In Diablo 4 there are currently birthday events that grant you strong bonuses and cool skins. However, players believe that the developers missed an opportunity regarding the world bosses.
What kind of events are these? On June 6, 2023, the ARPG was released and on this occasion, two events are currently taking place in Diablo 4. The “Goblin March” introduces more treasure goblins into the game, which also have more loot. Additionally, the “Mother’s Blessing,” the second part of the event, grants you two strong bonuses that will last until June 20:
25% more experience
50% more gold
On Reddit players are especially celebrating the free skins that they can currently claim in the shop. Others write on Reddit that they find it particularly cool that treasure goblins are currently dropping loot bags – they would even like to keep that feature. However, when it comes to the world bosses in Diablo 4, some players feel that the developers have slacked off.
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Diablo 4: The trailer for the events for the 1st birthday of the action RPG
“Knorzer should get more hit points”
Where have the developers slacked off?On Reddit, the user “SilverKnight05” noted on June 11 that Blizzard missed an opportunity with the anniversary event regarding the world bosses. This is especially true for Knorzer for him.
He writes: “I remember the time before Season 1 when we all spent 10 minutes killing the boss. Treasure goblins would appear at random intervals and run around. It was so much fun.”
Now, with player characters being so strong, you can’t even properly experience the boss or the accompanying music anymore. For the event, the developers should have increased Knorzer’s hit points. Additionally, treasure goblins and “Shrines of Greed” should regularly appear there.
What do other players say about this? The user “CyberSolidF” points out on Reddit: “On World Tier 3, [world bosses] are actually an interesting fight. […] World Tier 4? They usually die after a few seconds.” And another user states on Reddit that world bosses should be level 300 on World Tier 4. A user replies: “[Level] 200 is enough. But with much more and better loot.”
The user “dougie_fresh121” suggests there should be a kind of portal that brings players to the “Tormented” version of the world boss. If not used, you just fight the “normal” variant.
What do you think of the event and particularly the world bosses? Do you think it’s good that they drop within seconds, or should their hit points be increased? Feel free to leave us a comment. Meanwhile, the developers have adjusted the XP and gold bonuses for the events in Diablo 4 with a patch, but it was a pretty chaotic journey.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Many players who have battled through Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or Elden Ring used various guides as assistance on their adventure. Chief developer Hidetaka Miyazaki finds this completely legitimate, but he also sees a need for improvement in his own work.
What is the deal with the guides? Anyone who has ever touched a game from FromSoftware knows: There are not many large assistances from the developers here.
You are thrown into foreign worlds that explain little and especially at first cause many question marks. At this point, players split into two camps: those who want to play the game completely blind and without help, and others who rely on guides from the internet or solution books.
Hidetaka Miyazaki, the chief developer of the games, has his own opinion on guides, which he explained in an interview with PC Gamer.
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Elden Ring shows the DLC ‘Shadow of the Erdtree’ in the story trailer
Guides are legitimate, but not ideal
What does Miyazaki say? The creative mind behind the Soulsborne games is of course aware that fans of his works turn to guides.
Of course, players will refer to guides, and there will be a wealth of information on the internet and in their communities where they have access to the secrets and strategies. We expect that.
Nevertheless, FromSoftware does not attempt to counter this trend and develop even more complicated games. On the contrary: according to Miyazaki, Elden Ring and Co. should indeed be playable without guides.
“We are not making or planning anything with that prerequisite. If anything, we try to cater to the player who is completely blind and wants to progress naturally.”
In an ideal case, it should indeed be possible to play Elden Ring without guides. If you fail at that, it is not your fault. If someone starts without help and cannot succeed in their game, according to Miyazaki, “there is still room for improvement on our part.” Blind players are to be integrated even more strongly in the future.
Do you need guides for the DLC? The upcoming expansion Shadow of the Erdtree will again lead many fans to guides. After all, the DLC is aimed at endgame players.
But that is precisely the reason for Miyazaki to trust players to discover the new secrets for themselves. The challenges of the DLC, which already emerged during the first playthrough, especially in the form of tough bosses, should be conquerable without guides.
Those who have (inevitably) battled through the main game are well equipped and bringing enough experience to complete the expansion without help, says Miyazaki. Do you use guides yourself or do you play completely blind? To even access the DLC, you must defeat two bosses from the main game – one of which around 60% of all players have still not defeated.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
NoWay, the largest Twitch streamer for League of Legends in Germany, was about to reach the rank of Challenger. And his chat was trying to make him miss his flight for it.
Why should NoWay miss his flight? The Twitch streamer NoWay was recently in Mexico. Even on his departure day, he streamed as the largest German “League of Legends” streamer. In the YouTube video, he repeatedly emphasized that he must finish streaming on time, otherwise he risks missing his flight.
But his chat had very different plans and tried to make him intentionally miss his flight. The reason for this was his win streak and the fact that he was close to reaching “Challenger,” the highest rank in LoL, on the North American servers.
Start video
„Stop giving me money against my will“ – This is how confused Gronkh was by his first donation on Twitch
I could push the bed in front of the door
What does NoWay say about the situation? The streamer emphasized in the YouTube video of the stream once again that he absolutely cannot miss his flight. Then his friend and fellow streamer Karni burst into his room and reprimanded the viewers for putting stupid ideas into NoWay’s head. Karni stated that he would not stay “one damn day longer in this Airbnb.” On the other hand, there was a “climate-controlled hotel with gym and breakfast” waiting for him.
He jokingly threatened his friend that he would pull the plug if necessary – he knew no bounds. NoWay then considered with his viewers what he could do to intentionally miss his flight. He humorously suggested that it would probably make the most sense to “just put the bed in front of the door” so that no one could get in.
Did he reach the rank of Challenger in this stream? In this stream on Twitch, NoWay was not able to reach the rank anymore. What is particularly annoying is that NoWay was only 73 points away from Challenger. According to his own statement, he could have at least made it into the top 300 on the North American servers with the last game. However, the loss in the last game denied him this opportunity.
On October 25, a new installment of the shooter series, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, will be released. It brings not only new movement to the game, but also a popular mode is making a comeback, and players say it’s the easiest way to spot cheaters.
With Black Ops 6 launching on October 25, Call of Duty is officially announcing, that it will be included in Game Pass from day one. Many fans even recommend taking advantage of this, after seeing the price of BO6. Unlike the price, many players seem to be excited about the new mode that Black Ops 6 is bringing back.
What mode is it? It is the theater mode, a staple of the “Black Ops” series in Call of Duty. This mode allows players to rewatch a past match.
The developers state on the website that it wouldn’t be a Black Ops game if players “couldn’t relive all the action in theater mode.”
CoD: Black Ops 6 not only brings back the theater mode but also features new movement:
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CoD: Black Ops 6 shows the new Omni-Movement in gameplay
The theater mode allows you to relive matches
What is the mode good for? The mode is particularly useful for two aspects:
You have the opportunity to rewatch your own gameplay and adapt and improve it for future matches. Additionally, you can create video clips, which could especially please content creators.
You have the opportunity to watch your enemies’ gameplay and relive moments that you could not capture during the match.
The theater mode could make life difficult for cheaters because it allows for catching some of them “in the act”. This is the case when they are obviously aiming through walls and can track down their opponents perfectly with their weapon. Additionally, with the theater mode, you have the option to save clips that can reinforce your suspicions.
How does the community react? On June 6, the well-known leaker “BobNetworkUK” already suggested on X that there would be a theater mode. One user commented on X: “If this is true, it’s the easiest way to confirm cheaters.”
The topic is being discussed in various posts on X. A few other users also wish for the mode to be available for Warzone (via X). Others note on X that the theater mode provides many opportunities for content creators. Many consider it a “big win” for the new installment of the series.
Final Fantasy XIV is one of the most popular MMORPGs on the market. With the new expansion Dawntrail, the game will also receive a new feature that is supposed to improve the dungeons even more.
What about the dungeons in Final Fantasy XIV? The MMORPG is extremely popular with fans. The sheer variety of content in the game can overwhelm some newcomers. When it comes to dungeons in Final Fantasy XIV, there are over 90 if you count the different difficulty levels individually.
The dungeons are a main component of the game and will receive an upgrade with the new expansion that will make them more enjoyable.
Here you can see the two new jobs from Dawntrail in the video:
Start video
Final Fantasy XIV: Here are the 2 new jobs in Dawntrail – Pictomancer and Viper in under 2 minutes
Express Button to Dungeon Boss
Which function is supposed to improve? Until now, after failing a boss fight, you could teleport back near the boss. Depending on the dungeon, this was not always very close, so you had to take a little “walk of shame” to the boss.
With the new expansion of the MMORPG, the teleportation mechanism will change. If you want to go back to the boss after a failed boss fight, you can now do so directly.
In a video, user @FrostyTVstream shows how it’s done. Warning, slight spoiler about the first Dawntrail dungeon ahead:
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As can be seen in the video, the entire group can teleport directly in front of the boss fight arena without detours and essentially start the next attempt immediately.
Is this meant to help newcomers progress faster? In March, Naoki Yoshida announced that he would not introduce a skip system for newcomers with Dawntrail. MyMMO editor Karsten Scholz mentioned at the time that this could be perhaps the biggest mistake of Yoshida’s career.
The new system is aimed at everyone and will not significantly speed up the leveling phase; you will still have to fight your way to the final boss and cannot just skip from boss to boss.
If the thermal paste is stuck not on top of the CPU, but underneath between the pins of the socket, fear quickly arises. However, Reddit has reassuring answers ready that can help you remain calm in the future – and clean properly.
How can thermal paste get into the CPU socket? When building a PC, inserting the CPU into the socket, followed by the installation of the cooler, is likely one of the steps that most people regard with respect. Probably by now, the user asking for help on Reddit is also feeling this way since they have soiled their CPU socket.
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For literally between the cooler and CPU, a thermally conductive paste belongs. However, it can overflow, for example, and during attempts to fix the mishap, it can also get onto the CPU pins or into the socket.
We will show you what to do in such a case. For this, we will use the helpful answers from Reddit and a video by the tech YouTube expert JayzTwoCents.
(Perhaps) more threatening, but definitely much more mysterious are USB sticks protruding from various walls in public. What is the story behind that?
Start video
In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?
Dealing with thermal paste on a CPU socket
Is thermal paste in the CPU socket or on the pins of the processor bad? No, stay calm. Because if you didn’t use liquid metal – which should be quite rare – thermal paste on the pins is nothing dramatic. It doesn’t damage any component and it does not conduct electricity.
So you can simply insert the CPU despite the soiled pins as soon as the paste has dried. The only condition is that it is so little that contact is not impaired. This point is also noted by the top comment (more than 5000 upvotes), written by Reddit user Positive-Olive3530.
How to clean the CPU socket or the CPU pins? First of all: Power off as soon as you are working on the motherboard. The simplest method of cleaning is to dampen a soft toothbrush with isopropyl alcohol and gently brush the pins in the socket or on the CPU. The alcohol dissolves the thermal paste and the bristles scrape it off.
Once all visible paste has been removed, gently dry the pins with a cloth and/or just wait a while until it happens on its own.
But how do I get the paste off the socket and the motherboard? You blow it away, no joke: Spray the pre-cleaned socket with a larger amount of isopropyl alcohol. Then take a can of compressed air (or something similar) to blow the liquid out with the dissolved, liquefied paste. However, the motherboard should be removed for this.
Anyone who wants to see the described steps demonstrated by a PC hardware expert can watch this YouTube video by JayzTwoCents. He deals with a far worse thermal paste mess than what happened to the above Reddit user.
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If you are interested not only in hardware and the pitfalls of assembling a complete gaming PC but also in smartphones, we have something for you on MeinMMO. This does not involve hands-on experience, but there are still some questionable stories around their usage that persist to this day. We have listed six myths about smartphone usage that you definitely shouldn’t believe any longer.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Helldivers 2 has recently put its players in a dilemma. They are currently puzzling over the best way to solve it – and what the consequences could be.
On Marfark, children are calling for help from a hospital there.
On the other hand, a munitions depot was found on Vernen Wells. This could be used to produce “MD-17 anti-tank mines” urgently needed in the fight against the Automatons.
The nasty part: The Helldivers find themselves in a Batman-The-Dark-Knight situation, where only one of the two goals can be achieved. There, the Joker presented Batman with a choice: Either he saves his great love Rachel or saves the moral lawyer Harvey Dent, whom Gotham desperately needed.
It looks similar in the game right now: Only the first planet that is liberated determines which of the two options will ultimately take effect.
In the Helldivers community, it is meanwhile becoming clear in which direction they want to go. But what consequences that will have – some are still not sure.
Start video
Helldivers 2 sends you into the jungle with the new Warbond „Viper Commandos“
Most Helldivers want to save the children and hope for the best
At the moment, it is becoming clear that the Helldivers are making the moral choice and setting out to save the sick children.
Although some joke that it’s really time to go get the mines – as this is already the third time they have been an option in such commands, and already the first two times the choice fell on the other option – everyone generally agrees that it is significantly more important to save the children.
Curiosity is apparently also playing a role: Many are curious about what development the rescue might have in the coming weeks. Because with the mines, it is relatively clear: If you get them, there are the mines as an additional resource.
At the same time, some are also worried about what consequences the decision might have. Because the Helldivers’ orders sometimes have unforeseen consequences that are much worse than expected, as the past has already shown.
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Given the sometimes very morbid humor, some fear that the children might be facing a worse fate if they are saved. They share this in the Helldivers subreddit:
“What if they are SEAF reinforcements that you call into battle?” user mem0ri remarks (via Reddit).
“Spoiler – the children will be used as shields,” fears user Superhen281 (via Reddit).
“I pray that in the end you just get a mediocre hand-painted picture of the children that you can hang in the ship,” comments user Aeayx (via Reddit).
In any case, it remains to be seen whether there will be children to save on the planet in the end. Because even the large-scale mission that ripped open a black hole or portal in the galaxy showed that not every order to the Helldivers is as honest as one might assume.
But: That remains to be seen. In any case, it honors the community that they have apparently largely decided to help the children in need rather than taking the “oh, cool new weapon” route. How it ends is likely to become clear soon, as the current order ends in a few days.
The great inspiration for Helldivers, Starship Troopers, satirically dealt with a military society that takes on the fight with intergalactic bugs. However, the morbid humor of the cult film did not translate to the entire audience. Recently, the star of the film also spoke out on the subject – more on that here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Blizzard aims to make the ARPG genre more accessible to many players, says Diablo head Rod Fergusson. That’s why Diablo 4 is also easier to understand than its rivals – the “Diablo-likes”.
In February 2024, Last Epoch went into full release and was a real alternative to Diablo 4 for many fans. However, fans of Blizzard’s hack and slash can quickly feel overwhelmed, because the systems in Last Epoch are more complex.
Blizzard’s goal, on the other hand, is to make Diablo 4 more accessible and thus attract a larger player base.
What are “Diablo-likes”? In an interview with PCGamesN, Rod Fergusson, the head of Diablo 4, explains how the developers want to bring the ARPG closer to the “mainstream”. Therefore, there are no complex skill trees like in the “Diablo-likes” here. He calls the genre competitors – similar to how one speaks about Soulslikes, he says.
The first expansion for Diablo 4, Vessel of Hatred, is coming in October:
Start video
Trailer for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred provides insight into the story of the expansion
Diablo 4 is “easy to learn”
Why does Diablo 4 appeal to more people? Blizzard’s goal, according to Rod Fergusson, is also to attract people who do not already play Diablo. They want to make the RPG easy to access. Therefore, Diablo 4 is easier to understand, without the complex passive skills and skill trees found in the “Diablo-likes” Path of Exile or Last Epoch.
According to Fergusson, people sometimes try to “design into a niche” because they believe that success lies in being even harder and more complex. “That’s cool, but it doesn’t make the audience bigger,” says the Diablo head in the interview with PCGamesN.
Blizzard has always had the ability to improve this “special genre and bring it closer to the mainstream.” Diablo is a mainstream IP because the series is easy to understand. The developers try to design the game so that it is accessible to everyone. “It’s easy to learn, but hard to master,” Fergusson notes.
What does the competition between rivals lead to? The rivals “learn from us, we learn from them, and we try to improve,” notes Fergusson. This small competition leads to everyone getting better.
The developers of Path of Exile are currently working on the sequel and are keeping an eye on Diablo 4. However, the head of PoE notes in the interview at the Summer Game Fest: Much of what Blizzard has done couldn’t even be learned. Everything that could have been learned was already known and done beforehand.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Recently, the developers of Wayfinder announced that they are transforming their game from an MMO into a single-player game that players will need to pay for once. Now, the new version is live on Steam, and many players believe it was the right decision.
What’s the status of Wayfinder? Back in mid-May, we reported that Airship Syndicate announced their shift of Wayfinder from an MMO and live-service game to a pay-to-play. At that time, many players expressed their negative opinions about this decision.
Partly because they had already invested a significant amount of money in a game they would now no longer want to play without its online aspects.
Now, the new version is live on Steam, and until June 25, 2024, you can secure the “new” Wayfinder for 10% off. So currently, you pay €22.05 on the platform. A trailer announced the launch of Wayfinder Echoes:
Start video
Wayfinder switches from MMO to single-player
What changes in the concept? Wayfinder launched a few months ago as an MMO on Steam. As a live-service game, however, it could not really convince on the platform, despite several “rescue attempts”. Ultimately, the team decided to take a drastic step to give their game another chance.
“Wayfinder will remove all online requirements and become a single-player game with optional three-player co-op,” the official announcement on Steam states. Therefore, to play Wayfinder, no accounts or logging into servers would be necessary anymore. The team knew that this was a significant step but a necessary one so that the game could stay forever.
This also means that progress will no longer be transferable, as save states will now be local and no longer on the servers. These changes form the basis for the major Wayfinder’s Echoes update.
How is the community reacting now? Previously, there had mainly been negative voices criticizing the decision to abandon the MMO aspect. Now, especially in the comments under the latest launch trailer (via YouTube), there is a lot of support.
maplesyrupmush9320 writes: “I love the team for deciding not to let this game die. I would buy it again 10 times.”
ReeceHendrix writes: “No lie, but Wayfinder could really make a comeback with this content.”
Komorur writes: “All the right decisions made, I wish you the success you deserve.”
Naturise1 writes: “Just played through for 8 hours and it was insane, 100% worth the change.”
umbralbushido8636 writes: “I really hope the game finds its player base, it doesn’t deserve to die just because it changed direction (for the better in my opinion).”
The team decided to give Wayfinder another chance in this way primarily because they care deeply about the world and characters.
Looking at the current reactions from the community, many players also seem convinced that Wayfinder could have a second chance this way. What do you think of the change, and have you checked out the “new” Wayfinder yet? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments. A similar situation is currently unfolding around the MMO New World: Amazon is hitting the reset button: From New World to an Action RPG – Also for PS5 and Xbox
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Division 2 presented the future of the tactical loot shooter at its Ubisoft Forward. One change involves your long-standing agent, as this character is set to become obsolete soon. Ubisoft wants to focus on seasonal characters. Diablo shows how this works.
What has Ubisoft announced? At Ubisoft Forward, the developers of The Division 2 seized the opportunity to talk about the future of the tactical loot shooter. Year 6 is coming up soon, and for this reason, Ubisoft wants to implement new features.
Besides the more accessible endgame (via x.com), there will be a significant change regarding your agent. If you want to play a new season, you will now have to create a new agent starting in Year 6. If you think this system is familiar, you are correct.
The Division 2 celebrates with you 5th anniversary
“Seems to be a very strange move”
What does the community say about the upcoming change? The community is divided; many long-time fans are dissatisfied with Ubisoft’s decision. The Division 2 is a grindy loot shooter where players have been fine-tuning their perfect builds for years – with seasonal characters, these polished agents would all become unnecessary. The following voices can be heard:
“I play PoE every season, yet it’s shit for THIS game.” – BlurredVision18
“I agree. I love both D4, where I play seasonally, and Division 2, but there is a huge difference between games designed for seasonal characters from the start.[…]” – Scaniarix
“[…] No one wants to create a new character and start from scratch. They already hate doing WONY runs that take three hours. Why do you think they will suddenly warm up to this on a three-month basis? […]” – RAVENORSE
“This seems to be a very strange step, to be honest. If it goes poorly, they will lose many veterans, and ultimately many people will not buy TD3 if that is supposed to be the new direction.” – ThaVolt
Ubisoft already tried to explain the new system on x.com and calm the fans, but they are not satisfied. It is especially the veterans who have ground with their agents for thousands of hours, only to now have to create a new one in Year 6 that they don’t have a sentimental connection with.
Can the system work? The seasonal model, where players have to start anew each season, can work, but it is questionable whether this will be the case for The Division. Loot shooters are usually associated with a lot of grinding – especially regarding leveling your protagonist.
Ubisoft would have to radically change how quickly you can level up your agent and how often materials and powerful equipment drop. Diablo 4 shows how it can be done with its new season and demonstrates that the grind to the maximum level can be completed in less than 3-4 hours – while in TD2, players report taking 6 hours to go from level 30 to 40.
Bulma is one of the central figures of the Dragon Ball series and is known for her fiery and sometimes brutal actions. In a Reddit thread, fans discuss which of her deeds was the nastiest.
Which character is being referred to? This refers to the scientist Bulma. She is a central figure in the Dragon Ball series, created by Akira Toriyama, who has unfortunately passed away.
Many fans of the series likely remember Bulma as a loving mother who can indeed be very temperamental. The user Megalitho recalls in a thread on Reddit how brutal Bulma was in the series.
As an example, he mentions the scene where Bulma shoots at Master Roshi and Krillin with a machine gun. In the thread, users discuss which of her actions might have been the most brutal.
Start video
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero – The Official Trailer for the Movie
Bulma’s first appearance is already brutal
What is her nastiest deed? Users in the Reddit thread are also not quite sure which of her actions is the nastiest. The user TheKaiminator points out in a comment on Reddit that one of the first things Bulma ever did was shoot at Son Goku.
The user S1L3NCE_2008 corrected this statement in a comment on Reddit by stating that Bulma ran him over first and then shot him.
However, Bulma was not the only one who treated others brutally.
The user Odin1806 recalls in his comment on Reddit that Chi Chi was quite brutal and allegedly beat up some characters just because Son Goku did not marry her. As another example, he mentions Cyborg 18, who is said to have taken many lives.
How do fans feel about Bulma’s brutal actions? Many users also defend Bulma’s behavior and believe that the characters affected by her anger deserved it.
For instance, the user Zentin24-55 in a comment on Reddit states that while he does not remember why she shot at Krillin, he is sure that he deserved it. He further states that even if it wasn’t deserved, it was certainly a retaliation for a past action.
Pandaren are a staple of World of Warcraft – but China has resisted. So much that instead, we got the Draenei.
Draenei and their lightforged brothers and sisters are among the more popular races in World of Warcraft. The characters lovingly referred to as “space goats” can be seen in nearly every group and have long become a staple of the story.
But that wasn’t always the case. The Draenei were actually a stopgap and a replacement for another race – the Pandaren.
Currently, Pandaren are popular again – because WoW Remix: Mists of Pandaria is on the way:
Start video
WoW Remix: Mists of Pandaria – All Features at a Glance
What was Blizzard’s plan? When Blizzard wanted to present the new races at BlizzCon 2005, only Horde players got to see their new race – the Blood Elves. There was no in-game material available to show for the Alliance at that time.
The reason for this: Blizzard actually wanted to introduce the Pandaren as a new race for the Alliance, but this was not approved by China.
Where does the information come from? Concept artist Trent Kaniuga revealed this in a Reddit post some time ago. When he was asked for details, he said:
“It was kind of like this: We made concepts for the Pandaren cities and buildings and then China said: ‘Wait, you can’t use pandas.’ So we then made the Draenei.”
An early concept idea of the Pandaren.
What is the issue with pandas in China? In China, pandas have always held a very special status and are seen as a kind of “national treasure.” Therefore, the government closely monitors how and in what context pandas are portrayed in all media.
According to Kaniuga, the reason was that Blizzard did not take enough time for negotiations with Chinese authorities. Kaniuga believes that China would have agreed, but it simply required more time.
That the Chinese government ultimately did not stand in the way of Pandaren was then shown by “Mists of Pandaria” several years later – when the Pandaren became playable for both factions.
Has it harmed WoW in the long run? That’s probably hard to say. It is clear that some content was cut back then, after all, concept art and ideas for the pandaren culture already existed from the artists. However, the rejection from China, according to Kaniuga, came so early in development that Blizzard still had enough time to develop the Draenei and integrate them better into the entire story of World of Warcraft.
In fact, The Burning Crusade would likely have been an expansion with a very different feel if Pandaren had populated the game world back then. So the change to the Draenei may not have been the worst decision.
Or what do you think?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Sometimes the best moments in a movie are thanks to chance or a spontaneous idea. This was also the case with an iconic scene from Indiana Jones.
Which scene is it? Do you remember that moment in the first part of Indiana Jones, where Harrison Ford as Indy stands in a marketplace and is about to engage in a dramatic duel with a swordsman?
The two men are surrounded by a crowd of onlookers, and everyone is eagerly waiting for the moment when Indy duels the challenger with the saber.
But it turns out differently than expected. While the swordsman, wrapped in black robes, wildly swings his weapon, Indiana Jones quickly pulls out his revolver and shoots the poor guy down. He then turns to the camera. His face in that moment speaks volumes: He simply didn’t feel like an honorable duel.
Here you can see the scene:
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The resolution of the scene fits well with the character of the adventurer Indiana Jones. He does not want to waste time with this unwanted situation and takes the easy way out, which makes him appear tough and cool.
This scene was not in the script but was changed on set. The reason for this was a rampant illness that restricted the crew and actors in their work.
Indiana Jones will soon also be in a new video game. Here you can see the gameplay trailer:
Start video
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle shows first gameplay in the reveal trailer
The Sick Harrison Ford Did Not Want to Fight
What happened on set? Parts of the filming crew were infected with dysentery at that time. This is an inflammation of the intestines caused by bacteria. Those affected suffer from abdominal pain or diarrhea, among other symptoms (via flexikon.doccheck.com)
Harrison Ford was also affected. When the day came for the actor to face his adversary with a whip in hand, Ford turned to director Steven Spielberg, who has his own rituals during filming.
Ford asked for a change to the scene. CNN recalls the actor reminiscing about that time:
We were supposed to film a four-day whip and saber fight in a marketplace. And I was suffering from dysentery, just like many crew members. … So it was up to me to say: ‘Listen, I can’t stay outside the dressing room for long. Should we consider shortening the scene?’ And Steven said, ‘I was just thinking about that myself!’
So they decided to change it and let Indiana Jones resort to dishonorable means. The actor Terry Richards, who played the swordsman, probably wasn’t very pleased about this.
According to Harrison Ford, he had trained for about four months for the fight. All for nothing, as the circumstances required a change in the script.
Nevertheless, or precisely because of this change, the scene became very famous and has become one of the iconic moments of the Indiana Jones character. The casual way just suits him well, and it is questionable whether he would have had any chance against a seasoned swordsman in close combat, whip or not.
Thanks to Helldivers 2, more and more people are discovering Starship Troopers. However, the film is not received well by everyone as expected.
What kind of film is this? Starship Troopers is a science fiction film from 1997 that has developed into a cult classic over the years. It satirically addresses the fight of a military society against the threat of the “Bugs” and is quite violent in the process. This caused some issues at the time of its release, as not everyone could recognize the satirical approach.
A very similar approach is taken by the game Helldivers 2, which is clearly inspired by Starship Troopers. Due to the success of the game, the film has also gained a lot of attention again and found some new fans.
The star of the original film, Casper Van Dien, is currently out and about giving interviews about the film, the connection to Helldivers 2, and also a new game: Starship Troopers: Extermination.
You can see that in the trailer here:
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Starship Troopers: Extermination shows battle against bugs in new trailer
Casper Van Dien talks about satire in Starship Troopers
In one of these interviews, with Gamerant, Van Dien, who played the protagonist “Johnny Rico” at the time, commented on the development of the new game, the film, and how it is received.
He was clearly excited about developer Offworld, who is developing the new game, and emphasized: “It was really fun for me, because they really understood it. That wasn’t the case for everyone,” says Van Dien.
In England, Van Dien recalls, the audience fully understood Starship Troopers, for instance, because the humor matched. In America, it wasn’t that easy back then, but that has improved, the actor explains: “In America, we might have missed it back then, but now people are coming back,” says Van Dien.
What is it like today? There has been more audience engagement, also because people have played the new game, Helldivers 2 or Halo.
And today it is often said: “‘How could anyone overlook that this was satire?’ That’s what the young audience says. And I believe that’s because educated people show it to them, older people show it to them, and also the audience simply has more wisdom regarding this kind of thing nowadays. For some reason, it has changed a bit, the satire is much better understood.”
How has the press changed? Even in the press world, it is easier today. Back during a press conference, as Van Dien recalls, someone even asked him to show a military salute.
He refused: “I’m not an idiot, maybe I play one in the movie, but I won’t do something like that. For me, it was confusing, maybe they wanted to trick me, maybe they really didn’t understand the film.”
Does everyone understand Starship Troopers today? He finds it really difficult at times to comprehend when people still do not see what Starship Troopers is above all:
Namely a satire. “I always try to be friendly. And I try to explain and have compassion, because I don’t think it’s fair to mock someone just because they aren’t there yet,” explains Van Dien: “Maybe they didn’t pay enough attention.” One could despair over that: “Yes, because it seems so obvious.”
Overall, however, Van Dien sees mainly positive aspects in the revival of Starship Troopers, to which certainly the success of Helldivers 2 contributed. In another interview, the actor had also commented on the topic, but emphasized: One should feel free to train elsewhere, but then preferably with him to fight against the Bugs in the new game about Starship Troopers.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Riot released a skin bundle for the legendary League of Legends player Faker. The problem: The skin bundle in the “Signature” variant costs 59,260 RP, which is about €514.27. Now, Game Director Pu “PuPuLasers” Liu has commented on the skins and the outrage of the players.
What does Riot have to say about the anger surrounding the skin? In an interview with PCGamesN, they discussed rare skins and how to proceed with them in the future. After all, the €500 skin was not the first skin that the League of Legends community had been upset about regarding its price.
Game Director Pu “PuPuLasers” Liu notes, “People were very upset about it, not just a little bit.” He further says, “I also think it is somewhat justified” that League of Legends is a “14-year-old product” and that players are “used to everything being below a certain price level.”
But alongside understanding the fans’ anger, he also explains why Riot still needs these skins.
Faker, to whom the skin is dedicated, is arguably one of the most legendary LoL players since:
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LoL – Hall of Legends: Faker Trailer
The skins are for showing off
Why does Riot need these skins? The Game Director clearly states why Riot has the skins in the game. A small number of players should be able to buy them and show them off.
“We need to have [these rare skins]. This kind of product is intended for a very small percentage of our players who can buy them and flex. […]” So those with the money should buy the skins and be able to show off.
He also mentions that the expensive skins only make up a very small portion of the skins that League of Legends received last year. He would also expect this to continue in the future, with expensive skins only making up a small part.
However, the Game Director is not finished yet. He thinks it’s important to let players know what situation League of Legends is in. It is a competitive game that only sells skins and does not want to do anything that resembles Pay2Win in any way. Therefore, the majority of players would receive all content for free.
Who are the skins intended for? Pu “PuPuLasers” Liu admits: “Most of our revenue comes from a small single-digit percentage of players; it’s simply the reality that casual players who spend a lot of money have an disproportionately large share of the profitability of the business.”
The Riot team has considered that there are players willing to spend $200 a month on their hobby, and Liu says, “God knows how much I’ve spent on Warhammer figures.”
“But it is really important that we capture this willingness and ability to spend money [for those who can afford it],” he says in the interview. So Riot also wants to offer something for players who want to spend more money on skins.
But they would also consider who would buy the skins: “It would look bad for us if a lot of people who hadn’t spent much on League suddenly bought the Signature bundle – we would say: ‘Oh God, what have we done?'”
How are the skins meant to help eSports? Riot involves teams in the skins dedicated to them. The Game Director states that 30 % of the revenue, not profit, would flow into eSports.
Moreover, Riot prefers to offer players who have already spent money on the game in the past, opportunities to spend money again, rather than targeting free players.
According to the Game Director, Riot believes that there may be too high a percentage of players who invest money in a free-to-play game. This would mean in reverse: “This means that the free-to-play experience isn’t good enough compared to the paid experience.”
A humorous find was made by the “League of Legends” community on Reddit: While Game Director Pu “PuPuLasers” Liu has probably spent a lot of money on his Warhammer figurines, the game figure of the €500 skin only costs about €242 in Korea.
So those who prefer collecting figurines instead of “League of Legends” skins would get it cheaper. In “League of Legends” eSports, it’s not only heated on the battlefield. A recent dispute between a player and a manager of a Chinese top team escalated quite a bit: World-class player in LoL wants to quit after dispute with manager escalated
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Currently, the Next Fest is happening on Steam, where you can discover a lot of new games and download demos. However, the demo of a survival game seems to be leading all others.
Which game is it? Once Human is a new survival game from the developer studio Starry Studio, which is set to be released on Steam on July 9, 2024. Especially after the survival flop of The Day Before, Once Human has quickly garnered attention among genre fans and became a hope for many players back then.
Once Human is a survival sandbox game.
With your fellow players, you try to survive in its post-apocalyptic world, where an alien substance called Stardust transforms living beings into monsters and grants them supernatural powers.
There will be PvE combat and PvP combat against other groups.
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Das Survival-Spiel Once Human erscheint im Juli auf Steam
How well is the demo received? Even before the Steam Next Fest, Once Human made it into the charts of the most wished-for games on Steam. Currently, the survival game has even earned the seventh place. It was expected that many players would at least try the current demo once.
However, after the first two days of the Steam Next Fest, it can already be said that Once Human definitely belongs to the top contenders among the showcased games.
If you look at the three categories of the game preview page, trending upcoming games, most wished-for upcoming games, and daily active demo players, you will find Once Human currently in first place on each list. This indicates that it is not only one of the demos that piques players’ curiosity the most, but also the demo that players want to return to again and again.
Why is it worth playing the demo? It’s not only because the free demo on Steam is so popular that it’s worth taking a look at. Especially if you are considering getting the game in July, you can already get an impression of what the world of Once Human feels like.
In the demo version, you can already play with other active players and form an opinion about the multiplayer aspect of the game. Since according to Steam there are also daily active players, you should be able to encounter fellow players at any time. Another survival hit from Steam has now also made it to the Playstation 5: The survival game V Rising is available on PS5 today, after it started as a hidden gem on Steam 2 years ago
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A new class has been revealed for Path of Exile 2: The Witch. In an almost 10-minute gameplay video, developer Grinding Gear Games showcases her gameplay. They even do some things better than the Necromancer in Diablo 4.
What kind of class is the Witch? The Witch is a class you can already play in Path of Exile. There, she focuses on magic. In Path of Exile 2, she will be the counterpart to Diablo 4’s Necromancer as a minion class.
The developer Grinding Gear Games introduces her in a nearly 10-minute video in detail:
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The Witch is the new class in Path of Exile 2; shows in the gameplay trailer what she can do
How the Witch plays in Path of Exile 2
How does she play? The focus of the Witch in Path of Exile 2 is on summoning minions. However, she also has some standalone attacks. Your strategy here:
You summon your minions and send them into battle for you. While they rush forward for you, you support from the back with powerful magical attacks.
According to Game Director Jonathan Rogers, the summoning of your undead hordes has been adjusted for Path of Exile 2. Primarily based on experiences from the first part:
We completely changed the way summoning minions works. In POE 1, you had to summon all minions manually, which could be a bit cumbersome in different situations, but now all your minions regenerate simultaneously as long as none of them has died for a short period of time.
We found that it is much better for all minions to regenerate at once rather than one after another since the individual returning minion usually just dies again.
This means that when your army of minions dies, you only need to focus on surviving and dodging. After some time, your retinue is automatically revived.
A special spell now even lets you recruit your enemies for your followers. However, these have a limited lifespan. Certain types of minions could allegedly also infect enemies, making it possible to infect entire game levels.
You are also free to assign your minions to specific tasks, according to Rogers. For example, they could open doors for you, keep certain enemies in check, or search chests for loot.
Is the Witch fun? Gamesradar journalist Josh West had the chance to play the Witch for a few hours. He claims to have played the Necromancer in Diablo 4 for over 100 hours. He finds the Witch in Path of Exile 2 even slightly more enjoyable during his playtesting.
According to West, the class is fun because it has its own heavy attacks and its minions are simply stronger and have more influence on the battle. There are also many more of them than in Diablo 4. Overall, the retinue simply has a larger role in fights – precisely because they deal more damage.
That the Witch’s minions feel better than their counterpart in Diablo 4 is somewhat surprising. Recently, Jonathan Rogers mentioned that they were able to learn very little from Diablo 4. Presumably, the adjustments for the minions are among the few things: Head of Path of Exile talks about Diablo 4, says: “We couldn’t learn much from it”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
10 years ago, the story of Destiny began. Light and Darkness were in conflict, and we, the Guardians, were at the center. The Final Shape now concluded the battle and with it a long saga full of joy, sorrow, excitement, and loot. Our Destiny expert Christos Tsogos was finally able to close a significant chapter of his life, and he did so with relief but also confusion.
SPOILER WARNING: Our Destiny expert Christos Tsogos will discuss the different parts of the new DLC. If you haven’t played it yet, now is the time to turn back.
I immediately threw myself into the action and devoured the campaign. There is much that Bungie got right, but also some things that disappointed me. My journey through the Traveler began with excitement but ended with a questionable expression. But before I explain why my face was painfully contorted, let’s first take a detailed look at the expansion.
Who is speaking here? Christos Tsogos is the Destiny expert of MeinMMO. Since 2014, he has been a dedicated Guardian and has spent thousands of hours in Destiny 1 and 2. Besides raids, dungeons, the Crucible, and seasonal content, Christos has also absorbed all the lore of the loot shooter, trying to understand all the connections of the complex story. For him, the end of the saga is a significant event that he had to witness.
Heavenly atmosphere as far as the eye can see
My first praise goes to the Dreaming City. This destination is a feast for the eyes. Overgrown remnants of past memories mixed with the accurate linearity of darkness create a beautiful chaos.
Familiar elements like the Tree of Silver Wings or crystals from the Dreaming City meld with the pain-contorted sculptures of The Witness, creating a place that directly juxtaposes the elements of “Light” and “Darkness”.
Beautiful green spaces and a homely atmosphereGloomy surroundings and cold architecture
Grumpy Guardians might start yelling “recycling” at this point, but I found it fitting. Bungie chose the right time to bring back iconic locations and also created new sights like Zavala’s house or The Witness’ monolith. Each place is disconnected, yet they merge into something whole in the Traveler – just like the memories we have gathered over the last 10 years.
Creative missions from start to finish
In fact, the campaign of “The Final Shape” is one of the few in Destiny 2 that truly entertained me throughout. Jump sequences, exploration missions, battles against the new horrors as well as the use of Prismatic harmonized perfectly and ensured that there was never a dull moment.
The DLC also provided some laughs. One example is the mission where you had to visit Zavala in his old hideout. The Commander is known for his stubbornness and toughness, but when I saw him confront the forces of Darkness with a small barricade and his regular Vanguard rifle, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Zavala you are the Commander, please stand up!
It was somehow so inappropriate yet so funny. Here we were dealing with the fate of all living beings in the universe and you, Zavala, are hiding between two rocks and your little barricade – simply glorious.
However, the final battle with The Witness was also entertaining. The mechanics of soaking in darkness to avoid being burned by The Witness’ foul mist created tension at the right moments. Additionally, the act with the celestial sword and destroying the statue-prisons was magnificent and generated a feeling of unimaginable power.
Cinematic cutscenes that bring tears
If one had to name a strength of Bungie, it would definitely be the ability to create moving cutscenes and suspenseful animations. I can’t tell you how many times I got goosebumps when Bungie showcased the interactions between our Guardian, the Vanguard, and Zavala’s speech in the face of the impending battle.
Even the opening sequence of “The Final Shape” left me speechless for 3 minutes. Bungie chose the right moments to deliver either cutscenes or animated sequences between the missions that amazed and touched me. And although everything sounds great for a DLC right now, something negative also comes up, which haunted me until the end of the expansion and has not let me go yet.
Predictable end and no tangible consequences
Despite all the praise, I must also express criticism since it has followed me all the time and unfortunately still does.
The first is indeed the predictable end. I was excited to meet the good old Cayde, after he was coldly dealt with in Forsaken, but somehow I sensed that his existence was only temporary.
The way he spoke to Crow, the Vanguard, and us hinted that he simply didn’t want to play Guardian anymore and just wanted to find his peace. So it was clear that Cayde would die again at the end. I found it unfortunate and would have wished that the character stayed a little longer, but some things just aren’t meant to be.
The second point is the lack of consequences. I know everyone likes happy endings, and the ending of the Light and Darkness saga even has a somewhat nice ending, but it simply doesn’t fit the situation.
The new Vanguard has survived
I would truly have expected many losses. Losses that cannot be undone to underline the seriousness of the situation. But apart from Targe, Zavala’s Ghost, Cayde, and The Witness’s extras, no one had to pay the price.
It can’t be that way, especially when considering how recklessly the Commander interacted with Darkness. Personally, I really expected Bungie to at least give Zavala a noble end, but instead, they opted for a soft ending that, in my view, makes no sense.
The third and final point is the overall fight against The Witness. I enjoyed the final 12 missions against The Witness and thought the way Bungie set it up was great. But why was our Guardian all the time during the campaign left alone? At first, I could understand it, with Mara and her cosmic batteries that she has to recharge to reopen the portal. But I kept asking myself, “Where the hell is our reinforcement?”
We are fighting against the most powerful being in the universe that can even fillet Guardians with a finger gesture, who could crush our squad in the Dreaming City without effort, and yet we are left alone the whole time? Only at the end, when The Witness was already on the ground, does the entire Light Alliance come to kick the villain in his weakest phase? That just doesn’t make sense to me.
I would have expected that we, as Guardians, would have to tackle different missions together with the Alliance to force The Witness to his knees rather than handling everything alone like Rambo.
My conclusion: A good ending for a Destiny that is meant to continue
It has been 10 years since I was first revived in Destiny. Much has happened in that time. If you had told me back then that Oryx was just a little worm compared to the adversary we are supposed to defeat in “The Final Shape,” I would have laughed at you, yet here we are. We have now gone through many fun and emotional moments, and “The Final Shape” summarizes it well. Every end is also a new beginning, and although I am not satisfied with some aspects, I can leave the largest story chapter of Destiny behind with one last tear and look forward.
Every veteran who has experienced the story of Destiny, even if only in the background, should experience “The Final Shape” with their own eyes. It is definitely a great ending for a Destiny that is meant to continue, and Bungie has done everything to ensure that it is so. For my part, I will continue to serve as a Guardian, but this time not as a Warlock, but as a Titan. Eyes open, Guardians!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A strong game on Steam that excites tactical fans needs a new feature. But the developers say, “Sorry, we don’t know anything about that in real life.”
There are plenty of games on Steam, and some of them fly a bit under the radar. One hidden gem is “Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children” (Link to the Steam page). The game has a very positive rating of 94% and is considered a solid choice for those who enjoy Xcom while also liking the typical craziness of anime characters.
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TROUBLESHOOTER: Abandoned Children – Gameplay Trailer
What kind of game is it? In Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children, you take on the role of the titular troubleshooters. They are actually civilians who, however, have permission from the state to fight against criminals and reduce the crime rate in the country. As in Xcom, you control the heroes in tactical view and let them use special abilities – these can be weapon attacks, but also clearly magical abilities like fireballs.
In addition to the missions, there are also story elements and many dialogues between the characters, similar to what you would expect from the Persona series. The game constantly switches between combat scenes and social interactions. Because while criminals need to be dealt with at night, important conflicts arise during the day, such as adhering to house rules or discussing dinner.
It seems obvious that one thing is missing: a relationship system like in a dating simulation. But exactly that is absent – for a good reason.
What was said? In a review on Steam, a user writes:
“[The game] is more complex than Xcom. A really good game. I only have one criticism; there is no waifu dating system.”
For a game with an anime look and so many different characters, that would actually seem like a given – but not for the developers of Dandylion. They replied to the comment:
“A dating system… that’s a feature that a lot of people want, but my team members… they have no experience with that, not even in real life…”
On one hand, that is a somewhat sad but also a very honest answer.
By implication, it probably means that the developers, instead, have experience with people who throw fireballs, shoot chain lightning through dark alleys, or revive their comrades with healing sprays. That may be a nice balance since not everyone has that experience.
Have you checked out Troubleshooter yet?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
There is trouble in a top team of League of Legends. During the training of the Chinese LoL team FunPlus Phoenix (FPX), a dispute between the manager and top laner escalated to the point where the player wanted to quit.
Who is this about? The LPL player Ping Xiaolaohu Xiaohu, known for his outstanding skills on the top lane, almost left his team FunPlus Phoenix (FPX). Since 2020, he has been part of the Chinese super team FPX, which dominated the Worlds in 2019 and took the victory. Xiaolaohu has won the LPL multiple times with FPX, the highest professional league for LoL in China.
However, during training, Xiaohu recently got into a dispute with his assistant coach and manager, which even escalated to physical confrontations.
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LoL: Chinese pro streams after bitter defeat – Wants people to roast him
Dispute between Xiaolaohu and manager escalates to physical confrontations
What was the dispute about? During training, Xiaohu had a disagreement with the assistant coach of his team, Chen Mouse Yuhao, after he questioned one of his actions in the game. The discussion escalated when the team manager, Cao Denny Feng, intervened.
According to Xiaohuh (via Dexerto), Denny intervened when Xiaoluhu told him to shut up. Denny supposedly pushed him and yelled at him. Denny is said to have pointed a finger at his face and told him to leave.
Here you can see the shared and translated Weibo post (Weibo is a popular social media platform in China) from Xiaolaohu on X:
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I was afraid he might hit me, so I warned him to watch his hand. He then dropped his hand but started yelling at my face, repeating, ‘Who do you demand to shut up?’ and ordered me to leave. Xiaoluhu then left the FPX building and requested to terminate his contract.
What happened next? The management of FPX contacted the rest of the team to clarify the incident. A teammate of Xiaolaohu made serious accusations, claiming that the management had tried to manipulate them emotionally. It was even alleged that the management wanted to take legal action against Xiaolaohu for breach of contract.
Amidst these tensions, two of his teammates, Yang Care Jie and Cai Milkyway Zijun, showed solidarity with Xiaolaohu. Milkyway even emphasized that Xiaolaohu would not play if he were punished, offering him his full support.
Here you can see an X post that compiled the whole situation:
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Hours later, FPX finally released an official statement (via X), stating that the matter between Xiaolaohu and Denny had been resolved. Xiaolaohu remains with the team. It is emphasized that Xiaolaohu, as a player, should not have insulted his direct superiors, while Denny, as a manager, should not have used physical violence and that the decision to send the player home was also inappropriate. Did you already know? The face of the most important e-sport award in gaming is throwing everything away: “I am so disappointed in the people above”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
