The Wall in Game of Thrones is an integral part of the world of Westeros. Alone in the series, it is an important location in the plot that viewers often visit. However, there is more behind the gigantic block of ice than meets the eye.
Early on in the series of Game of Thrones, we learn that Jon Snow wants to join the Night’s Watch on the Wall to prove himself there. Wall is likely an understatement, as the ice wall is said to be nearly 480 kilometers long and over 200 meters high.
In the series, the Wall is supposed to protect the Seven Kingdoms from the wildlings and other dangers beyond it. However, there is more to the great construct than just a block of ice.
A significantly smaller view of Westeros can be seen in the new series:
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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms shows in the final trailer that one can expect more humor than in Game of Thrones
An ancestor of the Starks is said to have been involved
Who built the Wall? There is no historical evidence in Westeros, but there is the legend of Brandon, the builder. He is said to have lived in the Age of Heroes (Source: A Wiki of Ice and Fire). This is a time that exists more as a legendary tale and is told by Maesters. Many legendary figures from this era are said to have founded the later houses. Thus, House Stark is believed to have its origin with Brandon.
Together with the Children of the Forest and with the help of giants, Brandon is said to have constructed the Wall. Magic is also believed to have played a role. The Wall was meant to protect the first men from monsters and the White Walkers.
It is said to have been built after the Long Night. This was a time in the Age of Heroes when the White Walkers attacked the First Men. After a final battle, the White Walkers were repelled, and the Wall was then constructed to prevent such an invasion from happening again.
What the Wall behind the ice is exactly made of, and whether there is any foundation other than ice, is unclear. However, it can be assumed that magic was an important element in its construction and that it is meant to provide extra protection against monsters.
Once, Queen Alysanne Targaryen tried to fly over the Wall with her dragon Silverwing, but the dragon refused (For the historical context: Alysanne died in the year 100 after Aegon’s Conquest, House of the Dragon takes place about 120 years after Aegon’s Conquest). In House of the Dragon, Cregan Stark mentions that even the dragon of King Jaehaerys did not want to fly over the Wall (Source: Screen Rant).
Although Daenerys was able to fly over the Wall in the series, it is questionable whether that makes sense in the story, as this part only exists in the series.
What happened to the Night’s Watch? Even in Game of Thrones (about 300 years after Aegon’s Conquest), it is seen that the Night’s Watch is no longer as grand and epic as described in the legend. As all of this is said to have happened thousands of years ago and exists only as a legend, the Night’s Watch has been gradually dismantled over the years, many castles were no longer manned and became ruins.
The once noble job later became more of a punishment for criminals and unwanted individuals. This is evident in the series with Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly. But then a conflict arose with the wildlings and the threat from the White Walkers, and the Night’s Watch became relevant again.
In the defense against the wildlings, the strength of the Wall for protection became evident. If an attacker climbs high, they can be easily repelled, and if they try to get through the tunnels, they require a lot of strength, as these can also collapse (unmanned tunnels were also closed).
In the 5th book A Dance with Dragons(A Dance with Dragons), Jon is made Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and begins to man more castles after the incident with the wildlings who were then let through the Wall.
There is new information about Forza Horizon 6 and MeinMMO editor Dariusz is totally thrilled, as the developers have shown exactly the right thing.
At the Xbox Developer Direct on January 22, 2026, Playground Games talked for nearly 12 minutes about Forza Horizon 6 and provided the first glimpses of the gameplay and the game world of the racing game. We also learned that Forza Horizon 6 will be released on May 19, 2026, and will cost around 70 euros in the standard edition.
Since it became known that the next installment in the series will take place in Japan, I’ve been looking forward to the game. I found the last installments… okay. Great Britain was cool and had pretty spots, but I just have no attachment to that setting. Mexico looked incredibly good and had some really great corners, but it wasn’t the kind of map I find cool in games like Forza Horizon.
I find Japan and the car culture of the island nation extremely interesting, and what the developers showed now fits my taste perfectly.
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Xbox Showcase zeigt Einblicke in Forza Horizon 6
Great setting, but the map is crucial
Before the showcase, there was exactly one thing that I feared could “ruin” the Japanese setting for me: the way the map is structured.
If there is only one big city, I would miss mountain roads that I can drift down.
If there is too much “nature” and it feels like I’m mostly driving through nothing, I would miss the Japanese metropolises with colorful neon lights.
I hoped to see both the Japanese nature that looks truly incredible in the different seasons, as well as being able to race through colorful neon streets like in Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift.
And precisely this hope has been fulfilled by the showcase and at the same time relieved my concerns.
The developers report that Forza Horizon 6 will have by far the largest city that has ever existed in the series. This city will consist of various districts: We will see, for example, the downtown area with wide streets and billboards, a chic suburb, and an industrial area. But the mountain roads and seasons apparently won’t be neglected either.
I simply love to see someone drifting around the corner in a (Nissan) Skyline.
To be honest, it’s not that important to me that everything is as realistic as possible. That could bother people who engage with Japan, its culture, and the natural features of the country much more intensely than I do. I’m simpler. A Porsche swirls cherry blossoms that have fallen from the trees and landed on the road, and I think it’s great. It just looks amazing.
I got the impression that this was also a fundamental vision of the developers: It should look great and remind of Japan: They talked about the different seasons being celebrated and more prominently featured than in Forza Horizon 5, for instance.
More room for creativity and the presentation of my cars
I’m a big fan of being able to create my own maps or racetracks in games or setting up my own four walls. Forza Horizon 6 aims to expand on this a bit. This is probably irrelevant for the gameplay loop of most players, but for me, these were great announcements that I didn’t expect.
The developers said, for instance, that you will be able to start building your own tracks anywhere on the map in the future.
We will also be able to set up and decorate a garage and build a huge estate. The result can then be shown to friends.
If you don’t feel like meeting in any garages, there will also be car meets in Forza Horizon 6 – these, however, will be in the open world, without loading screens, and every player can simply drive there and participate.
I’m the kind of player who even builds huge bases in survival games and ignores the boss fights, just to proudly show what I’ve created in the end. I do the same in games like Forza Horizon, but with racetracks or paint jobs for my cars. More options to showcase my work are exactly my thing. If the Japanese car culture is captured properly now, I might never need another racing game again.
While fans won’t have to wait much longer for the action RPG Crimson Desert, a collaboration has been announced for the release. If you pre-order from the right store, a special skin in Fortnite awaits.
As announced by the Epic Games Store on x.com, there will be a collaboration with the upcoming action RPG Crimson Desert by Pearl Abyss.
This not only means that the game can be pre-ordered and purchased in the Epic Games Store: There will also be a Fortnite skin that you can secure with a pre-order. If you buy one of the two versions in advance or directly at release, the Cliff outfit in Epic’s Battle Royale is yours.
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Crimson Desert reveals the release date in the new trailer
How to get the skin
How can I secure the skin? At the release of Crimson Desert, the Cliff outfit will also be available in Fortnite. To secure the skin directly, you need to pre-order Crimson Desert at the Epic Games Store by March 19, 2026 (the game’s release). You can choose from 2 versions:
Standard Edition for €69.99 (additionally, there is a Khaled shield as a pre-order bonus)
Deluxe Edition for €79.99 (in addition to the Khaled shield, there is a Balgran shield as a pre-order bonus and a piece of armor for you and your horse as a deluxe content)
If you want the Fortnite skin, you should ensure that you use the same Epic account with which you also play Fortnite.
You can see artwork for the collaboration here, the middle figure is Cliff:
Will the skin be available through other means? In the official Epic FAQ, it is stated that the Cliff outfit may be available in the Fortnite shop at a later time, though this is not entirely confirmed.
If you secured the skin thanks to the Epic pre-order, you can also use it on other consoles as long as you play there with the same account.
If you cancel your pre-order before the release, you will also lose the Cliff outfit. According to the FAQ, you can buy the game on the release day and thus receive the skin.
In the past, Epic has released certain skins for Fortnite with various game releases, such as for Borderlands. Many of these were only available for a limited time and are correspondingly rarer to see in the game. You can find 9 of the rarest skins here: Fortnite: The 9 rarest skins from 2025
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Fans are eagerly awaiting new information about the Netflix remake of One Piece. Now there are new images, but not from the official animation team, rather from the social media team of a Chinese district government.
What can be seen in the images? The images show several sketches from behind the scenes of production. Buggy is primarily featured in various stages in the background, from rough line drawings to cleaned and colored poses.
There is an almost complete image of Kabaji. He is the juggler from Buggy’s pirate crew and holds the position of commander. Some of the shaded areas are turquoise while others are colored yellow. The rest remains uncolored.
The individual images were shared by the reliable One Piece insider pewpiece on X, who also posts the content of the new manga chapter every week. You can view the images here:
The images show Buggy and his crew.
So far, only a few colored concept images have been seen. The finished product has never been shown by the team.
Who posted the images? The images did not come from the official Netflix team or the animation team of WIT Studios, who are responsible for the remake, but rather from an outsourced animation studio in China.
The social media post was published by the local Chinese district government of Lijin County. The post confirms that Huahan Animation, a studio with international and Japanese outsourcing experience, is actively involved in production support.
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The One Piece – Interview with the Remake Team
Leak about One Piece was probably unintentional
Was it intentional? The special thing is that it is not a planned reveal of the anime but rather a promotional spot by the local government highlighting the successes of the regional animation industry.
According to a user on X, the animation team of WIT Studio supposedly explained in the comments that images had slipped in that were not yet authorized for release. Therefore, an employee of the social media team of the Chinese district government account should contact him. However, we cannot verify this claim as the video has since been deleted.
Whether the images of One Piece simply slipped through or were planned by the local team remains unknown.
How are the images being received? In the comments on X, users are simply glad that there is finally news about the anime. Many are excited about the fresh drawing style, and some even believe that Buggy has received a glow-up.
If you are not quite up to date on the status of the One Piece remake, we can help you at MeinMMO. There are currently only a few snippets of information. All information on the Netflix series can be found in the following overview: One Piece Anime Remake on Netflix: All known information about the release
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Due to a rule that, among other things, he established himself in Sauercrowd, Maximilian HandOfBlood Knabe had to stream on a secondary channel on Twitch. And all of this because he was sick.
What kind of rule is that? To ensure that the Hardcore WoW event runs as decorously as possible, the founders, HandOfBlood, Metashi12, and Papaplatte, have established some rules. One of them states: If a participant plays with their Hardcore character, they must stream while doing so. Therefore, leveling outside of the event is not possible.
To avoid breaking this rule but still be able to play during his illness, HandOfBlood created another Twitch channel.
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Twitch: HandofBlood throws himself into a special outfit for Space Marine 2
“I really wanted to game”
How did HandOfBlood stream? For his sick days, when HandOfBlood did not stream, he created the channel “dragenraider”. HandOfBlood claims that he simply did not want so many people to know that he was streaming. However, HandOfBlood’s secondary stream was not that secretive: After all, he put the channel name on his main channel.
However, his viewers could not expect the usual HandOfBlood entertainment in these streams: There was no facecam and not even the microphone was turned on. HandOfBlood himself referred to his stream as a “crappy stream”.
Nevertheless, he streamed his WoW gameplay and thus did not break the streaming rule. HandOfBlood explains: “But I really wanted to game, on the one hand, but on the other hand, I did not want to fall behind in leveling, because people had already made such a speedrun out of it.” (Source: Twitch from minute 19:20).
HandOfBlood’s realization: His gameplay is much better when he is not distracted by streaming himself.
The reveal trailer for a new medieval game on Steam and for the PS5 convinced many players and also MeinMMO editor Caro within seconds. It offers not only one of the currently largest voices in gaming, you must save her as a young knight.
