We Now Know The Name Of Tekken 7’s Newest DLC Character

Tekken 7 fans got a tease back in February from Bandai Namco and producer Katsuhiro Harada concerning the next DLC character. So far, we know that she’s the Polish Prime Minister and she’s a fancy dresser.
Thanks to a physical care package received by various fighting game folks like commentator Rip, we now know her name: Lidia Sobieska. She fights using a style called Polskie Karate, and her goal in the Iron Fist tournament is to “win for the people of Poland”. The care package also states a bit of Tekken lore as Heihachi responds to an apparent request to withdraw some of his forces in Poland.
Naturally, he declined, and instead wants Lidia to make her request in person via the tournament. Thus, new DLC character for Season 4.

Lidia Sobieska – Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland – Polskie Karate – Potega #Tekken7 #DLC pic.twitter.com/C8xZzWpOCM
— Rip (@reepal) March 15, 2021

Lidia will be out for the game later in Spring 2021. So far, Tekken 7’s Season 4 pass includes legacy character Kunimitsu and a new Vermilion Gates stage.


Marvel Snap PvP Update To Launch Later This Month

Marvel fanboys and digital cardsharks looking to fight it out with friends, families, and fellow addicts; the wait is almost over. Marvel Snap’s PvP update is coming soon.
Developer Second Dinner said that the game’s ability to battle friends will be out as part of a bigger patch on 31 January, though it comes with a slight heads-up:
“If we run into last-minute issues we may choose to delay for a little longer to make sure things work correctly.”
The update will also introduce Series Drops, which are updates to card rarity planned for release on a monthly basis. With every drop, some cards in a particular series will move to a lower-numbered series, which makes them 10 times more common in the Collector’s Reserves and cheaper in the Token Shop.
“All cards will eventually become easy to obtain through enough Series Drops. However, there are currently two cards that we do not plan to drop down a series: Our favourite 6-Cost supervillains, Thanos and Galactus. They’re just too dang epic.”
Cards that are going into Series 4 include:

Super Skrull
Shuri
Black Panther
Valkyrie
Bast

Cards that are moving to Series 3 will be:

She-Hulk
Titania
Luke Cage
Absorbing Man


Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Will Get More Attention From Gearbox

Publisher and developer Gearbox has announced that its first-person shooter looting RPG Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands will be getting new experiences that are being developed. According to CEO Randy Pitchford, the game has “shattered” the company’s targets during the company’s AGM with Embracer Group.
“Gearbox Software achieved a major victory this past year with the launch of a new franchise, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands.
Wonderlands shattered all of our target expectations, both critically and commercially, and I’m thrilled to report that in addition to great financial rewards from this victory that will be coming our way in the coming quarters, we have established a firm beachhead.
We now clearly have a new franchise on our hands, with future experiences already under development at Gearbox.”
In related news, Gearbox has acquired Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands co-developer Lost Boys Interactive in June 2022. This move adds 220 team members to Gearbox, making the total count for the company to 1,300 people.


Zenless Zone Zero Is A New Action RPG From miHoYo

Genshin Impact developer miHoYo has announced Zenless Zone Zero. It is an urban fantasy action RPG for PC and mobile devices (iOS), but more platforms will be announced in the future. Registration for the closed beta test is available now via the official website.
Once the Tuning Test (closed beta) sign-up closes, miHoYo will notify successful applicants through email and SMS. They will also send the test client install package through email before the test starts.
Zenless Zone Zero is a brand-new game IP set in a post-apocalyptic metropolitan city. It features an engaging story with a futuristic art style, distinctive characters, and an exhilarating action-orientated combat system. Players will play the role of a “Proxy” and embark on an adventure with a diverse group of partners to conquer the unknown enemies and unravel the mysteries in New Eridu; the last shelter for urban civilization.
Contemporary civilization has been destroyed by a supernatural disaster known as the “Hollows.” They grow exponentially out of thin air, creating disordered dimensions where mysterious monsters dubbed the “Ethereal” roam. New Eridu, the last urban civilization that survived the apocalypse, managed to thrive by acquiring the technology to extract valuable resources out of the Hollows.
As New Eridu became the city of miracle and attracted more resettled residents, it also started the massive exploration of the Hollows for its perpetual expansion. The Hollows then became industrialized and monetized under the city’s administration, which gradually led to the increasing tension between monopolistic enterprises, gangs, conspirators, and fanatics.
Players in the game take on the role of a “Proxy”; a special professional who guides people in their exploration of Hollows. A great many people want to enter the Hollows for their own various reasons, and the “Proxies” are their indispensable partners. Players will help them explore the Hollows, battle their enemies, achieve their goals, and in the process learn more about their story.
Besides the engaging story, this 3D anime-style title features a fluid, cinematic action-oriented combat system. While fighting Ethereal, players can take control of different characters to unleash electrifying skills and unlimited QTE combos. The game has also developed a roguelike gameplay mechanism that awaits exploration.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


E3 2019: Square Enix Reminds Us That It’s Still Localizing New SaGa Games

Remember the SaGa series, a bunch of Squaresoft JRPGs where non-linearity and an obtuse levelling-up system help make it stand out among its other RPG contemporaries? No you didn’t, because you were busy playing other Squaresoft RPGs with uppercase Fs in their titles.
No matter; Square Enix plans to localize its previous remasters and new SaGa entries in English in the near future: Romancing SaGa 3 (1995, originally on the SNES) and SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions.
The former is a remaster not unlike its prequel Romancing SaGa 2 on major consoles and on PC. The third game in the series deals with an oncoming cosmic disaster where you have to find a prophesized child of destiny to stop the disaster 300 years in the making. The game introduced branching story paths, a plethora of heroes to pick from, and an open buffet of skills to customize your party with. It was pretty detailed for its time.
The latter game is an all-new 3D-tailored turn-based RPG featuring freedom of choice and a custom party with five player characters to work with. The plot involves setting out a new future in a world where an Empire is left purposeless after defeating a major evil. It’ll basically follow the themes and open world design of past SaGa games, but in a new less and obtuse form.
Check out the trailer below.

Romancing Saga 3 will be out for PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, iOS, and Android. SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions will be out for PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. Both games have yet to reveal their respective release windows.


Check Out The First Command & Conquer Remastered Gameplay Teaser

It’s been a year since EA and the original Command & Conquer team revealed anything significant for the remastered version of C&C. Well, the silence has been broken: EA just released a teaser showcasing C&C’s “new” look.

You can thank Malaysia studio Lemon Sky for a job well done with the detailing and remastering. Even if you’re not a fan of this bold art choice, you can switch to “legacy” mode on the fly. Fans can tap a single key during Campaign missions to toggle between “new” and “legacy” whenever you feel like it. You can also zoom in up-close and change the camera perspective a bit so that you can play it C&C Gold style.
No release date yet though, but at least you can play around with the before/after visual slide here.


Get This Cool Destiny 2 Exclusive Shirt; Help Australia Out

We do love our exclusive swag, be it limited-time in-game items to MAGFest t-shirts. We also love it when it somehow has a lot to do with charities. Bungie, the guys behind Destiny 2, are the latest in line to sell in-game and physical goods to help send money to the Australia bush fire relief efforts.
Basically, the company will be selling the new “Guardians for Australia” shirt. It looks rad: the Guardian’s spaceship flies over the outback.

The shirt will be sold for US$24.99. If you buy it, you can also get an in-game emblem called Star Bright. Check it out below:

Half of its profits will be going to the NSW Rural Fire Service, while the other half will go to wildlife rescue organization WIRES. So if you want to help your fellow Australians out while also getting these limited-time goodies, you can pre-order them now until 19th February.Â


PS5 Sales Surpass 10 Million, Becomes Fastest-Selling PlayStation

Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that PS5 sales have surpassed a whopping 10 million units worldwide as of 18 July 2021. This marks a significant milestone, making the PlayStation 5 the fastest-selling console in the history of the PlayStation.
It’s important to note that it’s only been 249 days (less than a year) since the PS5 initially launched on 12 November 2021. The company also announced sales numbers for some of its first-party titles:

Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5, PS4) â€“ 6.5 million.
MLB The Show 21 (PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One) â€“ Two million (over four million players).
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5) â€“ 1.1 million.
Returnal (PS5) â€“ 560,000.

In a statement, Sony Interactive Entertainment Global Sales and Business Operations SVP Veronica Rogers said:
Looking ahead, the lineup of exclusive games coming from PlayStation Studios includes a new God Of War from Santa Monica Studios, Gran Turismo 7 from Polyphony Digital, and Horizon Forbidden West from Guerrilla Games. Some of the highly anticipated games from SIEâ€™s partners include Battlefield 2042 from Electronic Arts, DEATHLOOP from Bethesda, Far Cry 6 From Ubisoft, and Kena: Bridge of Spirits from Ember Lab.
In the meantime, you can check outÂ my in-depth and no-holds-barred thoughts on the PS5Â after having it for more than a month. However, if youâ€™re looking for a more straightforward review, you shouldÂ head on over here instead.


Doctor Who VR Trailer Promises Timey Wimey Adventure With Thirteenth

BBC has released our first look at the upcoming Doctor Who VR adventure game with a new trailer. Whovians will be able to participate in a 13-minute VR episode with the Thirteenth Doctor, voiced by Jodie Whittaker herself.
According to the official description for Doctor Who: The Runaway, players will be armed with a sonic screwdriver and it is up to them to help the Doctor solve the crisis at hand. The synopsis states:
“Youâ€™ve been in a collision. You wake inside the TARDIS. The Doctor introduces you to the person, or thing, you collided with. Heâ€™s a strange and magnificent ball of living energy called Volta. Part surly teenager, part bomb, Volta is very unstable. In fact, heâ€™s primed to explode. Big time.
Unless he can be returned to his home planet, sharpish. The problem is, a squad of galactic busybodies has other plans for Volta. Bad ones. Drawn into a frantic chase, you become the Doctorâ€™s unlikely assistant as she races against time to get Volta home to his parents.”
However, fans might be disappointed to hear that the specific platforms and release date for Doctor Who: The Runaway have not been revealed as of yet. BBC only confirmed that it will premiereÂ at the 2019 Tribeca Film FestivalÂ and that it will be available “on selected VR headsets in the coming months”.
Despite the visuals looking pretty underwhelming (like an unfinished animated short), it’s not every day that fans get to explore the interior of the TARDIS (it’s bigger on the inside!).
The Doctor Who franchise is not known for having good video game adaptations, the most ambitious of which was Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock for the PS3 and PC developed by Supermassive Games (best known for PS4 exclusive Until Dawn). Originally released in 2012, it was poorly received and plans for sequels were immediately scrapped.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9BuKcNVKPY&w=560&h=315]


Chow Down with Wombok Games, The Developer Behind Fire Eating Noodle Champs

The heatwave isn’t the only hot thing around – have you heard of Fire Eating Noodle Champs by solo developer Wombok Games? Who can eat these spicy noodles the fastest? Only one way to find out!
Made in one week, the indie hit has spawned not only the original digital version – available to play for free! – but now a new dice-based version that’s getting a physical launch event in Melbourne later this month. We’re super excited to have had the opportunity to interview the student dev on their journey into games; here’s what Wombok Games’ Sara has to say!

How did the idea of Fire Noodle Eating Champs came up?
I created Fire Noodle Eating Champs as part of a Game-a-Week program run by Billy Dent and Andy Karalis. I saw via Twitter that they were hosting a six-week program in Naarm/Melbourne, Australia where participants would have to prototype a game each week based on a theme. There would also be weekly meetups to brainstorm ideas and to playtest each other’s games. It looked fun and I wanted to challenge myself, so I signed up!
The theme for the first week was 10 SECONDS OR LESS, where the gameplay would have to be within 10 seconds. During the meetup for that week, we explored different ways that this could be approached. One way was through creating a microgame, similar to those found in WarioWare and Cooking Mama.
I remembered I used to frequently play this minigame from Alien Hominid on the PS2 called All You Can Eat, where the player has to mash a button to be the first to finish their meal. I liked this idea of an eating competition, and combined with my fascination with fire noodle eating challenge videos on YouTube, the idea for Fire Noodle Eating Champs was born.

Were there any set inspirations for the art style?
Wombok Games’ Sara: Because of the time limit of one week, I kept the art style quite simple and MS Paint-like. I wanted the vibe of the game to be silly and lighthearted, so I made my characters very friendly and round. I had games like Dumb Ways to Die by Metro Trains Melbourne and Push Me Pull You by House House as inspirations on my Pinterest board at the time. I was also influenced by the style of Jenny Jiao Hsia’s Morning Makeup Madness, a 10-second game from the 2016 Game-a-Week class at NYU.

Overall, how long did it take to develop?
It took exactly one week – I used up all the time I was given! I spent the first day just brainstorming, then the next day planning out the art style and putting together the basic gameplay in Unity. Then for the remaining days I was creating assets, putting them in the game, tweaking gameplay, getting together sound effects and background music, and polishing!

What’s your story on getting into game development?
At university, I studied Design and Interactive Media so I had a bit of exposure to drawing and 3D modelling. However I never really thought of actually diving into game development until last year. I really wanted a creative outlet outside of my full-time job, and so that’s when I thought I would try to design and code my first game using GameMaker. I decided to create what I thought was a simple arcade game, but I ended up spending a few months on it learning how to design gameplay loops, how to implement art assets and game juice, etc. It all paid off though, because seeing my friends and family play the completed game made me feel so happy. And immediately I wanted to make another game!

Do you have any tips for game development newcomers?
My biggest advice is to start small! Get into the habit of finishing projects, releasing them out into the wild and getting feedback. Done is better than perfect, and by putting yourself out there a lot of surprise opportunities and collaborations may come your way!
On that note, it’s also helpful to find a game dev community and to get involved, whether that be in person or online! While developing my first game, I started going to a lot of game creator talks and meetups to get inspired, and in the process, I was able to make a few new game dev friends.
It has been really fun to bounce off ideas with one another, and they have really motivated me to power through projects even when the initial shine has worn off. From my experience, everyone is really friendly, so don’t hesitate to reach out to someone if you’re interested in their work and what they do!

Any final thoughts on how one should tackle game development?
You never know where a small project will take you! Thanks to the Game-a-Week showcase that we had at the end of the program, I was able to meet a tabletop games designer who has since turned Fire Noodle Eating Champs into a dice game (which you can print and play here!)


Ghost Of Tsushima’s Iki Island Expansion Is A Worthy Addition To The Saga Of Jin Sakai

Platform(s): PS4, PS5
Genre: Open-World, Action RPG, Stealth, Historical
Sucker Punch Productions finally released Ghost Of Tsushima last year after more than five years of development. It turned out to be one of the best games in 2020 (and probably even of the generation). Fast-forward a year later and they have surprised us yet again with Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut, which is basically a fancy name for the new Iki Island expansion.
Is Iki Island a worthy addition to the already impressive base game? Read on to find out.
No Samurai Allowed

Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s CutÂ introduces a brand new map to explore, Iki Island. Despite not being as big as Tsushima Island, Iki Island offers a different setting both in terms of narrative and gameplay. I can’t spoil much from the Iki Island expansion’s plot, but it’s one that interestingly subverts the reputation of the samurai. Plus, it takes place in the middle of the story in Ghost Of Tsushima’s base game (after Act 2), so you don’t need to worry about finishing the game first before diving into Iki Island.
Iki Island is populated by raiders who hate the samurai and has a grudge against Ghost Of Tsushima protagonist Jin Sakai’s family. From the perspective of these raiders, the samurai are no better than the Mongols; both are regarded as invaders. History buffs will appreciate this, seeing as, in reality, the samurai in history were actually far from the perfect and noble depictions that they often receive in movies. This makes the narrative more stimulating as it puts the spotlight on the flaws and sins of the samurai.
The story also delves into Jin’s painful past even more and exploring the legacy of the Sakai clan even further, especially in a place that’s not their hometown. What do foreigners think of samurai and the Sakai Clan? What was the nature of the relationship between Jin and his father, Kazumasa? You’ll discover all of this and more.
That said, the Mongols are still depicted as the same one-dimensional stereotypical bloodthirsty barbarians. The new main antagonist is The Eagle, the leader of the Eagle Tribe. While she’s less brutish than the main game’s Khotun Khan, she’s still as nefarious, resorting to psychological warfare and religious indoctrination instead of brute force and intimidation. Her Shamans are the only new enemy unit types in the Iki Island expansion.

They’re basically just spearmen, but their unique ability is to start chanting, which provides attack and defence buffs to their surrounding allies. It’s always best to kill them first since the buffs are significant enough to make the other enemies significantly harder to kill (and they’ll hit much harder too).
There’s really nothing much else to spice up the combat. The only new ability to play with and upgrade in the expansion is a Horse Charge ability for Jin’s horse, which is powerful and satisfying to execute. In terms of new cosmetics, there’s really only one new armour set for Jin and another for his horse.
Other than that, there’s also a new duelling tournament side activity called Bokken Fights.Â This features foes that require different tactics, adding a twist to the combat’s usual rock scissors papers stance mechanics. You can’t just change your stance and slash these combatants to submission since points are given to whoever manages to land the first hit. I wish there was more of this in the game. If anything, this only further proves that a PvP mode would be a great addition to Ghost Of Tsushima Legends.
What else is new in the Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut Iki Island expansion? Well, players can look forward to the new Archery Challenges, which require quite a bit of skill to complete, as well as Animal Sanctuaries. Animal Sanctuaries are specific places where Jin remembers his late mother by playing the flute, which is executed in the form of a rhythm minigame using the controller’s gyroscope motion controls (by moving the actual controller around).

Thankfully, the rhythm minigames are pretty easy to complete and the PS5’s DualSense feels comfortably responsive. Oh, and best of all, completing these flute rhythm minigames will result in Jin petting one of three different animals; cats, deers and monkeys. They’re all adorable, but if you miss the foxes from Tsushima Island, I’m sad to report that they’re absent from Iki Island.
Besides all that, there are still the shrines with cosmetics, those cutting-bamboo-sticks minigames, new collectibles, and more. Iki Island took me a little bit more than 10 hours to complete the story and complete most of the optional side content. There aren’t that many missions in the Iki Island expansion, but I praise the mission variety. One mission has me leaping around a graveyard of sunken ships to find an item, while another has me sneaking into and infiltrating a cult by speaking to its members instead of just rushing in swords drawn like most of the other missions.
Of course, that’s not to say that the Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut Iki Island expansion doesn’t have any of the dramatic and epic missions from the main game. There is plenty of that here as well, but seeing as the raiders on Iki Island hate the samurai, Jin has to be more discreet this time around.
Last but not least, it would be remiss of me not to mention the various new options and accessibility improvements. These include alternate controller layouts, the option to enable a target lock-on during combat, the option to hide Jin’s quiver during gameplay, armour load-outs and more. I mentioned these last because these new updates are going to be available for all Ghost Of Tsushima players and not just limited to the Director’s Cut.
For those on PS5, the new DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers make the punchy combat even more satisfying to execute. That’s especially so when applied to parries and shooting arrows (which is no surprise why they decided to introduce Archery Challenges now of all times). These additional functions increase immersion for a game that was already incredibly immersive even on the PS4.
Legacy Of The Sakai Clan

The Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut Iki Island expansion delves more into Jin’s painful past and features a story with a unique perspective on samurai. It adds some new content but doesn’t overstay its welcome, which is great for an open-world game.
If youâ€™re a fan of Ghost Of Tsushima and hungry for more content, you should totally check out the Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut Iki Island expansion. However, if you don’t already like the base game, then there’s really nothing here that will convince you otherwise.
Pros

The dramatic and epic story.
More content in the form of new side activities, side quests, and collectibles.
No unnecessary padding.

Cons

Might ultimately feel repetitive.

Final Score: 80/100
Review copy provided by PlayStation Asia. Played on PS5.
Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s CutÂ is RM299 on PS5. Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s CutÂ is RM249 on PS4.
If you already own Ghost Of Tsushima on PS4, you can upgrade to the Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut on PS4 for RM89. If you already own Ghost Of Tsushima on PS4, you can upgrade to the Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut on PS5 for RM129. If you already own the Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut on PS4, you can upgrade to the PS5 Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut for RM50.
Head on over here to buy Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut, or head on over here for the Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut upgrade page on the PlayStation Store.


