Ori And The Will Of The Wisps Is 2020’s Benchmark Metroidvania Tribute

Platform: Xbox One, PC
Genre: Whimsical 2D Platformer That Will Make A Man Out Of You
And so, we’ve come to the end of a console generation, and with it a slew of tryhards aiming to be the capstone before the new toys come in.Â Even at the end of the Xbox One’s rather lukewarm cycle, the console still manages to churn out a few gems here and there that hearken back to their indie game spirit.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps (or Ori 2 because its full title can be a mouthful) is exactly that; a sequel to Moon Studios’ love letter to 2D platforming and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. To set it apart from many, Ori 2 features a few bells and whistles to ease the journey while still whipping your skills into shape.
And it also looks damn good doing so.
Bright Lights, Tiny Spirit

Make no mistake: Ori 2 is a helluva tough game. The devs lay out checkpoints at each stage interval and challenges at the cost of making sure your jumping and evading skills are up to snuff. How? With meticulous levels and pitfalls that you have to react to.
After an hour or two of adjusting to you to its controls and level layout, Ori 2 then ramps it up with chase sequences, tricky platforming, and tough bosses. This is especially prevalent as you get to the point where you have to search for the titular Wisps scattered throughout the entire island.
Fortunately, you have a ton of skills and abilities at your disposal. From Ori and the Blind Forest and its Definitive Edition, you have the iconic Bash and Dash. The former lets you reflect projectiles while giving you a boost, while the latter lets you do a horizontal dash; multiple times on the ground, and once in the air.

Brand new to the series is the ability to grapple ala Bionic Commando, and burrow and dash through sand. You also have a couple of weapons at your disposal to protect yourself and even open up new areas like the Spirit Edge and the Spirit Smash respectively. You even have a bow-and-arrow Spirit Arc that lets you activate hard-to-reach “switches” and triggers, which you’ll even have to do while mid-jump.

Personally, I had a blast using the new grapple mechanic. Launching a spirit vine to grapple onto specific points and propelling yourself to higher areas is a boatload of fun. Quest areas like the Wellspring and the Mouldwood Depths will give you that opportunity to go wild, and then make damn sure you master them when you have to keep running right and grappling when the situation arises.

If you need more options for your spirit-faring adventure, you can buy new attack moves from the fightmaster Opher and new Spirit Shards from travelling shopkeeper Twillen. Spirit Shards gives you passive buffs from an extra triple jump to even making the game tougher by having you deal and take more damage. These modifiers are optional, of course, and you can equip up to three initially; Combat Shrines you find will give you more Spirit Shard slots if you complete them.
Fix’er Upper

As if that wasn’t enough, Ori 2 introduces the Wellspring Glades as your hub. As you find special ores and seeds throughout the game, you can pass them to the Glades’ blacksmith and gardener respectively to fix up the place by completing Wellspring Glades projects.
If you help the folks here, you will open up new areas and even more sidequests, as well as a useful shrine buff that helps with combat exponentially. So yeah, taking your time here and fulfilling that completionist in you will yield results.
These optional skills, buffs, and additions help make the game a tad manageable. There was a particular boss fight in the aforementioned Mouldwood Depths that I couldn’t get through without life-bumping and damage-buffing Spirit Shards. Opher’s skills were also useful in this instance: Ori can summon a ninja star that has decent range and multi-hits enemies, as well as knock smaller enemies away and groundpound them with the Spirit Smash.

You’ll have plenty of opportunities to test your new abilities while also putting your knowledge of them to the test. Ori 2 is not going to hold your hand after the initial 2-hour mark. Yet at the same time, savvy players will be able to find the right Spirit Shard combination or just master the basic skills like Bash to plough through the game, and uncovering every nook and cranny on the island while fixing up the Glades.
And you can’t blame the game. Its controls are spotless and perfect that you have only yourself to chastise if you miss that one jump or get hit too many times by enemies when you should be jumping, dodging, and Bashing your way out of trouble.

Ori 2 may make you a better gamer after you complete its 14-hour or so story mode, but the game does entice you to do better with its plethora of endgame options.

The Tail End
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/839299173200227/
After finishing the game, you can replay past Spirit Trials and boss battles in case you feel like reliving them using the abilities you have via the Quick Access feature. Or if you’re tough enough to beat someone’s leaderboards ranking.
Better yet, you can start a new game and attempt to complete it either without dying once or under four hours. My hats off to you if you can do both; this game is definitely built for speedrunning and hardcore gamers.
Ori 2 doesn’t forget that it’s a game, reminding you time and again that you need to pass its challenging hurdles to see its tale through the end. As far as whimsical stories about forest animals and mystical spirits go, it’s alright. It doesn’t need talking animals to get its point across: all you need to know from the start is that you have to rescue your owl buddy on a strange island plagued with dark energy and cursed giant animals.

Still, fans of the original game will get to see a satisfactory continuation and bookend to the story of Ori and his foster family. All this is accentuated by its gorgeous use of wispful and soft colours-slash-highlights in its graphics and a breakthrough score by Gareth Coker.

Dark Spots In This Shining Star

My gripes here are twofold: one, I wished there were more segments where you can use your owl buddy as a Yoshi: riding atop her while she flies and glides her way through treacherous sections. I was a tad disappointed that these sections are sparse, giving way to more Ori-focused platforming and fighting.
Second: the game chugs and dips in framerate on the Xbox One original. It does crash after a couple of hours of play, and referring to the map and inventory back and forth does require a few seconds of loading. In contrast to the PC version, the game runs super smooth save for some audio cuts and stutters.
These problems aren’t huge dealbreakers, but they do need to be brought up. Also, there will be a Day One patch for the game to hopefully fix all these aforementioned issues.

We’re not sure how much the patch has improved the Xbox One version so far; I’ll be sure to update this review once I do. Though if you have a choice, get the PC version.

Regardless, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a triumph in 2D platforming this year; arguably for this generation of gaming. It supersedes everything its prequel does and then some, it challenges you and even kicks you to the curb at times without coming off as mean-spirited, and it’s an absolute joy to watch and hear. A powerful trifecta combination indeed to complement 2020’s early game offerings.
Pros

Sublime platforming & controls.
Tough but fair challenges.
Noteworthy additions like the Wellspring Glades add more breadth.
Gorgeous graphics & soothing score.

Cons

Doesn’t run optimally on Xbox One original.
PC version has a few audio glitches.

FINAL SCORE: 90/100


New Persona 5 Scramble Trailer Showcases Joker’s Cooking & Okinawa

Atlus has unveiled a brand new four-minute-long trailer for their upcoming hack-and-slack action RPG Musou game Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers. For those who still don’t know, this will act as a sequel to 2017’s Persona 5, as the events of the game take place after the first game.
In the new trailer, we see our favourite Phantom Thieves travel across Japan, explore new dungeons, brand new boss characters and glimpses of new characters like the mysterious Sophia.
In addition, we see more of the hack-and-slash action, but there are also hints of varied gameplay such as stealth, platforming mechanics, and even vehicular gameplay (Joker riding a motorbike around the city).
Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers is slated to release for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch in Japan on 20 February 2020, with no confirmation for an official localized international version as of yet. In the meantime, check out the new trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka8SoGxfH3E&w=560&h=315]
Another new trailer also revealed a new location in the form of Okinawa and mechanics like Cooking and Requests. In Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers, players can cook by using the ingredients you obtained, which offer various effects such as HP and SP recovery, strengthening party members, and more.
Recipes can be obtained from the gameâ€™s various shops and events to increase your cooking repertoire. As you progress through the story, various people may ask for Requests. You can obtain valuable rewards by completing Requests. Fun!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2pgXt1ZuYc&w=560&h=315]
Persona 5 Scramble will be out 20th February in Japanese.


Total War Is Expanding Into The CCG Genre With Elysium

Sega and Creative Assembly are joining the Collectible Card Game (CCG) genre with a game of their own; Total War Elysium. As a long-time fan of the Total War franchise, I never thought there would ever be a Total War card game, but here we are.
Total War Elysium is a free-to-play strategy card game that brings generals from across history together to go head to head in epic strategic showdowns. What distinguishes this from other CCG like Legends Of Runeterra is that players can choose from a wide range of generals, many of whom will be familiar faces from classic Total War games, along with some new faces.
The game is currently in Closed Beta for Android devices, but it is slated to be available for iOS and PC as well at launch. Total War Elysium currently has 300 cards and more than nine Generals as of now.
Despite being developed by a separate team from the mainline Total War titles, Total War Elysium will still share content across titles. Therefore, any new historical Total War game could potentially mean new content in Total War Elysium.
At the time of writing, Total War Elysium is only available in certain regions, but players can sign up for future updates on the official website here.
In the meantime, check out the gameplay trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9hHjL4xM50&w=560&h=315]


Halo 4 Drops On PC Master Chief Collection Next Week

Publisher Microsoft and developer 343 Industries have announced that the PC version of Halo The Master Chief Collection will add Halo 4 on 17 November 2020.
Halo 4 on the PC Master Chief Collection will be playable up to 4K 60FPS, as well as feature customizable mouse and keyboard support, ultrawide support, FOV customization, and more.
The synopsis reads:
Witness the Master Chiefâ€™s triumphant return to battle an ancient evil bent on vengeance and annihilation. Shipwrecked on a mysterious world, faced with new enemies and deadly technology, the universe will never be the same.
There will be 25 multiplayer maps, an updated armour customization system that allows players to change more armour pieces than ever before. It’s worth pointing out that you can also purchase Halo 4 separately from the PC Master Chief Collection.
Halo The Master Chief Collection is available now for Xbox One and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. The most recent Halo title was previously Halo 3 ODST in September 2020.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Dragon Quest Treasures Is Now Available On PC

Square Enix and TOSE have announced that Dragon Quest Treasures is now available for PC via Steam for RM199.
A Digital Deluxe Edition is also available for RM222, which includes the following bonuses:

Bestest Buddy Bullet (x25)
Omniheal Bomb (x25)
Great Sabercat (x1)
Ruby Golem (x1)
Icy Dragling (x1)

Users who purchase either the standard or Digital Deluxe Editions by 28 July 2023 will also receive the following bonuses:

Chimaera Wing (x10)
Better Buddy Bullet (x10)
Fullheal Pellet (x15)

Dragon Quest Treasures was originally launched for the Nintendo Switch on 9 December 2022.
Dragon Quest Treasures is a Treasure Hunting RPG that allows players to enjoy a boundless adventure and free-spirited treasure hunting. Erik and his sister Mia live on a Viking longship, dreaming of the day they can explore the world in search of grand treasure. One night they encounter a pair of otherworldly creatures, Porcus and Purrsula, and are whisked away to a mysterious place known as Draconia—a legendary land full of monsters to befriend and treasures just waiting to be discovered. The adventure Erik and Mia have always dreamed of is finally underway.
Check out the trailer below:


This Is How You Can Run Red Dead Redemption 2 PC In 60 fps…

Today’s a good day for PC Rockstar Games fans; they can now play Red Dead Redemption 2 for PC. Previously,Â  NVidia recommended players to use a GTX 1060 to play it at the highest frame rate possible, but it turns out that may not be enough.
Here are the recommended specs:Â
OS:Â Windows 10 – April 2018 Update (v1803)
Processor:Â Intel Core i7-4770K / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Memory:Â 12GB
Graphics Card:Â Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 480 4GB HDDÂ Space:Â 150GB
Sound Card:Â DirectX compatible
However, if you want to run it in 1920×1080 in 60fps, NVidia recommends you get an RTX 2060. If you want to bump the detail level past High, you need an RTX 2070 or RTX 2070 Super.Â  Last we checked, the latter will cost you about RM2,000 or so.
If you really want the game to run at Ultra in 2560×1440, you will need an RTX 2080 Ti. Furthermore, if you want 60 fps at 4K, you will even need to reduce settings even when using an RTX 2080 Ti. Turns out the max ultra setting for the game requires players to play the game at 30fps.
These requirements are steep and expensive, but it’s the ideal GPUs to make the adventures of Arthur Morgan run at 60 fps. Me? The game looks pretty on medium in 60fps, so I’m not complaining. It’s gotta be the game’s art direction that seals it, regardless of fidelity.
Oh and if you’re still not sure on whether you should buy RDR 2 on PC,Â  read our review on the console version here.Â


Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7 Gets Release Date

The last we officially heard anything of Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7 was during last year’s Star Wars Celebration event in April 2019. Since then, Disney and Lucasfilm have been relatively quiet on that front. Until now, that is.
According to a new promotional video for 2020 shared by the official Disney website (which has since been brought down at the time of writing), Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7 is slated to premiere on 17 February 2020 exclusively on Disney Plus.
Check out the screenshot of the reveal from the now-deleted video (via CBR):

It has already been previously revealed that Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7 will consist of 12 episodes, comprising of three main story arcs. The first will focus on the elite Clonetrooper squadron called â€˜Bad Batchâ€™.
The second major story arc will revolve heavily around Ahsoka Tano herself, bridging the previously untold gap between the end of Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 5 (in which she was last seen leaving the Jedi Order and her master Anakin) and her later appearances in Star Wars Rebels. Weâ€™ll learn more about Ahsoka Tanoâ€™s transition and development into the wiser and older Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars Rebels.
In this story arc, Ahsoka will be hiding in the depths of Coruscant, where she will meet two sisters named Trace and Araba. This storyline will take place on Level 1313, the infamous seedy sector filled with the galaxyâ€™s worst scum that was supposed to be featured in the cancelled Star Wars 1313 game.
The third and final arc of Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7 will culminate in the epic and massic Siege of Mandalore. In Star Wars lore, the Siege of Mandalore was one of the final battles in the Clone Wars, to liberate the planet from the control of Darth Maul and his Death Watch gang.
Ahsoka will reunite with Anakin in the Siege of Mandalore, along with Captain Rex and his clone troopers. Darth Maul and Bo Katan (wielder of the Darksaber) will also be featured in this story arc.
In the meantime, check out the Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7 trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8tKum3cpnw&w=560&h=315]


Final Fantasy 16 Sales Surpass 3 Million Units Worldwide

Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy 16 has sold more than 3 million units worldwide in less than a week since it launched exclusively for the PS5 on 22 June 2023.
Final Fantasy 16 is the latest entry in the long-running JRPG franchise and the first to feature full real-time action-heavy combat. It is set in the fictional world of Valisthea, a world divided between six nations that hold power through access to magical Crystals and Dominants, humans who act as hosts for each nation’s Eikon. Tensions between the nations escalate as a malady dubbed the Blight begins consuming the land. Clive Rosfield, a guardian to his younger brother Joshua, witnesses his kingdom destroyed and goes on a revenge quest in pursuit of the dark Eikon Ifrit.
In the meantime, check out our review of Final Fantasy 16 here or head on over here for the rest of our Final Fantasy 16 content.


Overwatch League: Plans for Season 2 Include Six New Teams

We may have eighteen teams competing come the start of the second season of the Overwatch League.Â In an interview with German Financial PaperÂ Handelsblatt, President and CEO of Activison Blizzard esports Leagues, Pete Vlastelica was quoted as saying “We plan to expand the league by six teams.Â Two from the Americas, two from Asia-Pacific and two from Europe and the Middle East.”
“On this list is London, where we already have a team, but also Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and some Scandinavian regions.” he added.
Elaborating on the next European-based OWL team, he continued “We want a team in Berlin.Â We hold many discussions and, without being able to reveal any details, we will have a team there at the latest next year.”
Users on Reddit were quick to suggest the name “Berlin Messerschmitts” in response to the “Spitfire” team representing London but we have a yuuuuuge confidence that that idea will not take off.

So with that said, which six cities do you think are perfect to join the Overwatch League? On the Americas side, we expect a team from probably Seattle or Chicago to join, along with a South American team; most probably from Rio de Janeiro. For APAC, as much as we’d love to see a southeast asian team in the OWL, we feel that another South Korean team – possibly from Busan – makes more sense, along with a Hong Kong or Taipei-based team. A wildcard pick would be an Australian team out of Sydney or Melbourne.
As for Europe, Berlin seems to be a lock-in and the second slot should be filled by a Russian-based team due to the size and potential of its market. If a Middle Eastern team is ever to make it to the OWL, we think it would end up like another Shanghai Dragons scenario where the team is gonna be lightyears behind everyone else.
So which cities do you think will make the list of six new teams in the second season of the Overwatch League? Share us your thoughts in the comments section below.

Source: Handelsblatt


HBO’s The Last Of Us Gets Series Order

HBO has given a series order to their The Last Of Us live-action TV series adaptation, which will be written and executive produced by Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin and the original game director Neil Druckmann.
It will be co-produced by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, and Naughty Dog.
HBO executive vice president of programming Francesca Ori said (via Deadline):
â€œCraig and Neil are visionaries in a league of their own. With them at the helm alongside the incomparable Carolyn Strauss, this series is sure to resonate with both die-hard fans of The Last of Us games and newcomers to this genre-defining saga. Weâ€™re delighted to partner with Naughty Dog, Word Games, Sony and PlayStation to adapt this epic, powerfully immersive story.â€

The Last Of Us TV series will focus on the events of the original The Last Of Us game, according to the official synopsis, which reads:
â€œThe story takes place twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.â€
HBO’s The Last Of Us will be available on both the HBO channel and HBO Max.
The Last Of Us Part 2Â is out now for the PS4. In the meantime,Â check out my full spoiler-free review of the game here, orÂ head on over here for a guide and tips for the game. If youâ€™ve already played the game, then I suggestÂ checking out my 4000-word spoilerific articleÂ on why the hate for the game isnâ€™t justified.


French Esports Team Gets Their Own Adidas Sneakers That Do Not Suck

When it comes to European esports team, France-based Team Vitality is definitely a popular name in the CS:GO scene. They also have a team in the League of Legends European Championship (LEC).
The Adidas AM4 VIT.01
The team has just unveiled the latest of their collaboration with popular sports apparel brand Adidas, a new custom colourway of the Adidas AM4 sneakers dubbed the Adidas AM4 VIT.01. It’s currently being sold through the team’s merchandise shop for â‚¬159.99/RM730.
As far as reviews are concerned, it seems that the AM4 are quite well-received by runners. So if you’re a big fan of Team Vitality and also a serious jogger or runner, this might just be something you’d want to order. Here’s an excerpt of the product description on the merchandise store page:

“ImaginÃ©e hand in hand by the teams of Team Vitality and Adidas, to best represent the identity of the club, the pair VIT.01 is adorned with a black stem intertwined with white geometric shapes symbolizing the wings of the team’s famous bee.
A yellow diagonal with a brush draws the V of victory, as soon as the right and left feet are joined. VIT.01 is a high-performance pair thanks to the BOOST sole, whose energy return remains unequalled.”

You can order the shoes here.


Andrew Garfield Improvised That Touching Scene In Spider-Man No Way Home

It’s been almost a month since the launch of Spider-Man No Way Home and it’s already garnered a whopping US$1.39 billion, so it’s safe to say that if you wanted to watch the movie already, you would have. At this point, the spider’s out of the bag, as most of you probably already know that Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire reprise their roles as Spider-Men in Spider-Man No Way Home.
For the first time ever since the release of the movie, Andrew Garfield spills the beans about the experience of being Spider-Man again, and working with two other Spider-Men, in an interview with Variety.
He said:
I think the first time we were all in the suit together, it was hilarious because itâ€™s like just three ordinary dudes who were just actors just hanging out. But then also, you just become a fan and say, â€œOh my god weâ€™re all together in the suits and weâ€™re doing the pointing thing!â€ There was talk about going to the bathroom and, you know, padding around the package.
We talked about what worked for each of us. Tom was jealous because I have little zippers in my suit that I can get my hands out of very easily. To work his phone, he had to use his nose because he couldnâ€™t access his hands. We would have deeper conversations, too, and talk about our experiences with the character.
And to have Amy Pascal there, who has seen through nine movies, including â€œSpider-Verse.â€ It was a revelatory experience for her, realizing how much life and time sheâ€™d given to this character. That was beautiful and profound.
Thereâ€™s a line I improvised in the movie, looking at [Maguire and Holland] and I tell them I love them. That was just me loving them.
So, that heartfelt scene between the three of them was improvised by Andrew and it wasn’t in the script. He really is (arguably and in this humble writer’s opinion) the best live-action Spider-Man out there. That said, in the same interview, he also confirmed that he’s open to reprising his role as Spider-Man again in certain circumstances.
He added:
I mean, yes, definitely open to something if it felt right. Peter and Spider-Man, those characters are all about service, to the greater good and the many.
Heâ€™s a working-class boy from Queens that knows struggle and loss and is deeply empathetic. I would try to borrow Peter Parkerâ€™s ethical framework in that, if there was an opportunity to step back in and tell more of that story, I would have to feel very sure and certain in myself.
Andrew Garfield spoke a lot more about his experience, as well as his other recent movies. You can check out the exciting full interview over at Variety.
If youâ€™re looking for a non-spoiler review, you canÂ head on over here. If youâ€™ve watched the movie or donâ€™t mind spoilers, check outÂ myÂ Spider-Man No Way HomeÂ breakdown and post-credits explanation article here.


Sonic Movie Delayed To 2020 After Backlash

Remember when Paramount and Sega were rushing to fix that Sonic the Hedgehog movie after it received an unholy amount of internet rage? They have finally taken that step and reworking Sonic’s look.
Why does it have human teeth? Why?
Jeff Fowler, director of the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog movie, has officially declared that the film won’t be seeing sunlight in November 2019, but will be delayed until 14 February, 2020.

