NBA 2K22 Trailer Unveils New Gameplay Improvements

2K and Visual Concepts have revealed an in-depth look at the gameplay updates for NBA 2K22, detailing an ambitious feature list that includes faster-paced gameplay, tighter and more responsive movement, more skill-based offense, changes to the player builder, and much more.
Visual Concepts Gameplay Director Mike Wang said:
â€œFrom the outset, our goal was to create fun and competitive gameplay that ensuresÂ NBA 2K22 delivers one of the most authentic sports gaming experiences out there.
This year, working with our community, we utilized direct feedback to address some of the key changes they are looking for and deliver a number of new gameplay enhancements that will further elevate the experience in this yearâ€™s game.â€
NBA 2K22Â introduces a variety of new gameplay innovations, including:

Defense & Defensive AI: Completely rebuilt shot contest and blocking systems, a significant update to the fundamental defensive rotations, and much more;

Dribbling: Players will experience a unique feel and rhythm when sizing up, significantly faster overall pace and much tighter control in navigating the court, and a ton of other new combos, cancels, and move chains;

Post Play: Upgrades highlight loads of new content, including new movement and a new arsenal of back-to-basket moves;

Shooting: Thereâ€™s a new shot meter that will dynamically expand when players take high-quality shots with good shooters but will shrink when heavily contested, shooting with a low-rated shooter, or fatigued.Â NBA 2K22Â puts more emphasis on Shot IQ, meaning the teams that work for open looks and take smart shots are going to see much more success than the teams that force up bad shots;

Finishing: Along with a focus on creating more of a skill gap for finishing at the rim, players can also completely customize their dunk repertoire with an all-new Dunk Style Creator;

Builds, Badges & Takeover: Adjustments to create more balanced builds, and an increase of the total badge count to 80, offer many ways for players to impact the game. Additionally,Â NBA 2K22Â for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles introduces Takeover Perks*, which you can unlock to strengthen your existing Takeover abilities.

For full details on the latest gameplay innovations coming toÂ NBA 2K22, you can check out the latest Courtside Report.
NBA 2K22 is currently scheduled for release on 10 September 2021 for PS5 and PS4, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. You can follow NBA 2K22Â onÂ TikTok,Â Instagram,Â Twitter,Â YouTube, andÂ FacebookÂ for the latest news.


New Steam Feature Will Allow Local Multiplayer Games To Be Played Online

It’s already 2019 but some studios are still making games with local-only multiplayer. River City Girls and Cat Quest II are two titles that come to mind. Worry not because Steam is here to save the day with an upcoming feature that will let us play local multiplayer games online.

Remote Play Together is the name of the feature and the beta will launch sometime around 21 October 2019. Using a Steam Overlay, you’ll be able to plug in an online second player for any game that offers local multiplayer. The second player doesn’t have to own the game. All they have to do is invite the first player’s (owner of the game) invitation to play.

The feature will detect the second player’s controller as if they’re plugged directly into the host’s computer. The host can choose to allow or block inputs to their shared keyboard and mouse.

Remote Play Together will support up to 4 players for playing games at 1080p 60fps. Do note that you’ll a need connection speed of at least 10Mbps to ensure that your multiplayer session doesn’t lag. The results may vary according to each player’s respective internet speeds. Well, that’s just like online multiplayer basically.
To read the full forum post from the game developer who got the email from Steam, read here.
Thanks, Kotaku.


Something Awesome Is Coming Up ….

Keep your calendars clear on the weekend of 27th – 28th January 2018 folks, as we have something awesome in the pipeline. We can’t reveal much at the moment; just this teaser poster so put your tin foil hats on and start speculating!

Stay tuned to Kakuchopurei.com for more info and stay updated to everything by following us on Twitter and liking our Facebook page.


Guess Who’s Top Tier In SoulCalibur 6 According To Singapore’s Finest?

Fighting game tier lists are a dime a dozen; truth be told are just references and guidelines, not the bible truth. However, they can be a great asset for those wanting to win by using the best characters with the best fundamentals and tools for dominating the game.
Case in point: this recent SoulCalibur 6 tier list from Singapore’s top players Jovian “Shen Chan” Chan and Raymus “Shen Yuan”. Here it is:
God Tier: Raphael, Mitsurugi
Top Tier: Siegfried Azwel, Xianghua, Ivy, Seong Mina, Groh, Yoshimitsu, Kilik, Talim, Voldo
Mid Tier: Maxi, Nightmare, 2B, Zasalamel, Cervantes, Sophitia, Geralt, Taki
Mid Tier, Has Weaknesses: Astaroth, Tira

Keep in mind that this is a tier list crafted by pro players based on their tournament experiences on a local and overseas perspective. Jovian Chan also put in his own 2 cents over some picks, particularly for Groh, Mitsurugi, Yoshimitsu, Zasalamel, and Cervantes.

We placed Groh there right in the middle because we feel Groh plays the player, not necessarily the game.
As for Mitsu and Yoshi, we faced some of the best in the world and just by having an i12 CE makes him far more threatening in small play. Other factors involved of course.
— Jovian Chan @ FFXIV (@ShenChanSG) January 11, 2019

Both Zas and Cerv requires a specialist and alot of MU knowledge to play well.
For Geralt, it may be a case of the character being a little bit too boring for many.
— Jovian Chan @ FFXIV (@ShenChanSG) January 11, 2019

I’m down with this tier list; at least my mains Seung Mina and Sophitia are pretty much where they’re supposed to be. What do you guys and gals think?


EA Sports Releasing World Cup Update for FIFA 18

In a rare, customer-first move by Electronic Arts, EA Sports announced last night that instead of releasing a standalone FIFA World Cup game as they do every time the world’s largest sporting event comes rolling in, FIFA 18 will be receiving the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia update instead. For free!

FIFA #WorldCup x @EASPORTSFIFA âš½ï¸ðŸŽ®
Introducing the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russiaâ„¢ update for EA SPORTSâ„¢ FIFA 18 – available to download for free from 29 May! pic.twitter.com/ujYsXOPLv2
â€” FIFA World Cup ðŸ† (@FIFAWorldCup) April 30, 2018
While not much info was revealed apart from its release date, we expect to see special World Cup mode in it, along with a ‘Road to World Cup’ which allow players to take their favorite nations from the qualifying rounds, all the way to Russia. Fans of Italy won’t wanna miss it!
We are also expecting a World Cup Ultimate Team mode for those who play FIFA solely on that highly addictive mode.


Two More Leagues Join PES2019’s Impressive License List

Two more leagues – the Russian and Dutch leagues have joined Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 impressive league lineup. Announced via Konami’s official Twitter account, this new announcement adds 34 more teams to the game’s list of fully-licensed clubs

Another league confirmed for #PES2019…
The Eredivisie will be fully licensed, adding 18 sides for you to use! ðŸ‡³ðŸ‡±#ThePowerofFootball pic.twitter.com/vYhBbAO4Ko
â€” Konami UK (@KonamiUK) July 26, 2018Â Â

16 teams. Available ONLY in #PES2019. #ThePowerofFootball ðŸ‡·ðŸ‡º pic.twitter.com/SPI7uVfbEj
â€” Konami UK (@KonamiUK) July 26, 2018
Having missed out on the UEFA Champions League license to their rival – EA Sports’ FIFA 2019, PES 2019 have been aggressive in buffing up their game this year, with tons of new additional licensing deals on top of an impressive lineup of new features such asÂ 11 new skills including Bobby Firminoâ€™s no-look pass, controlled chip and dipping shot.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLV23n5bJJM&w=560&h=315]
If you are still on the fence, they keep a lookout for next week as the demo of the game is set to hit PS4, Xbox One and PC.


Anthem’s Cataclysm Expansion Is Now Live, 3 Months Too Late

It’s finally here. Anthem‘s long awaited potentially game-saving expansion Cataclysm has gone live. The expansion comes with new story missions, Cataclysm-themed events, and more tweaks and fixes.
For now, it’s too early to say whether or not the update will redeem Bioware’s looter shooter but for everyone who owns the game, it’s definitely a good reason to return to the game and check out all the cool new stuff.
It’s worth noting that the Cataclysm event will be happening for multiple weeks and new puzzles, challenges, and arenas will be unlocked each week. Complete the challenges to acquire crystals and use them to buy time-limited Legendary gear.

Here’s a basic rundown of what goes on in Cataclysm:
Someone has started storms that threatens to destroy reality itself. You and your pals must venture into a new area called the Cataclysm and stop those aforementioned storms. The more storms you stop, the more gear you can get.
Things aren’t all that straightforward. The storms will damage your Javelins and if left unchecked, will instantly destroy you. There will be time limits for you to complete the challenges and each time you manage to stop one storm, more time is added to the timer.
A new element introduced together with the update are Inversions. Inversions are basically buffs and debuffs that will be applied to your Javelin while you’re carrying out missions in the Cataclysm. Two inversions will be active each week.

One example of a positive Inversion is called On the Edge which increases the damage you deal when you have low armour.

Aside from everything mentioned above, there are tons of other changes and adjustments made in the game including the introduction of three new weapon classes, difficulty changes, new gear pieces, and more.
Despite being 3 months late, this update could possibly restore players’ faith in Anthem. The staggering amount of changes and new content clearly shows that EA and Bioware haven’t given up on the game despite all the painful (and completely deserved) criticism.
For a full list of Inversions, new gear, and every other changes and tweaks, check out the full patch notes here.
Anthem is currently available for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The Cataclysm expansion comes in a free update for all owners of the game.


Evo 2021 Online: Full Livestream Schedule For Southeast Asia Time [Update]

Update (15/8/2021) – Added in results & videos for the second week.
Update (9/8/2021) – Added in results & videos for the first week.

It’s high time the world witnesses the best in fighting game skill, so it’s good that the Evolution Championship Series has sorted its kerfuffles out last year and are back in full force for 2021.
The featured fighting games for EVO 2021 are Tekken 7, Street Fighter 5, Guilty Gear Strive, Skullgirls 2nd Encore, and Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate. The tournament is offering up over US$75,000 in prize pools and is going to be run by new owners/management Sony and RTS. It will take place from 6th to 8th August, and 13th to 15th August.
All updates will be on the event’s Smash.gg registration pages. We’ll list down the main event livestream timings for your convenience here. All times will be GMT+8 (Malaysia, Singapore, Phillippines).
EVO 2021 Livestream Schedule

Stream Links: https://www.twitch.tv/evo
Week 1
7th August (Saturday)
Skullgirls Top 8 Asia Region– 6.30pm
MK 11 Ultimate Top 8 EU Region– 10pm
8th August (Sunday)
Street Fighter 5 Top 4 EU Region (East)-Â  1am
Street Fighter 5 Top 4 EU Region (West) -Â  3am
Guilty Gear Strive Top 8 LATAM Region -Â  5am
Tekken 7 Top 8 North America Region – 8:30am
Tekken 7 Top 4 Asia Region (South) – 6:30pm
Tekken 7 Top 4 Asia Region (East) – 8pm
Guilty Gear Strive Top 8 EU Region – 10pm
9th August (Monday)
MK11 Ultimate Top 8 LATAM Region – 1am
Skullgirls 2nd Encore Top 8 NA Region -Â  5am
Street Fighter 5 Top 4 North America (East) – 8:30am
Street Fighter 5 Top 4 North America (West) – 10am

Week 2
14th(Saturday)
Guilty Gear Strive Top 8 Asia Region – 6:30pm
Skullgirls 2nd Encore Top 8 EU Region – 10pm
15th August (Sunday)
Street Fighter 5 Top 4 LATAM Region (Central) – 1:30am
Street Fighter 5 Top 4 LATAM Region (South) – 3am
Tekken 7 Top 4 LATAM Region (Central) – 5am
Street Fighter 5 Top 4 LATAM (West) – 6:30am
MK11 Ultimate Top 8 North America – 8:30am
Street Fighter 5 Top 4 Asia Region (SEA) – 6:30pm
Street Fighter 5 Top 4 Asia Region (East) – 8pm
Tekken 7 Top 4 EU Region (East) – 10pm
Tekken 7 Top 4 EU Region (West) – 11:30pm
16th August (Monday)
Skullgirls 2nd Encore Top 8 LATAM Region – 1am
Guilty Gear Strive Top 8 North America Region – 5am

EVO 2021 Results (via Eventhubs)
GG Strive North America
1. Hotashi (Nagoriyuki)
2. EG|SonicFox (Leo)
3. DZ|Jonathan Tene (Sol)
4. BC|LordKnight (Millia)
5. MWM|Macho (Zato-1)
5. TempestNYC (May)
7. Supernoon (Ramlethal)
7. CATPION|Deb (Sol)
GG Strive EU
1. TSM|Leffen (Chipp)
2. RL|Uriel Legion (Nagoriyuki)
3. Kurokich (Potemkin)
4. MG|KenDeep (I-No)
5. Armix27 (Ramlethal)
5. Dai567 (Nagoriyuki)
7. BarryBones (Axl)
7. Alioune (Millia)
GG Strive LATAM
1. Trema (Chipp)
2. MikeSaftig (Sol)
3. HDG|Younghou (Potemkin)
4. Rigama (Millia)
5. BT|Kaneki (Ky)
5. Aracne|VermiCL (May)
7. MN|TavinhoAC (Giovanna)
7. Pochoclo23 (Millia)
GG Strive Asia
1. Xyzzy (Axl)
2. Daru (I-No)
3. BNBBN (Sol)
4. Yuki (Nagoriyuki)
5. TY (Giovanna)
5. BC|Kazunoko (Chipp)
7. Samitto (Chipp)
7. Naoto (Sol)
SF5 Southeast Asia
1. RZR|Xian (Seth)
2. Chuan (Guile)
3. SIN|Brandon (Akuma)
4. Hikari (Chun-Li, Juri)
5. OMG_Sesame (Blanka, E. Honda)
5. uP|KiteOrca (E. Honda)
7. Dixon (M. Bison)
7. fit3amir (Gill)
SF5 Asia East
1. G8S|Kawano (Kolin)
2. YHC-Mochi (Dhalsim)
3. RB|Bonchan (Nash, Karin, Sagat)
4. G8S|Pugera (Balrog)
5. MIRAE|Armperor (Seth, M. Bison)
5. Saishunkan|Nemo (Gill, Urien)
7. AMG|Yu-Sama (Necalli)
7. FAV|Sako (Menat, G)
SF5 North America West
1. Nephew (Kolin, Sakura, Rose)
2. Samurai (Akuma, Ryu)
3. Jot (Menat, Seth)
4. UYU|ChrisCCH (Sakura, Seth)
5. Iquita (Dhalsim)
5. Commander Jesse (Dhalsim, Kolin)
7. EQNX|Brian_F (Balrog)
7. Stupendous (Balrog, Zangief)
SF5 North America East
1. iDom (Poison, Laura)
2. PG|Punk (Karin, Chun-Li)
3. Rise|Smug (G, Balrog)
4. RobTV (Karin)
5. END|Shine (Ibuki, Cody)
5. Joey (R. Mika)
7. Magnegro (Birdie)
7. THG|Ogyawn (Laura)
SF5 Europe West
1. Hurricane (Cammy)
2. Mouz|Problem X (E. Honda, M. Bison)
3. BST|Infexious (Zeku)
4. Musclenoob (Ken)
5. GunSlinga (Zeku)
5. Mopuulapo (Balrog)
7. GO|Luffy (R. Mika)
7. Brian (Sakura, Necalli)
SF5 Europe East
1. JamieTTM (E. Honda, Alex)
2. WC|VulcanoRosso (Guile, Ryu, Poison)
3. DrGullag (Laura)
4. Maumas (Alex)
5. LoHii (Urien)
5. Kalmal09 (Sagat)
7. Kajis (Juri)
7. Hydramarine (Urien, Gill)
SF5 LATAM
1. HorusPaulin (Ed)
2. Dark (G)
3. VF|DidimoKOF (Dhalsim)
4. ETC|Shank5 (Ryu)
5. GC|Gust (E. Honda)
5. Neguinho (M. Bison, Alex)
7. UB|Celfcool (Urien)
7. Pauloweb (Laura, Poison)
Tekken 7 Asia East
1. DUSG|Gen (Lidia)
2. THY|Chikurin (Geese, Jin, Lidia, Leroy)
3. JDCR (Armor King)
4. DUSG|Rangchu (Julia)
5. B-Kun (Kunimitsu)
5. Talon|Kkokkoma (Feng)
7. Hazure Metal (Gigas)
7. ROX|Chanel (Zafina)
Tekken 7 Asia South
1. Talon|Book (Lidia)
2. Omega|Jules (Jin, Paul, Marduk)
3. Lan (Julia)
4. BREN|Maru (Kazumi)
5. Chongibears
5. MSC|UncleBen (Shaheen)
7. Juiestorm (Nina)
7. PBE|AK
Tekken 7 North America
1. Disrupt|Shadow20z (Zafina, Claudio, Anna)
2. IG|Averiey RiB (Jin, Leroy)
3. Nfinite|Binchang (Heihachi, Leroy, Fahkumram)
4. 1L2P|Mak (Bob)
5. RB|Anakin (Jack-7)
5. Disrupt|Joonya20z (Eliza, Katarina)
7. EQNX|CuddleCore (Alisa)
7. PrinceBlaviken (Lars, Lidia, Negan)
Tekken 7 EU West
1. CRaZY|SuperAkouma (Akuma)
2. JoKa (Feng, Heihachi, Devil Jin, Bob)
3. Fuhito (Kunimitsu)
4. GL|Tetsu (Claudio)
5. DEUS|Kalak (Lili, Lidia)
5. DEUS|D.F.P. (Paul)
7. mYi|Kirakira (Eliza, Kunimitsu)
7. G (Gigas)
Tekken 7 EU East
1. LMG|MoB (Lars)
2. Why (Akuma)
3. Frizen (Steve)
4. Bmblb (Kunimitsu)
5. th3_iNfection (King)
5. H-Dope (Geese)
7. Mickey (Bryan)
7. VaanGR (Anna)
Tekken 7 LATAM South
1. Sergie Mazter (Kazuya, Zafina)
2. ROX|Abel Del Maestro (Eliza, Eddy)
3. BH|Jackson Five (JACK-7, Negan)
4. WYG|XD La Maldita (Miguel, Marduk)
5. OSD|Kangaxx (Bryan, Lidia)
5. NeNe (Kazuya)
7. NF|JeClovia (Jin)
7. VAL|Drugzor (Jin)
Tekken 7 LATAM Central
1. EnergieMarduk (Marduk, Fahkumram)
2. ABA|Heizama (Heihachi)
3. MT|ElTondoX (Kazuya)
4. TL|DivineExorcist4 (Claudio)
5. Bbaez (Asuka)
5. GeeseJoestar (Geese)
7. Moy-Kusanagi (Hwoarang)
7. Heisenberg (Eddy)
MK 11 North America
1. Ninjakilla212 (Liu Kang, Fujin, Spawn)
2. Jueks- (Jacqui)
3. OD|FullAuto (Sindel)
4. Hayatei (Fujin)
5. STG|Hijinx (Jacqui, Cetrion)
5. Sooneo (Robocop)
7. MCG|BigDaddyG (Sonya Blade)
7. Splash (Baraka, Kung Lao)
MK11 LATAM
1. VG|Konqueror249 (Sub-Zero, Rain)
2. Venon|KillerXinok (Jacqui, Spawn)
3. BA|SRyuPainFZ (Kung Lao, Kabal, Kano)
4. Broseph (Shao Kahn)
5. GBRibeiro4 (Jacqui)
5. FSN|Kcd117 (Robocop)
7. Dash (Erron Black, Terminator)
7. GuiExceptional (Kano)
MK11 EU
1. MEG|Disarted (Sub-Zero, Shang Tsung)
2. K-TOP (Jacqui)
3. MakoraN (Skarlet, Cetrion)
4. WIZ|MKJavierMK (Scorpion, Sub-Zero)
5. EE|Asodimazze (Cetrion)
5. RIZE|Murko (Scorpion)
7. Serious|Hitman (Terminator)
7. ArnKratos (Shang Tsung, Noob Saibot)
Skullgirls North America
1. RW|Cloud (Valentine, Cerebrella, Double | Ms. Fortune, Annie, Cerebrella)
2. Triviality (Peacock, Robo-Fortune, Squigly)
3. EG|Dekillsage (Filia, Annie, Big Band)
4. EG|SonicFox (Annie, Robo-Fortune, Filia | Annie)
5. ShakyFingers (Robo-Fortune, Big Band, Cerebrella)
5. HMQ|FuzzySnugs (Double, Squigly, Eliza)
7. AM|Swiftfox-Dash (Peacock, Cerebrella)
7. DawnHibiki (Fukua, Cerebrella, Annie)
Skullgirls Asia
1. Penpen (Ms. Fortune, Annie, Fukua)
2. Naminori (Filia, Robo-Fortune, Painwheel)
3. SGPH|Rznant (Robo-Fortune, Annie, Big Band)
4. Hiroshige (Painwheel, Cerebrella, Big Band)
5. OldHung (Cerebrella, Annie, Double)
5. Koto-ichigo (Peacock, Cerebrella, Fukua)
7. KST (Peacock, Cerebrella, Big Band)
7. Hebiniwasan (Squigly)
Skullgirls LATAM
1. Receita Federal (Peacock, Big Band, Double | Others)
2. JorjÃ£o (Peacock, Beowulf, Big Band | Annie, Beowulf, Big Band)
3. Noaa (Parasoul, Painwheel, Double)
4. Kyrian (Big Band)
5. MI|Tiago (Beowulf, Cerebrella, Big Band | Cerebella, Big Band | Beowulf, Cerebella)
5. Milk Pouch (Annie, Robo-Fortune, Parasoul)
7. SGBR|Hime (Double, Peacock, Painwheel)
7. LDG|Aristal (Eliza, Annie, Parasoul)
Skullgirls EU
1. Mr. Peck (Peacock, Robo-Fortune, Parasoul)
2. Mr. Bors (Parasoul, Painwheel, Double)
3. Magic (Beowullf, Cerebella, Big Band)
4. Izzmo (Valentine, Annie, Eliza)
5. Gone2Heaven (Eliza, Painwheel)
5. Ranger (Filia, Cerebella | Others)
7. TheLaboratory (Beowulf, Peacock, Big Band)
7. Sanji (Big Band, Peacock, Beowulf)

EVO 2021 Highlight Videos


The Sims 4 Is Getting Its Own Reality TV Show

Building nice houses and creating crazy tales in The Sims 4 may not be esports material, but it can be competitive in a way. EA is banking on this since it has announced plans on making a competitive reality TV show out of the game.
The upcoming reality TV show is called The Sims Spark’d and is going to be aired on America’s TBS channel next week. The show will give contestants challenges they’ll need to overcome by putting together unique characters and stories, all within a 2-hour time limit.

The Sims Spark'd is redefining reality competition!! Spark'd is a brand new show where Simmers take on challenges to create unique characters, amazing builds, and compelling stories in the hopes of impressing the judges! https://t.co/zb5lavPXWV #TheSimsSparkd pic.twitter.com/dELZQ6UdWr
— The Sims (@TheSims) July 8, 2020

There’s no news about what the criteria for the contests are, but it’s refreshing to hear about an idea for a video game contest being determined by something other than quick reflexes and kill counts.
Who are the contestants who will be on this TV show? So far, we have YouTube content creators like Docter Ashley and Xmiramira, who will be competing for US$100,000. The judges will be Sims 4 YouTube content creator Kelsey Impicciche, singer-songwriter Tayla Parx, and Maxis producer Dave Miokte.
As a bonus for Sims 4 fans, EA will be hosting some in-game challenges to let players compete for a chance to star in a future season of The Sims Spark’d. This will start on 17th July.
Since we don’t have TBS here, we can tune to the show via Buzzfeed Multiplayer’s YouTube channel on Mondays (PST).


Pros React To Overwatch League’s 2-2-2 Role Lock

Overwatch esports are known for their fast-paced and flashy matches but it hasn’t been that way for several months now. The current meta forced Overwatch League pros into relying on the GOATS playstyle (comprising of threeÂ tank heroes and three support heroes), a slow and overly-meticulous gameplay strategy that makes for less-exciting matches.
Thanks to Overwatch League fan complaints, Blizzard might finally be returning the game’s meta back to an older but more popular format: 2-2-2 (comprising of two tanks, two supports, and two damage-dealers). While this has yet to be confirmed by the company, some pros (like former pro Chan-hyung â€œFissureâ€ Baek) have attested to its truth.
In a recent video, New York Excelsior’s Jong-ryeol â€œSaebyeolbeâ€ Park, had this to say about GOATS and how it has affected his performance as a pro player in the past few months or so.

“I’ve been benched as a substitute for a long time, and there were times that were really hard for me.
It felt like GOATS wasn’t going to end.
My best hero is Tracer, and when I couldn’t play her anymore, I felt empty inside.
It hit me hard. When things got really tough on me, I did think about quitting.
It felt like everybody except me was making strides. The skill gap continued to get wider, that’s just the reality.

At the end of the video, Park revealed that he’s been practicing with the damage-dealer hero Sombra now. The character is now gaining popularity amongst pros and will hopefully bring a spark to Overwatch League matches once again.
In the meantime, check out New York Excelsior’s Jong-ryeol â€œSaebyeolbeâ€ Park in the video below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmMPmznFUMk&w=560&h=315]


ONE Esports Partners With Foodpanda For Dota 2 Esports Docuseries Heroes Of The Game

ONE Esports, a subsidiary of Group ONE Holdings (ONE), has entered a partnership with online food and grocery delivery platform foodpanda to create a new multi-part docuseries about the ONE Esports Dota 2 Singapore Major held in March this year.
TheÂ Heroes of the GameÂ docuseries features exclusive never-before-seen footage, including behind-the-scenes strategies, victories, secrets, and challenges, that the esports heroes had to face during one of the biggest tournaments in the Dota 2 series. The two-part documentary follows three teams as they compete as the ONE Esports Dota 2 Singapore Major: Evil Geniuses, Fnatic, and OB Neon.
Viewers get a behind-the-scenes look from inside the â€œbubbleâ€ at the Fairmont hotel in Singapore as the world deals with COVID-19. Exclusive interviews with players, coaches, and industry veterans tell the story of the highs and lows of their journey through the tournament, which had a prize pool of US$500,000. The Singapore Major is one of two majors that enables teams to qualify for The International, which will be held in Romania in October 2021 with a prize pool of over US$40,000,000.
Carlos Alimurung, CEO of ONE Esports, said:

â€œWe are delighted to continue our partnership with foodpanda. We are not only immortalising the iconic ONE Esports Dota 2 Singapore Major in film through the docuseries, Heroes of the Game, but also giving viewers an inside look at what it takes to compete at the highest level of esports.
The docuseries combines entertaining and exciting footage with dramatic storytelling that appeals not only to Dota 2 fans, but the wider gaming and esports communities.â€

Foodpanda Vice-President of Growth and Marketing Idan Haim said:

â€œWe are thrilled to be teaming up with ONE Esports to connect with foodpanda users in the esports arena. As Asiaâ€™s largest food and grocery delivery platform, we are the go-to partner for gamers to refuel with their favourite food and snacks, delivered straight to their doorsteps!â€

The docuseries has been released on ONE Esportsâ€™ social channels includingÂ Facebook,Â Twitch, andÂ YouTube, and will soon premiere on regional broadcast channels including eGG Network (Regional), One Sports (Philippines), PPTV HD36 (Thailand), Astro and RTM Sports (Malaysia), and Eleven Sports (Taiwan).
Alimurung added:

â€œUltimately, compelling storytelling is the key to opening esports up to a wider audience and enabling them to appreciate the diligence, uniqueness, and achievements of its athletes.Â Heroes of the Game is a perfect example of this effort to broaden the appeal of the sport.”


Square Enix’s Outriders Gets A Super-Packed Demo Next Week

Square Enix and People Can Fly will be releasing an Outriders demo next week on 26th February, 1am GMT+8 Malaysia/Singapore/Philippines time. The best part? It’s looking pretty packed.
The sci-fi co-op shooter demo will feature the game’s prologue and opening chapter. Gear from the demo will be early game variants. The demo’s level cap will be level 7, meaning your demo character will learn four abilities for each class and will get two skill points. The game’s world tier system (which determines difficulty and loot output) will let you progress up to the fifth tier.

“The further you get in the full Outriders story, the more twisted, exotic and powerful both gear and enemies will become. The demo runs up until the showdown with Gauss, the first rival Altered who may be even more dangerous than you. Some side missions unlock after defeating Gauss so you will be able to go back and explore the world.”

Everything you need to know about the Outriders Demo.
A Thread. ?
1/20
— Outriders (@Outriders) February 18, 2021

The demo will be out for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series.Â Do note that you can transfer your progress if you play the main game on the same platform account. However, progress will not transfer between the Steam demo and the full game on the Epic Store.
If you somehow cannot play the demo in February, rest assured that it’ll be available even past its 1st April release date.


Overwatch League: Philadelphia Fusion Reveals 12-Man Roster

Philadelphia Fusion went all out in building their team as they revealed a 12-man-strong team for the upcoming Overwatch League. Following the adage of ‘more the merrier’, they signed twelve Overwatch players from various pro-teams including some pretty big names such as former FaZe Clan supportÂ JoeÂ “Joemeister”Â Gramano, ex-Team Gigantti tank-mainÂ JoonaÂ “Fragi”Â Laine, ex-123 DPSÂ SimonÂ “snillo”Â EkstrÃ¶m and worlds #1 Genji, also from FaZe Clan,Â GeorgeÂ “ShaDowBurn”Â Gushcha.

With former players of FaZe Clan somewhat forming the backbone of the team, we expect to see more of them featured early on, and we can’t wait to see ShaDowBurn set the highlight reels on fire with his sick Genji plays. Our only concern is how well will the rest of the players gel together considering the nature of the setup – almost a hastily cobbled up team to meet the deadline. Then again, we may be wrong and will have to wait and see how they perform once the pre-season starts in December.


Marvel & Hulu Announce Ghost Rider & Helstrom TV Series

Marvel Television and Hulu have announced Marvel’s Ghost Rider and Marvel’s Helstrom, two new live-action TV series which are slated to arrive in 2020 (via Marvel). This will be separate from Marvel Studios’ upcoming TV series on Disney Plus like WandaVision, Falcon & Winter Soldier and Loki.

Marvel’s Ghost Rider follows Robbie Reyes, with Gabriel Luna reprising his role from Agents of SHIELD. However, this will be a new version of the character unrelated to the one introduced in Agents of SHIELD.
He is described as the quintessential antihero, who lives on the Texas/Mexico border, consumed by hellfire and supernaturally bound to a demon. When he unleashes the Rider, Robbie brings vengeance for the innocents he encounters but struggles to control the power he wields.
Marvel’s Helstrom follows Daimon and Ana Helstrom, the son and daughter of a mysterious and powerful serial killer. The siblings have a complicated dynamic as they track down the worst of humanity, each with their attitude and skills.
No actors/actresses have been announced for the roles of Daimon and Ana Helstrom as of yet. However, we do know that both new shows will co-habit a shared universe with the upcoming season 3 of Marvel’s Runaways.
Several adult animated series are in development as well, including Marvelâ€™s M.O.D.O.K., Marvelâ€™s Hit Monkey, Marvelâ€™s Tigra & Dazzler Show, and Marvelâ€™s Howard the Duck. These will all culminate in a crossover event, Marvelâ€™s The Offenders.
Who Is Ghost Rider?

In the comics, Robbie Reyes is currently the Ghost Rider, and the fourth to hold the mantle after Johnny Blaze, Danny Ketch, and Alejandra Jones. His body is inhabited by a Spirit of Vengeance named Eli Morrow.
Who Is Helstrom?

Meanwhile, Daimon Hellstrom is the son of a demon named Marduk Kurios, who is said to be the biblical Satan. He has a sister named Satana Hellstrom. The TV series is opting for ‘Helstrom’ instead of ‘Hellstrom’, and they’re giving Satana a human name, Ana.
It’s great to see a more underrated side of Marvel given live-action adaptations. The magical side of Marvel is not limited to only Doctor Strange so it will be great to see it exposed to a wider audience. Perhaps we might even see other characters in these new shows, including the likes of Blade, Werewolf By Night, Jennifer Kale, and more.
Who Are The Midnight Sons/Spirits Of Vengeance?

Could all this be leading to a Midnight Sons crossover? Imagine that to be like the supernatural or magical version of an Avengers team. They could also go with the more recent moniker for a magical team, Spirits of Vengeance, which is more likely considering that term was mentioned in the press release. Fingers crossed.


MDEC Extends Level Up KL SEA Games Awards 2021 Submissions To Next Week

The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) via its LEVEL UP KL initiative, announced the hosting of SEA Game Awards 2021. In its fifth iteration, the SEA Game Awards is set to recognise and celebrate the creativity, artistry and technical genius of the finest developers and games from the South-East Asian video game industry.Â
LEVEL UP KL is Malaysiaâ€™s premier annual game showcase, with the focus on highlighting the best of what the Malaysian and the wider Southeast Asia regionâ€™s game industry has to offer to the world.Â
MDEC Digital Creative Content Office Director Mohan Low said:
â€œSEA Game Awards is a celebration of indie game studios and budding game developers from the South-East Asian region.
While our region may be small, weâ€™re a diverse community with so much to offer in terms of our stories, creativity, and technical skills.
The SEA Game Awards is an important cornerstone event for game developers in the region.
Each year we receive over 100 submissions and this year should be no different.
We are very excited to receive the submissions for the various categories and look forward to the best that the region has to offer.
The selection process will also be increasingly difficult as the quality and creativity from the region continues to rise and impress.”
Southeast Asian game studios and students involved in game development are encouraged to send in their submissions to be in the running to become one of the winners of the 10 categories available. The categories range from technical aspects of the game, such as sound and visual, to crowd and jury favourites.Â
Winners will be announced during the SEA Game Awards ceremony scheduled in November 2021 and will be broadcasted to the entire Southeast Asian region and live-streamed across various platforms. Shortlisted games will also be showcased at MY Digital Creativity Festival, a collaborative event between LEVEL UP KL and Kre8tif! to bring the latest South-East Asian games and animation to the public.Â
Entries can be submitted via: https://mdec.my/digital-economy-initiatives/for-the-industry/entrepreneurs/digital-creative-content/levelupkl-sea-game-award/Â Â
Submission ends on 13 August 2021.
Awards Categories

Grand Jury Award
Rising Star Award

Audience Choice Award
Best Technology

Best Visual Art
Best Game Design

Best Innovation
Best Storytelling

Best Audio
Best Student Game

SEA Games Awards 2020 Winner List

Grand Jury Award
Short Creepy Tales: 7pm

Rising Star Award
Fallen Knight

Audience Choice Award
Donâ€™t Stop The Party

Best Technology
Bake â€˜N Switch

Best Visual Art
Short Creepy Tales: 7pm

Best Game Design
Short Creepy Tales: 7pm

Best Innovation
Delight

Best Storytelling
A Space For The Unbound

Best Audio
Love Esquire

Best Student Game
Donâ€™t Stop The Party

You can find out more about last year’s winners by heading to our article here.


Simulacra 3 Walkthrough: How To Solve Your Spooky Phone Problem

Simulacra 3 is out now, and it’s the third entry in a horror game series involving phones and spooky going-ons courtesy of Malaysian developer Kaigan Games.
The game takes place in Stonecreek where people are vanishing into thin air. You play an intern who has to get to the bottom of this spooky mystery by helping journalist Ruby Myers with the paperwork. So all the action takes place on the phone. It’s pretty intense stuff seeing your actions play out in real time.
If you’re stumped, here’s a video walkthrough on how to solve the game’s puzzles.
Simulacra 3 Walkthrough
Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4


PokÃ©mon Go Detective Pikachu Crossover Event Starts Today

To celebrate the upcoming release of Detective Pikachu on 9 May 2019, PokÃ©mon Go players can take part in the special commemorative crossover event starting from today on 7 May until 17 May 2019. There’s a lot of content in store for fans.
Here’s what you can expect from the PokÃ©mon Go Detective Pikachu crossover event:

Increased encounters with PokÃ©mon seen in the movie such as Pikachu, Aipom, Snorlax, Cubone, and more.
The chance to get photobombed by Detective Pikachu himself who will appear in PokÃ©mon Go‘s Snapshot mode
Special Raid Battles featuring PokÃ©mon seen in the movie
Special Field Research events
Limited edition cosmetic items for players’ Avatars, including a detective hat with Pikachu ears
A higher chance of encountering a Shiny Aipom
Double XP for all PokÃ©mon caught

In the meantime, check out the PokÃ©mon Go Detective Pikachu crossover event trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IclGJipLBBA&w=560&h=315]


You’ll Need To Be Vaccinated To Participate And Attend This Major Esports Organizer’s Tournaments

PGL, a major esports event organizer, will need its attendees and participants to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for its future 2022 esports events and tournaments.
According to PGL president Silviu Stroie, this is the only way to bring back LAN esports to the public after 2020’s pandemic which is still ongoing mind you.
“I firmly believe the only way to bring back massive LAN esports events is to require complete vaccination of attending players, talent, staff, spectators. We will make this a requirement for all upcoming PGL events in 2022.”
PGL is renowned for organizing Dota 2 Majors in Asia, as well as various CS:GO, FIFA Global Series, and Quake tournaments. The esports group is also co-organizing The International 10 Dota 2 Championship that’s happening this October. TI10 will require its attendants and participants to wear a mask and show their proof of vaccination.


Good Boy Doggo Joins Star Trek Picard In New Poster

CBS has unveiled a brand new look at Admiral Jean-Luc Picard in a new poster for the upcoming Star Trek Picard series. The motion poster ends with the former Starfleet captain accompanied by a good boy doggo by his side.
In the poster, Picard seems to be overlooking his family wine grape vineyard in France but it doesn’t look like planet Earth. If it is on Earth, the sky looks yellowish as if the atmosphere’s been polluted, and there’s a massive planetary body up in the sky.
Take a look at the gorgeous Star Trek Picard motion poster below, showcasing the admiral with his new furry companion.

Follow Picard into the next chapter of his life. #StarTrekPicard@SirPatStew @StarTrekCBS Amazon #PrimeVideo @SpaceChannel #StarTrek https://t.co/Auw60VVY3J pic.twitter.com/DOAun2w9xs
â€” Star Trek (@StarTrek) July 10, 2019
All of this must tie into the mysterious plot of Star Trek Picard. It will take place 18 years after the events of Star Trek Nemesis, with Picard having left Starfleet in the time since then.
Star Trek PicardÂ will also star Alison Pill (The Newsroom), Harry Treadaway (Penny Dreadful), Isa Briones (American Crime Story: Versace), Santiago Cabrera (Salvation), Evan Evagora, and Michelle Hurd (Blindspot).
CBS has yet to announce an official release date, but it will stream exclusively on CBS All Access in over 200 countries all over the world,Â including Malaysia and Singapore.


BlizzConline Is Coming In February 2021

Blizzard Entertainment has announced BlizzConline 2021, an all-digital convention that will serve as a replacement for BlizzCon 2020. In May 2020 earlier this year, BlizzCon 2020 was cancelled, and tentative plans were revealed to host an online event in early 2021.
BlizzConline will run from 19 to 20 February 2021. However, Blizzard has yet to announce a price for virtual tickets, or if the event will be free.
However, they haven’t revealed any potential games that will be showcased at BlizzConline. Last year, they officially revealed Diablo 4, Overwatch 2, and World Of Warcraft: Shadowlands.
In addition, BlizzConline will offer an online cosplay exhibition and cosplay contest for fans, where they can dress as any Blizzard character and show off in front of the virtual world. The event will also host a digital storytelling contest, art contest, and general talent show.
Fans can also participate in the virtual March of the Murlocs, a procession where players would march through the Anaheim Convention Center dressed as Warcraftâ€™s Murloc creatures. For BlizzConline, players can send in videos of themselves marching wherever they may be dressed as the purposefully obnoxious critters. Fans can also march together, dressed as Murlocs, in World Of Warcraft and send a clip to Blizzard.
Fans who want to participate in any of the Community Showcase events must have their submissions to Blizzard by 4 January 2021.
Let’s hope we’ll finally get more significant updates on Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 at BlizzConline 2021.


Indonesian Mecha Game Kriegsfront Tactics Demo Is Now Playable For A Limited Time

Indonesian games developer Toge Productions has released a new demo for their upcoming turn-based tactical mecha game, Kriegsfront Tactics.
The Kriegsfront Tactics is currently playable on PC via Steam until 26 March 2023.

Our combat demo is now live! It will be available from Mar 23rd to 26th on Steam and on the #PAXEast show floor (@togeproductions' booth 15111)!
Go try it now: https://t.co/OQg8RKh6JS#KriegsfrontTactics #indiegame #mechs #tactics pic.twitter.com/UepV6vnuyP
— Kriegsfront Tactics (@kriegsfront) March 23, 2023

Kriegsfront Tactics is a procedural turn-based mecha tactics RPG set in alternate 1970s during an era of conflict in Southeast Asia where you’ll play as a commander of a mecha squad sent behind enemy lines. Build your mecha squad, complete missions, and survive the front another day.
Check out the latest video footage of the game below:


Crossfire: Legion Enters The RTS Fray This May In Early Access Form

Prime Matter and Smilegate has announced the release date of its upcoming strategy game Crossfire: Legion, which is based on the multiplayer shooter that’s a big hit overseas for being a CS:GO-style game.
Crossfire: Legion will be in Early Access form for PC (Steam) this 24 May. The Early Access Build will feature the whole of the game’s first Act, as well as have 1 co-op mode and 2 multiplayer modes. Leaderboards will also be available so you can compete for the top spot and online RTS champ bragging rights.
Crossfire: Legion is a real-time strategy games made by ex-Relic veterans that plans to go back to the good old days of 90s and early 2000s RTS multiplayer skirmishes. The game features three factions with their own playstyles: Black List (guerilla hit-and-run tactics), Global Risk (ranged specialists), and New Horizon (powerful but slow group). If you missed Command & Conquer and StarCraft, this could be the next big fix for your RTS jollies.


Xbox Game Pass Starts January 2023 With Top JRPG Titles

Microsoft kicks off the new year by introducing its latest batch of games coming to the Xbox Game Pass catalogue and announcing titles that will be removed on 15 January 2023.
Atlus fans hit the jackpot this month with Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden headlining as the first batch of Game Pass January release. Players will be able to explore the classic RPG series on Xbox consoles, cloud gaming, and PC on 19 January 2023.
On 20 January, these games will be joined by Capcom’s Monster Hunter Rise, where players get to hunt and battle fearsome monsters, craft a variety of gears, and defend the realm from ultimate chaos.

Titles that are currently available to play are Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition and Stranded Deep on Xbox consoles, cloud gaming, and PC. Not to forget Valheim: Mistlands Biome Update exclusive via PC.
Six games will be leaving Xbox and PC Games Pass, so you have until 15 January to play:

Windjammers 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
We Happy Few (Cloud, Console, and PC)
The Anacrusis (Game Preview) (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Pupperazzi (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Nobody Saves The World (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Are you excited about this first lineup? Stay tuned for more updates!


Gigabash Gives Us A Taste Of Its Monster Mash Story Mode

The Malaysian-made multiplayer brawler title GigaBash, which is basically developer Passion Republic Games’ ode to 2000-era kaiju-filled 3D brawlers like Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters and War of the Monsters, has a new trailer up.
The new trailer (via IGN) showcases the kaijus and their arenas (from Tokyo’s metropolis to an island port) as well as the game’s story mode where you play an out-of-shape Gigaman who has to save the city he’s protecting from all the giants. It’s shaping up nicely, but there’s no release date set for this Malaysian-made kaiju clash.
Check out the gameplay below. Gigabash will be out for PC (Steam, Epic Games) and PS4 soon.


Why Robert Pattinson Could Be A Good Batman (Or Not)

A lot of sites are jumping the gun and reporting that Robert Pattinson has already been cast as Batman. However, the latest report from Deadline states that while director Matt Reeves is close to naming his Dark Knight, it’s still not a done deal yet. At this point, both Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult are on the shortlist of possible actors.
But what if it turns out to be true, that Robert Pattinson is to be our next Batman? I’m sure many of you (like me) have probably only seen Pattinson in the Twilight movies, and are judging him based solely on his performance as the sombre vampire Edward Cullen.
That could be a fatal mistake.
Ever since his Twilight days, unbeknownst to the mass majority of movie viewers, Pattinson has been delving into smaller indie and arthouse films, and not big budget blockbusters or franchises like Twilight.
While I personally haven’t watched any of his newer films, some of them have been receiving rave reviews, like 2017’s Good Time and 2019’s High Life, which are currently at 91 and 83 percent respectively on Rotten Tomatoes. Both films praise Pattinson’s subtle and remarkable acting chops.
It’s been a whopping seven years since Pattinson was last in the role of Edward Cullen in 2012’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn â€“ Part 2.
While many of us still see him as that guy from Twilight, the truth is that he has probably grown and developed into a much better actor since then. Let’s look at some of the past Batmen, shall we?
1989’s Dark Knight
Case in point, Michael Keaton. Did you know that his casting as the Caped Crusader in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman was initially met with derision and backlash? Before he starred as Batman, Keaton was popular primarily for comedies like 1983’s Mr. Mom and 1988’s Beetlejuice, so many fans complained that he didn’t have what it takes to play a darker Batman. They did this by sending handwritten letters to Warner Bros.
Keaton ultimately proved everyone wrong with 1989’s Batman and 1992’s Batman Returns, both of which are still regarded as classics and excellent movies even now. In fact, even Ben Affleck’s casting as Batman was poorly-received at first, but now many agree that he was one of the few saving graces in 2016’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Don’t forget; Michael Keaton was Beetlejuice before he even became Batman.
My point is that there’s a high chance for Robert Pattinson to subvert everyone’s expectations by throwing out an amazing performance as the World’s Best Detective. He deserves the benefit of the doubt, and not to be type-cast for a role (Edward Cullen) that he was in almost a decade ago.
All we have to do now is wait for the inevitable official announcement of who will be playing Batman in Matt Reeve’s upcoming The Batman movie. With Game of Thrones star Iain Glen set to portray an older Batman in the second season of Titans, it will be great to see a younger Batman again.
(Image Credit: Rex Pictures/Metro UK)


Here’s The Main Cast Of Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio just revealed the main cast for its upcoming action-adventure yakuza title spin-off Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.
The game’s star-studded cast includes:

Takaya Kuroda as main character Kazuma Kiryu.
Yasukaze Motomiya as Kosei Shishido, the Watase Family’s lieutenant.
Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi as Watase Family yakuza member Yuki Tsuruno.
First Summer Uika as Akame, Sotenbori’s Jack-Of-All-Trades (shouldn’t it be Jill?)
Kim Jaeuck as Homare Nishitani III, third patriarch of the Kijin Clan.
Hiroki Tochi as veteran handler Kihei Hanawa.

In addition, the next Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio livestream, titled RGG Summit Fall 2023, will launch on September 2023.
Check out the full livestream of the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio feature below. Like A Dragon: Gaiden will be out on 9 November for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Also, we clipped a short new scene of the upcoming Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth sequel, featuring Ichiban Kasuga and Kiryu Kazuma talking shop on a rooftop.


Shmup-Like Swordship Launches This December

Publisher Thunderful Games and developer Digital Kingdom have announced the launch date of its upcoming shoot-em-up-like game Swordship.
The game, where you control a ship and dodge all projectiles and obstacles in the way while speeding through F-Zero-like, will be out for PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch this 5th December. A demo is available on Steam right now in case you want to give it a test drive.
Here are the game’s features and release date trailer:

Guns are Cool, But They are Bulky and Heavy – The Swordship doesn’t have any and that’s part of what makes it so light and maneuverable.
Ship Variant – Collect power-boosting components and experiment with different play styles in your runs.
Upgrade – Exchange stolen containers for passive upgrades that fit the situation and your play style.
Weather – Learn to master the different weather conditions to get through the randomly generated levels.


Check Out This Quick Lowdown On Dissidia Final Fantasy NT We Did

It’s a Monday, which means it’s just one more day until something game-related and major comes out either tomorrow or on a Friday. Thankfully we’re getting the former in the form of Square Enix’s PS4 port of the arcade fighting game Dissidia Final Fantasy NT.
We’ve got a new Quick Slice video for you exclusively from our Facebook page. Check it out in all of its glory below:
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1322593837845028/
While you’re at it, do check out our thoughts on that Final Fantasy cafÃ© promotion down in Singapore. We’d like to promise you a review this week, but our hands are tied up from a recent giant dinosaur-dragon hybrid infestation. Our indentured cat slave has been meowing about it since last Friday.


FIFA 23’s Most Improved Player Jumped Up By 15 Points

With FIFA 23 right around the corner, EA SPORTS has released a list of the 25 most improved players going from FIFA 22 to this year’s game.
Regardless of how talented certain youngsters are, sometimes FIFA is slow to recognise just how talented there are. I think we all know for a fact that a player’s overall ability can’t be summed up into individual numbers but sometimes it is nice to see just how much of a jump some numbers make.
The highest increase in Overall is a difference of 15 points which belongs to Paris Saint-Germain’s Hugo Ekitike, going from 61 Overall to 76. The most common increase we see out of the Top 25 is an increase of eight. But I personally feel that the most impressive is that of Nico Schlotterbeck of Borussia Dortmund as he received an increase from 72 all the way up to 82.
Here’s there Top 25 Most Improved Players:

RANK
NAME
TEAM
OVR
22 OVR
INCREASE

1
Hugo Ekitike
Paris Saint-Germain
76
61
15

2
Tino Livramento
Southampton
75
61
14

3
Warmed Omari
Stade Rennais
75
62
13

4
Vitinha
Paris Saint-Germain
79
67
12

5
Nicolò Casale
Lazio
76
64
12

6
Fran Navarro
Gil Vicente FC
75
63
12

7
Castello Lukeba
Olympique Lyonnais
76
65
11

8
Nico Schlotterbeck
Borussia Dortmund
82
72
10

9
Wilfried Singo
Torino
76
66
10

10
Djed Spence
Tottenham Hotspur
75
65
10

11
Georginio Rutter
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
75
65
10

12
Pierre Kalulu
Milan
78
69
9

13
Patrick Wimmer
VfL Wolfsburg
76
67
9

14
Josip Sutalo
Dinamo Zagreb
75
66
9

15
Malo Gusto
Olympique Lyonnais
75
66
9

16
Aaron Ramsdale
Arsenal
82
74
8

17
David Raum
RB Leipzig
81
73
8

18
Piero Hincapié
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
78
70
8

19
Deniz Undav
Brighton & Hove Albion
77
69
8

20
Hugo Duro
Valencia CF
77
69
8

21
Davide Frattesi
Sassuolo
77
69
8

22
Kouadio Manu Koné
Borussia M’gladbach
77
69
8

23
Anthony Gordon
Everton
75
67
8

24
Jacob Ramsey
Aston Villa
75
67
8

25
Ansgar Knauff
Eintracht Frankfurt
75
67
8


Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection Delayed To Late February

Blue bomber fans looking forward to the Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection for PC and consoles will need to wait a tad longer.
According to Mega Man series producer Kazuhiro Tsuchiya from Capcom, the game has run into some development problems and will need to be postponed from 21st January to 25th February.

“[T]he team made the tough decision to move the gameâ€™s release date back in order to bring you the best possible collection of these cherished classics and deliver a game that will live up to your expectations.”
Honestly, this is for the best. Better for Capcom to take its time releasing a collection of arguably one of the better Mega Man iterations in a long while. I can’t be the only one who supports them perfecting this, right?
https://twitter.com/Dextera01/status/1195151250804879360

By all means take your time. The X collections were fantastic and I'm looking forward to this series. I never got a chance to play the Zero/ZX games so I'm just glad I'll be able to
— Dylan Snyder (@dsnyder42095) November 15, 2019

Guess not.


Is Overwatch’s 28th Hero One for the Furries? [Update: Full Info & Pics Inside]

Update: we’ve added the hero’s official name & code name -Hammond the “Wrecking Ball”- origin story, and kit description below. Also, he’s now on the Overwatch PTR servers.Â
Blizzard just revealed what may very well be Overwatch’s latest and 28th hero and we dare say that none of the Overwatch ‘experts’ – YouTubers, over-analysts and us included – even came close to the actual hero’s physical description. You totally misled us, Blizzard. Bravo.
Following several teasers a while back, a Tweet by Overwatch’s official Twitter account revealed what was inside that mysterious metal ball seen rolling down the cobbled streets of what looks like London.
Take a look:

The champion revealed. pic.twitter.com/0Fdpg2iBcs
â€” Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) June 28, 2018
Yep. WTF right?
As we write this short piece, we are still perplexed as of whether Blizzard is just trolling us, or their latest hero is indeed a rodent controlling a mechanised metal ball. Our lame attempt at a joke in an older article was the closest prediction as it turns out ….

But after retracing back all the evidence, everything falls in place. First peculiar thing you’d notice would be the metal plate on the rodent’s forehead which resembles the same piece on infant Winston during his time on the Horizon Lunar Colony.
[UPDATE]
Blizzard revealed the hero’s name and everything. We’ll break it down.

His name is Hammond and is code-named Wrecking Ball because of the giant rolling robot he pilots which also comes with machine guns.
Check out his backstory below. Turns out that he used parts from Junkertown to form his mech AND has met up with the town’s queen. Ingenious little bugger.

The robot can adapt & transform between a two-legged defensive mode and a mobile rolling mode. He also has an adaptive shield, a piledriver move, and a grappling claw.
How does he speak to people? His robot translates his hamster chitters into English, albeit in a menacing robot tone.
His Ultimate is Proximity Mines where he scatters mines around him for defensive purposes.
Here’s his official description:

“Entering the fray, his large health pool and shield-generating capabilities give him resilience when initiating and finishing battles. If that wasnâ€™t scary enough, he can climb and swing on surfaces using his Grappling Claw and perform Piledrive, a devastating ground smash, to enemies below.
In addition to setting up Piledrive, Wrecking Ballâ€™s Grappling Claw enables him to reach top speed. Top speed increases his basic movement speed, damaging and knocking back foes in his path.
His ultimate ability Minefield is just as versatile, allowing him to set a trap and control routes, or simply trigger a large area-of-effect explosion for enemies in the immediate vicinity.”

We’re not sure if this is a step up from a jetpack cat, but we’ll still check out this hero because the mobile/defensive dual nature of Wrecking Ball is too good to pass up. In fact, he’s available for testing right now on the Overwatch PTR servers.
Check out the screenshots below.

[Previous Article/Prediction]
No official name was revealed but we don’t care. Just like how everyone refers Winston as ‘Monkey’, we christen this one ‘Hamtaro’.

If it is indeed Hammond, then we now have our second sentient animal in the Overwatch heroes list. Before you ask – isn’t Hammond supposed to be a monkey? Well if you recall, no one ever specifically mentioned the word ‘monkey’. We just assumed him to be one.
Looking back at all the clues, we know that Hammond is a smaller specimen compared to our favourite gorilla. If you hear hooves, you think horses, right? Just because the Lunar Colony shelters primates such as Winston, we were led to assume a smaller mammal than Winston to be another primate, but of the smaller variety.
We also know that Hammond survived the journey to Earth by being a stowaway on Winston’s escape pod to Earth as seen in an in-game Easter egg.

Everything sort of falls into place and we can’t wait for further announcements when the 28th Overwatch hero will be playable.
What do you think?


Borderlands 3’s Story Isn’t A Total Loss; Here Are 5 Examples Why

Thanks to the past few months, Borderlands 3 actually has decent story content to go along with its awesome guns & gameplay. We point out 5 cases for the game’s improving narrative.

If you like what you saw here, or wish to voice out your thoughts & grievances, just subscribe to our YouTube channel to do so. Or also check out our Facebook page!Â


Star Wars Squadrons Goes Gold, CG Short To Premiere Tonight

EA Motive’s Star Wars: Squadrons has crossed a major development milestone. The game’s creative director Ian Frazier announced on Twitter that Star Wars Squadrons has reached “Gold” status, which means the game is ready to be made into physical discs.

I am incredibly pleased to announce that after a ton of hard work from the team here at @MotiveMontreal, Star Wars: Squadrons has just gone aurodium! Er, I mean gold! #StarWarsSquadrons pic.twitter.com/jzBErluIxv— Ian S. Frazier (@tibermoon) September 10, 2020

In addition, the developer is teasing the premiere of a new CG animated short for Star Wars Squadrons.

Join us Monday at 8:00 AM Pacific Time, to meet one of the ace pilots you’ll fly alongside in #StarWarsSquadrons in this original standalone CG short. https://t.co/oFgL3S20VK pic.twitter.com/Yn0rnXgmaP— EA Star Wars (@EAStarWars) September 12, 2020

In Star Wars Squadrons, players can look forward to 5v5 multiplayer space battles and a singleplayer campaign, where players will learn what it means to be a pilot as they battle from the alternating perspectives of two customizable pilots, one serving in the New Republicâ€™s heroic Vanguard Squadron, while the other fights for the Galactic Empireâ€™s fearsome Titan Squadron.
In the story, players will meet iconic pilots like Wedge Antilles and even some brand new ones who will be introduced in the game. EA Motive will introduce one of these new characters via the upcoming standalone CG short.
The short will premiere at 11pm GMT+8 later tonight on 14 September 2020. It remains to be seen if the new pilot will be on the side of the Rebellion or the Empire. From the looks of the Imperial helmet, it seems likely that it’s the latter.
However, it looks like the CG short will be a significant one, considering that it was developed by EA Motive along with the help of Lucasfilm and visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic.
Star Wars: SquadronsÂ will launch for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC (Steam, Origin, and Epic Games Store) on 2 October 2020.


Upcoming DLC Adds Blood & Gore To Three Kingdoms

As is usually the case for the Total War franchise, additional blood and gore will be coming to the latest installment, Total War Three Kingdoms, for a price, that is. Creative Assembly has announced that the Reign Of Blood DLC pack will launch next week on 27 June 2019.
According to the Total War Three Kingdoms Reign Of Blood DLC Steam page, players can look forward to these effects:

Campaign Effects: New campaign event-pictures depicting blood and gore
Campaign Effects: New blood effects for battle-resolution combat animations between characters
Battle Effects: Human dismemberment: limb-lops and beheadingsÂ
Battle Effects: Equine dismemberment: leg lops
Battle Effects: Charred bodies
Battle Effects: Blood sprays on weapon impacts
Battle Effects: New death animations for characters vs infantry
Battle Effects: Dead bodies as battlefield set-dressing
Battle Effects: Blood scaler: increase or decrease the level of gore to your tastes

It will be available for a price of $2.99 or roughly around RM12.40. In the meantime, you can check out some of the new blood and gore effects in action in the Reign Of Blood trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjgmQ1xCcJE&w=560&h=315]


The Games From China’s F5 Games Showcase 2020

Who said the Chinese gaming industry is dead? It’s thriving as all hell, and with events like these, it’ll keep on trucking.
Check out all the latest and upcoming PC games from this China game livestream supercut. From indie titles to high-budget blockbusters, here they are!


Kakuchopurei Best 30 Games Of 2022: #7

For the rest of the list, head here. For #8, head here.
#7. Pentiment (Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, PC)

Pentiment is a murder mystery set in the 16th century that follows Andreas Maler, a journeyman artist who becomes involved in a series of crimes and mysteries that span 25 years. The story takes place during a time of social unrest in Bavaria, with Martin Luther’s teachings challenging the dominance of the Catholic Church, peasants protesting high taxes, and the wealthy using violence to protect their interests. When Andreas’s mentor is found murdered in a monastery, Andreas sets out to find the killer. However, there are numerous suspects and limited time to gather sufficient evidence to convince the adjudicator of someone’s guilt, resulting in unresolved questions and unexplored leads.
A big step away from what we’re used to seeing from Obsidian Games, after playing it, you can tell just how much blood sweat and tears they put into every little nook and cranny in this game. It’s the purest form of a passion project done by fans of the RPG genre. Although only at 20 hours, the game is relatively short, there is so much potential for replayability as you will probably find yourself going back to find out what other paths you can take and ultimately spend triple the amount of time of your original playthrough.


Doom Eternal Reveals First Epic Expansion, The Ancient Gods

During QuakeCon 2020 last weekend, id Software has revealed Doom Eternal‘s first single-player expansion: The Ancient Gods Part One.
This DLC expansion is part of Doom Eternal‘s Year One Pass, where players get to travel to new unexplored realms in the Doom universe and face new enemies.
The synopsis reads:

Your victory over Hellâ€™s armies pulled humanity back from the edge of extinction, but it came at a cost.
An imbalance of power in the heavens requires the true ruler of this universe to rise and set things right.
Wage war across never-before-seen realms of the DOOM Universe and fight against new demons in your never-ending battle against the forces of evil.

The full trailer will premiere at Gamescom 2020 Opening Night Live at 2am GMT+8 on 27 August 2020.
Doom Eternal is now available for the PS4, Xbox One, PC via both Steam and Bethesda.net, as well as Google Stadia. PS5 and Xbox Series X versions are planned for release sometime in 2021.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5XhV3YarKg&w=560&h=315]


Immortals Fenyx Rising Gets Adventure Time Skins

Ubisoft has announced a crossover character pack inspired by Cartoon Networkâ€™sÂ Adventure TimeÂ available for players to â€œkick some bunsâ€ in Immortals Fenyx Rising.
Immortals Fenyx Rising is available on PS4, the Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Epic Games and the Ubisoft Store. The game is also available on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

This character pack is available for purchase on the Immortals Fenyx Rising in-game store and includes:
TheÂ Adventure TimeÂ Armor skin: Sacred armour of the dude they call Finn. The one who wears this will slay anything that’s evil – that’s their deal.TheÂ Adventure TimeÂ Helmet skin: It’s more a hat than a helmet, but it’s undeniably awesome! And it never let down the head it sat on. Now that’s armour.TheÂ Adventure TimeÂ Wings skin: The fun will never end when you strap on these wings! Distant lands will become far less distant as you adventure onward.TheÂ Adventure TimeÂ Horse skin: When you see this horse, you’re bound to say, “Ooo.” Let this beauty remind you that life can get scary and dark, but together you can gallop into the light as besties.TheÂ Adventure TimeÂ Companion skin: There’s something almost canine in Phosphor’s loyalty and chillness. He’s also VERY hungry, so make sure you’ve got bacon pancakes on hand.
Check out our review of the game here, or head on over here for an in-depth guide.


Meta Quest Gaming Showcase 2023 To Amplify VR Gaming This June

Virtual reality gaming’s looking pretty promising so far in 2023, and Meta wants to remind everyone about that later this year.
Meta will be hosting a Meta Quest Gaming Showcase 2023 on 2nd June at 1am GMT+8 (1st June 1pm EST). The upcoming presentation will showcase new game reveals and more for Quest.
In addition, a pre-show with new gaming trailers (and other VR-related trailers) will begin 15 minutes before the main show. After the showcase, there will be a deep dive session with virtual reality content creators. Check out the teaser below.


Shenmue III Delayed Yet Again For Good Reason

The long-awaited entry in the Shenmue trilogy, Shenmue III, has been delayed yet again, getting an expected release date of 19 November, 2019.Â A few good months after its initial release date of 27 August.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ta_Oi51hso]
The news was broken to fans in a blog post today as publisher Deep Silver and developer Yu Suzuki explain why.
Here’s the brief update in its entirety:

“Hello everyone, today, Yu Suzuki & Deep Silver would like to give a message concerning the release date. Shenmue 3 will now release on 19th November 2019.
Whilst almost ready, the game simply needs a little more refinement before being truly finished.
We feel that the extra time we have will help us deliver the true Shenmue experience players around the world deserve!
We thank you for your patience and understanding.”

The delay is for good reason as the developers plan for a fully complete experience on day one, and I respect that decision.
I say to devs, do not fall into the words of fans asking for an early release date when the game is still in development and can be polished to its best version.


The Dora The Explorer Movie Is An Unexpectedly Funny & Meta Adventure Romp

I grew up with the original Dora The Explorer animated series on Nickelodeon back in the early 2000s before I finally grew out of it when I became an angsty teenager who listens to My Chemical Romance on a daily basis. However, never did it popped in my younger self’s mind of ever wanting a live-action adaptation, but here we are.
Dora And The Lost City Of Gold is a much better movie than I expected, an all-ages movie reminiscent of classic adventure movies that will tickle the funny bone of adults and children alike, regardless of whether or not you watched the original cartoon.
Going Meta In The Jungle

The movie is essentially a mix between a tamer version of Mean Girls in its earlier parts and adventures movies like The Goonies and Indiana Jones in the majority of its runtime. In Dora And The Lost City Of Gold, Dora spent most of her childhood living in the jungle with her parents, rendering her unused to life with regular humans, especially her own similar-aged peers.
Due to that reason, her parents sends her to the concrete jungle and a real modern high school. She tries to fit in but is chastised for being different.Â She later unwittingly brings her school mates along with her on an adventure through a jungle to find her missing parents and a lost Inca civilization.
What surprised me the most about Dora And The Lost City Of Gold is how it’s a lot less childish or kiddie-centric than I initially thought it would be. The humor and jokes in the movie are mostly not juvenile in nature, and are often smart and meta, even breaking the fourth wall in many instances.

Following in the footsteps of recent movies like The Lego Movie 2 and Ralph Breaks The Internet, the movie acknowledges its animated counterpart, and in the process, doesn’t take itself seriously. For example, the movie starts with a false opening, tricking us into thinking that the movie is a literal adaptation of the show, before revealing that it was all the product of a young Dora’s overactive imagination.
Fans of the animated series will know that Dora usually breaks the fourth wall and talks with the viewer by looking at the screen. There’s a moment earlier on in the movie that makes fun of this particular quirk of Dora’s, showing us the first sign of a movie that’s not afraid to make fun of its own source material.
There is one particular fully-animated sequence that is the highlight of the entire movie and worth the price of admission by itself. You have to see it to believe it, and you’ll likely still be wondering how this scene could happen in a movie like this long after you’ve seen it.
Isabela Moner Is The Perfect Dora

Back when up-and-coming actress Isabela Moner (of Transformers: The Last Knight fame) was cast as Dora for this movie, many decried the decision, complaining that she was too old for the role of the bubbly and innocent child protagonist.
However, it’s not uncommon for young adult actors to portray teenagers in movies, so why should this be any different? Her performance as Dora is incredible, nailing the ernest optimism and naivety of the character without being corny, hammy or cringeworthy. That’s an amazing feat, as her mannerisms is as close to animated Dora as can be.
As for the rest of the cast, Michael Pena (Dora’s father, Cole) is excellent as always and manages to make an impression despite the small role and few lines he’s been given, while Eva Longoria is just sort of there as Dora’s mother, Elena.

Viewers will spend most of their time with Diego (Dora’s cousin as played by Jeff Wahlberg), as well as Dora’s two friends/acquaintances from school, namelyÂ Randy (Nicholas Coombe) and Sammy (Madeleine Madden). Both of them are stereotypical caricatures, with Randy being the dork and Sammy being the overachieving mean girl.
I expected these supporting characters to simply be there for the ride and ultimately do nothing of consequence, but they all play a part by helping Dora in her adventure and essential in her coming-of-age story.
Fans won’t be disappointed with Swiper and Boots, two of the non-human characters brought to life in the movie. Their CGI looks stylized and not hyper-realistic like the Pokemon in Detective Pikachu, which fits the tone of the movie. You’ll definitely be pleasantly surprised to find out who voices these two characters.
Don’t Be Fooled By The Trailers

Dora And The Lost City Of Gold does require suspension of disbelief. It is still a kid’s movie after all. Certain elements like how no one bats an eye at the fact that Swiper the Fox can talk like a human being, despite none of the other animals in this world exhibiting the same vocal ability.
Don’t be fooled by the movie’s marketing or promotional trailers so far, as it is actually by far one of the unexpectedly good movies of 2019. Director James Bobin has crafted a movie that can be enjoyed by everyone, and one that fans with nostalgic memories of the original animated series can appreciate even more.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
We received a special preview screening courtesy of United International Pictures. Dora And The Lost City Of Gold premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 8 August 2019.


Persona 5 Tactica Trailer Showcases Brand New Character Erina

SEGA has unveiled a new trailer shining the spotlight on Joker, Morgana and the game’s brand-new playable character, Erina.
It’s a snowy winter day; graduation is looming, and the Phantom Thieves have gathered at LeBlanc to celebrate. But this is brought to an abrupt end as a strange phenomenon besets the TV, and the cafe begins to shake.
As the Thieves find their bearings, an eerie light envelops the cafe door. Upon cautiously opening it, they find a distant and unknown world waiting on the other side. After stumbling into a mysterious world reminiscent of medieval Europe, the group is attacked by a band of soldiers called Legionnaires. Labeled as rebels by their assailants, Joker and his friends are surrounded, and all seems lost.
In a stroke of luck, they are rescued by a mysterious girl named Erina the Rebel, who invites them to join her revolution.
Persona 5 Tactica is slated to release for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on 17 November 2023 worldwide. It will also be available via Xbox Game Pass.
Check out the trailer below:


The New Call Of Duty League Has Been Officially Announced

As we reported earlier, the Call of Duty World League tournament will be changing into a franchise-based league starting in 2020. Activision has finally officially announced the new Call of Duty League and revealed the 12 participating teams’ location of origin.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRMEvlR8PGc&w=560&h=315]
The teams will come from:

Atlanta
Los Angeles (KSE)
Los Angeles (IGC)
Seattle
Chicago
Minnesota
Dallas
Paris
London
Florida
New York
Toronto

I find it to be a bit unfortunate that we don’t have any teams from Asia, unlike in the Overwatch League but I suppose it’s because the Call of Duty pro scene just isn’t that big in these parts. The tournament’s prize pool totals up to more than US$6 million.
The tournamet’s official description:

“The Call of DutyÂ® Leagueâ„¢ is a global, city-based esports league composed of 12 professional teams, representing 11 markets across North America and Europe. In its inaugural season, pro teams compete in 5-versus-5 Call of DutyÂ®: Modern WarfareÂ® multiplayer matches, exclusively on PlayStationÂ®4.”

For more information on how the CoD League will function, read here. You can sign up for updates on the CoD League here. Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more news on the new tournament.


The Predator Goes Hunting In Fortnite Today

Everyone’s favourite ugly alien bounty hunter is joining Fortnite in the 15.21 update later today. The Predator isÂ available to unlock for current battle pass holders via new challenges.
In the battle royale game, Predator has also become a roaming boss, able to be found and battled on the map for all players. You can find him in the jungles of Stealthy Stronghold.
Defeating the Predator will drop a Predator’s Cloaking Device, which lets players become near-invisible for a short period of time. However, equipping a weapon or entering water will cause players to decloak, and it has a 30-second cooldown time.
Here’s the Cloaking Device in action:

Fortnite Battle Pass owners will be able to unlock the Predator and a full set of themed gear for an as-of-yet unknown amount of V-Bucks. It does look pretty cool and authentic. The Predator can even take off his mask and roar.
In other related news, Fortnite is getting a slew of new pop culture and gaming skins this season, including God Of War‘s Kratos.
Check out the Predator skin in all its glory below:
 Predator in-built emote(via:ShiinaBR) from      FortNiteBR

:: Incoming Transmission – Reality Log 2053105-28  ::Target Description: Yautja – Trophy Hunter pic.twitter.com/ABWMVo0uUa
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) January 19, 2021


Outriders Is Free To Play On Steam For The Next Few Days

To celebrate the upcoming release of its expansion, Square Enix and People Can Fly’s Outriders is currently free to download and play on Steam until 23 June 2022. Outriders is a brutal RPG co-op shooter whose gameplay is focused on combat, which is equally balanced between gunplay and skill usage.
Outriders Worldslayer is a brutal one-to-three player cooperative looter shooter set in an original, dark sci-fi universe, where you create will your own Outrider from one of four powerful classes. Begin with the original Outriders campaign or use the all-new Level 30 Boost to jump straight into the “Worldslayer” content with a fully geared up Outrider and journey across the diverse and deadly planet of Enoch.
Face off against the most deadly Altered ever encountered, Ereshkigal, in humanity’s last fight for survival. Beyond her, even greater horrors exist in the ultimate endgame experience, taking place in the ancient ruins of Tarya Gratar. Combining aggressive gunplay with violent powers and an arsenal of increasingly twisted customizable weaponry and gear-sets, Outriders Worldslayer offers countless hours of visceral gameplay from one of the finest shooter developers in the industry, People Can Fly.
Outriders expansion Worldslayer will launch on 30 June 2022.
In the meantime, check out our review here.


Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania Tickets In Malaysia Go On Sale In Two Weeks

Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania will premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 17 February 2023, but you can start booking your tickets starting from 12pm on 8 February 2023.

Malaysia, are you ready to witness the power of #Kang the Conqueror?
Mark your calendars as tickets for #AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania will be AVAILABLE on 8 FEBRUARY, 12 PM. #QuantumaniaatTGV pic.twitter.com/y8mUtFSdhE
— TGV Cinemas ?? (@TGVCinemas) January 27, 2023

The Quantum Realm awaits. Advance tickets for Ant-Man and the Wasp: #Quantumania will go on sale 8 February, 12PM! ?? pic.twitter.com/W1Z6yZdFOK
— GSC ? (@GSCinemas) January 27, 2023

The synopsis reads:
In the film, which officially kicks off phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Super-Hero partners Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible. Jonathan Majors joins the adventure as Kang.
Directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Kevin Feige and Stephen Broussard, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania also stars Jonathan Majors as Kang, David Dastmalchian as Veb, Katy O’Brian as Jentorra, William Jackson Harper as Quaz and Bill Murray as Lord Krylar.


Formula 1 McLaren Racing Partners With Garena

McLaren Racing has announced a new partnership with Garena, a global games developer and publisher, for an upcoming in-game collaboration.
According to the press release, the partnership will deliver on both companiesâ€™ shared belief to offer creative and engaging experiences to its community of fans across racing and gaming. McLarenâ€™s Formula 1 racing driver, Lando Norris, will also play a key role as part of the collaboration.
However, we still don’t have any details on what this game is, but it will very likely be a racing game. What else could it be?
Garena Strategic Partnerships Vice President Jason Ng said:
â€œMcLaren is one of the most successful sports brands in motorsport.
We are glad to be able to work with some of the best minds in the industry through this partnership.â€
McLaren Racing Chief Commercial Officer Mark Waller said:
â€œ2020 was a year that brought gaming to the forefront for many around the world.
Both McLaren and Garena have a track record of creating engaging content for the gaming community.
We are delighted to be working together to further our gaming capabilities and provide captivating content for our fan base around the world.â€
McLaren Racing is no stranger to racing or esports, as they already have a virtual racing programme called the McLaren Shadow Project. They are also prominent in F1 esports.
The partnership is set to come to life for players towards the middle of 2021. More details will be shared in the coming months. In the meantime, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei. Racing fans will likely have a lot to look forward to.


League Of Legends’ Gives Ahri An Art & Sustainability Update

League of Legends fans can rejoice as one of the oldest and most beloved champions in the game, Ahri has received an art and sustainability update (ASU).
As one of the oldest champions in the game, Ahri was in dire need of a visual upgrade. But this update differs from others as it will not affect gameplay mechanics, but rather it will focus on making it easier for Riot to create new cosmetic items in the future. This is a departure from the usual type of update that players are accustomed to and is designed to improve sustainability for the long term.

				Old

				New

For Ahri’s new appearance, it may not seem like much but Riot has taken elements from her previous appearances in League cinematics and in-game designs. The design appears to be heavily influenced by the “A New Dawn” trailer, with some minor elements borrowed from her appearance in Ruined King. The developers wanted to highlight Ahri’s wild and primal nature while also maintaining her graceful Vastayan beauty.
The ASU also means that all of her existing skins have had a fresh lick of paint but many of the changes are minute and barely noticeable.

				KDA Ahri

				KDA Prestige Ahri

				Dynasty Ahri

				Coven Ahri

				Arcana Ahri

				Arcade Ahri

				Midnight Ahri

				Foxfire Ahri

				Elderwood Ahri

				Challenger Ahri

				Academy Ahri

				Popstar Ahri

Ahri’s ability icons have also been modified to better reflect their appearance in-game. This is not a common occurrence for champions who receive art and sustainability updates, as their effects are typically not significantly changed. The most recent example of a champion having their ability icons updated as part of an art and sustainability update was Caitlyn, who received the update over a year after the release of her art and sustainability update.
SkinSpotlights released a video showcasing Ahri’s updated abilities with her base skin. Although the abilities themselves have not changed, they now have more magical effects and glowing trails when cast. Additionally, Ahri now floats instead of dashing when using her ultimate ability, Spirit Rush.


Dreamlit Entertainment Reveal Towers Of Aghasba For PS5

During the PlayStation Showcase, Dreamlit Entertainment dropped some major info on Towers of Aghasba, which they’re currently developing for the PS5.
From what we can gather, it seems to be a mix of open-world city building and survival, but with a twist – it’s set in ancient times and populated by all kinds of creatures. Yep, that includes a massive turtle! However, we’re not entirely sure if these creatures are on our side or out to get us.
Keep your eyes peeled because Towers of Aghasba is expected to hit the gaming scene sometime in 2024. Can’t wait to dive into this prehistoric adventure!
Don’t miss out on the reveal trailer below!


Elder Scrolls Online Release Gameplay Trailer For Newest Expansion: Lost Depths

The Elder Scrolls Online have released a brand new gameplay trailer revealing their next expansion proceeding their last DLC, High Isles, dubbed Lost Depths and it’s coming to PS5 and PS4 on 6 September.
This next DLC is expected to expand further upon High Isle’s foundation as the Lost Depths will take players to the wild interior, both above and below the surface of the earth, in a new quest to contain an ancient evil.
It represents the next chapter in the ongoing Legacy of the Bretons storyline and will introduce new areas, dungeons, enemies, gear and lore for players to unearth.
It’s pretty cool that Elder Scrolls Online is supported in the fashion that it is because let’s face it, we won’t be seeing the Elder Scrolls 6 on PlayStation platforms and thus remains our only portal into the world of Tamriel.
You can find out more on the official site. Now the question is, will we see Dreughs?


[Report] Joker 2 & Other DC Origin Stories Are In The Works

At the time of writing, Todd Phillip’s Joker movie starring Joaquin Phoenix has garnered a whopping US$1.018 billion. It’s not surprising then that Warner Bros is already starting to actively work on a sequel to the critically-acclaimed box office hit.
According to sources from The Hollywood Reporter, Todd Phillips is not only in talks to make a Joker sequel, but he also proposed for the rights to other DC characters’ origin stories to adapt into live-action movies.
He reportedly walked out of a meeting with Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich with not only the rights to making Joker 2 but also at least one other popular DC character’s origin movie.
Phillips is expected to earn close to US$100 million for directing Joker after the movie officially ends its run in the near future.
However, we still have no idea what a Joker 2 movie would explore, except the continuation of Arthur Fleck’s descent into madness and transformation into the Clown Prince Of Clown in a Gotham City that remains without a certain Dark Knight as its protector.
There’s no telling what character Phillips managed to pry from Warner Bros for his next DC origin movie, though many DC Comics fans have been clamouring for a Lex Luthor origin movie in the vein of Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Network.
In the meantime, check outÂ our review of Joker here, orÂ head on over hereÂ to check out all the easter eggs we discovered in the movie.


Garena Free Fire World Series Finals In Sentosa This Weekend

The Free Fire World Series (FFWS) 2022 Sentosa Finals is almost here!
Taking place on 21 May, Free Fire fans and players can look forward to an action-packed viewing experience as 12 of the world’s best teams gather on the global stage at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore to compete for a share of the US$2,000,000 prize pool and the coveted championship title. Four teams displayed stellar teamwork and skills and came up tops at the Play-Ins last weekend, which earned them a spot in the Finals. These teams will continue their quest for the FFWS 2022 Sentosa championship title alongside the 8 seeded teams.
The Finals will see the same format as the Play-Ins. Teams will battle it out in 6 matches across 3 maps, with points awarded based on round ranking and the number of kills.
Teams & Regions

LOUD – Brazil
EVOS Divine – Indonesia
Team Flash – Vietnam
Mineros Esports – Latin America
Farang – Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines
Wask – Middle East & North Africa
EVOS Phoenix – Thailand
Vastomundo – Europe
Echo Esports – Indonesia
Attack All Around – Thailand
Vivo Keyd – Brazil
V-Gaming – Vietnam

The returning champions, EVOS Phoenix (formerly Phoenix Force) have returned to the World Series this year in hopes of defending their championship title.

where to watch?
The FFWS 2022 Sentosa Finals will be broadcast live on Free Fire’s official YouTube channels. All livestreams will be accompanied by local commentary in 15 languages – including Tagalog, which will be streamed on both Free Fire Philippines official Facebook page and YouTube channel.
You can find the event being streamed on both Facebook and YouTube and start on 21 May at 9:00pm (GMT+8).

In celebration of the FFWS 2022 Sentosa Finals, fans and players will be able to enjoy exciting in-game activities and rewards to fully immerse themselves into the event.

Pick’n’Win Event: From now until 22 May, earn in-game prizes by casting the right predictions for the ultimate champion of the FFWS 2022 Sentosa Finals, the winning team for each match and the top weapon used in matches!
Training camp: A one-stop integrated web event consisting of all FFWS 2022 Sentosa updates and activities, along with mini-games and a live broadcast of the Finals.
Peak Day Log-In Reward: Log in on 21 May to receive a backpack for free!

So if you’re a competitive Free Fire fan then be sure to tune in this Saturday to see the event unfold and find out who will come out on top!


Legends Of Runeterra Is Officially Launching At The End Of This Month

League Of Legends’ developer Riot Games’ digital card game Legends Of Runeterra is finally leaving its open beta at the end of this month. It is slated to officially launch for the PC and mobile platforms (Android and iOS) on 30 April 2020 (or 1 May 2020 GMT+8 for Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia).
Riot Games has confirmed that everything that players have earned and purchased from the open beta will carry over into the full version of the game, as well as support for crossplay between accounts on PC and mobile platforms.
The biggest news of all is that Legends Of Runeterra will be launching with over 120 new cards, which will bring the game’s total card count to a whopping 400. If you can’t wait, these new cards will be playable in Patch 1.0, which will go out at approximately 10am PT on 28 April 2020, or 1am GMT+8 on 29 April 2020.
In addition, a brand new region will also be made available alongside the new cards. More card and champion reveals will begin soon and continue through 27 April 2020. However, keep in mind that Legends Of Runeterra will not be launching in China or Vietnam.
Last but not least, all accounts that log in to Legends Of Runeterra by 11.59pm PT on 7 May 2020 (or 2.59pm on 8 May 2020) will receive an exclusive Moonstruck Poro Guardian.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkPpgMwPss0&w=560&h=315]


It’s Morbin’ Time In Marvel’s Midnight Suns

2K and Marvel Entertainment have announced that The Hunger, Marvel’s Midnight Suns’ third post-launch DLC featuring Morbius, is now available worldwide on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
In The Hunger, Morbius, who inadvertently transformed himself into a bat-like being in an attempt to cure his rare disease, must join forces with the Midnight Suns to combat a vampyre threat sweeping across New York City. As if a vampyre outbreak wasn’t enough, Hydra has started infusing undead DNA into its toughest troops to create a squadron of transformed supersoldiers. Morbius had hoped to reverse-engineer their traits to create a serum that would let him withstand sunlight—but in the wrong hands, his research could make all of vampyre-kind unstoppable.
Included in The Hunger:

New Recruitable Hero: Morbius, a living vampire wielding 11 unique Hero Abilities
New Story Missions: Fight a host of fresh enemy types across challenging new encounters
New Abbey Upgrade: Laboratory
3 Additional Hero Skins, 7 Abbey Outfits, and 2 Swimsuits for Morbius

Morbius is recruited by completing his first story mission “Weird Science,” which becomes playable after completing the “Spidermaaaans” mission and Spider-Man unmasks in the Abbey during Act One.
In combat, Morbius is all about applying Bleed to enemies, and then capitalizing on that effect for increased damage. Similar to Captain Marvel, he can enter a “Bloodlust” state after using a few of his abilities, granting him Block and causing all of his damaging abilities to apply Bleed. While Blade is the master of distributing Bleed through Chain abilities, Morbius focuses more on increased single-target damage – try pairing the both of them and see how they really feed off each other! His “A Greater Hunger” Passive from building Friendship lowers the required amount of cards needed to activate Bloodlust.
Morbius’ unique Abbey Research project Laboratory allows the purchase of permanent modifications to a hero’s secondary stats, though these will always have a trade-off. Upgrading Laboratory increases the amount of stat options and their rarity.
In the meantime, check out our review by heading over here.


Trailer For Upcoming Medieval Management Sim Features Bangin’ Theme

If you’re not sure who the band Merkfolk are, you will now with this trailer for Yes, Your Grace.Â

Yes, Your Grace is an upcoming medieval kingdom management sim presented in 2D graphics. You will sort out all of your kingdom’s witches, hunters, generals, and plethoras of commonfolk requests.

“Inspired by Slavic folklore,Â Yes, Your GraceÂ tells the tale of a medieval kingdom, where monsters and arcane practices are just a typical day at the office”.

If this sounds like your cup of royal tea, you can sign up for the game’s open beta this November by joining the official Discord channel. The full game will be out 2020 for consoles and PCs.


Riot Announces Valorant Pacific Open & SEA Invitational Esports Tournaments

Fans of tactical first-person shooter games can look forward to a one-off, competitive esports tournament that places regional bragging rights on the line, as Riot Games Southeast Asia shines the spotlight on VALORANT in the region through the VALORANT SEA Invitational, which is slated for 11 July 2020 at 1.30pm GMT+8.
Held with official event organizer IO Esports, the VALORANT SEA Invitational will feature six teams of five prominent content creators and personalities each from Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, all of whom will be showcasing their in-game skills and outplaying one another in what promises to be an entertaining showcase.
Up for grabs is a total prize pool of US$10,000, various prizes from official sponsors Intel, Secretlab, Gigabyte, and Logitech, and not forgetting, honour and pride as the best team in the region.
Participating teams will also duke it out for good cause as Riot Games Southeast Asia will donate US$10,000 to GlobalGivingâ€™s Coronavirus Relief Fund to benefit projects working on the stop and prevention of the pandemicâ€™s spread, in celebration of the launch of VALORANT in conjunction with the SEA Invitational.
Riot Games SEA Head Of Esports Chris Tran said:

â€œWe are thrilled by the excitement surrounding VALORANT from our Southeast Asian players, whose response towards the game has exceeded our expectations.
This charity invitational is an opportunity for us to unite players in the region through a shared passion for playing and watching the game, all in the name of a good cause.
We look forward to bringing more such 2 unique experiences to our players in the near future.”

The SEA Invitational will be broadcast live in English, Traditional Chinese, Thai, Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia on Facebook, YouTube and Twitch, and will feature big names including:

Luthfi Halimawan and Watchout Gaming from Indonesia
Soloz and MasterRamen from Malaysia
GlocoGaming and Ashley Gosiengfiao from the Philippines
Sombrero and Afiz from Singapore
Xargon and Hehe from Taiwan
Xcrosz and Badness Gamer from Thailand

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-_TW8QXx9E&w=560&h=315]
Meanwhile, Riot Games will also work together with Cyber Games Arena, a leading esports event organizer from Hong Kong and Taiwan, to host the VALORANT Pacific Open, a series of regional tournaments starting in early July 2020.
The VALORANT Pacific Open is Southeast Asiaâ€™s entry in the VALORANT Ignition Series, which will spotlight a select number of tournaments each week to help discover talented players and build global recognition for top VALORANT teams.
Riot Games will support the Ignition Series events with amplification through multiple publishing channels, including a dedicated landing with an updated schedule, and guiding tournament organizers to provide a best-in-class experience week over week.
Starting this July, ten teams from Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore will battle it out in the VALORANT Pacific Open for a prize pool of US$20,000.
Winners from each qualifier will advance to the VALORANT Pacific Open Finals in mid-August.
The qualifiers of the VALORANT Pacific Open will commence on 3 July 2020, with the preliminary being open for public participation. Registration is open from 23 June 2020 to 1 July 2020.
This will be a rare opportunity for players who want to embark on the journey to be the next VALORANT esports star.


Sony Is Listening To Negative Feedback On Party Chat Changes

Last week’s major PS4 system update 8.00 introduces many things besides bugs and issues. One of those things was a huge change in how the Party system works. Party and Messages now use the same â€˜Groupsâ€™ of players for Party voice chats and message exchanges, instead of having different groups set up across the two apps.
What this means is that players are now forced to add someone into a Party before entering Voice Chat. Previously, it was more fluid in how players could just drop in and out of a match at any time.
While this has annoyed many gamers, Sony is listening to all the negative feedback, so there’s always a chance of PlayStation changing it and making it easier to use again like it used to be.

Hey folks – just wanted to let you know that we’re looking into your feedback on the recent changes to Parties on PS4. Thanks for speaking up – we’ll keep you posted— PlayStation (@PlayStation) October 17, 2020

It just goes to show that it’s always better to voice out your frustrations and communicate your problems.


Legends Of Runeterra Introduces The Path Of Champions PvE Mode

The Path of Champions is Legends Of Runeterraâ€™s brand new PvE adventure mode coming in patch 2.19.0 at 2am GMT+8 on 11 November 2021. You can travel across Runeterra as one of your favourite champions, conquer unique encounters, earn and equip powerful Relics, recruit allies, and upgrade your champion like never before to take on all-new challenges.
To celebrate Riot x Arcane, a special set of adventures are available in Piltover & Zaun, featuring fully-voiced & animated comics, as well as branching narrative choices to add storyful depth and flair to the regionsâ€™ champions.
Jayce Arrives to Defend Tomorrow!

Jayce, Piltover & Zaunâ€™s newest champion, arrives this patch with a veritable arsenal of hextech experiments and Piltovan allies!Â
Mega Event Pass
Legends Of Runeterraâ€™s largest Event Pass to date, earn up to 35 rewards, including exclusive new emotes, guardians, card backs, and more from 10 November to 8 December 2021.
New Cosmetic Items

Be the life of the party and celebrate your favourite champions from Piltover & Zaun with new Gilded skins:

Gilded Vi – includes new level-up animation
Gilded Jinx
Gilded Caitlyn
Gilded Ekko
Gilded Jayce

[videopress V9KVtjzY]
Look down from the graffiti-coated skyscrapers of Piltover in the new Epic-tier Piltovan Rooftops Board, complete with new visual effects, interactive elements, and music.
Check out the trailer below: