PlayStation Asia Welcomes The Holidays With A Gift Guide

The best time of the year is finally here – the familiar scents, jingles, and decorations. No matter how peaceful that familiarity is, there is always the mad rush of Holiday gifting. Sony Interactive Entertainment has got you covered for gifting to your PlayStation fans and friends, with latest games from PlayStation Studios and official peripherals to up your gaming experience, no matter what type you’re looking at.
Discover the best gift ideas for gamers on PS4 and PS5 in 2022, from incredible games and accessories, and gift cards here: https://www.playstation.com/en-my/deals/playstation-holiday-gift-guide/.
PlayStation Store Gift Cards

For those who wish to celebrate a budget-friendly Holiday this year, look no further for a gift that is as utilitarian as it does pack a punch. PlayStation Store gift cards are the ideal gift for gamers who want to choose from a large collection of games or add services to their PlayStation experience.
PlayStation Store gift cards are available at convenience stores and PlayStation Authorized dealers.
Uncharted Legacy Of Thieves Collection

In an experience delivered by award-winning developer Naughty Dog, Uncharted Legacy Of Thieves Collection includes Uncharted 4 A Thief’s End and Uncharted The Lost Legacy.
Discover lost history with the charismatic yet complex thieves, Nathan Drake and Chloe Frazer, as they travel the world with a sense of wonder, pursuing extraordinary adventures and lost lore – remastered in stunning detail for the PS5 console with improved visuals and framerate.
Uncharted Legacy Of Thieves Collection is available at PlayStation Authorized Dealers at RM209.
In the meantime, check out my review of the PS5 version of Uncharted Legacy Of Thieves Collection by heading over here.
God Of War Ragnarok

From Santa Monica Studio comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018).
Join Kratos and Atreus on a mythic journey for answers before Ragnarök arrives. Together, father and son must put everything on the line as they journey to each of the Nine Realms.
Armed with his trusty weapons of war – including the Leviathan Axe and the Blades of Chaos – Kratos’ deadly skills will be tested like never before as he fights to protect his family. A host of new abilities for him and Atreus also await, leaving room for fluid, expressive and customizable combat in this epic and unflinching tale.
God Of War Ragnarok is available at PlayStation Authorized Dealers at RM299 (PS5) and RM249 (PS4).
In the meantime, check out our review of the game here, or check out all of Ksavir’s poems and easter eggs contained in the game by heading over here.
Horizon Forbidden West

Join Aloy as she braves the Forbidden West – a majestic but dangerous frontier that conceals mysterious new threats.
Explore distant lands, fight bigger and more awe-inspiring machines, and encounter astonishing new tribes as you return to the far-future, post-apocalyptic world of Horizon. The land is dying. Vicious storms and an unstoppable blight ravage the scattered remnants of humanity, while fearsome new machines prowl their borders. Life on Earth is hurtling towards another extinction, and no one knows why.
It’s up to Aloy to uncover the secrets behind these threats and restore order and balance to the world. Along the way, she must reunite with old friends, forge alliances with warring new factions and unravel the legacy of the ancient past – all the while trying to stay one step ahead of a seemingly undefeatable new enemy.
Horizon Forbidden West is available at RM299 (PS5) and RM249 (PS4).
In the meantime, check out my review of Horizon Forbidden West here or head on over here for a guide.
Gran Turismo 7

Gran Turismo 7 brings together the very best features of the Real Driving Simulator.
Whether you’re a competitive or casual racer, collector, tuner, livery designer or photographer – find your line with a staggering collection of game modes including fan-favourites like GT Campaign, Arcade and Driving School.
With the reintroduction of the legendary GT Simulation Mode, buy, tune, and race your way through a rewarding solo campaign as you unlock new cars and challenges. And if you love going head-to-head with others, hone your skills and compete in the GT Sport Mode.
With over 420 cars available at Brand Central and the Used Car Dealership from day one, Gran Turismo® 7 recreates the look and feel of classic motors and bleeding-edge supercars alike in unparalleled detail. Each car handles differently and feels unique as you navigate over 90 track routes in dynamic weather conditions, including classic courses from GT history.
Gran Turismo 7 is available at RM299 (PS5) and RM249 (PS4).
Check out my review of the game here.
The Last of Us Part I

Endure and survive. Relive the beloved game that started it all, rebuilt for the PlayStation®5 console.
Experience the emotional storytelling and unforgettable characters in The Last of Us, winner of over 200 Game of the Year awards.
In a ravaged civilisation, where infected and hardened survivors run rampant, Joel, a weary protagonist, is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie out of a military quarantine zone. However, what starts as a small job soon transforms into a brutal cross-country journey.
Includes the complete The Last of Us single-player story and celebrated prequel chapter, Left Behind, which explores the events that changed the lives of Ellie and her best friend Riley forever.
The Last of Us Part I is available at PlayStation Authorized Dealers at RM299 (PS5).
Check out my review of the game here.
PlayStation Games For PC

PlayStation has an array of vibrant, heart-stopping PC games to gift your friends and family this holiday season. For your thrill-seeking friends, have them try out Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered or Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales. For those who prefer something a little more adventurous, gift them Days Gone, God of War or Sackboy A Big Adventure. PlayStation games for PC are available on Steam and Epic Game Store.
DualSense Wireless Controller

Treat yourself to the new color of DualSense Wireless Controller for PlayStation 5. The controller provides an awesome gaming experience with adaptive triggers and haptic feedback technology that immerses gamers in the on-screen action and features a built-in mic and headset jack. It comes in five galaxy-inspired colours: Midnight Black, Cosmic Red, Starlight Blue, Galactic Purple, and Nova Pink, as well as the Gray Camouflage.
The DualSense Wireless Controller is available at PlayStation Authorized Dealers at RM349 or RM369.
PS5 Console Covers

Customise your PS5 setup with PS5 console covers that match all the galaxy-inspired DualSense wireless controller colors – in Midnight Black, Cosmic Red, Nova Pink, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple as well as the Gray Camouflage.
These new PS5 console covers are beautiful and easy change to your PS5— simply remove your original white PS5 console covers and click your new ones into place. The PS5 console covers will be available for both the PS5 with the Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive and the PS5 Digital Edition.
PS5 Console Covers are available at PlayStation Authorized Dealers at RM259.
PULSE 3D Wireless Headset

Want to ensure you can hear every footstep, gunshot and dialogue in your games? The PULSE 3D Wireless Headset will be an excellent gift – designed specifically to deliver the 3D Audio made possible by the PS5 system’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, gamers can keep the party chat flowing with crystal-clear voice capture and dual noise-cancelling microphones.
The PULSE 3D Wireless Headset is available at PlayStation Authorized Dealers at RM469 and available on Midnight Black and Gray Camouflage (from 8 December onward).


Afro Samurai Artist Is Drawing These Epic Ghost Of Tsushima Posters

We’re only one month away from the official release of Sucker Punch’s Ghost Of Tsushima, and we’re all hyped for the upcoming PS4 exclusive. To commemorate its release next month, PlayStation Asia has announced that they’re giving away exclusive posters drawn by Takashi Okazaki.
Okazaki is best known for creating the iconic Afro Samurai manga/anime, as well as designing characters in animated movies and video games like Batman Ninja and The Game Bakers’ shoot ’em up indie game Furi.
https://www.facebook.com/PlayStationAsia/posts/3315006171865365?__xts__[0]=68.ARAEBLDxfEUvIgYzm9C-bxt88vG_BhTnnwdc9fhrGr2tA5llKcl9Egxn-2_aYQ9x9Tzxt2KC_7yJzjJhv_5tV3Z99m5nFoZOPM7bEIhvyRvXzMk4EQQkFZD2hqrAuDVajmb7AyGwWWljQ_qU3E3kLrhohKslKslINoDeoFl7y22UeieK2fSF0ghgEFTVmncquHFoQgTRaQJBQyoV1Zsjwiyz9xbnbrwSlri27oY5KcdAvkLTVLS8USi7Ld4vbqaC2j4R7b1Xlrjq5_TJO3ioGAYjzWFfpUwxg4CzTVruNuoSkNfNc1qJFvJnZJsI8bvD_BI41cbahiepgAQJMKaAxsWJpg&__tn__=-R
However, PlayStation Asia has yet to reveal how gamers can win these exclusive Ghost Of Tsushima posters. Still, you can check them out below in all their glory.

Ghost Of TsushimaÂ is slated to release exclusively for the PS4 on 17 July 2020. For the Malaysian prices and details for different editions of the game,Â head on over here,Â or check out everything we know about the game so far here.


Here Is Japan’s Top Three Octopath Traveler Moments

Developer Acquire and Square Enix hosted the 5th-year anniversary of the first Octopath Traveler, which debuted in 2018 for Nintendo Switch. While looking back at the history of the series, the team announces the results of a user survey concerning the game’s best story & music moments.
Here’s your spoiler warning, since we’re delving into endgame territory for a game that was out 5 years ago.

Without further ado, here they are:
Octopath Traveler Best Story Moments
No.3: Primrose confronts Simeon

A rather fitting end to Primrose’s tormentor and former friend.
No.2: Olberic duels Erhardt

Olberic comes to terms with his destiny and the truth behind his predicament.
No.1: The Final Sidequest Leading Up To The True Boss Fight

While lengthy and cryptic, this final optional quest and uber boss fight is worth it just to get a full conclusion out of the game.
It’s rather sad that Ophelia’s final boss fight wasn’t anywhere in the top three: that’s clearly the winner due to its relevance to the character’s plot and ending arc, how it’s set up, and how it’s fully voice-acted compared to the other segments. The dialogue between the villain and heroine also adds gravitas and weight to the entire fight too. At least Octopath Traveler 2 fixed all that.
What didn’t need fixing was the OST, which is still immaculate to this day. Here’s the fan poll for the best tracks in the first game:
#3: Octopath Traveler -Main Theme-

#2: Battle At Journey’s End

#1: Decisive Battle II

The livestream is still ongoing; you can check that out as well as some lovely fanart from the community that’s celebrating the game’s 5th birthday.


Slime Rancher 2 Will Make Its Way Over To PC In September

Slime Rancher 2 by Monomi Park will wriggle its way onto PC in early access in September and will be available on Steam, Epic Games Store and Game Pass.
The game is a direct sequel to the original, continuing the slime-wrangling adventures of Beatrix LeBeau, and featuring a similar mixture of exploration, building, farming, and of course, collecting sparkling slime poo to sell for cash.
Slime Rancher 2 will move away from the first game’s setting of the Far Far Range, to a new location named Rainbow Island. It’s also significantly prettier than the original, which was pleasant enough visually but had fairly basic environments.

Naturally, Rainbow Island will host a wide variety of new slimes to collect, such as the rabbit-like cotton slime, or the somewhat sinister-looking angler slime. As with the first game, these slimes can be cross-bred to create new types of slimes.
According to the Steam page, the game’s early access version will launch with “a big world to explore, many different slimes to collect and combine, and an introduction to the game story and the mystery behind Rainbow Island.” Monomi Park also anticipates the game will remain in early access for “at least 18 months”, specifying that “we have a lot of content planned for version 1.0 and are a no-crunch studio, so we will give the development the time it needs”.
Slime Rancher 2 launches in early access on 22 September, on Steam, Epic Games Store and if you’ve got a Game Pass subscription, it’s also available on Day 1 on Microsoft’s subscription service.


Dishonored Co-Creator Is Working On A New Project

Dishonored franchise co-creator Harvey Smith is working on a mysterious new game at Arkane Austin, alongside the team of developers behind from Dishonored and 2017’s Prey.
In an interview withÂ Spanish publication Vandal, Smith said that he had returned to Arkane Austin after four years working with Arkane Lyon for Dishonored 2.
He also confirmed that he’s not working on the new Arkane Studios game Deathloop, which is slated to launch on 21 May 2021. However, he only mentioned that he’s working with the Dishonored and Prey teams on a new game.
Smith stops short of revealing what game he’s actually working on, but it could very well potentially be a new entry in either the Dishonored or Prey franchises.
Dishonored 2 came out in 2016, with a standalone separate spinoff game Dishonored Death Of The Outsider released only a year later in 2017. The franchise remains one of the best modern immersive sims, and it would be great to see a new next-gen entry.
Dishonored 3, anyone?


Guilty Gear Strive Season Pass 2 Starts Today With The Addition Of Bridget

Anime fighting game fans will be getting more Guilty Gear Strive this year and the next.
Arc System Works announced during EVO 2022 that its Season Pass 2 DLC is underway, with a new(?) character joining the fray: the little yo-yo fighting boy Bridget. He fights with his yo-yo and with a scary bear that pops up for an assist from time to time. He’s classified as an all-round and easy-to-pick-up character with long-range attacks and mobility. Lore-wise, he’s a bounty hunter who was brought up and raised as a girl by rich superstitious parents.
Bridget is available on the roster later today, 8th August.

In addition, Arc System Works celebrates the first year of Guilty Gear Strive with a music video “Find Your One Way” which chronicles the Guilty Gear storyline, featuring the major battles Sol Badguy goes through in the 10 years he’s been around. It’s epic stuff; the studio behind all this animation is called Sanzigen.

Finally, Arc System Works announced that Guilty Gear Strive has surpassed 1 million units shipped worldwide.

Arc System Works is incredibly proud to confirm that Guilty Gear -Strive- has surpassed 1 million units shipped worldwide! Thank you all for your support!#GuiltyGearStrive pic.twitter.com/WUP0sYRRll
— ArcSystemWorks (@ArcSystemWorksU) August 8, 2022


Six Stack: Biggest Takeaways from Overwatch League – Season 1 Stage 2 Week 3

Six Stack is back again with all the biggest stories from this week’s round of Overwatch League matches (and other stuff around it). Let’s hop right into it.
1. Dynasty Taking Charge
Currently undefeated in Stage 2 with a combined map tally of 17-5, the Seoul Dynasty is the league’s in-form team due to several factors which played to their hands; the current meta which befits their play-style, invoking the halcyon days of the dive meta circa OGN APEX S3 as well as favorable matchups leading up to Week 3. Their biggest test comes next week, in Week 4 where they face the New York Excelsior and London Spitfire back-to-back. The last time Dynasty met both teams, it started the meltdown which not only saw Dynasty losing in the matches against these teams, but also played a huge part in denying them a spot from the stage playoffs. The boys from Seoul will be baying for blood and will seek to exact revenge. Successfully doing so will pretty much cement their spot in Stage 2’s playoff stage.
2. Houston, We Have A Problem
While many will laud their comeback win against the Florida Mayhem to stymie the three-match losing streak as a sign of recovery, the Outlaws are not out of the woods yet. For a start, no one saw how the Outlaws – who was one of the most dominant teams in Stage 1 – to even struggle against one of the weakest teams in the league, Florida Mayhem. The fact that Mayhem were a whisker away from pulling off a shock win shows how the Outlaws is having a hard time coping with a much faster playstyles and have been affected the most following the departure of the Mercy meta. Jake’s Junkrat is no longer the game-changing factor it once was and his plays on Tracer is mediocre at best. The roster is struggling – mechanically and tactically – in keeping up with other teams and unless they add new blood to the team, will find themselves languishing at the bottom half of the table by mid-Stage 3.
3. Spluttering SpitfireÂ
Since winning Stage 1 in that epic reverse sweep against New York Excelsior, the Spitfire has undergone several changes, most notably on the personnel side. They shipped out two of their backup players and have also parted ways with their coach. Some may see the move as streamlining to achieve maximum efficiency but from the look of things, it has yet to pay off as the struggles of a long season has started to take a toll on the players. Other teams are slowly catching up to the Spitfire and the latest one are the Gladiators who is now led by one of Spitfire’s former players, Fissure. With a 4-2 record in this season already, they cannot afford any more slip-ups if they are to qualify for the stage playoffs. Luckily for them, though, the the only realistic threat to them in their remaining four matches are the Seoul Dynasty.
4. Resurgent Gladiators
Some may label their win over the Spitfire as a fluke but you shouldn’t dismiss the fact that this team has been on the up since Fissure joined. Save for the loss to the Fuel and Dynasty, this team has been on a decent run capped by the brilliant performance against the Los Angeles Valiant where they won 4-0. The Gladiators right now are definitely much stronger than they were during Stage 1 and can only get better as Fissure assimilates with his new teammates over time. The team is no longer solely reliant on Surefour to make plays and Fissure’s ability to create space opens up countless possibilities for the likes of Hydration and Bischu to shine.
5. A Week of Reverse Sweeps for Florida Mayhem
What a week it has been for the Florida Mayhem. Not only reinforcement(s) finally arrive in the form of Zappis, they almost pulled of a shock result over the Houston Outlaws on Saturday before being on the receiving end of a reverse sweep. Undeterred, they inflicted the same onto crisis team, Dallas Fuel on Sunday to double up their overall win tally and match Stage 1’s record. The Scandinavians showed grit and determination and we while we’ve witnessed several epic reverse sweeps in the Overwatch League already, none came close to the value of that morale-boosting 3-2 win over Fuel. The worst is possibly over for the Mayhem and we look forward to more strong performances as well as potential shock results in weeks to come.
6.Â The League Lays Down the LawÂ
The league warned, fined and suspended players and a coach this week and guess what? Trouble magnet and Dallas Fuel tank main xQc is again involved. Fined $4000 and suspended for four games, this is the second time xQc found himself at the receiving end of the league’s disciplinary whip for things he said on Twitch chat, along with remarks aimed at Overwatch League casters and fellow players. He claims that he’s been targeted by the league and that other players are also guilty of the same, yet were spared the whip. But regardless of how true that claim may be, xQc would be wise to steer clear from such issues moreover when his team isn’t doing so well at the moment. Our issue though is how inconsistent the punishments are. In some cases similar offences in the past saw some really tough punishments compared to what was dished recently and the league would be wise to take into account previous, similar infractions when dishing out punishments in the future.
*Update Monday 12th March 2018Â
The Dallas Fuel have released an official statement announcing that they have released xQc from their roster. For full news on this, head over to our report here.


Persona Theory Games’ Kabaret Launches Next Month

Malaysian developer Persona Theory Games has announced that Kabaret is slated to release on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on 5 April 2023.
Kabaret is a dark fantasy folklore narrative game (visual novel, basically) based on Southeast Asian culture and myths. The protagonist, Jebat, is cursed and uprooted from his small town to a mystical and unforgiving monster realm. Kabaret’s mystery unfolds as Jebat interacts with other Southeast Asian monsters in Kabaret while uncovering the truth about himself.
The game features characters from Southeast Asian myths and legends, and an exploration of minigames based on traditional games like Congkak and Guli. The game’s soundtrack features Indonesian band, Sambasunda, and Malaysian composer, Tay Cher Siang, with sound design by Hello Universe. Kabaret is funded by Wings and is a part of ID@Xbox.
You can wishlist Kabaret and play the demo of the game on Steam right now.
In the meantime, check out my review of Persona Theory Game’s Fires At Midnight, their previous visual novel title from 2022.

?Get excited because Kabaret finally has a release date!!! ?
Mark your calendars for ?5th April 2023 !
Try out our demo if you can't wait~!??
?Kabaret Demo on Steam: https://t.co/RtPaZM0YVj
 #indiegame #Indiedev #TrailerTuesday pic.twitter.com/IzB7rkSBj7
— Persona Theory Games – Wishlist Kabaret ? (@personatheorymy) March 21, 2023


Here’s When You Can Expect The X-Men And Fantastic Four To Join The MCU

Remember when I reported that X-Men and Fantastic Four movies based in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) could already be in development in 2019? Late last year, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige initially stood by that but things have changed and we have a new timetable of when to expect them in the MCU.
In a recent interview with io9, Feige confirmed that “it’ll be a while” before the Children of the Atom and Marvel’s First Family will officially be making an appearance in the MCU. This might be disappointing news to many fans, but it’s unrealistic to think that the folks at Marvel Studios could just scrap every plan they have just to force the X-Men and Fantastic Four into the MCU.

â€œItâ€™s all just beginning and the five-year plan that weâ€™ve been working on, we were working on before any of that was set.
So really itâ€™s much more, for us, less about specifics of when and where [the X-Men will appear] right now and more just the comfort factor and how nice it is that theyâ€™re home. That theyâ€™re all back. But it will be a very long time.â€

That means the X-Men and Fantastic Four probably won’t be featured in the MCU for at least five years because that’s how long the next chapter of the MCU will be. The five-year plan for MCU Phase Four will likely include new properties like Shang-Chi, Black Widow, and The Eternals, all of which are currently in development as we speak. Other essentially-confirmed movies include sequels like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Doctor Strange 2, and more.

â€œThe slate that weâ€™re building over the next five years [is] not apples to apples. It is two very distinct things and I hope theyâ€™ll feel very distinct.
But there is a similar mentality going into it, which is â€˜How can we continue to tell stories with some of the characters that audiences already know and love in a unique way, in a different way, in surprising way, of which we have a lot of plans and ideas and work already going into it?â€™
[Then] â€˜How can we introduce new characters that even hardcore fans, comic fans, have barely known or barely heard of.â€™ Thatâ€™s really exciting too.â€

After all that, how can the X-Men and Fantastic Four possibly fit into the already-crammed plans for MCU Phase Four? What Marvel Studios can do is slowly introduce elements of both properties in the MCU, or seeds if you will. An easter egg there and a reference here will make a huge difference before finally introducing their own MCU movies in the future.
As a comic book fan, I’m all for the X-Men and Fantastic Four to join the MCU as soon as possible. However, I wouldn’t want them to rush into things and make a mess of what we already have with the current state of the MCU. Expanding too much in a short span of time may cause the MCU to implode and crash faster than the new Star Wars movies did.
A time will come when the MCU is complete, and when that time comes, it will be glorious. Until then, let’s just enjoy everything that the MCU has already achieved and will continue to offer in the near future.


EA Motive’s Gaia Project Reportedly Cancelled

EA has reportedly cancelled the EA Motive’s Gaia project, which had been in development for the past six years. According toÂ Bloomberg, the cancellation of the new IP is due to a “resource shift” after the company reviewed projects which are currently in development.
Sources claim that Gaia‘s development had been “turbulent”. The game had apparently been through a “major reboot” since development began in 2015 when Jade Raymond joined as head of EA Motive. She has since left EA Motive in October 2018, which is part of the ongoing issues at the studio, including “cultural clashes” and more problems.
EA Motive’s Gaia was supposed to be in the vein ofÂ “gigantic action games like Assassin’s Creed or the Batman Arkham franchise or GTA,” but the game was ultimately only officially announced during an EA Play live stream in June 2020. Bloomberg also claims that the studio won’t be affected much by the game’s cancellation.
The most recent game by EA Motive was 2020’s Star Wars Squadrons. In the meantime, you can check outÂ my review ofÂ Star Wars SquadronsÂ here, orÂ head on over hereÂ for a full in-depth guide on how to be the best pilot in the galaxy.


Here Are Malaysia’s Representatives For Wild Rift SEA Icon Series Summer Super Cup

The 2021 Southeast Asia (SEA) Icon Series, organized by Riot Games, is set to conclude with its first regional championship of the year – the Summer Super Cup. Throughout the tournament circuit, teams have been competing in League of Legends: Wild Rift, the mobile version of the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that has recorded over 660,000 downloads in the country, and over 12 million downloads across the entire SEA and Hong Kong.
Riot Games Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Head Of Esports Chris Tran said:
â€œItâ€™s time for Southeast Asia to conquer the Rift.
Following the success of our exciting preseason and regional competitions, this monumental tournament is an important step towards establishing our players and teamsâ€™ supremacy as among the elite in the global esports scene.
Together with our partners, weâ€™re excited to showcase the very best that Southeast Asia has to offer and we encourage all Wild Rift and esports fans to tune in, support, and cheer for your favourites.”

The Wild Rift SEA Icon Series – Summer Super Cup is presented by the Philippine Pro Gaming League (PPGL), the largest multi-game esports league in the country co-owned by premier esports organization Mineski Philippines and its long-time telecommunications partner Globe Telecom.
The tournament is also sponsored by international smart device company OPPO, the official mobile of the Summer Super Cup. Out of more than 800 qualifying participants, only 16 teams will be featured in the first-ever pan-regional Wild Rift tournament – the top two from the eight different regions namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. They will vie for the title of being the first Summer Super Cup champion and a prize pool of US$150,000 (around RM620,850).
Head of Globe Games and Esport DC Dominguez said:
â€œAlong with our partner Mineski, the largest esports organizer in Southeast Asia, we at Globe are honored to secure this remarkable opportunity that will allow us to demonstrate the talents and skills of our Filipino esports enthusiasts in delivering exciting esports tournaments and experiences in front of our Asian neighbors.
Most especially with the rise of Wild Rift in the country, Globe has been very supportive it is competitive scene.”
Malaysian Teams At The Wild Rift SEA Icon Series Summer Super Cup
Representing Malaysia is the Berjaya Dragons and Geek Fam. Berjaya Dragons, went unbeaten in the group stage of the ESL Mobile Open 2021 Summer: Malaysia, with a score of 6-0 and won the regional championship and the US$4,845 (RM20,082) prize money after defeating Geek Fam 4-1 in the grand finals. Geek Fam, on the other hand, had to settle for second place and took home us$2,422 (RM10,039) prize money.Â
Rounding up the list of qualifying teams are MVP and QWQ from Hong Kong, Onic Esports and Bigetron Infinity from Indonesia, Amihan Esports and Team Secret from the Philippines, ONE Team and Flash Wolves from Taiwan, EVOS Esports TH and Buriram United Esports from Thailand, Alliance and Impunity Esports from Singapore, & SBTC Esports and CERBERUS Esports from Vietnam.
The Wild Rift SEA Icons Series – Summer Super Cup is divided into two stages, starting with the Group Stage that will run from 19 to 22 June 2021 and the Playoffs from 25 to 27 June 2021. The Grand Finals will happen on the last day as well.
The Playoffs will follow a best-of-five series in a single-elimination format. The top-seeded teams per group will advance to the quarterfinals while the remaining will compete for their spot. Similar to the Group Stage, no teams from the same country will compete against each other in the qualifying matches.
Afterwards, single-elimination continues until the top two teams are decided who will battle it out for a chance at supremacy and the distinction of being the Southeast Asia Summer Super Cup champion and conqueror of the Rift.Â
Catch the exclusive live streams of the Wild Rift SEA Icon Series – Summer Super Cup on the official channels of PPGL:

Facebook
Twitch
YouTube
TikTok


New Wonder Woman 1984 Trailer Unveils Cheetah In All her Glory

DC FanDome kicked off earlier today with the Wonder Woman 1984, in which DC Comics fans managed to ask several questions.
The cast appeared in the panel, including director Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot, Kristen Wiig, Chris Pine, and Pedro Pascal. Lynda Carter, who starred in the classic Wonder Woman TV series that ran from 1975 to 1979, also made a surprise cameo appearance on the panel.

At the end of the panel, Jenkins revealed the second official trailer for Wonder Woman 1984. The trailer revealed a more extensive look at the filmâ€™s two villains, Barbara Ann Minerva AKA Cheetah (Kristen Wiig), and Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal).
It seems that Lord has somehow discovered a way to give people their deepest desires, which for Diana Prince AKA Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) is the return of her deceased love interest Steve Trevor (ChrisPine), who was last seen at the end of 2017â€™s Wonder Woman.
The biggest revelation is our first clear look at Cheetah in all her furry glory, tail and all. She sort of looks inspired by the Cheetah design in NetherRealm’s Injustice franchise.

Wonder Woman 1984 is slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 2 October 2020. Check out the brand new Wonder Woman 1984 trailer below.


Borderlands 3’s Latest April Hotfix Buffs Up Powerhouse Legendary Weapons Further

The developers at Gearbox are still keeping Borderlands 3 fresh with new hotfixes, with this 29th April update being a bit more prominent.
Apart from changing the location of Maurice’s Black Market vending machine again (more on that later this week), the devs have fixed a bug that drops the wrong Class Mod for the Beastmaster and Gunner in the Guns, Love, and Tentacles add-on. So you should be getting your Fl4k Class Mod from dedicated drops and vice versa for Moze.
And yes, there are Legendary Weapon buffs to help players “feel a ramp of power through these changes as they tackle each piece of content”. Basically the tougher the challenge, the more buffed the gear should be. These are the weapons that have received a deserved damage buff:
Mayhem 4 Gear

Craderâ€™s EM-P5
Tankmanâ€™s Shield

Takedown at the Maliwan Blacksite Gear

S3RV-80S-EXECUTE
Moonfire
Kybâ€™s Worth
Redistributor

Mayhem 6 Gear

Reflux
DNA
Multi-Tap

Takedown at the Guardian Breach Gear

Web Slinger
Globetrottr
Smog
Lightspeed Grenade Mod

Yes, our favourite weapons such as the Reflux, Kyb’s Worth, Smog, and Redistributor are getting damage buffs later this week. Hopefully they’re significant enough to justify the farming and Takedown-replaying effort. For more on the best Legendary Weapons and gear of Borderlands 3 this year, head on over to our feature.


The Games That Inspired Lovebirb, The New Indie Rhythm Game From The Philippines

Lovebirb is a new rhythm game by the Philippines-based Anonymous Penguin Studio, combining rhythm action with avian attraction.
That’s right, you’re pretty fly. You’re a bird! And you’re looking to date other birds – and each scene plays out in a rhythm game level.
The game was showcased at last year’s Wholesome Direct, and is now available for free download on Steam. Lovebirb is developed by a small team that’s pulled a variety of references from their own library of favourite rhythm games, ranging from common to more obscure. So in between working on the release, we were able to ask them about those rhythm games!

What are your favourite rhythm games?

Mik Montaño, Producer at Anonymous Penguin: I’m pretty casual with rhythm games, but I grew up with Osu and Rhythm Heaven!
Tup Luisking, Programmer at Anonymous Penguin: To name a few; DJMAX RESPECT V, Patapon, BPM: Bullets Per Minute, Rhythm Heaven, and Crypt of the NecroDancer!
Val Cobankiat, UX Designer at Anonymous Penguin: I grew up playing rhythm games like Cytus and DJ MAX, but recently I’ve been enjoying Rhythm Doctor and Muse Dash!
JJ Zarate, Freelance Writer at Anonymous Penguin: My favourite rhythm games are Just Dance and Cytus, because getting decent scores on the hardest songs is both a physical and mental exercise.
What Do Rhythm Games Mean To You?

Mik: They’re the kind of games that anybody can get into, regardless if they’re into gaming or not.
Tup: I find rhythm games very therapeutic. They’re one of my go-to genres when I need to cool down.
Val: It’s a fun genre! As someone who likes music, it’s nice to be able to exercise that skill.
JJ: I’m trying to avoid my family’s genetic predisposition to brain rot.
What is Lovebirb in a nutshell?

Mik: We tried to incorporate that simple music rhythm game fun into Lovebirb as much as possible. We hope you’ll give it a try!
Tup: Lovebirb is made with 100% love from the team ? We hope you enjoy our game and that all of your dates, in the game or in real life, are successes!
Val: Lovebirb best dating sim! (jk)
JJ: Play Lovebirb (I did my best to write it).


Princess Connect! Re: Dive Is A Colourful Auto-RPG Full Of Anime Waifus Goodness

What do you get when you have one of the world’s biggest anime streaming networks getting into mobile RPG games? A giant games publishing arm taking the best of Japanese mobile RPG gacha nonsense and churning them out for the English-speaking masses. With the latest one being Cygames’ Princess Connect! Re: Dive (Priconne), out now for iOS and Android, the company will probably be basking in its own laurels of 800,000 pre-registrants and the money it’ll get from its gacha pool.
So what kind of game is Priconne? If you’ve played an “auto RPG” called DotArena back in 2014, you’ll know how Priconne works. You pick five RPG characters and let them auto-battle their way out of three waves of enemies as the walk left to right. Each RPG character can either be a frontline heavy-hitter (tank), a mid-line damage dealer, or a rear-guard spellcaster or healer. It’s your choice, really. If you want an all-melee team, go for it. But enemies you fight will also have their own tricks; some will target folks in the rear with AoE projectiles, so you’ll need some way to get their attention or let your frontline squad take the pain.

To level up your characters & power them up, you need to not only feed them experience potions but also equip them with weaponry and armour that they can “absorb” to rank up (meaning more skills and passives for attacking/defending purposes). You also need to fight shadow clones of your characters, scattered throughout the map in the Hard versions of main quests, to get their memory crystals that can ascend them to get more strength and overall power. Yes, your weak-ass 1-stars can become 5-star characters with hard work and possibly a fat bank account.
Your strategy and playstyle will also be determined by the 5 or so free gacha pulls you get. And to receive the currency for said gacha (called jewels) you need to complete the game’s main quests, hit the checklist on the missions board to get your free loot, and read the game’s story. No, really: you can score jewels by reading the kinda-disconnected-from-the-gameplay visual novel bits that comprise of Priconne’s plot. It involves a fantasy setting, a bunch of guilds that help or hinder the society of the game, and your own motley crew consisting of a well-endowed food-gorging sword-wielding princess, a tsundere cat mage, a spear-wielding white-haired girl attached to you like a goldfish, and a shy pink-haired healer.

You can also recruit Granblue Fantasy Versus’ most OP shotokan fighter Djeeta in Priconne, since they’re both under Cygames’ watchful eye, if you’re lucky or whale-y enough. Thanks to the pre-registration milestones that’s already been met, you’ll have ample chances to try your luck using the free jewels as a welcome gift for installing this onto your phone(s).
You’ll meet a ton of anime tropes throughout the adventure as well, though they appear in cutscenes and not so much in the actual battles. Maybe; I’m only 5 hours into this and so far it’s pandering to its obvious male demographic so hard you can feel the echoes whenever one of these female guild members pose coyly with their funbags sticking out, or sitting on the protagonist’s face.
Or whenever you come across a visual novel image like below where you question whether this is from an ecchi parody of an existing IP.

If you like your auto-RPG and mobile gacha games full of light-heartedness, colour, and bouncing anime tiddies an eclectic group of female protagonists who can get stuff done, you cannot go wrong with Priconne. If the single-player main quest isn’t your deal, you can opt for the PvP and Guild Battle modes where you can fight the best parties and setups online.
Some waifus are better at this mode than the main quest; it’s up to you and your credit card to find out who is worth ascending and gachaing for. Also, check out our guide if you want to find out who the top tier anime waifus are, and who is worth rerolling for.


Top Clans 2021 Winter Invitational To Feature Dota 2, Mobile Legends More

NetEase Games, one of the biggest gaming developers in China, is expanding Top Clans esports even further, with the Top Clans 2021 Winter Invitational starting from 17 November 2021. The tournament will involve pitched battles in games such as Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Rules of Survival, and Naraka Bladepoint.
The Top Clans 2021 Winter Invitational Details

The Top Clans 2021 Winter Invitational will begin on November 17th 2021, with the competitors earning their spots from grassroots tournaments in different countries. They will be battling for an overall prize pool of US$110,000, which is more than double the prize pool from the Top Clans 2021 Summer Invitational. The Invitational tournaments will be broadcast in English, as well as a number of other languages, including Indonesian, Tagalog, and Thai. Top Clans 2021 Winter Invitational promises to be the biggest Top Clans event yet, with gamers from all over the world able to follow the action online as it happens.Â
Top Clans Winter Grassroots Stage Review

The competition in the Top Clans 2021 Winter Invitational is already fierce, as the champion teams from the Top Clans 2021 Summer Invitational will be taking part. Despite this, Top Clans will be taking a grassroots approach, by allowing even more players to join the contest and enjoy Esports as a whole.
This is due to the event widening beyond Southeast Asia, with competitors from territories like Japan and Russia able to compete. The games that will be played at Top Clans 2021 Winter Invitational are Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Rules of Survival, and NARAKA: BLADEPOINT.Â
Top Clans has reached out to the communities for games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang in different countries, in order to find those who are truly passionate about the game and give them a role in shaping their own esports experience. With Dota 2, this has gone even further, as Top Clans has partnered with renowned tournament organizers for the event, like Moon Studio and Epulze.
The big new game at Top Clans 2021 Winter Invitational is NetEaseâ€™s own NARAKA: BLADEPOINT, with the winners competing in the NARAKA Official World Championship in January 2022, as the representatives of Southeast Asia.Â
Top Clans Summer 2021

The Top Clans 2021 Summer Invitational was a huge success, with teams battling for a prize pool of over US$34,000. This was the event that introduced even more countries to Top Clans, including India, Pakistan and Mongolia. The teams battled in Dota 2, Rules of Survival, Tom and Jerry: Chase, and Mobile Legend Bang Bang, many brave players fought in Grand Finals throughout September, but only a few made it to the top, including Team Nitroux for Rules of Survival and Army Geniuses for Dota 2.
Check out the Top Clans social media and streaming accounts below:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TopClansOfficial/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMDWOiEx8dpr6Q92xNkw2Tw
Twitch – https://www.twitch.tv/topclansesportsÂ


KOF XV Samurai Shodown Team Announced; Shingo & Kim Kaphwan Coming In 2023

After The King of Fighters XV grand finals at EVO 2022, SNK made a slew of grand announcements. Chief of them is the next slew of DLC characters for KOF XV.
First up is Team Samurai, which consists of characters from Samurai Shodown: Haohmaru, Nakoruru, and Darlie Dagger. The trailer only showed off the character models in-game (definitely lifted from the same model from the SNK Samurai Shodown sequel from 2019) so we’re guessing most of their moves will be lifted from there. They’ll be out in Autumn 2022.

In addition, we’re getting a new season of DLC in 2023. The two confirmed characters so far include Shingo Yabuki and Kim Kaphwan. Shingo was Kyo Kusanagi’s student who is coming on his very own, with moves that emulate his teacher sans the fire. Veteran Kim Kaphwan is a taekwondo fighter from the Fatal Fury series; he was previously in KOF XIV.

Check out the trailer below.


That Metroidvania Record of Lodoss War Game Will Be Out Later This Month

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonderland Labyrinth will be scratching that proverbial Metroidvania 2D action game itch later this month. Oh, and it helps if you’re a fan of the fantasy anime that’s clearly inspired by The Lord of the Rings.
Made by devs Why So Serious? and Team Ladybug, along with publisher Playism, the game will exit Early Access and launch on PC (via Steam) on 27th March. The game came out in early access back in March 2020; that’s a year’s worth of feedback and testing.
The full game will add a fifth and sixth stage to the game. You should get it now if Metroidvanias are your jam: the game is priced at US$10.39 (RM24) at the moment until 12th March. It’ll then cost US$12.99 from 12th until 27th March; by then it’ll revert to the standard US$19.99 price tag.


EA Announces The Lord Of The Rings Heroes Of Middle-Earth Mobile Game

EA and developer Capital Games have announced free-to-play collectible role-playing game The Lord Of The Rings Heroes Of Middle-Earth for mobile platforms like Android and iOS. This means that EA has renewed their partnership with Middle-Earth Enterprises, and limited regional beta testing will begin in summer 2022.
The Lord Of The Rings Heroes Of Middle-Earth is a collectible role-playing game (RPG). It will feature immersive storytelling, turn-based combat, deep collection systems, and a wide roster of characters from across the vast universe of The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit. Players battle through iconic stories from the world of Tolkien and take up the fight against the great evils of Middle-Earth.
Electronic Arts has a celebrated relationship with the Tolkien universe having delivered PC and console titles based on The Lord Of The Rings books and films. In active development by a veteran team of experts in the mobile RPG genre, Capital Games; The Lord Of The Rings Heroes Of Middle-Earth represents the first mobile game developed by Electronic Arts inspired by storylines, locations, characters, and lore from The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit literary works.
Electronic Arts vice president of mobile RPGs Malachi Boyle in a press release, said:
“We are incredibly excited to partner with The Saul Zaentz Company and Middle-earth Enterprises on the next generation of mobile role-playing games. The team is filled with fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and each day they bring their tremendous passion and talents together to deliver an authentic experience for players.
The combination of high-fidelity graphics, cinematic animations, and stylized art immerses players in the fantasy of Middle-earth where they’ll go head-to-head with their favorite characters.”
However, there is currently no gameplay, screenshots of the game, or any trailers.


New My Hero Academia Anime Movie Releasing This Winter

A surprise announcement was revealed at the recent “2019 PLUS ULTRA STAGE” in the AnimeJapan 2019 event (via Crunchyroll), and a second My Hero Academia / Boku No Hero Academia movie has been confirmed to release in Japan sometime this winter.
Just like the first movie (My Hero Academia: Two Heroes) in 2018, the second untitled My Hero Academia movie will be supervised by the manga’s original author Kohei Horikoshi, who will also be providing character new designs.
It will be directed by Kenji Nagasaki, who was also the director of the anime’s three seasons and the first movie. To celebrate the second movie’s announcement, Horikoshi has produced a piece of art featuring protagonists Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, and All-Might.

ä»Šå†¬å…¬é–‹ã€Žåƒ•ã®ãƒ’ãƒ¼ãƒãƒ¼ã‚¢ã‚«ãƒ‡ãƒŸã‚¢ THE MOVIEã€æœ€æ–°ä½œç™ºè¡¨ã®ãŸã‚ã«å €è¶Šè€•å¹³å…ˆç”Ÿ@horikoshiko ãŒæã„ã¦ãã ã•ã£ãŸç›´ç†ã‚¤ãƒ©ã‚¹ãƒˆè‰²ç´™ã®ç¾ç‰©ãŒã€åªä»ŠAnimeJapan2019ã®TOHO animationãƒ–ãƒ¼ã‚¹ã«å±•ç¤ºã•ã‚Œã¦ã„ã¾ã™ã€‚ãœã²ç”Ÿã§ã”è¦§ãã ã•ã„!!
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In other related news, Season 4 of My Hero Academia is slated to arrive in October 2019. Read the full story here. In the meantime, check out the PV announcement trailer for the second My Hero Academia movie below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID_o2zMprYQ&w=560&h=315]


Netflix Reveals Details For Breaking Bad Movie Starring Jesse Pinkman

Netflix has finally revealed the official title and release date for its highly-anticipated Breaking Bad movie. According to The New York Times, it will be titled El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
The official synopsis for the Breaking Bad movie reads:

“The Netflix Television Event EL CAMINO: A BREAKING BAD MOVIE reunites fans with Jesse Pinkman (Emmy-winner Aaron Paul).
In the wake of his dramatic escape from captivity, Jesse must come to terms with his past in order to forge some kind of future.”

The Breaking Bad movie will be directed and written by returning Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. He must have taken a break from developing the next season of ongoing Breaking Bad spinoff series Better Call Saul, which concluded its fourth season in October 2018 with a fifth season to premiere sometime in 2020.

In the trailer, we see Jesse’s friend Skinny Pete (with Charles Baker reprising his role from the Breaking Bad series) being interrogated by the police on Jesse’s current whereabouts. He chooses not to cooperate, saying:

“I donâ€™t know what to tell you I ainâ€™t said 500 times already, Iâ€™ve no idea where he is, no idea where heâ€™s headed either – north, south, west, east, Mexico, the moon, I donâ€™t have a clue.
But even if I did, wouldnâ€™t tell you. Iâ€™ve been watching the news, same as everybody else;
Iâ€™ve seen that little cage of his they kept him in, I heard what all they did to him to make sure he kept cooking.
So sorry, I donâ€™t know what to tell you, no way Iâ€™m helping you people put Jesse Pinkman back inside a cage.”

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is slated to release on 11 October 2019 on Netflix worldwide. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZKqMVPlDg8&w=560&h=315]
Rest in peace, Agent Hank & Gomez.


LEGO Celebrates 90th Anniversary With Special Installation At Mid Valley

Ninety years ago, a Danish carpenter crafted a line of small wooden toys in his workshop in Billund, Denmark. His first collection had a modest 36 items that included cars, aeroplanes, and yoyos, all carefully crafted to help local children learn about the world.
What Ole Kirk Kristiansen couldn’t have known back in 1932, was that the LEGO Group would become one of the biggest toy companies in the world and inspire millions of children to play each year.
Twenty-six years later, the LEGO brick we know today was patented, with its interlocking tube system and endless creative building possibilities. Since then, our humble brick has been busy – it has formed the basis of over 18,000 LEGO products, received the Hollywood treatment in THE LEGO MOVIE, helped children learn about robotics and coding through LEGO MINDSTORMS, and inspired hours of playful digital adventures in over 180 LEGO video games.
For the 2022 LEGO Play Well Study, the company polled more than 55,000 parents and children in over 30 countries and found that almost all parents think children strengthen  their creativity (93%), communication (92%), problem-solving skills (92%), and confidence  (91%) while they play. Not only do they develop skills that help them thrive in a rapidly  changing world, but almost all children also say playing as a family makes them happy (97%), helps them relax and takes their mind off school (95%), and is their favourite way to learn  (67%).
Play isn’t just for kids; it’s a family affair too. According to 95% of parents, playing together makes the whole family happier, builds stronger family bonds and improves their well-being. Over 4 in 5 parents (85%) mentioned LEGO play specifically, saying that their families are happier when playing with LEGO bricks.
“When my great-grandfather founded the company 90 years ago, he only had a small workshop. But he had big ambitions to ensure as many children as possible could  experience the benefits that play brings,” said Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, Chairman of the LEGO Group. Whether it is 1932, 2022 or on our 100th Anniversary in 2032, we strive to continue this  legacy by helping all families, wherever they are in the world, to play well.”
Celebrate with us at the LEGO Imagination Playground

As part of the LEGO Group’s 90th anniversary celebrations, LEGO fans can look forward to a physical installation at the ground floor of Centre Court, Mid Valley Megamall, from 1 to 12 June 2022. With various play-centric stations and activities for the public to engage with,  LEGO Imagination Playground is a must-visit for both children and adults. For those down  south, there will also be a second installation in Johor Bahru from 20 to 31 July 2022 at The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey.
Imagination Playground will showcase the endless potential of play and highlight why play matters in child development. Aside from fun activities such as the Cupcake Making Zone and Build & Race Zone, there are also stations that will transport visitors back in time as  they revisit key milestones in the company’s history. One such station is The Memory Lane, which takes a look at the brand’s 90-year history as well as The Tiny Block Theory, which details the history of the iconic LEGO Minifigure.

At the Endless Creativity Zone, LEGO fans can unleash their creativity and share their well  wishes with LEGO DOTS bricks. Be it a LEGO build of a sushi platter or a designer handbag, the Imagination Playground immerses itself into its venue by showcasing unique builds from  brands within Mid Valley Megamall at the Mall Tenants’ Creation Zone for all to see. For certain zones you can walk away with goodies by participating in the various activities.
The celebration doesn’t stop there! Visitors to Imagination Playground can look forward to redeeming a limited edition LEGO 90th Anniversary Water Bottle with a minimum spend of RM299 or a 30581 LEGO Tropical Parrot with a minimum spend of RM149.
Additionally, one can redeem an awesome mystery gift with a minimum spend of RM199 on any LEGO DUPLO, LEGO City, LEGO Friends and/or LEGO Ninjago playsets. For in-store promotions (across all-channels), customers who spend a minimum of RM199 on any LEGO range, will be entitled to a limited edition 30510 LEGO 90 Years of Cars from 9 June onwards, nationwide. These offers are available while stocks last.

Follow the hashtags #LEGO90Years, #LEGOMY #midvalleynow or visit https://www.lego.com/en-my/90-years-of-play to join in the fun.


A Singaporean Movie About Durians To Launch Exclusively On Prime Video

Prime Video has announced that The King Of Musang King, the highest-grossing Singaporean movie in the first half of 2023, will be available exclusively on Prime Video in Malaysia starting on 27 July 2023.
The King Of Musang King follows the story of Mao Shan (Jack Neo), an ambitious durian farmer who wishes to expand his sales overseas against pressures from the “Three Heavenly Kings” of the business. He helps Mei Lian (Yeo Yann Yann), his neighbour and sole supporter, to improve her durian farm harvests, and develops feelings for her in the process. However, Mei Lian’s long-separated husband, Jin Shui (Mark Lee), returns, complicating things. Jin Shui tries to influence Mei Lian’s children against Mao Shan, as Mao Shan fights to save both their businesses and win Mei Lian’s heart.
For RM25 per month, after a seven-day promotional trial, customers in Malaysia can sign-up for Prime Video and enjoy a great selection of entertainment, from local Originals and local licensed titles to global Amazon Original movies and TV series. To get started, visit https://www.primevideo.com/, or download the Prime Video app on your mobile device.
For more updates, you can follow Prime Video Malaysia on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube.
Check out the trailer below:


The First-Ever Pokémon UNITE Malaysia Open Esports Tournament Boasts A $US20,000 Prize Pool

It’s yet another exciting time for both esports and Pokémon fans in Malaysia now that things are opening up again, especially with the 1st year anniversary of the franchise’s mobile entry Pokemon UNITE. At a press conference, Telco company Yoodo announced that Malaysia’s first Pokémon UNITE tournament is coming this September. The winning team will be rewarded a ginormous prize pool of $US20,000 in the finals.
Yoodo, Malaysia’s first customizable and digital mobile service, has teamed up with The Pokémon Company for their first ever Pokémon UNITE Open tournament in Malaysia, making it yet another feat for being the first (among many other of their ‘first’) to achieve this milestone. The partnership with The Pokémon Company further establishes its position and goal as the leader of esports in the Malaysian telco industry. Celebrating its one-year anniversary since launch, this event also concurrently leverages The Pokemon Company its place in big gaming partnerships.
Chow Tuck Mun, Head of Yoodo said:

“We are of course thrilled to be partnering with the globally renowned – The Pokémon Company. Most of us grew up with Pikachu and Charmander, and for Yoodo to be the first Malaysian telco associated with such a nostalgic worldwide phenomenon is ground-breaking for us.
We hope that the upcoming tournament will provide a platform for more Malaysian esports players to shine, furthering our dedication to supporting talents from the grassroots.”

He also announced the launch of the Pokémon UNITE data Add-On into Yoodo’s library for Yoodo users, granting them access to a 20GB boost of data whenever needed.
Pokémon trainers may register for the Pokémon UNITE Malaysia Open 2022  from 27 July until 30 August 2022, with the event happening on 10 September 2022.
So, do you have what it takes to be the best Pokémon trainer and team that no one ever was? Only one way to find out, aspiring trainers; go for it.
Follow our socials and tune in to our website for more updates on this big event.


Riot Games Sues Moonton A Second Time Over Copyright Infringement Via Mobile Legends

If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Riot Games is legally going at it the second time with a copyright infringement lawsuit against Mobile Legends developer Moonton.
The lawsuit, which was filed by Riot’s parent company Tencent (via Eurogamer), said the following:
“This action seeks to stop Moonton from continuing its deliberate and sustained campaign to free ride on Riot’s highly valuable rights in the mobile video game League of Legends: Wild Rift and related content.
As discussed below, over the years, as Riot updated its video game, Moonton would copy it. When Riot updated the game’s promotional materials, Moonton copied them. And when Riot released a new trailer, Moonton copied it. This is a critical issue for Riot.
Moonton has used its copyist tactics to create and market its mobile video game, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, which competes with Wild Rift using Riot’s own extensive, expressive content in Wild Rift itself as well as its trailers, promotional materials, and other content.”
Riot Games provided evidence of this copying, starting with the logos. The top is Riot’s League of Legends/Lol: Wild Rift, while the bottom is Mobile Legends Bang Bang.

And then there’s the character comparisons between Ahri from LoL and Guinevere from Mobile Legends, as well as other side-by-side comparisons.

What does Tencent and Riot want with all of this? Ultimately they’re seeking retribution from Moonton for the financial damages, fees, costs it sustains, and any gains, profits, and advantages obtained by Moonton in the United States for the act of infringement.
The first time Riot Games sued Moonton was back in 2017, back when Mobile Legends Bang Bang was known as Mobile Legends: 5v5 MOBA. Moonton removed Mobile Legends from the Google Play Store, but the game was re-released in a few weeks with a different name (the one with the Bang Bang) and received minor changes. Time will tell if Riot Games will be successful this time around, but stranger things have happened.


Genshin Impact Kokomi Banner: Here’s What We Know So Far

Genshin Impact’s Inazuma expansion introduces a slew of new characters ranging from the well-endowed Raiden Shogun/Baal to resistance leader Sangonomiya Kokomi. This piece of news is all about her banner, and what we know so far.
Based on recent leaks and datamines, Kokomi will be available in the 2.1 update where players will visit Watatsumi Island and Seirai Island; these two new locations will be added in September. Just like Yoimiya and Ayaka, Kokomi will be an NPC and temporary playable character in her own story quest.
Kokomi’s character banner, where you’ll spend in-game currency to roll for her, will most likely be available on 21st September. She’s a 5-star Hydro spellcaster/catalyst user, and looks like a support hero who can complement well with other offense-savvy characters in a party. Her following skills may differ in the final version though:
Normal Attacks

Normal attack:Â Performs up to three consecutive attacks that take the form of swimming fish, dealing Hydro damage
Charged attack:Â Consumes a certain amount of stamina to deal area-of-effect Hydro damage after a short casting time.
Plunging attack:Â Gathering the might of Hydro, Kokomi plunges towards the ground from mid-air, damaging all opponents in her path. Deals area-of-effect Hydro damage upon impact with the ground.

Elemental Skill: Kurage’s Oath
Summons â€œbake-kurageâ€ created from water which heal her allies. Using this skill will apply the Wet status to Kokomi. Bake-Kurage heals nearby active characters at intervals and deals Hydro damage to nearby opponents based on Kokomiâ€™s max HP.
Elemental Burst: Kaijin Ceremony
The might of Watatsumi descends, dealing Hydro damage to surrounding opponents, before robing Kokomi in a ceremonial garment made from the flowing waters of Sangonomiya.
Passive Talents
Haworthia Casket:Â If Kokomiâ€™s own Bake-Kurage are on the field when she uses Kaijin Ceremony, the Bake-Kurageâ€™s duration will be refreshed.
Song of Pearls:Â While donning the Ceremonial Garment created by Kaijin Ceremony, the normal and charged attack damage bonus Kokomi gains based on her max HP will receive a further increase based on 15% of her healing bonus.
Princess of Watatsumi:Â Decreases swimming Stamina consumption for your own party members by 20%. Not stackable with passive talents that provide the exact same effects.
Flawless Strategy:Â Kokomi obtains a 25% healing bonus. Her crit rate decreases by 100%
Constellations
At Waterâ€™s Edge:Â While donning the Ceremonial garment created by Kaijin Ceremony, the final normal attack in Kokomiâ€™s combo will unleash a swimming fish to deal 30% of her max HP as hydro damage. This damage is not considered normal attack damage.
The Clouds Like Waves Rippling:Â Kokomi gains the following Healing Bonuses with regard to characters with 50% or less HP via the following methods:

Kurageâ€™s Oath Bake-Kurage: 4.5% of Kokomiâ€™s max HP.
Kaijin Ceremony normal and charged attacks: 0.6% of Kokomiâ€™s max HP.

The Moon, A ship Oâ€™er the Seas:Â Increases the level of Kaijin Ceremony by three. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
The Moon Overlooks the Waters:Â While donning the Ceremonial Garment created by Kaijin Ceremony, Kokomiâ€™s normal attack speed is increased by 10%, and normal attacks that hit opponents will restore 0.8 energy for her. This effect can occur once every 0.2 seconds.
All Streams Flow to the Sea:Â Increases the level of Kurageâ€™s Oath by three. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
Sango Isshin:Â While donning the Ceremonial Garment created by Kaijin Ceremony, Kokomi gains a 40% hydro damage bonus for four seconds after her normal and charged attacks heal a character with 80% or more HP.


DNF Duel Shows Off More Ghostblade Gameplay

Publisher Nexon and developers Neople, Arc System Works, and Eighting are back with teasing more DNF Duel characters, its upcoming fighting game of 2022.
The next fighter on the list is the Ghostblade, the eerie one. The pale fellow’s fighting style seems to be close-ranged with a bunch of follow-ups courtesy of his giant ronin ghost pal who pops up as a “Persona” from them Persona 4 Arena titles.
As of now, the current DNF Duel roster consists of Ghostblade, Crusader, Kunoichi, Vanguard, Dragon Knight, Hitman, Ranger, Striker, Grappler, Inquisitor, and Berserker. That’s 11 characters for now with more coming. Short gameplay’s below:

DNF Duel will be out this Summer 2022.


The 30 Best Games Of 2021: #24

Every day from December to January, we’ll be posting our top 30 games of 2021 daily. Here’s number 24.
#24: Ys IX Monstrum Nox

Platforms: PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC
The Ys franchise has never been as big as Final Fantasy or Tales, but it has managed to carve out a niche for itself in the JRPG genre by consistently churning out mid-scale JRPGs with fun real-time combat. Ys IX came out in Japan in 2019 but was only released worldwide in 2021. It didn’t really do anything new to truly stand out in the crowd, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The cast of characters are just a bunch of anime tropes, but you’re really here for the combat.
Combat in Ys IX is fast-paced and hectic, with lots of flashy attacks and shouting in between. The narrative won’t astound you, but with combat as fun as this, it doesn’t really matter much. You’ll happily spend hours upon hours kicking monsters’ butts with your crew of trusty companions. JRPG fans should check this out when they’re looking for something light and snappy.


You Can Have 4 Spider-Mans In One Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 Party With This Glitch

The fun Nintendo Switch-exclusive beat-em-up Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 lets you mix and match your own team of X-Men, Avengers, and even SpiderVerse party to fight bad guys in the Marvel pantheon. Too bad you can’t have four of the same characters in the party, until now.
This glitch, courtesy of ShinobiSekiro via Reddit (and Kotaku), lets you create character dupes in a party via taking advantage of solo missions in the Infinity mode. Like so.

Here’s how you pull it off:

Select the Spider-Man solo challenge in the Infinity menu. Here, the game injects Spider-Man into the player’s party in the first slot, as it’s the game’s way of making sure the player has the right hero for the mission.
You then either finish or fail the mission; Spider-Man will still be in the party in the first position.
Head to the select party menu and move the injected Spider-Man into either the second, third, or fourth party slot.
Then enter the solo mission again. The game will inject Spider-Man into the first slot again. Repeat this three times to get all four Spider-Men.
To keep your Spider-Men party for story mode, make sure you use the chapter select option. Otherwise, your old party will be remixed.
This trick also works with heroes with solo missions in Infinity. Which means you can dupe the following: Captain America, Luke Cage, Gamora, and Hulk.

So what’s the benefit of having the same heroes in a party? The “duplicated” character technically gains four times more experience since all of it is applied to one character via the glitch. The ISO-8s and stats also stack atop one another, which means four times the buffs.
Also, having four Spider-Men means more fun tearing through hordes of ninjas and Ultron drones. Who wouldn’t want more Spider-Men in their lives? It’s something Aunt May and MJ would want, but for completely different reasons.


After Fixing No Man’s Sky For 7 Years, What’s Next For Hello Games?

Everybody knows the disaster of a game known as No Man’s Sky, a 2014 indie title that bit off more than it chew presentation and hype-wise. Those days are long gone, as No Man’s Sky received a TON of updates and upgrades that gave Hello Games its “Best Comeback” lifetime achievement award. I don’t think that award exists, but it should, given the studio’s determination to right its wrongs.
So what’s next for Hello Games? Well, the studio released The Last Campfire, a smaller but still entertaining adventure game. Thanks to the studio’s expansion since 2014 – those updates for No Man’s Sky needed a ton of manpower- founder Sean Murray said to Polygon that the studio is currently planning another “huge, ambitious game like No Man’s Sky”. He didn’t reveal more, but he shared some stories and lessons learned during the development of No Man’s Sky pre and post-launch. The bottom quote is a summary of Hello Games’ time working for Sony in hyping up the game to unrealistic heights.

“There is this poison chalice or deal with the devil that I think any indie game developer would find actually a very difficult choice, right? The choice that we had with No Man’s Sky, where if I was to go back again, I would find it very difficult to know what the right path was. Where you will have incredible interest in your game, you will have a huge amount of excitement for it. But you will be in a rocket ship, launching towards the sun, and you will be building that rocket on the way up.
And there is an excitement and a craziness to that. Where we’ve ended up with the game, where we have hundreds of millions of hours played and a really happy community and all of that kind of thing, you know, Iâ€™m okay with that deal that we did, right?”

Murray stressed that he will not put himself and his team through this process with Sony and that fated partnership ever again. Expectations and pressure were super-high since then, and they suffered for it. Which is a very good takeaway from their years of experience with No Man’s Sky. It seems that they’re ready to take on a big project again.

“I look back, having done a lot of different press opportunities and things like that. And I reckon about half of what we didâ€”and a lot of where we had problems, I think, where we were naiveâ€”we didn’t really need to do and we would have had the same level of success, you know? A lot of opportunities were put in front of us, and we were told that they were the right things to do and I look back and I’m not sure that they were super, super important to the overall outcome kind of thing.”

Live and learn, right?


Dead Cells Is A GOTY Contender; Here Are Three Main Reasons Why

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre: Action game mixed with roguelike & Dark Souls elements
Price: RM44-ish
You don’t need us to give you a score for the recent indie wunderkind Dead Cells, a 2D action adventure hack-and-slash game that’s part multi-tiered Metroidvania, and part random level generator-filled roguelike. It’s going to see 9s and 10s from major publications, especially respectable ones like IGN who in no way plagiarize smaller game review sites to cover up their own inadequacy.
In all seriousness, Dead Cells rock.Â You remember roguelikes, right? RPGs that reset part of your progress if you die halfway while dungeon-crawling, yet you retain the stats that matter so that you can tackle obstacles easily the second or umpteenth time.
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/286125655502767/
Developer Motion Twins decide to take that concept, add in some hardcore “soul-collecting & progression” methodology from Dark Souls, and turn it into a 2D pixelfest that looks ace in motion. I’m getting huge Prince of Persia rotoscoping vibes here just seeing our headless protagonist kicking zombie and monster ass while also blowing up in a blaze of glory when that teleporting midget assassin from the Clock Tower takes a free shot.
I’ll tell you why this title is worth the US$20-30 price tag right now.
Hyper Action Gaming Controls

In Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden, and Bayonetta, all actions and attacks you do can be cancelled into dodges. You also have a limited amount of dodges to spare before going into a recovery state. Furthermore, you have to sort out the mess of enemies you’re fighting, and that requires you to pay attention to the “!” marks and telegraphing prompts.
Dead Cells has perfect controls just like the aforementioned games. You can dodge multiple times, you can block (if you have a shield equipped), you can cast spells for mid-ranged and long-ranged options, and double jump. New upgrades allow you to summon vines out of grass patches and even ram through marked obstacles. These open up new pathways that lead to even tougher challenges which will test your reflexes.
And having spot-on controls do help; when you die, it’s basically your own damn fault for not being careful and methodical about your approach.
Constant Changes & Shifts

You also have to adapt very well to your surroundings. Since each stage is randomized in layout, enemy placements are different yet the pathway and enemy types are constant. You’ll still fight the teleporting skeleton knights in the Promenade of the Condemned. You’ll still have to deal with surprise mutant scorpions in the Toxic Sewers.
Having said that, the new enemies you encounter can frustrate you especially if you aren’t careful and if it’s your first time dealing with them. Upon reaching areas like the Clock Tower, I was waylaid by new bad guys with little time to figure out their patterns. Before I knew it, I’m back in the Prisoner’s Quarters. Still, I have permanent upgrades to make it out better in my next run.
Speed Thrills?

Dead Cells plays with your expectations and add some design challenges to make your run a little more exciting. Cursed chests can give you high-level items and weapons, but you have to kill 10 enemies to lift the one-hit-and-you’re-dead curse granted upon your character. Hourglass gates automatically lock after some time has passed, so if you feel like you’re in a hurry to get to a boss, you can just blaze through the first stage and get the cells you want.
This also presents you with an interesting dilemma: do you choose to explore every nook and cranny on a random stage, or do you speedrun through it? It depends on whether you want the best gear and best item setup that synergize with each other.
All these three elements help make Dead Cells stand out as a great example of mish-mashing a number of familiar genres to form a lovely and challenging 2D experience. If you’re a fan of Metroidvanias and old-school roguelikes with a huge tinge of reflex and twitch-reliant challenges, you owe it to yourself to play Dead Cells through and through.
Besides, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is only coming out next year; you might as well settle for an arguably better substitute.
FINAL RATING: 9/10


The Importance Of A Southeast Asian Approach In Narrative-Focused Games

In this day and age, story and narrative are just as important as gameplay in video games these days, especially in the indie space where people want to tell their stories to captivate, entertain, and inform. As such, incredibly-focused game design expos like LudoNarraCon are very crucial in keeping this segment of the industry alive, well, and relevant.
As such, a good number of Southeast Asian game developers have their own online panel in LudoNarraCon, highlighting their respective cultures in making storylines and games that touch upon themes like post-colonialism, rapid economic development, and country-specific nostalgia. The video is hosted by Malaysian Twitch streamer and 20m podcast creator Arief Johan, and features three game developers: Dimas Novan D. (A Space for the Unbound), Saqina Latif (Kabaret), and Sasha Ariana (Afterlove EP).
Notable moments in the panel (along with timestamps) include Dumas’ method of translating 90s Indonesia culture into A Space of the Unbound (12:41), Sasha Ariana on the universal themes in Southeast Asia game settings (17:23), Saqina on how she approaches Malaysian-themed sensitive topics like the country’s Japanese occupation period (27:44), and how the passing of Coffee Talk’s Mohammad Fahmi affected the SEA video game community (42:50). These topics are worth listening to, especially if you wish to pursue a career in video games but are stuck in the SEA region.
Check out the full panel below:


Step Into The Shoes Of Malaysian War Hero Lieutenant Adnan In Chandu VR

The Malaysian games industry aren’t limited to the development of conventional console, PC, and mobile games. Now we also have a VR game in active development by a bunch of brilliant and creative Multimedia University (MMU) students, depicting a local historical war hero in the colonial jungles of pre-independence Malaysia.
The full title of the game is Chandu: The Malay Regiment. Players assume the role of the legendary war hero Lieutenant Adnan who fought Japanese Occupation during World War II in 1942. It is essentially a recreation of the famous Battle at Pasir Panjang, in which Lieutenant Adnan gave his life defending the country.
Chandu VR was actually developed as two students, Adnan Arif Jazlan and Caleb Yong, for the purpose of a class assignment. It is slated to be released for the PC on Steam once development wraps up, but it’s no clear when that will be.
The game is featured as one of the local games at Level Up KL 2019. In the meantime, check out the gameplay video for Chandu VR or Chandu: The Malay Regiment below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clbWXUC1pRk&w=560&h=315]


Guess How Much Borderlands 3 Received From Epic Games For That Exclusivity Clause?

Back in 2019, when Borderlands 3 was released, the looter-shooter game was exclusive to the Epic Games Store for one whole year until it was released for Steam and other PC platforms. This deal from the Fortnite/Unreal Engine-making company was pretty sweet for many developers since the company will be recouping development costs for them.
Thanks to certain documents being made public via the Apple vs. Epic lawsuit that’s all the talk this week, we now know how much Epic paid Borderlands 3 developer Gearbox Software: a hefty sum of US$80 million. To break it down:

The Borderlands 3 exclusivity minimum guarantee cost was initially US$80 million; Epic Games basically paid Gearbox that amount to start off in exchange for only having the PC version of the game be on sale on the platform for a year.
Once that US$80 million thresholds in sales has passed, Epic Games gets to recoup the cost. The game’s marketing commitment and non-recoupable fees total are US$35 million. This means the deal total was US$115 million.
In the first two weeks, Borderlands 3 sales were worth US$77 million revenue for Epic Games, out of a total of US$100 million. The US$23 million from that amount is from PC retail and resellers.

Long story short, this is profitable for Epic Games and also a win for developers who need the extra money for development and marketing arm. As to how Epic Games has US$80 million+ to front Gearbox in the first place? Well, the company has been around since 1991 and its game engine has been used by a lot of game makers. And they did make the Unreal and Unreal Tournament series. And Gears of War. So you do the math…


What You Need To Know About The Division 2, Ubisoft’s Answer To Destiny

There’s a lot of hype surrounding Ubisoft’s mass multiplayer shooter title set in a semi-realistic dystopian future where the US is in disarray. If Tom Clancy was still alive, he’d probably sanction this military storyline involving a smallpox epidemic hidden via laced money and a sleeper agent group who defends the United States from terrorist threats like this.
Division 2 continues the “Green Poison” plot.
The game takes place 7 months after the first, where the Division now knows the source of the Green Poison/Dollar Flu and the motives behind it. The bad guy this time is rogue agent Aaron Keener who wishes to continue the mission of the virus’ creator. The story now takes place in the summertime weather of Washington, D.C.
The story and scenario will be like the Civil War, where the Division who represent the old government is fighting against the corrupt leaders of the new one.

Players will experience a more improved open world experience.
Ubisoft loves their open world games; Division 2 is no different. Players will have a large map with storyline missions, side missions, and random encounters to progress through; they have the option to either team up or take it on alone. All of them involves you pacifying violent factions before they take control of a divided Washington D.C.
Players can choose to lean towards either three specializations: Sniper, Demolition, and Survivalist. Each of them come with their perks and bonuses depending on the weaponry you use often.
Oh, and let’s not forget the endgame eight-man raids that players will get to experience. Whether they’ll be available on launch or on a later date remains to be seen.
The weapons system will be more distinct.
Ah yes, the reason why people play these open world loot-hoarding games. Weapons will be further differentiated in this sequel. For instance, rifles will have their own category ranging from semi-automatics to burst fire guns. The Exotic-level weapons will be more distinct.
The Mod system in the first Division will return, but instead of looting or finding them, you now have to unlock them. Grenade loadouts will be reduced to two this time around, and you can only use concussion grenades from levels 1 to 29. When you reach 30, you can equip either a flashbang, incendiary, or fragmentation grenade.

The Dark Zone may be multi-tiered
At least, according to a recently-leaked Division 2 video that was taken down really quickly. Players will get to fight in both a West and East side of the game’s Dark Zone. The PvP modes will probably remain.
Your Division 1 progress will not carry over
Sad to say, you’ll have to start from scratch in Division 2, though you will get some new rewards and shields to help jumpstart your new sleeper agent carrier.
The Private Beta will start this February
If you’re interested to see the game in action, you can join The Division 2 private beta that will last from 7th February to 11th February.
Ubisoft will still sell a buttload of editions
Because that’s how they roll, for good or ill. Here are the versions of Division 2 on sale.

The “Gold Edition”â€ (US$99.99) includes all of the above and a “Year 1 Pass” which gives holders access to the new ‘Year One’ episodes seven days before everyone else gets them and the game itself three days before launch. The Ubisoft store also has a steelbook version of this for US$109.99.
The digital-only â€œUltimate Editionâ€ (US$119.99) includes the pass, the early access and then three more packs of bonus digital content (skins, weapons, emotes and such, for a total of four packs).
The “Dark Zone Collectorâ€™s Edition” (US$189.99) offers the three-day early access, the pass, the in-game content packs, a map, a soundtrack, an art book and a collectable statue, all in a special box.
The “Phoenix Shield Collectorâ€™s Edition” (US$249.99) includes the three-day access, the pass, the content packs, all four of the in-game content packs, a steelbook and an articulated figurine, and the soundtrack, artbook and map. Itâ€™s only available through Ubisoftâ€™s online store.

The Division 2 will be out later this March
15 March to be precise. If you want a military guerilla version of Destiny, you may want to check this game out.


Naquib Azlan Crowned eRacing Global Edition Champion

Ever-tenacious Malaysian, Naquib Azlan was crowned as the champion in the fifth edition of the eRacing GP Global Edition championship. The 20-year-old held off a fierce challenge by Australia’s Josh Purwein to claim the title for the first time after being runner up in the previous four Global Editions.Â
Despite starting from the rear of the race, Naquib burned virtual rubber to gradually inch his way to victory and hold off Josh Purwein in the standingsÂ by just 7 points after a 10-race season.
The clash proved costlyÂ in the “reverse grid” second race when Purwein, not taking chances, shot to the lead and left Naquib trailing eighth in the early stages of the race. However,Â Naquib held steady andÂ kept his nerve to come home in third behind Purwein which was enough to see him clinch the title at the Zandvoort circuit.
After the race, Naquib Azlan said:
â€œWow, that was so tough especially after losing the last Global Edition by only one point.
I knew that today, with me being on top coming into the final round, having never won it before, I wanted to do it no matter what, so I tried my best and it worked out.”
As the dust settled on an exciting racing season, confirmed his position as champion of the Gold Class category with 142 points followed byÂ Australiaâ€™s Josh PurweinÂ 135 points and Singaporeâ€™s Muhammad Thasbeeh on 109 points.
InÂ other categories, Nur Shazliezhan from Singapore won the Silver class, Philippinesâ€™s Francis Angelo Gonzales emerged champion of the Bronze class and Malaysiaâ€™s Kelvin Pao topped the Copper class. In terms of the Teams Cup category, Stratos Motorsports were crowned as the champions with 427 points followed by Tedco X Project Mu Racing 328 points, and Sim Racing Pilipinas 268 points.
Axle Sports founder Alex Yoong said:
â€œIt was a long time coming for Naquib who has proven to be one of Malaysiaâ€™s best drivers, and not only in the sim world.
He was recently signed up by Toyota for their rookie programme and he won both races in the opening round at Sepang.
So, he is a real talent for the future.
We hope to attract more new racing talent next season which will in turn drive our viewership numbers in the upcoming eRacing GP Global Edition 6.”
The culmination of the fifth and final round sawÂ MalaysiaÂ emerge champions of theÂ Nations Cup for the second consecutive timeÂ with 695 points followed by Singapore with 487 points and Philippines with 471 points.
In the meantime, you can check out my previous interview with Naquib Azlan by heading over here, where he talked about what’s next for him and who his idols are.


Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area Director Reveals Why He Chose Unified Korea Setting

Courtesy of Netflix Malaysia, we attended an online press conference for Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area.
Netflix reveals an all-new la banda who are set to pull off the ultimate heist in an alternate world where North and South Korea have reunited. A new country without borders comes with the printing of a new unified currency that will act as the groundwork to build a stable joint economy. That is, until a crew of thieves — led by the Professor — band together to accomplish a heist without limits. A heist that will go down in history as a revolutionary crime.
Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area will feature director Kim Hong-sun and writer Ryu Yong-jae’s distinct take on the popular Spanish series La Casa De Papel. Like its Spanish counterparts, the remake boasts an assembly of characters with unforgettable personalities who will keep you at the edge of your seat.
About why he chose the unique unified Korea setting, Money Heist Korea Joint Economic Area director Kim Hong-sun said:
“I had interviews with the global press earlier and the global press actually met with me and I asked questions to them. Can this be something that can happen in their own countries? They answered; it’s not going to be easy in their respective countries to have this kind of big event unfolding. That is, in fact, something I had to think really deeply about from the start.
It had to be really convincing and feel like it’s realistic. That was the part I put the most effort in. As I thought deeply about it, I thought maybe the inter-Korean relationship can be put in a near-future sort of time setting and if you place it that way, it can be accepted by many audiences.
That’s how I felt. This is going to be streamed around the world, so I was thinking that the story of the Koreas can be told to the global audience because that will spark curiosity of the global fans. The fictitious Joint Economic Area setting was created for the show, so the South and North Korean situation is something I wanted to depict in the show.
If this happens in the future, if we are on the cusp of reunification in the future, if this is the reality, what would happen? I actually wanted to infuse that kind of hope into the show as well.”
Meet the new la banda and watch them in action when Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area premieres on 24 June, only on Netflix.


WWE 2K20 Reveals Full Soundtrack List

Ahead of its release later this month, 2K Games has revealed the full soundtrack list for WWE 2K20, which features 12 tracks across hip-hop, hard rock, punk, metal, electropop and alternative/indie rock. That may seem like not much of a playlist, but check it out below.

Banks â€“Â â€œGimmeâ€
Barns Courtney â€“Â â€œ99â€
Bring Me The Horizon ft. Dani Filth â€“Â â€œWonderful Lifeâ€
Grandson â€“Â â€œStigmataâ€
Lil Uzi Vert â€“Â â€œXOTour Llif3â€
Motley Crue ft. Machine Gun Kelly â€“Â â€œThe Dirtâ€
Muse â€“Â â€œThe Dark Sideâ€
Poppy â€“Â â€œMETALâ€
Saweetie â€“Â â€œIcy Girlâ€
The Black Keys â€“Â â€œLO / HIâ€
The Misfits â€“Â â€œHybrid Momentsâ€
Watt ft. Post Malone â€“Â â€œBurning Manâ€

If you can’t wait for the game to listen to this music, the full WWE 2K20 soundtrack is already available on Apple Music. The upcoming game will also feature improved multiplayer, more focus on female wrestlers, and Halloween-themed pre-order bonuses.
WWE 2K20Â is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One and PC on 22 October 2019.


Venom Let There Be Carnage Gets New Earlier Release Date In Malaysia

Sony Pictures’ Venom Let There Be Carnage will premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 11 November 2021, which is two weeks earlier than its original release date of 25 November 2021. The sequel to 2018â€™s Venom will feature Tom Hardy is back as Eddie Brock, as well as Woody Harrelsonâ€™s Cletus Kasady as the red symbiote monster Carnage.
Directed by Andy Serkis, written by Kelly Marcel with the story by Tom Hardy & Marcel, the film also stars Michelle Williams, and Naomie Harris.
In the meantime, rewatch the latest Venom Let There Be Carnage trailer below:


Lawsuit Against Gary Gygax’s Widow Resolved

The name Gary Gygax will always be remembered by nerds all around the world. Widely considered the “Father of role-playing games” for co-creating Dungeons & Dragons, Gygax passed away in 2008 and ever since then, his widow Gail Gygax has been working hard to preserve his legacy.
Gail Gygax. Photo from Kotaku.
In 2016, Transformers producer Tom DeSanto struck a deal with the estate of Gary Gygax to oversee the Gygax catalog of published and unpublished work. Last year, DeSanto sued Gail for a breach of contract, claiming that she decided to negotiate a video game deal without him. Kotaku reports that the US$30 million lawsuit has now been dismissed.

“Unfortunately, my lawyers and I have discovered troubling facts about the Estate which prevented me from executing my plans for the Estate. The dismissal was without prejudice and the interest in the Estate I negotiated for is still on the record. I remain and will always be a great admirer of Gary Gygax and mindful of his legacy as an icon in the gaming world.”
– Tom DeSanto, speaking to Kotaku.
Back when DeSanto first sued Gail, he claimed that she didn’t have the rights to Gary Gygax’s IP to the extent that she claimed. Defending herself, Gail said that she never meant to give DeSanto rights to Gary’s entire library.
“I always believed Tom was using the lawsuit as a tool to extend or change the terms of his contract. I’m glad it’s over. Its time for everyone to move forward. That’s what Gary would have wanted.”
– Gail Gygax, when contacted by Kotaku.
As someone who also admires and appreciates what Gary Gygax brought into the world, I’m also glad to see this problem resolved. It’s unfortunate enough that Gygax’s legacy had already caused disagreements between his wife and children. May you rest in piece, Mr. Gygax.


Kakuchopurei.com Presents: The Best of Doujin Market 2018

With Jon Leo being on-site as usual, here’s a peek at what you can catch (or what you missed out on) at this year’s Doujin Market/Doujima gathering at Singapore, Suntec Convention Centre.
[wpvideo zGH2Ako6]


San Francisco Shock Crush Titans to Win OWL Season 2 Grand Finals

The Runaway Finals Curse struck again as the Vancouver Titans crashed and burned at the last hurdle, this time to the unstoppable San Francisco Shock in the Overwatch League 2019 Grand Finals played earlier today.
The Shock win was made even more impressive considering that they had to bounce back via the loser’s bracket, having lost their opening playoff match to the Atlanta Reign earlier this month.

In a match featuring two of the best teams in the league with the Titans (25-3) going against the Shock (23-5), the Grand Finals lived up to its billing as both teams whose head-to-head record was tied at 2-2 pulled out all the stops in pursuit of the ultimate prize this season.
Both team heavily utilised the recently released hero, Sigma as the barrier meta again dominated the Grand Finals. The Shock who made the Mei – Bastion strat en vogue this season again featured off their signature composition, showing off the highly diverse and adaptable DPS lineup to the max which propelled them into one of the most dominant teams this season.

OKAY @Shock_Architect ? #OWL2019
? https://t.co/U6dIipgQGs pic.twitter.com/rsuoj54INv
— Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) September 29, 2019

After racing to an early lead following a convincing 2-0 win on Lijiang Tower, the Shock maintained their momentum over the shellshocked Titans who failed to find answer for Rascal’s effective Pharah play on Eichenwalde.

Case in point. @SFShock | #OWL2019 pic.twitter.com/vD6KveP6Fj
— Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) September 29, 2019

Haksal’s inability to outplay Sinatraa’sÂ  Doomfist on Temple of Anubis caused the Titans dearly as they fail to deny the Shock from claiming the third map win in a row, and one match away from clinching the title.

The Titan’s failure to keep up with Shock’s strategy of varying their approach of constantly swapping between the Sinatraa/ Striker and Rascal/ Architect depending on the maps was also a key factor in delivering the win San Francisco’s way.
On the deciding map, the Titans had no reply for the Shock DPS line which ultimately shut down any hope of extending the series, resulting in a 4-0 domination in favor of the Boys from the Bay.

As the cherry on top, ChoiHyoBin was named the MVP for the Grand Finals to complete a perfect night for the new Overwatch League champions.


This Hot Toys Endgame Captain America 2012 Version Proves You Can’t Go Wrong With The Classics

While many might find Captain America’s suit in 2012’s The Avengers to be too cheesy or cringy, it’s actually the most faithful to the character’s classic costume in the comics. While the more modern versions of it carries much more practical application, there’s something about the classic look which stands the test of time.
In line with this, as well as still trying to cash in on that sweet, sweet Avengers: Endgame license, Hot Toys have announced 1/6th scale Captain America (2012 Version) Collectible Figure from Avengers Endgame.
If you thought you’ve seen this figurine before, your eyes didn’t deceive you. This is a re-release, or in Hot Toys’ words, an ‘updated’ version of the same figure which was first released in 2012 in line with the first Avengers movie. The biggest change being an updated unhelmeted Steve Rogers headsculpt.
This Hot Toys figure not only comes with his iconic shield but also Lokiâ€™s scepter, scepter carrying case as seen in Endgame, interchangeable hands, and an Endgame themed display stand. Based on the prototype photos – yes, this version of Cap does come with America’s ass. The figurine is slated to release sometime in Q2 or Q3 2021.
In the meantime, check out the glorious 1/6th scale Captain America (2012 Version) Collectible Figure from Avengers Endgame below.


Overwatch is Free to Play Next Weekend

Overwatch will again be free to play for everyone next week, between May 25th- May 28th 2018 for all platforms; PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Those who are yet to own the game can take part in the free-to-play weekend and will get to enjoy the full game experience; A full roster of 27 heroes and 18 maps available for play in a variety of modes, including Quick Play, Custom Games, and the Arcade.
The Blizzard blog also confirmed that players will also be able to level up, earn Loot Boxes, and unlock a variety of different customization options for their heroes. Plus, if they so decide to purchase Overwatch after test driving the game, they will get to keep any progress that they made during the weekend as long as they use the same Blizzard, Xbox Live, or PSN account that they played on.

To make it even sweeter for those who own a PS4, those who do not have a PlayStation Plus subscription will be able to play the gameÂ  for the duration of the free weekend but will require to purchase a PS+ subscription in order to do the same once the free weekend period ends.
The free period will begin on May 25 at 11:00 a.m. PT (May 26th 2 a.m for Malaysia/ Singapore/ Hong Kong) and end on May 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT (May 29 2:59 p.m forÂ Malaysia/ Singapore/ Hong Kong) in all participating regions across all platforms.
Here’s how to get it:
PlayStation 4:
Pre-download starts at 11:00 AM PDT on May 22nd / 2:00 AM Malaysia/ Singapore/ Hong KongÂ

Search for Overwatch in the PlayStation Store
Select Overwatch Free Weekend and click ‘Download’.

Xbox One:
Pre-download starts at 11:00 AM PDT on May 22nd / 2:00 AM Malaysia/ Singapore/ Hong KongÂ

Search for Overwatch in the Xbox One Store
Select Overwatch and click ‘Free Trial’.

PC:

Download and install theÂ Blizzard Battle.net desktop app. If you already have it, launch it.
Log in to existing account or create a free Blizzard account
Click on the Overwatch icon from the menu; select your region and click install to download.
The game will be playable (if you haven’t purchased it) once the free weekend period starts.

Overwatch is a team-based hero shooter by Blizzard where players team up and battle one another to secure specific map objectives. Each of the 27 heroes have unique ability and skillset to suit every type of player out there regardless of playstyle and mechanical skill. We cover tons of Overwatch here at Kakuchopurei.com and if you have any queries about it, feel free to ask. We don’t bite.


PAX West 2020 Will Go On As Planned

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused numerous events to be affected, but that’s not stopping PAX West 2020, which will be held in Seattle, from going ahead for now.
In a blog post, they wrote that they were “still planning on putting together a great PAX West this coming Labor Day Weekend (4 to 7 September 2020) for you, and we will be updating our website with more information on badges and hotel registration in the coming months”.
They added:

“Our first priority is always your safety, and that extends to issues of public health.
As the year progresses, we will continue to monitor the situation and work with health officials at all levels of government, and intend to follow all CDC and WHO guidelines as they are released.
That said, actions already taken by our convention centre and local government have left us optimistic, and we will continue working with them to make sure we take the correct steps throughout the summer.”

It’s good to know that they’re keeping an eye on things and are communicating with health officials, but it’s still rather surprising to me. Honestly, I’m expecting it to be postponed, cancelled, or moved online at some point, but we’ll see. It’s been an unpredictable year, after all.