Citadel Renewed For Season 2 After Drawing Second Largest International Audience Of Any New Series In Prime Video History

Prime Video has announced that it has renewed the global hit series Citadel for a second season with Joe Russo set to direct every episode and executive producer David Weil returning as showrunner.
The spy thriller—starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and featuring Lesley Manville and Stanley Tucci—continues to enjoy breakout success in countries around the world, including India, Italy, Brazil, South Africa, the U.K., and the U.S. It is Prime Video’s second most-watched new original series outside the U.S., and fourth most-watched worldwide. All episodes of Citadel’s premiere season will be available to Prime Video customers beginning Friday, 26 May 2023.
With all Citadel episodes available to binge, the first episode will be made free to stream without membership on Prime Video for a limited time. Outside of the U.S., the first episode of Citadel will be available to stream without a Prime membership on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories from Friday, 26 May 2023 to Sunday, 28 May 2023.
Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon and MGM Studios, said:
“Citadel is a truly global phenomenon. Our goal was always to create a new franchise rooted in original IP that would grow Prime Video’s international audience. This show has drawn an outsize number of new international customers to Prime Video. Its massive worldwide debut audience is a testament to Joe and Anthony Russo’s remarkable vision, the incredible talents of Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Lesley Manville and Stanley Tucci, and the tireless work of the creative teams, cast, and crew. Given the overwhelming number of our customers who have embraced this show, we are not only thrilled to share the premiere episode of Citadel globally without membership, but also confirm that the series will return for a second season.”
Citadel executive producers Anthony and Joe Russo, said:
“AGBO is thrilled to embark on this next phase of the spyverse with Jen, Vernon, and the entire team at Amazon. The innovative storytelling of Citadel has paved the way for an incredible, worldwide collaboration with creatives in front of and behind the camera.”
The synopsis for Citadel reads:
Eight years ago, Citadel fell. The independent global spy agency—tasked to uphold the safety and security of all people—was destroyed by operatives of Manticore, a powerful syndicate manipulating the world from the shadows. With Citadel’s fall, elite agents Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) had their memories wiped as they narrowly escaped with their lives.
They’ve remained hidden ever since, building new lives under new identities, unaware of their pasts. Until one night, when Mason is tracked down by his former Citadel colleague, Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci), who desperately needs his help to prevent Manticore from establishing a new world order. Mason seeks out his former partner, Nadia, and the two spies embark on a mission that takes them around the world in an effort to stop Manticore, all while contending with a relationship built on secrets, lies, and a dangerous-yet-undying love.
From Amazon Studios and the Russo Brothers’ AGBO, Citadel is executive produced by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Scott Nemes for AGBO, with David Weil serving as showrunner and executive producer. Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg serve as executive producers for Midnight Radio. Newton Thomas Sigel and Patrick Moran also serve as executive producers.
Citadel is the debut of a landmark global franchise. Executive produced by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO, Citadel and its subsequent series traverse the globe with interconnected stories. Each Citadel series is locally created, produced, and filmed in-region, and stars top talent, forming a distinct global franchise. Series are already underway in Italy and India, respectively, starring Matilda De Angelis, Varun Dhawan, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.


Southeast Asia Livestream Platform Tamago To Shut Down End Of 2018

It’s a sad day for Southeast Asian streamers. Live-streaming platform Tamago will be shutting down its services by 31 December 2018.
The reason? The company said in an official statement that “business has been challenging and it is commercially unfeasible […] to continue operating under the current circumstances.” Also, here are some Tamago tidbits you need to know if you have been a user since its inception:

Users cannot buy T-coins right now since that service has ceased immediately.
Streamer earnings will be paid out before 8 December.
The company will not refund users for coin leftovers, so they’ll have to spend all of it. However, the cut-off date for gifting is 7th December. Yikes…

Streamers like Riku and Asurai have received the info at the last possible moment, much to their chagrin.
https://www.facebook.com/1148545387/posts/10212952836472827/
Tamago is the result of a partnership between Astro Malaysia Holdings (who also run EGG Network) and China’s Esports live-streaming platform Huomao. It officially launched on 15 December.


S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornobyl Will Be Delayed To 2023

GSC Game World has officially delayed its upcoming first-person shooter and exploration-heavy title S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.
The game is now delayed to 2023 past its previous plan of 8 December. The company discussed about game-making during wartime, as GSC Game World is a Ukraine-based studio.
“Some of GSC Game World’s employees have decided to defend their country while a part of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl’s development continues in Kyiv. The company has also established a new office in Prague, Czech Republic, where much of the game’s development will take place.
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe is based on three video games as well as numerous books, comics, and fan-fiction pieces. With over 15 million copies sold worldwide, the franchise has been critically acclaimed and fans are eagerly waiting for its return with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.”
Check out the Enter The Zone trailer and the developer diary videos below. The game is shaping up to be as creepy and atmospheric as possible, for a shooter taking place in a messed-up zone affected by the Chernobyl incident.


Axle Motorsport & MAM’s eRacing GP Causeway Edition Starts Next Sunday

The eRacing GP Southeast Asia (eRGP SEA) Global Edition, which began earlier this month, pitted many real-life racers up against the best virtual racers from the Asia Pacific region.
Axle Motorsport have now announced that they are expanding their online racing platform to the next level with the eRacing GP Causeway Edition, which is sanctioned by the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM).
MAM President Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir said:

â€œIt is great to see more e-Racing promoters launch Championships.
More so when an ex F1 driver and motorsports commentator helms it.
I am sure Alex will also set a time and pace for others to beat.
I want to congratulate Alex and his team for doing this.
It will be great for all motorsports fans especially the e-motorsports followers.â€

Meanwhile, Axle Motorsport Founder Alex Yoong is relishing the opportunity for the expansion of the eRGP SEA online platform and looking forward to collaborating with both countries ASNâ€™s; including the MAM and Motorsports Singapore.
He said:

â€œFirstly, I would like to thank the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) for sanctioning the eRGP Causeway Edition which gives us a tremendous boost.
With all these new drivers coming to esports through online simulator racing, we are keen to keep providing world-class platforms for these drivers to showcase what they can do.
We received hundreds of participants weekly where drivers were trying to qualify for the final rounds.
For this edition, we will be using the Tatuus Formula 4 car, which is just like the real Formula 4 car they use in Europe.
We will also be racing on four of the fastest and most challenging circuits from around the world with the likes of Brands Hatch Circuit, Zandvoort Circuit, Laguna Seca Circuit and Suzuka Circuit.â€

The best Malaysian and Singaporean racers aged 18 and under will also win a free test with one of the regionâ€™s best karting teams, Stratos Motorsport. The upcoming races will feature commentary by Dez Corkhill and Alex Yoong himself.
The series will take place every Sunday at 2pm onwards starting from 26 April 2020 until 17 May 2020. In addition, Axle Motorsport is also set to expand its online simulator racing platform, where they will be hosting another series known as the eRacing GP SEA Philippines Edition (which is scheduled to kick-off next week).
This weekend will also see round five of six for the eRacing GP SEA Global Edition. Check out highlights from round four below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGwoFWxeZz4&w=560&h=315]


DIRT 5 Keeps It Simple With Stupid Racing Fun

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X and S, PS5, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Arcade racing game disguised as a rally title
Do you know what people hate? Impostors. Especially when one thing you like tries to pretend being what it isn’t for the sake of hitting the mass market or just having a bizarre stroke of supposed genius. For instance, racing game Project C.A.R.S. recently had a third entry that purposely removed a number of key things to make it feel less intimidating for non-driving sim fans. But in doing so, it lost its identity halfway and is not going to impress all but the most forgiving of all Project C.A.R.S fanboys.
DIRT 5, the fifth game in the COdemasters racing series, knows what it is and what it’s supposed to do: be a simple arcade-style rally driving game and just excel in that. While it’s not breaking new ground, it’s at least being honest and leaves the sophisticated and realistic driving bits to its DIRT Rally cousins.
Road To Ruin

That’s not to say DIRT 5‘s controls are beyond realistic; they’re as grounded as they come but a tad more forgiving than this year’s driving sim offerings. But if you’re looking for individual tweaks and detailed steering, handling, and braking options, this isn’t the game for that. This is the kind of racing game where you worry about getting 1st place by any means necessary. The kind that needs you to memorize tricky turns and sharp corners to get ahead and get the best time. The kind where even simple grading for the cars you use can matter. Fortunately, DIRT 5 delivers these bits just fine.
There’s a Career mode where you’re climbing your way to the top with races & racing events that take you to different locales with their own set of tracks. You get to buy different rally cars for specific races and circuit tiers, but it’s kept simple and to the point. Your world tour racing competition tracksÂ range from the icy skidding of USA’s Rhode Island area to the bamboo maze and muddy hills of China. Whether you’re burning rubber in Italy’s dirty countryside or Morocco’s hill-filled landscape, all of it looks pretty and feel distinct from one another. Some of the Norway tracks like Henningsvaer are lighter fares with more straight roads and peaceful vistas compared to the complex curves and turns of Xinsilong Forest in China.
The tracks too take the day/night cycle system to heart; the sky and weather changes halfway as you go through laps. It’s quite a sight when you’re racing in near pitch-black conditions in China, relying on your spotlights so that you don’t careen off the course. Brazil’s Tijuca Forest also has a ton of curves and uphill drives finished off with a ramp, with the last lap featuring cleared skies after some rain. They do make the races challenging, but they do look good doing so while offering a solid digital dirt rally experience.
With all of these combined, you still get the thrill of launching towards the next landing point off a makeshift ramp or plunging down whatever hill you came down from, but in next-gen form. The game runs great on 1080p and in 4K, whether you pick visual quality or performance mode in the video settings. Even with some screen-tearing and frame rate skips here and there, it generally looks and runs like a dirty dream.
If you want the crazier stuff though and don’t want to settle for “solid”, the Playground and Gymkhana challenges will sort you out. These convoluted tracks and creations are what you expect from a Trackmania title, but grounded. It’ll be nice if these modes took centerstage in the main Career mode instead of a bonus feature, but at least it’s there and will entertain you to no end, depending on the community’s efforts.
The Road Less Travelled

Even if you’re burned out by simulations like Project CARS 3 (a pretty inferior sequel, to be frank), you should give DIRT 5 a chance if you aim for a simple arcade racing game with great-looking frills, noteworthy challenges, and a straightforward path. Don’t expect it to revolutionize racing or rally sports as a whole; leave that to the Dirt Rally series. For now, think of this entry as a mid-season race set between the high-tier stuff. Something to appease your casual racing buddy who wants a mid-tier car-driving title that delivers the fun.
Pros

Great entry point for racers.
Simple and great arcade racing controls & tracks.
Beautiful graphics & (almost) consistent frame rates.
Still retains trademark custom map-making and gymkhana challenges.

Cons

As standard as they come; little to no innovations.
Racing aficionados may find challenges mediocre.

Final Score: 70/100


Trials Of Mana Demo Drops Tomorrow, Saves Carry Over

Square Enix has announced that the Trials Of Mana demo is launching on 18 March 2020 for the PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC. The demo will begin with your chosen hero’s opening chapter as they set out into the world with companions at their side and ending with the first boss battle against the dreaded Fullmetal Hugger.
Fullmetal Hugger will be your first boss.
You are free to choose two of the six available party members in the Trials Of Mana demo. As an added incentive, you will also be able to seamlessly resume your journey in the full version of the game using save data from the demo.

Trials of Mana is one of two Square Enix JRPG remakes coming out in April 2020; the other being the Final Fantasy VII Remake. The original game (known as Seiken Densetsu 3 in Japan) initially launched back in 1995 for the SNES, but thisÂ is a full HD remake of the third entry in the classic Mana JRPG franchise.
Players can experience vastly different stories by selecting a party of three from six unique characters. These characters can even change classes and learn over 300 different abilities.

The graphics remind me of 2018â€™s Dragon Quest XI: Echoes Of An Elusive Age (also by Square Enix), which means that it looks positively brilliant. Unlike that gameâ€™s traditional turn-based gameplay, Trials Of Mana features Tales-like real-time combat.
Those who pre-purchase or purchase Trials Of Mana by 21 May 2020 will receive the Rabite Adornment DLC, allowing players to gain more EXP after battles up to level 10. Pre-orders of the digital PS4 version of the game will also include an exclusive avatar set featuring the gameâ€™s six playable characters.
Trials Of Mana is slated to release for the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC on 24 April 2020. In the meantime, check out the awesome final trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYCg07qwWSg&w=560&h=315]


Here’s How To Easily Find Flyers In Apex Legends

Respawn Entertainment started teasing dragons, or flyers as they’re called in-game, a few weeks ago in the Apex Legends Season 2 trailer at E3 2019. These flyers have started spawning in the game now, and if players are wondering how to find these elusive creatures, here’s how.
Reddit user FrozenFohFrozenFoh is a prominent poster on the official Apex Legends subreddits, with guides and leak insights galore. His latest upload details all the known spawn locations for flyers in the battle royale game.
As of now, the eastern side of King’s Canyon seems strangely devoid of flyers, which fans speculate to be caused by the presence of the tall trees or Nessy the Loch Ness monster. The southern side of the map remains the best locations for encountering flyers, with the Water Treatment most probably the best place with a whopping three spawn locations there alone.

Why Are These Flyers Spawning In Apex Legends?
There’s still no explanation as to why these flyers are spawning in the game. As of now, Apex Legends data-miner @That1MiningGuy posted on Twitter about his theory that these flyers are just scouts for larger dragons to arrive.

So to everyone thinking the current flyers are pushovers… my theory is that these are the scouts, the little guys, we’ll have bigger ones, and swarms soon enough. Also MU1_Leviathan realllllly makes me think we’ll be seeing a third larger leviathan. (Probably the real L001) pic.twitter.com/TWjwUc8U4J
â€” That1MiningGuy (@That1MiningGuy) June 19, 2019
The arrival of massive Leviathans might be imminent, so players might have to face different map structures and situations in Apex Legends Season 2. In the meantime, check out the E3 2019 trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXRpUCagRF8&w=560&h=315]


Jackie Brown & El Camino Star Robert Forster Dies Aged 78

Robert Forster passed away in Los Angeles aged 78. He died onÂ  11th October on a Friday due to brain cancer. He is survived by his partner Denise Grayson, children Bobby, Elizabeth, Kate, and Maeghen, and four grandchildren.
His recent film was El Camino: A Breaking Bad Film. Previously, he was renowned for his Oscar-nominated role in Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown, as well as inÂ  David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks.
Here are the tweets and messages from stars and the internet concerning his passing. We’ll miss ya, Rob!

RIP Robert Forster!! A truly class act/ Actor!!
— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) October 12, 2019

Robert Forester: Pam, call me when ya get into town. I’ll take you to my fave place for breakfast. We’ll catch up…….
— Pam Grier Ph.D (@PamGrier) October 12, 2019

“Today the world is left with one less gentlemen. One less square shooter. One less good man. One less wonderful father. One less marvelous actor. I remember all the breakfasts we had at silver spoons. All the stories. All the kind words. All the support.
Casting Robert Forster in ‘Jackie Brown’ was one of the best choices I’ve ever made in my life. I will miss you dearly my old friend. Bye bye Max. Bye bye Miles. Bye bye Bob.”
 – Quentin Tarantino
The Best Bits of Robert Forster
…in Quentin Tarantino’s adaptation of Rum Punch.

…when he talks about his late 90s break with said adaptation of Rum Punch.

..when he was in Twin Peaks.

…when he did a bunch of distinctive VOs for shows like Justice League Unlimited.


New Star Wars Animated Series To Focus On The Bad Batch

Hot off the heels of the final season of Star Wars The Clone Wars in May 2020, Disney Plus has announced a brand new animated series for the franchise. Star Wars: The Bad Batch is set to premiere sometime in 2021 on Disney Plus, focusing on the Bad Batch or Clone Force 99.

The Bad Batch was originally introduced in the final season of Star Wars The Clone Wars, and they were the focus of the first major story arc in the aforementioned season. The Bad Batch is an elite clone commando squad consisting of four clone troopers designed with genetic mutations. These include:

“Tech,” a clone with heightened mental capacity and intelligence.
Clone Sergeant “Hunter,” a clone with improved sensory abilities.
“Wrecker,” a clone with enhanced strength.
“Crosshair,” a clone with sharpshooter abilities.

From left to right: Tech, Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair.
Each member of the Bad Batch could be identified by a skull icon on their clone trooper armour. Following the Battle of Anaxes (which happened in the first four episodes of Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7), fan-favourite Clone Corporal “Echo” also officially joined the squad.

According to Deadline, Star Wars The Clone Wars creator and The Mandalorian executive producer Dave Filoni will return for Star Wars The Bad Batch as executive producer alongside Athena Portillo (Star Wars The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels), Brad Rau (Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars Resistance) and Jennifer Corbett (Star Wars Resistance, NCIS).
Meanwhile, Carrie Beck (The Mandalorian, Star Wars Rebels) will act as head writer and co-executive producer, while Josh Rimes will be the producer (Star Wars Resistance).
Disney Plus Content senior vice president Agnes Chu said:

â€œGiving new and existing fans the final chapter of â€˜Star Wars: The Clone Warsâ€™ has been our honor at Disney+, and we are overjoyed by the global response to this landmark series.
While the Clone Wars may have come to its conclusion, our partnership with the groundbreaking storytellers and artists at Lucasfilm Animation is only beginning.
We are thrilled to bring Dave Filoniâ€™s vision to life through the next adventures of the Bad Batch.â€


Who Got “Snubbed” At This Year’s Oscars?

As the 2019 Oscars ceremony fades into the history books, we can take a look at 2018’s crop of films and figure out who got “snubbed” by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) this year.
Just because the film YOU loved this year didn’t win an award or two, doesn’t mean it was “snubbed” (sorry all you “Black Panther for Best Picture” Stans).
What constitutes a “snubbing”?

While it’s an “honour just to be nominated”, and not everyone can be a winner, sometimes the nominees and winners can seem wildly out of step with the general consensus among film-goers. Which is usually down to the unique memberships of the academy.
Unlike other awards ceremonies where voters are a part of an overall professional group (Screen Actors Guild and the SAG awards; the Broadcast Film Critics Association and their Critics Choice Awards) or even, heaven forbid, voted for by the public (People’s Choice Awards), the Academy is made up of past nominees and winners as well as those invited by the board.
While the Academy has made changes in recent years as to who gets invited, it still has an overwhelming majority of white men voting on the awards, many of whom are frequently “old”.
You can get some idea of how this affects the voting from The Hollywood Reporter’s annual “Brutally Honest Oscar Voter” series, where they interview an anonymous voters thoughts on that year’s contenders. In the past this has produced such “gems” of criticism such as how one voter didn’t like Get Out because “they started trying to suggest it had deeper meaning than it does, and, as far as Iâ€™m concerned, they played the race card, and that really turned me off.” or another didn’t like Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk because the “drone of the airplane through the whole f**king movie just drove me crazy.”
This year’s secret voters may have seemed to be a little less caustic in their opinions. However, it doesn’t mean that the majority have changed their tune.
For SHAME!

In some cases many of the voters don’t even watch all the movies, especially the best animated features! or will reward films based upon gut feeling, because they like the people involved or it’s because someone is “due” their award having been looked over in the past. How else do you explain Scorsese receiving a Best Director award for The Departed, a remake of a (fantastic!) Andy Lau, Tony Leung movie but not for Taxi Driver, Casino, Raging Bull or Goodfellas!?
So, who got snubbed this year?
Not Even In The Race

Before we even get to the nominees, pour one out for those who weren’t even nominated.
While it’s not yet available in most parts of Asia, by all accounts Ethan Hawke’s performance as a Protestant Minister facing up to his demons and the state of the world in First Reformed, was worthy of a nomination, although screenwriter/director Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull) was nominated for Best Original Screenplay.
Schrader didn’t manage to win either, leaving him with a sum total of zero Oscars in a career that has, so far lasted over 40 years.
Nomination Nightmare

Despite Get Out‘s nominations in Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor and its win for Best Original screenplay in 2018, the Academy can have a blind spot when it comes to horror movies in the “big” categories. It’s amazing to me how Toni Collette’s chilling performance in HereditaryÂ didn’t even get a mention.
One of the most terrifying scenes in the whole movie, or the whole of 2018, has nothing to do with the supernatural elements of the film and is purely down to Collette’s scarily realistic portrayal of a mother losing it at a family dinner.
With that said, after watching her utterly charming acceptance speech. it’s hard to hold Collete’s snub against eventual Best Actress winner Olivia Coleman.
Winning Isn’t Everything; It’s The Only Thing.

Despite the impossibility of handing out multiple Oscars for a single category, Best Supporting Actor in this case, it also feels unfair that both Sam Elliot and Richard E. Grant walked home empty-handed. Like Schrader, both have had long productive careers and a distinct lack of Oscar love.
They’ll just have to make do with being worshipped by students everywhere for their roles in The Big Lebowski and Withnail and I although Grant seemed to be so happy at meeting Barbara Streisand he might not have even noticed losing out to Mahershala Ali.
Heroic & Historic

While Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse’s win for Best Animated Feature Film would seem to have ended the Academy’s habit of snubbing genre films, maybe they actually watched it this year?
It’s worth noting though, that Black Panther “only” won in the Best Original Score, Costume Design, & Production Design categories. We’re still a far way off from a super-hero movie winning Best Picture.
Another hero who couldn’t help but feel snubbed is Damien Chazelle and his team on the Neil Armstrong biopic First Man. They may have walked away with the statuette for Best Visual Effects but it’s a travesty that First Man wasn’t nominated in any of the bigger categories.
The lack of any nominations for Justin Hurwitz’s score, which builds up to the simply stunning “The Landing” as Neil and Buzz Aldrin (spoilers) land on the moon, is a crime. The pair were probably victims of their own success having won big in 2017 with La-La LandÂ . they’ll need to slog away for a few years before they can win again.

“Based” Upon A True Story

The biggest snub of the night, however, seemed to be reality itself.
In spite of major issues with the “true” part of their “based on a true story”, both Bohemian Rhapsody and Green Book took home multiple awards.
Rami Malek deserves his Best Actor award however he, and Freddie Mercury, deserved a better film around them. Does a story of Freddie’s life really need the band to break up due to Freddie’s solo career in the third act? A point in the band’s career when the other members had already realised a number of solo albums?
And who thought it was a good idea to put Mike Myers in the film for a Waynes World gag? A joke that is literally 26-years old!
As for the film’s win for best editing check out the tweet below for a far better summation of the issues there than I could ever hope to provide.
https://twitter.com/ParkerMolloy/status/1100083857192349696?ref_src
As for Green Book, the family of Dr Don Shirley, the real-life charter played by Mahershala Ali, have strenuously denied that many of the events of the film ever happened and the producer even went as far to deny he even knew the real-life family existed during the Oscar post-show! It’s not a good look but never let it be said that Hollywood ever let truth or a little racism get in the way of a feel-good story.
Scratch That

OK, maybe that’s going a bit too far. Obviously, the REAL biggest snub of the evening and this awards season as a whole was “BCoops” himself, Bradley Cooper, who couldn’t seem to catch a cold, never mind an award, at least in the US (thanks BAFTA).
To create a film as well-loved, and as highly nominated, asÂ A Star is BornÂ on your first try in the director’s chair is a staggering feat, one that will, it seems to go mostly unrewarded (except in bags and bags of money).
I guess he can console himself with that and his Atlanta Film Critics Circle award for Best First Film.
A snub for the better?
Finally, the one Oscar snub that seems to have worked out well for everyone including the Academy, was snubbing the host! After Kevin Hart’s lost the gig over homophobic tweets in the past, ratings for the show in the US actually improved, something the Academy has been trying to achieve for years, even if they didn’t go with the perfect idea floated online: let The Muppets host.

Do you feel anyone else got snubbed this year? Sound off in the comments below or on Facebook.


New Disenchanted Trailer Teases More Of The Enchanted Sequel

Disney+ Hotstar has released a delightful new trailer for Disenchanted; the all-new musical comedy and sequel to 2007’s Enchanted. The film, which reunites?original cast members?Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel, and James Marsden and also stars Maya Rudolph, Gabriella Baldacchino, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Jayma Mays, is directed by Adam Shankman and features new songs from Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. Disenchanted debuts on 18 November 2022 exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar.
The synopsis reads:
It has been more than ten years since Giselle (Adams) and Robert (Dempsey) wed, but Giselle has grown disillusioned with life in the city, so they?move their growing family to the sleepy suburban community of Monroeville in search of a more fairy tale life. Unfortunately, it isn’t the quick fix she had hoped for.
Suburbia has a whole new set of rules and a local queen bee, Malvina Monroe (Rudolph), who makes Giselle feel more out of place than ever.?Frustrated that her?happily ever after?hasn’t been so easy to find, she turns to the magic of Andalasia for help, accidentally transforming the entire town into a real-life fairy tale and placing her family’s future happiness in jeopardy. Now, Giselle is in a race against time to reverse the spell and determine what?happily ever after?truly means to her and her family.
Disenchanted stars Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Maya Rudolph, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jayma Mays, Gabriella Baldacchino, with Idina Menzel and James Marsden.?Directed by Adam Shankman from a screenplay by Brigitte Hales and a story by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss, and Richard LaGravenese, “Disenchanted” is produced by Barry Josephson, Barry Sonnenfeld, and Amy Adams, with Jo Burn, Sunil Perkash, and Adam Shankman serving as executive producers.
The movie features songs with music by 8-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken and lyrics by three-time Oscar-winning lyricist Stephen Schwartz, whose work on “Enchanted” garnered three Academy Award® nominations and a score by Alan Menken.


Ex-God Of War Director Joins Netflix To Work On An Original AAA Game

Netflix has recently made a big move in the gaming world by bringing on board a well-known developer to join their game studio in sunny southern California. This talented individual is none other than Raf Grassetti, the former art director of the popular God of War franchise. After spending over ten years at Sony’s Santa Monica Studio, Grassetti decided to embark on a new adventure with Netflix.
In an exciting announcement, Grassetti revealed that he’s now a part of the Netflix studio, led by Chacko Sonny, the former executive producer of Overwatch. He won’t be alone in this endeavour, as he’ll be collaborating with Joseph Staten, a veteran from the Halo series, who recently left Microsoft. The team also includes Jerry Edsall, a technology expert who previously worked as the lead programmer on Gears 5.
Grassetti couldn’t contain his enthusiasm, expressing his happiness and anticipation for the opportunity to create a brand-new, original AAA game at Netflix. He looks forward to assembling a talented team and working alongside Staten, Edsall, and Sonny to breathe life into an entirely new world.

I’m happy to announce that I’ve joined Netflix to develop a new original IP AAA game. I’m really excited to build a team and to work with the amazing Joseph Staten, Jerry Edsall and Chacko Sonny to bring a new world to life ?? pic.twitter.com/RQVDr0b1zs
— Raf Grassetti (@rafagrassetti) May 31, 2023

Netflix has been making significant strides in the gaming industry. In March, they announced plans to release a whopping 40 games in 2023 alone, aiming to have a total of 95 games available by the end of the year. Building on its success of offering mobile games to Netflix subscribers, the company has 16 first-party games in development and a promising lineup of 70 more games being worked on by third-party studios.
With the addition of Grassetti and the team’s collective expertise, it’s clear that Netflix is serious about expanding its gaming division and providing an even more immersive entertainment experience for its audience. Gamers and Netflix fans alike have much to look forward to as this talented crew works their magic behind the scenes to bring us a whole new gaming universe.


Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope Walkthrough: How To Keep Space Safe

The new strategy game Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope is out this week for Nintendo Switch. If you love Mario, Nintendo characters, Rabbids, and XCOM games with tweakable difficulty levels, you’ve come to the right game.
Here are video walkthroughs for each major story quest in the game, battles and all. Some of these puzzles can get tricky, so hopefully these walkthroughs will help. Spoiler warning, since we’ll be touching on the game’s final battles too.

Basic Tips To Keep In Mind

–Practice Team Jump as much as you can. You cover way more distance with three people when Team Jumping back-to-back. Heck, certain vantage points are only accessible when you Team Jump; these areas are beneficial for snipers like Luigi.
-You only stop moving when you fire your primary weapon (ZL button). You can still move around after doing a Spark ability, a Dash (melee), a Team Jump, or a Hero Ability (ZR button). But once you fire your weapon, you can’t move anymore. Make sure you’re at least in cover before you fire your gun.
-Take your time scanning the area with Beep-O either before the fight starts or during a fight. There’s nothing worse than using the wrong Spark element on an enemy, wasting your turn since the resistances for elements are pretty high.
-Always apply Spark buffs or Hero Ability buffs (Princess Peach’s team shield) before moving. That way, you can give everyone your buffs before they spread out to cover more ground.
-If you’re low on coins for the shop or for pre-fight heals, you can always exit the dungeon and re-enter to make them respawn. Either that, or just farm enemies in the area you’re in.
-If Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope is kicking your ass in the later levels, there’s no shame in tweaking the difficulty to your liking. The game doesn’t pull punches with damage and enemy AI when you reach Pallette Prime. Besides, there isn’t an achievement system in place here if you finish the game on the highest difficulty.

Beacon Beach

Pristine Peaks

Palette Prime

Terra Flora

Barrendale Mesa

Cursa’s Stronghold


New Apex Legends Update Increases Level Cap & Rewards

EA and Respawn Entertainment have announced the next Apex Legends update, which will officially drop on 3 December 2019. This is a major one, especially for hardcore players, as the in-game level cap will finally be increased for the first time since the game’s initial launch in February 2019.
The new Apex Legends update will increase the level cap from 100 to a whopping 500. The Apex Packs progression system changed to reflect that too, as the following now applies:

Level 2 – 20: One pack every level
Level 22 – 300: One pack every two levels
Level 305 – 500: One pack every five levels
You will continue to earn 600 Legend Tokens per level
Apex Packs rewards will be retroactive
Player Level Gun Charm every 100 Player Levels

Level cap increase, progression changes, and even more Apex packs.
Starting December 3, we’re making changes to Player Level progression.
Check out all the detailsðŸ‘‰: https://t.co/P5zDd8Tdaa pic.twitter.com/uoVUkoycTq
â€” Apex Legends (@PlayApex) November 26, 2019

What it also means is that all players will be retroactively awarded any Apex Packs they should have received under this new system even when they’re already at a high level. For example, players who are currently level 100 will still automatically receive 14 Apex Packs when the new update goes live next month.
Check out the new level badges from 110 to 500 below:

Newcomers will appreciate that Respawn has decreased the rate of XP required to level up from levels 20 to 58, with the total XP required to hit level 100 reduced by approximately 5 percent. In addition, the new update will also add 36 new Gun Charms in both Epic and Legendary tiers, which will now rotate through the Shop.
[wpvideo sWG26kuJ]


Here Are The Most Popular Pokémon In Every Country, Including Malaysia

The Pokémon franchise has existed since 1996 and has spanned multiple generations, including a whopping more than 1000 different Pokémon. With that kind of variety, we’re sure everyone out there has a favourite Pokémon of their own, but how about countries as a whole? Google Search statistics can tell us the favourite Pokémon from each country.
If you’re from Malaysia like us, our favourite Pokémon is apparently Gyarados, which is a great choice. those from Japan like Eeevee the most, while those from Singapore like Charizard.
You can find your own respective countries in the image below, courtesy of The Toy Zone:


Here’s How You Can Get These The Last Of Us Part 2 Face Masks

You can never have too many spare masks to wear during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As a further incentive, you can actually get exclusive The Last Of Us Part 2 face masks adorned with Ellie’s tattoo design.

Here’s how you can get your hands on them:
Pre-order any edition of The Last Of Us Part 2 from Gamer’s Hideout and you can grab one of the exclusive The Last Of Us Part 2 face masks. However, you should probably do so as soon as possible to increase your chances, as they’re only entitled to come with the first 200 units.
Head on over to this page to pre-order any edition of The Last Of Us Part 2 on the official Gamer’s Hideout website. The Last Of Us Part 2Â is slated to release on 19 June 2020. In the meantime, check out the trailer below, orÂ head on over hereÂ for the different editions of the game with Malaysian prices.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhII1qlcZ4E&w=560&h=315]


MDEC Awards Local Talented Youth In Animation & Games Development

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has recently concluded its Creativity @ Schools Awards, which began back in 2020. The programme aims to develop skills and talent in the digital creative content field amongst school students, and this yearâ€™s competition saw over 700 registered participants from 40 schools inÂ  Malaysia showcasing their talents in both animation and games development.Â
The competition was split into two categories – animation and games. Adam Auzaâ€™i Bin Mohamad Zaper of SMK Syed Saffi, Perlis, grabbed first place in the animation category (Kre8tif! @ Schools Animation Awards) while Airil Hariz bin Zolkefli of SMK Seksyen 5 Wangsa Maju, KualaÂ  Lumpur, was the winner of the games category (LEVEL UP @Â  Schools Game Awards).
Both winners walked away with RM3,000 in prize money and a winnersâ€™ certificate, while their schools received five Wacom tablets each.Â
LEVEL UP @ SchoolsÂ  Game Awards champion Airil Hariz bin Zolkefli said:
â€œIâ€™m honoured to have won the championâ€™s spot for the LEVEL UP @ SchoolsÂ  Award, and as much as Iâ€™m delighted to win, Iâ€™m happier that I got to utilise the skills and knowledge I have learnt during the LEVEL UP @ Schools programs.
The program taught me various skills such as User Interface, User Experience, and sound design while giving me a good idea of what game design development is like.
It is something that I might want to pursue in the future.”

Kre8tif! @ Schools Animation Awards winner Adam Auzaâ€™i BinÂ  Mohamad Zaper said:
â€œThe knowledge and skills in animation production that I learnt during the Kre8tif! @ Schools program has been extremely helpful.
It has enabled me toÂ  learn what is exactly needed in the animation production field like 3D animation, rendering and character building, increasing my interest in animation design more.
Having won first place in the competition is just aÂ  bonus to what I have learned from the program.”

The Creativity @ Schools competition is a yearly competition organised by MDEC, which is part of their overall Creativity @ Schools program. This program was introduced to inspire & nurture creativity among youngÂ  Malaysians and foster interest in animation, visual effects and game design leading towards encouraging enrolment in creative content courses at tertiary levels while also planting seeds for new IP generation.
Creativity @Â  Schools introduces two main programs; LEVEL UP @ Schools & Kre8tif! @ Schools.Â

LEVEL UP @ Schools: A program to create awareness & interest in the game development ecosystem. Introduced in 2016 to nurture future talents and encourage enrollment in game development fields at the tertiary level.
Kre8tif! @ Schools: An animation program to inspire & nurture creativity among young Malaysians. Introduced in 2019, it educates & foster interests in animation while encouraging enrollment in creative content courses at the tertiary levels.

To further nurture and develop Malaysiaâ€™s Digital Creative Content industry, MDEC is ramping up its efforts in providing skilling opportunities, tools and resources as well as financial assistance to help businesses within this industry thrive and be competitive industry leaders.
One of the initiatives includes theÂ  Digital Content Grant, a Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara (PENJANA) initiative to support local digital creative companies in developing,Â  producing, co-producing and marketing their digital content in animation. You can learn more about all that by heading over here.
Check out the full list of winners for MDEC’s Creativity @ Schools Awards below:
KRE8TIF! @ SCHOOLS ANIMATION AWARDS

Award
Winnerâ€™s Name
School

Johan
Adam Auzaâ€™i Bin Mohamad Zaper
SMK Syed Saffi

Naib Johan
Muhammad Ariff Fauzan Bin Fairul Hisham
SMK Bukit Merchu

Tempat Ketiga
Muhammad Adam Bin Zulkifli
SMK Agama Wataniah, Jerteh Terengganu

Hadiah Saguhati
Muhammad Azim Bin Muhammad Razimi
SMK Agama Wataniah, Jerteh Terengganu

Danish Irwan Khairudin
SMK Kompleks KLIA

Danish Imran Khairudin
SMK Kompleks KLIA

Nik Daniel Bin Nik Jessim
SMK Putrajaya Presint 8 (1)

Hasya Aqilah Binti Ahmad Noor Rashidi
SMK Agama Wataniah, Jerteh Terengganu

Muhammad Aiman Haikal Bin Hasrulnizam
Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Arau

Mark Aldrich Bin Vincent Buyun
Kolej Tun Datu Tuanku Haji Bujang

Nurul Zahra Alya Nabha Binti Muhamad Nizam
SMK Telok Mas

Muhammad Danish Hakim Bin Mohd Khairulnizam
Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Muadzam Shah

Nurilmi Ariq Bin Norazhar
SMK Seri Keramat

Anugerah Seni Visual Terbaik
Adam Auzaâ€™i Bin Mohamad Zaper
SMK Syed Saffi

Anugerah Suntingan Bunyi Terbaik
Adam Auzaâ€™i Bin Mohamad Zaper
SMK Syed Saffi

Anugerah Cerita Asal Terbaik
Muhammad Ariff Fauzan Bin Fairul Hisham
SMK Bukit Merchu

Anugerah Penyuntingan Terbaik
Muhammad Ariff Fauzan Bin Fairul Hisham
SMK Bukit Merchu

LEVEL UP @ SCHOOLS GAME AWARDS

Award
Winnerâ€™s Name
School

Johan
Airil Hariz bin Zolkefli
SMK Seksyen 5 Wangsa Maju

Naib Johan
Beh Kai Feng
SMK (L) Methodist Kuala Lumpur

Tempat Ketiga
Liew Tian En
SMK Bau

Hadiah Saguhati
Aiman bin Amri
SMK Tengku Ampuan Rahimah

Eidlan Zen Hulaif Bin Nor Azman
MRSM Felda Trolak

Tiang Wen Yu
SMJK Union

Tey Hann Sern
SMK (L) Methodist Kuala Lumpur

Kienan Pellegrino Alexcendar
MRSM Tun Mustapha

Soo See Suen
SMK Seafield

Chan Ziang Pinn
SMK Tinggi Bukit Mertajam

Lau Xin Hui
SMK Damansara Jaya

Wan Nuraisyah Binti Wan Lokman
MRSM Pengkalan Chepa

Lee Rou En
SMJK Union

Anugerah Seni Visual Terbaik
Liew Tian En
SMK Bau

Anugerah Teknologi Terbaik
Liew Tian En
SMK Bau

Anugerah Audio Terbaik
Airil Hariz bin Zolkefli
SMK Seksyen 5 Wangsa Maju

Anugerah Reka Bentuk Terbaik
Airil Hariz bin Zolkefli
SMK Seksyen 5 Wangsa Maju


The Best Part About The Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection? Save Points!

Back in 2002, Inti Creates cemented their reputation as the go-to 2D platformer-with-a-challenge creators with the Mega Man Zero series. For so many years, they’ve created arguably the best Mega Man successors on the Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo DS with four Mega Man Zero titles and two Mega Man ZX entries.
Each of these entries significantly improved with each sequel while trying out new mechanics and gimmicks that do not wear out their welcome, from grappling hooks to Metroidvania-style level progression. In short, they’re masterclass in 2D action platforming design during their heydays.
And while their recent ports, under the Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection could use a bit more work, I’m happy to say that this compilation is the best at bringing back the games in a neat little package:
The Good

I’m all for a challenge and brutal level design in a 2000-era made game, but if I have to start over from scratch and go through the game with just one life (in a series that already has a multiple lives system), it’s going to turn off even the most staunch fan. The new auto-save point system help make the experience slightly less savage, but still retains the difficulty level the series is known for. It’s still optional, so go ahead and turn it off if you’re a bad enough dude to play it like it was back in the early 2000s.
And then they are the original games themselves. I’d still say Mega Man Zero 3 is the best among the lot, but all the games here are worth playing from start to finish, if only to see how they evolve throughout each entry. You’ll have fun playing different sorts of 2D missions. You’ll enjoy the narrative weaved here that focuses on Zero and the human/reploid conflict. You’ll bop your head to tracks like “Enemy Hall”,“Departure”, “Esperanto”, “Crossover Station“, “Reborn Mechanics“, …..
Okay, there’s just so many goddamn great tracks in the Zero series. Point is, this series and the ZX duology are still great platforming action fun with challenges aplenty, lovely gimmicks, and a rockin’ soundtrack worthy of the Mega Man series.
You’re still getting the best damn 2D games for a worthy price. You’ve probably sold your Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DSs by now, right? Plus, the extra mode called Z Chaser are really fun if you need to challenge yourself. Basically, it’s a time trial that takes sections of levels from each game, including boss fights, and turns it into a challenge.
You can upload your results on the online leaderboard, or just challenge another person locally or online to see who is the better Mega Man Zero/ZX speedrunner. It’s seriously fun for those who want more out of their legacy collection.
The Bad

First: You’re only given two shoulder buttons to map the game’s main action controls, and it’s for the tiny bumpers, not the triggers. This might be a deal-breaker to some, especially if you’re used to using the Right Trigger to dash in your 2D platformers.
Second: some mechanics still need some explanations and tweaking. Your first-time user may not know that getting a high rank in Mega Man Zero 2 and 3 will net you new moves to use. The map in Mega Man ZX is perhaps one of the worst I’ve used in a Metroidvania-style title. Capcom should have done due diligence in improving and updating these past aspects.
Lastly, the PC version I’m playing still has weird stuttering and skipped frames issues which shouldn’t be the case for a decade-old series. The emulation work here really needs some updating and improvements. So far, I haven’t heard many issues for the PS4 and Switch versions, so this could be a PC thing that can be solved by Capcom via a quick update or two.
A Lovely Sum Game

Even with the port bugs, this is one damn fine collection of arguably the best 2D Mega Man games since the first half of the X series.

For those who played the X series but are new to the Zero and ZX series, or want to find out what the big deal is, this is a must-buy. The save-assist mode is a godsend for those who want a balance of fairness and difficulty. Do play them in order from parts 1 to ZX Advent, though be prepared for an unresolved cliffhanger for the latter. Maybe just play parts 1 to 4 if you just want to keep things resolved. It’s still worth all the effort.

For those who played these games to death, you’ll still want to get this, provided you have no other means of revisiting them in their original GBA and DS forms. Long story short, I do hope this spells a resurgence for X’s BFF Zero and the future of the Mega Man series because this is one legacy worth preserving.
Pros

Six games featuring sublime 2D action.
Great music.
Lovely new time attack mode.
Save points.

Cons

Some mechanics in-game need explaining.
Some port-related & controller-mapping tech issues.

FINAL SCORE: 90/100


Which Game Publishers Have Enjoyed More Success In Southeast Asia?

According to statistics provided by Newzoo, Southeast Asia (SEA) is the world’s fastest-growing games market, despite only accounting for 3.1% of the total games market in 2019. That’s because the SEA games market is expected to generate a whopping $4.6 billion in revenue this year, which is a remarkable 22 percent increase from 2018.

Asian Publishers Dominate
With that in mind, it’s interesting to note which game publishers are actually enjoying bigger pieces of the SEA pie in comparison to others. With a focus on six major markets in the SEA region (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam), the top publisher is a local one named Sea Group, or previously (and more popularly) known as Garena.
Sea Group made it to the top by publishing games developed by Tencent in the SEA region. Their most recent achievement was recently releasing Free Fire in 2018, an original IP and the first to be developed by the Southeast Asian publisher. Several of their most popular published games include League of Legends, FIFA Online 3, and Arena of Valor.
Chinese publishers like Tencent, Moonton, and NetEase have also been pretty successful in the SEA region, especially in the currently booming battle royale genre of games. These include NetEaseâ€™s Knives Out and PUBG Mobile, the latter of which Tencent decided to publish independently without the help of Sea Group.
Besides that, major Japanese publishers have long enjoyed success in SEA, due to established and popular IP like Dragon Ball, Final Fantasy, and Monster Strike from Bandai Namco, Square Enix, and Mixi, respectively. Japanese publishers are particularly respected and trusted in the region.
Western Publishers Struggle
Now that we know how much of the SEA market is dominated by Asian publishers, how about western game publishers? Only one is actually performing relatively well in the region, and it’s Activision Blizzard. With developers King and Blizzard under their belt, the publisher has capitalized on King’s Candy Crush and Blizzard’s library of games such as Overwatch, Hearthstone, World of Warcraft, and more. That’s not even mentioning any of the other in-house titles like the Call of Duty franchise.
Meanwhile, other western publishers like EA and Supercell are struggling to maintain a foothold in the region, in large due to their aging and limited games roster, as well as competition from local publishers. In fact, smaller Asian publishers also suffer from these problems, including Singapore’s I Got Games (IGG) and South Korea’s Netmarble.
How Is SEA Different From Other Regions?
Games or IPs that are successful in larger Asian countries like China and Japan, or in the west (the US and Europe), does not guarantee that it will also be well-received in the SEA region. This is so due to how unique and diverse the Southeast Asian games market is, which means that publishers will have to adopt different strategies to tackle the region.
Even if we account for only within Southeast Asia itself, every country has vastly different publisher rankings. A game that is successful in Malaysia might not fare as well in Singapore or Thailand, and the vice versa is true.
The games industry has a bright future in Southeast Asia, but publishers will have to learn new tricks if they want to penetrate the region. Employing their usual strategies won’t always work, especially as the overall awareness of gamers keep increasing as technological infrastructure improves in the region.


R-Type Final 3 Evolved Slated For PlayStation 5

Not content with being completely final with its 2D shmup entry, the R-Type series is getting a revamped version of R-Type Final 2 for next gen consoles.
Made by Granzella, R-Type Final 3 Evolved (which is not a sequel mind you) will be out for PlayStation 5 in March 2023 (via a Famitsu leak covered by Ryokutya2089). This new version of R-Type Final 2 will feature improved visuals, over 100 playable ships from the classic R-Type games alongside obscure ones, seven exclusive new stages, PlayStation VR2 support for takeoff scenes, online multiplayer lobbies, and mini-games. There’s also a “Metaverse space” associated with the online play, but details are scarce.
Honestly, the new stages are enough to make this a follow-up with an appropriate “3” at the end, much like the old days when sequels are just expanded versions of past titles. Anyway, it’s nice to see a legacy shmup like R-Type still standing in this current gaming generation; the whole world needs to experience slow methodical left-to-right horizontal scrolling ship-piloting shooters with satellite options and funky-as-hell bio-metal monstrosities.


Genshin Impact Condoms Are A Thing, Apparently…

Mihoyo has recently sanctioned the commercial production of fan merchandise, meaning that’s good news for the doujin community. Of course, this also means a lot of products will be made like a special mousepad featuring Zhongli and his “man tiddies”. This new development takes the cake, though.
Fan artist Jiji has unofficially designed and produced male contraceptives using Zhongli’s face. Yep, we have Zhongli condoms up for grabs; check out the tweet below.

Producing the condoms was very expensive, but they are worth the price, they're extremely high quality ?? pic.twitter.com/rt5oRM4lGV
— jiji ??busy with zines (@gaikotsukiri) December 13, 2021

The condoms are made without harmful chemicals, doesn’t contain spermicide, and is fragrance-free. It also includes a visual diagram on how to use a condom.

These birth control devices are not for sale, yet. You may want to keep an eye on Jiji’s Twitter account for updates. I guess using Zhongli is fitting, given that his role is to protect the entire party with his Geo Elemental powers. In this case, he’s protecting people from STDs.
We at KKP say that safe sex is important, so we endorse these kinds of tools. In the meantime, here are some lame quips to go along with this Zhongli story:

Hold on, babe. I’ve got to get my Zhongdom.
Elemental Burst Effect: Shields you from massive responsibility.
I’m sure it’ll fit on my Geo Pillar.
I’ll make you feel like a 5-star gacha after 10 minutes.


Valorant Patch 6.03 Nerfs The Game’s Iconic Couple

Valorant’s latest update, the 6.03 patch notes have been released. Killjoy and Raze, the game’s newest power couple, have been nerfed, but the changes are not too disruptive to gameplay. There is no need to be concerned about anything else.
Killjoy and Raze, who have become LGBTQIA+ icons in Omega Earth, are receiving minor nerfs in this patch. However, these changes will not cause them to plummet to the bottom of Valorant’s tier list.
In the new update, Killjoy’s Turrets, which are her cute little mechanical menaces, will have their health reduced from 125 to 100. As a result, players will be able to destroy them more quickly in the beginning of each match. Moreover, her Lockdown ultimate will require more resources, making it more useful in the mid to late game.
Meanwhile, Raze’s Boom Bot has also been affected by the changes, resulting in players not being able to enjoy watching it randomly bounce off multiple surfaces for ten seconds. The Boom Bot’s duration has been reduced to five seconds, which is a more significant nerf than the changes to Killjoy. However, those who are already using their mobility to dodge the smiling, explosive device won’t be affected much.

Valorant patch notes – 6.03 update
Below are the full Valorant patch notes for the 6.03 update, courtesy of Riot Games.
Agent Updates
Killjoy

Turret (E) health decreased 125 >>> 100

Reducing the total health of the Turret will allow for opponents to have an easier time destroying it, particularly with weaker weapons.

Lockdown (X) point cost increased 7 >>> 8

Raze

Boom Bot (C) duration decreased 10s >>> 5s

Modes Updates
Swiftplay

Here to stay.

Social Updates

Added Real-Time Text Evaluation (NA only to start) to the Agent Select screen.

Bug Fixes

Adjusted Sage, Neon, Jett, and Yoru’s hair heights to fit within our standardized vertical range
AI (such as Skye’s Seekers [X]) will now travel through the crouch-only connection on Pearl near the Defender’s spawn area
Fixed a bug where KAY/O would sometimes be able to move after being downed during NULL/cmd (X)

In case the recent nerfs to both Raze and Killjoy have an impact on your gameplay, it might be useful to check out the most effective Valorant crosshairs to maintain your position in the rankings. As someone who exclusively plays as Viper, I know how even minor nerfs can significantly affect one’s gameplay.


100-Hour Weeks & Development Since 2010: Red Dead Redemption 2’s Dan Houser Speaks

People suffer for their art, be it indie gaming fares or triple-A powerhouse games that take 3-4 years to make. Such is the case of Red Dead Redemption 2, a game that is already going to take precious HDD space from PlayStation 4s everywhere (and other consoles too). With such big shoes to fill, there’s gotta be a lot of sacrifices, right?
On an interview with Vulture, Rockstar’s leading man Dan Houser mentioned a lot of tidbits concerning the making of Red Dead Redemption 2. You may want to sit down for the last few key points though.

The game is around 65 hours long if you were to play it straight and finish everything. This probably includes the story mode, the honor missions, and the strangers you meet while in the Wild West.
The interview contains a lot of volume and numbers like: 2,200 days worth of motion capture, 2,000 pages of script for the main story, said script and additional dialogue would be 8-feet high if printed and stacked together, 500,000 lines of dialogue, and 300,000 animations.
What didn’t make the cut? About 5 hours worth of content.
The game was in development back in 2010, with the broad outline of the game done in 2011.Motion capture work beginning in 2013 using over 1,200 actors . 700 of that number had lines.
Rockstar started music production in 2015.
The polishing, rewrites, and re-edits Rockstar did for the game were immense, according to Dan Houser. “We were working 100-hour weeks several times in 2018. The finished game includes 300,000 animations, 500,000 lines of dialogue, and many more lines of code. Even for eachÂ RDR2Â trailer and TV commercial, we probably made 70 versions, but the editors may make several hundred. Sam and I will both make both make lots of suggestions, as will other members of the team.”

That last bit about the 100-hour weeks stirred some controversy among the gaming populace. Let’s cherry-pick the most recent comments from the games industry.

They should be thoroughly ashamed by such incredibly unhealthy and dangerous work practices.  The whole industry should be ashamed. https://t.co/2EP1On1m6H
— Ste Pickford (@stepickford) October 15, 2018

This needs to stop being a point of pride, no matter how bittersweet you make it sound. I don't want devs to work 100-hour weeks, even if the end result is a game of the year. No game is worth that kind of burnout. https://t.co/CGGpE9QMFs
— Pete Stewart ???? (@Peter5tewart) October 15, 2018

https://twitter.com/mikeBithell/status/1051789684660158464
One must wonder if all of this toil and trouble in the tail end of the game’s long-as-heck development period is all worth it. Though to be fair, the detail in RDR2 is lookin’ pretty sweet, right down to the horses.


We Hope These “Only On PlayStation” Collections Are Available Outside Of UK

Want to buy more PlayStation games? How about rereleases of past titles with snazzier and artsy-fartsy covers?
Well, you’re in luck. PlayStation is releasing the Only On PlayStation Collection, where 10 of the console’s finest have new interpretations of their iconic artwork. The 10 titles that “defined a generation” are:

Ratchet & Clank,
The Last Guardian, which defined the fact that you can skip a console generation to release your long-awaited masterpiece,
Marvel’s Spider-Man, which defined open-world action-adventure game,
God of War, that one game we gave a full score for,
Horizon: Zero Dawn,
Bloodborne,
Shadow of the Colossus, PS4 remake version,
WipeOut Omega Collection,
Uncharted 4,
The Last of Us Remastered

Sweet selection, that. Unfortunately, they’re only available in UK at the moment. We’ll be sure to update this news piece if they’re out in Southeast Asia. Because they should be.
Until then, salivate at these box art designs that were clearly inspired by folks like Mondo.Â