Game Industry Drama Show From Hollywood Sounds A Tad Familiar To Some Folks; Here’s Why

The CW, the same folks who brought us gems like the DC CW Universe and Supernatural, are producing a new game industry drama show called GG (Goodgame), merging the worlds of gaming and Hollywood together (via Deadline). It’s being produced by Kim Moses (Ghost Whisperer, Reckless), J Moses (Grand Theft Auto), and Debbie Liebling (PEN15), writer-producer Daisy Gardner (Silicon Valley), and CBS Television Studios.
The show is a one-hour drama with comedic elements and centers on “he adventures of a rebellious, young female excelling in the male-dominated gaming industry. The story will be told through the young womanâ€™s perspective. Throughout her life, she struggles with acceptance in the gaming world when she suddenly seizes an opportunity to join a professional esports team and experiences the glamorous, competitive and mind-bending world that follows.”
According to Kim Moses, the show will capture the challenges of women continuing to fight for recognition in the gaming world. “To tell this story, J and I could not be more thrilled to be working alongside the immensely talented Debbie Liebling and Daisy Gardner, as well as The CW and CBSTV.”
Wait A Minute…
Folks who have been watching YouTube and free programming for a copious amount of years might think this upcoming CW show sounds similar to an old series 3 years ago called Good Game, which is about an esports team, a woman who joins them, and how they try to get the masses to take them seriously. That’s because the CW folks are allegedly lifting that same premise and idea from Good Game. Except they’re calling their show GG.
Good Game’s show producers Jesse Cox and Michele Morrow caught wind of this, and have expressed their ire online.

Fucked up.To note: They called me & invited me to a dinner to “talk esports”, but when I told them about our show they said, “oh that’s YOUR show? Oh okay, well nvm about the dinner & we will call you once we’re further along in our story.”They’ve seen it & are well aware ?
— Michele Morrow (@michelemorrow) September 10, 2020

To be fair, Good Game doesn’t look like a drama at all and is more a comedy. You can watch the first episode here and form your own opinions & thoughts. It’s usually better to see the trailer of CW’s new show first before making more assumptions.


The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Next-Gen Update Arrives Next Month

CD Projekt Red has announced that The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt next-gen update will launch for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on 14 December 2022. It will be available as a free upgrade to existing owners of the game on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Enhanced with the power of next-gen consoles and modern PC hardware in mind, the upcoming release of CD Projekt RED’s award-winning role-playing game will feature dozens of visual, performance, and technical enhancements over the original. These include ray tracing support, faster loading times on consoles, as well as a variety of mods integrated into the experience, among many others.
Along with new additional content inspired by The Witcher series from Netflix, these will be covered next week in a dedicated REDstreams event on Twitch, where the studio will present gameplay from the next-gen version of the game.
The next-gen version of The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Complete Edition will be available for purchase digitally on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, featuring all free downloadable content released to date, and both major expansions: “Hearts of Stone” and “Blood and Wine.” A physical edition will be released following the initial digital rollout, with a specific date to be announced at a later time.
In addition to the next-gen release, the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch versions of The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt will also receive an update featuring numerous additions and improvements, as well as the Netflix Witcher-themed additional content. Further details, including the release date, will be announced soon.


Demon Slayer Studio Founder Admits To More Than US$1 Million In Tax Evasion

ufotable founder, representative director, and president Hikaru Kondo has admitted to committing the crime of tax evasion.
According to NHK (via Anime News Network), he has been charged with violating the Corporation Tax Act and Consumption Tax Act by failing to pay 138 million yen (about US$1.25 million) in taxes at a preliminary hearing by the Tokyo District Court. During the same hearing, Kondo also issued an apology, saying that he initially thought his tax evasion would “not bring trouble to [ufotable].”
In the prosecution’s opening statement, it is revealed that ufotable and Kondo put away hid part of the company’s income from their cafes and merchandise from 2015 to 2018 in order to protect themselves against future potential downturns in business. This allegedly amounted to as much as 441 million yen (about US$4 million) in income.
After the formal indictment of Kondo and ufotable, the company assured that they had already filed a corrected tax return and paid the appropriate amount. Hikaru Kondo founded ufotable in 2000. The animation studio is best known for several anime series, including Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba, Fate/Zero, Fate/Stay Night and more.
Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie Mugen Train is now streaming on Netflix.


Uniqlo Announces League Of Legends Collection

UNIQLO has announced an upcoming League Of Legends UT (UNIQLO T-shirt) collection that will be released worldwide. The collaboration features six unique t-shirts with designs inspired by popular champions (characters) like Jinx, iconic in-game elements likeÂ  Summoner’s Rift and poros, and the world-famous girl group K/DA.

Riot Games Head of Riot Entertainment Marketing and Consumer Products Ryan Crosby said:
“Uniqlo is dedicated to creating unique and personalized forms of expression and passion through their UT collections and we find similar passion with what we create for players of Riot Games.
We’re proud to have the opportunity to partner with a company that values creativity and self-expression in all of theÂ  different ways it can manifest.”Â
The t-shirts will be priced at US$19.90 each and be available in sizes XXS-3XL. The League of Legends UT collection will be available globally on UNIQLO’s website and in-stores while supplies last.

Part of UNIQLO’s LifeWear concept, the UT collection features a wide range of pop culture icons from around the world. The graphics simply and directly convey the individuality and moods of their wearers. To date, the lineup has included collaborations with other globally recognized brands such as MARVEL, Disney, and more.Â Â

Since its launch in 2009, League Of Legends has become one of the most popular PC games in the world and a leader in esports. It engages around 8 million peak concurrent players daily around the world and has become the inspiration for many multimedia projects across music, comic books, TV, and more. Its World Championship Finals, one of the world’s most prestigious and watched tournaments, was viewed online by an esports record-breaking 21.8 million Average Minute Audience (AMA) in 2020.
In other related news, UNIQLO is also launching a Monster Hunter Rise collection later this year in June 2021.


The Best Street Fighter 5 Player In The World Just Shared His Top 5 Best & Worst Characters List

The name Daigo Umehara should be no stranger to anyone who watches competitive fighting games: he’s the best in the business be it Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo or Street Fighter 5.
In his latest livestream, Daigo Umehara talks about the top 5 worst and best characters in the current version of Street Fighter 5. In no particular order:
The 5 worst characters in Street Fighter 5

Dan, Rose, Gill, Alex, Blanka
He feels that these characters have bad matchups and aren’t as well-equipped like the faster and more aggressive characters on the list. He stressed that Alex is arguably the worst of the lot; he feels that no matter which character he picks, he can beat an Alex player no matter what. This is due to Alex’s limited options and predictable gameplay, to the point where he can use any other character’s basic tools and deal with him. File these underachievers in the C/D tier list.
The 5 best characters in Street Fighter 5

Cammy, Urien, Kolin, Guile, Dhalsim
As always, Daigo’s main character Guile gets the top spot in his top 5 because he’s got a good number of aggressive options for his supposed defensive playstyle. Ditto Dhalsim; for a pure zoning character he sure has some ways to get in and rush players down.
Daigo also feels that Cammy and Urien have remained unchanged and untouched during the rounds of buffs and nerfs with each patch and iteration of the game. Because of this, they end up retaining their past kit and strengths. And on that note, Cammy and Kolin are neck-at-neck for being viable top-tier rushdown characters who can dart around the screen and just get in an opponent’s face.
Long story short, Cammy, Urien, Kolin, Guile, and Dhalsim are S-Tier characters on his list.
The Rest
Daigo did say that characters like Boxer, Dictator, Poison, Karin, Chun-Li and Sagat are characters just one step below the top 5, but are solid top-tier picks regardless. At the very least, these characters are on the A-tier side of things, with the rest of the cast on the B-tier list.
As for Luke? Daigo said it depends on how diligent everyone is at finding out his strengths and weaknesses in training mode and labbing it out. Despite being one of the most-used characters since December of last year in both online play and in tournaments, Luke is still a fresh new character. Players should give him another month or so before determining his spot on the tier list.


EA Confirms FIFA 21 Release Window In 2020

EA has published its first-quarterly 2020 earnings report, and the financial results confirm that the publisher will be releasing FIFA 21 as usual in 2020, despite the uncertainty of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Both FIFA 21 and Madden 21 will be released in 2020. The report also revealed that FIFA 21 will launch within the second quarter of EA’s fiscal year, which means between August and December 2020. That all but confirms the annual release date for FIFA 21 is the same as previous years; which will be sometime in September 2021.
In addition, the report also states that the company plans to launch another EA Sports title, an additional EA HD title, four EA Partners titles and two mobile soft-launches, all of which remain unnamed as of now.
Impressively, last year’s FIFA 20 has managed to reach more than 25 million unique players to date, while Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order has exceeded 10 million.


Doctor Who Is Reportedly Coming To Fortnite Later This Year

Fortnite leaker and data miner iFireMonkey has reported that Fortnite will be getting new Doctor Who cosmetics, including two skins, a Glider, and an Emote.

?? Fortnite x Doctor Who
It has recently been brought to my attention that there have been discussions in regards to a potential collaboration between Fortnite and Doctor Who.
Based on what i'm aware of, this would be a two week long event in game (using an event tab similar to… pic.twitter.com/AOS51ufD1Z
— iFireMonkey (@iFireMonkey) April 15, 2023

There’s even an alleged screenshot:

Since the image is starting to float around, here is an image I saw of stuff, an interesting thing to note is "Garage Debug" being one of the tabs, which relates to that DelMar mode we had leaked previously which was set to feature a garage tab with vehicle customization pic.twitter.com/ukyLU8JwKu
— iFireMonkey (@iFireMonkey) April 15, 2023

The rumour is that it will tie into the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary celebrations later this year, but there has been no official announcements yet, so take all this with a grain of salt for now.


Uniqlo Monster Hunter Rise Collection Is Coming Later This Year

Many fans of the franchise are hyped for the upcoming Monster Hunter Rise, which is slated to launch for the Nintendo Switch on 26 March 2021. Now, Uniqlo has announced a new line of Monster Hunter Rise themed t-shirts, which will be available to purchase in June 2021.
A total of ten designs will be available to choose from; six of which are in menâ€™s sizes while the remaining four are in childrenâ€™s sizes. The official Monster Hunter Twitter account has also promised that more details will be arriving soon.
Check out the designs below:

However, as of now, it remains to be seen if the Uniqlo Monster Hunter Rise collection will be exclusive to Japan, or if it will be released in other countries as well. Previous collections like Demon Slayer and more were made available in Malaysia, so there’s a chance that this upcoming Monster Hunter Rise collection will be too.


Sony Shares Fell 7% After News Of Xbox & Activision Blizzard Deal [Update]

Moments after the news of Xbox buying Activision Blizzard broke, Sony’s shares have taken a dip.
Sony’s shares fell by over 7% following the news, wiping US$20 billion off Sony’s market value within the day. This marks the company’s lowest close since late October 2021.
The recent Xbox acquisition was worth US$68.7 billion, and the company still plans to keep making “some” Activision Blizzard titles available for PlayStation consoles. DFC Intelligence has stated that in the long-term, this buyout shows that Microsoft is operating on an entirely different level than Sony and Nintendo.
“Sony and Nintendo have huge presence in the existing game business, but those two smaller Japanese companies struggle to play in the higher strategic space the industry is heading. This is more about Microsoft competing with Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook and others. This acquisition would immediately put Microsoft in a solid strategic position.â€
However, things may look up for the PlayStation brand. Xbox head Phil Spencer said that Xbox will be honouring all existing agreements upon the acquisition and will keep the Call of Duty franchise on PlayStation.

Had good calls this week with leaders at Sony. I confirmed our intent to honor all existing agreements upon acquisition of Activision Blizzard and our desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation. Sony is an important part of our industry, and we value our relationship.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) January 20, 2022

For more on 2022’s biggest acquisition since the Xbox-Bethesda one, head here.


The Mobile Suit Gundam vs Hello Kitty Crossover Is Really Happening…

One would think the headline is an early April’s Fool joke (it’s only a few days), but it’s real. Hello Kitty and Mobile Suit Gundam are going to duke it out in lieu of their respective anniversaries: 45th for the former, 40th for the latter.

According to a Crunchyroll report, the project involves a LINE campaign where fans can vote for their favourite characters from each franchise and earn prizes. The campaign will also feature real-life promotions with restaurants and retail stores, as well as a mystery game sponsored by SCRAP that is scheduled for summer 2019. That’s all for now; more details about the collab will pop up eventually.
Oh and there’s an animated preview video where the two meet. Hello Kitty watches some Gundam, gets upset, and appears in the middle of a battle to Amuro Ray’s shock and awe. Hey, I’d be surprised too if I was greeted by a 40-feet cat mutant thing wearing a bow.

I’ll just plaster this one promo pic where Gundam and Hello Kitty are enjoying a bowl of udon.

I’ll go ahead and say it: this is way better than Avengers: Endgame. Also Bandai Namco: team up with Koei Tecmo and get a Musou Gundam vs Hello Kitty game out.


Meta.US Chen Yiji’s Top 10 Games Of 2019

Let’s get right to it.
Games Released This Year That I Played, and Liked
1. The Outer Worlds
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/446663749539160/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARB4LHlrcWrjeMa6X_8JKN9qLnZ2EUQSFoc21JZcDKpIJzeAJQwZTukRvefrBR69yc5oYS-CviQy_FKoQgaF9cuRpjRRL6iJi5LvBDaYruMhv2NruhWMbsv2gUQk7ix7BIOuVB_TwSnJCRBGMbS5zot3mxquW5WkHW1vb4lSiVOKLmZuXIkq6-5svmTHjrAwWsDKaa5hmvg-K1LYn4jYP-McwIg1Hqz81Lh3FUIM3mkeJhF5pCrr_fidf3AUOlacuhQgnwpY6lFQhUtyOPUIpQiAVmfOcWNdcSM_mlr4hKOadjCo0VvtaSxeIbz8mJpv25WDficBC6SAS7krKWLBqfmx44XzwVlX_RmBg1Sx&__tn__=-R
Simply put, the Outer Worlds is a fuss-free, play-however-you-want game that walks the talk. You donâ€™t feel punished for doing something that the game allows you to. Sure, you might miss things, but thatâ€™s what a second playthrough is for. (I played through this game 3 times)
2. Total War: Three Kingdoms
This newest addition to the Total War franchise was something to behold and ran its course quickly enough. I spent 300 hours on it, before getting bored of the unit and building variety. Economy-building is extremely important in this iteration, but also very tedious.
3. Baba Is You
Although I didnâ€™t manage to play Untitled Goose Game, Baba Is You was the most charming indie puzzle game I played in 2019. You know a game is hella innovative when the base mechanics allow for multiple solutions to a single puzzle that the developers likely did not explicitly design for.
4.Slay The Spire
Okay, I was playing this game since beta, but the full release warranted a fresh playthrough again. The game was even more fun, with the added mechanics and new treasures.
RNG is king in this game, which makes each playthrough extremely varied.
5.Civilization VI: Gathering Storm
The expansion made me go 2 days without sleep. If any game has mastered â€œone more turnâ€, itâ€™s the Civilization series. Play this game not for the challenge, but for the personal story youâ€™ll experience as you go through the ages.
Games Released This Year That I Played but were Forgettable in Comparison
6. Borderlands 3

In the first 30 hours, the game was fun enough to get through. After that, itâ€™s like an MMO grind that isnâ€™t as rewarding somehow.
Might be the loot quality or just the feeling of the upgrades not mattering as much, but it just stopped being fun too quickly.
7. Mechwarrior 5: Mercenaries
This is an okay game, but I would not play through it again due to the lack of polish and innovation.
Itâ€™s a modern Mechwarrior that somehow has less features than its predecessors. A disappointing wait for a game that could have so much going for it.
Games Iâ€™m Still Playing with DLC released this year
8. Total War: Warhammer 2
To date, largely thanks to the modding community, Iâ€™ve sunk 1,039 hours into Warhammer 2. I also do playthroughs of all the new DLCs â€“ the gameplay between each new faction is just fresh enough to keep me coming back for more.
9. Battle Tech: Heavy Metal
Probably the best entry to the Battletech franchise these past 5 years. Iâ€™ve lost so much gameplay data through mod compatibility itâ€™s not a joke. Of the 400 hours Iâ€™ve invested in Battletech, the only save file I can still use is 10 hours old.
However, I still play the game because itâ€™s just fun.
Games I reinstalled because I couldnâ€™t find any equivalent games to play
10. Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction
I simply could not agree with Diablo 3â€™s online-only requirement so I dropped the game entirely. Also, because of how much I was playing Diablo 3, I couldnâ€™t justify buying the necromancer pack â€“ which was probably the only thing that would justify another playthrough. Other than that, Diablo 2â€™s classic feel was still as good as it was so many years ago.
Honorable Mention: That one game I reinstalled due to a badass Netflix adaptation
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

I tried finding another equivalent that wasnâ€™t Monster Hunter, and I couldnâ€™t. So I just reinstalled the game and spent another 20 hours on it. The political intrigue and serious world-building in Witcher 3 still put many modern fantasy titles to shame.
Chen “Freakofnatur” Yiji is a freelance game reviewer and esports writer. He currently works as a community manager at meta.us, a community platform for aspiring players to find and discover teams, other players and tournaments!


Twitch CEO Emmett Shear Steps Down

Twitch CEO, Emmett Shear, has announced that he is leaving the company after more than a decade of working with the platform.
Shear revealed in a blog post that his history with Twitch began in 2006 when the site was still called Justin.tv. He cited his desire to focus on his family and tackle new challenges as reasons for his departure.
However, he also mentioned that he plans to continue working with Twitch in an advisory capacity. Dan Clancy, the current Twitch President, will take over as CEO. Shear expressed gratitude towards the streamers who trusted Twitch with their content and communities, as well as towards Amazon for being an excellent acquirer.
In his farewell post, Shear praised Clancy for his dedication to the Twitch community and expressed confidence in his ability to lead the company.

In October 2006 we started working on live video for the internet. That became Twitch. More than 16 years later, I'm now a father and ready to move to my next phase of life. I wrote a blog post, but the short version is: thank you so much to everyone who built this with me.
— Emmett Shear (@eshear) March 16, 2023


This Game Studio Is Not Censoring Its Cyberpunk Game, Even After Death Threats

Sometimes, you just have to take a stand for your product no matter the backlash. Such is the case of Sense: A Cyberpunk Story and its developer Top Hat Studios.
See, Top Hat Studios announced the Nintendo Switch version of Sense: A Cyberpunk Story, which was out on PC Steam back in 25th August of 2020. Since that announcement, the company has been bombarded with censorship demands from outraged customers and death threats that followed.
Top Hat Studios went about with this official statement: they will not be censoring the Nintendo Switch version.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT REGARDING CALLS DEMANDING CENSORSHIP OF SENSE – ?????: A CYBERPUNK GHOST STORY
Our commitment to our audience and to developers is we will never infringe on creative freedom or expression. pic.twitter.com/VV5IcGbJ7P
— Top Hat Studios, Inc – FROGUN OUT AUG 2ND!!!?? (@TopHatStudiosEN) January 1, 2021

This is then followed by the studio posting the comments they’ve received because industry-adjacent people have been “slandering and gaslighting” the studio as “liars”.

We originally did not want to make this post, as to not accidentally incite a search for these posters and cause further fights. However, as there are now industry-adjacent people slandering/gaslighting us as liars, we've compiled a sampling from twitter, FB, and email.  (1/5) pic.twitter.com/TJlNS4tWTd
— Top Hat Studios, Inc – FROGUN OUT AUG 2ND!!!?? (@TopHatStudiosEN) January 2, 2021

“We originally did not want to make this post, as to not accidentally incite a search for these posters and cause further fights. However, as there are now industry-adjacent people slandering/gaslighting us as liars, we’ve compiled a sampling from twitter, FB, and email. Skepticism is healthy in this industry, but it is not universally applied. Not only were many of these comments actively findable in <10 seconds to verify, but many “curious” individuals seem to have a vetted interest in slandering us as liars because of their connections.
We don’t blame people for being skeptical; but keep this energy toward other claims. This isn’t a marketing campaign. The game released 5 months ago originally. This was a pre-emptive response to what we saw as a rising, ridiculous spread of lies and slurs aimed at us. We can play semantics, but if you can’t understand why a response to such is needed, you’re being willfully obtuse. We couldn’t let false, hateful info spread, and also wanted to reinforce our stance against creative infringement. It certainly got bigger than we expected.
With that said, we appreciate, sincerely, the overwhelming support – really. As we said we didn’t want to make this post, but we aren’t going to allow people to spread lies – no less from those with a vetted interest in calling us liars. We aren’t changing Sense’s content.”
Because of these turn of events, the PC version has been getting rave reviews over at its Steam page.

Why Was This Game Getting Censorship Demands?
Easy: because of the game’s aesthetics which are claiming to be “pornographic”, “violence-inducing”, and “law-breaking”.Â People who are messaging the developers to censor the game are taking umbrage at the anime design of the characters.

Honestly, I’m not really a fan of the exaggerated art style, but it’s no excuse to send threatening messages to the developers. Besides, the game is M-rated and isn’t supposed to be played by kids. Kudos to the studio for sticking to their guns and not caving to peer pressure.
Protip: if you really want to hurt a game developer, don’t buy the game. Or explain in a deep breakdown video why the game isn’t good beyond a superficial level. Sending these threats especially to indie studios is just doing the opposite; you’re giving them more attention. It’s about as effective as telling people to avoid a clearly exploitative M-rated game by writing an editorial on it on a giant video game news platform.


Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands To Get A PC Steam Release & New DLC This Week

2K Games has announced that its Dungeons & Dragons tabletop RPG-inspired looter shooter title Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands will be on PC via Steam this week.
The PC Steam version of the Borderlands spin-off will be out on 24 June 1am GMT+8 at a discounted launch price of US$59.99 until 7 July. Anyone who buys it during this launch period will get the Golden Hero Armour Pack DLC.
In addition, the Molten Mirrors DLC will also be out on the same time and date too. Here’s the official 2K Games press release blurb:
“Mirrors of Mystery DLCs offer new ways to hunt for loot and cosmetics on your way to defeating the Dragon Lord, with challenging new dungeons such as Coiled Captors, Glutton’s Gamble, and the brand new Molten Mirrors, releasing on June 23, 2022 on all platforms, including Steam.”
For more on Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, check out our Legendary Weapons guide for the game which will be updated with guns from the Molten Mirrors DLC, as well as our class tier list.


Getting Off: First-Ever Adult Esports Tournament Announced

You know what they say: if the adult entertainment industry is interested in a particular tech or digital fad, chances are it’ll blow up. DVD, Blu-Ray, VR: everything is made more popular when porn is factored into the mix.
You can now add “esports” as the world’s first “adult-themed” esports tournament is announced. The tourney, called the Lewd Gaming Championship, is hosted by game portal Nutaku and is partnered with bigwig adult entertainment site YouPorn.
No, we’re not putting hotlinks in this here piece; you’re big boys & girls who can use a search engine to satiate your fetishes, right?

The first game that will be used for this tournament is a World of Tanks-style mobile game called, wait for it, Tits n’ Tanks. And yes, it’s short for TnT because it’s dynamite….in your pants. I’m just guessing.
The prize pool for this tournament is US$25,000, with 64 players expected to be cumming, I mean competing not just for the money, but for a free 12-month YouPorn premium membership.
Here’s a comment from Nutaku product manager Ben Faccio about TnT:

“Think of it as World of TanksÂ but with fully uncensored anime action integrated into the gameplay. Weâ€™re confidentÂ TnTÂ will bring in a trove of lewd gamers and take the world of eSports to the next level.”

Youporn vice president Charlies Hughes (Jazz?) has also expressed his joy at being the first to launch an adult esports tournament.

“YouPorn has been involved in esports for years with our very own Team YP, and it has added a new level of diversity and community to our platform that weâ€™re excited to introduce to Nutaku.”

So far there’s no date for the tournament yet. I’m curious as to whether Twitch.tv or YouTube would be in on this tit-illating piece of content.
If this is your first time you’ve heard of Nutaku (we won’t judge, don’t worry), that site is famous for its hardcore gaming action such as Karmasutra, Battle Girl, and Phantasma Magic. Meanwhile, YouPorn had a hand(job?) in esports. The adult entertainment body sponsored an Overwatch team and a Super Smash Bros. player with actual money, not with free premium access of their services. As far as I know.


We Might Get A Cult Classic For PS Plus In June [Update]

Update [11pm 25/5/21]: It’s confirmed – Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is a confirmed remake exclusive to PS4 next week. This new version of the last Virtua Fighter game will feature brand new graphics built in a brand new engine and new online features. Hopefully, it’s rollback netcode.

Original story
Sony has yet to announce the official lineup for PlayStation Plus June 2021, but it looks like we might get a classic if the rumours are true.
According to a new report from Spanish publication Areajugones, Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is apparently set to be one of the three PS Plus titles coming to the subscription service in June 2021.
It’s no coincidence that in April 2021, Sega teased new art and a title for an upcoming â€˜Virtua Fighter esportsâ€™ game, but the publisher will only be revealing it officially on 27 May 2021 in a special live stream.
The same report claims that the other two games are Star Wars Squadrons and Operation Tango. Virtua Fighter 5 Final ShowdownÂ originally launched for the PS3 and Xbox 360 back in 2012.
Take all this with a grain of salt for now, but we will be reporting on the official lineup for PS Plus June 2021 in the near future.


Confused With The Witcher’s Timelines? Just Refer To This Handy Guide

The Witcher Netflix series is a major success. Miraculously, it managed to attract both fans of the games and books as well as people who’ve never experienced either. However, the show’s anachronic order has led to a lot of head-scratching.

The folks over at TheWitcher.tv have created a graphical timeline guide for the show. It details the storyline of the show’s three main characters Yennefer, Geralt, and Ciri in respect to the first season’s major event: The Fall of Cintra.
What’s great about this guide is that it even includes tidbits of significant information that are merely mentioned in dialogue lines. For example, Calathe won the Battle of Hochebuz decades before the Fall of Cintra due to Ciri mentioning that Calathe was Ciri’s age when she won the battle.
If you’ve already watched the show but can’t make sense of some events, I’m pretty sure this guide will be very helpful. For those of you who want your friends to get on board the Witcher hype, reading this guide will help you explain things better to new fans.


Netflix’s Daybreak Looks Like Fallout Set In High School

What happens when you mix a little bit of the Fallout games and the Mad Max movies into a high school coming-of-age story? You get Daybreak, a new Netflix Original series that follows an eclectic group of survivors (who happen to be high school kids) as they navigate the post-apocalyptic city of Glendale, California.
Instead of bloodthirsty cannibals and weird cults, the world in Daybreak is populated by marauding gangs of jocks, gamers, the 4-H Club, and other fearsome high school tribes as they fight to survive in the wake of a nuclear blast, which coincidentally happened on the night of their Homecoming event.
From the looks of the trailer, we’re getting all the hallmarks of good post-apocalyptic fare, as everyone is wearing and wielding makeshift armour and weapons. We should probably be prepared for some high school drama and romance as well.
It’s actually based on the graphic novel or comic book of the same name by Brian Ralph. Three volumes were released in 2006, 2007, and 2008 by publishing company Bodega Distribution, with the most recent release in 2011 by publisher Drawn and Quarterly.
Daybreak stars:

Matthew Broderick as Glendale High Schoolâ€™s Principal Michael Burr
Krysta Rodriguez as the biology teacher
Colin Ford as our hero and every-teen, 17-year-old Josh Wheeler
Sophie Simnett as Sam Dean, the most widely admired girl at Glendale High
Austin Crute as contemplative samurai Wesley Fists
Alyvia Alyn Lind as highly unstable kid genius Angelica Green
Cody Kearsley as Turbo Bro Jock, the bloodthirsty leader of the jocks
JeantÃ© Godlock as Mona Lisa, his badass right-hand woman
Gregory Kasyan as Eli Cardashyan (not that Kardashian)

Netflix’s Daybreak is slated to premiere on 24 October 2019. In the meantime, check out the exclusive images and trailer below.


Guilty Gear Strive Will Finally Get Balance Changes This August

Guilty Gear Strive fans who are complaining about the current meta and main character privilege; Arc System Works has got you covered.
The developers will be making battle adjustments and balance updates to Guilty Gear Strive during the latter half of August. This will be one step of a two-part update, with the other update scheduled for October.
The balance update will consider changes to damage output and minor adjustments to the properties of “overwhelmingly powerful characters and moves”. Translation: the team may need to tone down certain characters like Ramlethal, May, and Sol Badguy.
The team will also address “unintended issues with the game separate from the schedule listed”. These include bug fixes that impact Zato’s Eddie movements, and game crashes when certain moves clash under specific conditions. It makes sense to not touch the game’s balancing right now, since a major fighting game tournament involving Guilty Gear Strive is underway this month.
Personally, I’d rather the team follow the game design principle of buffing everyone else who isn’t Sol, May, and Ramlethal, instead of a balance between nerfing and buffing. It worked for fighting games like Street Fighter 5 post Season 2; I’m sure it’ll work for Guilty Gear Strive.


Moss Sequel Launches In Early 2022

Moss, the virtual reality action-adventure puzzle game featuring a cute mouse named Quill, is getting a sequel.
It’s called Moss: Book II and it’s launching first for PlayStation VR on spring 2022. Here’s the game’s synopsis according to developer Polyarc:
Moss: Book IIÂ builds upon the story set forth in the platinum-sellingÂ MossÂ video game that ranks as one of the all-time top-rated virtual reality games to date. Having rescued her uncle Argus, Quillâ€™s adventure continues with the revelation that a winged tyrant is hunting her within the hexed castle where her uncle was held captive. But Quill has a plan of her own, one that could finally end the merciless rule of the Arcane and save the world from a great unmaking. Lined with dangerous terrain, challenging puzzles, and enemies twisted in fire and steel, the journey will be tryingâ€”filled with triumph and heartbreak alikeâ€”but new allies, old friends, and the very nature of the castle itself can offer you help along the way.
We enjoyed the heck out of Moss, and are thankful that it’s also out for PC (via Steam). No word on whether the sequel will get a PC port, but it’s good news that the PS VR scene is still getting some love.


Sifu Summer 2022 Update Out End Of August

The trials of Sifu are far from over, and we’re all good for it.
Developer Sloclap will be releasing new content in the form of a Summer 2022 update. This update adds new gameplay modifiers, a new scoring system, and brand-new outfits.
Gameplay Modifiers
For those who have already walked Sifu‘s path to Wude, brand-new gameplay modifiers and a new scoring system will push their abilities and skills to the absolute limit, or give them the opportunity to beat on enemies stress-free. These modifiers swing in both directions, bumping Sifu‘s challenge up by letting enemies ignore a player’s guard and preventing them from picking up weapons or giving them infinite health and structure, and unbreakable weapons. Players who want a true challenge can make their own “hardcore” runs by making enemies even stronger, reducing their character to a single hit point and removing aging as well as guarding.
New Scoring System
Players who may like to brag about their mastery of Kung Fu can finally show off a new score that better reflects their fighting finesse. The new scoring system will take into account every punch, kick, sweep and finisher performed, doling out a ranking based on a player’s smoothness, efficiency and variety. Dismantle a group of enemies without getting hit, and players will be greeted with a score worth flaunting.
New Outfits
Speaking of flaunting, players will be able to show off their moves with two additional outfits. Accessed in the Wuguan, the Enforcer armor, a set that covers Sifu‘s protagonist in a suit of tactical equipment, will be made available to owners of the game’s deluxe edition. All players will be able to access the second outfit, Master Hand. Featuring a sleek trench coat and a stylish hat, players will be challenged to avoid every incoming attack if they want to keep their look intact.
Check out the Summer 2022 update trailer below, which is slated for a 31st August release for PC and PlayStation consoles. Personally, more Sifu action equals more funtimes for all; I’m glad Sloclap is continuously adding new content that’s free to make us replay this awesome game more and more.


Hyperdimension Neptunia Sisters Vs Sisters Gets A New Adorable Trailer

Compile Heart has released an adorable new teaser for the upcoming JRPG Hyperdimension Neptunia Sisters Vs Sisters. The spinoff in the long-running JRPG franchise will see four younger sisters rise up to take back their share of the portable games market stolen by the mysterious smartphone called â€œMagiPhone”.
If that sounds confusing, that’s because the Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise is set in a world populated by factions and individuals representing real-world console makers and consoles. Imagine a literal console war but with waifus. That’s essentially what the series is.
In Hyperdimension Neptunia Sisters Vs Sisters, it’s handhelds vs. smartphones, instead of consoles against consoles.

The synopsis reads:
That day, the four CPUs set off in response to a request for help from the PC Continent far beyond the sea, while Nepgear and the other CPU candidates that stayed behind visited a certain research facility.
There, they were trapped in a capsule and put into a deep sleep by the â€œGray CPU,â€ and awakened to a Gamindustri two years later.
People now had the latest model of smartphone, called the â€œMagiPhone.â€ It became a world in which the market share was dominated by smartphones.
Neptune is told that Planeptune fell to the â€œBuzzoer Phenomenon,â€ in which hordes of monsters to appear, and that her older sister Neptune went missing.
Having lost her sister and a home to return to, Nepgear fell into despair.
This is a story of destruction and restoration, by CPUs, for CPUs, to pave the way from a future of despair, to a future of hope.
Fans can look forward to the same returning battle system that combines action and strategy, including the â€œGoddess Transformationsâ€ and â€œEXE Driveâ€ mechanics.
Hyperdimension Neptunia Sisters Vs Sisters is slated to release for the PS4 and PS5 on 21 April 2022 in Japan. At the time of writing, there is no news yet on whether the game will be receiving an English localization.


Minecraft Dungeons Dev Double Eleven Is Hiring In Malaysia

Games developer and publisherÂ Double Eleven recently officially opened its new Malaysian studio earlier this year. Headquartered in Middlesbrough in the North-East of England, they are best known for having co-developed or ported games like Rust,Â Crackdown 3,Â Goat Simulator, and the recently-released Minecraft Dungeons.
Double Eleven currently has multiple job vacancies for its Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur branch on its Careers Page, which you can check out here. There’s quite a number of them including for the following positions and roles:

Producer
3D Artist
Quality Assurance Lead
Quality Assurance Tester
Lead Artist
Programmer

Some of the benefits of working at Double Eleven include flexible working hours, flexible lunch, personal development plans, potential annual performance bonuses, awesome office facilities, and on-site parking. They were even voted by gamesindustry.biz as one of the best places to work in the UK games industry in 2017 and 2018.
In the meantime, check out our full review of Minecraft Dungeons here, or check out the first 20 minutes of the game in our video below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9W9XWmBBBE&w=560&h=315]


Boomer Shooter Gloomwood Delayed To September; Ultrakill Gets Episode 2

New Blood Interactive’s new shooters will be out later this September, though still in Early Access.
First up is the PC shooter Gloomwood, which is basically Thief with guns. The stealth action game will be delayed from its August release period to 6 September (in Early Access form) due to “unforeseen game development issues” that pop up over the past few months, with some developers being afflicted with COVID-19.
“It seems that ever since we announced the release date we’ve been hit with so many issues you would think the immersive sim curse is indeed real, but we will power through it.”
That’s just a few weeks from now, so it’s not that much of a wait. Making that announcement is the legendary actor Malcolm McDowell, known for his roles in A Clockwork Orange, Cat People, and Caligula among others. He’s also done work in video games, appearing in titles like Fallout 3, Wing Commander 3 and 4, and The Elder Scrolls Online. It’s nice to see him in video games once again, to be honest.
“These guys that make this game want to apologize for the short delay. Yeah, right. But it’s only a few short weeks. For God’s sake, you can wait until then. Anyway, listen, Gloomwood fans, get ready to anticipate—it’s coming your way in a few weeks and when it gets there, you’re gonna love it.”

We're sorry to have to delay Gloomwood a few weeks, however we're sure you can wait.
But don't just take it from me! Listen to legendary star of stage and screen, Sir Malcolm McDowell. pic.twitter.com/lFgayx1xtO
— ULTRAKILL ACT II SOON™ (@DaveOshry) August 2, 2022

Speaking of shooters, the next major update for Ultrakill, dubbed the second act, will be out on 16th August for PC. Ultrakill’s price from RM39 will be raised up when Act 2 comes out, so if you want to get the game at a discounted price, now’s the time as any. Ultrakill is basically “Quake meets Devil May Cry” where you have to get stylish with your kills to get ahead and win. It’s really riveting and caters to many folks who love 3D shooters of yore but with 2020 game design sensibilities, like myself.


LG UltraGear Joins Forces With Gen.G Esports

LG Electronics (LG) is once again making its presence known in the fast-growing global esports industry with a partnership with Gen.G Esports (Gen.G), one of the biggest esports organizations in the world.
Gen.G and LG will collaborate to further develop the esports scene internationally with the help of LGâ€™s category-leading UltraGear gaming monitors.
Ranked sixth in Forbesâ€™ list of The Most Valuable Esports Companies 2020, Gen.G owns and operates eight professional teams from the United States, South Korea and China in games like League Of Legends, Overwatch and PUBG. Gen.G also runs the Gen.G Global Academy that provides innovative esports education programs and fosters the development of future gaming and esports industry leaders through the Gen.G Foundation.
LG has already garnered a strong reputation among gamers for its impressive line of UltraGear gaming monitors. The partnership with Gen.G allows LG to demonstrate its support for the gaming community, especially among Millennials and Generation Z. LGâ€™s market-leading UltraGear monitors offer the picture quality, speed and features needed to get the most out of the latest PC and console titles with the worldâ€™s first 4K resolution display and Nano IPS display technology with a Gray-to-Gray (GTG) response time of 1ms.
Gen.G Esports CEO Chris Park said:
â€œWith a young and dynamic brand such as LG UltraGear as our partner, we look for-ward to providing the ultimate gaming experience to not just professional players but to gaming fans across the globe.
Based on our common objectives and values, Iâ€™m excited about the diverse possibilities this collaboration will deliver to our fans and customers.â€
Gen.G is also notable for winning the first-ever PUBG Global Championship (PGC) back in 2019 (check out the full story here).


Black Adam Premieres On HBO GO Malaysia This Friday

HBO Asia has announced that Black Adam will premiere on Friday, 16 December 2022 on HBO GO.
In ancient Kahndaq, the slave Teth Adam was gifted the almighty powers of the gods. But he used those powers for vengeance and was imprisoned. Now, 5,000 years later, he is freed and once again wields his dark sense of justice onto the world. Refusing to surrender, Teth Adam is challenged by a team of modern-day heroes known as the Justice Society — Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Atom Smasher and Cyclone — who seek to return him to eternal captivity.
In Black Adam, Johnson stars alongside Aldis Hodge (City on a Hill, One Night in Miami) as Hawkman, Noah Centineo (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) as Atom Smasher, Sarah Shahi (Rush Hour 3), Marwan Kenzari (Murder on the Orient Express, Aladdin), Quintessa Swindell (Voyagers, Trinkets) as Cyclone, Mohammed Amer (Mo, Ramy), Bodhi Sabongui (A Million Little Things), and Pierce Brosnan (the James Bond and Mamma Mia! franchises) as Doctor Fate.
Collet-Serra directed from a screenplay written by Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, based on characters from DC created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck. The film’s producers are Beau Flynn, Hiram Garcia, Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia, with Toby Emmerich, Richard Brener, Dave Neustadter, Chris Pan, Walter Hamada, Adam Schlagman, Geoff Johns, Eric McLeod and Scott Sheldon executive producing.
The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes Oscar-nominated director of photography Lawrence Sher (Joker), production designer Tom Meyer (Real Steel, Finch), editors Mike Sale (Red Notice, Skyscraper) and John Lee (Anyone Home?), costume designers Kurt and Bart (Deadpool 2, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 & 2), Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Bill Westenhofer (Life of Pi, Wonder Woman), and composer Lorne Balfe (Black Widow).
You can stream or download Black Adam that rock you on HBO GO or the mobile app via the App Store or Play Store for as low as RM23.30/month. Or access HBO GO via Astro. HBO GO is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality.
In the meantime, check out our review of Black Adam here.


Apex Legends Switch Trailer Teases Exclusive Pathfinder Skin

Apex Legends is coming to the Nintendo Switch on 9 March 2021, and Respawn Entertainment has released the official trailer for the upcoming launch.
The trailer reveals the Nintendo Switch exclusive â€œP.A.T.H.â€ Pathfinder Legendary Skin and gives us a taste of what gameplay looks like on the hybrid console. It doesn’t look too bad, but just like Blizzard’s Overwatch before it, it does look noticeably worse than its console and PC counterparts.

All Apex Legends Nintendo Switch players (who buy the Season 8 Battle Pass) will also receive a whopping 30 free levels on the Season 8 Battle Pass, to help catch up on the new Season. Thatâ€™s right, especially now thatÂ Season 8: MayhemÂ has officially gone live for consoles and PC. Nintendo Switch players will also earn Double XP for two weeks after release.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Trailer To Debut At The Game Awards: Here’s A Poster To Tide You Over

Update: Trailer added.
Paramount Pictures announced that it will be releasing the trailer for Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (the movie, not the Megadrive game) during The Game Awards 2021 show this Friday. Apt, considering this is The Game Awards we’re talking about.
To keep Sega and furry fans hype in check, here’s a new poster they released, featuring Sonic, Tails flying a plane, and Dr. Robotnik played by Jim Carrey. The 90s is truly alive!

The film will be out on 28th April 2022, and will be directed by Jeff Fowler. Sonic’s voice is provided by Ben Schwartz while Colleen O’Shaughnessey will be voicing Miles “Tails” Prowler, as she has always since 2014. Knuckles will be voiced by Idris Elba, who hopefully will put on a British gangster voice from his Guy Ritchie movie days.


