Mobile Legends Developer Partners With Malaysia’s Ministry of Youth And Esports For Its Future In The Country

Moonton Games, the makers of the hit MOBA title Mobile Legends, are teaming up with Malaysia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and Esports Integrated (ESI).
The announcement was made at the ESI Hub in Malaysia, which will be the main hub for the upcoming Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup 2022 (MSC 2022). The competition will be held for the first time in the country and will be part of ESI and the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ (KBS) continuing strategy to develop esports in the country for 2020 to 2025.
The year’s theme, #SupremaSEA, celebrates esports supremacy by bringing the top Southeast Asian athletes together to become the regional authority in the Mobile Legends competitive field. Present in the conference are Youth & Sports Malaysia Minister YB Dato’ Seri Ahmad Faizal bin Dato’ Azumu, its Deputy Minister YB Senator Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker, Chief Executive Officer of Esports Integrated Ahmed Faris Amir , and MPL Malaysia/MOONTON Games Marketing Lead Fikri Rizal Mahruddin.
Here’s a quote from the minister himself:
“Held for the very first time in Malaysia, MSC 2022 is in line with the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS)’s Strategic Plan for Esports Development 2020 – 2025, to expand and support regional esports tournaments. Malaysia has produced many talented esports professionals who have flourished well in international and local competitions. MSC 2022 will help to propel Malaysia’s esports ecosystem to new heights, well in line with our vision as a vibrant esports hub to nurture our locals to become world-renowned esports athletes.”
Vice President of Operations and Growth of ESI Fadzli Rahim said that there’s interest in this within the community.
“This growth reflects the interest amongst the community, especially the youths, towards esports. KBS through the ESI initiative, has managed to garner massive interest and participation within the community, with viewership of ESI’s tournaments such as Malaysia Esports League and Malaysia Esports Championship reaching 2.5 million last year and ESI’s tournament platform, esukan.gg, gaining an increase of 150,000 active users, especially MLBB players.”
The MSC 2022 tournament will be hosted in Malaysia from 15 to 19 June. You can buy tickets for the event here.


Black Widow Looks Alive & Well On Set For Solo Movie

While has Marvel Studios has yet to truly confirm their next slate of movies in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), we already know that Black Widow will be one of them. According to Comic Book Movie, production on the former assassin’s solo movie is now underway on the island of Vigra in SÃ¦bÃ¸, Norway.
On-set pictures and footage of Scarlett Johansson reprising her role as Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow have leaked online, and it shows the Avenger in civilian clothes sporting her signature red hair. Check them out below:

SCARLETT JOHANSSON SHOOTING THE BLACK WIDOW MOVIE WE LOVE WINNING pic.twitter.com/MKwqF7NdSp
â€” lize ð‹€ (@widowarrior) May 29, 2019

New behind the scene video of Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff. This is the SUPERIOR look sksks ðŸ¤§ðŸ’—ðŸ’—#blackwidow #NatashaRomanoff #ScarlettJohansson pic.twitter.com/1Lu91jW6WM
â€” I’ll give u bw updates (@scarlettshines) May 29, 2019
As of now, we still know next to nothing about the standalone Black Widow movie, but speculation is rife that it will be set between the events of Captain America Civil War and Avengers Endgame, as well as delving into her former life as a Russian assassin for the Red Room.
For more on what’s next for the MCU post-Avengers Endgame other than the solo Black Widow movie, head on over here where I discuss the movies coming up in Phase Four.


Guess What The Nintendo Switch Imposter Is Called?

Do you really want to be the world’s worst parent or uncle/aunty to your kid/nephew/niece? Then you may want to get them this Nintendo Switch knock-off called the, I friggin’ kid you not, the Nanica Smitch.
This 500-game console is clearly an NES/Famicom emulator in a Nintendo Switch package, right down to the detachable “Joy Cons”. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t accept Switch cartridges. And its games are illegal ROMs, but you can already surmise that. We’re still uncertain as to where it’s made at; it may be a Colombia thing if this retail site is of any indication.Â
Check out this fake in action.

While it’s pretty easy to distinguish the real Nintendo Switch packaging from the Nanica Smitch’s, we still need to spread the word out. This is the real deal…

…while this is the fake.

So yeah, buyers beware!
Cheers, NintendoSoup!


The Injustice Movie Adaptation Comes With Its Own Pleasant Surprises

Ah, the idea of an evil Superman or evil Supermen is garnering a lot of attention these days. Look at Amazon Prime Video’s The Boys TV series and Invincible animated series. After more than a decade of superhero movies and the MCU, viewers want something different. Something that cleverly subverts or deconstructs comic book tropes. NetherRealm Studios gave us that with 2013’s Injustice Gods Among Us and 2016’s Injustice 2 fighting games, as well as the prequel comics by DC Comics.
The premise of Injustice is simple; what if Superman breaks bad and finally lets loose? What if he realizes that he can bring world peace through sheer force and power alone? What if he no longer believes in Truth, Justice and the American Way? It’s DC Comics’ turn for a civil war. Now, Warner Bros Animation has adapted Injustice into a standalone animated feature film, which is more inspired by the comics as it serves as a prequel to the events of the game.
Or is it?
Surprise, Surprise

Short answer: This is not simply a direct adaptation of the original games or the prequel comics. It doesn’t just rehash the events of the source materials. It would be more apt to describe the Injustice animated movie as an alternate version of what happens in the games and comics. I was pleasantly surprised when the movie suddenly veered off the trajectory of what I expected to happen based on the source materials.
The beginning and catalyst for why Superman becomes a ruthless dictator are essentially the same as the games and comics. That’s not a spoiler because the trailers have already confirmed it as such. However, after the tragic event that causes Superman to turn evil takes place, things turn to unfamiliar and new territory, in a very good way. Even if you’re familiar with the games and comics, chances are that you still won’t see what’s coming.
Different characters live and die (obviously, I won’t spoil who). There are several twists, but what I love most about the Injustice animated movie is how it puts the spotlight and gives screentime to unexpected characters. One of those characters is Patrick “Eel” O’Brian AKA Plastic Man, of all people. Yes, I’m not kidding. If you’re a fan of the comics, you’d know that Plastic Man is not only an underrated and hilarious character when written well, he’s also one of the most powerful heroes in the DC universe. I’m not exaggerating when I say that Injustice definitely does Plastic Man justice with his portrayal in this movie (voiced by Oliver Hudson of Rules Of Engagement fame).
I won’t spoil anything else, but what I can say is that the ending and climax of the Injustice animated movie is likely one of the most fan-pleasing and unexpected I’ve ever seen in all my years of being a comic book fan (and I’ve probably watched almost every DC Comics animated and live-action adaptation out there). I’m sure it will satisfy fans.

The Injustice movie is rated R, but it uses its R-rating sparingly enough. It can be plenty gory and bloody when it has to be but don’t expect Mortal Kombat level of gore and violence, let alone the outrageous levels as seen in The Boys and Invincible. What the Injustice lacks in blood and gore, it makes up for it with surprises as well as packing an emotional punch. There are some scenes here that will most assuredly tug the heartstrings of even the most ardent DC Comics fan.
I also appreciate the change of the usual voice actors. For instance, Gillian Jacobs of Community fame does a decent performance as Harley Quinn, while Laura Bailey of The Last Of Us Part 2‘s Abby fame (and a long list of video game voice acting credits) voices Lois Lane. What surprised me most is how good Anson Mount is as Batman (you may know the actor as Captain Pike from Star Trek Discovery and the upcoming Star Trek Strange New Worlds), and Justin Hartley as Superman (he played Green Arrow in Smallville). Unfortunately, Kevin Pollak is an atrocious Joker. Please just bring back Mark Hamill or Troy Baker, Warner Bros.
If anything, I wish the movie had featured a longer runtime and had more time to breathe, as well as to allow for more character development. As of now, it doesn’t seem like Warner Bros Animation is planning to turn this into a franchise with sequels (there’s no post-credits stinger or any indication of setting up a sequel). Plus, that also means that some characters (even fan-favourite ones) do tend to get the short straw with a lot less dedicated screen time. As a result, the movie feels rushed and perhaps it would’ve been ultimately better for it to be adapted into an animated series in the first place.
Lost Judgment?

If you love DC Comics and the subversion of superhero stories, I recommend checking out the Injustice animated series. Sure, last year’s Superman Red Son animated movie gave us an evil Superman. Fortunately, this has more superheroes in it and features a more familiar present-day setting, albeit with tons of surprises even for fans of the Injustice games and comics. Surely we’re not tired of evil Supermen just yet.
Injustice continues the currently ongoing slate of great animated movies from Warner Bros Animation. If this keeps up, it’s further proof of how animation is the perfect medium to adapt more subversive and complex storylines like Superman Red SonÂ (check out my review of that here) and Injustice. Maybe now we can finally get a decent Kingdom Come animated movie.
It’s ultimately up to preference whether you’d like the original games and comics better than the Injustice animated movie, but at least it’s doing things differently enough to stand out as its own version.
Changing stuff doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worse, which is a lesson that fans need to understand when it comes to adaptations. They’re called adaptations for a reason.
Final Score: 80/100
Injustice is slated to release on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack (US$39.99), Blu-ray (US$29.98) and Digital on 19 October 2021.


Hololive Is Currently Dealing With 146 Slander And Defamation Cases

Hololive and its talents are so big and popular, it’s not surprising to see a lot of the genre’s more hardcore fans and “enthusiastic” followers who get more than vocal for a particular talent.
The Vtuber agency has made a statement that it’s taking measures to combat slander and defamation: all 146 of them so far. The company plans to take legal action on the following:

Death threats
Rights infringement on bulletin boards
Rights infringement on social media
Aggregator websites

The agency will continue to improve its internal structure, work with its legal advisors, and provide a safer working environment for its talents. This statement had to be made as a number of Hololive talents have faced mental anguish that they have to take a break, as well as getting more harassment during graduation ceremonies. Examples include VTuber Axia Krone and Laplus Darkness.


Nintendo Switch ‘Netflix for Comics’ InkyPen Launching Today

As a comic book reader who lives outside of the US, I can’t rely on physical comics, so digital comics are my go-to medium and platform for my favorite pastime. The Nintendo Switch exclusive InkyPen app works like a ‘Netflix for comics.’ It launchesÂ today in the Nintendo eShop on December 17, 2018.
The InkyPen app offers thousands of comics from a wide selection of publishers and artists. This includes mainstream comic books, indie comics, webcomics, and perhaps even manga in the near future. Subscribers only have to pay $7.99 / â‚¬7.99 or the local equivalent.
Almost everything in the InkyPen comics catalog will be available worldwide, with some as-of-yet unspecified exceptions. More languages are planned to be added following its launch in English.
While it may be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch for now, the company is planning to support other platforms in the future. We’ll have to see how InkyPen fares in terms of accessibility and content compared to other services like Comixology Unlimited or Marvel Unlimited.
However, we should expect to see more indie comics than mainstream comics since that seems to be what the app is going for. Nevertheless, I believe that digital comics (just like digital games) are the future, and this app (if successful) will be another bold step towards that.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8WzpM3IMFU&w=560&h=315]


Here’s The Trailer For New Netflix Documentary Our Planet

Netflix has released the first trailer for its upcoming new documentary, Our Planet. The eight-part series comes from the creators Planet Earth and showcases unseen footage of wildlife in their natural habitat while revealing what’s so beautiful about our planet, which will definitely convince anyone to help in preserving it.
Our Planet was shot in Ultra High Definition (4K) in over 50 countries, promising sights and sounds that will make you gape in awe. Not only will it feature Sir David Attenborough as narrator, but there will be 10 other narrators in local languages, including prominent Hollywood actresses like PenÃ©lope Cruz for Spain and Salma Hayek for Latin America.
PenÃ©lope Cruz said:
“Being a part of Netflix’s Our Planet is an incredible honor. The series is spectacularly beautiful and the message of conservation could not be more timely or important.
I feel very close to everything Our Planet stands for and I’m proud to bring such a powerful piece of work to my home country and audiences around the world.”
Salma Hayek said:
â€œOur Planet transcends borders to deliver an inspiring message of wonder, respect, and care for our natural world.
Iâ€™m honored to work with Netflix to help bring the series to those in my home country of Mexico, and to a Spanish-language audience throughout Latin America and the rest of the globe.â€
In the first episode alone, viewers can look forward to visiting the lush Brazillian rainforests and Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. Our Planet is slated to start streaming on Netflix on 5 April 2019.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aETNYyrqNYE&w=560&h=315]


[Updated] The International 2022: Last Chance Qualifiers Playoffs Dates, Times & Results

With this year’s The International just around the corner, there are two more slots waiting to be filled. Who’s going to come out on top? Well with the Last Chance Qualifiers already underway, we’re about to see who will get their shot.
Dates & Times
Date: 10–12 October
Start Time: 10:00 AM
Timezone: Singapore Time (SGT/GMT+8)

PLACEMENT
QUALIFIES TO
TEAM

1
The International 2022
Team Secret

2
The International 2022
Team Liquid

3
–
Virtus.pro

4
–
Vici Gaming

5-6

–

Xtreme Gaming

T1

7-8

–

Natus Vincere

Wildcard Gaming

9-12

–

Tempest

Infamous

nouns

Polaris Esports

Teams

nouns – North America
Wildcard Gaming – North America
Infamous – South America
Tempest – South America
Team Secret – Western Europe
Team Liquid – Western Europe
Virtus.pro – Eastern Europe
Natus Vincere – Eastern Europe
Xtreme Gaming – China
Vici Gaming – China
Polaris Esports – Southeast Asia
T1 – Southeast Asia

Bracket

Schedule
Day 1 – 10 October
10:00 AM – Natus Vincere [1] vs. [2] T1 (Upper Bracket Quarterfinals)
10:00 AM – Team Secret [2] vs. [1] Xtreme Gaming (Upper Bracket Quarterfinals)
1:30 PM – Virtus.pro [2] vs. [1] Vici Gaming (Upper Bracket Quarterfinals)
1:35 PM – Team Liquid [2] vs. [1] Polaris Esports (Upper Bracket Quarterfinals)
4:50 PM – Natus Vincere [2] vs. [0] Tempest (Lower Bracket Round 1)
5:35 PM – Xtreme Gaming [2] vs. [1] Infamous (Lower Bracket Round 1)
7:10 PM – Vici Gaming [2] vs. [1] nouns (Lower Bracket Round 1)
9:15 PM – Polaris Esports [0] vs. [2] Wildcard Gaming (Lower Bracket Round 1)

Day 2 – 11 October
10:00 AM – T1 [0] vs. [2] Team Secret (Upper Bracket Semifinals)
10:00 AM – Virtus.pro [2] vs. [1] Team Liquid (Upper Bracket Quarterfinals)
12:10 PM – Vici Gaming [2] vs. [0] Wildcard Gaming (Lower Bracket Round 2)
1:00 PM – Natus Vincere [1] vs. [2] Xtreme Gaming (Lower Bracket Round 2)
4:00 PM – T1 [1] vs. [2] Vici Gaming (Lower Bracket Quarterfinals)
4:00 PM – Team Liquid [2] vs. [0] Xtreme Gaming(Lower Bracket Quarterfinals)

Day 3 – 12 October
10:00 AM – Team Secret [2] vs. [0] Virtus.pro (Upper Bracket Final)
1:00 PM – Team Liquid [2] vs. [1] Vici Gaming (Lower Bracket Semifinal)
4:00 PM – Virtus.pro [0] vs [2] Team Liquid (Lower Bracket Final)
WHERE TO WATCH?
Stream: YouTube / Twitch


Korean Box Office Hit Movie The Roundup Premieres On tvN Movies Next Week

Korean movie THE ROUNDUP, starring Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee), will premiere on Saturday, 26 November 2022, 10pm on tvN Movies ( Astro Channel 395 (HD) & Astro GO | unifi tv Channel 211 (HD) & unifi playTV). Meanwhile, its prequel, THE OUTLAWS, will premiere earlier on Saturday, 19 November 2022 at 10pm.
THE ROUNDUP throws Beast Cop Ma Seok-do (MA Dong-seok aka Don LEE) and his Major Crimes Unit into the deep end in a breathtaking crime action film. Set four years after the events of Garibong district round up operation, the Geumcheon Police’s Major Crimes Unit is given a mission to repatriate a fugitive who fled to Vietnam. Beast cop Ma Seok-do and Capt. Jeon Il-man (CHOI Guy-hwa) intuitively realize that there’s something wrong with the suspect’s willingness to turn himself in and uncover crimes committed by a terrifying killer named Kang Hae-sang (SON Suk-ku). Ma and his unit begin their investigation across two countries and follow the bloody breadcrumbs left behind by Kang.

Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee) is also best known for starring in Train To Busan, as well as 2021’s Eternals as Gilgamesh (you can check out my review here).
Check out the highlight trailer below:


Hololive Myth: Everything You Need To Know About The New Wave Of English VTubers

Over the past couple of years, Virtual YouTubers (or vtubers) have exploded in popularity. First gaining traction with Kizuna Ai in 2018, there is now a dedicated and massive fanbase revolving around YouTubers who entertain their audiences behind a virtual avatar.
VTubers are now akin to celebrity idols as they sing, play games, and perform skits over livestreams while maintaining a certain character that people have associated them with.

People love to support their favourite VTubers for the same reasons idols are admired: vtubers provide a consistent stream of entertainment on a weekly or even daily basis, giving color to the mundane everyday. Plenty of people admire their personalities and talents, of which seem so impressive that they just sweep everyone away.
More importantly, VTubers have the appeal of being hidden behind cute anime avatars. They arenâ€™t constrained by personal or identity issues, and often come up with creative ways to entertain their audience to make up for the limited expressions in their avatars.

The popularity of VTubers has also spawned many agencies looking to jump in on the trend. One of the biggest VTuber agencies is Hololive, which has a whole host of popular VTubers under its label. Notable names include Akai Haato, Natsuiro Matsuri, kiryu coco, and more.
Recognizing the popularity that VTubers have overseas, Hololive has been eager to cater to global fans outside of Japan by debuting a new and unique group VTubers. Enter Hololive Myth (also known as Hololive EN), a group of five idols who are every bit as silly as youâ€™d expect from Hololive. Except that they now speak English!
Now thatâ€™s great and all, but keeping up with over five brand new personalities all at once can also be daunting. Curious as to which of these VTubers is the best for you? Hereâ€™s a closer look at these five Virtual YouTubers and how you can enjoy them.
Ninomae Inaâ€™nis
One day, she picked up a strange book and then started to gain the power of controlling tentacles. To her, tentacles are just a part in her ordinary life; it has never been a big deal for her. However, her girly mind does want to get them dressed up and stay pretty. After gaining power, she started hearing Ancient Whispers and Revelations. Hence, she began her VTuber activities to deliver random sanity checks on humanity, as an ordinary girl.
Do you like VTubers who also moonlight as exceptionally talented artists? Ninomae may very well be the best of the bunch when it comes to drawing art. Heck, saying that she’s great artist might even be an understatement, seeing as what sheâ€™s shown so far has all the makings of a true professional.

Here is the illustration I drew for my end card!Thank you everyone for a wonderful day today! #inART #???? pic.twitter.com/0M0H8tephW
— Ninomae Ina’nis?holoEN (@ninomaeinanis) September 13, 2020

As you might expect, Ninomae is very in tune with otaku culture, and is a fan of a lot of notable franchises. She loves Final Fantasy XIV, NieR, and Apex Legends, while also playing various mobage such as Fate/Grand Order, Arknights and Granblue Fantasy. Besides games, she also watches a lot of anime, some popular titles to name being Neon Genesis Evangelion, Demon Slayer, and Made in Abyss.

Though she uses mostly English on the channel, she can also speak Korean and Japanese. In fact, she says that she may interchange between these languages on the side, which is something worth looking forward to.
Ninomaeâ€™s character, from her tentacles to her history of having heard ancient voices, is very much inspired by Lovecraftian myth. As such, you can check out her playthrough of Call of Cthulhu, and perhaps learn a little more about her backstory in the process.

Twitter
YouTube Channel
Illustrator: Kuroboshi Kouhaku
Live2D Modeler: rariemonn
Takanashi Kiara
An idol whose dream is to become a fast food shop owner. She is a phoenix, NOT a chicken or turkey. (Very important) She works extremely hard since she will be reborn from ashes anyway.
From the get-go, you can tell that Takanashi Kiara is upbeat and full of energy. Sheâ€™s multilingual, being able to speak in English, Japanese, and German (26:36). Though sheâ€™s classified as an English Hololive VTuber, expect a good mix of both English and Japanese when diving into her streams (as well as fan support from both sides of this language barrier). Sheâ€™s even gone as far as telling her fans that thereâ€™s no need to translate her content, as she’d rather do all of it herself!

Kiara is a fan of the Tales of and Atelier series, as well as Super Mario and Zelda. Her anime interests cover a variety of tones, from more serious shows like Bakemonogatari and Steins;Gate, to light-hearted ones such as Nichijou and Working!!. She also mentions that she enjoys listening to anime songs and nostalgic video game soundtracks.

