These Are The Most Popular Games From Last Week’s PS5 Reveal

During the PS5 â€“ Future Of Gaming live stream, Sony announced many of the upcoming games slated to arrive on the PlayStation 5 in the future. These include both third-party and first-party exclusives.
According to online shopping startup iPrice Group, Horizon Forbidden WestÂ is by far the most attention-grabbing. The highly-anticipated sequel to 2018’s Horizon Zero Dawn took a whopping one-fourth of all Google searches amongst all exclusive PS5 titles unveiled during the live stream.

This is followed by Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man: Miles Morales in second place with 26 percent less search volume than Horizon Forbidden West. The rest of the top five most-searched exclusive PS5 games include Demon’s Souls,Â Gran Turismo 7, andÂ Project Athia,Â respectively.

As for third-party titles, Resident Evil Village took the crown, even surpassing Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales with 31 percent more search volume. However, itâ€™s worth pointing out that the Capcom game might have gained extra attention from fans of PC and Xbox Series X as well, considering that the game will also be available on these platforms besides the PS5.

This is followed by Hitman 3 in second place with 70 percent less search volume than Resident Evil Village while coming close in third is another Capcom title, Pragmata, with only 3 percent less search volume than Hitman 3.

The rest of the top six most-searched third-party titles include Little Devil Inside,Â BugSnax, andÂ Solar Ash respectively, showing that gamers still care for indie games from smaller studios as well.
Top Five Most-Searched PS5 Exclusives

Horizon Forbidden West
Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Demon’s Souls
Gran Turismo 7
Project Athia

Top Five Most-Searched Third-Party Titles

Resident Evil Village
Hitman 3
Pragmata
Little Devil Inside
BugSnax
Solar Ash

In the meantime,Â head on over here to check out all our other PS5-related news and feature articles.


EA’s Respawn Entertainment Will Churn Out New Star Wars Titles

Let’s hope this is something a video game-making studio wants because this news sounds like assembly line work reminiscent of the 2000s.
EA confirms that Respawn Entertainment, the developer behind Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order will be working on new Star Wars titles under the publisher. These new games include the next Star Wars Jedi game (Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2), a new Star Wars FPS game, and a new Star Wars strategy title.

Game director Stig Amussen, known for working on God of War 3 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, will be working on the next Jedi: Fallen Order game. The Star Wars FPS game is being overseen by game directed Peter Hirschmann of Star Wars: Battlefront and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed series. The Star Wars strategy title will be made by studio Bit Reactor, a team formed by ex-XCOM developers led by XCOM 2 art director Greg Foerstech.
On a related note, there will be a new Star Wars game from Ubisoft made by Quantic Dream called Star Wars Eclipse, which is set in Lucasfilm’s High Republic era for Star Wars.


New Anime Announcements Galore: Here is All You Need to Know!

*This article is being featured as part of our collaboration with The Magic Rain.
The anime industry never stops evolving and there will always be new shows and events surrounding it. One such event is Anime Japan, one of the biggest events in Japan besides Comiket, where the anime industry showcases and talks about their anime plans for the year.
However, the week of March 21st till 24th 2020, Anime Japan was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. Even so, most anime studios have chosen the weekend dates to reveal what new anime are coming out, and have panel talks about them online either through Facebook, Twitter or NicoNico.
With all the news going on, weâ€™ve compiled a list of top anime news below â€“ so read on!
#1. Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War and Burn The Witch Finally Animated!

Source: Shounen Jump Official YouTube

Source: Bandai Namco Official YouTube
During the Shounen Jump Livestream, it was announced that Bleach will finally get its Thousand-Year Blood War arc animated together with Tite Kuboâ€™s latest work, Burn The Witch. After 8 years of waiting, the final arc of Bleach will get the treatment it deserves as Tite Kubo is said to be working closely on the project; a surprise to many. The TV series will be releasedÂ  in Winter 2021.
His latest work Burn The Witch is based on a one-shot manga. It will be getting a theatrical release and will be on the Weekly Shonen Jump serialization.
#2. Sword Art Online: Alicization â€“ War of Underworld 2nd-cour

Source: Crunchyroll

?????????????4/25?????????SAO ????????WoU?????????????
?????OP????ANIMA??ReoNa???????????????????
???????????????
Youtubehttps://t.co/6HLMtuV1Oy#sao_anime pic.twitter.com/FNWQM55dxY
— ??? ???????????? ?? (@sao_anime) March 22, 2020

Source: Sword Art Online Official Twitter
At last, the long awaited ending of Sword Art Online: Alicization â€“ War of Underworld will be aired and it seems to be an exciting finale. The animeâ€™s second half will premiere on April 25. ReoNa will be singing the opening song named â€œAnimaâ€ while Eir Aoi will be singing the ending song â€œI willâ€¦â€
#3. Haikyuu!! TO THE TOP New Trailer

Source: TOHO Animations Official YouTube
Haikyuu!! TO THE TOP released a new promotional video for their upcoming 2nd-cour which will air in July 2020. The video highlights the second round of the nerve-wrecking Spring All-Japan High School Volleyball Championship. The manga is currently in its last arc.
#4. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Season 3

Source: Crunchyroll

Source: Warner Bros Anime Official YouTube
The third season of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, which is based on a light novel series, was aired during a livestream on Sunday. Yuka Iguchi will return to sing the main theme, together with the return of the main staff and cast. The series will premiere in July 2020.
#5. 86â€“EIGHTY-SIXÂ Reveal

Source: 86 Official Twitter
The Aniplex 48-hour TV livestream event aired a new upcoming series called 86 and it will be a television anime adaptation of the Asato Asato novel of the same name. Toshimasa Ishii (Space Brothers, ERASED, Occultic;Nine) will be directing the series and it will be produced by A-1 Pictures. It will premiere sometime in 2020.

“???????????”???????????????????
TV????86-????????-?
??????PV?????
?Youtube?????????????https://t.co/MNOofxTBMm
????????https://t.co/tRYL9j3WJa pic.twitter.com/hVri4n7T9u
— TV????86??????????????? (@anime_eightysix) March 22, 2020

Source: 86 Official Twitter
#6. New Fate/Grand Order Anime Announcement And Movie Trailer

?Fate/Grand Order -????? ??????????-????????????????????Fate/Grand Order -????????????????-?????????????https://t.co/Dy4DFsJ36H#FGO_ep7 #FGO #????? pic.twitter.com/gE0CCEmrbg
— ????Fate/Grand Order -????? ??????????- (@FGOAP_ep7) March 21, 2020

Source: Fate/Grand Order Official Twitter
At the end of Fate/Grand Order â€“ Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia, it was announced on Saturday that the next installment for the series would be called Fate/Grand Order â€“ Final Singularity The Grand Temple of Time Solomon. It will be based on the Final Singularity from the popular mobile game Fate/Grand Order. The staff will return to produce the new anime and no known date was announced.

????Wandering; Agateram?8?15??????????2???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????YouTube URL:https://t.co/UBBlcvAlSx#FGO #FGO_ep6?#?????? pic.twitter.com/WDt3naqCkE
— ??? Fate/Grand Order -????????????- (@FGOAP_ep6) March 21, 2020

Source: Fate/Grand Order Official Twiiter
During Aniplexâ€™s 48-hour TV livestream, they also premiered the new movie trailer for Fate/Grand Order The Movie Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot -Wandering; Agateram- Part 1. It will be a 2-part movie based on the Sixth Singularity The Sacred Round Table Realm: Camelot, also from the Fate/Grand Order. The movie will be premiering on August 15.
#7. Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei: Raihousha-he

Source: Mahouka Official Twiiter

????1?PV??????TV????????????? ???????1?PV???? https://t.co/yrwu60wqwU
?????????????????????????????????????
???2020?7???????????????
???HP?https://t.co/jbrOI4VyJF#mahouka pic.twitter.com/NECDBJFOO2
— TV?????????????????? (@mahouka_anime) March 22, 2020

Source: Mahouka Official Twiiter
During a livestream, the second season of Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei was revealed. The anime series will be an adaptation of the Visitor Arc from the light novel, penned by Tsutomu Satou. It will premiere in July.
#8. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gets A New Series!

Source: Kadokawa Official YouTube
Kadokawa aired a promotional video for the new Higurashi no Naku Koro ni anime during a livestream on Saturday. The trailer revealed more of its returning cast members and the premiere date in July 2020. Although itâ€™s a new anime, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is considered more of a remake to the original story also of the same name.
#9. New Original Series Back Arrow Gets Announcement!
Source: Back Arrow Official Twiiter

?PV?1????
????AbemaTV????????48??????????#?????????????????????????????????
??????PV????????????????????https://t.co/i3Az9CqNzN#???????TV pic.twitter.com/oiI6njyvKZ
— TV?????????????? (@backarrow_info) March 22, 2020

Source: Back Arrow Official Twiiter
A new original anime named Back Arrow was revealed during Sundayâ€™s livestream. The anime series will be helmed by Goro Taniguchi (Code Geass) and writer Kazuki Nakashima (Promare, Gurren Lagann). Yuuki Kaji will star as the main protagonist Back Arrow and he is said to be a man who came from beyond the wall. The series will premiere in 2021.
#10. BEASTARS Season 2

?????????2????????+Ultra?????2021???????1?? #Netflix ??????????????????????????????????https://t.co/7ZtXsxscoS#bstanime #BEASTARS
— ????BEASTARS????????? (@bst_anime) March 20, 2020

Source: BEASTARS Official Twiiter
BEASTARSâ€™ official website announced on Friday, after a successful first season, that the second season will premiere in 2021. The anime will air on Japan FujiÂ  TV [+Ultra] and also on Netflix Japan before it will air on Netflix Global. Anime studio Orange will be again producing. They also produced the beautifully animated Land of the Lustrous.
#11. Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045 Gets A New Trailer

Source: Netflix Japan

Source: Netflix Japan Official YouTube
A new promotional video was shown on Saturday for the Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045 anime series. The trailer unveiled new visuals and cast members. Original Ghost in the Shell director Kenji Kamiyama will be directing the series and it will be produced by Production I.G. and Sola Digital Arts. The anime will premiere on April 23 on Netflix.
#12. Love Live!

Source: Love Live! Official Twiiter

Source: Love Live! Official YouTube
On Sunday, a new Love Live! anime series was announced titled, Love Live! Nijigasaki Gakuen School Idol Dokokai. The video highlights the voices of the main cast, members of Nijigasaki Academy Idol Appreciation Club who were first introduced in 2017 as part of Bushiroadâ€™s Love Live! Idol Festival mobile rhythm game. No known announcement for when the anime series will be aired.
#13. Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway Gets A Release Date!

? ????????? ?
3/24 ???????????????????????????
“ ??????????????2???????? ”
????????????????????????????????????????????????#???????? pic.twitter.com/tNn3KGiYwy
— ???????? ???????? (@gundam_hathaway) March 21, 2020

Source: Gundam Hathaway Official Twitter
Sunriseâ€™s Gundam info portal released a new teaser visual for the latest Gundam series for Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway. It was revealed also that on this coming Tuesday 24th March, they will unveil the main cast and theme song for the film during the Gundam Livestream event. The adaptation is based on the light novel Kido Senshi Gundam Hathaway Flash. The movie will be set in the year UC0105 and will follow the aftermath of Charâ€™s Counterattack climatic finale, led by protagonist Hathaway Noa. The movie will open in Japan on July 23.
These are some of the highlights that occurred during the weekend. Which of these news pieces caught your attention? Let us know below at the comments section!


The Geguri Overwatch League Gossip Heats Up – Shanghai Touted As Possible Destination

Rumor that top Korean Overwatch player and Zarya Goddess (LOL. Sorry, but the true Zarya God is Dynasty’s Zunba),Â KimÂ “Geguri”Â Se-yeon set to join an Overwatch League team gained more momentum today as sources close to the player suggested that she will be signed to the Shanghai Dragons. This news follows earlier reports suggesting she has hinted that she is to join a ‘foreign team’ along with speculations as of which of the twelve Overwatch League teams it will be.
As reported on ESPN, also joining Geguri at Shanghai will be two other Korean players; Element Mystic tank and captain, Lee “Fearless” Eui-Seok and MVP Space flex, Cheon “Ado” Ki-hyun. An unnamed Chinese player will complete the quartet joining the Dragons, bringing the total number of players in the roster to twelve once the deal goes through.

One of the best tank players in the world, Geguri was last seen in the competitive scene playing for ROX Orcas in the OGN APEX Season 4 tournament. A couple weeks back, following the final roster signings for Stage 1 of the Overwatch League, some critics complained about the absence of female players in the league, which prompted Geguri to respond to ESPN’s Rod Breslau:

I spoke to Geguri this morning regarding Kotaku’s @Vahn16 faulty report on no women being chosen for #OverwatchLeague. Geguri told me not getting signed to a OWL team had nothing to do with her being a woman. Further, she is uncomfortable with the controversy itself. pic.twitter.com/jfXGW9L6B0
â€” Rod Breslau (@Slasher) January 11, 2018
We discussed about this issue at length as well here. If the community really care about the inclusion of female players into the league, then it should be done on merit, rather than just for the sake of diversity, which is counter-productive of whatever they are trying to achieve. The OWL is currently the pinnacle of the game’s esports scene and adding players solely based on their gender, ethnicity and even sexual preference will do more harm than good. Overwatch is a team game. Inclusions of players should be based on several game-led decisions; tactical suitability, teamwork, the current meta as well as mechanical skill.
Honestly, we are thrilled with the prospect of finally seeing Geguri compete with the best in the world. The meta is finally changing following the Mercy nerf as well as the rise in Moira picks. Tanks are back in fashion and as shown by Zunba in the Dynasty vs Outlaws match last week, Zarya may be a very viable pick with more teams opting for the quad-tank approach. The scene is perfect for a Zarya main like Geguri to thrive in. Moreover, Shanghai Dragons’ tanks haven’t been performing throughout, with Roshan and MG constantly being out-played by their counterparts so her addition is definitely an upgrade.
We await for further confirmation regarding her addition to the league and will update you as soon as we have anything new.


Man Of Medan & Little Hope Get Free Update On PS5 & Xbox Series X/S

Man of Medan started off the entire Dark Pictures Anthology series and Little Hope followed closely afterwards. These games marked the start of the Anthology series featuring horrific tales from the Curator’s own collection of stories. Today all owners of one or both of these titles can download a free update that will improve several aspects of the game giving an even greater immersive experience.
The free PS4, Xbox One & PC update for Man of Medan and Little Hope includes:

New difficulty settings & QTE warnings,
Improved UI & interactions,

Updated bearing art & event triggers,
Increased walking speeds,
More accessibility options, including subtitle sizing,
Additional Bonus for Man of Medan: discover a previously unseen chapter called  “Flooded”, introducing new gameplay and new deaths to the climactic ending of the game.

All these improvements will also be available for new-gen players as Man of Medan and Little Hope are now added to the digital stores of PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. With this update and new-gen release, it is the perfect time to revisit or discover the first two Dark Pictures Anthology games prior to the release of The Devil in Me, the Season One finale of The Dark Pictures Anthology, set to launch on 18 November 2022.
The Dark Pictures Anthology is a series of stand-alone, branching cinematic horror games, designed to present a new terrifying experience on a regular basis. Each game is unconnected and will feature a brand-new story, setting and new cast of characters.


Open-World Adventure Sky: Children Of The Light Is Coming To PC This Year

Sky: Children of the Light, the open-world adventure game from Santa Monica-based Thatgamecompany, will be released in late 2023 for PC via Steam. This coincides with the studio’s 17th-anniversary celebration. In doing so, Sky’s thriving community can reach an even wider audience as the studio breaks down barriers between players from various platforms.

This relaxing MMORPG game was first released for iOS and subsequently followed by Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. It recently reached over 260 million downloads since its 2019 debut, steadily growing into a fan favourite. Jenova Chen, CEO and creative director, thatgamecompany shares what PC players can expect,
“As Sky moves to PC, we can render its realms in stunning detail, but for us, Sky is not defined solely by its technology – it’s an invitation to dream, explore and unite with one another in what we feel is the very essence of human connection in the digital age. The beauty of this world, the depth of its characters and the magic of its storytelling have created a community that extends far beyond the game itself. By introducing this to a new audience, we welcome players of all experience levels as they come together to experience something truly special.”
Key features in Sky: Children of the Light include 7 fantasy realms to explore, puzzles to solve, regular content updates, seasonal events, unique character customizations, and magical tools to aid during the adventure.
A release date for the game has not yet been confirmed, but you can wishlist the game now on Steam.


Hot Toys Gets A Dose Of Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Hot Toys has announced the Zack Snyder’s Justice League – 1/6th scale Knightmare Batman and Superman Collectible Set, just in time for the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League on HBO GO and HBO Max worldwide today.
The highly-accurate Knightmare Batman collectible figure is expertly crafted based on Knightmare Batmanâ€™s appearance in the movie featuring a Batman masked head with 3 interchangeable lower faces, muscular structured body which naturally portrays Batmanâ€™s muscular body, Batsuit highlighting battle-damaged effects, Knightmare Batmanâ€™s desert gear, detailed weapons, and a themed figure stand.
The exceptional Superman collectible figure is meticulously crafted based on the image of Superman in the movie featuring a LED light-up head sculpt that accentuates Supermanâ€™s heat vision ability, an interchangeable head sculpt, muscular body with high pose-ability, a newly tailored black suit with Superman logo in metallic silver-grey, also a themed figure stand.
Now, itâ€™s the chance for fans to add the Hot Toys Zack Snyder’s Justice League – 1/6th scale Knightmare Batman and Superman Collectible Set to their treasured DC collection. However, the price and release date have been not been revealed at the time of writing.
In the meantime, you can check outÂ my own review ofÂ Zack Snyderâ€™s Justice LeagueÂ here, or if you donâ€™t have the four hours to spare and watch the movie later this week,Â head on over hereÂ for my breakdown ofÂ Zack Snyderâ€™s Justice LeagueÂ (along with the biggest changes).


Activision Blizzard Confirms New Call Of Duty & Two Mysterious Titles For 2020

Activision Blizzard has published its first-quarter earnings report for 2020, in which the company has detailed the financial results of early 2020 to date. Besides the usual numbers and statistics, what’s interesting is that they have confirmed what games are still yet to come for the rest of 2020.
The developer/publisher has confirmed that the next “premium release” for the Call Of Duty franchise is slated to arrive later this year. However, they have neglected to mention any details, including which developer will be helming this year’s entry. There have been rumours swirling that it might be set during the Vietnam War.
Another tasty tidbit is that the company still has at least two titles based “library IP from Activision” scheduled for release sometime in 2020. Since they specifically mentioned Activision IP, it can’t be anything Overwatch, Diablo or Warcraft-related. It might very well be that long-rumoured new Crash Bandicoot game.
The only other confirmed new content coming in 2020 is for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, which was initially announced during BlizzCon 2019. In addition, it’s worth pointing out that Call Of Duty Warzone has brought more than 60 million players since launching in March 2020, while Call Of Duty Modern Warfare has apparently sold more units and has more players than any prior Call of Duty title at this point after its release.
From the sound of things, I think it’s unlikely that we’ll be seeing Overwatch 2 anytime soon, or even in 2020 itself. After being announced at BlizzCon 2019, Activision Blizzard has been pretty quiet on that front, and they didn’t even mention the game in the earnings report.
The official key art for the earnings report below also puts Crash Bandicoot front and centre, which may lend further credibility to the idea of a new Crash Bandicoot game in 2020. It might ultimately be a coincidence, but at this point, anything is possible.

For now, Activision Blizzard is clearly riding high on the momentum set by Call Of Duty Modern Warfare and Call Of Duty Warzone, both of which boast a combined monthly active user count of a whopping 102 million players. If that’s not enough, Blizzard alone has over 32 million monthly active users across World Of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Overwatch and Diablo Immortal.


INDIE Live Expo 2021: Our Favourite Games So Far

This article is still in development…
The Japan-themed INDIE Live Expo 2021 is live right now, with tons of video game reveals and announcements at the helm. We’re here to cover our top picks.
Koumajou Remilia: Scarlet Symphony

A 2021 remaster of a Touhou Project action game back in 2009, this 2D action game features bullet hell and gothic witches. Coming soon to PC and Nintendo Switch.
fault – milestone two side: below

Need a mature visual novel adventure game with mystery and intrigue? You may want to check this title, coming out soon this September for PC and Nintendo Switch.
Immortal Life

This title from YiFang Studio and 2P Games is an RPG and simulation hybrid where you play a guy who plans to achieve immortality by tending crops, building a village, and working hard. Also, the world you are in is filled with soul cultivators and chock-filled with Chinese religion and mythology.
Miracle Snack Shop

Imagine a visual novel dating sim, but involving cakes and snacks.
Idol Manager

It’s not everyday you get an idol business simulation game made by Russians from GlitchPitch, but here we are. Published by Playism, this simulation features lovely 2D anime artwork, and theme songs/voice acting by Japanese idol group Kamen Joshi. Out 27 July.Â
Lost Epic

Need a challenging and satisfying fantasy-themed 2D hack and slash game with lovely graphics? Lost Epic might sort you out. Big bosses, skill trees, spot-on 2D gameplay; this Team Earth Wars title looks like a Devil May Cry style game made in 2D and with a brighter pastel. Early Access (PC Steam) for this title is available right now.
Grow: Song of the Evertree

An upcoming world-crafting sandbox game from 505 Games and Prideful Sloth (Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles), this game features a vibrant world to create on, a number of customization options, a World Seeds-crafting system, and a lovely soundtrack from Kevin Penkin (Tower of God, Made in Abyss).
Transiruby

A 2D pixel-savvy action Metroidvaniaplatformer with a “Cave Story look” where you play a cyborg named Transiruby. Looks cute & sounds dreamy; should be a thrill for search action games. The game will be out in Fall 2021; wishlist it on Steam.
Filmechanism

A 2D puzzle action game where you clear a stage by restoring the state of the stage you have recorded. Out for PC and Nintendo Switch later in 2021.
Menheraflesia: Flowering Abyss

A remake of a 2017 freeware visual novel focusing on the rare mental health romance horror genre. Made by developer Charon and will be out for Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, and Android in 2021.
Graze Counter GM

A revved-up version of a 2017 2D shmup game for PC. This version will be out for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC in the future; no release date or year has been announced.
Wizardy: The Five Ordeals

A revival of the 2006 Wizardry game with the same subtitle. This new version will include all the features of the OG game, along with edited user interface and editor functions. You can join in the game’s Early Access PC version when it launches on 18 June.
Dainashi Performance

Not a game, but still worth bringing up: famous video game music cover drummer guy Dainashi performs a few tracks from renowned indie titles.


Here’s Some The Legend Of TianDing Freedom-Fighting Gameplay On Hardcore Difficulty

Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch
Genre: 2D action platformer game featuring Taiwan Robin Hood
Feel the need to liberate early 20th century Taiwan from the cruel Japanese occupation, but in a bright and comic colour-filled 2D action platformer game with slick controls and Devil May Cry-like combat? Then you may want to check out The Legend of TianDing.
The game’s plot is basically you control the titular Liao Tianding, the legendary Taiwanese folk hero who combats the Japanese occupation that’s oppressing Taiwan while also robbing from the rich and corrupted, and giving to the poor. You do this by going through a multitude of stages fighting bad guys using your brand of martial arts.
You also have a special scarf that lets you stun enemies and steal their weapons after you’ve dealt enough damage to them. You can also learn a number of kung fu moves like a useful flying kick that makes you leap vertically over pits (ie: more airtime for your jumps & double jumps) and the one-inch punch that wallbounces enemies towards hazards like spiked pits and toxic barriers.
Here’s a full gameplay walkthrough of the demo in Hardcore mode, because we’re just that good. The demo may have a glitch or two (like the bottom right item collection prompt not disappearing at all, forcing us to reload a couple of times), but as a whole the game’s controls and action is pretty slick and promising. The final boss of the demo is quite a challenge, requiring you to deflect bullets with your fists(?) while also dodging its many hard-hitting attacks and boss stage traps.

The Legend of TianDing will be out for PC and Nintendo Switch later this year.


Sega Releases VTuber-Style Series Featuring Sonic’s Buddy Tails

Miles Tails Prowler is getting his own YouTube VTuber series answering a buttload of Sega questions.
The show is made by Sega and is called TailsTube, with the first episode out now. The questions in the segment are mostly about the Sonic games lore, and especially about why Sonic drives a car in the Sonic All-Star Racing titles. His answer?
“Because it’s cool.”
Way to dodge the question, I guess. Anyway, the first episode is below, with more to come!

Speaking of Sonic, the Sonic The Hedgehog 2 movie will be out in Malaysia and Southeast Asian cinemas mid-April. The upcoming Sonic Frontiers game will be out in Winter 2022 for PC and consoles.


This Enigmatic Group Is Pushing Malaysian Voiceover Talents To Southeast Asian Game Devs

Are you based in Malaysia? Do you have an awesome voice, a mic setup, and want to make a living off of voicing video games? You can start by paying attention to this group in Malaysia.
Helmed by voice actors Su Ling Chan and Michelle “Lylia” Tan (from 2020’s hit Malaysian-made game No Straight Roads), the Malaysian VA Community aims to promote Malaysian vocal talent to voice upcoming video game projects in Southeast Asia.

What made them start out this initiative? “We started out as a bunch of No Straight Roads (NSR) voice actors hanging out on streams together and sharing our home setup, tips and tricks and other VA-specific stuff,” said Michelle Tan. “One day we figured it would be cool to just have a place where everyone can hang out and do the same beyond our NSR group – especially as we were already learning so much from each other, and for us to share any great opportunities we come across that we think we should all audition for.”
Having a natural space to host all of that steered us towards setting up the Discord server”.

The cat is out of the bag! I voice this red haired saltbae of a chef who appears briefly on TV before it gets smashed by Mayday. Thanks @SuChanVA lol.
Thank you again @NoStraightRoads for having me – I definitely plan to try out for more VA stuff now, and continue to grow. pic.twitter.com/05UGrqLBQS
— Michelle Tan (@LyliaSEA) September 3, 2020

The movement’s main objective is to create a safe space for all Malaysia VAs of any level, from aspiring VAs to even pros with over 10 years of experience. This seemed natural for Michelle, since she is renowned for creating influencer marketing agency and dev platform Fundeavour.
There is a LOT of homegrown talent and I think this could be one small way of encouraging this forward”.
How exclusive is this club? It depends; if you are from Malaysia (or if you currently live in Malaysia), and you want to do voice-acting as a legitimate gig, just hit up Michelle Tan and Su Ling Chan on Twitter.
“We do this just to make sure we’re letting in Malaysian VAs and – as of recently – studios & casting directors who might be keen to work with Malaysian VAs in the future and want access to a convenient pool of talent. Just to clarify you donâ€™t need to be Malaysian to join our server but you have to currently live in Malaysia.”

Surpriseeeeee! Have a Merry Padoru Christmas from us, the @NoStraightRoads VAs! <3
PS: Huge thank you to @RitsuTanArt for the amazing padoru artwork – we couldn't have done it without you! Go check her out and give her love too!#NoStraightRoads #NSR #MerryChristmas pic.twitter.com/OLxbfUEDkp
— Michelle Tan (@LyliaSEA) December 24, 2020

So what is the Malaysian VA Community’s next step, now that they have a solidified group going? The duo will still bring in more experienced folks so that the group can improve together.
“We’ve been actively hosting monthly activities on the server since Dec last year – starting out with a commercial VO workshop with Chan Woei Hern, an award-winning regional Executive Creative Director in Geometry/VMLY&R Commerce.”


Rebellion Delays Evil Genius 2: World Domination To 2021

RebellionÂ has announced that they have delayedÂ Evil Genius 2: World DominationÂ to 2021. OnÂ their official Twitter account, developer co-founders Chris and Jason Kingsley revealed the decision to delay their satirical spy-fi lair builder until the first half of 2021.

An Update On Evil Genius 2: World Domination pic.twitter.com/wZDOg6LasI— Evil Genius (@evilgenius) August 27, 2020

The reason for the delay is cited as development being affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The game was initially revealed during E3 2019.
Evil Genius 2: World Domination is slated to release for the PC via Steam sometime in 2021.


Is Maxsoft Jacking Up Prices For Updated Nintendo Switches In Asia?

Nintendo has rolled out updated Nintendo Switch models starting this month that features a longer battery life than the previous model. The best part? It costs the exact same as the previous model.
Unless you’re in Southeast Asia, in which case bully for you. A Facebook post from retailer Play Ah! (via NintendoSoup) states that it’s selling the “1st gen” and “2nd gen” Nintendo Switch with different prices. The former is SG$399 while the latter is SG$455. That’s a SG$56 price difference for those keeping score.
So who is in charge of this price jack? All signs seem to point at Nintendo Southeast Asian distributors Maxsoft so far for Brunei and Singapore. The company has yet to reply to Kakuchopurei at this point of writing whether this is an official mandate in pricing or not.


Merdekaverse Lets You Celebrate Merdeka & Malaysia Day In The Metaverse

Platform(s): PC (browser-based)
Genre: Metaverse, NFT, Virtual
2022 marks the 65th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence on 31 August 2022, and the 59th anniversary of the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 2022. This year for the first time ever in history, Malaysians will have the opportunity to celebrate our country’s Merdeka and Malaysia Day in the metaverse.
Here’s what you can look forward to in the Merdekaverse; there is a myriad of Malaysia-themed games, an NFT Gallery, Tuanku Abdul Rahman’s momentous Merdeka address and chant, a Merdeka Day parade, a Sudirman concert and more.
Having launched on 30 August 2022, www.MERDEKAVERSE.com allows anyone and everyone to experience the Merdeka celebrations at the virtual Xanadu City and Xanadu Beach, which is described by Xanadu.Asia as a phygital realm (a portmanteau denoting the combination of the physical and digital realms). Xanadu.Asia is Malaysia’s first complete and operational experiential metaverse platform. Founded by its parent company Ministry XR in 2021, they aim to host large-scale quarterly events to first and foremost, entertain Malaysians, and subsequently guide them into a new era of spatial computing within Web3.
So, what’s there to do in the Merdekaverse metaverse? First and foremost, it’s simple and easy to access because you don’t need to register or pay anything beforehand. Plus, you can head straight to the Merdekaverse from your browser; no downloading or installations are required so it won’t take up any space on your PC or laptop.
First, let’s talk about Xanadu City, which is the area that you’ll spawn in when you head over to the Merdekaverse link. You can customise your Avatar and change your name by going into the menu and selecting Avatar Customisation. There’s honestly not much in terms of variety but at least they’re still offering some customization options in terms of gender, head, top clothing, bottom clothing and shoes.

One of the first things you’ll notice after wandering around is the games. The ones that I discovered and tried out were KLCC Climb, Banjir Surf (Flood Surf) and Lari Sampai Pengsan (Run Until You Faint). They’re all fairly simple but fun little games, similar to those mobile runner titles. In all three, you basically only have to either move from side to side (KLCC Climb) and simply jump or duck to avoid obstacles in both Banjir Surf and Lari Sampai Pengsan. In all of these games, you can sync your digital wallets and stand a chance to receive Tezos Coins, a form of blockchain currency. However, you can choose to just ignore all that if you don’t want to get into all that stuff.
KLCC Climb

Banjir Surf

Lari Sampai Pengsan

The highlights of the Merdekaverse metaverse are the Merdeka parade, which leads into the iconic Tuanku Abdul Rahman’s Merdeka address. The Merdeka parade and Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Merdeka address will take place hourly from 7.00 am to 2.00 am every single day at Xanadu City until 18 September 2022.
The Merdeka Parade actually starts near where you spawn in Xanadu City, and the parade will move to a marching band rendition of several patriotic songs, including Inilah Barisan Kita and more. You should follow the parade, which will end around seven minutes in, and that’s when the digital Tunku Abdul Rahman will step off his car and perform his famous Merdeka address and chant. I’m not gonna lie, hearing Tunku Abdul Rahman’s voice chanting Merdeka seven times in the metaverse could have felt cringe-worthy, but I couldn’t help feeling a sense of pride as a Malaysian.

As for what else is there in Xanadu City, you could see the sights and just hang out. There’s even a digital Sony Pictures billboard showcasing trailers from their latest and upcoming movies that will be releasing in Malaysia. The massive arena in the middle of Xanadu City isn’t open yet, but there will be a digital performance by Malaysia’s DJ Raohu at 10.30 pm every night from 16 to 18 September 2022. This will be Malaysia’s first DJ concert in the metaverse, so visitors to the Merdekaverse can look forward to that later this week.
From Xanadu City, you’ll find one portal heading to the NFT Gallery and another portal that will bring you to Xanadu Beach. Xanadu Beach is where you can catch Sudirman’s performance of the legendary Tanggal 31, a patriotic song that every Malaysian knows by heart. The Sudirman performance will take place hourly from 7.15 am to 2.15 am every single day at Xanadu Beach until 18 September 2022.
The Sudirman performance is less elaborate than the Merdeka parade, but it’s fun to see a digital recreation of the late Sudirman himself performing in the metaverse. I can say the same thing about the Merdeka parade and Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Merdeka address. Those really are the voices of the late Sudirman and Tunku Abdul Rahman, which was achieved thanks to a collaboration between Xanadu.Asia and the folks at Arkib Negara and Sudirman Asset Management.

Last but not least, there’s also sort of a Treasure Hunt activity where you can pick up collectibles scattered throughout Xanadu City and Xanadu Beach. However, it’s unclear what reward awaits you if you manage to pick up 65 of these Malaysian-themed items, including the hibiscus, nasi lemak, durian and others. Oh, and there’s also a rudimentary Photo Mode in Merdekaverse which you can access by clicking on the camera icon near the top right of the screen. There aren’t any filters but it’s fine.

I’m the type of guy who’s still cynical of anything related to NFTs or the metaverse, but I admit that the Merdekaverse can be a fun and interactive way for all Malaysians to join in the Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations, especially since it’s free and doesn’t require any registration at all (unless you want to collect the previously mentioned blockchain currency).
The Merdekaverse is also a nice alternative to actually physically heading to Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur and attending the celebrations there. Some people don’t want to have to spend time in bustling crowds under the hot Malaysian sun, so the Merdekaverse is something that you can join from the comfort of your own home. All that being said, when I visited the Merdekaverse in the morning on 13 September 2022, there was literally no one there, so it all felt like a ghost town. The experience would be so much better if more people get into the Merdekaverse as Malaysia Day looms closer.

The Merdekaverse can be accessed from right now until 18 September 2022, absolutely free of charge, with no registration required, by heading on over to www.MERDEKAVERSE.com. For more details and information on Xanadu.Asia, check out their official website here.
You can also check out the Merdekaverse schedule and highlights below:


ECHO & RRQ Akira Conqueror Groups C & D At M4

With the conclusion of the final day of the Group Stage of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s M4 World Championship, the Philippines’ ECHO and Brazil’s RRQ Akira can hold their heads high as their top their respective groups. Unlike yesterday, there were unfortunately no tiebreakers to stretch out the final day.
RRQ Akira vs. S11 Gaming

To start off the final day of the group stage, we were met with a match-up between two South American teams in RRQ Akira from Brazil and S11 Gaming from Argentina.
S11 came out of the gates swinging with them taking first blood and the first tower all within the first three minutes of the game. From there the Argentines managed to snowball their lead into what would become an extremely steep uphill battle of RRQ Akira. S11 displayed a Mobile Legends masterclass as they would go on to dominate in both the kills department and also Turtle priority, finishing the game in 15 minutes. S11’s Martias “Kaii” Roldan was awarded MVP for his Gold Lane performance on Irithel.
Occupy Thrones vs. ECHO

The next match-up was between the sole representatives of the Middle East and North Africa in Occupy Thrones and the Philippines’ ECHO.
Despite being from what is widely considered the weakest region right now, Occupy Thrones had managed to hold their own statistically in their previous two games. Although the record doesn’t really show, both of their games were extremely close. This game against ECHO would prove otherwise as they were completely eclipsed by ECHO in every way imaginable. To add insult to injury, ECHO demolished Occupy Thrones in only 11 minutes and 16 seconds, making this match the fastest game of the tournament. In light of this victory, ECHO’s EXP Laner, Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya was awarded MVP.
S11 Gaming vs. Team HAQ

Coming hot off their win against RRQ Akira, it was blatant that S11 Gaming were confident going into their next match versus Malaysia’s Team HAQ. Unfortunately for the Argentines, that confidence would quickly dwindle as Team HAQ would display why they are the Malaysian Champions.
Team HAQ drafted an extremely high mobility composition that allowed them to punish S11 Gaming’s positioning in the early game which Team HAQ managed to convert into a gradual lead. From there, momentum snowballed and before we knew it the game was already over with S11 not even managing to take down a single tower. Team HAQ’s Chun Wai “Panda” Poh dominated the Gold Lane and for that, he was awarded Match MVP.
ECHO vs. RSG Singapore

The fourth match of the day was between a hot ECHO and RSG Singapore who were hungry to extend their record to 2–0. But ECHO showed RSG the respect they deserved as they brought back their star Roamer, Tristan “YAWI” Cabrea in place of Jaypee “Jaypee” Gonzales Dela Cruz.
And as it would turn out, this would be the right move as they would go on to ultimately win the match. Although ECHO only had a 5.1k gold lead, they outclassed RSG across the board, doubling RSG’s mere eight kills, and taking down seven of their towers compared to RSG who only managed to take down one. And as it was no surprise to ECHO fans, YAWI was awarded Match MVP.
The Valley vs. Team HAQ

The following match was between North America’s The Valley and Team HAQ. The game began pretty neck-and-neck with both teams trading kills for objectives for the first eight minutes of the game. It was only during the first Lord battle that the tides began to shift towards Team HAQ as they won the teamfight 3–1. From there, Team HAQ do what Team HAQ do best which is snowball their advantages, and snowball they did.
Thanks to the lead they gained, Team HAQ had map priority which allowed Panda to farm. As another Lord fight began at the 13th minute, it looked as if The Valley had the upper hand as Panda was split pushing the Bottom Lane, but little did they know that Panda’s Wanwan would blink across the map, turning what was a 4v4 fight that sided The Valley, into Team HAQ’s favour and gaining himself a triple kill amidst the chaos. From there Team HAQ managed to close out the game securing the second seed in their Group. And of course, Panda was awarded yet another MVP for his phenomenal performance on Wanwan.
RRQ Hoshi vs. RSG Singapore

The final match of the Group Stage was between Indonesia’s RRQ Hoshi and RSG Singapore. RRQ Hoshi put the pedal to the metal as they began the match aggressively to force out mistakes from the side of RSG. By the sixth minute, had already gotten four kills along with two Turtles and one tower. But the Singaporeans weren’t going to let up so easily and managed to keep the game competitive for most of the game.
During the first Lord fight, RRQ would come out on top but the tempo of the game would slow down quite a bit until the second Lord where RRQ managed to take it uncontested. It was here that RSG began to fall apart as they gave away map control and let RRQ slowly push into their base from all sides which ultimately led to RSG’s defeat. RRQ’s Gold Laner, David “Skylar” Tendean would be awarded Match MVP. With this result, RRQ Hoshi would secure the second-place seed in Group C while RSG Singapore placed third.
Here are what the final standings look like:

Group C

1
ECHO
3-0

2
RRQ Hoshi
2-1

3
RSG Singapore
1-2

4
Occupy Thrones
0-3

Group D

1
RRQ Akira
2-1

2
Team HAQ
2-1

3
The Valley
1-2

4
S11 Gaming
1-2

As the day concluded, Team HAQ’s Panda was awarded the Day 4 MVP and with that, the final day of M4’s Group Stage came to an end. The action starts back up on 7 January where we will see the Top 2 seeds of each group battle it out to start the day as we progress through the Playoffs.


Shang-Chi Kicks His Way To Malaysian Cinemas This Week

Local Malaysian cinemas have announced that Marvel Studiosâ€™ Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings will premiere across Malaysia on 30 September 2021. Itâ€™s the second Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie in two years since 2019â€™s Spider-Man Far From Home, and after Black Widow, which only premiered in Malaysian cinemas last week.
The movie was previously slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 7 October 2021.
Tickets are now on sale.

Surprise besties! ?
Marvel Studios’ #ShangChi akan ditayangkan lebih awal! Korang dah boleh start tengok mulai 30 September! ??
Tiket kini dijual! Cepat2 book tiket korang nanti sold out ? pic.twitter.com/xpCSzqMNCe
— GSC x Mat Kilau ?? (@GSCinemas) September 27, 2021

Dear Malaysians, this is FOR YOU!
This is not a drill, Marvel's newest #Avenger has arrived! ?
Experience @MarvelStudios' #ShangChi and The Legend of The Ten Rings on TGV's BIGGEST SCREEN, #IMAX, this THURSDAY!
Get tickets NOW! ?? https://t.co/uuFcYHOYT2 #TontondiTGV pic.twitter.com/iEdfip9pqx
— TGV Cinemas | #TontondiTGV ?? (@TGVCinemas) September 27, 2021

The synopsis reads:
Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. The film also stars Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Shang-Chi’s friend Katy and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, as well as Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu and Ronny Chieng.
Check out the trailer below, and stay tuned for our review soon!


New Ubisoft Heroes Chibi Line Includes Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Eivor

Ubisoft has announced that the Series 1 of Ubisoft Heroes is now available on Ubisoft Store and regular distribution channels. In addition, the company has expanded its brand-new set of chibi figurines, inspired by famous heroes from the Ubisoft worlds, by announcing an incoming Series 2.
The first series of Ubisoft Heroes is available now at the price of SG$29.90 per figurine and the Series 2 can already be preordered at the same price and will be available from 27 October 2020.
This new series will include 4 iconic characters:
Eivor from Assassinâ€™s Creed Valhalla is a devoted and confident Viking clan leader, who is not scared of dying to protect his people. Despite his deep love for his clan, he is a lone wolf. Indeed, driven by his dream to prove his courage, he prefers to take on all tasks and risks himself. The male version of Eivor represents a conqueror and valiant leader who is ready to win new battles for his clan. On the other side, the female version of Eivor is represented triumphant after the discovery of a stronghold treasure after an intense raid battle.Honest, compassionate and loving London almost to a fault, the King of Hearts mask is there to encourage the Dedsec recruits that wear it to resist oppression in all its forms – with a flourish! Modelled after the actual skull of King Richard III that was recovered several years back, this type of mask is usually held together by wiring. In true DedSec fashion, the Dedsec Coronet Limited Edition has been added colourful LED illuminated lines, and a pixelated graphic cementing the crown for the second version of this figurine, available as a Ubisoft Store exclusive.The Panda has been busting moves in the last seven editions of Just Dance. He first appeared in the song â€œTimberâ€ by Pitbull ft. Ke$ha in Just Dance 2014. Since then heâ€™s been breaking it down as a coach for songs like â€œI Gotta Feelingâ€ by The Black Eyed Peas and, most recently, â€œCon Calmaâ€ by Daddy Yankee Ft. Snow.

Ubisoft is also announcing a unique collaboration with Baccarat, the most prestigious crystal manufacturer in the world.
To celebrate the launch of Ubisoft Heroes Series 1, Ubisoft and Baccarat have partnered to pay tribute to the iconic Assassinâ€™s Creed character Ezio Auditore with a unique creation in blue crystal.
This handmade piece crafted by Baccaratâ€™s artisans symbolizes the unique know-how of the 256 years old crystal brand. Recognized for the inimitable talent of its blowers, gilders, engravers and cutters, Baccarat has perfectly recreated the Ubisoft Heroes version of Ezio by portraying the ancestor of Desmond Miles with his Eagle’s Vision.
All Assassinâ€™s Creed fans will have the opportunity to win this exceptional, limited edition piece, simply by purchasing a box of Series 1 figurines.
Five Golden tickets have been placed inside the boxes of Series 1 figurines that will be on sale from 27 August 2020. Consumers who will find the Golden ticket in the box will win a Baccaratâ€™s Ezio Eagleâ€™s Vision figurine.
All information and rules are available here.
The Ubisoft Heroes Series 1 is available for purchase here.
The Ubisoft Heroes Series 2 is available for pre-order here.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Guerrilla Games Adds Lance Reddick Memorial Tribute In Horizon Forbidden West

It’s been several months since the death of Lance Reddick, who passed away back in March 2023. In remembrance of the late actor, Guerrilla Games has added a Lance Reddick memorial in the game, which players can visit.
In 2022’s Horizon Forbidden West (and 2017’s Horizon Forbidden West before it), the late Lance Reddick played the role of Sylens, a character who’s been both an antagonist and a friend to the game’s protagonist, Aloy. His last appearance as Sylens was in the Horizon Forbidden West Burning Shores expansion DLC, which launched back in April 2023, just one month after his passing.
You can check out the Lance Reddick memorial tribute below:

In honor of Lance Reddick, we created a memorial to commemorate the profound impact he had on us all.
Thank you, Lance, for everything you brought to the role of Sylens: your gravitas, energy, wisdom and more. An incomparable talent and friend. We miss you terribly. pic.twitter.com/PXiba7H3SR
— Guerrilla (@Guerrilla) June 23, 2023

And here’s where you can find it in the game:

The good people at @Guerrilla made an awesome tribute to @lancereddick who played Sylens in the #horizon series.  His memorial can be found in #HorizonForbbidenWestBurningShores in the following location.#horizonforbiddenwest pic.twitter.com/TsJBc60oSe
— dolemitedawiz (@NoFilterGames) June 23, 2023

In the meantime, check out my review of Horizon Forbidden West here or head on over here for a guide.


The Dark Pictures Anthology The Devil In Me Drops This November

During Future Games Show 2022, at Gamescome 2022, Bandai Namco and Supermassive Games announced that The Dark Pictures Anthology The Devil In Me will launch for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam on 18 November 2022.
The Dark Pictures Anthology The Devil In Me opens its doors to a whole new cast and terrifying story. This trailer gives a short but disturbing tour of what’s to come for its unsuspecting cast.
The Lonnit Entertainment TV crew receive a pressing and mysterious phone call from a man called Granthem Du’Met, with a promise of a tour around a faithful recreation of the H. H. Holmes murder castle, an idea that Lonnit Entertainment founder Charlie Lonnit believes might just save his show.
Oscar nominee Jessie Buckley stars as a member of this ill-fated crew that visits this strange hotel location, a place that quickly turns into a deadly trap made by their disturbed host Granthem Du’Met. Observed, isolated, and manipulated like rats in a maze, it soon becomes clear that the crew’s checkout is compromised, and they will have to make some impossible choices that they might live to regret or just not live at all!
The Dark Pictures Anthology is a series of stand-alone branching cinematic horror games designed to present a new terrifying experience on a regular basis. Each game is unconnected and will feature a brand-new story, setting, and new cast of characters.


Fortnite Will Not Be On Google Play Store Because Epic Wants More Money

We’re on the fence on whether this piece of news is good or bad. Epic Games recently confirmed on The Verge that it will be selling the Android version of its hit game Fortnite. But it won’t be on the Google Play store.
The reason? Because Epic Games does not want Google to take a 30% cut for in-app purchases for games sold through Google Play. Here’s what Epic Games’ CEO Tim Sweeney has to say:

“The 30 percent store tax is a high cost in a world where game developersâ€™ 70 percent must cover all the cost of developing, operating, and supporting their games.”

He added that the amount is disproportionate to the services Google provides on open platforms like Android where the company that maintains the operating system is separate from the hardware manufacturer.
The big question is “where can you get Fortnite on Android, assuming that it’s out now?” Well, they may need to run it in a way to bypass Google Play, but that means less security and privacy protections; that could be extra work on Epic Games. There are also other Android propriety app stores like Samsung’s app store (for Samsung phones/tablets), or even Amazon’s app store. You also have other app stores like GetJar, Mobogenie, and Uptodown. Google Play may be the go-to place, but if you want your Fortnite fix on Android devices, you may have to search elsewhere.
And we still don’t have a date for the Android version of Fortnite.


Devolver Announces Human Fall Flat 2

During Devolver Direct 2023, Devolver Digital announced Human Fall Flat 2.
Team up and let your creativity run wild in Human Fall Flat 2, the outrageous new sequel to the much-loved capers of everyone’s favourite physics-based human friends.
Human Fall Flat 2 is the bigger, better and clumsier sequel to the puzzle platformer global sensation featuring brand new levels, customisable characters, and even wilder physics-based fun.
Each intricate level comes packed with new toys and devices to fiddle with as you’ll solve a range of fiendish puzzles on your own or in teams of up to eight friends.
A new physics-engine, new gameplay interactions and new mechanics will make every session uniquely silly and more dynamic than ever before. Along with refined controls, visuals and music, Human Fall Flat 2 is a slapstick experience unlike any other!


Gaming Longer Does Not Mean That You Are Happier, Study Shows

Does gaming longer make you happier? How many hours of gaming in a day would it take to make you happy? One, two, three, 24? Well, according to a study made by the Oxford Internet Institute (via BBC), gaming longer does not make you happier.
The research conducted by the Oxford Internet Institute on a whopping 39,000 gamers was to investigate how the amount of gaming time affects the well-being of a gamer. The conclusion is that it really doesn’t. According to the study, the average player would have to play for 10 hours more than usual per day to notice any difference and the reasons for playing were far more likely to have an impact on a gamer’s well-being.
What that means is that it’s up to you how much gaming time makes you happy. Some people can be satisfied with just one hour or less of gaming per day. Professor Andrew Przybylski (who conducted the study) said:
“Common sense says if you have more free time to play video games, you’re probably a happier person.
But contrary to what we might think about games being good or bad for us, we found [in this latest study] pretty conclusive evidence that how much you play doesn’t really have any bearing whatsoever on changes in well-being.
If players were playing because they wanted to, rather than because they felt compelled to, they had to, they tended to feel better.”
The study took data and information from companies such as Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo, who provided six weeks’ worth of data with the consent of 39,000 players. This came from six games, including Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Apex Legends, Eve Online, Forza Horizon 4, Gran Turismo Sport and The Crew 2.
There you have it, folks. You don’t have to play games all day or for hours in a single sitting, or work your butt off trying to get that Platinum trophy that no one but yourself really cares about, in order to be happy. How many hours of gaming a day would make you happy? Let us know in the comments below.


Ocean’s Heart Wears Its 2D Zelda Sleeve Loud & Proud

Platform: PC
Genre: 2D Zelda Clone
If you need an early 2021 retro gaming fix, you should give the indie title Ocean’s Heart a go.
This action-adventure title plays like you would a 2D Legend of Zelda title: you explore the islands and continents you’re in, solve puzzles, kill bad guys, and gain power-ups that make you progress through dungeons and get rid of specific obstructions. Unlike other titles, Ocean’s Heart is made by one person, Max Mraz of Yarntown fame, from the stages to the layout to even its quirky dialogue that pepper the standard plot of a female navy soldier searching for her father and best friend while uncovering a pirate conspiracy involving spiritual legends.
The story may not seem original, but it entertains, especially since your main character speaks and is rather charismatic. Our hero Tilia does retort and reply as a sensible person would, but gladly accepts quests if it means bringing her coin, fulfilling her navy soldier duty, or putting her one step closer to her search. The townsfolk and NPC too have some self-referential dialogue concerning their place in the game, which is a nice touch.

Challenge-wise, you’ll navigate through a lot of medium-sized dungeons with plenty of puzzles both easy and tough. It’s not tougher and stricter than other clones like the 90s classic Alundra, but it will test you. The special items you’ll get include a glove that lets you carry cannonballs and push heavy blocks, a mace that breaks down hard barriers, a bow & arrow for ranged attacks, and a light arrow that switches position between you and specially-marked blocks. The puzzles using these items are needed beyond the dungeons they’re designed for, which does liven the later stages up, especially the late-game dungeons.
All I can say is that I was entertained for the 7 hours I’ve put in, from the main quest to even the side quests that are given a bit more thought than I give credit for. Standouts include playing detective in a mayor’s party and a war between two breweries. You may want to add in a few more hours if you plan on being a completionist in Ocean’s Heart, since there are extra spells to find and collectible hearts and sword/bow/armour upgrades to uncover.
I do wish there was this same level of thought put into the bosses. Once you have your dungeon item equipped and your sword finger put to “rapid-fire”, you can pretty much kill every big boss save the last two. And even those aforementioned duo is leaning towards a fight of attrition than one that requires ingenuity to triumph over.
Link Horizons

How does it feel to play though? I’ve used both a “retro” controller (a Hori fight pad) and a PS5 controller (because why not?). Tilia can not only swing her sword and use assigned items on the remaining face buttons, but she has an evasive roll move that makes her avoid attacks and cover ground. Unfortunately, she cannot roll diagonally, so you’re limited to the “up, down, left, right” planes when trying to get away from trouble.
This game was built for d-pads, if I’m being frank; I commit more movement mistakes with a newer controller than I did an old one. The controls are simple, its interface is old-school right down to the left-to-right option and inventory menu, and once you get the hang of the game in about an hour, you’ll do fine. The analog feels a bit wonky, and you can’t really customize the controls much. You’re better off using a regular Xbox One or PS4 pad if you want a good experience. Speaking of technical issues, the music does peak at times and sound warbled in some overworld bits. Thankfully, it’s only a section or two; everything else is charming sound-wise.
Ocean’s Heart is a well-crafted love letter to the 2D Legend of Zelda games on the NES and SNES featuring a charming setting, a short-but-sweet play length, and fun gameplay. I do wish the bosses were actually challenging and mentally stimulating, but the overall journey is more eventful than the destination. For just a paltry Steam game sum, you cannot go wrong with this one-man show.
Final Score: 80/100


Kena Bridge Of Spirits Delayed A Month Later To September 2021

Ember Lab hasÂ delayedÂ Kena Bridge Of SpiritsÂ from itsÂ previously planned 24 August 2021 release date to 21 September 2021. It will be available for the PS5, PS4, and PC via Epic Games Store.
The developer revealed the news earlier today via their official Twitter account, posting the statement that said:
We have made the difficult decision to delay the release ofÂ Kena: Bridge of SpiritsÂ until September 21 to polish the game across all platforms.
The team has been working extremely hard and we feel the extra time is critical to ensure the best experience possible.
We know many of you are eager to play and we appreciate your patience as the team continues to work on delivering the best version ofÂ Kena: Bridge of Spirits.
Thank you for your amazing support!

pic.twitter.com/ENNtvStCTG
— Kena: Bridge of Spirits (@emberlab) July 28, 2021

In the meantime, rewatch the Kena Bridge Of Spirits trailer below:


OlliOlli World’s Customization Is Jam-Packed With Clothes, Boards, & “Hijabs”

OlliOlli World is shaping up to be a heckuva 2D indie skateboarding fare. With chillax music, an esoteric backdrop set in the funky world of Radlandia featuring advertising bees, treefolk, and magic skateboard gods, you’ll be enamoured by developer Roll7’s aesthetic choices alone.
And there’s a good chance you’ll get stuck at the game’s character customization screen, which offers a plethora of clothing styles, character bodies, skin colour, skateboards, and even the way you push forward and how you stop your skateboard at the end of each level. It’s plentiful from the start and will just add up as you complete more and more challenges and stages.

We also got a chance to check out the third biome of OlliOlli World, which takes place in the desert and badlands area full of rocks and smashable crystals. These things block your skating path, so you need to do a nose grab mid-air to smash them. You can even smash purple crystal-esque barricades to open up new paths for skating and grinding too. It’s tricky and full of many near-miss moments and bits where you should be on-point with your grinding and landing; part and parcel of the OlliOlli series’ 2D tough but fair experience.
We’ll definitely go into more detail with each level and tricks closer to the game’s release date on 9th February for PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. For now, gaze in awe at the options you can use to dress your skater boy/girl up.


Call Of Duty 4: Black Ops 4’s Battle Royale Mode Goes Free-To-Play…

We awarded Activision’s Call Of Duty 4: Black Ops 4 our coveted Best Shooter of 2018 award mostly because its battle royale mode, lovingly called Blackout, is very fun and polished. It’s so fun that Activision is having a seven-day free trial featuring the mode on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 starting this week.
The trial begins this Thursday 17 January (GMT) and ends Thursday 24 January (GMT). More details will be shared soon; we’ll update this post as soon as we get them.

As we’ve said time and again, we really hope the company can cut us a little slack and make this coveted mode free for new players, and even have a bit of cosmetic-savvy microtransactioning in the mix since Activision loves money and all.
To quote our review, “Call of Duty: Black Ops 4‘s Blackout is by far the most complete battle royale game in the market right now.”


Social Sandbox MMO Pax Dei Announced For PC, Sign Up For Playtesting Now

Mainframe Industries just announced a new game called Pax Dei, a social sandbox massively multiplayer online RPG for PC via Steam. Unfortunately, we don’t have a release date yet, but you can sign up for playtesting now.
So what’s this game all about? According to the Steam page, it’s set in a medieval-inspired world where myths are real, ghosts exist, and magic is a given. You can choose your own adventure and join thousands of other players as you explore, build, and create your own stories.

One of the coolest features of this game is that you can build your own home and village with resources produced by you and your fellow players. You can even venture into uncharted lands, battle evil creatures, and discover ancient mysteries. Just be careful because the further you go from home, the more dangerous the world becomes.
But don’t worry, everyone’s role in the game matters, whether you’re picking flowers or battling basilisks. In this fully player-driven world, every play style connects and complements each other. So what are you waiting for? Join the community and be a part of the stories that are about to take shape in Pax Dei.
If you’re interested then you can sign up for the play tests here. Otherwise, for more information then feel free to check out the Steam page.


Warlander Is A New Free-To-Play Medieval Game

PLAION and Toylogic have announced Warlander, which is a free-to-play, third-person, online multiplayer warfare game set in a medieval fantasy world. It is slated to launch in open beta for PC starting from 12 September 2022, followed by unspecified consoles at a later date.
Up to a hundred players will be able to join up and battle it out as part of two or five armies in skirmishes and castle sieges with the goal of breaking into the opponents’ stronghold and destroying its core.
Playing either as a warrior, cleric, or mage with their own unique set of skills, players will have the option to build up decks of finely customized characters for the battles ahead. This includes skill and ability customization as well as visual ones to help characters stand out in the heat of battle. There will be two game modes available at launch. First, a two-team mode with up to 40 players and a five-team mode with up to 100 players.
At the time of writing, there is no official Steam page or trailer yet.


The Front Mission Series Really Deserved Better

This week marks the birth week of the very first Squaresoft mecha-heavy turn-based strategy RPG title Front Mission, a 1995 Super Famicom title that mixes Battletech mecha fights with allusions of politics in a sci-fi world.
There are five main entries and a number of side games in the series. The main games have their ups and downs, but they’re solid SRPGs all-around.

Front Mission turns 25 today – it made its debut on this day in 1995. A tactical RPG, it tells the story of a war in the year 2090 fought with mecha known as 'Wanzers'. pic.twitter.com/xdDf8glmAp
— RPG Site (@RPGSite) February 24, 2020

I’ve only played parts 3 and 4, but I have friends who rave on about how deep the entire game’s political intrigue can get, especially since they all tie in together.Â  Not to mention the fact that customizing your own Wanzer death machine army is incredibly enticing on its own.
Which is why it’s such a huge travesty that the series went off on an abysmal note with Left Alive. Our very own Alleef “Comicslord” said the following in his detailed review:

I canâ€™t possibly imagine anyone actually enjoying the soul-crushing ordeal of playingÂ Left Alive.

I don’t blame him. I played a few hours of Left Alive and felt truly betrayed. I can’t imagine how my friends felt when they see their favourite series run to the ground like this.
We should touch on why Front Mission truly deserved better than ending on a wet fart.
It’s A Great Blend Of Strategy RPG & Sci-Fi Dystopian Storytelling
Before Battletech’s strategy games, Front Mission was the first and nailed the strategy turn-based RPG and story combo just great. Not only do you have to customize your Wanzers with the correct weapons, arms, and legs, but also pick the best pilots for the job. Your missions also vary from killing all insurgents to protecting certain characters for a set amount of time.Â

While part 1 started it all, it was part 2 that really went all-out with its politically-driven narrative (where each perspective of the war isn’t as black-and-white as it seems) and featured a diverse cast from different countries. It even featured actual LGBT representation, which was kind of unheard of during that time.

Part 3 introduced branching paths at the start of the game (in a pretty sneaky dialogue choice), which means you have to play the game twice to get the full story. Part 5 on the PS2, a prequel of sorts, was considered the apex of the series, creating the best strategy combat while crafting an intense story on the horrors of war and how its main cast endure and find hope in such troubled times, as well as establishing all the story beats that set up past games.

If you want a nice entry point, play Front Mission 3. If you want a long-spanning epic to sink into, play part 1 all the way to part 5. Before games like The Division got political, the Front Mission games tapped that first & nailed the landing.
It Featured Top Tier Talent From Squaresoft
The Front Mission series was a bold new sci-fi in JRPG history at the time because of the following people who worked on it, from its designers to its music-makers.
Here’s a short list of people involved with the franchise. You’ll probably recognize some names.

Toshiro Tsuchida – director and producer of the series.
Yoshitaka Amano – renowned artist known for his Final Fantasy work.
Jun Suemi – another renowned artist known for the Brandish series cover art.
Yoko Shimomura – famous composer.Â
Noriko Matsueda – Squaresoft composer who made most of Front Mission’s music.
Nobuo Uematsu – legendary composer.Â
Masashi Hamauzu – renowned Squaresoft composer.
Junya Nakano – renowned Squaresoft composer.
Hidenori Iwasaki – Squaresoft music composer and programmer.

It Had A Decent 2D Spin-Off

Front Mission: Gun Hazard proved that with the right team and mindset, you can make a decent spin-off to your mecha-driven JRPG. All you have to do is hire the guy who designed Assault Suits Valken and make it a little different than the usual run-and-gun games in the era.
It Tried Its Hand At Transmedia And Succeeded
The series was so promising, its developer G-Craft made damn sure it had mangas, novels, radio dramas, and live-action films. If there’s any series that did transmedia right, it’s most likely the Front Mission series.Â

The Wanzers
Last but not least, Front Mission wouldn’t have attracted so many people to its narrative were it not for its main draw: the mechas known as Wanzers. They look cool, they serve their purpose as walking tanks that feel “realistic” and grounded to ground and sci-fi Earth warfare, and have some heft when they move. Gundams they ain’t.

Models created by Kow Yokoyama / ??? for Front Mission / ?????????(SFC – Square – 1995)https://t.co/mRF5FyfQWShttps://t.co/PH3Ah2MPch pic.twitter.com/J6FCHEm0Lx
— VGDensetsu (@VGDensetsu) April 27, 2017

So long and thanks for the memories, Front Mission. You may have been cut off by your parents, but at least your games are still playable, fan-translated, and made available for younger generations. Hopefully, they’ll know how expansive, ambitious, and incredible you were.


Dragon Ball FighterZ May Extend Its Open Beta

Due to network issues encountered during its open beta period, Bandai Namco Entertainment (BNE) may extend the duration of the test as they fix the issue. Announced via their social media channels, the official statement read:

FighterZ, the DRAGON BALL FighterZ Open Beta is experiencing network issues that cannot be addressed quickly. We’ll keep the Open Beta online but you might experience problems during gameplay. We may extend the Open Beta, more info here: https://t.co/5WMdnjzVQ5 #DBFighterzBETA pic.twitter.com/4c7EJCqhFE
â€” Bandai Namco US (@BandaiNamcoUS) January 14, 2018
Its Facebook Page also addressed the same issue with more elaborate explanation:
“Our team is working hard on optimizing the Open Beta but ran into some issues that cannot be addressed in a short amount of time, so we are asking for your patience until the next server update.”
“The current Open Beta will remain online and available so that the players who can log in and play it, can keep doing so.
Please note, that if we cannot address the issues within a decent amount of time, we will consider extending the Open Beta of Dragon Ball FighterZ.
Thank you for your support and patience as we work towards an optimal gameplay experience.”

So if you for any reason forgot to download and try out the open beta which went live over last weekend, well you’re in luck. For PlayStation 4 owners, the download file size is just a tad under 3GB so it should not put too much of a strain on your hard drive. Unsure what’s in store in the open beta? We have it covered.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is published by Bandai Namco Entertainment and will hit PS4, Xbox One and PC on the 26th January 2018. We are organizing a cool event celebrating the game’s release on the weekend of 27-28th January 2018 in Kuala Lumpur so stay tuned for more info!


Hawkeye Episode 5 Easter Eggs & Breakdown

The fifth episode of HawkeyeÂ Season 1 is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. Iâ€™ll be discussing heavy spoilers so if you havenâ€™t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, nowâ€™s your chance to stop reading.
HawkeyeÂ is an original new series set in post-blip New York City where former Avenger Clint Barton aka Hawkeye has a seemingly simple mission: get back to his family for Christmas. But when a threat from his past shows up, Hawkeye reluctantly teams up with Kate Bishop, a 22-year-old skilled archer, and his biggest fan, to unravel a criminal conspiracy.
You can check out my previous breakdowns ofÂ Hawkeye Episodes 1 and 2 here,Â Episode 3 hereÂ and Episode 4 here.
In addition, you can check out my previous breakdowns ofÂ Marvelâ€™s What Ifâ€¦? Episode 1,Â Episode 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5,Â Episode 6,Â Episode 7,Â Episode 8Â andÂ Episode 9 here.
If you havenâ€™t, you can check out my previous breakdowns and easter egg articles forÂ WandaVisionÂ Episode 1 and 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5,Â Episode 6,Â Episode 7,Â Episode 8Â andÂ Episode 9.
ForÂ The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, you can check out my previous breakdowns forÂ Episode 1,Â Episode 2Â andÂ Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5Â andÂ Episode 6.
For previous breakdowns ofÂ LokiÂ episodes, check outÂ Episode 1 here,Â Episode 2 here,Â Episode 3 here,Â Episode 4 here,Â Episode 5 hereÂ andÂ Episode 6 here.

Flashback To 2018: Yelena Belova Was A Victim Of The Blip/Thanos Snap

After the end of the Black Widow movie, Black Widow’s ongoing mission was to free all the brainwashed Widows around the world. Hawkeye Episode 5 reveals that after the events of Avengers Infinity War, she was one of the people who was a victim of the Blip/Thanos Snap.
She disappeared for five years, and when she returned, she learned the painful truth: that her sister, Natasha Romanoff, is dead.
Hawkeye Probably Takes Place Close To The Events Of Spider-Man No Way Home

When speaking with Kate Bishop after breaking into her house, Yelena Belova mentions wanting to visit a “new and improved” Statue Of Liberty. I may be spitballing here, but that could refer to the fact that the Statue Of Liberty is having Captain America’s shield attached to it, which can also be seen in Spider-Man No Way Home. This might mean that chronologically, they’re not far apart.
Yelena Confirms That She’s There To Kill Clint

Yelena tells Kate that she’s there to kill Clint Barton because she blames him for Natasha’s death (which is what we all expected and assumed for the start).
There’s A Battle Of New York Memorial At The Place Where The Avengers First Assembled

It’s sad to think; that half of the original Avengers are now gone.
Clint Reveals That Maya’s Boss (Who Might Be Kingpin) Is The One Who Wanted Her Father Dead

Clint dons the Ronin suit again and beats up the Tracksuit Mafia single-handedly. He then fights and defeats Maya Lopez/Echo before revealing to her that an informant working for her boss was the one who gave him the information on Maya’s father. So, it seems that Maya’s boss wanted her father to die.
Keep in mind that we still don’t know who Maya’s boss is. It is likely the same person she refers to as “Uncle”, who might potentially be Wilson Fisk AKA the Kingpin.
Maya Suspects Kazi Of Being That Informant

After fighting Clint, Maya meets Kazi and suspects him of being the informant that ratted out her father. The reason why is because Kazi wasn’t there when her father was killed by Ronin.
THE KINGPIN CONFIRMED

In the final scene of Hawkeye Episode 5, Kate gets a text message from Yelena, who tells her that her mother, Eleanor Bishop, was the one who hired her to kill Clint. Also, Yelena takes a picture of who Eleanor Bishop is working with, and it’s none other than Wilson Fisk AKA the Kingpin.
Vincent D’Onofrio has reprised his role as Wilson Fisk AKA the Kingpin from Netflix’s Daredevil series (yes, it is him, his name is in the credits of the episode). It’s definitely great timing on Marvel Studios’ part, especially with Spider-Man No Way Home just releasing in cinemas (no, I won’t spoil that movie here).
Now it begs the question: Is the exact same version as the one featured in three seasons of Netflix’s Daredevil, or is it a brand new one just with the same actor? We’ll have to wait and see.

This has been the biggest revelation in Hawkeye so far. We’ve only got one episode to go, folks, and we’ll hopefully see what the Kingpin’s plans are in the Hawkeye Season 1 finale next week.
Until then, excelsior!


Free Fire Celebrates Ramadan With Rewards & Activities

Garena’s international hit mobile game Free Fire has prepared a month of special campaigns to celebrate Ramadhan with the Free Fire community in Singapore. Tying in with Ramadhan events, Free Fire is once again collaborating with the beloved Malaysian celebrity Zizan Razak as part of the newly unveiled campaign, “Free Fire For All” (“Free Fire Untuk Semua” in Bahasa Melayu), that was launched today, 18 April 2022.
Developed and published globally by Garena, Free Fire has prepared a slew of exciting activities for its local community of players, also known as Survivors in the game, for the month of fasting. The collaboration with Zizan Razak and Free Fire’s broader Ramadan events are part of Garena’s commitment to delivering localised content that would resonate with the Free Fire community.
Uphold the spirit of unity with Free Fire Ramadan-themed events
Players can look forward to partaking in exciting activities and earning highly sought-after rewards this Ramadan period. This year’s events will feature two key dates – Raya Galore Day on 23 April and Hari Raya on 3 May 2022.
The string of Ramadan activities began on 16 April with a time-limited event, “Gather the Dates” aftermatch drop, which will occur daily from 7PM to 7AM during the breaking of the fast. Throughout the event, Survivors can also collect “Duit Raya” packets, which can be redeemed for Ramadan-themed items such as the Blooming Falco pet skin, along with the Falco pet itself.
Come Raya Galore Day on 23 April and Hari Raya on 3 May, Survivors will also be treated to various login bonuses and missions where they will be able to collect more themed prizes such as unique collectibles and an emote that will only be up for grabs on the two very special days. The elusive Magic Cube will also be available exclusively on Raya Day.
Return of the fan favourite Zizan Razak as Free Fire’s brand ambassador
Survivors can welcome Zizan Razak’s return as Free Fire’s brand ambassador, once again taking the spotlight as the main character in the game’s campaign film. The actor-singer-comedian, who starred in Abang Long Fadil and Polis Evo, was also the brand’s first ever Malaysia ambassador in 2021.
This collaboration is part of the overarching “Free Fire For All” campaign, which aims to foster a supportive local community for all Free Fire players across Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The campaign is set to run for five months from April to August 2022.
Free Fire ambassador, Zizan Razak, shared his thoughts about the campaign:
“The message behind this year’s Ramadhan campaign ties in with the concept of Untuk Semua (For All in English), which is about bringing together players from all walks of life through a shared experience with Free Fire.
The idea of bringing people together and unity in the local community is something I resonate with, and also seek to do through my own work, be it comedy or cinema,” he said. “I am excited to work with Free Fire again this year and look forward to seeing Free Fire players enjoying the campaign!”
Stay tuned for more updates and the latest Free Fire news on Facebook and YouTube. Free Fire can be downloaded on both the Apple iOS App and Google Play.


Discord Is Pulling The Plug On Their Free Games Program

When Discord first launched its Nitro premium subscriber program, one of the biggest selling points was unlimited access to a library of selected indie and AAA games. Surprisingly, it’s turned out that most subscribers haven’t really touched those games.
In their latest blog post, Discord has announced that they won’t be renewing the contracts to keep those games playable in the Nitro program due to the lackluster response. The team has promised to refund subscription fees to those dissuaded by this change.

“We learned a lot from all of you over the last year. Through your valuable feedback, it became clear that while we and some of you love these games, the truth is the vast majority of Nitro subscribers didnâ€™t play them.”

To compensate for the removal of this major feature, several other features in the Nitro program will be adjusted since the subscription fees will remain the same. One of them is the reduction of number of boosts needed for a server to reach Level 3 – from 50 to 20.
Current Nitro subscribers will still have access to the games until 15 October 2019. Any games purchased through the app and Nitro Game Perks will remain unaffected.
Read the official blog post here.


Animal Crossing Player Recreates Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away

Nintendo Switch players have been recreating all kinds of stuff in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but a fan from Japan has recreated the entirety of Studio Ghibli’s award-winning animated masterpiece Spirited Away.
Japanese gamerÂ TsukimaroÂ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a on Twitter) has been reenacting scenes from Spirited Away, including the scene where protagonist Chihiro loses half of her name when sheâ€™s convinced into signing a magical contract with Yubaba the witch.

Another focuses on the story of the abduction of Sen and Chihiro featuring dragon boy Haku.

Let’s not forget the mysterious and iconic No-Face.

Tsukimaro is really taking on the ambitious project of retelling Hayao Miyazakiâ€™s magnum opus. Check them out below:
Part 1: Chihiroâ€™s dad takes a fateful turn into the wood

part1 åƒå°‹ãŸã¡è¦ªåã€è¿·ã„è¾¼ã‚€
ã©ã†ã—ã¦ã‚‚æ˜ ç”»èª¿ã‚„ã‚ŠãŸã„ã®ã§ã€ã—ã°ã‚‰ãã¯ã“ã‚Œç³»çµ±ã®æŠ•ç¨¿ãŒç¶šãã¨æ€ã‚ã‚Œã¾ã™ðŸ™‡â€â™‚ï¸ãŠä»˜ãåˆã„ãã ã•ã„ã¾ã›ã€‚#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/qpUOiqEKOO
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 16, 2020
Part 2: Transformation into pigs and meeting Haku

part2 ãƒã‚¯ã¨ã®å‡ºä¼šã„
ã‚‚ã—ã‹ã™ã‚‹ã¨ã“ã‚Œã€ã™ã‚“ã”ã„é•·ç·¨ã«ãªã‚‹ã®ã§ã¯â€¦ï¼Ÿã†ãµãµ#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/SepAvfwtCd
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 16, 2020
Part 3: The bridge procession and working with Kamaji and the Soot Sprites

part3 é‡œçˆºã®ã¨ã“æ¥ãŸã‚‰ãŸã‚‰ã„å›žã—ã«ã‚ã£ãŸâ€¦
æ˜Žæ—¥ã¯ã‚†ã°ãƒ¼ã°ã®ã¨ã“ã¸ã€‚
ãŠã£ã‹ãªã„ã‚ˆã‰ðŸ˜#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/d4WQserS5u
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 17, 2020
Part 4: Signing the contract and getting encouragement from Lin

part4 æ¹¯å±‹ã¸å…¥éšŠ
ãƒªãƒ³ã•ã‚“ã£ã¦ç´ æ•µã§ã™ã‚ˆã
ã‚ã‚ã„ã†å¥³æ€§ã«æ†§ã‚Œã‚‹ðŸ˜˜
æ˜Žæ—¥ã¯è±šå°å±‹ã¨ãŠã«ãŽã‚Šã®ã‚·ãƒ¼ãƒ³ã¸ï¼#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/GpV5OEvfW6
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 18, 2020
Part 5: Finding mom and dad in the pig pen

part5 ãŠçˆ¶ã•ã‚“ã¨ãŠæ¯ã•ã‚“ã«ä¼šã†
ä»Šå›žã®ã“ã ã‚ã‚Šãƒã‚¤ãƒ³ãƒˆ
ãƒ»é‡œçˆºå¯ã¦ã‚‹ver (å¸ƒå›£ã®æŸ„ãŒæ˜ ç”»ã¨åŒã˜ï¼)ã«å¤‰æ›´
ãƒ»ã‚¹ã‚¹ãƒ¯ã‚¿ãƒªã‚ã‚‰ã‚ã‚‰verã«å¤‰æ›´
ãƒ»éš ã‚Œãƒâ—‹ã‚«ãƒ„#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/RCpOoBgW47
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 19, 2020
Part 6: The first appearance of No-Face

ã€Œåƒã¨åƒå°‹ã®ç¥žéš ã—inã‚ã¤æ£®ã€
part6 ã‚«ã‚ªãƒŠã‚·ã€å…¥ã‚Šã¾ã£ã™â™ª
#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/W2umgdj3G5
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 20, 2020
Part 7: No-Face handing out golden gratuities

ã€Œåƒã¨åƒå°‹ã®ç¥žéš ã—inã‚ã¤æ£®ã€
part 7 æ¹¯å±‹ä¸€åŒã€å¿ƒã‚’è¾¼ã‚ã¦ï¼ï¼#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/03FHbW4dhS
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 21, 2020
Part 8: No-Face going berserk

ã€Œåƒã¨åƒå°‹ã®ç¥žéš ã—inã‚ã¤æ£®ã€
part 8 ç››ã‚Šä¸ŠãŒã£ã¦å‚ã‚Šã¾ã—ãŸï¼
å¥½ããªã‚·ãƒ¼ãƒ³ãŒå¤šéŽãŽã¦é€²ã¾ãªã„ðŸ˜#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/DJypbaMl30
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 22, 2020
Part 9: The engorged No-Face, now presented as a series of wall panels, and meeting plus-sized baby Boh

ã€Œåƒã¨åƒå°‹ã®ç¥žéš ã—inã‚ã¤æ£®ã€
part 9 åŠã€ãŠã‚“ã‚‚ã¸ã®é“â€¦
ã¡ã‚‡ã£ã¨ç¾å®Ÿä¸–ç•Œã¨ã®å…¼ãåˆã„ã§ä»Šæ—¥ã¯3æžšã§ã™ðŸ˜…
åˆ¶ä½œæ™‚é–“è¶³ã‚Šãšâ€¦ç„¡å¿µðŸ˜#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/0Cf8Ps1nZQ
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 23, 2020
Part 10: Saving Haku

ã€Œ åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã®ç¥žéš ã—inã‚ã¤æ£® ã€
part 10 ãƒã‚¯ã‚’åŠ©ã‘ãŸã„â€¦
çµ‚ã‚ã‚ŠãŒè¿‘ã¥ã„ã¦å‚ã‚Šã¾ã—ãŸã‚“ðŸ¥º#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/BEEuOe7258
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 24, 2020
Part 11: The famous train ride and ocean scenes

ã€Œ åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã®ç¥žéš ã—inã‚ã¤æ£® ã€
part 11 æ²¼ã®åº•
ç››ã‚Šä¸ŠãŒã£ã¦ãŸã‚·ãƒ¼ãƒ³ã‹ã‚‰ä¸€è»¢ã€ã—ã£ã¨ã‚Šã—ãŸé›°å›²æ°—ã«â€¦#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/9wKBwjzMNF
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 25, 2020
Part 12: Chihiro learns Hakuâ€™s real name

ã€Œ åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã®ç¥žéš ã—inã‚ã¤æ£® ã€
part 12 æœ¬å½“ã®åå‰ã¯â€¦ï¼Ÿ
æœ€è¿‘ã¡ã‚‡ã£ã¨å¿™ã—ããªã£ã¦ãã¦2æžšã§ã™â€¦
ã“ã ã‚ã‚Šã™ãŽã¦é€²ã¿ãŒé…ã„ðŸ˜‚
ã ã£ã¦ç´ æ•µãªã‚·ãƒ¼ãƒ³ã ã‹ã‚‰ï¼ï¼#ã‚ã¤æ£®ã€€#ã©ã†ã¶ã¤ã®æ£®ã€€#ACNH #åƒã¨åƒå°‹ã€€#ã‚¸ãƒ–ãƒª pic.twitter.com/y2wJPK5RSA
â€” ã¤ãã¾ã‚ (@HUb0E61kOpP3F0a) May 26, 2020


Steam Tweaks Auto-Updating In Response To Covid-19

To reduce the strain on internet bandwidth during this time of social isolation, Valve is making tweaks to Steam’s auto-update function.
Steam will now prioritize games that were played during the last three days for immediate updates. Games that haven’t been played recently will instead have their updates scheduled for “the next off-peak local time period”.
“As always, the game will begin updating immediately if you request to play it, and you can always initiate an update (or pause it indefinitely) through the Download Manager,” says the post. “Weâ€™re also looking into additional solutions to help on our side.”
Valve also reminded Steam users of the downloading options they’ve access to, like scheduling auto-update windows, disabling auto-updates for a game, and self-throttling. They also encouraged gamers to move “move infrequently-played games from an SSD to a storage HDD” with the Library Folders settings instead of uninstalling and redownloading them in the future.
It’s nowhere near as drastic as what Netflix did, but it’s still good to see Valve doing something. With Steam’s peak user counts hitting record numbers, it’d be surprising if they didn’t do anything.


Team17’s Post-Apocalyptic RPG Broken Roads Drops In 2022

Team17 and Drop Bear Bytes have today confirmed the development ofÂ Broken Roads, an original and narrative-rich, isometric, turn-based role-playing game set in an unforgiving, post-apocalyptic Western Australia.
It is set to launch on Steam and console platforms sometime in 2022.

Broken Roads presents a post-apocalypse with real-world locations and landmarks serving as the backdrop for the complex stories of Australiaâ€™s survivors. At the heart ofÂ Broken Roadsâ€™Â thoughtful and mature storylines is a deep and meaningful morality system â€“ the Moral Compass â€“ that influences quests, dialogue, and character development.
The system is shaped along four different philosophical paths: Humanist, Utilitarian, Machiavellian, and Nihilist, each with its own unique traits. As the journey begins, players will be asked a series of questions â€“ moral quandaries â€“ that determine their starting position on the compass.
Decisions made throughout the game will then shift their philosophical leaning and affect future choices, quests, and reactions from the people they meet.

Broken Roads Key Features

Deep and compelling:Â Broken RoadsÂ builds on classic single-player role-playing games, blending traditional gameplay with original mechanics and experiences.
Moral Compass: A unique system that influences both story and gameplay as the plot unfolds.
Authentic setting: Explore real-world locations across a post-apocalyptic Western Australia filled with intriguing and emotional stories.
Unique visual and musical styles:Â Hand-drawn visuals and a soundtrack composed with instruments constructed from everyday objects help make the world ofÂ Broken RoadsÂ vibrant and alive.

Broken RoadsÂ isÂ now available to WishlistÂ on Steam. To keep up to date with all the information onÂ Broken Roads you canÂ follow Team17Â and theÂ officialÂ Broken RoadsÂ Twitter.


Joker 2 Confirmed, Gets Official Title

Joker director Todd Phillips has confirmed that Joker 2 is in the works. The sequel to 2019’s Joker will be titled Joker Folie à Deux, which was revealed on his Instagram page.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Todd Phillips (@toddphillips)

In the meantime, check out our review of Joker here, or head on over here to check out all the easter eggs we discovered in the movie.


Check Out New Gameplay Footage Of Atelier Ryza 2 And Ciel/Ar nosurge DX

Tecmo Koei and Gust recently showcased new gameplay and merchandise announcements for two of their JRPG/life simulation titles: the thicc Atelier Ryza 2 and Ciel nosurge DX/Ar nosurge DX double pack for PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
We’ve done a supercut of the gameplay and promo bits so you can blaze through them just fine. Go check it out:
Atelier Ryza 2

Some key points (via @bk2128)

Avant Title (opening) movie trailer.
Ending song is “Hands” by 18-years-old Kotone.
Game release events will be held at Akihabara & Osaka.
AR2 Ryza 1/7 figure will be out in Summer 2021.

Ciel nosurge DX/Ar nosurge DX

Ciel/Ar nosurge DX highlights (via @bk2128)

Buying each physical copy will come with a bonus Drama CD.
IRL items exclusive to each store chain in Japan.
An illustration contest is going to be held, and the winners will be actually included in the game’s gallery mode.


Flash Axle Sports Crowned Runner-Up At Le Mans Last Weekend

Flash Axle Sports have earned their first piece of silverware in the newly minted partnership ahead of the 24-hour race at Le Mans which took place on 26 June 2021. Car #11 managed to hold on to their qualifying position and finished in 2nd place behind the Italian team, Wave Freem eSports at the Circuito de la Sarthe in the final race of the global Esport Endurance Series (EES).
Car #11, piloted by Mohammad Aleef â€˜Hamiltonâ€™ (SIN), Naquib Azlan (MAS) and Mikko Nassi (FIN), was leading the race at the 10-hour mark. However, an accident while overtaking a backmarker and a separate incident in the wet cost the team valuable time in the pits, ultimately relegating them to 2nd place by the end of the 24-hour race. Car #12 crashed at the halfway mark and was unable to finish the race.Â
Axle Sports founder and ex-Formula 1 driver Alex Yoong said,
â€œThe team did well to finish P2 with all things considered.
It was a challenging race to start with and racing in the wet only made it even tougher.
Iâ€™m proud of the way we recovered after each incident in the race and managed to earn the second spot on the podium.
A win was definitely on the cards but ultimately we showed that we can compete among the worldâ€™s best and we are optimistic for future races to come.
We could not have asked for a better start to our partnership with Team Flash.â€Â
Team Flash Chief Executive Officer Mark Chew said:
â€œWe are proud of what Flash Axle Sports have achieved on their first race as partners, and it proves that we have the talent to fight for race wins on a global level.
The result affirms our confidence in the partnership between Team Flash and Axle Sports and we look forward to participating in more international E-Racing events in the future.â€
Flash Axle Sports will compete in the upcoming StÃ©phane Ratel Organisation (SRO) GT World Challenge Esports Asia Endurance Series taking place on 17 July around the virtual Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales Australia. The hot lap qualifying sessions will run from 5-11 July to determine their place on the grid.Â
Flash Axle Sports will look to compete over three rounds among the best teams in Asia. The GT World Challenge Esports Championship is a global virtual racing initiative organised by SRO Motorsports Group with each event streamed live across YouTube, Twitch and Facebook, with expert broadcast teams guiding fans throughout the action.
Team Flash and Axle Sports originally announced their partnership last week, only one day before the Le Mans race took place.
https://www.facebook.com/axlemotorsport/photos/a.10156305555124002/10159436650589002/


Overwatch 2 Will Only Have 5 Players Per Team Instead Of 6

Activision Blizzard just hosted its Overwatch 2 Player VS Player livestream update, and it’s a doozy for those used to the 6v6 format.
According to the new Overwatch game director Aaron Keller, the teams in Overwatch 2’s PvP will be reduced from 6 players to 5.
“Overwatch has changed over time. Weâ€™ve gone from having no hero limits…to having a hero limit. We ended up introducing a role lock over the course of the game. We feel like this is the next step in the way Overwatch ought to be played.”
So instead of a 2-2-2 format (support, damage, tank), teams will now have just 1 tank to accompany the 2 support and 2 damage heroes. In addition, a new team mode is introduced: Push.
In Push, two teams fight for control over a robot named T.W.OP. who will push a special barricade for the team controlling it. Whoever has their barricade pushed the furthest wins.

Character Changes In Overwatch 2
Yep, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for: hero buffs & nerfs. Here are the following noteworthy changes:

Mei will get an Endothermic Blaster, which slows enemies and deals additional damage, but no longer freezes enemies in place.
Winston now has a Tesla Cannon alternate fire. Holding alternate fire charges a single longer-ranged blast of lightning.
Zarya has two charges on her Bubble Shield ability.
Reinhardt has two Firestrike charges.
All support players have a passive healing effect.
All tanks take less damage and have defense buffs.

Further experimentation required.
All new abilities updates for Winston’s Tesla Cannon and Mei’s Endothermic Blaster coming to Overwatch 2. pic.twitter.com/adGLsGYLD2
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) May 20, 2021

It’ll be interesting to see how the Overwatch League and competitive play as a whole will react to these changes, especially since off-tank players will be losing their jobs. Me personally? I just want to see a single-player campaign that offers a ton of customizability and game-breaking powerups like in all three StarCraft 2 single-player campaigns.
For now, here are a few comments from players all across the ‘net.
Comment from discussion Revoldt’s comment from discussion "Game Director Aaron Keller confirms OW2 will be played 5v5, changing from 6v6.".

Comment from discussion .

https://twitter.com/tusktooths/status/1395474094418706435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1395474094418706435%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcgamer.com%2Ftank-players-are-nervous-about-overwatch-2s-5v5-future%2F


Diablo IV Director & Other Higher-Ups No Longer At Activision Blizzard

More high profile departures are happening amidst the Activision Blizzard lawsuit.
Diablo IV game director Luis Barriga, lead designer Jesse McCree, and World of Warcraft designer Jonathan LeCraft were recently left go from the company this week via sources from Kotaku. The news was delivered to development teams but weren’t officially announced. Activision Blizzard did not give a reason for the departures.
On a related note, Jesse McCree was one of the several and former Blizzard developers who appeared in an image of a BlizzCon 2013 “Cosby Suite” obtained by Kotaku.