X-Men Veteran To Write & Produce New Battlestar Galactica Movie

Simon Kinberg is going to write and produce a new Battlestar Galactica movie for Universal Pictures. He is best known for writing and/or producing 2006’s X-Men The Last Stand, 2014’s X-Men Days Of Future Past, 2015’s Fantastic Four, 2016’s X-Men Apocalypse, and 2019’s X-Men Dark Phoenix (which he also directed).
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kinberg said in a statement:
“Battlestar Galactica is one of the holy grails in science fiction, and I couldn’t be more excited about bringing something new to the franchise while honouring what’s made it so iconic and enduring.I’m so grateful that Dylan and my partners at Universal have trusted me with this incredible universe.”
This new Battlestar Galactica movie will not be connected to the upcoming new Battlestar Galactica series by Universal’s streaming service Peacock, which will be helmed by Mr. Robot showrunner Sam Esmail.
It’s bizarre that they’re also making a movie while having plans for a series at the same time. While Ronald D. Moore’s 2004 reboot series remains one of the best sci-fi series, the original 1978 series by Glen A. Larson never really took off.
Both followed the remnants of humanity escaping from the android race called the Cylons after losing the war. The Battlestar Galactica is the only remaining military ship in the Colonial Fleet, which is where the name of the series is derived from.
You can check out a supercut of the original Battlestar Galactica series in the video below, though it’s much better if you just watch the superior 2004 series instead.


That Jay & Silent Bob 2D Game Gets A PS4 And Xbox One Release This May

Snootch to the nootch!
Publisher Interabang Entertainment and developer Spoony Bard Productions will be releasing its View Askew-branded 2D brawler Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One next month on 20th May. These versions will cost US$14.99.

The game lets you play as either Jay or Silent Bob -characters/self-inserts made by director Kevin Smith- as you beat up bad guys in the mall led by chief of security LaFours. You’ll also fight bosses like the Cocknocker from Jay & Silent Bob Strikes Back and the poop monster from Dogma.
The PS4 and Xbox One versions will feature high-quality visuals, a retuned difficulty setting, and a new remixed soundtrack. In addition, Limited Run Games will distribute a physical edition of the game in standard and limited editions. They cost US$29.99 and $54.99 respectively.

The game is currently available on Nintendo Switch and PC. And yes, they’ll get the same updates as the Xbox One and PS4 versions.


The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Game Revs Up This August

Gun Interactive and Sumo Digital have announced that the multiplayer asymmetrical horror game The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will launch for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Game Pass and PC on 18 August 2023. A technical test is planned for 25 May 2023.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is an asymmetrical horror experience based on the groundbreaking and iconic 1974 horror film. According to the developer, they have recreated authentic locations and characters, as well as crafted an updated and inspired game score based off the iconic sound design of the 1974 original film.


Ubisoft Celebrates Lunar New Year By Giving Out Its AC Game For Free

Ubisoft is having a sale on its Uplay store to celebrate Lunar New Year since it’s a multicultural team of various religious faiths, beliefs, sexual orientations, and gender identities (their words, not ours). And to sweeten the deal, they’re giving away a free Assassin’s Creed game!
No, it’s not AC Odyssey, don’t be silly. They’re instead giving away Assassin’s Creed Chronicles China. The offer is valid until 5 February.
In all seriousness, this 2D action platformer is pretty nifty, if you fancy stealth action games ala Mark of the Ninja. If you’re looking for other titles with discounts, you have The Division, Rainbow Six Siege, The Crew, For Honor, and more AC games.


Midnight Fight Express Will Take To The Streets Next Year

With titles like River City Girls, Streets of Rage 4, and Battletoads making waves these past years and months, you would think the old-school brawler genre is making a comeback of sorts. That’s good, because that’s my jam.
Midnight Fight Express looks like another return to beat-em-up form, but now on an isometric perspective. Basically, you fight your way across the city from office buildings to even churches (see feature image) using your wits. But mostly your fists, feet, knives, pipes, pistols and whatnot.
The game’s selling point is its customization and motion-captured combat. Seeing this in motion, even in its alpha state, warms the cockles of my heart. It’s slated for a 2021 release; you can follow Humble Games’ Twitter here for your quick fix update. Methinks it’s going to trend well with GIFs of its combat.


Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker Job Changes & Adjustments Will Build On 5.0 Updates

Jobs will be getting a shakeup in Final Fantasy XIV and its upcoming expansion Endwalker, according to its producers.
Producer Naoki Yoshida stated on a Letter from the Producer livestream recently that the job changes for FFXIV’s many classes will “build upon 5.0 adjustments”. This means more actions will be added and recast times will be changed up.
Specifically, FFXIV job ability timers will be changing to different cycles, depending on the class’ abilities. Recast time of primary abilities will be adjusted to align with 60 or 120 second timers.

Yoshida also went into detail about the changes for the Tank and Melee DPS classes.
Tank

Using defensive enhancements at optimal times will grant greater benefits.
Adjustments will ensure combos are not broken by ranged attacks.
There will be parity between the physical and magical damage attributes of weapons at the same item level, and accompanying changes to action potencies.

Melee DPS

Feint’s effect will be changed to reduce physical damage dealt; this will also reduce magical damage dealt. Physical damage reduction will be more potent.
Adjustments will ensure combos are not broken by ranged attacks.
There will be parity between the physical and magical damage attributes of weapons at the same item level, and accompanying changes to action potencies.

Also, the game’s level cap will be raised to 90. The Endwalker expansion will be out on 23 November and will conclude the current storyline of the game, as well as add new Jobs like Reaper and Sage.
Check out the Final Fantasy XIV letter from the producer video below:


Y: The Last Man TV Pilot Confirms Another Casting

We received news that FX’s TV pilot for cult classic graphic novel, Y: The Last Man just confirmed another casting which got us worried.
According to Deadline, Amber Tamblyn (127 Hours, Django Unchained) will play Mariette Callows. Daughter of the President of the United States, Mariette has been groomed for a career in politics and to uphold her fatherâ€™s conservative values.
Amber Tamblyn
Nope nope nope.
While we are certainly glad to finally see our favorite graphic novel come to television, the fact that Tamblyn’s character will be specifically written for the small screen spells bad news everywhere. We feel that her addition was done to replace a certain character which FX felt unsuitable for TV and by doing so, ruined what already was a perfectly told story in print.
Our guess? Tamblyn’s charater, Mariette is set to replaceÂ Yedida “Alter” Tse’elon, theÂ new Chief of the General Staff for Israel who in the comics, was hell-bent on reclaiming Yorick for the state of Israel. We really hope we are totally wrong here.
Launched in 2002, Y: The Last ManÂ is a post-apocalyptic science fiction comic book series by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. It follows the adventures of a young escape artist, Yorick who found himself along with his pet Capuchin monkey named Ampersand to be the last two surviving males on Earth following a cataclysmic event which wiped out allÂ  living beings with a Y chromosome.
In the books, he travels across the globe to reunite with his girlfriend, Beth (Juliana Canfield) who was last seen in Australia just before every living male got wiped out.
Last week we reported the main cast of the TV show which included Barry Keoghan as Yorrick, Lashayna Lynch as Agent 355, Diane Lane as Yorick’s mother, Senator Jennifer Brown and Imogen Poots as Yorick’s sister, Hero.


After 3 Years, Singapore’s Bountie Arena Shuts Down

Disclaimer: the writer of this article has worked with Bountie back in 2018.Â
COVID-19 can be a huge detriment to many businesses, be it food chains and restaurants or even cybercafes. Singapore internet cafe Bountie Arena is the latest casualty of the pandemic.
Bountie Arena will be closing on 7th July, which is in the next few weeks. Singaporeans who still have Bountie Arena credits left can get their refund via this Google Doc link. Players can also buy the internet cafe’s gaming desktops and desks through this separate order form.
https://www.facebook.com/bountiearena/posts/1215848078846535?__cft__[0]=AZXFCXW8-_vX9jy3_Cv5gvNUHkfZ_cXfwVcvMS0-ju1Ko3rzBZeQvkzdxWx_W3815UYg5R_ZopTQxmPuP6g6innedJcWoqqhHcdU9v54clYmPHMD6TN0q7RDMcjXzgA6VY4AGmfbvJbY3USYsOcgwXA8&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
The Bountie Arena internet cafe has been around since 2019 and features a large gaming space arena, 112 gaming desktops, and a few others that make it a hub for Singaporean gamers. The company had previously dealt with cryptocurrency back in 2018 (and still is) before entering the internet cafe business the year after. It’s sad to see one of these establishments shutter, though COVID-19 has affected these offline businesses in a bad way.


Returnal Director Agrees To Make Games More Accessible In Future, But Not Too Easy

There has always been discussion about accessibility in games that somehow correlates to difficulty and making games less challenging as result. That really isn’t true: you can make a game accessible for everyone with a plethora of visual and handicap-friendly options, while also making the game maintain its core gameplay without compromise.
That’s what Returnal director Harry Krueger from Housemarque believes, in a way. He said that developers can always “do more” to make games more accessibile, but gameplay challenges and narrative are inseparable (via PS I Love You XOXO).
“That’s definitely always going to be an interesting challenge to find that sweet spot. I think we can always do more and could always add more support for different ways to play the game and different control methods. I think when it comes to the difficulty I think it is a question of what kind of experience you are having with Returnal.”
Krueger also elaborated further on what he meant by the game difficulty and story being inseparable:
“[For example], the character, Celine, she is talking about dying over and over and how these are insurmountable odds, and she can’t keep going on, and there’s this descent into madness that is happening purely because of the challenges she’s facing, and her challenges are the player’s challenges as well in many ways.
It feels like if you were allowed to just power through a boss without any challenge, or just go from A to B to C through the narrative points, it almost feels like it would create a bit of dissonance.
The game is telling you this is really challenging, and that you’re overcoming these obstacles but you wouldn’t have had to experience that friction. So that’s always a line to walk, but it’s something we’re going to keep in mind.”
So no Easy mode for Returnal, in other words. That’s fine by us: we wouldn’t be rating Returnal pretty high on our “Best Games Of 2022” if it was a cakewalk of a roguelike. Check out our review and guide here.


Atomic Heart Will Be Published By Asian Company 4Divinity

The upcoming steampunk first-person shooter Atomic Heart will be published by a new publishing arm in Asia.
Singaporean-based entertainment marketing group GCL has launched a new game publishing arm called 4Divinity, with the company signing an agreement with Atomic Heart publisher Mundfish to distribute the PlayStation versions of the upcoming shooter.
Under this agreement, 4Divinity will also be responsible for publishing the retail versions of Atomic Heart for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 in Asia. These packaged (physical) editions will be distributed by GCL games subsidiary Epicsoft Asia within the Southeast Asia, Greater China and South Korea markets.
For the Japan market, 4Divinity is partnering with Tokyo-based Beep Japan to co-publish and distribute Atomic Heart on the PlayStation® platform for both digital and retail versions.
Atomic Heart Pre-Order & Pricing
Atomic Heart will be on sale via the following prices for PC:

Country
Currency
Standard Ed.
Gold Ed.
Premium Ed.

Indonesia
IDR
509000
719000
859000

Malaysia
MYR
189
269
299

Philippine
PHP
1995
2895
3390

Singapore
SGD
69.9
99.9
119.9

Thailand
THB
1490
2090
2390

Vietnam
VND
750000
1150000
1300000

China
CNY
239
339
399

Hong Kong
HKD
388
548
659

Taiwan
TWD
1590
2290
2690

Japan
JPY
8800
13800
15800

South Korea
KRW
69800
100800
119800

Here are the PlayStation version’s prices (digital version):

Country
Currency
Standard Ed.
Gold Ed.
Premium Ed.

Indonesia
IDR
999,000
1,399,000
1,579,000

Malaysia
MYR
299
419
459

Singapore
SGD
97.90
137.90
149.90

Thailand
THB
2,343
3,306
3,627

Hong Kong
HKD
568
798
858

Taiwan
TWD
2,090
2,990
3,290

South Korea
KRW
77,800
109,800
119,799

The game’s Limited Edition will feature the following:

Here are the PlayStation version’s prices (physical edition)

Country
Currency
Standard Ed.
Limited Ed.

Indonesia
IDR
990,000
1,690,000

Malaysia
MYR
319
489

Philippines
PHP
3,950
6,150

Singapore
SGD
99.00
149.00

Thailand
THB
2,480
3,850

Hong Kong
HKD
548
858

Taiwan
TWD
1,990
2,990

You can pre-order both versions of the game starting January 2023.


Xbox Project xCloud Is Coming To iOS & PC In Spring 2021

Microsoft’s cloud streaming service forÂ XboxÂ games, xCloud,  will be made available on Apple iOS devices and on PC sometime in Spring 2021.
In a newÂ Xbox blog post, Microsoft confirmed that a beta version xCloud as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate be arriving next year. PC users will be able to access the service through the Xbox app from the Microsoft Store.
However, iOS users will access xCloud via a mobile web browser, due toÂ Apple’s restrictions on games that bypass the App StoreÂ via another app.
In November 2020, Xbox Game Pass monthly engagement also more than doubled.Â Check out the statistics below:
Over 1.6 million seamless upgrades delivered to Xbox Series X/S owners with Smart Delivery.Over 40 percent of players joining Xbox for the first time are playing on Xbox Series S.One of the fastest-selling Xbox Series X/S markets out of 40+ launch regions, Europe saw record sellouts in a matter of hours across the UK, France and Germany.During November, Xbox Game Pass members played more of their favourites, including,Â Destiny 2: Beyond Light,Â Rainbow Six: Siege,Â Tetris Effect Connected, and Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order with EA Play on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.


Planet Zoo Is A Fun Sandbox Game But A Tiresome Management Sim

Platform: PC
Genre: Animal farm, minus the politics
Planet Zoo is basically Planet Coaster but with animals. That’s all there is to it. Instead of managing and maintaining a theme park, you run a zoo. From giraffes to lion enclosures, the world’s your safari-savvy playground.
If you’re looking for a huge improvement over that literal funfair of a sim game made by developer Frontier Entertainment, you will be disappointed. However, if you miss the days of the classic Theme Park (RIP Bullfrog) and Rollercoaster Tycoon, as well as sort your fauna management fix, then read on.
We Bought A Zoo!

First, the bad:Â  Planet Zoo is a monotonous management simulator. Even with its variety of mode choices -Career,Â  Challenge, Sandbox, andÂ  Franchise- mixing things up, the core management systems and aspects in this game are stretched out to the point of boredom and repetition.
Compare this to say 1994’s Theme Park or the Tycoon games where your management and operations-tweaking can mean life or death to your creation in mere minutes;Â  where every minute thing matters. Planet Zoo makes the mistake of taking the casual aspects of a mobile clicker “management” game and implement it in a PC game.

You will be clicking on aÂ  lot of menus, and then closing up even more drop-down menus just to do the simplest of tasks. Furthermore, getting into the park’s books doesn’t make much of a meaningful difference compared to other sim games where it’s a matter of life and death.

Having a daunting sim game is one thing, but if it’s convoluted to the point of repetition rather than depth, the experience will get old indeed especially for a hardcore sim-savvy PC market. And then there are the animal-caring aspects which is vital in keeping your zoo free from protestors and bad business. It makes the game feel like a animal health sim instead of a “zootopia” playground at times, which gets intrusive the longer you play it.
Thankfully, this doesn’t completely sour the entire experience, because the rest of Planet Zoo is a boatload of fun.
Hype Beasts

For one, the game’s modes are laid out in a way that makes you feel like you’re making progress bit by bit while learning a lot. For example, sandbox mode requires you to unlock facilities and animals the more you start building and laying out your dream zoo. Career mode creates goals that give you the information you need to start afresh in the next two or three playthroughs, like objectives involving putting up info boards and speakers to educate zoo attendees.
Planet Zoo eases you into the experience instead of just forcing it down your throat; you will end up learning about zoo barriers, terrain manipulation,Â  and customizable lavatories over time thanks to the game’s limitless toolset.

Whether you want to build a snow-themed petting zoo or the next San Diego Zoo but “more urban”, Planet Zoo will let you do that and way more. And also without being too intimidating for people who just want to get in there and start building and designing.

The heart of Planet Zoo -the design and sandbox approach- is also improved thanks to the feedback you get when you run the place.Â  The animals look and move beautifully inÂ  your enclosed spaces and gilded cages, while the crowd dynamics create a wonderful sense of immersion and place. And to say nothing of the vast selection of beasts great and small you get to harbour in your caged playground.
Frontier Entertainment spared no expense in the animal encyclopedia and graphics department. That’s a pretty good selling point in itself when it’s coupled with a notable sandbox approach to engineering.
Heavenly Creatures
Planet Zoo’s only major problem is focus. Its inability to decide whether it’s a zoo management game or a half-baked animal welfare simulation may turn off dedicated simulation fans who just want to show off cool zoo architecture with fluffy animals up for display.
The management aspects haven’t evolved much since Frontier Entertainment’s rollercoaster efforts. But for the most parts, Planet Zoo is still the prettier and more entertaining choice to sate your desires to one-up the Singapore Zoo or build an even better Zoo Negara.
Pros

Seeing animals roam around in your zoo is a treat.
Limitless options to construct your own zoo.
Well laid-out career modes.

Cons

Simulation & management aspects are repetitive, tiresome, and unenthralling.
Micromanagement animal-caring bits is not fun.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100


CoD Modern Warfare & Warzone Season 6 Trailer Confirms Two New Operators

Activision and Infinity Ward have unveiled a brand new trailer for Call Of Duty Modern Warfare and Call Of Duty Warzone Season 6, which confirms the release date for the upcoming new season.
The trailer also confirms that two new Operators, Farah Karim and Nikolai, will be joining the games in Season 6, which is slated to begin next week on 29 September 2020 (via Activision).
Farah Karim

The founder and Commander of the Urzikstani Liberation Force, Farah, grew up a fighter after surviving imprisonment by Roman Barkov. Sheâ€™s an exceptional soldier and leader thatâ€™s known a lifetime of war.
Her skills have been further honed with additional training with the SAS, and sheâ€™s led dangerous missions to fight off Al-Qatala forces and other regimes stationed in her country. Following the events of Campaign, Farah joins the Chimera of the Allegiance reuniting with Iskra, a former scout of hers.
Farah is instantly unlocked at Tier 0 of the Season Six Battle Pass. In addition to Farahâ€™s base skin, players can earn additional skins and other rewards by completing her Operator Missions.
Nikolai

Nikolai is the leader of the Chimera, a PMC within the Allegiance. A long-time friend to Captain Price, Nikolai initially worked with Price, Kamarov, and Kate Laswell to build the Armistice to stop the rise of a new AQ. After the Armisitice collapse, Nikolai now takes the battle in his own hands to stop Zakhaev.
Nikolai is a Russian patriot at heart with a deep love for his country only matched by his love for weaponry. Heâ€™s known as a fixer and can acquire most anything, anywhere. Despite his murky background, heâ€™ll always choose whatâ€™s right when it counts.
Nikolai can be unlocked at Tier 100 of the Season Six Battle Pass. Players can complete Operator Missions to earn additional skins for Nikolai and other rewards.
With the addition of Farah as an Operator, it’s potentially possible for her brother, Hadir Karim, to be added in upcoming future seasons as well. He is one of the game’s main antagonists, fighting for the terrorist organization Al-Qatala.
Besides those two new Operators, it seems like players will be able to look forward to new underground tunnel maps in Call Of Duty Modern Warfare and Call Of Duty Warzone Season 6. That is, if the trailer is any indication.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below, or head on over here to find out what we think of the Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War Alpha so far.


Team Fortress 2 Has A Halloween Event That’s Live Now

Counter-Strike: GO isn’t the only old-school team-based shooter on Steam that’s popular. Team Fortress 2 is still alive and kickin’, now with a Halloween event to cap off the rest of October.
The game’s event, Scream Fortress 11, is live right now. It’s more or less a showcase of player-made creations, with two community maps and a host of community-created cosmetics. They all look pretty cool though; do check out what you fancy below:

The first of these new maps is a king of the hill map called Laughter, with the second being a payload map called Precipice. Better hurry if you’re aÂ  TF2 fan: Scream Fortress 11 will last until 7th November; go to the Special Events category of the Casual section to search for Halloween matches.

I used to reinstall Team Fortress 2 every year for Halloween, dressing up in seasonal cosmetics to fight giant enemies like the Horseless Headless Horsemann, Monoculus, and Merasmus, or to just drive around in karts. Those events continue, andÂ Scream Fortress 11 is live right now. As is the case in recent years it’s more of a showcase for player-made creations, with two community maps and a host ofÂ community-created cosmetics.
Those maps are a king of the hill map called Laughter, and a payload map called Precipice. The cosmetics are bundled in a collection called Spooky Spoils which includes a bird head for the Engineer, a shark head for the Pyro, and a two-piece velociraptor costume for the Scout. The Soul Gargoyle from previous years returns as well.
Scream Fortress 11 continues through November 7, and you can find Halloween matches to join under the Special Events category of the Casual section.


Goat Simulator 3 Launches This November

Coffee Stain has announced that Goat Simulator 3 will launch for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Epic Games Store on 17 November 2022.
This follow-up to 2014’s Goat Simulator starts an all-new adventure, once again featuring Pilgor the goat. This time she’s found new pastures on the sprawling sandbox island of San Angora, a place where mysteries and chaos follow wherever you go. Players are free to roam around and discover the island’s secrets or, well, just destroy stuff. This is a Goat Simulator, after all.
Built from the gravel up, this next generation of goat simulation has it all; Goats, goats wearing hats, goats riding a goat wearing a hat. There are also unnatural disasters, secret animal societies, triple jumping and probably any other nonsense you could think up. In Goat Simulator 3, you can gather as a herd of up to 4 friends to be the goats of your dreams, together.
Goat Simulator 3 is a direct sequel to Goat Simulator, a game that started life as an April Fool’s joke born out of a game jam. In 2014, Goat Simulator became a true goat simulation sensation, selling millions of units across consoles and PC, as well as ‘earning’ ports to Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and most recently Apple Arcade.
Check out the trailer below:


Days Gone Feels Better On The PC; Here’s Why

Back in 2019, I did express some level of joy playing the action-adventure open world zombie-filled game Days Gone on the PS4. It had some technical hiccups and major story pacing issues, not to mention some repetition for all of its 30+ hours. But it had a bunch of good bright spots especially late in the game.
The PC version of Days Gone, which came out on Steam recently, solved at least one of these problems. Frankly, it’s all the better for it. The reasons are twofold:
Better Graphics Options

I really wanted this game to run 60fps and higher, as well as have a better FOV-widening option. The PS4 version couldn’t do that, understandably so. Which is why the PC version solves that by letting you customize as much as you damn well please. Motion blur? Turn it off. Draw distance adjustments? Yes. HDR options? Well, it’s locked on my current PC display setup but it works great on my neighbour’s 4K TV, so that’s cool!
Most importantly, my FOV is to the max and my current “Mat Rempit” session is in 60fps-and-above range. The Freaks and Deacon’s ragtag bike never looked this good & “next-gen”.
Keyboard & Mouse Support
This one’s a given: playing an action-adventure game with a keyboard and mouse that’s somewhat generous with ammo is just easier and more intuitive to play. In fact, thanks to this control scheme, I didn’t really need to use Deacon’s Focus ability too much, unless I’m dealing with 40 or so Freaks after me. Though to be fair, that does happen on occasion.
Don’t get me wrong: playing on a PS4/Xbox One controller is still viable and fun. But all shooters, be it first person or third person, are universally better on a keyboard and mouse. It’s always been like this in the 90s and it still is now: that is just fact. Days Gone feels good with this master PC race control setup.
Are these key features enough to elevate Days Gone’s core gameplay? No, they aren’t.
There’s nothing wrong with Days Gone’s gameplay loop: you experience the game’s dystopian and serious story, you explore a deserted Portland, Oregon (forest and all) on your bike while avoiding the zombie horde (a REALLY big one) and crazed human adversary groups running around the landscape, and you visit towns and do sidequests to pass the time. The world itself feels very immersive and alive, from the roaming zombie hordes running around to the sidequests that ties some of its gameplay mechanics together in a seamless fashion.

When you’re taking your sweet time, Days Gone works. And the last few hours of the game does give you some fun and intense challenges that test your shooting and survival skills, especially when you have better military capabilities to mow down hordes of zombies and deal with tougher challenges. The thrill of having enough firepower to just deal with the creatures that gave you a tough time in the first few hours is a cathartic feeling indeed.
However, if you want more variety & innovation in your post-apocalyptic countryside traipsing, you are not going to find it here. As stressed before on my PS4 review, Days Gone’s monotony, pacing issues, and incredibly serious tone may not be for everyone. And with the current S$67.90/RM200 price tag, a lot of folks are going to wait it out until it gets the patented Steam seasonal sale discount.
Sure, it runs better and has slightly better controls, sure. And compared to the Horizon Zero Dawn PC port, Days Gone is clearly better thanks to its plethora of technical features despite a lower concurrent Steam player count (27,450 at its peak, last we checked). But a port isn’t going to magically mix the game’s clear pacing issues, repetition, and “edgelord” storyline that feels like a discount Walking Dead. The TV version. Days Gone seriously needs to be 10 to 15 hours less; I totally forgot how long the starting intro and tutorial bits were when I loaded up the PC version.
I’ll give Sony Bend this though; this game might be in a good spot. If sales for the PC version turn out fine in the next 12 months, we may get the Days Gone sequel that’s sure to iron out all its issues. That is the whole point of starting a new IP right? Not all of them are successes right out of the gate and some are deserving of a second chance.
Still, don’t let me stop you from spending S$67.90/RM200 or so to support the game though. I won’t blame you if you choose to wait for it to go on sale too. Either way, just prepare yourself for 30+ hours of driving, shooting, and serious storytelling in a still-familiar post-apocalyptic setting.


New PS5 Ad Highlights Unique Console Features

It looks like Sony is ready to rev up their massive global marketing engine as they release their first worldwide advertisement for the PlayStation 5. The new one-minute-long PS5 ad doesnâ€™t reveal anything new about the PS5, but it highlights the next-gen console’s key features like 3D audio support and the PS5â€™s DualSense controllerâ€™s support for haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
According to PlayStation Blog, the PS5 ad is designed for gamers to â€œsee the new consoleâ€™s features come to life through a young womanâ€™s eyes and her movements” and be “immersed in the world of games with the PS5 console and DualSense wireless controller in your own hands”.
Here are some choice quotes from developers of PS5 games:
â€œThe haptic feedback precision allows us to do all sorts of new things. In Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, weâ€™ll be hinting to players which direction attacks are coming from by providing haptic feedback from the appropriate direction on the DualSense wireless controller. What does it feel like to use Milesâ€™s stealth ability? How does a Venom Blast feel? Because of the high resolution of DualSense wireless controllerâ€™s haptics system, we can really push the dimensionality of the feedback. For instance, as you hold down Square to do a Venom Punch, you feel Spider-Manâ€™s bio-electricity crackle across from the left side of the controller, culminating in the right side on impact.â€Â â€“Brian Horton // Creative Director, Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Horizon Forbidden West features new weapons that are designed to feel unique and play a specific role in combat with machines and human opponents. The DualSense wireless controller adaptive triggers will help us to make the weapons feel even more unique and satisfying to use.â€” Mathijs de Jonge //Â  Game Director, Guerrilla
The adaptive triggers are something weâ€™re excited to feature [in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart]! For instance, the Enforcer is a dual-barreled shotgun type weapon. As you pull the trigger, youâ€™ll fire from one barrel, and you can feel resistance around halfway down the trigger. Need a bigger blast? Pull the trigger through that resistance point and youâ€™ll fire both barrels at the same time.Â â€” Marcus Smith // Creative Director, Insomniac Games
Meanwhile, gamers all around the world are still waiting for the official release date and price for the PS5, which remains unknown only several months before the supposed Holiday 2020 release window of the next-gen console.
However, if the PS5 ad is any indication, we might be hearing about all that soon. Who knows, more details for the PS5 might even be announced at the upcoming Gamescom 2020 Opening Night Live at 2am GMT+8 on 27 August 2020.
In the meantime,Â head on over here to check out all our other PS5-related news and feature articles.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Cj6AUuRs1A4


Diablo 2: Resurrected Design Director Asks Customers To “Do What They Feel Is Right”

Blizzard has been in hot water the past few months or so with the recent workplace abuse and harassment lawsuit. So it’s no surprise that one of the developers of the upcoming action RPG remaster of Diablo 2 is making a plea.
In an Axios Gaming interview, Diablo 2: Resurrected design director Rob Gallerani says that players who are deciding to buy the game should “do what they feel is right”, leaving the decision up to the players.
“It was definitely very troubling to hear these types of things. And we really wanted to support our colleagues and our co-workers.”
After all, many of them probably do not want to support Activision Blizzard following the lawsuit and its recently-tarnished reputation. The dev team did do a full scrub to see if any references, names, or quests needed to be removed or changed; nothing was found.
It’s quite a conundrum if we’re being honest. It’s easy to boycott a company’s games because of the uncovering of its long series of abusive actions, but the company has many, many developers, art folks, programmers, and others who need the stability the company offers. There really is no guarantee if scrubbing the top brass of the company may solve the issue in the long run, and most of the company’s key players have already left years ago.
Would a rebranding-slash-renaming and refocus on top projects (like Diablo IV and Overwatch 2) be beneficial instead? Who knows? All we know is that the situation isn’t as black and white as it should be.


The Best Nintendo Direct Super Smash Bros. Memes So Far

In case you haven’t heard, Super Smash Bros is coming for Nintendo Switch, and we might be getting Ink Girl/Boy as a playable character. You may also remember an iconic clip involving a close-up of the Ink Girl’s eye:

This being the internet, people are making a lot of memes based on this. Here are the best ones we’ve found so far (via ResetEra):

me right now pic.twitter.com/wrLY1fhogZ
— glauber kotaki (@unseven) March 8, 2018

The top pic requires some context.

Steamed Hams but it's the Smash Bros. announcement pic.twitter.com/7ty2jRopjy
— GameSpot (@GameSpot) March 9, 2018

This is a very important time to #PushWarren! #SmashSwitch @jeffgerstmann @unastrike @giantbomb pic.twitter.com/5hE1FRSx8s
— Mean Dean Design (@meandeandesign) March 9, 2018

tbh this is the real reason I'm hyped pic.twitter.com/V9ahZyGYhi
— ?LIVE-thero ? (@Lythero) March 9, 2018

I just watched the trailer again and it still happens. pic.twitter.com/kjyLQgGNgP
— Mike Mika (@MikeJMika) March 10, 2018

pic.twitter.com/5SipvbHeCB
— BlueVII ? (@BlooVII) March 8, 2018

pic.twitter.com/13eeVZKRKh
— naya (@repezez) March 9, 2018


Scump, The Face of Call of Duty, Hangs Up Controller

Seth “Scump” Abner, a legend in the Call of Duty community, unexpectedly announced his retirement on 17 January. Despite the surprise, the CoD community expressed their admiration and gratitude for all that he accomplished during his career.
Having started with OpTic Gaming in 2012, Scump leaves the scene as the second-most successful player in Call of Duty history with a total of 31 major tournament wins, two X Games gold medals and one world championship.
His retirement marks the end of an era, as the OpTic Gaming Dynasty, which also featured players like FormaL, Crimsix, Karma, and Nadeshot, has now officially retired with a total of 18 offline tournament wins and one Championship Title.
Throughout his career, Scump not only made a name for himself in the CoD scene, but also created lasting friendships, rivalries, and a loyal fanbase across the entire gaming industry. As he leaves the scene, the CoD community and others took the opportunity to thank him for his contributions and bid him farewell as “the king”.
He announced at the beginning of the season that this would be his last year competing but following four weeks of controversy surrounding the dropping of OpTic Texas teammate, Dashy, it seems that his retirement has come a lot earlier than many expected.
Tributes to the King
CDL GM Daniel Tsay, who thanked Scump for his contributions by saying: “A rare combination of talent, class, and charisma – we have been fortunate to have you for all these years. Competitive COD is forever grateful, and congrats on your new chapter, this is only the beginning!”
Matthew “FormaL” Piper, who was an important part of OpTic’s dynasty run, also paid tribute to Scump by saying: “Best friend for life, insane career and proud to call you my duo. Happy to have made all those memories with you, kid.”
Anthony “Methodz” Zinni and Scump have a long history dating back to 2012, both players broke onto the scene around the same time and became friends on and off-stage. It’s funny as literally a day before this, Scump played against Methodz’s Boston Breach in the CDL Major 2 Qualifier where in iconic fashion, Scump fried them. Methodz also shared his congratulations in a heartfelt post.

THE KING @SCUMP ? pic.twitter.com/du1uwgS43n
— OpTic Texas (@OpTicTexas) January 15, 2023

This fucking prick waited until he beat me and retired the next day
— Methodz (@Methodz) January 17, 2023

Still the same kid I met in 2012 despite reaching heights that few in this world will ever reach. Thank you for inspiring me & countless others to follow your dreams while always staying true to yourself. My brother for life. And now your watch has ended.. pic.twitter.com/RVoue0nllQ
— Methodz (@Methodz) January 17, 2023

There are only two dynasties in the history of Call of Duty: OpTic’s dynasty and compLexity’s impressive two-year streak from 2013-14. James “Clayster” Eubanks was at the heart of the latter team’s run. Clayster and Scump competed against each other in some of the most memorable matches in CoD history and were teammates on OpTic during Cal of Duty: Ghosts.

Actually makes me really, really emotional. One of the best to ever do it, so many great battles, so many victories, so many defeats. Been through it all for 11+ years at this point, sad to see you go but excited to see what the future holds. ? @scump love yah brotha.
— Clayster (@Clayster) January 17, 2023

Sam “Octane” Larew, who is still an active player, has a long history with Scump, joining the CWL in 2015 and facing off against each other countless times and even briefly teamed together in Call of Duty: World War II back in 2018. Octane shared, “I grew from a fan of his to his teammate over the course of my career, and it’s going to be hard seeing Call of Duty without Scump at the forefront. It was an honor to share the battlefield, brother.”
In light of the recent roster drama that has surrounded the team, we see Scump announce the passing of the torch to Brandon “Dashy” Otell, who returns to the starting line-up after a very controversial four weeks who will replace him. In his goodbye video, Scump said, “Brandon, I’m going to be on your a**. Please use this opportunity well because I’m falling down so you can go up, and I hope you use this right.” Dashy responded, “I just hope to make you proud from the outside, my brother.”
Fellow OpTic Texas teammate, and new posterboy of OpTic, Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro also added, “Best teammate anyone could ever wish for, it was a pleasure. Happy to see this new chapter in his life.”

Today is hitting a little different… One of my favourite people/teammates I’ve ever had the pleasure to be around. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me over all these years, I just hope to make you proud from the outside my brother @scump ?? #TheGOAT #SoTippable
— brandon (@DashySZN) January 17, 2023

Chris “Simp” Lehr, who is a prominent member of the next generation of players in the Atlanta FaZe team, expressed his well wishes for Scump by saying, “Insane career and forever the face of CoD. Thanks for being an inspiration to the scene, good luck with what’s next brotha.”
Scump will always be remembered as one of the greatest esports competitors of all time, leaving behind a significant void that will be difficult to fill.

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING pic.twitter.com/AiVYCvp9i3
— OpTic Scump (@scump) January 17, 2023


Black Ops 4 Gets New Undead Content With Operation Apocalypse Z

A new community event has arrived in Call Of Duty Black Ops 4, bringing with it brand new undead content for players. Operation Apocalypse Z adds a horde of zombie-related stuff, including:

New Blackout Updates â€“ As the Zombie apocalypse has begun, sunny skies have departed in favor of something more un-deadly in the main Blackout map.
Zombies have leeched most of the life from the landscape forcing the alive to take refuge and survive amongst a deep fog and familiar Zombies sights and sounds.
Additionally, the Alcatraz map debuts a nighttime atmospheric change complete with new Zombie enemies. Coming later in the Operation, brand-new Zombie-themed Blackout modes will also debut in the game, including Pandemic and Alcatraz Horde.
New Specialist â€“ Available now in both Multiplayer and Blackout, Reaper makes his Black Ops 4 debut.
Reaper is a cutting-edge combat robot with a robust fighting style wielding the Scythe, a high-powered, two-handed minigun unleashing heavy gunfire.
This fan-favorite Specialist is also equipped with a Radar Shroud that prohibits enemies from using their minimap and deploys a scrambling device to block out areas on enemiesâ€™ minimap.

Reaper.

New Black Market Gear â€“ The Black Market has been restocked with a variety of new Zombie-themed Specialist outfits and personalization items, weapon camos and gestures for Operation Apocalypse Z.
This includes new weapons like the Reaver C86 Crossbow, Black Ops IIIâ€™s Argus Shotgun, Daemon 3XB Mastercraft, MOG 12 MKll and Vendetta MKll that players can acquire and master.
New Zombies Features â€“ Operation Apocalypse Z introduces new Perks and Elixirs
across all Zombies maps, providing new variations on gameplay once theyâ€™re equipped and activated.

In addition to the Operation Apocalypse Z free content, owners of the Black Ops Pass gain access to more new content, including:

New Multiplayer Map, Der Schatten â€“ A snowy map set in a village high in the Austrian Alps that sits in the shadows of the castle from the Aether story Zombies experience, â€œDer Eisendrache.â€
Combat takes place in a combination of bright and dark areas pushing the player to fight in close quarters.
New Multiplayer Map, Remnant â€“ A large-sized map set in the â€œThe Museum of
Unnatural Historyâ€ deep in the Louisiana marshes where historical relics thirst for chaos and blood.
Complete with a portal that can transport players to opposite sides of the map, Remnant is structured for mid-ranged combat where longer sightlines flank the exterior of the museum.
Remastered Multiplayer Map, Havana â€“ Reimagined from the original Call of Duty: Black Ops, Havana is a medium-sized map set in a sunny Cuban city during the Cold War tensions.
The map is designed in a Z-shape resulting in a combination of close and long-range firefights.
New Zombies Experience, Alpha Omega â€“ Continuing the Aether storyline, Alpha
Omega lets players jump in as the original, fan-favorite Zombies characters from both the Primis and Ultimis cast, playable together for the first time ever.
This allows fans to gain new insight into the ever-twisting story as the timelines converge.
Players will fight off hordes of new Zombie enemies, solve challenges, and discover new Easter eggs in a wild experience up to the very end.

Call Of Duty Black Ops 4 Operation Apocalypse Z is available now (and first) for all PS4 players, with other platforms to follow suit at a later unspecified date. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seFqlqmrRz4&w=560&h=315]


Heart Machine Has Nailed 3D Speed Platforming With Solar Ash

Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), PS4, PS5
Genre: 3D sci-fi action platformer
I never thought a marriage between two beloved games would work: Jet Set Radio Future and Shadow of the Colossus. Somehow or other, developer Heart Machine pulled it off with their latest offering Solar Ash.
Skate Or Die

You play Rei the Voidrunner, special space enforcers tasked with dealing with world-ending black holes and related anomalies. You are separated from your peers and need to figure out how you got stranded on an unknown planet, while also figuring out how to deal with lingering anomalies that are threatening your homeworld. You do this by killing them with your space needle attacks -it’s a literal needle you wield as a sword- while speeding your way around the alien planet with your Voidrunner skating and grinding skills ala Tony Hawk and Beat from that Sega skating game I mentioned. You can also grapple hook onto things to swing mid-air and also do a time stop move that lets you target anything within distance with your space needle.
Once you clear a stage of its anomalies, you then summon a giant colossus anomaly; this is where the Shadows of the Colossus comparisons come in. You have to climb onto the beast and stab its weak points in sequences using your space needle. If you take too long, the giant’s body turns red and you get vaporized, starting that segment from scratch. Each boss has three lives, so you have to do this three times, though not all the sequences are similar at all.
Solar Ash also takes some cues from the Super Mario Galaxy series where a huge number of platforming segments rely on that Nintendo game’s logic and level rules (the spherical kind). It can get surreal and take you some time to get used to, given the game’s esoteric feel and aesthetics. But I assure you: Solar Ash will be one heckuva unique trip. And what makes it work are the sublime controls. They’re tight as heck, and Rei herself is a breeze to play as since she’s fast and nimble, as well as gain lots of speed from boost-dashing and grinding on rails.
The level design and combat pedigree isn’t surprising, seeing as Heart Machine is the team responsible for the 2D Zelda love letter title Hyper Light Drifter. Moreso the game’s challenges, where Rei can only take a few hits, and the colossus-sized boss fights require split-second timing to hit all the weak spots. Later bosses require tighter windows of inputs, so don’t be too surprised if you take more than 10 tries getting through the first life of that multi-eyed spider beast while you’re cornered on a spherical stage with not much room to hide in. Exhilarating stuff, if I’m being honest.
Ollie Ollie Oxen Free

Alas, the whole experience is about less than seven hours if you’re not spending time searching for the game’s Voidrunner Stashes and lost journals to get some extra goodies and suits. If only the game was a tad longer with one more stage or two, coupled with an appropriate few boss fights, then it would be perfect.
Still, this 3D action platformer is as good as it gets. Definitely a speedrunner’s delight, if you’re into that sort of thing. And if you love unfolding stories with that personal touch injected with high concept sci-fi, Solar Ash’s tale will delight alongside its mesmerizing visuals and score.
Pros

Sublime platforming controls & skating mechanic.
Lovely & bleak landscape and world to explore in.
Fun boss fights.
Generous checkpoint system.
Beautiful and haunting music.

Cons

Can be easy for hardcore platformer fans.
Short.
A few segments can instil trypophobia.

Final Score: 90/100
PC review copy provided by Heart Machine.


Netflixâ€™s Pacific Rim Anime Gets First Full Trailer

Pacific Rim The BlackÂ is Netflixâ€™s upcoming animated series set in the same universe as 2013â€™sÂ Pacific RimÂ by Guillermo Del Toro and 2018â€™sÂ Pacific Rim UprisingÂ by Steven S. DeKnight.
The seven-episode-long (30 minutes each) anime comes from Legendary Entertainment, and co-creators Craig Kyle (Thor Ragnarok) and Greg Johnson (X-Men Evolution).
The synopsis reads:
â€œThere was a time when Kaiju rose from the Pacific Rim only to encounter gigantic robots, Jaegers, built to fight them back. That time has passed.
Now, Australia has been overrun by Kaiju, forcing the evacuation of an entire continent.
Left behind, teenage siblings Taylor and Hayley embark on a desperate search for their missing parents, teaching themselves to pilot a battered, long-abandoned Jaeger to help in their quest and give them even the slightest hope of surviving.â€
It was originallyÂ announced back in 2018, with the title officially revealed inÂ late 2020.
The animation production studio is Polygon Pictures, known for the Netflix Original Anime SeriesÂ Levius, Ajin Demi-Human, and theÂ GodzillaÂ Netflix Anime Movie Trilogy.
It is slated to premiere on Netflix on 4 March 2021. In the meantime, check out the poster and the trailer below: