Gen Z is struggling with their job search, but the former CEO of Walmart agrees with them: It is important to find the right job so that work doesn’t feel like work. And he has two more recommendations for young graduates.
But the former CEO of Walmart, Doug McMillon, stated in a talk before graduates that this is not unusual and thus agrees with them. Overall, McMillon has three pieces of advice that he shared with young graduates for their future job search.
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Young people should look for a job that makes them happy
Doug McMillon became the CEO of the American chain Walmart in February 2014, a position he will hold until his departure on January 31, 2026. His successor will be John Furner.
What are his recommendations? McMillon has two tips for young people when they are searching for a job. Firstly, he recommends that one should be present in their job. This is important if one wants to have a chance on the career ladder. In his graduation speech to the graduates at the University of Arkansas in 2024, McMillon said on YouTube:
When it comes to careers, my advice to anyone who asks me for guidance is to first do your current job well, be present, drive change, deliver results, and do so the right way. Being present in your current position and building trust leads to the next professional opportunity.
A point that has already been discussed among young people for some time. Because for Generation Z, it is particularly important that a job offers a clear career path and opportunities for advancement. Many want to improve, establish themselves, and climb the career ladder. Job changes occur more frequently where there are no clear opportunities to develop.
His second recommendation: People should look for a job that they enjoy. Because if a job is fun, then work will no longer feel like work. Life is too short to waste time on a job that one does not enjoy. He said:
My second piece of advice is to pursue a profession that does not feel like work. Life is too short to invest so much time in something you do not enjoy. I hope you find your place quickly, as I did, but if not, I advise you not to give up until you find it… If you are in the right place, work will often not feel like work at all.
And he gives a third piece of advice: One should assume positive views of others, as there are enough problems in the world: “Be aware that you will have more joy in giving than in taking. In our world today, there are many conflicts, much concern, and too much suffering. We face many challenges that need to be addressed,” he explains.
The pre-event for World of Warcraft: Midnight is running. There are many rewards and a series of tasks to be completed.
In World of Warcraft, we are strongly approaching the release of the expansion Midnight. Only about a month left until we return to Quel’Thalas and must withstand Xal’atath’s assault on the Sunwell. To kick this off, there is – as with every expansion – a pre-event this time with exclusive rewards and a great opportunity to prepare characters for the upcoming add-on. We will reveal what you need to do during the event “Twilight Ascendancy” and what rewards are available.
Start video
WoW Midnight shows gameplay – All new features
In the Shadowlands, the cultists are attacking
What do you need to do during the pre-event? The capitals of the Alliance and Horde seem to once again be infiltrated by cultists serving the mysterious “Twilight Blade” and trying to recruit more people for their goals. You will fight alongside Grand Magister Rommath and Magister Umbric to put a stop to the cult.
After a short questline, you will head into the Shadowlands. There, the cult activities are already in full swing, and they are trying to increase the influence of the Void on Azeroth – a situation that you certainly cannot let stand.
With various weekly missions, world quests, and rare foes, there will be plenty of loot waiting for you if you keep the respective threats at bay. As usual, most players will be bustling around here in the coming weeks. The currency will be the “Insignias of the Twilight Blade,” which you can then exchange for various rewards at the vendor.
The 3 new housing items that you can earn.
What rewards are available? The rewards can be found with the two NPCs Materialist Ophinell and Armor Smith Kalinovan, whom you can find in the large camp in the Shadowlands. You buy the rewards with the previously earned Insignias of the Twilight Blade. This includes:
Catch-up gear with item level 121 (Champion 1/8)
Tamed Skytear (mount)
Strolchi, Ryay’Dhar, and Emerald Sporebite (pets)
Wooden chair from Silvermoon, Enchanted candelabra of the Blood Elves, and Winged Chaise longue of the Sin’dorei (decorations)
Arsenal: Weathered gear of the Shadowhammer (weapon transmogifications)
Ensemble: Worn attire of the Shadowhammer cultist (transmog set)
Strictly confidential training manual of the Twilight Blade (toy)
How long does the event run? The event runs until the launch of Midnight, that is, until March 3, 2026. So you have about 5 weeks to earn all the rewards, which should be more than enough to prepare one or the other character for the new expansion. It is definitely worth stocking up on housing items, as you can also build fantastic homes, like the quirky house of Ticks.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Fallout Season 2, a continuation of the Amazon series finally arrives in 2025. Unlike before, this time the release structure is changing. MeinMMO tells you when you can expect the next episode.
Update: The article was updated on January 28, 2026, with release times for episode 8.
When does Episode 8 of Fallout Season 2 come out? Episode 8 of Season 2 of Fallout will be released on February 4th, 2026.
Where can you watch the episode? The episode and the entire season will be available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. You can also watch the first season of the series there.
How many episodes of Fallout Season 2 are there? A total of 8 episodes are planned for Season 2.
When will the remaining episodes be released? The eighth episode is the grand finale of season 2. This means that no further episodes will be released after that.
Here is an overview of when the episodes have been released so far:
December 17, 2025: Episode 1
December 24, 2025: Episode 2
December 31, 2025: Episode 3
January 7, 2026: Episode 4
January 14, 2026: Episode 5
January 21, 2026: Episode 6
January 28, 2026: Episode 7
February 4, 2026: Episode 8 (Season Finale)
You can watch the trailer for Season 2 of Fallout here:
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Trailer for Season 2 of Fallout on Prime – from December 2025
The Plot of Fallout Season 1
Warning Spoilers: In the following section, we will discuss the plot and the finale of Fallout Season 1.
What happened in Season 1 of Fallout? Season 1 of Fallout introduced us to Lucy, Maximus, and Cooper Howard, three main characters whose paths crossed throughout the season. Lucy tried to find her father outside her safe bunker, confronting the dangers of the world for the first time.
In the finale of Season 1, Lucy discovers a shocking truth about her father, Hank MacLean, who existed hundreds of years ago but was frozen as an employee of Vault-Tec. As it turns out, the ghoul Cooper Howard also has a past with Hank.
By the end of the season, Hank MacLean escapes. Lucy and the ghoul go in search of him. Maximus survived a serious wound in the finale, and we see him being celebrated by the Brotherhood of Steel for the death of Moldaver, with whom he had nothing to do.
As we know, our protagonists are taken to New Vegas in the new season, the setting of the game of the same name.
The trailer for Season 2 shows that there will be flashbacks revealing the past behind the Great War and the companies behind it. The ominous Mr. House seems to play an important role.
You are looking for Zygarde cells and want to change its form? We will show you in the guide how this works in Pokémon GO.
The Pokémon Zygarde can change its form in Pokémon GO. For this, tools like the Zygarde Cube and Zygarde cells are necessary.
We will show you everything you need to know about the Pokémon and its forms. As soon as more information is gathered from trainers, we will update the article for you.
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Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
Finding Zygarde Cells
Where can you find cells? With the new Route feature in Pokémon GO, you can create your own routes or follow routes created by other trainers. It is the only way you can currently find Zygarde cells.
You can find routes by clicking the “Nearby” symbol at the bottom right of the screen. Click on it and then select the “Routes” tab.
If you are lucky, routes will appear near you. Select one of them to follow the route. Then go to the starting point and follow the designated route that you see in the game.
On your way, you have the chance to find the brightly glowing green Zygarde cells on the ground.
It’s very important: you must tap the cells when you see them in the game. They are not automatically collected.
If you find a cell, it will be collected in your cube. Depending on the form, you will need different amounts of cells.
Tips for Finding Zygarde Cells
Players like Reddit user ufovictim share their tips and observations with the community:
According to current information, you can get a maximum of 3 cells per day
Per route, you can get a maximum of one cell per day. If you run the same route multiple times a day, it will not yield any additional cells
The exact spawn chances of cells are unknown
Routes do not guarantee you cells
It is said that there are “Super Cells” that give you 3 cells at once
Whether you complete a route quickly or slowly has no impact on finding cells – go at a pace that suits you
When a cell appears on the map, it can be found close to the route
It is best to set your smartphone brightness very high to see the cell, which shines brightly green, better
You must tap the cells to collect them. After collecting, you will receive a message. If you do not see the message, you can access your Zygarde collection to check the amount of your collected cells
What do the forms cost? The optimal form of Zygarde costs a total of 250 cells. Therefore, you need to follow many routes to achieve the final form of Zygarde.
For 50 cells, you can change the 10% form to the 50% form
It then costs 200 additional cells to change the 50% form to the optimal form
If you already have the optimal form, you can switch to the 10% form and 50% form for candies and stardust
How do you like the mechanics of changing Zygarde’s form and do you already have a favorite form that you definitely want to activate? Let us know your opinion here in the comments on MeinMMO.
The Witcher 4 is set to be released next year, but the wait can be eased with another game from the Witcher universe. In this game, you experience familiar characters, make decisions, fight, and … swipe?
What kind of game is this? The new Witcher game is Reigns: The Witcher by Nerial, published by Devolver Digital.
Reigns is essentially an interactive narrative where you make decisions using cards. In the main game, you rule a kingdom as a medieval monarch. There are several spin-offs, including one based on Game of Thrones. This February, the “The Witcher” variant of the series will be released.
In Reigns: The Witcher, you take on the role of Geralt of Rivia, hunt monsters, stir up trouble, or treat yourself to a bath. The story is told as part of the ballads of Dandelion. One of the central mechanics is that you must “swipe” left or right like on Tinder to make decisions.
The trailer already gives a first impression of Reigns: The Witcher:
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In Reigns: The Witcher on Steam, you must swipe as Geralt of Rivia to win
At its core, Reigns: The Witcher is a “Witcher fanfiction simulator”
These are the game mechanics: You take on the role of the monster hunter Geralt of Rivia and make your decisions by swiping cards left or right. Each of these decisions has direct consequences for the further course of the game. Dandelion’s ballads send you on dangerous, but also degrading quests from the residents, which can lead to dramatic turns.
On your adventures, you will encounter familiar figures like Yennefer, Triss, and Vesemir – and everything is based on Dandelion’s own version of the ballads. Each playthrough is unique, as you draw different cards and your decisions lead to different consequences. If you fail, you still learn something for the next run.
In an interview with GamesRadar+, Narrative Designers Oscar Harrington-Shaw and Design Director Francois Alliot explain that the battles in Reigns: The Witcher aim to capture the feeling of how Geralt “dances” around his opponents with a drawn sword. This all takes place in the simple format of the game: You swipe left and right in rhythm to avoid attacks.
At its core, Reigns: The Witcher is a “Witcher fanfiction simulator,” say the developers. You play as Geralt, who tries to survive within Dandelion’s songs, with quests that Geralt could plausibly have experienced, but also with stories that Dandelion has probably embellished a bit to entertain his audience.
When will the game be released? Reigns: The Witcher will be released on February 25, 2026, for PC on Steam and GOG, as well as for mobile devices. You can already add the game to your wishlist on Steam to not miss the release and further updates. The price is not yet known, but the main game and other spin-offs all range between 3 and 5 Euros.
Some of the characters you encounter in Reigns: The Witcher are already seen in the trailer for the new game. Who else will join Geralt will be revealed by the time of the release. By the way, in our ranking, we have sorted the most powerful figures around Geralt of Rivia according to their strength: The 10 most powerful characters from The Witcher in the Power Ranking
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
What kind of new class is this? Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has introduced the new class of the coop shooter, the Techmarine, in detail. It will be released with Patch 12, expected in February 2026.
Techmarines are like engineers and mechanics, ensuring that the machines of the Space Marines function – accordingly, the abilities and arsenal of the class in Space Marine 2 reflect this.
Start video
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 presents its roadmap for the second year of the popular third-person shooter
Engineer with automatic cannons and axe
What exactly can the Techmarine do? The special ability of the Techmarine is the so-called Servo-Gun. This is a cannon mounted on the shoulder of the fighter that can automatically annihilate a group of opponents with a powerful salvo.
Furthermore, the Techmarine can scout and activate stationary Tarantula turrets that fire at enemies until they are out of ammunition or destroyed.
In combat, it has the following arsenal available:
Primary Weapons:
Storm Bolter
Bolt Rifle
Heavy Bolt Rifle
Occulus Bolt Carbine
Plasma Gun
Secondary Weapons:
Bolt Pistol
Heavy Bolt Pistol
Plasma Pistol
Inferno Pistol
Neo-Volkite Pistol
Melee Weapons:
Combat Knife
Energy Sword
Power Axe
Omnissian Axe
Notably, the iconic gear axe, called the Omnissian Axe, has its own trailer:
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The Omnissian Axe is a new melee weapon exclusive to the Techmarine with a wide attack radius. Additionally, it has a special attack called “Omnissian Rush,” where the Techmarine charges forward and impales his enemies.
The Techmarine is primarily designed for crowd control and is meant to keep enemy hordes at bay while his allies deal damage. The developers describe him as a hybrid class with a slight tendency towards melee combat.
If you have enjoyed Space Marine 2 so far, but have not yet fully immersed yourself in the world of Warhammer, you could change that in 2026. MeinMMO editor and Warhammer fan Benedict Grothaus thinks that now is the perfect time to enter the world of Warhammer.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The disgraced former Twitch streamer DrDisrespect allegedly participated in the launch event of the new shooter Highguard (Steam, PS5). However, the devs know nothing about it.