Stranger Things Season 4 Fan Event To Light Up Menara KL

Stranger Things Season 4 will see light shows at locations around the world on 26 May 2022.
According to IGN, these light shows will be at:

US – NY Empire State Building 40.7411° N 73.9894° W
Italy – Piazza Duomo Square, Milan 45.4642° N, 9.1897° E
ANZ – Bondi Beach 33.8922° S 151.2748 °E
Poland – Wawel Castle in Krakow, Poland (50.0541° N, 19.9354° E) and Vistula River
Japan- Tokyo
India – Gateway of India, Mumbai
Germany – Cologne Media Park 50.94765°N 6.944213°E
Malaysia – Menara Kuala Lumpur 3.1528° N 101.7038° E
Saudi Arabia -Al-‘Ula National Monument 26.6893°N 37.9816°E
UK – Shoreditch, London 51.52557°N 0.07854°W
Spain – Bilbao, Barcelona and Madrid

Bilbao, Pais Vasco (43°16?08?N 2°56?03?O)
Calle Gran via 28, Madrid (40°25?13?N 3°42?07?O)
Madrid Plaza del Callao (40°25?12?N 3°42?20?O)

US – Los Angeles ( XBOX Plaza @ LA Live)
Colombia – Gran Malecón de Barranquilla (10.9971° N, 74.7705° W)
Netherlands – Utrecht, Hoogh Catherijne
Nordics (Sweden) – Medborgarplatsen, Stockholm (WGS84 59°18’57.9″N 18°4’17.9″E)

It will begin from Season 4 counting down until 8:45 pm ET (or 8.45am GMT+8 in Malaysia). The light show, designed by lighting designer Marc Brickman, will last for 15 minutes and then be repeatedly looped for roughly two hours. It will feature major moments from the series thus far and Season 4 storylines.
Check out our Stranger Things Season 4 review here.


Total War: Three Kingdoms Is An Epic And Grand Dynasty Of A Strategy Title

After securing the North of Langye following a protracted campaign against The Hans and the Yellow Turban Rebels at the early portions of my campaign, my band of misfits consisting of the idealist strategist Liu Bei, the regal God of War Guan Yu, and the ever jovial Drunken Brawler Zhang Fei were finally ready to venture down south when we were given a rude awakening.
Cao Cao, who moments earlier was seemingly positive and supportive of our idea of pacifying the northern threat was suddenly not too keen with us venturing out of our comfort zone and offered us an ultimatum.
His stance? Swear fealty or risk open war with him. What’s wrong, CC? Scared of a little competition? Or are you just uneasy with my potential link-up with Sun Jian? Do I abide with Cao Cao’s strongarm tactics and at that, risk upsetting my own allies – Kong Rong and Yuan Shao or seek for glory?
I hovered the cursor over my armies cards, made sure everyone’s fully replenished and made the call.Â

My version of Luo Guanzhong’s masterclass literature piece is going to end up more to my liking.
In Total War: Three Kingdoms, developers Creative Assembly presented a familiar, yet refreshing take on the long-standing Total War series, ensuring it remains as one of, if not the best turn-based, real-time strategies game franchise out there. Returning to Asian shores after a nine year hiatus since Total War: Shogun 2 hit the shelves, TW:TK isn’t just the prettiest looking strategy girl in the block, but also the most ambitious and grandest of all Total War games to date. And it lets you rewrite the ever-favoured Three Kingdoms story to your liking.
Heir Apparent
Total War: Three Kingdoms drops you right in the thick of the political turmoil in China in 190 AD which saw the new emperor, an eight-year-old Emperor Xian, ascending to the throne with the warlord Dong Zhuo pulling the strings in the shadows. This led to an oppressive rule and chaos throughout the lands of China, dividing a once mighty nation to splinter into many smaller domains governed by ambitious warlords and generals, vying for higher positions of power.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhhHecSt3LM&w=560&h=315]
From here on, you can choose from a selection of twelve different and distinct faction-leading characters, each with specific traits and abilities that will greatly influence one’s play style.
Unlike Total War games in the past where factions were only differentiated by a set of specific units and starting locations on the map, Three Kingdoms added several more layers to an already convoluted setting. But don’t let this fact scare you. In fact, it made Three Kingdoms much more enjoyable and immersive than any Total War game I’ve played before.

At the start, you can choose to play the game either in Records or Romance mode, with the former being more historically accurate while the latter infuses tons of creative liberty into the characters, just as they were portrayed in the books.

Records mode stick closer to familiar grounds of Total War pre-Warhammer, while in Romance mode, your heroes are more elaborate and are pretty much supermen on the battlefield. Yep, your Generals gets a Dynasty Warriors treatment minus the button mashing.
NEXT: Hero Time


[Rumour] Resident Evil 8 Is Coming Next Year & It’s Probably Not What You Expected [Update]

Update: More rumours have emerged. An earlier rumour said that Resident Evil 8 would feature a section set in a village. Now, it’s being said that its very title has “village” in it.
The new rumour comes from a leak received by Biohazard Declassified (via Twitter), who suggests that the title will be stylized so as to highlight the roman numeral “VIII”. They also reported that Chris Redfield will have an important role in the new game, and that “He appears in flashbacks surrounding Ethan, Mia, and apparently their baby”.

Rumor: RE8 is called RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE (notice the VIII)
– Chris to play a central role; has been redesigned– New stalker enemy type: witch– European setting, weird elements (hallucinations)– Possible RE4 style inventory UI– Planned for Q1 2021https://t.co/rOklTAjP7P pic.twitter.com/QCRQRRSecF
— Nibel (@Nibellion) April 7, 2020

Strangely, the leak also says that Chris plays an antagonistic role in these flashbacks, as he breaks into the home of the Resident Evil 7 co-protagonist and shoots at one of the three.
Finally, the game is supposedly set to release in Q1 2021.
As always, take these rumours with a grain of salt. If they turn out to be true, well, I just hope Resident Evil 8: Village is just a temporary title and not the one the game ships with.
Original: It looks like Resident Evil 8 might be coming out in 2021, and it won’t be in a form expected by Resident Evil fans.
According to Twitter user AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem, this upcoming Resident Evil 8 wasn’t originally planned to be the next main instalment in the series. Instead, it started out as Resident Evil: Revelations 3, but has now been given another year to be converted into Resident Evil 8.Â

Okay, so the little game is done. This will be breaking this month with more details later not by myself, but I've needed to clear some stuff up. "Resident Evil 2021" is Resident Evil 8, but it wasn't always RE8. During most of its development it existed as Revelations 3.
— AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem (@AestheticGamer1) April 4, 2020

It seems that there was another Resident Evil 8 in development, but it’s “years away”. AestheticGamer says that Capcom wanted a follow-up to Resident Evil 7 to be released earlier, and with Revelations 3 receiving positive reactions from testers, it got the role. It’ll now be receiving changes to its story and characters, and will be a cross-gen title.Â
The new Resident Evil 8 will apparently be first-person like Resident Evil 7, but will feature “Hallucinations, Occultism, insanity”. In a separate thread, AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem says that there will be a “sequence where you’re in a village with multiple routes trying to make your way to a Castle, being attacked by Beast Men, zombies in armour with swords, and a Witch that laughs a lot”.
The Beastmen are said to be “Human-Dog-Reptile hybrids”, which sounds incredibly grotesque, and it seems that the Witch is an unkillable enemy that transforms into an insect swarm after taking a number of shots.

sequence where you're in a village with multiple routes trying to make your way to a Castle, being attacked by Beast Men, zombies in armor with swords, and a Witch that laughs a lot. The Witch is unkillable but turns into a swarm of insects if you shoot at her enough, the swarm
— AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem (@AestheticGamer1) April 5, 2020

Despite the seeming fantasy/supernatural elements, they assured that it will “still very clearly be a Resident Evil game, just a different kind of Resident Evil game tackling some different things than they usually do”.
It’s still a pretty surprising direction, if true, and I wonder what the Beastmen and medieval zombies will look like. It seems that more will be revealed later this month, though it’s not quite an official announcement. We’ll just have to wait and see, then.


One-Punch Man Is Overwatch 2’s First Major In-Game Collaboration & It’s Out Now

The One-Punch Man x Overwatch 2 crossover that we’ve been waiting for since it got announced, is finally available today as Blizzard has launched a new collection of collectable cosmetics based on One-Punch Man, featuring some of the anime’s most beloved characters.
This is the first major collaboration between Overwatch and One-Punch Man, and we can’t wait to see what other crossover concepts and possibilities this collaboration opens up for the future.

For those who don’t know, One-Punch Man follows the story of Saitama, a superhero who can defeat any opponent with a single punch. The collection of cosmetics includes four hero skins based on characters from the anime, including Saitama – Doomfist, Genos – Genji, Tatsumaki – Kiriko, and an earnable Mumen Rider – Soldier 76 skin that can be obtained for free by completing in-game challenges. So get ready to show off your love for One-Punch Man and Overwatch 2 with these awesome new collectables!

Saitama – Doomfist

Genos – Genji

Tatsumaki – Kiriko

Mumen Rider – Soldier 76

Mike Ybarra, President of Blizzard Entertainment, said, “As massive fans of anime and One-Punch Man, we’re beyond thrilled to bring this new collaboration to our players around the world. The Overwatch universe is an optimistic vision of near-future Earth, so why wouldn’t Doomfist cosplay Saitama?”


Palworld Makers Gave Its Employees Paid Leave To Go Play Elden Ring

The CEO of game studio Pocketpair, responsible for Craftopia and the upcoming Palworld, has given its staff paid leave for a day to set their sights on this week’s top release: Elden Ring.
The company’s Twitter feed said that its CEO Takuro Mizobe offered the paid “Elden Holiday” leave because its staff may be unable to focus on work when the game was released last Friday on 25 February. The staff are also allowed to give Monday a miss too so that they can play into the late hours of Monday morning.

??????????????????????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/HforPa0TkN
— ???????? – Craftopia/?????? (@PocketpairJapan) February 22, 2022

Good on the game company for recognizing how important one’s time is with Elden Ring. For more on the game, check out our review and boss guide; you’re going to need it.


Money Heist Part 5 Is Coming In Two Volumes In 2021

Netflix has announced that Money Heist Part 5 is coming this year with two instalments of five episodes each – Volume 1 will be released on 3 September 2021, while Volume 2 will be released on 3 December 2021.
Money Heist creator Ãlex Pina said:

â€œWhen we began to write Part 5 in the midst of the pandemic, we felt that we had to change what was expected from the ten-episode season and used every tool we could to create the sensation of a season finale or series finale in the first volume itself.
We decided to work in an extremely aggressive genre, putting The Gang on the ropes.
In volume 2, we focus more on the emotional situation of the characters. It is a journey across their sentimental map that connects us directly to their departure.”

The synopsis reads:

The gang has been shut in the Bank of Spain for over 100 hours.
They have managed to rescue Lisbon, but their darkest moment is upon them after losing one of their own.
The Professor has been captured by Sierra and, for the first time, doesnâ€™t have an escape plan.
Just when it seems like nothing else could go wrong, an enemy comes on the scene that is much more powerful than any theyâ€™ve faced: the army.
The end of the greatest heist in history is approaching, and what began as a robbery will turn into a war.

In the meantime, check out the teaser below:


Samsung Launches Professional Smart TV & The Odyssey Ark Monitor In Malaysia

Samsung Electronics has officially unveiled its two brand-new display products, The Wall All-in-One smart tv and the Odyssey Ark gaming monitor. These latest entries precedent new standards in the audio and visual world.
In addition to the tech giant’s continuous effort in pursuit of greatness, Tok Sang Man, the Head of Consumer Electronics Business of Samsung Malaysia Electronics, said:
“With the boundaries between the visual and the physical world blurring, customers have come to expect and demand visual experiences that are as true to life as possible – detail so fine that you can almost reach out to touch it. This is why we are so excited to finally bring to Malaysian consumers both The Wall All-In-One and Odyssey Ark; both of which are designed to give your senses experiences you literally have to see to believe.”

The Ultimate Professional Experience
The Wall All-in-One was first created as the ultimate smart tv for professional purposes, delivering advanced picture refinement and dynamic range visual, an all-inclusive component, crystal clear sound performance, and fast installation. Among those making use of The Wall is an international award-winning media production company CJ ENM, which has built the world’s largest virtual studio capable of supporting a variety of projects, including movies and music.
The smart tv comes in three model options: 146-inch 4K, 146-inch 2K, and 110-inch 2K, removing the complexity of making critical choices in choosing your preferable model. The Wall series feature Black Seal technology, creating a seamless canvas for purer black levels with enhanced depth and details. The Ultra Chroma Technology adds narrower wavelengths that produce RGB colours that are twice concentrated as the conventional LEDs. Neural Quantum Processor 4K is instantly analyzed and optimized for flawless picture quality. The lineup also converts the standard 60Hz signals to 120Hz, to give out a smooth and seamless viewing experience, every time.

Given that Samsung The Wall-in-One series provides the best out of the best visual and audio performance, the retail prices are not to be taken lightly, starting at RM495,543.00 for the 110-inch 2K, RM707,132.00 for the 146-inch 2K, and the biggest and supreme model, the 146-inch 4K smart tv retails at RM1,229,419.00. Unless you’re planning to purchase the smart tv for business purposes, we could not think of a reason for anyone to purchase it for household entertainment unless you have hundred thousands to splurge. Speaking of entertainment, perhaps their next display might interest you more.
The Extra To Push Your Gaming Performance

The Odyssey Ark, the world’s first 55-inch 1000R rotating curved gaming monitor is a sensory feast for the whole family and a dream come true for gamers alike. The huge display offers cinematic and immersive experiences given its 165Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time (GtG). The gaming monitor introduces the Ark Dial, an exclusive rotating controller and Cockpit Mode to expand an entertainment experience like no other. Like many other gaming monitors, the Ark uses a VA panel, but it’s brighter, with better contrast than others thanks to its Mini LED backlighting. As for its audio performance, Sound Dome Technology is included to give out an amazing soundscape to your ears, featuring AI Sound Booster and Dolby Atmos helping to create a three-dimensional sound immersion using only four speakers and two central woofers.

Samsung also pitches its Multi View which lets players take full advantage of the Odyssey Ark, offering up to four screens at once in landscape mode and three in Cockpit Mode. Imagine you can play your favourite video game while watching your favourite streamer, and also pulling up a guide article such as on how to upgrade gears in Hogwarts Legacy, all on one display.
Everything about the Ark is very extra, including its gaming feature called the Game Bar. Any hardcore or pro gamer can easily view the important game setting of their choices such as the HDR (high dynamic range), FPS (frames per second), and VRR (variable fresh rate), without having to disrupt the overall gameplay performance. So, say no to poor gaming performance when it comes to the Odyssey Ark.
Malaysians can now purchase Samsung’s latest 55-inch Ark gaming display at a retail price of RM13,999. Both display products: The Wall All-in-One and the Odyssey Ark are now available for viewing at Senheng x Samsung Experience Store located at Shoppes, Four Seasons Place in Kuala Lumpur.
For more details of The Wall and the Odyssey Ark, head over to Samsung’s official website here. Alternatively, if you’re looking for something smaller with a great powerhouse, check out Samsung’s 2023 flagship mobile devices.
In the meantime, watch the video down below for more of the Odyssey Ark.


Call of Duty Warzone: How To Get The Hunt For Adler Legendary Skins & Rewards

Call of Duty Warzone Season 3 is up now and comes with a number of new features. Most importantly is the “Hunt for Adler” challenge, which rewards you with free cosmetics upon completion.

Here’s how you can complete it. Keep in mind since battle pass progression is shared between the two games, so you can either play through Warzone or Cold War to finish either tasks.
Warzone: Complete Three Contracts In Verdansk ’84

This may be harder than it sounds since there’s going to be a LOT of people jumping on-board Warzone right now thanks to the new season. We suggest you stick to Plunder and sort out contracts via this mode. Head to the locations for these special Warzone Adler intel:

Factory:Â Next to Superstore to the west.
Summit:Â In the northwest corner, near Dam.
Farmland:Â Northeast of Port and north of Prison in the southeast corner.

Cold War: Finish Three Challenges
Here are the challenges you need to complete to earn the Adler rewards:

Play and complete seven games on Yamantau.
Kill 25 enemies who have been revealed by your Spy Plane, H.A.R.P. or Field Mic.
Kill 25 enemies on a killstreak while using the Assassin perk.

If you have a good team to play with, you should be able to gear up with the right perks, scorestreaks, & field upgrades while playing through the Yamantau 24/7 playlist.
Happy hunting!


Vinland Saga Season 2 First Episode Is Now Available On Netflix Malaysia

The first episode of Vinland Saga Season 2 has premiered on Netflix Malaysia and is now available to watch. There will be 24 episodes in the second season, and new episodes will premiere every Tuesday.
The anime is essentially a series for fans of Vikings and historical fiction. It is set in Dane-controlled England at the start of the 11th century, featuring a fictional retelling of King Cnut the Great’s historical rise to power with a revenge plot centred on the historical explorer Thorfinn, the son of a murdered ex-warrior who serves under a group of mercenaries responsible for the deed.

The first season’s staff return for the second season at studio MAPPA instead of Wit Studio. Sh?hei Yabuta returns to direct the anime, while Hiroshi Seko is again supervising and writing the series scripts. Takahiko Abiru is returning to design the characters, while Yutaka Yamada is again composing the music.
The anime’s first season originally premiered back in July 2019.
Check out the trailer below:


[Report] Early Diablo 4 Leaks Tell Us Full Class Roster And More

Prior to BlizzCon 2019, there were a lot of leaks pointing towards the announcement of Diablo 4 and now we know that most of them were indeed true. One of the users who accurately leaked out the character selection screen and Lilith being a major villain actually has a history that goes back at least four months ago.

Reddit user PracticalBrush posted a lengthy list of bullet points that point out a lot of Diablo 4‘s important details including the full class roster and even the official title (Diablo IV). Since it was posted four months ago, a lot of people brushed off PracticalBrush’s words because it was too early and too easy to make wild speculations.
Now that we know his info is more reliable than it seems, it’s worth looking back to see the points he made in that post. Here are some of the details he leaked that aren’t confirmed yet:

Diablo III features such as the Kunai Cube, Wardrobe loadouts, Seasonal Journeys, Rifts/G-rifts and so on are making a comeback.
Soundtrack will be similar to the music found in Diablo and Diablo II to please old-school fans but will also have its own unique twist specifically catered to Diablo 4.
Classes planned to be available at launch are Paladin, Barbarian, Sorcerer, Amazon, and Druid. Necromancer to be released in a future expansion.
There will be a closed beta in 2020.
Aside from PC, the game will also be playable on PS5 and Project Scarlett.

If you want to read the full Reddit post, just click here. To read everything we’ve got on Diablo 4, click here.
Thanks for the heads up, Notebook Check.


Street Fighter V Pro Player Infiltration Not Competing At TGS 2018 Due To Domestic Violence Allegations

Panda Global announced recently that Seonwoo “Infiltration” Lee will not be fighting at this weekend’s Capcom Pro Tour Premier event at Tokyo Game Show 2018.
Why? Because there’s an investigation going on about him beating his then-wife physically. Allegations of it, at least. They divorced a few months after their 2017 marriage.
Here’s the official statement from Panda Global:

“With the ongoing investigation, Infiltration will not be competing at TGS this weekend. We are taking the claims against Infiltration’s alleged domestic violence seriously, and are conducting a thorough investigation into these claims.
If the claims are substantiated we will take appropriate action.”

The allegations surfaced online earlier this week on Reddit. At this point in time, Infiltration has not made any public statements regarding the allegations.
This might be pretty bad for the guy’s esports career; remember Noel Brown? Infiltration is so far one of the best Street Fighter players around, ranking at 7th place worldwide in the Capcom Pro Tour 2018 standings. His skills using esoteric characters like Menat and Juri in Street Fighter V are legendary, and his Hakan play in Street Fighter IV ain’t half-bad either.

Top image credit: Stephanie Lindgren


[Report] Overwatch 2 Set To Be Revealed At BlizzCon

As more leaks surrounding the debut of Overwatch 2 keep trickling down our newsfeed, we’re greeted with yet another alarming piece of news. ESPN Esports has reported that Overwatch 2 will finally be unveiled at BlizzCon 2019.

new from me for ESPN:
Sources: Blizzard will unveil the next iteration of Overwatch at BlizzCon, Overwatch 2, which will feature PvE, new maps, new game modes, and a new hero among other updates @ESPN_Esports https://t.co/nbq72oM8nU pic.twitter.com/ooKqLhPy36
— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) October 27, 2019

The news comes from esports consultant Rod “Slasher” Breslau who reports that he received the information from a BlizzCon source and a BlizzCon training document. All signs point towards Overwatch 2 being a major content update with new game modes and a new hero rather than a full-fledged sequel, not unlike Fortnite – Chapter 2.
One particularly important piece of information is Slasher’s confirmation of Overwatch 2‘s logo which is accurate to what recent leaks have shown.
There were earlier reports of Overwatch 2 having a four-player PVE mode akin to Left 4 Dead. Slasher’s sources seem to indicate that that’s pretty much confirmed. The PVE mode will apparently take place in Rio de Janeiro, Lucio’s hometown. There will also be a new PVP mode called “Push” which will be set on a new map based in “Toronto”, according to the training document.
It’s expected that BlizzCon attendees will be able to try out the new PVE game mode this weekend. Artwork in the training document also suggests that Overwatch‘s 32nd hero, Echo, will be officially revealed at BlizzCon. So there’s definitely a lot to look forward to if you’re an Overwatch fan.
From left: McCree and Echo, as they appear in the “Reunion” animated short.
With so many leaks suggesting the reveals of highly anticipated titles such Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4, perhaps Blizzard does have a decent chance of making everyone temporarily forget about what happened to Hong Kong Hearthstone player Chung “blitzchung” Ng Wai. Of course, that’s assuming people don’t turn up at BlizzCon as protesters.
Update: we have more pictures of the game’s PvE mode via Twitter user forer0:


[Rumour] Guerilla Is Planning A Horizon Zero Dawn Trilogy, Horizon Zero Dawn 2 For PS5

We initially reported that new job listings by Guerilla may be pointing to active development for Horizon Zero Dawn 2. Now, according to multiple sources from VGC, the developer is planning an entire trilogy for the franchise, and that the sequel to 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn will be a PS5 exclusive.
Horizon Zero Dawn 2 is said to be “gigantic” in scope, featuring a bigger open-world map and more freedom for exploration. A co-op feature is also hinted at, although itâ€™s not clear if this will be available via the main story campaign or a separate online mode.
Another source claimed that Guerilla was planning to release a standalone co-op game preview at one point, with progress carrying over to the eventual full version of Horizon Zero Dawn 2. Previously-leaked concept art in 2014 has shown that Guerilla has always had multiplayer in mind, depicting multiple players battling a mechanical enemy.
All of this should be taken with a grain of salt for now, as none of it has been officially confirmed as of yet. Still, it makes sense for Horizon Zero Dawn 2 to release exclusively for the PS5, though we’ll have to wait and see.


You’ll Want To Revisit Resident Evil 2 For This Resident Evil 3 Remake Teaser

Now that we finally know when the Resident Evil 3 Remake is coming out, we can get ready by preparing the appropriate amount of diapers for when Nemesis scares the crap out of us. In the meantime, a teaser of sorts is coming our way.

The Steam achievements page for Resident Evil 2 Remake has just added a new achievement into the list. It’s titled “Chasing Jill” and to get it, players have to “Read a letter left behind by Jill.”

It seems that a new update for Resident Evil 2 Remake is on its way and it will contain some new content related to Resident Evil 3 Remake. For those of you who missed the announcement trailer, check it out here:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxDm9T1TKvU&w=560&h=315]


Bountie Arena Opening Its Doors; Find Out What’s Inside [Update]

Bountie is a Singapore-based online platform for gamers to earn money with their passion; gaming. It will soon grow beyond its online roots with the grand opening of its very first esports arena; the Bountie Arena.
The Bountie Arena will feature 6600 square feet of pure gaming experience with a world-class esports stage, a 5v5 stage, a gaming Academy, over 112 high-spec computers, four private rooms, five darts machines, and a console corner. The arena’s opening hours are from 11am to midnight every day, and is located at One Fusionopolis Way, #B1-06/07/08.
The grand opening ceremony for the Bountie Arena will be live-streamed tomorrow on 31 July 2019 at 10am GMT+8. Viewers can look forward to exclusive tours, an esports exhibition match, and interviews with some of the platform’s key partners.
The esports exhibition match will begin on 12.10pm GMT+8 on the same day. Head on over to this link to catch the live stream.


Street Fighter Fights All Elite Wrestling In This T-Shirt Collaboration Of The Ages

Talk about a collaboration on an epic scale! All Elite Wrestling (AEW) will be releasing three new Street Fighter collaboration t-shirts.
This is a collaboration between Capcom, AEW, and Nerds Clothing, the latter designing the t-shirts. There will be a three t-shirts with various designs, featuring AEW wrestlers like Britt Baker, Bryan Danielson, and Darby Allen facing off against Chun-Li, Sagat, and Dhalsim respectively.
Each t-shirt is available for US$37.99 on the AEW site and will be available for online purchase until 10 February at 2am GMT+8. You may need a VPN to access it depending on where you are at. Check out the designs below.

ON SALE UNTIL 2/9, 1PM ET:#StreetFighter X #AllEliteWrestlingAvailable At https://t.co/2vp5yr8OeP: – Britt Baker VS. Chun-Li – Bryan Danielson VS. Sagat – Darby Allin VS. Dhalsim@RealBrittBaker @BryanDanielson @DarbyAllin @AEW @NERDSClothingCo pic.twitter.com/vqEpMSyBam
— Pro Wrestling Tees (@PWTees) January 29, 2022

Capcom has previously worked with Nerds Clothing to release Mega Man and Street Fighter merchandise.


Diablo 4 Takes Inspiration From Works Of Famous Horror Manga Artist

BlizzCon 2019 wrapped up two days ago but the excitement that comes from all the reveals can still be felt by gamers all around the world. The unveiling of Diablo IV will definitely one of the biggest highlights in gaming for at least the next few months to come.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bRWIdOMfro&w=560&h=315]
In a interview with VG24/7, the developers working on the new Diablo game talked about how they have been working hard in trying to bring something new to the series while also maintaining the atmosphere that fans have grown to love.
Lead quest designer Jason Roberts mentioned a particularly famous horror manga artist whose works are very well-known throughout the world served as an inspiration in enhancing the horror elements of the game. That’s right, he’s talking about Junji Ito.
“Junji Ito and some of the elements he brings in, kind of taking mundane things and twisting them, creating horror elements within that â€“ then thereâ€™s the Cthulhu mythos and some of the horror elements there, especially the fear of the unknown.”
– Jason Robert, Diablo IV lead quest designer.
Judging by how horrifying (and beautiful) the cinematic trailer looked, it’s easy to see that the team has been very serious in their attempts to make the world of Diablo a lot scarier and more atmospheric.
For more news and updates on Diablo IV, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei.


Overwatch League Transfers: Fuel & Spitfire Beef Up Tank Corps

Struggling Overwatch League team Dallas Fuel beefed up their squad in the form of former CONBOX main tank, SonÂ “OGE”Â Min-Seok making him the twelfth player in the team. By joining the Fuel, OGE becomes the fourth main tank player for the Dallas Fuel, joining the likes of xQc, Mickie, and Cocco. It is indeed an interesting move since Cocco who mains Reinhardt haven’t been getting much playtime in Stage 2 of the Overwatch League inaugural season, while DPS main Taimou have been flexing as tank in recent weeks.
On top of that, the Fuel have been struggling to put a string of positive results and the biggest issue they have been facing has been communications.Â The Fuel have two other Korean players in the team; Effect, who was originally from the former EnVyUs squad and ex-London Spitfire DPS, Rascal who have been getting limited playtime due to language related issues. So we are quite skeptical of OGE’s addition considering these two issues at hand and doubt that OGE will turn Dallas’ fortunes.
Meanwhile the London Spitfire have filled the void following Fissure’s departure to the Los Angeles Gladiators with former RunAway main tank, Hwang “T1zi” Jang-hyun. It’s a reunion of sorts for him with most of the guys of London Spiftire who now mostly consist of ex-GC Busan players, the same team who defeated RunAway at the APEX Season 4 finals last October. As opposed to Fuel’s addition of OGE which seemed odd, T1zi’s move to the Spitfire is a logical one – to play backup for the main tank, Gesture who is currently the sole tank for the team.
For more Overwatch League transfers, keep it locked on to Kakuchopurei.com


Overwatch Will Be Experiencing Big Changes To Keep The Meta “Fluid”

There’s only so many times someone can talk about “meta” before they go nuts. I’m surprised Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan is still mentally stable since he has to hear that darn word every single time “Overwatch” and “competitive” are in the same room.
In a recent developer update video, Kaplan talks about how Overwatch faced a lot of criticism regarding its slow-moving meta. So they will be changing it up with a few new initiatives. Let’s break them down:

The game will be getting a new “card” alongside Quick Play, Competitive, and Match Browser called “Experimental”. This mode will focus on gameplay changes that won’t go live yet; that’s where you as a competitive player send your feedback via to.
The team will be changing up its overall balance philosophy. Instead of focusing on “stability”, they will be targeting the meta “more frequently, more aggressively”. So basically like how devs change up a fighting game like Tekken 7 when they introduced some black guy who knows Wing Chun.
Overwatch will soon feature hero pools to the game’s competitive mode. They will function like map pools, but with heroes (duh). Starting March, a selection of heroes will be disabled from play for one week at a time. This will be decided by the design team, like an “Orisa, Sigma, Mei, Moira” week for example. The team will do this to “keep the meta fluid” and encourage “more hero diversity”.

To add on further, Overwatch League will also feature a version of hero pools. Starting 7th March, the league will take out one tank, one support, and two damage heroes from the roster each week. “The heroes will be randomly selected from a group of eligible heroes based on play-rate data from the previous two weeks ofÂ OverwatchÂ League matchesâ€”only heroes that are being played regularly can be pulled from the next hero pool.”

I think this is a good step to keep players and teams on their toes. Keep in mind that this is all meant for competitive play; casual modes are untouched. With a possibly-changing meta and shifts in power, the world of Overwatch will start getting a tad more interesting from March onwards.


How Virtuos Survived The Pandemic & Moved Forward

When the COVID-19 pandemic went global, the world as we knew it changed. From work culture to habits, the video games industry was also severely affected.
Employing more than 3,500 people all around the world which include three studios in China — Shanghai, Chengdu and Xian — Virtuos was affected when the lockdown was suddenly in effect at the start of 2020.  Add that to two studios in Vietnam and the recently launched studio in Malaysia which is about 100 people strong, and it is safe to assume that Virtuos is one of, if not the largest games developer studios in Southeast Asia in terms of the number of people employed.
We spoke to Philippe Angely, Virtuos’ Senior Director of Business Development in Europe & Asia at Gamescom Asia in October 2022 on how his company coped with it and how video game development has changed in a post-pandemic world.
How badly did the pandemic affect you guys and how did you cope?
Philippe Angely: The IT setup was the most challenging because suddenly we only had a few days to have all of our employees working from home. We had an IT infrastructure and security which were very dense which caused a lot of constraints. For us, it was a challenge to find a quick solution to keep the level of security when everyone was working from home.

So we eventually managed that starting with (our) China (studios). After what happened in China, we decided it could happen everywhere in the world so we leveraged what we had learned from China.
We created an IT infrastructure where everyone could suddenly work from home. We had just over a month where we had to buy hardware for the people who were not equipped at home. So basically, the fastest solution was that they keep their [work] PCs in our infrastructure and connect their home PCs via WiFi to their work ones. Sometimes we had to pay for their internet connection which was not fast enough. So we were very flexible on what we had to bring to the staff so that they could work from home. We recovered the time that we lost very quickly.
So after one or two months of changing the way we work, the industry grew a lot with people being stuck at home, a way to spend time was playing games, so people started investing and buying more consoles, and more games. So our clients suddenly had much more money and much more revenue than they were expecting. So it was great news for the industry because more revenue to game developers means bigger games, better quality and more projects greenlit.
It’s quite ironic that video games are one of the few industries that actually grew because of the pandemic.
Philippe Angely: But that came with a big constraint that people weren’t moving anymore and people don’t want to change jobs in this condition. So these developers suddenly have more budget to spend but they couldn’t hire more.
Another downside is that everybody was less efficient. Because we’re in a creative industry and creative processes are more efficient with face-to-face time, brainstorming, and finding solutions together. This is even much more challenging at the beginning of production when you have to set up your vision of the game and at the end of production when you have to fix a lot of problems. So everyone in the industry was slightly less efficient by working from home fully.
This is why this year, you can see so many delayed games. So, fortunately, publishers and developers got more revenue because now they are spending more than anticipated to ship their games, spending up to 20-30% more.
So now everywhere in the world is back to normal, except China, so we’re back to the origin. The big benefit is that everybody learned how to work from home and that was not something that video game studios tend to do too much because it was difficult to make engines (infrastructures) available to everybody remotely.
In the past, video game companies preferred everybody to be in the same space to access in the most secure way to the same tools. But now everybody has fixed this problem, everyone can work remotely in-engine, opening new horizons to the entire industry. Everyone can work from anywhere, so I think it’s bringing a lot of freedom to the staff.
Based on what you’ve learned these past three years, on a scale from one to ten, do you feel that Virtuos is now well-equipped if or when another pandemic comes?
Philippe Angely: Ten! It happened in Chengdu two months ago. Suddenly they were like “tomorrow we close the city” so we were able to have all of our people working from home in 24 hours.
In comparison to your peers, by how much is Virtuos coping better?
Philippe Angely: Regarding competitors, I don’t know. But the ones we communicate with are [coping] the same. They are just as well-equipped as we are and I think all of the big names are able to switch to a “work-from-home setup” where the majority are 2 days in the office, 3 days in the studio. Some are even still working from home. So I’d say about 80% of our clients are working in this hybrid model.
Would you say that the pandemic accelerated the improvement when it comes to game development and how game studios are being run?
Philippe Angely: Yes definitely accelerated the IT infrastructure. The way that we were able to deploy all the pipeline work remotely and was done very quickly. But before that, nobody felt obliged to do it as they found it more comfortable to work at the same place. So it was a big tech acceleration.
In terms of work culture, would you say that Virtuos is very French?
Philippe Angely: I wouldn’t say very French, I mean yes I’m French, the CEO is French but if you look at the senior directors it’s a big mix. French are definitely not the majority. If you take the senior directors, only about a quarter are French. Our CFO is Singaporean, we have Americans and Chinese too.
With studios all around the world, China, Vietnam, and Malaysia, how do you find a common ground? Because it is a challenge when you have different studios from different countries and different countries have different quirks. So what do you do to make sure that everyone is on the same page?
Philippe Angely: First, we only hire people who’re passionate about video games. We can be flexible with other things but the basic requirements are that everyone needs to speak English and everyone needs to love games. So it’s a common culture, we speak a lot about video games. We need people who’re open to working for an international company. Not necessarily a French company, we aren’t a French company, we’re a Singapore-based company with roots in China. Our CEO spent 20 years in China so he has a great understanding of Asia. So [they need to be open to] international culture.
We also have a big mobility program, so all the staff can rotate studios, so if you work in Chengdu, you want to work two years in Europe, we have a program for that and we encourage our staff to do that. So we take care of everything, their move, their visa, and prepare for the position in Europe. Because English is a requirement, the working environment in Paris will not be different from China.
Would you say that the majority of your staff is from the younger generation like millennials? Because it is said that millennials are very hard to manage and are very demanding in terms of self-fulfilment. So what’s been done on your side to make sure you can retain them and avoid poaching?
Philippe Angely: Everyone wants to have fun and everybody wants to have a secure environment where they can express their creativity and share their ideas with their peers. So I don’t think it’s the new generation trend.
So we don’t have a particular setup for the new generation. About half the staff is below 30 years old and 90% of our staff are below 40. We are a very young team, we’re a very young company. We’re celebrating 18 years. But it is strange to see that I’m one of the oldest in the company. I don’t feel old.
So we have a very egalitarian policy as well. For example, we don’t have ex-pat contracts, it just doesn’t exist at Virtuos. So everybody has a local contract with the same conditions as everyone else.
So when I was in Shanghai, I had the same number of holidays as anybody else in the studio and the same benefits. So a good French root is that we are very keen on holidays in France, so we try to do the same thing at Virtuos, everywhere in the world. In China, we were one of the few companies that propose three weeks of paid holidays and we add an extra day every few years of employment. So some people have an entire month’s paid holiday on top of the legal holidays in China. In the US it’s the same, so we give three weeks’ paid holiday to our staff.
So in a way, you guys are one of the earliest studios set up to support other studios? How do you think your presence benefits the indie scene?
Philippe Angely: What we’re very good at is training. Every year we hire young graduates in 3D or traditional art and we train them in video games. We have a program which we’ve developed over the past 15 years that allows people to enter video game production after six months of training. We did that because, at the time in China, they did not have 3D schools. So we were one of the first ones to have a dedicated team in charge of training and it’s the same for what we do in Malaysia.
We are trying to promote the video game industry, to show young Malaysians graduating in engineering or art that a career in the games industry is great. The more noise you make the more people will be interested and people will be interested to work at Virtuos or independent studios to develop games. What we are trying to do also is to bring back Malaysians who have left the country to work in Europe and North America because they couldn’t work on AAA games in Malaysia. We want them to know that we have big projects for them to work on and that they can return to Malaysia and be closer to their family while working on AAA games.
How helpful have the local bodies in Malaysia such as MDEC been and to what extent have they helped?
Philippe Angely: They were very supportive of the idea and interested that we do game development—especially the really creative things like level design and quest design. The majority of our studio has worked on art for games such as CrossfireX. It took time to have real support and have something on paper, but we officially announced a few months ago that MIDA will help us with a grant.
We have big ambitions for Malaysia. We have 100 employees now and we intend to grow by 30% within the next 12 months. Our goal is to have 300 people in our Kuala Lumpur studio within five years, working on a variety of interesting projects from games to AAA art.
Thinking further, where do you see Virtuos? What’s your next move and where are you looking at?
Philippe Angely: We have two development strategies — one is to be closer to our clients, and the other is to get access to unutilised talent pools. That was part of the reason we acquired Sparx* – a Virtuos studio in Vietnam. What we look for are large numbers of people, passionate about video games and well-trained.
Our next move will be to look for areas to grow, we haven’t decided yet, which could be South America, for example. Huge population, a lot of artists and engineers. So that’s something we’re looking at. Being close to our clients is also why we opened our co-development studio in San Francisco. We’re probably going to open a new studio in Europe, to be close to this big hub for video games. We’ll probably want to increase our teams in Japan. We’ll be happy to have a studio if possible. The industry is dynamic and everybody is looking for talent, so we want to help to train people in more markets so that they’re able to work in video games.
Lastly, what are your honest thoughts on the metaverse?
Philippe Angely: Metaverse is a big subject. Metaverse and NFTs are very trendy terms. The way I see the metaverse is a rebranding of something that has existed for a very long time.
Fortnite to me is the biggest metaverse, World of Warcraft too. The new thing is now that you have non-gaming companies who want to use the metaverse to get more exposure. Which is fair enough but they don’t capitalise on the experience that comes from video games.
In my eyes, Epic is much more equipped for a metaverse than Facebook. But it’s good for everybody because it gives access to a 3D world to many more people than before. So I think that’s what Facebook is trying to do, is to give the opportunity for non-gamers to have a 3D place where they can share. So it’s the perfect [opportunity] for people to get a VR headset which is easy to set up. The younger generation, they are very tech-oriented so they’re used to PCs and consoles, so Facebook is targeting them more.


Nintendo Power: We’re Getting A New Switch Next Year

This just in: Nintendo is going to release a new version of the Nintendo Switch in the second half of 2019. Of course, if you are well aware of Nintendo’s many ways of selling you different versions of its current hardware, this may not shock you one bit.
According to a recent Wall Street Journal JP article, the sales of the Nintendo switch are still decent but they aren’t the same as the first time the console debuted in March 2017.Â  Nintendo shares, which rose sharply last year, have trailed the broader stock market this year. The move to update the Switch suggests the Kyoto, Japan, company is moving quickly to ensure its flagship product doesnâ€™t lose competitiveness.

?BREAKING NEWS????????????2019?????????#??? #???? #??? https://t.co/qGwQ4hGoRm
— ??????????????????? (@WSJJapan) October 4, 2018

So what new changes will the new Switch receive? One option includes improving the display on the console, perhaps even adding in smartphone LCD technologies that is lacking in the current version of the console. Not only will it make the display brighter, but it will make the console thinner and more energy-efficient.

New version of Nintendo Switch may arrive as soon as summer next year, sources say. Machine specs not finalized yet, but one option is improvement on display. 3rd publishers hope new Switch would give clear hint what would happen on 3DS line.https://t.co/0qcQshYm2a
— Takashi Mochizuki (@6d6f636869) October 4, 2018

It’s good to know that there’s a timeframe for the next iteration of the Switch. Now let’s see the internet make mockups of the new Switch online.


GTA The Trilogy The Definitive Edition Is Now On Steam

Rockstar Games has announced that GTA The Trilogy The Definitive Edition / Grand Theft Auto The Trilogy The Definitive Edition is now available to purchase on Steam, and is currently on sale until 2 February 2023 as part of the Rockstar Games Publisher Sale.
In addition to modern controls, graphical and environmental upgrades, and other enhancements, these versions of Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas are Playable on Steam Deck and support additional features including achievements and more.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is also currently available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via the Rockstar Games Launcher, and will release later in January on the Epic Games store.
There are also discounts on other Rockstar Games titles during the publisher sale on Steam, including 50% off Grand Theft Auto V, 67% off Red Dead Redemption 2, and up to 70% off classic titles like Grand Theft Auto IV and more.


Cyberpunk Indie Action Game ANNO: Mutationem Launches 17 March

Fans of lovely-looking pixel art 3D/2D hybrid action games are in for a treat next month.
ANNO: Mutationem, a PlayStation China Hero Project title will be out for PS4, PS5, and PC via Steam on 17 March. The game is published by Lightning Games and developed by ThinkingStars.
Here are the game’s key features:

Where 2D Meets 3DÂ â€“ Unique 2D-to-3D gameplay, seamless switching between 2D action-and-platforming and 3D exploration to interact with the world and its inhabitants.
Ann Kicks AssÂ â€“ Ann will slash, shoot, combo, grenade-throw, and ground-pound her way through hordes of enemies and huge bosses.
Explore, Discover, and ReturnÂ â€“ Exploring diverse locations such as huge cities and complex underground structures, players are free to go as they please, returning to previous areas and unlocking new events.
A Dark, Twisted PlotÂ â€“ A grand story befitting a rich and dark cyberpunk decor, featuring our main hero Ann and her trusty hacker sidekick Ayane.
Craft, Upgrade, Improve, and CustomizeÂ â€“ Collect, buy, or craft items, and upgrade Annâ€™s stats, skills, and gear. Use chips to modify any kind of weapon you find.

Oh, and you can also fish at docks and serve up cocktails to people in kinda-lit-but-still-sleazy bars. Fun!

You can play a PC demo on Steam right now if you want to get a feel for it.


Top Smash Bros Players Bring Out Their Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Tier List

It’s no surprise that the top Smash Bros players will have early pre-release access to the 2D platform fighting game Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. As such, we have Day 0 tier lists.
Both Hungrybox and Armada, top tier Smash Bros players who have their fair share of tournament wins, shared their tier lists for the game’s characters (via Eventhub). Both of them share a few similarities:

Patrick the starfish is considered a low tier character due to his sluggish and slow moveset.
Leonardo, April O’Neil, CatDog, Aang, and Korra seem pretty high on the tier list due to their fast and easy-to-learn movesets.

Keep in mind that the game has just been released, and it’ll be a while (at least 3 months) until a concrete tier list is finalized. With that said, here they are:
Hungrybox
S Tier
CatDog, April O’ Neil, Danny Phantom, Aang, Korra, Leonardo, Reptar
A Tier
Zim, Lincoln, Lucy, Oblina, Nigel Thornberry, Powdered Toast Man
B Tier
Spongebob Squarepants, Sandy, Michaelangelo
C Tier
Helga, Ren & Stimpy
D Tier
Patrick

Armada
S Tier
Leonardo, April O’Neil, Aang
A Tier
Lincoln, Lucy, Zim, CatDog, Oblina, Danny Phantom, Korra
B Tier
Spongebob Squarepants, Powdered Toast Man, Toph, Reptar, Helga, Michaelangelo
C Tier
Nigel Thornberry, Sandy, Ren & Stimpy
D Tier
Patrick


HP Unveils New Omen 15 Laptop & Gaming Accessories

HP Inc. Malaysia has officially launched the all-new OMEN 15 Laptop along with a line-up of OMEN gaming accessories and monitor designed to help todayâ€™s gamers outplay the ordinary.
HP Inc. Malaysia Enterprise Sales Director Alex Tan said:
â€œTodayâ€™s gamers are constantly demanding a better, more immersive experience while staying connected with their community. HP continues to push the boundaries in gaming by growing and evolving its world-class ecosystem with enhanced experiences through the OMEN Command Center and innovative features found across the broad gaming portfolio.”
The newest OMEN line-up brings together an impressive ecosystem of hardware and software. Innovative thermal technology, winning horsepower, and stunning visuals paired with great accessories, elevating the gaming experience to a higher level.
The latest HPÂ OMEN 15 laptop featuring a redesigned chassis with a smaller footprint generation over generation, offers minimalist aesthetics and includes thenew OMEN diamond logo in a blue to green gradient and comes with optional full RGB per-key lighting.Â
Additional features include:Â
Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super with MAX-Q Design and up to 10th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 H-series processors.Up to FHD 300 HzÂ and NVIDIA G-SYNC technology on select configurations.The industryâ€™s first implemented IR thermopile sensor within a gaming laptop to optimize thermal efficiencies, maintain steady yet quiet fan acoustic control, and maximize performance from the Dynamic Power feature within OMEN Command Center. OMEN Tempest Cooling Technology keeps things super chill with enlarged vent openings and up to a 12 V fanÂ which utilizes the three-sided venting to enable five-way airflow and push this laptop towards desktop-level CPU performance.Maximize productivity during media consumption and browsing with the Graphics Switcher via OMEN Command Centre, which enables a hybrid setting for battery life up to 12.5 hours.

The OMEN 15 makes portable gaming easier than ever before with an 8 percent shorter and 11 percent thinner frame while being more powerful than ever before.
Along with the new OMEN 15, HPâ€™s line-up of gaming PCs also features the Pavilion Gaming 15. The Pavilion Gaming 15 features a 10th generation Intel Core i7 processorÂ and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660TI graphics.Â
A Full HD resolution display with a fast refresh rate of up to 144Hz delivers smooth gameplay visuals, while also bringing entertainment and content to life.

Meanwhile, the OMEN 27i Gaming MonitorÂ features NVIDIA G-SYNC CompatibleÂ OMEN 27i screen with a 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time with overdrive.

The OMEN by HP Citadel Gaming ChairÂ features a spacious seat, extra-thick cushions, and high-back for better posture while gaming. Game comfortably with adjustable seat height and tilt that locks in place, plus pillows for lumbar and neck support.

The OMEN Vector MouseÂ features the eSports grade OMEN Radar 3 sensor and supports up to 16,000 dpi with 99 percent accuracy, 400 IPS, acceleration, and self-calibration. This mouse is built to win with Omron switches offering a 50 million click lifespan and a snag-proof braided cable.
Pricing and Availability
OMEN 15 LaptopÂ is available now, starting at RM4,439 with FREE e-Wallet voucher worth RM100.HP Pavilion Gaming 15 LaptopÂ is available now, starting at RM3,989 with FREE e-Wallet voucher worth RM80.OMEN 27i Gaming MonitorÂ is available now, starting at RM1799.OMEN by HP Citadel Gaming ChairÂ is available now, starting at RM1,399.OMEN Vector MouseÂ is available now, starting at RM189.OMEN Blast Headset is available now, starting at RM319.
These products are available from the HP Online StoreÂ or selected online store partners includingÂ LazadaÂ andÂ Shopee.


Sega In Talks To Buy Angry Birds Maker Rovio For US$775 Million

Sega and Rovio: a match made in heaven?
Apparently so! Rovio is in discussions with Sega Sammy Holdings to be acquired, according to reports in Wall Street Journal.
“Rovio and Sega will release further information at an appropriate time. There is no certainty as to when the possible tender offer would take place or whether it would take place at all, nor as to the terms of such potential tender offer.”
[Update: 17/4/2023]: The acquisition will be worth US$775 million. Sega said in a recent press release that the company will utilize Rovio’s live-service expertise to bring Sega’s current and new titles to the global mobile gaming market, as well as expand trans-media content using the Sega brand. So don’t act surprised if there’s a Like A Dragon-themed Angry Birds spin-off, or a new Sega mobile game using its old IPs like Afterburner or Billy Hatcher.
The acquisition is set to be worth US$1 billion. The deal could be done in a matter of days as talks don’t break down. Previously, Rovio has been the target of Playtika, an Israel-based mobile developer known for its casual slot machine games. But that deal, worth US$810 million, fell through.


Sega Confirms Phantasy Star Creator Rieko Kodama Has Died

Rieko Kodama, the pioneer female developer known for Sega classics like the Phantasy Star RPG series and Skies of Arcadia, has passed away. She was 58.
Her death was discovered via a memorial message in the credits of the Mega Drive Mini 2. The message was intended to clarify her death according to Sega producer Yosuke Okunari. According to ex-Sega programmer Yuji Naka she passed away on 9 May 2022, but it was kept private out of respect for her family. Here’s a quote from Sega of Japan (via IGN Japan)
“We pray that the deceased will rest in peace, and we offer our gratitude for her enormous contributions to Sega.”

Rieko Kodama passed away on May 9, 2022. I have very fond memories of her because we were Sega colleagues and created Phantasy Star and Sonic together. I wasn't sure about the funeral pictures, but I wanted everyone to remember her. May she rest in peace. Rieko Kodama, forever. pic.twitter.com/lw9UTxLXbS
— Yuji Naka / ???? (@nakayuji) October 27, 2022

As you understand it. We respected her.
— Yosuke Okunari /???? (@okunari) October 27, 2022

Rieko Kodama (or Phoenix Rie in the early 80s and 90s game credits) started out as a graphic designer, then was a producer and director. Her credits include Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Skies of Arcadia, and the legendary Phantasy Star series. She directed Phantasy Star IV which was arguably the best entry in the series.
Kodama remained active in the games industry through the 2010s, working on titles like 7th Dragon and Sega Ages. She left a legacy of being one of the most prominent female video game developers in gaming history, inspiring other women to do the same.


Diablo Immortal: What You Need To Know Before Its Southeast Asia Launch

Diablo Immortal is finally coming to Southeast Asia on 8 July 2022.
Before you begin to traverse the eight expansive zones of Diablo Immortal as a Barbarian, Crusader, Demon Hunter, Monk, Necromancer, or Wizard, check out what you need to know below:
REST OF ASIA PACIFIC LAUNCH SCHEDULE
Similar to the rollout for the global launch in June, Blizzard Entertainment will launch Diablo Immortal on 9am GMT+8 for iOS, Android, and PC in Open Beta across select Asia Pacific regions: including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Diablo Immortal will also launch on the same date in Vietnam, but for PC in Open Beta only.
Starting today, adventurers aiming to dive right into battle on 8 July can heat up their PC in advance by preloading Diablo Immortal from Battle.net.
INSTALLATION AND PLAY INSTRUCTIONS
Players will be able to install Diablo Immortal on mobile on 8 July 2022. Players who decide to pre-load the game for PC will need no further action on launch day.
For Android:

Launch the Google Play Store app on your device. In the search bar, type “Diablo Immortal.”
Once you’re on the Diablo Immortal store page, click the “Install” button and allow the game to download.

For iOS:

Launch the App Store on your device. In the search bar, type “Diablo Immortal.”
Once you’re on the Diablo Immortal store page, click the “Get” button then click the “Install” button and allow the game to download.

For Windows PC:

Download and install the Battle.net desktop application and launch it. Register to create a Battle.net account, or log in with an existing account.
Open your Battle.net app and allow it to download any pending updates.
Select “Games” > “Diablo Immortal” and click “Install”. Once installation is complete, simply click “Play” to launch the game.

HOW TO ENABLE CROSS-PROGRESSION PLAY
A Battle.net account is required to seamlessly play Diablo Immortal on both PC and mobile devices. Players can play as a guest on mobile and later log into or create a Battle.net account to carry progress over to PC.
COMMUNITY AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT
In the event that you encounter any demonic trickery on launch day, you can head on over to the Blizzard Forums, the official Facebook page and Instagram for SEA.
KNOWN ISSUES, HOTFIXES AND PATCH NOTES FOR PC OPEN BETA
During the PC Open Beta period, Blizzard will continue to collect player feedback, make changes, and fine-tune this version of Immortal until we feel it delivers a finalised experience for all courageous adventurers.
Players can find the most updated list of patches and hotfixes applied to the PC Open Beta version in this blog post.
For more details and information about Diablo Immortal, head on over to the official website and follow the official Diablo Immortal SEA Facebook and Instagram channels.
Diablo Immortal Spec Requirements

Platform

Minimum System Requirements

iOS

Hardware: iPhone 6S
Operating system: iOS 11

*Disk Space Requirement: 3.3GB (with patch of additional 9.5GB)

Android

Operating System: Android 5.0
CPU: Snapdragon 660 / Exynos 9611
GPU: Adreno 512 / Mali-G72 MP3
Memory: 2GB RAM

*Disk Space Requirement: 2.4GB (with patch of additional 10GB)

Windows PC

Minimum Requirements
Operating System: Windows® 7 / Windows® 8 / Windows® 10 / Windows® 11 (64-bit)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i3 or AMD™ FX-8100
GPU: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 460, ATI Radeon™ HD 6850 or Intel® HD Graphics 530
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Internet: Broadband Internet connection

Recommended Specifications
Operating System: Windows® 10 / Windows® 11 (64-bit)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5 or AMD Ryzen™ 5
GPU: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 770 or AMD Radeon™ RX 470
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Internet: Broadband Internet connection

*Disk Space Requirement: 24GB

In the meantime, check out our Diablo Immortal speedrun level up guide by heading over here. or the best setup for solo farming by heading over here.


46 Players Banned From Dota 2 Pro Circuit

Valve and Perfect World have made a big announcement today that has the Dota 2 community buzzing. They’re cracking down on players who have been interfering with fair competition in the Chinese Dota 2 Pro Circuit (DPC). And let me tell you, the list of banned players is long.
Knights and EHOME are two of the teams affected, with Knights being suspected of match-fixing and using cheats during official Dota 2 Pro Circuit games. But the inclusion of EHOME’s players has come as a surprise to many, and some are questioning the integrity of the entire Dota 2 Pro Circuit in China.
In total, 46 players have been banned, with 21 of them receiving permanent bans. That’s a lot of players out of the game. The bans apply to all events hosted by Valve and Perfect World, which is a major blow to those players’ careers.
Here’s the full list of banned players:

Banned Player
Team (if any)
Duration of Ban

Luo “eGo” Bin
Knights
Permanent

Vincent “AlaCrity-” Hiew
Knights
Permanent

Su “Flyby” Lei
Knights
Permanent

Chong “FelixCiaoBa” Wei Lun
Knights
Permanent

Xiao “XCJ” Chaojian
Knights
Permanent

Wong “mks-” Sim An
EHOME
Permanent

Xu “mmm” Ziyang
Team Mystique
Permanent

Yang “Helios” Yuepeng
LBZS
Permanent

Zhan “guoguo” Yaoyang
LBZS
Permanent

Kim “Unknown-” Jit Pin
Team Flow
Permanent

Fan “123” Zhilong
–
Permanent

Chen “STAR” Mingyang
–
Permanent

Yu “BANG” Lepeng
–
Permanent

Sun “Dev1ce” Yinhan
–
Permanent

Shen “Xyz” Chao
–
Permanent

Zhao “Re:0” Haocheng
–
Permanent

Kong Xiangdong
–
Permanent

Cui Zijian
–
Permanent

Rick “darly” Lee
–
Permanent

Fan “Ayo” Tianyou
–
Permanent

Fan “farewell” Menglong
–
Permanent

Pan “yChen” Shuaifang
EHOME
2 Years

Tang “Salad” Xiaolei
EHOME
2 Years

Liu “Lww” Weiwei
EHOME
2 Years

Pu “zone-” Junyu
Team Mystique
2 Years

Law “Nj” Chee Hoong
Team Mystique
2 Years

Raymond “rayy” Then
Team Mystique
2 Years

Jin “pp” Peng
LBZS
2 Years

Somsak “Nevermine” Chanthavisouk
Team Flow
2 Years

Lee “ShareHeatbeat” Mingqi
–
2 Years

Huo “sss” Xiaolei
–
2 Years

Xu Hang
–
2 Years

Jiang “HuiHui” Yixin
–
2 Years

Zheng “ghost” Jie
–
2 Years

Lee “X1aOyU” Qian Yu
EHOME
1 Year

Tan “TrazaM” Kai Soon
Team Flow
1 Year

Yang “Ms” Yongjie
Dawn Gaming
1 Year

Liu “ex” Shaojun
Dawn Gaming
1 Year

Lin “Son Goku” Shiyang
Dawn Gaming
1 Year

He “Docres” Ercong
Dawn Gaming
1 Year

Chen “tomorrow” Xiaolei
–
1 Year

Chen “fantasy-” Zhifan
–
1 Year

Zheng “Hy” Shuo
–
1 Year

Ma “Kygo” Xianglong
–
1 Year

Li “Mercader” Ruofei
–
1 Year

Mo “lost” Jian
–
1 Year

The decision by Valve and Perfect World to issue a joint statement announcing the bans has left the Dota 2 community in shock. The future of the game’s competitive scene in China is now in question, with many fans and players expressing their concerns. The controversies surrounding match-fixing and cheating have been a dark cloud hanging over the Chinese Dota 2 Pro Circuit for months now.
The absence of these banned players will undoubtedly have an impact on the Dota 2 Pro Circuit. Many of them are key members of teams competing in the Lower and Upper Divisions of the DPC, and their absence will be felt. Fans are left wondering what the future of the Chinese Dota 2 Pro Circuit will look like without these players and whether the bans will be enough to restore the integrity of the competitive scene.
The Dota 2 community is now left with many questions about the future of the game in China. The bans have sent a strong message that Valve and Perfect World are serious about maintaining fair competition in the Dota 2 Pro Circuit. Only time will tell whether the bans will have the desired effect, but for now, fans will be eagerly watching to see how the situation develops.


Monster Hunter Movie Trailer Reveals Rathalos & New 2021 Release Date

Sony Pictures Malaysia has released a new trailer for the upcoming Monster Hunter movie, showcasing familiar monsters like not only Diablos but also a closer look at the menacing Rathalos.
According to the new international trailer, Monster Hunter is now slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 28 January 2021 (instead of the previous December 2020 release date).
The synopsis reads:
Behind our world, there is another: a world of dangerous and powerful monsters that rule their domain with deadly ferocity. When an unexpected sandstorm transports Captain Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her unit (TI Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta) to a new world, the soldiers are shocked to discover that this hostile and unknown environment is home to enormous and terrifying monsters immune to their firepower. In their desperate battle for survival, the unitencounters the mysterious Hunter (Tony Jaa), whose unique skills allow him to stay one step ahead of the powerful creatures. As Artemis and Hunter slowly build trust, she discovers that he is part of a team led by the Admiral (RonPerlman). Facing a danger so great it could threaten to destroy their world, the brave warriors combine their unique abilities to band together for the ultimate showdown.
In the meantime, check out the official poster and international trailer below: