The new WoW expansion is coming in a limited anniversary edition, fueling rumors about the Alpha

Blizzard has set a countdown in the Gear Store that counts down to the Collector’s Edition of The War Within, the new expansion for World of Warcraft. The end date fits perfectly within the timeframe when the Alpha is supposed to start and is now causing discussions.

This is the new info:

  • The new expansion The War Within is supposed to start in 2024 and will have an Alpha and a Beta beforehand.
  • In the official Gear Store of Blizzard, a countdown has now appeared that ends on April 17. That’s when the pre-sale of the Collector’s Edition starts.
  • When exactly The War Within starts is still not known.
More on the topic
WoW: The War Within – Game Director Names Plans for the Start of the Alpha
von Cortyn

What does this mean for the Alpha? The purchase of the Collector’s Edition generally comes with access to the Beta of the expansion. Access to the Alpha is not guaranteed, but the timing raises eyebrows in the community.

On Reddit, players are now speculating that the pre-sale of the Collector’s Edition coincides with the start of the Alpha on the same date. This would actually make sense for several reasons:

The Alpha of The War Within must start soon, and with April 17 as the starting date for the pre-sale of the Collector’s Edition, a concrete date would be set.

This time, the Collector’s Edition is coming in a special anniversary edition for the 20th anniversary of World of Warcraft, which will be celebrated in November 2024. It is quite possible that the Collector’s Edition will sell out even faster this time.

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World of Warcraft: The War Within – Cinematic Trailer

The Collector’s Edition of The War Within – What’s included?

So far, there are no details on what exactly the Collector’s Edition of The War Within will include. Previous collector’s boxes have typically contained:

Since The War Within is being released as an anniversary edition, it is quite possible that the Collector’s Edition will be somewhat larger. However, we cannot say for sure yet. There is also no price information, which was previously around 130 euros.

The War Within is slated to be released in summer 2024. A specific date is still pending – even though the anniversary edition suggests that the expansion may not be available until November. However, according to the roadmap, it is supposed to come much earlier. We are expecting it in August.

Public tests for The War Within are still to come. However, players have been discussing for a while what the expansion needs and what it must not have. Blizzard has already responded to the criticism: The Beta of WoW The War Within is not live yet, but Blizzard already says: Sorry, we are changing that

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

New event in Destiny 2 will excite veterans and free players today – Here is what we know

Bungie has a large event planned for Destiny 2 before “The Final Shape” takes place. The start of “Into the Light” has now been announced, and the developers are letting players know that a lot is coming their way.

Update, April 09: Today, after the server down, the free event “Into the Light” begins. Note that at 6:30 PM, Bungie will release another stream, this time about the upcoming DLC “The Final Shape”.

What kind of event is this? The upcoming event is called “Into the Light”. Little is known about the actual event, and players are speculating about what activities, items, and armor can be expected. However, Bungie has communicated to all players that the event should be free and will offer something for every type of player, whether newcomers or veterans.

In line with the TWaB post on Thursday evening, Bungie has revealed news regarding “Into the Light”. The developers plan a total of three large livestreams in which Bungie will address and present various aspects of the event. The dates are set.

Start video
Destiny 2: Season of the Wish – Guardian Games All-Stars Trailer

Bungie needs 3 streams to explain everything to you

What has Bungie said? The developers have announced the start of the streams, as well as the actual release of the event. Here are the dates you should mark in your calendar:

  • First livestream: March 19 at 6 PM
  • Second livestream: March 26 at 6 PM
  • Third livestream: April 02 at 6 PM
  • Release of the event: April 09, with update 7.3.6

The update is therefore expected to be huge, which is why Bungie decided to split all content into three separate streams and present them on Twitch. The developers will share a lot of information during the streams and demonstrate it along the way during a hands-on.

Following a tip from our reader Millerntorian, there are also two emblems that you can secure through Twitch. You will receive both if you spend enough time in the streams.

Unlike Bungie, which announced in the TWiD, the Green emblem is available for 1 hour and the Red emblem for 3 hours of your time spent in the streams.

How much content can be expected? Bungie has revealed nothing about the content. The only thing players have seen from the event is a key art, which we have used as the title image for our post. In this key art, you can see Hunters, Warlocks, and Titans fighting against the Hive on the PvP map “Downtown”.

In the sky, many pyramid ships and monoliths of darkness can be seen. The Guardians fight together with Scorpius turrets that are likely created in collaboration with the Vanguard and the Cabal.

One could now speculate that the weapons and armor that the Guardians carry will be obtainable in the upcoming event. If that is the case, there could already be backlash from the community, as the armor consists of altered variants of the Noble Size, Fumioser Suit, and Ego Claw armor sets.

As for the weapons, they include the Falling Guillotine and the hand cannon “Midnight Coup” from the Calus raid. Unfortunately, we could not identify the third weapon, so it might be a new shotgun.

What do you think about the three stream dates that Bungie has prepared for you? Will you be watching or will you skip the chatter? Let us know in the comments!

Destiny 2: Players call the Guardian Games 2024 a disaster, and there are several reasons for it

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

Palworld Types: Strengths and Weaknesses of All Elements in Overview

As in Pokémon, the Pals in Palworld have strengths and weaknesses. We present all types in an overview and explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Pals.

What are types? In Palworld, each Pal has an element, a so-called type. This type describes how strong or weak the Pal is against another type. This can either result in bonus damage or significantly less damage being dealt.

MeinMMO lists all currently known types and shows strengths and weaknesses. We have sorted the types alphabetically. The best Pals to start Palworld can be found in this overview.

[toc]

The article was first published in January 2024. On April 9, 2024, we updated the article and brought it up to date.

Last updates: 09.04.2024, 23.01.2024

Palworld: All types at a glance

Ground:

  • Strong against: Electric
  • Weak against: Grass

Darkness:

  • Strong against: Neutral
  • Weak against: Dragon

Dragon:

  • Strong against: Darkness
  • Weak against: Ice

Ice:

  • Strong against: Dragon
  • Weak against: Fire

Electric:

  • Strong against: Water
  • Weak against: Ground

Fire:

  • Strong against: Grass, Ice
  • Weak against: Water

Grass:

  • Strong against: Ground
  • Weak against: Fire

Neutral:

  • Strong against: Nothing
  • Weak against: Darkness

Water:

  • Strong against: Fire
  • Weak against: Electric

These are all currently known types that exist in Palworld. If the developers add more types during Early Access, we will keep you updated and update our article accordingly.

Where can you find the types? You can find the types directly in the Paldex, where all discovered and captured Pals are listed. Here, the type is noted right behind the order number. Alternatively, you can go to “Team” via the menu and choose your Pal there. You will also see the type.

Palworld Types
In the Paldex, you can see all types next to the order number.

All guides to Palworld: Are you looking for more tips, tricks, and assistance for Palworld? Then check out MeinMMO. We accompany the game for you and have compiled all guides that should help you in a clear list. Here you can find everything at a glance:

Palworld Guides: All tips, tricks, and Pals at a glance

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A player pays over 80,000 euros for an ancient video game: “It was the first game my mother ever bought me”

A player paid over 80,000 euros for an old video game on eBay. He stated that the game evokes nostalgic memories for him.

In one of the largest auctions for an unpackaged video game, a rare, sealed copy of Castlevania for the original NES console was recently sold on eBay for $90,100. This is approximately 81,000 euros (as of April 9, 2024).

The auction winner, Tom Curtin, is not an unknown figure in the collector scene. However, for him, the auction also has personal significance.

Player buys ancient game, evokes childhood memories

What kind of auction was it? The seller is supposedly a person selling an estate that includes old video games. The seller has already listed and sold several similar games, such as a copy of BurgerTime for the NES for over $11,000 or a copy of Trojan for nearly $7,000.

However, the latest auction for Castlevania is likely to overshadow all other offers. Some speculate that it may be the most expensive video game ever sold on eBay.

What made the auction special? Tom Curtin explained that he has a special relationship with this game and therefore had to buy it. His mother bought him the game many years ago. Curtin writes in a post (via gamesradar.com):

The search is over after 23 years. I had come to terms with the fact that I might never find this grail after years of searching. But this week, everything turned out well for a childhood friend and me, as we were able to acquire this absolute beauty. It was the first game my mother ever bought for me. I still remember the call we made to buy it. It’s an important memory, just like last week. There are still a few flights ahead of us, but this beautiful Castlevania first edition is almost home.

More old games: A Texan has collected over 20,000 games, including many rarities. However, he reveals that he hasn’t played many of the games. His collection also includes games that were never officially available for purchase:

Over 20,000 Games – The largest game library in the world belongs to a single collector

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Call of Duty is more successful today than in 2023, says Activision – Despite the worst reviews a CoD has ever had

The current release of Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 3, has a bad reputation and the lowest rating a Call of Duty has ever received on Metacritic. But is the shooter better than the negative reviews on Metacritic suggest? A journalist from Forbes claims so, and Activision Blizzard agrees: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is currently performing better than its predecessor in 2023.

What is the problem with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3?

  • Every year a new Call of Duty is released. In reviews, the games usually land somewhere between 78 and 88 %.
  • However, the current Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was harshly criticized by reviewers with only 56 % (PS5). This is the lowest score a “real” Call of Duty has ever received – only mobile ports have been rated worse by international gaming press.
  • The general sentiment about the current Call of Duty: Weak campaign, essentially just an “update”, a map pack for Modern Warfare 2, not enough new content for the price.
Start video
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Season 2 Multiplayer Trailer

Journalist says: Weak campaign, but strong multiplayer

What is the counterargument? The US site Forbes states: The critics were wrong about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

While the criticism about the release state is correct and the campaign is weak, Modern Warfare 3 excels where it matters: in multiplayer mode.

Sledgehammer Games has also delivered and supported the game with strong new maps in the first 3 seasons: 15 new maps have been added to the 16 release maps effectively doubling the number of playable maps at launch.

Additionally, the developers provided a lot of weapons, attachments and perks. The mechanics are noticeably different from Modern Warfare 2, even if they feel similar.

Journalist calls Modern Warfare 3 the “best Call of Duty in years”

Call of Duty Modern Warfare is not a “map pack”; the complete overhaul of player movement, Uplay, and perks contradicts that.

Forbes concludes: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is significantly better than its reputation and what the negative reviews suggested. It had a weak start, but the developers now deserve recognition.

They have created the “best Call of Duty” in recent years. Especially the “3v3v3 Cutthroat Mode” is great and offers a fantastic multiplayer experience.

Activision Blizzard says: Player engagement has increased

What does Activision Blizzard say? They seem grateful that someone is defending their disparaged Modern Warfare 3. In a statement to Forbes, they said:

We really enjoy supporting the Call of Duty community. The teams have enjoyed engaging with our players and creating high-quality new experiences for them. Player engagement has increased, and more players are playing now than at this time last year.

Activision Blizzard

Data shows: Lower hype at release, but higher consistency

What does the data say? We don’t know player numbers for Call of Duty, but we can get a sense of where the shooter giant currently stands through Google Trends. Google Trends reflects global interest in a brand:

  • The last major hype for Call of Duty was in October 2022, when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was released.
  • This enthusiasm could not be matched by Modern Warfare 3. The release of Modern Warfare 2 was the peak of the last 2 years. Modern Warfare 3 reached only about 73 % of this peak worldwide.
  • Nevertheless, Activision Blizzard’s statement holds true: From February 2023 to mid-July 2023, Call of Duty fell into quite a hole as players lost interest (42 % of the release hype in the last week of March 2023).
cod-google-trends

At the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in November 2023, it was the case that the release of Modern Warfare 3 did not create the same hype as its predecessor, yet the interest has remained longer. And the game did not fall into a spring slump after release as distinctly as its predecessor:

  • In the last week of March 2024, Call of Duty had 53 % of the release hype of Modern Warfare 2, which is 10 % higher than its predecessor in the same time frame.

The data supports Activision Blizzard’s statement: While the hype around Call of Duty at release was weaker than the previous year, it is now a bit more consistent.

According to the data, interest in Call of Duty is slightly higher compared to the previous year at the same time, but only by a little.

The development of service games often determines how consistent a game is after release. However, the performance of an esports athlete is assessed by different factors:

Call of Duty: Esport professional exposes colleague who smokes weed and plays high

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

A special character from Dragon’s Dogma 2 has good rewards for you, but he is frightening

In Dragon’s Dogma 2 there is a character who rewards you handsomely for solving 10 puzzles. However, players find the appearance of the quest giver frightening.

What kind of character is this? In Dragon’s Dogma 2, there are various quest givers, and one, met in the middle of the game, is particularly scary. We are talking about the Sphinx, who attracts attention with her intimidating gaze and revealing appearance. 

Who is the Sphinx? The Sphinx is a mythical creature with the body of a lion, the head of a human, and the wings of an eagle.

She lives reclusively and alone in a well-hidden shrine in Dragon’s Dogma 2. If you find her, she will challenge you with ten riddles, which will yield good rewards.

Here you can see the trailer for Dragon’s Dogma 2.

Start video
For the launch, Dragon’s Dogma 2 will receive a final trailer

The Sphinx is frightening, even though she is scantily dressed

Why is the Sphinx frightening? Players find the Sphinx particularly terrifying because of her strange facial expressions. You can see well in our cover image why players feel a bit afraid of her. Interestingly, despite her revealing clothing, players find her rather frightening.

On TikTok, there are already several videos about the Sphinx. Among them is the TikTok video by in_gob_we_trust, which has gathered many comments about the Sphinx. It’s That One Guy writes there: “The Sphinx has that ‘Makima’ death stare.” This refers to the character from the anime and manga Chainsaw Man, who is notable for her special eyes.

fartsmella praises her design: “It’s amazing how her scales grow and fade as her pupils dilate, such attention to detail.”

Solving the riddles brings valuable rewards

What kind of riddles are they? The Sphinx has 10 riddles for you. At the end of each riddle, a reward awaits you, and at the conclusion of the quest line, you will receive another 27,000 EXP, 10,000 gold, and the Wisdom Key, with which you can open the golden chest and obtain the Eternal Lazarus Stone.

In the riddles, you must complete various tasks, which we do not wish to list all here. You will need to travel, gather, fight, and in the end, a boss battle awaits you. Those who want to know exactly what the Sphinx is about can check our guide: Dragon’s Dogma 2: Sphinx Riddles – How to Solve the 10 Riddles

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

Players demand new Pals in Palworld – Dataminers discover exactly what everyone wishes for

In Palworld you can currently face the first raid. Now there are also news on another front: Dataminers have discovered new Pals. Among them is one that players have been wishing for a long time.

What has happened recently in Palworld? After an overwhelmingly good launch in January, things have been getting quieter around Palworld since mid-February. However, developer Pocket Pair recently released a major update with the first significant endgame raid.

You can check out the new boss enemy in the trailer here:

Start video
The developers of Palworld showcase the 1st raid

The update was released a few days ago and also brought fresh content for dataminers. This was of course immediately analyzed, and several new potential Pals were discovered.

New Pals for Palworld – With a Community Wish?

What have the dataminers found? Via reddit, dataminer quiteverydumb shares his new discoveries. He was able to find the following possible new Pals:

  • gorilla_ground
  • kingbahamut_dragon
  • foxmage_dark
  • catmage_fire
  • herculesbeetle_ground
  • weaseldragon_fire
  • skydragon_grass
  • hadesbird_electric
  • ronin_dark
  • darkscorpion_ground

In Palworld, the Pals are named after their model counterparts. Warsect, one of the best early tank Pals, is named herculesbeetle in the game data, which means Hercules beetle. The found herculesbeetle_ground is presumably a new version of Warsect with the ground element.

So, the found Pals are accordingly versions of known Pals with new elemental affiliations. Among them is also one that players have been wishing for on reddit for quite some time.

Which of the Pals do players wish for? Commenters under quiteverydumb’s post paid special attention to weasledragon_fire. weasledragon is the name of the Pal Chillet. As the codename suggests, it is a weasel-like dragon Pal with the ice element. The addition _fire therefore indicates a fire version of the creature.

However, players have actually been wishing for a fire version for Chillet for quite some time. In a reddit post from two months ago, user AetherBytes presented his version: the Grillet.

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Under the post about the recently discovered Pals, players are excited about the discovery: Aggravating-Bug-8761 writes, Grillet is now Canon. MimeKirby agrees and hopes they actually name it Grillet and not Chillet Ignis.

There are already some Pals with different elemental versions. The powerful water Pal Jormuntide can also be caught as a strong Jormuntide Ignis. Besides the beings with elemental name additions, there are also Pal variants like Paladius and its night version Necromus. These follow a different naming convention.

Both name versions – Grillet and Chillet Ignis – would therefore be absolutely plausible. However, it would likely be important for the developers to clarify the rights to the name Grillet and whether they can actually use it.

If there are no legal obstacles to the name Grillet, the chance is very high that developers Pocket Pair will opt for it. By the way, they recently proved they also have a sense of humor with their April 1, 2024 post: Did you know that lonely Pals go to a school and long for your love?

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

CoD: MW3 gives you a big XP bonus, community complains: “For solo players, this is crap”

With Season 3, the developers introduced a hefty XP bonus in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone. The community has expressed dissatisfaction, and solo players feel disadvantaged.

On Wednesday, April 3, 2024, Season 3 launched in CoD: MW3 and Warzone, bringing a bunch of new content to the shooter. Multiplayer will receive additional game modes and new maps, and Rebirth Island returns in Warzone.

One change in Season 3 affects XP when playing in a group: a bonus has been added to provide you with more XP based on group size. However, solo players seem to feel disadvantaged as a result.

You can watch the Season 3 trailer for CoD: MW3 here:

Start video
CoD MW3: Season 3 Multiplayer Trailer

“A big middle finger to solo players”

What is the community complaining about? On Reddit, players are complaining in a post from April 4 for two reasons regarding the bonus:

  • Only players who play in groups receive the bonus, while solo players miss out.
  • The lobbies are automatically dissolved after each match, making it difficult to team up with people in a party unless you have friends playing along.

“barnesnoblebooks” writes in his comment that developers should not dissolve the lobbies so that players can find friends. One user notes, “I reject all of CoD’s efforts to bring me together with other players… I already have enough toxicity at work!”

Several users note they have no friends to play with – or those friends have switched to other games. “I’m not going to join any random party every time I want to play,” writes “TheGreatBenjie”.

And “slayer-x” states that he is not a fan of this, as it only encourages playing in a full group and punishes solo players. Someone else comments, “Well… as a solo player, this is garbage.” And “SirJimiee” writes: “This is a middle finger to solo players.”

Sledgehammer Games points out in the comment, by the way, that “this feature cannot be combined with double XP events.” So far, the developers have not responded to the other comments in the thread.

The following bonuses are available in Multiplayer and Warzone

How much is the XP bonus? In the patch notes for Season 3, it is clarified how the XP bonus works. The game rewards you with more XP the larger your team is:

  • 2 players: +25% XP on rank and weapons
  • 3 players: +25% XP on rank, weapons, and Battle Pass
  • 4+ players: +30% XP on rank, weapons, and Battle Pass

Is there a bonus in Warzone as well? According to the patch notes, there is a “Squad Play Bonus” in Warzone. The system rewards players with an XP bonus for levels, weapons, and Battle Pass. The individual bonuses gradually increase when players finish a match and at least one of the following conditions is met:

  • The player has at least one friend in their group
  • The player is searching for a match with “team fill” enabled
  • The player is searching for a new match with “stay in team” enabled after a round

The bonuses for consecutive matches are:

  • first match: 1000
  • second match: 1500
  • third match: 3000
  • fourth match and beyond: 5000

In Season 3, you can currently unlock three new weapons – a submachine gun, a sniper rifle, and a melee weapon. Another one will be added during the season. The sniper rifle “MORS” has already made its way into the meta lists for multiplayer and Warzone. You can find out how to unlock this weapon here.

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

Expert tests Season 4 of Diablo 4, oneshots all Uber bosses at level 200 still on the PTR

On the PTR, players test different classes and builds in Diablo 4. An expert has created a build that allows him to oneshot the “Level 200” bosses. Here on MeinMMO, you can find out what it’s all about.

Since April 2, the PTR (Public Test Server) of Diablo 4 has been open, and everyone can test the new features of Season 4 on PC via Battle.net. After just the first day, almost all experts were absolutely thrilled.

The Diablo expert Rob2628 is known for his OP builds. With one of them, he dealt over 1 billion damage in Zirs’ slaughterhouse and made Druids top tier. On the PTR, he tested a Hurricane build with his Druid and shows in a YouTube video how he oneshots the hardest bosses – and also causes damage in the billions again.

Leaderboards were introduced in Diablo 4 in Season 3 and will remain in place afterward. In the video, you can learn more about the leaderboards:

Start video
Diablo 4: The developers talk about the leaderboards and how to climb up there

Expert causes damage numbers in the billions

How does he manage to deal so much damage? Rob plays a YouTube video as a Boulder Hurricane Druid. With the hurricane, he deals damage to enemies around him while crushing them with boulders. According to him, there are apparently “broken” mechanics that account for the enormous damage.

Important for this is the skill “Nature’s Fury,” which gives casting an earth skill a 30% chance to trigger a storm skill of the same category and vice versa.

In the video, Rob explains that he uses the Boulder ability to trigger Hurricane, which in turn increases its damage over time. He says: “And you can see here that [the damage] goes high and high and high and high, basically infinitely.”

As he performs the attacks, damage numbers in the billions and even trillions fly through the air. You can see the video here:

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At the timestamp of 3:48 minutes, you see damage amounting to 1,318,352,977,920.

Rob2628 notes in the video that he suspects that with Thunderstruck, even more damage can be done here. However, he currently does not have the legendary node equipped in the Paragon board. This could also be related to Overpower damage. Overpower is one of the mechanics that can multiply damage for all classes.

Is this intended? A discussion arises in the comments about the cause of the massive damage numbers. The Diablo expert wudijo, one of the experts from maxroll.gg, one of the most important websites on Diablo, attempts an explanation.

He writes in his comment:

The bug with infinite damage has absolutely nothing to do with the duration of Hurricane, Thunderstruck, or Overpower. It is simply that the damage from Hurricane is oddly multiplied when you refresh it with “Nature’s Fury” casts, even if you are not using any of the aforementioned abilities.

The user “NikoWrex” notes in a comment that he believes the Hurricane refresh is stacked infinitely and the damage sticks are going crazy. He showed wudijo a video, and he forwarded it to Blizzard.

It remains to be seen how the Druid build will ultimately perform in the new season and what opportunities will arise.

On the PTR, numerous players test the new features that will come with Season 4 in May for Diablo 4. Blizzard has extended the current Season 3 to evaluate feedback from the PTR. The focus is supposed to be on the fundamental changes, which is why you won’t find a season theme on the test server.

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

Demon Slayer: 2 important features of Tanjiro were not planned at all, now part of the story

Tanjiro Kamado is the protagonist of Demon Slayer. In search of a cure for his sister, he faces numerous demons. However, there are two characteristics that were actually not intended for the demon slayer from the beginning.

What characteristics are they? While Tanjiro stands out with his checkered outfit, that was not enough for the editor Tatsuhiko Katayama. He asked the manga’s creator (Koyoharu Gotouge) to revise Tanjiro to make him look less boring (via MANGA Plus).

Therefore, Gotouge added two traits that have become an important part of Tanjiro:

  • His sun earrings
  • His scar on the face

While the editor thought the earrings would make Tanjiro look a bit feminine, ultimately, the design was approved. For the anime, however, other elements had to be added to make it more appealing for viewers. Thanks to the editor, the protagonist received the appearance we recognize from both the manga and the anime.

The fourth season of the anime is simultaneously available in many countries:

Start video
Demon Slayer celebrates the premiere of Season 4 in 140 countries and regions

Tanjiro’s scar and earrings have become important

Warning, spoilers: Here we delve into background information about demon slayers and Tanjiro’s breathing techniques, which are based on the state of the 3rd season of the anime.

What role do they play in the story? Tanjiro received his earrings from his father. They symbolize the sun breathing, which becomes increasingly important throughout the story. In the anime, only Tanjiro and his father are known to master this breathing technique so far.

It was the first breathing technique invented by Yoriichi Tsugikuni. All other breathing techniques are derived from it.

The scar has also taken on an essential role. It is actually a mark for demon slayers. Both Tanjiro and the creator of the sun breathing had such a mark on their faces. Over the course of the anime, the color and shape of the marking on Tanjiro’s face change, indicating that it is not just an ordinary scar.

Originally, the scar was explained as something Tanjiro got when he wanted to protect his brother from a kettle of hot water. However, this marking has now even awakened and grants Tanjiro special powers.

If you are a big fan of Demon Slayer, this video game might be for you: New game conquering Steam, receives 89% positive reviews – What is Demon Slayer – The Hinokami Chronicles?

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

Pokémon GO: Spotlight Hour today brings Glibunkel and XP Bonus

Today, the Spotlight Hour with Glibunkel starts in Pokémon GO. We summarize all the information for you.

What kind of event is this? The Spotlight Hour is an event that takes place every Tuesday in Pokémon GO. During this event, there is a Pokémon that is in the spotlight and appears almost exclusively and in large numbers during the event. As the name suggests, the event lasts for 60 minutes.

In addition to the Pokémon, there is also a bonus during the Spotlight Hour that is active for the duration.

Today, you will find Glibunkel in the Spotlight Hour, a Pokémon with the types Poison and Fighting that comes from the 4th generation. It can evolve into Toxiquak.

Start video
Pokémon GO: This is what the new season ‘World full of Wonders’ looks like in the trailer

Spotlight Hour on April 9 – Start and Bonuses

When does the Spotlight Hour start? As usual, the event will start today at 6:00 PM and end at 7:00 PM.

What bonuses are active? During the Spotlight Hour today, there will be an experience points bonus when you evolve Pokémon. You can look forward to double experience points.

Can you catch Shiny Glibunkel? Yes, Glibunkel can also appear in its Shiny form during the Spotlight Hour.

Is the Spotlight Hour worth it? Glibunkel and its evolution Toxiquak are not exactly among the best attackers in Pokémon GO. At least in the Ultra League, Toxiquak is an acceptable Pokémon. However, there are certainly better Pokémon if you’re active in this battle league.

If you are aiming for the Shiny variant of Glibunkel, this event might be worth it for you. Although the Shiny chance is not increased, the large number of Glibunkel spawns gives you a better chance to catch such a specimen.

The experience points bonus for evolving Pokémon might be interesting for you if you have plans to evolve a larger number of Pokémon anyway and are currently collecting experience points.

Are you looking forward to the Spotlight Hour? Are you interested in Glibunkel or the experience points bonus? Or will you not be participating in this Spotlight Hour? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. We have also compiled information about other events in April 2024 in Pokémon GO.

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

Since Elden Ring, no open world has captivated me as much as that of Dragon’s Dogma 2

Since the release of Dragon’s Dogma 2, MeinMMO author Christoph Waldboth is fascinated by one thing above all: the open world. He explains here why he considers it great and what makes it special to him.

A new morning begins. I stand at the edge of a cliff, looking down into the valley. On my left and right stand my pawns, accompanying me on my journey through the vast open world of Dragon’s Dogma 2.

We tear ourselves away from the view and pack our things. We follow the narrow path and encounter a group of nasty goblins. We take them down swiftly and suddenly I spot the entrance to a cave behind their camp. To my surprise, a boss enemy is waiting inside. I grab its treasures and eventually exit the cave through another exit.

In the distance, I spot a village. Should I head there next? Or better yet, to the hill in the east, where a large statue stands and a… a griffin?

But I could also follow the river and fight the dragon that sleeps on the shore. So many possibilities. What should I do? Oh, and the main quest is still waiting to be solved. Not to mention the side quests.

Yes, Dragon’s Dogma 2 gives me plenty to do. After numerous hours in the game, I see the open world as a clear highlight. I would even go so far as to say that Dragon’s Dogma 2 has the best open world since Elden Ring.

Start video
For the launch, Dragon’s Dogma 2 will receive a final trailer

An open world that is truly free

Dragon’s Dogma 2 throws me into a fascinating, open world. Especially in comparison to Elden Ring, it feels almost realistic, not unlike our forests, meadows, and barren deserts. Sure, the dragons, ogres, and cyclopes still make Dragon’s Dogma 2 a fantasy game.

But it is not nearly as crazy as Elden Ring when it comes to the design of the world and enemies. That did not bother me as a fan of From Software; on the contrary.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 feels very grounded to me. I can easily get lost in the world. The immersion is right. A good example of this is the night. When I see the sun setting, I become nervous. I need to find a campfire quickly to rest. Because at night, the enemies are much more dangerous.

My pawns and I sit together by the fire. In my mind, I am already planning the next day. I wanted to explore the valley next door, and I know it is usually worth it. I almost always find some exciting discovery.

Fast travel can be left behind

Because I have a notorious fear of missing something exciting, I explore every corner of the game world. This works well because I can reach almost all the places I see. On foot, of course. I want to use the much discussed fast travel only in the rarest cases.

Otherwise, I would miss out on so much cool stuff. I only reached the capital of Vermund, Vernworth, after about seven hours of gameplay. I could have taken an ox cart relatively early on and fast-traveled there.

Instead, I made my way on foot and got quickly distracted. The game world is designed to suck me in. It wants to be discovered. The microtransactions from Capcom, which aim to undermine this important part of the gaming experience by allowing the purchase of fast travel items, feel very out of place.

They contradict the design philosophy of Dragon’s Dogma 2 and can be safely ignored. Twitch streamer Maurice Weber shares a similar opinion.

What, there are quests?

Eventually, I ended up back at the main quest. At first, it led me repeatedly into the same narrow castle. But I wanted to be out in the open world, I thought. And then I did just that.

Once again, I forgot that I am the Awakened one. Instead, I preferred to butcher my way through groups of enemies, find cool loot, and climb the ranks. I combined ingredients and ensured a supply of provisions. I organized my inventory and made sure I wasn’t overburdened.

My pawns often showed me the way to hidden places. They also blended organically into the open world and brought it to life. In short: I became a part of the game world and was not just a guest.

All of that made and still makes me have so much fun that I concluded: The open world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 is so good that it actually doesn’t need quests.

The quests are so open that I can’t avoid exploring. The solutions to the quests are rarely lying around; they need to be found. There are no thousand quest markers that I mindlessly run through, completely blind to the world around me. I have to look closely, observe my surroundings, and only then do I realize how beautifully and organically it is designed.

I like such things, but I understand if others are annoyed by it.

The journey will continue

Sure, eventually, the fascination with the game world will wear off when there are no new areas to discover and I am just running in circles. Then I will use ox carts and sometimes also a travel stone. And yes, the enemies already repeat themselves too often.

Overall, however, the impression is very positive. Other players feel the same way as I do. On Reddit, users like SnickleSauce write about how much they, too, have lost themselves in the world.

Similar to Elden Ring, Dragon’s Dogma 2 manages to create a sense of freedom with its open world that is unparalleled. The world feels authentic and believable. In contrast, titles like Skyrim or my personal ESO favorite Oblivion, where a quest giver sits at every corner, feel almost constructed and artificial. Of course, this is nitpicking at a high level.

I’ll spend many more hours in the open world of Dragon’s Dogma 2. How do you feel about it? Do you like the game’s open world? Or do you long for more guidance for players? Let us know in the comments! You can find various guides to Dragon’s Dogma 2 on MeinMMO.

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

Reved streams undercover on Twitch – But that doesn’t mean the big comeback yet

The former biggest streamer on German Twitch, Antonia “Reved” Staab, has been on a streaming break for more than half a year. However, she has now returned for a YouTube video.

Who is it about?

Now Reved celebrated a kind of streaming comeback – but hardly anyone saw it.

Start video
Whether on Madeira or at the mixing console – These are 5 of the biggest German Twitch streamers

Fans eagerly await Reved’s return

What’s the deal with the comeback? In March, Reved secretly returned to Twitch. Under the name “echtereved,” she streamed for an hour. This happened for a YouTube video, which was released on April 7, 2024.

The streamer wanted to find out how many followers she could reach with a completely new channel in one hour, without promoting it on her known social media accounts. The real streaming comeback will probably take a while longer.

How did the experiment go? At first, it did not go well at all: For the streamer who streamed to an average of 7,200 fans in 2023, it was noticeably unusual to have no viewers. She came up with all sorts of ideas to boost the viewer count: from provocative statements to self-promotion with friendly streamers to bribery attempts, Reved really tried everything.

After a few viewers who actually knew Reved stumbled into the stream, she reached up to 77 viewers and 64 followers – she also received a ban for self-promotion from her Twitch colleague Fibii. But Reved was quite satisfied with the result.

How was it received? Although the streaming return was probably only a one-time thing, some of Reved’s fans were happy to see her back on Twitch again. Many praised the idea for the video, but also expressed disappointment at not being present:

  • manjago: “I’m still mad that you didn’t let us know, poor Offchat.”
  • soufleurs: “Missing a stream from Toni is the worst thing that has happened to me this year.”
  • winssi3287: “Banger video and so great that you streamed again. There’s a whole different energy with you when you film a video in stream than when you film it without streaming.”

Reved clearly still has an active community that supports her and eagerly awaits her return to Twitch. This is interesting because many Twitch streamers are reluctant to take a long streaming break: viewers might find another content creator in the meantime.

This leads to a kind of culture of self-exploitation on Twitch: if you want to succeed, you have to keep “grinding,” ideally streaming daily for many hours. Perhaps the feedback that Reved receives from her loyal fans encourages some streamers to take a break as well.

Twitch eats its children – A German streamer says “It’s destroying me”

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

A cooperative survival game on Steam releases in May, reminiscent of Half-Life in the research lab

A new cooperative game will be released in May on Steam. Even with the demo, it has already convinced some players. You can find out what to expect here.

What game is this about? Abiotic Factor is a cooperative survival game that is set to start Early Access on Steam on May 2, 2024. It is being developed by the studio Deep Field Games.

In Abiotic Factor, you take on the role of scientists who must take care of their own survival alongside their research. Every day they are threatened by various creatures, aliens, and nasty robots.

In the trailer, you can take a look at the gameplay, which is styled like the 90s and thus has a certain charm:

Start video
Abiotic Factor already reminds at first glance of Half-Life

The game tests and the latest demo version have been received so well by players that the developers decided to expand it. On Steam, they announced the release date for Abiotic Factor on January 25. Soon, all other players will also be able to convince themselves of the game in the Early Access version.

What can I expect? At first glance, it is clear that Abiotic Factor seems to be inspired by the first Half-Life. The characters and the environment deep underground strongly remind one of the classic game.

It is not surprising that newer games take inspiration from the shooter. After all, Half-Life is still one of the most important games on Steam even today.

In Abiotic Factor, you can play with up to 6 players. As scientists and employees of a secret organization, you venture into a research laboratory plagued by anomalies and paranormal beings. With your research, you aim to find explanations for the occurrences.

Due to a catastrophic incident, these beings are now roaming free and turning your workplace into a battleground for survival. All isolation measures have failed, leaving you alone in the depths.

The following features are promised by Abiotic Factor:

  • You create your own character along with appearance and gear.
  • You choose a doctorate that grants you various skills and talents. This way, you can find the right role for you as a plant geneticist, defense analyst, or construction engineer.
  • You explore a large underground complex full of artifacts and failed scientific experiments.
  • Since your characters are not born fighters, you need to craft the right tools, weapons, and equipment to help you in combat.
  • You gather resources from offices, labs, and old vending machines.
  • You can design your base yourself and move it to another location within the research complex at any time.

At the end of March, another survival game already entered Early Access on Steam: New survival game launching in a few days on Steam could be just right for fans of Palworld

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

Former Blizzard dev explains what he regrets about Diablo and what Last Epoch does better now

A developer who was significantly involved in the development of Diablo 3 has long been engrossed in Last Epoch. Now, the former Blizzard employee talks about what distinguishes the two games – and why Blizzard could never have created something like Last Epoch.

Who is the developer?

  • Andrew Chambers was employed at Blizzard between 2011 and 2014 and from 2015 to 2020.
  • During his time, he mainly worked on Diablo 3, particularly on the crafting system, skills, and the Crusader. Later, he contributed to the WoW expansions Battle for Azeroth and Legion.
  • Chambers has been in the industry since at least 1999 and has in his portfolio works like Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War and Space Marine, as well as positions at Relic, Klei Entertainment, and Netflix. Today, he mainly works independently as a content creator.

You can watch the full video of Andrew Chambers here:

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This is what Chambers says: In a video on YouTube, Chambers compares the recently released Last Epoch with the Diablo series – specifically with Diablo 3, which he participated in. Last Epoch had captivated him for a long time.

He states in his video: Blizzard would have never been able to create something like Last Epoch. The main reason for this is the skills. They are much more complex and extensive in Last Epoch than in Diablo 3, but that seems to be exactly what action RPG players desire:

Although [the skill system] of Last Epoch is ridiculously complicated, I think that’s exactly what players want. You have your passives that you choose while leveling, a subclass that you level up, and then more and more skills that you unlock by selecting passives. […] That’s insane; it allows you to tailor a very specific class for yourself.

We couldn’t do something like that in Diablo 3. […] We didn’t have a stat system that would have allowed such complexity. The stat system is the heart of everything else related to it. If it’s fundamentally simple, then you are limited in what else you can do. […] With a broad stat system, you can make items, skills, and passives more complex or detailed.

In the meantime, there was even a system that was similarly complex to that of Last Epoch – with runes that needed to be used in skills and had specific affixes. However, that was discarded because it would have led to too much chaos. Chambers regrets that decision today.

In the end, Diablo decided to be less complex to appeal to more players: “We targeted a larger audience than just Diablo players. We didn’t want to just win over the Diablo audience; we wanted to expand it.” For that, systems needed to be more accessible.

We have already talked live with the heads about the future of Diablo 4:

Start video
BlizzCon 2023: Diablo 4 leaders talk to us about the development and future of the game

Diablo still does some things better than Last Epoch

Chambers goes on to discuss features like the trading system of Last Epoch, which he believes every ARPG developer should take a look at. The two guilds that complement your playstyle are precisely what such a game needs. It caters to every type of player: those who prefer to go solo or with friends and those who enjoy trading.

Here, Blizzard made a huge mistake. The controversial real-money auction house of Diablo 3 and the opportunity to trade and resell items led to chaos and made it feel like there was no sense in actually earning an item:

The gear never felt like it was yours. There was no story behind it. It was more like: “Hey, I’m borrowing the best monk in the game and skipping the whole journey there.” That is not satisfying; that is the definition of cheating.

Nevertheless, Last Epoch is not simply the better game. Chambers emphasizes that he does not want to speak ill of Diablo. It has even spoiled all other action RPGs for him, as he says. He lists several features:

  • The game feel and gameplay in Diablo: using skills feels simply better in Diablo 3. The chaining and use of skills are excellent.
  • Diablo 3 has a deeper story than Last Epoch; you build a real connection with the characters. This was also a focus of the team, for which the endgame was neglected.
  • Cinematics – this is still something that no one can match Blizzard on.
  • Enemies and, especially, enemy families that allow for the creation of various enemies within thematic coherence in a corresponding area.

Interestingly, Chambers states that in terms of gameplay, Diablo 4 no longer reaches that standard. At least for him, “it just doesn’t deliver.” However, players here say exactly the opposite and believe that Diablo 4 now feels as smooth as Diablo 3 – especially when returning from Last Epoch: Some players are returning to Diablo 4 after hundreds of hours in Last Epoch: This is what they say

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

Strategy geniuses promised us a game for Star Trek – After 6 months it is dead, the reviews on Steam are burning

Paradox Interactive has announced that it will be discontinuing the development of Star Trek: Infinite. Only 6 months after the release, there will be no more updates, and expansions will also not be released. Fans are drawing their Bat’leths, unlocking the photon torpedoes, and unleashing a full barrage of hate on the Steam reviews.

What kind of game is this? It was actually a sure thing:

  • The strategy specialists from Paradox have been developing and refining the brilliant sci-fi epic “Stellaris” since 2016, for which there is already a good Star Trek mod.
  • Now they wanted to basically create an accessible Stellaris with a Star Trek skin to attract the fans. They commissioned a South American studio to implement it.
  • The interest in the game and the anticipation were high because there hadn’t been a 4x game in the Star Trek universe for 25 years, since Star Trek: Birth of the Federation.

The game was released on October 12, 2023, but success eluded it, and now fans are facing a harsh awakening.

Start video
Star Trek Infinite – Game features and pre-sale bonuses

This is the announcement from Paradox: On March 27, they informed fans that Star Trek: Infinite will not receive any further updates (via paradox).

They do not provide any reasons; instead, they express their gratitude and bow deeply in both directions.

Steam Reviews Drop to “Very Negative”

This is the reaction: The reactions are devastating: People are venting their frustration through negative reviews on Steam. The ratings have now dropped to a dark red “Very Negative” over the last 30 days. People are writing:

  • “That’s how you can blacklist yourself as a developer”
  • “Absolute disgrace”
  • “How can you ruin such a license?”

How did Star Trek Infinite perform? Poorly. At launch, the game peaked at only 5,526 players. Now there are about 120 online at peak.

Not even a month after release, Star Trek Infinite had already dropped below 1,000 players and could not recover from it.

And is that why they are discontinuing it? As GameStar speculates, issues with the developer Nimble Giant might also have contributed to the decision to halt development. The South American studio belongs to the struggling gaming giant Embracer Group, which has already cut jobs and laid off employees from the studio twice in recent months.

Perhaps they can no longer continue the development, and Paradox can or wants not to provide a replacement.

Buyers Feel Paradox is Breaking the Deal, Feel Betrayed

What is the problem? Star Trek: Infinite simply wasn’t good at release. Any “word of mouth” or hype fell through due to reviews. The reactions were rather lukewarm to restrained, discouraging purchases.

In any case, the enthusiasm for the game was not as great as Paradox had hoped, especially since Stellaris already had a fan-made Star Trek mod that many were satisfied with.

After the mediocre launch of Star Trek Infinite, players hoped that Paradox would at least continue to develop the game, just like the big other franchises that get better over time.

The fact that they are now giving up the title so early is seen as a breach of this deal.

Especially since Paradox is already under criticism for the botched release of Cities Skylines 2 and the end of Imperator: Rome.

Why wasn’t Star Trek Infinite good? The concept of Stellaris prescribes that you slowly build up in a secluded part of the galaxy and can spread and colonize new planets until you encounter the first aliens you deal with.

In Star Trek Infinite, you encounter the alien races right at the beginning of the game, but each of the 4 races (Federation, Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians) has a vast hinterland behind them that they can colonize endlessly, leading to a crude gameplay experience.

Star Trek: Infinite was clearly inferior to Stellaris in its basic concept and simply did not ignite.

New Star Trek game launches on Steam: Already suffering severe damage in the warp core

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

EA FC 24: Well-known streamer discovers new retro jersey from RB Leipzig and flips out

In EA FC 24 there are now brand new retro jerseys, and one of them has left the well-known streamer GamerBrother speechless.

One of the most famous German streamers for EA FC 24 and host of the soccer show At Broski, GamerBrother, discovered the new retro jersey of RB Leipzig during one of his streams and spontaneously expressed his opinion about it.

This is the jersey in question: As part of the current Golazo event, EA has released some retro jerseys for Ultimate Team, which can be purchased for 40,000 coins. Among them are kits from Borussia Dortmund from the 1975/76 season, Sporting Lisbon with a jersey from 1924, and Liverpool FC with its 95/96 jersey.

But the double DFB-Pokal winner RB Leipzig is also in the mix, with a jersey from the previous season 2022/2023.

In this jersey, RB Leipzig won the DFB-Pokal.

“I can’t handle this right now”

This is what GamerBrother says about the retro jersey of RB Leipzig: In his stream, GamerBrother was urged by his viewers to buy the jersey. In disbelief, he says, before he discovers the jersey in the shop: “I’ve read that a few times in the chat, but this can’t be true, right?”

Shortly after, GamerBrother sees the jersey, jumps up from his chair, and cannot believe what he sees on the screen. In his nearly two-minute rant, he says, visibly annoyed:

  • “You have 56 professional clubs in the Bundesliga and you give a retro jersey to RB Leipzig?”
  • “A retro jersey to RB Leipzig. What’s allowed in satire?”
  • “I can’t handle this right now.”

And also a: “Are you kidding me?” crosses the streamer’s lips. If you want to see the full reaction, watch the video from minute 16:33.

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Why is a retro jersey for Leipzig so controversial? Due to its lack of tradition and a comparatively late foundation in 2009, Leipzig has a tough time with fans in the Bundesliga.

Bundesliga supporters view the financial support of RB Leipzig’s main sponsor as particularly critical.

If you are looking for some hidden gems for your team, check this out:

EA FC 24: 10 cards that are highly sought after, even though nobody plays them – A new feature makes it possible

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

A player buys a graphics card for 1,400 euros and secures it with a real pistol in his gaming PC

A player shows on Reddit how he protects his new graphics card worth 1,400 Euros from sagging. Instead of using the manufacturer’s accessories, he prefers a 40-year-old firearm.

On Reddit, it has developed into a small trend to use as original graphics card supports as possible in one’s gaming PC. However, this assumes that the graphics card fits in the computer at all.

Users often resort to everyday household items, which, in combination with their graphics card, lead to funny images.

One player has taken this to the extreme. He opted for a small firearm to give his 1,400 Euro graphics card the needed stable support.

Start video
Check out the brilliant Collector’s Edition of the NVIDIA TITAN Xp in Star Wars style in the video

Firearm in Gaming PC Becomes Graphics Card Support

What did the player do? User deltarho presents an unusual method in a Reddit post to secure his new graphics card. Here, he deliberately does without the support supplied by the manufacturer for his 1,400 Euro MSI GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER.

The player prefers to use a 40-year-old firearm that was originally developed in Italy. In this case, it is a model of the Beretta 21A Bobcat that is only manufactured in the USA. The semi-automatic pocket pistol should be familiar to some shooter game players.

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Why a pistol as support? Deltarho describes himself as a collector and states that he has several versions of this weapon in his possession. However, the model used in his gaming PC is only a display piece that can serve as an original support due to its suitable dimensions.

I found that my Beretta 21A Bobcat is the perfect height to use as a temporary anti-sag support.

deltarho on Reddit

In comments under his post, the player elaborates further. As a fan of the 80s, he feels reminded of that time by the Beretta. After revealing that he is American, responses follow that target the stereotype regarding gun usage in the United States.

M78MEDIA sums it up with his comment:

The most American GPU support bracket

Another player even took it a step further and used the post as inspiration to also protect his graphics card from sagging with a firearm: “I’m stealing this idea as soon as I get home from work!” (Ru5tBeard via Reddit)

Using a pistol as a support for a graphics card is admittedly very unusual. At least this construction seems stable, provided that the gaming PC remains in place. Far less safe appears to be the case where a user has used half a pencil: Gamer buys a graphics card for $500, only to secure it with half a pencil for a few cents

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 3DJuegos.com

A game on Steam has 97% positive reviews, although the developers gave up on it 3 years ago

The strategy game “Imperator: Rome” has received 97% positive reviews on Steam in the last 30 days, even though the developers, Paradox Interactive, actually abandoned the game back in 2021. But fans and an active modding scene simply won’t let it die. After 3 years with fewer than 1,000 average players on Steam, it surpassed the 1,000 mark again in March 2024.

What kind of game is it?

  • Imperator: Rome takes place from 304 to 27 BC. This is the time when the Roman Empire was expanding. In 27 BC, Augustus, the heir of Caesar, was crowned the first Roman Emperor.
  • It is a large 4x strategy game where you can choose from countless factions: from the powerful Rome itself, which at the start of the game consists of a few provinces around Rome, to Carthage, Egypt, or Sparta, it’s all included. You can also play as a tiny tribe in Ireland.
  • You guide the fate of your country, decide on your army, the development of your cities, society, and the many different peoples that make up your empire: Should only Romans have power and all privileges, or do you grant the Etruscans and Corsicans the same rights?

Imperator: Rome is a mix of role-playing and strategy game, as every character in the game, every politician, every general and their families are simulated, having values and traits. Once you defeat a people, you can recruit their leading figures into your ranks, sell them into slavery, make them fight in gladiator battles for the entertainment of the people, or simply kill them.

Start video
Imperator: Rome – Announcement Trailer

The game sells well, gets good reviews – remains somewhat unloved

Why did Imperator: Rome flop? It didn’t really flop. The ratings at launch were okay at 76% on Metacritic, and sales were better than expected.

But: fan support was lacking at launch. Imperator: Rome had weak user scores and wasn’t received as well by fans as Paradox had hoped.

The reasons were many little things, as can be read in forum threads from 2021 (via paradox):

  • You cannot control the characters directly, but only have indirect influence over them
  • Players expected too much micromanagement. You quickly end up with many provinces, and the game became confusing
  • The vanilla version suffered from too many bugs and was difficult
  • The individual factions did not differ enough from one another (via paradox) – there was a lack of details and little things that distinguished each people from one another

Overall, the impression was that the launch was botched, and Imperator: Rome fell short of player expectations.

Many liked the idea of playing a strategy game in this epoch and following in Caesar’s footsteps, but compared to the long-established Europa Universalis or Crusader Kings games, Imperator: Rome fell too short.

That was Paradox’s decision: The developers at Paradox gave up on Imperator: Rome after just 2 years:

  • In 2021, development stopped, and the last of four expansions, “Heirs of Alexander,” was released
  • In June 2022, it was officially stated that development would be halted unless the game was taken over by another studio or there was “sudden renewed interest in the game”
  • The mind behind the game, Johan Anderson, left the project: For some Paradox fans, Anderson is somewhat of an antichrist. Whenever he leaves a project, it suddenly performs better (via reddit)

Fans react to the end of development with defiance and Steam reviews

What happened next? Starting in 2022, a strange development emerged for Imperator: Rome. The developers’ announcement that they would only continue developing the game if interest in it reignited triggered a kind of defiance reaction.

Now, the remaining fans of Imperator: Rome desperately wanted Paradox to see what a gem they were overlooking and treating so poorly.

They shared their opinions with Paradox through reviews on Steam or in posts on social media.

Patch, a great mod, and suddenly players are back on Steam

Did that work? At least a little. They got the developers to work on a new patch 2.0.4 in April 2023, a year after the game was supposed to be dead. However, it wasn’t a real victory. The developers said something curt: while they were releasing a new patch, they remained firm in their decision not to continue developing the game.

However, this new patch served as a foundation for the modders behind the very good Invictus mod to revive the game.

This is the current state: Currently, the reviews on Steam present a particularly strange picture:

  • Thanks to a surge of positive reviews, Imperator: Rome currently stands at “97 positive reviews” in the last 30 days
  • Many of the reviews say things like: “Revive the game, you cowards” or Bring it back!

And in March 2024, Imperator: Rome had more than 1,000 average players online on Steam again for the first time in 3 years (via steamcharts).

And is the game continuing now? No, they are still far from the renewed interest that Paradox called for in 2022. Instead of 1,000 players on Steam, they would need about 4,000 again.

However, on April 1st, someone played a cruel April Fool’s joke: Patch 2.1 was finally coming.

The joke was somewhat cruel, as even former game director Johan Anderson remarked.

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How good is Imperator: Rome really?

Does the game deserve the great reviews? I spent 43 hours in the last few days with Imperator: Rome, also with the current Invictus mod, and say: No, the current 97% positive reviews are more of a defiant reaction that Paradox “abandoned its best game.”

Imperator: Rome is significantly better now with the current mod and the patch than at release, but still suffers from many of the original problems.

It somehow feels fleshless and colorless. The games tend to choke on micromanagement.

A major issue remains the missions, which feel repetitive and force players into a kind of corset: when one starts a mission tree, the game often feels passive and as if one is following a boring plan that mainly consists of waiting for timers to run out.

So, provinces must be developed and one must wait many game months to have the required resources.

Aggressive expansion faces numerous gameplay hurdles that also force you to wait: first, you have to wait for the penalty for aggressive expansion to decrease, then wait for stability to increase, otherwise, you will have to deal with rebellious governors and the Roman Empire breaks apart easily.

Great idea, but the roots of the game are too twisted

Fundamentally, Imperator: Rome is an intriguing mix of interesting ideas and plays in a fascinating era, but despite all the fan protests and efforts, the roots of the game are so flawed that neither Paradox nor a magical wonder mod can fix it anymore.

No matter how much fans wish from Paradox: “Revive it again, you cowards.”

Ultimately, Imperator: Rome remains the wrong horse – Paradox switched to the right one, Crusader Kings 3, 3 years ago. That was probably the right decision, as bitter as it may be for old Romans.

Steam: Swedish strategy geniuses are proud that hardly anyone understands their games and no one ever finishes them

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

HandOfBlood ranted on Twitch about the Baller League, now says: “Just a misunderstanding”

After an initial misunderstanding, Twitch streamer HandOfBlood is allowed to stream the final of the Baller League, which takes place today.

What happened? In a stream, the Twitch streamer Max “HandOfBlood” Knabe mentions that he was not allowed to stream the final of the Baller League. Clips of this spread on social media, prompting HandofBlood to address it once again in his Twitch stream.

The streamer reports an update and says there was a misunderstanding between the Baller League and him. The current status is that “they are looking to see if maybe something can be done,” but the planning is quite last minute for him and his team now.

It is important to him that they do not plan anything “half-baked.”

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HandOfBlood: The most important thing about the YouTuber and Twitch streamer in under a minute

The stream for the final of the Baller League is taking place

When is the stream taking place? The final of the Baller League takes place today, on 08.04.2024. In a recently posted story on his Instagram channel, HandOfBlood once again confirms that the stream will take place.

The stream will start around 6 PM on HandOfBlood’s Twitch channel. Eintracht Spandau is playing at 8:30 PM. However, the streamer hasn’t revealed exactly what is planned for the stream. We do know that he will, of course, also be there in his popular role as President Knabe.

What is the Baller League about? The Baller League, initiated by football stars Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski, started on January 22. In a former hangar of the Cologne Motorworld, twelve teams play in a closed arena on a pitch measuring 50 × 29 meters without boards.

The teams, consisting of six players, compete against each other in 15-minute halves. A lucky wheel adds extra excitement to the game. The season includes 66 matches over eleven match days, and the Final Four takes place in a Bundesliga stadium, where the top 4 in the table determine the champion.

If you want to learn more about the Baller League, you can read about it here:

Eintracht Spandau: HandOfBlood’s LoL team is now doing real sports, snagging a football star as an advisor

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