Battlefield Mobile Will Be Playable Late 2021 In Indonesia And The Philippines

The mobile version of EA’s Battlefield team-based military shooter game thing has now popped up on the Google Play Store.
You can’t download the game just yet, but at least the store page gives players and fans a gist of what it’s about. The mobile shooter features large-scale battles, destructible environments, a bunch of game modes, and customizable classes with “hero” characters. Essentially it’s like the main platform Battlefield games, but for mobile. Or like the Call of Duty mobile games if you want to be blatant about it.

You’ll get to judge it for yourself if you happen to be in Indonesia and in the Philippines; the Battlefield Mobile playtest will start in Autumn 2021 for those Southeast Asian regions.
The full game is slated for a 2022 release. The full page description stuff is below if you’re curious.

Rally your squad and lead the charge! The BattlefieldÃ¢â€žÂ¢ franchise has arrived on mobile with all your favorite FPS combat, superior teamplay, and genre-defining destruction youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve come to expect from Battlefield, now more thrilling than ever.
MOBILIZE FOR ALL-OUT WARFARE
Squad up in Battlefield Mobile. You and your crew will press the assault on maps and modes both new and familiar to veteran players. Build a loadout of authentic weapons and game-changing gadgets. Fight for control of powerful vehicles like tanks and ATVs. Destroy the field of battle with large-scale environmental destruction. Combat abilities are always growing and at scale, granting you the capacity for mass warfare.
ONLY IN BATTLEFIELD
Across all game modes, youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll experience the same wild situations and explosive spectacles Battlefield is famous for. Whether itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s outrunning a collapsing tower on your ATV, parachuting off a building while firing a rocket launcher, or burying your enemies under the rubble of a building you destroyed with your tank, every match is unforgettable.
TURN THE TIDE OF WAR
Experience strategic play unparalleled in other first person shooter games through each map and mode offered. Assault, Support, Medic, or Recon – you choose your class. Then, build your custom loadout from a vast collection: Weapons, skins, class-specific gadgets, and more. Your most powerful weapon is the class and loadout that suits your personal play style.
When itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s go-time, the terrain offers endless strategic potential:
– TACTICAL: Go on foot for tactical agility.
– DESTROY: Commandeer an ATV for explosive speed and surprise.
– STEALTH: Kill stealthily with melee weapons.
– WAR TANKS: Conduct a shock-and-awe campaign in a fully armored tank.
– SANDBOX: Your sandbox, your rules. Battle in land, sea and air.
DEFEND YOUR SQUAD
Battle alongside your squad of war heroes and take control of the battlefield. Join a battalion or build a squad to engage in large-scale territory conflicts and earn rewards. Tilt the match in your favor as you make strategic, team decisions and level up your battalion of soldiers. Defend, destroy and fight for survival with superior teamplay and a range of game modes: multiplayer, objective and more.
SPECIALIZE YOUR SOLDIER
Find your personal play style and customize your soldier to maximize their capabilities. Weapons, gadgets, skins and more can be personalized and upgraded to match your class and progress. War heroes with unique narratives prepare for battle, each with their own assignment. Learn their stories, immerse yourself in the war and stand out on the battlefield with the best customization to date.
No matter how you wage war, superior personal skill and practiced group tactics will carry your side to victory.
CALL THE SHOT
Battlefield Mobile – the ultimate on-the-go FPS experience.
EA may retire online features after 30 daysÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ notice posted on ea.com/service-updates.


This Russian Studio Is Encouraging People To Pirate Its Game; Here’s Why

Players who want to buy the 2021 hit 2D simulation Loop Hero but are stuck in areas affected by economic sanctions are up the creek without a paddle. At least through legal means.
Four Quarters, the studio behind Loop Hero, says it’s okay to pirate its game if you’re affected by said sanctions due to the Russia invasion against Ukraine on 24 February onward. Because of the sanctions, some customers in Russia cannot use regular payment methods to buy the game on Steam.
Being a Russian studio itself, Four Quarters also stated that it is against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Thus, the company is encouraging its community to “help raise the pirate flag”. Following that post, Four Quarters stated that there is “nothing wrong with torrents” and that it has received many donations. The game will be getting an update which is 80% complete.


The International 10 Tickets Are On Sale Right Now

The biggest Dota 2 tournament has now open its ticket sales.
Here are the ticket prices:

Midweek 1 (12 and 13 October): 249 Lei/US$59
Midweek 2: (14 and 15 October) 249 Lei/US$59
Finals: (16 and 17 October 16 and 17) 999 Lei/US$237

The main event takes place at National Arena, Bucharest, Romania over 6 days from 12th October to 17th October. The following teams will be playing in this year’s TI for glory & victory.

Evil Geniuses
PSG.LGD
Virtus.pro
Quincy Crew
Invictus Gaming
T1
Vici Gaming
Team Secret
Team Aster
Alliance
beastcoast
Thunder Predator
Team Undying
SG esports
OG
Team Spirit
Elephant
Fnatic

You can buy your tickets here. Expect long online queues since this is the biggest offline Dota 2 tournament that you can spectate. Of course, make sure that the country you’re in allows you to travel overseas; the whole world is still in lockdown thanks to the pandemic.
Speaking of vaccines, the following are accepted for the tournament: Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Sputnik, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
The last we heard, Malaysian players NothingToSay and Oli are permitted to head down to the tournament to represent their team PSG.LGD for TI10.


[Rumour] Elden Ring Will Not Be Out This Year

Remember when Bandai Namco announced the next From Software game, Elden Ring? Yeah, that was quite a while ago. Is there news beyond the teaser back in 2019? Well, there might be this year.

According to VG Chronicles, there’s a leaked Elden Ring trailer being shared online in online chat groups. Labelled Bandai Namco confidential, it shows a significant amount of off-screen footage. Specifically, gameplay trailer. So what did it show?

The voice of a narrator saying the following: â€œI can only imagine what drives you to seek the Elden Ring. I suppose you canâ€™t be talked into turning back. Very well then!”
A montage of familiar Souls-like melee combat, boss battles against a fire-breathing dragon and a large sword-wielding foe.
Giant tree people dragging a metal carriage around.
Horseback combat in a large and open environment.
The marketing text dubbing Elden Ring “an all-new fantasy action RPG franchise from the creators of Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro.”

We can also tell you what it didn’t show: a release date. Elden Ring might not be out this year due to COVID-19 disrupting the project. The fact that a trailer is being circulated means that an Elden Ring reveal is in the cards for 2021.
Take this all with a grain of salt, by the way. It’s still rumours and speculation until we see the trailer with our own two pair of eyes.


The 2019 Overwatch Contenders Pacific Season 1 Returns Next Week

Overwatch League 2019 just started last week with a blast, and now theÂ 2019 Overwatch Contenders Pacific (OWCP) will also return onÂ 28Â February (GMT+8)Â with new contenders from Singapore, Thailand, and Japan.

Aside from the prize, the top team will have the honour to represent the Pacific region to go against the other top players in the Pacific Showdown, a live event that has the heads of Overwatch League scouts turning.
The 2019 Overwatch Contenders Pacific has two phases; the regular season and the playoffs. The regular season will run from 19:00 (GMT+8) on 28 February and it returns every Thursday and Friday for the next seven weeks! Now we have something to look forward to every week!
Meanwhile, the playoffs will be on 18Â April, 19 April, and 3Â May.Â All matches will start from 19:00 (GMT+8).
Here are the schedules:

Broadcasts of the plays will be available on the official English Channel and the Mandarin Channel, both via Twitch.
Changes in Teams
Half of the teams, includingÂ Cyclone Coupling, NovaMS Esports, Talon Esports, and Xavier EsportsÂ will return to 2019 Overwatch Contenders Pacific Season 1. Hong Kong Attitude will be replaced byÂ KIX, and Incipience will be replaced by fellow Singaporean teamÂ Global Esports.
With the two newcomers,Â Giant LynxÂ from Thailand andÂ JupiterÂ from Japan, the eight teams will compete for the ticket to the Pacific Showdown.Â
The full roster can be viewed on the official website.


The Best Spooky Halloween Steam Deals

Itâ€™s almost Halloween and Valve is celebrating the spooky season with another special sale. The Steam Halloween Sale will take run from 28 October to 1 November 2021. And that means a lot of PC games on the cheap!
Check out our picks for the best deals and discounts on horror-themed games so far:
Phasmophobia (RM26.35)

Phasmophobia is a 4 player online co-op psychological horror where you and up to three of your team members will enter haunted locations filled with paranormal activity and gather as much evidence of the paranormal as you can.
As part of a paranormal investigation team, you will explore and investigate haunted locations for any evidence of the paranormal. You will use your ghost hunting equipment to search for and record evidence of whatever ghost is haunting the location to sell on to the black market.
It’s a popular game amongst streamers and a fun game to play with friends on Halloween.

Summer Of ’58 (RM4.30)

In the summer of 2008. The main character, at the request of followers, goes to Russia to explore the abandoned camp “Yunost”. Locals say that this place is inhabited by restless souls. This will need to be checked.

Friday The 13th: The Game (RM8.00)

Friday The 13th: The Game is a third-person horror, survival game where players take on the role of a teen counsellor, or for the first time ever, Jason Voorhees. You and six other unlucky souls will do everything possible to escape and survive while the most well-known killer in the world tracks you down and brutally slaughters you.
Meanwhile, Jason will be given an array of abilities to track, hunt and kill his prey. Stalk from the shadows, scare your targets and kill them when the time is right in as brutal a fashion as you can imagine. Take control of the legendary killer that is Jason Voorhees and terrify those unfortunate enough to cross your path!

Little Nightmares II (RM52.93)

Little Nightmares II is a suspense adventure game in which you play as Mono, a young boy trapped in a world that has been distorted by an evil transmission. Together with new friend Six, he sets out to discover the source of the Transmission.
It’s a really suspenseful game, so it’s perfect for a scary Halloween time.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite (RM79.20)

Set in the iconic Alien universe, Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a cooperative third-person survival shooter that drops your fireteam of hardened marines into a desperate fight to contain the evolving Xenomorph threat.
Who wouldn’t want to play a Left 4 Dead-like game but with the iconic Xenomorphs?

The Forest (RM15.60)

As the lone survivor of a passenger jet crash, you find yourself in a mysterious forest battling to stay alive against a society of cannibalistic mutants. Build, explore, survive in this terrifying first-person survival horror simulator.
If movies like The Blair Witch Project are any indication, there’s nothing scarier than a dark forest at night.

Dead By Daylight (RM22.50)

Dead By Daylight is a multiplayer (4vs1) horror game where one player takes on the role of the savage Killer, and the other four players play as Survivors, trying to escape the Killer and avoid being caught and killed.
Now it’s got everything from the Demogorgon from Stranger Things and even Pyramid Head from Silent Hill.

Dying Light Enhanced Edition (RM34.99)

A first-person action survival game set in a post-apocalyptic open-world overrun by flesh-hungry zombies. Roam is a city devastated by a mysterious virus epidemic. Scavenge for supplies, craft weapons, and face hordes of the infected.
With Dying Light 2 on the horizon, now’s the best time to play this game.

Resident Evil Village (RM166.16)

Experience survival horror like never before in the 8th major instalment in the Resident Evil franchise – Resident Evil Village. With detailed graphics, intense first-person action and masterful storytelling, the terror has never felt more realistic.
This one has werewolves and trolls, not just zombies, so it’s even more of a horror experience. For moreÂ Resident Evil Village,Â check out our reviewÂ andÂ guides.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope (RM69.50)

Trapped and isolated in the abandoned town of Little Hope, 4 college students and their teacher must escape the nightmarish apparitions that relentlessly pursue them through an impenetrable fog.
This is a good game for you and your friends to play in lieu of a movie night. It’s just like watching a horror movie, but an interactive one.

Dead Space (RM19.75)

You are Isaac Clarke, an engineer on the spacecraft USG Ishimura. You’re not a warrior. You’re not a soldier. You are, however, the last line of defense for the remaining living crew.
Even more than a decade after, Dead Space remains one of the scariest third-person horror games out there. With the Dead Space remake officially in development, perhaps you’d like to experience the original first.

Telltale’s The Walking Dead (RM16.00)

A five-part adventure horror series set in the same universe as Robert Kirkmanâ€™s award-winning comic book series.
I won’t lie to you. Telltale’s The Walking Dead is still one of the best narrative-based horror games out there, with a story and cast of characters that are phenomenal. Plus, this is only the first season of the series, so if you like it, you can definitely check out the other ones.
Also, bring tissues.

Hollow Knight (RM15.50)

Granted, Hollow Knight may not be the best search action 2D game, but it is the most atmospheric and chilling. The fights you go through are challenging, the world itself is intriguing, and the soundtrack is pleasant yet haunting at the same time. Just don’t expect anything along the calibre of Bloodstained and Super Metroid.Â


HoYoverse Announces Honkai Star Rail Closed Beta Details

The company formerly known as Mihoyo, HoYoverse, has a new Honkai 3rd Impact spin-off game in the works: a turn-based RPG called Honkai: Star Rail.
The upcoming PC and mobile game has launched its sign-up page for its new round of closed beta sessions. Players can sign up right now on the game’s official home page; the closed beta date will be revealed later.
Here’s an official description and trailer for Honkai: Star Rail.
“Honkai: Star Rail is the newest title of the Honkai series after Honkai Impact 3rd, and our very initial attempt in the turn-based RPG genre in recent years. We want to invite global players to board the [Astral Express] with a group of passengers who claim to have inherited the spirit of [the Trailblaze]. Together they are going to pursue the trails of [Aeons] by traveling across diverse worlds, each filled with different adventure and thrill, through the [Star Rail].”

If it’s anything like its previous games, Honkai: Star Rail will be free-to-play, be filled with tons of anime tropes and waifus/husbandos, and features the same gacha mechanics that catapulted HoYoverse to the top in the mobile game revenue circuit.


River Tails: Stronger Together To Be Exhibited At Taipei Game Show

The cat and fish co-op platformer River Tails: Stronger Together is set for an exhibition demo at Taipei Game Show from 2–5 February.
Developed by Kid Onion Studio and published by Gravity Game Arise, River Tails: Stronger Together is a 3D co-op adventure platformer with a colourful cartoon aesthetic. Teammates must work together to defeat end-of-level bosses and solve puzzles across a range of natural-world environments.
Play either as Furple, the curious and excitable purple kitten, or Finn, the independent fish with a bit of an attitude problem. You’ll embark upstream with these unexpected allies, towards the icy mountain where Furple’s family are in mortal danger. Can you save them in time?
The game will be demoed at Taipei Game Show at the TaiNEX Convention Center in Taipei, Taiwan.
In addition to the content also shown to rave reviews at EGX in London and Milan Games Week last year, in Taipei, the demo will have a bit of new content for users to check out before they begin teasing the upcoming Early Access. Please check it out and stay tuned in for information about Early Access coming soon.

Key Features

Immerse Yourself in Visually Stunning Natural-World Environments – In River Tails, you’ll embark on an epic and visually stunning journey across land and water. Explore the flora of uncharted rainforests, immerse yourself in the magical atmosphere of river caves, and cross the treacherous swamp (if you can!). Only then will you get back to the icy mountain. On your way, you’ll encounter a wide range of local wildlife – but be sure to work out which are your friends and which are your enemies before it’s too late!
Innovative and Constantly Evolving Gameplay – Your journey will be filled with innovative and fun river-themed challenges. The further you travel, the more mechanics and puzzles you’ll face. To succeed, working with your partner is absolutely vital. You know that saying about teamwork making the dream work? It’s a little cliché, but totally true when playing River Tails.
Nail-Biting Boss Fights – They can be pretty scary, but having mastered the key cooperative mechanics earlier in the game you will have all the necessary skills to defeat these angry enemies. Just keep calm and work together. Bosses aren’t evil, but they do have some anger issues for which they should really seek professional help. They are very protective of their turf and aren’t best pleased when a lively kitten and a cool-guy fish get too close.
Play a Cooperative Game in a Challenging Single-Player Mode – River Tails is designed specifically for two players, but we didn’t like the idea of a game that can only be played in one way. That’s why we added the LoneWolf mode. We have added a special control mode that allows you to play as both characters using one controller. The coordination becomes between one part of your brain and the other! This single-player mode is a whole new kind of challenge.


Want Chun-Li Themed Sneakers? These Onitsuka Tigers Have Your Feet Covered

Japanese shoe brand Onitsuka Tiger is releasing two pairs of Street Fighter Chun-Li inspired sneakers. These shoes are using the brand’s Mexico 66SD with Chun-Li themed colours and dragon designs.
So if you love a whole lotta blue and yelow, these kicks will keep you sorted. Check out the pics below.

There will be only 5,000 pairs of these sneakers available in Onitsuka Tiger stores as a worldwide exclusive. And they’ll cost you US$161.
If you have Street Fighter V, you can use the special code that comes with these sneakers to get a Chun-Li Onitsuka Tiger costume within the game.

These shoes will be Hasan Shu-ing their way to stores starting 27 July.


Muse Malaysia To Offer Licensed Anime With Malay Subtitles For Free

After announcing Muse Vietnam recently, Muse Asia has now announced that Muse Malaysia will also launch on the same date, which is March 1.
Muse Asia is a YouTube channel that provides licensed anime to the Asian region for free.

Unlike Muse Vietnam, the Muse Malaysia channel already has anime episodes available, but they are subbed in Chinese and English. Starting 1st March, Muse will add uploads with Malay subs to the catalogue.
I first found out about Muse Asia sometime last year, and was glad that it helped to increase the number of simulcast anime that we can watch over here. It’s great to see the company expand its services in the region with channels like Muse Vietnam and Muse Malaysia.
The Muse Asia channel offers both ongoing anime and completed series. Among the Winter 2020 anime it uploads are Isekai Quarter 2, Smile Down The Runway, Asteroid in Love, and Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense.


Here Is Your First Look At The Brand-New Resident Evil Movie

Sony Pictures just released a slew of new pictures of the upcoming Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City movie, which is a reboot of sorts for the live-action cinematic films based on the popular survival horror Resident Evil games.
We have our first look at STARS operatives Chris Redfield (Robbie Amell), Jill Valentine (Hannah John-Kamen), and Albert Wesker (Tom Hopper) as well as rookie cop Leon Kennedy (Avan Jogia) and passerby Claire Redfield (Kaya Scodelario) (via IGN). Oh, and a ghostly adversary who will probably be gunned down pretty quick.

According to its director Johannes Roberts, the film will be emphasizing its horror roots of the older games; a loose adaptation of the events of the first two titles. The film production crew are working closely with Capcom for this adaptation.
“The previous movies were very bright and shiny whereas this movie was dark and grimy, entirely shot at night. Itâ€™s constantly raining and the town is shrouded in mist. I was very influenced by seventies filmmaking techniquesâ€”we shot using zooms a lot! And there are no drone shots in the movie or crazy CGI camera shots that are physically impossible. The movie has a very old-school retro feel to it.”
Don’t expect any tall vampire ladies or boulder-punching as of yet, since the film takes place before all that insanity happened. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City will be out in US theatres this 24th November; we’re not sure when it’ll be out in Malaysia and Southeast Asia as of now.


Cyberpunk 2077’s Johnny Silverhand Did Not Originally Look Like Keanu Reeves

Cyberpunk 2077‘s Johnny Silverhand didn’t originally look like Keanu Reeves.
CD Projekt RED senior concept artist and coordinator Lea Leonowicz posted several original concept art drawings to ArtStation showing various ideas for what the character.
These feature different versions of the character, and some of them even have his robotic silver arm on his right in a few drawings, rather than the final version whose left arm has been replaced. One version even hasÂ tattoos and scars.
You can check out the various concept art below:

Keanu Reeves’ role as Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077 was only announced at E3 2019 at the Microsoft conference.
You can check out a handy recap of all the problems plaguingÂ Cyberpunk 2077Â since launch byÂ heading over here, or check out ourÂ review of the game here.


Netflix March 2021: Our Picks

Since everyone is (still mostly) staying home because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Iâ€™m sure you wonâ€™t want to waste time sifting through Netflixâ€™s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming giant updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so Iâ€™m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for Netflix Malaysiaâ€™s March 2021 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
Pacific Rim The Black (4 March 2021)

Pacific Rim The BlackÂ is Netflixâ€™s upcoming animated series set in the same universe as 2013â€™sÂ Pacific RimÂ by Guillermo Del Toro and 2018â€™sÂ Pacific Rim UprisingÂ by Steven S. DeKnight.
The seven-episode-long (30 minutes each) anime comes from Legendary Entertainment, and co-creators Craig Kyle (Thor Ragnarok) and Greg Johnson (X-Men Evolution).
The synopsis reads:
â€œThere was a time when Kaiju rose from the Pacific Rim only to encounter gigantic robots, Jaegers, built to fight them back. That time has passed.
Now, Australia has been overrun by Kaiju, forcing the evacuation of an entire continent.
Left behind, teenage siblings Taylor and Hayley embark on a desperate search for their missing parents, teaching themselves to pilot a battered, long-abandoned Jaeger to help in their quest and give them even the slightest hope of surviving.â€
The animation production studio is Polygon Pictures, known for the Netflix Original Anime SeriesÂ Levius,Â Ajin Demi-Human, and theÂ GodzillaÂ Netflix Anime Movie Trilogy.

The Lost Pirate Kingdom (15 March 2021)

It’s been a while since we’ve had good pirate content like the earlier Pirates Of The Caribbean movies and Starz’s Black Sails TV series. Perhaps this new documentary series will scratch that pirate itch, with its re-enactment and dramatization of the golden age of piracy in history.
The synopsis reads:
The real-life pirates of the Caribbean violently plunder the world’s riches and form a surprisingly egalitarian republic in this documentary series.

Sky Rojo (19 March 2021)

From the creators of Money Heist or La Casa De Papel, comes Sky Rojo, a new Spanish action crime drama where three women embark on a wild and crazy journey in search of freedom while on the run from their pimp and his henchmen.

DOTA Dragon Blood (25 March 2021)

Featuring stunning animation from Studio Mir (behind The Legend Of Korra and Netflixâ€™s Voltron Legendary Defender) and an epic story from Ashley Edward Miller (X-Men First Class and Thor), DOTA Dragonâ€™s Blood offers a new vision of the Dota universe for fans around the world to experience and discover.
The sweeping fantasy series based on the DOTA2 universe tells the story of Davion, a renowned Dragon Knight devoted to wiping the scourge from the face of the world. Following encounters with a powerful, ancient eldwurm as well as the noble Princess Mirana on a secret mission of her own, Davion becomes embroiled in events much larger than he could have ever imagined.

The Irregulars (26 March 2021)

The Irregulars is a British crime drama streaming television series developed by the Drama Republic and inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Created by Tom Bidwell, it features the Baker Street Irregulars working for Dr. Watson saving London from supernatural elements.
The first season will have eight episodes, and the synopsis reads:
In 19th-century London, a group of misfits works to solve supernatural crimes at the behest of Dr. Watson and his elusive partner, Sherlock Holmes.

Those are just several selected highlights from next monthâ€™s offerings of new TV series and movies on Netflix. Now you can plan your Netflix binge-fest for March 2021.


The Mandalorian Season 3 Trailer Breakdown & Easter Eggs: Mandalore, Order 66 Flashback & More

Lucasfilm has unveiled the new trailer for The Mandalorian Season 3, which is slated to premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on 1 March 2023.
The synopsis reads:
The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together.
The Return Of Greef Karga

Carl Weathers reprises his role as Greef Karga. Wonder why Din Djarin is meeting with him? Greef Karga was last seen in Season 2 joining the New Republic for some purpose.
Our First Look At A Live-Action Mandalore

Curiously enough, the planet Mandalore has never been depicted in live-action in Star Wars canon before, so this will be the first time that we see a live-action Mandalore instead of an animated one.
Doctor Pershing At Coruscant?

Here we see Omid Abtahi reprising his role as Doctor Pershing. He looks like he could be in Coruscant. Speaking of Coruscant, we haven’t been to a New Republic-era Coruscant before, so it will be interesting to see as well. We last saw Doctor Pershing at the end of Season 2 captured by the New Republic, so he must be working on something for them.
Captain Carson Teva Returns

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee reprises his role as Captain Carson Teva, the New Republic pilot. He’s suggesting a big threat on the horizon, and it might be the rise of the First Order.
Whose Helmet Is That?

That helmet looks old, but whose helmet is that? Who knows, it could be repurposed into a helmet for Grogu AKA Baby Yoda?
Order 66 Clone Wars Flashback

We see a glimpse of a flashback to Order 66 during the aftermath of the Clone Wars. It’s always great to see more of the Clone Wars era fleshed out.
Babu Frik?

We all thought this would be Babu Frik from Star Wars Episode IX The Rise Of Skywalker making an appearance, but the captions in the trailer refer to him as just an Anzellan (Babu Frik’s species).
Grogu Is Getting More Powerful

Remember that Grogu actually trained under Luke Skywalker for a while in The Book Of Boba Fett Season 1? It looks like that training is paying off and his Force abilities are even stronger now. Now he’s even using Force Push like it’s nothing.
The series stars Pedro Pascal, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers, Amy Sedaris, Emily Swallow and Giancarlo Esposito.
The directors of the eight-episode Season 3 include Rick Famuyiwa, Rachel Morrison, Lee Isaac Chung, Carl Weathers, Peter Ramsey and Bryce Dallas Howard.
Jon Favreau is the showrunner/head writer and serves as an executive producer along with Dave Filoni, Rick Famuyiwa, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson. Karen Gilchrist and Carrie Beck are co-executive producers.
Check out the full trailer below:


We’re Getting Plants vs. Zombies 3; Here’s How You Can Play It

While we may not have realized it, the last Plants vs. Zombies game was released over six years ago in 2013. It helped break the tower defense mobile game genre into the mainstream and now developer PopCap Games is ready to take the franchise to the next level.
PopCap Games announced Plants vs. Zombies 3 on the EA official website, as well as a playable pre-Alpha version of the game on the Google Play Store. However, there will only be a limited amount of downloads available that will be rolled out in various phases.
Just head to the game’s Google Play Store page here to download and start playing the pre-Alpha build. At the time of writing, the first phase of the pre-Alpha might already be full, so players will have to wait for the next phase and check the page again in the near future.
According to the developer, Plants vs. Zombies 2 will still be available to download despite the announcement of Plants vs. Zombies 3. The company said:

“At PopCap, weâ€™ve been working on PvZ for years and want to bring our beloved plants and zombies to current players and the next generation of players everywhere.
Weâ€™re hard at work testing out a lot of fun things that we want your feedback on, and hope you will come on this journey with us!”


Check Out These Leaked Apex Legends Halloween Event Skins

Popular Apex Legends data miner, That1MiningGuy, has done it again! This time, he’s sharing with everyone a look at some of the skins coming out in the upcoming Apex Legends Halloween event called Fight or Fright.
Do keep in mind that these don’t show the textures in full detail and there still might be some final changes before the event launches. Still, the kind of aesthetics that Respawn is going for for each character is pretty clear. All of the images below are from That1MiningGuy’s Twitter page.
First off, let’s start with my personal favourite out of all the leaks: Bloodhound’s skin. It’s a simple idea of turning his helmet into a jack-o’-lantern but coupled with his tattered clothing and that crooked witch hat, they really succeeded in giving him a Scarecrow-esque look which I really dig.

Another noteworthy one would be Caustic’s killer clown skin which is more than appropriate seeing as how we’re in the season of IT and Joker. Now that I think about it, Caustic’s small gas canister that he sticks on his chest could thought of as something similar to Joker’s laugh gas now that he’s in this get-up. It’s the perfect cosplay.

Other leaks showcase skins for characters such as Mirage, Bangalore, Lifeline, Wraith, Wattson, Octane, and even the new guy, Crypto. Check them out:

Very recently, Pathfinder voice actor Chris Edgerly confirmed that a Halloween is coming soon and that he’s done new voice lines for the event. Prior to that, fans already came across an image of a Frankeinstein-themed skin for Gibraltar. It’s safe to say that we’re about to see World’s Edge get a lot spookier very very soon.


CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher Series Sales Surpass 50 Million

CD Projekt Red has announced that their The Witcher franchise has sold a whopping 50 million worldwide to date. The franchise began with 2007’s The Witcher, followed by 2011’s The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, but it’s undeniable that the biggest contributor is 2015’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt alone has sold 28 million to date, which is more than half of the total 50 million. 2018 also saw the release of spin-off Gwent: The Witcher Card Game. This feat is even more impressive considering that the series only sold five million units before The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was announced in 2013.

Before The Witcher 3 was announced (Feb 2013), the series as a whole had sold around 5 million units.
Now the series is over 50 million, with The Witcher 3 contributing over 28 million units alone. https://t.co/4vFhnFwVjb
â€” Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) May 28, 2020
According to GamesIndustry.biz, this number is up from the previous 40 million total sales around this time last year, which have since been bolstered by the October 2019 release of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on Nintendo Switch as well as the success of Netflix’s The Witcher series.

Over 50 million adventurers joined Geralt on his journey from Kaer Morhen to Vizima, through Flotsam and Vergen, Velen and Novigrad to Skellige Isles and Toussaint, and many, many more places, time and time againâ€¦
Thank you and may we meet on the path again! âš”ï¸ pic.twitter.com/cZwOup9CEc
â€” The Witcher (@witchergame) May 28, 2020


E3 2019: Gods & Monsters – Definitely A Ubisoft Version Of Breath Of The Wild

We previously talked about Gods & Monsters yesterday during the Ubisoft press conference at E3 2019. So what is it exactly: like a Legend of Zelda clone like we predicted?
The answer is a lot simpler: it pretty much is, especially if you compare it to Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at first glance. But there are some distinct key features and highlights about this colourful Ubisoft project.
The Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey Team Is Making It
Thanks to the game’s Greek aesthetics and setting, the Ubisoft teams behind the last Assassin’s Creed game, Ubisoft Quebec, will be making this and shipping it out for its February release date next year. Producer Marc-Alexis CÃ´tÃ© said in a Kotaku interview that the team has been working hard over the last 10 years to perfect their tools.

“Thatâ€™s one of the things weâ€™re really good at in Quebec City: working on our dev processes, working on the toolset to make sure we can build games like this and make them amazing.”

Gods & Monsters Is Steeped Heavily In Greek Mythology
Gods & Monsters is an action-adventure game set on the heavily Greek Mythology-influenced Island of the Blessed. You can customize your hero, be it focused on melee attacks or ranged combat, and equip him with special gear ala Diablo or Darksiders II.
Your hero can also use special powers such as floating from high perches and telekinesis. You’ll be fighting harpies, medusa monsters, and possibly minotaurs while re-enacting a fantasized version of Homer’s Odyssey. And yes, your hero is called Phoenix, named after the firebird that can reborn after death.
All that research Ubisoft Quebec did with AC Odyssey will be put to great re-use here, especially when tailoring this game for an all-ages crowd. The bright paintbrush style of the game’s graphics is a deliberate choice in setting this apart from the team’s past open world game.

The Team Is Fine With It Being Compared To That Other Nintendo Game
Still, the comparisons between this game and Nintendo’s 2017 GOTY can’t be shaken off. Creative director Jonathan Dumont said in a Kotaku interview that the team is flattered by said comparison. “[…]From a storytelling point of view itâ€™s going to be a very unique adventure.”

“The abilities will change, as well as the scope of how it blows up. It is influenced a lot more byÂ OdysseyÂ in that sense mechanically. The fact that we can choose and create our own character and customize it as well, thereâ€™s quite a bit that will make it its own.”

It’ll Be Out For Major Consoles & Google Stadia
Gods & Monsters is slated for PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia next year. Based on what we’ve heard and seen, we’re really stoked about this new action adventure game from Ubisoft, even if it does sound like a kid-friendly version of AC Odyssey.


Yakuza: Like A Dragon Guide – The Best Jobs For Each Character & More

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is a daunting but fun RPG to get into. It’s got a lovely cast of characters, a ton of sidequests, an engaging main story, and a lot of fighting going on in turn-based form.
Part of the fun is the game’s Job system, where Ichiban Kasuga and company can change Jobs/Classes for different sets of abilities and skills for the situation. We figured we tell you our favourite Jobs setup for each character in the game on this simple guide.
But first: a quick cash tip.
How To Earn 2 Million Yen Easy By Just Taking Pictures Of Statues
Like the title says, you can earn a sweet amount of yen by taking pictures of all the Kappa Statues in Isezaki Ijincho via the Part-Time Hero app request. It’s automatic, so all you have to do is snap the photos (press down on the d-pad) and you’re golden.
Here are the locations (via PC Invasion):

These locations are accessible once you reached Chapter 7 in the game’s story. So it’s usually best to sort that out until you’re at that point.
The Best Jobs For Each Character In Your Party
Ichiban Kasuga

Your primary damage-dealing DPS lead. He deals damage with the best of them, so pick Jobs that let him maximize that.
Hero
Sometimes, the best Jobs for a character are the ones they start out with. Ichiban is the case here, as his Hero class lets him use his trademark bat and AoE attacks. Also, his normal attacks come with multiple hits instead of a one-off attack. He can get extra hits without the use of Mana Points (MP) from his regular attacks. That resource is really important to conserve when facing off against tough enemies and bosses in the course of the game.
Ichiban also gets the Vigor skill, which revives a fallen ally. You get this ability by levelling up the Hero Job to level 8. His other healing skills for this Job are also handy and can complement his other party member’s healing abilities.
Breaker
Another great Job for Ichiban, this one also adds in multiple hits for his regular attack, and also buff up his attack and defense stats via his specials and AoEs. He also has some buffs & cures like Rolling Mix and Essence Breaknight Dance.
Protip: you should not give Ichiban Jobs that make him tank and take damage. If he bites it, you fail the encounter regardless of whether your party members are alive or not. That means you lose your hard-earned yen and have to restart dungeon progress if you’re in the middle of a run.
Ichiban Jobs Unlock Requirements

Freelancer â€“ Level 1+ (Default)
Hero â€“ Level 1+ (Default after story progression)
Bodyguard â€“ Level 1+
Host â€“ Level 1+, Style Level 3+
Breaker â€“ Level 1+
Foreman â€“ Level 1+, Charisma Level 3+
Musician â€“ Level 15+, Kindness Level 5+
Chef â€“ Level 15+, Passion Level 5+
Enforcer â€“ Level 20+, Confidence Level 7+
Fortuneteller â€“ Level 20+, Intellect Level 7+

Nanba

Think of Nanba as your Black Mage of the group: offensive spells and casting all the way. While his default Homeless Guy Job is fine and all, you should attempt to switch him to these:
Fortuneteller
Debuffs aplenty for enemies and AoE attacks when you level this Job up.
Host
Debuffs aplenty for enemies and AoE attacks when you level this Job up, mostly for the Cold and Burn damage type.
Musician
A great support class for Nanba since it makes him deal decent damage with his AoE music attacks and cast debuffs on enemies. This Job also gives Nanba a heal-over-time spell. This, along with Nanba’s default Healing Powder and Power Naps, makes him a great support who can take care of himself.
Nanba Job Unlocks Requirements

Homeless Guy (Defaut) â€“ Level 1+
Breaker â€“ Level 1+
Musician â€“ Level 1+
Bodyguard â€“ Level 1+
Chef â€“ Level 15+,Â BondÂ Level 2+
Fortuneteller â€“ Level 20+,Â BondÂ Level 3+
Host â€“ Level 20+,Â BondÂ Level 4+
Enforcer â€“ Level 25+,Â BondÂ Level 4+
Foreman â€“ Level 25+,Â BondÂ Level 5+

Adachi

The burly detective hits decently hard, but can take more punishment thanks to his high Hit Points. Because of this, tanking Jobs will fit his skillset.
Enforcer
Adachi has an array of close AoE shield attacks to beat down the opposition as well as take it from them. He also has useful attacks like Paralysis Prongs that can stun enemies. Coupled with his default Slick Tongue skills, he can draw enemy aggro to his direction, leaving Ichiban and others to attack without repercussion.
Adachi Jobs Unlock Requirements

Detective (Default) â€“ Level 1+
Bodyguard â€“ Level 1+
Foreman â€“ Level 1+
Enforcer â€“ Level 15+
Breaker â€“ Level 15+, Bond Level 2+
Musician â€“ Level 20+, Bond Level 3+
Host â€“ Level 20+, Bond Level 4+
Chef â€“ Level 25+, Bond Level 4+
Fortuneteller â€“ Level 25+, Bond Level 5+

Saeko

The best Job for Saeko should match her healing and spell-casting stats. She’s the White Mage of the group, no questions about it.
Idol
The Idol’s skills and healing/party buff abilities can help make or break a tough fight, so it’s best to get her on-board this Job to get the most abilities to complement her stats.
Night Queen
A Job that lets her deal decent damage. The elemental whips this Job opens up equipment-wise lets Saeko exploit enemy weaknesses. Still, keep this as a pocket Job you can swap out when you want to change up the party pace.
Saeko Jobs Unlock Requirements

Barmaid (Default) â€“ Level 1+
Hostess â€“ Level 1+
Idol â€“ Level 15+
Night Queen â€“ Level 20+, Bond Level 2+
Dealer â€“ Level 25+, Bond Level 4+

The rest of the party members below are available after certain parts of the story, so we’ll leave this warning in case you’re still far and away from Chapter 7 onward.

Joon-gi Han

Hitman
This Korean fighter starts off with the best job that deals amazing damage. You can get through most fights with his default Job abilities, so there’s really no point in switching it up. His skills affect all enemies on-screen, can exploit enemy weaknesses, and can help with endgame content. You will recruit him late in the game.
Joon-gi Han Jobs Unlock Requirements

Hitman (Default) â€“ Level 1+
Bodyguard â€“ Level 1+
Host â€“ Level 1+
Breaker â€“ Level 15+
Enforcer â€“ Level 15+, Bond Level 2+
Fortuneteller- Level 15+, Bond Level 2+ Foreman â€“ Level 20+, Bond Level 3+
Musician â€“ Level 20+, Bond Level 4+
Chef â€“ Level 25+, Bond Level 4+

Tianyou Zhao

Gangster
This Chinese gangster’s default Job is the best starting Job for this new character. His Attack stats are pretty high among the cast, so keep him around as your DPS. He also has good default AoE and all-targeting attacks that deal good chunks of damage, making group encounters easy to breeze through. You will recruit him late in the game though.
Breaker
Giving the Breaker Job to this guy is also a good idea, since his high Attack stats complement this offense-based Job easily. This Job will also tweak his agility stats, meaning he will attack first and usually wipe out enemies quicker than most.
Zhao Jobs Unlock Requirements

Gangster (Default) â€“ Level 1+
Musician â€“ Level 1+
Chef â€“ Level 1+ Host â€“ Level 15+
Breaker â€“ Level 15+, Bond Level 2+
Bodyguard â€“ Level 20+, Bond Level 3+
Fortuneteller- Level 20+, Bond Level 4+
Foreman â€“ Level 25+, Bond Level 4+
Enforcer â€“ Level 25+, Bond Level 5+

Eri Kamataki

Yes, the former CEO of the rice cracker company in the district can be recruited as a support party member once you get the company to the Top 100 companies of Japan list.
Clerk
Eri’s default Job is actually the best for her. She deals great Slashing damage and has attacks and equipment that ignore enemy defenses.
Night Queen
This hybrid class can exploit enemy weaknesses with a variety of whips. Eri’s stats can make the most of this Job, though it puts her more in a supportive role since it prioritizes using single-target attacks.
Eri Jobs Unlock Requirement

Clerk (Default) â€“ Level 1+
Idol â€“ Level 1+
Dealer â€“ Level 15+
Hostess â€“ Level 20+, Bond Level 2+
Night Queen â€“ Level 25+, Bond Level 4+


Towers Is A Player-Controlled Ico/Monster Hunter Mashup

At least, that’s what the trailer below is portraying with its giant behemoths, horse-riding, and overall vibe/art style. The demo of Towers below, a game made by Dreamlit Entertainment, shows some gameplay where:

You ride to a barren world,
You fix it by growing plants and other green goodness, and also build houses and stuff.
You attract animals big and small. Well, mostly big.
You also fight mechanical golems and other monstrosities, defending your hometown from invaders.

Fun fact: some of the developers from this small company used to make Hawken, an arcade mecha action game I played a lot before I switched to Warframe. Which makes me personally interested in what’s in store for this open world wonderland.


Marvel’s Secret Invasion Trailer Has Winter Soldier Vibes

At D23, Marvel has unveiled the first trailer for Secret Invasion. It’s coming to Disney+ Hotstar sometime in 2023.
Samuel L. Jackson will reprise his role as Nick Fury, Ben Mendelsohn will return as the Skrull warrior Talos, Don Cheadle is back as James “Rhodey” Rhodes, Cobie Smulders returns as Maria Hill, plus Emilia Clarke, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Olivia Colman also star. Kyle Bradstreet serves as executive producer and writer.
In the series, Fury returns to Earth and teams up with Talos to prevent a Skrull invasion. Hill has been calling Fury to help back on the planet, but this time he’s finally back to deal with the dangerous Skrull threat. In one scene, Talos faces down Ben-Adir’s character as other Skrulls in the room take on the same appearance as Ben-Adir.
Check out the trailer below:


Satoshi Kon & David Lynch-Inspired Horror Game Decarnation Launches This May

During the Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2023, Atelier QDB and Shiro Unlimited have announced that horror game Decarnation will launch for the Nintendo Switch and PC sometime in May 2023.
Decarnation tells the story of Gloria, a struggling cabaret dancer who’s not having a very good time at all. With difficulties in her relationship, career, and thus her mental health, she’s surprised when she gets an enticing offer from a mysterious stranger. Gloria will end up battling all kinds of monsters in Decarnation, both physical and mental, with the game straddling the real-world and Gloria’s subconscious.
The game is set in a 1990s Paris setting. The gameplay mixes puzzle-solving, exploration, and boss encounters of traditional survival horror titles with the more sim-like mini-games (such as performing on the cabaret or exploring psychological symbolism). The developer also said that the game was inspired by films such as Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue and David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive.
Check out the trailer below:


Rift Rivals Pacific Preview: SEA Teams

Rift Rivals Pacific takes place in Sydney this week so we got Leonard Loh of Singaporean-based League team, Sovereign for his tips and thoughts of the event as well as his forecast on how the Southeast Asian teams taking part – Mineski, Ascension Gaming and Kuala Lumpur Hunters – would fare.
Take it away, Leonard!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l6Q9l7EJew&w=560&h=315]
Overview
ASC (Ascension) are frontrunners for this tournament and might be even able to carry SEA through some matches like GAM did in the previous Rift Rivals tourney. However, they will be playing with a new jungler (not sure what happened with Intresso). They are fresh off a Korea boot camp too so ASC should be looking solid.
They are fresh off a Korea boot camp too so ASC should be looking solid.
Mineski and KLH should both be middle of the pack at best and I wouldnt expect them to take more than a game or 2 vs the OCE and JP teams. Although I feel Mineski are more solid overall, KLH should have more upset potential due to their willingness to go for more unorthodox gameplans (KLH have a really big gap in their top lane though, Shiro is really really weak and he might just lose them matches against teams with solid top laners).
Look Out For…
For players to look out for I would say on ASC, their mid jungle to top side play was their strong suite and Rockyy is still looking very strong (he got C1 in korea during their bootcamp). However, G4 is shaky and without Intresso, I’m not sure how their Mid JG will play out.
Team Comp
Mski (Mineski) are quite solid overall and have some strategic diversity with rotating mid-laners (not too sure how practiced they are with this as Hamez their mid-sub has been playing ADC in Hyperplay). Gari, their Korean ADC (Attack Damage Carry) I would say is their strongest player.
Jungler Jjun, another Korean import is also quite a key factor for Mineski. If he falls behind the opposition jungler, they tend to lose the series as Mski rely on him to set the pace of the game imo.
For KLH, mid and jungle are both quite decent, with Qaspiel especially having the popoff carry potential. Not sure what bot lane they’re running for RR so I cant comment. Like I said before though their top lane Shiro is really weak so dont expect them to do well against teams with strong top lanes.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe00vH8I-iA&w=560&h=315]

Full schedule are as follows:Â
GROUP STAGE â€“ MONDAY, JULY 2, 5PM AEST

GAME 1:
[JP] DetonatioN FocusMe vs. [OCE] The Chiefs

GAME 2:
[SEA] Mineski vs. [JP] Unsold Stuff Gaming

GAME 3:
[JP] PENTAGRAM vs. [OCE] The Chiefs

GAME 4:
[OCE] Dire Wolves vs. [SEA] Kuala Lumpur Hunters

GAME 5:
[SEA] Ascension Gaming vs. [JP] PENTAGRAM

GROUP STAGE â€“ TUESDAY, JULY 3, 5PM AEST

GAME 1:
[JP] Unsold Stuff Gaming vs. [OCE] Legacy Esports

GAME 2:
[OCE] The Chiefs vs. [SEA] Kuala Lumpur Hunters

GAME 3:
[OCE] Dire Wolves vs. [JP] DetonatioN FocusMe

GAME 4:
[JP] PENTAGRAM vs. [SEA] Kuala Lumpur Hunters

GAME 5:
[OCE] Dire Wolves vs. [SEA] Ascension Gaming

GROUP STAGE â€“ WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 5PM AEST

GAME 1:
[SEA] Kuala Lumpur Hunters vs. [JP] DetonatioN FocusMe

GAME 2:
[SEA] Ascension Gaming vs. [OCE] The Chiefs

GAME 3:
[OCE] Legacy Esports vs. [SEA] Mineski

GAME 4:
[SEA] Ascension Gaming vs. [JP] DetonatioN FocusMe

GAME 5:
[JP] PENTAGRAM vs. [OCE] Dire Wolves

GRAND FINAL â€“ THURSDAY, JULY 5, 5PM AEST

GAME 1â€“5:
TBD vs. TBD


Avengers: Endgame Trailer Breakdown and Analysis

The first trailer for Avengers 4 has dropped, and it reveals not only the movie’s official title (which is dumb) but also what has happened to the remaining Avengers after the events of Avengers Infinity War. Let’s see what’s in the latest Marvel Studios‘ Avengers Endgame trailer, shall we?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA6hldpSTF8&w=560&h=315]
The Avengers Endgame trailer begins with Tony Stark AKA Iron Man seemingly adrift in space on the Guardians of the Galaxy’s spare ship, Benatar. We don’t know how long he’s been in what seems to be self-imposed exile but it might have been a long time since he separated from the rest of the heroes.

He records a supposedly final message to Pepper Potts ahead of his impending death due to the eventual lack of oxygen. It’s a touching moment when he ends the message by saying that the last thing on his mind will be her and always her. It’s a somber start to the trailer.

Let’s speculate: Pepper Potts could either be alive or dead, but I think that Tony just doesn’t know because he hasn’t reached Earth since the Decimation (the official name for the Thanos snap event that resulted in half of everything dying). Marvel wouldn’t let him actually die in space, so the question is who will be saving him.
The scene fades to a scene showing Thanos’ armor on an effigy or scarecrow of sorts. This is actually a reference to the comics, specifically one of the last panels in Jim Starlin’s Infinity Gauntlet comic book crossover. However, the circumstances are different.
Compare that…
…with this.
In the comics, he retired and wanted to be left alone because his efforts to impress Death by killing half of the universe ultimately failed. In the MCU, it’s the opposite of that, as Thanos celebrates his victory in restoring balance to the universe by killing half of every living thing.
Captain America is crying, folks. That’s heartbreaking to see. Black Widow reaffirms what we already know, and we see Bruce Banner looking in despair at what seems to be the list of ‘missing’ heroes, including Scott Lang AKA Ant-Man and Shuri, Black Panther’s sister. However, he doesn’t know yet (but we do) that Ant-Man is actually still alive and left drifting in the Quantum Realm with no way of returning to Earth.

Next, we see Thor and Nebula brooding, before shifting to a scene presumably somewhere in Asia, where the Black Widow encounters Hawkeye who is now donning the mantle of Ronin.

In the comics, Clint Barton was not the first to don the Ronin name and garb, but he received the blessing of Maya Lopez (the first Ronin) to adopt the mantle. The reason he even became Ronin was due to the fact that he was recently (at the time) resurrected back to life after the reality-altering events of House of M and he didn’t want to rejoin the main Avengers team when learned of what happened when he was dead (the events of Civil War and Captain America’s assassination). He then joined the New Avengers team as Ronin for a while.

We still don’t know what caused the MCU’s Hawkeye to become Ronin, but I think it’s because his wife and children died during the Decimation. The trauma and guilt of him being alive led to him adopting the Ronin mantle, to become a wandering lone warrior without a home (or family).
Captain America re-dons his iconic 2014 Captain America: The Winter Soldier costume once again, and the stares at an old black and white picture of the deceased Peggy Carter with a forlorn look. You know what that means? Yeah, it probably means that Captain America will die in Avengers Endgame, and not just any death, but a heroic and definitive one. I predict that this will be the first real death of a major superhero in the MCU, and it will hit even harder than Avengers Infinity War’s Decimation event.

The next interaction lends further credibility to this idea. Black Widow says that the plan will work, but Captain America has doubts. When a man loses hope (especially someone like Captain freaking America), you definitely know what that means; a heroic sacrifice that leads to his death. I’m not looking forward to that but that is what I think will happen.
The trailer then ends with the surprising revelation that Scott Lang is still alive (not for us viewers, obviously). The question is how he escaped from the Quantum Realm. He must have had help, but who could have helped him? Who is even still alive that stills know about interdimensional physics and the Quantum Realm? My prediction is that it’s Dr. Erik Selvig, the guy from the Thor movies. He was one of the first scientists to discover other realms and he could still be alive.

My final thoughts: I hate the title. Avengers Endgame was one of the first theorized names for the Infinity War sequel, and I didn’t like it then (and I especially don’t like it now). They could have called it Avengers Annihilation or Avengers Infinity’s End or perhaps taking a cue from the comics and calling it Infinity Crusade or Avengers Forever. Anything would be better than just lazily slapping ‘Endgame’ there.
What do you think of the first Avengers Endgame game? Let me know in the comments below. Avengers Endgame is slated to arrive in cinemas in April 2019.


Here’s How the Recent Malaysian Budget 2019 Report Will Affect Gaming

At the time of writing, the Malaysian Budget 2019 / Belanjawan Negara 2019 is currently being presented and tabled by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng. Two particular contents of the Budget has caught the attention of many Malaysians, directly/indirectly affecting those who are gamers and/or heavy user of digital entertainment services.

The Malaysian Government has announced that international online services like Netflix, Spotify, and Steam will be subject to tax from January 1, 2020.
The Malaysian Government will allocate funds of RM10 million via MDEC (Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation) to support and develop the local eSports industry, citing software engineers and game developers as related job scopes.

What Does This Mean?
I’m a proponent of digital purchases over physical, especially in gaming and entertainment in general. Online services like Netflix, Spotify, and Steam have contributed much to decrease illegal piracy in the country by providing consumers with legitimate and relatively cheaper ways of purchasing content. Taxing them will only discourage people from choosing digital over physical.
However, no details or specifics have been revealed regarding both the new taxes for online services and how the RM10 million will be allocated.
What Can Be Done
Speaking of the latter, I believe that the Government can do more than just spending all that money to organize huge esports events like the upcoming Dota 2 KL Major without first starting with the burgeoning local community.
Firstly, instead of spending big bucks on infrastructure like stadiums, the money should be used to support local organizers by reducing tax, costs, and more. Educate the masses on the prospect of a career in e-Sports; the pros and cons.
Additionally, the Government can give financial incentives to schools and universities to help develop proper eSports programmes for the youth.
We’ll have to wait for more details once the smoke clears, and we’ll have more information for everyone then. Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei!
Update: Razer’s Min-Liang Tan & Kitamen are making a contribution to #Belanjawan2019. Genuine progress via unity, Or jumping on a current hashtag trend? You decide.
https://twitter.com/minliangtan/status/1058350427211653120?fbclid=IwAR1cobB4TaeyKgNbrMKUs3L2C7zlHZvrql-By4tHzI17-d4U9C3Zu9qISoQ

In line with recent attention and interest in our budding esports industry, Kitamen will be allocating RM100,000 investment to help develop esports and gaming grassroots in Malaysia for 2019. Let's build this beautiful dream #jomkitamen
— Hazman Hassan (@zemang) November 2, 2018


Apex Legends Teases New Legend, Celebrates 100 Million Players

Respawn Entertainment has announced that Apex Legends has surpassed a whopping 100 million players, making it an impressive new milestone for the battle royale game.
Alongside the announcement of the milestone, a new video was released, hinting at a new playable Legend to join the game and a potential update to the Olympus map. The most interesting detail is that the developer is teasing an official reveal to arrive on 19 April 2021.

100 million strong, and we're just getting started. Thank you, Legends! ?? pic.twitter.com/FlINru0lx5
— Apex Legends (@PlayApex) April 14, 2021

The end of the video in the tweet above shares a glimpse at someone who seems to be a brand new Legend who will presumably join the game’s roster in Apex Legends Season 9. It looks like the character can apparently fly, but data miners have discovered that her name might be Valk.
In addition to the new Legend, the video also hinted at a possible change to the Olympus map. However, none of this has been confirmed as of yet. We’ll have to wait until next week for what the developer has in store. Perhaps fans can even look forward to more Titanfall 2 content in Apex Legends Season 9.


Apex Legends Season 3 Battle Pass Leak Reveals New Skins & More

The Apex Legends Season 3 Battle Pass has been leaked ahead of its eventual release, thanks to a data miner named @That1MiningGuy from Twitter. He discovered that not only will the third season be named ‘Fire And Ice’, but also the content of the upcoming Battle Pass.
According to the leak, the Apex Legends Season 3 Battle Pass ‘Fire And Ice’ will contain the following:

Character skins for Octane and Caustic
Weapon skins for R301 (Legendary, reactive)
Weapon skins for Spitfire (Legendary, reactive)
Weapon skins for Alternator (Legendary, reactive)
Legendary Apex Pack
Epic Apex Pack
2550 Crafting Metals
25 battle pass levels
Exclusive Legendary Spitfire skin
Exclusive character skin

S3 battlepass strings found. Looks like 2550 total crafting materials, season will be named fire and ice, and the 25.00 version will come with some exclusive skins unlocked. pic.twitter.com/LtlqBunteO
â€” That1MiningGuy (@That1MiningGuy) September 10, 2019

The name of the new Apex Legends season, ‘Fire And Ice’, may indicate the arrival of new fire-themed and snow-themed maps, or it may be teasing a new Legends (the widely-rumoured Crypto).
Crypto.
Respawn Entertainment has yet to announce the official release date for Apex Legends Season 3 but it is expected to launch sometime in October 2019.


Overwatch League: More Rumors on Official Team Names

According to the sources, Team New York for the Overwatch League will be called New YorkÂ Excelsior -Â if a recent USPTO Trademark application was to be believed. According to Akshonesports.com, the application was filed on Oct. 2 by OWL NYC LLC Delaware.
Following that news, anÂ ESPN reportÂ on Oct 5. suggests a USPTO filing by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment for the “Los Angeles Gladiators” trademark.Â The Kroenkes aren’t strangers to owning sports franchises as they are current owners of Barclays Premier League team Arsenal, NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and NBA’s Denver Nuggets.
Expect Korean-based LW Blue to form a bulk of Team New York’s roster followingÂ reports of Overwatch League New York slot holder, Sterling.VC acquiring the squad, leading to LW Blue opting out of OGN APEX Season 4. Last week, a trademark filing in Seoul suggest that Team Seoul will be called Seoul DynastyÂ while rumors are rife that Team London, made up of the players from Cloud9 KongDoo and GC Busan will be called London Spitfire.
Earlier today we reported that Team Boston will be called Boston Uprising. This follows earlier announcements of another Los Angeles-based team’s official name -Â Los Angeles Valiant – whose squad will primarily consist of players of Immortals.

				Boston Uprising

				Los Angeles Valiant (Immortals)

				San Francisco Shock (NRG)

				Dallas Fuel (EnVyUs)

				Shanghai Dragons

The preseason for the Overwatch League starts December 6th at the Blizzard Arena in Los Angeles, California, with the first season starting on Wednesday, January 10th. Registration for the players closes on October 30th.


My Southeast Asia Major 2019 Experience Pt 2: The Community Conundrum

Southeast Asia Major.
As a member of the Malaysian fighting game community for almost the past decade now, it seems like weâ€™ve always acknowledged that SEAM is the biggest, most important annual fighting game tournament in our region.
Whether or not that will actually hold true in years to come remains to be seen, especially given the massive spectacle of a fighting game event that was this yearâ€™s REV Major in the Philippines.
But as of this year, SEAM still holds the status of being the most important event in the region due to the fact that it plays host to the Capcom Pro Tour Asia regional finals, the Dragon Ball FighterZ World Tour and the Soul Calibur Asia League Finals (but strangely enough, not the Tekken World Tour).
In part 1, we covered the tournaments that were part of the aforementioned world tours. Now, letâ€™s take a look at the games that made up the more community-driven side of SEAM 2019.
Tekken 7 -Iron Fist Inclusion
Thereâ€™s not as much to be said about the Tekken tournament that took place at SEAM 2019 given that it was only a Dojo level Tekken World Tour event.
This year, SEAM was already hosting the CPT, the Soul Calibur Asia League and the Dragon Ball FighterZ World Tour, so itâ€™s somewhat understandable if the SEAM organisers had decided not to run a Masters or Challenger level Tekken World Tour event at the same time in order to lessen the organisational and logistical burden.
Having said that, we canâ€™t be entirely sure if thatâ€™s the only reason why Tekken was a much smaller component of SEAM this year, so weâ€™re really just speculating.

In any case, the status of only being a Dojo 32 tournament meant that this was almost the opposite of the SFV tournament – pretty much all the top players from the Asia-Pacific were absent, but this also meant that the SEA players that did show up were given their chance to shine.

This tournament received understandably less attention due to the lack of top international players on show, but full credit should go to our top 4 finishers: Lan94 from Singapore, Madrush from Malaysia, Sidestep Lance from the Philippines, and CJB_Medan from Indonesia. Itâ€™s always a pleasure to see our SEA representatives shine when given the opportunity and having 4 different nationalities represented in the top 4 made for the best show and competition possible given the circumstances.
If anything, itâ€™s a testament to the quiet dedication and passion of the FGC in each of these SEA countries, honing their skills and competing for little more than the love of the game. And thatâ€™s what fighting games are really about.
The Anime Fighters

Speaking of playing for the love of the game, letâ€™s move on to the anime side of things. SEAM wasnâ€™t part of the ArcREVO world tour, which meant that all of the anime games at SEAM besides Dragon Ball FighterZ were stand-alone, community-driven tournaments. And yet, we still had some big names turn up for them.
First of all, letâ€™s talk about Guilty Gear. Kazunoko entered, as did Samitto – the Chipp god, and a bunch of other high-level Japanese players. Very few of them are as famous as your Daigoâ€™s and Tokidoâ€™s, but it doesnâ€™t matter because they never played GG for fame. As the GG fans have been singing out loud since GG2020 was announced: “we already know the smell of the game”.
Top 8 was dominated by Japanese players, save for a Singaporean Ramlethal player known as Tinkle who managed to do SEA proud by clawing his way to 7th place. As top 8 progressed, Shunâ€™s Baiken was the crowd favourite, but he was eventually beaten out by Samitto who refused to be denied his runback with Kazunoko in grand finals. And what a runback it was.
Samitto was clearly tired of the Kazunoko show that had been playing on the SEAM stage all weekend, and he put an end to it quickly. 3-0 to reset the bracket, and then 3-1 to win the tournament, eliciting joy and hype from the GG community that was in attendance.

And then it was time. The GG community gathered front in centre as Arc System Works came on stage for their presentation. We were about to get the latest trailer for Guilty Gear 2020 live and in person. The Axl trailer rolled, the music played, and the community rocked out.

The lyrics of the GG2020 theme song rang throughout the venue, the GG players singing, Tasty Steve leading the crowd. It lasted for about 30 seconds, but it was almost the best 30 seconds of the entire event.
Thatâ€™s just how special Guilty Gear is.

Moving on to BBTAG, this was a game that the local players did pretty well in. Fenritti and Noble represented Japan in 1st and 2nd place respectively, but Snowdrop was the first player from Singapore to crack top 3 in one of the anime games at SEAM 2019, taking 3rd place home for the local community.
Then we had Under Night: In-Birth (or UNIST for short) – a tournament which displayed the full strength of the Singaporean anime games community as Seo, Tinkle, Asher, and Baowen (Enkido Hyde) took up the entirety of the top 4, shutting out the visiting competitors from Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, and the Philippines.
Even after going 0-2 myself, I couldnâ€™t wait to get back in the lab and play the game again. Talking to the other members of the anime fighting game community, most people were in agreement – we all canâ€™t wait to run it back when the new version of the game comes out next year.
Samurai ShodownÂ  – Clash of Swords

The EVO runner-up Kazunoko was there, so you know we had to get at him. SnowDrop and VGD from Singapore fought valiantly to secure top 3 placings for themselves, but Kazunoko proved himself to be in a different class as he cruised through winners finals and grand finals without losing a single game.
Itâ€™s interesting how Samurai Shodown was run in a way that made it the furthest to the side out of all the side tournaments at SEAM, even if it was technically one of the official games on the line-up.
There were multiple pools for Samurai Shodown, but only 2 set-ups, And rather than the pools being run sequentially at the scheduled times (as is usually done for tournament pools), players just dropped in and out to play their matches whenever they werenâ€™t occupied with other games.

I suppose that really just reflects how most SamSho players engage with the game. Even Kazunoko seemed to be more preoccupied with Guilty Gear and Dragonball FighterZ.

But then again, thatâ€™s also part of the beauty of Samurai Shodown. Itâ€™s a very fun game with deep mechanics, and perhaps the best thing about it is that you donâ€™t need to put in an enormous amount of dedication or focus to enjoy it, as long as you already have an appreciation for fighting games in general.
Marvel, Baby
There was a Marvel tournament at SEAM 2019? Yes, there was, thank you for asking.
Although it wasnâ€™t one of the official games at SEAM, the Malaysian and Singaporean division of the fighting game team Infinite Carnage came together to organise Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 (UMVC3) and Marvel vs Capcom Infinite (MVCI) tournaments which took place on day 2 of SEAM.
UMVC3 had a full 17 man bracket which featured notable players such as Apologyman, ABEGEN, and Horuto. And it was hype.

(image credit: Infinite Carnage)
Huddled around 2 set-ups in the middle of the SEAM tournament area, the Marvel boys created a bigger crowd and generated more excitement around their tournament than any of the matches that were happening for the main games at SEAM.

The other fighting game players couldnâ€™t help but turn their heads away from their games to look at what was going on. Some people couldnâ€™t help but join in on the timeless hype that is UMVC3.

ABEGEN won 1st place in the UMVC3 tournament, while VGD from Singapore actually managed to upset Apologyman in losers finals to secure 2nd place for himself, relegating Apologyman to 3rd place.

(image credit: Infinite Carnage)
Infinite Carnage then ran a 5 man MVCI bracket which VGD won handily. There was little more than bragging rights and a HyperX headset on offer, but the bragging rights were well deserved for him. He let RollynX – the 2nd place winner, drag the HyperX headset back home to Malaysia.
SEAM Post-Mortem
I suppose what Iâ€™d really like to see is more of that: more community efforts to make fighting game tournaments even more special. And more room and support from event organisers to allow the community to play the games they love at events and have fun doing it.

If thereâ€™s one concern that I have with SEAM and the way that major international tournaments have been growing lately, itâ€™s that theyâ€™ve been growing with an increased focus on the esports formula, with events revolving around world tours like the Capcom Pro Tour or the Tekken World Tour.

Thereâ€™s nothing wrong with placing focus on these tours that are organised and supported by the game developers. However, letâ€™s not forget that the community is what makes the FGC and FGC events truly enjoyable.
The esports tours can rightfully take centre stage, but events and the FGC at large would certainly benefit from organisers providing room and a spotlight for community-driven tournaments to thrive, and to showcase the roots of the FGC.
SEAM 2019 was another solid event, and I hope that the community components continue to grow rather than shrink, so that “Southeast Asia’s Premier Fighting Game Event” can continue to be a great event for the entire SEA FGC to attend.


3Particle Solution Partners With Giochi Academy For Malaysia’s First Extended Reality Virtual Production

3Particle Solution Sdn Bhd has announced the very first xR Virtual Production in Malaysia using Extended Reality (xR) Technology with Unreal Engine, which is a joint venture with educational partner Giochi Academy (managed by Giochi Technologies Sdn Bhd).
This joint collaboration is to offer a higher standard in virtual production to the Malaysian market and to both attract and cultivate more students to the event/film/broadcast industries. With a team of collaboration partners including professional sound & light, video & LED solution, Cine/Broadcast specialist and an in-house cinematography studio, they will be providing a complete solution of xR Virtual Production to all businesses and event or creative agencies as well as broadcast or film production in Malaysia and abroad.
With the support from Unreal Engine, disguise and Mo-Sys, they aim to continue to develop towards a more structured and professional company in the industry with the highest standards in the coming years.
https://www.facebook.com/174977168577/videos/323281295852409
What is xR?

Extended reality (xR) is a technology that allows you to blend virtual and physical worlds together using Augmented reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) in live production environments to create fully immersive experiences.Â Â
Itâ€™s a next-generation process for the film, broadcast, and live event productions. xR combines camera tracking and real-time rendering to create an immersive virtual environment, visible live on set and shot directly in-camera.Â
Advantages Of xR’s Virtual Production Vs. Green Screen Virtual ProductionÂ

Truly Immersive Production.
In-Camera VFX.
Real-time adjustment of content.
Seamless camera tracking.
No Color key or spill.
Fast Accurate Calibration.
Integration of lighting and content.
Full 3D Pre-visualization.

xR Stage | Malaysia

At the same time, 3Particle Solution Sdn Bhd is also introducing the very first owned xR Stage in Malaysia, a virtual production studio made for xR, located at Sunway Subang Business Park near SultanÂ  Abdul Aziz Shah Airport. The xR Stage is recognised as the first in the Malaysian market. There are a total of 65 xR stages in the APAC region out of a total of 282 worldwide.
The Malaysia-based xR stage studio facilities had been injected with an investment of several million RM in both resources and talented personnel to kick start, research, develop and build a talent pool. It’s ready for virtual production on any scale from live broadcast/event up to commercial/feature film.Â
The xR Stage | MY is laid out as follows:

Level G – xR Virtual Production zone.
Level 1 – Client lounge area with a make-up zone.
Level 2 – Equipped with space for green screen and white screen for both photography and videography, it is available for rent with or without our professional in-house production team. However, this section is still under renovation.

At the same time, these facilities will also serve as a training/practical centre for selected students at Giochi Academy.Â
They’re located at the following address: No.23, Jalan Delta U6/18, Sunway Subang Business Park, Seksyen U6,Â  40150 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaÂ
You can head on over to their official website here.


Godzilla’s Monsterverse To Hit The Small Screen On Apple TV+

Our favourite kaiju will be crashing his way into Appleâ€™s streaming service with the next instalment of the Monsterverse universe, set after the 2021 film Godzilla Vs Kong.
Kaiju fans rejoice as Godzilla and his Titan buddies will be returning with the announcement of a new Monsterverse series, under Apple TV+, which is still yet to have an official title. The series will be set after the events of Godzilla Vs Kong. The show will be headed by Chris Black (Star Trek: Enterprise and weirdly, Ugly Betty) and Matt Fraction, writer of Marvelâ€™s Hawkeye run that the recent Disney Plus series is based on. Other notable names include Toho’s Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita, and Safe House Picturesâ€™ Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell, who are set to executive produce.
The untitled series promises the appearance of Godzilla and other kaijus, but will also include another human family thatâ€™s meant to pad out the screen time when the big monsters arenâ€™t fighting. According to Apple, the new human family at the centre of this show will have deep, mysterious connections to Monarch, the shadowy corporation that was responsible for pitting good olâ€™ Gojira against the chad Kong, and also created the real villain of that movieâ€¦
At the time of writing, there is no other news regarding the new series, but expect to see some iconic Kaiju to appear and a whole lot of buildings to be destroyed. In the meantime, check out our review of Godzilla Vs Kong by heading over here.


Netflix & 300 Creator Twist King Arthur Legend In New Series

Frank Miller is a living legend in the comics industry, having written some of the best and most iconic graphic novels, many of which have been adapted into live-action movies. These include Zack Snyder’s 300 (the one with King Leonidas screaming “This is Sparta!”), The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City, and more.
He also illustrated a King Arthur book with writer Tom Wheeler, both of whom will be the executive producers of Netflix’s new fantasy series adaptation of that very same book, Cursed. Wheeler will also act as the main showrunner for the series.
Cursed stars Katherine Langford (best know for portraying Hannah Baker in Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why) as Nimue AKA the Lady Of The Lake and protagonist of the series. In this version of the Arthurian legend, the twist is that Nimue herself must wield Excalibur, instead of King Arthur.

It will also star Gustaf Skarsgard of Vikings fame as Merlin, and Devon Terrell as Arthur himself. The first season will consist of 10 one-hour episodes.

Speaking with EW, Wheeler said:

â€œRealizing these characters from page to screen was a unique and thrilling creative challenge.
I think first and foremost when casting for Cursed, Frank and I were looking for a mythological truth, actors who could bring the emotion and the humanity to legendary characters without losing the sense of elemental magic and epic stakes.
Led by Katherine Langford, who is equal parts classic hero and sword-swinging badass, this extraordinary cast has brought such depth, commitment, and heart to this story.
We canâ€™t wait to introduce them to audiences around the world.â€

Cursed is slated to premiere on Netflix sometime in summer 2020.


EA Play Drops On Xbox Game Pass Tomorrow With 60+ Games

Xbox has announced that the Xbox Game Pass PC and Ultimate will be able to enjoy all the benefits of EA Play on Windows 10 starting from 5am GMT+8 on 19 March 2021 (18 March 2020 at 2pm PT in the US, which is technically tomorrow) at no additional cost.
The features include:

More than 60 of EAâ€™s biggest and best PC games likeÂ Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, FIFA 20, Titanfall 2Â andÂ Need For Speed Heat, as well as titles from some of EAâ€™s most popular franchises likeÂ Battlefield,Â Madden NFL, Command & Conquer, andÂ TheÂ Sims.
Rewards each month from your favourite EA games. March rewards include Gold Team Fantasy MUT packs and an EA Play Celebration Pack for Madden 21, an N7 Weapon Charm for Apex Legends and more.
Starting on day one of EA Play on PC with Xbox Game Pass, members can play the new-to-Play List title Star WarsÂ Squadrons on PC and console.
Exclusive in-game challenges and rewards, special member-only content, and discounts on EA digital purchases via EA Desktop app beta.
Access to trials of games for up to 10 hours from best-loved franchises and top titles likeÂ FIFA 21.

For Xbox Game Pass PC and Ultimate subscribers, to get started with your EA Play membership on PC, you just need to download the EA Desktop app, EAâ€™s next-generation PC platform thatâ€™s currently in open beta, and sign-in to your EA Account or create a new one.

Once you are logged in you will be prompted to link your Xbox account and your EA account.

The Xbox app will walk you through the setup process when you download your first EA Play game.

After you download the app and connect your accounts, you can browse the EA Play library, look for your next favourite game, and play with friends.
It was only in the past several days that Xbox also announced Outriders, Undertale, Octopath Traveler and more are coming to the Xbox Game Pass, not to mention the addition of all those Bethesda games.


Scoob! Provides Little Laughs But Is A Nostalgic Ride For Older Fans

Believe it or not, the adventures of Scooby-Doo, Shaggy and rest of the Mystery Inc. gang have been going on for more than 50 years. Yes, it’s really that old, as the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! animated series debuted all the way back in 1969 before the franchise started putting out more shows and direct-to-video movies over the years.
Many of us grew up with at least one of those many different versions of Scooby-Doo, but I count myself lucky for having watched the classic 1969 series growing up. When Scoob! was first announced, I was ecstatic for the chance to relive my childhood because of its logic-solving and mystery-based trappings combined with slapstick involving a talking dog.
Unfortunately, it ended up being a major disappointment for existing fans and newbies alike. It’s like as if Warner Bros. is ashamed of its legacy and opt to make this a generic and safe adventure show with facets of the original series sprinkled with chunks.
Identity Crisis

For all intents and purposes, Scoob! is supposed to be a reboot of the Scooby-Doo film series, and is intended to be the first instalment in a new animated cinematic universe populated by iconic Hanna-Barbera IP. Does it succeed in that regard? Well, it’s sort of complicated.
Scoob! follows Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Velma, Fred and Daphne trying to stop antagonist Dick Dastardly from opening the door to the underworld with the help of Blue Falcon and his trusty sidekick, Dyno-Mutt.
Anyone’s first question to all this should be why are Scooby-Doo and the gang trying to defeat a supervillain with the help of a superhero? Where are the ghosts, ghouls and monsters? It seems like the filmmakers are too eager to build a Hanna-Barbera cinematic universe and so tries to emulate the Marvel Cinematic Universe by cramming in as many characters as possible.
Look, I know that most of the times; the ghosts, ghouls and monsters faced by Scooby-Doo and the gang ultimately turn out to be bad people in disguise (with a few exceptions, of course). Still, that doesn’t mean that director Tony Cervone had to make it a full-blown superhero caper.
Let’s make this clear from the beginning; Scoob! is essentially Scooby-Doo and Shaggy the movie, as the focus is mostly on them and their relationship together. In fact, my favourite part of the movie is the very beginning, and what little time the movie devotes to how Scooby-Doo met Shaggy, and later; how they met the rest of the Mystery Inc. gang. It’s sweet and endearing, but this is only the first 10 minutes of the movie.
The rest of the 90-minute movie’s runtime features the adult versions of the characters we know and love, but the filmmakers don’t introduce anything new to the equation. The pace is frantic, going from scene to action beat to scene without much breathing room, which seems like a way to distract us from the fact that this movie has no substance or much of a narrative.
The rest of the Mystery Inc. gang, which includes Fred (Zac Efron), Velma (Gina Rodriguez), and Daphne (Amanda Seyfried) gets relegated to the background and have a scant number of scenes compared to Scooby-Doo (Frank Welker) and Shaggy (Will Forte).
They also suffer due to the fact that the movie has to squeeze in the Hanna-Barbera characters as well. We get Blue Falcon (Mark Wahlberg), Dyno-Mutt (Ken Jeong), Dee Dee Skyes (Kiersey Clemons), Captain Caveman (Tracy Morgan), Dick Dastardly (Jason Isaacs) and his dog Muttley (Billy West).
If you grew up with these characters (like I did), you’ll probably grin and smile whenever you hear Muttley’s signature raspy snicker and more. However, this is still a Scooby-Doo movie at heart, and it’s a shame that these characters are just there for the sake of building a cinematic universe, considering not only how iconic these characters are, but also the calibre of the voice actors and star power attached to those roles.
Another problem is that with all the focus on these Hanna-Barbera characters, the only one who can truly appreciate the nostalgic homages are older viewers, who are at least in their 20s. Anyone younger than that will just be dumbfounded and wondering who the heck this blue Batman ripoff, cheesy moustache-twirling villain, and a literal dirty caveman are.
If you are a long-time Scooby-Doo, there is one single brief sequence in Scoob! which I consider to be a beautiful homage to the original 1969 animated series. It’s a short sequence but one that will leave any older fans of the franchise hearkening back to their childhood memories of watching the series.
Is This Meant To Be Funny?

The reality is that some animated movies geared towards children are simply too childish to be funny or even watchable for older viewers, but the best animated movies are those that can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of age; both young and old. Scoob! is in the first camp in that regard.
The humour and jokes in Scoob! are not too juvenile. In fact, they’re too generic and tame even by children’s standards. Well, for the most part, that is. There are a few selected jokes clearly for older viewers, especially a memorable one that makes fun of the F-word. These aren’t exactly great, but at least they made me chuckle.
In an animated movie catered for younger viewers, there’s usually always something for even adults to enjoy. For instance, I enjoyed the music and energy in Trolls World Tour from earlier this year. In comparison, the only thing I still remember about Scoob! is that early scene in the movie where Simon Cowell himself appears and has to suffer through Scooby and Shaggy’s awful rendition of the hit song Shallow from last year’s A Star Is Born.
Decent Visuals

Besides the occasional few good jokes and the nostalgic value of seeing the Hanna Barbera characters, the only other aspect that redeems this movie and that Scoob! can boast of is the visuals. It’s not as awesome as The Lego Movie or as awe-inspiring as any of the new Disney/Pixar movies, but it’s smooth and shiny, which will appeal for the kids.
The animated style suits the characters well, and I wouldn’t mind seeing more Hanna-Barbera movies the following suit. That said, Scoob! definitely follows a style over substance mindset, which might be enough for younger viewers but won’t satisfy any older ones at all.
Ruh Roh….

Scoob! is pretty disappointing for both fans and newbies alike. Fans would probably only like the movie for what little nostalgic value it has, but that’s literally it. New and younger viewers will likely find this movie to be a forgettable animated movie, which is a shame considering the pedigree of the franchise.
FINAL SCORE: 50/100
Scoob! is slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 6 August 2020.


Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Endgame & Chaos Chamber Guide: How To Get Chaotic & Volatile Gear

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is what Borderlands and looter shooter fans have been waiting for: great action, a fun D&D dungeonmastering story, and tons of loot and class customization. It also comes with a solid endgame series of dungeons called the Chaos Chamber that’s pretty impressive for a base Borderlands title.
Since this guide is about the endgame and post-credits farming, there will be spoilers. Here’s your warning.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Legendary Loot List
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Class Tier List

Chaos Chamber Overview
To access the Chaos Chamber entrance and dungeon, you just need to beat the main campaign. The final boss is the Dragon Lord; beat him, watch the ending, and grab the loot. Then go through the epilogue.
You’ll eventually reach the Chaos Chamber entrance (seen below). This is where your endgame and Legendary loot farming starts.

Chaos Chamber runs are multi-levelled random level runs where you go through each stage clearing the room of enemies. Once the room is clear, you proceed to the next one. You keep doing this until you reach the boss room. Kill the boss in the run, and you’ve completed the Chaos Chamber run. Clearing rooms will reward you with gear and crystals. Save up crystals so that you can cash them out at the rewards room (the one with the chest in the middle and the rabbit statues at each side).
After you clear a room, you get to pick the next room through a portal. Each portal will lead you to the following, represented by a different icon:

Crystal Chest: this room rewards you with extra Crystals when completed.
Gold Chest: this room rewards you with loot and gear. Usually this room will have an obelisk that activates when you kill enough enemies, unleashing a boss.
Dragon Lord icon: this room will let you pick a difficulty modifier once cleared. The tougher the modifier, the more crystals and stats-boost you get.
Butt-Stallion icon: this room grants you a party-wide buff for the run once it’s cleared.

You can spend a small amount of crystals on a portal of your choice to fill the room with Elite enemies. Elite enemies are tougher, but drop more Crystals.
Sometimes, a room in a Chaos Chamber run adds in side objectives. Completing side objectives means more Crystal rewards. These include the following tasks:

Destroy the Dragon Lord statue in the room.
Protect the Butt-Stallion statue from enemies.
Feed a fire spirit fire energy from the drops of dead enemies.
Finish a level before time runs out.
Melee kill a certain number of enemies.
Kill a certain number of enemies when standing in a designated circle.

There are four types Chaos Chamber runs you can pick:

Chaos Chamber Trial: This is a regular Chaos Chamber run where you can increase your Chaos Level. The starting Chaos level is 1, up to a maximum of 20. If you want to increase your Chaos Level, you need to complete the Trials.
Normal Chaos Chamber: A regular Chaos Chamber run.
Extended Chaos Chamber: A longer Chaos Chamber run.
Featured Chaos Chamber: A set Chaos Chamber dungeon run. Not randomized, meaning if you replay this featured run, you’ll get the same room, enemy types, and bosses.

You can cash in your crystals you won at the Chaos Chamber stages to churn out specific weapon and gear from the bunny statues. Each bunny statue represents a different gear type. So if you want to spend your crystals for just SMGs (rare, unique, Legendary; it’s random), go to the bunny statue with the SMG icon and spend your crystals. The more Crystals you have, the better the chances at getting Uniques and Legendaries.
Why You Should Increase Your Chaos Level
A higher Chaos Level means a higher chance to drop Legendary loot and Chaotic gear. At max Chaos Level 20, you can get Volatile gear drops. If we’re talking numbers, Chaotic Gear drop chance rates are 28%+ while Volatile Gear drop chance rates are 1.41%. The latter only appears at Chaos Level 20.
Stats-wise, Chaotic gear adds 19% damage increase, while Volatile gear adds 41% damage increase for base gear. For example, a Chaotic Masterwork Handbow is way better than a regular Masterwork Handbow. However, a Volatile Masterwork Handbow is better than both because of the significant damage increase. So yes, to get the best possible gear, playing at Chaos Level 20 is essential.
Chaos Chamber Tips

Choose Modifiers You Can Handle
You’re given two different portals when proceeding deeper into the Chaos Chamber. If you see a Dragon Lord icon and aren’t too confident in your skills, don’t force yourself to pick the Dragon Lord portal and just go for the other one. You will lose it all if you die and deplete all your lives during a Chaos Chamber run. Only take what you can handle.
Prioritize Spells
Regardless of the Chaos Level you’re on, Spells will still keep their damage and ability damage values, thus they can deal with whatever the Chamber throws at you. If you have found the perfect spell combo for Chaos Level 1 chamber runs, odds are it can carry you to Chaos Level 20. What we’re saying here is that classes like the Spellshot are way more useful in the endgame due to their ability to refresh spell cooldowns instantly via their skills.
Play With Friends
We cannot stress this enough. Playing with a full party means an easier time dealing with mobs and bosses, as well as higher chances for Legendary drops.
This article is still in development…


EA To Remove Need For Speed Games From Digital Stores

EA has announced via the Need For Speed sub-Reddit that Need For Speed Carbon, Need For Speed Undercover, Need For Speed Shift, Need For Speed Shift 2 Unleashed, and Need For Speed The Run will be removed from digital storefronts starting today from 31 May 2021.
While online services and servers for the game will remain available for now, they will officially shut down on 31 August 2021. From 1 September 2021 onwards, the games will only be playable offline if you already own them.
EA Community manager Max_Joker wrote:
“Decisions to retire games are never made easy, but we are now shifting gears to focus on the future of Need for Speed.
The development teams and operational staff have put a lot of time and passion into the development, creation, release and upkeep of the game over the years, and we love to see you play.
But the number of players has come to a point where it’s no longer feasible to continue the work behind the scenes required to keep Need for Speed Carbon, Need for Speed Undercover, Need for Speed Shift, Need for Speed Shift 2: Unleashed and Need for Speed The Run up and running.
We hope you have gotten many victories, satisfying drifts, moments of friendly rivalry, and hours of joy over the last few years out of these games.”
Need For Speed Carbon is the oldest game on the list, which was released in 2006. Meanwhile, 2011’s Need For Speed The Run is the newest game on the list. This will surely invite the ire and backlash of gamers affected by the decision. 2019â€™sÂ Need for Speed: Heat by (check out our full review here) was the latest game to be released for the franchise.


Hereâ€™s What You Need To Know About WWE 2K22â€™s MyFACTION Mode

WWE 2K22 is close to launch and will include a brand new team-building mode called MyFACTION that aims to expand and give a new take on the classic.
MyFACTION is a new take on a classic team-building mode in which players collect, manage, and upgrade an array of WWE Superstars and Legends to create their ultimate four-person faction. Now players will be able to make their own factions to share the ring with iconic groups such as the New World Order, D-Generation X and The New Day with tons of customization options like Managers and Side Plates boost performance, along with Logos, Wallpapers, and Nameplates.
Faction Action
To rival the giants across WWE history, players will need to make important choices for which Superstars to make up the roster of your personal faction while juggling the right boosts to take down the competitions. Types of Superstars such as the Powerhouse, that rely on muscle like (Big E or Rhea Ripley) or the Striker that overwhelms opponents with speedy, martial art techniques (Shinsuke Nakamura), will determine how your faction plays. Between a roster packed with Superstars and Legends, and a wide range of specialized Side Plates, countless combinations are available, and experimentation is encouraged.
What good are Factions if you canâ€™t throw a good clothesline to rival Factions, which is something youâ€™ll be doing a lot with Faction Wars. You can now pit your four-person factions against other fearsome foursomes across various match types in Proving Grounds, topple a new Tower every week, or complete an assortment of daily challenges.

Money in the Bank
The new mode will feature three types of in-game currency available in MyFACTION:

MyFACTION Points â€“ which can be exchanged for card packs and contracts â€“ are awarded for completing matches and challenges.
MyFACTION Tokens â€“ which can be used in the Token Rewards market to unlock powerful WWE Superstar and Legend cards â€“ are also awarded for completing matches and challenges.
Virtual Currency â€“ which is available for purchase and can be used exclusively in MyFACTION on card packs, boxes, and contracts.

Do note, anything that players can unlock with Virtual Currency can also be unlocked with MyFACTION Points.Plus, MyFACTION is an online single-player only experience, so players can’t gain a competitive advantage over other players by purchasing Virtual Currency, so those worried about pay-to-win players can rest easy.

Extra bonuses can be earned in certain MyFACTION modes such as Weekly Towers and Faction Wars, where limited-time rewards refresh each month. New themed card packs will roll out frequently, allowing you to unlock a legion of current Superstars and beloved Legends to add to their collections.
You can get your hands on WWE 2K22 and its new MyFACTION mode when it launches on March 11 for PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PC. Wondering whoâ€™s on the roster? Check out our list of 35 Superstars who left the company returning for the game.