Taking a little more time to make Sonic just right.#novfxartistswereharmedinthemakingofthismovie pic.twitter.com/gxhu9lhU76
â€” Jeff Fowler (@fowltown) May 24, 2019

Fowler posted an image on Twitter with the caption of  “Taking a little more time to make Sonic just right.” The post also had a hashtag of “no VFX artists were harmed in the making of this movie” referencing concerns that redesigning would lead to more pressure on the movie’s CGI team.
I don’t mind the delay, as long as they nail Sonic’s iconic image. In fact, I’m all for it.
Anybody noticed the JoJo reference?
Oh, and did you notice the movie now has a Valentine’s day release? So, now you can bring your date to watch the fastest hedgehog ever, with hopes your partner isn’t the fastest partner ever, if you catch my drift.


Apex Legends Season 9 Will Feature Titanfall Content

It looks like Apex Legends will have a lot more Titanfall content coming in Season 9. This is exciting news, considering thatÂ Titanfall, Titanfall 2, and Apex Legends are actually set in the same shared universe.
During a panel featuring several Respawn Entertainment developers hosted by BrownGirlGamerCode, Apex Legends senior writer Ashley Reed discussed the relationship between the two games, and how they were going to incorporate Titanfall into Apex Legends going forward.
Reed said:

“What’s going on in Titanfall is a war. Apex is what happens after the war.”
Meanwhile, Apex Legends Game Director Chad Grenier basically confirmed Titanfall content coming to Apex Legends Season 9, when he said (via this clip):
“Next season, Season 9, you’re actually going to see a ton of Titanfall coming back into the game in one way or another. So, I’ve told some people before, if you’re a Titanfall fan hang on for Season 9.”

Unfortunately, they also confirmed that fans shouldn’t expect actual mecha Titans to be added into Apex Legends, as there are currently no plans to do so.
Apex LegendsÂ recently launched onÂ SteamÂ in November 2020 and on theÂ Nintendo Switch last month.


Mandalorian Fever Hits Hot Toys

The Mandalorian Season 2 is going to premiere on 30 October 2020. To celebrate the occasion, Hot Toys has announced multiple new Mandalorian-related products, including the following:
The Mandalorian Cosbaby Bobble-Head

The collection features the Mandalorian and the Child with Swoop Bike, the Mandalorian and the Child on Bantha Cosbaby (S) Bobble-Head Collectible Set; along with the Mandalorian, the Child, and Artillery Stormtrooper Cosbaby (S) Bobble-Heads.
These measures approximately 6.5 â€“ 17.5cm in height, includes bobble-head function and display base. It’s slated to release sometime between Q4 2020 and Q1 2021.
Jango Fett 1/6th Scale Collectible Figure

This is the 1/6th scale Jango Fett Collectible Figure from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
The highly-accurate collectible figure is specially crafted based on the appearance of Jango Fett in the movie, features a newly developed head sculpt with striking likeness and facial scars, a meticulously crafted Mandalorian helmet and armour pieces, beautifully applied weathering effects, finely tailored under-suit.
It also features the bounty hunterâ€™s iconic jetpack and an interchangeable alternate design jetpack, a poncho, a headset comlink, detailed blasters, a variety of equipment and weapon effect accessories, and a dynamic figure stand for aerial poses.
It’s slated to release sometime between Q1 2022 and Q2 2022.
Death Watch Mandalorian 1/6th Scale Collectible Figure

Hot Toys is expanding The Mandalorian collectible series with the new 1/6th scale Death Watch Mandalorian collectible figure.
The highly-accurate collectible figure is specially crafted based on the appearance of the Death Watch Mandalorian who rescued the young Din Djarin in the show. It features highly detailed helmet and armour pieces with weathering effects, skillfully tailored outfit, finely sculpted jetpack with real-like thruster fire accessories, two blasters, and a figure base.
It’s slated to release sometime between Q4 2020 and Q1 2021.
The Mandalorian Quarter Scale Collectible Figure
The highlight of the announcements is this, a Quarter Scale Collectible Figure of The Mandalorian. Details are scarce for now, but Hot Toys will probably reveal more in the future.
In the meantime, check out the Instagram post below:

        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Hot Toys (@hottoyscollectibles)


Ultraman Tiga Is Banned On China’s Streaming Platforms

China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) has instructed many broadcasters and online streaming platforms in the company to remove animated shows and cartoons featuring and mentioning any sort of violence, blood, vulgarity, or pornography on 24th September. This is for the sake of the children, according to that sect of the government.
As a result, content streaming platforms in China have removed tokusatsu show Ultraman Tiga from their catalogues (via CNN). The removal of this all-ages show about good giant superbeings fighting evil has been causing a public uproar, to the point where a hashtag involving Ultraman Tiga has been viewed 84 million times on Weibo.
The NRTA stated that broadcasters and online platforms need to set up special channels for children and feature content that promotes “truth, goodness, and beauty” to help shape China’s children for the better. This list of banned animated shows includes the following:

Detective Conan
Peppa Pig
My Little Pony

It’s safe to say that the NRTA are collectively off their rockers. Then again, this is the same government that has a problem with “boys love” content in video games and the online video game publishers who make games with “effeminate men” content.


Summer Films To Watch Out For, From May Until August

So the biggest film of 2018 has dropped, and it’s getting a ton of rave reviews and its own spoiler thread. So what now, movie-watching fans?
Glad you asked because there’s quite a number of films that cater to our sci-fi/fantasy/pop culture-loving taste buds. Here are our picks, courtesy of us and The Last King podcast folks.
Disclaimer: all dates are based on Singapore release dates unless stated otherwise.
May
I Kill Giants
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ0QKOR5Kgc
Based on the charming comic from Joe Kelly, this adaptation is about a girl named Barbara (Madison Wolfe) who believes that she’s a giant killer in a sleepy town. She escapes reality and into her world of Titans and Giants, which makes her school therapist (Zoe Saldana) and new best friend (Sydney Wade) worried for her. (May 10)
Isle Of Dogs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt__kig8PVU
We need more Wes Anderson films in our lives, right? This charming claymation tale is about a bunch of dogs who help a lone human get out of the junk island they’re stuck on thanks to a Japanese government mandate. Featuring the voices of Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, Frances McDormand, and Bill Murray.Â  (May 10)
Deadpool 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20bpjtCbCz0
It’s the sequel to Deadpool, the movie featuring the fourth-wall-breaking merc with a mouth. This time he’s fighting time-traveller Cable played by Thanos/Josh Brolin, and he forms X-Force alongside Domino, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Shatterstar, Bedlam, and a few other X-Men we don’t know about because we haven’t been up to date with our X-Men since the craptacular X-Men: Apocalypse. (May 17)
Higher Power
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXIF3hcStc4
A story of a guy who eventually turns into Dr Manhattan the angrier he gets. So basically an ethereal Hulk. (May 10, via online)
How To Talk To Girls At Parties
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWzHaRM8jeo
We haven’t seen that many Neil Gaiman film adaptations in a while, have we? Well, this latest film should satiate that itch; it’s about a bunch of London party folks in the 1970s who pick up girls, who turn out to be aliens from another planet.Â (May 17)
Future World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uljtvXrkdbc
It’s James Franco trying to do his version of Mad Max, and it stars Suki Waterhouse, Snoop Dogg, Method Man, Lucy Liu, and Milla Jovovich. (May 24)
Solo: A Star Wars Film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPEYpryMp2s
Han Solo gets his own Star Wars prequel story featuring chicanery, high flying driving, and a ton of space action. Can new actorÂ  (May 24)
Upgrade
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3sTDbnE7Dk
From the co-creator of Saw and Insidious comes this sci-fi revenge-filled tale of a man who puts cybernetics into his frail body which gives him superpowers and also takes over his motor functions. (May 31)
June
Hotel Artemis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqfuKsoEEms
This one sounds interesting. Set in 2028, it’s about a hotel that harbours and heals criminals and comes with its own rules like no killing criminals and no insulting the staff. It comes with a star-studded cast too: Jodie Foster, Sterling K. Brown, Charlie Day, Sofia Boutella, Zachary Quinto, and Dave Bautista. (June 7)
Hereditary
https://youtu.be/V6wWKNij_1M
Want a bone-chilling and dread-inducing horror film about an unwitting family slowly uncovering a horrid secret about their recently-deceased matriarch? You’ve come to the right film! (June 7)
The Incredibles 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5qOzqD9Rms
Animation fans have been waiting for quite a while for this sequel; for once we’re so glad that Pixar is going back to the well. Following the first film, the Incredibles family now have another shake-up: Elastic Girl is now the breadwinner while Mr Incredible stays home with the kids in their new mansion. (June 14)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FJD7jZqZEk
Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard team up again to save the former’s best velociraptor buddy Blue from an island overpopulated with dinosaurs following the fallout from Jurassic World. Also, some evil corporation types want to bring some of them onto US soil because no one learned their lessons from the first four Jurassic Park films.Â (June 21)
Under The Silver Lake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwgUesU1pz4
Imagine a film that combines Inherent Vice and Zodiac while being its own thing, while being under the direction of the guy who did It Follows. We’re getting that vibe from this flick, which tells a tale about a guy who is obsessed with symbolism and cryptic clues revolving around a missing girl. (June 21)
July
The First Purge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL29y0ah92w
Want to how Blumhouse’s The Purge series got its start? Want to know the origin story behind this series? Me neither, but we’re getting a prequel anyway which features a lot of killing and some commentary about the projects. (July 4)
Ant-Man & The Wasp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_rTIAOohas
Still reeling from shock from that Avengers: Infinity War film? We still have one more of these Marvel Cinematic Universe films to deal with this year before 2019. This one features Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) teaming up and kicking ass together. (July 5)
Sorry To Bother You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XthLQZWIshQ
A telemarketer played by Lakeith Stanfield finds out the secret to getting on top of the corporate ladder: by channeling his “white” voice. (July 7)
Hotel Transylvania 3
https://youtu.be/Ku52zNnft8k
Dracula and his family and close friends go on a cruise. Yes, they made 3 of this films already. And somehow or other, it’s keeping Genndy Tartovsky and his team afloat; you know, that guy responsible for Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack. Give him some love, yo! (July 12)
Mission: Impossible- Fallout
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb49-oV0F78
Did we seriously ask for another Mission Impossible film? In any case, let’s see how Henry Cavill’s moustache fares in this one since it caused so much trouble for that one DC movie last year.Â (July 26)
Teen Titans Go! The Movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4HrpCPquk4
This is DC Comics pulling off a Deadpool, only with these version of the Teen Titans. This might end up as the try-hard version of that LEGO Batman movie, but we’re optimistic about it. (July 26)
August
The Meg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGYXExfKhmo
Jason Statham fights a giant shark. That’s all you need to say to sell a boatload (hah) of tickets. Also stars a bunch of pretty special effects, the CGI megalodon shark, and a supporting cast/bait which include Li Bingbing, Ruby Rose, Rainn Wilson, and Cliff Curtis. 5 bucks say that Rainn Wilson will bite it first. (August 9)
Happytime Murders

Melissa McCarthy plays a disgraced cop who lives and works with a puppet detective voiced by Bill Barretta to solve a murder of a puppet star from a previously-popular puppet sitcom. Did we forget to mention that this is a dystopian world where humans and puppets live side-by-side? Film noir and horror comedy work side-by-side in tandem in this first production from the Henson Alternative Banner (from Jim Henson Studios since they’re the true master of puppets).
Replicas
https://youtu.be/yBt9zuvZxIc
Keanu Reeves plays a scientist who lost his family in a tragedy, thus he goes to make clones of them and integrates them into his life. This is so not creepy at all. (August 23)
Slender Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySy8mcceTno
Internet meme icon gets his/her/its own movie which may be a collection of short vignettes ala Creepshow. (August 23)
This post is from our pals at The Last King Podcast featuring Dr. Shafique, Eccentric Tom, and our very own Mr Toffee. Go check out their awesome podcast here at their SoundCloud page, Facebook page, and website.


The Malaysian Esports Scene Mourns The Loss Of Flux Director Chris Teng

Chris Teng He Xun has passed away at the age of 23 on Tuesday night. According to a source from Hypergame, the cause of death was an accident.
The late Chris Teng was the founder and CEO of Flux Broadcast; a company that focused on integrated, end-to-end broadcasts and video content.
The company is most notable for having produced and broadcasted live esports programming at major events like WESG Southeast Asia by AliSports, MLBB M1 World Championship 2019 by Mineski Event Team, and Mobile Legends Professional League by eGG Network (Astro).
IO Esports Chief Executive Officer and Founder Kenchi Yap also confirmed the news on his personal Facebook page:
Good person has stopped beating, a good soul soared to heaven.
We part with our beloved Chris Teng He Xun in pain.
– Rest In Peace
https://www.facebook.com/kenchiyap/posts/10161030467799112
Flux also posted about the late Chris Teng in its official Facebook page:
â€œIt is with our deepest sorrow that we announce the death of our company director Chris Teng He Xun.
You will always remain in our heart forever.
May he rest in peace.”


Blizzard Wants To Know How Much Would You Pay For Overwatch Skins

Overwatch players have received a survey from Blizzard asking how much they’d be willing to pay for skins and other cosmetics in the upcoming free-to-play sequel.
Honestly, I’m not surprised, when a game is free-to-play, there’s always going to be a catch. But what’s surprising are the prices listed… Man does it throw you through a ringer.
According to a statement to PCGamesN from an Overwatch spokesperson, the prices listed in the survey were randomised, but players were dumbfounded by the suggested cost of “Mythic skins”.
We know that all cosmetics obtained in the original games will be carried over to Overwatch 2 but will drop randomized loot boxes for an in-game store and battle passes. Blizzard hasn’t officially announced how any of that will work, except that new cosmetics will be available, including weapon charms, banner emotes, and customizable Mythic skins.
Mythic skins will allow you to customise individual parts of a hero’s skin. Back in June, Blizzard unveiled concept art of a Mythic skin that will be available for Genji and stated that you can change the colours of his armour, eye glow, mask, tattoo, and weapons. Essentially things about a hero you can’t change right now.

According to figures suggested in the recent survey, Mythic skins could cost as much as US$44.99 or as little as US$29.99.
chaosunleashedX on Reddit and Portergauge on Twitter posted screenshots of their surveys, which asked how they would feel about US$24.99 Legendary skins and US$9.99 weapon charms. The surveys also gave them options to choose what kind of cosmetic bundles they would pay for at US$4.99, US$19.99, and US$29.99.

Oof, friend of mine got an Overwatch survey for his account, some of these prices they're gauging for OW2 are really expensive.
I hope this is just him getting one of the higher price surveys and not an indication that they're leaning towards this much monetization. pic.twitter.com/RWr7LbwkLB
— Portergauge ???? (@Portergauge) July 30, 2022

On the backend of the Diablo Immortal debacle, the reaction to the prices was received negatively.
Comment from discussion yourcupofkohi’s comment from discussion "overwatch 2 monetization survey shows dark future and the company greed reach new level of insanity".

In the past, Overwatch sold the Pink Mercy skin for US$15, but 100% of that money went directly to charity, and it frequently sells skins tied to Overwatch League tokens (which you can get for free by watching matches) for about US$10.
Legendary Apex Legends skins cost about US$18 and Valorant weapon skins can range from US$10 to US$100. If Blizzard were to price skins this way, it would be a pretty big shift to how it’s handled Overwatch’s skins in the past, and would more closely resemble other popular FPS games at the moment.
Blizzard plans to steadily release new heroes with each nine-week season. People who feel the need to collect everything will get hit the hardest if there’s no way to earn these skins by playing the game normally.
Blizzard is clearly interested in how people react to these prices; surveys like this get shared all of the time and don’t by any means guarantee we’re going to see US$44.99 (or even US$29.99) Mythic skins. Given the backlash over Diablo Immortal’s gacha-like monetization, the reaction to the skin prices might convince Blizzard to keep prices lower.
Blizzard said it will go into specific details about its battle pass and shop plans closer to Overwatch 2’s 4 October launch date.


Cobra Kai Season 3 Trailer Reveals Returning Characters From The Movies

Netflix has released the first trailer forÂ Cobra KaiÂ Season 3, which will premiere next month 8 January 2020 onÂ the streaming service.
It looks like Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) are actually going to join forces to stop Kreese (Martin Kove).
The trailer also confirms two familiar faces with two actors reprising their roles from 1986’s The Karate Kid Part II; Chozen Toguchi (Yuji Okumoto) and KumikoÂ (Tamlyn Tomita).
In the new trailer, Daniel and Johnny are back on speaking terms: We see them teaming up in a fight. Most importantly, Miguel (Xolo MaridueÃ±a) is awake from his come and is being nursed back to health by Johnny.
In the meantime, you can check out our review of Cobra Kai Season 2 here.
Check out the trailer below:


WWE Zelina Vega Came Out In Royal Rumble Wearing Juri’s Outfit; Also A Commentator For Street Fighter 6

Here’s a two-for-one story focused on WWE’s Zelina Vega/Thea Trinidad, a known fan of fighting games when she’s not wrestling.
First up, during this year’s WWE Royal Rumble event (where 30 wrestlers come in one-by-one for a last-man standing fight), she appeared in a Street Fighter 6 Juri outfit for the women’s Royal Rumble division.
She walked out for her entrance to the WWE Royal Rumble all Juri-like and even scored a ringout by recreating a part of the fighter’s Critical Art. Yeah, you know the one with the feet.

Zelina Vega 'Juri' Street Fighter entrance | Royal Rumble 2023 | @ZelinaVegaWWE pic.twitter.com/mX6FVOacDm
— Hina ?? ? (@HinatasWish) January 29, 2023

“I did it!” ? ? #Juri x #RoyalRumble #StreetFighter6 pic.twitter.com/yhADZkdpI4
— ? QUEEN ZELINA ? (@ZelinaVegaWWE) January 30, 2023

? 2023 is wild… Juri Han enters the 2023 Royal Rumble at #21! @ZelinaVegaWWE killed it with Street Fighter references and even does Juri's super art!!? ? This is cross promotion at its absolute BEST. ? Epic commentary too! lol #streetfighter6 #fgc pic.twitter.com/VxwLw4ESAW
— ? Fighters Generation (@Fighters_Gen) January 29, 2023

What an honor. I had happy tears tonight. Thank you @CapcomUSA_ @CapcomFighters @alfonso_thesix @wwe and everyone who made this nerd’s dream come true tonight.
And shout out to Texas! Y’all always show me unconditional love?
Guys!! ….I’m in #StreetFighter6 !!!! pic.twitter.com/VNCRHRaTZe
— ? QUEEN ZELINA ? (@ZelinaVegaWWE) January 29, 2023

Second piece of news: Zelina Vega/Thea Trinidad will be a Street Fighter 6 commentator. While she’s not an esports regular, she does provide colour commentary and is the first female commentator for the game.
Check out her voicework below. She’ll be joining TastySteve, Vicious, Aru, and more in the current SF6 commentator roster.

Street Fighter 6 will be out for PC and consoles on 2nd June.


Valve Dropping Bitcoin As Payment Option On Steam

You can forget about using your Bitcoin to buy games on Steam. According to a post on their forums, “Steam will no longer support Bitcoin as a payment method on our platform due to high fees and volatility in the value of Bitcoin.” One of the reason behind this is due to the high transaction fees for purchases using Bitcoin.
“In the past few months we’ve seen an increase in the volatility in the value of Bitcoin and a significant increase in the fees to process transactions on the Bitcoin network. For example, transaction fees that are charged to the customer by the Bitcoin network have skyrocketed this year, topping out at close to $20 a transaction last week (compared to roughly $0.20 when we initially enabled Bitcoin). Unfortunately, Valve has no control over the amount of the fee. These fees result in unreasonably high costs for purchasing games when paying with Bitcoin. The high transaction fees cause even greater problems when the value of Bitcoin itself drops dramatically.” the post elaborated.

The post added: Historically, the value of Bitcoin has been volatile, but the degree of volatility has become extreme in the last few months, losing as much as 25% in value over a period of days. This creates a problem for customers trying to purchase games with Bitcoin. When checking out on Steam, a customer will transfer x amount of Bitcoin for the cost of the game, plus y amount of Bitcoin to cover the transaction fee charged by the Bitcoin network. The value of Bitcoin is only guaranteed for a certain period of time so if the transaction doesnâ€™t complete within that window of time, then the amount of Bitcoin needed to cover the transaction can change. The amount it can change has been increasing recently to a point where it can be significantly different.
The reasons above (as well as more of them detailed in the actual post) makes Bitcoin ‘untenable’ as payment option. “We will continue working to resolve any pending issues for customers who are impacted by existing underpayments or transaction fees.” the post concluded. You can check out the full post here.


New Champion Naafiri Joins League Of Legends In Patch 13.14

Naafiri has joined League Of Legends a new playable Champion.
An ancient Darkin with incredible power, Naafiri was destined to lead her kin until her ambitions were cut short, having been entombed within a blade and imprisoned in a crypt deep beneath the Shuriman sands. One fateful day centuries later, Naafiri was set free and bound to a new host – or hosts – the Dune Hounds.
“We track for a thousand years. None can flee for that long.”
Initially furious at her new state, Naafiri soon discovered that the pack’s collective consciousness would prove invaluable to her plans. Whereas her brethren fought individually and suffered defeat, Naafiri’s strength lies in the unity, loyalty and shared strength of her pack. Naafiri now seeks to unify her fellow Darkin and will summon the full might of her pack to mercilessly tear down anyone that stands in her way.
Abilities
Passive – We Are More
Naafiri creates a Packmate after an amount of time that will attack enemies that she targets for physical damage, which is increased after she uses an ability. Hitting champions with abilities or killing enemies reduces this ability’s cooldown.
Q – Darkin Dagger
Naafiri hurls Darkin-tainted blades, dealing physical damage and inflicting a bleed for a few seconds.This ability may be recast. If enemies hit are already bleeding, instead deal the remaining bleed damage plus bonus physical damage. If the target was a champion, Naafiri restores some health. Packmates will leap at the first target hit, prioritizing champions and attacking them for a few seconds.
W – Hounds’ Pursuit
After a brief delay, Naafiri dashes at an enemy, dealing physical damage and briefly slowing her target or the first champion she collides with. This ability gains range based on ultimate rank.
Packmates become untargetable and dash alongside Naafiri, dealing additional damage per Packmate.
E – Eviscerate
Naafiri surges forward, dashing and dealing physical damage to enemies she passes through, then explodes outward, dealing additional physical damage. Packmates are recalled to Naafiri and are healed to full.
R – The Call of the Pack
Naafiri prepares to hunt, empowering her Packmates and spawning bonus Packmates for a short duration. Naafiri then gains a burst of out of combat Movespeed, vision, and the first time she hits an enemy champion, she gains a shield. On first champion takedown, all ultimate effects are refreshed.
Check out the trailer below:


[Report] Names Of All 12 Call Of Duty League Teams Leaked

Activision has just officially announced the new Call of Duty League which will start in 2020. They didn’t put out the names of any of participating teams yet during the announcement but looks like we won’t have to wait to find out.
Esports journalist Adam Fitch found the names of all of the 12 participating teams in the the official website’s code. That’s a really funny mistake to make. Nonetheless, here are the teams:

Atlanta Faze
OpTic Los Angeles
Los Angeles Guerillas
Seattle Surge
Chicago Huntsman
Minnesota Rokkr
Dallas Empire
Paris Legion
London Royal Ravens
Florida Mutineers
New York Subliners
Toronto Ultra

It’s great to see names like OpTic and Faze still being in the biggest Call of Duty tournament but we’ll have to wait and see if the lack of presence from teams like 100 Thieves and eUnited will put a damper on a tournament.
For more information on the Call of Duty League, read here.


The Next Hearthstone Mini-Set Expansion Will Be Out Next Week; Features Parrots

Blizzard just announced that its digital card game Hearthstone: United In Stormwind mini-set, which is half an expansion, will be out later next week as part of its new 21.6 patch.
This pirate-themed mini-set will feature 35 unique new cards; they’re all available as a bundle -4 Legendary Cards, 1 Epic Card, 14 Rare Cards, and 16 Common Cards- for US$15 or 2,000 gold. Here’s a preview of the cards:

That’s a lotta parrots.
The 21.6 patch will also bring in the first content update for the game’s new Mercenaries mode; new pirate characters, to be exact. Here are their stats:
Edwin, Defias Kingpin (Legendary Fighter)

Pirate
13/80 maxed stats
Abilities:
Assassinâ€™s Blade 5: Speed 5. Attack an enemy. If it hasnâ€™t acted yet this turn, gain +5 Health and Attack it again.
Assisted Strike 5: Speed 5, Cooldown 1. Gain +5 Attack for each friendly Pirate and Attack a random enemy. Combo: Gain Immune while Attacking this turn.
Kingpinâ€™s Bounty 5: Speed 4, Cooldown 2. Deal 10 damage to an enemy. Repeat for each other Pirate you control. Deathblow: Restore 25 Health.
Equipment: Â Â Â  Â Â Â
Black Flag 4: Passive: Adjacent Piratesâ€™ Abilities are (4) Speed faster.
Round of Drinks 4: Assisted Strike is (3) Speed faster and always has Immune while Attacking.
Even Shares 4: Kingpinâ€™s Bounty restores 10 more Health and affects all friendly characters.

Sneed (Epic Protector)

Pirate
7/77 maxed stats
Abilities: Â Â Â  Â Â Â
Bzzz!!! 5: Speed 6. Deal damage equal to your Attack. If Activate Saw is active, also damage targetâ€™s neighbor.
Activate Saw 5: Speed 3, Cooldown 1: Gain +6 Attack for 2 turns. Attack a random enemy.
Disarm 5: Speed 3, Cooldown 1: Attack an enemy. Give it â€“5 Attack permanently.
Equipment: Â Â Â  Â Â Â
Skull Dust 4: Bzzz!!! Gains Bleed (5).
Titanium Blades 4: Activate Saw gives +4 Attack and lasts 1 more turn.
Extra Blades 4: Sneed starts with Activate Saw 5 active for 1 turn.

Eudora (Epic Fighter)

Pirate
10/78 maxed stats
Abilities: Â Â Â  Â Â Â
Coup dâ€™Etat 5: Speed 4. Attack an enemy. If itâ€™s the left or right-most enemy, fire Eudoraâ€™s Cannons at it.
Prepare the Cannons 5: Speed 7, Cooldown 1. Summon a Cannon to the left or right of this Merc. (Starts off Cooldown.)
Covering Fire 5: Speed 7, Cooldown 1. Restore 12 Health to a friendly Merc and return them to your bench. Fire all your Cannons.
Equipment: Â Â Â  Â Â Â
Shrapnel Shot 4: Cannons deal 5 more damage.
Primed Armaments 4: Battlecry: Summon a Cannon.
Briny Bracers 4: Passive: +2/+10.

Mr. Smite (Rare Protector)

Pirate
7/75 maxed stats
Abilities: Â Â Â  Â Â Â
Smite Slam 5: Speed 8. Gain +5 Attack for each enemy with 40 or less Health. Attack an enemy.
Avast ye Matey 5: Speed 2. Gain Taunt this turn. After an enemy Attacks this Merc gain +5 Attack.
Overboard 5: Speed 3, Cooldown 1. After another friendly character is damaged this turn, gain +10 Health and Attack a random enemy.
Equipment: Â Â Â  Â Â Â
Sailorâ€™s Cap 4: Mr. Smite gains an additional +4 Attack from Smite Slam.
Heavy Anchor 4: Overboard grants +6 Attack if the damaged friend is a Pirate.
Sharpened Scabbard 4: Whenever another friendly Pirate Attacks, gain +4 Attack.

Cookie the Cook

Murloc
6/70 maxed stats
Abilities: Â Â Â  Â Â Â
Fish Feast 5 (Nature): Speed 2. Deal 10 damage to an enemy. Deathblow: Give +15 Health to all friendly characters.
Cookieâ€™s Cooking 5 (Nature): Speed 5, Cooldown 1. Bleed (5) to all enemies. Restore 5 Health to friendly Murlocs and Pirates.
Go Fish! 5 (Nature): Speed 4, Cooldown 1. Summon a random fish for your opponent, with a Deathrattle that benefits you.
Equipment: Â Â Â  Â Â Â
Seasoned Pan 4: Fish Feast gives +5 Attack as well.
Iron Ladel 4: Cookieâ€™s Cooking restores an additional 5 Health.
Appetizers 4: Start of Game: Give friendly characters +9 Health.

More details can be found on Hearthstone’s official website. Check out the trailer below.


Train To Busan Sequel Peninsula Trailer Teases Crazy Zombie Action

The first trailer for the highly-anticipated sequel to zombie smash blockbuster Korean hit movie Train To Busan has finally arrived, and the official title for the upcoming movie is now Train To Busan Presents: Peninsula.
Train To Busan Presents: Peninsula US distributor Well Go USA Entertainment unveiled the trailer earlier today, which showcases the batshit crazy zombie action awaiting viewers. If anything, it gives off a vibe reminiscent of that from the George Romero 2005 classic Land of the Dead and the post-apocalyptic insanity of Mad Max.

The official synopsis reads:

“Four years after South Koreaâ€™s total decimation in TRAIN TO BUSAN, the zombie thriller that captivated audiences worldwide, acclaimed director Yeon Sang-ho brings us PENINSULA, the next nail-biting chapter in his post-apocalyptic world.
Jung-seok, a soldier who previously escaped the diseased wasteland, relives the horror when assigned to a covert operation with two simple objectives: retrieve and survive.
When his team unexpectedly stumbles upon survivors, their lives will depend on whether the bestâ€”or worstâ€”of human nature prevails in the direst of circumstances.”

The upcoming movie stars Gang Dong-won (1987: When The Day Comes) and Lee Jung-hyun (The Battleship Island). Train To Busan Presents: Peninsula is slated to premiere sometime in summer 2020, but the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic may affect that, since we still don’t have a definitive release date.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVucSRLLeIM&w=560&h=315]


OGN Overwatch APEX Will Not Get A Fifth Season

It’s indeed sad news for Overwatch and the OGN APEX fans worldwide as the South Korean cable television channel which specializes in broadcasting video game-related content and esports matches has announced that they will no longer be involved in the Overwatch scene. Following this announcement, it is safe to assume that the fifth season of the prestigious OGN APEX will not take place, and the void which it leaves will be filled by Overwatch Contenders (OWC).
Since 2016, OGN has been the main organizer and broadcaster of the prestigious and oft-touted as the pinnacle of pro-Overwatch pro scene, the OGN APEX. According to reports posted on InvenGlobal, Blizzard has opted to partner with a different broadcaster for the OWC circuit (presumably for the South Korean region), effectively severing their ties with OGN.
The official statement from OGN which was translated to English read: “We did our best and agreed to most of Blizzardâ€™s conditions on continuing the competition, but we were notified that Blizzard was preparing a competition with another broadcast. Until that notification, OGN had been preparing for the next season, so we are very regretful.”
“The eSports production scene is infinitely contested, and big challenges were taken already, not only in Korea, but around the world as well. OGN will be putting in more effort to maintain our reputation as the origin of eSports, and with more active and innovative decisions, we will discover new eSports events that can lead a new era.” it added.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPCmWv7H39I&w=560&h=315]
OWC is part of the Overwatch League’s ‘Path to Pro’ progression and ladder system, where aspiring players plod through and compete against other mid-tier players and teams in hope of being noticed and recruited by the OWL teams. It is a no-brainer for Blizzard to opt for an alternate broadcaster for OWC and distancing themselves from the main backers of the APEX Circuit, which is essentially a direct competition.
The OWL is supposed to be where the best players compete in, and the fact that all finalists (except RunAway & AF Blue) from the previous OGN APEX Grand Finals are competing in the OWL is proof of this. Season 1 winners, EnVyUs rebranded as Dallas Fuel while two-time winners (S2 & S3) Lunatic-Hai were essentially repackaged as Seoul Dynasty. Season 3 losing finalist, KongDoo Panthera merged with Season 4 winners GC Busan to form London Spitfire, while fan favorites, LW Blue fills up the New York Excelsior roster.
This apparent ‘streamlining’ of the Overwatch pro scene also enables easier tracking of the players and while we are definitely bummed to see the end of the APEX circuit, we welcome the linear structure of the scene overall. With this news, expect other Developmental League series such as Overwatch Premier Series (China) and Overwatch Pacific Championship (Pacific) to be rebranded as Overwatch Contenders for their respective regions.
OGN APEX has brought us brilliant matches and what better way to represent the quality of the circuit with our 2017 Overwatch Match Series of the Year, Lunatic-Hai vs KongDoo Panthera which we discussed here.

Want to know more about the upcoming Overwatch League? Well you’re in luck as we have tons of stuff on it here:

OWL Team Power Rankings
How to Get Your Overwatch League Special Skins
Everything You Need to Know about OWL
OWL Team GradesÂ
Want to Play in the Overwatch League? Here’s How
Why Overwatch League Works


Here’s How You Can Get that Epic D.Va Nano Cola Hero Skin

You’ve seen it in the animated short, salivate on the prospects of owning that D.Va Nano Cola skin and guess what?Â  Now you can!
Starting today, Blizzard is rewarding players in-game items related to D.Va in a variety of ways. First up – and the most straightforward of it all; just play Overwatch and win games. Win nine matches on any mode (Quick Play, Competitive Play, or Arcade) and an Epic-Tier D.Va skin is yours!

Shoot for a new high score!
Unlock https://t.co/mvJh2LSpxT-themed cosmetics including sprays, a player icon, and an epic skin now until Sept 10.
ðŸ‡ https://t.co/NXHG9rEkK9 pic.twitter.com/aPypdWoXA6
â€” Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) August 28, 2018
The fun doesn’t stop there as watching specific streams between now through September 10 will reward you with chibi D.Va sprays. It is important to note that to be eligible to receive these Twitch Drops, you must first link your Blizzard account to your Twitch account. Here’s how to do it.

The list of selected streamers you should watch to earn these Twitch Drops are:

Streamers
Spotlight Date / Time
Channels

Seagull
August 28 (11:00 – 16:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/a_seagull

Mirage
AugustÂ 29 (04:00 – 11:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/mirage720

Fran
AugustÂ 30 (12:00 – 17:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/fran

Anak
AugustÂ 31 (07:00 – 15:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/anakqÂ

Afiz
September 1 (07:00 – 13:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/afiz

Tyr0din
SeptemberÂ  2 (16:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/tyr0din

Zondalol
SeptemberÂ 3 (00:00 – 7:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/zondalol

Cooruja
SeptemberÂ 4 (05:00 – 9:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/cooruja

Kimjaewon
SeptemberÂ 5 (02:00 – 8:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/jaewon4915

esl_degun
SeptemberÂ 6 (09:00 – 15:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/esl_degun

NadiaCala
SeptemberÂ 7 (11:00 – 16:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/nadiacala

Kephrii
SeptemberÂ 8 (17:00 – 23:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/kephrii

Valkia
SeptemberÂ 9 (05:00 – 13:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/valkia

AimBotCalvin
SeptemberÂ 10 (16:00 â€“ 22:00 PDT)
https://www.twitch.tv/aimbotcalvin

Last but not least, you can download the official wallpaper featuring Korea’s top MEKA pilot here for free.Â Â
It’s also worth mentioning that Singaporean-based streamer, Afiz is also on that list. He’s done a good job at commentating and streaming in the Southeast Asian Overwatch scene, so be a sport and send some love and support to your friendly neighbourhood streamer.

This is definitely good news for D.Va mains, more so our friends in Indonesia whom after a recent survey, seem to have the bubble gum-chewing, Doritos-munching, Mountain Dew-chugging gamer as their most-picked hero.


Korean Action Game Stellar Blade Out In 2023

The Korean action game formerly known as Project EVE finally has a concrete title: Stellar Blade.
Stellar Blade will be out in 2023 and will be a PlayStation 5 exclusive. The game will feature a female swordswoman kicking a lot of ass, demolishing robots and demons in her way while also helping the downtrodden.
Check out the hyper-action trailer below.


Borderlands 3 Late July Hotfix To Remove Useless Anointments, Shuffle Loot Pool, & More!

Borderlands 3 is getting a hotfix this week, 23rd July PST, and it’s quite a doozy. We’re talking loot-shuffling, anointments-culling, and even Legendaries on sale at Crazy Earl’s shop in Sanctuary.
Let’s break it down:
The Fabricator can now specifically shoot out Legendaries
Remember that gun that shoots out loot and other guns in the game’s main campaign? Well, the Fabricator now has an alternate firing mode called Legendary that spawns between 1 to 3 Legendary weapons for 250 Eridium. Which means you can now spend your hard-earned Eridium that you’ve been farming from Bounty of Blood’s Hydragoian.
Mission Rewards now available in Veteran Rewards Vending Machine
Players can now purchase previously rewarded mission rewards in the Veteran Rewards Machine just outside of Crazy Earlâ€™s door on Sanctuary III. As missions are completed, their rewards are added to the pool and can be purchased using Eridium! So if you want that Cloud Kill SMG or that Red Suit shield, go nuts.
Legendary gear now available in vending machines
This is permanent, FYI. Some vending machines will have a small chance of providing Legendary gear for purchase. Green items are now removed from the Item of the Day pool.
Chests & Badass rewards adjusted
What it said; we won’t know until we see it take into effect.
Dedicated loot pool adjustments
Gearbox has enabled respawning on the following bosses and reshuffled gear between bosses more evenly.

Dumptruck
Undertaker
Mincemeat
Buttmunch and Trufflemunch
Sheega
Rohner
Rax
Max
Archer Rowe
Bloodshine
Muldock, the Anointed
Artemis
Apollo
King Bobo
King Gnasher
Anointed X2
Anointed X3
Anointed X4
Azalea
Preston

No more lackluster anointments
The following 21 anointments will be removed, much to the delight of many. Any gear that has these anointments will continue to function properly.

While Airborne, Critical Damage is increased 25%
While Airborne, Damage is increased by 30%
While Airborne, Fire Rate is increased 20%
While Airborne, Accuracy and Handling are increased by 75%
While Sliding, Damage is increased by 40%
While Sliding, Accuracy and Handling are increased by 50%
While Sliding, Fire Rate is increased by 25%
While Sliding, building up energy that refills a portion of your shields.
While an Action Skill is Active, reduce all incoming damage by a small amount
While an Action Skill is Active, 250% of health damage taken is returned to the attacker as shock damage.
On Action Skill End, Critical Damage is increased by 25% for a short time
On Action Skill End, create aÂ cyber spikeÂ that damages nearby enemies
On Action Skill End, spawn a healing pool for several seconds
On Action Skill End, Fire rate is increased by 11%, & reload speed by 26% for a short time
On Action Skill End, Weapon Accuracy & Handling are greatly increased for a short time
On Action Skill End, Movement speed is increased by 5% for a short time
On Action Skill End, 30% of damage taken is returned to the attacker for a short time.
After exiting Iron Bear, do not consume ammo for 5 seconds
After using Phaseslam, damage taken is reduced by 20% and movespeed is increased by 12%
After using Phasegrasp, Weapon Accuracy and Handling are greatly increased

Guns that spawn multiple projectiles and elementals will be reduced
Due to stability issues, the devs will be reducing the number of projectiles that spawn due to damage dealt when using multiple elements on enemies. It’s now limited the number of times projectiles bounce to 4. Guns that are affected include Recursion, Carrier, Bearcat, and Lead Sprinkler. This might affect Bullet Witch Amara builds that rely on ricochets for max damage, but we’ll see how that pans out in a week or two.
[Update] New events starting 30th July
The following mini-events will occur later this month and the next few (times in GMT+8):

ECHOcast OverloadÂ (July 30 to August 6) â€“ Better chance of scoring loot during Rare Chest Events in theÂ ECHOcast Twitch extension;
Bonus Boss LootÂ (August 6 to August 13) â€“ Most bosses have an increased chance to drop Legendary loot;
Loot Monster MayhemÂ (August 13 to August 20) â€“ Increased spawn rates for Loot variant enemies;
Show Me The EridiumÂ (August 20 to August 27) â€“ Increased Eridium drops, plus Eridium item discounts;
Mayhem Made MildÂ (August 27 to September 3) â€“ All Easy modifiers inÂ Mayhem Mode;
Making It RainÂ (September 3 to September 10) â€“ Enemies drop more in-game cash.

For more Borderlands 3, visit our guides here.Â


[Report] Is Singapore’s “Fastest Growing” Esports Site Spout 360 Shutting Down?

This story is still developing.
It is a sad day for Southeast Asia esports news. We think.
Online publication Spout 360 is reportedly not activeÂ after weeks of inactivity and publishing nothing but syndicated news to fill in the void. Spout 360 is owned by Spout Entertainment Group, which dubs itself as the “the fastest growing E-Entertainment company in Southeast Asia.”
Here is a screenshot of the site when Kakuchopurei tried to access spout360.com.

Sources close to Kakuchopurei revealed that the majority of its staff left during the tail end of March. Kakuchopurei has reached for comment but has yet to receive a reply from Spout Entertainment.
We should also point out that the last update from its Facebook page was 8 March. This might hint at a possible company closure, but this is just speculation until Spout Entertainment makes an official announcement.
A Timeline Of Spout Entertainment’s Grand Plan To Enrich Esports
We decided to chronicle the many headlines Spout Entertainment created for itself during its 2017 tenure.

June 2, 2017: Spout Entertainment announced that it has bought over cybercafe Alienware Arena in the Chinatown area of Singapore; the cybercafe was creatively branded as Spout Arena. The Spout Arena’s Facebook page hasn’t been updated since March 13.
The following are comments about the establishment since the announcement.

Update: the cybercafe was shut down on 15th August. Anyone who has remaining credits on their SpoutPay apps will be given refunds.

July 13, 2017:Â GRVTY Media closes $726k investment from Spout Entertainment.
July 31, 2017:Â Spout Entertainment announced that it was going to launch an esports tv series with content distributor Aurora Media Holdings. Spout Entertainment CEO Daryl Teo said that “This E-Sports TV Series and Movie Franchise will be able toÂ leverage upon Spoutâ€™s combined base of 30 million unique global visitorsÂ across all media subsidiaries and we will be looking to further expand our reach via Auroraâ€™s strong regional distribution networks of traditional cable channels and movie cinemas.”Â Since then, nothing has surfaced.
October 2017: Spout Entertainment hired esports personality Kira. Weeks after her presence was announced, there was silence. She has not appeared on Spout’s Twitch channel since.
Late 2017: Spout Entertainment launched Spout Agency, an esport body that “acts as an enabler for brands and companies who are interested to reach to these millennial users, in a more targeted way through gaming with verticals spanning â€“ Media, Events and Team Sponsorships.” The LinkedIn page has garnered 44 followers.


There’s More Than Meets The Eye To This Watch

Have you ever seen a transforming watch? Watch manufacturer G-Shock is collaborating with Takara Tomy’s Transformers franchise to bring you the â€œDW-5600TF19-SETâ€. It is based on Master Nemesis Prime, the dark mirror clone of Autobot leader Optimus Prime.
The new G-Shock x Transformers Master Nemesis Prime Radiant Mode is essentially a black redesign of last year’s G-Shock x Transformers Master Optimus Prime Resonant Mode. It’s a watch that transforms into a freaking Transformer. Who doesn’t want that in their collection?

ï¼¼æ–°è£½å“æƒ…å ±ï¼
G-SHOCK Ã— ãƒˆãƒ©ãƒ³ã‚¹ãƒ•ã‚©ãƒ¼ãƒžãƒ¼ ç¬¬äºŒå¼¾ï¼
é—‡ã«å •ã¡ãŸæˆ¦å£«ã€Œãƒžã‚¹ã‚¿ãƒ¼ãƒãƒ¡ã‚·ã‚¹ãƒ—ãƒ©ã‚¤ãƒ ã€ã‚’å…·ç¾åŒ–ã—ã¾ã—ãŸã€‚ãƒãƒ³ãƒ‰ã«ã¯ã€è£è¡¨ã§è‰²ãŒç•°ãªã‚‹ãƒ–ãƒ©ãƒƒã‚¯ã¨ãƒ–ãƒ«ãƒ¼ã‚°ãƒªãƒ¼ãƒ³ã®2è‰²æˆå½¢ãƒãƒ³ãƒ‰ã‚’æŽ¡ç”¨ã€‚
å°è±¡çš„ãªã‚«ãƒ©ãƒ¼ãƒªãƒ³ã‚°ã‚’å†ç¾ã—ãŸã‚¹ãƒšã‚·ãƒ£ãƒ«ãƒ¢ãƒ‡ãƒ«ã§ã™ã€‚https://t.co/mkZA4bgFYp pic.twitter.com/tuZzPO5mJe
â€” CASIO ã‚«ã‚·ã‚ªè¨ˆç®—æ©Ÿæ ªå¼ä¼šç¤¾ (@CASIOJapan) November 7, 2019
This figure is already listed atÂ Takara Tomy Mall websiteÂ for the not-so-economic price of a whopping 33000 Yen or US$303.00 (or roughly RM1,249+). Pre-orders will start on 18 November 2019 and it is slated to be released on 7 December 2019.
Feast your eyes on the G-Shock x Transformers Master Nemesis Prime Radiant Mode watch below.


Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 2D Dashes Its Way To July 2022

The long-awaited next entry to the Azure Striker Gunvolt “2D Mega Man-style run-and-gun action” series is coming out later in 2022.
Developer and publisher Inti Creates, also known for its cultured work via the GalGun series, will be launching Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 for Nintendo Switch (via Nintendo eShop) on 28 July for US$29.99. The game will get a physical edition via Limited Run Games, presumably around the same July timeframe.
The third Azure Striker Gunvolt game features new characters to use, new swordplay and superpowered fighting moves and action alongside the series’ patented darts lock-on electric blasts, and a slew of new team-up powers called Image Pulse and new songs and idols to summon for “Kudos” points while fighting.
Check out the trailer featuring a lot of 2D pixel action (with an intro from ex-Capcom guy Keiji Inafune) and the game’s official poster art below:


Here’s The Real Reason Why Remedy’s Control Is Epic Exclusive

So we enjoyed the heck out of Control. I certainly did if Borderlands 3 wasn’t in the way. For some PC gamers who aren’t keen on playing the game via Epic Games, they’re kinda missing out. Still, we do wonder the main reason why creator Remedy wants to side with Epic and its exclusivity deal.
Now we know, and it involves quite a hefty sum of money. A financial report via Gamedaily.biz said that Remedy and publisher 505 Games received a deal of US$10.49 million (9.49 euros) for just bringing the game onto Epic Games Store exclusively. 505 Games took 45% of that total and Remedy took 55%.
Furthermore, this deal is part of a larger exchange between the publisher and Epic that also secures the upcoming sci-fi game Journey to the Savage Planet as yet another exclusive.
That payment to Remedy? It’s an advance on future sales revenue, meaning that this ensures they’re making a lump sum right away instead of waiting for the money to dribble in as copies are sold online. It’s definitely more appealing; companies like Supergiant Games (Hades) and indie devs like Gumberland (Ooblets) seem to enjoy this benefit.
The fact that these numbers are public puts things in perspective. Fortnite money is big money.


Overwatch League Transfers: LA Valiant Just Got A Makeover

The Los Angeles Valiant have been busy.
Leading up to the transfer deadline for Overwatch League Season 1, the Valiant by far have been the most active team tinkering with their lineup as teams ready themselves for Stage 3 of the competition.
Following the addition of Korean-born Tracer specialist, Joon-hyuk “Bunny” Chae from the Seoul Dynasty last week, the Valiant earlier today confirmed a host of roster-related movements as they sought to strengthen their push for the seasonal playoff spot. A one-for-one trade with the Dallas Fuel’s for support main Scott “Custa” Kennedy will see French support main and former Rogue, Benjamin “uNKOE” Chevasson head the opposite direction.

Please join us in welcoming Scott @Custa Kennedy who we have acquired in trade with @DallasFuel!
Read ðŸ“° Â» https://t.co/lehTRctpkt pic.twitter.com/SCCCtKw59Y
â€” Los Angeles Valiant ðŸ‘¼ (@LAValiant) April 2, 2018
By joining the Fuel, uNKOE reunites with his former French national team and Rogue compatriot,Â DylanÂ “aKm”Â Bignet. This move leavesÂ TerenceÂ “SoOn”Â Tarlier as the sole Rogue member remaining at Valiant – a strange situation considering the recent addition of Bunny, who many believe will be favored to fill the Tracer role.

ðŸ”¥ðŸ’™ROSTER ANNOUNCEMENT: @Custa has been traded to @LAValiant in exchange for @unkoe. Both players will be eligible to play in Stage 3. Welcome uNKOE to Dallas Fuel! #BurnBlue
Press Release: https://t.co/V51VzLZ8KT pic.twitter.com/1Bt8JEfEmf
â€” Dallas Fuel (@DallasFuel) April 2, 2018
The Valiant also had a change in the coaching department as Christopher “GrimReality” Schaefer has been moved to the Assistant Coach role for the team. LA Valiant’s official post read:
Christopher “GrimReality” Schaefer decided to transition from active player to a coaching role within the LA Valiant.Â Schaefer will be assuming the role of an assistant coach, working directly with Stoop to scout up and coming talent, assist his colleagues with strategic review, and liaise player issues with management.
However, the biggest news of the day from the Valiant would be the departure of tank main,Â Kang-Jae “Envy” Lee. After breakdown in talks to trade him, involving proposed swap deals with Dallas Fuel’s Brandon ‘Seagull‘ Larned as well as with Seoul Dynasty for Jae-mo “xepheR” Koo, the Valiant have decided to mutually part ways with the player.
According to Rod ‘Slasher’ Breslau’s tweet from a few days back, these moves were done to free roster slots and one of the main reason they want to get rid of Envy was due to personality clashes.

In addition to the LA Valiant’s expected trade of Unkoe to the Dallas Fuel, the team is also looking to transfer the contracts or trade Envy, Silkthread, and GrimReality, sources said. This is to free up roster spots and again, due to personality clashes. SoOn likely to stay.
â€” Rod Breslau (@Slasher) March 30, 2018
Commenting on his departure from the Valiant, Envy tweeted the following:

Hi! I know a lot of fans are curious and have questions about this sudden release. So I would like to kinda sort out things here a bit. There is an actual rumor about me punching the coachesâ€™ faces and blah blah. THIS ISNT REAL. First of all, I was not that aware of cultural
â€” Envy (@envyow) April 2, 2018

differences between NA an Korea. I was really aggressive for winning and this kinda falsely led to somewhere I did not intend to. Also, I was stressed out throughout stage 1 to 2 and miscommunication caused by the language barrier obviously took part of it. Imo, I tried my best
â€” Envy (@envyow) April 2, 2018

but did not work out the way I expected to be. So the team and I decided to either trade or release me but the day we made decision was too close to the trade window so I was not able to find my new home. The team and I both had a long talk and came across together with this
â€” Envy (@envyow) April 2, 2018

decision. It was hard for me but also for the team as well. Once again, I really appreciate your supports and love and will try my best to get back in SS2 in Korea. ðŸ¤—
â€” Envy (@envyow) April 2, 2018
In other news also related to the Valiant, word has it that Ted ‘Silkthread‘ Wang is set to join city rivals, the LA Gladiators. Slasher broke the news a few hours ago and his sources have been spot on to date.

LA Valiant’s Silkthread contract is set to be transferred/sold to the LA Gladiators, sources said.
â€” Rod Breslau (@Slasher) April 2, 2018
After finishing fourth in Stage 1, the Valiant had a disastrous Stage 2 as they struggled with the meta change. They dropped to 8th in the league and are now in damage control mode as they try to make ground as the second half of the season resume this week.
Stage 3 of the Overwatch League’s inaugural season kicks off Thursday and it’s gonna be a juicy one as Bunny -if he starts – set to face his old mates as the Valiant face the Dynasty. Other interesting matches include the potential debut of the league’s first ever female player, Zarya specialist Kim “Geguri” Se-yeon as the Shanghai Dragons take on Dallas Fuel.
This week’s matches are as follows:


The 30 Best Games Of 2021: #25

Every day from December to January, we’ll be posting our top 30 games of 2021 daily. Here’s number 25. Also, Happy New Year!Â
#25: Scarlet Nexus

Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
It’s rare to get an original JRPG these days. Sometimes they get buried under the Final Fantasies, Dragon Quests or Tales games out there, but some of them are still worthy enough to be some of the best in the genre. Scarlet Nexus comes from Bandai Namco, but it’s based on an original IP. Despite featuring many of the same tired anime tropes of the genre, the game manages to stand out thanks to its exhilarating and exciting combat.
The fast-paced real-time combat in Scarlet Nexus is fun, especially with the game’s psychokinesis powers that allow you to pummel enemies by throwing objects at them. You’re basically Jean Grey of the X-Men if you want to be. The story also comes with some unexpected twists and turns, especially from both sides of the story involving our psychokinesis-powered heroes Yuito and Kasane.
If you’re looking for a brand new JRPG with no brand baggage or name recognition, you should check out Scarlet Nexus.


VALORANT launches Premier Global Open Beta

Aspiring pro players, now’s your time to shine! Riot Games is introducing a way to bridge the gap for players who are interested in building a path to being a pro with Premier as well as creating opportunities for players all around the world. So it’s time for you and your buddies to team up and challenge yourselves to be one of the best!
On April 25, VALORANT is launching the Global Open Beta for Premier. Premier is VALORANT’s team-based competitive system that will allow you to build a team and compete across a set of pre-scheduled matches.
All About Premier

Premier is essentially VALORANT’s version of the League of Legends Clash. In Premier, you will be able to create or join a team of 5-7 friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and go against teams of a similar skill level. After building a roster, your team will be placed in a division where you’ll play weekly matches. If your team wins enough matches in Premier, you will earn the opportunity to battle it to in a Playoff Tournament to be one of the top teams in your skill division.
In the future, Premier will be the path to the VCT Challenger Leagues. Players who excel will get a shot at Challengers and playing against pro teams. From the Challenger Leagues, players can promote into the International Leagues and potentially get to Champions, the biggest stage in VALORANT. Riot is still evaluating details of how Premier will integrate as the Path to Pro within the current VALORANT esports ecosystem. Of course, each region and league are unique, which is why the Riot team is still finalizing the future structure of the Challenger ecosystem. VALORANT announced and completed the Alpha version of Premier for players in Brazil in In October and November 2022.
GLOBAL OPEN BETA
-The Premier Global Open Beta will launch April 25
-There are 3 requirements to play in the beta :

1. SMS verification,
2. Completion of a ranked placement during any Act
3. team of 5-7 players which you can either form on your own or join.

-Once the roster is set, the owner enrols the team and selects your zone – the zone determines what servers you’ll play on and also decides your match schedule.
-Players will be seeded into one of 20 Divisions based on the average MMR of their team’s top 5 players.
-Each week, players play up to two matches – each match earns points towards a Premier score that determines whether they qualify for the playoff tournament.
-On the last day of the Global Open Beta, tournament matches will take place and will use a map pick-and-ban system similar to pro matches.
-Teams will start in the main bracket, with winners being crowned Champions and earning a unique Player Card and Title.
-Losing teams will move to a Consolation bracket to compete for third place.
-All players that play at least one match will earn an In-Game Title and Player Card.
-The next phase of Premier will return in July with the full launch planned for just after VCT Champions 2023 in August.
Want more details? Well, we’ve got you covered on that!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
GENERAL
How long is the Premier Global Open Beta?

Apr 25–May 23

Enrollment period: Apr 25–28
Weekly Matches: Apr 29–May 20
Playoff Tournament: May 21

Is this the final version of Premier?

This is a test version of Premier before we get to the full launch. We’ll share more details around what changes you can expect when Premier releases later this year.

For example, the Beta is using a shorter schedule then what we have planned for launch, where Premier stages are designed to last the duration of a regular VALORANT Act.

Will anything transfer from the beta?

Match and team history will not transfer to the full Premier release.

Where do I find Premier in the client?

On launch, a full-screen takeover will feature Premier
Homepage nav should have Premier as an entry, second in the list under Play
An explanation modal will pop up when you visit the Premier Hub for the first time\

What is the Test Tournament?

On May 3, we’ll be holding a test tournament in all Zones (you can find it in your schedule)
This is a technical test! We want to make sure our services are ready to go for the Playoff Tournament at the end of Open Beta
The structure is the same as the Playoff Tournament—best of 1, with Consolation bracket—but this time all Premier Teams are eligible to participate
This tournament does not impact your standings, Premier Score, W/L record, or eligibility for the Playoff Tournament
Winning the test tournament won’t unlock any rewards

When will I get my rewards?

You’ll unlock your Premier Beta participation banner and title after completing your first Premier match by logging in on the next day
You’ll unlock your Premier Beta Champions banner and title after winning the Playoff tournament by logging in on the next day
Visit your collection to equip!

ENROLLMENT &  ZONES
How do I become eligible for Premier Beta?

You need to verify two conditions in order to be eligible to create or join a Premier team:

Identity – Through account verification via SMS verification
MMR – By finishing your placements at any point in your account lifetime

If you’ve already completed placements, you will automatically skip to the next step and  just see the option to “CREATE A TEAM”

Can anyone play in Premier Beta?

Aside from the eligibility requirements outlined above, anyone with a VALORANT account in good standing is able to play during the Premier Beta period.

What happens if I un-verify my account?

If you un-verify your account, the client will warn you that you will not be able to play in Premier until you go through the verification process again.
Only one number is allowed per account, with a 6-month cooldown on used phone numbers. If you unlink a phone number from your account, you’re unable to use a different number on the account for 6 months. You can relink the original number at any time with no lock out.
In case you are unverified and are on a team already, you will NOT be kicked from your team, but you will also be ineligible to queue.

Can I join more than one team?

No, only one team per account.

Can I cancel team invites/remove teammates?

Team Owners may cancel team invite requests and remove players from their team

Are there restrictions on who I can be on a team with?

Nope! Feel free to join a team with your Bronze friend and your Diamond friend—we’ll find the best Division for your team based on the MMR of the top 5 players on your team
There are restrictions once you enroll your team: You’ll be limited to only inviting other players that would not cause your team to change Divisions.

If inviting a player would cause your team to change Divisions, the Team Owner will see an error message when attempting to invite: “This player is outside your team’s skill range and cannot be invited.”

If Enrollment hasn’t ended, you can unenroll your team and are again open to invite anyone you’d like. Just make sure to re-enroll before the cutoff time!

Once the weekly matches begin, what can’t I change on my team?

Once the weekly matches begins, you will not be able to change Rosters, within reason:

Only changes to roster that will not affect the division will be permissible.

Can I unenroll my entire team?

If the team is enrolled the Enroll button converts to Unenroll button and your team will be able to opt out.

How do I know which Zone to choose?

You’ll see recommendations based on the top 2 pods with the lowest average latency (example, Central vs. Texas)
Latency is based on what the Team Owner (the only team member who can enroll the team) pings.
Players that choose zones with multiple pods should be matchmade as per our usual matchmaking heuristics (ping-based)During the enrollment process, the Team Owner will select a zone.

Can I change Zones?

You cannot edit your zone once your team is enrolled, but you can un-enroll and re-enroll and select a new zone. If the team wants to unenroll in order to change Zones you’ll have to first unenroll your team and redo the team enrollment process.

My team missed enrollment. Can we still play?

No, you will not be able to play if you miss the enrollment process.

Can I add a new player to my team after the weekly matches have started?
Yes! So long as the player being invited would not cause the team to change divisions.  If a player would cause your team to change divisions, the Team Owner will see an error message when attempting to invite: “This player is outside your team’s skill range and cannot be invited.”
Can I cancel team invites/remove teammates?

Team Owner may cancel team invite requests and remove players from their team

TEAM HUB

Where can I see my team status?
The Premier Hub and Team Tab both show your team’s enrollment status.
Where can I view team standings?

On the Standings tab, segregated by division, structured similarly to player Leaderboards but with TEAMS instead
Sectioned by if teams made the qualification cut-off
Standings are updated when Premier matches are completed

Where can I view the match history?

The match history tab shows team-level match history where individual game participation still appears in player-level match history
Team Match History contains a way to view past tournament match brackets and final team standings

What is the difference between a party leader and Team Owner?

The Team Owner is able to invite players, customize the team logo, promote another player to owner, and/or delete the team entirely. (They can also leave the team – if they do, Team Owner will be passed to the player that’s been on the team the longest.)
The party leader gets the team into queue when ready to play a Premier match, and is responsible for locking in choices during map pnb in tournaments.

The Team Owner doesn’t have to be present in order for a team to play a Premier match.

MATCHES & QUEUEING
Where can I queue for my weekly matches?

On the Premier Hub, there’s a button that will take you directly to the Premier lobby. When the queue window is open, you’ll be able to enter the queue when you have your party together.
You can also go directly to the lobby using the Play button in the top nav, then clicking over to the Premier tab.
We highly encourage you to queue as early in the weekly window as possible, as doing so at the last minute may result in not being able to find a match.

How do I know what map I am playing each match?

The featured map for each match will be listed on the schedule in the Premier Hub to give you enough time to prepare.
The Tournament will use a map pick-and-ban system (see Tournament and Matches section below)

How fair is matchmaking in Premier?

You will only play against teams within your division which means they are within a consistent range of team MMR thresholds.
We will do our best to find you a match against teams within your division that are close in performance at that point in time.

What if a player in my party is displayed as ineligible to queue?

Confirm the player is verified via SMS.
Confirm all players are on the same Premier team.
Confirm player accounts are not restricted for disruptive behavior

What if my party is unable to queue?

For any match:

Confirm the queue windows are open
Confirm the party has 5 eligible players
Confirm the roster is currently enrolled

For weekly matches:

Confirm your weekly match limit has not been reached

For the Tournament:

Confirm your roster has enough points to qualify for the tournament
Confirm the tournament limit has not been reached

How long can you expect for queues?

We expect most weekly matches to be made within 8 minutes at maximum across the beta. If you end up waiting longer, please stay in queue as leaving and re-queuing will only increase the total time your team will wait in queue.
We expect tournament brackets to be made within 20 minutes at maximum. If you end up waiting longer, please stay in queue as leaving and re-queuing will only increase the total time your team will wait in queue.

I’ve been waiting in queue a long time. Will my match still be fair?

You may end up playing against teams with a better performance in your respective Division when waiting in queues longer. But you will always be playing teams in your Division, so you should always have a fair chance at winning.

My team was queued and a match was never found. What gives?

While it is highly unlikely that your team never finds a match, there may be rare instances where your team is literally the only team in the queue. However, even if you exceed the max expected wait time (8 minutes), please stay in the queue as you should get matched against the next team that joins.
Also, as we said above, we highly encourage you to queue as early in the weekly window as possible, as doing so at the last minute may result in not being able to find a match.

LIVE MATCHES
Are the rules different from standard Competitive?

Overtime rules are different and are as follows:

The first team to win 12 rounds gains Overtime Priority
Team with Overtime Priority chooses Starting Side for Overtime by voting, using a simple majority of the 5 players
Teams must win by 2. Every round, teams swap sides.
If 2 sets of Overtime have been played, play one final round of Sudden Death
Sudden Death side choice is whatever the team with Overtime Priority chose during Overtime Starting Side Choice Phase

What is the Premier Score?
Each match you play, you earn points towards your Premier Score. Reach a high enough Premier Score to qualify for the Playoff Tournament at the end of Open Beta!
How do I accumulate points?

Teams earn 100 points for a weekly match win, and 25 points for a loss.
Tournament matches do not award points.

TOURNAMENT AND MATCHES
What Premier Score qualifies for the tournament?

375 points – this may be adjusted after the Beta.

Is there more than one winning team per division?

Yes! All teams within a Division that qualify for the Tournament are matched into a bracket of up to 8 teams. Each bracket results in one winning team.

What if my team misses the tournament queue window?

You will not be able to participate in the tournament.

What if a player in my party is displayed as ineligible to queue?

Ensure the player meets eligibility requirements and is on the same roster as the team.

What is the map pick-and-ban system?

During map pick and bans, teams take turns banning maps. All members on the team can vote on which map to ban, and the party leader locks in the team’s choice.
The process alternates between teams until a map is chosen. The team that did not choose the map then gets to choose if they’d like to attack or defend.
Map pick and ban is only available in Tournament matches.

Can you pause a match (timeout) and strategize?

We do not currently support pauses during Premier matches.

How many teams are in the main bracket?

A Tournament bracket can have up to 8 teams in it, and may start with as few as 5.

What happens if I lose in the main bracket?

If your team loses in the main bracket, you’ll be moved to the Consolation bracket where you can compete for 3rd place.

And that’s all we have for now. It’s pretty exciting to see how dedicated the VALORANT developer team is to providing more opportunities for aspiring pro players. Maybe it’s your time to get out there! I’m hoping to see some of our viewers out there in this, do tag us on our socials and show us your team if you are.
Riot Games will also release an explainer video about Premier on their Youtube Channel. So be sure to check that out!