Borderlands 3’s Amara & Zane Skill Trees Revealed [Update]

Borderlands wouldn’t be the game it is without its characters and skill trees. And we’ve got a sneak peek at these useful tidbits thanks to Gearbox Software revealing ECHOcast, a Twitch extension that will enhance your Borderlands 3 experience.
Generally, you can check out a streamer’s loadout as you watch and get extra loot from playing along. But you’re not here for that; you’re here because of the headline.
Yes, we have skills and perks details on Vault Hunter Amara (the Siren) and Zane (the gadget man) thank to a recent leak (via PCGamesN).Â Just like part 2, each character has three skill trees which you can allocate points to.
We don’t have most of it, but we hope this is enough to give you a sneak peek on what to expect and spec. Keep in mind that this is subject to change; this is a leak after all.
Amara

You can plan Amara’s skill tree here.
Brawl Skill Tree

Phaseslam:Â Amara leaps into the air and Slams the ground, dealing damage to all nearby enemies and knocking them up.
One With Nature (5):Â Amara gains increased max health and elemental damage resistance to her action skill element.
Personal Space (3):Â Amaraâ€™s weapon shots do bonus damage based on the distance to her target. The close the target, the greater the bonus.
Clarity (5):Â Amara constantly regenerates health. The lower her health, the more powerful her regeneration. After using an action skill this bonus is doubled for a few seconds.
Arms Deal (5):Â Amara deals increased splash damage and takes reduced splash damage.
Root to Rise (5):Â Amara gains increased max health.
Helping Hand(s) (5):Â For a few seconds after using her action skill, Amaraâ€™s arms remain active and grant her damage reduction.
Mindfulness (3):Â Whenever Amara takes damage she gains a stack of mindfulness. For every stack Amara gains improved shield regeneration delay and movement speed. Stacks decay after a few seconds.
Find Your Center (1):Â Amara gains increased melee damage. Additionally, for a few seconds after using her action skill, Amara gains increased melee range.
Vigor (3):Â Killing an enemy with Amaraâ€™s action skill grants all allies increased movement speed for a few seconds. This effect stacks.
Samsara (3):Â Whenever Amara deals damage to an enemy with her action skill, she adds a stack of Samsara. For every stack, Amara gains increased gun damage and health regeneration after a few seconds.
Do unto Others:Â Whenever an enemy damages Amara, she automatically throws an energy orb back at them, dealing action skill elemental damage.
Job Cross:Â Whenever Amara deals melee damage to an enemy she gains increased action skill damage and increased weapon damage for a few seconds.
Guardian Angel:Â When Amara enters Fight for your Life, she immediately gains second wind, restores her health, and creates an action skill elemental nova that knocks back nearby enemies. This skill has a long cooldown.
Blitz:Â Melee override. Press the melee button to make Amara dash a short distance forward and perform a special melee strike, dealing elemental melee damage. If a Blitz melee attack kills an enemy. Blitzâ€™s cooldown is immediately reset.

Brawl Augment

Glamour:Â Enemies damaged by Amaraâ€™s action skill become confused and temporarily attack their allies. However, action skill cooldown is increased. If Amara targets an enemy with Phasegrasp, enemies near the grasped target are confused as well.
Revelation:Â Amaraâ€™s action skill now creates a Nova when it damages enemies
Downfall:Â Amara leaps into the air and shoots an elemental beam below her briefly, followed by a slam.
Blight Tiger:Â Converts Amaraâ€™s action skill to corrosive damage. This does not take effect until after Amara uses her action skill.
Fracture:Â Amara summons a handful of fists that erupt from the ground, dealing damage to enemies in front of Amara.

Mystical Assault Skill Tree

Phasecast:Â Amara sends forward an Astral Projection of herself, dealing damage to everything in its path
Do Harm (5):Â Killing an enemy grants Amara a stack of Rush. Activating her action skill
Fast Hand(s) (3):Â Amaraâ€™s reload speed, weapon swap speed, and mode switch speed are improved
Violent Tapestry (5):Â Applying an elemental effect grants Amara a stack of Rush. Activating her action skill consumes all Rush stacks. For every stack of Rush consumed, Amaraâ€™s elemental effect chance is temporarily increased
Alacrity (5):Â Amara gains increased reload speed for every stack of Rush. After consuming Rush stacks, this bonus is increased for a few seconds
Transcend (3):Â Amara gains increased accuracy and critical hit bonus for a few seconds after activating her action skill
Restless (5):Â Amara gains increased action cooldown rate
Ascendant (1):Â All action skill augments gain increased effects
From Rest (3):Â Amara gains improved fire rate and charge time
Laid Bare (3):Â Enemies take increased damage from all sources for a few seconds after being damaged by Amaraâ€™s action skill
Wrath (3):Â Amara gains increased gun damage. This effect is increased after she activates her action skill for a few seconds

Mystical Assault Augments

Soul Sap:Â A portion of all damage dealt by Amaraâ€™s action skill is returned to her or a nearby ally as health
Reverberation:Â Amara sends forward an Astral Porjection of herself, dealing damage to everything in its path. Astral Projection deals increased damage for every enemy it hits
Stillness of Mind:Â Enemies damaged by Amaraâ€™s action skill become phaselocked until they are damaged or the duration ends. However, action skill cooldown is increased. If Amara targets an enemy with Phasegrasp, enemies near the grasped target are phaselocked
Deliverance:Â Amara sends forward an Astral Projection of herself, dealing damage to everything in its path. Whenever Amaraâ€™s Astral Projection hits an enemy, it releases homing elemental projectiles that trigger her action skill elemental effect on enemies
Tandava:Â Amara sends forward an Astral Projection of herself. When it hits a target, it explodes. damaging all nearby enemies

Fist of the Elements Skill Tree

Phasegrasp:Â Amara summons a giant fist that bursts from the ground and locks the targeted enemy in place for a few seconds. Some enemies are immune to being grasped and instantly take damage instead
Anima (5):Â Amaraâ€™s elemental effects deal increased damage over time and have increased duration. Her action skill elemental effect deals further increased damage
Steady Hands(s) (3):Â Amara gains increased weapon handling and accuracy
Infusion (5):Â Convert a portion of damage dealt by Amaraâ€™s weapons into her action skill element
Tempest:Â Amara deals increased elemental damage. Shock damage is further increased
Illuminated Fist:Â Amara gains increased melee damage and her melee damage is converted to her action skill element
Wildfire:Â Whenever Amara applies an elemental effect to an enemy, it has a chance to spread to a nearby enemy
Dread:Â Amaraâ€™s gun damage is increased for a few seconds after an enemy is grasped. Whenever any player kills a grasped enemy, their current weapon is instantly reloaded.
Indiscriminate:Â Amaraâ€™s bullets that damage enemies have a chance to ricochet and deal decreased damage to other nearby enemies. Ricochet chance and damage are increased if the target is currently affected by Phasegrasp or Stillness of Mind
Deep Well:Â Amara gains increased magazine size with elemental weapons
Catharsis:Â Whenever Amara triggers an elemental effect on an enemy, when that enemy dies that enemy explodes, dealing her attuned element damage along with any other element that is currently inflicted upon that enemy. This skill has a short cooldown
Sustainment:Â Amara gains Life Steal whenever she deals elemental damage with her weapon
Conflux:Â Whenever Amara applies an elemental effect to an enemy, she gains a chance to randomly electrocute, burn, or melt that enemy
Forceful Expression:Â Amaraâ€™s guns deal bonus elemental damage, based on her action skill element

Fist of the Elements Augments

Soulfire:Â Converts Amaraâ€™s action skill to fire damage. This does not take effect until after Amara uses her action skill
The Eternal Fist:Â Amara summons a giant fist that bursts from the ground and locks the targeted enemy in place for a few seconds. Whenever the grasped enemy is killed, up to three new targets can be sought out and grasped
Allure:Â Amaraâ€™s action skill creates singularities that pull in enemies
Ties that Bind:Â Amara summons a giant fist that bursts from the ground and locks the targeted enemy in place for a few seconds. Enemies near the grasped target are linked, and any damage dealt to a linked target is shared between all other linked targets.
Â Fist Over Matter:Â Amara summons a giant fist that bursts from the ground and locks the targeted enemy in place for a few seconds. After grasping the targeted enemy, large fists appear and constantly smash the area, dealing damage to nearby enemies

Zane The Operative (can use two skills at once)

You can plan Zane’s skill tree here.
Hitman Skill Tree

SNTNL:Â this action skill sends a drone into battle that fires upon foes with its machine guns. Press the Action Skill button or Grenade button while this is active and SNTNL will attack whoever is in your cross-hairs.
Violent Speed(5):Â killing an enemy gives Zaneâ€™s increased movement speed.
Cold Bore (5):Â upgrading this skill increases Zaneâ€™s weapon swap speed. The shot fired after swapping weapons does bonus Cryo damage.
Violent Momentum:Â Zaneâ€™s gun damage increases if he moves. The faster he moves, the more damage he deals.
Cool Hand:Â increased reload speed. Killing an enemy will also gift Zane increased reload speed for a spell.
Drone Delivery:Â SNTNL will occasionally drop a free grenade, depending on the mod you have equipped.
Salvation:Â after killing an enemy Zaneâ€™s weapons will acquire Life Steal for a few seconds.
Seeinâ€™ Red:Â activating an action skill will activate all of Zaneâ€™s Kill Skills.
Violent Violence:Â killing an enemy gives Zaneâ€™s weapons an increased fire rate for a few seconds.
Paying Dirty:Â after killing an enemy, Zaneâ€™s next five shots all have a chance to fire an additional projectile.
Good Misfortune:Â killing an enemy increases Zaneâ€™s Action Skill duration. Be mindful, though, this skill has “diminishing returns”.
Death Follows Close:Â all of Zainâ€™s kill skills gain increased effect and duration.

Hitman Augment

Winterâ€™s Drone:Â converts SNTNLâ€™s damage to cryo damage.
Bad Dose:Â every now and then SNTNL will fire a beam that increases Zaneâ€™s movement speed and fire rate, while decreasing enemies movement and attack speed.
Boomsday:Â SNTNL adds a rocket pod to its primary weapons â€“ allowing it to shoot rockets as well as machine guns.
Static Field:Â SNTNL emits a static field that sends a Shock beam to nearby enemies, draining their shields and replenishing Zaneâ€™s.
Almighty Ordinance:Â hold down the Action Skill button or the Grenade button while SNTNL is deployed to paint a target area. The drone will then fire a missile barrage at that area, and if the enemy is killed then Almighty Ordinance will be reset.

Under Cover Skill Tree

Barrier:Â Zane deploys a, well, yâ€™know. This Action Skill not only blocks incoming fire for Zane and his allies but will amplify damage if shot through
Adrenaline:Â putting more shields in play will reduce the cooldown on Zaneâ€™s Action Skills â€“ can be upgraded five times
Hearty Stock:Â maximum shield capacity can be increased up to three times
Ready for Action:Â increased shield recharge rate and shield recharge delay â€“ can be upgraded up to three times
Brainfreeze:Â scoring a critical hit has the chance to slow the enemy hit with the bullet
Stiff Upper Lip:Â Whenever Zane takes damage he gains resistance to the damage type that hits him
Rise to the Occasion:Â Zane receives health generation â€“ the lower his shields, the faster he heals
Confident Competence:Â when Zaneâ€™s shields are active he gains increased gun damage and accuracy
Really Expensive Jacket:Â elemental damage over time effects applied to Zane have reduced duration time
Best Served Cold:Â killing enemies creates a â€˜Cryo Novaâ€™ which damages nearby foes
Futility Belt:Â Zane gains resistance to non-elemental damage, which is handy as all elemental damage Zane takes converts to non-elemental damage
Refreshment:Â whenever Zane damages frozen enemies he gets some of that damage back as health
Calm, Cool, Collected:Â freezing an enemy will immediately start recharging Zaneâ€™s shield â€“ if shields are full, a bit of health will regenerate. But if his health is already full, Action Skill cooldowns and durations are reset
Nerves of Steel:Â Zane gains increased handling and accuracy â€“ the longer his shield is full, the higher the bonus
Distributed Denial:Â Zaneâ€™s barrier gains the effects of his currently equipped Shield Mod. Additionally, shield effects apply to all allies near the barrier, but bonuses to Zane reduce

Under Cover Augment

Charged Relay:Â whenever Zane or an ally touches the barrier, they gain increased fire rate and movement speed for a few seconds
Nanites or Some Shite:Â Zane and his allies gain health regeneration, increased reload speed, and significantly improved shield recharge delay while near his barrier
Redistribution:Â Zane and his allies near the barrier gain increased gun damage for a few seconds after the barrier takes damage
All-rounder:Â Zaneâ€™s barrier becomes a dome, covering all sides
Deterrence Field:Â enemies who touch the barrier take electricity damage and become staggered

Doubled Agent Skill Tree

Digi-Clone:Â spawns a clone of Zane that will take the attention of foes â€“ press the Action Skill button or the Grenade button while this is active and Zane will swap places with the clone
Synchronicity:Â whenever one or more of Zaneâ€™s action skills are active, he gains increased Gun Damage for each active action skill â€“ you can upgrade this skill five times
Praemunitus:Â Zane and his Digi-Clone gain increased magazine size, and you can upgrade this skill three times
Borrowed Time:Â Zane gains increased Action Skill Duration for every active action skill
Donnybrook:Â whenever Zane kills an enemy, he and his Digi-Clone receive increased gun damage and receive health generation for a few seconds
Fractal Frags:Â the Digi-Clone throws a copy of Zaneâ€™s current grenade mod when it first activates. If the Digi-Clone dies, it drops a free grenade
Duct Tape Mod:Â the first shot fired from Zaneâ€™s gun also has the chance to shoot a grenade
Quick Breather:Â whenever Zane swaps places with his Digi-Clone his shields begin recharging
Pocket Full of Grenades:Â after killing an enemy, Zane gains grenade generation for a few seconds
Old-U:Â press the Action Skill button or the Grenade button during Fight for Your Life if your Digi-Clone is active to destroy it and gain a Second Wind
Supersonic Man:Â whenever one or more of Zaneâ€™s action skills are active, he gains increased movement speed for each active action skill
Like a Ghost:Â Zane and his Digi-Clone gain the chance to ignore bullets â€“ the chances of this increase if an Action Skill is active
Boom. Enhance:Â summoning the Digi-Clone can consume up to three grenades â€“ for each projectile consumed, the Digi-Clone will have increased gun damage, max health, fire rate, and reload speed
Trick of the Light:Â Zane deals bonus shock damage to enemies that arenâ€™t targeting him
Double Barrel:Â the Digi-Clone draws the same gun as Zane â€“ swapping places with the clone causes both of them to gain increased gun damage

Doubled Agent Augment

Binary System:Â whenever Zane swaps places with his clone as â€˜Cyro Novaâ€™ spawns around both of them
Schadenfreude:Â Zaneâ€™s shield recovers a portion of the damage his Digi-Clone receives
Doppelbanger:Â holding down the Action Skill button or the Grenade button causes the action skill to end early and will make the Digi-Clone explode â€“ dealing fire damage
Which Oneâ€™s Real?Â Enemies are more likely to target to Digi-Clone when Zane swaps places with it
Digital Distribution:Â if Zane takes health damage while the Digi-Clone is active, a portion of that damage is shared to his clone instead


Disney+ Hotstar Celebrates Christmas With Exclusive New Content Like Ejen Ali Season 3 Part 2

There’s no place like Disney+ Hotstar for the holidays. In addition to perennial favorites, Disney+ Hotstar will premiere exclusive new movies, series, and specials throughout December for everyone in your family to enjoy, including the Original animation series “Ejen Ali Season 3, Part 2”. The first episode of the six-episode series will premiere Saturday, December 24, exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar.?
Exclusive Disney+ Hotstar Originals Premiering During the Holiday Season
In addition to the seasonal themed offerings, Disney+ Hotstar offers a dynamic slate of new exclusive content streaming:
“Save Our Squad with David Beckham” Now Streaming
David Beckham is coming home. Over the course of a season, David joins East London club, Westward Boys, a team playing in the league where it all began for him as a boy – the Echo Premier League. Westward haven’t won a game all season, and the threat of being relegated from the league looms large. David has a mammoth task at hand. Will he be able to save their squad?
“Zootopia+” (Shorts) Now Streaming
“Zootopia+” heads back to the fast-paced mammal metropolis of Zootopia in a short-form series that dives deeper into the lives of some of the Oscar®-winning feature film’s most intriguing residents, including Fru Fru, the fashion-forward arctic shrew; ZPD dispatcher Clawhauser, the sweet-toothed cheetah; and Flash, the smiling sloth who’s full of surprises.
“Limitless with Chris Hemsworth” Now Streaming
Chris Hemsworth is on an epic mission to discover how to live better for longer. With the help of world-class experts, family and friends, he’s embarking on a series of immense challenges to push himself to new limits and stop the diseases of old age before they take hold. Chris will discover how we all can unlock our potential to stay fitter, healthier and happier throughout our lives.
“Disenchanted” Now Streaming
A live-action musical comedy “Disenchanted” is a sequel to Disney’s box office hit “Enchanted” featuring the original cast from the heart-warming story of the lovable, hopelessly romantic maiden, Giselle from the fairy tale world of Andalasia who has grown disillusioned with life in the city and moves with her growing family to the suburbs in search of a more fairytale life.
“Mickey: The Story of a Mouse” Now Streaming
Mickey Mouse is recognized as a symbol of joy and innocence in virtually every corner of the globe. Mickey became an overnight sensation when he starred in the first sync-sound animated short, Steamboat Willie. Through the decades, he evolved into strikingly different versions that reflect both his creator’s remarkable career and dramatic societal shifts in the nation he came to represent.
“Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium” Now Streaming
“Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium” is a concert event featuring legendary, global superstar Elton John, live from Dodger Stadium in his final North American show. As part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, this concert experience features special guests and performances of unparalleled global hits spanning decades, in one of the greatest send-offs in music history. This is a must-see concert event for audiences of all ages. Leading up to the concert is the “Countdown to Elton Live” red carpet event featuring celebrity guests and a countdown to the historic live concert.
“Willow” Now Streaming
An all-new action-adventure series based on George Lucas’ fantasy-adventure film. The story began when an aspiring sorcerer, played by Warwick Davis, is whisked away on a journey to protect an infant empress Elora Danan and vanquish the evil Queen Bavmorda from their world of Andowyne. Now, the story continues with Davis reprising his titular role as he leads an unlikely crew of heroes on a quest to protect Andowyne from an even larger foe than they had imagined possible.
Check out our review here.
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules” Now Streaming
The riotous antics of angst-ridden, disaster-prone, middle school student Greg Heffley continue, focusing this time around on his complicated relationship with older brother Rodrick. Now, Greg takes on one of his biggest challenges yet – surviving a weekend alone with Rodrick and abiding by his growing list of rules.
“Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again” Streaming December 9
In “Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again,” Nick Daley is following in his father’s footsteps as night watchman at the American Museum of Natural History, so he knows what happens when the sun goes down. But when the maniacal ruler Kahmunrah escapes, it is up to Nick to save the museum once and for all.
“National Treasure: Edge of History” Streaming December 14
Jess Valenzuela’s life is turned upside down when an enigmatic stranger gives her a clue to a centuries-old treasure that might be connected to her long-dead father. Jess has a knack for solving puzzles, and her skills are put to the test as she and her friends follow a series of clues hidden in American artifacts and landmarks. But can Jess outsmart a black-market antiquities dealer in a race to find history’s greatest lost treasure and unbury the truth about her family’s past?
“Le Pupille” Streaming December 16?
From writer and director, Alice Rohrwacher, and Academy Award®-winning producer, Alfonso Cuarón, “Le Pupille” is a tale of innocence, greed and fantasy. This live action short is about desires, pure and selfish, about freedom and devotion, and about the anarchy that is capable of flowering in the minds of girls within the confines of a strict religious boarding school at Christmas.
“Ejen Ali Season 3, Part 2” Streaming December 24
Part Two of Season 3 picks up in the aftermath of Rizwan’s surprise appearance during the chaos at the Cyberaya Science Centre.? As the Arena competition continues to evolve, Ali struggles to adapt yet again while the remaining competitors eye the top four spots in the final challenge. Meanwhile, the shadowy figure, Cero, quietly sets his play into motion and unleashes the Numeros’ explosive attack on M.A.T.A.

“Encanto at The Hollywood Bowl” Streaming December 28
Step into Casa Madrigal for an unprecedented concert spectacular as the original voice cast of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award®-winning “Encanto” reunites at the Hollywood Bowl. Starring Stephanie Beatriz (as Mirabel), Adassa (as Dolores), Carolina Gaitán (as Pepa), Jessica Darrow (as Luisa), Diane Guerrero (as Isabela), Mauro Castillo (as Félix), Angie Cepeda (as Julieta) and Olga Merediz (as Abuela Alma) and special guests, including legendary Colombian superstars and multiple Latin GRAMMY Winners Carlos Vives and Andrés Cepeda, “Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl” turns the historic venue into the world of the animated film that became a global phenomenon. This live-to-film concert experience, featuring an 80-person orchestra, 50 dancers and out-of-this-world special effects, gives viewers a front-row seat to the unprecedented musical extravaganza celebrating the world, characters and songs of Disney Animation’s “Encanto.”
New Additions to Disney+ Hotstar 2022 Christmas Collection
Disney+ Hotstar will bring more of the season’s magic to subscribers with new titles and episodes from Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD including: “Mickey Saves Christmas” and new holiday episodes of “The Villains of Valley View” (Dec 9), “Raven’s Home.” (Dec 23), Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends (Dec 30).
From Scott Calvin’s return to the big red suit to joyful music from The Nutcracker, the following Disney+ Hotstar Originals will be available to stream in the “Wonderful Christmas” collection:
“Donna Hay Christmas” Now Streaming
Donna Hay shows us how to create the most spectacular festive celebration in her new four-part series, Donna Hay Christmas. From reimagined festive mains like the ultimate glazed ham, to show-stopping desserts like her signature centerpiece pavlova, Donna shares her best time-savers and signature cheats to create your very own kind of Christmas magic.
“The Santa Clauses” Now Streaming
Scott Calvin is back! After being Santa Claus for nearly thirty years, he’s as jolly as ever. But as Christmas declines in popularity, so does his Santa magic. Scott struggles to keep up with the demands of the job, as well as being there for his family. Upon discovering there is a way to retire from his post, Scott considers stepping down as Santa Claus and finding a worthy successor so that he can become a better father and husband.
“Best in Snow” Now Streaming
“Best in Snow” is a festive holiday special, hosted by Tituss Burgess, featuring teams from around the world transported to a magical snowy village and thrown into a spirited competition to show off their snow-carving skills. Spectacular snow sculptures, lively musical performances from DCappella, and special guest Kermit the Frog make this action-packed winter event fun for the entire family.
“The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” Now Streaming
On a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Quill, the Guardians head to Earth in search of the perfect present.
Check out our review here.
“The Hip Hop Nutcracker” Now Streaming
RUN DMC’s Rev Run brings us along for a hip-hop reimagining of The Nutcracker ballet set in New York City. On the night of the annual New Year’s Eve Block Party, Maria-Clara’s Mom and Pop aren’t getting along and it’s bringing her down. Maria-Clara embarks on a holiday adventure to bring her parents back together. Will it be enough to rekindle their lost love before the clock strikes midnight?
“Pentatonix: Around the World for the Holidays” Now Streaming
Superstar a cappella group Pentatonix needs inspiration for their annual holiday album. After getting locked in a mystical mailroom, a little Disney magic sends us on a whirlwind tour around the world, discovering holiday traditions and inspiration from Pentatonix fans across the globe. The journey leads the group to realize that wherever we find ourselves, it really is a small world, after all!


Back To The Future’s 2015 Version DeLorean Gets Its Own Hot Toys

Hot Toys has announced the Back To The Future II – 1/6th scale DeLorean Time Machine Collectible Vehicle.
The time-travelling duo Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown hop in the DeLorean Time machine again and travel into the future to save Marty’s future son from disaster, only to return to discover their own time has somehow transformed completely.
Inspired by the classic blockbuster, Back To The Future II, Hot Toys has revealed the iconic DeLorean Time Machine as a 1/6th scale Collectible Vehicle with foldable wheels for hover mode.
Crafted with impressive workmanship, the movie-accurate DeLorean Time Machine collectible vehicle measures 72cm long, displays an impressive amount of details including:

multiple LED light-up points on the exterior design and interior controls.
signature gull-wing doors.
foldable wheels for flight hover mode.
real-like cable wires across the exterior structure.
detailed recreation of the time machine engine deck and cabin controls.
a specially designed base for the hovering DeLorean Time Machine.

We also previously covered the Wild West Marty McFly Hot Toys, which you can check out here.


Here Are My Top Gaming Picks From The Newly-Announced Apple Arcade

Apple recently announced its new subscription-based gaming service called Apple Arcade, which features a 100 new and exclusive games. While normally I would thumb my nose at such an announcement, I changed my tune after I saw a few names on the list.
Names like Will Wright and Hironobu Sakaguchi. This means that Apple is really going out of its way to get these influential and legacy designers to help pimp up the service as something worth using for gamers. The service will be available in over 150 countries for iOS, macOS, and tvOS devices. Basically, gaming will finally be viable on a Mac.
Here are my top-anticipated games from the service. Who knows if they’ll turn out great or be dumpster fires though, but here’s hoping for the former!
Shantae 5

Also out for PS4, PC, XBox One, and Switch. I’m pretty stoked that WayForward is doing a new Shantae game. No, I have no idea what’s in store for this hair-whipping shape-shifting genie, but I’m sure it’ll be well-animated and have a ton of great Metroidvania action-platforming.
Beyond a Steel Sky

Developed by Revolution Software, this is the sequel to the 90s adventure game of the same name. You still navigate the confines of Union City in a cyberpunk setting, and you still solve puzzles and meet different characters to further the plot. Why wasn’t this called “Beyond Another Steel Sky” or given a sequel-sounding moniker? Also out for PC and consoles.
Fantasian

Not to be confused with the Disney musical. This Hironobu Sakaguchi-developed game features dioramas, 3D anime characters, and possibly a JRPG plot or two featuring crystals or something like that. If it ain’t broken for the veteran dev, why fix it?
Hot Lava

Klei Entertainment,Â who developed the successful Don’t Starve series, will be making a video game version of the classic kid’s game. Run, jump, climb, and surf out of the hot lava that’s on the floor.
Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm

Remember Oceanhorn, the Legend of Zelda clone for iOS? Now it’s back and revved up than ever. The game takes place a 1,000 years before the original Oceanhorn, yet somehow it’ll look more polished and better than the original.
The Pathless

An adventure game where you play as a hunter and an eagle as you explore a giant-ass forest. Yeah, I’m not making it sound as fun as it is, but its minimalistic aesthetics and dreamlike scape are its plus points.
And that’s all I’m excited about, particularly the one that sounds similar to that Disney musical. Here’s the full list of Apple Arcade games for your reference:

The Artful Escape (Annapurna Interactive / Beethoven & Dinosaur)
ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree (Wildboy Studios)
The Bradwell Conspiracy (Bossa Studios / A Brave Plan)
Box Project (Aquiris)
Cardpocalpyse (Versus Evil / Gambrinous)
Doomsday Vault (Flightless)
Down in Bermuda (Yak & Co.)
Enter The Construct (Directive Games Limited)
Frogger in Toy Town (Konami)
HitchHiker (Versus Evil / Mad About Pandas)
Kings of the Castle (Frosty Pop)
LEGO Arthouse (LEGO System A/S)
LEGO Brawls (LEGO/ Red Games)
Lifelike (Kunabi Brother)
Little Orpheus (Sumo Digital / The Chinese Room)
Monomals (Picomy)
Mr. Turtle (Illusion Labs)
No Way Home (SMG Studio)
Overland (Finji)
Projection: First Light (Blowfish Studios)
Repair (Ustwo Games)
Sayonara Wild Hearts (Annapurna Interactive / Simogo)
Sneaky Sasquatch (RAC7)
Spidersaurus (WayForward)
Sonic Racing (Sega/Hardlight Studios)
UFO on Tape: First Contact (Revolutionary Concepts)
Where Cards Fall (Snowman)
Winding Worlds (KO_OP)
Yaga (Versus Evil / Breadcrumbs Interactive)


Physical Copies Of Final Fantasy VII Remake Might Be Delayed Due To Coronavirus

That nasty ol’ COVID-19 pandemic is really putting a tizzy in game shipments, at least in the physical sense. Square Enix recently warned Final Fantasy VII Remake customers via Twitter that while the game will be out on 10th April as planned, physical copies may not reach everyone who ordered them.
“The worldwide release ofÂ Final Fantasy VII RemakeÂ on April 10th will go ahead,” said the official statement.

“However, with the unforeseeable changes in the distribution and re retail landscape which varies across countries, it is increasingly likely that some of you will not get hold of your copy of the game on the release date.”

Release update information. #FF7R pic.twitter.com/oZ6XXBX5hR
— FINAL FANTASY VII (@finalfantasyvii) March 18, 2020

Good on Square Enix to warn everybody firsthand. Everybody needs to be tolerant and do their part in being patient in such trying times. Still, if you’re in a hurry, the digital version will be available as planned.


Here Are Your PlayStation Plus Free Games For January 2018

Heads up folks! Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) yesterdayÂ revealedÂ the January 2018 lineup of free games for PlayStation Plus subscribers via their official blog site. The list of games available are as follows:
PlayStation 4

Batman: The Telltale SeriesÂ (Telltale Games)
Deus Ex: Mankind DividedÂ (Square Enix)
Uncanny ValleyÂ (Cowardly Creations)
Bonus:Â StarBlood ArenaÂ (SIE)
Bonus:Â Thatâ€™s You!Â (SIE)

PlayStation 3

Book of Unwritten Tales 2Â (Daedalic Entertainment)
Sacred 3Â (Deep Silver)

PS Vita

Psycho-Pass: Mandatory HappinessÂ (NIS America)
Uncanny ValleyÂ (Cowardly Creations)

According to their official blog site, all the above titles, except for Thatâ€™s You, which is available to download now, will be available for download from the PlayStation Store from 2nd January.


Hatsune Miku Headlines Mobile Virtual Idol Game Coming In September

Publisher Sega and developers Craft Egg and Colorful Palette have announced that Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku will launch for the iOS via the App Store and Android via Google Play on 30 September 2020 in Japan.

????????? ?????????????? feat. ??????9?30?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????https://t.co/O1OGpMxrqD#???? #????????? pic.twitter.com/fXXq3NfjFX— ????????? ????????? feat. ?????????? (@pj_sekai) August 22, 2020

Pre-registrations are now available via the App Store and Google Play. Players will receive the following in-game bonuses in the game when it officially releases if they reach the pre-requisite number of pre-registrations:
100,000 pre-registrations â€“ 300 crystals200,000 pre-registrations â€“ 600 crystals300,000 pre-registrations â€“ 900 crystals390,000 pre-registrations â€“ Virtual Singer â€œSekai Outfitâ€500,000 pre-registrations â€“ 1,500 crystals600,000 pre-registrations â€“ Three-stars or higher draw ticket
Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku is a rhythm mobile game featuring a variety of songs with 3D music videos, including the following:
â€œRokiâ€ (lyrics and music by Mikito-P)â€œTell Your Worldâ€ (lyrics and music by kz (livetune))â€œHappy Synthesizerâ€ (music and lyrics by EasyPop)â€œBring It Onâ€ (lyrics by Reol, music by Giga)â€œSweet Magicâ€ (lyrics and music by Junky)â€œJishou Mushokuâ€ (lyrics and music by Sasanomaly)
Players will be able to enjoy a story that unfolds in both the real world and â€œSekaiâ€ with virtual singers Hatsune Mikue, Kagamine Rin, Kagamine Len, Megurine Luka, Meiko, and Kaito.
Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku is only the second game from developer Craft Egg, who previously developed BanG Dream! Girls Band Party mobile rhythm game for Android and iOS platforms.
However, there’s no indication when, or if, the game will be released worldwide. If it’s anything like BanG Dream! Girls Band Party, then it will likely be a year or so until Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku officially releases internationally outside of Japan.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Don’t Expect A Next-Gen Cyberpunk 2077 So Soon

We’ve known that Cyberpunk 2077 will be playable on the Xbox Series X if you’ve got it on the Xbox One, thanks to some neat cross-gen compatibility. A proper next-gen version of the game, however, won’t be available so soon.
According to Video Games Chronicle, CD Projekt SVP of business development Michal Nowakowski said in an earnings call that a next-gen version of Cyberpunk 2077Â would “come later”.
â€œIn terms ofÂ Microsoftâ€™s console, like I said, we have officially confirmed both the update and the cross-gen availability, meaning that youâ€™ll be able to play the game from the get-go on the next-gen,â€ he said.
“However, when it comes to a proper, full-blown next-gen version, thatâ€™s going to come later, we havenâ€™t announced when and I donâ€™t have a new comment here on that.”
Nowakowski also said that due to a lack of official announcements from PlayStation, “we really canâ€™t confirm or deny anything. Itâ€™s PlayStation that first needs to address these issues and then weâ€™re happy to make a comment, but we canâ€™t jump the gun ahead of them.â€
This is likely an allusion to how the folks at Sony “believe that the overwhelming majority of the 4,000+ PS4 titles will be playable on” the PS5, as compared to Microsoft’s confident statement that all Xbox One games will be playable on the Xbox Series X.
It’s a shame that there won’t be a next-gen version of Cyberpunk 2077 launching at the same time as the new consoles, but CD Projekt Red likely has their hands full with the current-gen version already, what with the delay from April. Besides, even the launch of the current-gen version would be momentous enough, given that the game was teased all the way back in 2013.
In other Cyberpunk 2077 news, the game is still on track for its September release in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Weâ€™ve been operating in this mode for over three weeks and to-date results confirm that we can carry on with all our operations without major disruptions,” CD Projekt Red said.


New LEGO Star Wars Ghost & Phantom II Gets Launch Date

LEGO has announced that the LEGO 75357 Ghost & Phantom II is priced at US$159.99, which will launch on 1 September 2023. That’s just a week after the new Star Wars Ahsoka TV series premieres on Disney+ Hotstar on 23 August 2023.
Five minifigures are included in the set, including General Hera Syndulla, Lt. Beyta, Jacen Syndulla, First Officer Hawkins, and Chopper (C1-10P). The buildable Ghost model features 2 lever-activated spring-loaded shooters, a dual LEGO minifigure cockpit with a removable front section, a cabin with 2 opening hatches, a detachable turret with a cannon (non-shooting) and space for a LEGO minifigure. The Phantom II shuttle has an opening minifigure cockpit and a storage compartment.


Nier Automata Anime To Air In January 2023

The Aniplex Online Fest 2022 livestream just debuted the trailer of the upcoming Nier Automata anime adaptation.
The showcase features clips of the upcoming anime, featuring key scenes from the 2017-made JRPG coming to anime form and highlights protagonist androids 2B and 9S. Here’s the synopsis:
“NieR:Automata tells the story of androids 2B, 9S and A2 and their battle to reclaim the machine-driven dystopia overrun by powerful machines.
Humanity has been driven from the Earth by mechanical beings from another world. In a final effort to take back the planet, the human resistance sends a force of android soldiers to destroy the invaders. Now, a war between machines and androids rages on… A war that could soon unveil a long-forgotten truth of the world.”

According to an interview with series creator Yoko Taro, who is closely involved with the anime project, the show will capture the key moments and story of the game but will have its own exclusive additions. The series’ animation director will be Ryoji Masuyama who is known for his works in The Secret World of Arrietty and Darling in the Franxx. He will be working at A-1 Pictures, the main animation studio behind the adaptation. MONACA is composing the music.
The show’s voice cast include:

Yui Ishikawa as 2B
Natsuki Hanae as 9S
Hiroki Yasumoto as Pod 042
Kaoru Akiyama as Pod 153

For those not in the know, Nier Automata is a 2017-made action JRPG featuring two android warriors who serve mankind and fight rogue robots on a barren Earth. The game’s plot centres on the android’s quest about what it means to be alive. Because of this and its gameplay done up by Platinumgames, the title has earned tons of acclaim from press and gamers alike.
Check out the trailer, shot-by-shot comparison video, and full director interview below in all its mankind glory. The Nier Automata anime will be out on January 2023.


We Could Have Received A Star Fox Claymation Project From CollegeHumor In 2015, But….

Here’s more news to prove the dinosaur stance of Nintendo, as well as the chief reason why the 2015 Netflix Zelda adaptation was cancelled.
In an attempt to spread out in film and TV property like it did in the early 90s, Nintendo was going to release a Star Fox claymation project, led by Shigeru Miyamoto and produced by CollegeHumor. We’re talking Fantastic Mr Fox-style featuring Fox McCloud, Slippy, and Falco dogfighting apes & aliens in space.
In a Serf Times interview with CollegeHumor host and creator of the show Adam Ruins Everything, Adam Conover, he said that the potentially awesome project was cancelled after his previous boss mentioned that the Netflix live-action Zelda show was leaked by, well, Netflix. The streaming service probably did this in a misguided attempt to create buzz, unaware of how Nintendo would react to this.
Nintendo was annoyed by the leaks that they decided to go scorched earth and cancel their IP adaptations, including the Star Fox claymation project. You can hear the full podcast excerpt from 39:47 onward.

Basically, both Netflix and Nintendo are in the wrong here. Netflix should have just kept their PR mouths shut while Nintendo should not be disheartened by just a single leak. It’s like as if they were still butthurt about the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie which was eons ago. We would say get over it, but most video game industry companies, be it game makers or even certain game peripheral hackjob companies, love to bear ill will and hold grudges because of a fatal combination of pettiness and close-mindedness.


Fallout TV Series Begins Production This Year

The upcoming Fallout TV series will start production this year, according to Amazon Prime Video.
The streaming service also announced key roles for the projects. According to a Deadline report, Jonathan Nolan of Westworld fame will direct the first episode. He will also be producing it alongside Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy’s Kilter Films. Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel) and Graham Wagner (Silicon Valley, Portlandia) will be serving as the series’ showrunners. Todd Howard will be the show’s executive producer from Bethesda Game Studios side, while James Altman will be in the same role for Bethesda Softworks’ side.

#PleaseStandBy. @Fallout @BethesdaStudios #KilterFilms pic.twitter.com/IEDr7AkVvD
— Amazon Studios (@AmazonStudios) July 2, 2020

The show’s setup will be a mystery, but hopefully it’ll be a series of anthologies set in the wasteland with scenarios tied in together for one grand plot. We’re pretty sure it will involve mutant brahmin, raiders, vaults with people in blue jumpsuits, and Deathclaws.


Kingsman Prequel Trailer Showcases WW1 Setting & New Cast

20th Century Fox has given us our first look at the upcoming prequel set in the Kingsman franchise, which has now been given the official title, The King’s Man. That’s a cool title, and it certainly sounds better than the generic initial name for the movie, which was Kingsman: The Great Game.
While the first two Kingsman movies were riffs and smart satire on classic spy movies like the James Bond franchise, The King’s Man looks to be a stylized historical epic action piece of sorts.
Set during the early days of World War I (similar to 2017’s Wonder Woman), The King’s Man stars Ralph Fiennes as the Duke of Oxford and Harris Dickinson as his protege Conrad, in place of the roles previously portrayed by Colin Firth‘s Galahad and Taron Egerton‘s Eggsy.
The official synopsis reads:

As a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them.
Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in The King’s Man.

The movie also stars Rhys Ifan (The Amazing Spider-Man), Gemma Arterton (Prince Of Persia), Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Daniel BrÃ¼hl (Captain America: Civil War), Djimon Hounsou (Guardians Of The Galaxy), and Charles Dance (Game Of Thrones).
The King’s Man is slated to release on Valentine’s Day (14 February) in 2020. Check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e82JHkkPw54&w=560&h=315]


Universal Studios Japan Delays Super Nintendo World Theme Park

Bad news for folks who want to travel later this year to Japan for that sweet Super Nintendo World theme park action: Universal Studios announced that the particular video game-themed section will be postponed.
Previously, it was supposed to open “this summer”, but now it’ll be labelled as “indefinitely”. On a side note, the Osaka branch of Universal Studios has been opened since 8th June but under limited capacity.
The Mario-themed area was going to open with Mario Kart and Yoshi’s Adventure rides, along with areas such as Bowser and Princess Peach’s respective castles. Visitors are given magnetic wristbands for this section to interact with the park and keep score. Guess we’ll have to wait a little longer before we relive our Stage 1-1 traversing fantasies in real life.


VTubers Banned From YouTube After Streaming Splatoon 3 And Porn Combo

Some creative VTubers have found a way to make Splatoon 3 multiplayer matches interesting, and it involves Japanese porn.
So when a VTuber streams a match of Splatoon 3, they can use their third-party streaming app (like OBS) to create a video screen out of ink projectiles via Chroma manipulation and setting the ink transparency to zero. And what do they use underneath the “invisible ink”? Japanese pornography!
This caused Splatoon AV to trend on Japanese Twitter. This didn’t sit well with Nintendo, who issued a copyright strike on one of the more popular AV videos, most notably ones from VTuber Sinsogumi (via Automaton Media). The goal in these matches is to win, otherwise someone’s channel will get flagged for displaying all that juicy porn on their respective team’s channel.
Check out the tweet below to see one of the clips in action, porn and all.

i don't think it's exactly the same one pic.twitter.com/zcbshXL4dR
— BoeJiden (@SparkzNFTking) October 10, 2022

A pretty creative idea, though it wouldn’t be wise to put up anything adult video-related on a strict site like YouTube. For the record, these are the VTuber accounts that are deleted from YouTube.

Ikinone Tomeru
Kikaze Kimono
Sigure


Is Sony Japan & Asia’s PS5 Launch Getting Shafted For The US Market?

It turns out that the PlayStation brand’s isolation of Asian markets isn’t just relegated to most of Southeast Asia.
According to a Bloomberg report, Japan (and most of Asia by that extension) is being overlooked in promotions for the upcoming next-gen console, with its local team “left awaiting instructions from California”. Since the PS4 underperformed in Japan, due to the rising global sales of the console, this seems like a move the whole of Sony is planning to pull off: focusing on the US market.
Furthermore, an unidentified senior member of the PlayStation team in California said that the US team is frustrated with their Japanese counterparts to move a lot more PS4 than needed. Some contracts for PlayStation Japan Studio’s developers are also not renewed, which alludes to the fact that the US branch does not need Japan-only games.
However, Sony has denied about this shift from the Japan market to the US market. Said one Sony spokesperson:
“[O]ur home market remains of utmost importance.”
The company plans to sell 7.6 million PS5 units by the end of 31st March 2021, its current fiscal year. Good luck with that, since 2020 is still the year where not many folks worldwide are prioritizing luxury items (and even parallel-importing them for scalper price) over necessities.
What This Possibly Means
Easy:Â  it gives more context to the video below.

It makes more sense as to why PlayStation Asia is making the decision to keep their mouths shut to the media and content creators in regards to the PS5. There’s a chance they got their orders from the top brass, so try as they might, they are probably left with picking a viable market that’s available in this current 2020 climate: their home base, Singapore. And Hong Kong. It’s not an enviable position to be in, we must say.
And then there’s Microsoft and Xbox attempting to encroach the gaming market in Japan again. They’ve tried countless times with the Xbox and Xbox 360, but it was a noble failure. For all of Xbox’s exclusive RPGs like Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and (timed) Tales of Vesperia which you can play on your Xbox Series X with new & faster load times, that wasn’t enough to capture the Japanese market.
With this obvious shade thrown by Sony towards its loyal Japan market, assuming it all comes full circle in the next few weeks, it seems that third time might be a charm. Protip, Microsoft: bring back PlatinumGames and make amends with them, make their games exclusive to your new box, get others like Capcom and Koei Tecmo on board, and just push hard. Learn from your past mistakes; it’ll do your reputation a whole lotta good.
In the meantime, this also means game stores are given free rein to charge poor folks in Southeast Asia absurd prices for PS5s at launch month (via Lowyat). Some laces are charging RM4499 for a Hong Kong set, when it should be less than RM3,000 by right. Shameful.
Top image: Tom’s Guide


Nintendo Takes Down 1,300 Uploads Of Game Soundtracks From YouTube

Nintendo takes out the banhammer yet again to strike down content creators trying to talk about their games in some form or capacity.
According to YouTube page GilvaSunner, Nintendo has created over 1,300 copyright blocks on the group’s YouTube channel recently.
The following soundtracks have been blocked for use on YouTube.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Yoshi’s Island
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario World
New Super Mario Bros.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Mario 3D World
Luigi’s Mansion
Mario & Luigi Bowser’s Inside Story
Kid Icarus Uprising
Kirby’s Dream Land
Kirby Triple Deluxe

Basically if you use a good chunk of music from the following for your videos on YouTube, you can expect that vid to be blocked. And possibly even get a copyright strike from the Big N. Here are a few official words from the Twitter handle:
“Let me clarify again that I do not monetize videos and do not profit from them. I do realize that doesnâ€™t justify uploading the content. Iâ€™m also not angry or surprised that Nintendo is doing this, but I do think itâ€™s a bit disappointing there is hardly an alternative. If Nintendo thinks this is what needs to be done (to set an example), I will let them take down the channel. It is their content after all.”
https://twitter.com/GilvaSunner/status/1487438233172652036
Obviously, putting up the whole track of a game without any edits whatsoever is copyright infringement. It’s also not surprising to learn that the takedown request took years since 2019 via Nintendo Japan. Right now, the OST for Super Mario Sunshine is intact on the GilvaSunner channel.


EA Is Pleased With Star Wars Jedi: Survivor & FIFA 23 Performance

Here’s a two-fer piece of news from EA and its recent earnings call.
First up is its newly-released Star Wars game. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is off to a strong start, according to EA. The company stated during its fourth quarter earnings call earlier this week that the game has reached “millions” of players since it was released for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC on 28 April.
“Within the first few weeks, millions of players have joined Cal Kestis and BD-1 in their rebellion against the Empire. On Jedi, we’re overjoyed. We made the bold decision to move the title six weeks to give the team the opportunity to really get to the quality of the game that they wanted.
I think we’re building on where we were with Jedi: Fallen Order and it’s certainly been a very strong launch for us. It’s very early, I think we’re 11 days in at this point, we’re in a different kind of market dynamic, but I would tell you it’s pacing very strongly against our expectations and against Jedi: Fallen Order.”
In spite of the game’s buggy launch on PC and consoles, Respawn and EA are on the task of fixing it up. We thought the game was great despite its technical issues; here’s our review.
Second and last on this piece is the FIFA 23 sales, perhaps the company’s last football game with the official FIFA name. FIFA 23 sales overtook the numbers of previous entries like FIFA 22 within just six months. Basically, it overtook the last game’s lifetime sales pretty quick.
“In the six months since launch, EA Sports FIFA 23 has surpassed life-time sales of EA Sports FIFA 22, becoming the most successful launch in franchise history.
Record live services performance and increased engagement, particularly from our EA Sports FIFA franchise, drove better-than-expected Q4 net bookings, capping a strong finish to the fiscal year.
Year to date net bookings from the FIFA franchise have grown 4%. In North America alone, unit sales are up 50% year over year.”


Disney+: What to Expect From Disney’s Answer to Netflix

Disney‘s upcoming answer to Netflix has been given an official name: Disney+. It will launch in the U.S. sometime in late 2019. With this announcement, the company has also revealed two more series that will be coming out on the Disney Plus streaming service; a Star Wars Rogue One spinoff and a miniseries starring Marvel’s Loki.
According to Collider, Disney+ will function differently compared to Netflix. Content on Disney’s streaming service will be featured on five separate clear and distinguishable hubs: Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic. Each hub will serve as a micro-platform, with its own respective designs and offerings.
That would sound appealing to viewers who complain about Netflix’s often random content algorithm. Even I admit that it’s genuinely difficult to sift through content on Netflix, due to its confusing categories and layout. Stumbling upon a rare gem or something that I actually liked was rare enough that it feels like an achievement of sorts.
Now let’s discuss the content coming to Disney+. I’m breaking it down into separate hubs just like how it will be featured on the streaming service when it launches. Keep in mind that this list is not definitive and will be updated from time to time.
Star Wars

As of now, a total of three new Star Wars shows will be debuting on Disney+. The first to be announced was Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7, which was initially revealed at SDCC 2018 earlier this year. It will be a continuation of the canceled animated series, featuring events that will lead directly into the beginning of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
Next is Jon Favreau’s live-action series The Mandalorian. The only details revealed so far is that it will focus on a lone Mandalorian warrior on the fringes of the galaxy, set between the events of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
Last but not least, a live-action Rogue One spinoff series starring Cassian Andor, who if you remember correctly, died in the movie. Described as a spy thriller, the series will be a prequel to Rogue One, with Diego Luna reprising his role from the 2016 movie.
Marvel

This is a little weird, considering that previous and ongoing Marvel shows supposedly set in the MCU have never been much on continuity. However, Disney+ has an added advantage, in which the actors from the MCU will actually be reprising their roles in the upcoming shows. Two shows have been confirmed so far.
The first to be announced was a limited live-action series starring the Winter Soldier and Falcon, with both Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie set to reprise their respective roles. Not much is know about this thus far, though it will probably have a buddy-cop vibe to it. We already know they have great chemistry together, as evidenced by their shared screentime in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War.
Announced earlier today, Loki will be starring in his own series with Tom Hiddleston reprising his iconic role. No other details have been revealed about this as of yet.
Pixar

The only series confirmed to be in development for this category/hub is an animated series set in the world of Monsters Inc. Fans have long clamored for a sequel to 2001’s Monsters Inc. The last time we saw Sully and Mike Wazowski was in 2013’s Monsters University, which was a prequel to the original movie.
Disney

There’s a bunch of remakes in development for all Disney fans, which will surely make everyone feel nostalgic and tingly. These include (but are not limited to):

A series remake of 2000 movie High Fidelity, starring Zoe Kravitz.
A series remake of the classic 1992 movie The Mighty Ducks.
Noelle, a Christmas-theme comedy movie starring Anna Kendrick playing the role of Santa Claus’ daughter.
A live-action remake of 1955 animated classic The Lady and the Tramp, featuring the voices ofÂ Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux.

National Geographic
Which one is Disney & which one is Netflix? You decide…
Disney has yet to announce new content for this category/hub. However, just like the programme you’re used to on TV, it will probably feature documentaries of wildlife and culture.


Latest Samsung Galaxy Z Devices Are Now Open For Pre-Orders In Malaysia

Last week, we covered all the best bits from the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 live stream. Now,Â Samsung Malaysia has announced that you can now pre-order the latest Galaxy devices, starting from 19 August until 21 September 2021.
From iconic design to engaging entertainment, the Samsung Galaxy Z series is on its journey to offer users unique new ways to work, watch, and play.
You can pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G or Galaxy Z Flip3 5G and enjoy exclusive rewards up to RM1,649. In addition, you can even receive an e-voucher worth up to RM850 to spend on Samsung Malaysia Online Store and stay worry-free beyond the standard warranty with Samsung Care+ protection worth up to RM799, free for a year.
Last but not least, you can reap the benefits of the e-voucher by owning selected items including the brand new Galaxy Watch4 Classic, Galaxy Watch4 or Galaxy Buds2.

From today onwards (19 August 2021), you can pre-order the Galaxy Watch4 Classic or Galaxy Watch4 Bluetooth version, and receive an additional e-voucher worth up to RM250 to spend on Samsung Malaysia Online Store.

Pre-order will be available at Samsung Experience Stores, Samsung Authorized Partners and Samsung Malaysia Online Store.
You can check out the price for each pre-order deal below:

Product
Model
RRP
Colour
Exclusive Gift(s)

Galaxy Z Fold3
Galaxy Z Fold3 5G (256GB)
RM6,699
Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Green
â€¢ Receive a complimentary Samsung Care+ 1 Year Plan worth RM799.
â€¢ Receive a Samsung Online Store e-voucher worth RM850.

Galaxy Z Fold3 5G (512GB)
RM7,099

Galaxy Z Flip3
Galaxy Z Flip3 5G (128GB)
RM3,999
Cream, Phantom Black, Green, Lavender
â€¢ Receive a complimentary Samsung Care+ 1 Year Plan worth RM699.
â€¢ Receive a Samsung Online Store e-voucher worth RM600.

Galaxy Z Flip3 5G (256GB)
RM4,199

Galaxy Watch4 Classic
Galaxy Watch4 Classic 46mm (Bluetooth)
RM1,399
Black, Silver
â€¢ Receive a Samsung Online Store e-voucher worth RM250.

Galaxy Watch4 Classic 42mm (Bluetooth)
RM1,299

Galaxy Watch4
Galaxy Watch4 44mm (Bluetooth)
RM999
Black
Green
Silver
â€¢ Receive a Samsung Online Store e-voucher worth RM150.

Galaxy Watch4 40mm (Bluetooth)
RM899
Black
Pink Gold
Silver

To find out more about the pre-order offers, you can visit the official website here.
To pre-order the latest Galaxy devices, please click the respective links below:

Galaxy Z Fold3:Â www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-z-fold3-5g/buy/
Galaxy Z Flip3:Â www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-z-flip3-5g/buy/
Galaxy Watch4 Classic:Â https://www.samsung.com/my/watches/galaxy-watch/galaxy-watch4-classic-black-bluetooth-sm-r880nzkaxme/buy/
Galaxy Watch4:Â https://www.samsung.com/my/watches/galaxy-watch/galaxy-watch4-black-bluetooth-sm-r870nzkaxme/buy/

For more details on the specs of the Samsung Galaxy Z devices, you can head on over here for our coverage of the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event.
Also, we recently got our hands on the Z Flip 3 and guess what? You can find out what we thought of it in the crazy long review here.


VCT 2022: Stage 2 Masters Copenhagen – Paper Rex Secure Grand Final Spot

Just like last Masters, OpTic has fallen into the lower bracket after losing their upper bracket final match versus Paper Rex.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR SCHEDULE STAGE 2 MASTERS SCHEDULE
VCT Stage 2 Masters resumed last night and to start off the night we were blessed with the highly anticipated match-up between North America’s OpTic Gaming and Asia-Pacific’s Paper Rex. The winner would be guaranteed a spot in the grand final.
This will be massive for Paper Rex as this will be their first international grand final as they aim to put Southeast Asia and APAC on the map as a region to be internationally feared.
As for the GreenWall, all isn’t lost just yet as they’ve been in this position before back in Iceland. OpTic lost to LOUD in the upper bracket final and managed to climb their way back up to face LOUD and ended up winning the entire tournament.

BATTLE OF THE CHAMBERS
To begin the series, OpTic picked Haven, a map they were confident on, and their confidence seemed well deserved as they took the initial two rounds. But this was quickly thwarted as Paper Rex maintain composure and stuck with their aggressive playstyle and went on to win nine out of the next ten rounds left in the half.
With the score already at 9–3, Paper Rex went on to close out the series winning the four remaining rounds they required to claim the first map 13–3. Although the scoreline doesn’t show it, the duels between the two Chambers in Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker for OpTic and Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto for PRX were nothing short of a masterclass as both showcased the agent to the best of their abilities.
THE GREENWALL’S REVENGE
On to Paper Rex’s pick of Bind, on paper, PRX had an extremely high chance of winning this map as they hadn’t lost on Bind in the last eight times they played it. But in contrast to the last game, OpTic came out of the gates swinging as they started off the map on a seven-round win streak.

Gotta bounce back #OpTicVALORANT pic.twitter.com/Y8wdfu4Gp0
— OpTic Gaming™ (@OpTic) July 22, 2022

Regardless of PRX’s efforts, managing to take three rounds, the GreenWall gave the Southeast Asian side a taste of their own medicine as they closed out the half 9–3. The second half was a bit more even but ultimately, OpTic took the map 13–9.
TICKET TO THE GRAND FINAL
With the series tied at 1–1, the third and final map of the series was to be played on Fracture, OpTic’s signature map. Although DRX obliterated the GreenWall last time they played this map, they were still very confident in their experience on Fracture.
But what they needed to keep in mind is that Paper Rex has excelled on this map throughout Masters so far. With f0rsakeN and OpTic’s Victor “Victor” Wong both locking in Neon, analysts assured us that this was destined to be an extremely fast-paced map. And fast-paced it was with Paper Rex taking the first few rounds in the blink of an eye.
By round 6, the scoreline seemed even with it being 3–2 in favour of OpTic, but as PRX continued to maintain aggression, Rex went on to take the rest of the rounds in the half, concluding in a 9–3 score yet again.

CLOSING OUT THE HALF WITH A BANG ? @eggs_benkai | #VALORANTMasters pic.twitter.com/JUgdN7WZfy
— VALORANT Champions Tour ?? (@ValorantEsports) July 22, 2022

With the help of Benedict “Benkai” Tan’s Breach topping the scoreboard, PRX were able to close out the series 13–5 and take the series 2–1. Meaning that the Singaporean organisation has solidified their spot in the grand final that will take place on 24 July at 11:00 PM (GMT+8). They will go on to play the winner of OpTic and FunPlus Phoenix which will be determined on 23 July at 11:00 PM (GMT+8).
For more VCT 2022 action, head over to our full schedule and livestream feature page.


Persona 5 Royal And Persona 5 Strikers Soundtracks Are On Spotify Right Now

Atlus’ slew of JRPGs and action spin-offs are getting their soundtracks on Spotify.
Specifically, Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5 Strikers now have their OSTs on the streaming music service. Basically, it’s about two to three discs worth of awesome music and jazz for JRPG/anime/Shin Megami Tensei fans.
Check out the playlists below:
Persona 5 Royal

Persona 5 Strikers

I really dig Persona 5 Strikers’ new music, so it’s great to hear them through these Spotify links. Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5 Strikers are out for PS4 right now. The latter spin-off is out on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC.


HBO’s The Last Of Us Episode 5 Breakdown & Easter Eggs

HBO’s The Last Of Us Episode 5 is now streaming on HBO and HBO GO (HBO Max in the US). Check out our breakdown of Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3 and Episode 4 here.
We’ll say that Episode 5 is quite a doozy. Spoilers ahead:
Courtesy of HBO Asia, we were lucky enough to be the only Malaysian media to participate in interviews with Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, Merle Dandridge and Gabriel Luna. You can also check out our spoiler-free review of the entire season by heading over here.

Jeffrey Pierce AKA Tommy’s Original Voice Actor

Jeffrey Pierce is the original voice actor of Tommy, Joel’s brother, in the games. However, in the HBO series, he plays an original character created for the adaptation named Perry.

Sam Is Deaf In The HBO Version

One of the main differences between the video game Sam and HBO Sam is that the live-action version is deaf, so he communicates with sign language.
Savage Starlight Comics

In the games, Savage Starlight comics are hidden collectibles that players can find and collect. They’re also one of Ellie’s hobbies; to collect and read these comics.
A Reference To The Iconic Sniping Gameplay Segment But It’s Different

There’s a similar sniping segment in the game, but the HBO series has several differences; it takes place at night and it has more action and explosions.

A Bloater

A bloater is a type of more powerful Infected in the games. This is the debut of the live-action version.
Sam Gets Infected And Henry Kills Himself

The same thing happens in the game, but in the game, Sam doesn’t tell Ellie about him getting bitten, so it was a surprise to Ellie when she woke up in the morning. In the HBO series, Sam even shows Ellie where he was bitten.

Until next week, excelsior! Check out the side-by-side comparison below.
The Last Of Us HBO Episode 5 comparison

The Last Of Us HBO Episode 5 comparison


Retro Shoot Em Up ProtoCorgi Is Out Now On PC & Switch

Plaion and Ravenscourt have announced that ProtoCorgi is out now on PC and Nintendo Switch. ProtoCorgi is a retro-style pixel art, horizontal shoot ‘em up with arcade gameplay that gives the player control over Bullet, a C3 class (Cute Cybernetic Corgi) cybernetic pup.
When Bullet discovers that Nixie was kidnapped by evil forces seeking galactic domination, the cute, yet deadly Corgi goes on a quest to save her. The adventure ahead fills your screen with fully animated beautiful retro pixel art and lets you experience Bullet’s fights with precise controls, solid gameplay and passionate story.
If you want to build your own obstacle courses for Bullet, give ProtoCorgi’s level editor a try. It offers different backgrounds that you’ll explore while playing the story and gives you access to all kinds of obstacles and enemies to make Bullet’s life a little bit harder while navigating your creation. Obviously, the level editor also lets you place all sorts of enemies in the cybernetic pup’s path to bark up. You can also share your custom levels with other players online.
Check out the trailer below:


Free Fire Reveals Their Own Bandersnatch

Today, 15 September saw Garena’s first ever offline event in Malaysia in commemoration of the finale to their “Free Fire Untuk Semua” campaign.
All of this was to commemorate Garena’s “Free Fire Untuk Semua” (Free Fire For Everyone) campaign which began in January. As the name implies, the campaign’s objective was to gather Free Fire players from all walks of life around one shared passion: Free Fire.
Bringing the campaign to a close is yet another partnership with local Malaysian celebrities from the past Free Fire Untuk Semua iterations such as Zizan Razak, Ismail Izzani, the girl group DOLLA and Bunga. All seven celebrities star in the aforementioned interactive browser game which was shot entirely on a green screen set — one of Malaysia’s firsts.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES

The Free Fire Untuk Semua Finale media event gave a first look into the film, A behind-the-scenes video promoting the film reveals that the celebrities had to shoot their scenes and multiple stunts separately on different days.
The event featured a tour of the latest campaign’s film’s actual set and props, including the exact jeep that Zizan Razak used in filming. There was also an exclusive viewing of Garena’s brand new interactive browser game—kind of like Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch—which will be available tomorrow 16 September at 8:00 PM (GMT+8). New and long-time players will be able to enjoy the web game as the main protagonist as you join and meet local celebrities. In line with the message of “Free Fire Untuk Semua”, the website is also playable in three languages – English, Malay and Chinese.

The web game will also offer players a chance to win exclusive themed in-game prizes, merchandise, or even autographs from local celebrities. Stand a chance to win a physical loot box of your own, much like the one featured in the web game. In the loot box, you’ll find an exclusive limited edition Free Fire varsity jacket, along with signed cards from the seven celebrities featured in the web game.
More details of the giveaway can be found on Free Fire Malaysia’s official Facebook and Instagram pages.
IN-GAME PRIZES & EVENT MISSIONS

That’s not all, as exclusive in-game prizes from previous Free Fire Untuk Semua iterations will make a comeback in the missions featured in the Finale happening from 12 – 29 September.
Players looking to redeem collection items like the Timbered Charmer (Nebula) Bundle and the Bronze Horse loot box can exchange their existing Untuk Semua tokens in the Finale Exchange Store, which will run in multiple phases throughout the event period.
The coming weekend will also feature rare item drops, like the elusive Magic Cube Fragments, which can grant players a free costume bundle upon accumulating 100 pieces, on top of the Rap Swag emote.
Look forward to an action-packed Malaysia Day weekend with the Free Fire Untuk Semua Finale, featuring exciting web and in-game events for all players.


Romancing Saga: Minstrel Song Remastered Announced For PC, PlayStation, & Mobile

A classic PS2 remake of a SNES RPG classic is making its way onto modern consoles.
Square Enix announced Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered for PC, PS4, PS5, and mobile platforms, which is slated for Winter 2022.
The original PS2 SaGa title came out in 21st April 2005, with the remake featuring new 3D graphics and character models that make everyone an anime version of those Thunderbird/Team America: World Police puppets, and revamped gameplay. The 2022 remaster will feature improved playability and quality of life changes.
Check out the trailer below, as well as the full Romancing SaGa livestream event (in Japanese).


HBO GO May 2023: Our Picks & Highlights

I’m sure you won’t want to waste time sifting through HBO GO’s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming site updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so I’m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for HBO GO May 2023 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
White House Plumbers (2 May 2023)

White House Plumbers takes the audience behind-the-scenes of the Watergate scandal as Nixon’s political saboteurs, E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy accidentally topple the presidency they were zealously trying to protect… and their families along with it. Chronicling actions on the ground, this satirical drama begins in 1971 when the White House hires Hunt and Liddy, former CIA and FBI, respectively, to investigate the Pentagon Papers leak. After failing upward, the unlikely pair lands on the Committee to Re-Elect the President, plotting several unbelievable covert ops – including bugging the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate complex. Stars Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Lena Headey, Judy Greer, Domhnall Gleeson, Toby Huss, Ike Barinholtz and Kathleen Turner.
Premieres Tuesday, May 2 on HBO GO.
V For Vengeance (6 May 2023)

Two estranged sisters, who happen to be “good” vampires, reunite when their younger (human) sister is kidnapped by the worst vampire. The sisters spring into action before their nemesis can unlock the secret to creating a race of super vampires. Stars Jocelyn Hudon, Grace Van Dien, Sean Maguire, Christopher Russell and Pauline Dyer.
Premieres Saturday, May 6 at 9pm on HBO (Astro Ch 411) and HBO GO
The Black Phone (20 May 2023)

Finney Shaw, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney. Stars Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames.
Premieres Saturday, May 20 at 9pm on HBO (Astro Ch 411) and HBO GO
Margaux (27 May 2023)

A group of college friends rent a smart house for a weekend of partying. However, they slowly start to realise that Margaux, the house’s super advanced AI system, has sinister plans for them. Stars Madison Pettis, Vanessa Morgan, Jedidiah Goodacre, Phoebe Miu, Jordan Buhat and Richard Harmon.
Premieres Saturday, May 27 at 9pm on HBO (Astro Ch 411) and HBO GO/
Reality (30 May 2023)

On June 3, 2017, 25-year-old former American intelligence specialist Reality Winner is confronted by FBI agents arriving at her home to question her suspected role in the mishandling of classified information. Based on true events, the film’s dialogue is taken directly from the transcript of their tense and transfixing conversation. Stars Sydney Sweeney, Josh Hamilton, and Marchánt Davis.
Premieres Tuesday, May 30 on HBO GO


Microsoft Announces Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox Controller & Bundle [Update]

Update: Yep, it’s real. Official video below. The limited edition console will be out June 2020.

Original story
It seems that Microsoft is teasing something related to the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077. If you head over to the Xbox site, you’ll be greeted by a temporary, glitchy display in which the vague silhouette of what seems to be an Xbox controller (my reflexes aren’t fast enough to take a proper screenshot) is shown for a very brief moment. Then, it displays the words “RETURN IN 4 DAYS” before things go back to normal.

On the Xbox Twitter page, you’ll find a tweet depicting a fictional login page, which you can find here (thanks, GamesRadar).

<meta property=“og:type” Content=“1_3clue” /> #breakthecode pic.twitter.com/aCyi1mWbeO
— Xbox (@Xbox) April 16, 2020

The fictional company being referenced is Arasaka Corporation, a powerful Japanese megacorporation in the Cyberpunk universe. The Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter page notes that they’re “One of the most influential megacorporations in 2077”, and that police and security forces alike are big fans of their weapons and vehicles.

Arasaka Corp. is a family firm from Japan. They're known for providing corporate security, banking, and legal services. One of the most influential megacorporations in 2077, their weapons and vehicles are among the most sought after by police and security forces. #Cyberpunk2077 pic.twitter.com/ni2jjbeUZf
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) April 15, 2020

These vague teases and the ARG are beyond me, but they could be related to the Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox bundle, which was apparently leaked on Amazon Canada (the listing no longer exists), according to Twitter user Nibel (@Nibellion). Another user by the name of DUDEMAN127 (@DUDEMAN1271) later posted an image of the alleged bundle in all its glory.

Here it is pic.twitter.com/muVpJxTgV6
— Brian (@DUDEMAN1271) April 16, 2020

I’d take the bundle news with a grain of salt for now, but I have to say, that console design looks pretty underwhelming. The controller is better, I suppose, but it reminds me a lot of Danganronpa’s Monokuma. If all the teasing is only leading to this, well, that’d be a huge disappointment.


Final Samurai Warriors 5 Trailer Highlights More Super Moves

Koei Tecmo just launched a sweet final trailer for its upcoming feudal period 3D beat-em-up action game Samurai Warriors 5 (Sengoku Musou 5).
The trailer shows off super moves from characters like Nobunaga Oda (bishie version) and new ninja girl Mitsuki. It’s as over-the-top as you can get within the context of a Musou game, especially with the game’s brand new art style and revamp of the series.
Check out the final trailer for the upcoming Musou game below.

 Samurai Warriors 5 will be out in Japan on 24 June for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. The English versions will be out later in 2021.


Teamfight Tactics Is Coming To Mobiles

In the League of Legends 10th Anniversary Stream, Riot has announced that their popular autochess game Teamfight Tactics will be coming to mobiles in 2020. Players will log in using their League of Legends account so progress will be transferred from the desktop version.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggIMDjWURIA&w=560&h=315]
Teamfight Tactics for mobiles will be released for both Android and iOS. It will even support crossplay with the PC version. It’s worth noting that Riot has also announced the second set for Teamfight Tactics which will replace all the current champions with 50 new champions. It’s safe to say the mobile version will launch with set two.
No exact release date was given but it’s scheduled to be out in the first quarter of 2020 with a beta coming in December.


Football Manager 2018’s  New ‘Dynamics’ System Will Alter How You Handle Your Squad

With each Football Manager iteration, players are introduced with brand new managing concepts and tools which adds layers upon layers to the complexity of handling one’s favorite football club from top to bottom. Gone are the days when all you need to worry was whether to run a 4-4-2 instead of a 4-2-3-1; squad harmony and balancing players’ play time and expectations are among of the core concepts in more recent versions.
Just when veterans of the game thought developers Sports Interactive have been putting too many variables in managing one’s football squad and wonder whether that was as detailed as they could get, SI added a new feature to this year’s version in the form of ‘Dynamics’. Simply put, ‘Dynamics’ adds behind-the-scenes issues into the mix including dressing room atmosphere, team cohesion and personnel management that adds tons of new layers to an already complex football sim game. Veteran squad members forming cliques? Dressing room politics with diva-like players? Your record signing being ostracised by the rest of the team? How awesome is that?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmVvc35M4N8&w=560&h=315]
Expect to focus more on players’ mentality management than ever in FM2018. Player power is higher than ever as dressing room atmosphere will play a crucial role in affecting a team’s overall shape, morale and the effectiveness of your on-field tactics. Full detail of ‘Dynamics’ are explained in the video above so we’d highly recommend you have a quick watch.
‘Dynamics’ is a super cool introduction to FM18, one which any Football Manager veteran would welcome but also may be a tad too complicated for some casual players. Nonetheless, November 10 could not come soon enough and if our guesses are correct, those who pre-order the game will get early beta access to it, roughly two weeks before the full launch. Watch this space as we will be updating you with relevant info as we receive more news.


J Hunter’s Favourite Gaming Things Of 2018

J Hunter is a livestreamer renowned for his fighting gamer-slash-caster-slash-analyzing skills.Â  He’s also known for pitting WWE ’19 versions of Malaysian politicians and kings against each other.
You can check out his streams & work here. For now, here’s his top 10 of 2018.Â

https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1529203463850730/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARA8aL822b_EQVYA7Vn8Ho-g8rGcronsWuewlEaAc6zqLZWFwcnFdTFU1JPAcVZCNwJCrnz-E6ii5tTyZYqzjuYJllprt4kHkKLGWlF4SH41YNTbn8hSTN-vJB8-mWrAybQaUZrbcavyRBsQCE4ZnhUL90i4GJBP3MwsMm40EA4Vw2iirMcjnOdy-nuu2QXrucg4b-QJKLxHzSy7_2MwGbvad6sKCbsaTj_eUJIFbalfxycYix9nH_KZmj6uEsZxJT3di3eyckbfgPuz4oREXu57ikA4OJRbUF7vFvyT87RTWYzSCOdXnGaVMhoOG71kMhE0ZHW_BFhS9PO5wzR8SDCqzV-oK4g4&__tn__=H-R
10. A Way Out

Couch co-op lives through EA, out of all the developers & publishers out there. A game that forces you to team up with a friend to solve puzzles and fight your way through prison, drug dealers and cops, A Way out is a Hollywood buddy action movie you can play.
While it’s a bit short, the game is very engaging and emotionally satisfying.
9. Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Nintendo set out to bring the biggest Smash Bros game ever, and they smashed it.
8. Detroit: Become Human

I’m a sucker for slow-burning story-based games. Personal console bias aside, Sony is killing it in AAA titles this year.
7. Megaman 11

It’s no secret that I love platforming and Capcom titles. I love to speedrun Megaman, so this just falls naturally in the list.
6. Dead Cells

Again, I love platforming, especially if it’s a Metroidvania, and this game has that. Plus it makes my blood boil because it’s damn freaking hard.
5.Shadow Of The Colossus Remake

DID I MENTION THAT I LOVE PLATFORMING MORESO IF THE PLATFORMS ARE GIGANTIC MONSTERS?!
4.Marvel’s Spider-Man

THE best Spider-Man game out there deserves a lot of attention. Unfortunately, it had to share the spotlight with some of the best games, period.
3. Red Dead Redemption 2

I’m not a fan of Rockstar and open world games. But Red Dead Redemption 2 is a very well-polished game with great graphics, music, story, and gameplay.
2. Dragon Ball FighterZ

It’s hard to name a more enticing two-punch combo than “Dragon Ball” and “fighting”. Put Arc System Works in charge, maintain Akira Toriyama’s vision of the franchise, and Bandai Namco to publish it: winning formula right there.
It’s not surprising that DBFZ turned out the way it did.
1. God of War

To be honest, I didn’t expect to like God Of War as much as I did since while the previous titles were good, but it wasn’t really my cup of tea as I felt it tried too hard to be edgy and violent just for the sake of it.
But after the first confrontation with The Stranger, I was sold. The combat felt solid, every victory felt earned, the music moved my soul, dialogues were memorable (“Boy…”), and the story makes me yearn for more.
The fact that there are practically no DLCs so far and only eventual updates make it feel like its the most complete game out of the list.


AMD Announces New Ryzen 4000 Series Desktop Processors

Today,Â AMD has announced the worldâ€™s first and most advanced 7nm x86 desktop processors with built-in graphics for consumer and commercial PC markets; the AMD Ryzen 4000 Series Desktop Processors with Radeon Graphics and the AMD Athlon 3000 Series Desktop Processors with Radeon Graphics.
The new AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 4000 G-Series Desktop Processors deliver impressive generational leaps in performance and amazing power efficiency for consumers, gamers, streamers and creators.
Built for modern business PCs, AMD Ryzen 4000 Series Desktop Processors with PRO technologies offer enterprise-class solutions, advanced technology and multi-layered security features.
Ryzen 4000 Series Desktop Processors are built on the industry-leading 7nm process and â€œZen 2â€ core architecture, offering unmatched user experiences and power efficiency in the state-of-the-art AMD socket AM4 platform.
AMD client business unit senior vice president and general manager Saeid Moshkelani said:

â€œAMD is dedicated to continuously pushing the boundaries of processing power and graphics performance to deliver amazing PC experiences for all customers, from mainstream PC users, to gamers, streamers and enterprise users.
Today, in association with our longstanding PC partners, we are excited to launch the AMD Ryzen 4000 Series Desktop Processors.
The ultimate desktop processors with built-in graphics delivering amazing performance for work or play.â€

The AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 4700G Desktop Processor offers:

Up to 2.5X multi-threaded performance compared to the previous generation.
Up to 5 percent greater single-thread performance than the Intel Core i7-9700.
Up to 31 percent greater multithreaded performance than the Intel Core i7-9700.
Up to 202 percent better graphics performance than the Intel Core i7-9700.

MODEL

CORES / THREADS
TDP
(Watts)
BOOST9/BASE FREQ. (GHz)
GPU CORES
CACHE (MB)

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 7 4700G

8C/16T

65W

Up to 4.4 / 3.6 GHz

8

12 MB

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 7 4700GE

8C/16T

35W

Up to 4.3 / 3.1 GHz

8

12 MB

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 5 4600G

6C/12T

65W

Up to 4.2 / 3.7 GHz

7

11 MB

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 5 4600GE

6C/12T

35W

Up to 4.2 / 3.3 GHz

7

11 MB

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 3 4300G

4C/8T

65W

Up to 4.0 / 3.8 GHz

6

6 MB

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 3 4300GE

4C/8T

35W

Up to 4.0 / 3.5 GHz

6

6 MB

Athlonâ„¢ Gold 3150G

4C / 4T

65Wâ€‹

3.9 GHz

3

6 MB

Athlonâ„¢ Gold 3150GE

4C / 4T

35W

3.8 GHz

3

6 MB

Athlonâ„¢ Silver 3050GE
2C / 4T
35W
3.4 GHz
3

5 MB

The AMD Ryzen PRO 4000 Series Desktop Processors offer:

Up to 31 percent faster performance than the competition
Up to 43 percent more performance per watt than the competition

MODEL

CORES/
THREADS
TDP
(Watts)
BOOST9/
BASE FREQ. (GHz)
Graphics Cores
L2/L3 CACHE (MB)

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 7 PRO 4750G

8C/16T
65W
Up to 4.4/3.6 GHz
8
12MB

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 7 PRO 4750GE
8C/16T
35W
Up to 4.3/3.1 GHz
8

12MB

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 5 PRO 4650G

6C/12T
65W
Up to 4.2/3.7 GHz
7
11MB

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 5 PRO 4650GE
6C/12T
35W
Up to 4.2/3.3 GHz
7

11MB

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 3 PRO 4350G

4C/8T
65W
Up to 4.0/3.8 GHz
6
6MB

AMD Ryzenâ„¢ 3 PRO 4350GE
4C/8T
35W
Up to 4.0/3.5 GHz
6

6MB

AMD Athlonâ„¢ Gold PRO 3150G

4C/4T
65W
Up to 3.9/3.5 GHz
3
6MB

AMD Athlonâ„¢ Gold PRO 3150GE
4C/4T
35W
Up to 3.8/3.3 GHz
3

6MB

AMD Athlonâ„¢ Silver PRO 3125GE
2C/4T
35W
Up to 3.4/3.4 GHz
3

5MB

Availability
The Ryzen 4000 G-Series Desktop Processors are expected to be available in systems from OEM partners including Lenovo and HP starting sometime in Q3 2020. The Ryzen PRO 4000 Series Desktop Processors will be available from SIs at launch on 21 July 2020 and are expected in systems from OEM partners starting later in Fall 2020.
The Ryzen 4000 G-Series, Athlon 3000 G-Series, Ryzen PRO 4000 Series and Athlon PRO 3000 Series Desktop Processors are exclusively available from SIs and OEM partners.


Kakuchopurei’s Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide 2018 [Update]

Since the season of giving is still ongoing this month, this piece will be updated periodically.
Welcome to Kakuchopurei’s first-ever holiday gift guide special, where we suggest a bunch of games and gaming-related hardware for you to buy.
Treat this feature as a guide to help shop awesome pop culture gifts for your pals, family, significant others, and for your Secret Santa recipient. We cover all bases, that we can promise -games, comics, movies, all other pop culture thingamajigs.
These items here can be shipped to your respective country unless stated otherwise. All prices will be in US and RM.
For the “less than RM100” Secret Santa thing…

Logitech Marvel Mice (RM80 per mice)
For RM80+ apiece -heck, just buy all 4 if you wish- your Marvel-loving buddy in the office can mix and match mice to your preferences and needs. Just keep in mind its price point; don’t expect this to be a hardcore gaming mouse. It’s meant to be used on the go and acts as a nice desk mouse for work; just a little something to add a dash of colour to their mundane lives.
For your cousins who want a Bluetooth speaker for their millennial music…
Ultimate Ears BOOM2

Portable, waterproof, easy to connect to your devices, and simple to use: what’s not to love about the UE? This sound-blasting beast is just the right price and even comes with its own app so you can use your phone as a remote. Plus, it comes with six colours; just make sure you get the right one for your cousin or music/game audio-loving friend.
For your gaming girlfriend/boyfriend who needs a console on the go…
Nintendo Switch + Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (RM1,549 and beyond)

That’s all you need to make her/his day: the top console with the most variety of games. You may need to save up a few extra RM for the following titles…
Super Mario Odyssey, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Party, Super Smash Bros Ultimate (RM200+ apiece)

First-party Nintendo titles are usually all-ages titles and cater to every kind of skill level, be it amateurs or pros. Rest assured these games will entertain your partner to no end, and can even be set up as a party favour. Of course, that means he/she needs to buy extra controllers, but that’s another story altogether.
For your fighting game buddy who needs a fresh perspective
SoulCalibur VI (PS4, PC, Xbox One; RM200+)

Mr Toffee gave this fighting game a glowing review and rightly so: it’s the best iteration of a 3D fighting game featuring a nifty 8-Way Run system, a diverse cast of characters, and a decent single-player mode that recaps the lore of the game AND teaches you its new mechanics like the Reversal Edges.
All in all, a solid gift for your fighting game pal who’s still into Tekken 7 and Street Fighter V.
For your mainstream comic book pals who love Marvel/DC
X-Men Red, Volume 1 (US$12.18)

You want to see the X-Men at their most political? Then this is the gift for your pals who want to read an actually good X-Men book this year. Writer Tom Taylor and artists Pascal Alixe and Mahmud A.Asrar give us a reborn Jean Grey who is given the task to lay down the foundations of a stable mutant nation.
Of course, it won’t be easy since she has to deal with the psychic ghost of Professor X’s stillborn twin who is just as powerful as him. Tom Taylor does a damn good job at balancing the serious undertones of the book with the weird-ass humour he’s known for.
Dark Nights Metal, Dark Nights Metal: Dark Nights Rising Trade Paperback Collection (US$29.99)

If you want to see the DCU superheroes in a fantastical sci-fi ride that will warp your mind, look no further than this already-completed saga. Basically, the Justice League have to fight seven evil alternate-universe Batmen who want to lay waste upon their perfect universe. Also, the series introduces the Dark Multiverse.
It sounds dumb and stupid when we read it out loud, but somehow the premise and results work thanks to Scott Snyder’s writing and Greg Capullo giving his all in making the adventure epic aesthetics-wise.
If you want to add on to the collection for your pal, then the side book Dark Nights Rising should do the trick. It’s basically the origin stories of the messed-up evil Batmen.
For your open-minded comic book-reading friends…
Coda (Boom Studios, US$1.99 per issue)

If you have a friend or loved one who loves fantasy books but has never checked out a good fantasy comic, you should get them this series from Boom Studios. It keeps and expands upon the Dungeons & Dragons/Lords of the Ring tropes but adds in its own twist to the tale.
Really, the series is about a guy who goes onto misadventures upon misadventures while preserving his marriage. Both this plot point and the monster-slaying go hand-in-hand surprisingly well.
Aquicorn Cove (Oni Press, US$12.99)

This graphic novel from Katie O’Neill combines soft luscious artwork with a coming-of-age story of a girl trying to cope with the loss of her mother by being an environmentalist. Perfect for the young ones and for comic book parents.
On A Sunbeam (First Second, US$21.99)

If your subject is a fan of comics like Strangers In Paradise or Love & Rockets, On A Sunbeam is a good companion piece. It’s a love story of sorts that is set in space, will well-written characters set in extraordinary circumstances.
You can read the whole comic here online, but we do suggest you find a trade paperback version of this as a really good gift.
For you cheap-ass gamers out there…
Steam Winter Sale (from now until 4th January PST)

The Steam Winter Sale is afoot. Here are the best deals from the online store so far.

The 2D platformer Celeste is going for RM30.40 (20% discount). Great platforming, godlike music, pretty cool take on anxiety and depression; give it a shot!
Bullet-hell dungeon crawler Enter The Gungeon is going for RM15.50 (50% discount). If you want your Chaos Engine fix but on the cheap, why not check this one out?
One of our favourite fighting games, Soulcalibur 6, is going for RM126.23 (33% discount). The tale of swords, eternally retold and reworked so that it has an esports fighting chance!
Want a new take on Harvest Moon? Then try out Graveyard Keeper where you build and manage your own medieval graveyard while “facing ethical dilemmas and making questionable decisions”. It’s going for RM26.13 (33% discount).Â