Elden Ring Nerfs Most Of Its Twin Boss Fights

FromSoftware has made a bunch of nerfs for its epic RPG title Elden Ring, much to the relief of many players.
The game’s trickier twin boss fights have been nerfed in the game’s 1.04 patch, making it bearable for solo players. Dataminer king bore found the changes back in April, while YouTube content creator Illusory Wall made a list of it on the video below. These include the two Crystalian fight and the Mad Pumpkin Head twins fight.

Unfortunately (?), the twin Gargoyle fights and the Godskin Duo are left untouched, but at least the previous twin fights will prepare you for these eventual mandatory latter fight. Which is still a bitch to deal with up until now.
Other notable changes in the 1.04 patch include the Merciless Chariot not one-shotting you with its wheel blades and construct, and adjustments to enemy hitbox sizes. Guess we’ll still be talking about Elden Ring even past 2022, I guess.


Catch The Overwatch League All-Stars Action Starting Tomorrow

The Overwatch League 2019 All-Stars is kicking off tomorrow with a series of custom skill matches and the Overwatch League 2019 All-Star Game on 16 May 2019.
Those who watch the Overwatch League 2019 All-Stars will earn double the usual amount of League Tokens; a total of six tokens for each hour of live Overwatch League matches watched on Twitch or Overwatch League platforms during the event.

New Legendary Mercy and Lucio skins will also arrive to commemorate Overwatch League 2019 All-Stars, both of which will be available until 22 May 2019.
The starting roster for the Atlantic Division team are:
JJONAK â€“ Support (New York Excelsior)
PINE â€“ Damage (New York Excelsior)
FUSIONS â€“ Tank (Boston Uprising)
CARPE â€“ Damage (Philadelphia Fusion)
ARK â€“ Support (Washington Justice)
POKO â€“ Tank (Philadelphia Fusion)
The starting roster for the Pacific Division team are:
JINMU â€“ Damage (Chengdu Hunters)
AMENG â€“ Tank (Chengdu Hunters)
YVELTAL â€“ Support (Chengdu Hunters)
FLETA â€“ Damage (Seoul Dynasty)
RYUJEHONG â€“ Support (Seoul Dynasty)
GUXUE â€“ Tank (Hangzhou Spark)
Besides all that, fans can try out the updated Overwatch League Command Center and check out the action through their favorite point of views (POVs) for free on both days of the event.
Catch the action on the official Overwatch League Twitch account below:


Xbox & Barbie Collab Featuring Forza Horizon 5 Goes Full Throttle In Australia

Warner Bros. Pictures, Mattel, and Xbox are working together to bring exclusive Forza Horizon 5 in-game content, racing simulators and a life-sized Barbie box at Sydney’s Microsoft Experience Centre, an inspiring video about careers in gaming with a Barbie touch, the first ever Xbox Barbie dolls, and our most stylish custom Xbox hardware yet.
From 11 July to 23 July 2023, Xbox is bringing a Forza racing simulator to the Microsoft Experience Centre in Australia so Barbie fans can race friends or ride solo in the 1956 Chevrolet Corvette EV Corvette or 2022 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup. Fans will also have the opportunity to step inside an iconic life-sized Barbie box at the store and strike their best Barbie pose as the cameras capture the picture-perfect moment.
The film sees Barbie hit the road in a classic 1956 Chevrolet Corvette EV Corvette — painted her signature pink hue, of course — while Ken cruises alongside in a 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup. Now, Forza Horizon 5 players can join them in virtual versions of both cars. Racing at the intersection of style, speed and self-expression, “Barbie” fans new and old can find the inspiration to follow their own road and get in the game. Everyone who plays Forza Horizon 5 will be gifted these themed cars — just download them from the in-game Message Center and they will appear in your garage, ready for racing – even if you don’t live in Barbie Land.

From her DreamHouse to her dream closet, Barbie’s iconic style is unmatched. Now, you can bring her fashion-forward genius to your gaming setup with interchangeable SCUF Instinct Custom Controller faceplates designed after Barbie and Ken’s distinct on-screen outfits.
Or, go for a complete remodel — in one of their most playful custom console designs in recent years, they’re giving away an Xbox Series S that has been built into the glamorous Barbie DreamHouse. Fans can come marvel at the Barbie DreamHouse at the Microsoft Experience Centre ahead of going in for their chance to win on Xbox ANZ’s social channels.

To celebrate their commitment to being a place for everyone, they’ve rounded up Barbie dolls that are reflective of the Barbie line, which is the most diverse doll line on the market, and they’ll display a special pair at Sydney’s Microsoft Experience Centre. They’ve been outfitted with the latest Xbox Gear fashion, and accessories including an Xbox Series S console, Wireless Controller and an Adaptive Controller.

Barbie will premiere in Australian cinemas on 20 July 2023.


You Can Dress As Hololive VTubers In Among Us

With the release of version v2022.9.20, Among Us announces its new Cosmicube Collaboration with Hololive Production that introduces your favourite Hololive VTubers as skins.
The Hololive Production Cosmicube is priced at 110 Stars, which is the premium currency that was introduced into Among Us in late 2021. Luckily unlike other in-game marketplaces, you can just buy 110 Stars in a bundle for $9.99. No weird leftovers to make you feel bad about not buying more.
The bundle will only be available for a limited time until 20 December 2022.
Below you can find the list of items the bundle features:

Ayunda Risu Outfit
Ayunda Risu Hat
Gawr Gura Outfit
Gawr Gura Hat
Houshou Marine Hat
Houshou Marine Outfit
Inugami Korone Outfit
Inugami Korone Hat
Moona Hoshinova Outfit
Moona Hosinova Hat
Nekomata Okayu Outfit
Nekomata Okayu Hat
Ookami Mio Outfit
Ookami Mio Hat
Shirakami Fubuki Outfit
Shirakami Fubuki Hat
Usada Pekora Hat
Usada Pekora Outfit
Watson Amelia Outfit
Watson Amelia Hat
No Thoughts Visor
Sweepy Visor
Smug Aura Visor
Ah. Visor
Hmph! Visor
Teehee! Visor
Bored Now Visor
Nudge-Nudge Visor
Marine’s Eyepatch Visor
Haha What Could Be Wrong? Visor


Football Manager 2023 Console Delayed For PS5

SEGA and Sports Interactive can today reveal that the PlayStation 5 version of Football Manager 2023 Console (FM23) will not debut on 8 November, as originally planned, due to unforeseen complications which have arisen during the submissions and approvals process.
“We’re devastated by this outcome, which we have worked tirelessly with our partners for a number of weeks to try to address. It was especially difficult to make the decision to delay, as it involves holding back a great game which a number of talented people within SI have worked tremendously hard on for quite some time. We will continue to do everything in our power to get this game into the hands of PS5 gamers as soon as we can.”
– Miles Jacobson, Studio Director at Sports Interactive
SEGA and Sports Interactive will update you on this matter at the earliest opportunity. Customers who have pre-ordered via the PSN Digital storefront will have their pre-order cancelled and a full refund will be made according to Sony’s platform policy. Please note that there is no action required on the customer’s behalf to receive the refund. All other games in the FM23 suite are currently on course to be released on 8 November.


SEA Game Awards Returns For Its 7th Year Running

The SEA Game Awards are making a comeback. Yep, it’s that time of the year again when Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) takes the reins to host this thrilling event. Can you believe it’s already the 7th year since it all started back in 2017? This annual extravaganza is all about celebrating and giving props to the amazing game developers from Southeast Asia. And guess where it’s all going down? Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, folks! The SEA Game Awards will be happening alongside MYDCF 2023. So, mark your calendars and get ready for a gaming spectacle like no other in September 2023.

And the Winners Are…
You’ve been waiting for this moment, haven’t you? Well, the winners of the SEA Game Awards will be revealed during the grand ceremony that’s part of MYDCF 2023 in September. It’s going to be one epic announcement that you won’t want to miss. But if you’re looking to vote then be sure to go to this link to pick your winners!

Who’s Made the Cut?
Finalists will also get a sweet showcase booth at the SEA Game Awards during MYDCF 2023 in the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia. It’s an opportunity to shine and impress the crowd from 27 September to 1 October.

Categories Galore!
Let’s talk about the juicy part—the award categories! There’s a bunch of them, and they cover all the bases.

Rising Star Award
Best Technology Award
Best Visual Art Award
Best Game Design Award
Best Audio Design Award
Best Story Telling Award
Best Innovation Award
Best Student Game Award
Best International Game Award
Audience Choice Award

Don’t Miss a Beat!
Here’s the best part—you don’t even have to be there in person to witness all the awesomeness. Thanks to the magic of livestreaming, you can catch the entire SEA Game Awards ceremony from the comfort of your own couch. And hey, why not share the excitement with your pals on social media? Spread the love, spread the joy, and let the gaming community know what they’re missing out on. September 2023 is going to be lit!


We’re Not Getting PES 2021, Here’s Why [Update]

Update 15 July 2020:
Konami has clarified (via IGN) that despite the use of the phrase “season update”, PES 2021 will still be a standalone game, albeit released at a lower price than previous entries.
PES 2021 will not simply be an update or paid DLC update to eFootball PES 2020. While no more details were provided, it’s safe to assume that PES 2021 will likely be almost the same game as eFootball PES 2020, albeit with an updated roster and kit update.

Konami has just announced a shocking development for fans of football games and the eFootball PES franchise in particular. They have revealed that we won’t be getting a full eFootball PES 2021 this year, as they will be focusing on making an upgraded title for next-gen consoles powered by the Unreal Engine (replacing the previous Fox Engine).
In a blog update, Konami said that we should expect “more realistic player models, animations, enhanced physics, and photorealistic visuals”, as well as “new myClub and Master League content” from the next-gen PES title.
However, doing all that and developing a new PES title from the ground up using Unreal Engine instead of the Fox Engine means that there won’t be a full PES 2021 game. Instead, gamers will have to settle for “streamlined offering” in the form of a “season update”, likely for the existing 2019’s eFootball PES 2020.

Just to make clear:
PES 2021 will be a season update and not a full sequel
PES 2022 will be the next big title that is built with UE
Sorry for any confusion
â€” Nibel (@Nibellion) July 15, 2020
Konami is promising that this year’s PES “season update” will “launch at an affordable anniversary price and will also come with several bonuses”, which means that players will still have to pay for it despite already owning eFootball PES 2020.
Last but not least, Konami is planning to release the new next-gen PES sometime in late 2021, presumably for all current platforms with the addition of PS5 and Xbox Series X.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below, showcasing FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVuYuU4JQL8&w=560&h=315]


[Report] Tencent Made Controversial Demands In A Movie They Were Producing (Update)

(Updated on 26 January 2022):
Tencent reached out to us and gave the following official statement:
The views attributed to Tencent by Alanah Pearce are contrary to our beliefs, culture and values. At this point they are also just rumors. But we do take the matter seriously, and if it turns out someone affiliated with Tencent did in fact make such a statement we will take appropriate action.

China-based Tencent is currently one of the largest game publishers in the world. It doesn’t really put them in a good light when they allegedly wanted “no Black people” and “bigger tits” in a movie that they were producing.
All this was revealed when former games journalist and current Sony Santa Monica writer Alanah Pearce spilt the beans during an interview with The Serfs on Twitch. When asked about Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, she said that a lot of people aren’t aware of how problematic the environment is at Tencent.
She started by claiming that Tencent reportedly buys studios to replicate and steal their code for games, or forcing studios to give away their “source code”. She then continued by saying that she had a friend that told her about some of the other issues at the company.
She said:
â€œI have a friend who had a film that was offered to be made by Tencent â€” or funded by Tencent â€” and they were like â€˜no black people’ and ‘bigger tits.â€™ Like, a lot of rules that they have that I think also have had a hand in you know, some AAA games.â€
However, to avoid getting sued by Tencent, Alanah refrained from mentioning any specific movies or games. It’s hard to speculate what movie or games she’s actually talking about because Tencent owns a lot of studios and companies. However, recently Tencent Pictures was involved in movies like Top Gun Maverick, Moonfall, Venom Let There Be Carnage, and Monster Hunter, to mention a few.
Could it have been one of those? Perhaps we’ll never know. We’ll have to take what Alanah said with a grain of salt, considering that she heard all of this from a friend, so we have no verified source to confirm the allegations.

According to @Charalanahzard, "Tencent wanted no black people and bigger breasts in a movie they wanted to fund" wow pic.twitter.com/tEkjiG6FaG
— Joe Miller (@JoeMiller101) January 25, 2022


Valorant Nerfs Sage & Killjoy In Latest Update

Riot Games has released the patch notes for Valorant update 1.07 and there are a lot of major changes in the latest patch, including nerfing both Sage and Killjoy, while buffing Breach.

Changes made to Sage are:
Her healing power now recovers 60 HP in 5 seconds as opposed to 100 HP earlier. The same goes for her self heal which now recovers 60 HP as well over 10 seconds.Devs have reduced her slow orb ability radius by as much as 30%.On the upside, her barrier orb ability now costs 300, instead of 400.
Since Sage is the only healer, nerfing her will impact the gameplay, more so in competitive esports and ranked play.
Killjoy has also been nerfed, with her Nanoswarm ability now having a brief windup before damage starts, and the damage per second has been reduced from 60 to 40. Her turret is also no longer revealed by recon bolts.
Two character that have been buffed are Breach and Viper. Breach now has three charges of his flash, which also has a reduced wind up time, and his Rolling Thunder ability has also been buffed slightly, while Concussion will now descope players.
Meanwhile, Viper can now plant her toxic screen during the buy phase and through the spawn barriers. The screen rises faster too, and her smoke ability does not decay allies anymore. In addition to this, Viperâ€™s pit is now visible to teammates on the mini-map.
Valorant Remake Match Feature
The Valorant 1.07 update also introduces the Remake feature, where players will now have the option to end the game theyâ€™re in and queue for a new one when a match begins with a 4v5 (or more lopsided teams).
If any player is disconnected at the start of the match (beginning of buy phase) through the entire first round, a remake call may be triggered at the start of the second round by typing /remake in chat.
All connected players on the team that called the remake may vote to remake the game. Itâ€™s required that all connected players agree to remake the game.
The remake vote will last for the duration of the buy phase, if the vote is not passed by the end of buy phase it will expire. If the vote is successfully passed and the game is remade, all players who voted do not receive any XP or MMR adjustments for the match.
The match will also not show up in match history. All disconnected players not part of the vote will take a full MMR loss for the game, and receive a leaver penalty equivalent to disconnecting from a full match.
For more details and information on everything in the latest Valorant update, head on over here.


DC FanDome Is Returning This October

DC FanDome was DC Comics and Warner Brosâ€™ grand experiment; an entirely virtual event free for everyone around the globe to watch and participate in. The first day of DC FanDome was ambitious, with 24 hours of live streaming announcements and reveals for video games, movies and more.
It was also a massive success, with 22 million views across 220 countries and territories on its first day, which is why DC Comics and Warner Bros have announced that DC FanDome will officially return this year on 16 October 2021.

The epic global event is back!Return to #DCFanDome 10.16.21 pic.twitter.com/ZifZGCPOig
— DC (@DCComics) April 28, 2021

During DC FanDome 2020, the most popular announcements and reveals were trailers for Matt Reevesâ€™ The Batman, Warner Bros Montrealâ€™sÂ Gotham KnightsÂ and theÂ Justice League Snyder Cut, all of which attracted more than 150 million views in total.
Perhaps we’ll receive more details or announcements about upcoming projects like Black Adam, The Batman, and more during DC FanDome 2021.
In the meantime, you can check out our coverage of everything related to DC FanDome 2020 here.


We’re Getting A Very Special Version of NieR: Automata This Year

Sony Interactive Entertainment Hong Kong Limited Singapore Branch (SIES) has announced that NieR: Automata Game Of The YoRHa Edition for the PS4 is coming to Malaysia on 21 February 2019.
NieR: Automata Game Of The YoRHa Edition is essentially the game of the year edition of the critically-acclaimed 2017 action JRPG game by Platinum Games and Square Enix. It will feature a new physical retail cover, the main game, as well as all the DLC and in-game items released thus far.
The DLC, titled ‘3C3C1D119440927’, included in NieR: Automata Game Of The YoRHa Edition will contain the following:

Machine Mask Accessory
Grimoire Weiss Pod
Cardboard Pod Skin
Retro Red Pod Skin
Retro Grey Pod Skin
Play System Pod Skin (DL Only)
PS4 Dynamic Theme
NieR: Automata Amusement Park PS4 Theme
Avatar Set

The physical retail copy of NieR: Automata Game Of The YoRHa Edition will be priced at RM169, while the digital version will be slightly cheaper at RM159. So if you haven’t played one of the best JRPGs in recent times, it’s the best time to do so and experience the definitive version of director Yoko Taro’s latest gaming masterpiece.


TM UniFi Responds To Allegations Of Blocking Ubisoft Servers

It all started when someone in Malaysia started complaining that he couldn’t connect to the online Ubisoft servers when playing Rainbow Six Siege. There have also been reports of those not being able to log into Rockstar Games’ servers when playing GTA Online or Red Dead Online.
Local gamers then went into a furore on social media when TM UniFi’s first reply to the person allegedly suffering from the problem is this:

FYI, TM will block if the games involve inappropriate content such as violent, gambling, scam etc.
â€” help me unifi (@helpmeunifi) February 6, 2020
Since then, many gamers have claimed that they are allegedly sharing the same problem (via a tweet by our friends from Gamer Matters).

Seems like only those on TM (Unifi) networks are affected. Let us know if it keeps on happening today.
â€” Gamer Matters (@GamerMatters) February 8, 2020
When more and more people started coming forward with similar problems, TM UniFi finally gave an official statement to clarify the matter. They claim that they are not currently restricting access to the Ubisoft server, though they neglected to mention any of the other servers that gamers have been complaining about, like Rockstar Games.

#unifiAlerts
We received a number of queries in regards to accessing to ubisoft server. To clarify, we are not restricting access to the server. We are currently looking into this together with ubisoft and will share update on this soonest.
â€” unifi (@unifi) February 8, 2020
It turns out that what all these gamers suffering from online connectivity issues have in common is that the majority of them are TM UniFi users, which means that there’s probably something else going on and the folks at TM UniFi aren’t actually actively blocking any game servers at the moment.
In the first place, there was already something very suspicious about the very first person who complained about the server problem. The screenshot that accompanied his problem (shared by his friend on the Rainbow Six Siege sub-Reddit) clearly shows that the problem lies with the company’s IT department blocking access, and not TM themselves.
Companies often block access to entertainment websites featuring gaming, gambling, or the like, in order to prevent their employees from being distracted from doing their work and being unproductive by playing games during working hours. It looks like that’s exactly the case here from the very beginning.

While all evidence to date point to the original complaint being fake and a hoax, this story is still in development at the time of writing. Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more updates as they come.


TGS 2019:  Here’s 15 Minutes Of Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s Gameplay In Case You Missed It The First Time

That sweet-looking Final Fantasy VII Remake trailer at TGS 2019 brought all the feels for Final Fantasy fans. So how about more gameplay on that front, eh?
Here’s 15 minutes of gameplay footage featuring Cloud and Barret in the earlier sections of the game in Midgar where they’re fighting the Scorpion Sentinel (via PlayStation Access & IGN). It’s chock-filled with high-res polygons, real-time action with menu pauses for spells and stuff, and fireworks galore.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is slated for 3rd March 2020 for PS4.


Twitch Adds Hot Tub Category To Solve Current Controversy

Recently, Twitch has suspended advertising on a particular streamer, Amouranth, who is known for starting and continuing the hot tub streamers trend without any warning. The company has dubbed her streams as “not advertiser-friendly” despite not violating content guidelines.
The company has recently talked about the issue and proposed a new solution regarding this: creating a new category called Pools, Hot Tubs, and Beaches.
“[B]eing found to be sexy by others is not against our rules, and Twitch will not take enforcement action against women, or anyone on our service, for their perceived attractiveness. Sexually suggestive contentâ€”and where to draw the lineâ€”is an area that is particularly complex to assess, as sexual suggestiveness is a spectrum that involves some degree of personal interpretation of where the line falls (as opposed to determining whether or not there is nudity).
We will always aim to avoid being overly punitive based on assumptionsâ€”when we have taken enforcement action on this content, weâ€™ve only done so in the case of a clear violation of our guidelines.
Creators can continue to stream content that falls into this category as long as it doesnâ€™t violate our guidelines. Viewers can better avoid recommendations for content that they donâ€™t want to see, and those wishing to view this content will have an easier time finding it. And brands can either opt-in or -out of this category based on whether it aligns with their target audiences, like they can today with any other category.”
Twitch has stated that this isn’t a long-term solution for the company and for its users. So if you’re planning on streaming content on Twitch in a swimsuit and in a hot tub, you should do so in the new category. Check out the help page link if you want to find out more.
As for Amouranth’s suspended advertising? Twitch has admitted that it was a mistake: Twitch will occasionally remove ads from certain channels at the advertiser’s request, which is what happened here, but it failed to notify the impacted streamers ahead of time. The company is now working with affected streamers and restore ads when appropriate.


New Suicide Squad Trailer Shines Spotlight On Idris Elba’s Bloodsport

James Gunnâ€™sÂ The Suicide Squad has received another new trailer, but this time with even more new footage and a focus on Idris Elba’s Bloodsport.
In the new trailer, we learn more about Bloodsport, who has actually been in prison for shooting Superman with a kryptonite bullet. To motivate Bloodsport to join her Suicide Squad, Waller uses his daughter as leverage, sort of like Will Smith’s Deadshot in 2016’s Suicide Squad.
For some reason, Amanda Waller also refers to Starro The Conqueror as Project Starfish, which means that there might be more to the alien menace than we initially expected.

The full cast is as follows:

Idris Elba â€“ Bloodsport
Margot Robbie â€“ Harley Quinn
John Cena â€“ Peacemaker
Viola Davis â€“ Amanda Waller
Jai Courtney â€“ Captain Boomerang
Joel Kinnaman â€“ Rick Flag
David Dastmalchian â€“ Polka-Dot Man
Daniela Melchior â€“ Ratcatcher II
Sean Gunn â€“ Weasel (mo-cap)
Flula Borg â€“ Javelin
Nathan Fillion â€“ TDK
Peter Capaldi â€“ The Thinker
Pete Davidson â€“ Blackguard
Alice Braga â€“ Solsoria
Mayling Ng as Mongal
Michael Rooker â€“ Savant
Storm Reid â€“ Tyla (Bloodsportâ€™s daughter)
Jennifer Holland â€“ Emilia Harcourt
Juan Diego Botto â€“ Lun
Sylvester Stallone â€“ King Shark

The Suicide SquadÂ will premiere on 6 August 2021. In the meantime, check out the new trailer below:


The International Veterans Mushi & Raven Join Geek Fam Dota 2 Team

Geek Fam is beefing up its Dota 2 esports team with new additions to the roster, which now includes the likes of The International veterans and pros. Here’s the full team roster as of now:

Marc Polo Luis “Raven” Fausto
Chai â€œMushiâ€ Yee Fung
Rolen Andrei Gabriel “Skemberlu” Ong
Kenny “Xepher” Deo
Prieme Ejay “PlayHard” Banquil

The highlights are obviously Mushi and Raven. Mushi is a legendary esports player, renowned for having brought an all-Malaysian team to third place at The International 2013 and a long list of incredible accomplishments, while Raven is a Filipino player who has taken his previous team, TNC, to The International for three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018.
Meanwhile, Xepher is an Indonesian support player, who was a part of the Tigers team that recently won first place at DreamLeague Season 10 – the first minor of the 2018/2019 DPC season.
PlayHard and Skemberlu are returning Geek Fam players, both of whom were part of the team that won first place in the Asia Pacific Predator League and the Malaysian Esports League in 2018.
In other recent news, the Geek Fam Mobile Legends team emerged as the champions for the Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB) Professional League (MPL) MY/SG Season 3, netting a grand prize of US$25,000 (RM103,312).
Check out the Geek Fam Dota 2 team lineup below.


Guilty Gear Strive Second Open Beta Test Scheduled For This May In Southeast Asia

Anime fighting game fans in need of an Arc System Works fix: the second beta test for the next big Guilty Gear title is underway.
Bandai Namco Southeast Asia and Arc System Works announced that the next Guilty Gear Strive open beta test will be from 14th to 16th May for PS4 and PS5 users. In the new beta test, you’ll get to try out Anji Mito and I-No alongside the previous roster in the last beta. In addition, the beta will feature improved balancing (most likely a nerf to Potemkin), and a revamped online lobby system. Players will get to check out the following playable modes:
â—Â Offline Modes:
– VS COM / VS 2P
– Tutorial Mode
– Training Mode
â— Network Mode:
-Â Online Match
As a bonus, PS4 and PS5 can fight each other via crossplay magic. Here’s the schedule:Â 14th May 11am ~ 16th May 10:59pm.Â


Worlds 2017 Quarter Finals Kicks Off with  Korean Giants Battling It Out

Quarterfinals are finally here! The Korean League of Legends Giants Samsung Galaxy (SSG) and Longzhu Gaming (LZ) kicked off the first day of the Worlds Quarterfinals with an epic bang. Longzhu has been by far one of the favourites to make it to the Worlds 2017 finals especially after their dominating win over the undefeated Korean League of Legends gods, SKT T1 Telekom in the LCK recently. However, that was not the case for them today as SSG beat all odds and expectations by knocking them out of the tournament with a clean 3-0 win in the best of 5.

The series ends with Crown, Samsung Galaxyâ€™s midlaner taking the title â€œPlayer of the Seriesâ€. Â Heâ€™s so far been unlucky, contributing to first bloods on both the first and second games. However, he came back gracefully from both mistakes, capitalising on amazing positioning, targeting the right players to eliminate, calculated kill setups, allowing the team breathing room with amazing zoning and finally his ability to be all over the map to split push as the team kept the enemy busy in other parts of the map. Despite Longzhu taking away or banning Crownâ€™s preferred champions, he displayed true skill on the alternative champions he chose. In addition, he carried high kill participation for all games with positive kill/death/assist rations and damage to boot. The title was definitely well deserved.
Have a look at how Crown used Taliyahâ€™s Ultimate, Weaverâ€™s Wall in game 2 to isolate the enemyâ€™s main damage dealer away from major teamfights to ensure Samsung Galaxyâ€™s victory:

Take a closer look at how Crown used the Weaver’s Wall in Samsung Galaxy’s Quarterfinals sweep against Longzhu! #Worlds2017 pic.twitter.com/7oNNrzcvat
â€” lolesports (@lolesports) October 20, 2017

Worlds 2017 so far has been a series of unexpected plays, metas, underdog wins. Day 2 of Quarterfinals begins later today with Royals Never Give Up (RNG) versus Fnatic (FNC) at 4 PM local time!


Little Big Adventure/Relentless To Get Remasters In 2024

Back in the 90s, PC gamers got a taste of the colourful and weird with the pretty niche action-adventure title Little Big Adventure. It stars a ponytailed hero named Twinsen, makes you throw balls as a weapon, and pits you against elephants, sphere-mutants, and “rabibunnies” as enemies.
It’s a weird game, but has its charm and whatnot, with the second game being a huge improvement over the first with its gameplay and inclusion of aliens. The original creators of the game, Frederic Raynal and Didier Chanfray, have formed a new company called 2.21 that’s tasked with remastering the old adventure games, and perhaps releasing a reboot of it one day.
Originally, the developer was working on a Little Big Adventure 3, but those plans were scrapped in favour of a reboot meant to reintroduce the series to a new audience. The reboot is ambitious and will not be out even in 2024. The game is in a prototype stage with the team in discussion with several publishers.
For now, the remasters are slated for a 2024 release, with a demo being prepared at Steam Neo Fest. The remasters will be out in time for the series’ 30th anniversary. Here’s a quote from 2.21.
“Dear community,
Thank you for your enthusiasm following the revelation of the concept arts for the Twinsen reboot project. Our studio is at a turning point: we finished the prototype, and are currently in discussion with several publishers to make the game possible. As you know, the road to a project of this magnitude is long and full of unknowns! We believe in the potential of the Twinsen’s universe and want to keep it alive. But we also have to prove to publishers that 30 years later, these games deserve to exist in a modernized version. This is a real challenge. We believe in it… and we know you do too!”
You can wishlist for the remasters via the links below:
Twinsen’s Little Big Adventure Remastered
Twinsen’s Little Big Adventure 2 Remastered


[Exclusive] Level Up KL 2020 Status Clarified

Update [2nd April]: original story updated for context.
In case you weren’t aware of the date, yesterday was April Fool’s day. Hence the news of the postponement below was just part of a ruse in good spirit by Mr Hasnul himself. Fret not, friends. Level Up 2020 is going to happen albeit a slightly modified approach.Â
Following a brief chat with him and his MDEC team led by Mohan Low earlier today, we now have more info on the status of Malaysia’s largest games show for 2020. As clarified by Mohan, the organizers of Level Up KL are in the midst of preparing several contingencies for the event which is targeted for October. The most likely which involves running the entire event online with news conferences and seminars delivered directly to your computer screen.
Through a short quip which should give every person involved in the games development and publishing business in Malaysia, as well as video games fans in general a huge sigh of relief, Hasnul assured that “By hook or by crook, Level Up 2020 is happening”.
While October is still a long way to go, plans are already underway for smaller-scaled digital events aimed at stimulating the industry within the next two to three months. More details on this will be revealed soon according to MDEC.
After several editions where Level Up KL was run more of a business-to-business, industry-centric games show,Â  Level Up KL 2019 opened itself up to the public, allowing the masses to visit exhibition booths to test out the games, as well as meet with the games developers and publishers in the flesh. Going into 2020, MDEC’s idea was to refine on what was presented in 2019, while pouring more focus on other facets of gaming – esports for example.
The COVID-19 pandemic threw a spanner into the works but the MDEC team is confident in presenting a meaningful experience regardless of the potential change in presentation. With the future of several games shows globally hang in the balance due to the ongoing pandemic, including the cancellation of E3 2020, MDEC’s decision to adapt rather than outright cancel the event is a very commendable one.
In line with MDEC’s aim of making Malaysia THE hub of games development in the region, successfully organizing an online games show at such scale would do wonders in showcasing the capability, talent and infrastructure Malaysia has to offer.
Malaysia Boleh!

Original Story
Level Up KL is one of the largest annual gaming conferences not only in Malaysia but also across Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, Level Up KL 2020 has been postponed to 2021.
The news was confirmed via the official Facebook account for Level Up KL and MDEC Digital Creative Content Division Vice President Hasnul Hadi Samsudin’s personal Facebook account.
https://www.facebook.com/lvlupkualalumpur/photos/a.967934396603413/2961067407290092/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10158787699446320&set=a.10150271241301320&type=3&theater
It’s unclear at this point if the Level Up KL organizers will opt for a fully-digital event instead, similar to other gaming events like Xbox’s E3 2020 plans, and Taipei Game Show 2020.
Level Up KL traditionally took place near the end of the year. For instance, Level Up KL 2019 took place in November 2019. Last year’s iteration saw the event going public for the first time, where local developers could exhibit their upcoming games. These titles include Passion Republic’s Gigabash, Streamline Studios’ Bake Nâ€™ Switch, and more.
Level Up KL 2019 was also when we learnt that Sony Interactive Entertainment and Divinity: Original Sin developer Larian Studios opened branches in Malaysia, effectively bolstering the local games industry even further.
For all of Kakuchopurei’s coverage on Level Up KL 2019, head on over to this page. To that end, we leave you with our exclusive interviews with Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke, Re:Legend developer Magnus Game Studios co-founder DC Gan, and Video Games Live founder Shota Nakama below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGnGOnzlC4s&w=560&h=315]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StV7ST_SGjM&w=560&h=315]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EhnF-KLYSk&w=560&h=315]


TGS 2018: Highlights From Day 2

Jets! Anime crossovers! French Revolutions! All this and more on this quick video we did on Kakuchopurei. There’s just too many of them and even a number which were showcased in Day 1 but couldn’t fit in the first vid (which you should totally check out right now).
Anyway, have fun watching!


Hearthstone Celebrates Lunar New Year With New Legendary Quests & Skins

Hearthstone is celebrating the Lunar New Year 2021 with new Legendary Quests, a fan-favourite Tavern Brawl, and new Three Kingdoms Hero skins all starting from 10 February 2021.
LEGENDARY QUESTS (10 February 2021)

New Legendary quests rewarding a total of nineÂ card packs from Madness at the Darkmoon Faire and Scholomance Academy will be available from 10 February to 23 February 2021.

Play 1 game of Battlegrounds for 2 Madness at the Darkmoon Faire card packs and 1 Scholomance Academy card pack.
Play 5 games of Duels for 2 Madness at the Darkmoon Faire card packs and 1 Scholomance Academy card pack.
Play 5 Ranked Standard games to earn 2 Madness at the Darkmoon Faire card packs and 1 Scholomance Academy card pack.

THREE KINGDOMS HEROES (10 February 2021)

The Three Kingdoms skins are inspired by Romance of Three Kingdoms, an epic Chinese tale of war, heroes, and betrayal where three successor kingdoms rose to power after the collapse of the Han Empire and battled to reunify the country.
The Three Kingdoms skins will be available individually for US$9.99 in-game and on the Blizzard webshop from 10 February until 19 February 2021.

Zhuge Liang Anduin (Priest)
Guan Yu Uther (Paladin)
Diao Chan Valeera (Rogue)
LÃ¼ Bu Garrosh (Warrior)

These skins will also be available in two bundles:

Three Kingdoms Hero Bundle

Zhuge Liang Anduin, Guan Yu Uther, Diao Chan Valeera, LÃ¼ Bu Garrosh
US$24.99

Three Kingdoms Mini Bundle

Diao Chan Valeera, LÃ¼ Bu Garrosh
US$14.99

Lunar Blessings Tavern Brawl

Returning to the Tavern is the Lunar Blessing Tavern Brawl! Choose a class, get a random deck, and choose an animal to receive its blessing and power.


Mortal Kombat 11 Will Not Be Out In This Southeast Asian Country

Bad news for Mortal Kombat Indonesian fans: the latest instalment will not be out in the Southeast Asian region until further notice.
In a recent tweet from Warner Bros. Interactive, the game will not be out in the Indonesian market to ensure that it is compliant with local laws within the country. The decision may be further reviewed at a later date.

Mortal Kombat 11 will not be released in the Indonesian market to ensure that we are compliant with local laws within that country.  Our decision may be further reviewed at a later date. We appreciate your understanding.
— WB Games Support (@WBGamesSupport) April 17, 2019

This is further confirmed by Indonesian distributor of Warner Bros. titles Hengky Tanuwidjaja, stating that both pre-orders for the physical and digital versions are now null and void. Hengky did not disclose more than that.
https://www.facebook.com/hengky.tanuwidjaja/posts/10157104240767528
Whether this is due to the game’s excessive violence, or the fact that the Indonesian government isn’t so keen with having a game like Mortal Kombat selling in Indonesian store shelves is up for speculation.
So far, the only other games banned in Indonesia in recent memory are Far Cry 3 and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow. The former is due to its setting that portrays an Indonesian-like island as a hellscape (bad for tourism) and the latter for the game’s fictional terrorist group Darah dan Doa (Blood and Prayer) which feels like a direct attack to the then-Indonesian regime.


The 30 Best Games Of 2021: #27

From late December to January, we’ll be listing our favourite games of 2021 daily. Here’s number 27.Â
#27. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

The Ratchet & Clank games have been reliable 3D action platformer fallbacks since the PS2 days. As such, they’re considered comfort food: nothing original, but still a blast to play and always consistent with its tone and action beats. That’s not a bad thing, especially if you need that triple-A gaming fix that subsequently delivers.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is exactly that: comfort food that you can fall back on if there isn’t anything else on the plate. However, developer Insomniac Games upped the ante in technical fidelity and action, leading to the series’ awesome visuals and alternate universe transitions, as well as the best on-rails section by far. Even with 20 years of Ratchet & Clank lore under its belt, Insomniac still finds some way to impress even the most jaded of PlayStation fans.
With new inventive weapons, a decent story involving multiverses, and great-if-familiar action beats, this entry is definitely a keeper in the currently-scarce PS5 exclusives library.


Japan & Red Bull’s Gachikun Wins Capcom Cup 2018 Despite Fizzled Reveal

Capcom Cup 2018 is over and done with. Even with the horrid-looking sponsored content aesthetics, the FGC scene is still looking as strong as ever.
Every set went to the final game; that was how nail-biting this particular Capcom Cup tournament was. Even if some of us aren’t feeling the game, it did produce some stellar matches.
Here’s the full top 10 list.
1. RB|Gachikun (Rashid)
2. DNG|Itabashi Zangief (Abigail)
3. FD|Fujimura (Ibuki)
4. RZR|Xian (Ibuki)
5. FOX|Justin Wong (Menat)
5. RB|Bonchan (Karin, Nash)
7. NASR|AngryBird (Zeku)
7. Momochi (Kolin, Zeku, Ken)
9. Chris Tatarian (Ken)
9. Rise|Caba (Guile)

The Top Plays
Justin Wong may have been 5th, but he did his best with Menat’s “lame” style.

Xian held it out as long as he could in the top 8 fights. He eliminated Bonchan in his bout.

Heck, Xian even tried really hard against the world’s best Abigail player. But in the end, the big man’s extra HP is detrimental to a rushdown character like Ibuki.

Gachikun found an answer against Itabashi’s Abigail: interrupt attacks! The grand finals was crazy, to say the least.

Announcements? We’ve Got A Few…

Thanks to a leak an hour or so ago before the Grand Finals, we now know Kage is available now in his demoney flavour goodness. He’s basically an amped-up Evil Ryu with a lot of combos and crazy teleporting V-Trigger shenanigans.
New balance changes and battle updates. Check them all out here.Â
And…that’s it, really. No epic Season 3 character reveals trailer. Just one new character who was leaked ahead of time.

Guess we’ll have to wait for more news regarding Season 4 later next month.


New PokÃ©mon Snap Launches This April

The PokÃ©mon Company has announced that New PokÃ©mon Snap is launching for the Nintendo Switch on 30 April 2021. Fans have been asking for a sequel since the original PokÃ©mon Snap on the Nintendo 64 back in 1999.
InÂ New PokÃ©mon Snap, players will take on the role of a budding PokÃ©mon photographer and work with the Lental region expert, Professor Mirror, and his assistant, Rita, on an ecological survey to photograph PokÃ©mon thriving in nature.
Nintendo of Americaâ€™s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Nick Chavez said:
â€œNew PokÃ©mon Snap presents a fun twist on a PokÃ©mon adventure, with enchanting gameplay that lets players see some of their favorite PokÃ©mon in a different light.
This new game is a fun addition to the strong lineup of PokÃ©mon titles available on Nintendo Switch, and we canâ€™t wait to see everyoneâ€™s pictures when New PokÃ©mon SnapÂ launches on April 30.â€
Wild PokÃ©mon are all around and have adapted to thrive in all the various natural expanses of the Lental region. They may be seen living in groups patrolling their territory, wandering serenely on their own or even playing with other PokÃ©mon species. With a careful eye and a photographerâ€™s keen sense of adventure, youâ€™ll be able to spot PokÃ©mon lurking in all sorts of places, including secluded hideaways â€¦ and sometimes swooping down suddenly from the sky.
Players will be able to interact with PokÃ©mon by throwing a Fluffruit, a tasty fruit found across the region, to catch their attention or watch them eat. You can even use this fruit to help draw out PokÃ©mon into a variety of situations to see how they react. These serendipitous opportunities present a special challenge, and catching them with your camera at the perfect moment may gain you higher scores.
Professor Mirror will evaluate and score playersâ€™ photos taken on their adventures. PokÃ©mon photography is evaluated based on the subjectsâ€™ poses, how large they appear, how directly theyâ€™re facing the camera and where they fall in frame. As players take more photos and fulfil research on their journey, they may see PokÃ©mon look and behave in entirely new ways. Players will have to take many photos and use their highest-scoring shots to fill out their Photodex, a collection of PokÃ©mon photographs.
The untouched depths of the Lental region may sound daunting at first, but donâ€™t worry. Explorers will hop into the NEO-ONE, an auto-driving vehicle, which will steer them across various paths on each island and will help free up time to focus on snapping the perfect shots.
Throughout your missions, you may even get to see PokÃ©mon looking and behaving differently than ever before. These special moments are memories to savour, so, luckily, youâ€™ll always have your trusty camera on hand to capture them for PokÃ©mon posterity.
Some PokÃ©mon and vegetation that players may discover will appear to have a special glow. These strange occurrences are found only in the Lental region and are known as the Illumina Phenomenon. Jump into the trusty NEO-ONE and uncover the mystery behind the Illumina Phenomenon.
You can already pre-order New PokÃ©mon Snap. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


The Lion King 2019 Remake Shows Us How To Suck The Living Daylights Out Of A Classic

In reference to the headline: how, you may ask? Realistic 3D animation. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Some context first: The Disney Renaissance of the 90s was a joyous time for me as a kid. As a fan of cartoons and the animated medium, be it Western or Japanese, the late 80s and 90s were glorious, from the Under The Sea shenanigans of Sebastian the crab to even the Walt Disney version of Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Which is why I’ve been critical with Disney’s past efforts in remaking their animated classics. After all, if these past shows are easily made available on Blu-Ray AND Netflix, what’s the rationale behind doing these remakes apart from cashing into people’s rose-tinted nostalgia glasses and tendencies to get the old-school feels?
Even former Disney CEO Michael Eisner laid out the company’s mantra and philosophy in this one innocuous quote from the book DisneyWar:

“We have no obligation to make art. We have no obligation to make history. We have no obligation to make a statement. But to make money, it is often important to make history, to make art, or to make some significant statement.
In order to make money, we must always make entertaining movies, and if we make entertaining movies, at times we will reliably make history, art, a statement, or all three.”

Up to the recent years, this translates to “repackaging Disney classics equals safe lucrative bet”. But really, how did they miss the mark with the remake of the one film in the Disney Renaissance period that made them ungodly bank than their other award-winning fares?
A Monkey’s Uncle

Â The Lion King 2019’s follows the beats of the 1994 original film that takes inspiration from Osamu Tezuka’s classic anime (which they still won’t admit to this day). Baby Simba gets born, jealous brother to Simba’s dad Mufasa plots and schemes, Simba runs away and never returns, gets animal sidekicks, grows up, has a change in philosophies, and attempts to retake the Pride Rock throne. Basically, it’s animated Hamlet, but with furries, a bunch of musical numbers, and brand-spanking-new 3D graphics.
And frankly, that’s where it all falls apart. They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. In The Lion King 2019’s case, I had a hard time figuring out what kind of expressions these animals are trying to convey. I can tell that the VOs are doing their damnedest (more on that and the singing later), but with the show’s main art style displaying a lot of detail and fluff with not much else to convey emotions and action properly, everything feels lifeless.

Ironic, considering said art style is just a triple-A budget Discovery Channel segment. When the source from 25 years ago is livelier and more colourful than the “new and improved” reboot, you’ve got problems you need to sort out.

And the remixed music; yikes. With a few exceptions like “Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”, all the classic songs are butchered while the remixed instrumentals from Hans Zimmer is just him replaying his previous works; hell it’s probably even reused.
Everything about these covers seems disingenuous and forced, like a cover band forced to sing and mimic the exact song with little to no differences. When they try to make “Be Prepared” sound more epic, it felt like a warbled dirge than an actual bad guy anthem.
The crazy part is that the show’s end credits music from Lebo M. would have fit well in the actual movie. Why relegate these tunes that have a lot of zest and African tribal influences take a backseat to Hans Zimmer’s paycheck-cashing remixes that more or less sound the same?

This all ties to one important question: what is the point of this remake if every bit Disney is trying to adapt here is a copy-pasta work from the original with little changes?

Don’t say it’s the graphics because like I said earlier, a film made in 1994 shows way more colour and vital signs than the super-detailed blank stares on-screen.
At the very least, the Beauty and the Beast and Jungle Book remakes tried a few different things and plot dynamics. Arguably they didn’t work as intended, but lord knows they tried. That’s more than I can say for this rehash.
Circle Of Life, Traced Again

Having said all that, there are some scenes and reworked bits that I liked. The 2019’s version of the “Lion Sleeps Tonight” bit with Timon and Pumbaa was expanded upon and well-remixed. Ditto with the bit about the expansion of their “no worries” philosophy involving termite mounds, which at the end didn’t really go anywhere.
The voice-overs did their best to bring in each actor’s personality into the show. Donald Glover, John Oliver, and even goddamn Seth Rogen inject a little life in playing their respective roles. Glover’s Simba is naive yet determined, John Oliver’s Zazu mixes annoying British stereotype with the majordomo affluence, and Seth Rogen’s Pumbaa is a different kind of dim-witted close buddy to an effeminate Billy Eichdiche in meerkat form. Try as they might, it still comes off as average in terms of up-ending the source material and doesn’t help change the fact that the animals still have that thousand-yard stare.
Yes, Beyonce goes hog-wild with her intonations in her singing bits in “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”, but there’s a lot of zest and feel in that particular segment despite the blank stares of the animals. Honestly, I don’t mind this version because it shows some semblance of effort in shaking things up. Though the less said about Chiwetel Ejiofor’s lukewarm disgruntled lion brother Scar, the better.
Not Feeling The Love Tonight
The roads to hell are usually paved with the best of intentions. Clearly, the folks behind The Lion King 2019 ignored that sage advice; all of the work in making the animals as realistic and as accurate as possible defeats the purpose in the one thing animation is good at: bringing visuals to life.
Coupled with a copy-pasta mentality for the story with little deviations, and no real incentive to differentiate itself from the 1994 classic, there is really no point in this movie to exist save to line Disney’s coffers.
If you end up liking this film, it’s only because you loved the 1994 story and how this version deceptively reuses highlighted plot beats instead of remaking and re-adapting them with a fresh take. Or you haven’t seen the original, in which case you’ll get a serviceable film of a CGI lion getting betrayed and getting back his kingdom, featuring dozens of scary-looking realistic animals.
Long story short, the beating heart of this 3D slog is as dead as the elephant graveyard the Keegan-Michael Key and Eric AndrÃ© hyenas chill in.
FINAL SCORE: 40/100


Gearbox Teases Possible Duke Nukem/Bulletstorm Mashup For PAX East

Gearbox Software is on a roll, eh? First with a Borderlands 3 tease, and now with a possible Duke Nukem and Bulletstorm mash-up.
Here’s the latest tweet from the company:

“Time to tease another game for PAX!” pic.twitter.com/iSe5PTBwMi
— GearboxOfficial (@GearboxOfficial) March 18, 2019

A while back, Gearbox re-released Bulletstorm back in 2017, with Duke Nukem as a playable character. So will this be a mash-up between both games, or just another revamped re-release of the People Can Fly-developed shooter featuring sliding and crazy arcade shooting action?
Speaking of which, People Can Fly may not be involved with this since they have a Square Enix game in the works. Pray Gearbox does not mess it up; all of us deserve a decent Bulletstorm sequel. Or at least a second coming of Duke Nukem with guest characters aplenty. We’ll know for sure next week.


TGV Malaysia Teams Up With Disney & Maybank For Marvel Super Pass Movie Deal

Marvel Cinematic Universe fans in Malaysia, unite and save up. TGV is teaming up with Disney and Maybank for a special movie pass deal for cinemagoers who are into the likes of the Avengers and other Marvel superheroes.
TGV will be offering an exclusive Marvel movie pass -called the Marvel Super Pass- which offers fans access to this year’s major Marvel movies for a good value: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnes, Thor: Love & Thunder, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The Marvel Super Pass is a virtual e-card containing 5 movie tickets that can be redeemed for the aforementioned 3 films, individually or all of them.
Maybank Cardmembers will also receive two additional complimentary movie tickets for every Marvel Super Pass purchased. The pass itself will cost RM90, and you can buy them from 20th April onward. That’s today, by the by.

Thor: Love & Thunder is the latest movie to get a brand-new trailer, while Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is coming soon on 4th May, spells and all.


Watch Us Attempt A Streets of Rage 4 Drinking Game

Mr Toffee takes on the drinking challenge with Streets of Rage 4.
Two rules: play on Mania mode, and every time he gets a GAME OVER screen, he drinks a shot of tequila.
How far can he go? Can he finish the game before he gets super-drunk? Find out!

SUBSCRIBE to our channel for more awesome content like this. We have new features every Wednesday and Friday.


Justice League Review

We understand that this one comes out a wee bit later than other sites – we apologize for it since we missed out on the media preview for Justice League and were only able to catch the movie once it was released to public. Today Alleef is going to review it – we appreciate the comments and differing views – just be civil aye?

Back in 2012, Marvel Studios mesmerized the world with The Avengers, the culmination of all their individual interconnected films into one ensemble superhero film on a scale no one has ever seen. 5 years later, DC and Warner Bros seeks to do the same. Have they succeeded?
Justice League is what comes after Man of Steel (2013), Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Suicide Squad (2016) and Wonder Woman (2017) in what is known by fans as the DC Extended Universe or DCEU. The problem lies in the fact that most of those films were poorly received with the exception of Wonder Woman (which this writer believes to be extremely overrated due to its horrible third act). Justice League picks up a few months after the events that transpired in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice as the world is still grieving Supermanâ€™s death while Batman is recruiting metahuman allies against a looming alien threat. The Mother Boxes act as Justice Leagueâ€™s McGuffins similar to the Infinity Stones in the MCU.
Itâ€™s a simple enough premise and Justice League doesnâ€™t stray too much from that formula until the closing credits. I do have to point out that the screenwriters donâ€™t bother to explain some of the details and the 2-hour runtime makes the film feel incomplete and choppy as viewers are taken from one scene to another in a flash, making this writer think that the corporate mandate to cut it down shouldnâ€™t have been done. Case in point, the Ultimate Edition improved Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice with scenes that flesh out the story and explains a few glaring plot holes. A longer runtime might have done the same for Justice League.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9-DM9uBtVI&w=560&h=315]
Although the opening credits state â€˜A Zack Snyder Filmâ€™, Justice League had extensive reshoots by director Joss Whedon. The tonal inconsistencies are apparent for fans of both directors as the film looks like a Snyder film visually and aesthetically while some of the dialogue and jokes are clearly Whedonâ€™s. They donâ€™t particularly mesh well together but itâ€™s not extremely jarring that it breaks the viewerâ€™s immersion. Some scenes might be cringeworthy as the Whedonâ€™s snarky banter clashes with Snyderâ€™s darker ambience. That said, horribly-rendered CGI is like a mainstay for DCEU films at this point, plaguing Justice League with unconvincing visuals like digitally removing Henry Cavillâ€™s moustache which made him look uncanny.
Justice League makes up for its underwhelming story with its portrayal of the characters. Henry Cavillâ€™s Superman finally feels more inspiring and hopeful. Ben Affleck returns as Batman in a toned-down version of the Dark Knight who is less ruthless and murderous. Gal Gadot is excellent as Wonder Woman in what still remains to be the best casting choice to date in the entire DCEU. Ezra Miller gives audiences a version of The Flash who delivers a quip every time he opens his mouth. I was pleasantly surprised by Ray Fisherâ€™s Cyborg.
These characters feel like their Justice League animated series counterparts brought to life. Wonder why I havenâ€™t mentioned Jason Momoaâ€™s Aquaman? Heâ€™s the black sheep, the weak link and the rotten apple in the bunch. Heâ€™s a surfer dude stereotype who is nothing like any version of Aquaman I know. As for the main antagonist, a fully CGI-rendered supervillain has never been a good thing (Doomsday in BvS, Incubus in Suicide Squad, etc) and the same holds true for CiarÃ¡n Hindsâ€™ Steppenwolf. Minus the dodgy CGI, Steppenwolf does feel like a credible threat when heâ€™s holding his own against the Justice League although his motivations are generic and his wooden personality will make people forget him faster than Malekith the Accursed in Thor: The Dark World (2013).
Danny Elfman composes the music for Justice League and its largely forgettable except for the opening montage, evoking Snyderâ€™s brilliant Watchmen (2009) opening montage (Watchmen was severely underrated and I still think itâ€™s one of the best comic book films ever made), and the reuse of iconic themes including John Williamsâ€™ Superman theme and Elfmanâ€™s very own Batman (1989) theme, a nostalgic treat for anyone who grew up with these classics.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh9OHTDL8wc&w=560&h=315]
As a comic book fan, I want to see comic book adaptations thrive be they Marvel or DC, Dark Horse or Image, or any other. Itâ€™s never good for a single company to have monopoly over the entire industry as that will stunt the industryâ€™s growth. Same goes to comic book films, there needs to be healthy competition instead of the one-sidedness thatâ€™s currently prevalent. With Valiant Comics developing their own cinematic universe, Dark Horse is releasing a new Hellboy film in 2018 which will hopefully lead to a Mignola-verse and Netflix acquiring Mark Millarâ€™s Millarworld including IPs like Wanted, Kick-Ass, Kingsman and more.
The best praise I can give to Justice League is that it feels closest to the comics than the DCEU has ever been to date. It is this writerâ€™s opinion as well that Justice League is the best DCEU film so far. Justice League couldnâ€™t have possibly measured to The Avengers but thatâ€™s not unexpected. I just hope the folks at Warner Bros and DC have a clearer picture of whatâ€™s in store for their next slate of movies or else it will crumble beneath the already flimsy foundations itâ€™s built upon. (PSA: Stay behind after the film ends for 2 post-credit scenes!)
FINAL SCORE: 60/100


Fret Not, Diablo 4 Players: The Buffs & Separate Gem Slots Are Coming

Diablo 4 is this year’s most talked-about action RPG for PC and consoles. Even with a pretty awesome launch and stable servers, there is still room for improvement.
The Diablo 4 team at Blizzard are hard at work with buffs and improvements, according to a recent Diablo 4 Campfire Chat livestream featuring game director Joe Shely. The game will get a “chonky patch” with a ton of buffs that will affect many things across many classes.
“Our philosophy is to prioritize improving [player] choice by looking at things that are not working and making them better. Now, it hasn’t felt like that in the last two weeks, right? And when I came here today, I was thinking about—I don’t have a shirt like this—but I thought about getting a shirt and then writing ‘it’s time for the buffs’ on it. I didn’t do that, but it is time for the buffs.”
Diablo franchise general manager Rod Fergusson added that normal dungeons currently make for better XP farming spots than endgame Nightmare dungeons because of the number of Elites that spawn; that didn’t make sense to players and that’s not what Shely wanted to happen.
“We want [Nightmare dungeons] to be a great place to farm, including if you want to farm dungeons over and over, if you want to loop dungeons.”
Sigils will create waypoints that you can teleport to, so you can skip the travel time to get to the Nightmare Dungeon, with the XP amount you earn increasing.

In addition, gems will be treated like a resource instead of an inventory item. Right now, gems take up precious slots in your inventory and stash, so the team is going to fix that.
“The idea is to change the way you acquire gems so that they show up in your materials or currency tab, rather than your inventory. And then the way that will work is you go to craft your gem in the same way that you do today, and you just use a certain amount of that material, similar to the amount of equivalent, actual gem inventory slots that you’re using now, but as materials.”
The aforementioned class buffs and XP-earning updates will happen in the first season of Diablo 4, which is on mid-to-late July; the actual season will last 3 months. The gem storage update? Probably at the end of October or at least during the second season at the earliest due to how complex this can be for the team.
Diablo 4 is out right now for PC and consoles. Head to our guides for best builds and Uniques here.


League of Legends Rhythm Runner Game Explodes Onto Digital Stores Next Week

As if the Arcane: League of Legends train couldn’t muster up more hype for the whole of November, along comes this next offering to heighten the brand further.
Riot Games announced a new title called Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story that’s basically a 2D rhythm runner title based on the IP, Piltover structures and all. The game is developed by Totally Choice who made the Bit.Trip series, so you know music and in-synch action is involved. You control Ziggs who is on a quest to build the greatest bomb in the world while outrunning Heimerdinger in music rhythm action mayhem.

The game will be out for PC (Steam and Epic Games), Nintendo Switch, Good Old Games, and Netflix(?) on 16th November. So if you can’t get enough League of Legends spin-offs and want a bit of explosive music fun, this one’s definitely worth a look.


Genshin Impact Version 3.2 Guide & Walkthrough

Genshin Impact’s Sumeru storyline is coming to a close thanks to the recent version 3.2 update. The update also has new gacha character, the Dendro spellcaster Nahida, with her special support-heavy kit and moves that’s sure to please fans of Genshin Impact.
Here are the walkthroughs and guides that will help you in your version 3.2 adventure.
Disclaimer: this guide is still in development.

Genshin Impact v3.2 Archon Quest Walkthrough
The Archon Quest for this segment requires you to just follow basic instructions like talk to a particular person or two, and head to a location on your map. Easy stuff; it’s the Domain and boss fight that will be a challenge.
Here’s a video guide on how to conquer them.

Balladeer Boss Fight Guide
Phase #1: There are elemental sigils on the floor, and Balladeer has a massive attack for each element. To counter that, you need to charge up the bot that’s tagging along with you in the fight. Once it’s charged up, when you see Balladeer doing an elemental attack, go to the corresponding sigil on the floor and activate the bot. You’ll stun him. Do this twice and he staggers. That’s when you can use all your Skills and Bursts on him.
Phase #2: Dodge his attacks in the first round. After the corresponding cutscene plays out, you can now use your bot to blast an attack to destroy his shield. You can hurt him by attacking his giant shins once his shields are down; you can even use the floating bot to deal charged blast damage. You also get to use Nahida in this fight.
Halfway into the fight, Balladeer will disappear and summon a number of purple rectangular enemies. If you don’t kill them in time, Balladeer will fire a giant lighting blast that will kill the currently active party member. So kill them off with your skills and bursts ASAP; Nahida’s kit is useful in doing this.

Genshin Impact Nahida Guide

Nahida’s strength is her consistent Dendro spellcasting and affliction via her Elemental Skill, which has short cooldown. Ditto her Elemental Burst, which helps amplify her team member’s skills and bursts once it’s out for a limited time. She isn’t that hot when it comes to burst damage, but that’s what her friends are for: be sure to have a hero skilled with burst damage to make use of Nahida’s support kit.

Best Equipment For Nahida
We also provide F2P options for weapons and gear in case you’re not in the mood to spend money on Genshin Impact.
Support Build
Weapon(s): A Thousand Floating Dreams, Wandering Evenstar, Magic Guide (F2P), Mappa Mare (F2P), Fruit of Fulfillment (F2P)
Artifacts: Deepwood Memories set
Artifact Stats: Elemental Mastery for all, otherwise you can focus on CRIT rate, CRIT Damage, and Energy Recharge.

Genshin Impact Archon Quest Cutscenes
In case you’re too lazy to go through the main quest of the 3.2 update…


Lost Ark: The Top 5 Classes To Main

Disclaimer: This feature is still under development…
Lost Ark is out right now, and it’s looking like a pretty sweet free-to-play online RPG that’s done in isometric action style like your Diablos and Paths of Exile, but in the trappings of a Korean MMO. If you like that kind of hybrid, you should give it a go.
With a plethora of classes, it’s hard to pick which one to go for in the long term. So let us help you figure out which is the best class for you to start off with.
We’re taking into account both PvE (Player vs Enemy) and PvP (Player vs Player) when grading these classes. After a good amount of hours with the game and also doing some research online (via YouTube guides & Korean players), here are the top picks to start with.
S Tier

Deathblade
AoEs, charging attacks, a nifty Z key special attack system that powers all your base moves: the Deathblade has it all. Everyone wants a Deathblade around for that sweet DPS and AoE speed attacks, be it PvE or PvP mode. And she’s accessible too; you just need to strike first and hard with her, showing no mercy to enemies and player opponents.
Paladin
The Paladin deals decent damage, but this isn’t Berserker damage. However, he has the ability to support party members around him. He’s very tanky, can synergize with other DPS and Support classes, and can help groups out with his buffs and healing over time effects, as well as enemy debuffs. What the Paladin lacks in damage, he makes it up with survivability.
Artillerist
The Artillerist is a tough class to get a hang with since he’s pretty slow and his dodge takes longer to cooldown than other classes. But when he’s positioned well, he will kill things at a good range with his mix of rockets, napalm, and suppressive fire.
The Artillerist’s Z attack -the mounted cannon mode- makes him stay at one spot to deal even more damage.Â If anything, using the Artillerist will teach you the importance of being in the right spot to deal massive damage, which can then be transferred to any class you play next. Positioning is key in maximizing this class’ damage.
Gunslinger
The Gunslinger is a PvP demon with a ton of single target attack moves that will decimate them at a high level, as well as keep a good distance away from most melee attacks from opponents. The Gunslinger is fine for PvE too with its barrage of attacks, range, and mobility.
Bard
The Bard comes with support and buffs aplenty, making them great for PvP and PvE groups. However, they lack the damage needed to get ahead and need help on that front. It’s wise to have the rest of your party be damage dealers while you support them with your magic.
A Tier

Berserker
The Berserker deals the highest damage in the game so far. It still needs help from other party members, especially for late-game content. Still, you’re not wrong in picking this class first among the S-tier ones.
Sorceress
Wardancer
Scrapper
Soulfist
Gunlancer
B Tier
Striker
Shadowhunter
Deadeye
The B-tier classes are still viable for both PvE and PvP play. However, they do pale from the A and S Tier characters in terms of survivability and damage output.


Guess We’re Getting A Horizon Zero Dawn 2 Sequel After All

In a “no s*** Sherlock” moment in gaming news, we will be getting a sequel to the acclaimed 2017 action adventure title Horizon: Zero Dawn. It is a given, considering how bloody successful the game is from a critical and commercial point of view.
Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 is confirmed recently by actress Janina Gavankar during the Star Wars Celebration 2019. For those who don’t know, Janina voiced the character Tatai in the Horizon: Zero Dawn DLC The Frozen Wilds.
[wpvideo DF3uMPyV]
She told a Star Wars fan on the above video the following (via Reddit’s ninjyte): “Just wait ’til you see the sequel, you’re gonna die.” She added that she knows a few secrets and there’s going to be a big reveal of the game soon.
Janina probably meant at this year’s PlayStation Experience event which is god-knows-when. We do know it won’t be at E3 2019. In any case, you should be excited because:

You get to hunt down robot dinosaurs.
You get to hunt down robot animals.
Main character Aloy’s weapons and traps are sweet.
The game’s tower-climbing missions are more fun here.

Talk about your excitement about a Horizon part 2 either on this post or on Facebook.


These Four Games Are Currently Free On Epic Games Store

Another week, another selection of free games on the Epic Games Store. This time, there are three games as part of the weekly lineup, but there’s also another game that can be temporarily claimed for zero cash.
Totally Reliable Delivery Simulator is being offered for free till 8 April 2020 at 11pm. It’s a physics comedy game where you deliver stuff, and there’s also co-op to let you mess around in its sandbox world with your friends.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj3unWXTDpk&w=560&h=315]
The other games are Drawful 2, Gone Home, and Hob, and will be free until 9 April 2020 at 11pm. Drawful 2Â is a party game that involves guessing drawings, which are drawn with either a phone or tablet, while Gone Home is a well-received walking simulator. Finally, Hob is an action-adventure game with puzzles to solve.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EljXnVDHwwI&w=560&h=315]
The biggest surprise here is Totally Reliable Delivery Simulator, which came out just a few days ago. Still, it’s good to have a silly co-op game to play during social distancing.


The Game Awards 2018 Announcements That Took Me By Surprise

The Game Awards 2018 host Geoff Keighley wasn’t kidding when he promised the biggest show yet filled with surprising and unexpected game announcements. It delivered on its promises, as some of these definitely left me gaping in surprise.
Here are some of my picks for the most unexpected game announcements from The Game Awards 2018:
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: Black Order
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RohG-JzXiM&w=560&h=315]
As the huge comic book fan that I am, I never expected a new Marvel Ultimate Alliance being announced out of the blue. Sure, the removal of the first two games from all digital storefronts several months ago was curious in hindsight, but I never realized that they would ever be making a new Ultimate Alliance game.
Fans have been clamoring for a new Marvel Ultimate Alliance game since 2009’s Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. 2006’s Marvel Ultimate Alliance remains one of the best Marvel games ever made, offering a game featuring Diablo-like gameplay and a plot that derives from every corner of Marvel’s vast and rich comics history.
Despite the fact that a new Marvel Ultimate Alliance game was long overdue, this announcement disappointed me when it revealed that Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 will be a Nintendo Switch exclusive. That’s a pretty weird and alienating decision, considering the first two games were multi-platform games. Developed by Team Ninja, it is slated for release sometime in 2019.
In the meantime, check out the Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 reveal trailer, showcasing what seems to be various Avengers and Wolverine (A single X-Man. Really, Marvel) fighting against Thanos and his Black Order.
Mortal Kombat 11
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21zEkOJ0kSY&w=560&h=315]
Earlier, we reported on the rumors that a Mortal Kombat 11 would be announced at The Game Awards 2018. That turned out to be true, and we have been given a cinematic trailer of the upcoming game. However, it will be a conventional fighting game and not the Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks‘ beat-em-up gameplay that we thought it would be.
All we know about NetherRealm’s new game is that it will utilize a new graphics engine and a Custom Character Variations mechanic, which sounds similar to 2017’s Injustice 2‘s Gear system. More details and information will be coming in a community reveal in January.
In the meantime, check out Raiden beating up (two?) Scorpions in the trailer, where gory NSFW action awaits.
Stranger Things 3: The Game
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptcBwLb037Y&w=560&h=315]
To soothe fans who are still salty over the fact that we didn’t receive a new season of Stranger Things this year, it has been revealed that a new Stranger Things game will be coming sometime in 2019.
Following the events of the upcoming third season, Stranger Things 3: The Game features 16-bit top-down gameplay with beat-em-up combat, where players assume the role of characters from the show, including Jim Hopper, Steve Harrington (and his iconic spiked bat), and more.
Not much is known about the game as of now, but it is being developed by BonusXP, who was also responsible for the first Stranger Things mobile game in 2017. We don’t even have an official release date for the third season of Stranger Things so presumably more will be revealed next year.
In the meantime, check out the Stranger Things 3: The Game trailer.
The Outer Worlds
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGLTgt0EEqc&w=560&h=315]
Okay, this wasn’t that ‘shocking,’ because we knew it was coming when Obsidian Entertainment already confirmed the reveal beforehand. Still, this was our first official look at The Outer Worlds, and it looks glorious.
To me, Obsidian’s new RPG The Outer Worlds looks like a Fallout in space with the design aesthetics of Borderlands. That sounds totally awesome, and the gameplay footage in the trailer seems to indicate that this will be a return to form for the developer. What I mean by that is we’re finally getting a new higher-budget RPG from the developer of Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2 and Fallout New Vegas.
Published by Private Division (a new label by Take-Two), The Outer Worlds will be released for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in 2019. It’s a relief that Obisidian will still be releasing at least another game on the PS4, despite recently being acquired by Microsoft.
In the meantime, check out the awesome trailer for The Outer Worlds, featuring Obsidian’s trademark humor.
New Dragon Age Game
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw3lrXlti-8&w=560&h=315]
This is a small but very significant tease by Bioware. The developer has confirmed that a new Dragon Age game is currently in development, inviting happy reactions from long-time fans of the franchise, who have been waiting for a new game since 2014’s Dragon Age Inquisition.
However, the developer did not confirm or deny whether this teased Dragon Age project is the highly-anticipated Dragon Age 4, refusing to reveal any details yet. We do know that the development team will comprise of veterans who have worked on past Dragon Age games, Jade Empire and Baldur’s Gate.
The teaser trailer comes with a narrator and the hashtag #TheDreadWolfRises. Fans will be excited to hear lines spoken by Dragon Age Inquisition character Solas, who says, â€œSo, youâ€™ve found me at last. I suspect you have questions.â€
We have no idea when Bioware will reveal more information about the new Dragon Age project, but in the meantime, check out the short teaser trailer.


Jupiter’s Legacy Netflix Adaptation Cancelled After One Season, To The Surprise Of No One

The onslaught of superhero TV shows like Marvel’s WandaVision and Amazon Prime’s The Boys and Invincible means that there’s only room for so many shows to get renewed. Sadly(?) for many folks, Netflix’s Jupiter’s Legacy is getting the axe after one season.
There’s still hope though; Mark Millar’s Super Crooks, a show about supervillains set in the same universe, is going to be the next Netflix superhero show (via Variety). There will also be a Super Crooks anime series coming to Netflix, which is due to launch later this year. Here’s a quote from Mark Millar regarding the cancellation:
“Iâ€™m really proud of what the team achieved with â€˜Jupiterâ€™s Legacyâ€™ and the amazing work everyone did on that origin season. Iâ€™ve been asked a lot about what weâ€™re planning next with this world and the answer is to see what the super-villains are getting up to. Iâ€™ve always loved crime stories from Scorcese to Tarantino and super-villains are always the most fun part of any superhero story.
To do something exclusively focused on the villains they fight just feels incredibly fresh as we explore what itâ€™s like to be a bad guy in a world crawling with good guys who want to put you in jail. â€˜Jupiterâ€™s Legacyâ€™ is a vast and rich space with lots of characters to mine and so Iâ€™m happy to share that our next step here is a live-action version of the â€˜Supercrooksâ€™ comic I created with Leinil Francis Yu a few years back.
Given where weâ€™re going next, weâ€™ve made the tough call of letting our incredible cast out of their show commitment as we continue to thoughtfully develop all realms of the â€˜Jupiterâ€™s Legacyâ€™ saga. Weâ€™re confident weâ€™ll return to it later and just want to say thanks to you guys for your continued support and to the cast and crew who made this look so great.”
Our thoughts? I think this looks more like a Marvel’s WandaVision and Falcon & Winter Soldier kind of ordeal, where a show comes in and is given one season, then pivots to the next storyline with different characters set in the same universe. I doubt a second season of Jupiter’s Legacy would work; a lot of folks do not seem to be fans of it. Even we thought it was just a ho-hum show; why spend time on this when there are other better titles available that handle the superhero genre differently?


No A La Carte Option For Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 DLC Packs

If the lukewarm E3 2019 presentation of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 hasn’t made you cancel any intentions of buying the game, I’ve got more news for you. The game’s DLCs will come in an all-or-nothing Expansion Pass.
The three upcoming DLC packs.

This paid Expansion Pass includes 3 DLC packs, which will become available as they release one at a time after the launch of MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order and will not be sold separately.

– Expansion Pass store on page on official Nintendo website.
Similar to Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild‘s Expansion Pass, you have to buy all the DLC packs even if you’re interested in just one of them. So if you just want the Fantastic Four DLC pack and don’t really care about the X-Men and Marvel Knights pack, you still have to buy all three.
The DLC packs will be released one-by-one with the first pack coming out on Fall 2019, the second one arriving a bit later after that, and the last one will be released in 2020. It’s not specified yet which expansion pack is the first and which is the last.
It’s worth mentioning that the Expansion Pass is priced at US$19.99 (â‰ˆRM85) which is a substantial amount, to me at least. Telling fans of your game “You don’t need options, just buy them all!” is pretty anti-consumer especially in a time where DLCs can be easily sold digitally.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate actually sells its DLC packs separately so it’s not like nobody else is doing it on the Switch. There’s still the Fighters Pass which is an all-in-one expansion pass that gets you all expansion packs but it’s not a compulsory buy to get any specific DLC packs.

Oh, you also get an in-game alternative-colour chef outfit for Deadpool at game launch. This is probably supposed to be the “Sure you might have to buy all the packs but hey, you even get this cool bonus!” band-aid. Sigh…


GameCloud Announced, Hailed As Netflix Of Gaming

Game streaming is improving year by year, especially with options currently available like PlayStation Now, Xbox Game Pass, Google’s Project Stream, and more. The road to the future of gaming is paved with advancements in streaming technology.
To that end, Emerge Gaming has announced GameCloud, a new game streaming technology developed by Cloudzen that’s being hailed as the ‘Netflix of Gaming’. It not only offers simple and instant streaming of hundreds of high-quality games on mobile devices but also the following features:

Interactive social group and in-game chat functionality
Ability to stream directly to Twitch from mobile devices
Interactive esports streaming functionality
Offer movies and live entertainment streaming as well
Overlay of e-commerce and advertising in stream functionality
Streams of 4G networks
Compatible with all video games
Accessible on mid-level smart devices

GameCloud is still being slowly rolled out worldwide, starting with regions including South Africa, USA, UK, South America, Africa, India, and Australia. The GameCloud technology was recently demonstrated at the 5G Garage Centre in Singapore, proving that the new streaming technology is already compatible with 5G cellular tech.
While the press release mentions no plans for distribution in Southeast Asia yet, it is highly likely that GameCloud technology will be made available to more parts of the world as more regions start to adopt the 5G network. It will be fascinating to see how GameCloud will ultimately affect mobile gaming and the esports industry in the near future.
“I’m confident and excited about the launch in the markets we have agreed, as this revolutionary technology will set the stage for innovation in the gaming/esports space,” said Emerge Gaming CEO Greg Stevens.
Cloudzen is a cloud gaming company based in Singapore, which aims to create a platform where players can play graphically-intensive games via mobile devices without requiring powerful computers. In the meantime, check out this promo video of what to expect from GameCloud when it launches.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRkkNw-gEOE&w=560&h=315]


Call Of Duty Modern Warfare Beta Is Dropping In Next Month

Activision and Infinity Ward revealed the all-new Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare multiplayer universe with a new trailer, as well as the beta release dates for the upcoming game. It looks like this one will be a game-changer with its new gameplay mechanics and a new engine which allows for more realistic visuals.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare multiplayer will feature quick-action, close-quarters 2v2 experiences in Gunfight mode, traditional 6v6 mode, 10v10/20v20 firefights, and the all-new Ground War mode; an epic large-scale mode supporting more than a whopping 100 players.
There will be an exclusive Call Of Duty Modern Warfare open beta for PS4 players from 13 to 16 September 2019. However, other players can participate in the open beta later in the same month, which aims to test the game’s cross-play capabilities:

20 â€“ 21 September 2019 (Early Access subscription required for PC and Xbox One players / Open Beta for PS4 players)
22 â€“ 23 September 2019 (Open Beta for all players on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC)

Infinity Ward Multiplayer Gameplay Director Geoff Smith said:

â€œOur studio goal for Modern Warfare was to create a completely new experience and the most varied, customizable and realistic-feeling Call of Duty multiplayer.
Our design goal is for gamers to have fun by playing again and again with their friends, where the action will feel fresh, but also familiar for all players every time they jump in.â€

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC on 25 October 2019. In the meantime, check out the Call Of Duty Modern Warfare multiplayer trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kn0D1qSmvo&w=560&h=315]


The Comic-Con 2020 At Home Panels Worth Checking Out

Despite being cancelled earlier this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, San Diego Comic-Con 2020 is going ahead in a different format. Comic-Con 2020 At Home is slated to take place later this week from 22 July to 26 July 2020. A virtual version of the biggest geek event in the world is better than nothing or having to wait for another entire year.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgo1por4dx0&w=560&h=315]
There are quite a number of impressive virtual panels scheduled for Comic-Con 2020 At Home all of which will be available onÂ the official Comic-Con YouTube page. Check out some of the best ones worth looking out for during the entire online event:
TheÂ Star TrekÂ Universe Virtual Panel

SDCC 2019 gave us official announcements for Star Trek Picard and Star Trek Discovery Season 3, amongst others. This year promises even more as the creative teams and casts behind Star Trek Discovery,Â Star Trek Picard and the upcoming animated series Star Trek Lower Decks assemble.
When: 23 July 2020 at 10am-11am PST (24 July 2020 at 1am-2am GMT+8)
Truth Seekers

Truth Seekers is an upcoming horror-comedy starringÂ Shaun Of The Dead actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
When: 23 July 2020 at 12pm-1pm PST (24 July 2020 at 3am-4am GMT+8)
A Look InsideÂ Marvelâ€™s 616Â on Disney+

While Marvel Studios wonâ€™t be attending Comic-Con 2020 At Home, Disney Plus exclusive Marvel 616Â will. It’s a new documentary series that explores â€œthe intersections of storytelling, pop culture, and fandom within the Marvel Universe.â€ The panellists include directors Gillian Jacobs and Paul Scheer.
When: 23 July 2020 at 1pm-2pm PST (24 July 2020 at 4am-5am GMT+8)
Utopia

Utopia is a new Amazon show about a group of comic book readers who figure out that the events of a graphic novel are real and they can save the world from Gone GirlÂ writer Gillian Flynn. It stars John Cusack, Rainn Wilson, Jessica Rothe, and Sasha Lane, all of whom will be on the panel.
When: 23 July 2020 at 1pm-2pm PST (24 July 2020 at 4am-5am GMT+8)
His Dark MaterialsÂ Virtual Panel

The cast and crew of the HBO exclusive His Dark Materials (including stars Dafne Keen, Ruth Wilson, and Lin-Manuel Miranda) will appear in a panel to discuss the first season and perhaps reveal some news for a second season as well.
When: 23 July 2020 at 1pm-2pm PST (24 July 2020 at 4am-5am GMT+8)
The BoysÂ Season 2

Amazon Prime Video exclusiveÂ The Boys will be returning soon, as the entire cast, as well as executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, will appear in a panel to discuss about the upcoming second season.
When: 23 July 2020 at 3pm-4pm PST (24 July 2020 at 6am-7am GMT+8)
Charlize Theron: Evolution of a Badass – An Action Hero Career Retrospective

It’s an hour-long panel featuring none other than the badass Charlize Theron herself.
When: 24 July 2020 at 10am-11am PST (25 July 2020 at 1am-2am GMT+8)
Lucasfilm Publishing: Stories From a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Not much of the Star Wars franchise will be at Comic-Con 2020 At Home, but this panel assembles a bunch ofÂ Star WarsÂ authors to talk aboutÂ their upcoming books, which will touch on the new High Republic era of the franchise.
When: 24 July 2020 at 1pm-2pm PST (25 July 2020 at 4am-5am GMT+8)
AMCâ€™sÂ The Walking Dead

The fan-favourite The Walking Dead panel returns as well, as cast and crew are set to appear in a panel.
When: 24 July 2020 at 1pm-2pm PST (25 July 2020 at 4am-5am GMT+8)
AMCâ€™sÂ The Walking Dead: World Beyond

This panel will finally reveal the third series (or second spinoff) of The Walking Dead franchise.
When: 24 July 2020 at 2pm-3pm PST (25 July 2020 at 5am-6am GMT+8)
First Look at Huluâ€™sÂ Helstrom

This panel will focus on Hulu and Marvel’s upcoming Helstrom series.
When: 24 July 2020 at 3pm-4pm PST (25 July 2020 at 6am-7am GMT+8)
A Zoom with Joss Whedon

The Avengers director Joss Whedon, folks.
When: 24 July 2020 at 5pm-6pm PST (25 July 2020 at 8am-9am GMT+8)
Constantine: 15th Anniversary Reunion

Keanu Reeves will join director Francis Lawrence and producer Akiva Goldsman to discuss the 2005 Constantine live-action movie, which was actually decent.
When: 25 July 2020 at 12pm-1pm PST (26 July 2020 at 3am-4am GMT+8)
Guillermo del Toro and Scott Cooper onÂ AntlersÂ and Filmmaking
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng5eyOfL8qM&w=560&h=315]
Pacific Rim director Guillermo Del Toro discusses the latest movie that he produces.
When: 25 July 2020 at 1pm-2pm PST (26 July 2020 at 4am-5am GMT+8)
Bill & Ted Face the Music
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hAL7emClFM&w=560&h=315]
Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, William Sadler; writers Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson; director Dean Parisot, series newcomers Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine are all appearing in a panel moderated by Kevin Smith for the upcoming third movie of the cult classic series.
When: 25 July 2020 at 3pm-4pm PST (26 July 2020 at 6am-7am GMT+8)
Peacock Original Series:Â Brave New World
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdmZaXOn99g&w=560&h=315]
Based on the 1932 classic novel by Aldous Huxley, Brave New World is a new streaming service Peacock exclusive.
When: 25 July 2020 at 3pm-4pm PST (26 July 2020 at 6am-7am GMT+8)
HBOâ€™sÂ Lovecraft Country
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJV9acMsDwM&w=560&h=315]
The full cast, as well as showrunner and executive producer Misha Green, will appear in a panel to discuss the new period supernatural HBO exclusive show.
When: 25 July 2020 at 4pm-5pm PST (26 July 2020 at 7am-8am GMT+8)
Scary Good TV: A Conversation with Horrorâ€™s Top Showrunners

The showrunners of horror shows like Locke & Key,Â Creepshow, NOS4A2, Channel Zero, and the upcoming Chucky series are assembling in this panel.
When: 25 July 2020 at 6pm-7pm PST (26 July 2020 at 9am-10am GMT+8)
A Conversation with Nathan Fillion

Nathan Fillion is getting his own panel, with expected guest appearances by Joss Whedon, Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Mekia Cox, Molly Quinn, Seamus Dever, and Jon Huertas. It’s an unofficial Firefly reunion.
When: 26 July 2020 at 2pm-3pm PST (27 July 2020 at 5am-6am GMT+8)


Apex Legends Devs Apologize for Punishing Early Leavers

Imagine you’re playing Apex Legends, and a teammate dies. You’ll probably see the person exiting to the lobby even though you could still revive the person. It’s a common occurrence in a battle royale, and a frustrating one too.

So Respawn has been working on a feature that punishes players for leaving early, and with the recent patch, Update 1.1, it focused on small bits such as bug fixes and stability issues. The biggest change is that you now can invite squad members from their last game to party up again via the lobby.
Another noticeable change is that Apex Legends had a leaver’s penalty in place now, and it wasn’t listed in the release notes. The penalty puts a five-minute cooldown on players who drop out early three consecutive times.
Quitting one more time after that five-minute ban would increase the penalty to 10 minutes.
The devs over at Respawn has apologised for accidentally pushing the penalty in and they have removed it. So far, they don’t have a predicted timeframe in which the feature will go live or if they will go live at all.
We’ve Disabled the Leaving Early Penalty from r/apexlegends
This penalty seems like a great way to discourage players who quit early simply when they’re downed rather than waiting for their teammates to revive them. I hope the penalty system gets polished and implemented smoothly.


PUBG New State Is Now Live On Mobile

KRAFTON, Inc. today launched the next game in its PUBG franchise, PUBG New State. This next gen battle royale experience has been released on iOS and Android in more than 200 countries following its final Technical Test, which took place in late October. The gameâ€™s Launch Trailer is available on the official PUBG New State YouTube Channel.
Developed by PUBG Studios, the same company that created the highly successful PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS battle royale video game that has sold more than 70 million copies on PC and consoles, PUBG New State is a free-to-play next generation mobile game playable in 17 different languages. Set in the year 2051, PUBG New State brings the full, uncompromised battle royale gaming experience currently available in PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS to iOS and Android, making it one of the most realistic and technologically advanced mobile games to date.
Minkyu Park, Executive Producer for PUBG New State said:
â€œPUBG New State has been and will continue to be a labor of love for the team at PUBG Studios, and we could not be more grateful to our global fans who have consistently shown their enthusiasm and support for the game since our announcement. By delivering next-generation battle royale gameplay experiences on mobile previously only seen on PC and consoles, we are confident weâ€™ll meet the high expectations of our players, and are committed to ensuring it will be the premier mobile gaming experience for years to come.â€
PUBG New State aims to push the battle royale genre forward through original gameplay features that include, but are not limited to, weapon customization, the drone store and a unique player recruitment system. At launch, PUBG: NEW STATE has three distinct gameplay modes, including Battle Royale (available on the future-set Troi and PUBG franchise staple, Erangel), 4v4 Deathmatch and the Training Ground where players can hone their skills before jumping into a live match.
PUBG New State offers monthly Survivor Passes that allow players to unlock a variety of in-game rewards as they play the game. The game will also have Ranked Seasons that allow players to compete against other Survivors, increase their â€œtierâ€ and earn high-end in-game rewards.
Ranked Seasons will run for two months at a time. To celebrate the launch of PUBG New State, KRAFTON is hosting a global â€œPlay With Friendsâ€ campaign. Players who log into the game each day from Nov. 15 through Nov. 21 and participate in the â€œPlay With Friendsâ€ event will have the chance to win the #NewStateStyle in-game emote and a Chicken Medal, which players can use to exchange items from the in-game store.


If You Want Everything PokÃ©mon HOME Offers, It’ll Cost You US$15.99 Per Year

PokÃ©mon developer Game Freak announced a bunch of exciting things during the PokÃ©mon Direct livestream including two major expansions for PokÃ©mon Sword & Shield and PokÃ©mon HOME. Details regarding the latter have been revealed.

PokÃ©mon HOME is basically a service that will allow you to store, trade, and transfer PokÃ©mon between PokÃ©mon games released for the Nintendo Switch. It’s scheduled to launch in February 2020 and anyone can access the free Basic plan.
If you really want to maximise your PokÃ©mon-trading habits, then you should opt for the Premium plan which will cost you US$2.99 (~RM13) per month. Going for the yearly Premium plan costing US$15.99(~RM66) will save you about US$20 (~RM82).

As most PokÃ©mon fans have suspected, PokÃ©mon HOME works similarly to PokÃ©mon Bank and will even allow you to move PokÃ©mon from PokÃ©mon Bank to PokÃ©mon HOME. However, Basic users only get to use this feature during the first month of PokÃ©mon HOME’s release.
Premium users can transfer PokÃ©mon from PokÃ©mon Bank to PokÃ©mon HOME whenever they want. However, do note that once a PokÃ©mon has been moved to PokÃ©mon HOME, it cannot be transferred back to PokÃ©mon Bank.

A lot of people love the idea of trading PokÃ©mon not just between friends but also globally with PokÃ©mon players around the world. PokÃ©mon HOME will allow you to do that via the Global Trade System (GTS), Wonder Box, and 20-player Trade Rooms.
Another great aspect about PokÃ©mon HOME is that it will be made available as a mobile app for both Android and iOS users. Through the app, you can browse the National PokÃ©dex move PokÃ©mon from PokÃ©mon Bank, trade PokÃ©mon, and even receive Mystery Gifts.
And yes, there are plans to incorporate PokÃ©mon GO into PokÃ©mon HOME. That’s something to really look forward to.

I’ve already started seeing (online) some PokÃ©mon fans saying that Game Freak is being greedy yet again by charging money for the Premium features. The common sentiment seems to be that Game Freak is fully capable of allowing all PokÃ©mon HOME features to be free but why would they when people will willingly pay anyway.
Adding on top of locking a lot of past PokÃ©mon in the upcoming major expansions, it’s getting harder and harder to obfuscate the fact that Game Freak might just be another EA.
No matter what people say, the PokÃ©mon franchise is doing extremely well. This is an industry where consumers vote with their wallets and judging by the ultra-successful performance of PokÃ©mon Sword & Shield, it’s not hard to see what people really want.
For more information on all of PokÃ©mon HOME’s features, check out the service’s official website.