HBO GO Welcomes Wizarding World Titles Ahead Of Fantastic Beasts The Secrets Of Dumbledore Premiere Next Week

Expecto Patronum! Hogwarts’ wizards, witches and magical creatures are taking over HBO GO and Cartoon Network (Astro Channel 615) this April. Building even greater buzz around the theatrical release of Fantastic Beasts The Secrets Of Dumbledore in cinemas on 14 April 2022, Wizarding World titles will enchant fans young and old on the streaming platform and kids’ channel.
Relive all 12 Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter titles on demand with HBO GO now. In addition, the Harry Potter Movie Marathon runs from 8 to 23 April 2022, 8pm daily on Cartoon Network (Astro Channel 615).
Here are some of the Wizarding World’s content available on HBO GO:
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
In the second Fantastic Beasts film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) is captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escapes to gather followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings. To thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world. Stars an ensemble cast that includes Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Jude Law, Johnny Depp, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Carmen Ejogo, and Poppy Corby-Tuech.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
In the first Fantastic Beasts movie, Academy Award® winner Eddie Redmayne stars as Newt Scamander, the wizarding world’s preeminent magizoologist. In 1926, Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident… were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds. Also stars Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Carmen Ejogo and Colin Farrell.
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts
Fans are invited on a magical first-person journey through the beloved film franchise as it reunites Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and other esteemed cast members and filmmakers across all eight Harry Potter films for the first time to celebrate the anniversary of the franchise’s first film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Alumni in the memorable tribute also include Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Tom Felton, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Ian Hart, Toby Jones, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, producer David Heyman and filmmakers Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell and David Yates.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses
Hosted by Academy Award®-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses celebrates the 20th anniversary of the film and continues the Wizarding World spirit showcasing ultimate fan glory on a never-before-seen scale. Featuring hundreds of trivia questions and special guest surprises, this unforgettable event of a lifetime will unveil which fans know the vast, intricately detailed universe like the back of their hand as they compete to take home the title of House Cup Champion.
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)
Having grossed more than US$381 million at the worldwide box-office, Harry Potter’s final adventure concludes with the climactic final battle against the Dark Lord Voldemort. Making their final stand upon the ramparts of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione face their greatest foe and make the ultimate sacrifice on the landmark journey that spanned a decade. Laced with visual magic and haunting storytelling, the film franchise is brought to its triumphant close with long-time screenwriter Steve Kloves, acclaimed director David Yates and its award-winning cast including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, the late John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis and Julie Walters.
You can subscribe to HBO GO online at https://www.hbogoasia.my/ or the mobile app via the App Store or Play Store for as low as RM23.30/month. You can also 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.
Appendix
Complete list of Wizarding World titles streaming on HBO GO:

No.

Wizarding World Titles

1

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)

2

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

3

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses (2021)

4

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts (2021)

5

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)

6

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010)

7

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

8

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

9

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

10

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

11

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

12

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)


Disney+ Launchpad Is Looking For Directors, Writers & More

Disney’s Launchpad is a new filmmaking program with a focus on building a more inclusive entertainment industry. The company is looking for directors, writers and more from underrepresented backgrounds with diverse and varied perspectives, including women, people of colour, the LGBTQ community, various religious groups, military veterans, people with disabilities and more.
Those chosen will be able to produce a short as part of the Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator program. The narrative focus of Season 2 will be â€œConnection”. On the official website, applications opened on 10 May 2021 and will close on 11 June 2021, with the program starting in December 2021.
The first season consisted of six short films, each centring on the theme of â€œDiscoverâ€ which will launch on Disney+ on 28 May 2021. The programâ€™s inaugural year features stories by Ann Marie Pace, Aqsa Altaf, Hao Zheng, Jessica Mendez Siqueiros, Moxie Peng and Stefanie Abel Horowitz.
â€œAmerican Eidâ€
Writer/ director: Aqsa Altaf
Producers: Leslie Owen, Steak House
Executive producers: Julie Ann Crommett, Mahin Ibrahim, Alyssa Navarro, Chris Caraballo, Jason Alvidrez, Adam Nusinow, Mary Coleman,
Nicole Grindle, Vanessa Morrison
Logline: Ameena, a homesick Muslim Pakistani immigrant, wakes up on Eid to find out she has to go to school.
Synopsis: Ameena, a Muslim Pakistani immigrant, wakes up on Eid to find out that she has to go to school. Homesick and heartbroken, she goes on a mission to make Eid a public-school holiday, and in the process, reconnects with her older sister, and embraces her new home, while her new home embraces her.
â€œDinner Is Servedâ€
Director: Hao Zheng
Writer: G. Wilson & Hao Zheng
Producers: Shincy Lu, Steak House
Executive producers: Julie Ann Crommett, Mahin Ibrahim, Alyssa Navarro, Chris Caraballo, Jason Alvidrez, Adam Nusinow, Jessica Virtue,
Rachel Yeung
Logline: A Chinese student uncovers his true identity when trying out for a leadership role at a U.S. school.
Synopsis: A Chinese student at an elite U.S. boarding school realizes excellence is not enough when he tries out for a leadership position no international student has ever applied for.
â€œGrowing Fangsâ€
Writer/ director: Ann Marie Pace
Producers: Genevieve Faye, Melody Sandoval, Steak House
Executive producers: Julie Ann Crommett, Mahin Ibrahim, Alyssa Navarro, Chris Caraballo, Jason Alvidrez, Adam Nusinow, Osnat Shurer, Halima Hudson
Logline: Val Garcia, a Mexican-American half human/half vampire teenager, struggles to fit in either world.
Synopsis: Val Garcia, a Mexican-American teen who is half human/half vampire, has had to keep her identity a secret from both worlds. But when her human best friend shows up at her monster-infested school, she has to confront her truth, her identity, and herself.
â€œThe Last of the Chupacabrasâ€
Writer/ director: Jessica Mendez Siqueiros
Producers: Nicole Crespo, Steak House
Executive producers: Julie Ann Crommett, Mahin Ibrahim, Alyssa Navarro, Chris Caraballo, Jason Alvidrez, Adam Nusinow
Logline: A lonely Mexican-American woman unknowingly summons a dark and ancient creature.
Synopsis: In a world where culture has nearly ceased to exist, one lone Mexican-American struggling to carry on her traditions unknowingly summons a dark and ancient creature to protect her
â€œLetâ€™s Be Tigersâ€
Writer/ director: Stefanie Abel Horowitz
Producers: Sydney Fleischmann, Steak House
Executive producers: Julie Ann Crommett, Mahin Ibrahim, Alyssa Navarro, Chris Caraballo, Jason Alvidrez, Adam Nusinow, Grant Curtis
Logline: Grieving for her mother, Avalon finds comfort when sheâ€™s put in charge of a 4-year-old for a night.
Synopsis: Avalonâ€™s not ready to process the loss of her mother, but when sheâ€™s put in charge of a 4-year-old for one night, she finds more comfort than she ever could have expected.
â€œThe Little Prince(ss)â€
Writer/ director: Moxie Peng
Producers: Carver Diserens, Steak House
Executive producers: Julie Ann Crommett, Mahin Ibrahim, Alyssa Navarro,Chris Caraballo, Jason Alvidrez, Adam Nusinow, Sarah Shepard,
Karen Chau
Logline: When Chinese kids Gabriel and Rob become friends, Robâ€™s dad questions Gabrielâ€™s feminine behavior.
Synopsis: When Gabriel, a 7-year-old Chinese kid who loves ballet, becomes friends with Rob, another Chinese kid from school, Robâ€™s dad gets suspicious about Gabrielâ€™s feminine behavior and decides to intervene.
You can check out the trailer for Disney+ Launchpad Season 1 below. In other related news, Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia is slated to launch on 1 June 2021.


Overwatch League: Washington Justice Debuts With Freedom-Inspired Branding

Washington DC’s new Overwatch League team has a name and it sounds like it came straight out of a comic book: Washington Justice. Brandishing the colors of freedom with its red, white and blue scheme, the new esports team is ready to bring justice to Blizzard‘s game.
The Washington Justice logo also seems to be comic-inspired and wouldn’t look out of place in an American comic book (which could be what the designers were aiming for). It’s a shield adorned with a star and stripes, as well as a subtle ‘W’ in tribute to the Washington Monument.

Announced members of the Washington Justice management and coaching staff include:

Kate Mitchell, Assistant General Manager of Washington Esports Ventures
Hyeong-seok “WizardHyeong” Kim, Head Coach
Kyoung Ey Molly “AVALLA” Kim, Assistant Coach
Mark â€œObasillâ€ Regush
Aaron Heckman
Mikael â€œmkLâ€ SkjÃ¸nhaug
Canaan â€œShruggerâ€ Carman

Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei or the team’s official Twitter account hereÂ for full roster reveals over the coming week.
Overwatch League Season 2 in 2019 will consist of 20 teams, eight of which will be new teams debuting in the new season. Besides Washington Justice, the other 7 teams include those based in Chinese cities like Chengdu Hunters, Guangzhou Charge, and Hangzhou Spark, as well as the cities of Atlanta, Paris, Toronto, and Vancouver.
“In fact, DCâ€™s official city motto is Justitia Omnibus, which translates to Justice for All,” said Washington Justice owner Mark Ein. “As a team representing the broader DMV region, it was important that our team identity reflects a value that unifies all of our community members, representing the full diversity of backgrounds and beliefs.”


Overwatch PTR Patch Is Pretty Huge; Here’s Why

Blizzard released a rather large PTR patch recently, stating that this is leading up to a “remaster” of the game’s mechanics and playstyle.
Long story short, it’s going to change up a load of heroes. These include tweaks to recent hero Sigma, nerfs to Baptiste’s Immortality Field, and Symmetra’s Sentry Turret. At the same time, buffs were given to Roadhog’s Scrap Gun, Lucio’s Amp It Up, and Winston’s Barrier Projector.
Here are the notes from Blizzard’s update page. It’s a doozy.
Overwatch Patch 1.41

Patch 1.41 is a remaster and will require a relatively large download for all platforms.

Hero Updates
D.Va
Defense Matrix

Regeneration rate increased from 12.5% to 16% per second
Delay before regeneration begins lowered from 1 second to 0.75 seconds

Orisa
Protective Barrier

Cooldown increased from 9 to 10 seconds

Roadhog
Scrap Gun

Ammunition increased from 5 to 6.

Sigma
Kinetic Grasp

No longer blocks Chain Hook and Whip Shot

Gravitic Flux

High gravity effect duration reduced from 1.2 to 0.9 seconds

Experimental Barrier

Regeneration rate reduced from 175 to 150 per second
Now has a 1 second cooldown after recalling the barrier
Initial 0.2 second cast time removed

Winston
Barrier Projector

Duration increased from 6 to 9 seconds
Health increased from 600 to 700

Baptiste
Immortality Field

Health decreased from 250 to 200

Lucio
Crossfade

Speed boostâ€™s effect increased from 20% to 25%

Amp It Up

Speed boostâ€™s amplification increased from 50% to 60%

Wall Ride

Speed buff reduced from 40% to 30%

Mercy
Valkyrie

The extra beams created by Valkyrie now ignore enemy barriers

Moira
Biotic Grasp

Self-healing reduced from 30 to 20 health per second

Doomfist
Rocket Punch

Time to reach max charge increased from 1 to 1.4 seconds

The Best Defenseâ€¦

Shield health gained per hit reduced from 35 to 30

Sombra
Translocator

Cooldown increased from 4 to 6 seconds
Cooldown now begins immediately upon deploying the beacon or if it is killed by an enemy

Symmetra
Photon Barrier

Duration reduced from 15 to 12 seconds
Health reduced from 5000 to 4000

Sentry Turret

Damage per second reduced from 50 to 40

Photon Projector

Players impacted by the primary fire beam should now hear a louder impact sound

Tracer
Pulse Pistols

Damage falloff now starts at 13 meters, up from 10 meters

Bug Fixes
General

Fixed a player profile issue preventing hero win percentages from being displayed for competitive arcade mode seasons

Heroes
Brigitte

Fixed a bug with Brigitteâ€™s Rally checking line of sight from her feet instead of from her head
Fixed a bug with Inspireâ€™s position being affected by the playerâ€™s aim pitch

Doomfist

Fixed a bug that allowed Doomfist to use Meteor Strike before taking impact damage from Sigmaâ€™s Gravitic Flux

Sigma

Fixed a bug that allowed Sigmaâ€™s Gravitic Flux to ignore line of sight through some ceilings

Sombra

Fixed a bug with EMPâ€™s position being affected by playerâ€™s aim pitch

Winston

Fixed a bug that caused Winstonâ€™s Barrier Projector to not consistently play its destroyed visual effects


SDCC 2018: All The Movies & Series Announced So Far

This story is still in development.Â
It’s Saturday afternoon here, which means that a ton of San Diego Comicon 2018 news and trailers are out in the interweb wilds. Here’s our roundup of all of them:
Godzilla: King of the Monsters Trailer Rocked Our Socks Off
To quote Charles Dance in the trailer: “Long live the king.”

The Good Omens TV Show Is Really Going To Happen
It’s slated for 2019; there’s already a behind-the-scenes video and poster out. To recap, Neil Gaiman is behind all of it (he co-wrote the book with the late Terry Pratchett of course), while the film has stars such as David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Jon Hamm, and Frances McDormand as God.
I think this adaptation is going to be in really, REALLY good hands.

Psst. A little teaser poster. pic.twitter.com/aTDTM8Xo3r
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) July 20, 2018

The First Major Look At Glass
The M.Night Shyamalan-verse is coming full circle with the film Glass, which is about the supervillain Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson) from Unbreakable teaming up with Split’s The Beast (and the other personalities played by James McAvoy) to cause major havoc. The only person who can stop them is Bruce Willis’ David Dunn. The trailer also showcases a psychiatrist who ties it all together, played by Sarah Paulson. Looks good so far!

Shazam Looks Like Big, But With Superheroes
Remember that Tom Hanks classic? Well imagine a naive child-like Superman taking the adult’s place, and you have the basic premise of Shazam.

Aquaman Trailer Is Anything But Fishy
Well, there’s a lot of sharks and seahorses/seadragons in it. But this is the second colourful DC Comics show we’ve seen this week. Compared to the awful Teen Titans clip, this is a lovely revelation indeed.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Gets A Reboot
The reboot of a schlock 80s film gets a reboot from its parent company 20th Century Fox (via Hollywood Reporter). And creator Joss Whedon is attached to the project to executive produce it. There’s no casting happening for this film yet, but there is an official plan to cast Buffy as a black woman and a conscious effort to have a diverse cast in general. We’re not really sure if this is needed.
J.J Abrams’ Take On Call of Duty’s Zombie Mode Announced
We wrote about it here. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:

Young Justice Season 3 Confirmed
Here’s a first look at the long-anticipated third season of the underrated Young Justice animated series, from writer/director Greg Weissman. You may remember that name if you’re familiar with the Disney show Gargoyles and the also-underrated Spectacular Spider-Man animated series.

James Gunn Out Of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Due To Stupid Stuff From The Past
Walt Disney announced during the SDCC week that it has severed ties with James Gunn from the third Guardians of the Galaxy film due to his past tweets concerning rape and pedophilia jokes (via Hollywood Reporter).


Simon & Richter Belmont + King K.Rool Are In Smash Bros.

After aeons of waiting, we finally have goddamn Castlevania characters in a Nintendo Smash Bros fighting game, and the last boss from the Donkey Kong Country games.
According to the latest Nintendo Direct video an hour ago, Simon and Richter Belmont are now playable characters in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch. They have their trademark Vampire Killer whips for footsies and zoning, their patented Axe, Holy Water, and Cross Boomerang attacks, and their whip uppercuts and dash slides.
Their Final Smash attack is a move where Simon/Richter shoves you in a coffin and blasts you with pillars of light shaped like crosses. And yes, you can do that move where you hold down the attack button and you flick the d-pad around to flick the whip like it’s on a spazz attack.
In case you couldn’t tell, Richter is Simon’s echo character; basically in Smash Bros. terms it means that they have the exact same moveset but have different character animations.

Next, we have King K.Rool, the giant crocodile who acts as the main antagonist to Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. He’s a big bruiser like Bowser, he has his pirate cannon gun, boxing gloves, and gyrocopter pack from his previous final boss stints, and he can parry attacks with his belly and dish out a good counter.
He can also throw his crown like a slow-moving hard-hitting boomerang. Sounds like he’s boss material like Bowser; big on heft and weight, but slow on his feet.

In other news, two echo fighters were announced: Chrom from Fire Emblem: Awakening and Dark Samus from Metroid Prime 3. One’s an echo character for Ike while the other is the echo character for, you guessed it, Samus.

New Donk City Hall is a stage. Players fight each other while on a moving elevator going up and down and all around with Pauline and her band playing that damn catchy “Jump Up, Superstar” theme.
We’ve listed down the other tidbits that piqued my interest from the latest Nintendo Direct:

Stages can morph by picking Random and then any two stages. Speaking of which, there are now 103 selectable stages in this Smash Bros. game.
You can turn off Stage Hazards.
You can tune up the frequency of stage music tracks.
There are more than 800 tracks in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and you can make a playlist out of it. Guess I’ll have to feature this on our yearly SoundScape Best Of video, eh?
Squad Battle is a new mode where you can have two teams of 5 battle it out in best of 3 matches.
New Training Mode stage that shows trajectory when you’re at x% damage and factors in weight. Very cool!
Monster Hunter’s Rathalos is a boss and an Assist Trophy. He’s the first to be both. He flies around, shoots out fireballs, and kicks you with its feet.

You can watch the full Nintendo Direct video below. I have to confess; after seeing this recent video, I might need to look at Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in a whole new light now.
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1530783987026011/


Everything You Need To Know About The SEA Games Esports Event

The 30th SEA Games this year will be a historic one as it’s the first SEA Games to feature esports as a medal event. We’ll see the best players from Southeast Asian countries compete in six games across three platforms throughout the six-day event. Here’s what you need to know:
The esports event will start on 5 December and end on 10 December 2019. It will be held at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines. Razer will be providing support for the hardware, software, and services of the event.
The games that will be played and their respective platforms:
PC
– DOTA 2
– StarCraft II
– Hearthstone
Consoles
– Tekken 7
Mobile
– Arena of Valor
– Mobile Legends Bang Bang
There will be medals for each game contested and all of them will be played at the venue mentioned above.
So there’s just about four months left for our athletes to get ready for the SEA Games. Recently it was announced that MasterRamen will be the Malaysian esports team manager. Let’s give him and our players the support and motivation they need!


Digimon Survive Sales Top 500K

Bandai Namco and developer HYDE announced that the physical and digital sales of its Digimon Survive adventure title has surpassed 500,000 units. Congratulations!
Digimon Survive is out right now for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC (Steam). If you love your visual novels spliced with some strategy RPG gameplay featuring not-Pokemon, this one’s for you.
For more Digimon news, check out our website.


Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage! Will Be Out In English This December

Sega’s upcoming mobile music rhythm game Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage! will be out in English worldwide on 7th December.
The game, where you play as virtual idols and fledging bands playing gigs in both the real and digital space, will be out for iOS and Android later this year. The game’s public beta test was successful; for its 2 weeks it engaged more than 60,000 players on both platforms in select English-speaking countries.
Sega also introduced the game’s cast, which consists of Project Diva characters and brand-new characters just for this music rhythm title. Here they are:

Leo/needÂ â€“ â€œThe High School Rock band,â€ formed by a group of four childhood friends who overcome their differences and reunite as a band to strengthen their friendship.
MORE MORE JUMP!Â â€“ â€œThe Idol group,â€ where a young girl who dreams of becoming an idol teams up with three girls who already faced the harsh reality of being a public idol. Will she achieve her dream?
Vivid BADÂ SQUADÂ â€“ â€œThe Street groupâ€, featuring a shy girl who enters the world of street music and joins a band trying to surpass a Legend.
Wonderlands x Showtime: â€œThe Entertainment group,â€ consisting of an eccentric group of entertainers who take up a deserted stage in a popular theme park to bring laughter and cheer to the world.
Nightcord at 25:00Â â€“ â€œThe Online Music group,â€ not knowing each otherâ€™s names and faces, four friends meet online to create music in the late hours of the night.

We’ve played the Japanese version for a year or so; it’s a really fun music rhythm game with an enhanced UI when compared to similar rhythm games like D4DJ and Bang! Dream Girl Party. Music-wise, if you love vocaloid pop songs and covers, this one could be your jam.


Immortals Fenyx Rising Gets Epic New Animated Trailer

Ubisoft has unveiled an epic new animated trailer ahead of the launch of Immortals Fenyx Rising.
Created by French advertising studio CLM BBDO, the Immortals Fenyx Rising animated trailer showcases the game’s protagonist, Fenyx, battling epic creatures such as the Minotaur, the Cyclop and the Griffin whileÂ How You Like Me NowÂ by The Heavy insolently plays in the background.

We can see her wield weapons like the Sword of Achilles, Axe ofÂ Atalanta, and Bow of Odysseus.

Developed by Assassinâ€™s Creed Odyssey studio Ubisoft Quebec, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a new open-world action-adventure game where players will assume the role of winged demigod Fenyx on a quest to save the Greek gods and their home from a dark curse.

Immortals Fenyx RisingÂ is slated to release onÂ 3 December 2020Â for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Amazon Luna and Nintendo Switch.


Sega Unveils First Look At Yakuza 8

Sega and RGG Studio originally announced that Yakuza 8, or a sequel to Yakuza Like A Dragon, was already in development back in October 2021. Fast-forward almost a year later, and we’ve finally received our first look at what Yakuza 8 looks like, as well as several new details about the upcoming game.
The first look at Yakuza 8 was unveiled via Famitsu and a new YouTube video hosted by Japanese MMA fighter / YouTuber Mirai Asakura. The 17-minute-long video shows Asakura visiting Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and seeing the developers in action, who are currently working on Yakuza 8. Therefore, our first look at Yakuza 8 is actually only through the computer screens of these developers at the studio.
It is said that Asakura himself will also appear in Yakuza 8, though it’s unknown whether he’ll be playable or an NPC.
The Famitsu article does reveal that Yakuza 8 will feature a new town and that returning Yakuza Like A Dragon protagonist will have his hair tied back instead of the afro he sported in the previous game. The YouTube video also confirms that there will be several other characters from Yakuza Like A Dragon returning for Yakuza 8.
These include:
Koichi Adachi.
Yu Nanba.
Ichiban Kasuga.
Besides that, we’ll probably have to wait a while until we get a proper trailer or gameplay footage of the game.
In the meantime, Check out our review for Yakuza Like A Dragon here and you can check out the full Yakuza 8 video below:


Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Manga Is Getting An Anime Adaptation

The Frieren Beyond Journey’s End (Soso No Frieren) manga by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe is officially getting an anime adaptation. The news was announced by Shogakukan (via Anime News Network), who also revealed the key visual for the anime (see below).
More details will be revealed at a later date.
According to Viz Media (who holds the manga license), the synopsis for Frieren Beyond Journey’s End reads:
The adventure is over but life goes on for an elf mage just beginning to learn what living is all about. Elf mage Frieren and her courageous fellow adventurers have defeated the Demon King and brought peace to the land. But Frieren will long outlive the rest of her former party. How will she come to understand what life means to the people around her?
Decades after their victory, the funeral of one her friends confronts Frieren with her own near immortality. Frieren sets out to fulfill the last wishes of her comrades and finds herself beginning a new adventure…
Yamada and Abe launched the manga in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine in April 2020. The eighth volume shipped on June 17.
The fantasy story follows the travels of Frieren, an elf who once journeyed on perilous adventures to defeat evil with stalwart comrades. When peace comes, she bears the burden of her long-lived race, and sees her friends pass away before her one by one. At the same time as she mourns the aging and passing of old relationships, she forms valuable new relationships in her travels.

The Frieren Beyond Journey’s End manga has won several awards, including the New Creator Prize for the 25th Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2021 and the 14th Manga Taisho Award in 2021. It was also recently nominated for Best Sh?nen Manga for Kodansha’s 45th annual Manga Awards in 2021 and the 46th awards in May.


Who Else Will Appear In Dissidia Final Fantasy NT? Let’s Guess

Earlier this year, the producer and developer of Dissidia Final Fantasy NT said that the game will have new characters as DLC in the future.Â So far, they’ve kept their word: players get to play as Final Fantasy XII’s big bad Vayne Solidor. They also will get Locke Cole from FFVI as a playable character later this year.
Here’s what we know so far, along with our best guesses for the remaining 4 character slots.

Vayne Solidor From FFXII is already out. Just like in FFXII, he fights with his fists although his Bravery and HP attacks are all Mist-infused greatsword swings. He also has his “hulked out” mode where he hits harder than usual.

Locke from FFVI will be out this June, according to a recent Square Enix livestream. He’s most likely an Assassin type; he moves fast, hits fast, and can make a quick getaway when needed.

A new female character from the newer half of numbered FF games will be slated for August. It’s a toss-up between Aranea Highwind from FFXV and Fang from FFXIII.

A new male from the newer half of the FF games will be out on October. Ardyn from FFXV might be a foil to Noctis who is already in the game.

A past Dissidia female contestant will be out in December. We’re guessing it’s Prishe from FFXI. Either that, or Yuna from FFX.

Finally, a new male from the newer half of the FF games will be out February 2019. Your guess is as good as ours, but we’re going with Zenos from FFXIV. Unless they plan on filling up the slots with FFXV characters, in which case Ignis will be a shoe-in.

You’re welcome to take a guess as to who should be next in line for the Dissidia NT treatment. Let us know!


Marvel’s Spider-Man PC Port Sales Top 1.5 Million & Made PlayStation Bank

It’s a windfall of a year for Sony Interactive Entertainment.
The company has announced that its total sales of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered have surpassed 1.5 million units. The version of the game has generated US$52 million in revenue.
Meanwhile, The Last Of Us Part 1 PC port has surpassed 368,000 units, generating US$15.5 million in revenue despite its rocky launch.
Both games are currently out now. Check out more of Marvel’s Spider-Man and The Last Of Us Part 1 on our site.


Hogwarts Legacy Leak Reveals Alleged Game Length & Other Details

Beware of major spoilers, Harry Potter and Wizarding World fans. Copies of the Hogwarts Legacy official art book have seemingly been released early, with keen players now getting early glimpses of what to expect from the game. They’ve been shared on Twitter and Reddit, including images that show off more of the game.
According to the leaks, Hogwarts Legacy be around 35 hours for the main story and more than 70 hours for those looking to complete everything 100 percent. The game will apparently also feature teachers like Professor Dinah Hecat and Professor Mirabel Garlick, Quidditch, and iconic settings such as the Great Hall and Diagon Alley.
It all looks like good stuff, and 35 hours is a decent length for an open-world game. However, hopefully a lot of time is filled with good gameplay and not just the usual open-world padding. There will probably be a lot that fans will find interesting in the game.
Hogwarts Legacy is launching for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam on 10 February 2023, followed by PS4 and Xbox One on 4 April 2023, and Nintendo Switch on 25 July 2023.


FIFA 23’s Fastest Feature Players From Across The Globe

EA SPORTS has released a list of FIFA 23’s Fastest Players in celebration of the game’s release on 27 September.
The amount of diversity in this list is mind-blowing with players from across the world. Each and every player on this list hails from a unique team.
At the number 1 spot, with a Pace rating of 97, we have Kylian Mbappé from Paris Saint-Germain. Following this, we have Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Adama Traoré at second with a 96. Tied in third all with a rating of 95 we have Real Madrid’s Vinícius Jr, Fulham’s Daniel James, and Sheraldo Becker from Union Berlin.

FASTEST PLAYERS

NAME
TEAM
POSITION
OVR
PACE

Kylian Mbappé
Paris Saint-Germain
ST
91
97

Adama Traoré
Wolverhampton Wanderers
RW
79
96

Vinícius Jr.
Real Madrid
LW
86
95

Daniel James
Fulham
RM
77
95

Sheraldo Becker
1. FC Union Berlin
ST
76
95

Gerrit Holtmann
VfL Bochum
LW
74
94

Iñaki Williams
Athletic Club de Bilbao
ST
81
94

Sebastián Villa
Boca Juniors
LW
77
94

Ismaïla Sarr
Watford
RM
77
94

Kevin Schade
SC Freiburg
RM
70
94

Alex Bangura
SC Cambuur
LB
69
94

Alphonso Davies
Bayern München
LB
84
94

Jeremie Frimpong
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
RB
80
94

Jeremiah St. Juste
Sporting CP
CB
76
93

Theo Hernández
Milan
LB
85
93

Frank Acheampong
Shenzhen FC
ST
76
93

Ruan
Orlando City SC
RB
67
93

Ousmane Dembélé
FC Barcelona
RW
83
93

Hirving Lozano
Napoli
RW
81
93

Noah Okafor
RB Salzburg
ST
75
93


Galaxy Z Fold 3 Is 2021’s All-Rounder Smart Device

Lay out all of the gadgets you regularly use on a daily basis. Your smartphone, laptop(s), perhaps your wireless headset or earbuds and even your tablet if you happen to have one. Oh, you are one of the few people in 2021 who carries around a dedicated camera as well? Add that as well.
Quite a stash isn’t it? Which leads to this question: how do you streamline all of this into one?
Of course, something has got to give and to have access to all technology, one will almost always have to sacrifice space. But what if we told you that in the Galaxy Z Fold 3, you can have all the items listed above, in a device crammed with flagship-tier specs with extra bells and whistles to boot?
On par (specs-wise) with many flagship phones of 2021, the Z Fold 3 comes with the Snapdragon 888 chip, Adreno 660 GPU, a screen with 120hz refresh rate (non adaptive, sadly) and a premium build.
If there’s a phone that embodies ‘jack of all trades, master of none’, the Z Fold 3 is easily a prime candidate to fill that role.

If we are to liken this device to say, a professional football player and in the S21 and its Apple contemporary, the iPhone 12 and 13 are akin to the flashy forwards in Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar; the Z Fold 3 carries a more workman-like vibe in Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. In no way lacking in talent, this device is an all-rounder which can be relied on in many scenarios, especially for the work-centric power user.
If you were put off by the ‘Fold’ line due to issues in the past, worry not. Tougher and more durable than its past iterations, the Fold 3 is the most robust one to date. Certified IPX8, this latest Fold device is water-resistant but like its slimmer cousin the Flip 3Â , isn’t immune to dust. It will survive your standard drops or the occasional spills but considering its heft, we would definitely recommend slapping on a shock-proof case on your device and coating the outer screen with a protector considering the lack of a lip protecting the glass portion.
Still, you can now with confidence switch in between the two modes without worrying about the screen cracking and giving way. Samsung claims that their latest foldables are made of sturdier and longer-lasting material.
We’ll take their word for it as throughout our daily usage of the Z Fold 3 for this review, did not notice any compromise to the structure; both the hinge mechanism or even the folded glass parts.
Two Modes, One Device
Always dreamt of a device with a huge screen yet compact at the same time? Then you’re in luck as this is literally the Fold line’s party trick. Throughout our review period, we spent a bulk of our time using the ‘outer’ 6.2in screen of the Z Fold 3. Due to its folded form, the phone does appear thicker and taller in this state. This is a fully-functional screen which allows you to run any app on it, from standard messaging to scanning QR codes at shopping premises to playing games like Call of Duty Mobile or PUBG.
This is great in several ways. First, it does not necessitate opening up the phone each time you want to interact with it and second, it subconsciously shape how you interact with your devices. The actions of opening up the Z Fold 3 is a deliberate one now. It also helps conserve battery in the long run as running a smaller screen equals better battery efficiency.
Our favourite part? The slim form of the phone when clasped allows easy navigation with one hand so you don’t need to worry about appearing ridiculous slapping a huge slab of glass to your cheek when picking up calls. It is weighty by modern phones standards but since the weight is distributed evenly throughout, is actually quite comfortable to the grip.

And when we feel like consuming media be it Netflix, Youtube, Disney+ or for some strange reason, a blown-up, disproportionate version of Twitter and Instagram, ‘unfolding’ the device presents the second ‘mode’ which is wider and thinner overall. The ‘inside’ 7.6in screen is bright enough for outdoor consumption and you get a stereo experience with two speakers blasting from grills situated at the top and bottom of the phone.
Yes, the crease is noticeable but just like on the Flip 3, does very little to affect our viewing experience. The fact that the crease is vertical means that we have fewer instances of having our fingers swipe over it.
While the Z Fold 3 could definitely use a larger and longer-lasting battery, we feel the final product is like a mid-point between design, functionality and the limits of present-day engineering so we won’t be too hard on them for it. Also with Samsung actively pushing the bluetooth ear buds market, it is understandable that there are no headphone jacks added to the Z Fold 3. These are definite negatives but alas, compromises we can live with what is essentially two phones wrapped, I mean folded, into one.
Snappy Snap
The cameras on the Fold 3 are good, but not great. Yet they are still able to deliver high quality photos which tend to fall on the vibrant side of things – a trait common with Samsung’s photo processing. The triple camera setup in the rear consist of the main, telephoto and ultrawide 12MP cameras. Good enough for your kid’s birthday party, posting on social media and the occasional roadside fender benders us Malaysians time and time have been guilty of.
Since the hinges on the Z Fold 3 are firm and stays in place at almost any angle, you are able to adjust your phone into a make-shift stand to take selfies or even accept video calls. The fourth camera is situated at the top of the outer screen.
This 10MP camera can be used for selfies or TikTok-ing – if you’re into that.

Also, let’s be real. Unless you are a hobbyist or a professional photographer, these specs delivers more than what you’ll ever need. Otherwise, you should be focusing on a different phone altogether – like the Galaxy S21 Ultra perhaps.
The fifth camera is an engineering marvel yet a questionable move in the grander scheme of things. It is worth mentioning that there is no notch in the Fold 3. Instead, the camera is hidden behind the screen. This presents us with a seamless square when watching videos full screen on opened mode. However, if you look closely, you can spot where the pixels are less dense. The front camera is also not something worth shouting about. In short, it looks like it’s taken from a 2016 device. Samsung should just stick with a punch hole aesthetic moving forward. The inside screen is hidden 99% of the time anyway.
Looking for an upgrade to your Galaxy Note device? Boy, do we have news for you.
The Pen Is Mightier…
When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Fold 3, certain sections of the tech community gasped at the thought that they won’t be getting a new iteration of their beloved Note device. ‘Unbelievable!’ cried the crowd.
However, after spending a good two weeks with the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, I want to tell them this – They can step back and take a long sigh of relief as they not only get a worthy successor to the Galaxy Note 20. The Z Fold 3, in some aspects, bring some significant upgrades from the device which was released in 2020. The inner or wider screen is S Pen compatible which in turn, presents a totally new experience with the Z Fold 3. The experience of writing, doodling and scribbling can be simply described as wonderful. The input is super responsive and I did not notice any lag.
I do, however, have some issues with the implementation.Â  Firstly, the Z Fold 3 doesn’t come with a method to store the S Pen which leads to us thinking that the S Pen support was more of an afterthought. Secondly, the S Pen is sold separately. So if you intend to experience the Z Fold 3 to its full potential, you must be ready to spend a few extra bucks.
In The Fold
Overall the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 presents a compact, multi-faceted smartphone which is geared for those wanting to eke as much as possible from their smart device. This is definitely NOT a device for the casual user.
The fact that Samsung was able to tick a lot of boxes through one sole device should be commended but it doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement.
Pros

Brilliant build.
All-round workhorse.
Comes with S Pen support.
You’re essentially getting two devices!

Cons

Subpar battery life.
No expandable storage.
Lack of S Pen storage.

Final Score: 80/100

Vital Statistics
Platform: Android 11, One UI 3.1.1
Body: Unfolded: 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4 mm; Folded: 158.2 x 67.1 x 14.4-16 mm
Build: Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
Chipset: Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)
CPU: Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680)
GPU: Adreno 660
Display: Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak)
Cover display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus; 6.2 inches, 832 x 2268 pixels, 25:9 ratio
Memory (Internal, non-expandable): 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM UFS 3.1 – non-expandable
Main Cameras:
12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76″, 1.8Âµm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6″, 1.0Âµm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom
12 MP, f/2.2, 123Ëš, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.12Âµm
Vide: 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@960fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+
Sound: Stereo speakers. No jacks given
Battery: Li-Po 4400 mAh, non-removable; Fast charging 25W; Fast wireless charging 11W; Reverse wireless charging 4.5W
Price: RM6699 (256GB/ 12GB); RM7099 (512GB/12GB) via Samsung Malaysia
A review unit of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 was sent to us for review courtesy of Samsung Malaysia.


M’sian & S’porean Ladies Compete In UniPin’s Ladies Series

UniPin is opening doors for female esports athletes in Malaysia and Singapore by providing an avenue for them to live out their passions and compete in by holding the Mobile Legends UniPin Ladies Series MY/SG 2022.
As the leading Digital Entertainment Enabler for online games and digital products across the world, UniPin is opening more doors for female Malaysian gamers to make their mark in the Southeast Asian region, specifically through its UniPin Ladies Series MYSG competitions.
Increasing the prize pool to RM7500 this season, UniPin recently concluded its qualifiers where 19 all-women teams from Malaysia and Singapore went head-to-head.

Only eight out of the 19 teams could secure a spot in the regular season playoffs. Five of which were Malaysian teams; Rose Ophelia, the second-place winners from the previous championship, HomeGirls, Red Roses, Madness Aubrey and Revolta Siren. The other three teams were from Singapore, Forsaken Odyssey, Reborn and GGFE SG.
Once disregarded as a pointless hobby, video gaming has now evolved into a revenue-generating global esports industry. The growing viewership, media attention and the number of investors is propelling the industry forward, along with the mass adoption of technology and experiential trends by millennials worldwide.
“This is our second all female competition and we are happy to see so many Malaysian teams dominating in the qualifiers. The UniPin Ladies Series creates a platform for female gamers to celebrate the competitiveness of esports, as well as build their confidence in a competition setting. By providing a steppingstone for female gamers where they feel comfortable to compete, we believe will encourage them to perform even better on a bigger battleground where winners of each country get to represent their country for Regional Championship at the annual UniPin SEACA,”
– Deborah Imanuella, Senior VP of UniPin Community
At the 2019 SEA Games, esports, for the first time, became an official medal sport. Although China, Japan, Korea and the US are considered esports pioneers, reports have showed that the Southeast Asian countries booming with gamer numbers are Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

The UniPin Ladies Series MYSG 2022 is supported by Boost, the fintech arm of Axiata through Game Connect, the one-stop gaming storefront solution as the Official Game Store. Boost’s Game Connect links games publishers to over 20 million Malaysian gamers, providing them with an end-to-end solution for their gaming needs.
“We are excited to be a partner of the UniPin Ladies Series Tournament as we hope this will encourage more women to be a part of an inclusive and diverse gaming community. Boost’s Game Connect offers a variety of top gaming titles and this partnership further builds upon that by allowing us to better engage with the gaming community,”
– Raja Mansukhani, CEO of Boost Connect
The tournament is also championed by TikTok, the official streaming partner as well as the eGG Network, mStar and Tech Storm, as supporting media partners, who share in the values and mission of promoting inclusivity and diversity within the esports industry.
UniPin has been facilitating gamers in the Southeast Asia region for easier top-up access and hosting several successful female-only tournaments in various Southeast Asian countries.
Where Can We Watch This?
All matches of the UniPin Ladies Series MYSG 2022 will be held online and you can catch the stream on UniPin’s YouTube channel, Facebook and TikTok.
For more details and information can be accessed on their website or their Instagram accounts @unipin_malaysia, @unipincommunity and @unipinladiesseries.


Xbox Will Get First & Better Versions Of Bethesda Games

Since Microsoft announced their acquisition of Bethesda in September 2020, many gamers have been wondering if it also means that Xbox will receive preferential treatment over that on platforms owned by other companies.
We now have the answer (sort of).
During the Jefferies Interactive Entertainment Virtual Conference on 12 November 2020 (as transcribed by Seeking Alpha), Xbox Chief Financial Officer Tim Stuart said games are either going to be “first or better or best” on Xbox Series X and PC.
He also reassured that while that’s the case, they won’t be “pulling content from platforms in one way or another”. That’s good news for PlayStation and Nintendo fans, at least.
Sure, we’re still unclear on what “first or better or best” exactly means as of now, but they probably mean that the Xbox and PC players will get early access to future Bethesda games, as well as additional benefits like special DLC or improvements.
Xbox is still looking for more studios to acquire, so it seems like we have a lot more to expect from the company in the near future.


Like A Dragon Ishin Unveils New Interview With Asian Ambassadors

SEGA has appointed sexy Japanese actresses Yui Hatano, Yuna Ogura, and Kana Momonogi as Asia Ambassadors for the upcoming Like A Dragon Ishin. The three actresses are in the video for the karaoke track “Ichizu Samurai (Truehearted Samurai)” and, as Asia Ambassadors, will promote the game moving forward.
In the interview, the new Asia Ambassadors tell us about the appeal of the game, their favourite characters, their memories of filming and recording, and more. Be sure to watch this interview full of exclusive content.

				Yui Hatano

				Yuna Ogura

				Kana Momonogi

Like A Dragon Ishin launches for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 22 February 2023.
Check out the interview below:


What You Need To Know About Fire Emblem’s Cindered Shadows DLC

This short guide to Fire Emblem’s latest expansion is still in development…
Fire Emblem: Three Houses‘ latest DLC, Cindered Shadow, is now out in the wilds and available on the Nintendo Eshop. But what is it, really? Is it a side story? Is it part of the main campaign?
Well, the answer’s pretty easy: it’s a side story you can play right off the bat once you’re on the menu screen and once you downloaded the DLC. Let’s break it down:
Length
Cindered Shadows‘ side story campaign is 8 to 10 hours long. This DLC expects you to know the ins and outs of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, because these missions are tough as hell and you have limited funds for upgrades and purchases.
Luckily, some of these missions will let you use mainstays like Edelgard, Dimitri, Claude, Lindhardt, Ashe, and lazy bitch Hilda.
New Characters

Cindered Shadows bring in four new characters from the Ashen Wolves house: female mage Constance, muscle-bound Balthus, androgynous sword-wielder Yuri, and the nihilistic Valkyrie Hapi. You will control these four for all of the Side Story campaign. Once you’ve completed Chapter 1 of the side story, you can then recruit them in the main game and will be at level 20.
Whether you’re just beginning or midway, you can recruit the four of them like you would any student in the monastery.
New Classes
Cindered Shadows adds four classes to the game: the Dark Flier, the War Cleric, the Trickster, and the Valkyrie.
The Dark Flier is an aerial class that casts magic and use swords. It’s designed to kill mages, as it gets a +3 bonus to its stats if it’s hit with a magic spell.
The War Cleric is a warrior class that uses axes and fists. They have a Combat Art called Distant Hit that hits enemies with a magic attack from 1-2 range.
The Trickster is a jack-of-all-trades class that uses swords, Faith, and Reason spells. They also have a Trick skill that lets them swap positions with any ally within five spaces of them.
The Valkyrie is a Faith and Reason female-only spellcaster on a horse. Their Reason spells have longer range compared to other classes.
To get these classes, you’ll need to use an Abyssian Exam Pass. That item will also be available after Chapter 1 of the side story campaign.


Hitman Trilogy Will Be Free on Xbox Game Pass; Also Available For Other Platforms This January

IO Interactive is bringing its awesome episodic reboot of the Hitman stealth action game in a worthy bundle.
The Hitman Trilogy, which is basically all the episodic Hitman games from the first to the third one that came out last year, will be available on 20th January for Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC (via Steam and Epic Game Store). The trilogy will also be on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass on the same date.
In addition, IO Interactive showcased more upcoming episodes and modes for Hitman 3: Elusive Target Arcade (one chance to take down target; have to wait the next day if you fail) and VR mode (for PC). These modes will be available on 20th January as well.
Hitman 3’s other new game mode, Freelancer, will be out this Spring. This mode lets you build up your safehouse, choose your own assassination campaigns, work your way up to the top, and repeat in roguelike fashion. Unlike in other Hitman missions, you can buy stuff from suppliers mid-mission to kit yourself up.


This Is Why Li-Shang Isn’t In The Mulan Movie

Disney’s live-action remake of the beloved 1998 animated classic Mulan has been controversial from the very beginning. One of the biggest pet peeves fans had with the upcoming movie was the absence of fan-favourite character and Mulan’s love interest, Captain Li-Shang.
Not only was he handsome and captivated the hearts of many, but Li-Shang was also responsible for one of the most iconic songs in all of Disney, ‘I’ll Make A Man Out Of You’. He was an integral part of what makes 1998’s Mulan so great.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVcLIfSC4OE&w=560&h=315]
According to Mulan producer Jason Reed, the reason why there won’t be Li-Shang in the live-action Mulan movie is because of the Me Too movement that sparked in 2017 with the rise of sexual abuse allegations against Hollywood’s Harvey Weinstein.
Yes, really.
He said (via Collider):

“I think particularly in the time of the #MeToo movement, having a commanding officer that is also the sexual love interest was very uncomfortable and we didnâ€™t think it was appropriate.”

Reed goes to clarify that there will still technically be two Li-Shang-type characters in the Mulan movie, as the character has been split into two different characters.

â€œWe split Li Shang into two characters.
One became Commander Tung (Donnie Yen) who serves as her surrogate father and mentor in the course of the movie.
The other is Chen Honghui (Yoson An) who is [Mulanâ€™s] equal in the squad.â€

It looks like Mulan will probably be falling in love with this Honghui guy, though it won’t be the same for fans of the animated classic.

New Zealand actor Yoson An (who portrays Chen Honghui) describes his character’s relationship with Mulan:

“They start off on the wrong foot, really.
As they progress through the training together, they kind of have this unspoken bond about it because they recognize each otherâ€™s warrior spirit.
Thatâ€™s how they kind of build their friendship up to begin with, through the training and acknowledging each other.
I see this film as a different variation from the animated version and the original story of The Ballad of Mulan.
I kind of took a different angle from Li Shangâ€™s character.
I canâ€™t really say to a lot of how that will come across but there is a multi-dimensional layer to him and the audience will be able to see that when they watch the movie.”

Disneyâ€™s Mulan is slated to premiere on 27 March 2020. In the meantime, check out the latest trailer below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-eFm–k21c&w=560&h=315]


Prince of Persia Sands of Time Remake Will Not Be At E3 2021

Sad news for folks waiting for the Prince of Persia remake.
This year’s Ubisoft Forward E3 event will not be featuring Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. However, the official Twitter post stated that the team is making “great progress” for the game to release next year.

A message from the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake dev team: pic.twitter.com/3B8tgUGkwl
— Prince of Persia (@princeofpersia) June 7, 2021

The fact that the game is being developed in Ubisoft Pune and Ubisoft Mumbai, both in India, means that it may be facing issues outside of its control. Like oh say a COVID-19 strain that is hitting the country harder than others. With that context, it makes sense that the company is not ready to show off anything as of yet, seeing that the Ubisoft studios are making sure that the environment they’re in is work safe in troubled times.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake will be out in 2022 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles, as well as for PC.


The ePremier League Returns In 2021, Clubs Looking For Players

The Premier League’s ePremier League (ePL) competition is returning for its third year and season, offering UK-based players of FIFA 21 the chance to represent their favourite Premier League club in a virtual football tournament.
From 1am GMT+8 on 4 December 2020, FIFA 21 players who live in the United Kingdom can register to take part in the ePL
It’s important to note that the ePL is only open to UK residents aged 16 and over. Sorry to the Premier League fans outside of the UK. To register to play in this yearâ€™s 2020-21 ePL tournament, head on over to this link.
The good news for Liverpool fans is that Liverpool FC is currently looking for its next representative to follow in the footsteps of last year’s Donovan â€˜Tekkzâ€™ Hunt.

The #ePremierLeague is back for the third year ?Here's more information on how you could represent the Reds ??— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 26, 2020

Top-ranking FIFA player Tekkz was the ePL champion in 2019, becoming the first ever player to win the ePL trophy after defeating Manchester Unitedâ€™s Kyle Leese in the grand final.
During the second season, he managed to reach the 2020 finals alongside fellow teammate Oliver Hall, who represented Liverpool FC on the PS4.
Speaking on the Liverpool FC official website, Tekkz said:
â€œBeing part of the ePL is one of the highlights of my year, being able to represent my team in such a competitive tournament like this is a dream.But then going on to win it, well the feeling is indescribable. Each year is just as exciting as the last, if not more so â€“ you never know who exactly youâ€™re going to be coming up against and there are some really incredible players. Winning is not an easy task but I love how competitive it is. For those thinking of signing up, Iâ€™d definitely say you should give it a go and I might see you on the virtual pitch.â€
Besides Liverpool, all 20 Premier League clubs will also be looking for their best 16 players from the qualifying rounds, who will progress to the live club play-offs to compete for a place in the grand finals.

There will be two representatives for each football club; one on the PS4 and the other on Xbox One.
The ePL online qualifiers will start on 4 January 2021. The final will be played sometime in March 2021, which will be broadcasted live on Sky Sports and the Premier League’s social media channels.
Besides taking home the trophy and a share of the Â£40,000 prize pot, there will also be seats on offer for top-ranking players at the FIFA 21 Global Series (FGS) European Play-offs.


Death Stranding Is Drifting Towards PC Shores

Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding was first revealed back at E3 2016. The debut trailer began with a portion of William Blake’s poem Auguries of Innocence followed by the words “Sony Interactive Entertainment presents”. Since that moment, we were all convinced that Death Stranding is going to be a PS4 exclusive.
A Resetera user named vestan recently found evidence that Death Stranding may not be a PS4 exclusive after all. He found that the game had been quietly removed from the list of PS4 exclusive games available on the official Playstation website.
To confirm that it was indeed removed, he even linked to an archive that kept a version of the webpage prior to the game’s removal. Up to 31 May 2019, Death Stranding was still listed as a PS4 exclusive.
It was also noted that the cover art for the game didn’t have the usual Only on Playstation banner printed on it.
Note the lack of “Only on Playstation” on Death Stranding’s cover.
Vestan further supports his argument with an archived Q&A with Kojima Productions posted by EU Playstation community manager Pad Poet. The Q&A was done in 2015 and has clear mentions of a PC release of Death Stranding.

Q6. What other platforms will Kojimaâ€™s first independent title be available on, besides PS4?
The title is planned to become available on PC (after PS4).
Q7. How long is the exclusivity?
We are not disclosing details.
Q8. Will Kojimaâ€™s second title (and beyond) not be PlayStation console exclusives?
We announced an agreement regarding Kojimaâ€™s first title, and SCE cannot comment on titles beyond that.
– from Kojima Productions Q&A with Sony Computer Entertainment.

Of course, there hasn’t been any official confirmation of a PC version but all this evidence strongly suggest will come to PC but perhaps a long while after its PS4 release. Otherwise, Sony might be seeing a lot of cancelled pre-orders.


Does Final Fantasy 16 And Its Turn To Pure Action Bear Labyrinthos-Level Fruit?

Platform: PS5
Genre: Action RPG
The Final Fantasy Japanese role-playing game series have always evolved and got with the times, changing for better or for worse. From turn-based to active time battle shenanigans, and from simple plots to 11-character stories interweaving into one major arc, Squaresoft/Square Enix does not shy away from rocking the boat when it comes to its meal ticket.
So what happens when it’s rocked so hard, it possibly lost sight of what it truly is? Well, one could argue that the latest Final Fantasy 16 is doing that. But given how past titles like Crisis Core FFVII and Final Fantasy Type-0 during the late PSP era days were using real-time action systems for its RPG base, it just feels like a natural progression and a bold move, if I’m being honest.
Hell, the last entry (Final Fantasy 15) is less reliant on menus with fights going in real time and warping sword action that could make Dante blush, so it’s only a matter of time until the next game took some form of real-time inputs, making its fanbase adapt with on-the-fly decisions. So why not get the folks who made character action games (like ex-Capcom combat designer Ryota Suzuki and the PlatinumGames group) to handle that huge portion of the game to spice things up? Leave the storytelling to RPG veterans like SaGa series battle director Hiroshi Takai and FFXIV scribes Kazutoyo Maehiro and Michael-Christopher Koji Fox who want to make something a little different and boom! Final Fantasy 16.
Is it a good kind of different though?

Fantasy Strike

Final Fantasy 16 is focused on the warrior knight Clive Rosfield as he goes through a lot of hell in his life. After experiencing a tragedy during his younger years serving as a Shield for his brother Joshua Rosfield, he gets embroiled in a quest to free his fellow Branded from oppressive leaders and nations all across the world of Valisthea. Joining him is his childhood friend Jill, his loyal attack dog Torgal, his mentor Cid, spymaster Gav, and a slew of other heroes I won’t spoil because this is a game I’d recommend going in blind. Particularly if you’re into the style of JRPG storytelling.
FF16’s story is packed to the gil with drama, intrigue, violence, and a lot of dark fantasy motifs with political intrigue laced in most of its script. Director Hiroshi Takai, producer Naoki Yoshida, and many other leads of the project went for this dark path; while FF has its share of dark themes (see FF6 and FF10), this one’s clearly influenced by mature fantasy shows and series like Game of Thrones. I’m all for it; the game’s plot is played straight and knee-deep in gravitas. There are a lot of fantastical elements and tropes like the series’ Summons playing a major part here while contextualising the world perfectly. Its worldbuilding is made easy to digest thanks to the Active Time Lore prompt you can activate whenever you pause a cutscene and need to take a breather.
Just like with Final Fantasy 6 and Final Fantasy 10, the plot is well-structured here and will captivate you from start to finish; 30+ hours give or take. Keep in mind, however, that this game loves its cutscenes so your mileage may vary.
But what of the game though? Thankfully there’s a lot of it, and it all revolves around Clive hitting things with his sword and magic spells. This Final Fantasy title eschews classic menus and turn-based/action hybrid systems in favour of just turning into a character action title not unlike the Devil May Cry series, though it keeps its linear dungeon designs and semi-open-world overworld segments intact. You have regular attacks, evade, parry, and even have special character action staples like enemy jump steps, charged melee and ranged attacks, and even a lunge that’s basically Dante’s Stinger move.
Clive is what you call a one-man army in Final Fantasy 16. He starts off with Phoenix powers, but throughout the course of the story, he will gain Eikon powers he can switch between, from the Wind-based Garuda to the Earth-based Titan. He will get other elements each with their own playstyles and attacks. The Dark element lets you switch to an attack that initially seems weaker, but deals huge burst damage if you accumulated enough power from its set of Dark powers. The Ice element lets you do a dash that freezes enemies in the way.
Each Eikon/Element has its own trademark skill mapped onto the Circle button; Fire has a teleport, while Wind has a grab move that’s basically Nero’s Snatch. There’s also a Stagger mechanic similar to FFXIII; hit big enemies enough and deplete their defense, and you can stun them for a few seconds for you to use your best attacks and spells against them. Each of your skills have both a regular and stagger damage value; some of them are better at killing smaller foes who hang out in groups, while others are single-target and are better counterattack options that weaken their defense meter significantly. Suddenly, unlocking these powerups and Eikon powers becomes a selective process, as you need to mix and match ones that fit your playstyle and the boss you’ll be facing.
With a good amount of skills you can unlock, you’re sure to find three combinations of Eikons you’ll mostly use from start to finish; personally, I just went for Fire, Earth, and Lightning for the mid and endgame. Fire spells like Ignite lets me charge through enemies like a fiery caboose, while Earth lets me pull off sick blocks and armoured moves to stagger enemies quicker. You can also command your dog Torgal to attack and continue your combo if you’re juggling foes; combos are easier to do the more Eikons you unlock.

The best part after you’ve sunk 30+ hours into the main game? You can experiment further when you open up the game’s New Game Plus mode called Final Fantasy Mode, where the level cap is up to 99 and you can fight tougher enemies with all your unlocked skills.
If this still all feels overwhelming to you and want some time-slowing prompts, you can opt to equip the special Timely items that either slow time down for you to press the evade/parry prompts, make you auto-dodge, and more. You get them at the start of the game, and with the action being pretty challenging, there’s no shame in using these if you’re just before entering a tough fight.
And the majority of these fights in the story are nothing if breathtaking, especially with their accompanying epic scores and visual splendour tech Square Enix and its partners are renowned for.

Big Mode
Not only do you fight as Clive with his sword alongside Torgal, you will also control Clive in his Ifrit Eikon form in epic setpieces and fights clearly influenced by the Godzilla series. These kaiju-sized battles showcase Square Enix’s talent for all-out flair and action sequences. You’re going to want to take a breather after one of these battles because they control great, they know how to test you, and offer their series of challenges that make you use your Eikons to the fullest. The quick time events in the middle of bouts also accentuate the fights themselves, not wearing out their welcome but also making them a treat to witness and participate in.
You’d be shaken to the core as you witness what Ifrit can do to other Eikons 10 times his size, and ones that can fly and shoot “ion cannon lasers”. Or seeing classic FF beasts of yesteryear getting the epic FF16 hyper-action treatment; I know I was. You’ll even chuckle at some of the picks for optional boss fights in the form of Hunts (search for a high-level target in corners of Valisthea), as some of them are lovingly-made classic FF references. And keeping true to older Final Fantasy games, the reaches of space are somehow involved. You really have to be a joyless rube to not be impressed and entertained by these spectacles.

Having said that, there is some padding in the main quest with some fetch quests and extra fights the game could do without. However, you’re given the option to fast travel and the loading’s super-fast, so it’s more a nitpick than an actual pacing problem. Some sidequests are worth partaking in, be it for extra crafting rewards, some insight into the grim world of Valisthea, or additional unlocks like the Chocobo mount which speeds up travel time exponentially.

Amazing Fantasy

To answer the title of this review: yes, Final Fantasy 16’s action gambit bore ripe and juicy fruit. Final Fantasy 16 is a stellar and noteworthy entry in the series that’s just as impactful as Final Fantasy 6 and Final Fantasy 7’s debut back in their respective heydays. And that is not a statement I make lightly, given my knowledge and fascination with the series stemming back to its landmark SNES days.
FF16’s real-time action combat might be a huge left turn for those used to the game’s active time battle-esque system in the heyday, but it’s fun to get into and has its slew of mechanics that will entertain and challenge you. It has everything you want out of a semi-linear role-playing game: action, challenge, a fun battle system, an epic self-contained plot using many of Final Fantasy’s established tropes but with a grimmer slant, and a breathtaking score that’s sure to win music composer Masayoshi Soken a ton of year-end awards. The game could use a slight trim at some parts, but the overall package is just too good not to buy a PlayStation 5 for.
Final Fantasy 16 walks that fine line of style and substance with grace: it’s a visual and audio splendour attached to a fresh game perspective that’s familiar yet fun, tailored for new players and veterans of the series who welcome change.

Pros

Sublime musical score.
Lovely graphics & world-building.
Appropriately dark plot catered for older RPG fans.
Awesome combat system with a fair challenge level and replayability.
Fantastic setpiece battles & “kaiju” fights.

Cons

Some dungeons can be a bit dark and muddy navigation-wise.
Noticeable padding in quests.

Final Score: 90/100
Review copy provided by Sony PlayStation Asia.


Sega’s Yakuza Producer Steps Down As Company CCO

Sega’s going through some corporate restructuring, and with it some changes. A major one includes the position of the Yakuza series general director Toshihiro Nagoshi.
The main man behind Kiryu Kazuma and Ichiban Kasuga’s exploits will retire as chief creative officer (CCO) of Sega (via Famitsu). He will instead serve as the company’s creative director starting 1st April. The company’s management system will be as follows:

Hajime Satomi â€“ Honorary Chairman of the Board
Haruki Satomi â€“ Chairman and CEO, Representative Director
Yukio Sugino â€“ President and COO, Representative Director
Shigeru Yamashita â€“ Vice Chairman of the Board (in charge of Amusement Contents Business HQ)
Shuji Utsumi â€“ Co-COO, Director of the Board (Head of Game Contents & Service Business HQ, Project Management HQ)
Tatsuyuki Miyazaki â€“ Executive Vice President, Director of the Board (Head of West Studios Business HQ, Deputy Head of Game Contents & Service Business HQ)
Hideo Yoshizawa â€“ Senior Vice President, Director of the Board (in charge of Corporate Division)
Taketo Oshima â€“ Senior Vice President, Director of the Board (Head of Amusement Contents Business HQ, Managing Director of MD Division)

Sega, or Sega Sammy Group in this instance, has announced an absorption-type corporate split of Sammy and Sega to “transform its business structure to adapt to the external environmentâ€ and â€œbuild an even more efficient structure for the head office operations of the Group”. This is also happening on 1st April.


Check Out The Full DC FanDome Schedule In Malaysian Time (Update)

Originally published on 14th August.
(Updated on 20th August 2020):
Warner Bros. has announced that DC FanDome will be split into two days; with the Hall Of Heroes programming scheduled to take place on 23 August 2020 and the rest of the content happening next month on 13 September 2020.
Most of the movie and games panels will be held on 23 August 2020 starting from 1am GMT+8 onwards. Check out the full schedule below:

DC FanDome is a free online virtual event dedicated to fans of DC Comics, whether that means comics, movies, TV shows or video games.
The event will feature over 100 hours of programming for fans to take part in, including panels with people from DC productions, exclusive world premieres, behind-the-scenes looks at worlds and characters from the DC Universe, fan-curated content, and more.
These include new announcements from WB Games as well as an unprecedented opportunity to hear from the casts and creators behind your favourite feature films and TV series, including Aquaman, The Batman, Batwoman, Black Adam, Black Lightning, DC Super Hero Girls, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, DC’s Stargirl, Doom Patrol, The Flash, Harley Quinn, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Lucifer, Pennyworth, SHAZAM!, The Suicide Squad, Supergirl, Superman & Lois, Teen Titans GO!, Titans, Watchmen, Young Justice: Outsiders and Wonder Woman 1984.

Below weâ€™ve included the entire DC FanDome Schedule according to Malaysian time and how you can watch them.
How To Watch DC FanDome
You can head over to theÂ official DC FanDome Schedule, create an account (it’s free), and browse through all the programming featured. You can actually make your own personalised schedule and add programmes to your calendar so you can keep track of when it starts and where it will be broadcasting.You can watch it here.
There are six worlds or universes to choose from during DC FanDome, each of which has its own unique theme and focus.
Hall of Heroes:Â The place for all the major programming like new content and panels about your favourite DC shows, movies, and games.WatchVerse:Â Features four theatres (like McDuffieâ€™s Dakota which will be celebrating Black nerd culture and its global impact) where fans can watch hours of DC Content.YouVerse:Â Puts the fans at the forefront and displays their art, cosplay, and other fan-made content inspired by the characters and worlds in the DC Universe.InsiderVerse:Â Where fans can take behind-the-scenes looks at how their favourite DC Comics, games, TV Shows, and more were created.FunVerse:Â An interactive space where fans can view free digital comics, buy merch, and participate in other â€œfunâ€ activities.DC Kids FanDome:Â Catered for kids, featuring a Teen Titans tower and DC Super Hero Girlsâ€™ Sweet Justice Cafe.
DC FanDome Schedule
Below is the complete DC FanDome schedule according to Malaysian time.
Everything is separated by the six universes. The ones in bold are the ones you should look out for and make space for in your schedule. Keep in mind that there are usually encores (repeats) for these panels and streams.
Hall Of Heroes – Sunday, 23 August 2020
1am GMT+8: Wonder Woman 1984 – Panel1am GMT+8: Official DC FanDome Store1.25am GMT+8: Warner Bros. Game Announcement1.45am GMT+8: The Sandman Universe: Enter the Dreaming – Panel2.15am GMT+8: Multiverse 101 – Panel2.40am GMT+8: Introducing Flash – Panel2.50am GMT+8: Beyond Batman2.55am GMT+8: The Suicide Squad – Panel3.40am GMT+8: BAWSE Females of Color Within the DC Universe – Panel4am GMT+8: Legacy Of The Bat – Panel4.20am GMT+8: Chris Daughtry: Performance4.30am GMT+8: The Joker: Put On A Happy Face4.35am GMT+8: Jim Lee Portfolio Review – DC Super-Villain Fan Art4.45am GMT+8: Surprise DC Comics Panel5.10am GMT+8: Iâ€™m Batman: The Voices Behind the Cowl â€“ Panel5.30am GMT+8: The Snyder Cut Of Justice League – Panel5.54am GMT+8: The Flash TV Panel6.10am GMT+8: Black Adam – Panel6.30am GMT+8: CNN Heroes: Real-Life Heroes in the Age of Coronavirus6.50am GMT+8: Titans TV Panel7.05am GMT+8: Aquaman – Panel7.15am GMT+8: Ask Harley Quinn7.20am GMT+8: Wonder Woman 80th Celebration – Panel7.25am GMT+8: Tomorrow’s Super Heroes with Jim Lee brought to you by Gold House7.40am GMT+8: Shazam – Panel7.50am GMT+8: Wonder Woman 1984 â€“ The WW84 Cast Play ‘Werewolf 1984’8.10am GMT+8: Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League8.30am GMT+8: The Batman – Panel
WatchVerse – Sunday, 13 September 2020
1am GMT+8: A League of One: The Dwayne McDuffie Story: Screening1am GMT+8: All Super-Villains – Panel1am GMT+8: Batman: The Joker War!1am GMT+8: Batman: Three Jokers1am GMT+8: Batwoman – Panel1am GMT+8: Black Lightning – Panel1am GMT+8: Brazil Loves DC: For the Glory of the Fans! – Panel1am GMT+8: Creating Heroes: The Life and Art of Jim Lee – Screening1am GMT+8: DC Art Mzansi Masterclass: South Africa – Panel1am GMT+8: DC Down Under: Australia and New Zealand – Panel1am GMT+8: DC Showcase Collection – Batman: Death in the Family – Panel1am GMT+8: DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow – Panel1am GMT+8: DC’s Stargirl – Panel1am GMT+8: Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons – Panel1am GMT+8: Discover DC In Japan – Panel1am GMT+8: Doom Patrol – Panel1am GMT+8: From the Middle East to DC, with Love – Panel1am GMT+8: GLSEN Presents: You Brought Me the Ocean with Alex SÃ¡nchez â€“ Panel1am GMT+8: Great Big Story: Magic Wheelchair1am GMT+8: Harley Quinn – Panel1am GMT+8: I’m Latinx, What’s Your Superpower? – Panel1am GMT+8: Immortal Vigilante: Hooded Justice – Screening1am GMT+8: Injustice 2 Show Match – Latin America/Brazil1am GMT+8: Inside Injustice â€“ Making the Hit Games & Comics – Panel1am GMT+8: Italy Loves DC – Panel1am GMT+8: John Ridley and The Other History of the DC Universe1am GMT+8: Latin America Celebrates DC! – Panel1am GMT+8: Legion of Super Heroes – Panel1am GMT+8: Live Like a DC Super Hero in Spain – Panel1am GMT+8: Lucifer – Panel1am GMT+8: Mostly DCeased – Panel1am GMT+8: New Voices of Wonder Woman – Panel1am GMT+8: PHONY PPL – Live Performance1am GMT+8: Pennyworth – Panel1am GMT+8: Real Life Super Heroes! The Story of Muckle Mannequins – Germany1am GMT+8: Reintroducing Nubia: The Black Amazonian Queen – Panel1am GMT+8: Rendez-vous with DC: France – Panel1am GMT+8: Static Shock – Episode Screening1am GMT+8: Superman & Lois – Panel1am GMT+8: Superman: An Enduring Symbol of Hope – Panel1am GMT+8: Superman: Man of Tomorrow – Panel1am GMT+8: Take a Tour of DC’s Death Metal Metalverse!1am GMT+8: Teen Titans: Spotlight on Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo – Panel1am GMT+8: The Creative Coalition Presents: Superman Radio Show – World Premiere
KidsVerse – Sunday, 13 September 2020
1am GMT+8: Artist Alley1am GMT+8: Ask Beast Boy, Cyborg and Raven1am GMT+8: Babs’ Vlog1am GMT+8: Batman Carpool1am GMT+8: DC Karaoke1am GMT+8: DC Kids Comic Book Reader1am GMT+8: DC Knowsâ€¦Animation!1am GMT+8: DC LEGOÂ® Building with Nathan Sawaya1am GMT+8: DC Origami1am GMT+8: DC Read-Along1am GMT+8: DC Super Hero Girls Season 2 Sneak Peak1am GMT+8: DC Super Hero Girls’ Lairs1am GMT+8: Draw Along with Jim Lee and Family1am GMT+8: How it’s Made: Comics 1011am GMT+8: How to Draw a Super Hero1am GMT+8: LEGOÂ® Lab1am GMT+8: Make Your Own Comic Book with Kirk Scroggs1am GMT+8: Teen Titans Go! Cast Table Read and Panel1am GMT+8: Teen Titans Go! Fitness1am GMT+8: Titans Tower Game Central
YouVerse – Sunday, 13 September 2020
1am GMT+8: And the Winner Isâ€¦1am GMT+8: Best of Cosplay – Villains1am GMT+8: Celebration of DC Fans at Home1am GMT+8: Celebration of DC Ink1am GMT+8: Celebration of DC Pets1am GMT+8: Celebration of Group Cosplay1am GMT+8: Celebration of Heroes Cosplay1am GMT+8: Celebration of Heroes Fan Art1am GMT+8: Celebration of Villains Fan Art1am GMT+8: Celebration of Women of DC Fan Art & Cosplay1am GMT+8: DC Delicious – Gotham Tablescape1am GMT+8: DC Virtual Run1am GMT+8: Fan Q&A with Cast and Crew of Aquaman1am GMT+8: Fan Q&A with Cast and Crew of Shazam!1am GMT+8: Fan Q&A with Cast and Crew of The Flash (Film)1am GMT+8: Fan Q&A with Cast and Crew of The Suicide Squad1am GMT+8: Fan Q&A with Cast and Crew of WBTV DCTV Series1am GMT+8: Fan Q&A with Cast and Crew of Wonder Woman 19841am GMT+8: Fan Q&A with Jim Lee1am GMT+8: Great Big Story: Magic Wheelchair1am GMT+8: Great Big Story: Rewriting the Super Hero Story Through Cosplay1am GMT+8: Greg Berlanti Reacts to Fan Art1am GMT+8: Jim Lee Portfolio Review – Christian Arbulu (Peru)1am GMT+8: Jim Lee Portfolio Review – Dheeraj Verma (India)1am GMT+8: Jim Lee Portfolio Review – Jessica Silvan (Spain)1am GMT+8: Jim Lee Portfolio Review – Mohammad Haque (USA)1am GMT+8: Jim Lee Portfolio Review – Suzan Rakocy (Poland)1am GMT+8: Jim Lee Reacts to Cosplay & Fandom1am GMT+8: Jim Lee Reacts to Fan Art1am GMT+8: NYX Professional Makeup x #FACESOFDC presents @AaliyahJay as POISON IVY1am GMT+8: NYX Professional Makeup x #FACESOFDC presents @AlexFaction as THE JOKER1am GMT+8: NYX Professional Makeup x #FACESOFDC presents @GoreJessFX as Catwoman1am GMT+8: NYX Professional Makeup x #FACESOFDC presents @JordanHanz as WONDER WOMAN1am GMT+8: NYX Professional Makeup x #FACESOFDC presents @VictoriaLyn as MERA1am GMT+8: NYX Professional Makeup x #FACESOFDC presents @XtianaLand as HARLEY QUINN1am GMT+8: Nina Ha – Wonder Woman Crafts1am GMT+8: Sam Register Portfolio Review – Freddy Navarro (Spain)1am GMT+8: Sam Register Portfolio Review – Jeffrey Karl (Germany)1am GMT+8: Sam Register Portfolio Review – Mauren Santos (Brazil)1am GMT+8: Sam Register Portfolio Review – Yves Navant (US)1am GMT+8: Stars from DCTV Series React to Fan Art1am GMT+8: Super Stars, Super Fans1am GMT+8: To the Batmobile!
FunVerse – Sunday, 13 September 2020
1am GMT+8: Amusement Mile1am GMT+8: Amusement Mile: Batman Dark Flight: Warner Bros. Fun Zone (Macau)1am GMT+8: Amusement Mile: Superman The Ride: Six Flags Great America (Illinois)1am GMT+8: Amusement Mile: The Joker Ride: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (California)1am GMT+8: Animate your photos with Enlight Pixaloop1am GMT+8: DC SUPER HERO QUIZ1am GMT+8: Joker Escape Room1am GMT+8: Official DC FanDome Store1am GMT+8: Selfie Station
InsiderVerse – Sunday, 13 September 2020
1am GMT+8: Snydercut: A Look Behind the Music1am GMT+8: Accelerating Design: The New Batmobile1am GMT+8: Aquaman Fan Questions1am GMT+8: Arrow â€“ Pilot EPK1am GMT+8: Artists Around the World Draw â€“ How I Broke Into Comics: Artgerm (Singapore)1am GMT+8: Artists Around the World Draw â€“ How I Broke Into Comics: Emanuela Lupacchino (Italy)1am GMT+8: Artists Around the World Draw â€“ How I Broke Into Comics: Gabriel Picolo (Brazil)1am GMT+8: Artists Around the World Draw â€“ How I Broke Into Comics: Jamal Campbell (Canada)1am GMT+8: Artists Around the World Draw â€“ How I Broke Into Comics: Mikel JanÃn (Spain)1am GMT+8: Artists Around the World Draw â€“ How I Broke into Comics: Amanda Conner (U.S.)1am GMT+8: Batman and Me: The Bob Kane Story1am GMT+8: Batwoman â€“ Pilot EPK1am GMT+8: Behind the Scenes of the Arrowverse Crossover – Panel1am GMT+8: Black Lightning â€“ Comic-Con 2018 Sizzle Reel1am GMT+8: Black Lightning â€“ DC in D.C. Highlights1am GMT+8: Black Lightning â€“ Pilot EPK1am GMT+8: CNN’s Great Big Story1am GMT+8: Capturing the Action in Still Frame – Panel1am GMT+8: Cold Red War from Superman: Red Son (2020)1am GMT+8: Collecting the Grades1am GMT+8: Crafting the Wonder1am GMT+8: Creating DC Lands & Rides at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi1am GMT+8: Creating a World: A Look into the Production Design of the DC Film Universe – Panel1am GMT+8: DC Graphic Novel Masterclass: How to Break Into Comics – Artists1am GMT+8: DC Graphic Novel Masterclass: How to Break into Comics – Writers1am GMT+8: DC Multiverse: Comics Master Class1am GMT+8: DC Spotlight: SHAZAM!1am GMT+8: DCâ€™s Legends of Tomorrow â€“ Pilot EPK1am GMT+8: DK Book Publishers: How DC Books Get Made â€“ Panel1am GMT+8: Designing the Animated Heroes of the DC Universe – Panel1am GMT+8: Drawn: Black DC Super Heroes With Ken Lashley1am GMT+8: Flash Fan Questions1am GMT+8: From Sketch to Statue: An Interview with J. Scott Campbell1am GMT+8: Going Deep Into the World of Aquaman1am GMT+8: Gotham Invented: Building Our Gotham1am GMT+8: Gotham Invented: Fractured Villains of Gotham1am GMT+8: Gotham Invented: Paving the Way for the Caped Crusader1am GMT+8: Gotham by Noir Light: The Cinematography of Crime Fiction1am GMT+8: Gotham â€“ Pilot EPK1am GMT+8: Gotham â€“ The Dark Within the Dark: The Court of Owls1am GMT+8: Gotham â€“ Villains: Modes of Persuasion1am GMT+8: Gotham: A Modern Mythology1am GMT+8: Heroes Behind the Action – Panel1am GMT+8: Hot Wheels: An Inside Look at Batmobiles and Beyond â€“ Panel1am GMT+8: How Supergirl Celebrates Strong Women1am GMT+8: Hustle & Know: How to Make it in Costumes- Panel1am GMT+8: Insight Editions â€“ Panel1am GMT+8: Iâ€™m Batman: The Voices Behind the Cowl â€“ Panel1am GMT+8: Jim Lee: Creating the Hall of Heroes1am GMT+8: Krypton â€“ Bringing the Home World to Life1am GMT+8: Legends of the Dark Knight: The History of Batman1am GMT+8: Accelerating Design: The New Batmobile | InsiderVerse – Mason’s Garage1am GMT+8: Reflections â€“ Tracy Martin, DC Manager of Talent Relations | InsiderVerse – Warner Bros. Crew1am GMT+8: Lights on Leavesden1am GMT+8: Long Live Superman1am GMT+8: Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman1am GMT+8: Lucifer â€“ Pilot EPK1am GMT+8: Masterpiece: Frank Millerâ€™s The Dark Knight Returns1am GMT+8: McFarlane Toys1am GMT+8: Multiverse Masterclass: Animation1am GMT+8: Penguin Random House â€“ Panel1am GMT+8: Pennyworth â€“ Season One Inside Look1am GMT+8: Propping Up a Set – Panel1am GMT+8: Reflections â€“ Tracy Martin, DC Manager of Talent Relations1am GMT+8: Returning to the Roots of Arrow: Prometheus1am GMT+8: Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics1am GMT+8: Sleek, Sexy and Sinister: The Costumes of Batman Returns1am GMT+8: Smallville â€“ Absolute Justice: From Script to Screen1am GMT+8: Smallville â€“ Behind Closed Doors: Inside the Writersâ€™ Room1am GMT+8: Supergirl â€“ A World Left Behind: Krypton1am GMT+8: Supergirl â€“ Pilot EPK1am GMT+8: The Batmobile1am GMT+8: The Flash â€“ Pilot EPK1am GMT+8: The Magic Behind the Cape1am GMT+8: The Magical World of SHAZAM!1am GMT+8: The Magicians of VFX: Making Supergirl and SHAZAM! Fly – Panel1am GMT+8: The Professionals Behind the Credits1am GMT+8: The Sonic Landscape of Man of Steel1am GMT+8: The Super Designers Behind the Super Suits – Panel1am GMT+8: Titans â€“ Jason Todd: Fate by the Fans1am GMT+8: Vision & Fury1am GMT+8: Visualizing Gotham: The Production Design of Batman1am GMT+8: WW84 Amazon: Patty Jenkins1am GMT+8: WW84 Fan Questions1am GMT+8: Warner Bros. & Advanced Narratives – The Future of Storytelling – Panel1am GMT+8: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood: The Wonder Woman Costume1am GMT+8: Watchmen â€“ Becoming Sister Night1am GMT+8: Wonder Woman Drone Video1am GMT+8: iZOMBIE â€“ Pilot EPK
https://www.youtube.com/embed/3VyuDvkDt64


The Witcher Netflix Has No Plans To Adapt CD Projekt Red Games

As was previously confirmed, Netflix’s The Witcher series will be based on the original books by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski, and not the popular trilogy of games by CD Projekt Red. However, could the upcoming show still adapt stories and elements from the developer’s The Witcher titles?
According to The Witcher Netflix showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich (via The Wrap), they have no plans for such a thing. During a press conference at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, she confirmed that the series will not be adapting any material from the games.

â€œExtreme long vision is no, we will not start adapting the games.
I can only attack one season at a time, Iâ€™m so excited for this one, the rest kind of makes my mind explode right now.
If someone says â€˜what happens in Season 7,â€™ sure I have thoughts.
Fingers crossed, we get there.â€

That sounds less like a definitive “no” and more like a “maybe not”. The CD Projekt Red games are technically sequels to the book, taking place after the events of the book The Lady Of The Lake (in which Geralt ‘dies’). Therefore, it’s always possible that The Witcher Netflix could adapt those stories in future seasons.
In case you missed it, the first trailer for Netflix’s The Witcher was released last weekend during SDCC 2019, check out my colleague Burhan’s thoughts on it here and rewatch it below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSqi-8kAMmM&w=560&h=315]


CS:GO Skins: How Do They Work And Why Are They So Expensive?

I’m sure you’ve seen these ridiculous headlines about skins from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive selling for five or even six-digit prices and wondered: “How are they so expensive and who is buying them?”. Well, it’s your lucky day!
I’ll help to explain and break down the basics of these virtual skins, how they work and why some of them are so expensive.

What Are CS:GO Skins?

Counter-Strike is an iconic series, credited as the father of the tactical first-person shooter genre ever since it was released all the way back in 2000. The game was gritty and realistic, with the gameplay and maps being the main focus of the main aesthetic. In fact, virtual skins were not a thing in any of these games until August 2013, when the Arms Deal update for CS:GO was released.
CS:GO skins are in-game items that change the appearance of your weapons, gloves, character or melee weapon. These are entirely visual and do not affect gameplay at all, but they are seen as a unique way to express yourself and your personality in your skin collection. There are two main ways to obtain skins, which are either in match drops or via cases. Every active map in CS:GO has a specific collection of skins that are linked to that map. Match drops occur once a week, you can either receive a random case or random skin from the collection of the map you were playing. Level-up rewards are sprays, and individual skins by themselves.
Skins have different rarity grades, which dictate how hard they are to get from their various sources. These range from the most basic Consumer Grade skins to the flashy Extraordinary Grade Knives and Gloves, which are the rarest. While there are additional special grades, these are the most basic and commonly used rarity grades of skins.
I’m sure that you are somewhat familiar with gacha and case openings as they have become a staple in modern gaming, especially mobile gaming, with microtransactions everywhere. Case openings in CS:GO work in the same way, where you can pay to open a case that you own and receive a random skin from the case’s collection, in a random condition rating. Generally, this rarity is the biggest factor that determines a basic skin’s price, however, the factors that really raise the price are yet to come.

What Makes Them Expensive?

The first important factor in the price of skins is simple supply and demand. If a lot of people want a specific skin, the price will likely go up. If the supply of that skin is low, such as a rarer skin in good condition, the people who want to buy that skin will likely pay even more. Generally, the most expensive normal skins are in good condition and are hard to get, which leads to those who want it to pay extra.
Scarcity is a rarer factor, but this can affect some specific skins, such as the infamous M4A4 Howl. This skin had to be removed from the cases as the artwork was found to be stolen, but the skin still remained in the game, just unobtainable from then on. This caused the price of the skin to absolutely skyrocket, being worth well over US$3,000 today. There are also rare variants and patterns that affect the way that the skin appears, with some patterns being extremely rare and valuable due to what they look like.

The most famous examples of this include the Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald and Black Pearl patterns of the Doppler knives and the Blue Gem Case Hardened skins. In fact, the most expensive skin sold publicly was a Blue Gem pattern AK-47 Case Hardened, which sold for a staggering US$400,000 in April 2023.
The final factor that tends to add value to skins is rare stickers. Stickers are an additional cosmetic that you can put on your guns to add some personality to them. However, some stickers are either extremely rare or discontinued and thus have a lot of value behind them.
Stickers from the Katowice 2014 tournament are the most expensive by far, as they came from a tournament riddled with drama, scandals and most importantly, disqualified teams. The two most important of these are the Titan stickers, specifically the Holo variant. Titan has since defunct as an organisation, meaning these stickers were the last of the team’s logos to exist. Generally, these add a lot of value as they have a meaning behind them, and they are extremely rare. A rare or valuable skin with these stickers on them can boost the price even more and a lot of collectors adore skins with these stickers.
For example, let’s take a look at the most expensive AK-47 skin in the game. The first and most important part is that it is the best pattern for a Case Hardened AK-47, which is pattern 661. This alone makes it extremely rare and expensive as it is a 1 in 1000 chance to occur and is valued at roughly US$150,000 or so, but there are quite a few more factors that make it this pricey.
Another example is StatTrak, which is a rarer variant of skins that allows you to track kills earn with that gun. On top of that, it is also in the best condition of this pattern ever found, being in Minimal Wear, which is the second-highest wear condition in the game. To add the cherry on top, it has a total of four Katowice 2014 Titan Holo stickers, which are the second most expensive stickers in the game, totalling US$77,000 by themselves. The collector who bought this skin has multiple skins worth five to six digits, with a massive private inventory, likely saving them for when Counter-Strike 2 comes out fully soon.

Who is even buying them?

Speaking of collectors, you may also have asked “Who is even buying these?”. Generally, there are three kinds of people who actively buy skins. You have traders, who trade skins around to gain value and build up their inventory. There are professional players, who love to buy/borrow/rent extremely expensive and rare skins to use on stage and there are collectors who own those rare skins to lend to them.
Interestingly, most collectors seem to be from China, throwing insanely high price tags around to get full collections of skins. A lot of them have private collections, using middlemen to purchase their skins and helping to strike deals for them. There are quite a few Chinese collectors with inventories worth over US$1,000,000 that are filled with rare skins, knives and gloves.

Conclusion

I hope this helped to give some insight into virtual skins in CS:GO, how they work and why some of them are so damn expensive! There are many layers to the world of skin collecting and trading, in many different games, but generally, they all work in the same way: they use supply, demand and rarity to determine prices. Don’t let this scare you out of using skins though! Everyone who plays CS:GO has owned a skin or two at some point and most people use skins to express themselves or to flex their expensive collections while playing the game.
There are plenty of affordable skins to choose from that can let you express yourself without breaking the bank, which I honestly find the most fun. Even if you are a casual player, if CS:GO is a game you play often, you should look into getting some skins to add some spice to your visuals.


Award-Winning Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto Dies At 71

Japanese musician and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto has passed away on 28 March 2023 at the age of 71.

pic.twitter.com/mYLMEN6HrZ
— ryuichi sakamoto (@ryuichisakamoto) April 2, 2023

Sakamoto was born in Tokyo, Japan, in 1952, and began playing as a studio musician while he was in graduate school at the Tokyo University of the Arts, working.
He formed the groundbreaking electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1978. One of his biggest achievements was winning an Oscar for Best Original Score for the 1987 film “The Last Emperor,” becoming the first Japanese composer to receive the award.


Here Is April’s “Feels Bad Man” Entry For 2022: Trolley Problem, Inc.

Platform: PC
Genre: Quiz game with hard moral choices
The Trolley Problem is a timeless moral question where you choose to either flip the switch or not to save 5 people while sacrificing just 1. Or vice versa. It’s essentially a dilemma where you decide whether the needs of many outweigh the needs of a few, a paraphrased quote from that one sci-fi series that’s currently being butchered by CBS.
So to my surprise, someone made a game where all its problems and choice-making all ties in to the Trolley Problem concept. The game itself is titled Trolley Problem Inc., and you play an employee going through a huge number of probable scenarios involving vaccine distribution, assassinations, and political/corporate machinations. No matter how you put it, people will die or get screwed over by whichever solution you pick. It’s just a matter of whether it’s for the greater good or for your own gain somehow, either morally or physically.
Sophie’s Choice

As a narrative-driven game with appropriately moody music and simple-yet-effective aesthetics, Trolley Problem Inc. does  a great job in making you feel bad and challenge your way of thinking from start to finish. I won’t say more since this game only works if you go in blind, but the narrated VO from Jan Ravens (Dead Ringers) makes the experience all the more impactful and charming in its twisted way. Jan’s VO adds a ton of much-needed dry wit and humour to a bleak set of problem-solving. The fact that it’s made by the producer of Gang Beats also adds credibility to the game’s absurdity that dares to bring up heart-wrenching scenarios.
Of course, a game like this is meant to come off as basic since this is more or less a visual novel that only works from a story standpoint. The only thing you’re doing mechanically is just picking between two answers while the clock’s ticking. There are about 55 questions, each more ludicrous and damning than the last, with some of them tying it to past choices you make.
It’s not the most complex game from a design standpoint, but it’s definitely the most thought-provoking one of these choose-your-own-adventure type indie titles this year. You’re going to remember a ton of the decisions and the answers you put out in this here adventure. And you can do it with friends via its co-op mode, so you can share the blame.
Final Score: 70/100