Two sword fighting experts test whether they would reach the first level of a fighter in D&D and show the result

Many fans of Dungeons & Dragons are looking forward to stepping into different roles in the TTRPG. However, two well-known sword-fighting experts and their D&D group want to play themselves in a campaign. Before they start, though, they want to find out if they could even keep up with a Level 1 fighter in real life.

Who are the two swordsmen? We are talking about David Miller and Clark Simon, who are known together as Sellsword Arts. Both engage in fencing, historical martial arts, and the corresponding types of weapons on their social media channels, such as YouTube, but they are also big fans of Dungeons & Dragons. In their content, they love to blend both preferences into analytical yet humorous videos.

Together with other well-known content creators who call themselves “Min-Maxed”, they will soon be launching their own campaign where all characters will reflect their players’ class and expertise. However, before the campaign can start, David and Clark want to find out if they have what it takes to be a Level 1 fighter in real life. 

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22-year-old classic of Dungeons & Dragons shows in the trailer what it still wants to excite you with after all this time

Two experts want to achieve the lowest level of their profession

What skills do they want to test? To do justice to a Level 1 fighter, they will test three different skills:

  • The mastery of three types of weapons, whether simple or martial weapons.
  • A basic combat style talent.
  • And of course: moving and attacking 30 feet (9 meters) within 6 seconds.

How do the two perform in these tasks? In their video, David and Clark from Sellsword Arts demonstrate that these three tasks do not pose a significant challenge for them.

Both can fight with (at least) 3 weapons while the background shows how many other weapon types they have in their repertoire. 

The only difficulty with the talents is that they struggle to choose just one. The medals on the wall prove that there is definitely enough talent in the fighters.

And even the final test, being able to run 9 meters in 6 seconds and make one attack, does not seem to be a hurdle for them… even though the community finds something to complain about here.

Here you can see Sellsword Arts’ video on TikTok where the two want to prove themselves:

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What does the community point out? In the comments, a user points out that – if one wants to be precise – the 9 meters must be covered at a walking pace, not running, as David demonstrates in the video.

If one wants to run, they have to sacrifice an action for “Dash” and then still make progress. With a standard movement rate of 9 meters, David would actually have to cover 18 meters in 6 seconds but could fairly forgo the attack action.

Other users explain, however, that only a few creatures in combat would use a walking speed, and the 9 meters could be regarded more as a range than a speed.

In general, users on TikTok are convinced that the two could definitely be suitable as level 1 fighters, even good enough to be at least level 2.

This attempt by the two fighters is not the first time that rules from Dungeons & Dragons have been questioned and tested by experts. A D&D fan and martial arts artist wondered whether it would be realistic to make 8 attacks in 6 seconds, even as a high-level fighter: A longsword expert explains whether 8 attacks in 6 seconds are realistic in Dungeons & Dragons

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

The new WoW interface is so stressful that the community recommends a special macro

With the new interface of World of Warcraft, there are some issues. So many that some create an almost silly macro.

In World of Warcraft, there are currently many small and large bugs. This is unfortunately a known tradition with a pre-patch, but this time it particularly affects many players. The base interface works incorrectly for some, requiring frequent restarts. A problem that leads some to rely on a macro.

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WoW Midnight shows gameplay – All new features

What kind of bugs are there currently? For those currently playing WoW without additional addons, things may still not run smoothly. While many navigate daily without issues, some complain about various bugs:

  • Some functions in the interface are blocked. When clicking the target point of a flight route with a flight master, nothing may happen, as if the click were not registered.
  • Using the Shift key to compare items can lead to severe stuttering, and sometimes tooltips remain on the screen – even long after the Shift key is released.
  • Using the new transmog menu can result in frozen screens for some.

Additionally, there’s the age-old problem with flying – those who land and jump with momentum occasionally experience a disconnect. The same goes for flying at high speed into solid objects (like tree branches) or into housing plots before they are fully loaded.

Consequently, some players are feeling a bit frustrated by how often they have to log back in to reset their interface. However, a simple macro can help:

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What does the macro do? The command “/reload” ensures that the entire interface is reloaded. You will see a small loading screen, and your entire interface will be reloaded – this includes not only your installed addons but also Blizzard’s “internal addons.” Most of WoW’s interface elements are addons provided by developers but are part of the game’s standard equipment.

The image is naturally to be understood as a meme. After all, the command “/reload” can easily be typed into chat within 2 seconds. However, given how often some have to use it currently, a macro is indeed convenient.

This is how the community mocks: Accordingly, the comments in WoW’s subreddit are quite harsh, criticizing the current state of the standard interface. Here are some excerpts:

  • “My perfect reload method is just landing on things with my flying mount.” – Demievil
  • “I don’t mind that WeakAuras and other addons are gone, but the state of the base UI is just insane.” – NaughtyGaymer
  • “Imagine doing all this work to get rid of WeakAuras, only for your own UI to immediately collapse when you want to compare 2 items.” – noeagle77

Even though it has a bit of a tradition that pre-patches for new expansions bring a lot of bugs that are only fixed with the actual release patch, this time it seems particularly severe. This is likely because the interface is a core element of WoW that everyone interacts with – thus, bugs here become clearly apparent.
Also faulty is the Devourer Demon Hunter – as the community sees him as a total failure.

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

A Half-Elf from The Lord of the Rings chose a mortal life, thus becoming the King of a mighty realm

Elrond is known by almost every fan of The Lord of the Rings. But his brother is at least equally important, if not even more so, as he established a realm that is very well known in Arda.

Elrond had a brother named Elros, who went through a lot during his 500-year-long life but achieved great things as well.

He was, just like his now much more famous brother Elrond, half-elven. Both were born in the year 532 of the First Age, a time when things looked grim. The great villain Morgoth dominated Beleriand, a region in the northwest of Middle-earth.

The father of Elros, Eärendil, also had to flee from the last bastion of the Elves, the secret city of Gondolin. He went south to the ports of Sirion. There he met the half-elven Elwing, whom he took as his wife and with her had two children: the twins Elrond and Elros.

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Epic Trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship

A Capture and Important Decision

What happened to Elros? Even during his childhood, Elros, as well as his brother Elrond, had to witness terrible events. The ports of Sirion were attacked when the two children were only six years old. The attackers were the sons of Feanor, who were searching for the Silmarils and were committed to this task because of their father’s oath.

Elros’ mother Elwing was in possession of a Silmaril. She had received it from her father Dior, the king of the Sindar realm of Doriath. The Silmaril was set in the Nauglamir necklace and was the cause of the second kin-slaying, which led to the downfall of Doriath. Elwing escaped with the Silmaril at that time.

And now the gem caused great suffering once again. The next kin-slaying occurred, that is, fighting among the different groups of Elves: The surviving sons of Feanor attacked the refugees in the ports of Sirion because Elwing did not give up the Silmaril.

Elros and Elrond were captured by attackers and taken to a cave. However, instead of killing them there, a special relationship developed: It was none other than Feanor’s son Maglor who formed a deep bond with the children. He saved them and raised them from then on.

After the War of Wrath, the great conflict at the end of the First Age, was finally over, Elros and Elrond were allowed to choose: Either they remained Elves and thus immortal, or they chose a mortal life as men. This decision was a gift from the Valar to them, in gratitude for the deeds of their father Eärendil.

While Elrond famously chose to be an Elf, Elros took the other path. He achieved great things during the years he had left on Arda.

The Realm of Númenor

What happened in the Second Age? The Valar gifted the noble men, called Edain, an island named Elenna in the west of Arda. Elros led his followers there, guided by the star of his father Eärendil, who had gone to Valinor (immortal realm) but was widely seen in the sky due to his Silmaril.

On the island, Elros eventually founded the realm of Númenor and became its first king in the year 32 of the Second Age. He gave himself a new name and called himself Tar-Minyatur. It became a tradition that Elros’ descendants also took a name in the Elvish language Quenya.

Elros brought a number of artifacts with him and his people. Among them was the ring of Barahir – the man Barahir had received it from the Elf Finrod Felagund, the elder brother of Galadriel. Afterward, the ring went to Barahir’s son Beren, from where it presumably passed to his son Dior. Eventually, it came into the possession of Elwing, who left the ring with her sons.

Under Elros’ reign, Armenelos was built, the city of kings, which was to be the center of Númenor. From there, Elros ruled and fathered three sons and a daughter with his wife, whose name unfortunately remains unknown: Vardamir Nólimon, Manwendil, Atanalcar, and Tindómiel.

Like it was customary for the people of Númenor, they were all to live significantly longer than an ordinary man. Elros himself ruled for a full 410 years before he finally felt the desire to die. This happened when he had already celebrated his 500th birthday in the year 442 of the Second Age.

He was succeeded on the throne by his eldest son Vardamir – but only briefly, as he himself was already 381 years old. Therefore, he passed the office to his own son Amandil.

The realm of Númenor became one of the most powerful on Arda and continued for a long time until it perished in the year 3319 of the Second Age. Whether Elros and Elrond ever saw each other again after the brothers parted ways before departing for Númenor remains unknown. However, it is certain that both are connected to Aragorn: Did you know that Aragorn and Arwen are actually related?


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

An anime from 2025 is so dark that I had to binge-watch it in one night

The appearance is deceptive in an anime from 2025. Because behind a cute facade lies drama, darkness, and emotional destruction.

Note: This article and the discussed anime deal with dark themes such as suicidal thoughts and abuse. If such topics are difficult for you, please do not continue reading.

If you are plagued by dark thoughts: You are not alone. Please seek help. For example, from the telephone counseling service at 0800/111 0 111 or the online counseling, where you can also use a chat. This is free and applies nationwide.

The variety of anime has grown significantly in recent years. So much so that it is nearly impossible to follow all the series when you have other hobbies or social obligations. Therefore, I often have to filter what I watch.

In 2025, the anime “Takopi’s Original Sin” completely slipped past me. I only took a glance at the cover image, saw some small, cute creature with a somewhat childish drawing style, and thought to myself: Yes, just skip that one.

Only through the YouTuber “Gigguk” did I become aware of the anime again. Gigguk’s videos are always a way for me to look back at the past quarter or year and discover series that I might have missed. When he included “Takopi’s Original Sin” in his Top 10 from 2025 on YouTube, I knew I couldn’t ignore it.

Takopi's Original Sin THE ORIGINAL SIN
Takopi has small gadgets with which he wants to help everyone. But he knows too little about people.

I was still not very impressed with the drawing style, and the pink fluffy monster on the cover clearly told me: This is not made for you.

However, the series was rated for ages 16 and up, so I figured there must be a dark core. One that would probably remind me of anime like “Made in Abyss.”

Because the series only has 6 episodes, I thought to myself last night: “Oh, I’ll watch one more before going to bed, and if it’s not good, I’ll stop.”

Well, what can I say: 3 hours later, I had watched all the episodes and now regret it only because I am missing far too many hours of sleep.

Start video
Takopi’s Original Sin: Trailer for the emotional anime

An alien that wants to bring joy and suffers

The story of Takopi’s Original Sin seems trivial and easy to explain at first glance – here come a few spoilers from the first episode.

A small, cuddly alien from the planet “Happy” wants to bring happiness to humans on Earth and make everyone happy. However, on Earth, it becomes an easy prey and has to hide. Only after a few days does it come into contact with the girl Shizuka Kuze – who notably smiles very little, but cares for “Takopi,” as she names the alien.

Takopi tries to make Shizuka smile, but that proves to be exceptionally difficult. Because at school, she is bullied. Her desk is smeared with messages like “Die” and “Rot in hell,” and every day her school notes are stolen, and she is frequently beaten and harassed by her classmates.

The alien knows nothing about human culture at first. When Shizuka is mistreated by her classmates, it is even happy because the children are talking to each other – and “talking to each other” is a good thing for Takopi to solve problems.

When Takopi finally realizes that Shizuka is continuously bullied by a girl named Marina, it pulls out a “Happy Gadget” – a long friendship cord that connects two friends and is meant to ensure happiness.

Shizuka accepts the cord with vacant eyes and wants to use it, which makes Takopi very happy – only to discover the next morning: Shizuka has hanged herself in her apartment and has died. The anime very clearly shows the possible consequences of the cruelty that children experience; this is something you should be aware of before watching.

And that, my dear friends, is just the first roughly 15 minutes of the first episode. This is just a small taste of what awaits you in the series. Because when one believes: “From now on, it has to get better” – No, it will not.

What makes Takopi’s Original Sin so good? The story is tremendously gripping. Even though I rolled my eyes multiple times in the first 5 minutes because Takopi’s overly cute manner got on my nerves, it is precisely this contrast between cuteness and the cruelty of the emotional world of children that is absolutely fantastic.

Takopi's Original Sin Shizuka Stained
A cycle of suffering – even Takopi’s cute face doesn’t help.

However, Takopi’s Original Sin is not light fare. Behind every child in the series is a trauma of brutality, child abuse, or emotional destruction. Each seemingly unfounded act of bullying or suffering is just a reaction to already existing pain. It is everything but a “feel-good” series. The complete hard break between the cute, naive Takopi who neither understands people nor the life on Earth and the children who are facing emotional destruction in the next moment creates a lump in the throat.

If you have a few hours to spare in the coming days and want to experience an emotional, deep, unsettling, and strangely beautiful story, then watch Takopi’s Original Sin – the series is available on Crunchyroll. By the second episode at the latest, you’ll definitely know if you want to follow this journey to the end. Because what Takopi’s namesake sin actually is, one can’t even guess yet…
If you need more series to binge, we also have 5 great anime that will carry you through a weekend …

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

Meta invested €73 billion in the metaverse, but five years later, Zuckerberg seems to have failed miserably

Meta invested billions in its Metaverse. But 5 years later, Meta has laid off thousands of employees. This aligns with Zuckerberg’s statements that 2025 was supposed to be the year of decision for the Metaverse.

Meta (formerly Facebook) has invested billions in its Metaverse in recent years, aiming to make the digital world a major pillar of the company. The renaming of the company from Facebook to Meta in 2021 was meant to emphasize this step.

But nearly 5 years after this realignment, it seems to be coming to an end. Meta is said to have laid off employees and cut investments, which could spell the end of the dream of a Metaverse. This is reported by the English-language magazine Techcrunch.com.

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Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds

$73 billion invested, yet in 2026 thousands of employees were laid off

What is the current situation at Meta? According to a report from the New York Times, the company is said to have laid off around 1,500 employees from its “Reality Labs” division. Other areas in the VR sector are also said to be affected:

  • Studios that were supposed to produce content specifically for the Metaverse, including Armature Studio (“Resident Evil 4 VR”), Twisted Pixel (“Marvel’s Deadpool VR”), and Sanzaru (“Asgard’s Wrath”), are reported to have been laid off.
  • The VR fitness app Supernatural, which Meta acquired for $400 million in 2023, will no longer produce new content and will switch to “maintenance mode”.
  • Camouflaj, the studio behind the VR game “Batman: Arkham Shadow”, is also affected by layoffs.
  • The Meta program “Workrooms”, which was supposed to bring VR into the workplace, is also slated to be discontinued.

How does this align with previous statements? Mark Zuckerberg stated in 2025 that they wanted to go all in: Either the Metaverse will be successful in 2025, or they will fail. Andrew Bosworth, CTO of Meta, asserted at the time that the “Reality Labs” division had not made a strong impression in 2024 and would decide in 2025 whether it would succeed with its objectives or fail miserably.

Given the recent layoffs and cost-cutting, one might rather expect a failure. An official statement from Mark Zuckerberg or Meta is still pending.

There has been loud criticism of Meta’s Metaverse for a long time

What were the reactions at the time? The first images and content from the Metaverse often only convinced to a limited extent: When Zuckerberg presented the first images from the Metaverse, players were more afraid than happy. The graphics reminded many more of the times of the PS3 or the Nintendo DS (via Reddit.com).

For many, the Metaverse seemed more like a grand concept without real content, with old-fashioned graphics that cost billions of US dollars.

At least the grand plans of Mark Zuckerberg do not end here. In a conversation on YouTube, he stated that smart glasses would become the next major platform for users. And that would, of course, play into his and his Metaverse’s hands: Mark Zuckerberg announces the end of the smartphone while also introducing a successor

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

Ubisoft wanted to compete with a game series like GTA, now an insider says it’s done

While GTA is likely the unchallenged number 1 in open-world multiplayer games, Ubisoft also wanted to establish itself there. With Watch Dogs, it was supposed to succeed, but now the brand seems to be at its end.

Why is Watch Dogs at its end? After massive restructuring at Ubisoft and the brands of the company have been somewhat categorized into houses, there has been no news from one brand: Watch Dogs.

The insider Tom Henderson now reports in the Insider Gaming podcast on YouTube that the game series is done. He says: “As far as I know at this moment, the Watch Dogs IP is completely dead […]”.

Ubisoft did not mention Watch Dogs at all in its 7-page restructuring document, so it is not assigned to any of the houses and is also not listed among the “billionaire brands” or “live experiences”. But this is hardly surprising.

Here you can watch a trailer for Watch Dogs:

Start video
Watch Dogs 2 – Welcome to DedSec trailer shows how Marcus Holloway joined the hacker group DedSec

1 and 0 in Watch Dogs

How was Watch Dogs successful? Following the great success of GTA 5, the open-world experts at Ubisoft wanted to create their own modern world filled with chaos, action, and plenty of sandbox atmosphere.

While Watch Dogs 1 attempted a darker setting, with part 2 it completely transitioned into a colorful world where players could experience more side and leisure missions than the main story. Particularly the mini-games and missions in co-op or even PvP were more challenging due to the “hacker” elements than just plain deathmatch on GTA servers.

The developers made good use of the theme to create their own game modes, like a type of hide-and-seek where you invade another player’s single-player world to hack them. This brought necessary innovation to stand out from the large competition.

Initially, the brand was profitable for Ubisoft. Parts 1 and 2 sold over 10 million copies each (via vgchartz.com), and the popular second part is still played daily by over 2,000 players at peak time almost 10 years after release, even though the title still costs €60. However, the series has a problem: part 3.

What is wrong with part 3? Watch Dogs: Legion, the third part of the series, took players away from America to London. However, with the change of scenery came a controversial feature: character switching. Instead of a main character, players suddenly played in Anonymous style as a legion, switching vividly between different characters.

These characters could also die, be arrested, and had individual attributes that could be needed for various missions. However, the absence of a real main character around whom the story revolves did not go down well. So exactly 3 years after its delayed release, the title sits at 56% positive reviews with nearly 11,000 ratings on Steam, labeled as “Mixed”.

Watch Dogs was originally released on October 29, 2020, on Uplay and on Steam on January 26, 2023.

For Ubisoft, the third part was probably not profitable, as the company ceased support for the game as early as January 2022, about 1.5 years after the game’s launch. According to Nexushub, the online mode “Watch Dogs Online” did not see a jump in player numbers.

Despite the popular second part of Watch Dogs, the hacker series seems to have come to an end. A final finale could come with the Watch Dogs movie. This is supposed to showcase the story from the first part of the game, but it remains unclear how it will proceed. MeinMMO author Cedric Holmeier recommends Watch Dogs 2 to shorten the waiting time until GTA 6: A game series on Steam is ideal to shorten the wait for GTA 6

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

A player orders a cheap SSD, the seller cancels the purchase to sell the product the next day for three times the price

A player buys an SSD, but the seller significantly raises the price. This shows that the high price increases have now also reached other products.

Hardware is becoming increasingly expensive. The rising prices have now affected not only RAM but also other components like SSDs. This is now also illustrated by the example of a user who wanted to order “only” two M.S SSDs for his system.

Recently, the manager of a large company warned, that the days of cheap SSDs are ultimately over.

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Turtle Burst II Pro in Review: Find out in 3 minutes if the mouse is worth it for you

More and more sellers cancel orders to adjust prices afterwards

What did the user do? The user reports on Reddit that he ordered two cheap NVMe SSDs for $125. But the seller canceled his purchase and re-listed the same model for three times the price. According to a screenshot, the NVMe SSD now costs $406.99. And he is not the only person affected by such cancellations.

These actions by various sellers are causing little enthusiasm in the community. Because usually it is always the players who suffer, who ultimately are affected by rising prices. Some refer back to the price increases by Corsair: The well-known channel GamersNexus is currently observing the situation.

Many users are now looking for an alternative to the sharply increased prices in the tech sector. And some even go so far as to buy components that are 18 years old: DDR3 RAM and matching processors are significantly cheaper. Dealers report that sales figures for old hardware have reportedly risen rapidly: Users are currently buying 18-year-old hardware out of despair because modern RAM is too expensive right now

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

HandOfBlood reaches an important milestone for Sauercrowd, but celebrates something completely different: “I didn’t expect that.”

Maximilian “HandOfBlood Knabe has made it and reached the maximum level 60 with his rogue in WoW Classic Hardcore. After reaching the milestone, the popular Twitch streamer and YouTuber celebrated one thing in particular at the Sauercrowd project.

What is HandOfBlood celebrating? Hänno’s stream on January 25, 2026, on Twitch had a simple yet clear motto: It only goes offline when the rogue in WoW Classic Hardcore has reached the maximum level 60! The popular streamer and YouTuber brought two experience bars at level 59 into Sunday. Thus, 90 percent of the level was still missing.

In the end, it actually took more than 9 hours for HandOfBlood to reach the maximum level with his leather-wearer. This was also because he had to take on organizational guild leader tasks intermittently, such as moderating a meeting.

The last experience points came from the quests “Arajs Scarab” and “Woe to you, Andorhal” from the Western Plaguelands. You can watch the moment below or on Twitch:

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The German Twitch landscape surprises HandOfBlood

Hänno praises his guild: After reaching the important milestone, HandOfBlood takes a brief moment to thank the many comrades of the Sauercrowd project.

So thank you to everyone who positively supports this event. Those who, even when things go wrong and it doesn’t run perfectly, still remain constructive and understanding. Thanks to Kevin. Thanks to Metashi. And of course to the teams behind it, without whom nothing would work here.

