Hitman 3 Trailer Reveals China’s Chongqing City Location

IO Interactive hasÂ unveiledÂ a new trailer forÂ Hitman 3, which introduces a brand new location for players to explore soon; Chongqing city in China.
Hitman 3‘s Chongqing is described as the “rainy, neon-lit streets of a Chinese transportation hub packed full of shops and food stands, all crammed into tight streets, with plenty of secrets off the beaten path.”
The new trailer also showcases the games showcase improvements and refinements to lighting, reflections, animation and AI, powered by IO Interactiveâ€™s proprietary Glacier engine.
Chongqing will feature full water effects, with details such as raindrops hitting Agent 47 and his clothes getting wet. The Glacier engineâ€™s crowd technology will also allow up to 300 NPCs in a location at any one time.
On PS5 and Xbox Series X/S,Â Hitman 3Â will run in 4K 60FPS with HDR support.
Hitman 3Â players can import locations from the previous games in the trilogy and have more than 20 locations in a single game. All of the improvements to rendering, animation and AI introduced with Hitman 3 can also be enjoyed across all three games.
Hitman 3Â is slated to release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via theÂ Epic Games Store, and Stadia on 20 January 2021. AÂ Hitman 3 â€“ Cloud VersionÂ is also in development for Nintendo Switch.
IO Interactive is also currently working on a new James Bond game. Check out the trailer below:


The Best Games From Game Dev Direct 2021

Indie game fans have a ton to look forward to this year and the next, as the past weekend’s Game Dev Direct livestream announced a huge number of titles. This event also showcases a number of games from Japan indie group Bitsummit.
Here are our top picks:
Godstrike

A bullet hell twin-stick shooter where your life and the time limit bar are one and the same? You fight a ton of bosses in this top-down shooter, but you have to play perfectly because you’re given a time limit to finish them off. And if you get hit, you lose time.
Looks interesting, if you need a challenge. You can pre-order this game on Steam right now; it’ll be out Spring 2021.
Metal Dogs

If the name Metal Max Xeno: Reborn means jack to you, you’ll want to check out this roguelike action game featuring dogs with guns. Even if it doesn’t, the “dog-starring roguelike action game” genre should prove enticing if you like good boys brandishing guns, fighting wasteland baddies & monsters.
The game is coming soon and will be on Early Access for PC.
Grime

An action-adventure RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world. The core gameplay revolves around your character crushing your foes with living weapons that mutate form and function, then consuming them to get powerful.
It also looks and sounds atmospheric; Grime’s wasteland isn’t as dirty and is more eery and ethereal. The game will be out at a later date for PC (Steam).
Just Die Already

From the same guys who made Goat Simulator comes this open-world game multiplayer game where you play an old retired person trying to qualify for free retirement care. How? By performing dangerous challenges like attaching fireworks to a bike, and then riding it. Oh, and there’s multiplayer so you and your other pals can be geriatrics and enjoy the reckless lifestyle of being a troll.
Just Die Already has no release date as of yet. You can check it out on its Steam page.
Severed Steel

A stylish and visceral single-player first-person shooter running on a “fluid stunt” system. Your character in this game can do wall runs, dives, flips, and slides to take down enemies. And slowdown; lots and lots of slowdown and bullet time.
You can check out more of this game on its Steam page.
Wing of Darkness

Miss Armored Core and arcade mecha shooter titles? Then you should keep an eye on Wing of Darkness, a third-person mecha action game where your pilots are female and the robot are thicc and have gigantic wings.
Wing of Darkness will be out Spring 2021 for PC (via Steam).


Galaxy Racer Expands Into Malaysia To Boost Esports & Gaming Growth

Galaxy Racer, a world-leading esports, lifestyle and content organisation, has recently announced its expansion into Malaysia’s esports ecosystem and has plans lined up to accelerate the country’s esports and gaming economy growth.
In 2020, Malaysia was observed to be the 3rd largest game marketing in Southeast Asia. The Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports also launched the Esports Integrated (ESI) initiative as part of the nation’s roadmap to develop the sector, which further bolsters the growth of the esports and gaming economy. This presents a significant opportunity for esports and gaming organisations like Galaxy Racer, to tap onto to expand their engagement with competitive esports teams and content creators in the market.
Founded in 2019, Galaxy Racer is looking to engage with content-hungry consumers and drive the organisation’s support for Malaysia’s emerging esports, gaming and content creator economy. Galaxy Racer Malaysia is led by Mitch Esguerra, CEO of Southeast Asia, together with Melvyn Lim as the Country Manager. The company also has over 100 content creators globally, garnering a reach of over 500 million followers, over 2.5 billion monthly views, including actress Yana Samsudin, TikTok sensation Syaa Meoow, and popular esports host and shoutcaster Tashbunny.
Mitch Esguerra, CEO of Southeast Asia, Galaxy Racer said:
“Malaysia has a blooming esports and gaming economy, especially with the government’s support to further the sector’s development. Our recent strategic expansion into the market will contribute greatly to Galaxy Racer’s footprint not only in the market but in other Southeast Asian countries and we are excited to collaborate closely with relevant stakeholders to solidify Malaysia’s position as a powerhouse for esports and gaming in the region.
While we work on independent expansion plans in each target market for the region, bringing teams and content creators from each of these countries together will be on Galaxy Racer’s wishlist for Southeast Asia.”

Malaysia had over 4.1 million esports audience in 2021 and this figure is continuously growing. The rise of the internet economy since the start of the pandemic and the growing infrastructure of online connectivity has also set the stage for consumers to jump on the esports and gaming trend.
Melvyn Lim, Country Manager of Malaysia and Singapore, Galaxy Racer said:
“Malaysia’s growing esports and gaming ecosystem provides Galaxy Racer Malaysia with the platform to expand on our capabilities. Our current investment will go into six business verticals – content and esports events production, content creators, esports teams, limited-edition merchandise, a music records label and an upcoming full-spectrum digital marketing agency. Spanning across the entire esports ecosystem, we are confident that Galaxy Racer Malaysia will be able to build a strong foundation to support the future growth of the sector alongside the government.
Spurring Malaysia’s digital economy will also be key to our partnership with the government. The digital economy has been booming ever since the start of the pandemic and it will continue to be a key driver for overall economic growth. Esports and gaming can serve as an avenue to onboard more digital users in Malaysia, encouraging the adoption of digital technologies as more gamers and esports audiences participate through digital devices.”

Galaxy Racer is paving the way for success in Southeast Asia with strategic investments and partnerships in the region. Focused on supporting specific developments in individual countries and tapping into niche business opportunities for the esports and gaming industry, Galaxy Racer seeks to leverage these tailwinds to reach out to more stakeholders and expand its footprint across Southeast Asia.


Malaysian Gamers Create Malay-Themed Wedding On GTA V

The COVID-19 pandemic and Malaysia’s MCO has been making everyone be creative with the hand they’ve been dealt with. Hosting public events like a Malay-themed wedding reception can be exceptionally tough right now.
Which is why seeing this being pulled off in Grand Theft Auto V (with mods) is a spectacular sight that inspires hope among everyone in the gaming community here.
This video on the GTA 5 Malaysia YouTube page, streamed by AvengedTV (via Malay Mail), showcases the bride, groom, and guests in their traditional purple and yellow garbs (purple for bride’s, yellow for groom’s).

Everything you would expect from a Malay-themed wedding is here, from the “pantun” gatekeeping bits to the dance-off at the end. Except here, the interruptions weren’t from disgruntled guests and the elderly, but from an alien driving a Delorean and a Grab Food delivery rider.
The wedding took place via the MYRP server; it essentially is a Grand Theft Auto V server that keeps a Malaysian identity. The server itself can contain up to 120 players at a time; about 40 to 50 people were involved in the wedding.
Who was responsible for the authentic mods? They were made from scratch by Arief Solehin and Isma Danial using FiveM. “Every mod resembling our Malaysian identity was created by these two young minds from Johor,” said streamer-slash-wedding-guest Noor Azwan Mohd Noor. “They were the ones behind the custom modifications and they were the ones who introduced it to the public”.
There’s More…
So what’s next in the Malaysian GTA V world? Azwan said they are in the midst of customizing a Hari Raya mod and setting up a traditional Malaysian village scene. Hopefully, you’ve nicked your free copy of GTA V on Epic Games Store so that you can check it out!


Respawn’s Free-To-Play Battle Royale, Apex Legends, Is Available Now!

So, the rumours were true, and here we are, with a fresh battle royale shooter from Respawn Entertainment epically titled Apex Legends available to download right now on Origin for PC, Xbox One, and PS4.
Right now, it is only available in the United States PS Store as of now It’s now available on the Malaysian PS Store! The free-to-play game is set in the Titanfall universe featuring a roster of unique characters, squad-centric gameplay, innovative mechanics, and more.

Legendary
Apex Legends is unprecedented compared to the other battle royale games on the market. It features a hero-shooter system. Players have the option to choose among 8 Legends â€“ each with their own unique skillset â€“ and as battle royale goes, last team standing on the Outlands brings victory home.
The Outlands: peaceful now, until the Legends drop:
Players can choose Legends like Bloodhound, the tracker class who can detect recent enemy activity on the battlefield giving the players precious intel on their immediate surroundings, or Lifeline, the combat medic who can summon a shield to protect and rapidly revive downed teammates. As usual in a battle royale game, teamwork is crucial but in Apex Legends, a balanced team can go further to secure the win. Each Legend is easy to pick up but requires effort to master.
Check out Bloodhound’s predatory instincts…
…or Lifeline’s support-oriented combat methods:
Group Therapy
The game introduces various genre-leading innovations even from the get-go. Once players are ready, squad leaders can choose their drop point with the Jumpmaster system, allowing squad leaders to have complete control over exactly where the entire squad drops. Players can opt for a high-risk high-reward approach, dropping into a marked hot spotÂ where high loot is abundant but risk facing other teams, or play it safe and drop far from the action, picking off unwary targets in relative safety.
Apex Legends also introduces more innovations such as:

Respawn Beacons, a one-time use location scattered around the playing field where defeated teammates can be revived,
a contextual Ping system that simplifies call-outs to weapons, enemies, locations and more with a simple push of a button,
a smart inventory system that automatically attaches gear and attachments to appropriate weapons once picked up by the player.

It creates a one-of-a-kind battle royale experience, and with Respawnâ€™s excellent track record, we are confident that the game will deliver a fun experience.
If you’re still having doubts, check out the gameplay trailer featured below:

The inaugural season of Apex Legends is slated to begin in March and would provide the opportunity for players to purchase the Battle Pass, providing players access to exclusive cosmetic items earned through gameplay. The game is projected to follow a seasonal model with each themed season bringing fresh content in form of new weapons, new Legends, new cosmetic items and many more
Apex Legends is available to download now on Origin for PC, Xbox One, and PS4.


