – All known information
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Poor animations, disappointing developments – some anime are currently failing. But Oshi no Ko is raising the bar in terms of quality.
The third anime season of a series seems to be cursed sometimes. After two seasons, many series decline – both in their story, which often resorts to an inserted filler plot, and in their animation quality. Recently, One-Punch Man has come under fire and I was worried that my current favorite series – Oshi no Ko – might be affected as well.
Start video
Oshi no Ko – the trailer for the 3rd season of the dark revenge anime
Quality from another world
The animation quality of Oshi no Ko was already outstanding in the first two seasons. I even found that the portrayal of the play in season 2 ranks among the most visually impressive sequences I have ever seen in an anime. For me, it could even keep up with big anime films with significantly larger budgets.
Given all the drama surrounding One-Punch Man, I was worried that Oshi no Ko might be in the same boat. But my concerns did not materialize. The fact that the series held a livestream to showcase the opening and ending was already a good indication that they are very confident about the quality. You can see how good it looks for yourself during the opening with the song “Test Me”:
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A similar level of quality is also present in the ending, even though there’s no real reason for it – because let’s be honest, the ending is probably the part you skip in an anime the most:
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What is Oshi no Ko about, really? Oshi no Ko tells the story of Aqua and Ruby. They are the children of the murdered superstar Ai Hoshino, who was killed by a stalker early in her childhood. In the first two seasons, it was primarily the boy Aqua who sought information about the murderer in the show business, in order to take revenge. By now, Aqua is convinced that the murderer has long since died. But just as Aqua reaches this conclusion, Ruby finds out that the opposite is true: the murderer is still at large and can be found somewhere in the entertainment industry.
By the end of season 2, it is already clear: now it’s about Ruby and her descent into the darkness of a quest for vengeance.
Normally, I love anime with dark themes. I enjoy when good characters are led down a dark path and positive emotions turn negative. I like drama, despair, and cruelty in series – but Oshi no Ko is different.
The characters’ despair only continues to increase.
Seeing Ruby become increasingly calculating and cold makes me feel genuinely uneasy. Watching Ruby become more and more corrupted by the world of entertainment, resorting to lies and manipulation to achieve her goals, is unexpectedly uncomfortable – and exactly why it’s so captivating. Perhaps it’s because we got to know Ruby over 2 seasons as a cheerful, impulsive, and simply too cheerful girl, who essentially lives only for her dream.
Now to see her eyes basically “extinguished” (the eyes are indeed a thing of their own in Oshi no Ko) gives each scene a weight and oppression – whether she is just conversing (apparently) trivial matters with classmates or playing the “dumb blonde” for a television show.
It’s been a long time since a series has made me root so much for its characters as Oshi no Ko. And even though I know that the series won’t conclude until season 4, I am curious to see where the journey goes in the coming weeks. Because I am a bit afraid of what might become of Ruby – and that is extremely exciting.
Ruby with black stars in her eyes makes every scene somehow uncomfortable.
Of course, there is still a chance that season 3 might decline and I might have to take back my words in a few weeks. But what I have seen so far makes me hungry for more – and at the same time worried about characters in a way I haven’t been for a fictional series in a long time. Also, it reminds me again why I typically wait until a series is fully available before I start watching. Because the waiting time between episodes is the worst…
Anyone who has previously avoided Oshi no Ko should definitely give the series a chance and at least check out the first episode – in the end, you will be 100% sure whether this is for you. If you still don’t know what anime to watch in the coming days, our Jasmin has put together a list of “weekend anime” that you can comfortably binge-watch over one or two evenings.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The MOBA shooter Deadlock has received a huge update on Steam. An important part of this are the 6 new heroes that Valve is releasing gradually. With the release of the first hero, player numbers have doubled.
What do the player numbers look like? Deadlock is still in a closed testing phase. In August 2024, the rules that determined what could be shown from Deadlock were relaxed, and Valve’s new MOBA shooter was able to attract over 170,000 players simultaneously.
Since then, the numbers have dropped significantly and were at just 24,000 players during peak times before the massive update “Old Gods, New Blood” on January 22. With the update, the daily peak of active players has risen again to about 50,000-60,000.
With the first new hero, Rem, who was released late in the evening on January 26, even more interested players started the game and were able to catapult the simultaneously active player numbers to almost 100,000 (Steamdb.com).
But this is just the beginning of the new update, as a total of 5 more heroes are waiting to be released. The last of them will appear on February 12.
Start video
This is Deadlock – The new MOBA shooter from Valve
The first new hero is a small, sleepy owl creature
Who is Rem? Rem is a small owl creature who walks through the streets of New York armed with a evening primrose and a pillow. He can throw the pillow at his opponents to deal damage, and a small power nap on his teammates’ shoulders heals both.
Through his little helpers, Rem is able to support allies and claim various objectives on the map for himself. If it is bedtime, at least according to Rem, his ultimate comes into play and puts any opponent in his sight to sleep.
Does Rem have any other specialties? Yes, with the “Old Gods, New Blood” update, a tunnel system was introduced under the map of Deadlock. These tunnels could only be reached by a specific hero in cat form until the release of Rem. Now, with Rem, there is the first real small hero who benefits from the tunnel system.
Stranger Things has just ended, but the first spin-off series is already in production. It is supposed to take place during the events of the main series, which raises some questions regarding a new character.
What kind of spin-off is it? The main story of Stranger Things has concluded with Season 5, but Netflix is clearly interested in continuing that very successful franchise in another form.
Stranger Things:Tales from ’85 is a spin-off set in the universe of the main series and is expected to be released in animated form in 2026. However, there is no concrete date yet. It is certain that the idea originates again from the brothers Matt and Ross Duffer – the showrunners of the original.
The series is set again in the small town of Hawkins in 1985 and takes place between Seasons 2 and 3 of Stranger Things. Once again, the characters will confront monsters and all sorts of supernatural phenomena, including a reunion with familiar places like the Hawkins National Laboratory. Overall, the series is supposed to feel like a cartoon from the 80s.
Fans of the original can look forward to the return of familiar characters. However, alongside figures like Mike, Eleven, Dustin, and Will, a new kid joins the group. Her name is Nikki Baxter, and she will likely be the most intriguing aspect of the spin-off – especially since she could become a problem.
Announcement of the spin-off of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85
The big question mark named Nikki Baxter
Who is Nikki Baxter? The newcomer is a girl who will experience adventures alongside the already known characters. She is said to be taller than the other kids and is described as a “screw-up”, but unfortunately, not much more is known about her yet.
But one question arises: Where was Nikki Baxter during the events of the main series? After all, Tales from ’85 takes place during that time. However, Nikki has never appeared before or after Seasons 2 and 3.
Her name isn’t even mentioned, let alone do her actions have known repercussions on Stranger Things. Therefore, the spin-off must provide a compelling reason why she is never mentioned in the later seasons of the series.
Did Nikki and her family move away from Hawkins? Did the kids fall out with each other and are now ignoring Nikki? Or does the character face a tragic fate, as some fans in the Reddit community of Stranger Things are already fearing?
What do fans think? The announcement that a new character named Nikki Baxter will join the group has already provoked reactions in the community on Reddit, although most of them are rather pessimistic.
“Well, I think Nikki is dead,” writes Drama_Coockie25 referring to the possible end of the spin-off.
Outta_the_Shadows also expresses sorrow: “RIP Nikki. The poor girl never had a chance.”
Judgejudyx, on the other hand, states: “That’s pretty standard. Introduce new characters that the fans grow to love, and then kill them off so the main characters are spared.”
All this is, at this point, mainly one thing: speculation. What exactly will happen to Nikki is still unclear and will likely only come to light with the release of the new animated series.
However, the showrunners need to come up with a good reason for her absence in Seasons 3, 4, and 5 to avoid disturbing the canon and logic of the universe. What are your thoughts on this? Are you looking forward to Stranger Things:Tales from ’85? Feel free to share your opinion with us in the comments. Besides new monsters, familiar creatures may also make a return: Stranger Things: The 5 most dangerous monsters of the Netflix series ranked
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A report from the US data company Recurrent from 2024 shows: The replacement of an electric car battery could soon be so cheap that it costs less than many engine repairs for combustion engines.
What has been the problem with the battery so far? The battery is the heart of an electric car – and at the same time its most expensive component. If it fails, the financial damage is often enormous. In many cases, a replacement no longer made financial sense. This is an argument that could sometimes also be decisive for combustion engines, as they can usually be repaired.
However, according to new forecasts, this problem with modern electric cars could soon be resolved, as calculated by Recurrent in 2024 for the first time. The basis for this is price forecasts from Goldman Sachs, which already predicted a drop in battery prices of up to 50% by 2030.
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Slate Auto presents new truck with electric motor
How are battery prices developing? In general, the data and analytics company considers the necessary replacement of batteries to be a rarity. According to Goldman Sachs, the replacement of a large 100 kWh battery could be around $4,500 to $5,000 (about €3,800 to €4,200) in the future, while a 75 kWh battery could cost about $3,375 (around €2,800). (Source: among others Motorpasion).
