When thinking of Path of Exile 2, one does not immediately think of indie production and a small team, but a new alternative on Steam is exactly that: indie and comes from a 2-man team.
What kind of game is this? With Netherwyn, a new co-op roguelite action RPG is set to be released in Q1 2026, sending you and your friends into battle against hordes of enemies.
The lands plagued by plague and shadows have turned against you and your friends, and you bravely confront them. The gameplay is strongly reminiscent of Path of Exile 2.
Here you can see some gameplay of the game:
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Netherwyn shows action-packed gameplay in the short clip
Path of Exile 2 sends its regards
What is similar? The combat system of Netherwyn and Path of Exile 2 appears very similar at first glance. Hordes of enemies attack the player characters, and you can take them down with various abilities. The abilities have colorful effects and look very powerful.
At the same time, the developers have incorporated the dodge roll, which Path of Exile 2 didn’t invent but popularized in the ARPG genre, into their roguelite. This makes the switch between powerful abilities and dodging feel just like the big ARPG.
Each character has unique abilities that can be upgraded, ensuring that you survive longer in the world and can explore further. There are also quests in Netherwyn.
Roguelite, or not? Unlike Path of Exile 2, death in Netherwyn is a genre-typical companion that is part of the game. A run typically ends with death; then you wake up again in the tavern, where you can improve your character.
Each hero can choose two classes and mix and combine their abilities. From the warrior and the holy, a templar is formed.
Which successful Steam game does it remind you of? Also typical for a roguelite are the procedurally generated levels and permanent death. Carrying your loot for a long time is therefore not an option.
These mechanics are reminiscent of the Steam hit Hades, which is one of the few God-tier games. God-tier is the term used for titles that still achieve over 95% positive reviews with over 100,000 reviews.
Netherwyn resembles Path of Exile 2 in terms of gameplay, but fundamentally it is a roguelite like Hades, which sends you back to the beginning repeatedly, even though it clearly veers towards ARPG with quests, powerful abilities, and a dodge roll. You can find another alternative to Path of Exile 2 here: New competitor looks much prettier than Path of Exile 2, now available for free on Steam
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
This week, the German Twitch streamer Papaplatte celebrated with his guild Sauercrowd: With his first hardcore character, he reached level 60 in WoW Classic. However, the joy was short-lived.
What has Papaplatte achieved in WoW Classic Hardcore? A few days ago, the German Twitch streamer Kevin “Papaplatte” Teller was still celebrating. During the Sauercrowd event, he reached the maximum level of 60 with his first hardcore character in WoW Classic.
The last experience points were given to him by an ogre from one of the Blackrock dungeons. The jubilation was great: “Let’s goooo! Let’s goooo! Let’s goooo! Let’s goooo, buddy!” – you can watch the moment on YouTube.
As Metashi had failed just before level 60 and had to start over, and since the rogue from HandOfBlood is still in the 50s, Papaplatte was the first guild leader of Sauercrowd to successfully complete the leveling phase.
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WoW Classic: The Hardcore Servers Are Here!
What happened next? With reaching level 60, only part of the journey is complete. The goal of Sauercrowd is to stand in the Molten Core in a full 40-player raid in a few weeks. For this, you need not only the prerequisite quest but also equipment, buff materials, gear with fire resistance, and more.
Last night, Papaplatte and other members of Sauercrowd went to the dungeon Scholomance. At the boss Bloodlips, it happened: the servant of the boss, controlled with “Bind Undead”, broke free and ran straight at Papaplatte’s priest. One hit was enough to send the surprised healer crashing to the ground. You can watch the scene on Twitch and in the following:
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The other dungeon companions presumably escaped from the dungeon. Papaplatte realizes shortly after his death that he made a mistake: “I probably should have re-controlled him quickly with ‘Bind Undead.'” In his defense: This was not specifically clarified in the pre-discussion.
“That’s probably it”
What happens now? Papaplatte was, of course, devastated after the death of his hardcore character. While the other guild members of Sauercrowd want to immediately support the guild leader’s new character, he admits: “Buddy, I can’t do this again, guys. When should I do that? […] I would have to manage this in a week and a half, two weeks. There’s no other way.”
Whether he will be motivated by the guild for another run is currently uncertain. On Reddit, many players are sure that Papaplatte will not return.
xAnuq believes: “That’s probably it for 1/3 of the guild leadership.”
breezy_y adds: “Yeah, that’s it, he’s now on vacation for 9 days and he already dropped ‘Don’t be mad if we don’t go back in.’ Totally embarrassing.”
Immediate-Bad-4665 sees it this way too: “He will never go in again; his focus is too much on numbers and money, and he knows that putting another 200 hours into it will not bring him enough viewers. Although it’s a bit whack to start a hardcore project and then drop out at the first death.”
Anyone who has seen the films of The Lord of the Rings knows the love story of Aragorn and Arwen. However, thousands of years before them, there were romances between Elves and Men. We have compiled the well-known romances for you.
In the films and books, his love for Arwen is a major motivation for Aragorn to join the Fellowship and later become King of Gondor. She, an Elf and the only daughter of Elrond, and he, a Man and chief of the Dúnedain, are not the only couple of two different races. They are just the most famous.
In fact, thousands of years before these two, there were romances between Elves and Men, some of which even descended into some of the most important characters from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. We have ventured into Tolkien’s world and present to you in this article all the known loves – regardless of whether they had a happy ending or not.
We have sorted them from the earliest to the latest couple according to Tolkien’s chronology.
[toc]
Start video
Epic Trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship
Why are these pairs special?
Romantic feelings or even marriages between Elves and Men are particularly special, as both races have completely different life spans. Additionally, they approach relationships somewhat differently.
Elves are bound to this until the end of the world. Even if they die, their souls do not perish but wander into the halls of Mandos. There they wait for the mentioned end of the world or until their souls receive a new body. However, an Elven soul can also choose against the halls of Mandos and remain as a kind of spirit in Middle-earth.
Tolkien’s Men, on the other hand, age, can become sick, and one day die. Aragorn and the descendants of the inhabitants of Númenor can become over 150 years old. The other Men, however, have a lifespan like we do in reality.
Thus, even the longest-lived members of their race do not reach the years of the Elves. Human souls probably also go to the halls of Mandos but leave them again after a short time.
Moreover, a Man can have different romantic partners. Elves, on the other hand, bind themselves exactly once in their entire long life. An Elf who is married to a Man will eventually lose their beloved. Such pain is something not every Elf wants to endure, and Arwen’s choice to become mortal is a complete exception.
Consequently, romantic connections between the two races are quite rare. But: They exist.
Aegnor & Andreth
The first couple on the list meets in the year 409 of the First Age on the now sunken continent of Beleriand, at the time of The Lord of the Rings. The High Elves (Noldor) are besieging Angband, the fortress of Sauron’s predecessor and commander Morgoth, the first Dark Lord of Middle-earth. At this time, Galadriel’s brothers Finrod, Anrod, and Aegnor are also involved.