Demon Slayer Anime Popcorn Bucket Sells Out Big In Universal Studios Japan

Would you line up for 5 hours in a queue under sweltering heat in a theme park just for an exclusive popcorn bucket? That’s what a lot of Japan anime fans and collectors did in Universal Studios this weekend.
Fans lined up for 5 hours or so at Universal Studios Japan (via Hachima Kikou) to get the limited edition Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba popcorn bucket featuring one of the main characters: Tanjiro’s adorable demonized sister Nezuko.
The popcorn bucket looks cute and practical; it’s basically Nezuko with her trademark bamboo muzzle coming out of her sleeping box. The bucket costs US$33.65 and it’s filled with Honey Plum-flavoured popcorn. The detailing is nothing to scoff at too; check it out below.

Naturally, an anime collectible this exclusive and nicely-made is sure to get fans lining up. And line up they did; for five hours under the hot sun at Universal Studios Japan on 16th September at the special Demon Slayer popcorn cart.

It’s summertime in Japan right now, so imagine being in line with so many anime fans politely in the queue for that exclusive. The crowd was carrying umbrellas since it was hot and there’s a good chance it might rain.

??????????????????#USJ #???? pic.twitter.com/RhuWo8ybld
— ?????™ (@jo_taku150) September 16, 2021

????????????? ???1?1??????? #??? #usj #USJ #???? #???????????? pic.twitter.com/aIeY9dI58O
— ?????????????? (@hatsukoi_8251) September 17, 2021

As expected, the popcorn buckets sold out by 10:30 am (JST) on 17th September. And since this is a world where resellers can make profits off of limited goods, the popcorn buckets went up on sale for double the price.

?????????????…??????…???????4????????…??#USJ pic.twitter.com/Q8QKlqdpxz
— ???????????? (@usj_fan_mfs_sm) September 17, 2021

Fret not: Universal Studios Japan will be refilling its stock this weekend so that more anime fans can go line up to get their exclusive popcorn buckets for the not-so-criminal price. We do wonder how the lines will fare this time around.
Demon Slayer Season 1 and Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is available to watch on Netflix right now. It’s a lovely series to tune into if you fancy shonen tropes and lovely fight scenes.


Nintendo Direct E3 2021: All The Games & Announcements

E3 2021 ends with the Nintendo Direct E3 2021 live stream, featuring various release date announcements and new game reveals.
Check out the games below.
Super Smash Bros Ultimate X Tekken

Tekken’s Kazuya Mishima will join Super Smash Bros UltimateÂ as a playable DLC fighter.
Nintendo will host a â€œMr. Sakurai Presents Kazuyaâ€ presentation detailing the fighter at 10pm GMT+8 on 28 June 2021.

Life Is Strange True Colors & Life Is Strange Remastered Collection

Life Is Strange True Colors and Life Is Strange Remastered Collection will launch for the Nintendo Switch on 10 September 2021 and sometime later in 2021, respectively.

Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy

Marvelâ€™s Guardians Of The Galaxy will launch for the Nintendo Switch alongside its previously-announced versions on 26 October 2021.

Worms Rumble

Worms Rumble is coming to the Nintendo Switch on 23 June 2021.

Astria Ascending

Astria Ascending is a JRPG that will launch for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store on 30 September 2021, publisher Dear Villagers and developer Artisan Studios announced.

Two Point Campus

Two Point Campus is coming to Nintendo Switch sometime in 2022.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania

Sega has announced Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC on 5 October 2021. Bounce, tilt, and roll through over 300 delightfully recreated stages from the original three Super Monkey Ball games.

Mario Party Superstars

Mario Party Superstars arrives on the Nintendo Switch on 29 October 2021. Enjoy 5 boards from the Nintendo 64 era & 100 minigames from the series catalogue â€“ all of which can be played with button controls. Plus, all game modes work with online play.

Metroid Dread

Nintendo has announcedÂ Metroid Dread for the Nintendo Switch. It will launch on 8 October 2021. It’s basically the next 2D action-adventure iteration of the Metroid franchise after years of being dormant.

Here is an overview of the game, viaÂ Nintendo.com:
Join Intergalactic Bounty Hunter Samus Aran in Her First New 2DÂ MetroidÂ Story in 19 Years
Samusâ€™ story continues after the events of the Metroidâ„¢ Fusion game when she descends upon planet ZDR to investigate a mysterious transmission sent to the Galactic Federation. The remote planet has become overrun by vicious alien lifeforms and chilling mechanical menaces. Samus is more agile and capable than ever, but can she overcome the inhuman threat stalking the depths of ZDR?
Face Off Against Unrelenting E.M.M.I. Robots
Once DNA-extracting research machines, the imposing E.M.M.I. are now hunting Samus down. Tensions are high as you evade these E.M.M.I. to avoid a cruel death while finding a way to take them down. Find out what turned these robotic wonders into the scourge of ZDR and escape with your life.
Feel Samusâ€™ Power Grow as You Gain Maneuvers and Abilities
Acquire new and familiar abilities as you traverse the many environments of this dangerous world. Parkour over obstacles, slide through tight spaces, counter enemies, and battle your way through the planet. Return to areas and use your new abilities to find upgrades, alternate paths, and a way forward. Explore the sprawling map, evade and destroy E.M.M.I. robots, and overcome the dread plaguing ZDR.

Just Dance 2022 is coming to the Nintendo Switch on 4 November 2021.

Cruis’n Blast

Cruis’n Blast is coming to the Nintendo Switch.

Dragon Ball Z Kakarot

Dragon Ball Z Kakarot is coming to the Nintendo Switch on 24 September 2021.

Mario Golf Super Rush

Mario Golf Super Rush is coming to the Nintendo Switch on 25 June 2021.

Monster Hunter Stories 2 Wings Of Ruin

Monster Hunter Stories 2 Wings Of Ruin is coming to the Nintendo Switch on 9 July 2021. A free demo will be available from 25 June 2021.

WarioWare Get It Together!

Nintendo has announcedÂ WarioWare: Get It Together! for the Nintendo Switch on 10 September 2021.
Here is an overview of the game, viaÂ Nintendo.com:
Microgame Mayhem Comes to the Nintendo Switch System
Take on over 200 quick and quirky microgamesâ€”lightning-fast minigames filled with frantic funâ€”solo or with a friend! When his latest harebrained business scheme goes awry, Wario must use his signature style (and smell) to fix it. How? By playing a twisted collection microgames of course! From assembling a robot to pulling out a statueâ€™s armpit hair, theÂ WarioWare: Get It Together!Â game is a comedic, cooperative microgame mashup.
Find a Friendly Frenzy with a Mountain of Microgames

Help out infamous game designer, Wario, after he gets sucked into his latest creation in Story Mode. Go it alone or with a friend in 2-player cooperative playâ€”a first for the series! You can either play on the same system** or via local wireless.
Play as Wario and His Colorful Crew
For the first time, YOU control Wario and friends inside their own chaotic games. Use their distinctly absurd abilities to take on a rush of microgames. Tip a turtle with the help of Warioâ€™s dash or choose Ashley and hurl a spell at it. InÂ WarioWare: Get It Together!, mix and match characters and microgames for maximum fun!

Shin Megami Tensei V

Shin Megami Tensei V will launch for the Nintendo Switch on 12 November worldwide, Atlus announced.
Here is an overview of the game, viaÂ Nintendo.com:
The ambitions of god and human clash amidst the horror of a dying world. Neither human nor demon, the newly-forged Nahobino and his friends must decide what is worth savingâ€¦ and prepare to sacrifice everything in its name. In a world without its Creator, which path will you choose?
You can check out the trailers below; the Japanese version features additional footage not included in the English version:

Danganronpa Decadence

Four Danganronpa games come to Nintendo Switch in Danganronpa Decadence, launching sometime later in 2021. The collection includes the new Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp. All four will also be out individually on Nintendo eShop.

Fatal Frame Maiden Of Black Water

Nintendo will releaseÂ Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water for the Nintendo Switch sometime in 2021. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black WaterÂ first launched for Wii U in September 2014.
Here is an overview of the game, viaÂ Nintendo.com:
Return to Mount Ht. Hikami and Face Your Fears
Experience all of the horror from the originalÂ Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black WaterÂ with new remastered visuals, new costumes and photo mode features.
The main adventure consists of three interconnected stories which lead the player to uncover the horrifying truth behind a string of recent tragic deaths taking place in a forest with an infamous history.
Take on the role of one of three people with the power of the Camera Obscura and the ability to see the shadows of those spirited away. The story will take you on a frightening adventure through the ruins of an eerie inn, a shrine filled with life-size dolls, and a lake full of dead priestesses.
Each location is connected by a stream of water flowing throughout the mountain. This formerly holy water is tied to the most horrifying mystery of all â€“ the history of death and darkness on Mt. Hikami.
Key Features

Try to survive this bone-chilling entry in theÂ Fatal FrameÂ series, now with upgraded visuals.
Try on new costumes or take the photo mode for a spin to create your own original picture-perfect shots.
Explore haunting locales such as an underground cave for disturbing sacrifices and a shrine for life-sized dolls.
Use your Camera Obscura to defend yourself against horrifying ghosts that pursue you.
As you traverse Mt. Hikami, beware of the incredibly dangerous water coursing throughout the mountain.
Try to stay alive while investigating the ominous Mt. Hikami.

Doom Eternal The Ancient Gods Part One

Doom Eternal The Ancient Gods Part One is now available on the Nintendo Switch.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is coming to the Nintendo Switch on 25 June 2021.

Strange Brigade

Strange Brigade is coming to the Nintendo Switch later today.

Mario+Rabbids Sparks Of Hope

Mario+Rabbids Sparks Of Hope is coming to the Nintendo Switch sometime in 2022.

Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp

Nintendo has announcedÂ Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp for the Nintendo Switch on 3 December 2021.
Here is an overview of the game, viaÂ Nintendo.com:
Rally the Troops!Â Advance WarsÂ is Marching to Nintendo Switch
Command an army in strategic, turn-based combat as a tactical adviser for the Orange Star Army. Your expertise is needed as you move land, air, and naval units across the battlefield. Take down enemy squads and capture towns and bases to secure victory and keep the peace. Keep an eye on the game-changing terrain and weather as you lead a variety of units across multiple maps. This remake features two campaigns that cover the events ofÂ Advance WarsÂ andÂ Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising!

Fight Alongside Capable Commanding Officers
Defend your land with the help of Andy, Max, Sami, and other Commanding Officers, each with their own specialties and CO Powers. Andy can repair units, while Sami can boost the abilities of troops. Your opponents can use CO abilities of their own too! Throughout both campaigns, the COs you meet play a critical role both on the battlefield and in the story.
Recruit Some Friends and See Who the Superior Strategist Is
When you arenâ€™t busy keeping the peace in one of the two campaign stories, flex your army-commanding chops in Versus Mode**. Up to four players can battle on dozens of maps. Each player chooses a CO from either campaign and can strategically use their CO Powers to turn the tides of battle. Customize your combat with options like funds per allied base and fog of war.

The first expansion DLC will arrive on 18 June 2021.

The Legend Of Zelda Breath Of The Wild 2

The sequel toÂ The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will launch in 2022.

No More Heroes 3

Nintendo showed off some new gameplay of No More Heroes 3, but not at the Nintendo E3 2021 Treehouse livestream. The game was instead archived on Nintendo’s YouTube page.
You can check out the full live stream below:


Overwatch Contenders Pacific Moves Into PlayOff Stages

The Pacific Division of the Overwatch Contenders kicks off its playoff stages this week as eight teams sought to stand out from one another for that step closer to making it big – joining the Overwatch League.
After five weeks of intense action, eight teams now contest in aÂ single-elimination bracket. The eight teams are;Â Detonator KR, Hong Kong Attitude, Machi Esports and Talon EsportsÂ from Group A, andÂ Blank Esports, Mega Esports, Xavier Esports and LOGITECHG ABANGÂ of Group B.
The pairings for the playoffs are as follows:

The two-week playoffs will go live starting with the round of 8 on April 26.

Week 1: Ro8 – April 26 (Thurs.) and 28 (Sat.) 19:00 – 23:00 (GMT+8)
Week 2: Ro4 and Grand Finals – May 3 (Thurs.) and 5 (Sat.) 19:00 – 23:00 (GMT+8)

You can catch all the action live on the Overwatch Contenders Twitch stream here. Yesterday in the Korean division, it was a day of upsets as O2 Ardeont defeated Meta Bellum to secure a place in the finals. They are currently on an upset streak, having defeated the highly-favored Element Mystic in the Round of 8. O2 Ardeont will face X6-Gaming who pulled off the upset of the week, as they defeated the fan favorites, RunAway 3-1 in the other semi-final.


Surviving The Aftermath Rebirth Expansion Is Out Now

Paradox Interactive and Iceflake Studios today launched Rebirth, the third expansion for their survival colony builder, Surviving the Aftermath. Revealed during the Paradox Announcement Show 2023, Rebirth gives players the power to modify and revitalize the environment with terraforming. Use your survival expertise, abilities, and technology to protect your restored world from an infectious threat. Surviving the Aftermath: Rebirth is available now for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
It is time for humankind to move forward and reclaim the planet after the apocalyptic event. The next obstacle in humanity’s path — Blight, a fungal infestation brought about by radioactive contamination — threatens the colonists’ world. Players utilize advanced facilities and modify their surroundings with terraforming to collect samples and find a cure.
Surviving the Aftermath: Rebirth Key Features:

Blight: from threat to resource
After decades of exposure to radioactive pollution, a new infestation called Blight has emerged. Mutated fungi have started to infect the animals, causing them to become aggressive and dangerous. This infection has spread through the wasteland and is threatening to take over. You will need to find a cure for the Blight to defend against it. Gather Blight samples, study them in a new research building and make discoveries to unlock new buildings, resources, and upgrades.
From a wasteland to green pastures
Let’s turn this barren land into fertile soil! With the Terraformer, you will be able to welcome new life: the more you terraform, the more your map will turn green and lush with vegetation and animals. Be aware of the blighted areas that you will terraform, here, blight monsters will spawn and attack your survivors.
New buildings and upgrades
“Rebirth” adds three new buildings, three building upgrades, plus an all-new multi-stage Blight lab with its Research tree. A Purification post will allow you to remove small pollution deposits and it can be upgraded to an Extermination post to clear blighted nests, hives, and lairs. The Basic Terraformer turns the land into terraformed soil and it can be upgraded to Advanced Terraformer. The Environmental Station becomes the Hazmat station: with it, survivors can clear the blight cores and stop the creatures’ attacks. While not a new building, the Guard Posts have received significant improvements and will now be more critical than ever when defending your colony.

Check out the trailer below:


Fifteen Finalists To Burn Rubber In The eRacing Grand Prix SEA Finals

Out of the 45 drivers who took part in the eRacing Grand Prix SEA Semi-Finals last weekend, only the top 15 remain, who will be heading to the upcoming finals later this month. It is set to take place at the 3 Damansara Shopping Mall in Petaling Jaya from 31 August to 1 September 2019.
The 45 drivers whoÂ participated in the eRacing Grand Prix SEA Semi-Finals were divided into three groups (Red, Blue, and Green). Only the top five (5) of each group are advancing into the finals. 25-year-old Blue team finalist Mohammad Afif Suhaimi had this to say:

“I’m still new to this eRacing sport. I participated in this competition mainly to gain
knowledge from the other experienced racers.
Since joining eRacing, I have many new acquaintances, including many go-kart racers who have given me some very useful advice.
For a large scale championship like this, I would usually train an hour or two a day.
Normally, I would usually spend my leisure time playing video games with my friends at home.â€

After the finals, the eRacing Grand Prix SEA will then head to the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand as their next stops where the winner in each country will be trained and offered a spot in the Formula 4 South East Asia Championship (F4SEA),
The F4SEA is an unmissable experience worth Euro $100,000, set to be the first step for the winners of each country towards achieving their dream of becoming a professional race car driver.

Hereâ€™s what former Formula 1 driver and Axle Motorsport founder Alex Yoong had to say about the competition so far:

“Throughout my observation, I was thrilled with the potential and talent showcased by the drivers, especially the top 15.
They displayed a solid race and I assume that the competitors have prepared well before their semi-final races.”

What’s interesting is that the eRacing Grand Prix SEA Finals will take place on the same weekend as Animangaki 2019 (head on over here to find out what’s in store at one of Malaysiaâ€™s biggest animation, comics, and games (ACG) events).
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tOd9uQ5jNI&w=560&h=315]


Guilty Gear Strive Will Have 5 DLC Characters Post-Launch; One Of Them Will Be Brand New

Guilty Gear Strive’s general director Daisuke “rock & roll” Ishiwatari and development director Akira Katano revealed some new tidbits in a 4Gamer interview. Chief among them is whether the game will get new characters after the launch.
Turns out, there will be: Guilty Gear Strive will have 5 DLC characters for the first season of the game. Out of all the 5, at least one of them will be a brand-new character in the franchise according to Katano and Ishiwatari.
“We can’t bring out any specific character names until release, but we are planning to provide release windows. All five characters have already been decided upon, so we’d like to show them to you as soon as possible.
Out of the five, there’ll be at least one brand new character.”
Here is the Season 1 schedule.
July 2021

Additional Character #1Â â€“ New playable character.

August 2021

Additional Character #2Â â€“ New playable character.

After Fall 2021

Additional Characters #3, #4, and #5Â â€“ New playable characters.
Additional Battle StagesÂ â€“ Two new battle stages.
Another Story

And if you want to see who may be next in line for DLC, check out the recently-revealed story mode and opening of the game. Blue guy in 4:32, That Man/Aska in 5:36, Sin Kiske in 5:46, the big guy next to Giovanna in 5:48.

The upcoming game introduces two new characters: Giovanna the secret agent with a wolf for a spirit animal and Nagoriyuki the black samurai vampire. Ishiwatari shared some thoughts about the two:
“Nagoriyuki’s visuals were created with the story as the focus. He just appeared that way in my head and I drew him like that. The brush wouldn’t stop moving.
Conversely, we had a lot of trouble with Giovanna. As a secret service agent protecting the President, we couldn’t make her design all too extravagant and in the end she sort of ended up a character who isn’t very ‘Guilty Gear’. Seeing her end up high in the popularity polls was something of a happy accident.”
Guilty Gear Strive will be out on 11th June for PC, PS4, and PS5.


The Cowboy Bebop Netflix Adaptation Gets An A+ For Effort & Heart

Live-action adaptations of anime shows are tricky things to pull off. For every good one like the Rurouni Kenshin series of films, you have a boatload of terrible ones that try too hard with matching scenes from the show without context. These shows just flat-out fail to explain anything that’s going on for newbies, or just botching the whole thing and making it look like elaborate cosplay stage shows with slightly better audio. Most of them are terrible, no two ways about it.
So when Netflix debuted the trailers of its Cowboy Bebop live adaptation, many fans cried blue murder. Even I’m pretty skeptical, as Cowboy Bebop is the ultimate conversation ender for the question “what is the best anime in all of existence?” The action show about space bounty hunters in a sci-fi world and an awesome unique aesthetic is an immaculate series that is with little flaws (if any at all).
So to hear Netflix doing their take on it with seasoned actors like John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, and the controversial(?) Daniella Pineda? Heresy! After watching all 10 episodes of the upcoming Netflix series, a few days after binging through the original 1998 series, it’s safe to say the following.
It ain’t half-bad.
Asteroid Blues

The premise is simple: in a far-flung future where humans have colonized tons of planets, our eyes are on two bounty hunters (cowboys) named Spike Spiegel (John Cho) and Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir). The former is an aloof kung-fu master with a mysterious past while the latter is a former cop who acts as the ship’s dad and groups father figure. They hunt down bounties and get money out of it, but there’s an underlying tale involving The Syndicate, and also a young bounty hunter Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda) thrown in the mix who has her own amnesiac issues.
The dynamic is a little different here compared to the anime series. In the course of the 10 episodes, Spike Spiegel is still an enigma to his associate’s eyes, Jet has to deal with an ex-wife and his kid, as well as a cop in his former police life who is shacked up with her. And Faye Valentine? She’s a lot more spry, green, and enigmatic. Despite all the unfounded backlash, the writers and directors did not screw her character up. They even got her wearing the outfits she was supposed to wear in the later episodes, maintaining parts of her femme fatale look while accentuating her tomboy behaviour.

I’ll say this: the show is quite a looker. Netflix clearly spent oodles to make this a lovely adaptation in terms of editing, direction, and aesthetics. Directors Alex Garcia Lopez and Michael Katleman, alongside the production crew, made damn sure the show exuberates style with a bit of 70s grindhouse camp here and there. It’s not as saturated as the anime from the get-go, but later episodes showcase some nice views and vistas while keeping some of its aesthetic a little grounded and consistent. It IS still an over-the-top show about bounty hunters dealing with their marks set with spaceships and future tech, after all. Some liberties need to be taken anyway.
The showrunners are using the already immaculate soundtrack of the old show and just worked it in the series, complementing the direction it’s taking. There is a new track or two, but generally, the team did not mess with an already surefire thing. Smart move on their part, I must say.
This version of Cowboy Bebop does try out new narratives and story beats that are welcome and keep in line with the original series’ balance of comedy and drama, along with the aforementioned colourful visuals. I didn’t think I would want Jet Black and Faye Valentine to be a bit more fleshed out for a 10-episode series, yet here we are, and it’s welcome courtesy of Mustafa and Daniella’s portrayals. The former is such a loveable dad figure with his own old-school mentality, while the latter is still in grips with her stolen identity, masking it with her loud berating behaviour. John Cho’s Spike Spiegel is just as aloof and as mysterious as they come, it’s hard not to root for the guy especially later in the show when things get a bit heavy and veer away from the original narrative by a tad.

My only beef is that when the show tries to emulate the original series with existing storylines down to a tee, it just feels off and forced. Like, there’s a LOT of copy-pasta work here from the 90s classic being adapted. While the adaptation doesn’t outright do scene-by-scene recreations, they do exist and stand out in the worst way, looking better in animation than in live-action. It’s cool for a cameo and eyecatch, but doesn’t do much to elevate it beyond the show just doing its checklist homage.
And the less said about the many weird insane grimaces of Syndicate villain Vicious and his clearly on-the-nose cartoon bad guy persona, the better. In some ways, the live-action feels like a parody of the source material and that’s not something you want to instill to your long-time fans, right?
As for the red-headed fourth member of the Bebop crew? You’ll have to check out the entire show to find out. Let’s just say that this particular season has opened up avenues for a follow-up; it’s clear as day that Netflix is banking on this to continue its current course.
Jupiter Jazz

The new Cowboy Bebop is sure as hell isn’t going to replace the original, not by a long shot. As a nice homage that’s doing its own thing and telling some of its own stories in a remixing capacity, it’s surprisingly alright. The casting looks and acts great (save for Vicious), the set pieces and visuals are stylish and appropriately campy for an adaptation, and the pacing & episodic structure works great when it’s being a mix of a standalone bunch of bounty hunter tales with some connecting threads that make sense within this new Bebop universe.
When it emulates parts of the anime, half the time it works. But the other half where it’s a carbon copy? It just looks dumb and forced, Vicious being one of them.
Haters will still hate, but as a longtime fan of Sunrise and Shinichiro Watanabe’s magnum opus in anime, the adaptation could have gone completely sideways (like that Death Note adaptation). Thankfully, it didn’t and we get a pretty decent show. Granted, it’s not saying much given the current failures of anime adaptations for the past 5 years or so, but director Alex Garcia Lopez and Michael Katleman are doing their utmost best.
At the very least, the heart and soul of the show beat within; it just needs a few more original beats to stand out rather than being a cover of an already great tune. This adaptation does need a follow-up season to bring out its true potential to work side-by-side with the legendary anime it’s based on.
Final Score: 60/100
Screener provided by Netflix. The Cowboy Bebop 2021 adaptation will be out on 19th November.


Overwatch League Power Rankings â€“ Stage 1, Week 3

1. SEOUL DYNASTY â€“Â S1W3 vs Dragons (3-1); NYXL (2 -3). Season Record: 5-1
Last Week: 1 (Unchanged)
Â
Despite losing to New York Excelsior, the Dynasty is still the team to beat in the league. Week 4 will be another tough week for them as they face two top tier teams – London Spitfire and Houston Outlaws. Wins will cement their position up top til end of Stage 1 while losses may jeopardize the invincible aura that they’ve enjoyed since pre-season.

2. New York Excelsior â€“ S1W3 vs Fusion (2-3); Dynasty (3-2) – Season Record 5-1
Last Week: 3 (UP 1)

Excelsior’s record in Week 3 is a perfect example and testament to how competitive this league is.Â  Despite suffering a shock loss to Philadelphia Fusion,Â NYXL more than made up for that as the became the first team to defeat Seoul Dynasty, rewarding them with a jump into second in this Power Rankings. The win showed everyone that Seoul Dynasty are beatable and you can bet every other team would be analyzing the VODs hoping to pick up something. They now aim to carry that momentum against the improving Dragons and Fuel in Week 4.
3. LONDON SPITFIRE â€“ S1W3 vs Shock (3-1); Uprising (2-3). Season Record: 5-1
Last Week: 3 (DOWN 1)Â

Their loss to Boston Uprising may be the shock of the season so far but in retrospect considering how inconsistent some of their plays have been throughout, it was inevitable. They next face the wounded Seoul Dynasty who are seeking for a statement victory in Week 4. Spitfire may have one of if not the most talented roster in the league but recent performances indicate that chemistry is still lacking which played a huge role in their loss to Uprising.
4. Los Angeles Valiant â€“ S1W3 vs LAG (3-2); Mayhem (3-1). Season Record: 4-2
Last Week: 4 (Unchanged)

Despite winning both games in Week 3, Valiant were actually more impressive in Week 2 eventhough they lost both games. Only a reverse sweep win over city rivals, Los Angeles Gladiators, spared them the blushes. Their win over Florida Mayhem was a formality and their title of ‘the best in the west’ will be truly tested as they take on Fusion and Uprising next; both who impressed everyone in Week 3.
5. Philadelphia Fusion â€“ S1W3 vs NYXL (3-2); Dragons (3-2). Season Record: 4-2
Last Week: 6 (UP 1)

Fusion defied everyone’s expectations when they defeated New York Excelsior to start their Week 3. The win is now even more impressive considering NYXL went on to defeat the strongest team in the league, Seoul Dynasty in their next match. The Fusion are definitely on the up and are serious contenders to the title of ‘Best in the West’ and have the perfect opportunity to claim as their own it as they meet Valiant and Fuel in Week 4. Fun fact: The Fusion are the specialist on the tie-breaker fifth map, winning three out of their four matches.
6. Houston Outlaws â€“ S1W3 vs Mayhem (4-0); Gladiators (4-0). Season Record: 4-2
Last Week: 7 (UP 1)

Four wins on a trot WITHOUT losing a single map puts them 16-0 and counting, making them the ‘in-form’ team of the moment. However, these wins were against the likes Fuel, Dragons, Mayhem and Gladiators – not exactly top-tier teams at the moment. The Outlaws have another favorable tie as they take on San Francisco Shock in Week 4, before facing an uphill task against Seoul Dynasty.
7. Boston Uprising â€“ S1W3 vs Spitfire (3-2); Fuel (3-2). Season Record: 3-3
Last Week 10 (UP 3)

What a week for the Boston Uprising boys. While some called their shock win against London Spitfire as a fluke, they responded with a resounding win over resurgent Dallas Fuel. A delight to watch and even more fun to back, sky’s the limit for the season underdogs and we would love to seem them break into the playoffs.
8. Los Angeles Gladiators â€“ S1W3 vs Valiant (2-3); Outlaws (0-4). Season Record: 2-4
Last Week: 5 (DOWN 3)

As expected, Gladiators found themselves in a more accurate spot following Week 3 matches. Despite taking a shock lead against their city rivals, Valiant, Gladiators choked and went on to lose the tie over five sets. Their performance against Houston Outlaws were forgettable as they wilted in one of the most one-sided match of the season to date. They have respite in Week 4 as they face Florida Mayhem but then face Boston Uprising who are lighting the league with some very interesting and convincing plays.

9. Dallas Fuel â€“ S1W3 vs Shock (3-0); Uprising (2-3). Season Record: 1-5
Last Week: 8 (DOWN 1)

We expected them to win both matches this week and they end up walking home with one – against the Shock. While there’s a semblance of stability with the team overall, Dallas Fuel appears to be a couple steps behind when it comes to team chemistry. Seagull seem to be the lucky charm for them as they tend to win on maps which he plays on and Mickie’s been showing some impressive skills on Roadhog. We believe the rot has stopped and the Fuel should be on the mend as they try to regain confidence and momentum to close out Stage 1. Their performance against the Fusion will be a huge indicator of their current state.
10. San Francisco Shock â€“ S1W3 vs Spitfire (1-3); Fuel (0-3). Season Record: 2-4
Last Week: 9 (DOWN 1)

They showed glimpse of their potential by stealing a set from London Spitfire but it all came to naught by losing to the struggling Dallas Fuel. Everyone else seem to have the Shock figured out and until Sinatraa and Super joins, we don’t see them leaving the bottom third of the league.

11. Florida Mayhem â€“ S1W3 vs Outlaws (0-4); Valiant (1-3). Season Record: 1-5
Last Week 11 (Unchanged)

Uninspiring, bland, predictable and in dire need of a roster shakeup. Florida Mayhem is in deep trouble and it would be wise for them to start scouting for new recruits if they are to stand any chance of climbing off the bottom.
12. Shanghai Dragons â€“ S1W3 vs Dynasty (1-3); Fusion (2-3). Season Record: 0-6
Last Week 12 (Unchanged)

Despite losing all of their matches in Week 3, the Dragons have shown significant improvements all around as seen in their spirited performance against Dynasty and Fusion. There’s more life, coordination and fight from this team and we would love to see them rewarded with a win soon – just not in Week 4 as they face London and New York.

Summary:Â
Biggest Mover: Boston Uprising (Up 3); Los Angeles Gladiators (Down 3)
Biggest Improvement: Boston Uprising (Up 3)
Should Be Higher By End of Next Week:Â Philadelphia Fusion, Boston Uprising
They Are That High? Iâ€™m Expecting them to Drop Next Week:Â Los Angeles Gladiators
Letâ€™s agree to disagree aye? Iâ€™m pretty sure you have your own Power Rankings in your mind and Iâ€™m expecting them to be a tad different that what we presented above. Tell us how youâ€™d rank the teams in the comments section below.


The Stan Lee Documentary Premieres On Disney+ Hotstar This June

Marvel has announced that the Stan Lee documentary will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on 16 June 2023. A new official poster has also been unveiled.

28 December 2023 marked the year that the late Stan Lee would have turned 100 years old. He died at the age of 95 back in November 2018.
Stan was a comic-book writer, editor, and publisher but he is best known as the co-creator of Spider-Man, the X-Men and many other characters at Marvel Comics. Having served as Marvel Comics’ editor-in-chief and later its publisher and chairman, he helped build Marvel into the large multimedia corporation it is today and was actively a regular cameo in Marvel movies up until his death.
Check out my loving tribute and what Stan Lee means to me here. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Capcom Updates Platinum Titles List, New Sales Milestones

Capcom has updated its list of Platinum Titles on the official website, with the most recent total sales numbers as of 31 December 2019.
The Platinum Titles consists of games with sales of more than one million units since launch. The company already has over 90 titles that have sold more than one million units, which is an impressive achievement.
Notable updates include the following titles:

Monster Hunter: World (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – 14.9 million units
Resident Evil 7 (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – 7 million units
Resident Evil 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – 5.8 million units
Devil May Cry 5Â (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – 3.1 million units
Street Fighter V (PS4, PC) – 4.1 million copies
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (PS4, Xbox One) – 3.4 million units
Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – 1.4 million copies

Although Monster Hunter World is now Capcom’s single best-selling game of all time, its second remains 2009’s Resident Evil 5, which has sold 7.6 million units to date. The top ten best-sellers consist of mostly Monster Hunter and Resident Evil titles, two franchise which the Japanese developer will likely capitalize on in the future.


MapleStory M Update Adds All-New Class & Region

Mobile MMORPGÂ MapleStory M has received a massive content update, introducing the all-new area Victoria Road and the newest class: the fearless dagger- and katana-wielding Dual Blades. To kick off the update, publisher Nexon is hosting a series of limited-time, in-game events for players to level up and earn special rewards.
Nimble and acrobatic, the all-new Dual Blades are rogue thieves that have forsaken the Dark Lord that rules their guild. Armed with a dagger in one hand and a katana in the other, Dual Blades are agile, resilient, and able to receive numerous attack bonuses and obtain an extremely high critical hit rate. The highly mobile Dual Blade can chain together flashy combos and possess a very high dodge rate.
Those who try out the Dual Blade will find their quests in Victoria Road, a brand-new area to be explored. Adventurous Maplers can enter Victoria Road from Kerning City.
In celebration of the new Dual Blade class, several limited-time events will be available, including:

Dual Blade Burning EventÂ â€“ Until 20 October 2021, players can use their Dual Blade characters to participate in 1+2 level up event exclusive to Dual Blade characters.
Dual Blade Growth Support â€“ Until 20 October 2021, special rewards will be gifted by clearing missions.
Dual Blade On-Time Event â€“ Until 23 September 2021, all players who login into MapleStory MÂ will receive a Special Update Box to celebrate the release of Dual Blade.
Monster ParkÂ â€“ Players can participate in events from the Monster Park tab to obtain event coins for exclusive rewards.

Nexon America also announced that it will be dropping newÂ MapleStory MÂ merchandise onÂ merch.nexon.net. Maplers will soon be able to purchase an exclusive baseball cap design in limited quantities.
To learn more aboutÂ MapleStory M,Â visit theÂ App StoreÂ orÂ Google PlayÂ StoreÂ page and followÂ @PlayMapleMÂ on Twitter for the latest updates.


E3 2021 Is Skipping The Showfloor & Going Full Digital

The first reports of an online E3 2021 came out last month, and it looks like that will be true after all.
According to VGC, documents published by the Board of Los Angeles Convention and Tourism Development Commission states that the E3 2021 live event has been cancelled and that the city is “working with the production team on broadcast options at LA Live/LACC”.
They’re also apparently working with the ESA on licenses for both 2022 and 2023.
The documents reveal that E3 2021 is planning for an awards show, a preview kickoff night, as well as two-hour keynotes delivered by major publishers/developers and industry partners. Last month, an ESA representative already said:

â€œWe can confirm that we are transforming the E3 experience for 2021 and will soon share exact details on how weâ€™re bringing the global video game community together.
We are having great conversations with publishers, developers and companies across the board, and we look forward to sharing details about their involvement soon.â€
However, itâ€™s currently unclear if the ESA members (consisting of game developers and publishers) will even support plans for an E3 2021. AfterÂ E3 2020 was cancelledÂ due to the COVID-19 pandemic, major companies like Sony and Microsoft have already hosted their own events, while Geoff Keighleyâ€™s Summer Games Fest and Opening Night Live were probably the biggest gaming events of 2020.
In light of these juggernauts, can even the likes of E3 return and survive, much less thrive? Is E3 even relevant anymore in this new era of gaming or is it a remnant of yesteryear? If E3 2021 does happen, it will be a test of how what was once the biggest gaming convention on the planet will be able to continue justifying its significance in this day and age.
It looks like we’ll have to wait and see what the gaming landscape will be like this year.


These Adidas Pokemon Sneakers Will Make You Go “Pika, Pika”!

First it’s Game of Thrones, now it’s PokÃ©mon. Sneaker-making company Adidas is on a roll when it comes to pop culture shoes, eh?
To tie in with the launch month of the PokÃ©mon: Detective Pikachu film, Adidas will be releasing these inspired kicks (via solebyjc). The shoes are mainly white with some hints of yellow on the heels and shoelace aglets. The shoe’s tongue features a Pokeball design. In other words, it’s aesthetically-pleasing for the eyes.
Check out the Instagram embed and see if it’s your cup of tea.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ??® (@solebyjc)

There’s also a Squirtle design if you’re attuned to Water-based PokÃ©mon instead. There’s no release date for these shoes yet, but we’ll be sure to update this page with the info once Adidas gets back to us.


Xbox Wants To Continue Killer Instinct, But This Requires “Personal Passion”

If you’re hoping for an Xbox Killer Instinct fighting game sequel or follow-up, certain developers & fans may need to rise up to the challenge.
According to Xbox lead Phil Spencer on the Dropped Frames podcast, he said that the company needs the right team to make this work.
“There are so many good games in our catalogue that weâ€™d love to visit. The response when we redid Killer Instinct at the launch of Xbox One was fantastic.
I will just say, [Xbox Game Studios head] Matt [Booty] and I have discussed many times KI and where we would like to go with it and itâ€™s not out of our minds thatâ€”it might be out of our mindsâ€”but itâ€™s in our hearts and in our minds that we want to continue to do something with KI.
Itâ€™s about finding the right team and the right opportunity, but it is not due to any kind of lack of desire on our part that weâ€™re not doing more with KI because we love the franchise and the community response.
I think when somebody has a personal passion for it, it can really work out.”
The solution seems simple: get the original developers Double Helix and Iron Galaxy to work on the sequel under Microsoft’s umbrella. Based on past documentaries on the game, the talent is passionate enough to revisit the game and come up with new ideas for it. It won’t be easy to get the band back together since they have other projects at the moment, but we can dream, can’t we?
The Killer Instinct reboot came out in 2013 for Xbox One, then received a bunch of new characters and updates, as well as a PC port for Steam. The game has its following and is arguably one of the best fighting games of the past generation.


The Last Of Us’ Nick Offerman Reveals Why He Has Not Played A Video Game In 25 Years

In HBO’s The Last Of Us, Nick Offerman plays the role of Bill in Episode 3 of Season 1. However, he recently revealed that he hasn’t played a video game in 25 years, despite starring in a video game adaptation. He blames one game in particular, and that’s the original Banjo-Kazooie (1998) by Rare Studios.
He said so while he was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday night in the US. Host Jimmy Kimmel asked Offerman if he played video games in real life.
He answered:
“No. 25 years ago I played my last video game. I’m very indulgent, and I lost a couple of weeks to a video game called Banjo-Kazooie. Two weeks went by, and I was like, oh my God – the slow dopamine drip is so delicious. Then it’s over, and you’re like ‘yes, I won’, and immediately I’m like, ‘what have I done with my life?’.
And so I decided I’m never going to do that again – and thankfully, because games have gotten so good, like The Last of Us, that I think I’d be in a basement and I wouldn’t even be going to audition for shows like this.”

The Last Of Us, based on the critically acclaimed video game of the same name developed by Naughty Dog exclusively for the PlayStation platforms, is written and executive produced by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and is executive produced by Carolyn Strauss, Evan Wells, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Rose Lam. Production companies include PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog.
The Last Of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heart-breaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
The cast includes Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, and Elaine Miles as Florence. Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker also star.
Courtesy of HBO Asia, we were lucky enough to be the only Malaysian media to participate in interviews with Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, Merle Dandridge and Gabriel Luna. You can also check out our spoiler-free review of the entire season by heading over here.


The New Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla DLC Is Paganistic Fun

Platform(s): Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC
Genre: Extra 20 hours of last year’s Ubisoft open-world game
As if the original Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla isn’t massive enough, along comes the game’s first DLC to make it a few more levels of “giant-sized”. The Wrath of the Druids DLC adds more of what fans love about last year’s AC game, but at least it has a bunch of new additions to justify its existence.
Bloody Sunday

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids features a brand new continent to explore: Ireland. Eivor has a cousin who needs help ruling a part of Ireland and forges alliances with the country’s High King Flann Sinna, as well as obstruct the machinations of the rogue druid cult Children of Danu. Thankfully you don’t have to grind so much to access the DLC; as long as you finish the first narrative arc when you reach England – either Grantebridgescire or Ledecestrescire- then you can continue your merry way to Ireland.
The narrative explores the conflict between Christian and Pagan worshippers, and its heroes’ thought process on balancing the two factions while maintaining peace in Ireland. It’s a pretty gripping tale with a few new characters that help keep the story colourful and lively, balanced out with some drama and tragedy. The stellar Irish accents and voice acting help immensely with the immersion; I’m personally a fan of the High King’s bard Ciara and her calm voice and dulcet tone.
True to Ubisoft open-world fashion, the DLC also makes Eivor become Ireland’s foreign gopher boy: he/she will be tasked to doing side missions given to you in pigeon coops, as well as liberate a number of trade outposts all across the land from rogue vikings, Irish bandits, and druids. The pigeon coop side missions net you extra rewards if you accomplish the additional bonus objectives like limiting your kill count to a set number, to entering and escaping the assassination mission undetected. It’s a pretty fun challenge if you’re looking to test your stealth skills, or if you are the type who will not back down from being a true assassin.
The DLC’s new trading posts let you unlock armors and cosmetics if you open them up throughout the countryside. Each of them produces a unique resource that will be transported to Dublin; this is all done via in-game clock waiting. So while the resources get amassed like some mobile game gatekeeping mechanic, Eivor can just do the rest of the game’s story and side Raids. Yeah, you still need to raid monasteries to get trading goods to upgrade trading posts. There’s no actual bartering involved; you just find a post, spend resources to upgrade them, and then hand the unique goods over to new DLC character Azar in exchange for rewards. It’s basically more busywork that’s simplified; par on course for these types of games.
At the very least, Ireland is recreated beautifully with its many velvety green dales and mountains. My only experience with Ireland is through travel photos and Google Maps, but I can appreciate how Ubisoft’s art team create a digital 9th-century pagan and church-filled historical Greenland. It’s gorgeous, put it simply.
Wolfwalkers

What’s also fun are the new enemy types and the “toxic fog” you fight in. The rogue druids in the game all love to attack you with hit-and-run tactics, and even resort to luring you to the fog. This actually drains Eivor’s health while also powering up druids to superhuman levels. Suddenly, these scraggly folks can teleport, explode in your face, and even turn into werewolves.
Historical accuracy be damned; I had fun dealing with these new enemy types and look forward to ways to be challenged. Even with my Eivor being able to wield two two-handed weapons and has sick combat moves, I had to use most of my arsenal and skill (like summoning an Irish wardog, shooting smoke arrows, or using an old-fashioned headbutt) to make it past the harder combat difficulties against these fanatics.
True, the DLC just adds more to an already-set formula, but there’s nothing particularly wrong with that. If you’re not a fan of the AC games, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the DruidsÂ is not enough to change your mind. Its plot isn’t groundbreaking enough to justify enduring open-world action-adventure checklist questing.
On the other hand, if you need more hours in AC tomfoolery and need an update in locales & combat, get your sickles and mistletoes ready for this pilgrimage.
Final Score: 70/100


Is Google Stadia Shaping Up To Be A Console-Killer?

Google has finally revealed more details and information about Google Stadia, their upcoming new video game streaming service. A demo was available at last week’s Google I/O 2019 event, where invited journalists were able to try out the new technology, along with the Stadia controller.
How Does Google Stadia Perform?

Instead of running natively on your console or device, Google Stadia runs on a massive server infrastructure, which means that any device can theoretically run any game as long as the Internet connection is good enough. There’s also the problem of latency, where there could be a delay between the press of a button and what happens on screen, resulting in horrible lag and overall gaming experience.
According to our friends at Amanz (who had the opportunity of getting hands-on with Google Stadia by playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey), Google representatives confirmed that the minimum recommended Internet speed to play gamesÂ are 20 Mbps forÂ 1080P 60 FPS and 35 Mbps for 4K 60 FPS.
A minimum of 7Mbps is required to even run Google Stadia. Any less and streaming service won’t even function properly. However, since all the data comes straight from the server (and is stored there), players won’t have to worry about losing their progress if something does happen (electrical blackout, Internet problems).
What About The Stadia Controller?

A lot of people were skeptical of the Stadia controller when it was initially announced. Past experiences with similar controllers (like the Steam controller) yielded unsatisfactory experiences. However, it seems that those who did try out the Stadia controller at Google I/O 2019 have good things to say about it.
According to Amanz and other sites like TechRadar, the Stadia controller feels good to play with. While Google Stadia can be played with any controller, the Stadia controller is equipped with built-in functions like Google Assistant and a Share button (similar to the PS4’s Dualshock 4).
The Stadia controller looks like a fusion of the Xbox One and Dualshock 4 controllers, with its Xbox-style face buttons (A, B, X, Y) and Dualshock 4-like concave analog sticks. Besides that, it has a typical D-pad and shoulder trigger buttons.
It also comes with a 3.5mm audio port and USB-C port. The fact that it connects via Wi-Fi may reduce the aforementioned latency and lag problems, as the player’s button responses will go straight to the server instead of through the device beforehand.
Amanz also pointed out that the Stadia controller did not feature vibrations, which meant that an essential part of playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey became lost in the process. While playing the game on the PS4 or Xbox One, the controller would vibrate to indicate an incoming enemy attack, allowing the player to either parry or evade it.
Interestingly, removing the USB-C cable from the controller resulted in its vibrating. However, when asked, Google representatives couldn’t confirm if the vibrations would be included as one of its features.
Not A Console-Killer… Yet

Claims that the Google Stadia could turn out to be a console-killer may seem premature as of now, considering how little we know of the streaming service. There are still a lot of hurdles and problems it has to overcome to come close to competing with consoles, some of which are more prevalent in some places than others, like Southeast Asia (check out the full story here).
I personally think that streaming services like Google Stadia won’t be ‘killing’ console or traditional gaming anytime soon, just like the rise of Netflix didn’t bring the death of cable TV or movie theatres.
(Image Credit: TechRadar)
Repurposed piece via Amanz


Overwatch World Cup Final 8 Draw: Mouth Watering Matchup as France Await Canada

As expected, we got no surprises from the Paris Stage of the 2018 Overwatch World Cup Qualifiers as hosts France and England stuck to the script and qualified through what may be the most boring of the four qualifying stages this year. Like clockwork, the heavily stacked French setup made quick work of everyone else, losing only two maps over the weekend to the German team.
Led by Overwatch League stars such as SoOn, AKM, Poko and uNKOe, the France team made quick work of their closest rivals for qualifying, team England who just pipped the Germans for qualification thanks to a 3-1 win on Day-1. So boring was the weekend’s matches that the highlight of it all was Italy and Poland’s epic five-match battle which saw the Italians scrape for the slim win and consigning the Poles to the foot of the table.
Right after the set of matches in France though was the Quarter-Finals draw which will be played at Blizzcon 2018 which pretty much spell the end of Team England’s journey in the competition. Paired with the heavily-favored Team USA, England would need a miracle to defeat the North American giants and on paper, will have the Koreans waiting for them in the semis.

The same goes for Team Australia as no one would expect to see them progress beyond the reigning two-time champions, Team South Korea. We are definitely in for a treat as another USA Vs. South Korea epic is on the cards. With the North American players being much more accustomed to the Korean players thanks to the Overwatch League, this can go either way.
On the opposite side of the draw is the mouth-watering France Vs. Canada which also could see the result go either way.Â  While many would pick Team France based on paper alone, we favor the Canadians this time around. Lastly, Team China seek to progress their furthestÂ  in the Overwatch World Cup as they take on Team Finland. Impressive throughout their tough qualifier round in Bangkok, the Chinese team is the strongest they’ve ever been and could even make it all the way to the finals.
We shall end this piece with our quick predictions of the games and our pick for the overall champions at this year’s Overwatch World Cup:
Quarters:
Canada Vs France – Canada Win
China Vs Finland – China Win
USA Vs England – USA Win
Australia Vs South Korea – South Korea WinÂ
Semis:
Canada Vs. China – Canada Win
USA Vs. South Korea – South Korea Win
Finals:
South Korea Vs. Canada – South Korea Win

Of course these are just early predictions. Which team will go all the way in YOUR books? Sound off in the comments section below, and we’ll seriously consider your points in our upcoming preview piece.


Ace Combat 7 Sales Fly High With Over 2 Million Copies

We waited more than a decade for Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown and it was totally worth it, turning out to be one of the best games of 2019 (check out my full review here). It looks like a lot of gamers thought so too, as the sales for the game have exceeded two million copies worldwide.
This impressive feat was announced earlier today, which is fittingly also the franchise’s 25th anniversary. The first entry in the combat flight simulator series; simply titled Ace Combat, launched for the original PlayStation on 30 June in 1995 in Japan.

ã€ #ACECOMBAT ã‚·ãƒªãƒ¼ã‚º 25å‘¨å¹´è¨˜å¿µâ‘£ã€‘
æœ€æ–°ä½œ #ACECOMBAT7 ã®å…¨ä¸–ç•Œç´¯è¨ˆå‡ºè·æœ¬æ•°ãŒ200ä¸‡æœ¬ã‚’çªç ´ã„ãŸã—ã¾ã—ãŸï¼
ä¸–ç•Œä¸ã®ãƒ•ã‚¡ãƒ³ã®çš†æ§˜ã«æ¥½ã—ã‚“ã§ã„ãŸã ã‘ã‚‹ã‚ˆã†æ›´æ–°ã‚’ç¶šã‘ã¦å‚ã‚Šã¾ã™ã®ã§ã€ã“ã‚Œã‹ã‚‰ã‚‚å¿œæ´ã‚ˆã‚ã—ããŠé¡˜ã„è‡´ã—ã¾ã™ï¼#ã‚¨ãƒ¼ã‚¹ã‚³ãƒ³ãƒãƒƒãƒˆ #ACE25th pic.twitter.com/Fmes8deQU4
â€” ã‚¨ãƒ¼ã‚¹ã‚³ãƒ³ãƒãƒƒãƒˆå…¬å¼ (@PROJECT_ACES) June 30, 2020
To commemorate the milestone anniversary, Bandai Namco Japan is currently hosting a follow-and-retweet campaign on Twitter for a chance to win an autographed flight stick and a message card signed by none other than the legendary Ace Combat series director Kazutoki Kono.

ã€ã‚¨ãƒ¼ã‚¹ã‚³ãƒ³ãƒãƒƒãƒˆ25å‘¨å¹´è¨˜å¿µï¼ã€‘
ã€Œã‚¨ãƒ¼ã‚¹ã‚³ãƒ³ãƒãƒƒãƒˆã€ã‚·ãƒªãƒ¼ã‚º ãƒ–ãƒ©ãƒ³ãƒ‰ãƒ‡ã‚£ãƒ¬ã‚¯ã‚¿ãƒ¼ã€æ²³é‡Žä¸€è¡ã•ã‚“ã®ã€ç›´ç†ã‚µã‚¤ãƒ³è‰²ç´™ã€‘ãŒå½“ãŸã‚‹ãƒãƒ£ãƒ³ã‚¹ï¼
ï¼¼å¿œå‹ŸæœŸé–“ã¯7æœˆ7æ—¥12:00ã¾ã§ï¼#ACECOMBAT#ACE25th@TMThrustmaster (https://t.co/jV4nLLSFfi)
å¿œå‹Ÿã«ã¤ã„ã¦â–¼https://t.co/6y0kuZg0Va pic.twitter.com/Xr6DdjEqRL
â€” ãƒãƒ³ãƒ€ã‚¤ãƒŠãƒ ã‚³ã‚¨ãƒ³ã‚¿ãƒ¼ãƒ†ã‚¤ãƒ³ãƒ¡ãƒ³ãƒˆå…¬å¼ (@bnei876) June 30, 2020
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is now available for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC (via Steam). In the meantime, check out the amazing official performance of the game’s main theme below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1oMCXdSI0I&w=560&h=315]


Square Enix Assures The Internet That Forspoken’s Cute Cat Is Fine

Square Enix gave us a meaty gameplay and story trailer for its upcoming PS5 game Forspoken during last week’s PlayStation Showcase. But somehow, the internet seems to rather give attention to the game’s cat, who is owned by the main character Frey.
This begs the question: “What’s going to happen to Homer while Frey is out kicking ass the entire game?”
Square Enix said the following, reaffirming cat fans that Homer the house cat will not be starving to death during your adventures with Frey:
“This is a Homer appreciation post. P.S. Promise she’s OK.”

This is a Homer appreciation post. ?
P.S. Promise she's OK. pic.twitter.com/wyFXQ0Ue6p
— Forspoken (@Forspoken) September 10, 2021

This begs the question: will Homer be joining Frey? Will Homer be chilling with a cat sitter or with a neighbour who may feed him treats due to his neglectful owner? The world will never know until Spring 2022 when Forspoken comes out then for PS5 and PC.


New Returnal PC Leak Reveals DLSS & Ray-Tracing Support

Another Returnal PC leak has revealed that the game will apparently receive PC upgrades and improvements. The leaked footage first appeared on Icon-Era after being uploaded to YouTube.
However, the video has since been taken down by Sony Interactive Entertainment at the time of writing. The clip gave us our first look at the Returnal Screen Optimizations settings, which include:

Resolution scaling – Rendering the game at lower than native res for increased performance.
Dynamic resolution – Letting the game automatically lower resolution during demanding scenes.
DLSS – Nvidia’s popular AI-based upscaling technique is included. Nice. It has Performance, Balanced, Quality, Ultra Performance, and Ultra Quality options.
AMD FSR – AMD’s upscaling technique is here too, with the same options as DLSS.
NIS – Another Nvidia upscaling technique that doesn’t require an RTX graphics card.

The rest of the graphics settings also reveal unlocked framerate support and ray tracing for both shadows and reflections.
We’ll have to wait for Sony and Housemarque to officially announce Returnal PC to see if any of this is legit.
In the meantime, you can check out my review of Returnal here, or head on over here for a guide to surviving the game.


Xbox 360 Marketplace Will Delist Lost Odyssey, Jet Set Radio, & More This February

The Microsoft Xbox ecosystem is currently going through a cleanup of sorts, particularly its Xbox 360 Marketplace. This means that a huge number of games will be delisted from the service: 47 of them in fact, so fair warning, retro and vintage console gamers and collectors.
Microsoft will delist a number of these game titles and their add-ons, including Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and more on 7 February. The delisting will not affect the ability to buy the titles that are made available on Xbox One or Xbox Series consoles. Despite the fact that you can have these games pre-installed from the Xbox 360 store before the delisting happens., it’ll be weird to own a classic Xbox 360 that doesn’t have Castle Crashers available on its mothership store.
Full message and game list below (via Gematsu)
“Beginning on February 7, 2023, a limited set of games, add-ons, and in-game content will no longer be purchasable in select markets via the Xbox 360 Store, These titles will no longer be purchasable on the Xbox 360 Store only, and titles that are available to be purchased on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S Stores will remain purchasable. You will still be able to play discs or previously downloaded games on your Xbox 360 and modern consoles if they are backwards compatible titles. For more information on the games impacted in your region, visit this link.”
List Of Games Not Available For Purchase On Xbox 360 Marketplace

Aegis Wing
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
Assassin’s Creed III
Assassin’s Creed IV
Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD
Blood of the Werewolf
Blue Dragon
Breakdown
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Castle Crashers
Cloning Clyde
Counter-Strike: GO
Dark Souls
Darksiders II
DAYTONA USA
Defense Grid
Eets: Chowdown
Far Cry 2
Final Fight: Double Impact
Iron Brigade
Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad
Jet Set Radio
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead 2
LIMBO
Lost Odyssey
Mass Effect 2
MONOPOLY DEAL
Mutant Blobs Attack
N+
Outpost Kaloki X
Peggle 2
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds
Prince of Persia
R.U.S.E.
Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co.
Skate 2
South Park: The Stick of Truth
Spelunky
SplinterCellConviction
Star Wars Battlefront
Star Wars KOTOR 2
The Orange Box
The Raven Episode 1
The Witcher 2


Netflix April 2023: Our Picks & Highlights

I’m sure you won’t want to waste time sifting through Netflix’s extensive catalogue of shows and movies just to decide on what to watch. The streaming giant updates its site every day, week, and month with new content, so I’m here to save your precious time.
Here are my personal recommendations and highlights for Netflix Malaysia’s April 2023 lineup and how to fill up your free time with worthwhile content at home:
BEEF (6 April 2023)
Beef. (L to R) Steven Yeun as Danny, Young Mazino as Paul in episode 102 of Beef. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023
A road rage incident between two strangers — a failing contractor and an unfulfilled entrepreneur — sparks a feud that brings out their darkest impulses. Revenge is best served raw. Watch the official trailer for BEEF, an upcoming Netflix series starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong.

Chupa (7 April 2023)
Chupa. Cr: Netflix © 2023Cr: Netflix © 2023
While visiting his family in Mexico, teenage Alex gains an unlikely companion when he discovers a young chupacabra hiding in his grandpa’s shed. In order to save the mythical creature, Alex and his cousins must embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

Hunger (8 April 2023)

Written and produced by Kongdej Jaturanrasmee. Directed by Sitisiri Mongkolsiri. Aoy (Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying) runs her family’s local stir-fried noodles restaurant. Her life is about to change when she decides to join team HUNGER, led by Chef Paul (Nopachai Jayanama) who introduces her to the dark sides of the fine-dining industry.

Seven Kings Must Die (14 April 2023)
The Last Kingdom Seven Kings Must Die. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023
A feature film based on the underlying series The Last Kingdom.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Once & Always (19 April 2023)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always (L to R) David Yost as Billy and Walter Emanuel Jones as Zack in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always. Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2023
When Rita Repulsa returns, the Power Rangers are the only ones who can stop her! But after 30 years, can the team still be the heroes the world needs?
The trailer showcases the reunion of Power Rangers like Walter E. Jones (Zack, the Black Ranger), David Yost (Billy, the Blue Ranger), Catherine Sutherland (Kat, the second Pink Ranger), Karan Ashley (Aisha, the second Yellow Ranger), Steve Cardenas (Rocky, the second Red Ranger), and Johnny Yong Bosch (Adam, the second Black Ranger). They will also be joined by a new addition, Charlie Kersh, who will be playing the daughter of Trini (the former yellow ranger).
In the trailer, we also learn that Rita Repulsa is responsible for the death of Trini in the Power Rangers universe. In the real world, the late Thuy Trang played the original Yellow Ranger, Trini, but she passed away in a car accident in 2001. Charlie Kersch will play Minh, Trini’s daughter. It’s all a bit bittersweet considering that the legendary Jason David Frank (the original Green Ranger and White Ranger) recently passed away several months before this announcement. Let’s hope there’ll be a tribute of some sort to him in the upcoming anniversary special.
Barbara Goodson also reprises her role as the voice of their arch nemesis Rita Repulsa.
The original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers were part of many childhoods, especially the 90s kids. It will premiere on Netflix on 19 April 2023.

Lyle, Lyle Crocodile (20 April 2023)

A singing crocodile in a family-friendly musical sounds like it’s just for kids, but Lyle Lyle Crocodile is a surprisingly charming and heartwarming movie that even adults and older viewers can enjoy. It’s an adaptation of the children’s story of the same name but it’s definitely fun for everyone of all ages.
Also, Shawn Mendes sings, what’s not to like? Check out my full review here.

Sweet Tooth Season 2 (27 April 2023)
Sweet Tooth. (L to R) Naledi Murray as Wendy, Ravi Narayan as Earl Elephant, Christian Convery as Gus, Amie Donald as Maya Monkey in episode 201 of Sweet Tooth. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023
Gus and his fellow hybrids are held captive by the Last Men in order to find a cure for the Sick. To save his friends, Gus must find new strength as he uncovers the origins of The Great Crumble.

In the meantime, check out the highlights for the whole month in the video below:


NieR Orchestra Concert 12024 [ the end of data ] Is Coming To Thailand Next Year

Square Enix and AWR Music Productions have announced NieR Orchestra Concert 12024 [ the end of data ], a NieR series live concert tour featuring a symphony orchestra and chorus, and recorded readings by characters 2B and 9S in a new episode written by director Yoko Taro.
With symphony orchestra and chorus under the direction of conductor Eric Roth, the performance features the solo vocals of original NieR series singers Emi Evans and J’nique Nicole, as well as a specially created program with high-definition video projections from NieR series director Yoko Taro and composer Keiichi Okabe.
In addition, the concert features a recorded reading by 2B (voiced by Kira Buckland) and 9S (voiced by Kyle McCarley) in a new episode written by director Yoko Taro.
Here are the tour dates:

January 24, 2024 – Los Angeles (Peacock Theater)
February 3, 2024 – Chicago (Rosemont Theatre)
February 10, 2024 – Berlin (Tempodrom)
February 17, 2024 – Barcelona (Auditori Forum)
February 23, 2024 – Paris (Palais des Congres)
March 16, 2024 – Bangkok (Prince Mahidol Hall)
March 30, 2024 – Orlando (Dr. Phillips Center)

Check out the trailer below:


Fortnite Removed From Apple & Google Stores In Epic Games’ War Against Oppressive Policies

After Epic Games launched its own direct payment method for Fortnite on Apple and Android mobile devices this morning, both Apple and Google have removed the popular battle royale from their respective stores on the App Store and Play Store. In response, Epic Games has filed a legal injunction against both Apple and Google in a bid to wage war against what the company deems to be monopolistic and oppressive policies.These refer to Apple and Googleâ€™s 30 percent cut of app store purchases, which has been regarded as unfair by not only Epic Games but also other game developers. Last night, Epic Games began selling V-Bucks in mobile versions of Fortnite at a discount via a new option to buy them from Epic directly.This violated Appleâ€™s rules, which resulted in them kicking Fortnite out of the store. Now Epic Games is retaliating with a lawsuit, a parody commercial of Apple’s iconic 1984 commercial and even a #FreeFortnite hashtag already trending.As reported byÂ The Verge,Â Google has done the same, removing Fortnite off the Google Play store. However, Fortnite is still technically available on Android via Epic Games’ app or the Samsung Galaxy store.Fortniteâ€™s Party Royale showcased the aforementioned parody of Apple’s 1984 commercial earlier today. The video ended with a text reading:â€œEpic Games has defied the App Store Monopoly.In retaliation, Apple is blocking Fortnite from a billion devices.Join the fight to stop 2020 from becoming â€˜1984.â€™â€


Overwatch Can Work On The Nintendo Switch, Says Blizzard

With Diablo III making headway onto Nintendo Switch this year, we do wonder if other top Blizzard titles will make the portable-slash-big-screen cut. According to a GameSpot interview with D3 senior producer Pete Stilwell, Overwatch is technically feasible on Nintendo’s current console.

“Anything is within the realm of possibility. Our team was given the task to work on this. If [Overwatch developer] Team 4 picks up that endeavour, thatâ€™s on them. As of right now Diablo is our only focus on Switch. â€¦Yes, it is feasible.”

However, a game like StarCraft II may not be suitable:

“The N64 version of StarCraft was cool but you had to change the game quite a bit to make it work properly on console. StarCraft 2 is next level requirements from how much dexterity you need with a mouse and keyboard, so I think that would have been a very difficult port. It would have [to] change the core gameplay.”

Personally? A colourful team-based FPS seems like a good fit for the Nintendo Switch than an RTS. Sure, the touch-screen controls can make a difference, but it’s been proven time and again that playing an FPS on a controller is viable than playing a micromanaging real-time strategy game on the same thing. MOBAs like Heroes of the Storm? This idea’s more feasible since you’re controlling one hero instead of a bajillion units.


