Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Best Characters

Article written by The Magic Rain.Â
Believe it or not â€“ Avatar: The Last Airbender is 15 years old this year!
It seems like just yesterday when we followed Aang and the gang on their adventure. Since then, there havenâ€™t been many animated series that have aged as well as this one.
However, weâ€™re not here today to bask in good memories. Instead, we will be going on an adventure of our very own: to find out, once and for all, who are the best characters in ATLA and what makes them so awesome. Letâ€™s get kickinâ€™!

#7. The Cabbage Merchant

Really, we canâ€™t imagine the show without the cabbage merchant. He has more luck (or bad luck in his case) in encountering Aang than the whole Fire nation combined. A travelling merchant with only one product, he is constantly unlucky in selling it. Instead, heâ€™s more often plagued by many problems wherever Aang and the gang show up.
He eventually meets the playwright of the Ember Island Players who describes the cabbage merchant as “a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage”. He recounts all his encounters with Aang to the playwright and it became the greatest recap episode ever.
#6. Azula

Even though Fire Lord Ozai was poised to be the main antagonist, it was his daughter Azula who left the most villainous impression in the end. Right from the beginning, she was introduced as someone with no shred of good in her; able to outsmart, manipulate, and mercilessly overpower her foes â€“ even if they were her own kin.
While she seemed like an irredeemably evil (and kind of crazy) person for most of the show, we do get to see her most vulnerable moments towards the end. We were all surprised when she mused about being a normal teenager, and shocked when she was betrayed by her only friends, leading into a paranoia-fuelled spiral when she achieved her goal with nobody by her side. Now, thatâ€™s pretty good writing.
#5. Sokka

People tend to discredit Sokka when it comes to growth because heâ€™s the comedic relief, but they forget that he held his own in a group of benders. Thatâ€™s no easy feat! On top of that, heâ€™s theÂ SlytherclawÂ and unsuspecting brains of the group: Always resourceful, strategic, curious, intelligent, and most importantly, a feminist (!)
His goal was always to make his father proud, and some of his best moments revolve around that. From leading the Southern Water Tribe as a teenager, to eventually initiating the invasion on the day of The Black Sun. In all of the above, he showed that he could make the right decisions in desperate times, something not many characters in this series can do.
#4. Aang

On the other end of the Zuko anger spectrum, lies the happy-go-lucky Aang. Heâ€™s adventurous and immature for a 100-year-old, treating every dire situation with a sense of humor.
However, with his lightheartedness comes a heavy burden of being the Avatar and the last Airbender alive. Besides being a great main character, what puts him on our list is how heâ€™s morally good throughout the series. Uncompromising in sacrificing his beliefs, he refuses to kill the Fire Lord even if itâ€™s to win the war.
It is also seen when he struggled to gain control of the Avatar spirit, choosing Katara over power.
NEXT: Top Three


Monster Hunter World Is Currently Free For PS Plus Users

Capcom’s Monster Hunter World reached a new milestone earlier this year, with over 15 million units sold as of January 2020. The company also recently announced that five million of that number alone is the Monster Hunter World Iceborne expansion.
Perhaps in order to celebrate that, Capcom has decided to give Monster Hunter WorldÂ for free to all PlayStation Plus subscribers. You should add it to your library as soon as you can, but it will be available to redeem from now to 21 April 2020.

However, this deal only applies to the base game and doesn’t include the Iceborne expansion. Those interested can still choose to purchase the Iceborne expansion at a 30 percent discount for the price of RM123.90 in the Mega March Sale, which will be running from now to 31 March 2020.

Head on over to this link to grab Monster Hunter World for free now, if you’re a PS Plus subscriber.


We Talk To Willow Cast Ruby Cruz & Dempsey Bryk About Working With Warwick Davis & More

From Lucasfilm comes Willow, an all-new action-adventure series based on George Lucas’ 1988 fantasy-adventure film Willow. It is slated to premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on 30 November 2022, with subsequent episodes releasing every Wednesday.
The story began when an aspiring sorcerer, played by Warwick Davis, is whisked away on a journey to protect an infant empress Elora Danan and vanquish the evil Queen Bavmorda from their world of Andowyne. Now, the story continues with Davis reprising his titular role, as he leads an unlikely crew of heroes on a quest to protect Andowyne from an even larger foe than they had imagined possible. Willow also stars Ellie Bamber, Ruby Cruz, Erin Kellyman, Tony Revolori, Amar Chadha-Patel, Dempsey Bryk, and Joanne Whalley.
Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar, we received the opportunity to interview Dempsey Bryk (Airk) & Ruby Cruz (Kit). This interview has been edited for clarity. Stay tuned for the video version of the interview and our review of the series.

Did both of you watch the original Willow movie or were you fans of it before joining the cast?
Ruby Cruz: I wish we could say we were.
Dempsey Bryk: And we are now, of course. We’ve seen it a million times, it’s a beautiful movie. It’s really special. The thing was, I remember when I was auditioning, there are secret sides, because Lucasfilm, you don’t even know what you’re auditioning for.
Our showrunner, Jon Kasdan, wrote this scene where I’m in a bar flirting with a girl and we send it off and I get onto a Zoom with Jon, and he’s like, “have you seen Willow?” And I was like, “oh, no.” And he was just like, “oh, god, okay.”
Is that true, Jon?
Jonathan Kasdan: Yeah, that’s pretty accurate.
Dempsey Bryk: He’s in the room. (laughs)
Ruby Cruz: He watches all our interviews to make sure we’re on.
Jonathan Kasdan: I thought you said yes, so now, apparently…
Dempsey Bryk: (laughs) He’s going to fire me now.
Ruby Cruz: You told him to watch it, and then, do it again.
Dempsey Bryk: Yeah, that’s true. And then I watched it and it was beautiful, and there’s like a heart to it, just like an authenticity and I think that’s from Warwick (Davis). But yeah, that’s my story.
Ruby Cruz: Yeah, I hadn’t seen it either but once I was attached to the project, I definitely wanted to experience it the way it was meant to be experienced so what I did was I went to my living room and I took the TV from my living room and I dragged it into my room and put in front of my bed so that I could explode my senses.
And I love the movie now. There’s like a special weirdness and like a uniqueness and charm that, it’s so special and yeah, I love the movie now.
What was it like working with Warwick Davis? In the show, he’s like a Yoda-like or Gandalf-like character. What was he like on set?
Dempsey Bryk: He’s doing real magic, which was shocking.
Ruby Cruz: Yeah, that was probably the craziest part. Just to be front row to his magic show. He did magic on and off set.
Dempsey Bryk: He was, honestly, in a way, really magic because he’s just got this presence and I think that anyone who’s seen the original Willow would attest to that. He’s just genuine, he’s just kind and nice, and that was the thing that first struck me about being on set with him.
Ruby Cruz: Definitely.

For the monsters that you fight in the series, it looks like a lot of them were accomplished with practical effects. Is that true, or were they mostly CGI?
Ruby Cruz: Oh, yeah, the monsters are real. (laughs) But no, actually, the Scourge, are we able to say the names? Whatever.
Dempsey Bryk: I don’t know.
Ruby Cruz: I mean, yeah, he was like seven feet tall, so they put him in this like, foam giant, his whole face was covered and his head was in this huge cage with goop oozing out and they were like, they had this tube in there to give him water.
It was so detailed and it was so incredible, the costumes, the props and the special effects were just like unbelievable, unbelievable calibre.
I’ve read in the production notes that the cast attended a boot camp. What was it like, learning to swordfight and horse ride?
Dempsey Bryk: It was a dream come true. Everything about the project was a dream come true, I mean, every kid walked out of the movie theatre when they were young and they were pretending to be sword fighting or be superheroes and stuff.
And so then we showed up and they were like, okay, do all of that stuff. We’re going to teach you all of that stuff, we’re going to teach you how to do it for real and it was like the best stunt team in the world.
C.C. Smith was the leader and my stunt double and trainer was Neil Chapelhow. They just took time to just teach us everything that they could in the amount of time they had and the dream to do your own stunts was finally realized.
I was able to do that, Ruby was able to do that.
Ruby Cruz: It was so, so crazy that I was capable of it.
Dempsey Bryk: You’re so capable now.
Ruby Cruz: Thanks, you too.
What were the biggest challenges you faced during filming?
Ruby Cruz: I think it was hard. It was a very long shoot. I think we were in Wales for nine months, ten months. It was hard to be away from home for that long. To be around completely new people. Definitely, by the end of it, we were family but it was definitely hard to be away from my family and friends for that long.


Judas Is A New First-Person Shooter From Former BioShock Devs

During The Game Awards 2022, Judas was unveiled, a new single-player, narrative first-person shooter developed by Ghost Story Games, a studio led by Ken Levine, Creative Director of System Shock 2, BioShock, and BioShock Infinite.
The game’s description reads:
A disintegrating starship. A desperate escape plan.
You are the mysterious and troubled Judas. Your only hope for survival is to make or break alliances with your worst enemies. Will you work together to fix what you broke – or will you leave it to burn?
Check out the trailer below:


Avatar The Last Airbender Is Getting A New Animated Movie & Spinoffs

Nickelodeon has announced that the Avatar The Last Airbender, or Avatar The Legend Of Aang, franchise and universe is officially expanding with a newly formed content division called Avatar Studios designed to create original animated series and movies. The first project under the studio banner is an original animated theatrical film, which is set to begin production this year.
The content will debut on platforms including Paramount Plus, on Nickelodeonâ€™s own linear and digital platforms and on third-party platforms and in cinemas. Original creators and executive producers Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko have signed on to serve as co-chief creative officers of Avatar Studios, reporting to Ramsey Naito, president of Nickelodeon Animation.
Avatar The Last Airbender originally aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from February 2005 to July 2008. The sequel series Legend Of Korra aired for four seasons from April 2012 to December 2014.
However, according to sources fromÂ Variety, the upcoming Avatar Netflix series is completely independent of the new Avatar Studios deal and that the live-action series is still moving forward at the streaming platform. However, original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are no longer working on Netflixâ€™s live-action adaptation of the iconic animated series.


Call Of Duty Modern Warfare & Warzone Season 6 Now Live

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare and Warzone Season 6 has arrived, and players can look forward to plenty of new content.
Pulling into the station for Warzone Season 6 is the fully operational Subway System, where players can zip around Verdansk using this subterranean option to â€œfast-travelâ€ between stations.

There are also four new Multiplayer maps; Malyshev, Broadcast, Trainyard (Gunfight), and Riverside (Ground War). Just by playing the game, players can also unlock a few weapon blueprints, cosmetic content for their profile and the Gunsmith.
Season 6 also features a fresh Battle Pass system, complete with two free weapons and two new season-headlining Operators, along with four Multiplayer maps for every type of combat; from 2v2 Gunfight and 6v6 core play to expanded 10v10 and Ground War matches.

The two new Operators are Farah Karim and Nikolai.

In addition, players can grab the free Merry Mid-Autumn Festival Bundle from 29 September to 3 October 2020. It includes brand new cosmetic festive items, including the following:
Lantern CharmMoon Cake StickerLady in the Moon Player CardJade Rabbit Emblem

Aside from the Merry Mid-Autumn Festival Bundle, players who love to experience the exotic Korean festival atmosphere can purchase theÂ Chuseok Holiday Bundle,Â which is available beforeÂ 5 October 2020Â for 1100Â Call of Duty Points through the in-game store.
It includes:
Operator Skin Set: Close to HomeBlueprint: Mother of PearlCharm:Â Rice CakeSticker:Â MugunghwaPlayer Card:Â GanggangsullaeEmblem:Â Rabbit and Pestle
In the meantime, check out the trailer below, orÂ head on over hereÂ to find out what we think of theÂ Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold WarÂ Alpha so far.


New Stranger Things Season 4 Trailer Teases More Eleven

It’s been a long time since we last officially heard anything new about Stranger Things, ever since that revelation in early 2020 that a certain character was still alive. Now Netflix has released a brand new Stranger Things Season 4 teaser trailer that focuses on Eleven.
The teaser is mysterious, but it takes us back to the Hawkins National Laboratory, from which Eleven originally escaped in Stranger Things Season 1. Inside the lab, we can see several children, all in hospital gowns and with shaved heads just like Eleven when we first met her years ago, in a rainbow-decorated room. Dr. Martin Brenner walks into the room and says that he has â€œsomething very special plannedâ€ for the children inside.
The camera then finally pans to a door simply marked â€œ11â€ and we can hear someone (presumably Eleven) breathing heavily. This might all be a flashback, indicating that we’ll be learning more about Eleven’s past and origin story. It could also be a sign that Dr. Brenner might still be alive and is using more special kids for a nefarious plan.
What’s interesting is that theÂ  YouTube trailerâ€™s description simply reads â€œ002/004â€. This means that we’re getting at least two more teaser trailers for Stranger Things Season 4, considering that the very first teaser trailer that was released back in February 2020 featured “001/004”.
According to Netflix, Stranger Things Season 4 is still in production, and there is no official release date/window yet. In the meantime, you can check out my spoiler-filled discussion and theories on what’s coming in Stranger Things Season 4, which I wrote way back in 2019.


Here’s How Apex Legends Is Impacting The PC Gaming Scene

When Apex Legends launched, it massively affected the game ecosystem for a bit. For starters, the game dropped out of nowhere. Think of it as an asteroid dropping and wiping out the entire dinosaur population. It sent shockwaves in the gaming industry.
Thanks to Newzoo, we have data on how the game affected the competition. Let’s see how Apex Legends affected the other games.
Gamers from the United States had an average churn rate of 36% increase when it comes to the top shooter and battle royale titles. A churn rate is the percentage rate at which players stop playing a game and turn to other games.

According to the graph, more than half of the players from major games churned away to Apex Legends. This includes games like PUBG and Rainbow Six Siege. Another interesting info to mention is how Overwatch, a ‘hero shooter’, like Apex Legends, faced similar percentages in churn rates. In fact, it experienced an increase of about 15% in churn rate.
Perhaps similarities between Overwatchâ€™s and Apex Legendsâ€™ class systems encouraged Overwatch players to check out Apex, but differences in gameplay and modes kept players coming back for their Overwatch fix.
Non-shooter games such as Hearthstone, World of Warcraft, and League of Legends weren’t affected as much as the battle royale or shooter genre.
Is Apex Legends’ Future Looking Bright?
It’s interesting to see how the game affected the other games because Apex Legends was deemed a close-to-perfect battle royale game by our review. The game’s well-planned launch, as well as strong gameplay, boosted it up on top of the radar.
However, it’s interesting to point out that even Asian players are playing on the US servers because of the rampant cheating. I’ve met these hackers in-game and it’s frustrating to be denied of a chance. These hacks are sold openly, with certain exclusive hacks being sold privately.
I really hope Easy Anti-Cheat, as well as Respawn and Origin, could do something, I just worry that their game’s churn rate would skyrocket, despite being a stellar game. That’s what happened to PUBG.


FIFA 23’s Player Ratings May Enrage Man City Fans

EA SPORTS has unveiled 23 of the highest-rated Men in this year’s FIFA 23, with more ratings to come later this week.
From Messi to Ronaldo and from Lewandowski to Mbappé, these players are at the top of their games, but only one can be crowned the absolute best. In the Top 23 alone there are players of 14 different nationalities with the most represented being Brazil with five players, followed by Germany with three.
The most represented club in the Top 23 is Paris Saint-Germaine with four players and second is a three-way tie between Real Madrid, Manchester City and Liverpool with three players each.
Here are the Top 23 highest-rated male players in FIFA 23:

Karim Benzema, 91 – Real Madrid
Robert Lewandowski, 91 – FC Barcelona
Kylian Mbappé, 91 – Paris Saint-Germain
Kevin De Bruyne, 91 – Manchester City
Lionel Messi, 91 – Paris Saint-Germain
Mohamed Salah, 90 – Liverpool
Virgil van Dijk, 90 – Liverpool
Cristiano Ronaldo, 90 – Manchester United
Thibaut Courtois, 90 – Real Madrid
Manuel Neuer, 90 – Bayern München
Neymar Jr, 89 – Paris Saint-Germain
Son Heung-min, 89 – Tottenham Hotspur
Sadio Mané, 89 – Bayern München
Joshua Kimmich, 89 – Bayern München
Casemiro, 89 – Manchester United
Alisson, 89 – Liverpool
Harry Kane, 89 – Tottenham Hotspur
Ederson, 89 – Manchester City
N’Golo Kanté, 89 – Chelsea
Jan Oblak, 89 – Atlético de Madrid
Erling Haaland, 88 – Manchester City
Toni Kroos, 88 – Real Madrid
Marquinhos, 88 – Paris Saint-Germain

One thing to point out is the unbelievable rating of both Haaland and Ronaldo but for two very different reasons. As a fan of the sport, it doesn’t take a genius to recognise Haaland’s prowess as a forward and how much of an impact he has made in a short time he has been in Man City. Hence, I unbiasedly believe that he is deserving of a much higher rating and only lacks that due to his age.
As for Ronaldo, even as a United fan I can tell that in the past six months, he hasn’t been living up to the hype we all expected the returning Man United star. But I’m also aware of the outrage that EA and FIFA would receive if they were to drop Ronaldo’s rating below 90.
Over the course of the next week, EA SPORTS will continue to reveal the best of the best including the Premier League Most Improved, Bundesliga 5-Star Skillers, and much more. At the week’s end, the top 1,000 player ratings will be unveiled and fans across the globe can begin debating their favourite players.

Tuesday, 13 September: Premier League and Most Improved
Wednesday, 14 September: LaLiga and Best U21
Thursday, 15 September: Bundesliga and 5-Star Skillers
Friday, 16 September: Serie A, Ligue 1, Career Mode Highest Potential
Saturday, 17 September: Best Passers and Best Dribblers
Sunday, 18 September: Full Database, Fastest Players, Career Mode Gems

Additionally, Women’s Ratings will be unveiled between 21-22 September and will offer fans a fresh look at the most authentic integration ever for women’s leagues.


DC League Of Super-Pets Premieres On HBO GO Next Week

HBO Asia has announced that DC League of Super-Pets will premiere on Monday, 26 September 2022 on HBO GO.
The film also stars the voices of Kevin Hart (the Jumanji and Secret Life of Pets films), Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live, Ferdinand), John Krasinski (the Quiet Place films, Jack Ryan), Vanessa Bayer (Saturday Night Live, Trainwreck), Natasha Lyonne (Show Dogs, Russian Doll), Diego Luna (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Maya and the Three), Marc Maron (Joker, GLOW), Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley, Godzilla: King of the Monsters), Ben Schwartz (Sonic the Hedgehog, Duck Tales), and Keanu Reeves (the Matrix and John Wick films).
In DC League of Super-Pets, Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side by side. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack – Ace the hound, PB the potbellied pig, Merton the turtle and Chip the squirrel – to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the Super Heroes.
Stern, a veteran writer/consultant on the LEGO movies, makes his animated feature film directorial debut, directing from a screenplay he wrote with frequent collaborator John Whittington, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film is produced by Patricia Hicks, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia and Jared Stern. The executive producers are John Requa, Glenn Ficarra, Nicholas Stoller, Allison Abbate, Chris Leahy, Sharon Taylor and Courtenay Valenti.
Stern’s creative team includes production designer Kim Taylor (The LEGO Ninjago Movie) and editors David Egan (Game Night, Vacation) and Jhoanne Reyes (Teen Titans GO!, Young Justice). The music is by Steve Jablonsky (the Transformers films).
You can subscribe to HBO GO online at https://www.hbogoasia.my/ or the mobile app via the App Store or Play Store for RM23.30/month. Or access HBO GO via Astro. HBO GO  is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality.
In the meantime, check out my review of the movie by heading over here.


Please Stop It With The “Unfinished Live Services” Games & Roadmaps

I remember a time when a triple-A game or first-party publisher title has all you need inside the floppy disk/CD/digital download. The Witcher 3? Complete experience. The first Mass Effect? Ditto. The two Baldur’s Gate games on PC? The complete package.
Fast forward to this generation: Destiny isn’t a finished game. Fallout 76 is a broken mess of a title with a huge roadmap. The latest EA loot-and-shoot online title, Anthem, is a pretty -if-dull shooter experience with , you guessed it, a roadmap for its future content and DLC plans.
Every major publisher title is turning into an online MMO-esque loot-driven real-time action game and instances, and each one of them will have a plan to keep its life cycle going. To which I ask….

Why the hell are triple-A publishers shipping online games that are half-completed?

Why send out copies of a game that is half-done and risk getting bad press and negative reception with the calm and collected logic that it can all be fixed in due time? Because we were conditioned to do so. Yep, since the introduction of DLC in games (thanks Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Bethesda), publishers took it a step further and figured “why not take out parts of our game and sell them off?”, followed by “why not push out a competent half-full experience and then fix the rest of it while our customers bicker over who gets to be the apologist when it’s finished?”
We placed our pre-order money for these games that are half-baked, and we continue supporting them. Stuff like this wouldn’t fly outside of pre-order and gaming culture: chefs do not send out half-cooked burgers and expect customers to take their time with it while you get the next patty right.
The messed-up part is that the same publishers are coincidingly releasing games that are finished from the get-go but have room to expand. I’m referring to EA’s other major release Apex Legends.
How To Deal
How should companies and developers go about this and not get caught with their pants down? Simple: do what Ubisoft is trying to do with The Division 2; make enough content to appease to gamers until they get tired of it before your next major update and expansion. That’s what the first Destiny tried with The Taken King and Rise of Iron; could have been in the actual game but better late than never.
I may not be a fan of military shooters, but at least they’re doing something right by making the endgame as packed as possible. And also making the game seamless to load, the guns seem different even when you’re around level 10 or so, and throw in a host of enemies apart from human soldiers.
Here’s a list of what The Division 2 will be offering post-game:

The Black Tusk faction in Invaded Missions
The “Operation Dark Hours” 8-man Raid
Character Specializations
Occupied Dark Zones
Replayable Main and Side Missions
Conflict PvP Modes

That last one is pretty important. Even if it’ll be unbalanced from the get-go, at least there’s some replayability aspect for players to get back into over and over.Â For comparison, all I’m doing in Anthem is doing Hard/Grandmaster challenges for the same few Strongholds I have access to. Ubisoft may s*** the bed with The Division 2, but at least it’s learning from its past mistake of delivering a not-yet-ready online gaming experience.
Another simple solution: finish the product. Take your time with it. If you need to delay it and risk having to anger your shareholders but would rather come out on top and get a good name for yourselves in the public eye, well then maybe getting the trust from your fanbase is worth more than fast money. Games are products, but public perception is still worth more than all the dozen franchises you own.
EA stood for creativity and gamechangers at one point, at least in the late 80s/early 90s. It now festers as a company living off its legacy, selling games and catering to fads and shareholder appeasement. That’s all fair; it’s still a business. But the heart of business is still making customers happy and remembering your name until kingdom come. That always takes centrestage.
Selling incomplete games shouldn’t be the norm. At the risk of beating a dead horse of a quote, vote with your wallet. That’s the only language these people understand.


How Street Fighter’s Theme Of Guile Evolved Throughout The Ages

We’ve done a good number of video game music comparisons, especially with the Street Fighter 2 cast like Ryu and Chun-Li. But what about the theme that goes with everything?
Well, we’ve solved that conundrum with our latest SoundScape video. Here’s Theme of Guile from the 90s to this current generation of gaming. Video below:

For more Street Fighter music goodness, head to our YouTube channel.


World of Warcraft Game Director Responds To WoW Classic’s Massive Queues

World of Warcraft Classic just launched about two days ago and we’re already seeing servers being overpopulated. So many people are playing that players actually have to queue in order to make sure that everyone gets a shot at completing quests and getting into dungeons.
From Twitter user @_EXPUNGED_.
On the Blizzard Forums, a user by the name of Greatbobbo posted a question asking why there aren’t more servers if the team already anticipated that there would be tons of players.
World of Warcraft game director Ion Hazzikostas provided a detailed answer to the question. The most important point that he brings up is that it’s easier for the team to handle overpopulation rather than under-population.

“From the start of planning for this launch, weâ€™ve tried to prioritize the long-term health of our realm communities, recognizing that if we undershot the mark in terms of launch servers, we could move quickly to add additional realms in the opening hours. But if we went out with too many servers, weeks or months down the line weâ€™d have a much tougher problem to solve. While we have tools like free character transfers available as a long-term solution to underpopulated realms, everything about that process would be tremendously disruptive to realm communities, and so itâ€™s something we want to avoid as much as possible.”
– Ion Hazzikostas, World of Warcraft game director.
He explained that the team decided to play safe by launching WoW Classic with a number of realms that would match their “most conservative estimates” of the amount of players interested in the game at launch. Clearly, they underestimated themselves and the team is totally aware of this.
WoW Classic launched with 20 realms worldwide and it seems that more will be added in the future. However, Hazzikostas added that the team will “wait for them to fill before opening new ones” because they want to make sure that all of the realms have a “healthy population in the long term”.
From Twitter user @dl_sifira.
For those of you who are playing WoW Classic, it seems that you’ll have to be waiting in those queues for a bit longer than you think. On the bright side, you’ll have time to play other video games while you wait for your turn like the upcoming Astral Chain and the recently released Control.


Here Are All Our Game Of Thrones Season 8 Interviews & Coverage

A few days ago, we launched a bevvy of Game of Thrones write-ups and interviews leading up to the show’s eighth and final season which will be aired in Malaysia on 15 April 9am on HBO Asia. It features a lot of insight and final thoughts from the majority of the GoT cast.
In case you missed it, we’ve posted all of them here for your reading convenience.
Sam & Gilly

Where’s Everyone At The Start Of Season 8?Â

The Stark Siblings & That One Greyjoy Chick

Ser Jorah

Varys and Melisandre

Dragons In Bukit Jalil

Westeros-Branded Adidas Shoes


(Maybe) Spend Your Next Two Weeks Playing Ubisoft Games On The Cheap

Wondering what to buy and play for the next two weeksÂ because of the upcoming movement restriction? With Steam’s latest publisher weekend sale, the answer might be Ubisoft games.
The sale will run until March 27 and features discounts as big as 75%. In light of the movement restriction, we’re highlighting some titles that will last you a while (not too hard, given Ubisoft’s reputation for open-world games), as well as some cheap grabs.
Rainbow Six Siege (RM28)

Destructible environments, unique characters, teamwork, and tactics are what you’ll find in this competitive 5v5 FPS. Matches are tense, especially as you hear the sound of attackers breaking in or blowing up walls.
Watch Dogs 2 (RM62.70)

An open-world third-person shooter where hacking is integral to the game. It also has co-op to make your experience less lonely. The first game is cheaper, but also has worse reviews.
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (RM68.97)

Continuing the formula introduced by Assassin’s Creed Origins, Odyssey is a large open world action-adventure RPG. Explore its rendition of Greece as mercenaries Alexios or Kassandra,
Far Cry 4 (RM42)

Deciding which of the post-Far Cry 2 Far Cry games to highlight was tricky, but I went with this since it lets you ride elephants. You’re Ajay Ghale, a guy who has traveled to the fictional Himalayan nation of Kyrat to fulfill your mom’s dying wish, only to get involved in a civil war against dictator Pagan Min. Cue open world FPS shenanigans.
UNO (RM10.50)

It’s virtual UNO, which means you can play the game without having to deal with social gatherings.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow SixÂ® 3 Gold (RM5.78)

Seasoned players might disagree with me, but Rainbow Six 3‘s lack of a mid-mission save can be pretty frustrating, especially when hostages are involved. Still, this holds up as a tense and satisfying tactical shooter with pre-mission planning, the ability to issue commands, and a healthy dose of weapon options for both yourself and your AI squadmates.
Valiant Hearts: The Great War (RM15.60)

It’s a World War One game, but it’s not a game about shooting or commanding armies. Valiant Hearts is a story-based adventure, and has earned praise for its emotional power.
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (RM11.90)

Back in 2005, Chaos Theory scored 9.9 out of 10 in Official Xbox Magazine’s review, noted by GamesIndustry.biz to be the highest score (at the time) in the publication’s history. According to some Reddit threads, this stealth game still holds up well today.
Far Cry 2 (RM14)

Far Cry 2 definitely feels less modern than its sequels, but it still provides quite the experience. As a mercenary in Africa, you have to take medication for malaria, read a physical map instead of checking a mini-map, and watch out for fire – the environments in this game tend to be pretty flammable. The respawning outposts are a bit annoying, but they’re not a deal-breaker.


Sony Unveils Special Edition Battlefront II PS4 Bundles

Update 20th Oct 2017
SIE Singapore just confirmed that the suggested retail price for the PS4 Pro Battlefront II Bundle to be at MYR 1,999.Â The bundle will come along with 1TB hard drive, one special edition DualShock 4 controller and a 3-months PlayStation Plus subscription. In case you are asking – what about the price for the PS4 Slim bundle?
We are sorry to inform you that according to official SIES sources, they will only be shipping the Pro bundle for Malaysian markets.
It will hit shelves 17th November 2017.

Sony has unveiled two new bundles for Star Wars Battlefront II, including a standard slim model and a special editionÂ PS4 ProÂ model.
Just like the bundle released for the 2015 Battlefront, the Battlefront II Pro bundle will include a customized console and DualShock 4 controller along with a physical copy of Star Wars Battlefront II Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe Edition comes with premium digital content, including upgraded versions of all trooper classes, instant access to elite hero and Starfighter epic Star Cards.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EGaJ3FQKok&w=560&h=315]
If the Pro isn’t your cup of bantha blue milk, then you can go for the PS4 Slim bundle option but you won’t be getting all the fancy customization on the console nor the controllers. You will also only get a Standard Edition copy of the game in the bundle, instead of the Deluxe Edition which comes with the Pro.

While Battlefront II will not be available to the public until November 17, the Deluxe Edition of the game that is included in the Pro bundle allows players to jump into the action three days earlier than Standard Edition owners. So choose wisely.
No official news yet on pricing for both bundles from PlayStation Asia but the Pro bundle will be priced at $US449.99 in NA markets – about MYR1900Â – while the Slim bundle is set to retail atÂ $US299.99 – about MYR1270.Â We will update this with the official pricing once we have them.
While we are indeed stoked with the release, especially the cannon story mode and bigger, wider selection of heroes and vehicles, we cannot help but have our own reservations about the game, mostly due to the microtransactions in the multiplayer section of it. You can read more about it in our review of the beta here.


EA’s Apex Legends Has Made The Company More Than US$2 Billion Within 3 Years

All it takes is one best-selling and most-played game to keep a company afloat and relevant, as well as allow them to do whatever they want as long as its proverbial golden goose is kept safe. That’s pretty much the role of Respawn Entertainment’s Apex Legend for EA: a golden goose that has laid US$2 billion+ worth of metaphorical eggs.
EA has announced during its fourth fiscal quarter financial report ended on 31 March 2022 that its free-to-play battle royale game cleared the US$2 billion milestone. The game has earned that much and more since its February 2019 debut; that’s 3 years in total. Apex Legends net bookings were up over 40% for the year, and around half of the game’s lifetime net bookings were achieved during EA’s last fiscal year. Furthermore, the game has reached the 100 million player milestone back in April 2021; we’re guessing the number has gone up since then.
Apex Legends Season 13 is out right now and features a new Legend called Newcastle, a major Storm Point map update, and a reworked Ranked system.


Netflix TUDUM Fan Event Returns This September

Netflix TUDUM, the global virtual event that garnered over 25 million views from fans in 184 countries around the world last year is returning on Saturday, 24 September 2022 with five global events in 24 hours.
Fans can tune in for an exciting day of exclusive news, never-before-seen footage, trailers, and first looks, as well as interviews with Netflix’s biggest stars and creators. The free virtual event is a celebration of Netflix fandom and is dedicated to sharing the scoop on over 100 fan favorite shows, films and specials from across the globe.
On 24 September 2022, Tudum will span four continents with five events, taking fans on a whirlwind trip around the world:

At 10:00 am GMT+8, Tudum kicks off with an exciting show out of Korea.
At 1:30 pm GMT+8, fans will be treated to a fun look at what’s ahead from India.
At 1:00 am GMT+8 on Sunday, 25 September 2022, fans will get exclusive news from our shows and movies coming out of the United States and Europe, as well as an additional event which previews the great entertainment coming from Latin America.
At 12:00 pm GMT+8 on Sunday, 25 September 2022, our stars from Japan will close out Tudum with a celebration of our Japanese entertainment.

Tudum: A Netflix Global Fan Event will be available across Netflix YouTube channels in a number of different languages. Mark your calendars now for September 24 and 25!
Netflix TUDUM 2021 gave us our first look at The Sandman, Stranger Things Season 4, and more. What’s in store for us this year?


Xbox Exclusives Coming To Steam Soon

In what is a big game-changer for PC platforms, Microsoft has announced that it’s planning to release more of its Xbox Game Studios exclusives to Steam, no longer being limited to the Microsoft Store like it was before.
This effort is part of the company’s ongoing plans to expand their games to other platforms, including bringing the Xbox Game Pass subscription service to the PC, marking a departure from what was once a console exclusive.
In a statement to PCGamer, Xbox head Phil Spencer said:

“Our intent is to make our Xbox Game Studios PC games available in multiple stores, including our own Microsoft Store on Windows, at their launch.
We believe you should have a choice in where you buy your PC games.”

Confirmed games so far have included new yet-to-be-released titles as well as existing games in the Xbox Game Studios library of exclusives, such as:

Halo: The Master Chief Collection (starting with Halo: Reach)
Age of Empires 1-3: Definitive Editions
Gears 5

While Microsoft doesn’t explicitly mention other popular franchises like the Forza Horizon series or even exclusives like Sea Of Thieves, it’s very likely that these games will also be part of the arrangement.
Spencer continued:

“Enabling gamers to play together, through cross-platform play and cross-network play across Windows 10 PCs and console, is vitally important.
Building communities across all of those players, regardless of the store or platform theyâ€™ve chosen (console or PC), is also vitally important because it helps bring players together, allows games to find their largest audience and allows gaming to deliver its true potential of uniting people around the power of play.”

Why Is Microsoft Doing This?
Microsoft’s sudden move to release its exclusives on other rivaling PC platforms like Steam may be a response to the Epic Games Store’s aggressive power play. Since launch, the Epic Games Store have secured a number of exclusives, which include highly-anticipated upcoming games like Borderlands 3, Phoenix Point, and more.

Microsoft’s move is a beneficial one for the games industry as a whole, heading towards a more inclusive future where games are available on a variety of platforms, making it easier and more convenient for gamers everywhere regardless of what console or machine they use.

However, this doesn’t mean that exclusives will be dying down anytime soon. While the industry may be moving towards a world where cross-platform play is possible, it’s undeniable that exclusives will remain here for the foreseeable future. The case has always been that strong exclusives equal strong sales, which can be observed in the case of the PS4 and Nintendo Switch
That reason is also why the Xbox One has failed to make an impact on the current gaming generation. Thus, it is a good move on Microsoft’s part that they are trying to find a different approach, which will ultimately be beneficial for the gamers and the games industry.
More details and information on Microsoft’s plans will be revealed at its E3 2019 press conference, so we’ll have to wait until then to see if there are any more surprises in store for us.


Jeremy Soule, One Of Gaming’s Most Influential Music Makers, Is Accused Of Rape

Update (29/8/19): Apparently, there’s another accusation from another victim: vocalist Aeralie Brighton. The story is updated with these changes. Also, Jeremy Soule made a comment.Â
Just like any burgeoning business, the games industry has its own deep dark secrets and horror stories. We’ve heard a lot about mismanagement, crunch periods, overtime, and sexual assault cases that are (mostly) called out; how about one more to add to that s*** pile involving the man responsible for Skyrim’s awesome music?
Victim #1
Game designer Nathalie Lawhead called out her rapist in a recent blogpost, detailing the sordid tale which started back in 2008.

On November 4 2008 I was contacted by a studio in Vancouver to design and build an ARG for their new IP.
I talked about my experiences of working with this company before. For example,Â in this post.
What I didnâ€™t share, when talking about my experiences, is that I was raped byÂ Jeremy SouleÂ while I was working there.

According to the post, she wanted to break into the industry, but Jeremy knew about this and took advantage of her position. She has gone through a lot of trouble with immigration, to the point where Jeremy allegedly took advantage of their friendship by smoothing things over with her bosses in exchange for sexual favours.

He acted like he was going to help me. He was something of a mentor in terms of learning the ropes of this industry (at the time it came off as that). He offered a lot of advice, and offered a lot of help.
We talked often, and I shared my frustrations and desperation about my situation with him. He knew what I was going through, and how desperately I needed this job to work out. He also knew what my VISA situation was like.
He pretty much knew everything about me. I shared a lot with him because I thought he was a friend.

The friendship quoted above was allegedly him resorting to predatory behaviour. When things didn’t go his way, he forced himself onto her.

Eventually he started to indirectly threaten my position at work, saying things like â€œItâ€™s me or bust.â€ Jeremy was close friends with the CEO, and the CEO (my boss) would speak highly of him.
[…] He made advances on me and I explained that I didnâ€™t want this and wanted a friendship. He was very threatening, and didnâ€™t listen. He made it clear that itâ€™s â€œhim or bustâ€.
He raped me.
Throughout this time Jeremy acted like a victim, and blamed women he was in relationships with (or forced relationships on) for what he was doing.

The rest of the post features allegations of Jeremy not paying her for an alternate reality game project (ARG), with his client (and his brother Julian Soule) ending up footing the bill no questions asked, and her getting fired over the poor workmanship of the final ARG project despite the fact it was receiving a lot of critical acclaim on The Guardian and SXSW. She said that she has provided proof for those who dispute all of this.

Victim #2
A second woman, vocalist Aeralie Brighton (Ori and the Blind Forest, LawBreakers) posted on Facebook recently that she had “personally fallen prey to Jeremy Soule as well back in 2014”. She said Soule sent her a video of him masturbating; after stating that she only wanted a professional relationship with him, she was blocked and removed from a project she was supposed to work on.
Soule responded to Kotaku when sent a copy of Brighton’s post: “I donâ€™t agree with her point of view, and Iâ€™m not at liberty to discuss”. If you want the full story, head on over here.
Long story short: both Brighton and Soule flirted with each other via sexy texting and SMSs, then Soule invited her over for a private recording session where he bragged about his sexual conquests and bashed other vocalists. Afterwards, he sent her said masturbating video.

“[H]e was pushing both our boundaries beyond whatâ€™s acceptable. He made it clear that he had the power to make or break peopleâ€™s careers. So I was like, ‘Well shit, Iâ€™m never gonna work again.'”

Jeremy Soule has commented to Kotaku on these allegations.

“These 11 year old allegations are false. I am shocked and saddened that these outrageous claims have been made.”

(Update: 28/8/2019) his Twitter account has gone dark as of late. But before you bring out your pitchforks, keep in mind: this is one side of the story. We do need to hear the other side of it to confirm that these allegations are concrete. We’ll be sure to update this news when the opportunity arises, but for now, just heed these words: innocent until proven guilty.


Singapore To Host Giant Fan Artist Congregation Doujin Market This May

You don’t have to wait too long until this November’s Anime Festival Asia to get your anime/manga fanart fix. The event organizing folks at Neo Tokyo Project will be hosting a huge fan artist gathering called Doujin Market from May 5 to 6 in the halls of Suntec Convention Centre in Singapore.
Doujin Market (or Doujima) is meant to be a platform for artistic expression; this year’s version will have a bigger venue space, which equals more artists and art showcases. There will be 212 artist groups from 13 different countries all over the world from Japan to Canada, so Singaporean anime fans will be seeing a ton of original work derived from their favourite anime/manga/video game properties. That’s a lot of artists!
Other highlights include:

A 2-hour panel featuring veteran artist Stanley “Artgerm” Lau where he talks about building your fan base and also reviews your portfolio.
10 different seminars over the weekend from industry folks like Wacom, Collateral Damage Studio, and 3d Media Sense.
Renowned InkInk artists like Rian Gonzales, Frany, and Muju Monster offering spot-on commissions and signing sessions.

You can find out more on Doujima’s official site. In the meantime, you can check out photos and artwork from last year’s Doujima below.


Borderlands 3’s Latest Expansion Needs More Fights Like The Empowered Scholar

After having a go at the latest Borderlands 3 expansion, I’ve come across a realization: when Gearbox tries harder than usual, they really succeed.
As fun as Guns, Love, and Tentacle is, the comedy is still kinda forced. Borderlands 2’s Gaige is a welcome presence, but her writers really are trying to make “margs” a thing. She ends up being a talking joke box, for better or for worst.

Thankfully, the gunplay and scenic views are still fun and breathtaking. The icy planet of Xylourgos houses a number of challenging mobs. The alien wolves can get tough when the buff-giving Howler and the long-ranged Huntress come into play. The cultists you fight can get very annoying and challenging if you don’t kill the flying midget “sorcerers” quick.
Those tiny buggers can amplify their friends AND resurrect them into walking time bombs that deal significant damage when they explode in your face. It got so tough late-game, I had to tone down my difficulty from Mayhem 3 to 1 just to get a leg up.
Last Kings
And then you have the bosses, which is perhaps the DLC’s true highlight.

Halfway in the game, you’ll fight a powerful cult servant called the Empowered Scholar. At first, he summons more mobs and shields himself while regenerating at intervals; you need to shoot down the totem poles that power up his shield. Later, he then teleports to the far right of the map and regenerates while shielded. You need to march on there, jump on a few platforms, and then take down the totem poles ASAP unless you want to fight him at full armour AND shield.
To be fair, the Wotan The Invincible boss fight in the Maliwan Takedown is pretty awesome. He has shields you need to pierce through using the environments you have, and his endgame phase gets harrowing with all the high-level mobs spawning if you’re not careful. I’m actually glad that the difficulty for that is toned down so that I can actually solo it in Mayhem 4.
All I’m saying is that Borderlands 3 is at its best when it presents itself with creative boss fights like these. Still, it’s the new loot that will keep fans on-board with this expansion. So far, I’ve had a lovely time with my new Soulrender, a Dahl rifle that shoots ghosts, and the incendiary-tastic Flama Diddle shotgun.
For a full Legendary guns list, head here.


Vampire Survivors Guide: How To Last Longer Than 30 Minutes

Vampire Survivors is out now; it’s clearly an homage to Konami’s Castlevania but it’s a top-down 2D action roguelike gameplay. You’re dumped in an open field and have to survive as long as possible against hordes of bats, skeletons, and zombies. You level up and gain weapons and buffs to prolong your survival. Yes, you will eventually die, but you willÂ  unlock a good number of powerups along the way.
Here are some tips and tricks to get you surviving beyond 10 minutes; maybe even 30! Note that Vampire Survivors is in Early Access, so the game and mechanics might change in the final release.
There Are Weapon Upgrades That Require Specific Items
That basic whip you have? You can have an evolved version called Bloody Tear by getting a Hollow Heart and having your basic whip be at Level 8. Likewise, you can evolve a Holy Wand by getting an Empty Tome, or evolve a Knife by getting a Bracer.
To get evolved weapons, you need to open chests that drop from rare boss enemies; you can tell that they’re bosses by their size. So to recap, focus on leveling up your weapon to level 8, get the corresponding equipment pairing, and then open a treasure chest dropped from a rare enemy. Here’s the full list of weapon combos:

Bloody Tears: Whip + Hollow Heart
Evolved Magic Wand: Magic Wand + Empty Tome
Evolved Knife: Knife + Bracer
Evolved Axe: Axe + Candlabrador
Evolved Cross: Cross + Clover
Evolved King Bible: King Bible + Spellbinder
Evolved Fire Wand: Fire Wand + Spinach
Evolved Garlic: Garlic + Pummeroll

Prioritize These Items

When you level up via blue crystal collecting, you get your choice of three items. Prioritize the following to stand a chance at surviving beyond 10 minutes:
Whip: Great basic attack to have since it has good range and is reliable in its cooldown and attack cycle.
Clock Lancet: Shoots a beam of light, with each ray coming out in a clockwork fashion around the main character regardless of where he/she is facing.
Knife: Fast projectile that fires at the direction you’re facing. The higher the level, the more you fling. Can “target” enemies if they’re in front of you, so this item is a crucial pick if you want to clear mobs in front of you quick. Also, make sure to the the Bracer for the Thousand Arms upgrade.
Laurel: Shields from damage when active. More protection for your character.
Wings: Extra movement speed by 10%. It’s always good to have this buff so that you can always lead enemies to where you want them to go.
Garlic: Damages nearby enemies if they get too close. Some extra protection never hurts.
Axe: Works great with Candelabra combo to get the evolved Axe.
Cross: Works great when you have the Clover item to get the evolved Cross.
Death Dracula Does Appear & Can One-Hit Kill You
If you stay on the map long enough, about 30 minutes, Death Dracula will appear. Avoid him, as one touch from him will end your run. Take note that he can be frozen with the Clock Lancet, you can take an extra hit if you are wearing the Laurel, and another Death Dracula will spawn one minute after the 30th.

Character List

In Vampire Survivor, you can pick among a stable of adventurers and spellcasters before you start your run. Each of them have their own starting weapons and passives. Here’s the list:
Antonio
The best character to start with and get the hang of.
Starting Weapon: Whip
Passive: Attacks deal 10% more damage every 10 levels (max +50%) (Lvl 50)
How To Get: Starting character.
Imelda
Starting Weapon: Magic Wand
Passive: Gains 10% more experience every 5 levels (max +30%). (Lvl 15)
How To Get: Spend 10 gold to unlock Imelda.
Pasqualina
Starting weapon: Runetracer
Passive: Projectiles get 10% faster every 5 levels (max +30%). (Lvl 30)
How To Get: Kill 3,000 bats
Gennaro
Starting weapon: Knife
Passive: Permanent +1 projectile (all weapons).
How To Get: Costs 1,000 gold.
Mortaccia
Starting weapon: Knife
Passive: Permanent +1 projectile (all weapons).
How To Get: Defeat a total of 3,000 skeletons to unlock Mortaccia.
Poe
Starting Weapon: Garlic
Passive: Permanent +25% pickup radius and +30 max health.
How To Get: Get your Garlic to level 7 to unlock Poe.
Porta
Starting Weapon: Lightning Ring
Passive: Permanent +30% area. Starts with temporarily reduced cooldown, so that Lightning Ring kills faster.
How To Get: Get your Lightning Ring to level 4 to unlock Porta.
Arca
When you’re doing great with Vampire Survivors, use this Alucard proxy instead. His weapon cooldown skills can help immensely.
Starting Weapon: Fire Wand.
Passive: Weapon cooldown is reduced by 5% every 10 levels. (max -15%) (Lvl 30)
How To Get: Get your Fire Want to level 4 to unlock Arca.


Major CS:GO Tournament Gets Silver Lining From Coronavirus Scare

The grand finals of the Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2020 Counter-Strike Global Offensive (CS:GO) tournament took place last weekend, setting a new viewership record for a non-major CS:GO event in the process.
Who or what can attribute this success to? The Coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak.
According to statistics provided by Esports Charts, the tournament managed to garner an impressive peak viewership of 1,002,132. That’s a peak viewership number higher than even the 2018 Berlin Major and 2017 Krakow Major.
In a change from previous tournaments, last weekendâ€™s three-day grand finals were played at Katowiceâ€™s 11,500-seat Spodek Arena without any fans or spectators on-site. The organisers revealed that the Polish health authorities recently closed the event to the mass public as a precautionary measure against the Coronavirus.
Natus Vincere was the champion of the Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2020 after grabbing a 3-0 win against G2 Esports. The Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2020 StarCraft 2 tournament also took place at the arena this weekend, with Rogue from Jin Air Green Wings dominating Zest 4-1 in a best-of-seven grand final.
The esports, and games industry as a whole, has been disrupted due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2020 was recently announced to have been postponed indefinitely, while esports leagues like the Overwatch League and League Of Legends Pro League have been moved or suspended.


Cowboy Bebop’s Showrunner On What It’s Like To Adapt & Expand The Anime Into Live-Action

Itâ€™s only one more week until the live-action adaptation of the revered sci-fi space bounty hunter show Cowboy Bebop shows up on Netflix. The show stars a trio of mercenaries trying to get by -Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, and Faye Valentine- as trouble catches up with them.
Courtesy of Netflix Malaysia, we were lucky enough to participate in a roundtable interview with Cowboy Bebop showrunner Andre Nemec, and ask him about what it was like to translate the anime into live-action. This interview has been edited for clarity.
We were also lucky enough to participate in a roundtable interview with John Cho (who plays Spike Spiegel), Daniella Pineda (who plays Faye Valentine), and Mustafa Shakir (who plays Jet Black), asking them some fun & thought-provoking questions about what itâ€™s like playing characters from an anime masterpiece. Check out that interview here.

What inspired you in creating the style and vibe of the live-action series?
Andre Nemec: The anime inspired me. It really was about capturing the spirit of the anime, living in sort of the world that they set up, but also capturing the live-action inspirations that the anime itself drew from when they made the anime. So a lot of it was looking at the inspirations for our inspiration.
How tough was it to translate the anime’s noir style into live-action?
Andre Nemec: You know, it was a trick, threading the needle of the tone of Cowboy Bebop is tough. It’s a noir but it’s a Western but it’s a buddy cop movie from the 80s but it’s a sci-fi thriller. You know, it was tough. I think part of the noir that comes out of it is really in the storytelling itself and building on the strength of the foundation of the stories that we broke in that room and the scripts that we crafted. From that, we were able to know but then again, we were on really strong footing storytelling-wise to draw noir, if that makes sense.
What was it like working with Cowboy Bebop composer Yoko Kanno?
Andre Nemec: A joy, a delight, an experience, it was awesome. Yoko is a phenomenal artist, inspired, enthusiastic, and just a true lover of this material. Working with her was collaborative and beautiful. We had a lot of conversations about the show, the tone of the show, the reinvention of certain pieces, the recrafting completely of new pieces, the hanging on to some of the old pieces, and I think Yoko really just delivered the magic.
What were the biggest challenges you faced during filming?
Andre Nemec: I think a lot of it was making sure that everything in the frame felt like it was worthy of Cowboy Bebop, was worthy of that title. Every piece of background, the set deck, the painting on the walls, the props that were in the frame, the outfits, even down to the lensing and the lighting. Everything was really about looking at each and every frame that we were capturing daily and saying, is this Bebop? How do we Bebop this up?
I feel like that care and love that went into it really comes through because we had so many people that were huge fans of the show working on the show that there was always somebody who was just like, “No, I don’t know, maybe we should, and okay, let’s get on that.” It really was about capturing the Bebop-ness.

Was it more important to be faithful to the anime or to carve your own story?
Andre Nemec: It was important to do both. I hate to be sort of non-answering but it was important to do both. I think living in the spirit of the anime meant taking things that weren’t broken and not trying to fix them. That blue suit’s pretty awesome, we don’t need to change that. That yellow couch works, why would we change that? The ship is cool. So, I think a lot of it was that there were so many things that work but at the same time, not wanting to do a one-to-one translation because I wanted to be served, if I were a fan, a different meal.
I would want to sort of experience the ongoing adventures and get more time with the Bebop crew but not know what was going to happen before it happens if I was a fan. For those who aren’t fans, to be able to deliver a few one-to-one moments from the anime, so that those who have never seen the anime could actually have the experiences that I had while watching the anime. Which again, was so profound at the time when I was watching them.
What does the anime mean to you?
Andre Nemec: I was very moved when I saw the anime, by the poetry of it. There was something so eclectic and raw about it at its core, in its soul. That, to me, was fascinating working on the show and pulling together a writer’s room and getting in with a bunch of people who were fans. It was amazing how when you ask a question, what is your favourite episode and why, how many different answers you get and how many different things people loved.
That was part of wanting to capture that spirit in this iteration of Cowboy Bebop, and I’ve heard it today from a couple of different people along the way. People like different episodes.
People have said now already, you know, my favourite episode is, and they’re different. To me, that’s kind of the beauty of Cowboy Bebop is that we all brought our own experiences to it and walked away with our own experience of it. I think, for people who were real fans of the show, they will bring their experiences of Cowboy Bebop to this and I think they will find something from which they will mine, “oh, they got that right”. And there will also be times when they’re like, “oh, they got that wrong”, but I think a lot of it is about, you know, the poetry of it leads to our own individual experiences of it.

Do you have any favourite episodes from the first season that you enjoyed the most?
Andre Nemec: That’s like asking me which one of my kids I want to toss off the boat. It’s so hard. All of the episodes are so different. To me, it’s really hard to pick. You know, I did this in another interview today, so forgive me, I won’t do it to you guys, but they said pick, and I ended up rattling through all ten episodes about why I love each one of those episodes. I’m not going to do that to you guys. It’s very hard to pick because each one of them sort of takes on their own tone.
I love some of these episodes because they just allow us to live in the humour, and some of them, because they sucker punch with emotion in a way that you didn’t imagine, was coming, and some of them just live in this heightened drama, which is like Shakespearan at times. Though it’s hard to pick, but I’ll give you this, a profound moment for me was the first time that I walked onto the Bebop set.
Almost as we were done building it and putting it together, it was really at that moment that I sort of looked around and I was like, I really am surrounded by a team of artists that are the right team of artists because they too felt what I feel about this. Because I can feel the love in the details.
Can we expect deviations in future seasons, especially with the introduction of Edward and whatnot?
Andre Nemec: Oh, Edward, that chaos maker. Yes, I think it is important to continue to live in storytelling that offers fresh takes on some things while again finding ways to continue to mine the fertile ground of the characters that exist in the anime. There is so much that I wish we could have pulled into Season 1, from the characters to the stories and the bounties and the moments. I have this laundry list of things that I wish we could have done. Fingers crossed that in a Season 2, we will get to those as well.
Why did you make changes to some of the characters in Cowboy Bebop?
Andre Nemec: To me, living in a sort of adaptation and living in a time 20 years after the original show. To me, the character of Jet, the essence of Jet and the thing I wanted to mine from Jet is that he’s an eternal optimist. The ship doesn’t have fuel, the bounty got away, Spike won’t do his chores, and yet somehow Jet is a character who consistently has this outlook, which is beautiful, like “we’ll get the next one. It’s all going to be okay.”
In meeting Mustafa, I’ve always described Mustafa as a man who is imposing and wonderful and tall but he’s got this heart full of jelly beans inside him. It was seeing and feeling that, that I was like, that’s Jet Black. He’s the eternal optimist and he’s the glue in that family for that reason.

Vicious and Julia rarely appeared in the anime. How did you develop and expand the role of these characters?
Andre Nemec: It was awesome, but it was important. Great heroes are made by great villains. I love a villain, I love a good villain’s story and it was important to me to tell the story of Vicious. Why Vicious? What of Vicious? How come Vicious? What made Vicious? And to really get under the skin of that character, because when I look at a great hero, when I look at a great villain, I oftentimes think about the villain’s perspective. If you asked Vicious, he’s the aggrieved party. Spike Spiegel’s the villain.
I think it’s important to be able to understand a little bit of that perspective and it’s as important to me, to tell the story of Julia. Being able to give that character her own agency, by which she controlled her own destiny and to some degree, didn’t need to be rescued by anyone.
She was going to rescue herself. I loved getting under the skin of both of them and all of it really came from mining what was and what existed already in the anime and expanding upon the essence of what was there.
Netflixâ€™s Cowboy Bebop premieres on 19 November 2021.


NEO: The World Ends With You Launches This July For PS4 & Switch

Square Enix just revealed a lot of new info of the long-awaited sequel to the cult modern-day RPG The World Ends With You; you know, that one DS RPG with Tetsuya Nomura-made characters & a spiffy contemporary-slash-fantasy plot involving death & teenagers.
For starters, a release date: NEO: The World Ends With You will launch for PS4 and Nintendo Switch on 27th July, with a PC release on Epic Games Store this summer. Players control Rindo, the leader of the Wicked Twisters, who is caught in a battle of survival in modern-day Tokyo via the Reapers’ Game.
You team up with a colourful ensemble of characters with psych abilities which you’ll need for the game’s action-based combat. These include the happy-go-lucky Fret, the calm & mysterious Minamimoto, and a female weeb named Nagi who is taking a page out of Persona 5’s Futaba personality-wise.

You also will be wearing the latest in Shibuya clothes & caps instead of the usual medieval/futuristic armour pieces to boost your stats.

Rindo can also replay the day’s event to change the future. Since the game takes place within a span of the week, you can initiate some time-traveling shenanigans to change the story’s outcome and even unlock multiple endings. Oh, and the combat will be in real-time just like in Tetsuya Nomura’s last game Kingdom Hearts 3.

Full trailer below:


Tom Clancy’s The Division: Heartland F2P Shooter Gets Developer Video

Ubisoft has unveiled more info about its upcoming free-to-play shooter PvE title The Division: Heartland.
The game will be out for PC and consoles; if you’re curious about how this F2P version of Division will play out, you can sign up for the beta here.
Check out the game trailers and key features below:
Key Features

Save America’s Heartland – What’s happening in Silver Creek? Uncover the mystery before a new breed of poison spreads everywhere. Follow the expanding story to discover why this once-peaceful town has become the center of a violent conflict between a group of dangerous rogue Division agents and an aggressive band of nomadic survivors. But the AI factions and other player squads aren’t the only danger…
Explore By Day, Survive the Night – In a single play session, experience both the challenge and exploration of daytime and the thrill and intensity of nightfall. During the day explore and complete critical objectives, scavenge for materials and supplies, and face off against dangerous enemies. When day turns to night the stakes heighten and new enemies appear. Avoid the increasingly volatile contamination, fight your way through rogue NPCs, and take on newly hostile players.
Extract or Die – Risk your arsenal and supplies every time you venture out into Silver Creek. Keep moving to survive enemy conflict, dehydration and the lethal contamination that’s overtaken the town. Tackle a variety of goals while building up your armory at your Base of Operations (BOO). Each successful operation allows you to complete more missions, and unlock unique abilities, new map areas, and crucial functions at your base. Die before you extract… and come back empty-handed.
Squad Up with Cross-Play and Cross-Progression – Venture into Silver Creek alone or with your squad with cross-play and cross-progression, on all platforms, forming powerful team tactics. Customize your agents’ skills, outfits, and go bag. Unlock story elements and level up through multiple upgrade paths. Over time, Heartland will expand to introduce new gameplay, agents, stories, challenges, and areas of the map to explore.
Survive the Dynamic Contamination – The virus moves differently here, unpredictably, almost with a mind of its own. Though extremely dangerous, you can use the contamination to your advantage. Risk vital seconds inside the cloud for the chance to grab precious loot gear and items left behind by other players. Just make sure you have ample filters to survive. If the virus sickness sets in, return to base before it kills you.


Apex Legends’ Best Weapons Of Season 4, Ranked

At Kakuchopurei.com, we love Respawn’s Apex Legends; so much so that we’ve spent countless hours to not only refine our overall skills in the game but also other fun ways to win matches.
But today we ain’t gonna talk about strategies. Instead, we’ve decided to rank the current weapons available in the game, from the trash heap to the must pick.
Apex Legends’ fourth season brought a host of new additions to the game including a reworked World’s Edge map as well as the introduction of a new legend, Revenant. But games aren’t won with fists and kicks. At least in public lobbies.

Rounds are decided by guns and in Apex Legends, we are spoilt for choice. Season 4 saw the introduction of a bolt-action sniper rifle in the Sentinel as well as a shuffle of care package weapons where the developers swapped the almighty Devotion with the scary yet clunky L-Star LMG.
Also, we’d like to point out beforehand that this weapons tier list is based on the skill level of an average, casual player so the weapon combos of R-99 x Wingman of the pros do not apply here. Factors include: weapon viability under pressure, probability of hitting shots and how it should fit a Bronze to low-Platinum player.
If your ranked level is above Platinum III, you surely have a decent level of competence and pocket pick anyway. We’d love to hear your POV in the comments section below.
We kick off with the lowest tier of all, tier E a.k.a I’d rather stick to punches and kicks. Unless you’re a daredevil with the aim capabilities of Shroud or Seagull, anyone who pick up these weapons are either God-tier players messing about or trolling. No in-between.
Low Tier (a.k.a: just skip)
23. Mozambique Shotgun

Still a meme, still terrible.
22. G7 Scout

Not a here-nor-there weapon. Initially classified as a sniper rifle, the G7 is now labelled as an assault rifle which does everything poorly compared to others in whichever category you measure it in.
21. P2020

This ubiquitous pea shooter packs a decent punch IF you have Hammerpoint equipped otherwise a rather sad weapon in the game.
20. Longbow DMR

Nicknamed the ‘longboy’ due to its decent sniping capabilities, the Longbow is a reliable ranged weapon which quickly loses its viability once the enemy closes down the distance. You’d struggle if you don’t have any attachments on it.
NEXT


X-Files Reboot In The Works From Black Panther Director, Says Original Series Creator

It looks like the next big project for Ryan Coogler (best known for directing both Black Panther and Black Panther Wakanda Forever, as well as the first Creed movie) will be a reboot of the iconic The X-Files TV series.
This news came from original The X-Files creator Chris Carter himself, who made the statement during an interview with “On The Coast with Gloria Macarenko” to celebrate the 30th anniversary of The X-Files.
During the interview, Carter said:
“I just spoke to a young man, Ryan Coogler, who is going to remount ‘The X-Files’ with a diverse cast. So he’s got his work cut out for him, because we covered so much territory.”
Reps for Coogler did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment. 20th Television, the studio behind the original series, declined to comment.
20th Century Television, the studio that owns the rights to The X-Files, has yet to officially announce a new The X-Files series. This is probably because the reboot is still in the very early stages of development. Coogler himself is currently in a five-year overall deal with Walt Disney Television, which owns 20th Century Television.
The X-Files starred David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. It originally aired on Fox from 1993 to 2001 for nine seasons before being revived for two more seasons in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
In the meantime, let’s indulge in nostalgia and listen to the legendary X-Files theme again:


Hot Toys Unveils New Star Wars Mace Windu Figure

Hot Toys has revealed a new Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones 1/6th scale Mace Windu Collectible Figure to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Star Wars Episode II Attack Of The Clones.
A grim Jedi Master with an amethyst-bladed lightsaber, Mace Windu was the champion of the Jedi Order, with little tolerance for the failings of the Senate, the arguments of politicians, or the opinions of rebellious Jedi. As the Clone Wars intensified, Mace sensed the dark side of the Force at work, and knew the Jedi’s enemies were plotting to destroy the Order and end its stewardship of the galaxy.
Meticulously crafted based on the appearance of Mace Windu, the 1/6th scale collectible figure features a newly developed head sculpt with a great likeness, a finely tailored Jedi robe and tunic, a LED light-up lightsaber, a holocaster with a hologram of Yoda, a display base, and a bonus pair of forearm armour inspired by Mace Windu’s appearance in Star Wars The Clone Wars animated series.
Check it out below:


Return To Pandora With These Avatar 2 Images

James Cameron has been working on the Avatar sequels for a while now, and with Avatar 2 only about two years away now, what better time than to unveil the very first images from the upcoming movie at CES 2020.
The first official images from Avatar 2 were revealed during the Mercedes-Benz’ CES 2020 keynote in Las Vegas. While the three new images don’t exactly unveil any new information about Avatar 2, they do provide us with a glimpse of the level of sheer beauty to expect from the upcoming movie.
Feast your eyes below:

Speaking with CNET, Cameron said:

“I also love the hard stuff.
The vehicles, spacecraft, aircraft, ground vehicles, weapons, the hardware.
I’m a total geek when it comes to that stuff.
We have a lot of cool vehicles for you.”

The first Avatar remains the second highest-grossing movie of all time, with over US$2.7 billion at the worldwide box office. In the meantime, Avatar 2 is slated to premiere on 17 December 2021.


Violet Evergarden: The Movie Is a Sincere Love Letter That Rekindles the Magic of Kyoto Animation

As I began my viewing of the two-hour emotional ride that was Violet Evergarden: The Movie, I found that it was not easy to disconnect my thoughts from the recent and unfortunate circumstances of Kyoto Animation.
A renowned animation studio in Japan known not just for its quality projects, but because it was an outlier in the cutthroat industry of anime, with a workplace that was sustainable as it was gender-diverse. Unlike many of its competitors, Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) often pursued ownership and cultivation of its own creative properties, as well as paid its employees by salary rather than relying on freelance contractors.
The staff at KyoAni regularly rotated on projects but were constantly present, and that they had stayed with the company for so long not only provided the studio with an efficient production pipeline rarely in need of outsourcing, but also a unique and bespoke style of storytelling that strongly contributed to the identity of KyoAni.

The brutal arson attack in June 2019 resulted in the passing of 36 employees and the injury of a further 33, many of whom were women and key staff in KyoAniâ€™s creative process. It was a harrowing time that left fans worldwide devastated, as well as burdened hopeful animators who envisioned a better life in the industryâ€™s future. The talent of KyoAni is experienced, specifically trained by its own schools to meet the standards of the company. To lose so much of that effort in a single day is staggering.
Incidentally, the arson incident took place only a while after KyoAni had performed the finishing touches on its latest project. This project was Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll, a film and side story in its Violet Evergarden series of works, which would be the final showcase of the studio as it once was.
As of writing this review, it has been roughly two years since the tragedy. The studio has had to face the challenges of rebuilding from the ground up. The 3.3 billion yen ($30 million) received in donations are being nobly distributed to the victims instead of being invested into business recovery, while the onset of a global pandemic has also no doubt caused some friction.
Yet, from the ashes that formed from one personâ€™s senseless malice, Violet Evergarden: The Movie exists now as our first look into the studio since that tragedy, and it is a beautiful story that is cathartic as it is unwaveringly about love.
The Many Facets Of Love
Violet Evergarden: The Movie takes place after the events of the TV series, and is set as the conclusion to the character arc of the titular Violet. A former child soldier who understood nothing but violence, Violet was taken in by army major Gilbert Bougainvillea, a man of whom she would refer to simply as the â€œMajor.â€
During her time under his care, Gilbert taught Violet how to read and speak, and gave as much love and empathy as could be given. Although Gilbert wished to provide her with a better life, his circumstances inevitably nudged him into using her as a tool of war.
At the climax of the war, Violet lost both her arms in the crossfires, while Gilbert himself was killed, but not before he managed to profess his love to her. The world went on to transition into more peaceful times, with Violet taking up a new profession as an Auto Memory Doll in an effort to better understand his final words.

As an Auto Memory Doll, Violet works as a ghostwriter in a time period when much of the population is fairly illiterate. She packages the words of these people into heartfelt messages for their loved ones, and these letters are then delivered in the hopes of getting oneâ€™s innermost feelings across. Despite Violetâ€™s seemingly lack of empathy or social awareness, she eventually proves to be excellent at this task, to the point that her services become heavily sought after by the time the story of this film comes around.
The TV series focused on the stories of individual people and how their unique lives touched Violet. In the film, we can see that she has matured from these stories and now understands the world a little better than before.
Yet, the movie is quick to let us know that despite all of this, a certain part inside her still rings hollow. Gilbert, the man who was the catalyst for this life of hers is still missing. Though all evidence points to him being dead, she believes him to be alive, to the extent that she still writes her own personal letters to him.
In the TV series, parallels can be found between Violet and that of a dog, which posits her as an individual who, in her naivety, blindly follows the beck and call of her master, Gilbert. Like a loyal dog, she is depicted as seeing Gilbert as her everything, consequently losing her lifeâ€™s purpose when he is no longer around. Itâ€™s a demeaning comparison but is nonetheless something that tests Violet.
Violetâ€™s yearning to see Gilbert again and her devotion to her job are two aspects that are depicted in tandem. While the story is about Violet and her bond with Gilbert, it also follows a terminally ill boy named Yuris who tasks her with preparing letters to his family after he passes away.
For a while, these stories exist independent of each other but eventually intertwine at a moment thatâ€™s crucial to Violetâ€™s character. The film portrays Violet in her most vulnerable state, and the choice she makes here frames her independence and growth as an individual.
Time, Both Fleeting And Eternal

On a broader scale, societal change is also afoot. Telephones are becoming more widely used, and as more people learn to read and write, the need for ghostwriting has slowly diminished. Soon enough, the film notes, there wonâ€™t be a need for people like Violet anymore.
Itâ€™s an aspect that gives us a sense of the fleetingness of time, and how everything eventually comes to an end. The story makes occasional shifts to the perspective of a young lady named Daisy, who seeks to learn more about the writer of her great grandmotherâ€™s letters. This writer was Violet, and we witness throughout the film the impact that a generation has had on her legacy. Like the clients she wrote for, she too has lived a full life.
This is perhaps where the film feels most grand. The Violet Evergarden franchise has often focused on the self-contained stories of other people. Sometimes Violet has a hand in these stories, but often she is the bystander. In this film, she sits at the heart of the tale in its entirety. The facade of an emotionless soldier crumbles and reveals a vulnerable human whose motivations are complex and conflicted.
One of the filmâ€™s first few scenes involves a view of the vast ocean, one that metaphorically speaks of the separation between people. Humans often struggle to express their feelings on the spot, layered by anxieties that cause them to push away the people that they love the most. Though Violet has often worked to connect these moments of separation for others, she eventually finds her own self in need of such a connection.
There is a scene in the film where Violet, feet submerged in the sea, tries to voice her feelings but fails to find the strength to do so. Itâ€™s a beautifully animated sequence filled with expressiveness that embodies the emotions at the moment. And yet, no words are necessary because, like how she has written letters for other people, she too has written a letter for herself.
Words can be expressed in many forms, transcending even the sea to reach the ones we love. Over time, technological advancements will only make these efforts easier.
And yet, a vast sea continues to exist and separate people. Even in the distant future, Daisy struggles to express her appreciation to her parents, just as Yuris and Violet struggled to connect with those they loved. There is something to be said here about who we are as humans and how ease of communication doesnâ€™t always translate to sincerity in our interpersonal relationships.
Difficulty In Sincerity

Sincerity. â€œSincerely,â€ is the first line you see before the film begins. The film also emphasizes the line that Gilbert tells Violet before his death, â€œI love you.â€ These are the words that the movie revolves around, and are tenets that we as people often have trouble expressing.
Violet Evergarden: The Movie makes it clear that time is never at a standstill, and that you will lose your chance to convey your true feelings to the person you love. If not now, tomorrow. The fear of showing our vulnerable sides to others is only natural, but if telling it to someoneâ€™s face is too much to bear, then perhaps a written letter, sincerely from the heart, would also do just fine.
Unsurprisingly, the film is a beautiful piece for the eyes. A close shot of Violetâ€™s back in her darker moments, her braids and buns neatly tied – an elegance even in adversity. Her prosthetics click and then falter, and as she leans away from her typewriter to repair them, one aspect of her daily life becomes apparent.
The animation varies in intensity, pulling back during its dull moments but ramping up dramatically in detail as the scene demands, creating an emphasis on key story beats. Elements of closeness that hone in on charactersâ€™ eyes, lips, and hands as they stare, tighten, or quiver, also exist to subtly convey emotion.
The film is filled with these nuances that help sell the characters and atmosphere. A kind of artistry that also makes revisiting the film a worthwhile endeavour. However, though the cinematography excels most of the time, it doesnâ€™t quite share the consistency and effectiveness that films such as A Silent Voice or Liz and the Blue Bird absolutely nailed.
Likewise, the filmâ€™s musical score is an excellent mood-setter. Entirely orchestrated, the score is beautiful, melancholic, and at times hopeful. The music integrates exceptionally well with the scenes to match the filmâ€™s crucial emotional highs and manages to evoke a sense of nostalgia that fits effortlessly with the filmâ€™s themes and its early 20th-century-like setting.
A number of tracks are orchestrated in ways that faintly call back to the original soundtrack of the anime series, making this a boon for those who have watched Violet Evergarden before.
An Inspiring Achievement
Violet Evergarden: The Movie is a satisfying tear-jerker of a finale for fans of the series, and one that holds steadfast to the heartwarming message of love that the series embodies as a whole. The film does a great job at getting newcomers acclimated to Violetâ€™s past and circumstances, but some may struggle to observe her emotional growth without having invested in the anime series.
For the most part, the film delivers and executes everything that it needs to get right. It sets an extremely positive outlook for KyoAniâ€™s recovery and future. In spite of all odds, the studio is adamant about maintaining its high standard of quality in the animation industry, and we can see this ethos shine throughout the film.
The film is a sincere love letter that is worthy of the studioâ€™s legacy and the Violet Evergarden story, as well as an obviously painstaking effort amidst great hardship that I hope fans of anime will wholeheartedly support.
Final Score: 100/100


Malaysia Boleh Spotted on Wreck-It Ralph 2 Poster

We recently caught Ralph Breaks The Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 via press screening courtesy of Disney. Imagine our genuine and pleasant surprise when we discovered that the exclusive Wreck-It Ralph 2 poster for Malaysian cinemas features a tweet stating, “Malaysian Boleh!“

In the poster, the blue birds each represent a tweet, just like they are depicted in the movie itself. Another blue bird features a tweet stating, “Princesses Unite!” Check these out below in images taken by our very own Jon “Mr Toffee”.

Malaysians would appreciate this tiny piece of detail that celebrates one of our most famous national taglines. This isn’t the only taste of local flavour that Disney has injected into Wreck-It Ralph 2.
The upcoming movie also features an exclusive music video for viewers in Malaysia and Indonesia, featuring the original song “Sebuah Lagu” performed by Jakarta-based Jazz-Folk band Payung Teduh. It’s in the post-credits, so be sure to wait a while after the movie ends when you catch it starting from 22 November, 2018.
In the meantime, check out our Ralph Breaks The Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 review here to tide you over until next week.


Overwatch League: DPS Star Leaves Dallas Fuel for Envy’s Contenders Team

For most esports athletes, once they’re perceived that they’ve passed their peak or gone over the hill, the only option left is to either move into coaching, retire, return to streaming or the worst of the lot, drop esports altogether for a ‘normal’ 9-5 job.
But that’s not the case for former Dallas Fuel DPS star, Timo ‘Taimou’ Kettunen. Having lost his starting DPS slot in the Dallas Fuel during Season 2 of the Overwatch League, very few would blame or even speak ill of the Finnish DPS maestro if he decided to hang up his errr…. mouse? Why would they? Taimou has done everything there is in professional Overwatch, most importantly being part of the legendary EnVyUs team which became the first ever North American team to win on Korean soil by winning the OGN Apex Season 1.
Aiming to bounce back and reestablish his place in the pantheon of pro-Overwatch (which in all honesty, he’s earned it) legends, Taimou today announced that he will be joining Team EnVyUs’ Overwatch Contenders team.

I could have stayed benched whole year and get higher salary but instead I wanted to pursue happiness that is professional play again.
Streaming’s not it. 9-5 ain’t it. Whatever game or league i’m gonna be playing until I’m 40 years old BBoomer https://t.co/pxmq1TrfKA
â€” Taimou (@DF_Taimou) January 8, 2020
To those still at lost at what just happened, imagine witnessing a pro footballer forgoing the life of earning a big paycheck to just sit on the subs bench to instead, play in the lower leagues which guarantees more playtime and opportunity to show everyone that he still got it.
The fact that EnVy’s Contenders team shares the same owner as Dallas Fuel does not undermine this bold decision. When lesser players have retired at the hint of irrelevance or guaranteed of a starting slot, this move reaffirms Taimou’s competitiveness and dedication to the game. The guy’s a legend and regardless of how his foray in Contenders turn out to be, he’s should be an example for every aspiring and current esports players out there.
Good luck in Contenders Taimou. We wish you all the best.


This Is When Among Us VR Might Come Out

It’s only a matter of time until hit party game Among Us gets a virtual reality (VR) version via Meta Quest/Oculus and other VR platforms. But when exactly?
A reveal on SteamDB (via) stated that Among Us VR will be out on 10th November 2022. Of course, this is a tentative store listing so things can change.

Little is known about the VR version of Among Us. We do know that it will be at least a multiplatform release. Guess that means the word “sus” will still be on everybody’s personal dictionaries for a few more years.


Genshin Impact Finally Reveals Hu Tao; Available On 2nd March

Dozens of leaks from fansites and dataminers have uncovered the existence of an upcoming character in Genshin Impact: Hu Tao, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor director. Today, one of the game’s worst-kept secrets is officially announced in a new character trailer.

For those who don’t know, Hu Tao is a 5-star polearm-wielder, uses the Pyro Element, and has a ghost for a companion. She also has a morbid & bizarre sense of humour, being a funeral parlor director and all. Her banner will be available on the week of 2nd March.
Her skills are as follows (via Genshin.HoneyHunterWorld):

Guide To Afterlife
Hu Tao consumes a set portion of her HP to knock the surrounding enemies back and enter the Paramita Papilio state. When in this state, Hu Tao’s ATK increases based on her Max HP. Her attack DMG is now Pyro DMG. She also is resistant to interrupts.
Charged attacks apply the Blood Blossom effect to enemies. Enemies affected will take Pyro DMG every 4 seconds.
Spirit Soother
Hu Tao commands a blazing spirit to attack, dealing Pyro DMG in a large AoE. Upon hitting enemies with this Burst, Hu Tao regenerates a percentage of her health. This effect can trigger up to 5 times.
If Hu Tao’s HP is below or is 50% when the enemy is hit, both the DMG and HP Regeneration are increased.
Notable Passives
Flutter By – When a Paramita Papilio state activated by Guide to Afterlife ends, all other allies in the party will have their CRIT Rate increased by 12% for 8 seconds.
Sanguine Rouge – When Hu Tao’s HP is equal to or less than 50%, her Pyro DMG Bonus is increased by 33%.
Constellations (In Ascending Order)
Crimson Bouquet – While in Paramita Papilio state, Hu Tao’s Charge Attacks do not consume Stamina.
Ominous Rainfall – Increases the Blood Blossom DMG by an amount equal to 10% of Hu Tao’s Max HP at the time the effect is applied. Additionally, Spirit Soother will also apply the Blood Blossom effect.
Lingering Carmine – Increases the Level of Guide to Afterlife by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
Garden of Eternal Rest – Upon defeating an enemy affected by a Blood Blossom that Hu Tao applied herself, all nearby allies in the party will have their CRIT rate increased by 12% for 15 seconds.
Floral Incense – Increases the Level of Spirit Soother by 3.
Butterfly’s Embrace – Triggers when Hu Tao’s HP drops below 25%, or when she suffers a lethal strike. Hu Tao will not fall as a result of the DMG sustained. Additionally, for the next 10 seconds, all of her Elemental and Physical RES is increased by 200%, her CRIT Rate is increased by 100%, and her resistance to interruption is greatly increased. This effect triggers automatically when Hu Tao has 1HP left. Can only occur once every 60 seconds.
All I can say is that her Butterfly’s Embrace constellation is awesome, but good luck getting 7+ Hu Taos in a row for your gacha rolls. You will friggin’ need it.