From Game of Thrones to Mario: Here’s All Our Video Game & Pop Culture Shoes

We’ve seen a lot of video game and pop culture shoes over the years; everything ranging from Game Of Thrones and Star Wars to PlayStation and Nintendo.
Today, we’re compiling them all into this article for your convenience. That’s a lot of shoes; check them out!
Cyberpunk 2077 Adidas

In black and purple, the shoe’s upper is accented with bright yellow on the Adidasâ€™ iconic Three Stripes, while a bit garish-looking â€˜Cyberâ€™ and â€˜Punkâ€™ text adorn the lateral midsole and medial, respectively.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Reebok

The ReebokÂ Assassinâ€™s Creed ValhallaÂ collection is headlined by three footwear styles in exclusive colourways inspired by the northern lights.
The Mandalorian Adidas

There are eight shoes in the AdidasÂ The MandalorianÂ Collection, but most of them look too plain and generic. They donâ€™t exactly screamÂ The MandalorianÂ orÂ Star WarsÂ when you look at them, though thatâ€™s probably what some shoe enthusiasts prefer.
Travis Scott PlayStation Nike

Travis Scott is now in an official partnership with PlayStation, which apparently means a lot of things. One of those are official Sony PlayStation Nike Dunk Low Cactus Jack shoes.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales Adidas

Just like Milesâ€™ Spider-Man suit, theÂ Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man: Miles MoralesÂ Adidas Superstar shoe sport black and read.
Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back Adidas

AdidasÂ andÂ Star WarsÂ are collaborating yet again for another line of shoes to commemorate the 40th anniversary 0f 1980â€™sÂ Star Wars Episode Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.
PokÃ©mon Adidas

Love PokÃ©mon? Need some white and yellow in your life? Then you should check out these new duds from Adidas.
Star Wars Starships Adidas

Â The newÂ Adidas x Star Wars Space Battle collectionÂ consists of three popular shoes from the sports brand: the Ultraboost S&L, the Ultraboost 19 and the futuristic Alphaedge 4D.
Capcom Mega Man Asics

What do you get when you have one of Japanâ€™s famous shoe brands teaming up with one of Japanâ€™s most prolific video game publisher and developer? A pair of retro-esque blue sneakers worth killing 8 bosses living in themed levels for.
One Piece Puma

PumaÂ is collaborating with popular anime and mangaÂ One PieceÂ for a new lineup of kicks and sneakers. These shoes look shiny enough to be pieces of treasure themselves, worth the grab for any pirate or fan of the franchise.Â
More Star Wars Adidas

The design of the new Adidas Ultraboost shoes is based on the iconic X-Wing starfighter from the franchise, specifically the new Resistance version from the Sequel Trilogy of films that started withÂ Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
Marvel Adidas

Game Of Thrones Adidas

PlayStation Nike

Nintendo Puma

Sonic Puma

League Of Legends Team Vitality Adidas

Naruto Adidas

Gundam 361 Degrees

Stranger Things Nike

More PokÃ©mon Adidas

Street Fighter Onitsuka Tiger

PlayStation Nike Royal Blue

Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse Air Jordans

Overwatch Custom

Dragon Ball Z Custom

Pixel Nike


Tanks Lead the Way As Wargaming.net Continues To Trailblaze the F2P Scene

Wargaming.net’s World of Tanks (WoT) is easily and by far, the best-looking free-to-play game in the market at the moment. With high quality graphics and addictive gameplay, the game, while caters to a niche market, has grown from strength to strength since its beta days and is currently – in our honest opinion – the standard bearer of what a f2p game should be about. Constantly balanced without sacrificing the play experience of even the non-paying players, WoT is a fitting example that with enough dedication and love from its makers and community, any game can succeed.
This is the second part of our focus on the latest World of Tanks update (1.0) where we talk toÂ Alexander de Giorgio, World of Tanks Regional Product Director. Read on to find out his thoughts regarding continuous game support, longevity and the current ‘battle royale’ trend sweeping through the gaming landscape.
The scale of the update (1.0) is unprecedented even for full-priced games; what motivated Wargaming to undertake such task moreover considering the f2p model you guys are running?Â

I think the motivation to improve and upgrade the game has always been a core part of our DNA, especially given our service-based operating model. We are fortunate to have a large, dedicated and opinionated player base that helps to maintain that motivation.

In the case of 1.0, we had a vision for where we wanted the game to go from a design perspective, and we realized that we could not achieve that vision with the existing tools at hand. So building new tools and making sure they are as future-proof as possible was actually the logical choice. For us, this update is just another stage in the ongoing life story of World of Tanks.

We would imagine it isn’t cheap to implement Update 1.0 as it is pretty much an overhaul right to the core of the game. How is this viable from an economic standpoint for WG?Â

It took 3+ years of dedication by a large, diverse teamÂ of 150 peopleÂ to get to where we are today, all while continuing to operate servers 24/7 with regular updates, in-game activities and improvements. It was definitely a challenge! The viability of the endeavor was never really questioned though, we did what was necessary to get the core right and to ensure a healthy future for the game.

Speaking of which, can we expect similar treatment for other Wargaming games (Warships, Planes, Blitz titles) in the near future?Â

I cannot really speak to specifics for our other titles as each one works to its own roadmap and priorities. However I think its fair to say that you can expect a similar mindset and focus on constant improvement from all titles in the Wargaming family.

While Tanks is highly popular in Europe, it still has a way to go in emulating such success in other regions – particularly Asia. Do you think Update 1.0 will change that and how?

The exciting thing for me is to see how much untapped potential we still have in Asia, and how we can build on the success in other regions to deliver an experience which is exciting and relevant to our audience in this region. 1.0 will play a key role in that process in many ways, including allowing us to introduce ourselves to new audiences with a title which looks and feels properly â€œnext-genâ€.

The highly competitive multiplayer scene is going through a mini transition at the moment, with most IPs jumping into the ‘battle royale’ scene. What is Wargaming’s stand on this – are you guys sticking to your guns by continuing what you are doing best, or will we see a tank-battle royale mode around the corner?Â

I am not sure I agree that all IPs are jumping into the â€˜Battle Royaleâ€™ scene but certainly we have seen some major new IPs come into that space. Personally I find some of the mechanics really interesting and can see the attraction of this type of play style.

As you know we are not shy about exploring new game modes and mechanics and have the tools to do so but at the same time we already have a clear vision for where we want to take the game. So I wouldnâ€™t see a tank-battle royale mode is around the corner at this time but never say never.

Just like tanks rolling into battlefields, Wargaming.net isn’t afraid in charting their own paths and whether or not they hop into the ‘battle royale’ arena, we are pretty confident it’s going to be an awesome take of the said genre.

You can read Part 1 of the interview here as well, where Giorgio shared his vision in relation to World of Tanks following the release of Update 1.0


The Lord Of The Rings Gollum Launches This May

Nacon and Daedalic Entertainment have announced that The Lord Of The Rings Gollum will launch for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on 25 May 2023.
The Nintendo Switch version will release sometime later in 2023.
The Lord Of The Rings Gollum is an official adaptation based on the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Taking place in parallel to the events described in The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is an action-adventure game and an epic interactive experience. You play as the enigmatic Gollum on his perilous journey and find out how he outwitted the most powerful characters in Middle-earth.
After being corrupted by the Ring over hundreds of years, Gollum has developed exceptional agility and sharp wits. Use his unique skills to explore and infiltrate legendary locations and dizzying heights. Find your way past the Orcs as you climb the Dark Tower of Barad-dur and give the Elves the slip in the mysterious Mirkwood.
Gollum is one of the most fascinating characters in The Lord of the Rings universe. In 500 years he has experienced events that would destroy the toughest of beings. But Gollum doesn’t break; he bends, he adapts…
Tortured by his split personality, he can be vicious and wicked as Gollum, yet friendly and cautious as Smeagol. It’s up to you to decide which of his personalities will triumph in the difficult moral choices that will dictate the future of your precarious alliances.
Check out the new gameplay trailer below:


A Recap Of The Skullgirl Devs Lab Zero Games’ Drama

Lab Zero Games, a studio known for its stylish-looking games, has a bit of a controversy the past few months. See, its owner recently fired the studio’s entire staff last week following a series of senior employee departures.
Here’s a breakdown, in case you missed out on the recent news:

Lab Zero Games created hit fighting game Skullgirls and last year’s RPG Indivisible. All was fine.
The company was at one point meant to transition from being wholly owned by co-founder Mike Zaimont to sharing equity with its long-standing employees like Jonathan “Persona” Kim, Brian “EU03” Jun, and Jessica Allen.
A deal couldn’t be reached, so Zaimont dissolved the board and assumed complete control of Lab Zero. We should also stress that Zaimont is known for his inappropriate behaviour and poor attitude when treating his employees and staff.
This made seven of its integral members to publicly resign. This left Lab Zero with 11 employees.
Zaimont, who knew that the company cannot continue the way it is with the huge senior employee hole, had to lay off the rest of Lab Zero’s employees because the company was no longer able to meet payroll obligations (via Kotaku). Here’s a quote from him:

“It is not a decision I made lightly. I personally know how hard it can be to find employment in a poorly performing economy, but we have more debt than cash, and the last thing I would ever do is not pay my hard-working colleagues or our partners for their work. We are exploring all funding options in hopes of bringing those team members back, but right now thatâ€™s the reality.”

At this point in time, there is no word on how the severance agreement between Lab Zero’s former workers work. Zaimont did mention to be on a lookout for additional severance email of sorts.
What happens to Skullgirls and Skullgirls Mobile? The game will be kept afloat and alive since Autumn Games own the property and developer Hidden Variable Studios handles the mobile game. Skullgirls will be getting new content in 2021, including a new character called Annie.

That’s pretty much it for now. It’s sad that a prominent indie studio had to go out this way.


Tales of Arise Owl Guide: How To Find All The Birds

Tales of Arise’s obligatory JRPG collectathon item comes in the form of the wise old owl. Or rather all 38 of them.
Not only do you net achievements for finding a specific number of owls, as well as get some sweet cosmetics to dress your characters up, but you’ll get a special artifact for finding all of them. While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out our other Tales of Arise guides:
Tales of Arise Artifacts Location
Tales of Arise Level Up To 100 Farming Guide
Here’s how to find all 38 of them. We’ll divide them into different regions. Just keep in mind the following:
-The remaining 6 owls will only appear if you find all 32 owls.
–You can miss one of the owls: if you miss Owl #26, you cannot go back and find it post-game or when you’re free-roaming before the final stage.
Calaglia

Owl #1 â€“ Dog Tail
Location: Sandinus Ravin.
This owl is located just before the entrance to Ulzebek, itâ€™s at the end of a bridge.
OwlÂ #2 â€“ Rabbit Ears
Location: Ulzebek.
This bird is sitting on top of a house in Ulzebek. You must climb the ladder inside the house, then climb a second ladder on the balcony to reach the rooftop.
OwlÂ #3 â€“ Spotted Cat Ears
Location: Iglia Wastes.
This bird is located on a hill in the south-west of Iglia Wastes, check for the ladder icon on the map to find a wall you can climb up to reach it.
Owl #4 â€“ Cat Tail
Location: Kyrd Garrison.
This owl is to the left of the Mosgul entrance. You can find a little side path with this owl at the end.
Owl #5 â€“ Monocle
Location: Mosgul.
This owl resides at the south of Mosgul, sitting behind a wall of bricks.
Owl #6 â€“ Dog Ears
Location: Trench of Flames â€“ Castle Gates.
This owl is inside a house at the start of the Castle Gates area.
Owl #7 – Left Bandage
Location: Trench of Flames â€“ Gates of Fire.
After exiting the Castle Gates and entering the Gates of Fire, check behind the mesh on the left side for a red owl.
Owl #8 – Rabbit Tail
Location: Glanymede Castle â€“ 3F.
On the 3rd floor of Glanymede Castle, to the right of the elevator between some chickens.
Owl #9 – Frame Glasses

Location: Lacerda Cliffs.
Next to the campfire/merchant in Lacerda Cliffs, in front of Ulvhan Grotto entrance.

Cyslodia
Owl #10 â€“ Left Eyepatch

Location: White Silver Plains.
On the side of the bridge before the entrance to Messia 224.
Owl #11 – Wolf Ears
Location: Messia 224.
After entering Messia 224 from the White Silver Plains, take the path up the left and find this owl in a bucket on the ground behind the oxen cart.
Owl #12 – Wolf Tail
Location: Nevira Snowplains.
This birdie is in the middle of the big lake in the north of Nevira Snowplains, sitting on a rock.
Owl #13 – Sun Glasses
Location: Cysloden â€“ Alley.
Right where the fast travel point is in Cysloden Alley, in the market area on a rock at the river.
Owl #14 – Devil Horns
Location: Riville Prison Tower â€“ 2F.
This owl sits on a bookshelf in the south-east room of the 2nd floor of Riville Prison Tower.
Owl #15 – Half Frames

Location: Frozen Valley.
This owl is sitting on a tree before the bridge leading to Upper Level â€“ Safar Sea Cave.

Menancia
Owl #16 – Red Tropical Corsage

Location: Overseer Hill.
To the left of the fishing spot in the south of this region.
Owl #17 – Devil Wings
Location: Traslida Highway.
This owl sits in the field next to the horse stable.
Owl #18 – Giggle Glasses
Location: Tietal Plain.
The owl is at the south-east corner of Tietal Plain,Â  sitting on top of a stone arch.
Owl #19 – Halo
Location: Viscint.
This fella is sitting on a blue vase at a market stall in the middle of Viscint, just next to the fast travel point icon on the map.
Owl #20 – Crown
Location: Autelina Palace (1F) â€“ Kitchen.
Inside the kitchen of the 1st Floor of Autelina Palace.
Owl #21 – Devil Tail
Location: Talka Pond Road.
After entering Talka Pond Road from Viscint, turn right and go to the edge of the map. The owl sits on top of the wall there, behind some trees and wild pigs.

Mahag Saar
Owl #22 – Red Rose Corsage

Location: Niez.
This owl is in the east of Niez, sitting in a bucket on some wooden planks.
Owl #23 – Retro Sunglasses

Location: Aqfotle Hills.
This green owl is sitting on a destroyed house, to the left after entering Aqfotle Hills from Niez.
Owl #24 – Angry Glasses
Location: Adan Lake.
Enter Adan Lake through the Aqfotle Hills area. Then go through the lake in the middle of the area and through the open gate uphill. The owl is located on top of a big stone gate, you must drop down to it from the highest plateau of the area.
Owl #25 – Angel Wings
Location: Adan Ruins.
After entering the Adan Ruins from Aqfotle Hills, drop down the right side after the first enemies. Then look to the right; the owl is just there.
Owl #26 – Butterfly Wings (VERY IMPORTANT & MISSABLE OWL)
Location: Mobile Fortress Gradia – Ship Interior Level 2.
This owl can easily be missed. If you do not find it during this part of the story, you cannot retrieve it at all post-game or afterwards, since the ship sinks after beating the 4th Lord. You may need to restart your playthrough if you miss it.
Keep playing the main story until you get on board a big ship. On this ship, you need to open some locked red energy barriers to progress onward.
Eventually, this takes you to â€œShip Interior Level 2â€, you go there automatically for story purposes. In one of the cabins (the second one from the top left on the map) is an owl.

Ganath Haros

Owl #27 – Right Eyepatch
Location: Tuah Seashore.
This owl is sitting in the distance near the exit that goes to Thistlym.
Owl #28 – Star Hair Clip
Location: Thistlym.
This owl is under a brazier at the left of the exit from Thistlym to Shinefall Woods.
Owl #29 – Right Bandage
Location: Shinefall Woods.
This owl sits on top of a big arch. You must go up the hill on the side of the arch, then you can walk over the arch to reach the owl.
Owl #30 – Swirly Glasses
Location: Lavtu Marshlands.
The owl is next to where the ladder icon is, in the south-west part of the region.
Owl #31 – Sad Glasses
Location: Pelegion – Level 2.
This bird is on Level 2 of Pelegion, next to the elevator that leads to Level 3, sitting on the wall.
Owl #32 – Hootle Doll
Location: Del Fharis Castle â€“ Central Entrance Plaza 4F.
Head to Central Entrance Plaza 4th Floor of Del Fharis Castle, where one of the green glowing Health/CP refill fountains is (and also the elevator to Hanging Garden). The owl is sitting at the ceiling in the center of the area.

What About The Other 6 Owls? (via Powerpyx)
To make the remaining 6 owls appear, you need to:

Finish the story.
Find all 32 Owls.
Return to the Owl King in the Owl Forest. Talk to Hootle in Nevira Snowplains on Cyslodia to make him bring you there.

Owl #33
Location: Calaglia > Glanymede Castle > Lordâ€™s Chamber
This owl is sitting on the throne of the Lordâ€™s Chamber.
Owl #34
Location: Calaglia > Iglia Wastes
You can find this owl in Iglia Wastes on top of a mountain. Go to where the â€œMap Actionâ€ icon is on the map. Get Dohalim to grow leaves on the wall for you to climb up to where the owl is.
Owl #35
Location: Cyslodia > Riville Prison Tower > Hidden Chamber.
You can find this owl in the Hidden Chamber thatâ€™s accessed through the Office in Riville Hidden Tower. To open this wall you need the item â€œA Key to Hidden Chamberâ€ which is obtained from doing Sub-Quests â€œCulling the Snowplain Herdsâ€ & â€œSurvey Saysâ€¦â€, both started by talking to Bregon in Cysloden > Bregonâ€™s Hideout.
During his second quest â€œSurvey Saysâ€¦â€ you will go to the Underground Prison with a gigante zeugle locked in a cage. After defeating it you get the key. Now at any time you can go to the Office and use the key on the wall to enter the Hidden Chamber with this Owl inside.
Owl #36
Location: Menancia > Autelina Palace (2F) > Guard Room.
This owl is found inside the Guard Room on the 2nd Floor of Autelina Palace.
Owl #37
Location: Other > Uninhabited Island.
To first get to this area you must play Sub-Quest â€œBeyond the Graveâ€. This quest starts in Location: Ganath Haros > Tuah Seashore.
This quest only becomes available after reaching the final story region â€œRenaâ€, meaning you must backtrack to it after making more story progress (can go back there through its neighbouring region Thislym). Upon entering the area, a dialogue will play automatically where you pick up a bottle with a map inside thatâ€™s been washed ashore.
Take this map to Mahag Saar > Hidden Warf and talk to the Mahavar there (marked by green dot on map, the guy in front of the big ship with exclamation point above his head). Then he offers a dialogue to go to â€œUninhabited Islandâ€. Go there, run uphill to the quest marker, defeat the boss monster to finish the quest. Then you can find the owl in the same place where you fought the boss monster.
Owl #38
Location: Ganath Haros > Del Fharis Castle > Lordâ€™s Chamber
This owl is sitting on the throne of the Lordâ€™s Chamber.


Garena’s Mobile Racing Game Speed Drifters Now Available For Download

Garena has launched its latest mobile game, Speed Drifters, which is now available to download on the Google Play Store in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia,
Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Anyone who has already pre-registered for the free-to-play racing game will receive exclusive items upon launching the game.
Speed Drifters features 4 playable game modes, as well as an in-game music player and a social system mechanic. This means that not only will there be integrated live streaming, clubs and social spaces for player interaction, but also virtual marriages, in what is described as an MMO racing game.
The game also offers loads of customization options for the player’s avatar, and a variety of cars to choose from, not to mention multiple maps to race in. Developed by Tencent, Speed Drifters is already the number one free-to-play mobile game in China, with over 30 million daily active users.
Check out some Speed Drifters in-game screenshots below.


Malaysia’s GigaBash Announces Collaboration With Godzilla

Malaysian developer Passion Republic Games’ GigaBash smashes into Tokyo Game Show 2022 (TGS 2022) from 15 to 18 September 2022, bringing along merchandise giveaways and one huge announcement: a collaboration with the King Of The Monsters himself; Godzilla.
After months of fan speculation, Passion Republic Games have finally announced their collaboration with Toho Co., Ltd for an upcoming update.
In a statement, GigaBash co-director Mel Law said:
“We’ve heard it loud and clear from our fans, it’s going to be something they’ll really love!” More detailed information will be revealed in the near future, so remember to follow their social media channels for the latest news.
At TGS 2022, Passion Republic Games will be at Booth 1-S14. Visitors can enjoy Couch Play, the bread-and-butter game mode for GigaBash, with all 10 playable characters unlocked for everyone to try out. In conjunction with the Tokyo Game Show, Passion Republic Games have also announced that GigaBash will be 20 percent off on Steam and Epic Games Store starting from now until 22 September 2022 at 8 am PT, or 11 pm GMT+8 on the same day in Southeast Asian countries.
GigaBash is now available on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, as well as PS4 and PS5, via PlayStation Store. In the meantime, check out our review here or head on over here for our guide to unlock more Titans in the game.
Check out the trailer below:


The Spring Steam Game Festival Is Returning With Over 40 Free Demos

Update: The link is here. You can playtest a huge number of games right now untilÂ  23rd March. These include indie fares like Duster and Quench, to Spiritfarer and Elementals.

Original story
Itching for more stuff to play? Well, the Steam Game Festival is coming back on 18 March 2020 at 10am PDT (19 March 2020 at 1am GMT+8 in Southeast Asia) with dozens of free demos to try.
Announced by Geoff Keighley on Twitter, the Steam Games Festival: Spring Edition will feature more than 40 titles and highlights games which couldn’t be demoed at live at this year’s GDC (since it was “postponed” due to Covid-19). It will run until 23 March 2020 at 10am PDT (so 24 March 2020 at 1am GMT+8).

Surprise! @thegamefestival returns tomorrow to @Steam  with 40+ new games you can play at home, which were originally set for GDC. This is the Spring edition of @thegamefestival pic.twitter.com/lD7LE509Ge
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) March 17, 2020

There’s no list of titles yet, but more stuff to play during the movement restriction is a good thing. Let’s hope there’ll be a Steam Spring sale next.


Razer Pay Launches In Malaysia; Pay For Your Stuff With Specialized E-Wallet

With all this cryptocurrency and e-wallet nonsense cropping up since earlier this year, it’s no surprise that Razer plans to branch out to this pathway. The CEO Min-Liang Tan talked about it earlier on and wanted to make Singapore a cashless society.
In any case, during a Malaysian press conference today, Razer has launched its Razer Pay e-wallet here in Malaysia, which means you can start topping it up with real money effective immediately. This project was made possible thanks to a partnership between the green-and-black-laden peripheral company and Berjaya Corporation Berhad.

In a nutshell:

Razer Pay is an e-wallet designed for millennials. They can top it up easily, transfer money quickly, and pay everywhere.
You can add funds to your Razer Pay account by getting a top-up PIN from 7-Eleven stores.
You can also use your bank account to top it up. Take note that the following banks participating in this e-wallet plan are: CIMB, AmBank, Bank Islam, Hong Leong Bank, Maybank, Public Bank, RHB Bank.Â
You can also top up your mobile account via Razer Pay for top telcos like uMobile, Digi, Maxis, and Celcom.Â
Most importantly, you can use your Razer Pay for online transactions involving games. You can buy PIN codes from the following services: zGold MOLPoints, Steam Wallet, Garena, Sony PlayStation, Spotify, iflix, Astro NJOI.
Razer Pay allows you to transfer funds to family and friends via a peer-to-peer cash transfer in a few steps.Â
Razer Pay is accepted at over 6,000 retail outlets & F&B spots like 7-Eleven, Starbucks, Singer, Cosway, Wendy’s, Kenny Rogers, Krispy Kreme, and 99 Speedmart.Â
From 4 July to 30 August 2018, Berjaya plans to donate RM10 to the Tabung Harapan Malaysia fund (to reduce the country’s national debt caused by the previous Malaysian regime) with each first use of the Razer Pay wallet at participating Berjaya outlets. These include 7-Eleven, Starbucks, Singer, Cosway, Greyhound Cafe,Wendy’s, Kenny Rogers, and Krispy Kreme.
Right now from 4 July to 30 September, Razer Pay users in Malaysia will get RM10 bonus credit when they sign up. You can do that by going to the iOS App Store or Google Play Store now.

The elephant in the room is: will Razer Pay be out in other countries? According to Razer and Min-Liang Tan during the Malaysian press conference, there are plans but no timeline set at the moment, but the company plans to be aggressive in regards to this.Â Stay tuned to Kakuchopurei.com for more developments.


Ragnarok X Next Generation Launches In SEA

Ragnarok X Next Generation, the faithful adaptation of the historic MMORPG franchise, has officially launched in nine countries within the SEA region, with pre-registration reaching three million right before the launch. Ragnarok X Next Generation is a brand-new, officially licensed adaptation of the original classic, allowing players to once again relive their blissful days in the land of Midgard with their friends, just like the game’s slogan goes, “Together, We ROX!”

New and Nostalgic, All In One!

As an officially licensed Ragnarok franchise, Ragnarok X Next Generation brings back all the parts of Ragnarok Online that you loved – the original classes, the charming monsters, even the familiar cities and locations – and faithfully recreates them inch-by-inch with stunning modern graphics, along with a free 3D camera to allow players to admire the scenery. From the Porings and Lunatics roaming the fields outside Prontera to the zombies of Payon Dungeon, nothing is different but everything has changed.Â
Keep up with your friends through various social features, from the Friends list, the Guild system, and even the Marriage system. Create parties and guilds to take on challenging bosses in dungeons, or compete with friends in Guildwars, or receive huge bonuses for you and your Marriage partner. Want to take a break and just relax together? Check out the new Amusement Park area, located near the South Gate. Jump on merry-go-rounds, roller-coasters, and ferry wheels, then take a group picture with the gameâ€™s camera feature. Everything’s better when there’s someone by your side.
Multiple Upcoming Events with Endless Rewards

To celebrate the launch of Ragnarok X Next Generation in SEA, Nuverse is introducing tons of exciting new events to take place in the coming weeks.Â

[Landmark Lighting]: players from each country can collaborate by completing missions to â€˜light upâ€™ their countryâ€™s landmarks and earn exclusive rewards worth 150k crystals.Â
[King of MVP]: players can win a special title Glorious Legend by earning points during MVP or Miniboss fights based on their performance.Â
[Glory Pass]: as a special treat for players in SEA, there is also an awesome Motorbike Mount which players can earn by completing daily missions in their Glory Pass. Doing so will earn then rewards like gift boxes, items, and EXP, with the Motorbike Mount and the accompanying biker suit as the final prize.Â

Ragnarok X Next Generation also specially prepared three time-limited Southeast Asian-themed items for players to acquire, including an Plai Kaew Elephant mount, a Kinnaree Crown, and a Nusantara Mask, which are only available in SEA. Players can follow the details found within their version of the game to acquire these prizes.
A Global Community! Ragnarok X: Next Generation Ambassador Program

On the day of its official launch in SEA, Ragnarok X Next Generation released a dedicated promotion video that features ordinary RO players reminiscing about their cherished memories with the game. The Ragnarok X Next Generation Ambassador Program aims to recognize the gameâ€™s immensely diverse fanbase, as well as the precious significance Ragnarok Online has for its followers.Â
As part of the Ambassador Program, more celebrities from each SEA country are joining the event through social media, all of whom are true fans of the RO series, including famous model and actress Christine Samson, and popular singer Carlyn Ocampo from the Philippines. Follow the official fan page (Link) so that you won’t miss any additional information.

Whether youâ€™re a grizzled veteran or a fresh-faced novice, now is the time to write your legend anew in Ragnarok X Next Generation, available now on both the App Store (Link) and Google Play Store (Link). Join thousands of players from around the world in Midgard, and forge the lifelong memories that await you in this familiar new world.


Nintendo & DeNA Join Forces To Launch Joint Venture Company

Nintendo has announced that they are establishing a new joint venture company with mobile games company DeNA, which will launch on 3 April 2023.
For those unfamiliar, DeNA co-developed and handles the service infrastructure and Nintendo Account integration for various Nintendo titles available on mobile platforms like iOS and Android, including Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, Animal Crossing Pocket Camp, and Mario Kart Tour.
According to the press release, the objective of the new joint venture company is to strengthen the digitalization of Nintendo’s business, as well as research, develop, and create “value-added services” to further reinforce Nintendo’s relationship with consumers.
What this means is that Nintendo might be investing in more mobile titles in the future, which means that we might be getting more mobile Nintendo titles.


You Can Score A PS5 By Buying & Eating Burger King’s Pepper King Set Meal

After a bunch of teases, PlayStation and Burger King Malaysia are teaming up to gift a lucky winner a brand-new PlayStation 5. They’ll be hosting this contest from 22nd January until 25th February; a PS5 will be given to a lucky winner per week.
Here’s how you can do it if you’re keen on snagging one for free and relying on the luck of the draw:

Buy a large “Pepper King” set from Burger King.
Upload a picture of yourself with the meal on Facebook or Instagram. Mention which PS5 game you’re looking forward to play in the post’s captions.
Make sure to add in the #BurgerKingPepperKing hashtag onto the same post.
Write your full name and contact number on your receipt and snap a photo of it.
Scan the QR code (below). Or visit tinyurl.com/bkmps5
Fill up your details on the Google form, as well as upload your receipt. Then submit that sumbitch!

Winners will be chosen at random, so best of luck to you if you’re planning on doing this. You can get more info about this on Burger King Malaysia’s Facebook page.


Subverse, The Erotic Mass Effect Sci-Fi Game We Secretly Want, Is Coming Out Next Month

Subverse, an upcoming Kickstarter sci-fi RPG featuring interspecies and interracial space erotica, finally has a release date.
The game will be out on 26th March, 2021. The game will be out on PC via Steam’s Early Access program, with pricing and platform distribution news to follow suit. For those who aren’t sure how the gameplay will be like, it’ll have a mix of 2D shmup combat (in a spaceship) and top-down RPG combat (with your crewmates and waifus).

The biggest selling point of the game is the onslaught of erotica you’ll be bombarded with; we can’t show them here, unfortunately. But we can show you this new game poster to give you a taste of how titillating the final game can get.


New Mortal Kombat Legends Animated Movie Focuses On Cool Blind Swordsman Kenshi

When you mention Mortal Kombat, you remember Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Johnny Cage more than other characters. While MK character Kenshi is not as popular, he is one of the bigger badasses in the MK mythos, so it’s great to know that Warner Bros. is putting the spotlight on him.
Warner Bros. has announced a new Mortal Kombat Legends animated movie subtitle Snow Blind, which is about the blind swordsman Kenshi and his older sensei Sub-Zero in a future ravaged by King Kano and Shang Tsung. The show also details how Kenshi lost his sight and how he learns to fight while wielding a special sword he found in a dark cave, as well as shed light on what timeline in the MK universe this is in.
There’s no violence or gore in the trailer below, but if it’s anything like the past films, expect the red to be cranked up to eleven. No release date has been announced yet, so at the very least go and appreciate the art style on display.

The two Mortal Kombat Legends movies, Scorpion’s Revenge and Battle of the Realms, are well-animated and feature a ton of action and gore, but it’s pretty cramped with plot developments. The latter film has too much going on and is thus an unfocused mess. Still, both of them are better than the recent live-action MK film starring some OC named Cole.


CD Projekt Red Confirms Cyberpunk 2077 Multiplayer

CD Projekt Red has previously teased and skirted around the possibility of multiplayer in their highly-anticipated upcomingÂ  RPG, Cyberpunk 2077. Now we know that it will eventually be coming to the game, according to a tweet by the developer’s official Twitter account earlier today.
The Polish developer plans to first release Cyberpunk 2077 on 16 April 2020 as intended, followed by free DLC updates and single-player content. It is stated that only after all that is done will multiplayer finally arrive in the game at an unspecified release date/window.

2/2 The plan for now is to deliver Cyberpunk 2077 in April, then follow up with DLCs (free!) and single player content, and â€” once weâ€™re done â€” invite you for some multiplayer action.
â€” CD PROJEKT RED (@CDPROJEKTRED) September 4, 2019
Due to the vague nature of the tweet and the fact that all of the titles in The Witcher franchise featured no multiplayer at all, we have no idea what to expect from Cyberpunk 2077‘s multiplayer. It could likely come in the form of typical first-person shooter modes like solo/team deathmatch, capture the flag or even a battle royale free-for-all.
April 2020 is still more than half a year away, so perhaps we’ll learn about Cyberpunk 2077′s multiplayer closer to the game’s release date. In the meantime, re-watch the recently-released Cyberpunk 2077 deep-dive gameplay video.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FknHjl7eQ6o&w=560&h=315]


[Report] New Crash Bandicoot Game Is In The Works

Remember that recently-released intricate PlayStation advertisement featuring all those popular game characters like God Of War‘s Kratos and Crash Bandicoot? Many are speculating that Crash’s appearance in that ad alludes to the alleged existence of a new game called Crash Bandicoot Worlds, which is reportedly in development by Vicarious Visions and Toys For Bob.
In PlayStation’s “It’s Time” commercial ad, a glimpse of a strange never-before-seen floating mask can be seen chasing Crash and Coco beginning from the 11-minute mark. We know of other floating mask characters like Aku Aku and Uka Uka, so rumours are spreading that this could be a mysterious new one from a new but unannounced Crash Bandicoot game.

Adding fuel to the flame, Toys For Bob character artist Nicholas Kole acknowledged the mysterious new mask above in a tweet that only contained the thinking emoji.

ðŸ¤” https://t.co/tB9R2cSqGi
â€” Saint Nicholas Ko-hoHo-le (@FromHappyRock) November 4, 2019
In addition, people claimed to have seen new PlayStation ads in the UK featuring a new and improved design for Crash Bandicoot, leading many to assume that this will be his default character model for the rumoured Crash Bandicoot Worlds game.

ðŸ‘€ðŸ‘€ðŸ‘€ðŸ‘€ðŸ‘€ðŸ‘€ðŸ‘€ pic.twitter.com/4Cso2UHk4r
â€” jumpbuttoncb (@jumpbuttoncb) November 14, 2019

According to Spiel Times and NintendoSoup journalist @New_WabiSabi, a source from inside Activision has seemingly confirmed that a new Crash Bandicoot game is indeed in development, though it’s not necessarily the same rumoured Crash Bandicoot Worlds game.

Heard from a good Acti connection that Activision does have a new Crash game coming. And no, not specifically that 4chan leak that included World. Canâ€™t deconfirm World, just know thatâ€™s not what Iâ€™m talking about. Vicarious seems to be it, but canâ€™t be 100% on that part.
â€” Sabi (@New_WabiSabi) November 20, 2019
It’s possible that the new Crash Bandicoot game will be officially announced at the upcoming The Game Awards 2019, which will take place on 12 December 2019, just like Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled was initially announced at The Game Awards 2018 last year.
Otherwise, it could also potentially be a launch title for the PS5 or Xbox Scarlett next year in 2020. In the meantime, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei.


Selamat Hari Raya & Eid Mubarak, Everybody!

As the headline states, we would like to wish all our Muslim readers and viewers Selamat Hari Raya & Eid Mubarak. We’ll be taking a short breather in the next few days -unless some ground-breaking news pops up. But we’ll be back in the full swing of things this Wednesday 27th May.
In the meantime, here are our Hari Raya-related contributions for you to watch & entertain yourself with. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and leave your comments & requests on the vids!
Best Muslim Characters In Games

Best Raya Party Games To Play (Even During COVID-19 MCO)

Indonesia’s Video Game Development Scene In 2020

Malaysian-Made Animated Shows To Watch During Raya


Tenet Gets Delayed Yet Again

Earlier this month, Warner Bros. delayed the release date for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet to 31 July (or 30 July here in Malaysia). Now the latest circumstances have caused the studio to delay the movie yet again, this time to 12 August 2020.
This decision comes after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that movie theatres in his state would not be opening just yet. The exclusion of cinemas in New York City and Los Angeles (two of the country’s biggest movie markets) will mean a lot less revenue for Warner Bros.
In an official statement to Variety, Warner Bros. said:

â€œWarner Bros. is committed to bringing â€˜Tenetâ€™ to audiences in theaters, on the big screen, when exhibitors are ready and public health officials say itâ€™s time.
In this moment what we need to be is flexible, and we are not treating this as a traditional movie release.
We are choosing to open the movie mid-week to allow audiences to discover the film in their own time, and we plan to play longer, over an extended play period far beyond the norm, to develop a very different yet successful release strategy.â€

Now that Tenet has been delayed, Disney’s Mulan will be the first blockbuster movie release since the industry went into lockdown in March 2020. Malaysian cinemas are already confirmed to reopen on 1 July 2020, with movies like Digimon Adventure Last Evolution Kizuna releasing on the same day.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3pk_TBkihU&w=560&h=315]


Swordship Gets New Developer Commentary Video

The upcoming 2D dodge-em-up game Swordship is reminiscent of a 2D shmup, but you don’t fire bullets. Rather, you dodge things and obstacles coming at you and from all sides as you’re speeding in your titular Swordship on the sea.
Developer Digital Kingdom and publisher Thunderful has unleashed a developer commentary video talking about the game’s key features and mechanics.
According to SwordshipGame Designer Sandro, and Lead Artist Ben, from Digital Kingdom, they wanted to explore the fast-paced chase characteristics of action franchises such as Fast & Furious and James Bond. The key element in Swordship is that there are no offensive weapons. Players must use their streamlined abilities, tactics and elements around them to zig-zag, dodge and weave in and out of explosions, turning enemies’ attacks against them, and causing collisions at the last second.
In terms of game design, Digital Kingdom decided to work with a reversed camera angle which allows players to feel the chase and always be in the action. The roguelike structure of Swordship allows many elements to interact with each other, giving a fresh aspect of discovering new things on each new run.

Sounds like the “anti-shmup” we need in our lives. I always felt my dodging in the 2D space needed some work, which means Swordship could be the practice tool I need. Swordship will be slipstreaming its way on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC this 5th December; it’ll be out on Xbox on 6th December.


Harvestella: What You Need To Know About Square Enix’s Life Sim RPG

Harvestella was originally announced in June 2022. According to Square Enix, it is a life simulation RPG that lets you enjoy daily life, socializing and adventuring. It is slated to release for PC via Steam and the Nintendo Switch on 4 November 2022.
In daily life, you can spend a relaxing day farming, fishing, or raising livestock, before heading to town to socialize and build your relationships with residents. If you want to test your combat skills, you can step into a dungeon to take on hordes of monsters with a variety of weapons and jobs.
Whatever you do, time passes through the seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. But between each one is a fifth season: Quietus! During this time, crops wither and die, and a deadly dust keeps people trapped indoors. You’ll need to plan around the changing seasons and the grim inevitability of Quietus, as you attempt to solve the mysteries behind this season of death.
The game takes place on a planet where four giant crystals, known as the Seaslight, govern the seasons. All life receives their blessings. One day, the Seaslight start behaving abnormally. Quietus begins to visit in the interim between seasons – and quickly establishes itself as the season of death. The Seaslight glow with a strange light, emitting a dust formed of light that threatens all it touches – crops die, and people are trapped inside.
During one particular Quietus, your character – a traveler – collapses in an isolated village. You meet a girl called Aria, who claims to have come from the future and is researching the mysteries of this new, unwelcome season. Thus you and she take the first step on a journey that will reveal the very truth of the world.
The Characters
As you live your life in this troubled world, you’ll interact with some fascinating people. Let’s meet a few.
The Protagonist

Occupation: Traveler

This is who you control – you can choose your gender / appearance at the start of the game.
You were saved by the village doctor after collapsing during Quietus and have lived near the village ever since.

Aria

Occupation: Scientist

This girl who has traveled to the past, due to some kind of accident.
She ends up living in your home, while she searches for a way to return to her own time and delves into the mysteries of Quietus.

Asyl

Occupation: Argus Brigade

This young man lives in a town near the Spring Seaslight. He grew up in the town orphanage, and now is part of the Argus Brigade.
Thanks to his straightforward and honest personality, the townspeople place their trust in him.

Shrika

Occupation: Missionary

Shrika’s a missionary of the Seaslight Order – as the name implies, they worship the Seaslight.
She fights with blades of light that fly through the air, and travels from place to place, resolving various incidents.

Daily life: Farming
Next, we’ll showcase some of the activities you can engage with, including farming. You can grow vegetables, grains, and fruit in your fields – your specific options will largely depend on the season.
Your first step is to plant your crops.

Tend to them and soon they’ll be ready to harvest!

Once you’ve harvested your crops, you use the shipping box to send them off and earn money. Alternatively, you could keep a few to use as ingredients in cooking.

Speaking of cooking…

Daily life: Cooking and crafting
At home, you can craft and cook to help you on your adventures.

The food you cook can give you lots of benefits, including restoring HP. Some recipes even grant you status boosts. Plus they look delicious!

You can also craft items that will help you when exploring the dangerous dungeons.

Daily Life: Special Spring Produce
Farming is one of many Daily Life activities you can do in HARVESTELLA. By planting crops and tending to them diligently, you’ll be able to harvest them to either sell or use yourself in crafting and cooking.
Spring crops
Some produce can be harvested all year round, but some kinds of fruit and vegetables can only be grown during a specific season. Here’s a glimpse at some Spring crops you can cultivate:

Nemean Tomato.

Wisty Peach.

Cucumble.

Strawbuddy.
Spring Cuisine
These crops can be used as ingredients in mouthwatering meals. Here’s a look at just some of them – apologies if this gets your stomachs rumbling!

Nemea Bolognese.

Peach Rose Mousse,

Zucchini and mince sandwiches.

Strawberry Shortcake.
Of course, there are many more types of special spring produce you can grow, and plenty more meals to make. But to publish more pictures of food would just be cruel, so we’ll let you discover them for yourselves.

Daily life: Fishing
Fishing is another way to happily wile away the hours in HARVESTELLA. You’ll be able to do it when you obtain a fishing rod.

Find a fishing point, and you can cast your line and catch some fish. Just as with crops grown on your farm, you can ship fish for money, or keep them to use in cooking.

What you can catch depends on your location and other conditions. Perhaps you may even catch something other than a fish…

You can even upgrade your fishing rod, which will let you catch even rarer fish!

Daily Life: Shipping

You can earn money in HARVESTELLA by shipping fruit and vegetables that you harvest from your fields.

You can use machines that you’ve crafted to create processed goods, which ship for an even higher price.
Socializing
It’s fun to live your best life on your own, but everyone benefits from a few friends. You can earn useful rewards by clearing quests given to you by townsfolk, including money and items.

As you complete character stories, you’ll become closer to residents of the town.

Adventure: Overworld
In the overworld, you’ll find numerous towns and dungeons, which all vibrantly depict the four seasons. You’ll meet fascinating new characters in towns, and fearsome enemies in dungeons.

You can explore more than the land – get your hands on a submarine and you can explore some parts of the ocean. What secrets lie within the waters?

The Town of Spring: Nemea

Welcome to Nemea!

In this beautiful town, the flowers bloom all year round due to the influence of the nearby Spring Seaslight.

Once night falls, the town shows a different side.

Cherry blossoms dance against the night sky in a dreamlike display.

Despite its beauty, there is trouble in the town of Nemea. A giant egg has appeared on the Spring Seaslight – one of the giant crystals that governs the seasons. Ever since, unfamiliar monsters have been flying into town and attacking the residents.

When you visit Nemea, you become involved with the investigation of the Seaslight, alongside Asyl – a member of the Argus Brigade that protects the town.

You can see the Spring Seaslight from the observation deck in Nemea.

Your group sets out to investigate the Seaslight…

… but what will you find waiting for you there?

Resident of Nemea: Istina
Next, we’ll introduce you to one of the memorable characters you’ll meet in this blooming place: Istina.

Istina is a teacher who lives together with the children at the town’s orphanage.

She’s intellectual, quiet, and rarely displays her emotions openly. She enjoys reading about different places in the world and often reads aloud to the children.

This is how she spends her days and she’s beloved by the townspeople. However, it’s said that she only arrived in Nemea a few years ago.

Upon meeting the protagonist, she must confront the past that she’s kept hidden…

Adventure: Jobs
Parts of HARVESTELLA’s world are dangerous, full of monsters who want nothing more than to give you an early retirement.

You and your party can overcome battles by using joint attacks and switching instantly between a wide variety of different Jobs. Hit an enemy’s weakness and you’ll do massive damage!

You’ll have access to a wide variety of Jobs – these determine what actions are available to you in battle. Each Job has a unique weapon and characteristic skills.
For example, the Fighter is a physical attacker who can unleash swift sword techniques. The Job lets you handle multiple enemies at once by using both single target and ranged attack skills!

The Shadow Walker Job lets you deal mortal damage with twin blades. What’s more, you can enhance your own attacks and deal impressive amounts of damage with hard-hitting skills.

Prefer to keep your distance? The Mage Job specializes at long-range magical attacks. Because Mages can utilize multiple elements, they’re able to deal huge amounts of damage by skillfully targeting enemy weaknesses.

When it comes to battle, you have access to multiple jobs, which define the weapon and abilities you can use in combat.
Check out the Sky Lancer:

This job uses a spear and excels at physical attacks with wind attributes. Because it learns many wide-range skills that take advantage of the spear’s reach, the Sky Lancer is very useful when facing multiple enemies!

When you recruit a character who has a certain job, the protagonist will also be able to use that job! In the screenshot above, you can see how working with Asyl has unlocked the Sky Lancer for use.

Socializing: Character Stories

Characters that can join you in battle as allies and other important characters each has their own Character Story.

These stories focus on the problems that each character faces.

As you progress through a Character Story, learning more about each character’s thoughts and feelings, your closeness to them will increase. This grants a range of benefits in combat, and you may even receive rewards!


Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Gets Official Fall 2023 Release Window

Insomniac Games has announced that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will launch exclusively for the PS5 sometime in fall 2023, which is a period of time from 23 September 2023 to 22 December 2023. What this means is that the game is likely less than a year away from officially releasing.
Creative director Bryan Intihar said:
“What a year it’s been for PlayStation Studios; here at Insomniac Games we’ve been in absolute awe of the work of our peers. Congrats to everyone on a successful 2022… and here’s to next year being just as exciting as we continue to get Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 ready for release next fall.”
Much of the development team that brought you Marvel’s Spider-Man is returning to produce Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, including Bryan Intihar (creative director) and Ryan Smith (game director). Tony Todd (of Candyman fame) will be voicing the symbiote-fueled Venom in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Yuri Lowenthal and Nadji Jeter will reprise their roles as Peter and Miles respectively.


Resident Evil 3 Remake Sales Surpass Two Million In First Five Days

The Resident Evil 3 Remake launched earlier this month on 3 April 2020, and while it wasn’t as good as its predecessor (2019’s Resident Evil 2 Remake), it’s still a pretty decent game in its own right.
Capcom has revealed that the sales for Resident Evil 3 Remake have managed to exceed a whopping two million copies only five days after launch.
What makes the milestone even more impressive is that digital versions of the game account for almost 50 percent of total sales, which Capcom attributes to its “digital sales strategy”. This “strategy” included the pre-launch release of the Raccoon City Demo for Resident Evil 3 Remake and an open beta test for Resident Evil Resistance (which was actually delayed).
Capcom has also announced that the sales for Resident Evil 2 Remake have managed to reach 6.5 million units. For context, this game was only released a little bit more than a year ago in January 2019. All of this bodes well for the future of the Resident Evil franchise.
Even so, do we really need a Resident Evil 4 Remake (which is reportedly in the works)? Well, fans and gamers alike will keep debating that rumour until Capcom eventually confirms or denies it, and then continue on until the end of time.


Velaster Is A New Metroidvania Side-Scroller From An Indie With Only Four People

Velaster is a new 2.5D side-scrolling Metroidvania action combat game from South Korean indie developer Engineer, an indie studio consisting of only four people. The game is powered using the Unity HDRP Engine.
In Velaster, there will be three characters or classes to choose from, each of which has different attack methods, skills, and combos. They include Knights who use swords and shields, Dual Swords who use twin swords with acrobatic movements, and Hammers who wields a heavy hammer.

In addition, the game features lots of difficult bosses for players to defeat. The game is set in a place called Middle-earth or Malum, where angels, demons, and humans co-exist.

Velaster is slated to launch for PC, PS4 and Xbox One. The demo is currently available to download and play on Steam. You can also support the game on its official Kickstarter page, which recently launched.

In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Sony’s Game Division Doing Great; PS5 Not Out Before April 2020

Sony has just published its official financial report on its last fiscal year, which ran from April 2018 to March 2019. The company is reporting its best-ever fiscal year with record-breaking operating profits and net profits in its seven-decade-long history.
According to the report (which was posted on ResetEra by user ArmGunar), the top five (5) biggest profit drivers for Sony were:

Game & Network Services : Â¥311.1bn / $2.81B (34.8%)
Music : Â¥232.5bn / $2.10B (26%)
Financial Services : Â¥161.5bn / $1.46B (18.1%)
Semiconductors : Â¥143.9bn / $1.30 (16.1%)
Home Entertainment & Sound : Â¥89.7bn / $0.810B (10%)

It just goes to prove how far gaming has come that Sony’s games and network services division (which includes PlayStation) is now its most profitable, accounting for a whopping 26.7% of total sales/revenue and 34.8% of total operating profit.
Latest PS4 Sales Numbers
Other interesting pieces of information that can be gleaned from Sony’s fiscal year report include:

17.8 million PS4 units shipped between April 2018 and March 2019
A lifetime total of 96.8 million PS4 units shipped (as of March 2019)
A total of 36.4 million PS Plus subscribers (as of March 2019)

Sony’s Plans For The Next Fiscal Year
However, Sony is predicting a decreased operating profit for the next fiscal year, which will from April 2019 to March 2020. Here are several reasons why:

Increase in development expenses for the next generation console (Sony is gearing up for the PS5)
Decrease in contribution from highly-profitable first-party software titles (Days Gone is the only confirmed 2019 first-party AAA title so far)

PS5 Release Window
Last but not least, Sony’s fiscal year report also confirmed that the PS5 (or whatever the next-gen PlayStation console will be named) will not launch during the current fiscal year, referring to the period between April 2019 and March 2020.
That means the earliest possible release date for the PS5 would have to be from April 2020 onwards. A more realistic prediction would be near the end of the year, during 2020’s holiday season. In the meantime, check out our report for more details on the PS5 itself here, or the rumoured PS5 launch titles and price here.


Baldur’s Gate 3 Launches In August 2023

During The Game Awards 2022, Larian Studios announced that Baldur’s Gate 3 will launch and leave Early Access in August 2023.
Baldur’s Gate 3 originally entered Steam Early Access in October 2020.
Check out the trailer below:


The Japanese National Football Team Jersey Gets A One Piece Makeover

The Japanese national football team has collaborated with the One Piece anime for special jerseys. You can reserve your own by heading over here.

Check them out below:

Japan National Soccer Team 2020 Home Replica Uniform “ONE PIECE” Luffy Limited Print
A uniform printed with the graphic of Monkey D. Luffy, the captain of the “Straw Hat Pirates”, the main character of the anime “ONE PIECE”.Â His personality is optimistic and free-spirited, but he considers his companions to be an irreplaceable treasure.Â Luffy’s birthday, which attracts many people and is trusted by his friends, is May 5, and his uniform number is 55.
Expanded size: XS-2XO | Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 16,500 yen (tax included).

Japan National Soccer Team 2020 Home Replica Uniform “ONE PIECE” Zoro Limited Print
A uniform printed with the graphic of Roronoa Zoro, a combatant of the “Straw Hat Pirates”. Zoro has boss skin and is stubborn, and is willing to stretch his body for his friends. In honour of Zoro’s birthday, November 11th, which is a pillar of the crew that complements Captain Luffy in the shadow, his number is changed to 11. Expanded size: XS-2XO | Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 16,500 yen (tax included)

Japan National Soccer Team 2020 Home Replica Uniform “ONE PIECE” Nami Limited Print
“Straw Hat Pirates” navigator, Nami’s graphic printed uniform.Â A crew of navigators who guide ships with a wealth of knowledge about voyages and natural talents who read the weather.Â The uniform number is 73, which is associated with Nami’s birthday on July 3rd.
Expanded size: XS-2XO | Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 16,500 yen (tax included)

Japan National Soccer Team 2020 Home Replica Uniform “ONE PIECE” Usopp Limited Print
“Straw Hat Pirates” sniper, Usopp graphic printed uniform.Â Although his personality is timid and negative, he is a mood maker who fights with courage even though he seems to be discouraged many times due to dangerous adventures and encounters with strong enemies.Â Usopp’s birthday, April 1st, has a uniform number of 41.
Expanded size: XS-2XO | Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 16,500 yen (tax included)

Japan National Soccer Team 2020 Home Replica Uniform”ONE PIECE” Sanji Limited Print
“Straw Hat Pirates” cook, Sanji’s graphic printed uniform.Â A sea cook who has a bad mouth but a top-notch cooking skill.Â Sanji’s birthday, March 2nd, is the number 32, as he is upset and his ideas and actions often save the gang’s pinch.
Expanded size: XS-2XO | Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 16,500 yen (tax included)

Soccer Japan National Team 2020 Home Replica Uniform”ONE PIECE” Chopper Limited Print
A uniform printed with the graphic of Tony Tony Chopper, a ship doctor of “Straw Hat Pirates”.Â A blue-nosed reindeer that has gained human abilities by eating human fruit.Â Chopper’s birthday, December 24th, is the number 24, which is an important force of the crew, who is a hard worker who tries to fight bravely even if he is scared and can fight flexibly according to the battlefield.
Expanded size: XS-2XO | Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 16,500 yen (tax included)

Japan National Football Team 2020 Home Replica Uniform”ONE PIECE” Low Limited Print
Uniform printed with the graphic of Trafalgar Law, the captain of the “Pirate of the Heart”.Â A superhuman Devil Fruit who can freely remodel the human body.Â In connection with Rho’s birthday, October 6th, who is a reliable member of the Straw Hat Pirates to defeat his nemesis, his uniform number is 6.
Expanded size: XS-2XO | Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 16,500 yen (tax included)

Japan National Soccer Team 2020 Home Replica Uniform “ONE PIECE” Sabo Limited Print
A uniform printed with the graphic of Sabo, who is the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army.Â The main character, Luffy, is a brother-in-law who exchanged a cup of brothers when he was a child, and he always cares for and supports his brother Luffy.
The uniform number is 20th, which is associated with Sabo’s birthday, March 20th.
Expanded size: XS-2XO | Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 16,500 yen (tax included)


Titanfall 2 Is Free To Play This Weekend

Good news, fans of first-person shooters. One of Respawn and EA’s best games is now available for free!
At least, for this weekend. Titanfall 2 is free on the Steam PC platform from now until 4th May 1am GMT+8. Download the game here.
It’s basically the perfect time to find out what the fuss is about. After all, the currently popular battle royale game Apex Legends is set in the Titanfall universe, with Titanfall and Titanfall 2 being prequels of sorts before the game.
We highly recommend it: it features a gripping single-player campaign, a good multiplayer time featuring team-based deathmatch and points-scrambling featuring pilots and Titan gameplay, and awesome controls and shooting that’s clearly created by folks who have done first-person shooters. Plus, KKP’s head honcho Kenn Leandre can’t shut the f*** up about it, and he loves his shooters.


When Will Genshin Impact Unlock All Of Its 7 Regions?

Genshin Impact players have Liyue, Mondstadt, and Inazuma to explore right now in the fantasy land of Teyvat. So how about the other four regions? Well, we have a rough timeline on when they will all be out.
During a Game Developer Conference 2021 talk (via DualShockers), Mihoyo CEO Cai Haoyu said the company will release all seven regions of Teyvat in the next four years. If all goes according to plan, Genshin Impact will have all 7 regions out by 2025.
Here are the regions revealed:

Mondstadt
Liyue
Inazuma
Sumeru (Desert region)
Fontaine (High-rise rich kingdom)
Natlan (Fire region)
Sznezhnaya (Fatui region)

Sumeru and theÂ Dendro (Wood/Poison) element are planned for 2022. Fontaine is coming in 2023. Natlan in 2024, and Snezhnaya in 2025. Even with all the regions out, Genshin Impact will still remain online for god-knows-how-long. It’s clear that Mihoyo is in this online anime RPG business for the long haul.


Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Will Have Rollback Netcode

The remastered Persona 4 Arena Ultimax featuring characters from Persona 3 & Persona 4 will feature rollback netcode for its online competitive play in its final release.
In a video tweeted by ATLUSâ€™ official account, Kazuhisa Wada shared a message regarding the inclusion of rollback netcode for the remastered version of Persona 4 Arena. In the tweet, he went on to say the following:

Hello, this is Kazuhisa Wada, the producer of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. Thank you, everyone, for supporting Persona 4 Arena Ultimax.
Itâ€™s been almost 10 years since the original Persona 4 Arena was released for PlayStation 3
When we announced the new ports, we were amazed and absolutely thrilled by your response. We were particularly happy to see all the warm comments from fans who have played Persona 4 Arena Ultimax in the past.
Now, regarding rollback netcode, weâ€™re planning on releasing this feature in summer this year, so please look forward to it. We canâ€™t wait to see everyone having fun playing against each other.
We hope for your continued support for Persona 4 Arena Ultimax.
Until next time!

This is definitely good news for players who want to take the game to competitive heights and would rather do it online.Â Persona 4 Arena Ultimax will launch on 17 March this year and will be available for PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam.


Lost Judgment Might Be The Last Entry In Series

Japanese site Nikkan Taishu reported that the sequel to action-adventure title Judgment, Lost Judgment, might be the last game in the series.
Why stop while the iron is still hot though? This is due to behind-the-scenes disagreements between Sega and the talent agency of actor Takuya Kimura, who voices and portrays the game’s main character Takayuki Yagami. Sega wants to publish a PC Steam version of the game after much demand from the public. The agency, Johnny’s, does not want that. This is in spite of there being a PC port of the first Judgment.
The talent agency has strict policies in place and will not okay the release of the game on PC, despite Sega arguing that a PC port is vital from a business point of view. Johnny’s believe that releasing a game online through a PC platform could be problematic for their business model. The talent agency is known to be internet shy, going so far as to refuse photos of its talents from press conferences to be published online. The agency also kept all of its artists from using social media.
With Takuya Kimura being one of the agency’s biggest stars, having him appear on an open platform like the PC means that the agency is giving up control over its star in a sense.
That’s a shame, because Kimura is a gamer himself and really loves the role of his character in Judgment. Let’s hope this gets resolved because this game series is definitely showing some legs and longevity.


eFootball PES 2020 Is Officially Getting The Italian Series B

Konami continues to support eFootball PES 2020 by adding more and more official licenses. The latest addition is the Italian Serie B, which will be introduced in the upcoming Data Pack 2.0 update.
This comes after eFootball PES 2020 already having the license to Juventus and the Italian Serie A, and now the second-highest division in Italian football joins the fray, in what is surely another blow to rival EA’s FIFA 20.

It’s Official… the Italian @Lega_B is coming to #eFootballPES2020 licensed in Data Pack 2.0! ðŸ‡®ðŸ‡¹
More information: https://t.co/o7FX99VZjh pic.twitter.com/ySQlV5wjrS
â€” eFootball PES (@officialpes) October 9, 2019
In the meantime, check out our eFootball PES 2020 review here.


Help Fight For Racial Justice With This US$5 Gaming Bundle

If you’ve been donating for Black Lives Matter causes right now, that’s awesome. But if you want a bit of something something out of a donation,Â  you may want to check out this bundle.
Itch.io is hosting the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality. For just US$5, you get to download over 740 indie games and projects. Noteworthy titles include Night in the Woods, Oxenfree, Quadrilateral Cowboy, and Cook, Serve, Delicious!2.
That bundle is originally worth US$3,400, so it’s quite a steal and you’re helping your fellow person out overseas.Â All proceeds of this bundle will be donated to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Community Bail Fund, which will be split equally.
The offer will last until 16th June. At this time of writing, US$652,000 has been raised. So hop to it; US$5 for 700+ games is a pretty nifty deal especially since you’re helping out for a good cause.


Akira Toriyama’s Sand Land Is Getting A Video Game Adaptation

We found out a couple of months ago that the creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama is getting one of his manga series Sand Land adapted into a movie which is to be released later this year. But what we didn’t expect is that Bandai Namco is also adapting it into a game which was announced at Summer Game Fest.

Check out the last piece we did on Sandland

Sand Land is based on a manga created by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama and originally published from 22 May to 28 August 2000.
The Sand Land movie is the first in a “wide variety of content” as part of the Sand Land Project, which is being led by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
In case you don’t know, Sand Land is based in a desert world where both demons and humans suffer from an extreme water shortage, Beelzebub, the prince of demons, and Rao, a small-town sheriff, form a tag team and set off on an adventure in search of the Phantom Lake somewhere in the desert.
Besides the trailer itself, there’s no more information for the time being but when there is, be sure to tune in!


The Book Of Boba Fett Episode 3 Breakdown & Easter Eggs Explained

The third episode of The Book Of Boba FettÂ Season 1 is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. Iâ€™ll be discussing heavy spoilers so if you havenâ€™t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, nowâ€™s your chance to stop reading.
The Book Of Boba FettÂ finds legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand navigating the galaxyâ€™s underworld when they return to the sands of Tatooine to stake their claim on the territory once ruled by Jabba the Hutt and his crime syndicate.
It stars Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen. Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Robert Rodriguez, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson are the executive producers. Karen Gilchrist and Carrie Beck serve as co-executive producers, with John Bartnicki producing and John Hampian as co-producer. There will be seven episodes in the first season.
You can check out my previous breakdowns ofÂ The Book Of Boba Fett Episode 1Â and Episode 2 here.
In addition, you can check out my previous breakdowns ofÂ Marvelâ€™s What Ifâ€¦? Episode 1,Â Episode 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5,Â Episode 6,Â Episode 7,Â Episode 8Â andÂ Episode 9 here.
If you havenâ€™t, you can check out my previous breakdowns and easter egg articles forÂ WandaVisionÂ Episode 1 and 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5,Â Episode 6,Â Episode 7,Â Episode 8Â andÂ Episode 9.
ForÂ The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, you can check out my previous breakdowns forÂ Episode 1,Â Episode 2Â andÂ Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5Â andÂ Episode 6.
For previous breakdowns ofÂ LokiÂ episodes, check outÂ Episode 1 here,Â Episode 2 here,Â Episode 3 here,Â Episode 4 here,Â Episode 5 hereÂ andÂ Episode 6 here.

Another Flashback To Star Wars Episode II Attack Of The Clones

It looks like Boba is still haunted by his childhood back when he was living on planet Kamino. Did something happen to him, besides his father, Jango Fett, dying in front of him on the planet Geonosis?
The Pyke Syndicate Is In Control Of Mos Eisley

The Pyke Syndicate is in charge of Mos Eisley now. Remember in Episode 2 when Boba helped take down a spice train owned by the Pyke Syndicate? Yeah, and oh, Mos Eisley is significant for being the town where Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi met Han Solo and Chewbacca for the first time in Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope.
Boba Fett Vs Black Krrsantan

Black Krrsantan surprises Boba by attacking him as he’s waking up from his slumber inside the Bacta Tank. He almost gets killed by the black Wookie before the gang of droid-enhanced kids (from earlier in the episode) and his Gamorrean guards save him in the nick of time.
They finally manage to trap Black Krrsantan inside the Rancor trap (where there’s no Rancor anymore). It’s no surprise that Black Krrsantan is so powerful. In the comics, even Obi-Wan Kenobi barely wins against the creature.

The Hutt Twins Gift A Real Rancor To Boba Fett

I was disappointed when there was no real Rancor underneath the palace in Episode 2, so I’m happy when this happened. The Rancor is a giant monster that was used by Jabba The Hutt in Star Wars Episode VI Return Of The JediÂ to kill anyone that angered or annoyed him, including Twiâ€™lek dancers and Jedi Knights. However, Luke Skywalker slew the Rancor when he came to save Princess Leia and Han Solo from Jabba The Hutt.
The Mayor Has Already Promised Tatooine To Another Syndicate

The Hutt Twins reveal a shocking revelation, that they are leaving Tatooine because the mayor has already promised the planet to another syndicate.
However, it begs the question; what syndicate would be powerful enough to scare away the Hutts? Crimson Dawn? The Black Sun?
Danny Trejo’s Character Mentions Dathomir

Danny Trejo’s Rancor trainer character mentions the “witches from Dathomir”. Dathomir is actually the home planet of none other than the famous Darth Maul, who at this point in the Star Wars universe, would already be dead. You can even visit and explore the planet in the 2019 game Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order.
Who Is This Woman?

We meet this mysterious young woman in this episode, but is she really as inconsequential as just being a young delinquent in Mos Espa?
I still think that she might be Boba Fettâ€™s own daughter, Ailyn Vel. She looks a lot like Ailyn Vel, the daughter of Boba Fett and Sintas Vel. In what is now Star Wars Legends lore (previously the Star Wars Expanded Universe), Ailyn is a bounty hunter just like her father, but Boba was forced to leave her and her mother when she was just a baby.

She blamed her father for her motherâ€™s death, so she went hunting for Boba Fett to get revenge. The reason why Ailyn Vel is paler than her father is because of her mother, Sintas Vel, who is a non-human alien species (sheâ€™s a Kiffar from the planet Kifu).
However, we’ll have to wait and see if that’s true.
The Mayor Is Working With The Pyke Syndicate

The mayor’s majordomo has revealed that the mayor has been working with the Pyke Syndicate. They’re one of the major crime syndicates in the Star Wars universe, so it stands to reason that the Hutts would want to avoid war with them.
After this, we have only four episodes to go. Until next time, excelsior!


Tower Of Fantasy Rolls Out Patch 2.1 In Anticipation For The Game Awards

Publisher Level Infinite and developer Hotta Studio provided some of the first details on major updates and exciting new content coming to the 2.1 update Confounding Labyrinth of Tower of Fantasy.
Confounding Labyrinth arrives on 11 November and will introduce a brand-new map Confounding Abyss filled with menacing bosses, exciting challenges and the new simulacrum, the powerful Lin.
Confounding Abyss
As you enter the Confounding Abyss located just beneath Mirroria, you will explore the ruins of the Third City, which is filled with diverse terrain and endless obstacles. Venturing deeper will reveal encounters with dangerous lifeforms lurking within the area. These new and powerful enemies have mutated under the effects of the Confounding Abyss and will pose entirely new challenges. As always in Tower of Fantasy, if you survive, exclusive exploration rewards await.

New Simulacrum: Lin
As mentioned before, this update will also introduce the latest addition to Tower of Fantasy’s simulacrum roster in Lin. Lin is the only daughter of the founder of Mirroria and was raised to be his successor.
The people of Mirroria have already accepted Lin as a leader, even though she has not been officially appointed. As a result of vigorous combat training from a very young age, Lin displays an aura of strength and prefers fighting on the frontlines with spectacular results.
The key element that makes Lin so powerful is her alteration ability. In Tower of Fantasy each simulacrum is equipped with one element, for example, Ruby as flame and Saki Fuwa as frost. The division of these elements determines players’ strategies. Lin’s unique alteration ability breaks this limitation, which allows her to utilize all elements and can be used by players as a construction weapon for any element genre

The recently released trailer for Confounding Labyrinth gave a quick glimpse of the underground world of Confounding Abyss, now more details are revealed of a variety of terrain types and magnificent scenery including ruins from an unknown civilization. New bosses, thrilling challenges and a 48-player battle royale mode Break From Destiny will also be introduced in the update. All will be revealed in a new trailer set to release on November 22. Some of the unique terrain features and new areas that players will encounter as they journey through the Confounding Labyrinth include
Prism Pillar

Ruins left within the Abyss by an unknown civilization are riddled with dangerous obstacles hiding behind its endless passageways. Only the flickering light can faintly reveal the traces of the past and the mysteries that lie within
Deepsoul Industrial Zone

This Industrial Area around the Scientific Research Center is covered in karst caves, and its humid and warm environment is a paradise for the growth of strange fungi.

As players explore deeper and deeper into the Confounding Abyss, they will encounter all-new dangerous lifeforms lurking within the area. These powerful enemies will pose entirely new challenges as some creatures have mutated under the effects of the Confounding Abyss. One terrifying example is a portion of Crystal Hoof: Culton’s body has fused with a mysterious crystal, resulting in its strong, rock-like body.


A Year Later, The Outer Worlds Will Finally Be On Steam This October

The Outer Worlds, Obsidian’s sci-fi RPG that blends Fallout: New Vegas-style gameplay with Futurama-esque satire, has finished its 12-month Epic Games Store exclusivity. This means the game will be arriving on Steam’s PC digital distribution services on 23rd October.
If you’ve been waiting eagerly to play the game on your PC but via Steam, just remember that it’s a smaller-scale version of what Obsidian has been doing. While The Outer Worlds is a great game, it’s significantly shorter than Obsidian’s previous fares. You’ll be finishing this game in under 20 hours, tops.
In addition, the game’s big DLC Peril on Gorgon, is also worth buying since it brings in some new gameplay additions and a pretty nifty quest that gives out some Bioshock vibes.


Warner Bros. Discovery Celebrates 100th Anniversary Across Asia Pacific In 2023

Warner Bros. Discovery marks the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studio today, April 4, 2023. This milestone birthday is being celebrated across Asia Pacific through a variety of consumer touchpoints including special programming and content, exclusive products and live events.
Warner Bros. was founded by Albert, Sam, Harry and Jack Warner and incorporated on April 4, 1923. Today, the Studio is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry, from feature film, television and direct-to-consumer production to animation, comic books, video games, consumer products, themed entertainment, studio tours and brand licensing.
The Studio’s vast library, one of the most prestigious and valuable in the world, consists of more than 145,000 hours of programming, including 12,500 feature films and 2,400 television programs comprised of more than 150,000 individual episodes. Warner Bros. is also home to one of the most diverse portfolios of adored franchises in the world, including Looney Tunes, Wizarding World, DC, FRIENDS, Game of Thrones, Hanna-Barbera and many more.
Among the ways we are celebrating and commemorating Warner Bros.’ 100th anniversary in Asia Pacific are:
“Real life” experiences:

Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros. from Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment and Fever will bring to life score tracks from some of the studio’s most celebrated films and television series with commemorative candlelight concerts in 100 cities worldwide. Featuring a range of music from the studio’s past and present, the program will include songs from “FRIENDS,” “A Star Is Born,” “Willy Wonka,” “Purple Rain,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and many more.

Singapore on April 19 and May 8 at CHIJMES Hall
Melbourne on April 21 at National Theatre
Brisbane on April 22 at St. John’s Cathedral
Sydney on April 22 and May 27 at St Stephen’s Uniting Church
Auckland on June 9 at St Mary’s in Holy Trinity Church
Perth on August 26 at Perth Town Hall

Warner Bros. Movie World in Australia will kick-off the global Warner Bros. 100 celebrations at the park on April 4, which will run until the rest of the year, with events such as DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains, Fright Nights and Hooray for Hollywood. Guests at these events and others will have the opportunity to be transported into the world of Warner Bros.’ iconic franchises such as the Looney Tunes, Justice League, and Hollywood classics like “The Wizard of Oz.”
Fans will gather and commemorate Warner Bros. 100th at the China World Mall, a landmark in central Beijing, China, from March 25 to May 8 as they “Celebrate Every Story” through a journey of stunning photo-ops and immersive environments.

100th Anniversary Products
As part of its centennial campaign Celebrating Every Story, Warner Bros. Discovery has unveiled its collection of global products, content, and experiences honouring Warner Bros. Studio’s 100th anniversary. The commemorative offerings celebrate the company’s milestone birthday and includes toys, apparel, collectibles, concerts and more that showcase key moments in Warner Bros.’ rich history — from its beginning with “Casablanca” to Looney Tunes to DC and everything in between.
Across Asia, retailers and suppliers in the home and apparel space have partnered with WBDGCP including Popmart’s blind box figures and Tom & Jerry mashup toys from Soap Studio. Skechers will launch an apparel range in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Also in Singapore, shoppers can keep a look out for other exciting collections from brands including iORA, Enchante, and EZ-Link in time for the June school holidays. In Malaysia, Royal Selangor celebrates the centennial with the April 4th launch of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck figurines. Apparel from Common Sense and Padini is available now, and from Cheetah in May. A series of WB100 home goods from Sheldonet and Objet will be also available in May.
Across Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Rhinoshield has created mobile phone cases with WB100 designs incorporating Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry mashup characters, including Batman, Scooby-Doo, FRIENDS and The Flintstones.
In Indonesia, Giordano has launched a line in January and Matahari Department Store, Shining Bright and Thanksinsomnia will release collections this June. The collection will also include a limited edition WB100 Flazz Card from BCA. Investors and collectors will enjoy a special edition gold mint bar from Lotus Archi.
In Thailand, shoppers can look out for WB100 apparel from CPS CHAPS and DOSH, plus a cosmetic collection from Archita. A wide range of stationery, gifts, novelties, and houseware will be available from VS and Moshi Moshi throughout the year.
In Vietnam, local streetwear brand BOO will launch a Looney Tunes x WB100 collection aimed to inspire people with positive vibes.
In Japan, a special?BE@RBRICK?collection of Tom and Jerry figures dressed in Hogwarts house-robes from the Wizarding World will be available globally this August from?MEDICOM TOY.?The special Tom and Jerry figures come in three different sizes –?100%, 400% and 1,000% scale set.?Smartphone accessories provider?ray-out?will launch a range of products including rings and cases featuring the iconic Warner Bros. shield.?Small Planet?is launching a collection of Tom & Jerry mashups dressed in DC Super Hero costumes including pouches, bags and socks.
In South Korea, ice cream brand Baskin-Robbins is offering Looney Tunes and WB100 branded products to celebrate in its 1,570+ stores nationwide. In April, Suhyang Networks, the popular kids fashion brand, will unveil its WB100 collection in more than 40 department stores. Also in April, Musinsa, a large fashion e-commerce platform, has collaborated with WBDGCP on four Warner Bros. brands.
Coming soon to India, The Souled Store is launching eight different styles of t-shirts with three new designs across categories launching every month. Macmerise is launching no less than 25 different products featuring Warner Bros. characters as part of its consumer electronics accessories, gifts and novelty ranges. Suditi, an online sports apparel platform, will introduce 15 different styles, while later in the year Balenzia will introduce its premium socks.
Now available, New Zealand’s Mint has stepped back in time to launch a series of silver coins called “Art of the 100th” which showcases Warner Bros. movies over the decades. The first 5 oz coin features the classic 1952 movie “Singin’ in the Rain.” The second 2 oz coin shows Looney Tunes dressed as characters from the iconic 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz.”
In Australia, there will be dedicated capsule collections featuring Looney Tunes inspired WB100 products across toys, from global powerhouse Headstart, homewares and stationery from Zak, and apparel from EB Games Australia. Zing Pop Culture, The Warehouse Group, Woolworths, Coles, JB Hi Fi and Australia Post will all be supporting with WB100 merchandise ranges available throughout the year.
Programming
Among the centennial programming and content highlights are a four- part documentary on the history of Warner Bros. from WB Unscripted Television; and  programming marathons and special episodes across Warner Bros. Discovery’s 40+  networks and channels.
For more information on Warner Bros.’ 100th anniversary, you can visit WB100.com.


Xbox Boss Is Open To CoD Staying On PlayStation Longer Than Agreed

Microsoft’s head of gaming, Phil Spencer has stated that he is open to making a commitment to Sony so that Call of Duty will stay on PlayStation longer than currently agreed.
Check out the piece we did on Sony’s rejection of Microsoft’s offer to keep CoD on PlayStation
On The Verge’s Decoder podcast, where Spencer explained that he is open to making a commitment that would make Sony and global regulators happy, while Microsoft awaits approval for its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
We learned back in September that Spencer said Microsoft intends to keep the franchise available on PlayStation for “several more years” until Sony’s current deal with Activision expires. We also reported on Sony’s public rejection of Microsoft’s offer to keep the shooter on PlayStation with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s CEO Jim Ryan, seeking more equal terms, calling Microsoft’s proposal “inadequate on many levels”.
“This idea that we would write a contract that says the word ‘forever’ in it, I think, is a little bit silly,” Spencer said, “but to make a longer-term commitment that Sony would be comfortable with, [that] regulators would be comfortable with, I have no issue with that at all.”
This also marks the first time Spencer has suggested that Microsoft might be willing to make clear concessions, as regulators have been expanding their investigation into the proposed deal.
“We think Call of Duty will be on PlayStation as long as players want to play Call of Duty on PlayStation. And that’s not a competitive threat against PlayStation, that’s just a pragmatic way of looking at it.”
When the podcast’s host Nilay Patel appeared to start suggesting that Xbox could get around this by offering a streaming-only version on PlayStation, Spencer quickly interrupted to clarify: “Native Call of Duty on PlayStation, not linked to them having to carry Game Pass.
“If they want a streaming version of Call of Duty we could do that as well, just like we do on our own consoles. There is nothing behind my back.
“It is the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, doing great on PlayStation, doing great on Xbox, the next game, the next, next, next game, the next, next… native, on the platform, not having to subscribe to Game Pass. Sony does not have to take Game pass on their platform to make that happen. There’s nothing hidden. We want to continue to ship Call of Duty on PlayStation, without any kind of weird ‘aha, I figured out the gotcha’.” Spencer added

Microsoft's Xbox chief has settled the Call of Duty on PlayStation debate once and for all. Appearing on The Verge's Decoder podcast, Spencer says he's open to "a longer term commitment that Sony would be comfortable with." Full details here: https://t.co/vqJLEFKEap pic.twitter.com/of1t42LhKO
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) November 15, 2022

In a report by VGC, a Microsoft spokesperson told them that “It makes zero business sense for Microsoft to remove Call of Duty from PlayStation given its market-leading console position.”


Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Reveals First New Character – Anila

Cygames and Arc System Works has announced its first new character for the upcoming Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising fighting game revamp – Anila, the Queen of Sheep.
Anila is an all-rounder who fights using a pole-arm and an army of sheep. She has a variety of projectiles, anti-airs, and rush-down attacks with a powerful set of tools that caters to all kinds of players. She will be voiced by Leona Renee in the English dub and by Aoi Yuuki in the Japanese dub. Her gameplay trailer will be out on 4th March.

In addition, Cygames and Arc System Works revealed more info about the reworked game. The game will bring in new mechanics like:
Dash Attack
A quick attack that can be performed while dashing-close the gap and keep the pressure on with different variations using light, medium, and heavy attacks. Some characters have dash attacks that can be chained into combos or used to catch blocking foes off guard!

L – Quickly apply pressure while moving forward.
M – For Gran is a low-hitting poke that can be used to catch standing foes off guard.
H – Has the slowest start-up and recovery, but can be chained into a combo for big damage!

New Triple Attacks
Just like the original Auto Combo system from Granblue Fantasy: Versus, Triple Attacks can be performed by pushing an attack button three times in a row. The third hit, however, can now be changed to an overhead or low attack depending on your input. Use them to open up a defensive foe and keep your pressure going!
New Online Features
The game’s new online features include Casual Match Mode and Versus Rank Display Update alongside other existing modes and features in the original GBVS.
Cygames and Arc System Works will host an open beta tournament for GBVS Rising at EVO 2023. The game will be out in 2023 for PC (Steam), PS5, and PS4.


Mr. Robot Creator’s Battlestar Galactica Series Is Not A Reboot

The creator of the critically-acclaimed show Mr. Robot, Sam Esmail, shocked fans of the iconic 2004 Battlestar Galactica (BSG) series when the news initially broke online several days ago that he will be helming a reboot or remake of the beloved science fiction show.
Originally running from 2004 to 2009, the 2004 Battlestar Galactica series by Ronald D. Moore is itself a reboot of the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica by Glen A. Larson. It starred the likes of Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Tricia Helfer, and Grace Park.
It followed the remnants of humanity escaping from the android race called the Cylons after losing the war. The Battlestar Galactica is the only remaining military ship in the Colonial Fleet, which is where the name of the series is derived from.
However, Esmail himself has clarified the matter via Twitter, stating that his Battlestar Galactica series will not be a reboot, but instead a new story within the established canon or mythology.

BSG fans, this will NOT be a remake of the amazing series @RonDMoore launched because… why mess with perfection? Instead, weâ€™ll explore a new story within the mythology while staying true to the spirit of Battlestar. So say we all!
â€” Sam Esmail (@samesmail) September 17, 2019
In other words, it will likely be a sequel or prequel of some sort, just like the Caprica spinoff series in 2010 (which was cancelled after just one season). It could also be possible that Esmail will explore what’s happening in other parts of the galaxy set concurrently with the events of the 2004 BSG series.
Esmail’s new Battlestar Galactica series will be exclusively part of NBC’s new streaming service, Peacock, which is slated to launch in April 2020.


Solid Snake’s VO Says EVO 2019 Organizers Failed To Consult Him & Konami On Tekken 7 Gag

During the awesome Tekken 7 top 8 matches for EVO 2019, this happened:

If you can hear it amidst the commentary & crowd ambience, you can hear the famous codec ring from the Metal Gear series. Fans would assume that main character Solid Snake would appear in Tekken 7 as a guest character, but EVO organizers said it was just “a little joke”.
Turns out, it may be on them. Classic voice actor David Hayter, known for his portrayal of Solid Snake, showed his displeasure at the EVO team for using his voice without his consultation on Twitter. The clip was actually from celebrity “shoutout” service Cameo, where Hayter offers personalized messages for US$75 per clip.

EVO,
You also failed to consult me, or Konami. Please do not use my voice to promote other games. Ever.
DH https://t.co/6ZgCEPVddU
— David Hayter (@DavidBHayter) August 5, 2019

Exactly,
I am happy to record private Cameos for anyone. But it is not okay to use my voice for the promotion of other properties. Thanking you all in advance. DH
— David Hayter (@DavidBHayter) August 5, 2019

In related news, Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada also wasn’t a fan of the stunt. He said on Twitter that he “especially feels sorry to both Konami and Kojima-san (even though we didn’t do anything wrong).”

EVO??????????????Tweet???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????(?????????????)https://t.co/xYbOX1Xj4u
— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) August 5, 2019


Senua’s Saga Hellblade II Trailer Reveals 2024 Release Window

During the Xbox Games Showcase, Ninja Theory unveiled a new cinematic trailer for Senua’s Saga Hellblade II, which reveals that the game will launch for the Xbox Series X/S and PC sometime in 2024.
The game, which is a sequel to 2017’s Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice, is notable for being in development with Unreal Engine 5.
Check out the trailer below:


Konami Still Has Plans For Future Console Games With “Globally Known IPs”

Konami is widely regarded by many games as the Eastern EA of sorts, what with its questionable microtransaction business practices and especially so after the Japanese developer/publisher’s fallout with Hideo Kojima (while still keeping ownership of the Metal Gear franchise).
Compared to past generations, Konami has released a scant lineup of console games for the current gaming generation (PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch). The only notable releases so far have been Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist, Super Bomberman R, the annual PES games, and the upcoming Contra: Rogue Corps (we don’t speak of Metal Gear Survive).
Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Konami Europe president Masami Saso said that they still have plans for future consoles games, though he does state that there’s nothing new to announce for the Metal Gear and Silent Hill franchises.

“Even with new platforms coming out, we believe high-end console games are the most important.
We challenge for innovative ideas and technology within our console games and apply them to other devices, so we will continue to put effort into our console games.
We also plan to increase our portfolio.
In addition to the multi-device titles for PES and Yu-Gi-Oh, we plan to work on projects with other globally known IPs in the near future.”

It remains to be seen what these “globally known IPs” will be if they aren’t going to be new titles of Metal Gear and Silent Hill, two of Konami’s most beloved properties of all time. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year, so they must be gearing up for the future of the company.

“It is a part of our legacy to create new ideas and IPs to fit each age, and we believe that spirit is one of the reasons for our strength in the mobile game market.
We can provide high-quality mobile games because of our technology to create high-end console games, as well as having knowledge to operate games because of our experience in arcade, PC and browser games.
Our extensive experience in creating games for many devices is a strength we have at Konami like no other.”

It certainly sounds like Konami will continue to focus on mobile games and the like, since those are still generating profits. The future looks bleak for gamers and fans of Konami’s existing properties like Metal Gear and Silent Hill, which looks like likely to remain buried indefinitely.


[Report] Ubisoft Is Working On Assassin’s Creed Infinity

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will have loads of post-release DLC on the way. This begs the question: will there be an AC sequel coming? The answer might be a “yes”.
According to sources close to Bloomberg, Ubisoft is hard at work on a new project codenamed Assassin’s Creed Infinity. The game will be an online platform that will take place in multiple historical settings and evolve over time ala Fortnite and Grand Theft Auto Online’s maps and layout.
AC Infinity is designed to run for years and feature a ton of settings, which is in contrast to the one setting per game rule the series is known for. The game “might look and feel different, but they will all be connected”, encompassing multiple different AC titles. The upcoming game is years away from being ready and released.
For more on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, check out our review of the game’s recent Irish DLC.