What was the situation? On January 26, 2026, the raid shooter Highguard was released on Steam, PS5, and Xbox. The game had been kept a great secret following its surprising reveal at the 2025 Game Awards, but some media representatives and content creators were given the opportunity to try the shooter at an event.
Among the streamers who shared their participation on social media was DrDisrespect. The streamer posted a picture on X on January 24 showing some gaming accessories, along with an event badge for media representatives. He wrote: “Last week we took the Lambo to LA to check out Highguard.”
DrDisrespect posted a photo of the alleged Highguard event on X
Strangely, other participants at the event claimed they had not seen the streamer there.
Start video
Highguard zeigt im Trailer, was euch im neuen PvP-Raid-Shooter erwartet
DrDisrespect allegedly faked participation
What came out now? As Chin Pua, the creator manager of Highguard, confirmed on X, DrDisrespect was not only not invited to the launch event but also to any Highguard event in the past or present. The badge shown was not official.
Users on Reddit also noted that the layout on DrDisrespect’s alleged badge did not match that of other creators who attended the event. It seems the streamer manipulated the image using AI to feign his participation.
It is unclear why the streamer might have lied about his participation. Some users on social media consider the post to be “bait”, a way for DrDisrespect to stay in the conversation and perhaps attract viewers to his stream. Others find the stunt simply embarrassing and label the streamer as a “loser”.
Regardless of his participation, DrDisrespect showcased the shooter on launch day for about 8 hours, reaching 400,000 views alone on YouTube, roughly double what he received on most of his streams in recent weeks.
When Baldur’s Gate 3 was finally released, the role-playing game brought some changes compared to the Early Access, but many scenes were also removed. Now, thanks to a fan, you can experience them again.
On August 3, 2023, Baldur’s Gate 3 celebrated its full release after being playable in Early Access since October 2020. With the final release, a lot changed in the version of the role-playing game. A few months before the release, the developers even advised against buying the “Early Access” version – as it risks ruining the fun of the game.
What was removed for the final release? Despite the enormous size of Baldur’s Gate 3, many contents did not make it into the final version. Data miners found, for example, many hours of unused voice lines in the game data. Other scenes were only included in the “Early Access” version. We reveal to you which contents are not in the game and why they are missing at release.
Start video
Baladur’s Gate rettete Larian Studios und ist jetzt noch beliebter
Why are the contents now playable? A fan’s mod allows old scenes, cutscenes, and dialogues to be experienced again in the role-playing game. Most of these were taken almost unchanged from the “Early Access” version. Other contents were completely reconstructed by the modder – based on “remnants” he could find in the game data. Especially fans who have never played the Early Access can now catch up on missed content.
Mod brings back over 1,000 voiced dialogue lines to the game
What kind of mod is this? The mod for Baldur’s Gate 3 is called “Early Access Scenes Restored” and brings back a large amount of removed, but also newly compiled, content to the game. The modder HyperspaceTowel explains that he has integrated over 100 conversations and more than 1,000 voiced dialogue lines that still fit into the game. Additionally, characters react to various events from Act 1.
Mod features include:
more NPC encounters and camp events
restored NPCs, encounters, and camp scenes
more reactivity from companions
additional approval or disapproval from companions
revised cutscenes with improved camera work and timing
removed Early Access dialogue lines integrated into the full version dialogues
HyperspaceTowel has also announced that he wants to bring more content back into the role-playing game in the future. Planned are, among other things, more reactivity for Wyll and Karlach, Thralls on the Nautiloid, and additional dialogues for the player character.
A teaser for the mod can be seen here:
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This is what fans say about it: Under the YouTube video, many fans immediately announce another playthrough. Cassandra_Solidor writes: “I just took a little break from BG3 – and then you come up with THIS?! Well, break’s over!” And optimaltime writes: “Looks like the 100th playthrough is back on the menu, folks.”
Fans are also talking about the new mod on Reddit. For example, Medium-Theme-4611 notes in a Reddit post that this is the perfect time if you just failed in Honour mode. And Lord_Snaps jokes: “Great. Then I probably won’t see my wife for a week now.”
Even without mods, Baldur’s Gate 3 offers an enormous amount of dialogues thanks to the sophisticated characters and many possible decisions. A player even gathered all the spoken dialogues in the game and calculated how many days one would have to listen continuously to experience them all once. She also revealed who the biggest chatterbox among the companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 is.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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.
[toc]
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)
Start video
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:
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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.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
