Genshin Impact Announces Its First Official International Tournament Series for 2023

HoYoverse has announced that its popular video game, Genshin Impact will launch its first international Genius Invokation TCG tournament series, “Astra Carnival: The Prince Cup” in the later half of this year. Players all around the world will be able to join in on this fun and competitive journey. Six regional championships will be held, alongside a number of invitational tournaments which will share the prize pool of over 270,000 US Dollars.

If you haven’t heard of Genshin Impact, it is a free–to–play open–world adventure RPG in which the player will explore the beautiful world of Teyvat. The game was released in September 2020 and has actively continued to expand on new stories, events, characters, gameplay as well as adding new landscapes to the already big open world. Last December, Genius Invokation TCG, a card game that combines the element-based combat system with strategy development was introduced by Genshin Impact itself. The card game allows players to compete with or against NPCs with their collection of cards. In the latest Version 3.7 update last week, the developers added over 60 new cards and two game modes.
In the earlier half of this year, Genshin Impact authorized the Genshin Impact Tavern community to launch the first ever season of “Cat’s Tail Gathering” GITCG Tournament. This is a community tournament system on Discord. The “Astra Carnival: The Prince Cup” was announced as an advanced tournament. Currently, the Prince Cup consists of two parts: six regional tournaments happening between June to September, plus three cross-regional invitationals in June, August, and December.

In each regional, the top candidates from the “Cat’s Tail Gathering” community tournaments and wild card competitions will compete for the regional championship. The players who advance to the quarter-finals will compete on-site where there will be a live broadcast on the official AstraCarnival Twitter, YouTube, Twitch and TikTok channel. Top regional candidates and top community tournament candidates will have a chance to get invited to the invitationals and take part in exhibition games for the international audience.
Fans and gamers can also register to host their own non–official Genius Invokation TCG tournament and get support and guidance from HoYoverse. For more information, please refer to the Genshin Impact Non-Official Tournament Collaboration Rules here.
Since this is the first international tournament series of Genshin Impact, “Astra Carnival: The Prince Cup”, hopefully this will give a chance for talented players and diverse fans and gamers to be on the big stage. Regionals in Korea, Europe, and North America will kick off first. For more details about rules and registration, please check out the official tournament website over here.
For further updates, please follow @AstraCarnival on Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, and @astra_carnival on TikTok.


Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania: Introducing Kang The Conqueror

Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania is the next Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film and it’s set to be a big one, sparking Phase Five of the expansive cinematic universe. It will also introduce the next Big Bad of the MCU after Thanos died in 2019’s Avengers Endgame, and his name is Kang The Conqueror (who is portrayed by Jonathan Majors).
Who is Kang? Kang The Conqueror is perhaps one of the most complicated villains in Marvel Comics. The reason why is simple, even though explaining his origins never is. It’s because the character and his origins are rooted in time travel. Anything involving time travel is usually convoluted and that applies to Kang The Conqueror as well. There are several versions and variants of him in the comics, many of which are just the same version of Kang but just from different eras or timelines.
If you think that you won’t get along well with your past or future self, Kang takes that one step further by warring with himself from other timelines. He has conquered the future (the 40th-century) with a galactic empire of his own so now he often goes back to the past to conquer them. Why? Just because he’s already conquered the future, so what’s left but the past?
Tickets for Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania are already on sale right now, so you can head over to this link to book yours now at any TGV Cinemas branch nearest to you. It’s slated to premiere on 16 February 2023, but with early screenings on Wednesday night (midnight on 16 February 2023).
Overall, Kang’s origins are quite complicated and convoluted, so I’ll try to simplify them and discuss his most significant versions/variants below.
Kang The Conqueror

Born on Earth-6311 in the 30th century, Nathaniel Richards, who would later become known as Kang the Conqueror, discovered part of a time machine (which is likely left behind by either Doctor Doom). That’s how he started time-travelling.
Despite having no natural superpowers, Kang has an indomitable will and super-genius-level intelligence. He learned how to use the time machine and became an expert in his future’s advanced technology, creating battle armour that endowed him with what seemed like superhuman abilities.
Bored of his era’s peacetime, Kang originally used the time device to travel to Earth-616’s ancient Egypt where he became the pharaoh Rama-Tut. That was his first taste of power, but he was defeated by the time-travelling Fantastic Four, a young Apocalypse, the moon god Khonshu, and Doctor Strange and the Avengers.

This conflict forced Rama-Tut to flee his time machine, but a “time storm” diverted him to the modern era, where he rescued a space-lost Doctor Doom. Inspired by Doom’s visage, he created the armoured identity Scarlet Centurion but later abandoned it after losing to the Avengers in another timeline (Earth-689) in one of his various attempts to rule that world.

After abandoning the Scarlet Centurion identity, Nathaniel tried to return to his native time but ended up in Earth-6311’s 40th century when the world was decimated by war. While there, he assumed the moniker Kang The Conqueror, and became a warlord replete with an army. Although, he did spare the kingdom of Carelius for the King’s daughter’s hand in marriage, Princess Ravonna Renslayer.

Down the line, Ravonna realized her love for Kang and saved his life from a disgruntled commander within his ranks. Putting her in a kind of stasis, Kang eventually found the means to save her prior to her death, but in doing so created a divergent reality where Kang perished instead. Peering into time, he also discovered that his exploration had caused additional divergent realities and more Kangs with which to contend; the Council Of Kangs.

Immortus is the far future version of Kang, who became obsessed with the Avengers after the Time-Keepers directed him to destroy Earth’s Mightiest. Unlike Kang, Immortus is more scholarly, and he bends at the knee to the Time-Keepers in return for control over a certain period of history. That’s why Kang despises his future self as a weakling, and he has vowed to never become Immortus.
However, the reason why Immortus doesn’t really appear in Marvel Comics much anymore is because Kang succeeded in changing his fate in 1998’s Avengers Forever when Kang and Immortus were separated from each other. Now, both variants can have a life of their own without having a shared history.

The brilliant inventor and industrialist Victor Timely was a convenient identity that Kang Prime used in 1901 to plot his conquest of Earth-616 from Timely, Wisconsin. While there, he built a technology manufacturing business that spanned generations, thanks to Kang posing as his “sons” Victor Timely, Jr. and Victor Timely III. This is what led to the Kang Dynasty event, which is how Kang took control of Sentinels.

After the Council Of Kangs destroyed each other, came the Council Of Cross-Time Kangs came along and invited Kang Prime to join. It’s important to note that not all of these Kangs were variants of the original. Some were creatures and aliens who usurped the role of Nathanial Richards’ Kang in their own timelines. Kang despised the Cross-Time Council, and he later sicced interdimensional space-cloud Alioth on them.
There’s also his younger self, who joined the Young Avengers as Iron Lad and attempted to stop his older, embittered variant from becoming Kang the Conqueror.

If all that sounds confusing, trust me, it is. What’s ultimately important is that you know the gist of Kang The Conqueror, Iron Lad and Immortus. Those are the three most important and significant variants of Kang. The others aren’t as important in the grander scheme of things.
That being said, the MCU might change a lot about Kang The Conqueror, like they did with Thanos. As such, we’ll probably have a better idea of the MCU’s version of the character after watching Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania. There’s still too much we don’t know and it’s impossible to sift through more than 80 years of comic book history in a single article. Not even the Comics Lord can do that.
Also, here are some more Kang-related characters to crack your head:
Scarlet Centurion

While a variant Kang used the moniker Scarlet Centurion for years, readers were introduced to his son, Marcus Kang, during the “Kang Dynasty” arc. Marcus also took on the identity of the Scarlet Centurion, and while Kang was proud of his son’s potential, he felt the need to murder him because Marcus hid a minor betrayal. Marcus also refused to let his father languish in captivity or death, but he didn’t foresee that freeing Kang would lead to his own demise.
That’s all for Kang, folks. I can go into more detail after the movie comes out and after we have more of an idea of who the MCU Kang The Conqueror is. In the meantime, head on over here for my article on the members of the Ant-Man family and check out what to to prepare for Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania.
There you have it, folks. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Updated Nintendo Switch Model Will Have Better Battery Life

The reveal of the new Nintendo Switch Lite is still fresh in everyone’s minds and in case you’re planning on getting it, read this before you make a decision. Most of us at KKP believe it’s just the better choice to go for the regular Switch rather than the Switch Lite and there’s a new announcement that further supports our stance.
Nintendo’s official full specs page for the Nintendo Switch has just been updated, particularly at the battery life section. There are will be a new Switch model that comes with improved battery life. The original model (HAC-001) is supposed to last you around 3 hours for Breath of the Wild while the new model (HAC-001-(01)) will supposedly be able to last 5.5 hours.

Surprisingly, the 4310mAH internal battery capacity seems to have remain unchanged. This could be the result of the changes in some of the Switch’s components such as its CPU. The Verge did come across documents that pointed towards these changes being made.
According to Nintendo, the Switch Lite will be able to run Breath of the Wild for a supposedly 4 hour gameplay session. No doubt this is thanks to its smaller screen but it still means that it self-admittedly beats the current regular Switch by an hour in battery life.

I believe the updated Switch model is intended to further push people interested in the Switch Lite to just go for a regular Switch. The improved battery life on top of all the other extras will give the regular Switch a more value-for-money appeal.
According to specs sheet, the updated Switch model will be available starting in mid-August 2019. No indications on a price increase so it’s safe to assume it will be sold for the same price as the current models.


Gungho’s Ninja Game On Switch Is Experiencing A Stellar Launch

Gungho Online Entertainment, the folks who are keeping Ragnarok Online online, are enjoying the fruits of their recent labour via exclusive Nintendo Switch F2P online action game Ninjala.
The game has surpassed one million downloads since its 24th June launch on the console. To celebrate, all players will receive 100 Jala in-game currency and 10 Ippon Gum (flame) weapon skins.

?1 Million Downloads!!?
THANK YOU, NINJAS!! ???
To celebrate 1 million downloads of #Ninjala and compensate players for the server access errors that occurred on launch day, everyone will receive:
? 100 Jala!? 10 x Ippon Gum (Flame) weapon skins#GungHo #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/l5Aqb8fgT3
— PlayNinjala (@playninjala) June 26, 2020

Ninjala’s multiplayer online 4v4 portion is free, so if you’re into a melee-focused version of Splatoon, you might want to give this a shot. However, you’ll have to pay US$9.99 for the single-player campaign, though it’s right now on sale for US$4.49. Check out the trailer below to get a rough idea of how the game plays like.


Alienware Ends Partnership With Riot Games After Sexual Harassment Allegations

Alienware is ending its global esports partnership with Riot Games, citing their concern with the game developer/publisherâ€™s public image amid sexual harassment claims against their CEO, Nicolo Laurent.
The deal between Alienware and Riot Games was originally going to expire in January 2022, but it was suspicious when Riot Games removed Alienware branding from all of its competitive League Of Legends broadcasts last weekend.
In a statement to Dot Esports, a Riot Games representative said:
â€œAlienware has been a valuable partner to Riot since January 2019. We canâ€™t comment on our agreement with them at this time due to confidentiality obligations. As we continue discussions with them, we have removed their branding from our broadcasts.â€
The deal initially covered the entire global League Of Legends esports scene; including the LCS, LEC, LCK, LPL, Mid-Season Invitational, and the World Championship. Riot CEO Nicolo Laurent was sued in a separate matter in January 2021 by Sharon O’Donnell, his former executive assistant.
In a statement to Daily Esports, Riot said it has opened an independent investigation into Laurentâ€™s behaviour.
â€œCore to giving Rioters confidence in our commitment to culture transformation is taking all allegations of harassment or discrimination very seriously, thoroughly investigating claims and taking action against anyone who is found to have violated our policies.
In this case, because some of the claims relate to an executive leader, a special committee of our Board of Directors is overseeing the investigation, which is being conducted by an outside law firm.
Our CEO has pledged his full cooperation and support during this process, and weâ€™re committed to ensuring that all claims are thoroughly explored and appropriately resolved.â€


This Is How Resident Evil Village Ends: With A Huge Bang [SPOILERS]

By this time, you’ve probably finished Resident Evil Village over the weekend. It’s quite a ride, isn’t it?
This feature is a recap of what transpired in the ending. Keep in mind that I’m detailing the game from a first playthrough perspective; unless you have foresight and are reading a speedrunning guide, you’ll most likely finish the game in 10 hour or more. Part of RE Village’s fun is taking your time exploring and fending off lycans and other beasties.
With that said, here’s your spoiler warning if you want to find out what happened at the end.

All good? Let’s start with the Tall Vampire Lady in the room.
Does Lady Dimitrescu Have A Big Role In The Game?
Hardly. Capcom’s PR and marketing department has done the usual “our main ad highlight isn’t the actual highlight”; Lady Dimitrescu is the first major boss you fight in RE Village. As such, she dies pretty early in the game; about 2 hour plus after you’re done with Castle Dimitrescu. To Capcom’s credit, they did too good of a job marketing the game AND they didn’t reveal the rest of the game because it is stacked and packed.
And it did introduce a key scene where Ethan puts back his right hand after it was severed by Lady D. This gets explained far later in the story.
Long story short, RE Village’s village is ruled by four houses: House Dimitrescu, House Benevieto, House Moreau, and House Heisenberg. Each of them holds a jar that is a piece of your baby Rosemary/Rose. Gross, I know. Nonetheless, you have to get all four to reassemble and heal your baby daughter.
After dealing with Dimitrescu, you go to House Beneviento in arguably the scariest & trippiest stage in the game, and then to House Moreau where you fight mutant fish-man Moreau.

After that, you head down to the lycan stronghold to get the last jar, defeating Urias the lycan king along the way. After getting all four flasks which then gives you a Giant’s goblet that triggers a pathway to another section, you head on over to Heisenberg’s factory. Heisenberg tries to broker a deal with you: team up, use Rose’s powers to defeat Mother Miranda. Ethan does not want to work with a psychopath, so Heisenberg traps him to the lowest depths of the factory.
The Four Lords’ Origins
The leaders of the four houses actually got the raw end of the deal when they met the main bad guy Mother Miranda.Â None of them asked for her to experiment on them. In fact, the other people that she picked off from the village either died or turned into lycans.
The four main houses are the unlucky few that survived. Lady Dimitrescu has a hereditary blood disease that was exacerbated by Miranda’s meddling, hence the vampirism and insect-morphing daughters. Donna Beneviento’s parents died when she was really young, and only had a doll as a friend. Miranda “fixed” her scar and gave her psychic powers.
Heisenberg needed Ethan to let him use Rose’s powers to take out his handler. Moreau’s just really ill.
Heisenberg and the Factory
So this is the divisive part I mentioned in the review that I couldn’t go into detail about; the Factory. This is perhaps one of the most tonally jarring sections of the game, where the stage design feels more like a third-rate gritty shooter in the 2010s than a next-gen RE game. Enemies have weak spots in their chest, are heavily armoured, and can chase you down real quick.

The Sturm “mini boss fight” is the most frustrating battle for anyone playing RE Village for the first time. It’s hard to hit its weak spot unless you REALLY prep for it at the start of the Factory, for one. When it’s close to death, it starts overheating and does a flamethrower attack. When it does this three times, it goes back to regular Sturm mode and you need to waste more bullets on this sponge to attempt it again.
Worst, it sometimes has its back on the wall when doing its flamethrower attack, meaning it’s nigh impossible to hit its back unless you’ve fought this guy more than a few times.
Still, the Heisenberg fight where he becomes a mutant mecha hybrid is pretty epic, especially since Chris Redfield helps you out by letting you pilot a makeshift tank. Yes, you pilot a tank in this boss fight and it’s a great showing of power.
That Redfield Touch
Chris also shared some things with Ethan before the fight: that the Mia he shot down in the intro is actually Mother Miranda in disguise. She can shapeshift using Mold powers, and did so to kidnap Rose away from Ethan.

As for the real Mia? Well, she was kidnapped by MM and was experimented on. Chris manages to find her in MM’s lab, and also discovers a bunch of startling revelations.
These include some notes and expedition pictures explaining that she and a few scientists are the ones who are doing all the science experiments and Mold stuff in the village. See, MM began experimenting with the Mutamycete mold over a century ago; she gained immortality thanks to the mold’s infection. She did this in order to revive her daughter Eva, who succumbed to the Spanish flu.
She experimented on the villagers in hopes to find a host for Eva, with the failed subjects resulting in the Lycans, the four lords, and Eveline (wheelchair-bound grandma from RE7). She did this by lying to them that the Cadou she would inject them with is actually medicine to cure them of the flu. She ultimately found a suitable host with Rosemary due to her special abilities inherited from Ethan and Mia.
Also, Mother Miranda happens to be the teacher of one Oswell E. Spencer, a name all RE fans should remember. He’s the guy who started Umbrella Corp, which basically caused the biohazard zombie s***storm that kicked off the first Resident Evil. The logo itself is based on a symbol in a cave the two talked about in the past.

At this point, Chris then realizes the biggest plot twist courtesy of Mia. We’ll get to that in a bit.
Going All S.T.A.R.
After the epic Heisenberg fight, Mother Miranda kills Ethan by approaching him as Mia. Turns out she can shapeshift using Mold powers.
The game now switches over to Chris’ perspective. He infiltrates the village, finds the source of Miranda’s powers, Megamycete, that is sprouting “demon trees & stalks” all over the place, and destroy it. During the invasion, the BSAA (a major RE organization meant to take down biohazard threats worldwide) sent over an assault force to deal with MM.
After fighting the powered-up Urias using satellite lasers on its ass, he finds the Megamycete, which is a giant pulsating glowing heart. He also finds Mia in MM’s lab as explained earlier.

Ethan then experiences a “dream state” where he sees the apparition of Eveline (from RE7) revealing the major plot twist: Ethan has been dead the whole time since the Bakers kicked his head in early in RE7. The only reason he’s still alive is because his infection back in RE7 via the mold gave him regenerative powers, fixing all of his previous injuries. Also, the Duke rescues and transports Ethan to the ritual site for the final confrontation. He’s a nice guy, naturally.
He fights Mother Miranda in all her various forms, with one of them being a nod to RE4‘s Saddler. After that, she dissipates. Ethan rescues his child Rose, but at the same time, he’s decomposing because his regeneration powers cannot keep up with his heavy injuries. He hands Rose over to Chris Redfield, tells him to escape, takes the detonator, and then does the noble sacrifice hero thing and blows up the whole village and the Megamycete.
The BSAA soldiers that were sent to the village were organic bioweapons. Chris is obviously pissed and orders his squad to head to the BSAA’s European HQ.

After the credits, we now see Rose all grown up. She visits her father’s grave, and then she’s picked up by an undisclosed organization to continue her training and tests. As she and her escort drive off into the distance, an unknown figure is seen approaching their vehicle.

She also reveals to her escort that she has powers Chris doesn’t know about, after she loses her cool due to a joke made at her expense.

So What’s Next For The Series?
Here are the takeaways.

We find out that Umbrella Corporation’s founder had a sensei: Miranda. We might see a culmination of the mutamycete and the Progenitor virus (from Africa) making an appearance in the next entry.
Ethan Winters’ saga is pretty much done; there’s a good chance we might be playing either as Chris or Rose in the next game, which will be years from now.
Despite the bats*** fantasy and mystical vampire, lycans, and mecha monsters trappings thrown in, they all stemmed from the Mutamycete and have the patented RE science fiction logic behind it. It’s pretty consistent with its narrative, to say the least.
We still don’t know the motives behind The Duke other than him being a helpful soul who knows more than he lets on. He’s probably smart enough to get away from the explosion at the end; hopefully RE Village isn’t the last time we see the jolly shopkeeper.

In any case, RE Village is a worthy entry in the RE canon, craziness and all. Great job, Capcom!


G2 Gozen Are The First Women To Win Both Valorant & CS:GO World Championships

G2 Gozen hoists the trophy as they win VCT 2022: Game Changers Championship, Valorant’s circuit that pits the best all-female teams against one another to aid and bring awareness to women in esports. Three members of this line-up are also the first women to win both Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Valorant World Championships
In October 2021, G2 Esports signed the roster of The Originals to represent them in this year’s Valorant Champions Tour 2022: Game Changers. The lineup features Julia “juliano” Kiran, Petra “Petra” Stoker, Michaela “mimi” Lintrup, Anastasiya “Glance” Anisimova, and Maryam “Mary” Maher.

THEY CAME PREPARED AND LEFT DESTROYED.
THE HOUSE OF GOZEN REIGNS SUPREME ? pic.twitter.com/HyQyIsLCLI
— G2 Esports (@G2esports) November 20, 2022

Going into VCT 2022: Game Changers’s EMEA league, G2 Gozen has had an impressive run, placing in the top two in all three Series and qualifying for the VCT 2022: Game Changers Championship through points.
G2 Gozen had an amazing run on their way to the Grand Finals, only dropping one map and taking down the likes of Thailand’s X10 Sapphire, Cloud9 White, and Team Liquid Brazil. After They would go on to face Shopify Rebellion GC (SRGC) in the gruelling Best of 5 Grand Final, going all the way to Map 5.
SRGC would take the first two maps on Pearl and Bind 13–9 meaning by Map 3, SRGC were already at tournament point with the series at 2–0.
In the next three maps, G2 Gozen would go on to completely obliterate SRGC, winning Map 3 Ascent 13–3, Map 4 Icebox 13–2 and the final map of the series, Breeze 13–5. Officially crowning G2 Gozen as the first ever VCT Game Changers World Champions and also making juliano, mimi and petra the first women to hold CS:GO and Valorant world titles.
All three women were a part of XSET’s CS:GO female roster until September of last year before switching to Valorant.


Spider-Man No Way Home: What You Need To Know Before You Web-Swing

Directed by Jon Watts (who also directed 2017â€™sÂ Spider-Man HomecomingÂ and 2019â€™sÂ Spider-Man Far From Home),Â Spider-Man No Way Home is slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 16 December 2021. Even before launch, it’s already broken pre-sales records in Malaysia and around the world.
Spider-Man No Way Home will be the first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie to truly and genuinely explore the Multiverse after Loki Season 1 paved the way. Here’s a recap of what you need to know before catching what might be Marvel’s biggest movie since 2019’s Avengers Endgame, as well as questions that still need answers.
What Happened In Spider-Man Far From HomeÂ Leading To Spider-Man No Way Home

In Spider-Man Far From Home, Spider-Man’s fight with Quentin Beck AKA Mysterio had dire ramifications for the wall-crawler. In a shocking twist, Â J. Jonah Jameson (J. Jonah Jameson) of TheDailyBugle.net broadcasts doctored footage of the London incident in which Beck frames Spider-Man for the drone attack and his death, as well as exposing Spider-Man’s secret identity as Peter Parker to the world.
The aftermath of that event is what will be the main focus in Spider-Man No Way Home, as Peter Parker (Tom Holland) struggles with the fact that the whole world now knows he is Spider-Man, which threatens his life, family and friends. In an effort to change this, he’ll ask Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to make the world forget that he’s Spider-Man.
That’s actually interesting because…
That Actually Sort Of Happened Before In The Comics

The idea of Spider-Man having his secret identity as Peter Parker out in the world and wanting a convenient way to make the world forget about it is not a new concept. It happened before in the comics. It will all sound familiar to comic book fans.
Namely, 2007â€™s Spider-ManÂ One More DayÂ and 2008â€™s Spider-ManÂ Brand New Day.
One More DayÂ by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada is one of the most controversial storylines in Spider-Man history, perhaps even more so than even the 90sâ€™ Clone Saga. In Spider-ManÂ One More Day, Peter Parker makes a deal with Mephisto to save a dying Aunt May (who got shot). In exchange for saving Aunt Mayâ€™s life, Peter has to give up his marriage to Mary Jane.
When the deal was done, not only was his marriage to Mary Jane erased, Mary Jane also requested that the world forget that heâ€™s Spider-Man (after voluntarily revealing his identity to the world in 2006â€™s Civil War).

Why did he turn to Mephisto? He already asked for help from Doctor Strange and several others, but they couldnâ€™t do anything to help Aunt May. The whole storyline was basically just an excuse and a deus ex machina to retcon Peter into a new status quo where he is single and his identity is secret again, which is why many fans hated it.
A few years later in theÂ One Moment In TimeÂ storyline by Joe Quesada and Paolo Rivera, it was revealed that Mephisto only changed one thing to make it so Peter and Mary Jane never married. It was also revealed what actually happened in the revised timeline is that Doctor Strange worked with Iron Man and Mister Fantastic to make the world forget about Peter being Spider-Man.
Itâ€™s complicated.
Is Spider-Man No Way Home‘s Doctor Strange Really Doctor Strange?

Rumours and speculations are rife about this version of Doctor Strange. Unlike in the comics, it looks like the MCU is going a different route by having Doctor Strange actually directly helping Peter bend the laws of Multiverse to make the world forget that he is Spider-Man. I donâ€™t want to encourage any more Mephisto theories, but it is maybe a bit possible that perhaps the Doctor Strange who helps Spider-Man isnâ€™t really Doctor Strange?
Is this Doctor Strange really Mephisto in disguise? Is this Doctor Strange a variant? What is a variant (more on this below)? However, keep in mind that this won’t actually be the first time that Doctor Strange has bent, or will bend, the rules. In 2016’s Doctor Strange, he used the Time Stone to reverse time and stop Dormammu, which was considered unnatural by other mystics like Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor).
Loki Opening Up The Multiverse And Introducing Variants

Loki Season 1 is extremely instrumental to what happens in Spider-Man No Way Home. At the end of Loki Season 1, He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors) dies, which causes the Sacred Timeline (the one and only timeline) to branch out. This means that the multiverse is now open to each other again, paving the way for the other characters from Earths of different universes to interact with the MCU.
With the Multiverse now open again, Doctor Strange’s ritual to make the world forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man probably made the barrier between universes crack even more, which opens up the stage for…
The Multiversal Sinister Six

We might be seeing a Multiversal version of a Sinister Six slowly assembling. We already have five confirmed members, including the following as seen in all the trailers so far:

Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina).

Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe).

Electro (Jamie Foxx).

Lizard (Rhys Ifan).
Sandman (Thomas Haden Church).

There are several candidates for the last member of the Sinister Six. These include the Vulture (Adrian Toomes as played by Michael Keaton in Spider-Man Homecoming), or the Scorpion (Mac Gargan as played by Michael “Vaas” Mando in Spider-Man Homecoming). Perhaps it might even be Venom, considering that he was featured in Venom Let There Be Carnage‘s post-credits scenes where he finds himself transported to the MCU.
Will Tobey Maguire And Andrew Garfield Reprise Their Roles As Spider-Men?

And so, the biggest question of all, will Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield reprise their roles as Spider-Man from their respective universes? This is one of the only major things that hasn’t been confirmed unlike most of the villains, but it’s highly likely.
One, the Multiverse is open. Secondly, their major villains are in the movie, all of whom reprise their roles. Tobey Maguire has Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock and Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin, while Andrew Garfield has Rhys Ifan’s Lizard and Jamie Foxx’s Electro. However, it can be argued that all of these villains might not be the exact same villain from their movies. For example, this version of Electro is clearly different, since his electricity is yellow.
Still, a lot of small clues are pointing to the appearance of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men. What about other heroes?
Daredevil Might Also Have A Cameo

Daredevil has been strongly rumoured to appear in Spider-Man No Way Home as the lawyer representing and defending Peter Parker in court for his alleged drone crimes which Mysterio accused him of. There have been leaked pictures of dubious sources, and people have sworn to have seen him in the trailers.
However, very recently, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige himself confirmed that Charlie Cox is the MCU’s Daredevil. He stopped short of revealing when or when we’ll see him again, but the timing of his announcement is suspicious, with the release of Spider-Man No Way Home only a week away.
We wouldn’t be surprised if we saw Charlie Cox having a small cameo in Spider-Man No Way Home, which is now definitely possible.
In the meantime, check out the final trailer below and stay tuned for our review soon:


New Star Wars The Clone Wars Trailer Showcases Clone Force 99

We’re only a week away from Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7 at this point. The new brief trailer puts the spotlight on the mysterious new elite force referred to as Clone Force 99 or the ‘Bad Batch’.
The teaser begins with the Republic in a dire situation as they’re losing more and more battlefronts as the Clone Wars chugs on. Mace Windu can be heard saying:

“We have more than a dozen active battlefronts and we are losing nearly every one.”

Commander Cody then suggests summoning Clone Force 99, which is a clone commando squad led by Sergeant Hunter. The elite team is notorious for their “desirable” genetic mutations, unorthodox fighting style and dangerously reckless attitude, which is how they earned the name ‘The Bad Batch’ (which will also be the official title of the premiere episode of Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7).
They will likely be at odds with the other Clones like Commander Cody and Captain Rex, as well as the Jedi accompanying them on the mission. It will be interesting to see less-disciplined and rigid Clones letting loose on the battlefield, especially as the Clone Wars nears its end.
Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7 is slated to premiere on 21 February 2020 exclusively on Disney Plus. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oggRmtYFHiA&w=560&h=315]


Celebrate The Start Of 2020 With The 4K PC Version Of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

PC gamers waiting on for the frostbite-inducing (in a good way; ask our pal EMNS) Monster Hunter World expansion will just need to hold on for a few more months.
Capcom announced the release date of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne for PC – 9th January 2020. Features include:

4K support & uncapped framerate.
Ultra-wide screen support.
High resolution texture pack support.
Direct X12 support.
Improved keyboard and mouse controls.


New Dragon Ball Super Movie Announced; Full Trailer Out At SDCC

The San Diego Comicon expo this year will not only have a ton of comic book movie previews, but also some anime-related ones. And none’s gonna be bigger than a new Dragon Ball movie.
Dubbed Dragon Ball Super: The Movie, Toei Animation has announced that the full trailer will be out during SDCC 2018, which is taking place between the 19th to 22nd of July. There’s not much out there in terms of movie info apart from the fact that:

It takes place after the Tournament of Power arc,
Goku has Ultra Instinct in addition to all the other Super Saiyan powers he has, blue/yellow hair and all,
It will be using a more fluid style of animation,
Goku will be fighting a new Saiyan enemy,
It will be written by series creator Akira Toriyama and directed by Tatsuya Nagamine.

Check out the teaser below as well as a scan featuring new characters alongside Frieza and Vegeta:


[Updated] 32nd SEA Games 2023 Cambodia: LoL Wild Rift – Teams, Schedule & Results

This year, the event will be hosted by the beautiful country of Cambodia and will feature esports as a medal event for the third time in history. It’s exciting to note that Wild Rift, the popular multiplayer online battle arena game, will be making its second appearance at the Southeast Asian Games. So, get ready to gather your squad and prepare for an epic showdown in this highly competitive event.
NOTE: All Times & Dates will be in (UTC+8)

Details & Format

Dates: 6–7 May

Double Elimination Bracket
All matches are played in a Bo5

Final Results

Place
Participant

1
Philippines

2
Vietnam

3
Singapore

4
Cambodia

Teams

Cambodia
Philippines
Singapore
Vietnam

Matches
6 May

2:00 PM (UTC+8) – Philippines [3] vs [0] Singapore (Upper Bracket Semifinals)
4:30 PM (UTC+8) – Cambodia [0] vs [3] Vietnam (Upper Bracket Semifinals)
2:55 PM (UTC+8) – Philippines [3] vs [2] Vietnam (Upper Bracket Final)
7 May

2:00 PM (UTC+8) – Singapore [3] vs [1] Cambodia (Lower Bracket Semifinal)
3:50 PM (UTC+8) – Vietnam [3] vs [0] Singapore (Bronze Medal Match)
4:45 PM (UTC+8) – Philippines  [3] vs [1] Vietnam (Gold Medal Match)

Where to Watch?
YouTube

32nd SEA Games 2023 Cambodia: MLBB Men’s Division – Teams, Schedule & Results
32nd SEA Games 2023 Cambodia: PUBG Mobile Team Division – Teams, Schedule & Results


Hollow Knight: Silksong Is Delayed Past First Half Of 2023

After much waiting and after 6 years, we’re finally getting news about Hollow Knight’s sequel. Hope you like waiting a bit longer, though.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is delayed beyond its previously planned “first half of 2023” release window according to developers Team Cherry.
“We had planned to release [Hollow Knight: Silksong] the first half of 2023, but development is still continuing. We’re excited by how the game is shaping up, and it’s gotten quite big, so we want to take the time to make the game as good as we can. Expect more details from us once we get closer to release.”
That’s great news, considering the project has been silent for a while. I’m very sure fans of this search action game with the dark tunnels & challenging boss fights wouldn’t mind waiting a bit longer for its eventual release. Something something a delayed game is eventually good, a rushed game is forever bad.
Hollow Knight: Silksong will be out for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.


Mortal Kombat Movie Sequel Will Feature Karl Urban As Johnny Cage

When you think egotistical movie star in fighting games, you don’t just think of Jean-Claude Van Damme. You think Johnny Cage in the Mortal Kombat series.
That iconic kharacter in the series will be featured in the next Mortal Kombat movie from New Line Cinema; he was teased in the prequel. Playing the titular kast member will be Karl Urban, according to reports from The Wrap. The Boys actor will be the wise-cracker in Mortal Kombat 2, which currently has no release date at the moment.
The 2021 Mortal Kombat movie that stars Singapore actor Chin Han as Shang Tsung has grossed over US$84 million worldwide, so a sequel is inevitable. In related news, Mortal Kombat 12 will be out this year according to a Warner Bros. earnings call. A 30th anniversary video for the MK series seem to hint that part 12 will reset the timeline.


Upcoming Total War Three Kingdoms DLC Starts A Century After Base Game

Total War: Three Kingdoms was released about two months ago and was well received by both critics and fans of the grand strategy franchise. The game had one of the most successful launches of any Total War game.
It seems that Creative Assembly has done their homework (like they always have) and chose a very adequate release date for the game’s upcoming Chapter Pack DLC. Titled Eight Princes, the chapter pack will be released on the eighth day of the eighth month of this year (8 August 2019). Luck is definitely on their side.

The main campaign of the chapter pack will start 100 years after the events of the base game. Beginning in 291 CE, players will have to choose a side in a war between eight princes who want to seize control of the Jin Empire.

After the establishment of the Jin dynasty in 266 CE by Sima Yiâ€™s descendants, the passing of Emperor Wu â€“ formerly Sima Yan â€“ and the incapability of his heir and the new emperor Sima Zhong â€“ now Emperor Hui â€“ has plunged the Sima family into civil war as the princes chosen by the kingdomâ€™s late ruler vie for control.

And the eponymous Eight Princes are:

Sima Yong, The Shrewd Defender

Sima Jiong, The Imperious Regent

Sima Yue, The Imperial Overseer

Sima Ai, The Principled Administrator

Sima Ying, The Beloved Governor

Sima Lun, The Usurper Prince

Sima Liang, The Rightful Regent

Sima Wei, The Tempestuous General

The DLC will introduce new units and buildings plus four new alignments: Wealth, Spirit, Might, and Mind. Each prince will have their own strengths and unique units which will determine how you play and adapt to ever-changing situations on the war map and in battles.
For more information, you can read Creative Assembly’s FAQ blogpost for the DLC and the DLC’s Steam store page. If you’re already playing Three Kingdoms or thinking of getting it and want some tips on how to conquer China, we’ve got you covered.


Hearthstone Nerfs OP Demon Hunter Cards In New Update

The Ashes Of Outland expansion went live in Hearthstone less than two days ago, but Blizzard Entertainment has unleashed the nerfs. Four particular Demon Hunter cards have been dominating the game too much in recent days, so they have been toned down to make them less OP and add more balance.
Complaints about the new Demon Hunter cards began on the Hearthstone forums almost immediately after the Ashes Of Outland went live. Look at those preposterous numbers:

Day 2 and now no other class besides Demon Hunter has even a 45% winrate. It’s only day one they said. pic.twitter.com/OXqguSq9oZ
â€” F2K_Zeddy (@ZeddyHS) April 8, 2020
Earlier today, several Demon Hunter cards have been nerfed in a server-side patch (which means that players donâ€™t actually have to download a new update or anything). These include the following (via Reddit):

Skull of Gulâ€™dan â€“ Mana cost increased from 5 to 6.
Imprisoned Antaen â€“ Mana cost increased from 5 to 6.
Eye Beam â€“ Outcast Mana cost increased from 0 to 1.
Aldrachi Warblades â€“ Durability decreased from 3 to 2.

The new stats for these cards will be displayed in both red and green during matches, but not when they’re in the player’s Collection. The red and green numbers will return to white, and the cards will be updated in the player’s Collection with a data-only patch (which will be deployed before the end of the day tomorrow).
Other changes include Demon Hunter class card offering rates decreased in Arena until Blizzard can properly address the class with more accurate micro-adjustments in a future patch.
The following cards have had their offering rates reduced in Arena:

Chaos Nova
Coilfang Warlord
Command the Illidari
Flamereaper
Furious Felfin
Glaivebound Adept
Illidari Felblade
Immolation Aura
Metamorphosis
Netherwalker
Nethrandamus
Priestess of Fury
Skull of Gul’dan
Twin Slice
Umberwing

On Twitter, Hearthstone Senior Game Designer Dean Ayala mentioned that the developer team is keeping an eye on Demon Hunters, so players don’t need to worry about them being too OP anymore.

We have another patch planned for late next week that will address any further changes we want to make to Constructed, Battlegrounds, or Arena.
â€” August Dean Ayala (@IksarHS) April 8, 2020
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWLWv5EZHNk&w=560&h=315]


Top Gun Maverick Has Landed At Pavilion KL

To celebrate Top Gun Maverick releasing in Malaysian cinemas this 26 May 2022, United International Pictures Malaysia (UIP) will be showcasing a Top Gun Maverick 3D Anamorphic Display at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. The 30-second custom 3D animation will be displayed for 2-weeks only, starting from today to 5 June 2022.
Malaysia will be among the ten countries going live with this initiative including Australia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, UK, and US. This initiative is the first for UIP Malaysia (United International Pictures Malaysia), with many more to come. Donâ€™t miss the best-in-class jet-fighter actions on the big screen and share your postings on social by hashtag-ing #TopGunMY and #AkuMaverick.
The synopsis reads:


Maneater Is Free On PlayStation Plus, But…

Good news, PlayStation Plus subscribers who have US accounts. Yes, you do have multiple region accounts, don’t lie.
The following games are free to play in January 2021 if you’ve subscribed to the service:

Maneater. A touching tale about a giant fish trying to get by in life through insurmountable odds.
Greedfall. A pretty good RPG that puts the current Bioware to shame.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider. A pretty OK entry in the recent Tomb Raider reboot. You know, the one where Lara Croft gets literally dirty and flats-out murders people & things seriously compared to her past iterations.

The catch? Maneater is a PS5-only offer, though the other two titles are on PS4. That sucks for current PS4 owners who couldn’t get their hands on a PS5 in time for the end of 2020. But honestly, you aren’t missing much.Â


World Of Warships Legends Rolls Out The Transformers Again In September

Wargaming has announced the first of its Spring updates for World Of Warships Legends. This update introduces a new line of German battleships to Early Access, Japanese battleship Musashi available through the new Bushido campaign, and the return of the Transformers brand collaboration. Other additions to the game include three seasons of ranked battles, aircraft carriers in the Bureau, and a new in-game event.
Transformers return to the high seas

Making a triumphant return, Transformers bring a brand-new full range of content to Legends. The new range of content includes six special skins for Legends anniversary update campaign ship Tier VIII République and five other Legendary ships.
Inspired by some of the acclaimed Autobot heroes and devious Decepticon villains, some of the Transformers’ most iconic characters are represented, with skins themed around Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Hot Rod, Grimlock, Megatron and Rumble. These skins, Transformers Commanders and much more will be available through the game’s revamped Cybertronian Container in the Store.
German battleships drop anchor in Early Access

Leading this Spring update is a new branch of German battleships coming to Early Access. Ranging from Tier IV to Tier VII, these ships carry torpedoes on board and feature a slew of enhanced secondaries. Available across a number of regular and Big German battleships crates, each of the new ships – from Tier V Mackensen to Tier VII Zieten – come accompanied by a special dedicated mission. This new line of ships will become researchable in the next update and will see the arrival of the line’s crown jewel, the Tier VIII Prinz Rupprecht.
Premium Japanese battleship up for grabs in Bushido campaign

Another five-week, 100-milestone campaign enters the game in this update with the Bushido campaign, offering up a bounty of in-game prizes along the way to the enviable Tier VIII Musashi as the campaign’s final reward. Those who make it to the end will add this battleship, sistership of the famous Yamato and its powerful 18.1-inch guns to their arsenal. With the catch-up mechanic enabled, players will have the flexibility to finish the campaign in their own time.
Marking 30 seasons of Ranked battles
With seasons 29, 30 and 31 coming in this update, Legends’ celebrates its landmark 30th season of ranked battles. Players will compete across all three seasons in a no-aircraft-carriers, four-on-four format to battle it out for the highest rung on the ladder and win a plethora of prizes spanning Steel, crates and Commander Progression items.
Legendary carriers and Premium British battleship come to Legends

Rounding off this update, a new shipment of Legendary aircraft carriers enters the Bureau as standalone projects: America’s Midway and Japan’s Hakury?. British Tier III Premium battleship Agincourt is also up for grabs exclusively in the new Majestic Days in-game event, taking place across three weeks.
This update also brings bug fixes, upgrades, and balance changes to the game.


The New Version of Warcraft 3 Is Delayed Until January

If you’re hankering to play the remastered version of classic RTS WarCraft 3, you know the game that is the skeleton of Malaysia’s favourite MOBA of all time, you may have to wait. But not for long.
Blizzard confirmed that Warcraft 3: Reforged will not be out “end of the year”, but rather on 28th January 2020. That’s only a couple of weeks, so it’s not a big deal.
The overhauled version of Warcraft 3 will feature both the original Reign of Chaos campaigns and the Frozen Throne expansion; that’s more than 60 missions across 7 single-player campaigns. Also, the game will get a new World Editor and new map-building tools.

While the graphics and artwork are redone thanks to the efforts of Malaysia studio Lemon Sky Studios, the original voice acting will be retained to preserve the “authenticity of the Warcraft 3 experience”.
You can pre-purchase the game on Battle.net right now, either for US$30 for the regular version or US$40 for the Spoils of War edition.
Video credit: Lowko.


Need A Gory Metal-Fueled Metroidvania? Try Blasphemous

There’s always room for more Metroidvania 2D action adventure goodness apart from the upcomingÃ‚Â Bloodstained and last year’sÃ‚Â Dead Cell. The Game Kitchen’s latest, Blasphemous, will enter the field with its own brand of violence and weirdness.
Check out the trailer if you don’t believe me. This seems a little more hardcore and “actioney” than the studio’s last game The Last Door.

So you play a guy named the Penitent One who is cursed to wear a pointy hat and mask. And you have to kill a bunch of monsters and giants to find salvation. This amounts to a lot of 2D action, exploration, and reflex-heavy fights against spooky nuns and a giant screaming infant.
Following the religious and atonement vibe of the game, you can equip rosary beads and send out prayers to bolster your stats. There’s a cool skill tree for you to customize and use so you can augment your 2D attacks.
Plus, these executions are pretty metal.

Team 17 will be publishing the game, which is due for PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One later this year. I definitely can’t wait to see if this stacks up with last year’s Dead Cells.


New Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringer Dev Diary Talks About That Tesleen Scene

Square Enix are releasing a new 6-part dev diary series for Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers. Its first episode, aptly called Telling a Tale, dives into the story and writing aspects of the well-received MMORPG expansion. As someone who’s never played Final Fantasy XIV before, I found it to be an interesting watch.

Near the middle of the episode, world lore creator and main scenario writer Banri Oda talks about how the expansion tries to evoke emotion, especially in the disturbing Tesleen transformation scene (the video includes its storyboards) that takes place near the beginning. She acknowledges how players’ desire to get to dungeons and the “good stuff” can clash with the developers’ attempts to tell the story.
“As a result, we decided on this scene to show the players the situation the inhabitants of this world are facing, and the feelings they’re experiencing in a way straightforward easy-to-digest way,” she explains.
“We didn’t want players to feel a certain way – while it was a very terrifying scene, yes, rather than dictating what the player should feel, it was more about us showing the players in a very clear way what life is like on the First.

“Now, with that information, we hoped that players would have their own gut reactions – be it repulsiveness, loneliness, or fear.”
In addition, director and producer Naoki Yoshida discusses the expansion’s themes of light vs darkness. “When people think of Light they think of something beautiful, righteous and just; something pretty to look at, unstained and untainted, but that’s not necessarily true,” he says. “And if you look at Darkness there’s beauty in it. There’s a line of dialogue that talks about how it’s the night sky that enables the stars to be beautiful.”
Main Scenario Writer Natsuko Ishikawa is also featured in the video, and one of the things he touches on is the origin of the Sin Eater name. “The name Sin Eater came about from the idea that this world is about to be destroyed and consumed due to the Sins of mankind becoming to great. As a result, these monstrous beings were birthed that solely exist to consume and eat, in a sense take these Sins away,” he reveals.
Interestingly, Sin Eater was originally just a tentative name when the concept was proposed to translator Michael-Christopher Koji Fox. “This seldom happens, but it was approved as-is, so we went with it!”


New PS5 Access Controller Launches This December

Sony has announced that the PS5 Access controller will launch on 6 December 2023 worldwide for RM449, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced. Pre-orders will open on 21 July 2023.
The PS5 Access controller lets you customize your layout with different buttons and stick caps in various shapes and designs, operate the controller from any 360° orientation, and connect third-party accessibility accessories using its four industry-standard 3.5mm expansion ports.
On your PS5 console, there are many settings for the Access controller that you can configure to meet your needs. You can map buttons to create up to 30 control profiles, adjust stick settings, toggle commands on/off, or disable buttons altogether to stop accidental pressing. You can even pair up to two Access controllers and one DualSense wireless controller together and use them collaboratively.
Check out the trailer below:


The Best Tales Of Game, Katana Zero, And Age of Empires 3 DE Will Be On Xbox Game Pass Soon

Calling all JRPG, 2D action, and strategy fans. There’s going to be a slew of awesome Xbox Game Pass titles coming your way if you’ve subscribed to this service. I mean, why not? It’s pretty dang cheap.
Highlights for 15th October include Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition (PC, Xbox), Katana Zero (PC, Xbox), and Age of Empires 3 Definitive Edition (PC). Other titles include:
15th October

Heave Ho (PC)
The Swords of Ditto (PC)

21st October

Scourgebringer (Xbox)

22nd October

Cricket 19 (Xbox)
Supraland (Xbox)

Games that are leaving the service include Felix The Reaper, Metro 2033 Redux, Minit, Saints Row IV Re-Elected, State of Mind, After Party, LEGO Star Wars III, Rise & Shine, Tacoma, The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game, and The Red Strings Club. I’m just happy Katana Zero is available for Xbox Game Pass; that game needs all the love it deserves.


Xbox’s Perfect Dark Is Reportedly Years Away From Launch

A reboot of the Perfect Dark series for Xbox Series S|X consoles is in the works, as Microsoft looks to revive the franchise after over two decades. Announced in 2018, the game’s development is currently being led by developer The Initiative.

Crystal Dynamics is assisting with the project. However, a new report points out a number of concerns. Based on IGN, the game is unlikely to release before 2025. The report states that Perfect Dark is two or three years away from release, indicating that the game has undergone a number of reboots. The game was first started development with Certain Affinity as a co-developer.
Unfortunately, this didn’t work out, and the team lost several developers over the years. Developers could not decide on the core mechanics of the game and kept considering different ideas. Perfect Dark was therefore never properly developed. This issue became more problematic when the developers decided to switch to Unreal Engine 5 in 2022. The switch was made just before Crystal Dynamics became involved.
Sources describe Perfect Dark as a narrative-focused FPS mixing combat and espionage with spy gadgets and some experimental movement tech. It’s now reportedly moving in the right direction, even if there’s a long way to go yet.
Xbox Game Studios chief Matt Booty stated that Perfect Dark gameplay would arrive by 2024. In this case, we should take it with a grain of salt. Still, Microsoft is betting on Crystal Dynamics and The Initiative, hoping to deliver a solid game since Rare’s Perfect Dark Zero launched alongside the Xbox 360 in 2005.


Valorant Champions Tour 2022: EMEA Last Chance Qualifier – Team Liquid Secure Champions Spot

Team Liquid have defeated M3 Champions to qualify for this year’s Valorant Champions in Istanbul, Turkey in September.
The roster that will be attending Champions will be Dom “soulcas” Sulcas, the Finnish phenom in Elias “Jamppi” Olkkonen, the Belgian brothers in Adil “ScreaM” and Nabil “Nivera” Benrlitom and their latest addition Kazakhstani Dmitriy “dimasick“ Matvienko.

The two teams that made it to the Grand Finals met previously in the upper bracket finals but M3 Champions — previously known as Gambit Esports — came out on top 2–1.
Team Liquid would go on to another face of European Valorant in Oscar “mixwell” Cañellas with G2 Esports. Liquid prevailed over the Spanish-based organisation 2–1, where they would secure their spot and a chance to get revenge on M3 Champions.
M3 were able to take Game 1 on Bind but Liquid managed to regain composure and secure themselves a map for themselves following this. Although Game 2, Icebox was close, Liquid were confident and managed to close out Game 3 and 4 convincingly and secure themselves the final European, Middle Eastern and African spot at Valorant Champions.


Battlefield 2042 Season 4 Adds New Map, New Specialist & More

Battlefield 2042 is EA’s latest title in the Battlefield franchise. During the game’s launch, it received a lot of criticism from fans. One of the big complaints fans had was about EA’s decision to move away from their class-based system, which was the Assault, Medic, Support and Recon. On the 31st of January, Battlefield 2042 launched its 3.2 update which saw the return of the familiar class system. This would then pave the pathway to their Season 4 update, which I had the chance to get a sneak peek of. Season 4 brings about a big update, which features new content that will excite the fans.
SEASON 4 THE ELEVENTH HOUR
A NEW MAP: FLASHPOINT
Flashpoint is set in a desert in northern South Africa. The area was once a thriving hotspot but has become an abandoned development complex. The map stretches out far across the desert and really highlights the abandoned areas as a wasteland.
FLAG A1
A short to medium vehicle-friendly combat area.
FLAG B1
A multi-tiered short to medium quarters closed range combat area.
FLAG C1
A multi-complex area in which players will be ambushed from above and below but mostly closed-range combat.
FLAG D1
It is accessible through a vehicle elevator, and with ample cover, any infantry can make it out alive.
FLAG E1
A short sprint across the desert will lead players to an infantry-focused turbine room and side tower.
FLAG F1
A large team deathmatch-inspired space wrapped around a large and central reactor core.
FLAG G1
An open spaced area in which vehicles and any kind of combat would shine in.
NEW SPECIALIST
There are currently 13 specialists, and with the latest addition, it will bring it to 14. They are currently working on more skin and cosmetics for each class and specialist so players will be able to stand out in battle.
CAMILA BLASCO
PLACE OF BIRTH : SPAIN
CLASS : RECON
GADGET : X-6 INFILTRATION DEVICE
Prevents any lock-ons from hostile devices.
Interferes with active spotting technology.
Creates communication dead zones within its range until destroyed or deactivated.
The dead zones also pinpoints and reveals enemy technology
TRAIT : AMBUSH EXPERT
NEW WEAPONS
There are currently 22 guns in the game, not including the new weapons being released with Season 4.
SUPER 500 SHOTGUN SIDEARM
A high-risk high reward compact gun that is perfect for close-quarters combat since it is short-ranged.
RM68 ASSAULT RIFLE
The gun comes with a built-in silencer of its counterweight to improve stability and recoil control. It is powered by a 68mm plastic-cased ammo. It is a versatile weapon as it comes with integrated canted sights and a unique muzzle device that allows players to adapt to any situation.
AC9 SMG
It is a lightweight submachine gun with fast hipfire and easy recoil control.
RPT-31
The gun is a unique prototype light machine gun with a low rate of fire, heavy-hitting rounds and very fast bullet speed. It fulfils the need of a belt-fed intermediate calibre machine gun. It offers high mobility and excellent cover ability.
NEW VAULT WEAPONS
Vault weapons are essentially weapons you can only get from the Battlefield Portal mode which allows players to use guns from Battlefield 2042 as well as some classic weapons from Battlefield 1942, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and Battlefield 3.
Season 4 will introduce new vault weapons
At the start of the season, players will get to use the SVD from Battlefield 3, which is a semi-automatic sniper rifle with a 10-round magazine. It has a strong default zoom on its scope for long-range engagements.
The TYPE 88 LMG will also make its return. A general-purpose machine gun known in China as the QJY-88. It fires 5.8x42mm round, which is most effective at medium ranges.
NEW VEHICLE
The CAV-BRAWLER is able to be equipped with a detection pulse that locates enemy soldiers close by. Its threat detection system will be able to highlight when you are being attacked. Its active and close-range protection systems use grenades to take out enemies. The vehicle is perfect for squad play across the classes as it has open seats and can be used to spawn on even when all the seats are occupied.
NEW GADGET
The SPH EXPLOSIVE LAUNCHER is available for free on tier 16 and is a new assault gadget. It fires explosives that latches on to its targets and explodes after delay. It is effective against infantry and shoots up to 2 projectiles inside one casing before needing to reload.
A BRAND NEW BATTLE PASS
featuring 100 levels on the free and premium pass.
A Legendary IRISH ‘GREENBACK’ skin which will be unlocked on the premium pass at tier 0.
BLASCO ‘FAULT LINE’ skin can be unlocked on the premium pass at tier 100.
The new sidearm weapon, the SUPER 500 gun will be unlocked on the free pass at tier 34.
The new assault gadget, the SPH EXPLOSIVE LAUNCHER will be unlocked on the free pass at tier 16.
The new vehicle, the CAV-BRAWLER, will be unlocked on the free pass at tier 28.
The battle pass will also feature many other cosmetics that players will be able to unlock along the way.
Let’s hope Battlefield fans will enjoy the content with the developers working hard with consistent updates. I know I’ll be rocking that RPT-31 gunning everything down in my way.


A Quiet Place Game Will Be Published By World War Z’s Saber Interactive

Here’s your latest movie-to-game adaptation news: World War Z publisher Saber Interactive will be working with developer Illogika and Ep1t0me on A Quiet Place game.
The upcoming title will be a new single-player story-driven horror adventure with an original story that takes place in the same universe as the horror movie series; it won’t be directly based on the movie.
Here’s a blurb from the game’s press release:
“The amazing success of the A Quiet Place movies makes it clear audiences are hungry for more adventures in this universe, and Illogika is creating their own truly engaging experience that lives up to the name of this beloved property. We are proud to say that A Quiet Place is the first game we will be releasing by an external studio from the growing Saber publishing label.”
A Quiet Place came out in cinemas back in 2018, which follows a family struggling to stay alive on a farm while the world is being plagued by an invasion of sightless aliens with sharp hearing. The film is directed by John “Jim from The Office” Krazinski, and also stars him and his wife Emily Blunt. The film was so successful it spawned a sequel A Quiet Place Part 2.
The A Quiet Place videogame will be out in 2022. Here’s the website if you’re interested.


RIP Syd Mead, The Designer Behind Blade Runner & Tron

Legendary concept artist and futurist Syd Mead has passed away at the age of 86 (via Curbed).
Without his vision, we wouldn’t be getting the timeless look of Blade Runner and Tron to this day. Heck, he also did Star Trek, Aliens, Elysium, and even Gundam. His futurist and corporate artist work also led him to create illustrations and his clean vision of the future for companies like Ford and Philips.
His works have also influenced countless other artists, designers, and creators into creating their own sci-fi universes and high concept ideas. They wouldn’t be creating their own version of the Blade Runner spinner and the Tron lightcycles were it not for Syd Mead.
We’ll just be posting his most notable works below. Rest in peace, Syd Mead, and thanks again for your awesome contributions to sci-fi and pop culture.


Overwatch 2 Welcomes Lifeweaver

Lifeweaver? More like Wifeweaver. Say hello to Overwatch 2’s newest support in the colourful team set to make his debut in Season 4. It’s about time for a new hero to join the fray and shift up the way people play. Now he’s not just all about the looks (we totally want his haircare routine!). Lifeweaver is Niran Purksamanee, a Thai scientist, artist as well as activist. He also comes charging into the game as the first openly pansexual hero!

What does Lifeweaver do?
Lifeweaver utilizes long-range healing and offers lots of utility geared towards repositioning allies.

Healing Blossom
His primary fire is Healing Blossom which is a healing burst that depends on how long you charge it. It is still possible to let out rapid-fire shots but this will only restore a teensy bit of health at a time. Healing Blossom will require a reload after 12 shots, so make sure you keep that blossom up!

Thorn Volley
Lifeweaver has an alternate primary fire and consists of a stream of rapid-fire thorns. This allows our battle supports to go on the offensive if required. You can unleash 60 thorns before requiring a reload.
Petal Platform

This creates a pressure-sensitive platform that lifts players on either team up in the air. The platform comes with its own health bar, so it will be interesting seeing people get creative on using it. Also, goodbye orisa ults?
Rejuvenating Dash

This smol dash provides a small burst of healing that can help you evade enemies.
Life Grip

Pretty much the opposite of what Kiriko does, instead of teleporting to his allies, he teleports them to him instead. He also shields the ally he pulls in with a bubble. Tired of your tank overextending and going in too deep? Pull that guy back, show them who’s the real boss around here.
Tree of Life (Ultimate)

Well, he does exactly just that. Lifeweaver plants a Tree of Life that periodically heals his allies within range for as long as it remains active. The tree sports a massive health pool, making it difficult to destroy.
Parting Gift (Passive)
I love this about Lifeweaver. He drops a small parting gift on death for a small health boost. The problem? It also heals enemies and not just allies. The good thing is it heals enemies significantly less than it heals allies. Blizzard devs have compared the healing difference to what it’s like to pick up small health packs versus grabbing a large one.
Well, that’s all for Lifeweaver for now! We are definitely excited to see this glorious hair in the battlefield. Overwatch 2 players can try out all of Lifeweaver’s abilities when he is released on April 11. Here’s a small infographic summarizing Lifeweaver’s abilities.

Below you can watch Lifeweaver’s new gameplay trailer!


Scriptwriter Behind Cowboy Bebop & Tokyo Godfathers Passed Away

Keiko Nobumoto, the scriptwriter known for her works in Cowboy Bebop, Wolf’s Rain (also its creator), and Tokyo Godfathers, has passed away on 1st December. According to anime writer Dai Sato’s public Facebook post, she lost in her battle against esophageal cancer. She was 57.
Her family held a private service on 4th December, with director Shinichiro Watanabe confirming her passing to anime writer Dai Sato.
Apart from the aforementioned masterpieces of anime above, she also contributed scripts for Space Dandy and Samurai Champloo. May she rest in peace.


The Latest Capcom Pro Tour 2021 Japan Bout Reminded Everyone Why Daigo Umehara Is The Beast

Japan’s third bout of the Capcom Pro Tour 2021 just concluded this weekend, and it features a ton of online high-level Street Fighter 5 play from the region. But as always, there can only be one.
The big win here is taken by none other than Street Fighter legacy player Daigo Umehara, affectionately known within the FGC as The Beast. His last fight against HB|Kawano in the grand finals showcased the pro player’s composure, patience, and deft use of his “Ume Shoryu” technique, except it’s now a Flash Kick since he’s maining Guile.

Here are the top 16 players of the entire tournament. Legacy players such as Sako, Dogura, Bonchan, and Itabashi Zangief are still among the top-ranking players of the battle.
1. BST|Daigo (Guile)
2. HB|Kawano (Kolin, Vega)
3. GyoGun|Moke (Rashid)
4. CO|Dogura (M. Bison)
5. YHC-Mochi (Dhalsim)
5. SNB|Fujimura (Cammy)
7. G8S|Pugera (Balrog)
7. FAV|Sako (Menat, Seth, G)
9. RB|Gachikun (Rashid)
9. AXIZ|Shuto (Urien)
9. RB|Bonchan (Sagat, Nash, Karin)
9. Saishunkan|Nemo (Urien, Gill)
13. Reiketsu (Vega, Rose)
13. DNG|Itabashi Zangief (Abigail, Zangief)
13. FAV|Ryuusei (Urien)
13. AZ|Kichipa-mu (Zangief)
Right now, the following players are qualified for this Capcom Pro Tour’s world bout, which is set for 2022.

Kusanagi
Mago
MJ_Gama
Nephew
NL
NeroTheBoxer
RonaldinhoBR
AngryBird
Takamura
RobTV
DingChunQiu
Mister Crimson
Travis Styles
MenaRD
BillyDate
Higuchi
The4philzz
ChrisCCH
Papoi
Rikemansbarnet
BST|Daigo

The next few tournaments for November will determine the players for the Asia Southeast and East regions.
You can watch the whole Capcom Pro Tour 2021 Japan 3 top 8 fights here.


An Unlikely RPG Series Is Going Battle Royale

Many gamers (like yours truly) have long bemoaned the current trend of turning every franchise into a battle royale title. It seems like nothing is sacred anymore because now the unlikeliest iconic JRPG game series might soon be dipping its toes into the overcrowded pool of battle royales.
A Final Fantasy battle royale game.
In an interview with Gamespot in Japan, Final Fantasy XIV Online director Naoki Yoshida revealed that he’s interested in developing a battle royale game as he has some “ideas” that could supposedly innovate the genre currently dominated by the likes of Apex Legends and Fortnite.

“I would like to make a battle royale game. I have some ideas to do that. I have some ideas to make that type of game fun. As an online game designer, I would like to make an MMORPG from scratch without any limitations or restrictions.
Removing all those kind of restrictions, I would like to make one MMORPG that fits the current trend before I die. I would also like [to play] Diablo 4.”

Besides a battle royale game, Yoshida wishes to develop an MMO free from restrictions and limitations, which probably means something truly original and not set in confines of the Final Fantasy franchise. Just like Blizzard fans around the world, he also wants to play the still-elusive Diablo 4 (which has yet to be officially announced).
As horrifying as a Final Fantasy battle royale sounds, we do already have a Final Fantasy fighting game in the form of Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, though I wouldn’t exactly call that game ‘great’. In addition, Yoshida didn’t clarify whether his battle royale game will be set in the Final Fantasy franchise, which means we’re all probably safe for now.
Final Fantasy XIV Online is still going strong, with another highly-anticipated expansion coming out later this year. Read the full story here. With that in mind, it’s unlikely that Yoshida would realistically have actual plans for a Final Fantasy battle royale game.
Or does he?


Watchmen Series Is Set In World With No Internet & Social Media

There’s still a lot of mystery surrounding HBO’s Watchmen. During the Television Critics Association press tour earlier today (via Collider), Watchmen showrunner Damon Lindelof revealed several more details about the upcoming series.
We know that the original Watchmen took place in the 80s, but what about HBO’s Watchmen? According to Lindelof, it will be set in 2019, albeit an alternate timeline in which the Internet and social media never existed. Since those never existed, don’t expect to see characters using a smartphone or any similar tech.
How did that happen? Lindelof explained that Robert Redford became President of the United States and remained in office from 1992 to 2019 after abolishing the established term limit. His liberal administration saw fit to shut down and ban the Internet (and social media) before it became popular.
Lindelof also said that the main conflict in HBO’s Watchmen will be the race war, sensitive racial issues, and the police’s involvement, which he compares as the equivalent of the nuclear Cold War between the U.S. and the Russians in the 80s.
Last but not least, he revealed that Watchmen creator Alan Moore is still “not thrilled” with an adaptation (or rather, a sequel) of his work. Here’s what Lindelof had to say about the matter, as a hardcore fan of the legendary comic book writer himself:

â€œI donâ€™t think Iâ€™ve made peace with it.
I have made personal overtures to connect with him to explain what Iâ€™m doing, and heâ€™s made it clear he doesnâ€™t want that.
I went through a very intensive period of terror of fâ€“king it up, and Iâ€™m not entirely sure Iâ€™m out of that tunnel.
If I was too reverent, then I wouldnâ€™t be able to do anything that was risky.
Iâ€™m channeling the spirit of Alan Moore to say “Fuck you, Iâ€™m doing it anyway.”â€

That’s not really news for fans, as Moore has previously disassociated himself from every single adaptation of his comics in the past, including 2001’s From Hell, 2003’s The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 2005’s V For Vendetta, and of course, 2009’s Watchmen directed by Zack Snyder.
Thanks to the recent SDCC 2019 trailer, we already know that the events of the original Watchmen are considered canon and that Doctor Manhattan will be returning, amongst other details.Â HBO’s Watchmen is slated to premiere sometime in October 2019. In the meantime, rewatch the SDCC 2019 trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yKq1PRvPJQ&w=560&h=315]


Somerville Walkthrough: How To Solve These Alien Puzzles

Somerville is out right now for PC and consoles; if you’re a fan of mysterious adventure puzzle games like Inside and Limbo, you’ll find something to love in Somerville. The game pits you as a lost dad in search of his wife and kid amidst an alien invasion on Earth; you also get special alien powers halfway to help you out.
Somerville’s puzzles and obstacles can be tricky to figure out. Here are our video guides to help you out:

Somerville Endings Guide

Resignation Ending
To get this ending, go to the second-last chapter of the game when you get your blue and red powers back. After getting the flare, you can melt the wall away. Head north until you reach a point (after a long drop into water) where you see your wife on a couch. Sit on the couch, then wait 10 seconds until the screen fades. Voila: you’ve got the first bad ending in the game.

Resignation Reprise
Reach the tail end of Somerville where you see a giant field with three alien monoliths (Chapter 13). There will be different endings here depending on what you do and what you communicate with the three aliens. The key is using your three powers: the blue, the red, and purple (LT+RT) power.
To get this other resignation ending, just follow the alien’s colour sequence. If they go blue, red, blue, then you use the blue, red, and blue power. Just repeat this until you see a giant house pop up in the middle. Walk into the house to unlock this ending.

War of the Worlds Ending
Just use and charge your purple power for 15 seconds until you trigger a huge explosion. Voila: you’ve destroyed everything!

Family First Ending
When the aliens communicate the following sequence -blue, blue, red- reply to them with blue, blue blue. The aliens will literally drop the ball; the same ones you saw with the visions of the children earlier on. This time, you get to see your family inside. Use your blue, red, and then purple power to sacrifice yourself, breaking the ball your wife and kid are trapped in. Voila: you’ve unlocked the Family First ending at the cost of your own life.


KKP Best Of 2020: Game #23

For the rest of our top 30 of 2020, head here.
#30, #29, #28, #27, #26, #25, #24.
#23: Doom Eternal (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch)

Among all the shooters available and loaded for 2020, Doom Eternal is perhaps the most cathartic among the bunch. Your objective is to reach from point A to B, killing as many foes as possible while obstructing the impossible.
Find a giant Gore Nest in the middle of Earth? Deal with it. Need to launch yourself from a space cannon from one planet to another while also firing the biggest version of Doom’s staple kill-all-end-all gun to progress? You just do it.
Why go through all this shooter realistic cinema-style story nonsense when the Doom Slayer’s arc is just a whole bag of fun without the guilt? If the single-player insanity is at its apex with Doom Eternal and isn’t going to fall down anytime soon (thanks to its Ancient Gods DLC), I’m glad that it’s strafing past its multiplayer roots if it means more expansive levels, monkey bars-swinging, arena-shooting, weapons-upgrading, and demon one-punching.
Here’s to you, Doom Slayer. Long may he and his single-player shooter domination reign.


Tekken 7 Teases New DLC Fighter From Poland

Bandai Namco unveiled a new Tekken 7Â teaser trailer at theÂ 2nd Japan Fighting Game Publisher Roundtable stream hosted by the company yesterday. It revealed that the next addition to the Tekken 7 roster sometime in early Spring 2021 will be a female character who is also the current prime minister of Poland in the TekkenÂ universe.
The brief trailer begins by showing real-life footage taken from Poland, before depicting a woman exiting a car while talking on the phone. After being addressed as the prime minister, she speaks in her native Polish language that she has to win the King Of Iron Fist tournament for the sake of her nationâ€™s people.
This new Tekken 7 DLC fighter will conclude the game’sÂ fourth season pass with a new stage set to be added together in early Spring 2021. The first character was Kunimitsu, who has been available since November 2020. However, this mysterious new Polish isn’t the first international character to join the Tekken 7 roster.
We’ve had everyone from Italyâ€™s Claudio, Brazilâ€™s Katarina, Thailandâ€™s Fahkumram, Saudi Arabiaâ€™s Shaheen, the Philippinesâ€™ Jozie and now this new Polish character. Tekken 7 is now available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Swoop This Stunning Majima Goro Figurine By CHOCOBO Studio To Remind You That He’s Everywhere

CHOCOBO Studio, known for producing top-quality Anime and video game figures, dropped on Twitter their latest release and masterpiece; one of the most beloved characters from the Yakuza franchise, Goro Majima!
CHOCOBO Studio has previously released Kiryu Kazuma two years ago which was quickly sold out. Glad our Majima is now getting this treatment too. He costs RM1,075 (excluding shipping), and from the looks of it, it’s worth the price for any Yakuza fan!
Hi guys,you may turn to my overseas agent for buying statue of majima.??@i_Hstoys Thank you for your support?#CHOCOBOSTUDIO #Yakuza #GoroMajima #???? #???? #YakuzaLikeADragon #majimagoro pic.twitter.com/KlPvCJKLhp— CHOCOBO (@CHOCOBO_STUDIO) July 22, 2022
Check out the photos below to have a closer look or you can head on straight to the store page for more info!

According to their store agent i.HS Toys, this Majima figure will come in the following measurement:Height: 51cm Width: 38.5cm Length: 39.5cm

If you own CHOCOBO Studio’s Kiryu Kazuma piece, why not pair it up with Majima here on the shelves? Or are you perhaps are Majima Goro superfan that only he will stand to conquer the space of your room? Wherever you may place him or bring him around, he is truly everywhere.
Will you swoop this Majima Goro figure for your collection? Let us know in the comments or head on over to our socials to share with us what you think.