What kind of game is this? It is the action-adventure game “1348 Ex Voto”, which is scheduled to be released on March 12, 2026, on Steam and for the PS5. It was created by Sedleo, a small 15-person team of industry veterans, and will be available as a standard version for 24.99 euros or as a deluxe version for 29.99 euros.
In 1348 Ex Voto, you embark as the young knight Aeta on a dangerous journey through medieval Italy to save Aeta’s closest ally Bianca. She must prove herself in various trials, face bandits, fanatics, and mercenaries, and never lose sight of her mission. It’s about personal ambition, moral beliefs, and what means one is willing to justify one’s own goal.
The sword fights are inspired by historical European martial arts and were implemented using performance capture actors to make the fights not only exciting, but also as realistic and cinematic as possible. Aeta may be young, but she has already gained a solid amount of combat experience. Players can therefore overwhelm opponents in various ways, use different one- and two-handed weapons and fighting styles, and learn additional skills throughout the game to unlock combos and other maneuvers.
Here you can see the trailer for 1348 Ex Voto:
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In the trailer for 1348 Ex Voto, we see the journey of a young knight and what she fights for
In 1348 Ex Voto, you have to save Jennifer English? Count me in!
I first became aware of the trailer and, consequently, the game when someone in the editorial office said to me, “You have to save Jennifer English.”
That’s because the developers found none other than Jennifer English to play Bianca, the protagonist’s companion. She is best known for her roles as Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3 and Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Jennifer English has become one of the most recognizable personalities in the industry thanks to her recent major games and her acting talent, for which she was also honored as a winner at last year’s Game Awards.
Judging by the reactions to the reveal trailer on YouTube and other social media such as Reddit, many other gamers are also curious about what 1348 Ex Voto promises. They draw comparisons to other titles such as Hellblade and A Plague Tale. Most of the reactions I saw also refer heavily to the casting and the stylish look. I completely agree with them.
But I myself find another reason that makes me incredibly curious about this action-adventure game: the undeniable queer subtext that can be gleaned from the trailer.
Exactly the game I always wanted
Within seconds, I realized that 1348 Ex Voto looks exactly like a game I would have wanted as a young queer person.
And that’s exactly why I’m looking forward to this action-adventure game, because representation is an important issue for many young people, but also for adults in the community. And I’m not the only one who thinks so.
With Jennifer English, the team gained an openly queer woman who cares deeply about this representation, as she has already expressed in all her speeches (see her acceptance speech at the Golden Joystick Awards).
Aeta and Bianca from 1348 Ex Voto.
1348 Ex Voto looks like an exciting, perhaps somewhat “generic” story of “rescue the damsel in distress,” but it becomes all the more interesting because of Aeta and her unusual position of having to fight her way through as a female knight.
I am very excited to see what Aeta’s journey will be like. That’s why I am definitely ready to take up the sword and join the other eager fans with great hope.
For Hytale, there are already a lot of mods, but with all the options, it becomes difficult to filter out which ones you should download. Therefore, we have sifted through the selection and show you the best mods.
How is the list structured? In our list, you will find the best mods that you can currently download for Hytale. We have looked at many of the most popular expansions and compared them with each other. The final result can be found here in our list. Most of the mods are strong QoL changes that are supposed to make your life easier in Hytale.
So that you also know what to expect from the listed mod, we explain what benefits it has. That way, you can decide for yourself whether you want the expansion or not. If you also want to know how to install mods in Hytale, you can find all the necessary information here in our guide: Hytale: Modding Guide – How does it work and where can I find mods?
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You can find most of the mods on the mod site “CurseForge”. To save you time searching, we link to their respective product pages so you can download the mods faster. Now let’s get to our selection:
What does the mod do? With EyeSpy, your HUD receives an additional function. When you look at a block, item, or plant with your crosshair, you will receive a hint on the upper left side of your screen regarding which item it is. This allows you to scan areas for items you currently need more quickly.
What does the mod do? Advanced Item Info provides you with a useful window that displays all items. When you hover over these with your cursor, you receive further information about the item. This includes information on damage, durability, use, crafting location, and much more. This way, you get a better feel for Hytale and know more about how to get your desired items without having to search the internet.
What does the mod do? Wan’s Wonder Weapons is less of a QoL update but rather a significant expansion for your adventure. This mod introduces countless new weapons into the game, each with special effects. They look fancy, are powerful, and give you a reason to keep grinding to collect all weapons after reaching the endgame.
What does the mod do? BetterMap enhances your map and its usability. One of the most important features is the improved rendering when the map is opened – it is now much smoother and without lags. Additionally, it offers:
A waypoint system that allows you to mark places to which you can even teleport
You can display other players on the compass
You can share your exploration progress on the map with other players
What does the mod do? It adds a trash can to your world that can take in and destroy all unwanted items. So, you no longer have to throw your excess items on the ground. If something annoys you, you can simply throw it in the trash can and it’s gone.
These were the currently best mods for Hytale. Do you have any other suggestions for the community that should be looked at and downloaded? Then let your opinion be known in the comments. You can find more about Hytale here: Hytale: PS5 & Xbox – When is the release on console?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Everyone who knows even a little about Warhammer 40,000 knows Space Marines: they are, after all, the flagship of the universe. In Space Marine 2, however, they will soon receive support from their brothers, the Techmarines – but who are they?
What are Techmarines? They are the engineers, mechanics, and Tech-Priests of the Space Marines. In short, they ensure that the machines of the Space Marines function – and they almost reverently worship them.
Techmarines are full-fledged Space Marines. They swear loyalty not only to their respective chapter (such as the Ultramarines, which you play in Space Marine 2), but also to the Adeptus Mechanicus. This belongs to the most dangerous organizations of the Imperium in Warhammer 40,000 and holds a monopoly on all its technological knowledge.
In Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, you will soon be able to play as a Techmarine. This will appear as a new class with Patch 12. The developers have not yet revealed when that will come – but they have indicated how the class will play.
Here you can see the current roadmap for Space Marine 2 in the trailer:
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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 presents its roadmap for the second year of the popular third-person shooter
Tech Specialist with Axe and Mini-Gun
This is how the Techmarine plays: The Techmarine specializes in crowd control and defending areas. This is explained by Dmitry Grigorenko, the Game Director of Space Marine 2, in a post on Xbox Wire.
In close combat, the Techmarine takes on large groups of enemies at once, slashing them down with his Omnissiah Axe. Only Techmarines can use this axe – other classes in the game do not have access to it.
The armor of the Techmarine comes with an additional mechanical arm and a mounted servo-gun over the shoulder. The latter also takes care of blasting enemies for you so that you can fully concentrate on your axe.
Techmarines can also spot and operate stationary turrets within the levels. They provide welcome support, especially when you face a particularly large horde and run out of ammunition.
Soon there will also be Space Marine 2 in a subscription: On January 29, 2026, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 will be available in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and the PC Game Pass. This means the game will be included in all except the cheapest subscription model.
The new costs for transmutation are significantly lowered. The developers of World of Warcraft are backtracking.
The Pre-Patch 12.0 of World of Warcraft already brought many good and important changes that come with the upcoming expansion Midnight. However, the new transmog system is causing dissatisfaction.
Not everyone understands the system right away, and some have strong criticism – because saving individual sets is more expensive than before. This was actually done because after saving sets, players can switch between them for free, but Blizzard is still backtracking and drastically reducing the costs.
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WoW Midnight shows gameplay – All new features
What is the problem with the new transmog system? Basically, the new transmog system is praised in many areas. The ability to switch between multiple sets for free after setting them up is well received. However, saving a set is nearly twice as expensive as before. Depending on the equipment, the price ranges between 1,500 and 3,000 gold. Too much, as some feel.
This is particularly expensive for people who frequently change small details. They have to either save a separate slot for each small change or pay gold each time again.
Transmog prices drop by 50%, as soon as possible
What is Blizzard changing? The developers have announced that the transmog costs will be drastically reduced. Saving a set should be a whopping 50% cheaper in the future. This brings the costs per set back to the level before Patch 12.0, although all new functionalities will remain.
For a full set of transmutation, you will then pay only between 750 and 1,500 gold.
When is this going live? It seems that one won’t have to wait long. The reduction of costs is supposed to take place “within the next day”, therefore sometime today on 23.01.2026. However, the free transmutation per character might take a little longer and will probably appear in a later hotfix.
With this, Blizzard addresses one of the major “pain points” of Patch 12.0 and ensures that the pre-patch regains some lost ground. Because even though many are having fun right now, there are a few serious criticisms – for example, about the devourer demon hunter, which is not well received at all.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new MMORPG Scars of Honor is set to receive its first demo version in 2026, and the developers have now spoken about the status of the MMORPG.
What kind of MMORPG is this? Scars of Honor is intended to be a theme park MMORPG with action combat and a comic graphic style, lying somewhere between WoW and Albion Online. The game aims for fair monetization without Pay2Win and is primarily inspired by MMORPGs from the 2000s.
The theme park will feature both PvE content such as randomly generated dungeons for 5 players and boss challenges, as well as PvP arenas where players can showcase their skills.
Here you can watch the trailer for the MMORPG:
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Developers provide insight into the MMORPG “Scars of Honor”
From an idea to 100 developers
Where does the MMORPG come from? Instead of being from a major publisher, Scars of Honor originated from a single developer. As became clear in the new developer diary, the team has grown from one developer to 100.
Initial glimpses shared through images and GIFs also clearly show: The MMORPG is making progress. Therefore, it is not surprising that the developers are now announcing their intention to launch a demo version in spring 2026.
The exact date is not yet set, but it is likely that one won’t have to wait too long.
What makes Scars of Honor special? While the MMORPG deliberately relies on many familiar mechanics, the developers have chosen a rather unconventional approach with the character system.
As a GIF on Steam shows, they are leaning more towards Path of Exile and its successor and using a starlit sky as the talent tree, allowing the character to develop in many different directions.
Additionally, there are so-called “Scars” that are not only the namesake but also grant the character one of four strong buffs, like in a roguelike. The Scar can be rerolled for gold, and it is conceivable that over time more such buffs and bonuses will be unlocked.
Scars of Honor aims to mix beloved and familiar elements with new ideas that are established elsewhere and work well, thus creating its own, new MMORPG vision. Whether this will succeed will be shown by the first test in a few months. Meanwhile, Dreadmyst is delivering another surprise hit: New surprise hit on Steam is an MMORPG by a solo developer and it has only one weakness
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
AI should create new jobs. But instead, AI is currently causing more job cuts than we have seen in years.Layoffs are at their highest levels in years and resemble the financial crisis of 2008. A similar peak in layoffs was observed here.
AI plays an increasingly significant role in daily life, both privately and professionally. Many companies claimed back then that AI would be a win-win situation for everyone: Employees would be relieved thanks to AI, and new positions would even be created because of AI.
However, the latest figures from a staffing company show that in 2025, more people were laid off than in years. One reason for this is also the significant expansion of AI capabilities.
Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
1.2 million jobs were cut in 2025, a large portion due to artificial intelligence
Where do the data come from? The staffing consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas has investigated in a report how employment conditions have changed in the US market. A total of 1.2 million jobs were eliminated, the highest number in years. 2025 was the year with the highest job cuts since 2020, matching the financial crisis of 2008, when 1.22 million jobs were lost.
Where were the most positions cut? At the top of private sector layoffs is the technology sector, with 154,445 positions cut in 2025, representing a 15% increase from 133,988 job cuts in 2024. The report states:
The technology sector has focused much faster than any other industry on the development and implementation of artificial intelligence. Combined with overstaffing in the last ten years, this has led to a wave of job losses in the industry.
Artificial intelligence, which was promoted by some companies as a savior for the job market, instead resulted in many job cuts in 2025.
In 2026, the developers of Elder Scrolls Online plan to implement several experiments in the MMORPG. These include new difficulty levels for the world of Tamriel. Their concrete plan has now been presented by the devs.
What does Zenimax plan for ESO? With the launch of Season Zero in Spring or Summer 2026, the world of Elder Scrolls Online will receive selectable difficulty levels.
With this, the developers are addressing the long-standing criticism from the community that the MMORPG is significantly too easy in many areas. On the other hand, they want to offer experienced players additional incentives through a greater challenge, but also through additional rewards.
Specifically, there will be bonuses for gold and experience at the new difficulty levels.
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Microsoft brings Elder Scrolls Online to the big stage with colorful trailer
What difficulty levels are planned? The current difficulty of Elder Scrolls Online will become the new standard level “Adventurous.” Here, everything will remain the same. In addition, the following 3 options will be available:
Hardened: You will take 100% more damage from non-player characters (NPCs) and deal 20% less damage. You will receive 50% more gold and 20% more experience from NPCs.
Masterful: You will take 300% more damage from NPCs and deal 50% less damage. You will receive 100% more gold and 75% more experience from NPCs.
Soulless: This will be the highest difficulty level at launch. You will take 600% more damage from NPCs and deal 80% less damage. You will receive 200% more gold and 100% more experience from NPCs.
At the start, these levels will affect the open world of Tamriel. This includes Vaults, open dungeons, and story instances. However, they will not affect content such as dungeons, trials, arenas, the Endless Archive, or the new Night Market zone.
The developers emphasize that the system should be as flexible as possible to fit the existing foundation of ESO. Players using different difficulty levels should be able to play together.
Furthermore, the developers explain that tester feedback is crucial to determine how the system will ultimately go live. The specific numbers may still change, for example. Additionally, the devs plan to expand the difficulty levels after Season Zero.
How does the community react to the announcement? Many players are excited in a recent discussion on Reddit about the new system.
CappinPeanut writes, for example: “I love this! The boring overworld is why I don’t play ESO – this would get me back. I think that gold and XP (experience points) are a weak incentive, but it sounds like they’re open to adjusting that. Along with a revamp of the combat system, this could be huge for ESO!”
Few-Hotel4156 adds: “Great news. I quit ESO because of the low difficulty, even though it’s my favorite MMORPG when it comes to questing.”
a3nter is also excited: “This is sick, this is exactly what I’ve been waiting for.”
In Pokémon GO the Flaminkno Carnival is starting soon. It brings, logically: Flaminkno. Everything about the new Pokémon and the event can be read here.
When does the Flaminkno Carnival start? The Flaminkno Carnival starts on February 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM. It will run until February 8, 2026 at 8:00 PM.
What kind of Pokémon is it? Flaminkno is a bird Pokémon with the types Fighting and Flying. It is known as the Synchronization Pokémon, which attacks in swarms and acts perfectly coordinated.
Furthermore, according to the Pokédex, it is known for its knotted neck. It uses this neck knot to prevent stored energy from escaping through the beak.
Flaminkno does not have any evolutions, by the way.
How do I catch Flaminkno? It’s simple: Flaminkno will appear in the wild once the event starts. So you don’t have to focus on raids or similar. Additionally, according to the announcement, there will be field research and collector challenges with event Pokémon – it’s possible that Flaminkno can also be caught here.
Moreover, the event brings other bonuses as well.
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Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
Flaminkno Carnival in Pokémon GO – All information about the event
What bonuses does the Flaminkno Carnival bring? The carnival has several interesting aspects to offer:
There is an increased shiny chance for Loturzel, Parfi, and Peppeck
Smoke and adventure smoke last twice as long
Flaminkno gives you an additional 500 Stardust when caught
A free limited-time research will also start. This brings you:
Smoke
Stardust
Event Pokémon
In addition, the mentioned field research and collector challenges will start. Furthermore, there will be a paid but optional limited-time research in the shop that brings additional bonuses.
The Flaminkno Carnival will be one of the first events in February. However, before it starts, there are still a few other dates on the agenda. For example, we can look forward to the raid day with Shadow Raikou, and a Dynamax event is also scheduled for the end of the month. You can find the full overview here: All events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
PS Plus Essential will present the new games for February 2026 in a few days. MeinMMO summarizes all known information and explains which games could be included in the bundle for February 2026.
What does the schedule look like?
PS Plus: Games available from Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Available around 12 PM
Possible announcement: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
PS Plus Essential: All games that could come in February
What games are there? In general, it can be stated that Sony often puts together a bundle of one strong title and two weaker games for PS Plus. So far, however, no official information is known, which is why we have to rely on the speculations of fans, YouTubers, and insiders. The final line-up could therefore still change.
For our selection, we compared various opinions and worked out the most frequently mentioned titles.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
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Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – Trailer shows story and the vibrant open world of the action-adventure
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a first-person action-adventure that takes you into the open world of the western frontier of Pandora. You take on the role of a Na’vi who was trained by the human RDA but is now returning to his roots to claim his legacy. Your task is to unite the various clans and together defend your home against the destructive return of humans.
In combat, you use a combination of traditional Na’vi weapons like bows and human assault rifles to stand against soldiers and mechs. A special feature is the ability to bond with an Ikran to explore the vast landscapes while flying. In addition to the action, you need to gather resources, hunt, and craft equipment to survive in the dangerous wilderness.
The game has received a free DLC in line with the new movie and attracted many new players. So it could well be that this brings the game into the new Essential bundle as well.
Lords of the Fallen
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Lords of the Fallen: Trailer for the Major Update 2.0 for the Action RPG on Steam
Lords of the Fallen is a dark action RPG in the soulslike genre, where you explore a vast world as a crusader to overthrow the demon god Adyr. The central element of the game is two parallel existing dimensions, so you must constantly switch between Axiom, the realm of the living, and Umbral, the nightmarish world of the dead.
You use a magical lantern to manipulate these planes, solve puzzles, and uncover hidden paths. In tactical battles, you face grotesque monsters and massive bosses using a variety of weapons and magic.
If your character falls in the living world, you awaken in the realm of the dead and get a last chance to fight your way back to life. The game also offers extensive character customization and the ability to experience the entire adventure in online co-op.
Atomic Heart
Atomic Heart is a mix of first-person shooter and role-playing game set in a technologically advanced alternative world of the Soviet 1950s. As a special agent, you are sent to a research facility where an experiment has gone catastrophically wrong, and robots have gone out of control.
The gameplay demands tactical skill and resource management: using improvised weapons, melee techniques, and special abilities, you must defend against machines and mutants in labyrinthine areas.
Other possibilities
In addition to these favorites, there are also a few other games that fans have frequently mentioned as potential options:
At the Sauercrowd event in WoW Classic Hardcore, Azeroth newcomers meet professionals. This has resulted in a flood of entertaining Twitch clips that have gained international attention for weeks. The project has even expanded the vocabulary of some WoW professionals.
Why is Sauercrowd also a thing internationally? The Hardcore variant of WoW Classic entertains and moves people. One mistake is enough to lose the progress of hundreds of hours of gameplay. The Sauercrowd project of the German Twitch scene has a special spice to it, as not only some veterans but also many WoW newcomers are involved.
Therefore, it is not surprising that many international WoW enthusiasts are closely following the Sauercrowd event and regularly comment on the daily produced clips of the guild on YouTube or Twitch – including for example OnlyFangs founder Sodapoppin.
During the court trial of Chefstrobel in early January, they even brought in Xaryu, one of the experienced WoW players, as an expert to assess the behavior of the Twitch streamer during a wipe of his dungeon group. The American himself has played numerous hardcore characters and currently comments almost daily on his channels various hardcore clips.
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WoW Classic: The Hardcore Servers Are Here!
“I love it”
How does Sauercrowd influence? However, the current reaction video from Xaryu does not start with a Sauercrowd scene, but with his good friend and WoW arena pro Pickaboo, who also regularly comments on the clips of the German Twitch players.
The experienced WoW player was in Blackrock Spire with his current hardcore rogue Karenboo along with a group. There it led to a mispull due to running adds, which briefly caused quite a chaos. Pickaboo commented on the situation as follows: “Bro, oh my god, what … are you Sauercrowding us?”.
Xaryu, who follows Sauercrowd with great joy, can hardly contain his laughter: “Are you Sauercrowding us … oh my gosh, I love it.” You can watch the scene on YouTube and below:
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Pickaboo’s group was able to defuse the potentially dangerous situation and continue playing without losses. Just how intense the hardcore experience can be is shown in a later clip in the video. Starting at minute 7:37, there is an experienced Naxxramas raid that gets wiped due to a small mistake at a boss.
Specifically, the raid is at the two servants of Thaddius, which must be defeated before one can fight the actual boss. In this phase, there is always a tank swap, where the two tanks are hurled across the room by their respective adversaries to the other servant.
This tank swap went wrong in this case. The reason: Apparently, one of the tanks accidentally pressed a snowball macro at the wrong moment and thus prevented his flight to the other side of the room. The result: One of the servants left its platform, causing chain lightning to tear the players apart in seconds.
Mean: In this fight, you cannot protect yourself with a petrification potion and disappear safely. The trapped characters had no escape. Since this is the last and hardest classic raid, every participant is likely to have invested many months of playtime in their heroes. The reaction of the stunned streamer reflects this.
Sony has introduced a new turntable after years. A technology that has been increasingly popular again for years. But why?
This is what Sony has introduced: Sony is bringing two new turntables to the market after 7 years: an entry-level model (PS-LX3BT, $399.99) and a higher-end model (PS-LX5BT, $499.99). Sony last introduced a new turntable in 2019 (Sony PS-LX310BT).
The PS-LX3BT can be pre-ordered now and will be released in February, while the PS-LX5BT will be available in April. The announcement is surprising, but it fits the comeback that the turntable has been experiencing for years.
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Turtle Burst II Pro in Review: Find out in 3 minutes if the mouse is worth it for you
Turntables have been experiencing a renaissance in the music market for years
Why is the turntable making a comeback? In a time when almost the entire (music) world relies on streaming and music is digitally listened to and sold, it is quite surprising that turntables are making a comeback. But there are good reasons for this (via Netz-Blog.de):
Turntables are seen as a counterpoint to the fast, immaterial streaming world: They offer tactile collecting, ritualized listening, and a sound perceived as “warmer”, often associated with nostalgia and retro trends.
Additionally, vinyl records, as they are called, have become a collector’s hobby: Colored vinyl, special editions, signed releases, and reissues increase the appeal of owning something rare and lasting.
A new teaser has announced the release of Fable on Steam, PS5, and Xbox, sending players back into a dark fairy tale.
Hasn’t there been Fable before? For those who know little about Fable, it’s likely they’ve not played role-playing games for the past 20 years, as the Fable series is one of the major RPG franchises of the 2000s and comes from Peter Molyneux, the controversial developer of the god simulation Black & White.
Several entries in the Fable series have been released over the years, with Xbox drawing the line after the card game Fable Fortune in 2017. Now the game series is back, showcasing in the new teaser how the dark fairy tale plays:
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Fable shows in the new gameplay trailer what the evil fairy tale looks like
A fairy tale without a happy ending
What will the new Fable be like? The basic idea of Fable is simple: Every decision you make as a hero affects the course of the story. What is usually found in narrative story games like Detroit: Become Human, Until Dawn, or The Quarry is implemented here as an open-world action RPG.
You can fight against various creatures as a hero and defeat them with melee, ranged combat, and magic. The more enemies you defeat, the stronger the hero becomes, and the stronger the hero, the better their reputation.
Reputation plays an important role in the world of Fable. Your decisions and heroic deeds affect relationships in the village and can even change the world around you. Will you rescue the fair maiden or the blacksmith? – The choice has consequences.
What happens outside of heroic deeds? When you are not busy saving the world (or making it a worse place), you can also live a normal life as a citizen of society. For example, you can pursue a profession like that of a blacksmith or become a popular landlord, renting out your land to poor citizens.
You may also enter into one or several romances with villagers, which can lead to some children who will tell everyone how brave and bold their parent is. As a hero, you’re something like a celebrity; however, instead of jungle challenges, there are giant, fire-breathing chickens as boss fights, and a happy ending is not guaranteed.
A new actor for the Batman movie will soon be needed. A Marvel star reached out to the DC head with a photoshopped image, but afterwards he was sure that he probably wouldn’t be considered.
Isn’t there already a new Batman? The latest Batman actor is Robert Pattinson, who portrayed the hero in The Batman in 2022. He will also return in The Batman 2.
With Superman, DC head James Gunn launched a new film universe starting in 2025, which exists apart from The Batman. A new Batman movie is also set to be released in this universe, titled: The Brave and the Bold.
Alongside many fan ideas (Alan Ritchson, Jensen Ackles), there are also actors who want to see themselves in the Batman mask. One of them seems to be Chris Pratt, who sent James Gunn a photoshopped image. The DC head was at least amused.
George Clooney was also once Batman:
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Batman and Robin – Trailer for the superhero movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger
Pratt is sure: He will not be Batman
How did James Gunn react? In the course of his new thriller, Mercy, Chris Pratt, whom most probably know as Star-Lord from the Marvel universe, is on a press tour. He was also a guest recently on the Happy Sad Confused podcast by Josh Horowitz (Source: YouTube).
In the podcast, the two also discuss James Gunn, who significantly contributed to Pratt’s success as the director of the Guardians of The Galaxy trilogy. Horowitz asks Pratt in the podcast about what it looks like for him in the DC universe, whether there is already a role that Gunn and Pratt see him in Star-Lord. He explains that there is currently no fixed idea, but he could certainly play a few roles. However, there is no concrete character yet.
Josh Horowitz then asks specifically about Batman again. Chris Pratt responds:
I sent James a picture of me wearing a Batman mask. […] I did it with Photoshop. And he just said: “Haha”. So I think it’s safe to say that I will not be Batman.
He continues on that he doesn’t know how he would portray the character. There are so many Batmans. It was never an option, and he believes himself that he wouldn’t be the right choice. In this context, he also mentions Christian Bale’s altered voice in the Dark Knight trilogy, which is now (according to Horowitz) a self-parody.
Pratt explains: One has to find a way to completely reinvent the character.
Here you can watch the podcast from the part about James Gunn:
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What is known about The Brave and the Bold so far? The film is not only about Batman but also about his son Damian, who is often portrayed as his sidekick Robin in the comics. The character has not been used in any live-action film so far.
At which point in their relationship the film is supposed to take place is still unknown. Batman only met Damian when he was 10 years old. He was hidden from him by his on-off relationship Talia Al Ghul and trained to be an assassin.
On January 21, 2026, the Hollywood Reporter reported that the author is known. The screenplay is being written by Christina Hodson. She has already written the scripts for Bumblebee (2018), Birds of Prey (2020), and The Flash (2023).
Next week, a shooter will launch created by former developers behind Titanfall 2 and Apex Legends. No one really knows what to expect from the game. Therefore, we clarify what is already known.
On Monday, January 26, 2026, the release of Highguard will take place. This is a PvP shooter that was first presented at the Game Awards 2025 and will be released as a free-to-play title on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5.
Since the Game Awards, however, it has been quiet about the game, and many shooter fans are not even aware of the upcoming release. Others are already writing the game off and derogatorily refer to it as “Concord 2,” even though hardly anything is known about the title.
Therefore, we take another look at Highguard and examine what is already known about the gameplay of the shooter, who is behind the game, and how we assess its chances of success.
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Highguard zeigt im Trailer, was euch im neuen PvP-Raid-Shooter erwartet
The Fight for the Base – Who can defend their fortress better?
The developers have been very secretive about the gameplay of Highguard so far. On Steam, the game is described as a “PvP raid shooter.” However, the developers did not explain how such a raid works. Therefore, I analyzed the trailer to get a better impression of the gameplay.
This means, of course, that the classification of the gameplay is largely based on speculation that may not function 1:1 in the final game as I interpret it based on the trailer.!
The most important thing first: Apparently, each team has a base. The goal is to raid and destroy the opposing base. However, the bases are initially protected by a shield. This shield must be broken before the actual attack on the enemy base can begin.
The first scene of the trailer, however, suggests that players must level up or strengthen themselves in some way at the beginning of a round. They ride out of their base on various mounts and take out a few opponents who are apparently NPCs.
These NPCs drop red, round crystals upon death, which can be broken with a melee weapon. It seems that the essence stored in the crystal is consumed as a result. Since we later see in the trailer that all playable characters have different abilities, I suspect that consuming these red crystals charges something like skill energy. We also see that opposing players drop these crystals as well.
Subsequently, the teams push to a spot on the map where a sword is located. This sword is called the “Shieldbreaker” and seems to function like a key: In the trailer, we see a player inserting the sword into an opening in the shield of the base. Then, a kind of siege weapon, a gigantic tank, spawns that will break the shield.
The Shieldbreaker in HighguardThe Shieldbreaker in Highguard in the hands of a playerThe siege weapon in Highguard is a huge tankHighguard: The siege weapon destroys the shield of the red baseHighguard: The siege weapon en route to the red base
Next, the teams fight inside the attacked base. Both teams employ various abilities and weapons, and even destroy some of the buildings within the base. The trailer ends after one team places a kind of explosive device at a specific location, causing the enemy base to explode. This final step is reminiscent of tactical shooters like Counter-Strike or Valorant.