Aegnor falls in love with Andreth, a Woman. The two fall in love with each other, but Aegnor himself, with a heavy heart, distances himself from her: Elves avoid marrying and having children during wartime. To flee with Andreth and leave the fighting behind would also be a betrayal of his comrades.
Finrod Felagund, Galadriel’s older brother, as seen in The Rings of Power.
Thus, the two remain unmarried and childless. They die in the year 455 of the First Age. Aegnor is slain in the Fourth Great Battle of the High Elves against Morgoth, called the Dagor Bragollach, the Battle of Sudden Flame.
By the way, in the tenth book of the History of Middle-earth (History of Middle-Earth), there is a whole chapter where Andreth and Galadriel’s oldest brother Finrod discuss Aegnor’s decision.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Battle Pass was already criticized before the release of Diablo 4. A few seasons ago, Blizzard revised the system and now players remember that there were quite a few things better about the old system.
Instead of unlocking all rewards linearly, you now unlock categories to get targeted content. There is still a free path, but in a significantly stripped-down form.
As early as May 2025, many players expressed dissatisfaction and demanded, for example, on Reddit that the old system be returned. The new Reliquary was said to be little aesthetically pleasing, removes the classic feeling of progress, and overall feels bad. Additionally, it is still criticized today that a large portion of the platinum that one could previously earn back through the Battle Pass has been removed.
Season 7 was thus the last season with the old Battle Pass system. The free path included cosmetics, among other things – and this is exactly what a player is now reminding on Reddit.
Start video
Diablo 4 showcases its new features from Season 11 in the gameplay trailer
Now, SheWhoHates writes on Reddit that it would have been better to get a new armor set each season than none at all – regardless of whether one liked them or not. Prestigious_Bus1573 agrees and states: “These sets were not perfect. But over time, one built up a beautiful collection of transmogs.”
In Season 7, one last received a free, complete set. The user shows this in a post:
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But it’s not just the free armor sets that the community misses. In the comments, players also wish for other rewards and features from the old Battle Pass to return, including:
Emotes that can be equipped on the emote wheel
Tombstones displayed upon the death of a character
Cosmetics without much “fuss”
Cosmetics that can be unlocked without payment
the linear scrolling of the Battle Pass
As the only clear advantage of the new Reliquary system, a few fans mention that tokens can be carried over to the next season. However, there is also criticism here: The user steelsmiter points out in a Reddit comment that the maximum is 99 tokens.
The paid skins in the Diablo 4 shop continue to face regular criticism. With Season 11, the Paladin was surprisingly introduced as a new class – complete with its own skins. Although Blizzard also sells expensive cosmetics for him, many fans agree: Especially for the Paladin, the free stuff looks significantly nicer.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
According to a former employee of Intrepid, there has been layoffs at the studio behind Ashes of Creation.
Update from January 23, 2026: Studio head Steven Sharif has since commented on the layoffs on Reddit. As was the case last year, this is not a large-scale wave of layoffs.
I want to add some clarity here because I know how concerning headlines like this can be. Recently, 9 people out of a team of about 250 were impacted as part of some targeted team adjustments. This was not a large-scale layoff and not a reflection of the health or future of Ashes of Creation.
These are real people and friends, and this was not an easy decision. We’re doing what we can to support those affected. At the same time, development on Ashes is continuing forward and the team remains strong and fully engaged on the project.
I appreciate how much this community cares — it means a lot to me and to the team. I just ask that we keep the conversation respectful and grounded in facts.
Original report from January 22, 2026: Stacey M. has been working in HR for over 25 years, having worked for companies such as Sony Online Entertainment, Razer, and Intrepid Studios (2021 to 2024). On Linkedin, the industry veteran reported a few hours ago that there have been layoffs at the studio behind Ashes of Creation.
I am very saddened to hear about the layoffs today at Intrepid Studios, Inc. To all my friends affected by this: Please feel free to reach out to me! I will see how I can help you or at least offer moral support. Times are tough, but remember that you are not alone!
So far, there has been no official confirmation from the studio officials or details regarding the scope of the layoffs. We reached out to Intrepid directly for clarification. As soon as we have more information, we will update this report.
Start video
Ashes of Creation: Early Access Guide stimmt euch auf den Start auf Steam ein
Normal fluctuations or the first sign of austerity?
How is the community reacting to the report? In several discussions on Reddit, players are already voicing their concerns about possible layoffs at Intrepid. Various comments show how damaged the reputation of the project is in parts of the MMORPG community.
Sea_Advantage_2577 writes on Reddit: “The scam is probably nearing its end. I bet they have one last trick up their sleeve before they shut down. “
TheIronMark makes a pun on Reddit: “Now they only have the ashes of their creation left.”
Own-Virus3288 cannot believe it on Reddit: “Layoffs before it even goes into beta, I’m laughing my head off.”
Why is Ashes of Creation facing so much trouble? There are several reasons that feed into each other:
Ashes of Creation has been in development for almost 10 years, and a release is not in sight.
That Ashes of Creation is still in alpha is evident in the early access version. Nevertheless, many players criticize the current quality of the MMORPG, which only receives 56 percent positive reviews on Steam.
Why is it too early for panic or mockery? Layoffs are never nice. Without more specific details regarding the scope and reasons, the mere report “There are layoffs” does not allow for any conclusions. On the contrary, it is unfortunately quite normal for the team size to vary during a game development that lasts many years.
This is further illustrated by the fact that there were also layoffs at Intrepid back in March 2025. 13 employees were reportedly affected at that time (source: 80.lv). At that time, the officials emphasized that these were not comprehensive layoffs. Rather, the paths of the studio and certain developers separated because they did not fit into the project.
Letting go of 13 developers out of over 200 employees is certainly not a sign of a rigid austerity or existential problems. Something similar may have happened now as well. However, that does not mean we should not worry about the project. On the contrary (but for different reasons): Is Ashes of Creation too expensive for its niche? Our MMORPG expert is concerned
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new specialization for the Demon Hunter is not well received in World of Warcraft. You have hardly any buttons – and they do nothing at all.
Patch 12.0 of World of Warcraft is live and brought a lot of new content, including a new specialization for the Demon Hunter: the Devourer. This harnesses the power of the Void to execute powerful explosions and slice fragments from the enemy. In theory, a cool concept. However, many players have now been able to test this new specialization and believe: It’s nothing, it’s not fun, and it makes no sense.
Start video
WoW Midnight shows gameplay – All new features
What is being complained about? If you look in the official WoW forums or social media like the WoW subreddit, you will find a whole bunch of posts discussing the Devourer Demon Hunter.
The general sentiment seems to be that the specialization feels boring and gives the impression that “the specialization fights the player, not the enemies”. Because to be truly effective, there is currently still no way. Therefore, many quickly lose interest in the Devourer and prefer to wait until Blizzard corrects things.
2 buttons and the finisher cannot be reached
What is the problem with the Devourer? The gameplay at this point in time is extremely boring and unsatisfying. In most fights, the rotation consists merely of the abilities “Devour” and “Eye Beam”. Other abilities hardly come into play during normal fights, only during boss or elite encounters. The player Blubbpaule sums it up on Reddit:
That Devour is already 90% – 95% of the rotation is boring enough, but the real problem is how it was implemented.
You are expected to hold down a button (or press it repeatedly if you are a masochist and do not use the “Hold to cast” function) while playing a specialization that was advertised as mobile and moves during combat.
One difficulty here is that the big finisher, which is supposed to define the specialization, namely “Collapsing Star”, is used so rarely and can still be interrupted that it brings no joy.
It is stated more drastically by stud_ent on Reddit:
The Devourer Demon Hunter kind of sucks. I am quite underwhelmed by the new specialization. It looks cool and has nice animations, but you are almost exclusively spamming Devour. It is way too difficult to ever have enough Soul Fragments for the Collapsing Star.
The biggest problem is that the Devourer has been created in such a way that the “Apex Talents” for its core rotation are almost mandatory. While the Apex Talents for other classes are nice enhancements, they are more of a necessity for the Devourer.
However, since the Apex Talents are unlocked only with Midnight when reaching level 90, the Devourer Demon Hunter feels simply unfinished.
Additionally, many are not satisfied with the appearance customizations of the Void Elf Demon Hunters. The options are exactly the same as those for Blood Elves. There are no exclusive customizations just for their race – like special tattoos – so that also falls short of expectations. For the future, Blizzard, by the way, has planned even more new specializations.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Sauercrowd is a massive WoW hardcore event on Twitch. MeinMMO summarizes the most important information about participants, start time, and rules for you.
What kind of WoW event is this on Twitch? The Twitch streamers Metashi, Papaplatte, and HandOfBlood have come together to organize an event around World of Warcraft on German Twitch. They form a guild with other German-speaking streamers and play WoW on hardcore.
This means that each streamer has only one attempt with a character. Death is permanent and results in the loss of all progress. If they want to continue, they must start with a new character. The event is based on the American model OnlyFangs.
The goal is to collectively reach the endgame, including raids like Molten Core.
[toc]
Update from January 23, 2026: We have structurally adjusted the article.
Start video
These are the 5 most relevant German streamers on Twitch in 2024, according to Google
All about the start, server, and streams from Sauercrowd
When did it start? It started on December 27, 2025. The participants officially began the hardcore event.
How long is the event supposed to last? The three creators of the event estimate that it will take around 30 to 50 days.
Where can the event be followed? The event consists of over 200 Twitch streamers, each streaming their journey in hardcore WoW on their own Twitch channel. So, viewers just need to choose a person they want to watch. Additionally, you’ll find all important information on the official website.
On which server will it be played? The Twitch streamers will play on the anniversary server Soulseeker.
All about the participants of Sauercrowd
Who is participating? The WoW hardcore event has sent out many invitations and received many confirmations, both from veterans of the game and complete newcomers. Most have never played WoW before.
There are over 200 participants distributed throughout Twitch Germany:
areslps
craft12354
ailenax
bananabill
haci
aciixx
metashi12
carnifexed
bonjwa
cezzy
anaaja
cmdkrieger
Chefstrobel
Papaplatte
asleyia
daefoxi
danergy
wase931
autophil
captainmyko
acid_fired
broeki
collieesi
CastCrafter
chromiede
chromiede
Clym
Matteo
MauriceWeber
faister
fanasia
divi
dianaxanton
doktorfroid
julimi
fixx
edopeh
exsl95
earliboy
formulalena
Dimeax
donnie_oh
dinossindgeil
dennsen86
dominik_kaeppeler
bonjwamaurice
fuxelbau
derhauge
alltimeleah
felikah
femba
pummelfee86
chiko
entenburg
gucciwarrior_eu
Elquaria
Farbenfuchs
Filow
Hasi
GTimeTV
HarmiiFentsy
jennyan
xzudemx
hughwinters
kalle
kubafps
joshiiks
kico
pacing_pingvin
heystan
juliancom
karni
hornisse86
kerrag
iNoiizY
jinterella
kiba
jarzuul
kaaaay
jessirocks
Honeypuu
holladiewaldfee
junicats
huebi
kitty2001
kimuh
Katazuri
followvadda
knirpz
Willib0
kamikatze
touristhistories
meyer
LetsHugoTV
KDRkitten
maihopawango
mienah
obsess3
kutcherlol
niekbeats
MrMoregame
mahluna
kunshikitty
powerofevil
moondye7
LaraLoft
LEAH
Lilipp
lordpappnase
lowepe
bladeshow_
MaeloRomani
lostkittn
MasterTay
Maty
PhunkRoyal
odinakajesus
Mehdi
merleperle
maxim
noway4u_sir
MinusElf
MontanaBlack88
goicke
PietSmiet
MythosOfGaming
radlerauge
nooreax
Paluten
Rumathra
saltydayn
sebo
sieglinde
DerOlliTV
edelive
sunglitters
q_gee
primalavera
ronnyberger
slayjka
sterzik
STYLERZ
sola
sirraydus
Sologesang
snkarma
riirex
xhankyy
shlorox
rikku
SmashLunatic
Scrapie
sawlties
Ryole
Readyx
rAx1337
znowl
terste
wakayashi
swabine
vahnilly
zeusspezial
urutox
twobiers
trilluxe
tigerclown
Zarbex
Yxnca
rangerarea
segalson
VITABLO
verena
Janeli301
paco
xshowtime
nils
thunny
Zombey
tolkin
tizian_cs
tobifas_
vassilly
timhorus
powlster_
AzpectCustomz
Zander
tinkerleo
vlesk
Vadeal
rayothunderr
2twistedtv
DieDoni
TheRealLiont
kekluck
Gnu_Live
geilevideossos
Lost
krokoboss
baluilp
meloonie
feli
bleeshh
itzz_chrizz
sukidingels
derpazzel
xiohlol
starletnova
Fibii
Reeze
HerrBergmann
dannydan_tv
reynexts
mmpascal
daniel_mowo
kiddkizzo
lezan
MoAuba
suun
Debitorlp
dhalucard
Henke
treelover462
sparkofphoenixtv
hahn
brudivoeller_tv
kapuzenwurm
torro
tehkex
therealjanhegenberg
goldgoblinnet
HandOfBlood
zornkoenigin
maxfentsy
tabsy
akiaaa
Akkcess
d1rtyd3vil
xTheSolutionTV
KaddiTV
Shimtex
naguura
AsterPewPew
hijugalive
papfi
juliversal
leeonbeeon
thiseguy
yvraldis
sirlamee
Mowky
zerbersterrr
PietSmiettv
lillimon
reismitmais
emperor13tv
klupatwins
jonsman
brostudios_wow
kev1ntv
mayodee
mulfbot
reval
copeylius
sarahtoninx9
julijones
chrizzle
Marc-Oliver Matthiessen
bonjwachill
niklas_honor
byjasmiiiin
dawn_richard
derkegy
xicanmeow
justin_tinderdate_tv
noserino
slyflytv
seyyn
All about the rules of Sauercrowd
What are the rules? To create a balance between professionals and newcomers, a mentoring program has been established. Each pro is paired with a newbie, and the pro teaches the newbie.
