Destiny 2 Beyond Light Shines Bright

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X, PS5
Genre: Bungie-patented loot-and-shooter expansion
Destiny 2 has reached its epic fourth year, with Beyond Light being the secondÂ expansion release without former taskmaster Activision in the same lot. Naturally, Bungie has taken off the beaten path and has introduced to the players quite several new interesting features that is the main attraction point for Beyond Light.
Itâ€™s the largest systemic change in the history of Destiny 2. If I’m being honest, the expansion feels like a gust of fresh air as the gameâ€™s new direction proves to be fruitful, especially in the form of Destiny 2â€™s storytelling since the days of the first game. After spending almost a week with Bungie’s latest expansion, how does this new experience stack up? Let’s dive deeper into this glorious icy crevasse.
From the Shadows
Beyond Light picks off right after Shadowkeep ended. The pyramids youâ€™ve seen on Io, Titan, Nessus, and Mercury has appeared on Europa, one of Jupiterâ€™s moons. The aforementioned planets have been consumed by the Darkness and have simply disappeared, consumed by Darkness, a convenient plot to lay since the planets have been vaulted, and you have been beckoned by the Darkness ever since.
Eramis, Kell of Darkness, formerly known as The Shipstealer.
The story begins when your Guardian receives an SOS signal from a familiar face to those who came from the first Destiny. Variks, the Betrayed Loyal has called upon our help as Eramis, the new self-proclaimed Kell of Kells (a Kell is a Fallen Houseâ€™s leader) has begun wielding the Darkness in the form of Stasis. Also, the Exo Stranger has appeared after disappearing from the Black Garden for years, and it appears that she too has an affair with the Darkness, although she points out that the Darkness is simply a tool, and she is using it for good.
[insect-like chattering]The Vanguard is highly sceptical of the Darkness. However, the Exo Stranger, Eris Morn, and the Drifter believe that the Darkness is the teleological approach to overcome Eramis, the Kell of Darkness. You canâ€™t blame them though; Guardians have been at war with the Darkness ever since we were revived by our Ghost on the Cosmodrome.
Eris Morn, Exo Stranger, and The Drifter, all chillin’
Speaking of which, the Cosmodrome is back and it serves as the entry point for new players to get a grasp on the gameâ€™s systems. Also, it is a nice place to drop by and reminisce the good old days of Destiny 1. It is also a good place to farm easy bounties for Light points and gear.
Cosmodrome, also known as Destiny’s Doormat.
As a highly invested person in the Destiny 2 universe, the story this time around is told properly: in-game, rather than texts lying around the internet, or 1-hour videos explaining surface-level lore. The story is highly intriguing as Bungie finally addresses a few elephants in the room through its many story and side missions: who is the Exo Stranger? What is the Darkness? Should we be in shenanigans with the Darkness? Will we lose ourselves if we start wielding Dark powers? All of these are revealed in this expansion in a satisfying way.
The Darkness Is the Beginning
One of the major selling points for Beyond Light is the introduction of the new Darkness subclass, Stasis. It redefines the playing field by allowing Guardians to slow, freeze and shatter opponents, even bosses can be frozen and struck to deal heavy shatter damage. Some abilities allow you to create new geometry such as walls to create a makeshift cover or control the tide of battle.
The Hunter Darkness subclass: The Revenant.
You begin to wield the Darkness after completing the main story missions and communing with the pieces on the Ziggurat at Beyond, Europa. It will take you about 3 to 5 hours depending on how fast you plough through the expansion’s story mission. Unlike other subclasses, Stasis is unique in that you can equip Aspects and Fragments that enhances your abilities.
For example, the Warlock’s Healing Rift will freeze enemies when cast allowing you to control the crowd efficiently while healing, while the Hunter’s Aspect unlocks the Shatterdive which allows the Hunter to dive and shatter nearby targets on impact. Think it as a Stasis-powered Thundercrash, if you will.
The Ziggurat on Europa
In PvE, Stasis is tons of fun to play with. Farming Lost Sectors and Strikes have never been so fun. Plus, in legacy strikes in which the missions were designed around the old subclasses, Stasis surely stands out from the rest in terms of crowd control, damage, and especially visual and sound. Itâ€™s such an aural treat to hear the shattering sound of Stasis, paired together with the midnight blue shards of Stasis energy.
Based on the amount of Vex murdered here, yep: stasis is fun!
However, the same cannot be said for PvP. Stasis has shaken the meta so bad, that the current state in PvP is deemed to be FUBAR at the moment. Getting frozen in Crucible means certain death, and this has made it complicated for Bungie to balance it out before the next Trials weekend to arrive. Hereâ€™s hoping Bungie can pull off a miracle to balance Stasis between PvE and PvP. As for now, it’s a very one-sided affair.
A Cold Entrance
Europa, the new locale, is beautiful. Frigid, arid, yet stunning. It is filled with mysteries that provides more questions than answers. Youâ€™ll spend most of your time on this planet in the DLC. The story has you chasing Eramisâ€™ lieutenants in what will culminate with a battle with Eramis, which I believe wonâ€™t end there.

Your journey to master Stasis has just begun. The Exo Stranger will guide you through many of the missions to unlock more Stasis powers, against the judgement of the Vanguard. As you discover more and more of the Darkness, the game reveals more about the Exo Stranger. However, as said before, you will be left with more questions than answers, which I believe Bungie will reveal the answer to in due time.

New enemies make their appearances in the game such as the Fallen Brig, who players might recognize as they bear a striking resemblance to Insurrection Prime. They hit hard and can take a beating, either up-close or afar with missile drops.

				Oh, no wonder, it’s Insurrection Prime!

				Brigs, why do I feel like we’ve met?

The Vex has also gained a new unit amongst their ranks. The Vex Wyvern. You should fear this heck of an enemy since it can dive bomb you to oblivion. He has his crit spot behind him instead of in front, meaning it’s well protected, and tanky.

				Harpy + Minotaur = Vex Wyvern

				Highest cause of casualty in Beyond Light.

Despite these two noteworthy additions, I do feel that Bungie could have included more new enemies into the fray. Facing the same threats over and over against mares the new experience, save from the Brigs and the Wyvern. Another point I hope Bungie would consider is to add more loot into the expansion as most of the tried-and-true weapons of yesterdays have now been sunsetted and made wholly irrelevant in this expansion.
The Bright Future
Destiny 2 and its expansion, Beyond Light, isnâ€™t your standard affair of gaming where youâ€™re able to absorb most of the game within the first week. Itâ€™s a slow burn to the end, in which most of the time youâ€™ll spend further unlocking powerful gear, new abilities, new challenges. Itâ€™s a slow burn yet a satisfying one. However, it took me about one day to finish the main story, and a couple of days to get the other Stasis powers and side quests done.
On the other hand, once youâ€™ve finished the main story, the creep to hit the soft power cap of 1200 begins. Dedicated players will be working hard to hit that number as the contents of Season of the Hunt, the first seasonal content of Year 4, will be drip-fed to the players from 10th November 2020 to 9th February 2021. For example, players have tons of Exotic quests to chew on such as the revered Hawkmoon hand cannon, the Lament sword, the Eyes of Tomorrow rocket launcher and so on.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vnx-ifWJyw&ab]
Another end game content awaits the Deep Stone Crypt raid, which will be released on 21st November. The raid will reveal the secrets of the Exos and the Bray family. The race for Worldâ€™s First raid completion begins soon, and this will be an interesting one especially with the new Stasis subclass in play.
Stay Frosty
So far, Beyond Light is an enjoyable experience for the Destiny 2 fan. Itâ€™s a huge tick in my book, and Iâ€™ve loved the journey up to this point. The storytelling is surely on point, as well as the new Stasis subclass abilities. Its core gameplay loop is maintained and strengthened.
Still, the expansions seem to be lacking one thing at the current moment: length. Bungie mentioned that there might not be an expansion the size of Forsaken soon, this is due to Bungie’s split from Activision leaving them with fewer resources to work with. Add to the fact that Bungie has taken a lot away from the game and replaced them with Europa, it not hard to imagine that the locale might be getting stale after a few months.
Then again, I believe that Bungie has prioritized quality over quantity; it’s pretty evident given its improved structure and gameplay tweaks. For what it’s worth, Beyond Light has the most significant amount of storytelling and gameplay improvements as compared to the other major expansions over the years.
However, it falters in other aspects of the game, such as loot and length. As such, I can confidently put Beyond LightÂ slightly lower in terms of gameplay and storyline than the best Destiny 2 expansion the player base had so far, which was Forsaken.
Despite all that, Bungie has taken a step forward with this expansion. They are clearly on the right path with this stone-cold offering that ironically will warm up even the most jaded of Destiny fans.
Pros:

New Darkness powers feel great.
Streamlined storytelling (finally!)
Stunning locale.
Lovely soundtrack.

Cons:

Mostly same enemies.
Lacking loot.
Rather short expansion.

Final(?) Score: 70/100


The Best Sci-Fi Visual Novel RTS Of This Generation Will Be On Nintendo Switch Next Year

Atlus and Vanillaware just announced that it will be porting over its sci-fi magnum opus game onto another platform: the Nintendo Switch.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim will be ported onto Nintendo Switch on 12th April 2022. This was announced during the 13 Sentinels 2nd anniversary event livestream that happened on Sunday, 28th November 2021.

I do wish there was a PC port announced; in fact, I do wish Vanillaware would find some way to port ALL their gorgeous games onto the PC. But for now, at least gamers with Nintendo Switches can check out one of the best damn games of 2020 next year. I am curious as to how the Nintendo Switch hardware will handle the more taxing battles in the game.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim came out in 2020 in English; the game was critically acclaimed for its gripping plot, art direction and music, and RTS gameplay.


[Leak] Genshin Impact To Get Trading Card Game In Near Future

A new Genshin Impact leak reveals that HoYoverse is taking some cues from games like The Witcher 3 and Horizon: Forbidden West; the fact that they have in-game collectible card games in the world.
According to a user in Genshin Impact news site Wangsheng Funeral Parlor (via Reddit), a number of in-game files allude to a Genshin Impact trading card game in the RPG, which will release after the game’s 3.1 update end of September. That’s the update featuring upcoming gacha characters Nilou, Candace, and Cyno.
The card game itself is called Genshin Invokation; players can customize their deck covers and challenge NPCs in the game at The Cat’s Tail, which is a bar in Mondstadt. Beyond that, nothing is known about how the actual card game plays like, though we suspect all cards will be based on characters, locations, and enemies in the lore.
Genshin Impact’s 3.1 update will be out on 28th September, so there’s a good chance the card game will be out after that date, probably with a festival occurring in the subsequent update.


Destroy All Humans! Remake Landing On Earth In 2020

THQ Nordic is going to ship out a remastered version of 2005 alien invasion game Destroy All Humans! in 2020.
Alien hero Crypto will once again zip around in his spaceship and harass humanity with probes, death rays, and DNA-harvesting. Developers Black Forest Games, who did the pretty cool reboot of Giana Sisters, will be in charge of this version of Destroy All Humans! slated for PS4, Xbox One, and PS4.
Check out the IGN exclusive trailer below.

We seriously have no idea why he’s singing Rammstein. But who cares? You get to blow buildings up again while you search for your previous clone while harvesting DNA and just being a space prick.


Hereâ€™s Everything You Should Know About The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup

The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup (MSC) 2019 is the region’s elite Mobile Legends: Bang BangÂ (MLBB) tournament and it is heading to Manila.
Taking place at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, MSC 2019 is going to be the biggest and most exciting MLBB esports event to take place in the Philippines. Happening on the 19 to 23 June 2019, be sure not to miss it.
We’ll break down the format and how to watch the tournament below.

Teams
The MSC will feature 12 teams from 9 different countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar. Each country will each send two teams, with the exception of Malaysia and Singapore who will send in only one team each. Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia are hosting local qualifiers with the winning team from each country qualifying for the MSC.
To date, the confirmed teams invited to the tourney are Onic Esports and Louvre Esports from Indonesia, who happen to be 1st and 2nd place winners at MPL-ID Season 3 respectively.
For our representatives, our very own GeekFam is invited, as well as Singaporeâ€™s EVOS Esports SG. These two teams fought valiantly during MPL-MY/SG Season 3 and are the 1st and 2nd place winners at MPL-MY/SG Season 3 respectively.
Format
MSC 2019 starts off with the group stage draw on 4 June, where all teams will be drawn into four groups.
On 19 and 20 June, the group stage will take place to determine which teams get a spot in the upper bracket of the playoffs. The remaining teams will then face off in a play-in round to fight for the last four spots in the lower bracket of the playoffs.
Both the play-in round and playoffs will happen on the big stage from 21 to 23 June 2019 at SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Prize Pool
The teams will be up against each other to stand a chance to win from a prize pool of US$120,000 (RM 502,620). That’s a hefty prize pool!
How To Watch It?
You can catch all of the aforementioned matches above live on the on Facebook at the official Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Facebook page, which you can find here.


The Crew 2’s The Hunt Episode Drops In A Free Update Tomorrow

Ubisoft has announced that The Crew 2 Season One Episode Two: The Hunt will be available tomorrow via a free update on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Store on PC.
In Episode Two, The Hunt, the outlaws are on the move with the goods they stole from private bank, Vault Corp. To stop them, players will have to take their driving skills off-road in white-knuckle Rally Raid and Rally Cross Chase events and complete each of the all-new PvE events which progressively unlock starting January 20.
Episode Two: The Hunt also brings a brand-new Motorpass, the optional multi-tiered reward system offering both free and premium rewards, including vehicles such as the K.S. Masked Leader (Hypercar), an exclusive Khyzyl Saleem creation, the RAM 1500 Rebel TRX Concept Enforcer Edition (Rally Raid), the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 RS Enforcer Edition (Rally Cross), and the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 Interception Unit (Street Race). Vanity items, outfits, currency packs are also included.Â
Additionally, in Episode Two: The Hunt, there will be more vehicle drops, including the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 0210 Enforcer Edition (Rally Raid), new customization options such as underglows and window tints, as well as all-new LIVE Summit competitions.Â
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Yep, We Really Are Getting Horizon: Zero Dawn For PC

It’s only a matter of time until Guerilla Games make an official announcement, but it looks like PC master race folks will be getting Horizon: Zero Dawn.Â
At least, according to an Amazon France listing spotted by ResetEra. It’s pretty light on details, and this isn’t indicative of accurate game announcements. Still, the fact that it existed and was taken down briefly after means that there’s some concrete evidence of seeing a PC port of the PS4 hit title.
Is Horizon: Zero Dawn a big deal? Yes, it is; I thoroughly enjoyed this action-adventure game because of its neat robot dinosaurs-filled post-apocalypse premise filled with lush vistas, the open-ended nature of taking down said dinosaurs, and just roaming around exploring every nook and cranny the world has to offer. Granted, it’s not as detailed as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at the time,Â but the world Aloy resides in is a lot more interesting and exotic than the umpteenth version of Hyrule. And my weapons don’t f***ing break every 30th or less swing.


Genshin Impact Enkanomiya & Tokoyo Guide: How To Explore Beyond The Deep

This guide is still under development…
Genshin Impact’s 2.4 update boasts a ton of new content apart from new Hangouts. Players will get to explore a whole new region called Enkanomiya which houses the ancient ruins of Tokoyo.
This area’s pretty big and is filled with many discoverables. Here’s a guide to get you started.
How To Unlock The Enkanomiya Region
You will need to complete the Moon-bathed Deep world quest line to acquire the Key of the Moon-Bathed Deep. After talking to Shrine Maiden Tsuyoko at the Mounn Shrine (west of the Sangonomiya Shrine; there’s a teleporter nearby), you will be given the task to find Spirit Pearls from 4 different locations on Watatsumi Island: the Eye of Watatsumi, the Fang of Watatsumi, the Fin of Watatsumi, and the Tail of Watatsumi.
Eye of Watatsumi
This is at the West part of Watatsumi Island. When you’re here, read the inscription that’s next to the shrine housing the Spirit Pearl. To unlock the shrine, you need to search for three purple orbs within the vicinity. Use your Elemental Sight (hold middle mouse button) to search for the trails leading to the orbs.
Then, use an elemental attack/skill that reacts to Electro on the purple orbs to discharge them; use Amber’s charged shot as an example. You’ll fight a few specters after triggering each orb. Once all three are triggered, go back to the shrine and collect the Spirit Pearl.
Fang of Watatsumi
This one’s northwest of Watasumi Island. Same deal; read the inscription to get your instructions. Head to the nearby Ley Line Monolith and protect it from hilichurls and bad guys until time runs out. If it’s destroyed, you have to start over.
There are a bunch of giant crystals and a Thunder Bough nearby; use the Electrograna buff and link the crystals to cause an AoE shockwave and buff up your energy recharge rate to make the defense mission easier. Once that’s done, collect your Spirit Pearl.
Fin of Watatsumi
This one’s at the east of Watatsumi Island, on a small island close to one of the fast travel points. Read the inscription: you need to align the fish statues on both pedestals so that they’re facing the centre. Once a pedestal has the fishes aligned and it’s all lit up, head to the coral statue and activate it. Do this for the next pedestal; once both of them are lit up, you can take the Spirit Pearl from the shrine.
Tail of Watatsumi
At the south of Watatsumi Island. After reading the inscription, head to the Thunder Bough down the hill and activate it. You then need to run and go near all five stone cairns along the pathway upward to the shrine. Once all five are lit up, you’ll fight a bunch of Fatui troops. After that, you can collect the Spirit Pearl.
Once you have all four, head back to Tsuyoko at the Sangonomiya Shrine. Sheâ€™ll reveal a location in the eastern part of the region. Fast travel there and glide along the cliff overlooking the waterfalls. You should see a small cavernâ€™s opening thatâ€™s blocked by a barrier. Interact with this barrier and place all four Spirit Pearls to open it.

Inside, youâ€™ll see a large chamber with a clam pedestal in the middle. There are also four Fish Statue puzzles here just like at the Fin of Watatsumi section, only there are four pedestals. After completing each pedestal, Hydro Mimics will spawn; yes, these are the same enemies in the Oceanid fight and are just as annoying. After completing the fourth pedestal, expect more Hydro Mimic waves, so steel yourself.
After all four puzzles are done, youâ€™ll watch a short cinematic where water erupts from the corners. Talk to Tsuyoko and sheâ€™ll give you the Key of the Moon-Bathed Deep. How do we use the key? That’s on the next questline.
Still Water Flows Quest
Head to the fast travel point at Sangonomiya Shrine and talk to Tsuyoko. You’ll have to find a couple of sigils and altars.

The sigils are located at the Fin of Watatsumi and Heart of Watatsumi (the underground pathway with the four fish pedestals). Just backtrack to those places as they’re marked on your map. Once that’s done, take the sigils to the two altars that will be marked on your map. Both are located in the central area of the Sangonomiya Shrine. Once you’ve unlocked both altars, head to Tsuyoko to complete the quest and open a giant-ass whirlpool that leads you to the underground area of Enkanomiya.

Entrance To Tokoyo
After jumping down the whirlpool, youâ€™ll see several mobs such as Bathysmal Vishaps and new variants of Specters. Fight them if you want to get a hang of their attack patterns. Keep following the linear path and climb upwards; you’ll get to the Entrance to Tokoyo.

Here, you need to find and activate five clues and then activate the pedestal at the centre. They’re all highlighted on the minimap; just explore and kill whatever’s in your way, then activate the clues. Then, head back to the centre ruin, activate the switch to open the hidden passage. At the end of the hidden passage, open the door using the Key of Moon-Bathed Deep, then head onward to reach the really beautiful underground ruins of Tokoyo.

We don’t know about you, but we’re getting Xenoblade vibes out here. Anyway, follow the marker to your questline. Feel free to deviate from the path since that’s what Genshin Impact is all about, activating fast travel points and beating up mobs to unlock nearby treasure chests for loot.
You’ll eventually reach an old temple with a Triangular Mechanism. Damage them up-close to activate it. Inside the temple, youâ€™ll meet a researcher named Enjou. Interact with the mural behind Enjou to reveal the Enkanomiya world map; woo hoo!
After that, follow the marker as usual until you reach the opposite side of the landmass. You will find another ancient temple and a fast travel point. Damage the two Triangular Mechanisms nearby. This will cause the walls to move, allowing you to open the chest with the Golden Bridle meant for Enjou.

Return to Enjou when youâ€™re done and head to the gargantuan shrine in the middle of Enkanomiya. Eventually, youâ€™ll arrive at the Dainichi Mikoshi shrine, which brings us to…
Whitenight & Evernight Mechanics

Interact with the device at the Dainichi Mikoshi area; you’ll come across an entity named Aru. He’ll tell you about the Whitenight and Evernight machines which turns night into day instantaneously for puzzles and location-revealing purposes in Tokoyo.
Certain Triangular Mechanisms, such as the one that you saw in front of the library where Enjou was, can be activated upon dealing damage. However, there are some that looked destroyed. If thereâ€™s a switch nearby, you can change to Evernight to reveal a fully constructed Triangular Mechanism. These objects can then be used to move or rotate walls.
Daises of Day and Night are also switches that are part of puzzles. Depending on the cycle, the cube could be active, letting you do activate it normally.
Got all that? Now let’s head to:

Evernight Temple
You will need to get three special fragments for Aru to continue the main quest. First stop: the Evernight Temple fragment.

The Evernight Temple area is at the eastern edge of Enkanomiya. Glide from Dainichi Mikoshi to reach the opposite landmass. You should see a narrow gap through the temple ruins; head through it and look at the glowing spots. You need to interact with these spots.

Once that’s done, you’ll head to a fight. After that, interact with the Dais of Day and Night to proceed; there should be an Evernight device nearby to make the Dais work. This will open up a small room with a Triangular Mechanism. Turn on the Whitenight to use the mechanism that will move the wall. Use the nearby wall switches to open the gate.
This will open the corridor behind; head up the staircase to reach the room with a chest. Kill the rifthounds to access the chest and get the Evernight Temple fragment.
Serpent’s Heart
The Serpentâ€™s Heart area is at the southern edge of Enkanomiya. Make your way to the large temple ruins in this landmass.
Go to the central spot and Paimon will tell you that thereâ€™s something odd here. If this hasn’t been done, change the day cycle to Evernight; thereâ€™s a device nearby that allows you to switch it. Upon interacting with the middle portion, several symbols will start glowing.
You have to approach the spectral doorways nearby in a particular order; the order of each doorway with each of their symbols are denoted on the pips at the bottom: here’s the order:

If you enter each doorway in the correct order, you’ll get the Serpent’s Heart.
The Narrows

Track the quest and make your way to the marked location. Once youâ€™re there, you should see a Whitenight/Evernight device and a Triangular Mechanism.
Make sure the day cycle is in Evernight so you can hit the Triangular Mechanism and raise the gate. Inside the narrow corridor, you can pick up 20,000 Mora, and youâ€™ll also find a Seelie. It will float upward, so just climb and follow it.
On the second floor, youâ€™ll find a Place of Essence Worship. Interact with the glowing decaying plant. You should find another device and Triangular Mechanism. The chest with The Narrows Fragment is right next to the latter.
Enkonomiya Conclusion
After getting all three fragments, head back to Aru. He will then activate an elevator that you can ride all the way down below the shrine. You’ll then face off against three Bathysmal Vishaps. After that, Enjou reveals his true form: an Abyss Lector Fathomless Flames elite boss.
Abyss Lector Fathomless Flames Guide

The Fathomless Flames relies on projectiles and ground explosions to overwhelm you. Here are its abilities:

Flame Orb â€“ Shoots several large fireballs at your character.
Flame Burst â€“ Causes fires to erupt from the ground. Getting hit will apply the Brand of Abyssal Flames debuff. It explodes after a while, causing tremendous damage to the entire party.

When its life drops to 25%, the Fathomless Flames will summon a couple of Cryo and Pyro Abyss Mages. It’ll also buff itself with a Pyro shield; use Hydro attacks to break this. Once this fight is done, you’ll get the Bloodcoral Branch. Give it to Tsuyoko in Sangonomiya Shrine. Congrats: you’ve finished the Enkanomiya main quest arc!
…to be updated


Indie Rhythm Game Bits & Bops Sings Past US$40K Goal On Kickstarter

Bits & Bops is a collection of original rhythm mini-games. Featuring over 20 mini-games filled with catchy music, snappy gameplay and gorgeous, hand-drawn animation. It recently passed its Kickstarter goal of US$40,366 and is currently standing at US$45,939 with about 28 days left to go.
There’s also a Steam page, where you can download a demo of Bits & Bops for free and try the game out. The game features over 20 unique rhythm mini-games, gorgeous hand-drawn 2D animation that brings everything to life, and an adorable dog-bear named Bop to keep you company
Check out the trailer below:


Xbox Game Pass Adds a Great Final Fantasy & Terrible Wolfenstein Game This February

It’s February, which means a new month of Xbox Game Pass games to enjoy for free. And we’ve got a bunch of good ones lined up.
First up, we have one of the best Final Fantasy titles in the series: Final Fantasy XII. It’s in our top 5 of best Final Fantasy games ever, if we’re counting mothership titles. This version is the Zodiac Age remaster, which means better graphics, the International version mechanics and additions meaning each of your party members are a lot more individualistic in combat skills, and rearranged music. I felt the last one was redundant: the original Hitoshi Sakimoto score was already godlike, to put it mildly. Out 11th February.
The Xbox Game Pass also gets the incredibly grindy and tedious Wolfenstein: Youngblood. While initially a fun shooter, the last entry in the Machinegames Wolfenstein titles dropped the ball here. Well, it’s not like you’re paying full price for this game, so try it out and see if the co-op dude-bro-but-girls Nazi-killing shooter is your cup of tea. Out 11th February.
Other noteworthy titles include:

Ghost of a Tale (4th February)
Project Winter (4th February)
The Falconeer (4th February)
Jurassic World: Evolution (11th February)
Stealth Inc. 2: A Game of Clones (11th February)

Oh, and you can also play the following games on Android devices with new Xbox Touch Controls (via the Xbox Game Pass app).

Donut County
Enter The Gungeon
Fractured Minds
Monster Sanctuary
River City Girls
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier â€“ Episode 1
The Walking Dead: Michonne â€“ A Telltale Miniseries
The Walking Dead: Season Two
The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season
Touhou Luna Nights
What Remains of Edith Finch
Yes, Your Grace


Assassin’s Creed, Splinter Cell & Star Wars VR Games Are Coming To The New Oculus Quest 2

During the Facebook Connect live stream last night, the company officially announced the new Oculus Quest 2, which is slated to launch on 13 October 2020. There were several notable games announced as well.
Ubisoft has announced new exclusive Assassinâ€™s Creed and Splinter Cell VR games for the new platform, both of which will be developed by Red Storm Entertainment, best known for their work on VR titles like Werewolves Within and Star Trek: Bridge Crew.
In addition, ILMxLAB has revealed new gameplay and characters coming to Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge.
In Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxyâ€™s Edge, players will assume the role of a droid repair technician who crash-lands on the planet Batuu after a pirate attack. In typical Star Wars fashion, they’ll quickly get swept up into a grand adventure on the outskirts of Black Spire Outpost.
Players can converse with Seezelslak (Bobby Moynihan) in his cantina and be transported to other places and times in the Star Wars galaxy through his legendary tales. They can also receive important missions to complete in the wilds of Batuu, encountering new and iconic characters along the way, like the pirate Tara Rashin (Debra Wilson).
No release dates have been announced for the Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell VR games, but Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxyâ€™s Edge will launch sometime in holiday 2020.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.


[Rumour] We’re Getting A Judgment Sequel From Sega

Judgment, an action-adventure game that is a spin-off of the Yakuza series, is getting a sequel.
According to Tojo Dojo, Sega is still working on a sequel to the 2018 title and is calling it by its working title “Lost Judgment” and “Judgment: Seize The Truth”. Sega has trademark the following names and will settle for a concrete title at a later date this year.
The game will still feature main character Yagami and his sidekick Kaito, and will be much darker than previous titles. The Yakuza titles have made a fine balance between the serious and the slapstick-filled, so this sequel might skew that towards the former.
We’ll be keeping an eye and ear out on this sequel. In the meantime, you can read up on what we thought about the first Judgment and the recent Yakuza: Like A Dragon.


[Report] After 30 Years, The Simpsons Will Finally End

Believe it or not, The Simpsons have been around for almost 30 years. The show is currently on its 31st season and still gets millions of viewers in the US.
Maybe it’s finally time to put the yellow family to rest. Not in the macabre way, I mean.
Danny Elfman, the man who composed the opening theme of The Simpsons. Photo from Classical MPR.
Appearing on a podcast hosted by joe.ie, the show’s opening theme composer Danny Elfman said that the show will soon come to an end. No specifics were given but it seems that it will be in “its last year”, potentially indicating that the show will be ending sometime in 2020 after the conclusion of its 31st season or maybe even ending with a 32nd season.

â€œFrom what Iâ€™ve heard it will be coming to an end. I donâ€™t know for a fact, but Iâ€™ve heard that it will be in its last year.”
– Danny Elfman
Elfman also expressed how surprised he was to see the show coming this far. “I wrote this crazy piece of music, and I expected no one would hear it, because I really did not  think the show had a chance in hell.” he said. Seeing as how The Simpsons is currently the world’s longest running animated show and also the longest-running US sitcom of all time, I’m sure it’s even a surprise to its creator Matt Groening.
It’s worth noting that The Simpsons is currently one of the shows that’s available in full on Disney+. If the show does end up closing its curtains next year, then it would be quite the funny story for the execs at Disney.
Thanks, Guardian.


Xbox Wins Chinese New Year; Here’s Why

What happens when you have an animal photoshoot where you have the animals dressed up as Xbox characters like Marcus Fenix and the driver from the Forza series? You get a pretty cuddly and video game-centric photoshoot.
Xbox’s latest Lunar/Chinese New Year PR stunt is short but oh-so-cute-and-sweet. They basically brought in dogs, dressed them up in Xbox character cosplay, and let it loose to the internet public. Yes, they went out of their way with the props and little customized dog-sized cosplay outfits for this one-time shoot. Paws off to these guys!
Go check it out. Unless you hate dogs and pugs. In which case you might be a monster. We’re not judging.

Your move, Nintendo and Sony. If you want more dog-centric features on this festive few weeks, Kakuchopurei has one full of these four-legged loyal companions.


Mortal Kombat 12 Announced For 2023 Release Window

Mortal Kombat 12 has been officially announced, but not in the way you might think. It wasn’t revealed by developer NetherRealm Studios or creator Ed Boon. Instead, it was unceremoniously revealed during an earnings call by Warner Bros. Discovery (who owns NetherRealm Studios and the Mortal Kombat IP).

MORTAL KOMBAT 12 CONFIRMEDpic.twitter.com/QBb3nvJing
— ?| Gui (@GuiLeena_) February 23, 2023

There have been a lot of teases and rumours but now it’s confirmed that we’re getting Mortal Kombat 12 sometime in 2023. We will probably hear more details and an official reveal from the developers in the coming weeks or months. Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for the latest news and updates.
In other news, the same earnings call also revealed that new The Lord Of The Rings movies are in the works.
Mortal Kombat 11 was originally released in 2019 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.


Former Borderlands Claptrap Voice Actor Was Physically Assaulted By Gearbox CEO Back In 2017

Borderlands 3 is the gift that keeps on giving, whether it’s new gameplay impressions or drama behind the scenes with Gearbox and its employees.
The latest one involves former Claptrap voice actor David Eddings, who has accused its CEO Randy Pitchford for physical assault back in 2017 in the lobby of the Marriot Marquis hotel in San Francisco, during that particular GDC in March. David said this in his last tweet as part of his offer for doing the Claptrap role in Borderlands 3 for free, in addition to the royalties he was owed.

I had a lot of mixed feelings when asked to reprise the role of Claptrap late last year and eventually realized I was willing to put differences aside and do something cool for Borderlands fans with my friends at Gearbox.
— David Eddings (@davideddings) May 7, 2019

I ultimately offered to do it for “free” in exchange for past royalties owed plus an apology for something I’ve never spoken about publicly until now: Randy physically assaulted me in the lobby of the Marriott Marquis at GDC 2017.
— David Eddings (@davideddings) May 7, 2019

Personally, I think Randy’s been on tilt the last few years. He's not the victim he portrays himself to be. I even blocked him a couple years ago for stalking me on social media. Enough is enough.
— David Eddings (@davideddings) May 7, 2019

As an aside, seems a bit conspicuous that he chimed in on my salary but didn't mention anything about the $12M of revenue he siphoned away from the employee royalty pool. FYI – GBX employees are asked to take lower salaries with the promise of royalty shares.
— David Eddings (@davideddings) May 7, 2019

2K says they won't give a statement regarding an ongoing lawsuit but if the allegation is false then it sure seems a lot easier to just deny it since that's the only reason they're mentioned. The whole thing stinks.
— David Eddings (@davideddings) May 7, 2019

He even added that 2K Games wouldn’t give a statement regarding the aforementioned US$12 million being “siphoned” away from the Gearbox employees royalty pool.
Gearbox are refraining from commenting about the accusation, but they did provide a statement regarding the assault:

“Gearbox takes any and all claims of this nature very seriously and we will abstain from commenting on the allegations Dave is making because it is a personnel matter. We appreciate Davidâ€™s contributions to the Borderlands franchise and have continued to assert we would welcome him back into the mix as the voice of Claptrap and other future opportunities.”


Final Fantasy VII Remake Sales Surpass 5 Million Units

Final Fantasy VII Remake initially launched for the PS4 in April 2020, which now seems like it’s a long time ago due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It managed to sell over 3.5 million copies in its first three days, but it looks like it has sold a lot more over the past few months.
Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy VII Remake has sold more than five million units worldwide, breaking the record for highest-selling digital release on the PlayStation platform in company history.

Weâ€™d like to share a Midgar-sized THANK YOU to everyone who has supported #FinalFantasy VII Remake.
We shipped and digitally sold over five million copies worldwide, which has made #FF7R the highest selling digital release on the PlayStation platform in #SquareEnix history! pic.twitter.com/f6vaDSHukD
â€” FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE (@finalfantasyvii) August 7, 2020
Coincidentally, it’s also currently available to purchase on the PlayStation Store at a discounted price of RM160.38 until 18 August 2020. In the meantime, check out our glowing review of the game here.


The 5 Best & Worst Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Games

The recent announcement of Dotemu and Tribute Games’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is another addition to the awesome wave of new-yet-kinda-old beat-em-ups we’ve been seeing since 2019’s River City Girls. It’s also a stark reminder that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had been a merchandise juggernaut since the 90s, video games included.
From 1989 until now, we had a slew of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games based on various incarnations of the fab four, be it the original animated series to the Nickelodeon reboots. While most of them are average, there are a few gems that players remember fondly. And within those troves of gems lie the turds that still solidify the “license games are always bad” stigma.
We’re going to point out the best and worst of the lot. There’s a crapload of these licensed ninja turtle games to go through, so we’re limiting our selections down to ten games (5 bad, 5 good), starting with the bottom of the turtle barrel to the cream of the Ooze crop. And with the release of the Cowabunga Collection later this week courtesy of Konami, now’s a better time than any to sort out which game you should play first on the upcoming retro collection.
Worst 5
#5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES | 1989)

The first Ninja Turtles game of its kind had a lot to live up to. Back then, we had slim pickings and this single-player 2D action game with four different playable turtles was quite a wild ride and a replayable trip.
In retrospect, it was replayable for the wrong reasons. It was absurdly difficult, even for NES game standards. This game was punishing and cheap, had some questionable level design and boss fights, and made old-school gamers fear the term “underwater levels”.
At the very least, this NES “classic” spearheaded the charge which led to better games down the line.
#4. TMNT – Mutants in Manhattan (Xbox 360 and PS3 | 2014)

On paper, having a 3D action game with an on-the-fly switchable cast being made by action game auteurs PlatinumGames is a great idea. In practice, however, the game was a jumbled mess.
While the game controls just fine on a basic level, the missions were just tired and repetitive. It also ran on 30fps which was below par for the devs. Most importantly, it was super-short and lacking in content, thus it didn’t justify its triple-A price tag. It’s one of the very few stains in PlatinumGames’ track record for a reason; we expected better from such a company.
#3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tournament Fighters (Sega Megadrive | 1993)

Konami had an interesting idea in making each port of its Ninja Turtles fighting game different from one another, mechanics-wise and gameplay-wise. The problem? One of these ports got the short end of the stick.
We’re referring to the Sega Megadrive version, which had piss-poor controls coupled with a rigid fighting game engine, terrible and murky graphics, a lacklustre roster count, and a really cheap AI that just read your moves from start to finish. We’re talking Street Fighter 2 single-player levels of difficulty.
The only good point I can bring up is that Casey Jones and April O’Neil are selectable fighting game characters. Heck, even the NES version was considered superior to this garish garbage fire.
#2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows (Xbox 360, PC, & PS3 | 2013)

In this trash game, the developers took a popular superhero game template -the Batman Arkham series- and did not do anything new with it. In fact, the devs created an even cheaper version of that concept and slapped the TMNT brand onto it. Not only did the game felt and played like a watered-down action game, but it also featured a ton of audio and visual glitches that made it near-unplayable.
Even with its bargain price (as it was a downloadable Xbox Live/PSN game), you’re better off paying a little extra for a better and well-polished superhero/comic book tie-in game.
#1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Turtles In Time Re-Shelled (Xbox 360 & PS3 | 2009)

A clear case example of how NOT to remaster & revamp an arcade classic. Terrible 3D graphics and character models that don’t stand out. Unnecessary 8-way direction gameplay made even more plodding with basic level design that doesn’t change much from the original. Inferior replacement music.
Sure, there were probably a number of behind-the-scenes issues on why Ubisoft couldn’t remaster the superior SNES version and just add in 4-player co-op; Nintendo can be hard-up about licensing. However, that didn’t stop Ubisoft from pushing this out for possible cash-grabbing reasons.
The result is a piss-poor effort in getting people to play a good co-op beat-em-up Turtles-themed game. You’re better off emulating the SNES and arcade versions.

Best 5
#5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – The Arcade Game (Arcade, Xbox 360 | 1989)

Four-player co-op. Cartoony and over-the-top beat-em-up action. Loads of levels to go through. Cheap as all hell. These are the features of the first-ever Ninja Turtles game that took the arcade scene by storm.
With colourful graphics and tight controls, coupled with the same “replayability via difficulty” mantra that all arcade games had at the time, this title was the definitive template for all great Ninja Turtle games to base their future games on. This was also one of the many games that put Konami on the map way before #fuckkonami, as well as proof that you can make great license game tie-ins if you just trust its developers to run wild with the license’s universe.
#4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – The Hyperstone Heist (Sega Megadrive | 1992)

A “best of” version of the NES and SNES beat-em-ups, this Megadrive revamp is more than just a port. TMNT: The Hyperstone Heist refines the controls, rearranged existing challenges into new ones, and add in a few new stages to make this a brand new title for those who missed out on the Ninja Turtles arcade beat-em-up craze.
Remember: Konami couldn’t make games on the Sega Megadrive due to Nintendo’s past draconian exclusivity laws. It was a heckuva different time back then. This TMNT game is a reflection of that era: a game that recaptures the beats of the past SNES beat-em-up game and repackages it for those who missed out. As such, TMNT: Hyperstone Heist has a place here in the top 5 for doing just that.
#3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III – The Manhattan Project (NES | 1991)

Superior to the NES port of the arcade game in every single way. This follow-up to the NES game is the perfect capstone to the system’s obligatory Ninja Turtle offering back in the 90s.
The game’s graphics and music are stellar, with catchy earwigs from the Konami team that rival even their best works in the era. The levels are fun and inventive from a surfing stage to a bunch of cityscapes set afloat by Shredder and Krang’s latest plan. The enemies and bosses are fun to fight against. The Ninja Turtles have distinctive special moves to separate them from one another.
All this, crammed into and made playable on an 8-bit console, shows that even Konami’s B-team (the A-team was working on the newer arcade games in the 90s) produced titles that are even better than it had any right to be.
#2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (SNES | 1993)

Street Fighter 2 clones were a dime a dozen back in the 90s. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters was exactly that: a 1v1 2D fighting game born out of the success of Capcom’s fighting sequel. However, there’s a lot of love put into this fighter.
The game’s graphics do stand out as being colourful and in-tune with the vibe of the cartoon. The controls are easy and tight; four attack buttons, and a button press to unleash your Super move if you build up the meter fast enough with aggressive attacks. The roster is distinctive enough, with Raphael being a Dictator stand-in (with a fireball) to the TMNT comicverse’s Wingnut being an air attacks-focused archetype.
Also, I would never imagine Rat King being a grappler, yet this game ended up doing just that. There’s a lot of liberties being taken by Konami’s developers here, but it’s usually for the better.
#1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time (SNES | 1992)

The apex predator of the TMNT license game grabbag is revered by many for a reason: it’s just fun to play and a blast to sit through with your co-op partner. The graphics and aesthetics are colourful and catchy. The new stage additions and extra bosses are noteworthy and are a slight improvement over the already-stellar arcade version. The controls are just as tight as responsive as they should be for a beat-em-up that’s just made for quarter-munching and co-op play.
There’s no 4-player co-op, but all the additions for this SNES exclusive cement this game’s place as the best TMNT game of all time. Not even a terrible 2009 3D remake can taint the legacy of this time-travelling beat-em-up escapade.


Malaysia-Made RTS Hybrid Eximius Leaves Early Access

Eximius Seize The Frontline is a strategy shooter hybrid seamlessly blending FPS and RTS action, which finally leaves Early Access on PC via Steam today. Ammobox Studios is an indie developer based in Malaysia, and Eximius Seize The Frontline is their debut title.
Eximius is a highly-strategic 5v5 FPS where one player on each side supports their teammates from an RTS viewpoint by commanding AI infantry squads, vehicles, and air support. Eximius combines tactical FPS gameplay with high-level strategic decision-making of an RTS game. The game features competitive 5v5 team battles where players square off in a post-apocalyptic urban environment.

Eximius provides a multi-role gameplay experience where each player could choose to play a diversely different role and fight not only with brawns but also with their brains. The objective of the gameplay is to win by holding down the most victory points. Alternatively, if your forces are powerful enough, you can completely destroy your enemyâ€™s base and win the match immediately. The command headquarters cannot be rebuilt and the game will be instantly over.
As a commander, you are also an officer, but you have the extra capability to switch to a top-down RTS interface to build bases and command units. An aggressive commander can also join the battle in the frontline but they are normally expected to stay in relative safety and manage base development. A commander needs to be nominated by the team.

As the gameplay of Eximius revolves around PvP battles, each team shares a base, resource and technology tree. Commanders can train AI infantry and assign them to players. Leading them as a frontline officer; your squad will fight with you sensibly, taking cover and help you both offensively and defensively.
As your resources and technology grow, you can construct increasingly powerful units such as armoured vehicles, gunships and elite soldiers. Your team can also gain powerful team abilities when you tech up to new tiers, where you can call down artillery, deploy quick-response force or launch EMP strikes.

The pinnacle of each teamâ€™s firepower is the legendary battle-suit. Equipping battlesuits allow players to use powerful abilities, have increased stats and is able to push the frontline much faster. Officers will have a choice of several choices of battlesuits, each with their own play style and set of abilities.
All 10 of these mechs come with a range of skills and customizable loadouts that can turn the tide of battle. Avoid detection by cloaking in the Orion model, protect squadmates with the guardian-class Aegisâ€™ shield, or rain missiles down on foes in the Assault suit.

There are three game modes: Strategic mode (online), Cooperative mode (online), or the offline Skirmish mode, where Officers or Commanders take on waves of AI foes.
Ammobox Studios director Jeremy Choo said:
â€œEximius: Seize the Frontline offers players a wholly unique online experience.
We began developing Eximius to explore and expand upon the boundaries of both FPS and RTS games.
Weâ€™re thrilled to have players across the globe experience the next-generation of warfare with Eximius: Seize the Frontline on Steam!â€

Eximius Seize The Frontline is now available for Windows PC via Steam and the Humble Store for US$29.99 or RM51. It features English-language support at launch. German, Russian, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) language support will be available in a post-launch patch.
You can visit the official site hereÂ and join the community onÂ Twitter,Â Facebook, andÂ Discord.
[videopress Bcn6HJNO]


Diablo Immortal’s Stormpoint Update Will Be Out Tomorrow

Fans of the mobile version of action RPG Diablo: you’re getting a major new update later this week.
The big Diablo Immortal update is slated for 14 November. The update will add a new zone called Stormpoint, an exiled island long used by Westmarch as a clandestine prison and home to the largest piece of the Worldstone shard we’ve seen yet.
Players will also get to fight five new Helliquary bosses like Ophinneb the Skin-Veiled, Dymdrail, Crawling Woe, Catarag the Strangling Sun, Apothrus, Tamer of the Fallen, and Phangwrth, Warmth-Feaster. Friendly chaps, that. The game will also have Hell Difficulties VI, VII, and VIII for those who wish to raise their Paragon levels further.
Because this is a free-to-play game with gacha mechanics, there will be five new Legendary Gems and a Season Eight Battle Pass: The Hidden Sun. There will also be new Grakkinskin winter sets and Sacred Wilds cosmetic sets in the Phantom Market.

Check out an in-depth developer look at the update below.


Kakuchopurei’s Level Up KL 2019 Coverage On One Page [Update]

Another year,Â  another Level Up KL developer & player fiesta sorted.
While the best in the game development business had two days worth of business and game design showcasing via Level Up Biz, the public had a chance to sample a well-put-together game expo viaÂ  Level Up Play. Essentially, it’s four days filled with gaming goodness, and we covered the gamut of it.
Check out our Level Up KL coverage below. We have more vids coming in this week, so keep an eye out for updates here.
News

Why did Larian Studios pick Malaysia for its latest expansion?
Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios to set up shopÂ  in Malaysia
So who will be representing Malaysia in 2019 Philippines SEA Games Esports?
VGO in KL this 9th November
Become a Singaporean private eye in this upcoming detective game
Malaysian game wins big at the SEA Game Awards 2019
Previews

GigaBash is the highlight of Level Up KL 2019; here’s why
Bake N’ Switch combinesÂ  a recipe ofÂ  punching, throwing, and baking
Sushi Wildlands lets you own a sushiÂ  farm AND restaurant
Chandu VR relives the legendary sacrifice of Lieutenant Adnan
DeLight is a narrative-driven game featuring a blind girl and her doggo
Videos


Guilty Gear Character Baiken Will Be In Samurai Shodown This August

The last DLC guest character for SNK weapons-based 2D fighting game Samurai Shodown will be arriving this week.
Baiken, a Guilty Gear character, will be joining Haohmaru and company in a feudal fight to remember this 19th August. The one-armed well-endowed swordswoman will be bringing her brand of Guilty Gear samurai swordfighting with grappling hooks, cannons, magic tatamis, and crazy sword spins.
Check out her sweet moves below:

If you have Samurai Shodown’s Season Pass 3 purchased, you’ll have her unlocked automatically. The pass costs RM51.44 or so. The Season Pass 3 DLC characters include Cham Cham, Hibiki from Last Blade, and Amakusa.


Mojang Says “No” To NFTs In Minecraft

Mojang, the company that made Minecraft, said that it has no plans to officially support Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) in its sole game.
The Microsoft-owned studio has made its stance known in an official blog post to address recent community feedback.
“In our Minecraft Usage Guidelines, we outline how a server owner can charge for access, and that all players should have access to the same functionality.’
We have these rules to ensure that Minecraft remains a community where everyone has access to the same content. NFTs, however, can create models of scarcity and exclusion that conflict with our Guidelines and the spirit of Minecraft.
To ensure that Minecraft players have a safe and inclusive experience, blockchain technologies are not permitted to be integrated inside our client and server applications, nor may Minecraft in-game content such as worlds, skins, persona items, or other mods, be utilized by blockchain technology to create a scarce digital asset.”
Mojang said that NFTs would counter Minecraft’s values of creative inclusion in various ways.
“Creating collectible NFTs that players could buy or earn would run counter to Minecraft’s “values of creative inclusion and playing together” and “create a scenario of the haves and the have-nots. The speculative pricing and investment mentality around NFTs takes the focus away from playing the game and encourages profiteering, which we think is inconsistent with the long-term joy and success of our players.”
To recap, NFTs are unique non-interchangeable units of data stored on a decentralised ledger called a blockchain; this allows users to buy and sell digital things that are perceived as valuable like artworks or in-game items exclusive to them. At least in theory and through spin; while an interesting idea that could work in an artist’s favour, there are way too many middle-men messing it up and thus having the system getting its “scam” and “grift” monikers you see in the online space. Sales of NFTs have recently dropped toa 12-month low in June 2022 due to the broad slowdown of the cryptocurrency market. It went down in worth from US$3 trillion in late 2021 to under US$1 trillion.


Pokemon Company Celebrates 26th Anniversary With Mobile Game Updates & More!

Nintendo and PokÃ©mon Company talked about new Pokemon games for its 26th anniversary since PokÃ©mon Red and PokÃ©mon Blue.
PokÃ©mon GO Alola!

PokÃ©mon from the Alola region (PokÃ©mon Sun & PokÃ©mon Moon) will start popping up in the still-around gotta catch ’em all mobile game for iOS and Android.
The update will come out this March.
PokÃ©mon Unite

The MOBA Pokemon game is getting an update right now. Hoopa joins the Unite roster; it’s a good support character who teleports friendly Pokemon for surprise attack tactics; it also comes with an offensive Unite. Duraludon will be joining the game later.
PokÃ©mon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

The Nintendo Switch remake will feature a free gift for players: Shaymin, the Gratitude Pokemon.
PokÃ©mon Arceus
The new Pokemon game this year is getting a version 1.1.0 update dubbed Daybreak, featuring new Pokemonn to fight and new Legendary fights with Diamond and Pearl’s legendary Pokemon. The update is available right now.

In addition, there’s a new Pokemon anime featuring the Hisui region. The show will be out later in 2022, as well as more updates about it. Concept art’s above.
Also, enter the following code for free Pokemon Arceus gifts: ARCEUSADVENTURE. You’ll get 30 Ultra Balls, 30 Gigaton Balls, and 30 Jet Balls.
PokÃ©mon Scarlet & PokÃ©mon Violet

Last but not least, The Pokemon Company teased a new mothership Pokemon game in the works: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The game will be out in late 2022 and features new starter Pokemon (see above).


The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Anniversary Edition Launches In Two Days

The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Anniversary Edition will launch on 11 November 2021 for PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5 and PS4. Additionally, Skyrim Special Edition owners on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, as well as Xbox Game Pass subscribers on Xbox Series X/S will receive a free upgrade to an enhanced version.
Skyrim Anniversary Edition features the complete Skyrim Special Edition PLUS all previously released Creation Club creations for the game. It also includes four free creations, new to the Creation Club:
Saints & Seducers
Originally released in 2019, this creation introduces an additional storyline across two quests (complete with side quests) for players to delve into. It features additional armour sets, weapons, enemies and much more to discover.
Rare Curios
Included as part of Saints & Seducers, the Rare Curios creation brings additional goods imported from all over Tamriel to Skyrimâ€™s Khajiit Caravans. So long as you have coin, these merchants can supply you with all sorts of useful wares, including ingredients to concoct special potions, arrows and poisons.
Survival Mode
Looking to immerse yourself in Skyrimâ€™s untamed wilderness like never before? Previously released in 2017, the Survival Mode creation has your Dragonborn contend with the very elements of Skyrim itself to survive! Players must wear warm gear and seek shelter in cold climates to keep from freezing to death, as well as mind their hunger and exhaustion on top of the usual threats like pesky bandits and ambushing dragons. Thankfully, Skyrim is rich in food to harvest (or scavenge), weather-appropriate armour and even taverns to rest your weary head.
Fishing
On the topic of obtaining your own food, Skyrimâ€™s all-new Fishing mode creation lets you angle over 20 unique aquatic species across the areaâ€™s many bodies of water. Cook your catch for a meal, display it as trophy in your den or even keep it inside your own home aquarium â€“ the choice is yours.
Daniel Lee, Senior Artist and Creation Club development lead at Bethesda Games Studios, said:

â€œI have been eagerly awaiting the release of this round of creations. I’ve wanted fishing in Skyrim ever since the beginning and now it is finally here. We’ve worked hard on this program and it has been a true labor of love; there are more than a few surprises tucked away and I can’t wait for everyone to find them.”

That isnâ€™t everything in the Anniversary Edition â€“ players will also be able to enjoy an all-new batch of creations, including new ways to play and new quests tapping into Tamrielâ€™s history. In â€˜Ghosts of the Tribunalâ€™ youâ€™ll earn over a dozen new weapons and armours previously featured in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, while â€˜The Cause,â€™ has players encounter the Mythic Dawn, who aim to form a new Oblivion gate, and features brand new enemies, locations, and weapons â€“ not to mention a conjurable Daedric horse.
In addition, there will also be a special Skyrim 10th Anniversary Concert at 3am GMT+8 on 12 November 2021 featuring the London Symphony Orchestra and London Voices.
Check out the video below for more details and information:


This Could Have Been Our DCEU Darkseid

The 2017 Justice League movie remains a hotly-debated topic of discussion amongst fans of comics and Zack Snyder, as the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement continues to pick up steam two years after the movie’s initial release.
Many fans are still awaiting the complete version of Snyder’s vision, instead of the messy and ultimately uneven final product by Joss Whedon. While Warner Bros have stayed silent on the matter, Snyder himself claims that the Justice League Snyder Cut exists, and to prove that fact, he has released an image from the scene of what would have been his version of the movie.
The image depicts a young Darkseid in the middle of using the Anti-Life Equation in a flashback sequence from the Justice League Snyder Cut. Before he went by the name Darkseid, the Lord of Apokolips was known as the New God Uxas, hence Snyder’s choice of including the hashtag #UxasAndTheAntiLife.

According to Snyder (via ScreenRant), the flashback sequence featuring young Darkseid would have triggered when Wonder Woman stumbled upon a mural. This particular scene was omitted from Whedon’s final cut.
It would’ve been great to witness Darkseid’s larger role as seen in Justice League Snyder Cut. Perhaps Snyder’s version of Darkseid could have been to the DCEU what Thanos became for the MCU, but it’s all in the past now. Warner Bros is currently charting a different path for the DCEU.
Why Does Darkseid Look Like Thanos?

Since we’re already discussing Darkseid, I’m sure some of you might be wondering why Darkseid looks so much like Thanos and vice versa. They’re both purple with the same rocky evil-looking faces with bulky bodies. The truth is, Darkseid came first, and that Thanos is the copycat.
Darkseid was created by the late legendary Jack Kirby in 1970, first appearing in issue 134 of Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen in November 1970. Thanos made his debut three years later in the pages of the Invincible Iron Man issue 55.
Thanos creator Jim Starlin has long since admitted that the now-popular Marvel villain is actually based on Darkseid. He was told to do so by then Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas. The rest, as they say, is history.
It’s certainly ironic that Thanos is now more well-known than Darkseid, but it’s not the first time that’s happened to similar comic book characters. For example, Marvel’s Deadpool was meant to be a parody of DC’s Deathstroke, but the ripoff is now more popular than the original.
Well, here’s hoping that Warner Bros does actually release the Justice League Snyder Cut one day. I actually liked the Justice League movie, despite its flaws and issues (check out my review here).


Xbox Singapore Upgrades To Southeast Asia [Update]

Xbox doesn’t offer official regional support in most Southeast Asian countries, with the exception of Singapore. This includes Malaysia, Thailand and others, but all of that might change soon.
In an unexpected turn of events, the official Facebook account for Xbox Singapore is now Xbox SEA for some reason. You can find the Xbox SEA Facebook page here.
What’s even more interesting is that the new Xbox SEA account has recently posted two new updates in Malay and Thai, respectively, to promote tonight’s Age Of Empires Fan Preview (which will reveal more details and information about the upcoming Age Of Empires IV).
https://www.facebook.com/XboxSEA/posts/10159389690272454
https://www.facebook.com/XboxSEA/posts/10159389693227454
While it is not explicitly mentioned or announced, perhaps this new Xbox SEA Facebook account could indicate that official regional support might finally arrive in Malaysia, Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia.
[Update: 12/4/2021] Or not. Here’s an official update sent to us from an Xbox spokesperson regarding game distribution outside of Singapore.
“Initial availability for the Xbox Series X|S will be in existing Xbox markets globally, with no immediate plans to expand this list. Singapore is currently the only market in SEA where the Xbox Series X|S can be purchased by fans in retail and via the Microsoft Store.
The focus in regard to our Facebook page change is to help us to connect with gamers in local and relevant ways across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. We want to expand our connections with new SEA markets to support our PC gaming business in these countries on Microsoft Store and Steam. This reflects our commitment to gaming for everyone and weâ€™re looking forward to continuing to engage gamers across the SEA region on Console and PC.
In the meantime, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei. You canÂ head on over hereÂ for our thoughts and review of both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.


Here Are Your Top Ballers In FIFA 23

FIFA 23 comes out on 26 September and in anticipation, EA SPORTS has revealed a list of 5-Star Skillers alongside their ratings.
We already know some of these players’ ratings but for the rest of the pack, we get a first glance at what their 2023 ratings are.
We see a lot of familiar faces on this list, mostly from previous games as we all know that these players are capable and deserving of 5-Star Skill Moves. Manchester United’s new winger Antony is the only player on this list who has increased their Skill Moves from 4-Stars in FIFA 22 to 5-Stars this year.
Another massive talking point is the lowest-rated player with 5-Star Skills, that being Dylan Bahamboula with a rating of 63. Bahamboula is a 27-year-old French-Congolese phenom who has just signed to Scotland’s Livingston as their new number 7.

NAME
OVR
TEAM
SKILL MOVES
NEW?

Kylian Mbappé
91
Paris Saint-Germain
5

Cristiano Ronaldo
90
Manchester United
5

Neymar Jr
89
Paris Saint-Germain
5

Vinícius Jr.
86
Real Madrid
5

Christopher Nkunku
86
RB Leipzig
5
YES

Kingsley Coman
86
Bayern München
5
YES

Thiago
86
Liverpool
5

Riyad Mahrez
86
Manchester City
5

Memphis Depay
85
FC Barcelona
5

Paul Pogba
85
Juventus
5

Jadon Sancho
84
Manchester United
5

João Félix
84
Atlético de Madrid
5

Martin Ødegaard
84
Arsenal
5

Ángel Di María
84
Juventus
5

Ousmane Dembélé
83
FC Barcelona
5

Hakim Ziyech
83
Chelsea
5

Roberto Firmino
83
Liverpool
5

Juan Cuadrado
83
Juventus
5

Antony
82
Manchester United
5

Lucas Paquetá
82
West Ham United
5
YES

Wilfried Zaha
82
Crystal Palace
5

Coutinho
82
Aston Villa
5

Zlatan Ibrahimovi?
82
Milan
5

Marcus Rashford
81
Manchester United
5

Allan Saint-Maximin
81
Newcastle United
5

Jesús Corona
81
Sevilla FC
5

David Neres
79
Benfica
5

Jesper Karlsson
78
AZ
5
YES

Igor Coronado
77
Al Ittihad
5

Franck Ribéry
77
Salernitana
5
YES

Jota
76
Celtic
5
YES

Matheus Pereira
76
Al Hilal
5
YES

Marcelino Moreno
76
Atlanta United FC
5

Luciano Acosta
76
FC Cincinnati
5

Xherdan Shaqiri
76
Chicago Fire FC
5

Silas
75
VfB Stuttgart
5

Amine Harit
75
Olympiqque de Marseille
5

Daniel-Kofi Kyereh
75
SC Freiburg
5
YES

Maxim, Alexandru
75
Gaziantep FK
5

Cesinha
75
Daegu FC
5

Rayan Cherki
73
Olympique Lyonnais
5

Talles Magno
71
New York City FC
5

Hernâni
71
Rio Ave
5

Modou Barrow
70
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
5

Juan Diego Rojas
68
Delfín SC
5
YES

Osame Sahraoui
67
Vålerenga Fotball
5
YES

Aiden McGeady
67
Hibernian
5

Dylan Bahamboula
63
Livingston
5
YES


Obi-Wan Kenobi Series Delayed Indefinitely, Looking For New Writers

The Disney Plus series Obi-Wan Kenobi has been put on hold and delayed indefinitely after the film crew were told to go home and existing scripts were scrapped.
This is according to sources from Collider, as it is reported that Lucasfilm president and Obi-Wan producer Kathleen Kennedy was not happy with the scripts. The company is now on the hunt for new writers to make a new script.
The reason for this is claimed to be that the plot for Obi-Wan Kenobi trod familiar ground with The Mandalorian. It initially featured the Jedi Master protecting a young Luke and perhaps even a young Leia, which is similar to the dynamic between Din Djarin and Baby Yoda.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series was previously confirmed by Ewan McGregor himself to feature six hour-long episodes. However, the same sources now say that the episode count is likely going to be reduced to just four, instead of the original six.
While Ewan McGregor and Deborah Chow will still reprise his role and remain attached as director respectively, there is no clear indication when production on the series will continue.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi news comes as the Star Wars franchise has been put on pause on the big screen, especially after the disappointing Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which despite earning more than US1.03 billion worldwide to date, was greeted with mixed reaction by critics and fans alike.


The Halo TV Series Is Dropping In 2022

The Halo TV series has moved from Showtime to the new streaming service Paramount Plus.
According to Deadline, produced by Showtime in partnership with 343 Industries, along with Amblin Television, the series is in production in Budapest and will premiere on Paramount Plus sometime in Q1 2022.

Suit up, Spartans! Produced by @SHOWTIME, @Halo will premiere on #ParamountPlus in 2022. pic.twitter.com/4xf8RrmK98
— Paramount+ (@paramountplus) February 24, 2021

CBS & Chairman and CEO, Showtime Networks David Nevins said:
â€œIt delivers the visceral excitement of playing the game, along with a much deeper emotional experience around the Spartans, human beings who got their humanity chemically and genetically altered.
The story is about reclaiming what makes them human, and therefore itâ€™s a very powerful story.â€
Steven Spielberg, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey executive produce for Amblin Television alongside Steven Kane, director Otto Bathurst and Toby Leslie for One Big Picture and Kyle Killen and Scott Pennington for Chapter Eleven. Kiki Wolfkill, Frank Oâ€™Connor and Bonnie Ross serve as executive producers for 343 Industries.
The Halo TV series had already filmed 55 to 60 percent of its first season when the coronavirus pandemic shut down all production in March 2020, but has since resumed production since late 2020. Showtime will continue to produceÂ Halo for Paramount+, and the networkâ€™s creative executive team, led by Gary Levine and Amy Israel, who had been working on the series for years, will continue to oversee it.
Halo stars Schreiber as Master Chief, Natasha McElhone as Dr. Halsey and Jen Taylor as Cortana. Additional stars include Bokeem Woodbine, Shabana Azmi, Natasha Culzac, Olive Gray, Yerin Ha, Bentley Kalu, Kate Kennedy, Charlie Murphy and Danny Sapani.
Maybe weâ€™ll catch a glimpse ofÂ Pablo Schreiber in the iconic Master Chief armour sometime soon.


New Borderlands 3 Patch Balances Legendary Gear; Flakker Nerfed!

Gearbox has just announced that more hotfixes are coming to Borderlands 3 and this time, the focus is on balancing Legendary gear to ensure that players stop limiting themselves to just using the weapons that are “greatly outperforming others”.
Reading through the patch notes, it’s easy to make the conclusion that all “underused” gear are the ones being given improvements while the “overused” ones are those suffering from reductions. My heart goes out to all of you Flakker fans. Not only did the awesome shotgun get its damage significantly reduced, it will also now consume the whole magazine for each shot. Ouch.
Hex and Firestorm grenade mods are probably two of the worst casualties. Both of them will have their damage reduced by a whopping 70% and the status effect of the Hex has been reduced to 3 seconds. Now that’s one hell of a nerf.
Here are the full patch notes:

Weapon Hotfixes
Maliwan

Westergun damage increased by 25%
ASMD damage increased by 28%
Cutsman damage reduced by 25%

Tediore

Ten Gallon damage increased by 8%

Vladof

Sickle reload speed increased by 25%
Faisor damage increased by 15%
Infiniti damage increased by 40%
Magnificent damage increased by 25%
Jericho damage increased by 40%
Lucianâ€™s Call accuracy and handling reduced
Lyuda Critical Damage Bonus decreased by 30% and made a modification to address a reported bug that an extra bullet was spawned in the center

The Lyudaâ€™s functionality is to split the projectile from 1 to 3 after a certain distance. It was reported that the original projectile was never destroyed in the process of splitting so 1 projectile actually became 4. Addressing this concern effectively removed a full shotâ€™s worth of damage which auto-corrects the base damage of the weapon. Since we increased all sniper rifle critical damage bonus in a previous hotfix, we reduced some of the critical damage bonus on the Lyuda.
Torgue

Try-Bolt damage increased by 25%
Alchemist damage increased by 25%
Devils Foursum damage increased by 13%
Flakker now consumes the full magazine when fired and damage is reduced by 33%

Flakker was greatly outperforming other shotguns due to the number of projectiles and the high rate of fire. We initially believed the resulting projectile spread would cause most of the explosions to miss the target, however this turned out to be false, so we reduced the projectile damage and allowed the weapon to only fire once per magazine. This change encourages players to capitalize on different stat bonuses to maximize the weaponâ€™s damage output.

Laser-Sploder rocket projectiles spawn interval increased by 0.4 seconds

Jakobs

Maggie damage increased by 35%
Hellwalker damage reduced by 8%

Hyperion
We found that a couple of the Legendary Hyperion weaponry bypassed the Hyperion manufacturer playstyle too easily making their bonuses greatly outweigh the penalties. The Butcher was drastically outperforming all metrics and we chose to reduce the damage in order to keep the fast fire rate.

Conference Call damage increased by 15%
Crossroad accuracy reduced and it now fires 3 projectiles instead of 4
Butcher accuracy reduced and damage reduced by 25%

DAHL

Vanquisher damage increased by 20%

Children of the Vault

Skeksis damage increased by 15%
Linoge damage increased by 20%
Pain is Power damage increased by 25%

Atlas

Rubyâ€™s Wrath damage increased by 10%

Grenades
Hex and Firestorm were calibrated to the wrong grenade modifier. These two grenades were envisioned to specialize by applying elemental DoTs to targets. Instead they were resulting in large amounts of damage and the elemental DoTs were minimal. We realize this is a drastic change on both of these grenades, but we did not want to remove the spectacle of the grenade (number of grenades spawned, number of targets hit, etc.) and focused on allowing their core identity to be emphasized instead of them continuing to just be high damage grenades.

Hunter-Seeker damage increased by 25%
Hex grenade damage reduced by 70% and duration reduced to 3 seconds
Firestorm damage reduced by 70%

Artifacts
It was reported that the Legendary artifact, Elemental Projector, had a bug resulting in the max value being displayed at 183% instead of the actual max value of 113%. Therefore, Â we addressed the discrepancy and reduced the max value to 90%.

Elemental Projector damage max roll reduced to 90%

Vault Hunter Adjustments
The current state of Mozeâ€™s Iron Bear, Zaneâ€™s Digi-Clone, and FL4Kâ€™s pets have made players focus on other elements besides those Vault Hunterâ€™s fundamental action skills in the late game. While longer term solutions to scaling their damage is explored, we have boosted the health of Iron Bear, the Digi-Clone, and the pets to make them more viable. We will have more to say about long term solutions for these characters in the future.

Iron Bear:Â health increased by 50%
All petsâ€™ health increased by 50%
Digi-Clone:Â health increased by 100%
Addressed a bug with Salvation where grenades were giving life-steal

Bug Fixes

Psychos will now use their True Vault Hunter Mode name in True Vault Hunter Mode
Removed the optional Rare Spawn missions from Galaxy Progress
Addressed a reported bug where Completely Sane Sid didnâ€™t always become hostile when using FL4K
Addressed a reported bug where Ratch would not properly spawn during â€œRatchâ€™d Upâ€, which potentially blocked completion of that side mission
Included a modification so Lilith would continue to move toward the door in Shivâ€™s confession chamber during â€œFrom the Ground Upâ€
Lowered the chance for a weapon to drop from the Pachinko machine
Included a modification so that Zaneâ€™s Digi-Clone will no longer spawn into the cage in Cistern of Slaughter
Shield Boosters were modified and are now set for autopickup
An addition was introduced so Eridium chests are no longer listed as Red Chests in the ECHOcast extension on Sanctuary III


The Batman’s Robert Pattinson Displays Love For Final Fantasy VII To Disinterested Co-Star

With The Batman movie coming out next month, stars Robert Pattinson (Batman/Bruce Wayne) and Zoe Kravitz (Catwoman/Selina Kyle) are doing the usual media interviews and tours to promote the film. Little did we know that we’ll be seeing one of them gush over the biggest JRPG of all time.
During a Clique X interview (via Robert Pattinson Society), Robert Pattinson said that he fell in love with Aerith and Tifa in the 1997 classic PlayStation title Final Fantasy VII. He explains his love for the two and the big twist on the first disc of the game to a clearly disinterested Zoe Kravitz. He even brought up the Aerith/Aeris mistranslation to boot.

“I thought I was in love as well. I was in love with Aerith and Tifa.
There’s the two options of girls you can choose. [Final Fantasy VII is] the best. It’s a love triangle. You have Aerith […] who’s the really kind girl with the superpowers who like to heal everyone and make everything a better place. And then you have Tifa who’s a sexy little thing […] with the short skirt. And you’re like “I can’t decide”.
And then Aerith, right at her peak, she gets killed. This is how every guy decides what love is.”
He adds that you may be close to getting the ideal woman, but in reality, you don’t. And it’s also hard to choose between two of them in your life. It’s just his way of saying that men will get the woman they need in their lives, not the one they necessarily want. Almost like as if he’s saying that men will end up with the woman they deserve, but not the one they need right now.

Robert Pattinson talking about Final Fantasy 7 and how he was in love with Aeris and Tifa for Clique X.  #TheBatman
 pic.twitter.com/yqbkF1CqUw
— Robert Pattinson Photos (@pattinsonphotos) February 26, 2022

Even celebrities can relate to video games, especially in love, just like normal people. The Batman will be out in cinemas on 3rd March in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Final Fantasy VII Remake is out right now for PS4, PS5, and PC.


Happy Holidays From Us At Kakuchopurei!

Greetings and salutations. Hopefully you had an awesome 2019, because we sure did!
We covered a lot of gaming and esports stuff, as well as witness history with landmark Southeast Asia happenings like the Olympics-level SEA Games Esports competition to a slew of gaming and anime expos. Most importantly, we’ve played and checked out the best (and worst) video games of the year.
We’ve also had a LOT of viewers checking out our website, so that’s cool. Thanks for that, everyone; we’ll keep doing our best. And because of all that, we think we should take a bit of a breather.
Kakuchopurei will be taking a short break from today 24th December until the 13th of January 2020. The site will have some scheduled updates or two popping up, but we won’t be active until then.
Yes, our Best of 2019 features and videos will still be published between those weeks. No, there won’t be much news happening during those periods unless something breaking occurs. Yes, we’ll still be streaming video games on Facebook, but sporadically and probably in a casual manner as always.Â And yes, we’ll be scheduling a Facebook giveaway contest before New Year’s Eve hits.
We’ll be spending our free time with our loved ones, our families, and our friends. Some of us may be taking a trip or two. Either way, we need to recharge our batteries so that we can do even more cool features, videos, and whatnot involving video games and pop culture for 2020. We suggest you also chillax and play some video games. Or experience life. You do you!
And with that, we’ll be seeing you next year. Don’t be stranger, video game fans, and happy holidays!


Bilibili Launched Their Own VCreator-Themed Carnival

Vtuber/Vcreator fans of Southeast Asia are in for a treat especially if you’re a part of the Bilibili growing community. Bilibili, Southeast Asia’s leading animation video platform, now has VCreator content on their platform. With that, they launched a Vcreator Carnival for fans to have the privilege and opportunity to interact with their VCreators. The virtual event was held from the 15th to the 28th of July. Through this event, not only do the viewers and fans get to interact with their favourite VCreators, but also have a chance to show their love and support for these VCreators.
With the massive rise of virtual avatars, Bilibili also hopped on the bandwagon with their own virtual influencers referring to them as VCreators. With each possessing unique personalities and characters, VCreators’ content mainly consists of live-streaming popular games, singing, acting, and entertaining their viewers and fanbases. Koneko Naru is one of the VCreators who streams playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (or MLBB) on the Bilibili platform for viewers.

With talents like Koneko Naru, VCreators of Bilibili has continued to swoon the hearts of viewers since its introduction on the platform just a few years ago. Bilibili aims to continue working together with VCreators joining the scene as Asia’s leading platform by providing professional supporting and leverage aspiring VCreators towards growth opportunities while contributing to the Anime, Comics, and Games (ACG) community.
On the platform, viewers access a VCreator’s live-streaming rooms in which they can also be seen on the in-App feature banner placements. This helps expands the longer live times and potentially leading to higher engagements. VCreators are also given guidance by Bilibili in content development and management such as a better understanding of their content performances and regulations on the platform.
Their own Koneko Naru said in her own words that “Bilibili gives us the creative freedom we need as content creators to put out quality content for our viewers. It also makes it easier for us to receive virtual gifts and tips from our viewers with the Bilibili gifting system. The atmosphere in Bilibili is competitive yet inspiring and fun. I would say that my experience with Bilibili has made me more serious about becoming a VCreator full-time”.
Along with Koneko, Reed Ux is also another rising VCreator star on Bilibili. Reed Ux further states that “Bilibili is a platform that aims to gather people who watch anime and adore video games together. With the audience that Bilibili has, it is easier for me, as a VCreator, to grow my fanbase within a niche market. Most of the users on Bilibili share the same interests as me. Bilibili also provides us creators with an endless amount of support with the Bilibili staff constantly communicating with us to see if there is any way that they can support us”.

The aforementioned VCreator-Themed Carnival is one intriguing and innovative example of how Bilibili supports and hypes up their VCreators. From 15th July to 28th July, fans and followers of Bilibili’s VCreators were able to catch their favourite VCreators with scheduled live streams throughout the carnival, one such as VCreator Elthea_notes with Anime Recap on the 26th July. Other VCreators include Bobaacha, Elfie Mago, SushiyaVR, and many more.
On top of that, viewers and attendees of the virtual carnival were given the chance to win prizes. Likewise, if viewers follow 15 VCreators during the carnival period, they will stand a chance to win a Grab Food voucher. At last but not least, they too (fans and viewers) can give becoming a VCreator on Bilibili a short by filling up the form on the platform.
One thing the pandemic has thought us is that the need to use modern technology has brought us the possibility of making interactive virtual events such as this possible, hence, has now become the norm.
To find out more about Bilibili and VCreators, check out their website here.
What do you think of this exciting initiative by Bilibili and its VCreators? Let us know down in the comments or head on over to our socials for discussions.


Check Out The Nintendo Live Animal Crossing & Splatoon 3 Live Concert Here

While the Nintendo Live livestream is in Japanese, there’s at least one element that transcends language barriers: the element of song.
At the end of the Nintendo Live 2022 in Tokyo, Japan, Nintendo had two special live hologram acts: Animal Crossing’s DJ KK Paradise Mix concert and Splatoon 3’s Deep Cut and the in-house band. Basically, perfect family-friendly music entertainment for those who are there live at the Nintendo offline event. Fortunately, it’s all available online for the rest of the world who can’t head to Japan on time..
Animal Crossing’s DJ KK Slider plays his greatest hits from the entire series in electronica remix form, with his backup dancers from the games dancing to the tune. Highlights include KK Rock and Surfin’ KK.

Then came the other highlight: Splatoon 3’s Deep Cut trio of Shiver, Frye, and Big Man making their offline debut in hologram form. The group had the in-house band play the popular multiplayer rock songs before coming in with their iconic hit Anarchy Rainbow.

The group capped it off with a special appearance of The Squid Sisters -Callie and Marie- singing the last stage song Calamari Inkantation 3MIX.

As you can imagine, the entire all-ages crowd just shook their glowsticks and rocked out to both Animal Crossing remixes and Splatoon 3 live music. It’s epic stuff, and I’m saying this as I tuned to it online. Check out the entire concert below at the 6:40:04 mark.


Japanese VALORANT Coach Fired For Sexual Misconduct With A Minor

When Riot first introduced VCT Game Changers, it was supposed to provide an inclusive space for women and other marginalized genders to showcase their skills. Sadly, the league has been marred by a series of scandals involving men.
For instance, in one instance, a male player pretended to be non-binary to compete in the NA Game Changers tournament. More recently, Rising Hope dropped their Game Changers roster after allegations emerged that the team owner exposed himself to female players during practice sessions.
Now, yet another man has ruined what should have been a celebration of female esports. FENNEL Female, a Japanese team, recently signed on two coaches – Rader and hanpipe – to help guide their players. However, things took a turn for the worse after hanpipe was accused of sexual misconduct with a minor.

???????????e?????????????????????“????”?(@hanpipe_)??????16???????JK????SEX?????????????????????JK????????????????????JK????????????????????????????????
— ?????? (@takigare3) March 19, 2023

According to Gareso Takizawa, a reporter, hanpipe allegedly engaged in sexual relations with a 16-year-old high schooler at her parent’s house and then attempted to conceal the act. Although there is no concrete evidence to support the allegations, Takizawa claims to have proof to back up the accusations. As a result, hanpipe has been dismissed from her coaching position.

Results of investigation
So, the coach of the Japanese esports team FENNEL has been fired. A while back, Takizawa accused the coach, hanpipe, of doing something wrong. FENNEL said they’d look into it and let everyone know what they found out. Well, they found out that hanpipe did admit to what he was accused of and that someone else knew about it too. FENNEL didn’t know about this until they investigated it. So, they decided they couldn’t keep supporting hanpipe and fired him.

????????hanpipe????????????? pic.twitter.com/NXiaqiHgw7
— FENNEL (@FENNEL_official) March 20, 2023

This all happened after FENNEL’s female team made it to the 2022 VCT Game Changers Championship, and the men’s team won the Japan Challengers Split 1. hanpipe hasn’t said anything since he joined the team.


Destiny 2 The Final Shape Teased, Nathan Fillion To Return As Cayde-6

During the PlayStation Showcase 2023, Bungie announced that actor Nathan Fillion is reprising his role as fan-favourite character Cayde-6 for the DestinyÂ Universe. The legendary Hunter made a brief appearance in a teaser video for the nextÂ Destiny 2Â expansion,Â Destiny 2 The Final Shape.
It is a surprise cameo from the popular character Cayde-6, the Hunter Vanguard who met his match during the events of Destiny 2 Forsaken in 2018.
The ten-year journey ofÂ Destinyâ€™s Light & Darkness Saga is approaching its epic conclusion and, later this summer, Bungie will show off the first details of what to expect in the Destiny Showcase event on August 22nd. During the live-streamed showcase, Bungie developers will reveal the details forÂ The Final ShapeÂ and provide a look forward into the future ofÂ Destiny 2.
Fans can tune into the event on the official Twitch and YouTube channels: www.twitch.tv/BungieÂ andÂ www.youtube.com/DestinyTheGame.


HBO GO September 2021: Our Picks & Highlights

Since everyone is (still mostly) staying home because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Iâ€™m sure you wonâ€™t want to waste time sifting through HBO GOâ€™s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming site updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so Iâ€™m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for HBO GOÂ September 2021 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
Space Jam A New Legacy (3 September 2021)

Catch basketball icon LeBron James in an epic adventure alongside Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes as they battle a rogue A.I. in a digital battleground. With his son Dom by his side, LeBron must face the highest-stakes challenge of his life that will redefine his bond with his son and shine a light on the power of being true to yourself.
Donâ€™t miss the ultimate Tunes vs Goons match! Stars LeBron James, Don Cheadle, Sonequa Martin-Green, Zendaya and newcomer Cedric Joe.
Space Jam A New Legacy premieres Friday, 3 September 2021 on HBO GO.

The Marksman (4 September 2021)
LN018_RCLiam Neeson stars as â€œJimâ€ in director Robert Lorenzâ€™s THE MARKSMAN, an Open Road Films / Briarcliff Entertainment release.Credit: Ryan Sweeney / Open Road Films / Briarcliff Entertainment
Jim is a former Marine who lives a solitary life as a rancher along the Arizona-Mexican border. But his peaceful existence soon comes crashing down when he tries to protect a boy on the run from members of a vicious cartel. Stars Katheryn Winnick, Liam Neeson and Teresa Ruiz.
The Marksman premieres Saturday, 4 September 2021 at 9 pm GMT+8 on HBO GO and HBO (Astro Channel 411).

Freaky (11 September 2021)

If you’re a horror fan, do yourself a favour and catch this horror-comedy that’s a homage to the slasher genre.
Seventeen-year-old Millie Kessler spends her days trying to survive high school and the cruel actions of the popular crowd. But when she becomes the latest target of the Butcher, the town’s infamous serial killer, her senior year becomes the least of her worries.
When the Butcher’s mystical dagger causes him and Millie to magically switch bodies, the frightened teen learns she has just 24 hours to get her identity back before she looks like a middle-aged maniac forever. Stars Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton and Celeste O’Connor.
Freaky premieres Saturday, 11 September 2021 at 10 pm GMT+8 on HBO GO and HBO (Astro Channel 411).

Doom Patrol Season 3 (23 September 2021)

The super-powered gang of outcasts returns in a third season, which opens on the culmination of Dorothyâ€™s confrontation with the Candlemaker that leads to a devastating loss. The Doom Patrol is at a difficult crossroads and each member struggles to face who they are and who they want to be. Things get a whole lot more complicated when Madame Rouge arrives in a time machine with a very specific mission if only she could remember it. B
Before Season 3 premieres, you can also binge-watch the first two seasons on HBO GO.
Doom Patrol Season 3 premieres with three episodes on 23 September 2021 on HBO GO. A new episode premieres every subsequent Thursday.

Batman Month

September is Batman Month, and fans of the Dark Knight will have a bunch of content to check out every Friday from 8:10 pm GMT+8 and Batman Day on Saturday, 18 September 2021 from 12:30 pm GMT+8.

DC Blockbusters
DC Universe Animated
DC Series

Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batman
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batman Returns
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batman Forever
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batman & Robin
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batman Begins
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Dark Knight
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Dark Knight Rises
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition)
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batman: The Brave And The Bold
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Lego DC: Batman Family Matters
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Beware The Batman
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batman Unlimited: Mech Vs. Mutants
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Gotham City Breakout
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batman: Assault On Arkham
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batman: Mask Of Phantasm
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Gotham (Complete series)
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pennyworth (Seasons 1 and 2)
Â·Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Batwoman (Seasons 1 and 2)

Those are just several selected highlights from next monthâ€™s offerings of new TV series and movies on HBO GO next month. Now you can plan your HBO GO watchlist for September 2021.


Free Fire Continental Series Asia Breaks Viewership Record

The Free Fire Continental Series (FFCS) has concluded in spectacular fashion, with millions of fans across the world tuning in to Free Fireâ€™s flagship tournament of 2020. The FFCS spanned three regions â€“ the Americas, Asia, and EMEA.
One of the biggest rivalries at the FFCS was between the series themselves, with the Asia and Americas Series competing head to head in terms of viewership figures.Â
According to the Esports Charts, the Asia Series ended the tournament with more than 2.5 million Peak Concurrent Viewers (PCV), a new record for Free Fire esports. It edged out the Americas Series, which obtained over 1.7 million PCV, and the EMEA Series, which had approximately 300,000 PCV.
In comparison, the Free Fire World Series (FFWS) 2019 obtainedÂ slightly over 2 million PCV last year, which was then a world record for a mobile esports tournament.
The FFCS caps an exciting year of online streaming content for Free Fire, with the game recently named the second most-watched live game watched on YouTube in 2020. Free Fire was also the third most-watched game on YouTube this year with a massive 72 billion views.
The FFCS concluded with the Grand Finals on 28 November 2020 (EMEA and Americas) and 29 November 2020 (Asia). It saw each of the tournamentâ€™s three regions â€“ EMEA, Americas, and Asia Series â€“ crown their continental champion: Sbornaya ChR (CIS), Team Liquid (Brazil), and EXP Esports (Thailand) respectively. Each team picked up US$80,000 of the combined US$900,000 prize pool.Â
The Grand Finals generated no shortage of drama and action. Each regionâ€™s Grand Finals saw 12 teams compete in the same competitive format: teams battled over 6 rounds, across 3 maps: Bermuda, Purgatory, and Kalahari, with points awarded based on round placement and the number of kills.
It was a battle to the wire in the Americas Series, with Team Liquid and Santos Hotforex â€“ both of Brazil â€“ ending the day level with 151 points apiece. However, Team Liquid clinched the title by having a better average placement. Brazilâ€™s SS Esports were second runner-up with 136 points.
The Asia Series saw EXP Esports of Thailand pip fellow countrymen King of Gamerâ€™s Club to the title by a solitary point. The second runner-up position was even more hotly contested, with Indonesian teams RRQ Hades and EVOS Esports both ending the evening level on 133 points. However, RRQ Hades edged the second runner-up position by having a higher number of placement points.
The Asia Series Grand Finals also saw Indiaâ€™s representative Total Gaming Esports in action. They put in a valiant performance, but fell slightly short of the title, placing eighth overall. However, they can take encouragement from a solid showing which saw them rack up 70 points and 17 kills â€“ no mean feat against the regionâ€™s elite teams.
Vatsal â€œTG_VasiyoCRJ7â€ Garasia, from Total Gaming Esports, said:
â€œWinning and losing are part of the game. And seeing the overwhelming support from the fans really motivated us and made us feel really good!For that, we are grateful and will continue to work even harder!â€Â
The EMEA Series Grand Finals saw the teams from the CIS region put in a dominant display, with the top three teams all hailing from the region. Sbornaya ChR were crowned continental champions after racking up a massive 158 points, with their regional counterparts Silence (124 points) and Stay Away (109 points) placing first and second runners-up respectively.Â Â