According to the video description on YouTube, the destruction of the enemy base is meant to secure new territory. There could be various factions fighting to take control of as many areas of an overarching map as possible.
Shooter Meets Fantasy: Mounts, Weapons, and Magical Abilities
To quickly reach the Shieldbreaker or the opposing base, you can summon various mounts, which then spawn beneath you. In the trailer, there were a puma, horses, and bears shown. Players were still able to attack opponents while on the back of the mount. However, for the actual battle against other players, they still dismounted. Dismounting from the mount was very fluid, without animation, thus maintaining the movement momentum.
The movement of the playable characters, however, is not limited to the mounts. We already got a glimpse of the available movement techniques: We saw a slide, as well as a powerful jump attack where a player jumped several meters forward. The latter could, however, be a skill of a specific character.
During the battle for territory, players, as seen in the trailer, employ not only firearms but various abilities as well.
One character could create a kind of forward-directed earthquake by hitting the ground with a hammer, before shortly afterward covering the ground in front of him with lava.
Another character created walls of ice that could be used for cover, for example. At a later point in the round, it appeared that the same character transformed into a sort of ice monster. He could then make ice spikes erupt from the ground by punching the ground with his fists.
A third character briefly floated in the air after activating an ability and hurled electric spears at opponents, who were utterly pulverized by the attack.
Despite these magical or supernatural abilities, Highguard is a shooter and therefore also gave us a glimpse of the firearms in the trailer. Various types of weapons were shown: fully automatic rifles, a shotgun, revolvers, throwing knives, a sniper rifle, and even rocket launchers that demolished entire walls. The gunplay itself felt very intuitive. In my opinion, you can tell from the weapon behavior in the game which games the studio staff have worked on in the past.
More on this in the next section: The past of the developers
Highguard: Character Ability with Lava AttackHighguard: Character Ability with Electric Spears
A Team Whose Past Inspires and Gives Hope
The team behind Highguard has many developers who have worked in the past on major, renowned shooters. Some even held leading positions (independent source on the career paths of the developers: mobygames.com).
Dusty Welch, one of the founders and CEO of Wildlight Entertainment, the studio behind Highguard, was involved in the creation of Call of Duty. At that time, he was Vice President of Global Brand Management for the shooter that every shooter fan knows today. Later, he was also responsible for the marketing of Titanfall and served as Vice President of “Strategy & Operations” at Apex Legends. Also, the second founder of the studio, Chad Greiner, was previously involved in Apex Legends. He was the lead scripter of the battle royale shooter. Previously, he was a senior game designer on Titanfall 2.
Jason Mccord, the creative designer of Highguard, was the lead game designer of Titanfall 2 and Apex Legends.
And the three leaders are not alone:
Many other members of the studio have previously worked on games like Titanfall and Apex Legends, but also on Destiny, Helldivers 2, Valorant, Rainbow Six: Siege, Overwatch, and other well-known PvP games in various positions.
The Team of Wildlight Entertainment, Screenshot of the Developers’ Website
The Key to Success: Convincing the Target Audience with Unique Gameplay Just by Watching
The big question is now: What must Highguard do to be successful? At this point, I would usually give an assessment of whether I believe Highguard will be successful or not. But to be completely honest: I simply lack official information from the developers!
When the game launches on Monday, it could flop dramatically. The main reason would likely be that currently no one is talking about the shooter. It is quiet around Highguard, perhaps too quiet. As part of the potential target audience, I still know too little about the gameplay just days before release to have real interest. And if no one plays the shooter because it hasn’t managed to excite the target audience about the gameplay, then the game could still be good – then it fails.
In the world of Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok, it is too early to draw a conclusion. It doesn’t matter how little is currently known about the game and how little advertising the developers are doing: When Highguard comes out, and hundreds of thousands of gamers see it played by their favorite streamers on Twitch and YouTube, that will also be reflected in the player numbers. What matters is that it looks really good in those streams and that the streamers are having fun.
If viewers sit in front of their screens and think, “Hmm, actually looks really cool. I might download that,” that is enough for a successful release – especially since Highguard will be free-to-play, allowing everyone to try it out for free.
The past has shown that streamers have the power to help a game succeed! Whether it’s big titles like ARC Raiders and Battlefield 6 or small games like R.E.P.O., Peak, and Schedule 1 – hype was crucial. That is what Highguard needs.
On January 13, 2026, Hytale launched in Early Access – but for now only on PC. Whether and when the game will also be available on console and what information there is about it can be found here.
When will Hytale be released for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S? Hytale will not be available for consoles during Early Access. You will have to be patient until Hytale celebrates its full release, as the developers want to focus their resources first on the PC version. However, there is still no exact date for the end of Early Access.
“We are planning a console version at a later date, but extensive work on the backend systems is required, so we do not want to invest resources in that at this time. For now, we want to focus on developing a good game first.“
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Hytale feiert erfolgreichen Early-Access-Release mit 2,8 Millionen Spielern
How long is the Early Access expected to last? This is not yet known and is said to depend on player feedback according to the developers. Thanks to the pre-orders, the development of the game is already secured for 2 years.
It depends on how detailed the feedback is and how quickly the developers are satisfied with their results, so that more resources can be allocated to optimizing for consoles.
Can you play the PC version with a controller? Currently, there is no official way to play Hytale with a controller. However, the feature is planned for the future according to the homepage. Some players report, however, that they managed to play the game with a controller by manually adding it to Steam (see Reddit).
Hytale has been in Early Access since January 13, 2026, and is already very popular in the modding community. Players have managed to start the game itself in just under a week and even run some other classics – maybe there will soon be good mods for controller support: Hytale is only a week old, but mods have already integrated Windows 95 into the game
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