Additionally, each race will have a chief who speaks for the others. Every Saturday, they gather to discuss important matters and watch clips of each other’s failures in the form of death clips.
Other rules are as follows:
Basically, there is only one attempt with a character. If Twitch streamers die in the game, a clip of the death scene must be provided. The event website features the latest deaths of the participants.
Only items that the participants find themselves or that exist within the guild may be used.
There is a streaming requirement. Anyone wishing to play their character in WoW must be live on Twitch.
Only the Sauercrowd add-on may be used, not others.
If a participant violates this or any other rule (additional specific rules can be found on sauercrowd.gg), they risk being excluded from the project.
The new action RPG from the studio behind the Pokémon games is set to release this summer. They showcased the gameplay of their latest project during this year’s Xbox Developer Direct.
What kind of game is this? Beast of Reincarnation is a new action RPG that was announced at the last Xbox Games Showcase in 2025. What many gamers found particularly interesting at that time: Beast of Reincarnation is developed by Game Freak, known primarily for developing the Pokémon games, most recently Pokémon Legends Z-A.
In the new Xbox Developer Direct, Game Freak explicitly states that they can do more than just “only” Pokémon games. Their latest project is set 2,000 years in the future, in 4026. Protagonist Emma and her wolf Koo fight against monsters and mechanical foes in a post-apocalyptic Japan to save humanity from extinction. Along the way, she is supported by growing, strange powers to survive her journey through the dilapidated and ever-changing world.
Emma and Koo are a well-coordinated team living outside the safe colonies, where the rest of humanity has settled, protected from external dangers. The two venture into the dystopian wasteland, where they battle corrupt creatures and even humans – or at least what remains of their humanity.
One year after the initial announcement, the developers now show how the game aims to impress not only with its look but also with its gameplay.
You can watch the trailer for Beast of Reincarnation here:
Start video
The trailer for Game Freak’s Beast of Reincarnation shows a post-apocalyptic Japan in the year 4026
A beautiful world marked by corruption
What did Game Freak reveal at this year’s Xbox Games Showcase? The appearance of Game Freak and Beast of Reincarnation focused mainly on the themes of inspiration and gameplay. Along with more detailed concept art showing the creatures and the world, the developers spoke primarily about mechanics and combat.
Concept art for a creature.Emma lives outside the safe colonies.
The developers showcase a shared skill tree for Emma and Koo, options for melee and ranged combat, stealth, and a power that connects protagonist Emma even more with her surroundings:
She has vine-like hair that she can use for better mobility, but also as a connection to nature and her surroundings. It almost resembles Avatar, as viewers noted in the live chat.
What attracted attention around the game a year ago? Game Freak and their Pokémon games have long been criticized by fans for their look. Flat textures and low-detail environments are two of the biggest criticisms of the latest games.
With the announcement trailer of Beast of Reincarnation, Pokémon fans could hardly believe that Game Freak was obviously capable of creating truly attractive games.
“They made this game to prove to everyone that they can make good-looking games,” it was said in a Reddit thread to summarize the overall positive sentiment around the look of Beast of Reincarnation. With such a project from Game Freak, hardly anyone expected it.
Beast of Reincarnation resembles, due to its theme and the visuals shown so far, a popular anime film from Studio Ghibli, namely Princess Mononoke. The film is considered one of the studio’s strongest works, and few have fared better than the visually stunning animated film: All Ghibli films ranked by IMDb
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Today, the Gacha game “Arknights: Endfield” was released. However, just a few hours after, the developers encountered a major issue: the game was making incorrect charges for some players.
Which game is it? Today, on January 22, the game Arknights: Endfield had its release. It is an open-world action RPG that also features Gacha elements. You play with 4 characters simultaneously, each with different abilities and attacks.
Similar to Genshin Impact, you undergo various main and side quests and can unlock new characters. You can do this by spending real money and hoping for good luck.
Start video
Arknights: Endfield shows its story in the release trailer
Developers respond immediately to the error
What was the error? Exactly at this mechanism, there was a problem a few hours after release for some players. After players paid for the game via PayPal, amounts in various currencies were repeatedly deducted from the accounts of some of them.
In the subreddit r/Endfield, a user posted an alleged screenshot of one of the players who was a victim of incorrect charges:
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How did the developers respond? The developers reacted exemplary by quickly and transparently pointing out the error on X. They clearly explained how they became aware of the error with PayPal and the steps they immediately took to prevent further players from this issue.
Furthermore, they announced that the lost money should be returned to the victims’ accounts within a few hours. Other affected players should reach out to them so they can also receive help.
During a tournament for the game Marvel Rivals, there was a dispute within a participating group. One of the participants has now become a successful Twitch streamer, all because he was banned by his teammates.
What kind of tournament was it? On January 18, 2026, a tournament for Marvel Rivals took place, which was also live-streamed on Twitch. It was hosted by the Twitch streamer BasimZB. Participants competed for a prize pool of $40,000, which is approximately €34,000.
One participant, the Twitch streamer Kingsman265, was eager to win, as he claimed that he really needed the money. He was broke, and the $3,000 he would receive in case of victory would be a lot of money for him. With that money, he would be able to pay part of his tuition fees.
But before Kingsman265 had another chance to compete for the prize money, he was abruptly thrown out of his Marvel Rivals team. And this happened right in the middle of the ongoing tournament.
Start video
Ihr könnt jetzt als Deadpool in Marvel Rivals für Chaos sorgen
Teammates allegedly have Twitch streamer kicked out of team
Why was Kingsman265 kicked out of the team? During a round, things were not looking good for Kingsman265’s group. They were getting hardly any kills and seemed to be losing. Kingsman265 asked his teammates to switch to a different character and therefore a different strategy, as the current strategy did not seem to be working.
He seemed to become increasingly agitated in his explanations – though he was not being insulting – while his teammates did not take him seriously. The situation escalated to the point where the teammates allegedly informed the tournament organizers and ensured that Kingsman265 was removed from their team.
In a YouTube video, Kingsman265 talks about the situation for an hour:
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How did the story end? Eventually, the team, without Kingsman265, was eliminated in seventh place. Later, one of the teammates, Cece, apologized in a post on X. She had referred to Kingsman265 as a “loser,” among other things.
After the tournament, Kingsman265 began to resume his regular streaming activities. On Twitch, the Marvel Rivals player was overwhelmed with donations and gifted subscriptions, leading him to eventually ask his viewers to stop: “This is ridiculous. You need to stop. […] I have already received more than the $3,000 I would have won for first place in the tournament.” (Source: Twitch starting at 01:20).
A large part of the community seemed to be on Kingsman265’s side and wanted to give him his “lost” money from the tournament in other ways. Through his success on Twitch, Kingsman265 has also achieved partner status on the platform, which means he can now earn money through streaming on Twitch.
Since the announcement of Highguard at the Game Awards 2025 and the release on January 26, 2026, many gamers are wondering about the rather sober marketing surrounding the game. Now, all trophies for the PvP shooter for the PS5 have been released, which finally feed the community with new information but also bring a smile.
What do the trophies reveal about Highguard? All trophies for Highguard on the PS5 have now been released 4 days before the launch. You can see them here on exophase.com. In total, there are 33 trophies that can be earned in the free-to-play shooter from the creators of Apex Legends.
They offer a closer look at gameplay features that have not been revealed yet. These include, for example, merchants, lootable chests, and confirmed “Wardens,” which can be classified as archetypes or classes: Assault, Defense, Recon, Support, and Destruction.
Players continue to speculate about what other gameplay elements the trophies may hide, but they can’t help but comment on how this list feels in the otherwise “sober” marketing: “I think it’s great that the Highguard trophies provide more information about the game than anything they’ve done since the Game Awards” (@Burnsthebest on X).
Here you can see the trailer for Highguard:
Start video
Highguard zeigt im Trailer, was euch im neuen PvP-Raid-Shooter erwartet
Players crave more information
Why is the community amused by the trophy list? Based on the reactions on X, many players did not expect to receive more information about the shooter before the release of Highguard. Some even feared that due to the lack of information, the game might be postponed at the last minute or whether it was a specific marketing strategy.
Due to the little marketing, many gamers already declare the game dead. And that, even before it has even been released and this assumption could neither be disproven nor proven.
Others, however, find more hope and motivation through the trophies to give the game another chance.
What are the reactions to the trophies? On Reddit, the community speculates about what insights they can draw from the trophy list. Whether these speculations are one hundred percent accurate or not can only be said once the first official gameplay is available.
Still, the community seems to be able to develop more anticipation for the shooter based on the reactions, now that they know more about what they might expect. Nevertheless, they would have preferred not to have received this info through their own research:
“Great find. This should be enough information to get us through, in case we still face no marketing before the launch,” writes MoneyoffUbereats2017.
“Sounds like there are also chests on the map that you can loot and a merchant where you can buy things. Sounds interesting,” finds DJ_B0B.
“In general, I want games to succeed. I have no idea why some people hope that something fails,” says Etikoza.
Highguard is set to launch in just a few days on Steam, for the PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. If you would also like to learn more about the shooter and now need more information, we have summarized what is known about Highguard here on MeinMMO: Highguard – All Important Information on Release, Platforms, and Gameplay
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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There is a vast selection of great MMOs and MMORPGs out there, each offering something unique compared to its rivals. That’s why we’ve handpicked the top 10 online multiplayer games we recommend playing. While the majority are available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, we’ve also included mobile titles for iOS and Android.
What kind of games are these? The selected games vary significantly from one another. Some are classic MMORPGs, while others are MMO shooters or Battle Royales. The order of the best MMOs and MMORPGs has been chosen at random.
What were the selection criteria? We have selected games that:
Focus primarily on multiplayer and online gameplay.
Are still actively being developed.
Remain relevant, as shown by the interest from our MeinMMO readers.
Are played by members of our editorial team.
For every MMO and MMORPG, you will find not only a description but also an assessment of why the game is still worth playing in 2026 and where its weaknesses lie.
Update from January 21, 2026: Several months have passed since the last update, and a lot has changed within the games. Additionally, due to its current popularity, we have added Warframe to the top 10, replacing Fallout 76.
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World of Warcraft – MMORPG
Genre: MMORPG | Entwickler: Blizzard Entertainment | Plattform: PC | Release-Datum: November 23, 2004 | Modell: Pay2Play
Pro
One of the most beginner-friendly MMORPGs on the market
Features an epic, deep storyline
Wide range of content for both PvE and PvP fans
Receives major updates on a regular basis
Boasts some of the highest player counts in the genre and a vast community
“The War Within” is a solid expansion, with “Midnight” set to release in 2026
Alongside modern WoW, there are several Classic and Hardcore versions available
Contra
The graphics and gameplay show their age a little
During the leveling process, you only play through one expansion, which means you might miss out on great stories and villains
Not for fans of action-oriented combat systems
What to expect in WoW
What is WoW? World of Warcraft is the most well-known MMORPG in Europe and North America. To date, Blizzard has released 10 expansions for WoW. The game caters to solo players who want to experience the story, as well as fans of dungeons and raids, which are the focus of regular content updates.
WoW features a stylized “comic” art style that has been polished and updated throughout the various expansions. Nevertheless, its age shows in certain areas—after all, WoW is now 21 years old. When it comes to the combat system, the game relies on classic tab-targeting.
WoW currently offers two main versions:
The War Within: This is the current expansion, released in August 2024. This is the “standard” WoW experience, also commonly known as “WoW Retail.”
WoW Classic: A relaunch of the original game that debuted in August 2019. Since then, Classic players have been able to choose from four different versions: the 2004 Vanilla version, the version featuring the Mists of Pandaria Classic expansion, the Season of Discovery (essentially a “Classic+”), and the anniversary variant “WoW Classic Fresh.”
Start video
WoW: Patch 11.2.7 – The warning shows what threatens Quel’thalas
What content does WoW offer? World of Warcraft allows you to explore a massive world with your character and – since The War Within – level them up to level 80. A vast amount of content awaits you:
Countless quests and storylines
A wide variety of zones
Dozens of dungeons and raids
Various PvP activities
With Shadowlands, the second-to-last expansion, the leveling process underwent several major adjustments. As a new player, you start in a completely revamped starting zone and can then choose which expansion you want to play through to level up.
Once you reach level 70, you head to Khaz Algar to experience the latest content. A major highlight is Delves, which can be tackled solo or with friends. Additionally, the Earthen allied race has been introduced, along with Warbands, which offer a lot of account-wide convenience. Alongside these highlights, the current expansion provides new zones, dungeons, raids, and, of course, entirely new story content.
How much does WoW cost? You can play World of Warcraft for free up to level 20. After that, a monthly subscription of approximately $15 / £11 / €13 is required.
Furthermore, for the Retail version, you need to purchase the current base version of the game, which already includes all previous expansions (and Midnight). This costs roughly $50 / €50 in the official shop.
All versions of WoW Classic are automatically included in the standard subscription.
MeinMMO Verdict: A highlight among MMORPGs even after 20 years
Who is the author? Cortyn has been playing World of Warcraft almost since its release, starting back with the Ahn’Qiraj patch. Cortyn has been covering the MMORPG for MeinMMO since 2013.
Why is it worth playing in 2026? Even after many years on the market, World of Warcraft remains a rock-solid MMORPG that excels primarily in one area: the sheer volume of things to do.
It has been a while since the release of The War Within, and numerous patches have been deployed. The expansion received praise from all sides, and Blizzard’s MMORPG seems to be back on the right track. The days of “mandatory chores” are over, and players can finally choose freely what they want to do. The Mythic+ system has been revamped and now features more enjoyable affixes and better balancing.
The War Within is now nearly complete. In Delves, you can hunt for powerful gear alongside NPCs while experiencing the beginning of the Worldsoul Saga and uncovering the mystery of the enigmatic Xal’atath.
Combined with the profession overhaul and the “new” old talent system, WoW is worth a look for both veterans and newcomers alike. WoW delivered on its 2023 promise to release six content patches—and many updates were, or are, on the schedule for 2025 and 2026, leading up to the launch of the next expansion, Midnight.
What are the issues with World of Warcraft? World of Warcraft lost a lot of trust with the Shadowlands expansion. Many players walked away during that time and moved on to other MMORPGs. Blizzard now faces the challenge of winning these veteran fans back. Although Dragonflight and The War Within have made great strides in doing so, many remain skeptical.
Blizzard has hired 100 new developers to provide WoW with content much faster in the future and to respond more effectively to player feedback. These additional staff members are now helping to implement the Worldsoul Saga, which consists of The War Within, Midnight, and The Last Titan.
Things went wrong with Patch 12.0 in World of Warcraft. Some potions no longer have any effect – they have been drastically scaled down.
Recently, Patch 12.0 went live in World of Warcraft, which is the pre-patch for the upcoming expansion Midnight. Along with it came a so-called “Stat-Squish,” where the values and attributes of characters, items, and enemies were reduced.
A side effect of this: Many items in WoW are now completely useless. You can use them, but nothing happens.
Start video
WoW Midnight shows gameplay – All new features
Potions that heal exactly 0 health points – sometimes even negative
Which items are affected? This mainly concerns healing potions from the early levels of World of Warcraft. Affected healing potions include:
Weak Healing Potion
Minor Healing Potion
Refreshing Healing Potion
The same applies to some mana potions.
When you look at the tooltips of these items, you can’t help but smile slightly: Because they restore 0 health points when used. Sometimes even -0, which is a bit more curious.
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The potions trigger the cooldown for using potions upon usage, but have no noticeable effect anymore. They are simply useless.
Why don’t the potions heal anymore? This is because there have been several instances of this Stat Squish already. Each time, the healing amount of potions was further reduced, but not in a linear way. Since item levels of items increase exponentially with their effect in WoW, this was also taken into account during the reduction.
This now leads to the absurd situation where there is a whole range of potions that no longer have any effect and therefore serve no purpose at all.
For the sake of fairness, it must be said that these low-level potions have hardly found use in modern WoW anyway, not even during leveling, as they are generally not necessary there. It is still a bit unsettling to have more and more items in the game that can no longer fulfill their actual purpose. Healing potions are not the only thing that players have to say goodbye to. A whole game mode of WoW will likely never return.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
“Water Troubles” is a quest in ARC Raiders that you receive from Celeste. To complete it, you need to take a water sample. We will explain how and where you can do this in the guide.
What do you need to do for the quest? When you receive the quest from Celeste, you must go to the dam battlefields. There, you need to find access to a tunnel and take a sample of the contaminated water.
Where you need to go and how to find the locations as well as complete the quest will be explained here.
Start video
Matchmaking in ARC Raiders: „Ratten“ könnten euch in PvP-Lobbys befördern
Flood Tunnel Location – Here you find the entrance
Once you are at the dam battlefields, you should travel to the “Red Lakes” balcony in the southeast of the map. From there, you can follow the wall and should find the entrance northwest near the control tower.
Here you can see the location in green and what the entrance to the tunnels looks like:
Here is the location of the entrance marked.This is the tunnel you should look out for.
Take Water Sample and Complete the Quest
Go through the entrance and follow the corridor as far as you can straight ahead. Keep left and continue until you arrive in a room. To the left, in front of another tunnel with a hose, you will reach the spot where you can take the water sample:
On the left side, you will find the sample.You should see a yellow indication here that you can take the water sample.
Pocket the sample, and the quest is automatically completed. You do not need to extract safely for success, as a proper item lands in your inventory here. So do not worry if you do not survive the match afterwards.
Besides this quest, there are of course many other tasks in ARC Raiders and a lot of resources and items to obtain. If you get stuck at any point, we have some guides, tips, and overviews ready to help you solve your problem: ARC Raiders: All Guides, Tips, and Lists Overview
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In League of Legends there is a skin for every champion, and often several. Now there is a new special one that is only available for a limited time. The problem: it costs up to 245 euros.
What kind of skin is it? The new “Revenant Reign Viego” was released with patch 26.02 on January 22 as an Exalted skin. These skins are special and often come with multiple new animations. In the Sanctum, you can obtain the skin with some luck; if you are less fortunate, the Viego skin will cost up to 245 euros.
Why does the skin cost so much? The Sanctum is a mechanic that was released in December 2024. With 400 Riot Points, you can purchase a so-called Spark and spin the wheel of fortune. This gives you a chance to win various prizes, including the Exalted skin. According to Riot, the chance of obtaining an Exalted skin is 0.5%.
After 80 attempts, you are guaranteed to receive the skin. This means you would need a minimum of 32,000 Riot Points to buy enough Sparks. The bundle with enough Riot Points is available for 244.99 euros, leaving even 1,500 points remaining.
In the video you can see the trailer for the new Exalted skin in League of Legends:
Start video
The trailer for the new Exalted skin in LoL shows how beautiful 245 euros can be
Players are frustrated with the skin
Why are players frustrated? The trailer was shared in the LoL subreddit and many players are expressing their opinions in the comments. Reddit user BlueRhaps thinks the skin looks really cool, but it is not cool enough for him to spend that much money on it. Over 400 other players agreed with him (as of January 22, 2026, at 1:00 PM)
Another Reddit user ItsAmeliaNow shares a similar opinion and writes: “It’s a nice skin. I play Viego and would have bought it immediately if it were priced like a Legendary skin (1,820 RP) or even an Ultimate skin (3,250 RP), but at [245 euros] it will never be worth it for me.”
Is there any other criticism about the skin? Overall, many players criticize the price of the skin in the Reddit post, but find it very well designed.
Another point of criticism since the Sanctum mechanic was introduced is the limited availability of skins. Just like the Mordekaiser skin is no longer available, the new Viego skin will also disappear from the Sanctum with the end of patch 26.05. The end of patch 26.05 is expected to be around March 17 or 18, according to the official website, as the next patch is scheduled for March 18.
Team Rocket returns to Pokémon GO. This can only be good for you! Because the villains have interesting bonuses in store.
When does the event start? The takeover by Team GO Rocket as part of the Buddy Event starts on January 23 at 00:00. It ends on Sunday, January 25 at 20:00. So, you basically have nearly an entire weekend to take down the Rockets.
And it’s worth it, because the Pokémon thieves bring exciting Pokémon with them and have interesting bonuses to offer. We summarize the most important points for you here.
How does a Rocket takeover generally work? Rocket takeovers are characterized by the increased presence of the goons at PokéStops and in balloons. Additionally, there are changes in the teams of the Rocket leaders and with the Crypto Legendaries. This is also the case this time.
We summarize which bonuses you should take advantage of here.
Start video
Pokémon GO: Finding Rocket Bosses – How to Collect the Rocket Radar and Track Them Down
Catch Crypto-Voltolos
Crypto-Voltolos appears for the first time in its Incarnation form. You can get it by defeating the Boss of Team GO Rocket: Giovanni.
However, to do so, you need a Super Rocket Radar. You will receive it from the new Rocket Special Research that will start with the event. Keep in mind that you will first need to defeat the Rocket leaders Cliff, Sierra, and Arlo. After that, it’s Giovanni’s turn.
The battle will be worth it, as currently, Crypto-Voltolos is set to be the best Electric attacker in Pokémon GO.
Catch Crypto-Raikou (with luck as Shiny)
Crypto-Raikou is currently the strongest Electric attacker, which will only be surpassed by Crypto-Voltolos at the event start, but it is a fantastic catch. The monster will have its own Crypto-Raid day on Saturday, where you can challenge Crypto-Raikou in raids.
The best part: It has an increased Shiny chance when you challenge and catch it in the Crypto Raids. So this is your opportunity to secure a shining specimen. During the event, you can receive up to five free Raid Passes by spinning Gyms.
Collect more Crypto Pokémon
Not only Giovanni, but also his henchmen will receive new Pokémon. Currently, it is said that Igamaro, Fynx, and Froxy will be available as Cryptos among the goons. The new line-ups of Arlo, Sierra, and Cliff are also being discussed in the Pokémon GO subreddit. Although they are not confirmed yet, a post on Reddit claims that Flunkifer, Hoppspross, and Karpador are the new Pokémon of the bosses. We will keep you updated on this!
Unlearn Frustration
Crypto Pokémon know the useless move Frustration, which normally cannot be replaced – except during certain events. This current takeover is one of those events. So pick your Cryptos and use Charged TMs to get rid of the move. You can find a list of the best candidates to unlearn Frustration here.
With the Rocket event, the first month of the year is slowly coming to an end. But there are still dates you should keep in mind. Among other things, you can look forward to the Dive-in-the-Depths event and a Dynamax weekend. You don’t need to note the dates down; we’ve already done that for you: Here you can find all events in January 2026 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
While players in the West are still waiting for Aion 2, there is currently trouble over the prices of the new Battle Pass in Asia, which are really high.
What’s the status of Aion 2? While we in the West probably have to wait until the end of the year for the release of Aion 2, players in Asia can already try out the new MMORPG. Meanwhile, the second season of Aion 2 is approaching.
As usual, new content is expected to come into the game, expanding the MMORPG, but also new cosmetic items and new Battle Passes will be introduced with the update. The latter, however, is causing trouble and frustration among players.
Start video
Aion 2: New trailer prepares for the Korean launch of the MMORPG
A proud €47 for Battle Passes
Why is there trouble? The major frustration in the community lies in the prices for the new Battle Passes. After initially announcing incorrect prices of almost €90, the prices were reduced to about half, which is €47.
The Battle Passes in Aion 2 are not purely cosmetic but also offer item rewards in the paid track. Additionally, the passes unlock different features. One Battle Pass allows for more frequent looting in dungeons, while another enables trading with other players only.
Due to the additional features, the passes are seen as a necessary purchase by many active players simply to be able to play the current dungeons and raids right from the start and not fall behind with their characters compared to other players.
While the Battle Passes may last the entire season, it is still far too expensive for players.
How are fans reacting? The fans of Aion 2 are sharply criticizing the prices for the new Battle Passes. In a post on Reddit, a user explains that this goes far beyond the usual prices and that for €47 one could almost get a full-priced title.
Another user explains below that this is per character, because anyone who plays an alt also needs the passes for the rewards there.
With the many frustrated voices in the Reddit post, it becomes clear that Aion 2 will likely not be successful in the West, as especially Western players use Reddit as a vent, while local players from Korea and Taiwan are more likely to use their own NCSoft platforms to express their frustration.
The developers want to let Aion 2 mature in Asia before the release in the West and make improvements and bug fixes before the new MMORPG comes to us. However, it seems that instead of in-game features, it is rather the concern over an overly aggressive payment model that is currently troubling the players, and this concern has not just arisen now: Players give first impressions of Aion 2, saying: One thing must change before the MMORPG comes here
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Warframe Plastids are an important resource needed to build various frames. Unfortunately, they are not dropped in high quantities. We will show you how to quickly and easily farm this resource.
How to efficiently farm Plastids: To efficiently obtain Plastids, you should approach your grind with focus. There are several ways to do this:
Visit “Uranus” in Steel Path and farm “Survival” on the mission “Ophelia”
Visit “Saturn” in Steel Path and farm “Survival” on the mission “Piscinas”
Visit the Cambion Drift on Deimos and visit the first cave to the left of the Necralisk and destroy the “Infested Rolizor Cysts”
Of course, you can mindlessly grind and farm Plastids, but that would be a waste. Those who make some preparations before farming can double or even triple their yield. We’ll show you how to do that now.
Start video
Warframe zeigt neuen Trailer mit Werner Herzog in der Hauptrolle
How to get the maximum yield from your grind
Which Frames should I equip? You have three frames to choose from to increase your chances of extra loot:
Nekros: Use “Desecrate” in combination with a slicing melee weapon to dismember your enemies. The more you dismember your enemies, the larger the extra loot will be.
Khora: Use “Breach Surge” in combination with the Augment mod “Pilfering Breach”, to increase your chance of additional loot.
Hydroid: Use your “Tentacle Swarm” with the Augment mod “Pilfering Swarm” to have a 100% chance of getting additional drops from enemies held by the Tentacle Swarm.
Combining this with Steel Path and its loot bonus, as well as the +20% “Resource Drop Chance” bonus on the mission “Piscinas”, results in over 150–200% more loot chance depending on the equipped frame.
Additionally, you can receive a free resource booster at one of the relays if you kindly ask a Tenno with Mastery rank 30. If you also have an additional resource booster from your daily log-in or purchased one, you will be overwhelmed with loot.
These were the key pieces of information you should know about farming Plastids. Which frame will you use for this, and do you know of better tactics to quickly acquire a lot of Plastids? Let us know in the comments! You can find more about Warframe here: Warframe: All valid codes and how to redeem them (January 2026)
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Alpha for Dark Heresy, the new role-playing game set in the world of Warhammer 40,000, is currently running and is set to be released in 2026. Anyone can participate – and many have already done so. Now, developer Owlcat shares the feedback after the first month with exciting insights.
Just like its predecessor, Dark Heresy is a cRPG, a turn-based role-playing game with an isometric perspective and a focus on story and character development.
Unlike in Rogue Trader you play as an Inquisitor in Dark Heresy. Your task is to solve puzzles and something like criminal cases – like a detective in the grim future.
Current Alpha Status: The Alpha for Dark Heresy started back in December 2025 on Steam. Anyone who is willing to pay can participate. Currently, the Alpha comprises about 15 hours of gameplay with various quests and a little storyline from the main story.
On X, the developers shared some data from the last month. The graphic states:
The Alpha already had over 10,000 players before the game even launched. About a third of them provided their feedback.
The most purchased items from vendors were medkits, ropes, and melta bombs – important for healing and overcoming obstacles.
It’s especially exciting that the new investigation system, around which the game is built, is receiving particularly positive feedback. It is rated 4.4 out of 5 stars. With this system, you collect clues and must piece them together into a complete picture (like the meme with the guy in front of the wall with dozens of red threads).
Your decisions then ultimately shape the story. As an Inquisitor, you can just shoot all the suspects and no one will say anything about it, but you might make enemies that way. Or you could try to find every little detail and thus find the truth.
Start video
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy in the Announcement Trailer
Everyone loves the Ogryn – Only one wants to date the Übermensch
The developers reveal that the currently most popular companion is the Ogryn Cogg, who was recently introduced. Cogg is not the brightest, but is unconditionally loyal and is determined to protect his Inquisitor at all costs.
Another user (and yes, apparently just one) is asking for a romance with a Space Marine, and judging by the accompanying image, apparently specifically with a traitor from the Night Lords, a particularly brutal torture order.
Owlcat has already revealed that romances in Dark Heresy will be freer than in Rogue Trader. Whether the desired option will be possible here is still unknown, but the devs at least state: “Yes, we have noticed you!”
Dark Heresy is set to be released in 2026, but there is still no specific release date. Recently, the developers made themselves unpopular with a planned feature. Whether anything will change here before release is still open.
The developers of Hytale have been tirelessly working on expanding the sandbox adventure since its early access release. To maintain the momentum, the second major patch will be released soon. What you can expect at the release can be found here.
The main changes in Update 2: The founder of the Hypixel studio has already outlined on X what you can expect in the upcoming update. The list is long, so we will now list the most important changes for you. Afterwards, you will also find out when the update is scheduled to roll out, as well as a complete overview of all patch notes. But now, let’s get to the key content:
New magic – Necromancy Grimoire drops from skeleton praetorians and allows you to create up to 5 skeleton minions from bone piles (Duration: 5 minutes or until the summoner dies).
Pickaxe progress revamped: Mining speed now scales with the quality of the pickaxe.
New mask face accessories (available for all editions)
New mouth variants: Vampire, Cute, Orc (all editions)
Tower exploit fixed (NPCs can now throw stones at players)
All plants can now place products in the world.
Improved ice bears and several skeleton types, magma rhino toad attack updates (… possibly unintended improvement)
When does the update come out? The team aims to roll out the update this weekend (January 23 – 25, 2026). Additionally, Simon announces that the team is already working on Update 3 and this time plans a longer pre-release phase to give servers and mods time to adjust to the changes.
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The patch notes have been released in English. Therefore, we will manually translate the changes and provide you with the German version. Now, let’s get to the patch notes:
Hytale Update 2 – Patch Notes (Pre-Release)
Cosmetics & Customization
New face mask accessories (available for all editions)
Visibility of armor slots toggleable (enforced by host for PvP/immersion)
New mouth variants: Vampire, Cute, Orc (all editions)
Berserker hairstyle tile correction
Updated hairstyles, cloak animations, flower petals, and fabric graphics
Gameplay & Balance
New magic! Necromancy Grimoire! Drops from skeleton praetorians, allowing you to summon up to 5 skeleton minions from bone piles (Duration 5 minutes or until the summoner dies)
Adamantium now requires a Thorium or Cobalt pickaxe
Pickaxe progress revamped: Mining speed now scales with the quality of the pickaxe
Faster rail carts (still not great, but faster!)
Tower exploit fixed (NPCs can now throw stones at players)
Improved ice bears and several skeleton types
All crops can now be placed in the world
Missing decorative light blocks added to the furniture station
Hidden drops adjusted (light → medium for some NPCs like cows)
Teleportation authorization added on the world map
Magma rhino toad attack updated (… possibly accidental improvement)
World Generation
WorldGen V2 prepared for public documentation (modder support)
New templates “Default_Flat” and “Default_Void” using WorldGen V2
The hub portal is now generated with V2 flat worldgen (clear weather, limited fog, only new worlds)
Extensive revision of ore placement across all zones – More ores, especially in the underground of the Devastated Lands – Requires new chunks in existing worlds
Corrections to the dungeon environment in Zone 1 + new environmental fixes (you may hear new soundtracks)
Agriculture
Eternal crops are no longer destroyed by weapon damage.
The lifespan of tilled soil has been increased.
The decay of soil under fully grown crops has been corrected.
UI/UX
Improved tooltips for editor blocks.
Tooltips for clothing colors added.
Better contrast for active hotbar slots (diamond display, helpful in the Howling Sands).
Save categories sorted alphabetically
Quality of life improvements through script brushes
Updates to inventory interaction (e.g., new shortcut to pull all items from chests)
Optional FPS counter overlay
Player markers added to the compass
Ophidiophobia accessibility mode
Audio
Basic Rex sounds added + additional audio fixes
Bug fixes, Tech and Stability
Server self-updating
Shadow improvements
Block selection works when the hotbar is full
Documentation for the asset editor corrected
Corrections to mantling
Keyboard mapping preserved
Improved weather transitions (not perfect yet, but smoother)
Teleporter offset corrected
Rail carts now consume and place correctly
Bed respawn in unloaded chunks corrected
Update of food particle coloring
Significant improvements in server stability, validation, ECS, localization, and timeout
Can I test the update already? Yes. Follow these steps:
