How Ubisoft Singapore Is Responsible For A Quarter of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

During a live stream earlier this month, Ubisoft Singapore revealed that they primarily worked on the naval aspect of gameplay in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, including the Viking longships and crew. The crew of the longship can not only fight alongside players but also sing songs and tell stories of their lives and the lore of the world.
They also worked on the Viking dice minigame called Orlog, the Cairn stacking activities, and the Standing Stone puzzles that are found throughout the world, including the iconic Stonehenge.
The biggest contribution of the Ubisoft Singapore team is that they created roughly one-fourth or a quarter of the open-world in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. This includes the territories of East Anglia, Eurvicscire, Snotinghamscire, the major city of Jorvik, and the North American region.
Other contributions by Ubisoft Singapore include the biomes in the game, side quests and small stories called World Events (including one that involves a cat following players on a raid), and bringing the rivers of England to life.

Currently, they’re working on the upcoming second DLC expansion for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla; the Siege Of Paris. Players will visit â€œwar-tornâ€ Frankia (the old name for France) and encounter historical figures, as well as fight elite soldiers of Emperor Charles the Fat.
It’s slated to release sometime in summer 2021, after the first DLC expansion Wrath Of The Druids in spring 2021.
In addition, Ubisoft Singapore also said that there will be quick-time events for stealth assassinations (the Hidden Blade is back). and that there will be subtle narrative changes based on the choice of gender for Eivor (which you can also change at any time).
Last but not least, players will be able to visit the North American region at any time after reaching it for the first time during a certain part of the story.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is out now for the PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. It will also launch for the PS5 on 12/19 November 2020.
In the meantime, check out our full review of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla here.


New Captain America & Black Widow Hot Toys Are Ready To Avenge The Fallen

Avengers Endgame is now showing in cinemas, and I have seen the glory that is the end of the Infinity Saga (check out my review here). I’m sure that fans will be excited to know that Hot Toys has officially announced new 1/6th scale collectible figures of Captain America and Black Widow from the upcoming movie.
However, due to how incredibly detailed these two new figures are, I’m putting up a warning for spoilers beforehand. So unless you’ve seen Avengers Endgame, scroll down at your own risk.

Captain America is wearing his chainmail-inspired costume with scales, along with his iconic red-and-blue shield which looks battle-damaged and wearied. Steve Roger’s Captain America suit in Avengers Endgame is my favorite of all the previous live-action suits because of its homage to the comics.
What’s fascinating here is that there will be two additional accessories coming for the 1/6th scale collectible figure of Captain America. If I had to guess on what they could be based on the events in Avengers Endgame, one of them is probably Mjolnir (you know why) and the other could be either the white time travel suit or the broken shield (caused by Thanos).
Check out theÂ Avengers EndgameÂ Captain America Hot Toys 1/6th Scale Collectible Figure below.

Meanwhile, the 1/6th scale collectible figure of Black Widow comes with her black one-piece jumpsuit as seen in the movie, as well as her new braided hairstyle. She also gets one long baton, two short batons, and two pistols as weapons, along with a backpack with handles to hold her batons.
Check out theÂ Avengers EndgameÂ Black Widow Hot Toys 1/6th Scale Collectible Figure below.

In the meantime, check out the Hot Toys figures for other Avengers Endgame characters as well, including Hawkeye, Rocket Raccoon, Thanos, and Iron Man.


Amy Hennig Is Working On A New Star Wars Game

Amy Hennig’s Skydance New Media is developing a new Star Wars game. Skydance New Media was formed by Hennig back in 2019. Hennig is best known for directing the Uncharted and the Legacy Of Kain Soul Reaver franchises. This is Hennig’s return to Star Wars after she previously worked on the cancelled Star Wars game made by EA’s Visceral Games.
According to Deadline, Skydance New Media describes its untitled Star Wars project as a “richly cinematic action-adventure game featuring an original story”. However, there were no details, including an official title, release date, or platforms.
Hennig said:
“I’ve often described how seeing Star Wars in 1977 essentially rewired my 12-year-old brain, shaping my creative life and future indelibly. I’m elated to be working with Lucasfilm Games again to tell interactive stories in this galaxy that I love.”
Skydance New Media announced its first project, an untitled Marvel game, just last year in 2021.
Along with Hennig’s Star Wars game, there are at least five more in development at Lucasfilm Games, as of now. These include Quantic Dream’s Star Wars Eclipse; an open-world Star Wars game from Ubisoft’s Massive Entertainment; and three games from Respawn Entertainment: a sequel to Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, a new FPS, and a strategy game co-developed with Bit Reactor, a studio founded by former XCOM devs.


Amazon’s The Boys Teases First Look At Season 2

It’s been a little over two weeks since the premiere of Amazon’s The Boys Season 1 on 26 July 2019. It has since taken the world by storm, becoming one of the streaming site’s most-watched original content ever.
As revealed by The Boys executive producer (and famous actor) Seth Rogen at SDCC 2019 (via IGN), they are already halfway through finishing the production for the second season.
Several days ago, The Boys creator and showrunner Eric Kripke posted the first picture from ongoing production of The Boys Season 2 on his personal Twitter account.

A small token for #TheBoysTV fans. World’s first pic of #Season2. As you can see, we’re up to our old tricks. If you haven’t seen, JOIN US. Streaming now on @PrimeVideo @TheBoysTV #TheBoys #SPN #SPNFamily #Timeless pic.twitter.com/3z29mVBfNl
â€” Eric Kripke (@therealKripke) August 10, 2019
The picture features (from left to right) Tomer Capon’s Frenchie, Karen Fukuhara’s Kimiko/The Female, Kripke himself, Jack Quaid’s Hughie, and Laz Alonso’s Mother’s Milk. It’s worth pointing out that Fukuhara, Quaid, and Alonso are all covered in blood, which means that the show is continuing its awesome streak of ultra-violence into its second season.
Amazon has yet to announce a release date for The Boys Season 2, but if the show’s popularity is any indication, it will probably premiere sooner than we think. However, it will likely avoid coming out near HBO’s upcoming Watchmen series, considering that both shows explore the deconstruction of comic book genre tropes (and to avoid going up against the legendary Watchmen franchise).
Whatever happens, I just want to see more of Anthony Starr’s brilliant portrayal of Homelander.


Malaysian Cosplayer Hakken and VTubers Appointed As Tokyo Tourism Ambassadors

A well-known Malaysian cosplayer, Hakken recently announced on social media that they were appointed as one of the Tokyo Tourism Ambassadors. In addition, three famous Hololive members were also included: Sakura Miko, Mori Calliope, and Gawr Gura.
According to an official Japanese tourism Twitter account, the Tokyo Tourism Ambassador campaign is created to promote the charm of Tokyo at home and abroad and to attract tourists from around the world to the city – appointing sixteen notable influencers who are expertise in their own field helping to boost the campaign. The selected influencers will immediately start their PR activities once the inauguration ceremony ends.

??????????????????????????????????????????16??????????????????#???? #???? #??? #Tokyo pic.twitter.com/QFLq9G9QtV
— ??? ?? (@tocho_tenbou) February 13, 2023

Hakken Ryou, a popular cosplayer from Sarawak, Malaysia has garnered over 900,000 followers on Twitter, 1.5 million followers on Facebook, and 3.8 million followers on Instagram since their first appearance back in 2010. Their currently signed by entertainment brand Tier One Entertainment as a cosplayer and model. Hakken has even been invited as special guest at Anime Festival Asia 2022, Anime Fest 2022, and Tokyo Street 11th anniversary celebration held in Pavillion, Kuala Lumpur last year.
Hakken’s cosplay considered “royalty” among anime enthusiasts for their beautiful, highly detailed cosplays as handsome male anime characters such as Gojo Satoru from Jujutsu Kaisen, Zhongli from Genshin Impact, Uchiha Itachi from Naruto series, and many more.


Outriders Demo Fixes Its Own Loot Cave Problem

Upcoming looter-shooter action RPG Outriders isn’t even out yet, and it already has a loot cave problem.Â Thankfully it’s been fixed.
A good number of players who played the Outriders demo took the opportunity to farm hoards of legendary items via zipping past a good number of key chests and not fight the demo’s final boss at the mission titled “Confront the Altered at the Tower”. Instead, you can quit to the lobby and try again. The reason why this could be bad is because all your demo progress will carry over to the full game when it’s out 1st April.
Developer People Can Fly responded to this loot cave situation by creating a patch that only made legendary loot appear only in the Gauss boss chest instead. Other chests cannot drop Legendary items, though they can drop from enemies.

Update Regarding Chests Dropping Legendaries in the Outriders Demo:
Having listened to very reasonable community feedback, we have enabled the Gauss boss chest to drop Legendaries again as we should indeed be rewarding boss runs.
Other chests still cannot drop Legendaries.
— Outriders (@Outriders) March 6, 2021

That’s one way to solve a demo problem. For more Outriders, check out our class showcase video. 1st April might be a magical loot-and-shoot time indeed.


Here’s What We Know About Assassin’s Creed Mirage

The Ubisoft Forward event revealed a ton of information and the future of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. As such, its upcoming action-adventure title Assassin’s Creed Mirage will go back to its stealth and parkour roots.
Ubisoft has revealed a cinematic trailer that showcases the action-adventure and stealth that the game hasn’t gone back to for a long while. You play as Basim and you play out the 20 years of his life before the events of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

He will be given mentorship by Roshan (voiced by The Expanse’s Shohreh Aghdashloo) since he starts out as a street rat in the city of Baghdad.

AC Mirage’s soundtrack will be composed by Brendan Angelides, with music in line with the themes set in the early games and authentic ethnic instruments from that era in time.
The game will come out in 2023, and comes with a Collector’s Case available for pre-order. Yes, that is a Prince of Persia-inspired DLC pack. It’s also rather ballsy of Ubisoft to have this on pre-order when there’s no actual gameplay being shown.
The game will be out for PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, and PS4.

Check out the CGI trailer and trailer breakdown commentary below:


Doom Eternal Delayed To 2020

Initially scheduled to be released in late November 2019, Doom Eternal has now been pushed back to 20 March 2020. id Software announced the delay through the game’s official Twitter account.

Apparently, the game has been delayed so that the studio could have more time polish the game and ensure that it lives up to fans’ expectations. To soften the blow of this disappointing announcement, a few other announcements have also been made:

Invasion Mode will be released as a free update shortly after launch.

In Invasion Mode, players will be able to enter another player’s game as a playable demon.

Doom Eternal for the Nintendo Switch will be released after the game launches on other platforms. Release date to be announced in the future.
Doom 64 will be available for all platforms except Google Stadia. It will come as a free pre-order bonus for Doom Eternal. The game will be released as a standalone on the same date as Doom Eternal’s release.

This is one of those rare occassions where people are actually disappointed that their trip to Hell isn’t coming anytime soon. Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more news on Doom Eternal.


Overlord Season 4 & Movie Are In The Works

During a live stream special streaming marathon for Overlord, it was announced that the anime TV series is getting a fourth season and a brand new movie, which will cover the Sei ÅŒkoku-hen (Holy Kingdom Arc) from the manga.

According to Anime News Network, returning staff for the new television season includes:

Director:Â Naoyuki Itou
Series Script Supervisor/Scripts:Â Yukie Sugawara
Original Character Design:Â so-bin
Character Design:Â Satoshi Tasaki
Animation Production:Â Madhouse

The returning cast for the new television season includes:

Satoshi HinoÂ as Ains
Yumi HaraÂ as Albedo
Sumire UesakaÂ as Shalltear
Emiri KatÅÂ as Aura
Yumi UchiyamaÂ as Mare
Masayuki KatouÂ as Demiurge
Kenta MiyakeÂ as Cocytus

Original Overlord illustrator so-bin also drew the artwork below in order to celebrate the news:

The first 13-episodeÂ OverlordÂ television anime seriesÂ premiered in Japan back in July 2015. The second season of the anime series premiered in January 2018 and ended in April 2018, while the third season premiered in July 2018 and ended in October 2018.
The first two seasons are currently available on Netflix.
Overlord is an isekai story and setting which take place in the year 2138 when virtual reality gaming is booming. Yggdrasil, a popular online game, is quietly shut down one day. However, the protagonist Momonga decides to not log out. Momonga is then transformed into the image of a skeleton as “the most powerful wizard.”
The world continues to change, with non-player characters (NPCs) beginning to feel emotion. Having no parents, friends, or place in society, this ordinary young man Momonga then strives to take over the new world the game has become.


Evangelion 3.0+1.0’s White Plugsuit Versions Of Mari & Asuka Are Available For Pre-Ordering

Kotobukiya just announced brand-new Evangelion figures (via AmiAmi), with the spotlight being on the ass-kicking mecha-driving females Mari and Asuka.
These versions of the EVA-piloting plugsuit-donning femmes are from Evangelion 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time, now showing with English subtitles and English dub voices exclusively on Amazon Prime. The duo are decked out in clean white like in the final film and are posing in style on top of grey versions of their respective EVA mechas. They both cost 11,800 yen/US$120ish apiece and are 1/6th in scale.
I won’t lie: they look damn good on your display tables of your choosing. Check them out in their full come hither glory below.

The Asuka figure will be out in January 2022, while the Mari figure will be out in March 2022. You can pre-order them right now. And if you haven’t, you should definitely check out Evangelion 3.0+1.0 on Amazon Prime right now; it’s the best damn conclusion to a long-running mecha series, even when it gets a bit weird and depressing.


A New Mandarin-Made Sci-Fi Movie Just Landed on Netflix

The world’s leading streaming service, Netflix, has just announced a new title to its catalogues. The Wandering Earth,Â a Mandarin sci-fi film.
Based on the novella of the same name by Liu Cixin, the first Asian novelist to have been awarded the coveted Hugo Award for Science Fiction, the film is directed and written by Frant Gwo and features a stellar cast ofÂ Qu Chuxiao, Li Guangjie, Ng Man-tat and Zhao Jinmai with special appearance by Wu Jing.

The film grossed an exceptional RMB 3.3 billion (RM2 billion) in 10 days when it first debuted during Lunar New Year in China, North America, Australia and New Zealand.
It is a spectacular movie with a massive production scale unseen in Mandarin movies. Post-production and SFX took two years to perfect after going through more than 3,000 conceptual design and featuring over 10,000 purpose-built propsÂ while employing an impressive 2,000 special effects shots and a substantial amount of computer graphics shots.

The Manager of Content Acquisition at Netflix, Jerry Zhang assured the quality of the movie. He said:

“Netflix is committed to providing entertainment lovers with access to a wide variety of global content. With its high-quality production and story-telling, we believe that Â The Wandering Earth will be loved by Sci-Fi fans around the world.”

Frant Gwo, the director and writer of the film, said:

 “Audiences from over 190 countries will soon meet The Wandering Earth on Netflix. I am glad that our movie can reach to people from different parts of the world. This is a Chinese movie created for the world, and it has been positively received since its premiere, we are very excited about it.
To my surprise, this movie also resonate outside Mainland China. Netflix will translate it into 28 languages, enabling more viewers to enjoy it regardless of geographical and linguistic differences. I hope they will like it.”

The Wandering Earth tells a tale of a distant future in which our beloved ball of life-giving fire, the Sun, is about to expand into a red giant and engulf the Earth, prompting mankind to make an attempt to save the planet.
The multi-generational heroes build stellar engines in an effort to propel Planet Earth out the solar system, in hopes of finding a new celestial home. During the 2,500 year-long journey, a group of daring heroes emerge to defend human civilization from unexpected dangers and new enemies and to ensure the survival of humanity in this age of the wandering Earth.


Neo Geo Mini Review Roundup: Is It Truly “Giga Power”ed?

While our Neo Geo Mini console is still in the mail and probably still on a jet plane somewhere from Japan, we figured it’s our duty to inform you about SNK’s latest retro item in some way or form. Thank goodness for YouTube and hobbyists around the world who manage to snag a console before we did, eh?
ETA Prime got a Japanese version of the Neo Geo Mini, and even a teardown video to see what’s inside:

This is followed by Capacitor De Flujo, who seems to like it.

Here’s a good review from a user called MadLittlePixel. He said that it’s a “B” grade-wise. It’s alright, but a little disappointing at a US$100 price point.

From all of these legit reviews so far, we can gather that:

The Neo Geo Mini cabinet controls are obviously tiny, but they feel great.
The emulation seems spot-on for now, barring a few titles. Can’t win ’em all, eh?
You have four save state slots for your perusal.
If you want to save money on an SNK retro console, get the International one unless you live closer to Japan.
The extra control pads are out of stock from Japan, which means retailers like Play-Asia might have it albeit with jacked-up prices.
If you’re the kind of guy who builds his own Neo Geo arcade cabinet (like the folks at Versus City/Retro DNA), this is NOT for you unless you want to buy it for jury-rigging/dismantling.


Company Of Heroes 3 Guide & Tips: Becoming A Good Commander

It’s been 10 years since 2013’s Company Of Heroes 2, and Relic Entertainment is finally back with a full sequel to the legendary World War 2 RTS franchise. You can head on over here for our full review of the game.
Meanwhile, Company Of Heroes 3 is slated to release for PC on 24 February 2023, and before you put your commander’s cap on, here are some tips on how to be the best commander you can be:
Plan Your Moves And Save Scumming Is Always An Option

One of the major new gameplay modes in Company Of Heroes 3 is the Dynamic Italian Campaign, where you have to manage troops across a massive map à la Total War. It’s best to plan your moves ahead and while that may seem like obvious advice, it’s easy to simply barge in and get destroyed. Take it slow, and march one step at a time.
Plus, save scumming is always an option, as veteran Total War players would know. There’s no shame in save scumming. In case you don’t know, save scumming is regularly saving your game and reloading that save whenever you don’t like the current situation. Oh, and yes, there are unlimited save files in Company Of Heroes 3.
Speed Is Vital In Skirmishes, But You Can Take Your Time In Missions

There are two main types of battles in the Dynamic Italian Campaign, which include Skirmishes and Missions. Most battles (including all battles with enemy companies) are Skirmishes, which are essentially just to take control of the points on the battlefield and dominate them. In Skirmishes, speed is vital because your points will decrease when your enemy is dominating the field. Grab as many areas as you can but don’t forget to keep building more units and reinforcements to defend them as well. It’s easy for enemies to swoop in and grab your territory under your noses.
Meanwhile, Missions are usually battles with unique narratives and objectives, some of which feature a fixed company of units that you can’t change for the entire mission. Each Mission is unique, but you can usually take your time to complete them, unlike a Skirmish. That is; unless the objective of the mission is to keep an ally or building from being destroyed.
Always Have At Least One Tank Or Armored Vehicle Alongside Your Infantry

Make sure that your infantry units are always accompanied by a tank or armoured vehicle. A lot of the time, they can turn the tide of any battle. Plus, they are vital if your infantry units are stuck and pinned by enemy machine gun fire, or if you need a quick makeshift cover from intense enemy fire.
Yes, you can make your infantry take cover behind tanks or armoured vehicles, so don’t forget that. It’s easy to forget in the middle of an intense battle.
If you can’t afford a tank or vehicle but is in need of something to destroy enemy armour, a Bazooka unit, a Paratrooper unit (which can be upgraded with a bazooka) or an SSF Commando unit (can swap to bazookas) can be just as effective.
Don’t Forget The Full Tactical Pause Option

Another element that Company Of Heroes 3 borrows from the Total War franchise is the Full Tactical Pause mechanic. You can pause at any time during a battle and queue up commands to units without worrying about getting overwhelmed by having to juggle too many actions at the same time.
This is probably more for casual players who aren’t used to RTS games, but they’ve always been available in Total War, so it’s nice to see this accessibility option in Company Of Heroes 3 to ensure more players can enjoy this great game without having to force themselves to “git gud” at playing an RTS game.
Don’t Autoresolve, Always Manually Play For Better Rewards And Extra Skill Points

When you’re playing the Italian Dynamic Campaign, I’m sure you’re tempted to auto-resolve battles just because you can, or if you’re used to the mechanic from Total War.
However, while you can abuse the same mechanic in Total War, it’s not as reliable in Company Of Heroes 3 (at least, for now). Plus, if you manually play battles, you can get better rewards and extra skill points, which will go a long way in making your companies even stronger as you can unlock more powerful units and upgrades quicker.
Video Walkthroughs


Hot Wheels Unleashed Gets DC Super-Villains & Batman Content This November

The pretty solid arcade racer Hot Wheels Unleashed, the one based on the miniature car series from Hasbro, will start expanding its tracks and car lineup with Batman and DC supervillains content.
The Hot Wheels Unleashed DC Super-Villains Racing Season will be on 11th November, with the Hot Wheels Pass Vol.1 Batman expansion launching on 2nd December. According to developer Milestone, here’s what you’re getting:
DC Super-Villains Racing Season

Six themed vehicles: Bane, The Cheetah, Poison Ivy, Black Manta, Deathstroke, Harley Quinn.
Many themed customization items for the Basement and Player Profile.
A time limit from 11th November to 18th January 2022.

Hot Wheels Pass Vol.1 Batman Expansion

A new Career Map inspired by Gotham.
A new environment and track area: The Batcave.
Five themed vehicles: The Penguin, Robin 2.0T, Armored Batman, Batman Rebirth, Joker GT.
A new Track Builder Module – the Joker Funhouse Split.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is out right now for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.


Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin “Wanderer of the Rift” Set To Launch Late October

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin has a new DLC coming on 26 October in the form of “Wanderer of the Rift” along with a launch trailer, new information and screenshots.
The DLC will introduce none other than Gilgamesh along with a new mission which reads as follows:
Once there was a group of warriors who fell before the darkness and gave themselves over to chaos. This is the story of what came next…
A new light takes root in a land once ruled entirely by chaos, desperate to burst forth from the earth. A light of hope, a light of possibility—a light that requires the aid of the dragon king itself to quicken.
Into this turbulent world is thrust yet another unknown—an outsider with uncertain intentions. Is it a baleful force that menaces them, a visitor they should welcome with open arms, or something betwixt and between?
Characters
Gigamesh

Able to wander freely between dimensions, Gilgamesh’s very existence is a singularity. He rises to challenge Jack and his comrades, bringing chaos to the world. Wielding swords and spears simultaneously, Gilgamesh obstructs Jack and his comrades with a cornucopia of dynamic attacks. He may even attack with a well-known missile at times.

The Rift Labyrinth

The labyrinth manifested when Gilgamesh appeared in the world of Chaos. A new story arc plays out as you conquer this series of randomly constructed short dungeons.
New Jobs
Blue Mage

The new blue mage job is unlocked after progressing a certain way through the rift labyrinth. A blue mage can learn enemy abilities and turn them into his own powers. Enemy abilities can be used as instant abilities through soul shield or by equipping some accessories.

Blue magic can be used by pushing the R2/RT button whenever instant abilities are available. Holding down the button lets you charge up for an even more powerful attack. This makes it possible to activate instant abilities without using up charges and power them up with MP.
Monster Bells

Monster bells are items that let you instantaneously call up a monster to support you during battle.
To receive the support of a monster, you first need to find a summonstone and then complete a special event with that monster. Increase your affinity with the monster through conversations, feeding it and using items.
When your affinity level increases you will receive monster bells that can be used in battle to temporarily call up the monster to fight for you.
Chaotic Monsters

In the “Gilgamesh” difficulty level, monsters infused with chaotic energy can occasionally appear in all missions, including the rift labyrinth. These are called “chaos monsters.” They are more dangerous than standard monsters of the same type but can earn you greater rewards when defeated.
Chaos status is indicated by the crown icon at the start of the monster’s name. Chaotic monsters have more attacks available and are tougher to fight.
New Gameplay Mechanics
“Gilgamesh” Difficulty and Equipping Relics

On the newly added “Gilgamesh” difficulty level, you can obtain special relic equipment that comes with blessed by a summon. Enemy levels are raised even further, meaning that even more fearsome foes will appear to obstruct Jack and friends (players must have completed “Trials of the Dragon King” in order to play). Relic equipment comes with various different special effects from the blessings of summons like Odin, Ifrit and Bahamut, and the equipping character’s capabilities will also improve based on the blessing value. These can be obtained by appraising them at the Tonberry Blacksmith.
Dimension Bringer

Once activated, enemies in the vicinity will be slowed and the damage the player inflicts will increase each time an action ability is used. While the effect is active, a special attack can be used in place of soul shield. Unleash the special attack and rapidly take down the foe with combos.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is available now for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, and PC via Epic Games Store.


You Can Now Reserve Your Character Names For World Of Warcraft Classic

World Of Warcraft Classic (Wow Classic) is coming out later this month, and players can already prepare for the upcoming game. Blizzard has announced that players can now pick their server and reserve their character names ahead of the game’s release.
However, this will be limited to playersÂ with an active subscription or game time on their World of Warcraft account. Those who fulfil this requirement can create up to three characters per WoW account.
When players reserve a character name, they will also choose the realm that they will play that character on. Here’s what you need to know before reserving your character name:

Players who choose to play on a PvP realm will only be able to create characters within the same faction. This means that if you create an Alliance character, all further characters on that realm must also be Alliance characters.
After WoW Classic is live, youâ€™ll be able to create up to 10 characters on any given realm and can create a maximum of 50 characters across all WoW Classic realms. This character count does not impact the number of characters you can create on the current World of Warcraft realms.
Characters that were created for the WoW Classic beta or stress tests will not be available to use in WoW Classic.

For the full realm listing for each region and more information, head on over to the official blog post here. WoW Classic is slated to release at 3pm PDT on 27 August 2019Â or 6pm GMT+8 on 28 August 2019 for Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia.


Sega Plans To Adapt Other IPs Into Movies After Sonic 2’s Success

After the incredible success of the Sonic the Hedgehog films, it seems like Sega is eager to explore new possibilities by bringing their other beloved IPs to the big screen.
During a Q&A session following the release of their full-year earnings in April, Sega Sammy CEO Haruki Satomi and CFO Koichi Fukazawa were asked about the potential for non-Sonic movies. In a recently published English transcript of the event, SEGA expressed their interest in taking on new challenges beyond the Sonic franchise if the opportunity arises.
They highlighted the potential benefits of aligning game launches with movie releases, emphasizing the marketing effectiveness and the increased exposure it brings to their IPs. They pointed out that their experience with the Sonic movie demonstrated these advantages by raising awareness of their brand and providing more touchpoints for customers.

The first Sonic the Hedgehog movie hit theatres in 2020 and raked in an impressive US$320 million at the box office. Its sequel, which arrived last year, performed even better, earning over US$405 million.
Fans of Sonic can look forward to Sonic the Hedgehog 3, slated for release in December 2024. But before that, a live-action TV series starring Knuckles, set between the second and third movies, will be hitting the screens.
Meanwhile, the Super Mario Bros. Movie, a collaboration between Illumination (known for hits like Minions and Despicable Me) and Nintendo, recently achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time. Since its early April release, the film has amassed an impressive US$1.2 billion at the box office. And starting today, it’s also available for digital release in the United States.

Check out our review for the Super Mario Bros. Movie
It’s an exciting time for video game adaptations in the film industry, and fans can eagerly anticipate more of their favourite characters making their way to the silver screen.


Skullgirls 2nd Encore Announces New Character: Black Dahlia

There’s no stopping the 2D assist-based fighting game Skullgirls 2nd Encore if this new trailer is of any indication.
Publisher Autumn Games and developer Hidden Variable have announced a new character in its main game and mobile spin-off Skullgirls Mobile: Black Dahlia. From what I can tell, her tommy gun will play a part in her fighting game kit.
The trailer announcement also mentions the release period of the upcoming DLC character Umbrella: early 2022. The younger sister of the two Canopy Kingdom princesses (the other being Parasoul) is currently playable in the game’s Early Access for the PC version of Skullgirls 2nd Encore.Â

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is out now for PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. Skullgirls Mobile is out now for iOS and Android devices.


Diablo 3 Season 25 Will Start Next Week

Blizzard announced that Diablo 3’s Season 25 will be out next week, on 10th December, featuring the Soul Shard powerups we mentioned early on.
Season 25, dubbed The Lords of Hell, will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise with the Soul Shard gems that you can slot into your equipment for a plethora of buffs and skill buffs. The season will also feature the following cosmetic rewards: a new Conqueror Helm and Shoulders transmogrification, portraits themed around Imperius, and the Blaine’s Bear pet.

Players who finish the Season 25 Guardian Journey will earn the Pane of Tristram Portrait and The Dark Lordling Pet.

To help you out, Season 25’s Haedrig’s Gift will be the following:

Barbarian â€“ Might of the Earth
Crusader â€“ Thorns of the Invoker (Recommended)
Demon Hunter â€“ The Shadowâ€™s Mantle
Monk â€“ Monkey Kingâ€™s Garb (Recommended)
Necromancer â€“ Grace of Inarius
Witch Doctor â€“ Raiment of the Jade Harvester
Wizard â€“ Firebirdâ€™s Finery (Recommended)

If you complete the earlier Journeys in the Season (2,3,4), you’ll earn three Haedrig’s Gifts as a reward, which should grant you a full set if they’re opened by the respective class. For instance, if you open three gifts as a Wizard, you’ll get the full Firebird set.
You can get more details on Blizzard’s official post. You can check out the full patch notes below:
Seasons
Season 25 introduces a new type of socketable item calledÂ Soul Shards. Nephalem can find 7 unique Soul Shards, based on the Lords of Hell, which give players demonic new powers. One ofÂ 3 Prime EvilÂ Soul Shards can be equipped into Helms and one ofÂ 4 Lesser EvilÂ Soul Shards can be equipped into Weapons. Each Soul Shard can be upgraded three times using a new seasonal-exclusive consumable, theÂ Hellforge Ember.
Soul Shards and Hellforge Embers can drop from anywhere in Sanctuary, but Soul Shards have a higher chance to drop from Bosses. Soul Shards cannot be traded, but can be salvaged or utilized in Caldesannâ€™s Despair. You may only equip one Prime Evil Soul Shard and one Lesser Evil Soul Shard at a time. Lastly, Soul Shards and Hellforge Embers only drop in Seasonal play, and will not transfer to your non-seasonal character when the season ends. For a look into the capabilities for each of the Soul Shard powers look below:
Prime Evil Soul Shards
Sliver of TerrorÂ

Base Power: Your cooldowns are increased by 25%. For every skill on cooldown, you take 12.5% reduced damage and dealÂ 25%Â 12.5%Â increased damage.
Additional Powers:

Your attack speed and critical hit chance are increased byÂ 7%Â 5%Â for each skill on cooldown.
You cast a devastating Ring of Fire after killing 100 enemies.
If three or more skills are on cooldown, your lightning and fire skill damage are increased by 50%.

Shard of HatredÂ

Base Power: You deal 15% reduced damage while you have 3 or fewer enemies within 25 yards. If more than 3 enemies are within the same distance, you dealÂ 10%Â 5%Â increased damage per enemy (to a maximum ofÂ 100%Â 50%).
Additional Powers

Killing an elite enemy pulls all enemies within 40 yards to where the elite died.
Your Movement speed is increased by 50%. Each enemy within 25 yards reduces your movement speed by 10% up to 70%.
You now dealÂ 15%Â 10%Â increased damage for every enemy instead ofÂ 10%Â 5%Â (to a maximum ofÂ 150%Â 100%)

Fragment of DestructionÂ

Base Power: You move unhindered through enemies. Each enemy you pass through receives Mark of Destruction for 7 seconds. Each marked enemy that dies removes 1 second from one of your skills on cooldown. If the Mark of Destruction expires before the enemies die you lose 2% of your maximum health as damage. Marks are not applied if you are below 35% health.
Additional Powers

You have a 25% Chance to restore 5% health when an enemy dies with Mark of Destruction active.
When you apply Mark of Destruction to an enemy, you increase your movement speed by 5% for 7 seconds. Max 10 Stacks.
You now leave a trail of fire in your wake that slays enemies with the Mark of Destruction and are below 10% health.

Lesser Evil Soul Shards
Stain of SinÂ

Base Power: You deal 25% less damage. When you kill 50 enemies, you spawn a pool of blood that increases the damage done to elite enemies by 150% and lasts 15 seconds.
Additional Powers

The pool of blood now negates Elite affixes within its area.
You gain an additional Rift Progress Orb when you kill and elite pack.
The pool of blood now collects Rift Progress Orbs.

Dregs of LiesÂ

Base Power: You deal 25% less damage. Your pets dealÂ 50%Â 25%Â increased damage.
Additional Powers

Killing an elite enemy reduces all your active cooldowns by 5 seconds.
On receiving fatal damage, spawn a shadow that prevents your death, restores your health to 35%, and grants +225 All Resist to all party members while it is active. The shadow only lasts 15 seconds.
Each time your pet hits an enemy, your damage is increased byÂ 1%Â 0.5%Â for 5 seconds. This stacks up to 100 times. When you reach 100 stacks, the stacks quickly reset to 0.

Remnant of PainÂ

Base Power: Your Critical Hit Chance is reduced by 15%. Attacks against Incapacitated enemies are automatically critical hits.
Additional Powers

Hitting enemies with cold damage has a 50% chance to freeze them. Cold skill damage is increased to frozen targets by 20%.
Gain passability while your movement speed bonus is over 50%. When you move through enemies you knock them back and stun them for 2 seconds.
When you critically hit an enemy you increase the attack speed all players by 5% for 5 seconds. Max 10 stacks.

Essence of AnguishÂ

Base Power: Every time you deal poison damage to an enemy you increase your cooldown reduction and movement speed by 2.5% while your damage received is increased by 5% for 10 seconds. Max 10 stacks.
Additional Powers

Your movement speed and cooldown reduction can be increased up to 15 times by dealing poison damage to an enemy.
When you deal poison damage to an enemy they receive 50% increased poison damage from all sources for 10 seconds.
Killing an enemy deals the damage done by the death blow to all enemies within 25 yards.

Items
General

Depth Diggers:Â Primary skills deal 80-100% additional damage.

Barbarian

Remorseless: While both Wrath of the Berserker and Call of the Ancients are active, Hammer of the Ancients deals 600-800% increased damage.

Witch DoctorÂ

Shukrani’s Triumph:Â After the initial duration of Spirit walk ends, it will continue to last until you attack 3 times or until an elite enemy is within 20 yards of you. Attacks while in the spirit realm deal 75-100% increased damage.
Lakumba’s Ornament:Â Reduce all damage taken by 60% if your Soul Harvest stack is at least (1-3), and an additional 2% for each stack of Soul Harvest.
Spider Queen’s Graspâ€‹:Â Corpse Spiders deals an additional 600-800% damage and releases a web on impact that Slows enemies by 80%.
Brood of Araneaeâ€‹:Â Corpse Spiders deals an additional 75-100% damage, and each spider bite causes the target to take an additional 1% damage from Corpse Spiders for 5 seconds.
Spirit of Arachyr (2-piece bonus):Â Summon a permanent Spider Queen connected to you by an infested thread. Enemies caught in the thread are infested. Corpse Spider attacks against infested enemies inflict the same damage to all infested enemies. The Spider Queen is commanded to move to where you cast your Corpse Spiders. Corpse Spiders now spawns with health.
Spirit of Arachyr (4-piece bonus):Â The Spider Queen now leaves behind webs that lasts for 15 seconds and Slows enemies. Infested enemies remain infested while on the web. You take 75% reduced damage while in the web and for 4 seconds after.
Spirit of Arachyr (6-piece bonus):Â The damage of creature skills is increased byÂ 17500%Â 25000%. Creature skills are Corpse Spiders, Plague of Toads, Firebats, Locust Swarm, Hex, and Piranhas.

Demon Hunter

Marauder’s Encasement (4-piece bonus):Â SentriesÂ cast Elemental Arrow, Chakram, Impale, Multishot, and Cluster Arrow when you do, as well as automatically cast your equipped Hatred spenders.
Marauder’s Encasement (6-piece bonus):Â Your primary skills, Elemental Arrow, Chakram, Impale, Multishot, Cluster Arrow, Companions, Vengeance, and Sentries deal 12000% increased damage for every active Sentry.
The Shadow’s Mantle (6-piece bonus):Â Impale deals an additional 75000% weapon damage to the first enemy hit, and 25000% to subsequent enemies.
Bombardierâ€™s Rucksack:Â You may have 2 additional Sentries. Cluster Arrow deals 150-200% increased damage.

Necromancer

Bones of Rathma (6-piece bonus):Â Each permanent active minion increases the damage of Army of the Dead by 1750%, up to 31,500%.

Wizard

Firebird’s Finery (6-piece bonus):Â You gain 5000% increased damage while Ignite is applied to a target. Hitting an Ignited enemy with a non-channeling fire spell deals Ignite damage multiplied by Combustion stacks. Pets cannot trigger this effect.

Bug Fixes

Fixed a bug that prevented pets cast by the player from proccing Oculus Ring if it is equipped on a Follower.
Fixed a bug that caused Momentum stacks to not always apply properly when using Calamity and The Ninth Cirri Satchel.
Fixed a bug where Life per Second granted from Mantra of Healing isn’t being applied to the shield generated by Molten Wildebeest’s Gizzard.
Fixed a bug where Mystic Ally: Earth Ally damage was not increased by The Crudest Boots.
Fixed a bug that prevented Mystic Ally: Fire Ally active from attacking the Rift Guardian Perendi.


Someone’s Already Beaten Sekiro In Under An Hour

Depending on one’s perspective, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice could either be the hardest or easiest Soulsborne title. However, the undeniable truth is that the latest game by developer From Software is an extremely difficult game, requiring tons of skill just to reach the ending.
That’s why it’s super impressive that someone has actually managed to complete Sekiro in under an hour. That someone is Twitch streamer danflesh111, who beat the game in exactly 50 minutes and 52 seconds. What makes the feat even more remarkable is that the game is barely a week old, having launched on 22 March 2019.
Most players can’t even finish Sekiro but this guy completed the game in less time than it takes to finish watching a movie. In my review of Sekiro (which you can check out here), I said that the game isn’t for everyone and that’s okay.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is now available for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Check out Danflesh111’s incredible speedrun of Sekiro below.

If you need help with Sekiro -believe us, we all do- check out our guide.Â


ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 & ROG Strix G 2022 Gaming Laptops Announced For Malaysia

ASUS ROG Malaysia has officially announced the ROG Zephyrus M16 & ROG Strix G series local prices and hardware configurations. These new 2022 gaming laptop models are fully equipped with newly updated laptop components to deliver the best performance for our Malaysian PC gamers.Â
ROG ZEPHYRUS M16 (2022)

Zephyrus M16, a gaming laptop that fits an immersive 16â€ display and a powerful new IntelÂ® processor inside an ultra-slim 15â€ chassis.
For fluid, richly detailed visuals in games, the 16â€ display combines a high WQXGA (2560 x 1600) resolution with a fast 165Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time, and Adaptive-Sync. Itâ€™s also primed for content creation thanks to a taller 16:10 aspect ratio, Pantone-validated colours across 100% of the cinema-grade DCI-P3 colour gamut, and Dolby Vision support for richer visuals.
The latest processors of 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900H drive high-refresh-rate gaming and high performance in content creation. Up to a GeForce RTX 3080Ti Laptop GPU delivers high frame rates and RTX technologies in the latest games. And ROG Intelligent Cooling keeps the M16 cool under the userâ€™s fingers while ensuring high CPU and GPU performance.
A six-speaker system with dual force-cancelling woofers produces clear, deep audio enhanced by Dolby Atmos technology. The 3D mic array captures clear audio in any scenario, and Two-Way AI Noise Cancelation intelligently removes background noise.
The Zephyrus M16 offers true portability, with a slim and light body thatâ€™s only 19.9mm thin and 1.9kg. With an Off Black tint and lustrous Prismatic Film visible through CNC-milled perforations, it also looks both stylish and professional in any setting.
ROG STRIX G15/17 (2022)

The new ROG Strix G15 and G17 are powered by up to an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor and up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 laptop GPU at 140W with Dynamic Boost for similarly high-end horsepower. The G15 offers up to FHD 300 Hz display options, while the G17 offers Full HD 360 Hz for competitive gaming. All the Strix G models support Dolby Vision. All displays come with 3 ms response times, and Adaptive Sync. The Strix G also comes in Eclipse Gray as well as two neon colour choices that will stand out from the crowd.
All Strix models are equipped with a quad-speaker design and Dolby Atmos spatial sound, which brings soundstages to life with immersive crystal-clear, and lifelike realism in the heat of battle. Two-way AI Noise Cancelation filters out background noise for both ingoing and outgoing communications, so everyoneâ€™s voice comes through loud and clear. A MUX Switch ensures top-tier GPU performance, PCIe Gen 4×4 storage boosts lightning-fast load times, and DDR5 4800 MHz RAM provides plenty of memory for multitasking.
In addition, Strix models are equipped with up to 90 Wh battery, plus 100 W Type-C charging for on-the-go usage. Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5G LAN provide cutting-edge networking for minimal lag on both wired and compatible wireless networks.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING
ROG ZEPHYRUS M16 (2022)

Model Name
GU603Z-MK8054W
GU603Z-WK8060W
GU603Z-XK8044W

Product Name
ROG Zephyrus M16

Color
Off Black

Dimension (W x D x H)
35.5 x 24.3 x 1.99 ~ 1.99 cm

Weight
1.90 Kg

Processor
12th Gen IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ i9-12900H Processor 2.5 GHz (24M Cache, up to 5.0 GHz, 14 cores: 6 P-cores and 8 E-cores)

Laptop Graphic
NVIDIAÂ® GeForce RTXâ„¢ 3060 6GB GDDR6
NVIDIAÂ® GeForce RTXâ„¢ 3070 Ti 8GB GDDR6
NVIDIAÂ® GeForce RTXâ„¢ 3080 Ti 16GB GDDR6

DGPU Feature
MUX Switch + Optimus

Max Graphic TGP
120W

IGPU
IntelÂ® UHD Graphics 630

Panel Size & Info
16-inch IPS WQXGA (2560 x 1600) 16:10 Adaptive-Sync
165Hz 500nits 3ms DCI-P3 100%
Pantone Validated
Dolby Vision HDR

Total System Memory
Total 16GB RAM
On-board: 8GB DDR5-4800
Slot 2: 8GB DDR5-4800
Total 32GB RAM
On-board: 16GB DDR5-4800
Slot 2: 16GB DDR5-4800

System Storage Installed
M.2
Slot 1: 512GB M.2 NVMeâ„¢ PCIeÂ® 4.0 SSD
Slot 2: Vacant
Slot 1: 1TB M.2 NVMeâ„¢ PCIeÂ® 4.0 SSD
Slot 2: Vacant
Slot 1: 2TB M.2 NVMeâ„¢ PCIeÂ® 4.0 SSD
Slot 2: Vacant

Wi-Fi/Bluetooth
Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax)+Bluetooth 5.2 (Dual band) 2*2
(*BT version may change with OS upgrades.)

I/O Ports
1x RJ45 LAN port
1x Thunderboltâ„¢ 4 support DisplayPortâ„¢ / power delivery
1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPortâ„¢ / power delivery
2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
1xÂ cardÂ readerÂ (microSD)Â (UHS-II)
1xÂ 3.5mmÂ ComboÂ AudioÂ Jack
1x HDMI 2.0b

Webcam
720P HD IR Camera for windows hello

Mic
Built-in array microphone

Keyboard Type
Backlit Chiclet Keyboard RGB

Aura Sync
N/A

Speakers
2x 2W dual-forceÂ wooferÂ withÂ SmartÂ AmpÂ Technology
2x 2W tweeter

Audio Tech
AIÂ noise-canceling technology
DolbyÂ Atmos
Hi-ResÂ certification
SmartÂ AmpÂ Technology

Operating System
Windows 11 HomeÂ

Battery
90WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion

Power
Ã¸6.0, 240W AC Adapter, Output: 20V DC, 12A, 240W, Input: 100~240C AC 50/60Hz universal

Bundled Items
ROG backpack
TYPE-C,Â 100WÂ ACÂ Adapter
ROG backpack
ROG Chakram Core mouse P511
TYPE-C,Â 100WÂ ACÂ Adapter
ROG backpack
ROGÂ DeltaÂ headset
ROG Chakram Core mouse P511
TYPE-C,Â 100WÂ ACÂ Adapter

Warranty
2 Years Global Warranty
(1st Year with Perfect Warranty)

SRP
RM8,099.00
RM11,499.00
RM16,499.00

Availability
April-May onwards
March 2022

ROG STRIX G15 (2022)

Model Name
G513R-CHN060W
G513R-CHN086W
G513R-CHN100W

Product Name
ROG Strix G15

Color
Eclipse Gray
Volt Green
Electro Punk

Dimension (W x D x H)
35.4 x 25.9 x 2.06 ~ 2.59 cm

Weight
2.10 Kg

Processor
AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 7 6800H Mobile Processor (8-core/16-thread, 20MB cache, up to 4.7 GHz max boost)

Laptop Graphic
NVIDIAÂ® GeForce RTXâ„¢ 3050 4GB GDDR6

DGPU Feature
MUX Switch + Optimus

Max Graphic TGP
95W

IGPU
AMD Radeonâ„¢ Graphics

Panel Size & Info
15.6-inch IPS FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 Adaptive-Sync
144Hz 250nits SRGB 62.5%

Total System Memory
Total 8GB RAM
Slot 1: 8GB DDR5-4800
Slot 2: Vacant

System Storage Installed
M.2
Slot 1: 512GB M.2 NVMeâ„¢ PCIeÂ® 4.0 SSD
Slot 2: Vacant

Wi-Fi/Bluetooth
Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax)+Bluetooth 5.2 (Dual band) 2*2
(*BT version may change with OS upgrades.) -RangeBoost

I/O Ports
1x RJ45 LAN port
1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPortâ„¢ / power delivery
2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
1xÂ 3.5mmÂ ComboÂ AudioÂ Jack
1x HDMI 2.0b

Webcam
N/A

Mic
Built-in array microphone

Keyboard Type
Backlit Chiclet Keyboard 4-Zone RGB

Aura Sync
Available

Speakers
2-speaker system

Audio Tech
AIÂ noise-canceling technology
DolbyÂ Atmos
Hi-ResÂ certification

Operating System
Windows 11 HomeÂ

Battery
56WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion

Power
Ã¸6.0, 200W AC Adapter, Output: 20V DC, 10A, 200W, Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal

Bundled Items
ROG backpack
PinkÂ ROGÂ backpack
Pink mousepad
ROG Strix Impact II Electro Punk
ROG Sheath Electro Punk Limited Edition

Warranty
2 Years Global Warranty
(1st Year with Perfect Warranty)

SRP
RM5,399.00
RM5,399.00
RM5,599.00

Availability
March 2022


Blizzard Is Hard At Work Fixing Diablo 2: Resurrected “Character Lockouts” Bug

Keeping to tradition with online Blizzard game launches, the company’s latest remaster of Diablo 2 is not experiencing a smooth launch. In fact for the past few days since its Friday rollout, there were reports of disappearing characters.
However, Blizzard took the game offline for unscheduled maintenance, and it was sorted out a couple of hours laters. It’s a temporary measure, as Blizzard is intending to release a permanent fix for the bug on PC, then for consoles. The current solution for now? Players need to use different names for offline and offline characters; apparently using the same name for both is related to the bug.
“Furthermore, our team is working to resolve the issue of character lockouts. Many of these characters are already in the process of being unlocked. We anticipate this process will take a few hours to complete.
For players unable to create or join game lobbies, weâ€™ve been evaluating activities that have prevented them from being able to play in those sessions. Weâ€™re actively working to find a solution to these issues.”
In addition, Blizzard is currently fixing crash bugs and an AVX issue that is preventing players from starting the game up. Expect an update with hotfix notes to appear on Blizzard’s Diablo 2 forums in the next few days. In the meantime, here’s our Diablo 2: Resurrected guide if you’re starting the game for the first time and need a smooth leveling up path towards Nightmare and Hell difficulty.


PES2019 Links Up With Several Major UEFA Leagues

Konami have announced several huge additions to PES 2019’s partnership deals these couple of days which may tilt the licensing war to their favor. Firstly, they haveÂ added two European giants to their ever-growing license partnership list through the inclusion of two of the biggest Scottish Premier League teams from Glasgow, Celtic and Rangers F.C as partner clubs.
Via the partnership, PES 2019 will feature both teams’ full roster, along with their iconic stadiums; Celtic Park and Ibrox via post-launch data packs. That’s not all – the rest of the Scottish Ladbrokes Premiership teams will also be available in the game.

We’re delighted to announce @RangersFC as a partner club for #PES2019! ðŸ”µ
We’re also happy to reveal that the iconic Ibrox Stadium will be added to the game via a Data Pack after launch. ðŸ˜Š pic.twitter.com/CbBJ21SuzT
â€” Pro Evolution Soccer (@officialpes) July 31, 2018

ðŸ‘€We are so excited to be one of the latest partners with @officialpes ðŸ€
A very limited supply is available for pre-order NOW ðŸ›’https://t.co/2RomkI66ZG#CelticFC #PES2019 pic.twitter.com/IaJuLhy7Xr
â€” Celtic FC Shop (@CelticFCShop) July 31, 2018
Earlier in May, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard was confirmed as the new manager of Rangers on a four-year contract.Â  Celtic on the other hand, is currently managed by Gerrard’s former manager at Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers and have enjoyed an unrivaled monopoly of the league, having won it for the past seven seasons. With this announcement, players are finally able to replicate the Old Firm Derby on the PES2019 which would be an epic sight.
On top of the Scottish Premiership deal, Konami also inked a licensing agreements with the Turkish Super League, Dutch Eredivisie and the Russian League. Via these deals, the likes of Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Besiktas, Ajax Amsterdam, PSV, Vitesse Arnhem, Zenit St Petersburg, Rubin Kazan and Spartak will all sport their official colors and logos in PES2019.
The Russian Premier Liga will be exclusive to PES2019 as well.
With these announcements, there will be a total of nine new leagues added to the 2019 game, with Argentinian, Belgian, Danish, Portuguese, and Swiss leagues announced a while back.
Despite losing the rights to Europe’s premier football competition in the UEFA Champions League, Konami have been busy bolstering their ranks with official teams and league partnerships all across Europe.Â Â
Can’t wait to try the game? Well you are in luck as the demo for the game will be available within a week’s timeÂ Â for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.


CoD Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered Dropping Today [Update]

Updated on 1/1/2020: Yep, there’s going to be a remastered Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2. It’s available right now on PS4 (in the PlayStation Store) for RM93. It supports up to 4K resolution and HDR support on console.

The game will also be available for pre-purchase on other platforms but at a later date. The PC version is slated to release on 30 April 2020 exclusively on Battle.net, and it will feature both uncapped framerate capability and ultrawide monitor support.
Original story:
Earlier this month, there were whispers of a Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 remaster in the works. Now, those whispers have grown much louder, and it seems that gamers can expect the remastered version of Modern Warfare 2’s campaign to release today.
Yes, you read that right. According to the rumours, the Modern Warfare 2 remaster is dropping on 31 March 2020 AND apparently only contains the campaign.
A trailer leaked by the Modern Warfare 2 Remastered Twitter fan page displays the title Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered at the end, while Twitter user @Nibellion shared screenshots of the German PlayStation Store page for the game (the page is no longer up at the time of writing).

BREAKING: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered Trailer has been leaked.
RT if you're hyped. pic.twitter.com/5FipfcNt1N
— MW2 Remastered (@MW2Remastered4K) March 30, 2020

And just as I tweet this: MW2 page is up on the German PSN store; launching tomorrow for 24,99€https://t.co/xNopxUHBT0 pic.twitter.com/CbJkWh0ema
— Nibel (@Nibellion) March 30, 2020

That German PSN page listed a 31 March 2020 release date and a price of â‚¬24.99 for Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered, making it around RM118.90. In comparison, Modern Warfare Remastered is priced at RM169 on Steam but includes multiplayer.
While the rumours look extremely likely to be true at this point (still, do take them with a grain of salt), I actually wish they won’t be. Black Ops 4 launching without a campaign is one thing, but taking a game that had both singleplayer and multiplayer and only remastering the former, or remastering both but selling them separately, is such a stunningly horrid and cash-grabby move that I can’t even think of a response.
I’ll take those words back if a Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Remastered shows up for RM50, since the price difference between Modern Warfare 2 Campaign RemasteredÂ and Modern Warfare RemasteredÂ indicates that multiplayer is only worth that much.Â
In the meantime, we’ll keep an eye out for any further developments and/or official announcements, and will update this story if there are.


The 30 Best Games Of 2021: #16

Every day from late December 2021 to mid-January 2022, we’ll be revealing our best games of 2021 bit by bit. Here’s number 16!
#16: Bravely Default 2

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC
Nothing screams traditional JRPG throwback like Bravely Default 2. Developer Claytechworks just flat-out did a new story involving four crystals, four main heroes who can switch between Jobs and classes, and just barrel through the opposition through turn-based combat involving saving turns and expending them in one go for a mega-damaging attack.
What sets this throwback apart is how dark the story gets from Act 2 onward. Even some of the game’s side stories get a lot of narrative love and care, with one of them in particular involving the game’s earlier pair of antagonists going through a reform of sorts, and without any direct involvement from our heroes whatsoever. Stories like these help add more flavour to what could be a standard copy-pasta reworking of the Bravely Default gameplay from past titles.
And even if it was, there’s still a bit more new shine and polish thrown in this sequel to make it more substantial. The game’s weight system, the way Jobs are handled this time around, and how you can mix and match certain abilities just opens up tons of game-breaking shenanigans against the game’s more overwhelming challenges.
Plus, the music slaps courtesy of Revo. You can’t go wrong with the addition of the man who brought joy to our lives with his Attack of Titan theme. Did we also mention that Bravely Default 2 has hands-down the best card game successor to Triple Triad that should be a standalone title?


Dr. Disrespect Opens New AAA Studio With Former Halo & Call Of Duty Devs

Popular Twitch streamer Guy â€œDr. Disrespectâ€ Beahm has launched a new AAA studio called Midnight Society. He has teamed up with former Call Of Duty creative strategist Robert Bowling and Halo 5 multiplayer designer Quinn Delhoyo. They will also be working with esports entrepreneur Sumit Gupta.
Midnight Society is already working on its first title, which will be announced soon. The studio also launched an official website, Twitter account, and Discord. For those unfamiliar, Dr. Disrespect was a developer before he became a streamer. He was a level designer at Sledgehammer Games and helped create many of the multiplayer maps for Call Of Duty Advanced Warfare.
The studio aims to develop “the best, most community-focused online PVP multiplayer experience the world has ever seen”.
Speaking with PC Gamer, Dr. Disrespect said:
“As a long-time player, streamer, and former game developer myself, Iâ€™ve often dreamed of creating awesome titles that entire communities can get behind from day one.
My vision is to make games that defy the one-and-done publishing model and reward all those fans and influencers who make them a success.”
Back in 2020, Dr. Disrespect was permanently banned from Twitch. He has since returned to streaming on another platform, YouTube.

Welcome to Midnight Society /// https://t.co/xuTZGJskyx pic.twitter.com/RWWQSaXcGY
— Midnight Society (@12am) December 14, 2021


Final Fantasy VII Remake Hard Mode Boss Guide

Once you’re done with Final Fantasy VII Remake, you will gain access to not only a Chapter Selection mode but also a new difficulty Hard mode to bump up the challenge. In Hard mode:

You cannot use items.
Enemies are scaled to your level.
Boss fights are tougher than before; you’ll need to really prepare your Materia settings and weaponry before fighting them.
Some fights in the VR challenges are only available in Hard mode, especially the secret boss fight Pride & Joy.

Some general tips for Hard mode below:

EXP and AP gained in Normal mode are now doubled, so you can now farm and buff up your Materia so that it’s maxed out.
Speaking of Materia, make sure your party at least have the following equipped: Pray, Chakra, HP Up, Steadfast Block.Â
Make sure you have at least two characters who can heal on the fly.
Master character-switching. We’ve mentioned this in our previous combat guide, but it’s way more imperative here because enemies will target the player character. Also, you build up ATB meter faster with player character attacks.

Freelance writer Kumikones has created a series of videos that show you how to tackle the game’s Hard Mode. Check them out below.
Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Hell House

Abzu (1st Fight)

Eligor


The Outer Worlds Is Jumping To Switch This Summer

There’s still no word on when exactly Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds will arrive on Steam. However, they’ve recently announced that the game will be making its way to the Nintendo Switch, and will do so on 5 June 2020.
“As we prepare for another arrival of new colonists, we have some very important information for those making this journey, specifically for you colonists who prefer your goods in physical form: The retail version The Outer Worlds comes on a physical cartridge, and it will be accompanied by a day one patch that could be up to 6GB.” they wrote in a post.
“This patch will optimize gameplay, provide additional hi-res textures, and include other fixes to provide the employees of Halcyon with the best gameplay experience. Please ensure you have planned accordingly and have available space necessary for the patch.”
It feels a bit weird that we’re hearing about this surprise Switch release date announcement before Steam’s, but it’s still good to see the Switch get more games that we’d normally associate with other consoles and PC.
Both physical and digital versions of The Outer Worlds on Switch will cost $59.99 (RM259.54). For comparison, it costs $44.99 (RM194.64) on the Epic Games Store.
In the meantime, check out our full review of the game here.


Singapore-Based EMERGE Esports Launches With 40 Signed Talents

Singapore-based esports talent management agency EMERGE Esports has announced its official launch today. At launch, the agency boasts over 40 esports athletes and personalities under its stable.
This roster includes popular Dota 2 streamer Dominik AKA “Black”, renowned Singapore-based cosplayer cosplayer “XIAOYUKIKO”, as well as 2019 SEA Games participant and former captain of the EVOS SG Mobile Legends team, Robert â€œOh Deer Bambiâ€ Boon.

In addition to the esports talents, EMERGE Esports also currently manages esports team Kingsmen, which currently competes in popular titles such as Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB), Valorant and PUBG Mobile.
Interestingly, the Kingsmen Valorant team also features several Malaysian esports athletes, such as Suhail “mijo”, Kok Mun Hong “1van”, Muhd Hazeeq “Zeeq”, Leong “Justa”, Kenny “Castle” and Sirajul “Riza”.
The agency aims to boost the growth of the esports ecosystem in Singapore by providing aspiring and existing esports talents with the tools and opportunity to succeed in the industry; with further plans to expand its reach across the region.
To date, EMERGE Esports have also announced strategic partnerships with over many brands, including Redbull, gaming peripherals company SteelSeries and gaming chair manufacturer Royale Ergonomics, as well as non-gaming brands such as Embily, StashAway, Reubiks Academy and Singapore’s first home-grown fruit tea, Partea.
EMERGE Esports Chief Gaming Officer (CGO) Pang Xue Jie said:
“We are excited to be part of this journey which will pave the path for many youngsters and gaming enthusiasts to pursue a career in the esports industry. We would like to establish an ecosystem that nurtures all budding talents in this field and not just the esports athletes. Esports is competing closely with traditional sports, garnering millions in revenue each year. Gaming has evolved beyond a hobby for many and we believe the launch has come at an opportune time. Given its accessibility and rising popularity, it will not be a surprise ifesports surpasses traditional sports in revenue in near future.”
For more details and information, you can head on over to the EMERGE Esports official website here.


The Top 30 Relaxing JRPG Soundtracks To Listen To

It may sound strange to some that the Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) genre is so strongly defined by its country of origin, Japan. When we talk about JRPGs, we normally refer to the styles or trends that are commonly used in Japan for their games, be it their graphical style, aesthetic, game design, or music.
Out of these different elements, JRPG music is an interesting subject because JRPG music is rarely traditionally Japanese. Classic Japanese musical styles aren’t necessarily lost, but most developers go for broader styles and genres, plucking a little bit of something from different cultures across the world.
Despite the openness in embracing new styles, there remains one important thread that keeps a JRPG distinct from, say, a western RPG. Whereas western games prefer atmospheric music that blend into the background, JRPG music is typically differentiated by having identifiable melodies. If you aren’t noticing what the music sounds like, then something’s wrong.

This list explores a vast pantheon of relaxing JRPG music and picking some of the best and memorable ones from the lat. Think of the melodies you hear whenever you enter a new town, or whenever a crucial event occurs.

These are the tunes that you’ll have listened for hours, and then can’t help but hum to while going about with your daily life.
#30. Final Fantasy XV – Crystalline Chill

Final Fantasy XV‘s “Crystalline Chill” is, as you might expect, a chill take on the series’ classic Prelude theme. All the familiar beats you love are here, complemented by a slow and steady percussion that soothes you as you browse the in-game menus.
Final Fantasy’s decades-long history has spawned many iterations of Prelude, and these often share an epic scale due to the series’ fantastical nature. Yet FFXV’s version stands out, boasting a relaxed and unworried mood that contests with series tradition yet also remains perfectly in its element.
#29. NieR – Song of the Ancients

Whether you played NieR: RepliCant or NieR: Gestalt, the “Song of the Ancients“ is a sombre piece that expands on the game’s surreal world. Sung in an incomprehensible, ancient language, you’ll sometimes hear the characters Devola and Popola belt to its tune in the village where the titular Nier lives.
There are many ways to read into the meaning of such a vague song, but what’s important is how the song beautifully sets the tone for a game like NieR, which is equal parts dark as it is hopeful.
Perhaps the most relaxing version of this song appears as part of a unique quest, which ends with Devola and Popola singing a jazz-like version of the song in a tavern.
#28. Persona 5 – The Days When My Mother Was There

Persona 5 is undoubtedly, in many eyes, stylish and versatile. Its innovative and modern take on a game’s soundtrack has made the title a standout in not just JRPGs, but also games in general.
“The Days When My Mother Was There” exemplifies that ethos further. The tune plays in an Egyptian-inspired dungeon with mellow acid jazz-like elements. The repeating synths grab the listener while a soulful guitar lead hammers in the emotional context that the dungeon and its story represents.
#27. Bravely Default – Land of Immortality

A civilization that’s frozen in time at the edge of nowhere can be a romantic idea to think about. Such the town of Eternia in Bravely Default, a place that is also home to one of the game’s protagonists, Edea Lee.
Its snow-covered lands and perpetual whiteness lend to the ideas of loneliness and melancholy that you hear in the music track, “Land of the Immortality”. However, notice that the music escalates in intensity as the flute becomes heard, as though also acknowledging the town’s ability to thrive in spite of its harshly cold environment.
#26. Dragon Quest VIII – “Strange World ~ Marching Through the Fields”

Dragon Quest VIII’s “Strange World ~ Marching Through the Fields” begins with a sequence that may sound like something straight out of Julie Andrews’ “Sound of Music”. Yet this shouldn’t be surprising when you consider the age of its composer, Koichi Sugiyama.
The classical symphony begins lazily, yet steadily climbs from naive wonder into that of a grand adventure. It’s a fantastic piece and well-suited reflective journey for the players exploring this game’s vast world map as the chosen Hero.
NEXT: #25-#21


So What’s New In Call Of Duty  Modern Warfare & Warzone Season 4?

Call of Duty Modern WarfareÂ Season 4,Â Call of Duty WarzoneÂ Season 4, andÂ Call Of Duty Mobile Season 7 have officially launched worldwide as of 11pm PDT on 10 June 2020, or 2pm GMT+8 on 11 June 2020 in Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia.
According to Charlie Intel, hereâ€™s what players can look forward to in the new seasons of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Warzone.
Call Of Duty Modern Warfare:

New MP Map:Â Modern Warfare 2â€™s Scrapyard makes a return.
Gunfight map:Â Trench.
Ground War map:Â Barakett Promenade.
New Battle PassÂ with:

New Operator: Captain Price.
New SMG: Fennec.
New AR: CR-56 AMAX.
New Tier 100 Skin: Price with NVG.

New Modes Coming During the Season:

One in the Chamber (With a twist).
Team Defender.
All or Nothing.

Call Of Duty Warzone:

New Feature: Fire Sale: Temporarily discounts items in the buy station up to 80% or gives one item completely free. If the teamâ€™s in-game funds are low, fallen teammates redeploy for free.
New Feature: Jailbreak: All eliminated players are given a second chance and released back into the match, regardless of whether they are spectators or waiting in the Gulag.
New Feature: Supply Chopper â€“Â non-lethal choppers with high-quality gear fly around the map for players to bring down.
New Feature: Contraband ContractÂ â€“ Whenever a contract is completed thereâ€™s a small chance that a Contraband Contract is dropped. Collect this case and bring it to the designated helicopter extraction zone to unlock the Blueprint weapon for you and your team in your loadouts!
NEW Mode:Â Warzone Rumble LTM; 50v50 mode.
New Modes Coming During the Season:

Juggernaut Royale.
Realism Warzone.

Check out the full patch notes for Call of Duty Modern Warfare Season 4 andÂ  Call of Duty Warzone Season 4 here, and enjoy the new content.
When the initial trailer for Call Of Duty Modern Warfare Season 4 was released, we predicted thatÂ the developer could have been teasing the potential return of Captain Price as a playable Operator. It looks like we were right, folks, as the details above would attest.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOOoRmEIXRs&w=560&h=315]


League of Legends Esports Team Sells Tournament Spot Following Racist Shareholder Controversy

The past few months have been a tumultuous time for the Echo Fox esports organization. A controversy had began in May this year when one of the organization’s shareholders, Amit Raizada, displayed racist behavior towards some of the company’s members including owner Rick Fox. Riot Games, through the League Championship Series (LCS), ordered Echo Fox to make a decision: Either remove Raizada or Riot will take action against Echo Fox.
After about two months of discussions between Echo Fox and LCS, it seems that the esports company have to come to a conclusion, albeit a very sad one. According to Dot Esports, Echo Fox will be selling their LCS slot to Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. Riot Games is currently reviewing the potential sale and will be meeting with the involved companies soon.

Echo Fox has submitted a proposal to sell its slot in the LCS to a new ownership group. The LCS is reviewing the potential sale and will be meeting with the proposed ownership group in the coming days.
â€” lolesports (@lolesports) July 24, 2019

To put it simply, Echo Fox couldn’t drop Raizada within the deadline given by LCS and thus will remove themselves from the League Championship Series. They’ve decided to sell their spot in the tournament to Kroenke Sports & Entertainment who also owns the L.A. Gladiators, an Overwatch League team. According to ESPN, the slot was sold for US$30.25 million.
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment is a multi-billion dollar company that owns Premier League football club Arsenal and the Denver Nuggets of the NBA among a few other sports teams. Back in 2017, the company worked together with esports organization Sentinels to form the L.A. Gladiators.
Rick Fox. Photo via Riot Games.
This is really sad news for pretty much the entire esports scene due to the fact that Echo Fox owner Rick Fox has been one of the best representatives of the community. Being a retired professional basketball player, he has used his reputation and influence to bridge the gap between sports and esports by standing up for the community when speaking to mainstream media.
Early on when the controversy began, it was reported that Rick would leave Echo Fox if Razaida wasn’t removed and it seems that this may end up happening after all but I hope that it won’t come to that.


PlatinumGames & A Few Others Surprise-Launch Their Games On Apple Arcade

We never thought Apple Arcade would be where all the cool games from Japan be at, yet here we are. PlatinumGames, Mistwalker, and a few prominent devs have released their games on Apple Arcade effective immediately.
First up is PlatinumGames’ World of Demons, an action game with Okami watercolour-and-hard-sumi-e-strokes graphics. No, really:

Next is Mistwalker’s Fantasian. The game’s first half is out and is worth 20 to 30 hours. The second half will be out later in 2021. You can watch the first 28 minutes here:

The folks behind the PlayStation golf game Everybody’s Golf/Hot Shots Golf has released Clap Hanz Golf. It’s basically golf on your iPhone/iPad with Tour Mode, Score Attack, and local multiplayer.

Last but not least is Bandai Namco’s iOS drum-mania entry called Taiko no Tatsujin: Pop Tap Beat. It’s similar to other Pop Tap Beat games, but now condensed for iPhone usage.

Which games will you be playing first on Apple Arcade this weekend? Let us know!


Activision Blizzard Sued By A US Federal Agency For US$18 Million

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has successfully sued Activision Blizzard after filing a complaint against the games company yesterday. The lawsuit states that Activision Blizzard is responsible for their employees facing sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, and related retaliation.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is a federal agency that was established via the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to administer and enforce civil rights laws against workplace discrimination.
As a result, Activision Blizzard has to cough up a whopping US$!8 million.
The lawsuit statement (via VG247) reads:
“Under the agreement, Activision Blizzard has committed to creating a US$18 million fund to compensate and make amends to eligible claimants.
Any amounts not used for claimants will be divided between charities that advance women in the video game industry or promote awareness around harassment and gender equality issues as well as company diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as approved by the EEOC. The agreement is subject to court approval.”
According to the court documents, this lawsuit and investigation have been going on since September 2018.
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said:
“There is no place anywhere at our company for discrimination, harassment, or unequal treatment of any kind, and I am grateful to the employees who bravely shared their experiences.
I am sorry that anyone had to experience inappropriate conduct, and I remain unwavering in my commitment to make Activision Blizzard one of the worldâ€™s most inclusive, respected, and respectful workplaces.”
However, Kotick is still getting paid more than US$100 million per year. US$!8 million must be nothing compared to how much the company earns every year. For more details and information on what Activision Blizzard has been accused of, head on over here.


Marvel’s Avengers Earth’s Mightiest Edition Puts Cap Front And Center

Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia and Square Enix have announced that Marvelâ€™s Avengers: Earthâ€™s Mightiest Edition and Deluxe Edition will be available alongside the Standard Edition when the game launches on 4 September 2020, as well as details for the pre-order bonuses.
The Marvel’s Avengers Deluxe Edition includes an exclusive Obsidian Outfit pack (six hero outfits), six exclusive Obsidian nameplates, and 72-hour early access. However, the free one-month subscription to Marvel Unlimited only applies for the physical version.

The true highlight is Marvel’s Avengers: Earthâ€™s Mightiest Edition, which features a full-colour 12-inch statue of Captain America. Designed by the maestros at Gentle Giant, this deluxe high-quality PVC statue captures every texture and detail on Captain Americaâ€™s uniform.

It also includes the following:

A copy of the Deluxe Edition.
An exclusive SteelBook case.
Hulk Bobblehead.
Mjolnir Keychain.
Black Widowâ€™s Belt Buckle.
Iron Manâ€™s Prototype Amor Blueprints.
Kamala Khanâ€™s Honorary Avenger Pin.
A commemorative Avengers group photo.
72-hour early access.

Players can already pre-order Marvel’s Avengers starting today. Pre-ordering the game will provide guaranteed access to the upcoming Beta, an exclusive nameplate, and a Marvel Legacy Outfit pack.
These Marvel Legacy Outfits are inspired by iconic stories and moments from the comics and Marvel Cinematic Universe. This includes the Iron Man Mark 1 Suit, World War 2 Captain America suit, and classic costumes for Thor, Black Widow, Hulk, and Ms Marvel.

In addition, those who pre-order Marvel’s Avengers from the PlayStation Store will receive extra bonuses, including a Ms Marvel ‘Talk to the Hand’ emote and Marvelâ€™s Avengers: Hex Pattern Logo PS4 dynamic theme.

The exclusive Digital Edition on the PlayStation Store will also include an exclusive Ms Marvel nameplate, 1,000 credits at launch, and 72-hour early access. PS4 players will also have the opportunity of playing the beta first when they pre-order any edition.
Marvelâ€™s Avengers is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One, Stadia, and PC on 4 September 2020. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utb1Q3zOpZs&w=560&h=315]


GDC 2020 Is “Postponed”

After a recent string of pull-outs due to Covid-19 fears, GDC 2020 has officially been cancelled. GDC wrote in a blog post:
“After close consultation with our partners in the game development industry and community around the world, weâ€™ve made the difficult decision to postpone the Game Developers ConferenceÂ this March.
“Having spent the past year preparing for the show with our advisory boards, speakers, exhibitors, and event partners, we’re genuinely upset and disappointed not to be able to host you at this time.”
However, GDC is still determined to host an event this year.
“We fully intend to host a GDC event later in the summer. We will be working with our partners to finalize the details and will share more information about our plans in the coming weeks.”
While the cancellation might be good news for those worried about health and safety, it also hurts the developers who had spent a notable sum of money to attend the event. In response, Gamedev.world tweeted that they have set up a fundraiser called the GDC Relief Fund that will run from March 28 to April 3.

Many developers have spent a significant amount of money on travel, hotel, & visas to go to a cancelled GDC.@gamedevworld is announcing fundraising efforts March 28th-April 3rd for the GDC Relief Fund to help alleviate marginalized developers' burdens. https://t.co/TqJIMZJgyY
— gamedev.world (@gamedevworld) February 29, 2020

“If you had a talk ready for an upcoming event you canâ€™t no longer attend and would like to present it during the @gamedevworld public efforts to raise money in support of @wingsfundmeâ€™[s] GDC Relief Fund, please reach out to myriame@gamedev.world,” they added.


“Conquer COVID-19” With Humble Bundle’s Special 30+ Gaming Bundle

In case you didn’t have enough games to play during this social distancing period, Humble Bundle has launched a new one-week bundle for the occasion. Named as the “Conquer Covid-19” bundle, it offers over 30 games, with all proceeds going to support organizations that are responding to the coronavirus.
The games include Into the Breach, Undertale, Hollow Knight, Superhot, Tropico 4, and Europa Universalis 4, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and Darksiders 1 and 2. There’s also some co-op stuff like Magicka, Killing Floor 2, and Sniper Elite 3.
Books included in the bundle as well, with titles ranging from self-help works like The Art of Captivating Conversation How to Be Confident, Charismatic, and Likable in Any Situation and Prisoner of Our Thoughts to comics/manga like Locke and Key Volume 1 and Fairy Tail: Happy’s Heroic Adventure.Â
The total cost of these products amounts to over $1000, but you can get them all for just $30 (RM131.57). You can donate more than the specified amount if you wish. At the time of writing, there are about five and a half days left before the bundle is no longer on sale.
As always, it’s good to see gaming-related companies doing charitable work or playing their part during this health crisis. Yesterday, Paradox Interactive launched a Steam sale to raise funds for the World Health Organisationâ€™s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.


YouTuber Etika Found Dead By NYPD

Former gaming YouTuber Desmond ‘Etika’ Amofah was found dead after the NYPD discovered his body in Manhattan’s East River yesterday. He was initially reported missing just last week after posting what was heavily implied to be a video with signs of suicidal intent, while his belongings were reportedly found on the Manhattan Bridge two days before his body was recovered.
Here’s a statement that was given from the NYPD (via Kotaku):

Ã¢â‚¬Å“At approximately 18:18 hours [yesterday], police responded to a 9-11 call with a person floating in the water in the vicinity of the South Street Seaport in the confines of the 1st Precinct.
Upon arrival, officers discovered an unresponsive, unidentified male at that location.
The NYPD harbor removed the male to Pier 16, where EMS pronounced him deceased.


The Eternals Cast Assembles At World Premiere In LA

Tonight in Hollywood, stars Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan, Salma Hayek, Brian Tyree Henry, Don Lee, Richard Madden, Lia McHugh, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, and Kit Harington joined director/screenwriter ChloÃ© Zhao, producers Kevin Feige and Nate Moore, executive producers Louis Dâ€™Esposito and Victoria Alonso, and screenwriters Ryan Firpo, Kaz Firpo and Patrick Burleigh for a walk down the red carpet to celebrate the premiere of Marvel Studiosâ€™ Eternals.
Marvel Studiosâ€™ Eternals follows a group of heroes from beyond the stars who had protected the Earth since the dawn of man. When monstrous creatures called the Deviants, long thought lost to history, mysteriously return, the Eternals are forced to reunite in order to defend humanity once again.
The outstanding ensemble cast includes Gemma Chan as humankind-loving Sersi, Richard Madden as the all-powerful Ikaris, Kumail Nanjiani as cosmic-powered Kingo, Lia McHugh as the eternally young, old-soul Sprite, Brian Tyree Henry as the intelligent inventor Phastos, Lauren Ridloff as the super-fast Makkari, Barry Keoghan as aloof loner Druig, Don Lee as the powerful Gilgamesh, with Kit Harington as Dane Whitman, with Salma Hayek as the wise and spiritual leader Ajak, and Angelina Jolie as the fierce warrior Thena.
ChloÃ© Zhao directs the film, and Kevin Feige and Nate Moore are the producers, with Louis Dâ€™Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Kevin de la Noy serving as executive producers. The screen story is by Ryan Firpo & Kaz Firpo, and the screenplay is by ChloÃ© Zhao and ChloÃ© Zhao & Patrick Burleigh and Ryan Firpo & Kaz Firpo.
Eternals will premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 4 November 2021.


Scarlet Nexus Reaches 2 Million Players Worldwide

Bandai Namco has announced that its new JRPG from last year, Scarlet Nexus, has hit a huge milestone.
The game has reached 2 million players worldwide; these include players who are on Xbox and PC Game Pass.

?Celebration mode: ON??#SCARLETNEXUS has reached 2 million players worldwide, including loyal fans on Xbox and PC Game Pass.
Thank you very much for supporting the OSF. pic.twitter.com/Itvcxj6Eem
— Scarlet Nexus (@scarlet_nexus) April 14, 2022

That’s great news, and well-deserved as we gave Scarlet Nexus our hearty recommendation. We hope to see more Scarlet Nexus games from the same dev team in the future. On a related note, maybe Bandai Namco shouldn’t greenlit a Scarlet Nexus anime series that blatantly feels like a cashgrab.


Humanity Walkthrough: All Puzzles & Solutions For This Unique 2023 Puzzle Game

Esoteric puzzle game Humanity is out now for PC, PS5, and PS4. If you love puzzle games like Lemmings but want more zaniness out of it, you’ll dig this game.
Humanity’s puzzles involve directing human traffic to the goal, and all these levels can get super-tricky and require forethought and planning. Luckily, we have a number of videos out to show you how it’s done.
Check out the video walkthroughs below.

Humanity Video Walkthrough & Puzzle Solutions

Sequence 1

Sequence 2

Sequence 3

Sequence 4

Sequence 5

Sequence 6

Sequence 7

All Boss Fights


Sonic Origins Plus Releases 23 June On All Platforms

SEGA has just announced the release date for Sonic Origins Plus and the Sonic Origins Expansion Pack DLC, both hitting the market on 23 June.
The Plus version comes packed with new playable characters, twelve Game Gear titles, and a Plus Content Pack that offers even more fresh content. You can grab a physical or digital copy of Sonic Origins Plus on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. Digital copies will also be available on Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
If you’re a fan of physical editions, the physical version of Sonic Origins Plus has some pretty neat bonus items. You’ll get an original artbook and a reversible SEGA Genesis jacket, both exclusive to the physical version. And as a pre-order bonus, you’ll receive a Record-Shaped Rubber Coaster. And if you scan the 2D barcode inside, you can even listen to the game’s soundtrack.

Product Overview
Sonic Origins: Expansion Pack

Plus Content Pack: Knuckles (Sonic CD) and Amy added as playable characters, 12 Game Gear titles added
Classic Music Pack: Additional songs for Sounds in the Museum (73 songs from Sonic Spinball, Knuckles’ Chaotix, and Sonic 3D Blast)
Premium Fun Pack: Additional Hard Missions (11), Letterbox Backgrounds (10), character animations in the main menu (Sonic, Tails, Dr. Eggman), free camera view of the main menu island, and character animations in the music player

Sonic Origins Plus

Product Contents

Sonic Origins base game
Sonic Origins: Expansion Pack DLC download code

Bonus Items

Original artbook
SEGA Genesis reversible jacket

Preorder Bonus

Record-Shaped Rubber Coaster

Sonic Origins Plus (Digital Version)

Sonic Origins base game
Classic Music Pack DLC
Premium Fun Pack DLC
Plus Content Pack DLC