For combustion engines, major repairs can cost quickly €4,000 to €5,000 depending on the brand and extent of damage – sometimes even more. A larger vehicle battery, by contrast, is projected to cost around €3,200 to €4,800 by 2030, in addition to the installation costs (Híbridos y Eléctricos).
However, as of today, this is still different. In an interview with Economic Times with automotive engineers, it was described that in extreme cases the replacement costs could amount to up to 60% of the vehicle’s value.
In this context, the inevitability of a replacement received support. Because just like with smartphones, a vehicle battery deteriorates over the years, just like the charging cycles.
All Assumptions
How should the forecasts be understood? As industry medium Híbridos y Eléctricos classifies, these estimates do not take into account labor costs, as these can vary significantly depending on the country as well as brand and model.
How high the actual total costs will be and whether these forecasts will come true depends on many factors – such as usage, climate, warranties, or driving style. Political regulations and market acceptance also play a role. If everything comes together, electric cars could be not only more efficient, but also cheaper to repair by 2030 (via Híbridos y Eléctricos).
Due to high prices for hardware, some users are resorting to particularly brazen methods: They go into stores to detach and steal RAM from display computers. Vendors are responding and implementing precautions. The community is at a loss as to how it got this far.
Users report on Reddit that large providers and vendors are removing memory and sometimes other components from so-called display units.
Display units are showcase pieces intended to demonstrate hardware. This is meant to show what a running PC could look like in everyday use when the RGB lighting is on.
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Why is RAM so expensive? The current situation explained in 2 minutes
People stealing hardware from computers is not a completely new problem
What is the problem? Some users resort to the brazen method of detaching and stealing memory from such display devices. This way, they can “save” the high prices they currently have to pay for memory.
However, this situation is not entirely new: During the COVID pandemic, users also stole graphics cards from display computers to avoid high prices or to resell the hardware at a high price. Large retailers or supermarkets then took precautions and preemptively removed valuable components to prevent theft. As a user explains on Reddit:
[The hardware] is stolen and never replaced because it gets stolen again. This has always happened with all display pieces that have removable parts.
Despite the high prices, many people in the community absolutely do not condone such behavior. Although many vendors may have raised prices significantly, it is still theft and a brazen and wrongful behavior that some individuals display. It is unknown how many individuals tend towards such brazen actions.
Memory is becoming increasingly expensive. One user has now built their own RAM and saved quite a bit of money. However, DIY is only partially recommended, as it requires a lot of skill to build such RAM: A developer saves 140 euros by simply building their own memory
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of Path of Exile 2 have revealed their 19 classes and their changes for the upcoming “Legacy of Phrecia” event, and one change is making the community laugh.
What kind of event is this? As in the last year, fans of Path of Exile will receive an event between the seasons. The “Legacy of Phrecia” event replaces the 19 expansion classes in the game with other, wacky versions that are completely different from the usual classes in Path of Exile.
Here you can see what is currently happening in Path of Exile:
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Path of Exile 2 shows features, bosses and trading system of “Keepers of the Flame” in the trailer
Patch notes to chuckle about
What does the community find so funny? The new patch notes on PathofExile.com provide insights into the dozens of changes to the expansion classes and general changes, such as the feature that each map has a random modification that enhances it.
However, players are currently laughing about a change affecting the expansion class of the Witch, the Harbinger. In the patch notes, it is mentioned that “The passive ability that the community believes is called ‘Temporal Empowerment’ according to the wiki now has a 55% increased cooldown recovery rate (previously 40%).”
At first glance, it appears that the developers themselves have forgotten what the stat is officially called and then found a name in the wiki that might not be correct. However, the Harbinger stats are not plainly labeled, which is why the developers cannot just say what the stat is really called. They had to find a way to inform the player about what is changing without revealing what the stat is really called.
What are the players saying? Players of Path of Exile are laughing at the developers’ joke and appreciate the discreet message. Reddit user neuby writes: “It looks like they’re trolling, but in reality, they just forgot the node names and had to look them up in the wiki. This happens when you stop teaching Harbinger in schools.”
User Infenso is also looking forward to Reddit: “Whoever wrote that is responsible for me snorting coffee through my nose from laughing. It hurt so good.”
User blvcksvn has probably entered the translation in the wiki, she writes on Reddit: “They recognized my fan translations” and adds a smiley.