If any of these sit well with you, or if youâ€™re just in it for the fried chicken memes, Kiara is a great choice to watch. Her hilarious reactions as she plays Fall Guys may be just the thing to check out after a long day, and even moreso if you happen to know a little bit of Japanese on top of English.
Twitter
YouTube Channel
Illustrator: hukeweb
Live2D Modeler: keffiy
Watson Amelia
She heard strange rumors surrounding Hololive online: talking foxes, magical squirrels, superhuman dogs, and more. Soon after beginning her investigation on Hololive, and just out of interest, she decided to become an idol herself! She loves to pass her time training her reflexes with FPS games, and challenging herself with puzzle games. Itâ€™s elementary, right?
Itâ€™s just as her description says: Watson Amelia is amazing at first-person shooters. If youâ€™ve seen how she powers through skirmishes in Apex Legends, youâ€™ll no doubt be eager to watch some more and maybe even learn from her example (27:54).

Sheâ€™s into Apex, Counter-Strike, and Valorant, but also enjoys open world games such as Grand Theft Auto and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Every gamer needs a game with downtime though, which is why she also enjoys puzzle games like Portal and Inside. That being said, sheâ€™s probably the most action-oriented gamer of the bunch!

Though she debuted with a British accent, she actually speaks with an American accent. Hololive Myth offers a variety of VTubers of different talents, and Watson Amelia is the recommended pick for those wanting a VTuber who doles out witty jokes, even as she slays opponents online. Sheâ€™s also just all-around silly, which you can see as she sings her own version of the Puru Puru Pururin anime opening (26:05).
Twitter
YouTube Channel
Illustrator: NABI
Live2D Modeler: Naname
Mori Calliope
The Grim Reaperâ€™s first apprentice. Because the worldâ€™s medical system advanced so dramatically, she became a VTuber to collect souls. It seems that the lost souls vaporized by the wholesome relationships of VTubers flow through her as well. In the end, sheâ€™s a gentle-hearted girl whose sweet voice contradicts the morbid things she tends to say, as well as her hardcore vocals.
First apprentice of the Grim Reaper and also a consummate rapper. Mori Calliope is the go-to VTuber if you want one that straight-up spits fire. Her debut song is an original song written by herself, called “å¤±ç¤¼ã—ã¾ã™ãŒã€RIPâ™¡” or “Excuse My Rudeness, But Could You Please RIP?”

Like the other Hololive Myth VTubers, Mori is fluent at English and is also capable of speaking some Japanese. Sheâ€™s still learning the ins and outs of Japanese, though, and may study up on the language alongside her stream.

Perhaps as a reflection of her character, her favourite anime shows include somewhat dark stories like Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Made in Abyss. Likewise, her favourite games are Bloodborne, Ghost of Tsushima, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

Reaper?Rapper???????????(???????)?Hololive English’s rapping reaper, Calliope Mori! I am at your service!
rap/lyrics/track/mix: me!mix help: @kokorobeats
“Check it out, yo!”https://t.co/rxvmQBiZ7F#holoMyth #hololiveEnglish pic.twitter.com/cMSORCFdIs
— Mori Calliope?holoEN (@moricalliope) September 14, 2020

If youâ€™re like many others who were enthralled by Moriâ€™s rapping ability, youâ€™ll no doubt want to keep an eye on her future exploits. Of course, sheâ€™s also promised funny streams and entertaining video game playthroughs on the road ahead.
Twitter
YouTube Channel
Illustrator: yukisame
Gawr Gura
A descendant of the Lost City of Atlantis, who swam to Earth while saying, â€œItâ€™s so boring down there LOLOLOL!â€ She bought her clothes (and her shark hat) in the human world and she really loves them. In her spare time, she enjoys talking to marine life.
A lovable midget of a shark that, for some reason, has an odd number of teeth. Gawr Gura is the shortest member of the group, who has managed to build a following based on her excitable attitude and the odd noises she makes. Fans lost their minds after witnessing her debut stream begin with unremarkable silence, only to then be followed by the sudden sound of a single â€œaâ€ (3:09).

Gura enjoys Resident Evil and Borderlands, as well as rhythm games like Taiko and Rhythm Heaven. Her favourite anime is KonoSuba (Godâ€™s Blessing on This Wonderful World!), which fits all too well with her eccentric personality. Amusingly, her listed birthday is on the 20th of June, which is the same date as when the film Jaws released.
Donâ€™t let Guraâ€™s childlike demeanour fool you, though. Contrary to how she acts, her singing talent is bound to impress even the most jaded. Just listen to her vocals as she performs a cover of the song Ride on Time by Tatsuro Yamashita, an old classic from the 80s (43:22).
Gura has also done a live playthrough of Maneater, where she assumes control of an in-game shark to prey on human beings. Though she seems to be enjoying it a little too much here, she promises that she prefers eating salmon!

Those who are comfortable with the odd and unpredictable might take a liking to Gawr Gura. Sheâ€™s a wild card for sure, but thereâ€™s also genuine talent hidden behind that toothy exterior.
Twitter
YouTube Channel
Illustrator: Amashiro Natsuki
Live2D Modeler: Shin
Collab Stream
Curious how the girls get along if they were all in the same room? Check out Hololive Myth’s first collab stream here.

Lastly, if you’re eager to watch Hololive Myth’s future streams, you can always refer to this handy official schedule, which is always up to date. The times on this page are listed in JST (GMT+9). You can also follow Hololive EN’s official YouTube channel for more information.
Bonus VTuber – Liliana Vampaia
Are these five girls not your cup of tea? Maybe youâ€™re looking for a VTuber whoâ€™s a little more in tune with the Malaysian way of life? Believe it or not, Malaysia has its own up-and-coming VTuber agency, called MyHolo TV.
Liliana Vampaia is one VTuber who exists under this label. Sheâ€™s a happy-go-lucky personality who often refers to herself in third-person. Even so, she speaks fluently in both English and Malay, and as you might expect, her staple food is everyoneâ€™s favourite Nasi Lemak. Once you get past the initial weirdness of having a Malaysian VTuber, her cutesy tone and cheerful attitude may just be right up your alley.
Curious about what Liliana has that only a Malaysian could pull off? Look no further than her playthrough of No Straight Roads â€“ a game that was also developed by Malaysians. Her reaction to the gameâ€™s use of “lah”, for instance, is quite priceless.

Know of any other VTubers we should keep an eye on? Who is your favourite VTuber? Let us know on thekkp.com and on our Facebook/YouTube page!


FIFA 23 Team Of The Year Announced, Includes Virgil Van Dijk & More

After receiving over 10 million votes, EA has revealed the FIFA 23 Team Of The Year. Kylian Mbappé has the highest percentage of votes for attackers with 23 percent. Kevin De Bruyne had the highest percentage out of the midfielders vote with 21 percent, Achraf Hakimi for defenders with 15 percent and Thibaut Courtois took the top spot for goalkeepers with 56 percent.
Check the full FIFA 23 Team Of The Year lineup below:
FIFA 23 Team of the Year: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper
Thibaut Courtois (Belgium) – Real Madrid
Defenders
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) – PSG
Eder Militao (Brazil) – Real Madrid
Theo Hernandez (France) – AC Milan
Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands) – Liverpool
Midfielders
Jude Bellingham (England) – Borussia Dortmund
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) – Manchester City
Luka Modric (Croatia) – Real Madrid
Attackers
Karim Benzema (France) – Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe (France) – PSG
Lionel Messi (Argentina) – PSG
David Jackson, VP of brand for EA SPORTS FC, said:
“Our EA SPORTS FIFA’s Team of the Year Vote continues to grow in participation each year, and has become a highly respected authority on the best of the best in world football. Team of The Year gives millions of young football fans a voice as they nominate the world’s best, and we’re privileged to bring their chosen XI into FIFA 23.”
In addition, select FIFA Ultimate Team ICONs who would have been considered for the prestigious Team of The Year award in past years will receive brand new TOTY ICON items. 14 giants of the game will be honored with boosted ratings in FIFA Ultimate Team within FIFA 23, including:

 Alessandro Nesta
Andrea Pirlo
Ashley Cole
Claude Makélélé
David Beckham
Edwin van der Sar
Gerd Muller
Hugo Sánchez
Javier Zanetti
Nemanja Vidi?
Robert Pirès
Ronaldinho
Ruud Gullit
Xabi Alonso

TOTY ICON items will start to be released on 20 January 2023 for players to add to their Ultimate Team. The full FIFA 23 Team Of The Year line-up will be available on FIFA 23 starting on 26 January 2023, on FIFA Online on 20 January 2023 and on FIFA Mobile in early February.

As chosen by you.
Presenting the #FIFA23 Team of the Year ?#TOTY pic.twitter.com/xGfMKsJCUP
— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) January 19, 2023


RIP Lance Reddick, Star Of The Wire & Prominent Video Game Voice Actor

It’s with heavy heart to report that Lance Reddick, the renowned star of HBO’s The Wire and John Wick films has passed away. He was 60.
Lance Reddick died of natural causes on Friday morning. He was found dead at his Studio City home in Los Angeles according to TMZ.
Apart from those shows, Lance Reddick is known for voicing prominent animated and video game characters such as Sylens from the Horizon series, Thordak from The legend of Vox Machina, as life-action version of Albert Wesker from Resident Evil (Netflix), and Commander Zavala in the Destiny games. His commanding and distinct voice help carry those roles (specifically for Horizon and Destiny) and made them incredibly memorable for their respective fanbases.

You will be missed, Lance Reddick. Rest in peace.
Update [18/3/2023 11:06am GMT+8]: Destiny 2 players are paying tribute to the deceased actor by saluting Zavala high on the Tower overlook. And Bungie posted up a post regarding his passing.

The tower right now. pic.twitter.com/DL2nkbpnu4
— Tim Clark (@timothydclark) March 17, 2023

pic.twitter.com/csXjKcMOJy
— Bungie (@Bungie) March 17, 2023


Fatality! How To Perform Dragon Ball FighterZ’s Dramatic Intros & Finishes

Been playing a lot of Dragon Ball FighterZ? We have, and turns out there’s a bunch of easter eggs for you manga and anime fans out there.
Dragon Ball FighterZ brings in special intros and finishing animations called Dramatic Intros and Dramatic Finishes. They are re-enactments of iconic moments in the show which you can pull off at the start and at the end of a match, provided you meet the requirements.
We have most of them laid out for you to discover for yourself. We’ll update this list if we find new ones.

Dramatic Intros
This one’s easy. You must have these characters as point characters and set the correct stage to see the intros.
Krillin: You must use Nappa as your starting opponent. The stage must be Rocky Field.
Gohan (Teen): You must use Cell as your starting opponent. Set the stage to Cell Games Arena. Android 16 cannot be on either team.
Goku: You must use Frieza as your starting opponent. The stage must be Planet Namek. Krillin cannot be on either team.

Dramatic Finishes
To pull these off, you need to set up the correct stage and the correct final opponent. When he or she is close to a KO, finish them off with a neutral Heavy Attack (ie the one that launches enemies to the wall).
Some Dramatic Finishes require a stage to be destroyed first; pull off a Level 3 Super as a deathblow to do this, like Cell’s Solar Kamehameha or Goku’s SSJ3 move. Preferably on the first or second opponent.
Gohan (Teen): Cell has to be the last opponent. The Cell Games Arena stage must be selected and must be destroyed before doing this. Goku cannot be on either team.
Beerus: Goku must be the last opponent. You have to use the Space stage. and use the Space stage. Alternatively, you can use Goku Black as your opponent with any stage, but Goku Black has to be below 10% health when Beerusâ€™s super attack is used.
Goku: Frieza has to be the last opponent. You have to set the stage to Planet Namek. The stage has to be destroyed. Or you can just opt for Planet Namek (Destroyed).
Trunks: Frieza must be the last opponent. You must fight in the Rocky Field (Noon) stage.
Nappa: Yamcha must be the last opponent. You must fight in the Rocky Field (Noon) stage.
Yamcha: Nappa must be the last opponent. You must fight in the Rocky Field (Noon) stage. Also this was a long time coming for Dragon Ball’s beta male.
Goku: You must fight Kid Buu last. You have to select Land of the Kais stage.
Hope that helped. Oh, and if you’re lazy, you can just watch all of them below (via Zanar Aesthetics)


Warcraft Director Wants To Make A Full Throttle Movie

Movie director Duncan Jones want to make a Full Throttle movie, and he’s asking everyone to support him in this endeavour. Jones is best known for directing the 2016 Warcraft movie (which was actually one of the better video game movies around) and the 2018 sci-fi movie, Mute (which is available on Netflix).
What is Full Throttle, you ask? It’s a graphic adventure game from 1995, developed by LucasArts and Tim Schafer. Yes, that Tim Schafer (of Psychonauts and others fame).Â A remastered version of Full Throttle, titled Full Throttle Remastered, was developed by Schafer’s Double Fine Productions for release in 2017 on PC (Steam), PS4, PS Vita and Xbox One. The game even boasts the voices of Mark Hamill.
Jones tweeted about it, saying:
“If you could all tell DisneyStudios how much youâ€™d love them to let me make Full Throttle for Disney+, that would be adorable and Iâ€™d be very appreciative.”

If you could all tell @DisneyStudios how much you’d love them to let me make Full Throttle for @Disney+, that would be adorable and I’d be very appreciative.??????
— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 9, 2022

He’s a huge fan. He even wrote a draft of a script for a Full Throttle movie just last year.

It blew my mind!I LOVED that game.  I mean, REALLY loved that game.
So the next time I had one of those freezes, I started writing this-
A fan script for the LucasArts classic, FULL THROTTLE.Enjoy.https://t.co/U179UWdeZ1
— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 11, 2021

We’ll have to wait and see if Disney takes up Duncan Jones’ offer. In the meantime, check out the intro to Full Throttle Remastered below:


Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Is Getting Resident Evil Characters As Spirits

Nintendo is holding a Resident Evil-themed spirit event in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for a period of five days starting from this weekend on 29 November 2019. Unfortunately, what this means is that they’re not actually playable, but will just be available as spirits for now.
These Resident Evil characters include iconic ones such as Albert Wesker, Leon Kennedy, Chris Redfield, and Jill Valentine. They will replace the current PokÃ©mon spirits which were introduced last weekend.
In order to obtain these new Resident Evil spirits in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, players need to each specific character’s challenge to unlock them on the Spirit Board. Keep in mind that you’ll only have until 4 December 2019 to do this.
The addition of Resident Evil characters as spirits in the game doesn’t necessarily mean that these same characters won’t be added as playable fighters in the roster sometime in the future, though it does lower the chances of that happening.

Conquer the looming fear! For 5 days starting 11/29, Chris, Leon, Wesker, and Jill will appear on the Spirit Board in Super #SmashBrosUltimate! Check it out! pic.twitter.com/fgHSZgyY8m
â€” Nintendo Versus (@NintendoVS) November 27, 2019

Fatal Fury‘s Terry Bogard was the latest addition to the game’s roster.


PC Gaming Show 2022: All The Games

The PC Gaming Show 2022 took place earlier today.
Check out all the game reveals and announcements below:
Soulstice

Soulstice is coming to PC, PlayStation® 5, and Xbox Series X|S on September 20!
Watch the Soulstice Cinematic trailer for a glimpse at the challenges and obstacles soul-bound sisters Briar and Lute must overcome on their mission to reach the Tear in the sky above the once-holy city of Ilden…now a city fraught with vile and ravenous beings from beyond the other side of the Veil.
Explore a dark world brimming with hidden mysteries, master a diverse combat system, and inhabit the dual forces of two sisters in a coming-of-age dark fantasy story with fast-paced action, vicious enemies, and spectacular boss fights.

Rotwood

Rotwood is a 1-4 player hack-and-slash dungeon crawler by Klei Entertainment the makers of Don’t Starve and Mark of the Ninja. Battle corrupted beasts, gather what remains, and forge a safe haven with your friends.
Hack and slash your way through the Rotwood in this rogue-like dungeon crawler. Explore and fight through a labyrinthian maze of dense forest and vicious vegetation with up to 3 of your friends. Forge your path through ever-increasing challenges and rewards to bring the spoils of your adventure back and craft new weapons and armor or fortify your safe haven.

Tactical Breach Wizards

Tactical Breach Wizards is a small-scale, turn-based tactics game where you play a team of wizards in modern-day tactical gear, breaching and clearing rooms full of armed hostiles by making clever use of interesting spells. It’s still in early development, so everything about it might change!

The Invincible

Begin an eerie adventure as astrobiologist Yasna, watching our first gameplay showcase of The Invincible: a deep, atompunk story set in a hard sci-fi world by Stanis?aw Lem.
Use atompunk tools to find the missing crew, make choices, deal with their consequences and face threats unforeseen by mankind…
It is time you rethink human’s dominion in the universe, while experiencing mind-boggling science phenomena on Regis III.
Take part in the philosophical adventure created by Starward Industries and empowered by 11 bit studios – the game rooted in the idea of meaningful entertainment.

Endless Dungeon

Endless Dungeon is a Rogue-lite Tactical Action game, set in the award-winning Endless universe. Recruit a team of shipwrecked heroes, plunge into a long-abandoned space station, and protect your crystal against never-ending waves of monsters… or die trying, get reloaded, and try again.

F1 Manager 2022

F1® Manager 2022, the official management game of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, will be playable from August 25th!
Pre-order F1® Manager 2022 right now on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Chivalry 2

The Tenosian Invasion update arrives alongside the Steam release of Chivalry 2, and opens an exciting new chapter in the civil war.
The biggest update yet for Chivalry 2, Tenosian Invasion brings warriors to a new theater of war, with the new Tenosian faction, two huge Team Objective maps, two Team Deathmatch maps and much more! Ride to war on horseback with an all-new mounted combat system. Plus, console players can now join friends’ games directly on other platforms with the new Console Server Browser!
Chivalry 2 is available now with Cross-Play on Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5.

Deceive Inc.

Blend in. Break out. Go undercover as the world’s greatest spies in DECEIVE INC., a tense multiplayer game of subterfuge, deduction, and ingenuity set in the groovy world of international espionage. Disguise as anyone, deploy an arsenal of high-tech gadgets or neutralize the competition. As long as you extract with the objective, no trick is too dirty when you work for DECEIVE INC.

Flintlock The Siege Of Dawn

Get a first look at Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn’s gunpowder-packed and magic-fueled combat in the first gameplay reveal video. Take to Flintlock’s vast battlefields, combining and mastering an arsenal of tools and magical abilities.
Join Nor and her mysterious companion, Enki, in this open-world RPG adventure and embark on an epic journey of vengeance, gunpowder and magic in humanity’s last stand.
Your battle begins early 2023 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X! Available day one with Game Pass.

The Alters

To survive on a lonely planet, Jan creates alternate versions of himself – the alters. Each alter’s personality is shaped by Jan’s various life paths. The Alters begs a simple question surrounding life-changing moments and the decisions people make: What if…?
The Alters is a game about life-changing moments. Those binary decisions that happen in nanoseconds, but have influence over your entire life. It is about looking into yourself, into your past, and discovering that you are who you are as a sum of those numerous choices. And when you do that a fundamental question arises: WHAT IF…?

Outriders Worldslayer

Outriders Worldslayer will release June 30, 2022 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC (Steam, Epic, Windows Store & NVIDIA GeForce NOW) and Stadia!
Take your existing Outriders to new levels of power as you journey deeper into Enoch, or use the character boost to create a new level 30 Outrider geared up and ready to face off against the powerful Altered – Ereshkigal.
With new horrors to challenge you and new weapons, mods and gear to discover, you’ll be further developing your build through the new PAX class trees, the long-term progression Ascension System and the game changing third mod slots found only on Apocalypse Gear.
Survive the campaign and continue to push through the new Apocalypse difficulty tiers as you face even greater horrors in the Trial of Tarya Gratar, the brand new endgame.
Outriders is a 1-3 player co-op RPG shooter set in an original, dark and desperate sci-fi universe. As mankind bleeds out in the trenches of Enoch, you’ll create your own Outrider and embark on a journey across the hostile planet.

Potion Craft

Potion brewing sim Potion Craft will leave early access in Fall 2022.

Super Animal Royale

Super Animal Royale is a 64-player, frenetic, top-down 2D battle royale where murderous animals fight tooth, claw, and machine gun across an abandoned safari park.
Season 4 begins at the end of this month.
Nitro Kid

Nitro Kid is a roguelike deckbuilder set in the neon ‘80s. Build your deck of cyber kung-fu moves, use card combos and fight through the floors of INFINITY tower. Featuring 30+ Synthwave tracks composed exclusively for the game. Check out the DEMO now!

Mahokenshi

Begin your journey to become a mighty samurai mage! In a blend of adventure, strategy and deckbuilding gameplay, choose how you will follow the way of the Mahoken. Explore the Celestial Islands, build your deck, battle challenging demons, and protect the land from the forces of corruption.

Killing Floor 2

“Tidal Terror” is the next event for Killing Floor 2, the long-running cooperative FPS from Tripwire Interactive.

Arma 4

Bohemia Interactive talks about Arma Reforger, and what to expect from the next full Arma game, Arma 4.
Updates On Dune Spice Wars, Northgard And Wartales

Shiro Games community director James Croucher shows off Dune: Spice Wars multiplayer (coming soon), the upcoming Northgard expansion, the co-op update for Wartales, and two upcoming games from its publishing wing, Shiro Unlimited.
Abyssals

Abyssals is a Survival City Builder, set in the dark depths of an inhospitable planet. Build your underwater colony, explore the darkest depths of the oceanic planet, and hunt for scarce resources. Expand your infrastructure and power your lamps, as danger lies in the deep, hidden in the dark.

Decarnation

Solve cryptic puzzles, fight disturbing enemies, explore a phantasmagorical world of dreams and nightmares, and face the most terrifying monsters from the darkest parts of your soul in Decarnation, a harrowing new game from Atelier QDB and Shiro Unlimited.

I Am Future

Stretch yourself after hibernation, summer is here! I Am Future is a survival sandbox game with a refreshingly upbeat vibe.

Great Houses Of Calderia

Great Houses of Calderia is a single-player Grand Strategy game set in the fantastic land of Calderia inspired by the Renaissance. Focusing on unique choices and real-time resources management, run an entire House and interact with your family to successfully form diplomatic relations with neighboring Houses.
Set to hit Steam Early Access in Q3 2022, Great Houses of Calderia is Crusader Kings III meets Game of Thrones. Build your legacy through generations!

Jurassic World Evolution 2 DLC

Jurassic World Evolution 2: Dominion Biosyn is coming June 14.

System Shock

System Shock is the fully fledged remake of the ground breaking original from 1994, combining cult gameplay with all-new HD visuals, updated controls, an overhauled interface and all-new sounds & music; it even has the original voice actor of SHODAN, one of gaming’s most iconic villains. Witness the rebirth of one of the greatest and most influential games ever created.
Here’s an update on the game:

Falling Frontier

More on Falling Frontier from the developer: “Conquer a vast procedurally generated star system in Falling Frontier, a sci-fi RTS where intel and logistics are decisive factors. Design ships and raid enemy supply lines, lay minefields and construct recon stations, and ambush enemy forces within asteroid fields and nebulae.”

Super People

WONDER PEOPLE proudly presents a battle royale shooter that will revolutionize how you think about the genre.In SUPER PEOPLE, take control of a super-soldier, each with their own unique skills and survive until you are the last one standing.

Immortality

The latest trailer for Immortality, a narrative FMV game from Sam Barlow, creator of Her Story. Immortality releases July 26 on Game Pass, Steam, and GOG.

Nivalis

Welcome to Nivalis, the city that stretches from the ocean to the clouds.
Grow your business, manage restaurants and nightclubs, make friends and enemies, buy and decorate apartments, go fishing and maybe even find love.

Demonschool

Demonschool is a school-life tactics RPG with hints of Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Italian horror cinema, where movement equals action!
Demonschool opens enrollment on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Steam Deck in 2023.
Fresh-faced students are welcomed to a colorful island and its “prestigious” university, where exciting sports clubs, a world-class education, and the impending doom of a demonic apocalypse await!
For freshman Faye, the last living heir to a long-forgotten family of demon hunters, school is nothing like it looks on the brochures. While her peers get to flirt through Freud and dabble in Dante, Faye and her new band of misfit friends get shunted toward supernatural investigations. A woman who lost her face? A summoning ritual in the cemetery? Mailer Daemons!? The underworld inches ever closer to the world of humanity… college is hell!

Scorn

Explore a mesmerizing labyrinth this Halloween! Scorn will release on 21st October 2021. You awaken in the middle of a desolate and decayed hellscape; a once industrious civilization now lay in ruin. Surrounded by nightmarish, biomechanical contraptions, you must explore your environment to progress. Your nightmare is about to begin…Available to play on Xbox Series X|S and day one with Game Pass.

Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2

Day[9] talks to Tim Willits and Oliver Hollis about upcoming third-person shooter Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2.
Agent 64 Spies Never Die

A retro FPS inspired by classic 90s console shooters. Explore new locales, accomplish varied objectives and fight against state-of-the-art 1997 enemy AI. Enter a world of espionage and action.

Deliver Us Mars

A new trailer for Deliver Us Mars, a new sci-fi adventure from KeokeN Interactive and Frontier Developments.

Stormgate

A detailed insight from the developers containing everything you need to know about STORMGATE.
Laysara Summit Kingdom

Build and expand your very own settlements in high mountains! Carefully plan production chains and satisfy various needs of your three-caste society while dealing with mountain hazards such as weather breakdowns and avalanches. Are you skilled enough to make your town thrive?

Frozen Flame

After years of going in and out of alpha and beta both on and off Steam, MMO-ish survival RPG Frozen Flame is finally launching this fall—and it’s shown off a brand new trailer at today’s PC Gaming Show to celebrate.

Victoria 3

Coming 2022.
Set in the rapidly moving 19th and early 20th centuries, Victoria 3 is a deep societal simulation, challenging players to develop a nation through industry, trade and political reform while keeping your population content and well-fed.

Gloomwood

Gloomwood is a stealth horror FPS that follows your mysterious abduction to a forgotten, twisted Victorian metropolis in the midst of a horrifying transformation. Wield your canesword and take to the shadows as you uncover the accursed mystery hidden within the fog.

Backfirewall

A “narrative adventure, with narration, and adventures” from developer Naraven Games.

Norland

Norland is a medieval kingdom sim that generates stories. Manage your noble family and face with class society, crime, slave revolts, religious conflict, economic issues, personal relations, treachery, secret murders, and spectacular battles.

Them’s Fightin Herds

The long-awaited 3.0 update is live now on Steam, bringing with it brand new level 3 cinematic supers for the entire roster, balancing changes, and more. Additionally, the first paid playable DLC character, Shanty, is now free to keep for all current and future owners!
Them’s Fightin’ Herds is a 2D fighting game featuring a cast of adorable animals designed by acclaimed cartoon producer Lauren Faust.

Farthest Frontier

More about Farthest Frontier from the developer: “Protect and guide your people as you forge a town from untamed wilderness at the edge of the known world. Harvest raw materials, hunt, fish and farm to survive. Produce crafted items to trade, consume, equip and fight with as you battle for your survival against the elements and outside threats.”

Synergy

Humans live on a hostile planet. In this survival city-building game, develop your city, face natural disasters, make the right choices. Explore this environment-changing world while keeping your people happy despite extreme weather conditions.

Icarus

Survival game Icarus recently released Styx, a new DLC pack free to players. It contains a hefty new chunk of map measuring 8x8km, effectively doubling the size of the survival game’s playable area, and adding new creatures to battle and new missions to complete.

Half-Life Alyx Levitation Mod

An extended gameplay trailer for Half-Life Alyx mod Levitation from modders FMPONE and Corey Laddo.


Twitch Is Now Available On The Nintendo Switch

It’s been four years since the Nintendo Switch was originally announced in 2017, and it still doesn’t have apps for major streaming services. At least, now Twitch has finally arrived on the Nintendo Switch.
With Twitch on Switch, youâ€™ll be able to:

Sign in to your Twitch account for easy access to all your followed channels.
Browse for live content by category.
Search to discover new streamers.
Watch VODs and clips from a streamerâ€™s profile.
Watch on the big screen with your Switch docked or take it on the go in handheld mode.

You can download it now for free on the Nintendo eShop.

It has a pretty clean UI, featuring a Home tab with recommended streams for you to watch, a Browse tab to look for streams by game or category, and a Search tab. However, the app is only for watching streams; you canâ€™t use it to stream your gameplay. Also, you canâ€™t see a streamâ€™s chat on your Nintendo Switch screen or a TV screen when docked, though you can scan a QR code to see the chat on your phone.
It’s nice to get Twitch on the Switch, but hereâ€™s hoping we’ll get Netflix someday.


Extended Edition Of In This Corner Of The World Coming To Japanese Theaters

Back in 2016, the world was graced by a beautiful World War II anime film titled In This Corner of the World (Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni). It made a lot of us cry. Well, get ready to cry again because an extended version is coming out.
A new trailer for an extended edition of the film was recently released, featuring new scenes and even a character that appeared in the original manga but didn’t make it into the 2016 release. Some of the new scenes will flesh out the friendship between the main character Suzu Hono and Rin Shiraki, one of the courtesans at the courtesan house Futabakan.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clpf5BXrpzc&w=560&h=315]
With 30 minutes of newly-animated footage, the extended edition will run for 150 minutes long compared to the original’s 129 minutes. It’s also titled differently, this time it will be released as In This Corner (and Other Corners) of the World or in Japanese: Kono Sekai no (Sara ni Ikutsumono) Katasumi ni. I have to admit, even the title makes me feel melancholic.
It’s scheduled to hit Japanese theaters on 20 December 2019. Here’s hoping it will be shown in Malaysia, Singapore, and perhaps even worldwide in the future.
Thanks, Crunchyroll.


[Rumour] Battlefield 6 Is Coming To Xbox Game Pass

Itâ€™s been a while since we last heard from EA DICE about the next entry in theÂ Battlefield franchise. Now rumours are circulating again about Battlefield 6, orÂ Battlefield VI.
According to video game industry insider Shpeshal Ed in a recent XboxEra Podcast, he said:
â€œThere is a third party, Triple-A, first-person shooter that is very highly likely to be launching in Game Pass this fall.â€
In the same podcast, XboxEra co-founder and Editor-In-Chief Jon Clarke explained:
â€œMy other bet would be Battlefield 6 because the EA Play relationship already exists.
And Iâ€™m sure Microsoft are sharing lots and lots of lovely numbers on what it does for a player base when youâ€™ve got 20 million people immediately available to play your game.â€
In the past, Ed has been a credible source of leaks and rumours in the past, even most recently leaking thatÂ Final Fantasy VII Remake would be a free PlayStation Plus game in March 2021 before it was even officially announced. Most recently, he also leaked that Remedy Entertainment might be working on a PlayStation exclusive.
That said, we should take all of this with a grain of salt for now, and wait for something more official from either Microsoft Xbox or EA.


Tera Online Publishers Shutting Down

After more than 11 years, publishers En Masse Entertainment will be shuttering its doors.
The folks behind the long-running MMORPG Tera Online and 2D-style brawler Closers will be starting the process of discontinuing the business of creating and running games. Fret not, however; those two titles will not be discontinued.
According to En Masse, there will be news on the two in the next few weeks. The games will still be running and be supported by (possibly) another publisher or distributor. Full Facebook post below:
https://www.facebook.com/TERAonline/posts/10163975760635032


New Shin Ultraman Film Teases More Giant-Sized Destruction

The upcoming Hideaki Anno-produced-and-written Shin Ultraman live-action movie will be out next month, so here’s a brand-new trailer showcasing what makes the tokusatsu series great: giant-sized heroes and kaijus beating the ever-loving crap out of each other.
Oh, and some human drama in-between the fighting megamix, but at least we’re getting some well-written ones. Hopefully. The trailer below also previews the show’s music theme “M87” by Kenshi Yonezu.

The film is directed by Shinji Higuchi (Attack on Titan live action films, Shin Godzilla), with Anno being the lead writer, producer, and planner. The film will be out in Japan on 13th May; no Southeast Asian release date has been announced yet, but hopefully it’ll be out a few months after.


The Next Stephen King Adaptation, The Boogeyman, Gets Spooky First Trailer

The next Stephen King movie adaptation from 20th Century Studios, The Boogeyman, has received its first trailer. The horror movie was initially supposed to release on Hulu but is now going to premiere in cinemas on 2 June 2023 after positive test screenings and approval from Stephen King himself.
The synopsis reads:
High school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister Sawyer are reeling from the recent death of their mother and aren’t getting much support from their father, Will, a therapist who is dealing with his own pain. When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims.

Really scary! pic.twitter.com/W9m12tP5E2
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 29, 2023

From Host and Dashcam director Rob Savage, The Boogeyman stars Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets) and Chris Messina (Birds of Prey) star alongside David Dastmalchian (Dune, The Suicide Squad), Marin Ireland (Y: The Last Man, The Umbrella Academy), Vivien Lyra Blair (Bird Box, Mr. Corman) and Madison Hu (Voyagers).
Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place), Akela Cooper (Malignant) and Mark Heyman (Black Swan) worked on the script. Stranger Things producers 21 Laps’ Shawn Levy, Dan Levine & Dan Cohen are producing the film.
The original short story of The Boogeyman was first published in 1973, before being featured in Stephen King’s Night Shift collection in 1978. This is the first live-action adaptation of the story.
Check out the trailer below:


Ubisoft Still Maintains “Non-Political” Stance With Far Cry 6, A Game About A Political Uprising

Ubisoft plans to give players a “true guerilla fantasy” with the first-person shooter action game Far Cry 6, which is different from a “true gorilla fantasy” with Guilty Gear Strive’s beta. In fact, Ubisoft spoke to actual freedom fighters who took part in a revolution so that its upcoming game is as accurate as it can get.
However, Ubisoft has made it official that it still wants to avoid making a political statement with the game (via TheGamer). Narrative director Navid Khavari plans to pay homage to fighters from the past while creating a narrative that wishes to avoid drawing on inspiration from similar events in real life.
“The original inspiration was Guerilla Warfare and what is that guerilla fantasy, which is obviously tied to revolution. When you talk about guerillas, you think of the guerillas in the 1950s and 1960s, we actually went down there to speak to actual guerilla fighters who fought back then, and we just really fell in love with their stories.
But we also fell in love with the culture and people we met. When we came out of that, it wasnâ€™t that we felt we had to do Cuba, we realised itâ€™s a complicated island and our game doesnâ€™t want to make a political statement about whatâ€™s happening in Cuba specifically. Beyond that, weâ€™re drawing inspiration from guerilla movements around the world and throughout history. For us, it felt like doing the island of Yara would help us tell that story while being very open with our politics and inspiration.”
Despite Ubisoft saying that its game about a revolution and guerilla warfare is not making a political statement, Far Cry 6 still wants to tell an engaging story that isn’t afraid to explore what a revolution entails, along with its many repercussions.
“A revolution is complex, and the people youâ€™re going to engage with are also complex. I use this line of philosophy, which is that every character has their own heartbeat, you just have to find it. We have this melting pot of motivational complexity where we tried to translate that into the gameplay and the story.
So tonally, it sort of already existed. But for us, thematically, unifying that into the guerilla fantasy felt pretty natural.”
In other words, Ubisoft believes that we would be mistaken to think that Far Cry 6, a game that is clearly about a revolution of a tyrannical government thus is rifled with some semblance of politics in its narrative, as well as starring a female character who is affected by the game’s fictional “political” climate, is making a political statement. Perhaps making its non-leaning stance clear for the public means not stepping on toes and alienating fans, meaning lost sales.
So yeah, Ubisoft has to make it clear that Far Cry 6, despite its research featuring real-life guerilla fighters who have participated in actual revolutions and have their own political beliefs, is a game that isn’t making a political statement. No siree!


Rockstar Games To Shut Down GTA Online & Red Dead Online Temporarily

The current Black Lives Matter protest has made companies take a stance and even participating in charities. But what about shutting down servers for their money-making games temporarily? That’s news to us.
Rockstar Games announced that it will be shutting down servers for Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online for two hours in response to the current protests over police brutality and the death of George Floyd. The servers will shut down from 2am to 4am today.
Furthermore, the company urges its fans and followers to donate to civil rights charities.Â The responses are what you expect, be it from fans or from people against the Grand Theft Auto series.

For Malaysian players, this is all fine considering that it’s still a workday and people need to get up early for their jobs. And it’s only two hours. Whether Rockstar Games need to do more to justify this as nothing else beyond a PR stunt.


Check Out PlayStation Productions’ New Intro; Debuts In Uncharted Movie

PlayStation just revealed its new PlayStation Productions animation that will play at the start of every new film and TV show it produces.
The new animation will debut in the upcoming Uncharted movie, which we reviewed here if you’re curious. The animation features characters from Uncharted, Horizon, The Last of Us, God of War, Ratchet & Clank, and LittleBigPlanet.Â

Is that a new PlayStation Productions animation? ?
See it on the big screen before the @UnchartedMovie action begins! pic.twitter.com/FB8kXyyMAy
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) February 15, 2022

PlayStation Productions is a studio formed in 2019 by Sony Interactive Entertainment; its goal is to adapt its original game properties into film and/or TV in partnership with Sony Pictures.
The studio’s first major production is the new Uncharted movie, which stars Tom “Spider-Man” Holland and has a US$120 million budget. So far, the film made back US$21.5 million in its opening week, which is significant given how theatres are suffering worldwide thanks to the pandemic.


Kohai Will Help Malaysian Gamers With Esports Matchmaking & Money Making; Out Right Now

If you have issues finding good mobile game matches for competitive titles like PUBG and Mobile Legends, Kohai will sort you out. And it’s available right now on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Kohai, a matchmaking platform tailored for Malaysia, will connect esports enthusiasts with experienced players, allowing them to partner with each other. Unlike the mobile game’s in-house matchmaking service, Kohai will let casuals and beginner-level players (Gamers) train with specific experienced players (Partners) for a set fee through random matchmaking.
The app lets you select between real-time or scheduled gaming sessions for a truly personalised match experience. You learn how to “git good” at a game, the partners and pro players on Kohai get paid to teach you: it’s a win-win situation.
Here’s the full price listing for Kohai’s special brand of training from its Partners:
Real-Time Gaming Session (Fixed Rate)
RM10.00 per hour (inclusive of SST; Applies for MLBB and PUBG Mobile)
Scheduled Gaming Session (Max. Rates)
Mobile Legends/MLBB Ranking Price (inclusive of SST)*
Grand Master to Epic: RM52.60
Epic to Legend: RM68.00
Legend to Mythic: RM84.00
PUBG Mobile Ranking Price (inclusive of SST)*
Bronze to Silver: RM18.00
Silver to Gold: RM34.00
Gold to Platinum: RM40.00
*Note that pricing marked with asterisks indicate max rates set by Kohai per ranking upgrades. Prices may reduce based on a Gamer’s current rank progression
In addition, Kohai is partnering with renowned Malaysian esports team Geek Fam. So if you want to get some training and lessons from one of the country’s top-tier players, you can do so right now on the app.
The app is also hosting a Mobile Legends tournament, the Kohai Championships, that features a prize pool of RM11,000. Details are on the official website and Facebook page.


Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) Soars High, If You Can Get It To Take Off

Platform: PC
Genre: What it says on the title
The quarantine of 2020 is obviously a buzzkill, but at least it made the video game industry thrive in some sense. After all, people are staying put at home (mostly) and probably passing the time with video games. For folks who love travelling, it’s a killjoy.
However, it’s good timing that developer Asobo Studio’s take on the Microsoft Flight Simulator brand is out for all to play. It’s a beauty to look at, its geo-location tech lets you see real-life areas and cities rendered in real-time, the planes fly just as they should, and it teaches you a lot about taking off, flying, and landing.
If you don’t mind jumping through a few rigorous hoops, that is.
Wings

There’s a huge initial barrier of entry when you try to start this simulation. Once you’re done installing ALL of Microsoft Flight Simulator and its 91GBs of content while suffering through its endlessly looping calming music, you’ll be prompted to check out the tutorial or just dive right in for a free flight from your airports and destinations of choice, be it from KL to Singapore. Or KLIA to Washington.
But you can’t because you need to learn how to take-off and land; two crucial elements when you’re trying to break through the world of this simulation. The temptation to fly a vintage prop in 4K lightmapped 1:1 map glory (powered by cloud computing and whatever Bing is nowadays) is way too good to pass up, but you’ll need to go through the basics of flight school and tick those checkboxes.
After that, all your 100 hours will be spent mostly on tourism tours to Sepang, a combo of Croatia, Spain, and Ireland to glimpse at the Game of Thrones filming locations post-series, and even the F1 circuits. I won’t lie: doing these is really fun and watching videos of these don’t do justice to the experience. You need to fly each of the different planes doing this. Microsoft Flight SimulatorÂ needs to exist to make these aspirations come true for the millions of us grounded or too broke to fly over the Pacific/Atlantic.
Which is why the game’s controls and insistence on making you take its take-off and landing steps all the more frustrating to some. There is no option for players to sacrifice just a modicum of depth to enjoy the free-flow version of the game, even if it’s temporary or optional.
For an apt gaming comparison within the Xbox Games lineup, the Forza driving simulation series (which are hardcore driving sims) lets players dumb down and streamline the experience after the initial rigamarole of driving with a stick. I’m all for challenges and working for your entertainment, but when it comes to just taking flight and enjoying the scenery, the least the game should add is a “halfway flight” mode where you’re up in the air and can just focus on pitching and barrel-rolling.
Sure, the game lets you switch between “modern” and “legacy” mode, and even tailor your controls to the Xbox controller for those “zero-worry tourism” moments. But rather than being a stern teacher, this flight sim feels more like a classroom where you’re expected to learn yourself. That’s fine for some, but not appealing to many. You don’t feel like you’re learning something if you take the easy way out; no incentive whatsoever.
There is also word on the street that at this point in writing, setting up a joystick (HOTAS) to really play this game ended up being a challenge for many. Hopefully that’s fixed in the next few patches for the game. This version of Microsoft Flight Simulator is obviously tailored for future additions and content, so it remains to be seen if more planes and challenges will be added. I hope they keep at it.
Flight Pattern

For better or worst, Microsoft Flight Simulator is as deep and as accurate as they come. Asobo Studios has created a lovely-tailored simulation meant for anyone with aspirations to fly planes. But as an actual game that should be accessible since it has a generally appealing premise? I’m still on the fence about it.
The game’s challenge is solely on you understanding the intricacies of flying a plane and doesn’t give you break for it. There aren’t that many people out there who enjoy a true flight sim to the fullest. Also, I can guarantee you that most of them who want a taste of it will want some way to access it frequently without having so many barriers of entry.
I’m glad titles like Microsoft Flight Simulation exist for particular tastes and for future streamers who can showboat their flying skills on YouTube and on stream in the coming months.
Personally? The more I play this, the more annoyed I get. Even the most detailed of games in their specific genres (Devil May Cry for action games, the aforementioned Forza Motorsports) do cut folks some slack. Still, I won’t deny the vast amount of potential this simulation has. With a little more time and updates, Microsoft Flight Simulator will be the definitive title that makes digital aerial tourist adventures all the more pleasant.
Pros

Really detailed flight simulation.
Beautiful graphics powered by ever-updating cloud technology.
The most-detailed simulation you’ll play.

Cons

Strictly for flight fans; won’t win converts.
Tutorials need to cover more ground.
Takes eons to install.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100


You Can Actually Wall Run In Apex Legends Ã La Titanfall 2, Here’s How

One of the major reasons why Respawn Entertainment’s Titanfall 2 was so beloved is the ability to wall run, making movement more smooth. Wall running isn’t available in Apex Legends, but there’s actually a way to sort of pull it off anyway.
Several Apex Legends players have discovered a way to wall run in the battle royale game, albeit across short distances.
The trick makes use of the game’s existing climbing mechanic, which allows players to scale small buildings. It’s important to first slide and jump onto the wall, and then use the aim and movement keys to maintain momentum.
Here’s a step-by-step guide for wall running in Apex Legends:

Sprint towards a wall.
Slide and then jump onto the wall.
Turn your aim slightly to face the wall, while running in the opposite direction.
At the end of the wall run, jump while turning your aim the direction you’re jumping.

Many experienced Apex Legends players are apparently already aware of the wall jumping trick, but the YouTuber The Gaming Merchant demonstrates that combining it with a wall run is more effective, thanks to the momentum build-up.

While wall running is not a mechanic put into the game by the developers, it simply uses the available mechanics and exploits them. If more players keep using this wall running trick in Apex Legends, perhaps Respawn Entertainment will someday officially add the mechanic in a future update.


Disney+ Hotstar Is Getting More Content From South Korea & Greater China

Following The Walt Disney Companyâ€™s 2021 APAC Content Showcase in October 2021 which saw the unveiling of 28 new content titles, Disney+ Hotstar has since premiered Snowdrop, BLACKPINK: The Movie, Outrun by Running Man, and Tokyo MER in several APAC markets.
In Indonesia, Susah Sinyal The Series became the number one series on Disney+ Hotstar since its launch. As part of the companyâ€™s 2022 content slate, Disney+ today unveiled more Asian language titles, including Anita (Directorâ€™s Cut), King of Savvy, Taiwan Crime Stories and Life Long Journey.Â
Jessica Kam-Engle, Disneyâ€™s APAC Head of Content & Development said:
â€œThe response towards our APAC Content Showcase and new titles has been overwhelmingly positive. There is tremendous appetite globally for high quality Asian content and original stories with great cultural resonance.
We will continue investing in the best content and collaborating with the most sought-after creative talent and storytellers in the region so they can shine on the world stage.â€
New titles as part of Disneyâ€™s 2022 APAC content slate include Anita (Directorâ€™s Cut), a special edition presented in five 45-minute instalments chronicling Anita Muiâ€™s legendary rise to superstardom, to be released on Disney+ starting 2 February 2022. One of the regionâ€™s most iconic artists known as the â€œMadonna of the Eastâ€, the late Anita Mui is an award-winning Hong Kong singer and actress who changed the Cantopop music scene for her ardent fan base across Asia.
This special Directorâ€™s Cut delves into her lesser-known personal life including her camaraderie with Hong Kong superstar Leslie Cheung, her romantic relationships, and features many signature songs. Anita (Directorâ€™s Cut) is directed by Longman Leung, produced by award-winning producer Bill Kong, and features a star-studded cast, Louis Koo and Louise Wong.

An Original under the Star banner, a South Korean series going into production is King of Savvy, a riveting Korean drama about a casino king packed with crime and action. King of Savvy is an exciting tent-pole project for Disney+ where the star of award-winning neo-noir action thriller Old Boy Choi Min-sik, one of the most successful and admired movie stars in Korea, meets the director of South Korean thriller The Outlaws, Kang Yoon-sung. It is a captivating story about survival, taking risks and getting back into the game.
From Greater China, Disney+ will also release A Life Long Journey, a Chinese language drama series adapted from a novel of the same name, which won theÂ 2019Â Mao Dun Literature Prize, one of the most prestigious literature prizes in China. A Life Long Journey tells the story of a Chinese blue-collar worker and his family, and the many societal changes they experience across different generations and stars Lei Jia-Yin and Song Jia.Â

Currently in production, Taiwan Crime Stories is an Original Mandarin psychological thriller series that started shooting last November. Inspired by four true crime investigations, Taiwan Crime Stories delves into a terror-stricken mass murder of a family, a chilling rape, a murder case, fraud and injustice cases.
An international collaboration, the 12-part series is co-produced by CALFILMS (Taiwan), Sixty Percent Productions (Hong Kong), and Imagine Entertainment, founded by award-winning Hollywood director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer. This exclusive series stars Rhydian Vaughan, Patrick Shih, Simon Hsueh, Allison Lin, Frederick Lee, Wang Po-Chieh and more.

The new APAC content titles will be available on Disney+ Hotstar over the next year. These projects are part of Disney’s ambition to produce local language content and greenlight over 50 APAC Originals by 2023. At the full year earnings call in November 2021, The Walt Disney Company said that over 340 local original titles for DTC platforms are in various stages of development and production around the world and that the firm plans to increase investments in local and regional content that will resonate with worldwide audiences.


Muse Malaysia Launches Survey For Most Anticipated 2021 Spring Anime

Muse MalaysiaÂ originally launchedÂ in March 2020. They have beenÂ streaming legal and licensed anime for freeÂ ever since, with the added benefits ofÂ subtitles in various languages, including Malay, English and Chinese.
Now, they have launched a new survey which will run until tomorrow on 5 March 2021 to find out our most anticipated spring anime of 2021. The purpose of the survey is for the folks at Muse Malaysia to understand what type of anime that Malaysian viewers would want to watch so that they can try to bring it here and stream it.
However, it’s important to note that the results of this survey won’t be revealed publicly. Still, if you vote for an upcoming spring anime in the survey, there’ll probably be a higher chance for it to be available on Muse Malaysia.
If there’s a demand for it, we might even be able to watch the upcoming new Shaman King reboot or My Hero Academia Season 5 (they’re in the survey).
For all anime fans in Malaysia, head on over here to this link to participate in the Muse Malaysia survey now.

In the meantime, you can also visit the official Muse Malaysia YouTube channel. Anime fans will want to check them out and subscribe. You can also check out theirÂ official Facebook page here. Where else can you find free and legal anime?


DC’s Injustice Animated Movie Will Superhero Land This October

DC has announced the release date of its upcoming Injustice animated film, which is an adaptation of the video game fighting series of the same name.
The film will be out on 19th October on digital and Blu-Ray format. The cast of alternate universe DC Comics superheroes include:

Justin Hartley as Superman
Anson Mount as Batman
Janet Varney as Wonder Woman
Laura Bailey as Lois Lane and Rama Kushna
Zach Callison as Damian and Jimmy Olsen
Brian T. Delaney as Green Lantern
Brandon Michael Hall as Cyborg
Gillian Jacobs as Harley Quinn
Kevin Pollak as Joker and Jonathan Kent
Anika Noni Rose as Catwoman
Reid Scott as Green Arrow and Victor Zsasz
Faran Tahir as Raâ€™s al Ghul
Yuri Lowenthal as Mirror Master, Flash, and Shazam
Derek Philips as Nightwing and Aquaman
Edwin Hodge as Mr. Terrific and Killer Croc
Oliver Hudson as Plastic Man
Fred Tatasciore as Captain Atom
Andrew Morgado as Mirror Master Soldier

Rick Morales (who produced the Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge film) will produce the Injustice film, while Matt Peters will direct. Ernie Altbacker will write the script. Check out the box art below:


Malaysia-Made Postknight 2 Is Now In Early Access

Malaysian developer Kurechii has announced that Postknight 2, the sequel to the award-winning delivery mobile RPG Postknight, is now available in Early Access on Android devices via Google Play.
In Early Access, Postknight 2 features most of the core gameplay mechanics and content. Over time, more features will be delivered, including Pets, Potion Crafting, Achievements, Social Interactions and more. The characters play a big role in Postknight 2 as the developer believes they are a key factor in the world’s believability.
Kurechii wants to listen to feedback from players to build a better and more personal game that players can immerse themselves in. In case you’re wondering what exactly a Postknight is; a Postknight is a knight tasked with difficult and dangerous deliveries.
In the Postknight 2 Early Access, players will be able to visit three different towns and reach a level cap of up to 40, as well as the following:

Deliver and Become a Postknight.

Begin your journey as an inexperienced Postknight Trainee.
Complete delivery quests and take exams to graduate as a Postknight.
Rise up the ranks, up to the highest level of S-Rank Postknights.

Explore Prism and Develop Relationships

From villages to cities, magical forests and cold mountains, experience the cultures and conflicts of the different lands of Prism.
Meet all kinds of characters, each with their own stories of struggles and passion.
Trade gifts and form bonds with certain special individuals.

Experiment and Tailor Your Playstyle

Enter combat with three Skills: Attack, Defend, Recover.

Change your Skills with different weapon types:

Combo Skills together with the versatile Sword and Shield.
Become a master of speed and reflexes by dual-wielding Daggers.
Strategise and time heavy attacks with the two-handed Hammer.

Further fine-tune your Skills with different traits and develop unique playstyles.
Collect and Upgrade Everything

Fight enemies and use their loot as materials to trade and craft with.
Upgrade your gear into their greatest forms, both in power and appearance.
Collect every item, armour, weapon, and memory from all over the world of Prism.

While Postknight 2 is currently available in Early Access on Google Play, the App Store for iOS does not have an Early Access system, but interested players can reach out to Kurechii through their social media accounts (listed below) to get a chance to participate in Postknight 2â€™s upcoming Private Beta Testing.

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Discord

In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Devil May Cry Mobile Game Slashes Its Way To China This June

The Devil May Cry Pinnacle Of Combat mobile game was initially announced a whopping four years ago in 2017. Developed by Chinese developer Yunchang Games and officially sanctioned by Capcom, more news has finally arrived.
According to video game industry analyst Daniel Ahmad, Devil May Cry Pinnacle Of Combat will launch in China on 11 June 2021. Pre-registrations for the iOS version of the game has opened and the mobile game is also set to have a final test next month.

Devil May Cry: Pinnacle of Combat has opened iOS pre-registrations and is planned to launch (Chinese ver.) on June 11, 2021 (tentatively).
The game, which is developed by Chinese studio Yunchang Games, is set to have a final test next month.https://t.co/CIVwkYft3V pic.twitter.com/4TjyIOZBbt
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) February 8, 2021

However, there is currently no news yet about when the game will launch outside of China. Powered by Unity 3D, it will feature a unique combat system tailored for mobile devices, as well as feature online modes like team battles and real-time PVP. It was originally slated to launch sometime in 2020 but has since been delayed.
In the meantime, you can check out some gameplay footage of the game below:


Upcoming Harry Potter Game’s Developers Upset Over J.K. Rowling Backlash

The recent rumour about a yet-to-be-announced Harry Potter title from Warner Bros. Interactive is pretty much confirmed, according to a recent Bloomberg feature.
The game is in development at Avalanche Software, with its members feeling uncomfortable over the recent comments from Harry Potter series author J.K. Rowling. The crazy bit here is that while she is involved in most projects associated with the brand, she has very little direct involvement with the upcoming game.
What Happened?
In case you need a recap, Rowling tweeted criticism of an article that uses the phrase “people who menstruate” to differentiate those who were born women and those who transitioned. She did an essay about it on her website, much to the huge chagrin of many transgender folks. It blew up to a point where Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson publicly stated that they disagree with her stance.
Would this transphobic backlash from the author affect hype and potential buzz for the game? So far, Harry Potter fans on Reddit are keeping the thread on the upcoming game as civil as possible, though they disagree with the opinions from Rowling’s tweet.

MuggleNet managing editor Felicia Grady said that her comments “have had some effect on the level of excitement they have for the Harry Potter RPG or other upcoming content. Weâ€™ve seen comments from fans who no longer wish to support Rowling or the brand financially”.

As far as we know, the upcoming Harry Potter game will be open-world, takes place after Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, and is slated for PS5, Xbox One, and PC next year in 2021.


Here’s Why The Sony Bigwigs Looked Weird In That PS5 Showcase

During the recent PS5 – Future Of Gaming digital presentation, many eagle-eyed viewers (via Polygon) noticed that there was something wrong with how the human presenters (consisting of Sony bigwigs and major industry players) looked like in the live stream. They looked uncannily clean; like they were being rendered through CGI instead of just, you know, being there in the flesh.
Bizarre conspiracy theories began forming as fans referred to the fact that the showcase initially kicked off with a notice that all of the game footage was captured directly from the PS5. They somehow thought that since the live stream was running natively from the console, the people were being rendered in real-time by the PS5 (even when the notice clearly states “all game footage”).

Fortunately, Sony Interactive Entertainment Head of Independent Developer Initiative Shuhei Yoshida (who was also a presenter during the aforementioned PS5 showcase) debunked the conspiracy theories himself with a reply on Twitter.

Itâ€™s called subsurface scattering, or something like that. @mikeBithell
â€” Shuhei Forbidden West (@yosp) June 13, 2020
According to Yoshida, all the presenters were enhanced with “subspace scattering”, which is apparently when “light that penetrates the surface of a translucent object is scattered by interacting with the material and exits the surface at a different point”. In layman terms, it’s to make the lighting look more natural and realistic.
You see, in the real world, light actually penetrates surfaces of objects or anything with mass, and as a result, is ‘scattered’ by interacting with the material and exiting the surface at a different point. “Subspace scattering” simulates this, allowing realistic depictions or renderings of human skin, or material like marble and wax.
That should’ve been the intended effect, but all it did in the PS5 showcase was make the presenters a little too clean. Take a look at a screenshot of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios head Herman Hulst from the PS5 showcase below and tell me that’s not CGI.

Well, all of that’s not important anyway, considering the whopping amount of games and the actual reveal of the PS5 console itself were infinitely more vital in the live stream. In the meantime,Â head on over here to check out all our other PS5-related news and feature articles.


WandaVision Episode 8 Breakdown & Easter Eggs Explained

InÂ WandaVision Episode 8, we finally saw what happened following that shocking ending from Episode 7.
Iâ€™ll be discussing heavy spoilers fromÂ WandaVision Episode 8 so if you havenâ€™t seen them or want to avoid spoilers, nowâ€™s your chance to stop reading. If you havenâ€™t, you can check out my previous articles on the first two episodes,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5Â and Episode 6.

Agatha Harkness’ Origin Story

WandaVision Episode 8 reveals Agatha Harkness’ origin story, in that she is persecuted by her own coven of witches in the distant past for practising the “darkest of magic”. This is similar but quite different from her origin in the comics, where Harkness lived in the English colony of Salem, Massachusetts in the 17th century.
In the comics, she formed her own coven of witches hoping to freely practice magic in the New World. In 1692 A.D., she and her group were persecuted by the Puritans during what became known as the Salem Witch Trials. However, she was never a villain or persecuted by her own coven for practising dark magic. That never happened in the comics.
It looks like the MCU version of the character will be significantly different from the comic book version, who served as a magical mentor to Wanda.

Fake Pietro Was Created By Agatha; She Wants To Know How Wanda Performed Her Hex Powers

It’s confirmed; the fake Pietro (played by Evan Peters) was created by Agatha Harkness to try and convince Wanda to reveal how she managed to create the Hex (Westview, etc.). Wanda has no formal training in witchcraft, which is why Agatha wants to find out how she is capable of powerful and complex magic like the Hex.
The terrorists in Sokovia used Stark Industries’ weapons, which explains why she and her brother hated Tony Stark so much and was willing to help Ultron in 2015’s Avengers Age Of Ultron.

Wanda Flashbacks; She Grew Up Watching Sitcoms

To find out how Wanda is able to perform her Hex powers, Agatha delves into Wanda’s past through literal flashbacks.
First, we meet Wanda during her childhood in a war-torn Sokovia. She grew up watching old sitcoms like The Dick Van Dyke Show, which explains why she recreated them using her Hex powers.
After that, we go through the later events of Wanda’s life, including her life when she was recruited by Hydra, and here’s where things get interesting.
Wanda Interacted With The Mind Stone And Saw A Version Of The Scarlet Witch (Maybe Her Future Self)

When Hydra puts her into contact with the Mind Stone, she sees a vision (pardon the pun) of what appears to be someone in the iconic Scarlet Witch costume from the comics. This might be someone else, but it could also be Wanda herself; a version of herself from the future when she is already fully-realized as the Scarlet Witch.
Agatha surmises that Wanda’s close contact with an Infinity Stone might be the reason why Wanda’s Hex magic is so powerful despite not having any magical training or knowledge.

Wanda Didn’t Actually Retrieve Vision’s Original Body From SWORD, So She Made A New One From Scratch

Now, this is a twist. It turns out that Wanda never did take Vision’s body, and that SWORD Director Hayward has been lying all along. What this means is that Director Hayward was planning to bring back Vision as a weapon in Project Cataract, so he didn’t allow Wanda to take Vision’s body.
While Wanda almost took Vision’s body by force, she ultimately decided not to when she couldn’t “feel him”.
The Reason Why Wanda Chose Westview To Use The Hex On

It’s heartbreaking to see that Vision and Wanda had plans to settle into a new life. It’s revealed that Vision had already purchased an empty house lot in Westview. Alas, it was never meant to be, but Wanda didn’t let that stop her.
She breaks down at the empty house lot and explodes in her red Hex energy, thus kickstarting the events of WandaVision. This also confirms that Wanda created a new version of Vision from scratch and not from his old body, which probably explains why this version of Vision isn’t able to escape the boundaries of the Hex. It’s because he’s made up of Hex energy himself.

Agatha Confirms That Wanda Has Been Using Chaos Magic, Mentions The Name Scarlet Witch For The First Time In The MCU

Agatha confirms that Wanda has been using Chaos Magic to perform her Hex powers and that she is the Scarlet Witch, which is the first mention of the name in the MCU.
In the comics, Wandaâ€™s original powers were described as â€œhex powersâ€ that could cause random and unlikely events to take place. This was later retconned by writer Kurt Busiek so that Wandaâ€™s powers are now based on â€œchaos magicâ€ instead due to manipulation from the Marvel villain and demonic chaos god, Chthon.

Maybe Chthon is still somehow involved in making Wandaâ€™s powers more powerful in the MCU, especially considering that sheâ€™s never previously exhibited this level of power (changing reality) in the MCU.
Thereâ€™s A Post-Credits Scene InÂ WandaVision Episode 8, Introducing White Vision (It’s Been Hayward All Along!)

In the comics, the Vision was abducted and dismantled by agents from multiple governments. The Avengers then recover the parts of Vision and Hank Pym rebuilds the Vision but with a chalk-white complexion. It’s important to note that the Vision in the comics was created by Ultron using the brain patterns of Simon Williams AKA Wonder Man, which is different from the MCU’s Vision, who was created via a combination of the Mind Stone and the Jarvis AI.
Wonder Man doesn’t allow his brain patterns to be used again to provide a matrix for the Vision’s emotions. What this means is that Hank Pym had to recreate Vision without emotions. This, along with damage to the Vision’s synthetic skin when he was dismantled, resulted in the synthezoid’s resurrection as a colourless and emotionless artificial human.
However, the White Vision introduced in WandaVision Episode 8 is clearly different in that he was recreated by SWORD after his death to be used as a weapon as part of Director Hayward’s Project Cataract. It’s been Hayward all along, and the only reason he’s been investigating Wanda’s Hex powers was to use it (the Chaos Magic) to bring back his Project Cataract’s White Vision.

Conclusion

There you have it, folks. The biggest revelation of all is the appearance of White Vision in the post-credits scene, but weâ€™ll have to wait until next week to learn more. Only one big episode left, folks, and it seems to me that WandaVision will be ending with a very, very loud bang.
Perhaps Wanda and Vision will work together again to bring down both Agatha, White Vision and SWORD Director Hayward, but we only have one episode left to wrap everything up. Oh, and we still haven’t met that massive Luke Skywalker-level cameo that the cast of WandaVision keeps talking about…
Stay tuned, true believers!