And thanks also to all grinders and to the relaxed gamers that they don’t let themselves get stressed, stay focused on the ball.

And especially thanks to those who keep restarting. No matter how often they bite the dust. I didn’t expect that. I swear to you, I thought after at least 2 weeks, we would only be a quarter of the streamers who started. But that they endure it so hard, I think only a few would have thought.

HandOfBlood on YouTube

What’s next? Now it’s up to Hänno to prepare for the Molten Core and not perish in the process. Exactly that just happened to one of the two other guild leaders a few days ago: Papaplatte reached level 60 as the first guild leader of Sauercrowd, then dies unfortunately – the community is sure: that was it

Guild leader number 3, Metashi, had a close call just before level 60, when he panicked due to an unwanted PvP marking and put his entire dungeon group at risk. Both streamers are already working on their comeback. Metashi is currently even at level 48 with his second warrior.

Papaplatte had to be persuaded for his comeback. Thanks to a master plan, he wants to reach level 60 with his mage on time despite being on vacation. In this, 15,000 water bags play a decisive role: A LoL pro is becoming the secret GOAT of Sauercrowd, farming for days to allow Papaplatte to have his vacation

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

Tomorrow the best spotlight hour of the month in Pokémon GO starts, which will significantly fill your supply of stardust

The next Spotlight Hour in Pokémon GO is approaching and offers a chance for a lot of Stardust with the monster of the hour and another bonus.

What kind of event is this? The weekly Spotlight Hour is a short event that lasts only 60 minutes. It takes place every Tuesday and features a spotlighted monster along with a bonus.

In the next Spotlight Hour on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, the monster Shroomish will be in focus. In combination with the event bonus, this specific Pokémon can help you earn a lot of Stardust for one hour.

Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer

Spotlight Hour on January 27, 2026 – Start and Bonuses

When does the Spotlight Hour start? The Spotlight Hour starts as usual at 6:00 PM and lasts for 60 minutes. Accordingly, it ends again at 7:00 PM.

What bonus is active? During the Spotlight Hour, you will receive double the amount of Stardust during the event, regardless of which monster you catch.

Can you catch Shiny Shroomish? Yes, with a little luck, you can also find and catch Shiny versions of Shroomish. However, the chance is not additionally increased.

Is this Spotlight Hour worth it? Definitely. Shroomish is one of the Pokémon that generally rewards you with more Stardust when you catch it. For each catch of a Shroomish, you will receive 500 Stardust as standard. 

With the bonus from the Spotlight Hour, this is accordingly increased to 1,000 Stardust.

If you want to use the Spotlight Hour effectively to collect Stardust, you can also activate a Star Piece to increase the amount per catch to 1,500 Stardust. 

To encounter as many Shroomish and other Pokémon as possible and make the most of the Spotlight Hour, you can use incense and lure modules to further increase the number of appearing monsters.

Shroomish itself and its evolution Breloom are not relevant as attackers in raids or the Battle League. However, Stardust is a resource in Pokémon GO that you always need, for example, for leveling up, evolving, or learning new moves. So, if you want to keep filling up your Stardust supply, you should definitely not miss the Spotlight Hour at 6:00 PM.

At the same time as the Spotlight Hour with Shroomish, the event “Down into the Depths” is taking place, in which a new monster makes its debut in Pokémon GO, but it also brings other content. You can find out more about this here on MeinMMO: How to get the new monster Lumispross in Pokémon GO – All info about Down into the Depths

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

Warframe Mobile for Android: Everything about release, crossplay, and beta

The MMO shooter Warframe will soon have a mobile version for Android. What you should know about it, you can find here.

When will Warframe Mobile be available for Android devices? On February 18, 2026, the Android version will finally be released, as the iOS version of Warframe has been available since February 20, 2024.

Can you pre-register already? Yes, you can pre-register in the Google Play Store and secure a reward in the form of the Cumulus collection.

Does the mobile version have different content than PC and console? No, the content, gameplay, and story are exactly the same as in the other versions. Upcoming updates will also be implemented across all platforms at the same time.

Is there a beta beforehand? Yes, starting from February 11, but only in Canada.

Start video
Warframe zeigt neuen Trailer mit Werner Herzog in der Hauptrolle

All information about crossplay, cross-save, and system requirements in Warframe Mobile

Is there crossplay? Yes, you can play with players from all other platforms if you want to. This is optional, and you can decide in the settings whether you want that or if you prefer to play only with players on mobile devices.

Can you also play with one account on different platforms? Yes, if you link your accounts, you can seamlessly play on all available platforms and continue where you left off. You will carry over your progress. Instructions on how to link your desired platforms can be found on the official Warframe homepage.

What requirements does my Android device need to meet? Your smartphone or tablet should meet the following parameters:

  • 64-bit system on ARM64 processor
  • Android OS 12.0 or higher
  • Min. 4 GB RAM

Can you also play mobile with a controller? Yes, you can play with most Bluetooth or USB controllers.

Are mouse and keyboard possible? Mouse and keyboard are currently not supported.

If you want to take the Android release as an opportunity to dive back into Warframe or experience it for the very first time, the game may initially seem overwhelming. Therefore, we have gathered some tips that will make your entry much easier and help you avoid mistakes: 13 tips for Warframe that beginners and returners should remember

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

Already 102 years before Dune, a shepherd predicted the dangers of AI

AI is an omnipresent topic nowadays. Whether in movies and series, but also in everyday life. There is not only great potential but also some dangers. 162 years ago, a letter from a sheep breeder appeared, who foresaw much of this.

The issues and discussions surrounding AI have been a ubiquitous topic for a few years now. However, long before that, writers or filmmakers warned of possible dangers. In 1863, over 70 years before one of the first computers, the Z3 from 1941 (Source: swb.de), a British writer and sheep breeder apparently foresaw the dangers.

162 years ago, Samuel Butler published the letter Darwin among the Machines (in English: Darwin among the Machines), which was published in the newspaper The Press.

At that time, the concept of today’s AI did not exist, and Butler wrote about machines. In the letter, he explained that people are becoming more and more submissive to the machines every day, that they are becoming slaves that they must serve. Even more fitting to today’s AI is the following passage:

We are ourselves creating our own successors; we are daily adding to the beauty and delicacy of their physical organisation; we are daily giving them greater power and supplying by all sorts of ingenious contrivances that self-regulating, self-acting power which will be to them what intellect has been to the human race

Excerpt from Darwin among the Machines by Samuel Butler (Source: iflscience.com)

This idea and opinion about machines are a central theme in many science fiction stories. Almost 100 years later, in 1965, the first Dune book by Frank Herbert was published. Even though there is no official connection, the background of the book contains some elements from Butler’s letter.

Start video
Trailer zum Science-Fiction-Blockbuster „Dune“

The War Against the Machines

What does all this have to do with Dune? Anyone who looks closely at Dune notices: There is no major technological progress, even though space travel and other sci-fi ideas are possible. This is due to the Butlerian Jihad. 201 years before the founding of the Spacing Guild, there was a major slave uprising of humans against the machines in Dune.

The associated technology was destroyed in the war, and it was decided not to build any more machines that could think like humans. At the end of his letter, Butler writes:

War to the death should be instantly proclaimed against them. Every machine of every sort should be destroyed by the well-wisher of his species. Let there be no exceptions made, no quarter shown… If it be urged that this is impossible under the present condition of human affairs, this at once proves that the mischief is already done.

Excerpt from Darwin among the Machines by Samuel Butler (Source: themarginalian.org)

Butler himself thus calls for a war against the machines before it is too late. Before the “Butlerian Jihad,” humans were subjected to the machines. Butler also had interesting visions regarding this, which he compared to domestic and farm animals:

Man will have become to the machine what the horse and the dog are to man. He will continue to exist, nay even to improve, and will be probably better off in his state of domestication under the beneficent rule of the machines than he is in his present wild state.

Excerpt from Darwin among the Machines by Samuel Butler (Source: themarginalian.org)

Before the Butlerian Jihad, humans were enslaved by thinking machines and treated like animals. Among them, there were privileged humans who were to supervise the other slaves. Hrethgir was a derogatory term. The term describes the chaotic and irrational nature of humans (Source: Dune Wiki).

One could even suspect that the term “Butlerian Jihad” is a reference to Samuel Butler in relation to Dune, but there has never been confirmation of this from Frank Herbert.

Are there other films where one recognizes the concepts of Samuel Butler? In many sci-fi films about AI and intelligent machines, one can see the ideas from his letter.

In films like Matrix or Wall-E, humanity also finds itself in a situation where it is enslaved by artificial intelligence or completely dependent on it. Even though these works may not be directly based on Butler, they show how far ahead of his time the writer was. You can see more about Dune in theaters this year: Dune 3: Trailer, release and cast – All the information about the science fiction film with Timothée Chalamet

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

Players are soon to return to the MMORPG of The Lord of the Rings because finally THE one thing has improved

An often requested improvement of Lord of the Rings Online is set to go live this week with Patch 46.1. Many players are already announcing that they want to return to the MMORPG after a long break just because of this.

What’s coming for Lord of the Rings Online? The developers of the noticeably dusty MMORPG have continued to work on modernizing the Middle-earth adventure. The new 64-bit servers for Europe were an important first step. The next one is expected to follow with the upcoming Patch 46.1 on January 28, 2026 (Source: forum.lotro.com)!

The update includes the first phase of UI scaling, which has been tested on the test server for some time. With the modernized interface, the UI is supposed to reasonably support higher resolutions for up to 4K, and additionally, text should be made readable on large monitors. You can also resize individual elements in your UI larger or smaller.

Furthermore, there are plans to optimize the character creation and selection windows, loading screens, and maps. More updates for the interface are expected to follow in February with Update 47 – more on that below.

Start video
18 years after the release, The Lord of the Rings Online announces its new expansion “The Kingdoms of Harad” in the teaser trailer

How is the community reacting to the upcoming patch? As part of the community from Lord of the Rings Online has long desired a modernization of the user interface, anticipation for the update is high.

In response to the comment “For years I keep hearing: ‘I would definitely play if the UI scaling wasn’t so bad’ – so folks, now it’s time!” on Reddit, several players respond that they are indeed planning their comeback to Middle-earth with the upcoming update.

Other players announce in their own comments that they want to give Lord of the Rings Online another chance after a long break. orcvader writes on Reddit: “I will definitely take another look as soon as it is out and the usual chaos of patch day is over. It would also be great if that means support for ultra-wide monitors at the same time!”

Roadmap 2026

What is planned for 2026? In an initial roadmap on lotro.com, the developers gave an outlook on the most important features for the first two quarters of 2026. The plan is as follows:

For the 1st quarter of 2026:

  • Update 47 – The Foolishness of Kings 
  • Raid Opening 
  • Quality Improvements 
  • Bug Fixes 
  • Additional Missions and Quests in Mûr Ghala 
  • Spring Festival Improvements (March) 
  • … and much more 

For the 2nd quarter of 2026:

  • Update 48 – A Glorious Hunt 
  • Quest Pack 
  • New Zone 
  • New Six-Player Instances (End of May/Beginning of June) 
  • Release of Housing in Rivendell 
  • Update for the 19th Anniversary 

How does it look: Can a modernized interface for high resolutions and large screens bring you back to Middle-earth? Let us know in the comments! Lord of the Rings Online is just one of many online role-playing games that have a large universe behind them: 15 MMORPGs based on Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Dragon Ball, D&D and more in ranking – Who implements the mega franchises best?

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

Tesla is worth 1.2 trillion euros, but a manager warns of the “biggest bubble in the history of the stock market”

Tesla currently has a market value of 1.2 trillion euros. However, a manager warns that this value is far too high. Because Tesla has been selling fewer cars for years, but vehicles make up the largest part of the revenue. And he is not the only person warning of an overvaluation.

The magazine BusinessInsider spoke with experienced fund manager George Noble about the company Tesla. Noble explained in the conversation that the shares of the electric car manufacturer represent an enormous stock market bubble that investors are not paying enough attention to.

Currently, Tesla has a market value of 1.4 trillion US dollars. Converted, that’s nearly 1.2 trillion euros. For comparison: Microsoft has a market value of 3.46 trillion US dollars and Nvidia of 4.56 trillion US dollars. But Noble explains that Tesla is completely overvalued.

Start video
Slate Auto presents new truck with electric motor

Tesla is worth 1.4 trillion US dollars, but the automotive business has been weakening for years

What is the problem? According to the manager, the company is extremely well valued, but the economic successes clearly contradict the high valuation. The stock is therefore not realistically valued based on facts, but rather on promises and a hype that has caught the stock.

The problem according to Noble mainly lies with the cars: Because the majority of Tesla’s revenue comes from the sale of vehicles. But exactly in its core area, the company has been weakening for the second year in a row.

The automotive business accounts for 87% of the revenue, faces significant challenges and will record a decline in revenue for the third consecutive year in 2026. Based on comparable valuations, the automotive business is only worth 20 dollars per share.

He said the company is heavily exposed to competition in this area and pointed out that revenue has already been declining for the second year in a row:

I think this is possibly the biggest bubble in the history of the stock market. In my opinion, there is not a single stock that is as far from its fundamental valuation.

He even believes a decline in the third year is possible. Because the competition in the automotive business is fierce. In addition, Tesla relies on promises like robots and self-driving taxis, but this may harm the company more than help.

Are there other people who are warning? Yes, George Noble is not alone in his warning. The well-known investor Michael Burry recently warned of a massive overvaluation of Tesla (via finanzen100.de). Poter Collins, a trader known for “The Big Short,” also considers the Tesla stock to be significantly overvalued (via Businessinsider.com).

The Chinese car manufacturer BYD has big plans for Europe. They have already overtaken Tesla in sales figures and with a new plant in Hungary, they aim to put pressure on European manufacturers. And BYD’s plan could succeed: A Chinese manufacturer has already surpassed Tesla and now wants to conquer Europe with its cars

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

Players take the police in GTA so seriously that there is a 6-step application process to hand out imaginary tickets

In GTA 5 Online, the roleplay scene is booming again, and especially one faction is currently more popular than ever: the police. But anyone who wants to join must work hard.

What is GTA RP? While GTA 5 in its official online mode and also in singleplayer is a real classic, a large part of the community migrated to their own private servers years ago. Among these, roleplay servers are particularly popular, where players take on the role of a character and often play this character for years.

They go to work, attend parties, meet friends, or commit various criminal acts. Accordingly, there are also special factions, including the LSPD, the police in the game, which are supposed to ensure law and order, but not everyone can just join in.

Here you can find out what our experts think about the future of GTA 6:

Start video
MeinMMO and GameStar discuss the future of GTA 6

6-step admission process

Why can’t everyone be a cop? The roleplay servers of GTA are long-lasting, and to join a faction, one must first go through an application process like on the server Eclipse-RP. According to their statements, this process consists of six stages:

  • A written application in your role via the so-called “Employment Office” of the LSPD, describing your character, motivation, and suitability
  • A review by superiors who reject many applications due to unrealistic characters or rule violations
  • A formal interview where your RP maturity, clarity, and communication skills are evaluated
  • A complete police training where you learn radio codes, de-escalation, arrests, traffic stops, and scene control
  • A probation period as a police officer where you patrol under the supervision of trainers
  • Finally, the full officer status, which allows you to conduct independent patrols and reports

Especially the second step, the review of the character and rule violations, as well as the realistic character build, poses a hurdle for many players that cannot be overcome.

However, those who manage to become a police officer also receive some privileges for their new job. Players are allowed to control others, issue tickets, and of course experience full action during major operations like a bank robbery – even if they then return to their desks to write a report.

Why is roleplay so popular? Roleplay servers existed long before GTA 5, but they have gained mainstream attention with the open-world title. Big influencers have made many servers popular in Germany and boosted a boom.

Currently, the servers are more popular than ever. Looking at the player numbers of the multiplayer mod “FiveM”, one can see that on January 16, a new peak of nearly 120,000 players was reached, distributed across various servers and game modes (via steam.db)

Influencers have also attracted a younger audience, who previously had little contact with role-playing, to the servers, which in turn explains the rules that exist on the “Eclipse” server.

Roleplay has been a fixed component of GTA for years. It is so successful that it could be firmly integrated into its successor, GTA 6. How much MMO and online features are intended for the latest installment, you can find out here: GTA 6 has typical MMORPG features; it could easily become one, says an MMO developer

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

Here’s how to get the new monster Glimmet in Pokémon GO – All info on descending into the depths

The next event in Pokémon GO brings you another monster debut. We have compiled all the information for the event for you.

What kind of event is this? The event “Into the Depths” starts on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM. It runs until Sunday, February 1, 2026, at 8:00 PM.

How do I get Lumispross? The rock and poison-type monster Glimmet is making its debut in the event. You can obtain this monster from Generation 9 on routes, in field research, as well as in both free and paid limited-time research.

With Glimmora, Glimmet has an evolution. Whether and how you can obtain the evolution at the start of the event in Pokémon GO is currently unknown.

Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer

All content from Into the Depths

What bonuses are there in the event? If you complete routes during “Into the Depths,” you will receive triple the amount of experience points. Additionally, there is halved hatch distance for eggs that you place in incubators during the event.

While you can encounter Diglett and Yungoos with an increased chance of being shiny (**), all monsters that we have marked with a * below have the regular shiny chance.

What monsters are there in the event? In the wild, you can also encounter the monsters Diglett**, Dunsparce*, Meditie*, and Yungoos**.

You can hatch the following monsters from eggs:

  • Diglett**
  • Larvitar*
  • Bagon*
  • Deino*
  • Yungoos**

What other content is there? Field research is also part of the event. Here you can receive event monsters as rewards for successful completions.

There is also a free limited-time research as part of the event. More precise information about the research is currently unknown.

For $1.99 (approximately €2), you can also purchase a ticket with limited-time research. Here you will receive double the amount of hatch candy until the end of the event. Additionally, you will get 2 incubators as well as encounters with Diglett**, Yungoos**, and the new monster Glimmet.

January is rapidly coming to an end. However, even in the last days of the current month, there are still various contents waiting for you in Pokémon GO. If you want to know what they are, feel free to take a look at our overview with all events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.

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

A LoL pro transforms into the secret GOAT of Sauercrowd, farming hoses for days to enable Papaplatte’s vacation

Papaplatte surprises the Twitch community and gives it another go after his unfortunate death at level 60 in WoW Classic Hardcore. He receives a lot of support from parts of the Sauercrowd guild.

What was the initial situation? After the unfortunate dungeon accident at level 60 a few days ago, part of the Twitch community was sure: Kevin “Papaplatte” Teller will not create a new character in WoW Classic Hardcore as part of the Sauercrowd project.

He himself had also stated shortly after the incident that he actually saw no chance of surviving the leveling phase again: “Dude, I can’t do this again, guys. When am I supposed to do that? […] I would need to manage it in a week and a half, two weeks. There’s no other way.” The reason: a planned vacation from streaming in February.

The present Sauercrowd members explained to Papaplatte that he could get through the leveling phase significantly faster with the help of high-level characters. However, it was unclear at the time whether the well-known Twitch streamer could muster the motivation to go on a second hunt for experience points.

Start video
WoW Classic: The Hardcore Servers Are Here!

“I have a master plan”

What has happened since then? Well, obviously the Sauercrowd members managed to convince Papaplatte to tackle the leveling phase in WoW once again. During the last livestream three days ago, he stated on Twitch: “Man or mouse? The redemption arc begins. […] I have a […] master plan. […] Welcome to the huge comeback.”

And indeed, Papaplatte followed through on his words with actions over the next nearly 7 hours. By the end of the stream, he had already reached level 26. How? Through something called mob tagging. High-level characters pull numerous enemies together, and Papaplatte then attacks them with his mage to secure the experience points.

The core support team around Kutcherlol and julijones was assisted by various other guild members. Aggression helped out with his druid as a tank. Terste created portals for short travel times, bladeshow farmed gear, and so on.

What’s next? Kutcherlol and julijones have devised a particularly grindy strategy for Papaplatte’s vacation time. They want to farm about 15,000 water sacks from a desert runner in Tanaris, which are needed for the repeatable quest “Water Sack Bounty.” You exchange 5 sacks for 380 experience points each.

The quest can be handed in starting at level 40. The plan is for Papaplatte to jump to level 50 in no time just by turning in the farmed sacks. Julijones explains while farming on Twitch: “We’re doing the ultimate sack farming here, me and Kutchi. We’re collecting sacks.”

How does the community react? In various Reddit discussions, fans of the project are currently talking about Papaplatte’s redemption arc. While some must admit they were wrong, many others celebrate the performance of Kutcherlol. The LoL pro had already reached level 60 by mid-January and has been giving his all for the guild since then (despite back pain).

  • halejy123 writes on Reddit: “I’m glad that I was wrong about Papaplatte. I had seen Kevin’s death clip and was sure he would use that as the reason for his exit. Now at the time of this post, he is level 26 and the way the people around Kutcher, Juli, and Co. are grinding is amazing.”
  • In a second post on Reddit, halejy123 adds: “Farming sacks is really fun right now. Kutcher is the GOAT.” – which stands for Greatest Of All Time.
  • Far-Barnacle-2144 adds: “I hope Kevin knows who he has to thank in the end. Because I’m not sure if Kevin would do something like that for others in the end.”
  • N4rrenturm celebrates Kutcherlol on Reddit: “I didn’t know Kutcher before the project (I have nothing to do with LoL), but I have to say he is a super funny and likable dude. I’ll be tuning in more often even after the project.”
  • dinev1 feels the same way in a comment below: “It’s insane how he’s going all out and is not ashamed of anything. From absolute gaming to meme content, and also grinding for gear or helping others, he’s just doing hardcore grind right now.”

However, Kutcherlol’s WoW experience could have come to an abrupt end just before level 60. Just before reaching the maximum level, the Esports pro, who currently plays for Eintracht Spandau Zwei, entered into a life-and-death duel: Twitch streamer from Sauercrowd is just before 60 in WoW Hardcore, makes Papaplatte speechless with a dangerous action: “That’s so dumb”

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

10 Reasons for Dungeons & Dragons that will finally convince your friends to join in playing

The desire to finally play Dungeons & Dragons is strong – but often the right players are simply missing. Here are 10 tips on how to convince your friends.

Playing a tabletop game like Dungeons & Dragons is usually a consequential decision because this hobby requires time, clear priorities, and favorable stars to find suitable dates with your friends. It is also extensive, rules-intensive, and can actually feel overwhelming and intimidating for beginners.

Others may not have a clear idea of what it entails. Therefore, it is important to convey the advantages of playing tabletop games together to your friends to reliably loop them in. Once they are hooked, most of them don’t really get away.

In this article, we provide you with 10 reasons and arguments to convince even the biggest skeptic.

Who writes this? MeinMMO editor Alexander Mehrwald has been involved in various pen-and-paper role-playing games for over 15 years. From Dungeons & Dragons to Pathfinder, Shadowrun, The Dark Eye and Call of Cthulhu to The Black Cat, hardly any system is safe from him. His greatest passion is Faerûn in Dungeons & Dragons, where he has been experiencing adventures for years.
Start video
22-year-old classic of Dungeons & Dragons shows in the trailer what it still wants to excite you with after all this time

Argument 1: Be the main character of your own story

In Dungeons & Dragons, there is no fixed story you must follow. Everything arises from your decisions, successes, and failures. Your characters are in the spotlight, and the world reacts to what you do. This makes each campaign feel like a personal series where you all play the lead roles.

You can create the character you want to be and take on the protagonist’s position in the story. This allows you to experience adventures that you miss in “real life”. You step into the roles you want and become the focal point of your own epic journey.

Argument 2: Almost limitless creative freedom and collaborative problem-solving

Unlike in classic video games, you are not limited to predetermined dialogue options or solutions. If you want to persuade, outsmart, or completely ignore an opponent, that’s possible. Creative ideas and solutions are usually rewarded, not punished. That’s what makes each gaming session unpredictable. While you are bound to the rules, it doesn’t restrict you as much as it might seem at first.

During the game, you will encounter challenges that need to be solved together. Whether it’s a sophisticated dungeon with puzzles and traps, a murder that needs to be solved, a prison break (or break-in), or a ball where political intrigues are spun, you need to use your strengths and those of your characters cleverly – fostering a sense of group and you can discover sides of your friends you may not have known.

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

I am currently playing a shooter that is so good that I want to buy a PS5 for the new game from the studio

MeinMMO editor Dariusz finally caught up on a shooter he has had on his list for years – and suddenly he wants to buy a PlayStation 5.

The year 2026 starts off rather weak for shooter fans. After the end of last year was mainly in the hands of ARC Raiders, the extraction shooter continues to be the driving force in the shooter market at the beginning of 2026. Exciting new releases are taking their time.

In the evenings, I currently play 1-2 hours of Overwatch every day to satisfy my PvP cravings. However, before I torment myself with friends in Blizzard’s hero shooter, I like to spend an hour playing something more relaxed. In my case, that usually means shooters, but without PvP. In September 2025, I opted for Borderlands 4 in these situations, followed by a bit of Destiny 2, Warframe, Witchfire, and other games.

Since no PvE shooters were released at the beginning of January that interested me, I took a look at my pile of shame and found a game I’ve wanted to play for years but kept postponing:

Returnal by Housemarque

Start video
The shooter Returnal shows new trailer for the PC release on Steam – Comes immediately with a co-op mode

Two of my favorite genres in one

Anyone who regularly visits MeinMMO knows that shooters are my great gaming love. In 2025, I also wrote an article about how much I enjoy playing games with my girlfriend where I really get beaten up.

I’m talking about so-called roguelites.

Roguelites are games that derive from the 1980s dungeon crawler “Rogue.” In this now 45-year-old game, you must explore a dungeon and find treasures. All roguelites have one thing in common: if you die, your run ends – death is an integral and intended part of these games. While a roguelike must meet certain criteria like permadeath and turn-based gameplay, roguelites only need to include some components of the original. Many roguelites like Hades, Cult of the Lamb, or Dead Cells, therefore, offer the possibility of achieving permanent progression in the form of leveling up, new weapons, or abilities.

Returnal combines these two genres. What looks like a classic third-person shooter actually conceals the typical gameplay of a roguelite – but unlike Hades, Windblown, or Cult of the Lamb, it is a shooter.

Returnal is a roguelite shooter that tells the tragic story of Selene, an astronaut who crashes her spaceship on an alien and mysterious planet and cannot escape her confusing fate even in death.

With each failed attempt, we crash back down with the spaceship – over and over again.

Returnal crashed spaceship

And every day greets… the crash with the spaceship

Here I am, crashed in the dirt, on a planet about which I know nothing. I climb out of the spaceship wreck, grab a little pistol, and begin to explore the alien world. It quickly becomes clear that I am completely on my own and cut off from any communication to the outside world.

Just a few meters in, I encounter alien creatures that attack me. Although I emerge victorious from the fight, I soon stumble upon a corpse. My corpse. The lifeless body is clearly Selene. The name is even on the spacesuit of the corpse. Selene’s pistol is also there. But how can this be?

It remains unclear what is happening on this mysterious planet and what lies behind the corpse. That is now to be found out.

Throughout her journey, Selene will die multiple times, which means I lose my earned progress. Whether a random NPC kills me or a powerful boss – in the end, Selene wakes up back in the spaceship.

A failed attempt is not in vain, however. With each time, Selene becomes a little stronger, as we typically gain permanent progress in the form of new equipment, improved abilities, or knowledge.

Returnal screenshot

A grand gameplay loop that suddenly becomes very intense at the right moment

I love everything about Returnal. The gameplay loop is fantastic. I don’t get upset at all when I die in a run. Instead, I rejoice in the progress I’m making and know that I’ll make it further in the next attempt and get one step closer to my goal.

I am happy about the progress I make and the new things I unlock.

The cycle of the game works excellently for this reason as well, because the fundamental gameplay is simply well done. The gunplay is fun, even if it is very simple and intuitive. There is a dash that allows me to dodge enemy attacks, and I must be careful to deftly avoid the partially overwhelming attacks that rush towards me in large numbers – because healing options are limited, which is typical of roguelites.

Overall, the battles are simply enjoyable, and while I play a run, I wonder where the time has gone again. Suddenly, it’s 1:00 AM. Rooms filled with many enemies or boss battles are, of course, the highlights because the intensity and tension increase significantly. If you’re not careful, you’ll quickly bite the intergalactic dust.

An optical masterpiece with enemies inspired by some of the most interesting creatures on our planet

Long before I developed a liking for roguelites, one thing fascinated me particularly about Returnal: the design of the game world and the creatures.

A mysterious planet, with huge mechanical gates of an alien civilization, overgrown nature, fog clouds, bewildering apparitions, and very importantly: bioluminescent enemies.

Returnal has drawn from the characteristics of deep-sea life forms like jellyfish in the design of its alien creatures.

And it simply looks fantastic.

When glowing projectiles in blue, red, yellow, or whatever fly at me from the side, I just want to stop every time and open the photo mode.

The modern graphics are one thing, but this eerily atmospheric and simultaneously darkly mysterious planet combined with the glowing life forms is just a design concept that I really like. Returnal will still stand out visually in 10 years and still look great – no matter how advanced video game graphics will be then.

Not even through and yet craving more

I haven’t played much of Returnal yet and still have most of my journey ahead of me. However, I wanted to write this article already because I am completely captivated. I’ve had the game in my library for years, and I regret starting it only now. I already knew that I would love the design, but the gameplay has exceeded my expectations.

The main reason I finally started Returnal was the Game Awards 2025. There, Housemarque, the developer studio behind Returnal, presented their new game “Saros” (more about it on housemarque.com), and I really liked it from the trailer already. It was the perfect time to finally catch up on Returnal.

Now I am completely hooked and upset: Saros will be released exclusively for PlayStation 5 on April 30, 2026 – and I don’t have a PS5. While Returnal also started as an exclusive title and came to PC about 2 years later, I want to be part of it when the gaming world dives into Saros in April.

Unfortunately, I am extremely stingy and had no intention of getting a console that I will hardly use, but Returnal is really making me want to buy a PS5 for Saros.


Returnal was only an “Honorable Mention” on my list of the best shooters so far. I will probably rethink that and change it during the next revision of the list. But which game will be removed from the PvP section for that? If you would like to discuss this, you can read the full list again here: The 25 best shooters of 2026 – These PvP and PvE games impress with their gameplay

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

WoW had housing already 21 years ago – A video proves it

Housing is the new big feature in World of Warcraft. But is it really brand new? No, because it was already considered back in Vanilla times…

The biggest innovation of World of Warcraft Midnight is Housing. It is one of the major “selling points” of the expansion, after players have been pleading for it for almost 20 years. But is Housing in WoW really entirely “new”? No, it is not – because even one of the very first WoW versions had Housing.

Start video
WoW Midnight shows gameplay – All new features

Where was this shown? The player Grayvves posted an old video on the WoW subreddit. It comes from the pre-alpha of the game and is therefore already over 21 years old. The short clip gives a first glimpse of how Housing could have looked if it had become a feature at the launch of World of Warcraft.

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Just an idea, not a real feature

What was Housing like back then? The video comes from the pre-alpha of World of Warcraft. Back then, Housing was apparently just a small experiment by a few developers and the feature was ultimately discarded.

More than a rough idea was probably not the case back then, even if some parallels can still be recognized. The character can actually take a skill from their spellbook to “summon” a house, which then appears as a permanent object in the game world. This works – but nothing more. The house lacks numerous textures and is nothing more than a “standard human hut” from the forest of Elwynn.

The place where the “feature” could be tested doesn’t even exist in the game. It is simply an experimental environment where the developers even wrote messages on the ground with the textures. They did this more often back then to mark where certain content was being tested or simply to write “developer notes”.

That Housing was once considered in the first version of World of Warcraft could long be substantiated with the game data. Because in the game’s assets, there were some wooden beams that had the addition “Player Housing” – even if they were ultimately never used.

Nevertheless, it is interesting to see how much the feature has changed over the years. The original idea is certainly no comparison to the result we now have in Midnight, which gives us nearly complete freedom and a lot of customization options. But if it hadn’t gone that way, we probably couldn’t build any large, dark caves and many other projects today.

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

Highguard – All Important Information about Release, Platforms, and Gameplay

A new shooter from the creators of Apex Legends, Highguard, will be released in January 2026. Everything you need to know about it can be found here.

When will Highguard be released? Highguard is expected to be released on January 26, 2026.

What time can I start? According to the Steam page, you can start around 7:00 PM CET.

What kind of game is Highguard? Highguard is a free-to-play PvP raid shooter from Wildlight Entertainment. In the game, players take on the role of Wardens, who fight as arcane gunslingers, blending futuristic firearms and magic.

The central goal of matches is to capture the Shieldbreaker to destroy the opposing team’s base and secure loot. The gameplay focuses heavily on tactical teamwork and high mobility through the use of mounts in an open world.

Behind the title are former developers from Apex Legends and Titanfall, who aim to establish a new subgenre in competitive shooters with this game. So far, the developers have not revealed many details about their game. What is known, you can find out here.

Update from January 26, 2026: We have revised the article for today’s release and added fresh information about a release stream, start time, and our trailer analysis.

You can see the trailer here:

Start video
Highguard zeigt im Trailer, was euch im neuen PvP-Raid-Shooter erwartet

All about platforms, price, and crossplay

How much does Highguard cost? Highguard is free-to-play, so you can dive into the new shooter without any cost.

On which platforms can you play Highguard? At release, Highguard will be available on PC via Steam, on PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Is crossplay supported? Yes, you can play with players from all platforms right at launch.

Is there cross-progression? Yes, you can seamlessly switch from PC to console and use the same account. Your progress will sync if you have linked your accounts.

What are the system requirements for PC? Your PC should meet the following requirements if you want to play Highguard:

Minimum requirements

  • Operating System: Windows 10 (64-Bit)
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-6600K / AMD Ryzen R5 1600
  • Memory (RAM): 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB / AMD Radeon RX 580 8 GB
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Storage: 25 GB available storage (SSD recommended) 

Recommended requirements

  • Operating System: Windows 11
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-9600K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
  • Memory (RAM): 12 GB RAM
  • Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 8 GB / AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT 8 GB
  • Network: Broadband internet connection
  • Storage: 25 GB available storage (NVMe SSD recommended) 

All about the gameplay

How many players fight against each other in the matches? This is currently unclear. Observations from the trailer and comparisons to Apex Legends suggest squads of 3-4 players. The number of teams present on the map at the same time is also unknown.

How do the rounds proceed? There are no detailed official statements on this yet. According to current information, the rounds are expected to proceed as follows:

  • Teams start in squads and use their mounts to position themselves tactically on the map and gather equipment.
  • The combat centers around capturing the Shieldbreaker, a massive, mobile siege machine.
  • The team that controls the machine must escort it to the opposing fortress, while the others try to stop it.
  • Once at the target, the Shieldbreaker destroys the base defenses, allowing the attackers to breach and steal the loot for victory.

How many heroes (Wardens) are there to choose from? There is currently no official statement on this. However, the gameplay trailer suggests at least 8 different archetypes (the names are not official and are for categorization and illustration):

  • The Shooter uses revolvers and arcane magic as a classic mobile damage dealer.
  • The Ice Warden can create walls and transform into a powerful Minotaur for melee combat in their ultimate.
  • The Pathfinder can make walls permeable or dissolve them to create new attack paths.
  • The Spear Fighter hovers over the battlefield and attacks with magical projectiles from the air.
  • The Hammer Carrier specializes in area damage and can create cracks in the ground.
  • The Dark Mage uses dark energy or tentacles, presumably for crowd control.
  • The Scout has a bird-like ability that likely serves for reconnaissance.
  • The Supporter acts as a healer, capable of supporting or reviving allies with spheres.

It remains to be seen whether the characters shown in the trailer are representative and if they will remain in the game.

Are there mounts? Yes, the trailer also showed mounts like horses and bears.

More about what has been learned from the trailer can be found here: On Monday, a free shooter from the developers behind Titanfall 2 – What we know so far. Additionally, on January 26, 2026, at 7:00 PM CET, there will be a release stream that will provide deep insights into the gameplay.

Highguard was first introduced at the 2025 Game Awards and showcased in the trailer. In the GameStar Talk, MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski and GameStar editor-in-chief Heiko Klinge talked with the hosts about the trailers shown and ranked them in a tier list: The trailers of the Game Awards in the GameStar Talk with MeinMMO: Which game makes it to rank S of the tier list?

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