Glass Onion A Knives Out Mystery Trailer Teases A Whole New Whodunit

Before you turn in for the night, here’s an invite you don’t want to miss — come onboard for yet another sneak peek of Glass Onion A Knives Out Mystery in a brand new teaser trailer, teaser key art, and six new images. The highly-anticipated sequel to Knives Out will be released globally on 23 December 2022 on Netflix.
The synopsis reads:
In the follow up to Rian Johnson’s KNIVES OUT, Detective Benoit Blanc travels to Greece to peel back the layers of a mystery involving a new cast of colourful suspects.

Writer-director-producer Rian Johnson says, “The phrase I kept coming back to and talking about the first movie is, ‘It’s a roller coaster and not a crossword puzzle.’ It’s a common mistake in writing whodunits, thinking that you’re making a crossword puzzle, and that the fun is that the audience is actually going to analyse all this and figure it out.”
Glass Onion A Knives Out Mystery stars Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline with Kate Hudson and Dave Bautista.
Check out the trailer below:


CoD Mobile ESL Malaysia Championship Winner To Represent Malaysia At Garena World 2020

Yoodo and ESL Malaysia have announced the inaugural season of the ESL Malaysia Championship for Call of Duty Mobile. Yoodo is the Official Digital Telco for the upcoming championship.
The tournament will feature the top 16 Call Of Duty Mobile teams in the country, where they will compete for a total prize pool of RM40,000 as well as the pride of representing Malaysia at Garena World 2020.

Teams will have two opportunities to qualify for the ESL Malaysia Championship 2020. The first is via the Call of Duty Mobile Season 1 through 2 separate Open Qualifiers, which will be held on 8 and 15 February 2020, respectively.
Teams can sign up for the open qualifiers here. The top eight teams from each open qualifier will then advance to the main tournament and compete in a double-elimination bracket in which the best team in Malaysia will be crowned.
Yoodo Head Chow Tuck Mun said:

“Yoodo is proud to be at the frontline championing gamers and their passions.
We are excited to bring the anticipated championship to the esports community and
can’t wait for the intense action to kick off!”

In the meantime, follow ESL Malaysia on Facebook for the latest updates and to be notified of the upcoming live streams, which will be broadcast in Bahasa Malaysia.


How Will Borderlands 3’s New Elemental Damage Type Change The Game?

In more joypuking news concerning Borderlands 3, a Twitter ad from the game’s official account revealed that there will be a new elemental damage type to replace Slag (ie the purple element that makes enemies susceptible to damage). That new element? It’s called Radiation.

Unleash awesome mayhem as a team but reap rewards that are yours alone – no one misses out on loot.
— Borderlands (@Borderlands) April 3, 2019

Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford confirmed on Twitter that, yes, Radiation will replace Slag. The damage type will not only increase vulnerability by those affected, but also have a damage-over-time component. DOTs for you MMO players out there.

There is no slag – we replaced it with something that actually makes a little sense. The new “element” damage type, which is like a nuclear radiation effect, has a similar effect to slag (increased vulnerability by those affected) and also has a damage-over-time component.
— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) April 16, 2019

That’s cool and all, especially if Borderlands 3 will have the equivalent of Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (UVHM). Back in part 2 (which I’m still playing now BT-dubs), UVHM features a crapload of enemies with high regeneration and resistance. Weapons-switching from slag guns to fire/corrosive/lightning guns is a requirement to survive the tougher fights. Of course, this mean that a team of four Vault Hunters will have a “Slag guy” to help take down raid bosses and go through OP8 modes.
Will we have “Radiation guys” in the party mix for Borderlands 3‘s endgame content? Will Radiation be the new Corrosive? Time will tell when the title is out 13 September on the Epic Games Store for PC, as well as on PS4 and Xbox One.


Coffee Talk Fundraiser Raises More Than US$100K For The Late Fahmi’s Family

Last month, Toge Productions started a fundraising initiative, where all the proceeds from the sales of Coffee Talk will be donated to the family of the late Mohammad Fahmi. It ran from 31 March to 4 April 2022, with the game being discounted. According to the developer, they sold 37,322 copies of Coffee Talk on Steam with total gross revenue of US$257,330.
However, after deducting Steam’s platform cut (30%), taxes (approx 10%), and refunds (approx 5%), the estimated revenue to be donated to the late Fahmi’s family is around 55% to 60% of the total gross revenue. According to our calculations, that translates to roughly US$150K+.
However, that’s only from the sales of the game on Steam. The console version of the game has yet to be accounted for, which the developer will announce at a later date.
Part of the developer’s statement on Steam reads:
We would also like to thank everyone who participated and contributed to this fundraising effort. Even with a simple act of sharing the news about this fundraiser, you have made a huge impact. We appreciate each and every bit of support we have received. Thank you for all of your kind and heartwarming messages you have left in support of Fahmi and his family. It’s beautiful to see that Fahmi is loved by so many people from all around the world.
Earlier today, Pikselnesia and Rolling Glory Jam also announced that all proceeds from What Comes After (another of the deceased Fahmi’s works) on Steam will donated to the family of the late Fahmi as well.


Apex Legends Season 6 Drops Next Week With New Legend, Weapon & Crafting System

Apex LegendsÂ will officially kick offÂ Season 6: BoostedÂ at 10pm PT on 17 August 2020 or 1pm GMT+8 on 18 August 2020 for Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, and a new gameplay trailer has revealed more about what to expect from the upcoming season in terms of content.
In Season 6 – Boosted, new Legend Rampart has arrived to upgrade the competition. Unearth a new way to grab better gear with the all-new Crafting system. Get amped for the new Volt energy SMG, and more!Season 6 – Boosted kicks off at 10pm PT on August 17. ðŸ¤˜ pic.twitter.com/TODNrO9dj3— Apex Legends (@PlayApex) August 14, 2020
According to the official website, players can expect a new Legend named Rampart, an expert modder who made her name in underground fight clubs with the ballistics (a turret named Sheila) to back it up.
Season 6 will also introduce a new battle pass that includes over 100 cosmetics including Legendary skins, Apex Packs, new Holo-Sprays, and more. Players can also look forward to a new Crafting system and the new Volt energy SMG.
Check out the awesome gameplay trailer below:


[Rumour] Apex Legends To Get New Game Mode Called “Capture”

A leaker has revealed that a new Apex Legends game mode will be appearing on the game soon, as if the 3v3 Arenas isn’t enough.
According to prominent Apex Legends leaker Shrugtal, the small scale mode is called Capture and is designed for a section of the Olympus map. The mode is meant to be team-based like Call of Duty’s Domination, with the main goal being to seize objectives around the map.
This mode will also feature Parking Pads where players can spawn Tridents and unlock quick travel between capture points.

Video out tomorrow on the purpose of these strange "Parking" pads that have appeared on the top left quadrant of the map. pic.twitter.com/BIDkOZaAaC
— Shrugtal (@shrugtal) July 2, 2021

So far, Apex Legends developer Respawn and publisher EA have yet to comment on the leak, or whether Capture will be coming at all. For now, take this leak with a grain of salt until the official announcement, which may be at EA Play later this month.


Knives Out Sequel Announced; Will Focus On Daniel Craig’s Character

Rian Johnson is known for many things. One of them is for directing one of the most divisive Star Wars movie to ever come out. On a more positive note, he’s also known for making Knives Out, one of 2019’s best movies.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at Lionsgate’s pre-Golden Globes party, Johnson revealed that he’s already working on a sequel to Knives Out. He wants to focus it on the next case of detect Benoit Blance, the character played by Daniel Craig.
Johnson’s producing partner Ram Bergman also said that Craig himself is excited to come back and play Benoit. Seeing as how it will focus on a new case, it’s unlikely that characters will be coming back but we’ll have to wait and see.

“Daniel had so much fun doing it, and he wants to do more.”
– Ram Bergman
Officially speaking, a Knives Out sequel hasn’t been greenlit by Lionsgate. Seeing as how the movie made more than US$247 million worlwide, there’s really no reason for the studio to say “no” to a sequel.
As of writing this, Knives Out is ending its theatrical run in Malaysia. For those of you who never got to watch it, we definitely recommend catching when it comes to your preferred streaming platform. Read our review of them movie here.


Here’s What To Expect From The Next Modern Warfare Patch Update

The new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is pretty much a homerun for the series. The single player campaign and the multiplayer is as hectic and fun as it was many years ago. However, there are always kinks to be ironed out and Infinity Ward is working hard to fix them.
Ashton Williams, Infinity Ward’s senior communications manager tweeted out that a patch is coming this week to fix a few things that most players have been facing. This might include the crashes that PC players have been a victim of.

This week. Currently being tested.
â€” Ashton Williams (@ashtonisVULCAN) November 19, 2019

Of course, there aren’t any official patch notes yet but here’s what been hinted at:

Kill feed changes that will remove some of the notifications like â€œâ€¦avenged youâ€ to allow for collats and other kill chains to show up clean in the feed.
Many bug fixes and updates to challenges and officer rank progression challenges â€“ thereâ€™s a lot of challenges that are not tracking properly still. This upcoming update is expected to resolve many of these.
Potential updates to the tanks in Ground War. Infinity Ward dev confirmed that theyâ€™re working on nerfing them, but it was not mentioned as to when to expect it.
Other Weapon tuning updates â€“ possible more changes to the 725, amongst other updates.

For more news and updates on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, stay tuned on Kakuchopurei.
Thank you, Charlie Intel.


CODM Celebrates Their 3rd Anniversary With Messi, Neymar Jr. & Pogba

Call of Duty: Mobile’s celebrating its third anniversary with an action-packed season filled with exciting brand-new updates and celebrations that includes a collaboration with popular football superstars Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., and Paul Pogba.

In this football-themed season, players can expect loads of new items, rewards, and Easter eggs. Football fans will also be thrilled to learn that legendary football players Leo Messi, Neymar Jr., and Paul Pogba, for a limited time, will be making a special appearance in Season 10 as playable characters.
Season 10 will also see the launch of the newest Multiplayer map, Crossroads Strike, brought over from Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Set in a snowy military station against the backdrop of a frozen wilderness, players should be prepared for some intense mid-range combat in the icy terrains.
We will also see a new weapon, the LAPA. Equipped with serious damage and high accuracy, this medium-speed SMG is one to look out for. Don’t worry Battle Royale fans, CODM hasn’t forgotten about you as Season 10 will bring a new vehicle, the Hover Bike and a highly anticipated new item, the Goliath. More adventurous players can also look around the maps for tons of new Easter eggs related to football, and our anniversary.
As with every season, Season 10 introduces a brand-new Battle Pass featuring Paul Pogba, a new skin for the ever-popular Urban Tracker, and many more! The Battle Pass also features other football-themed items that players can equip to prepare for the intense matches to come. Players can expect to add the ASM10 – Midfield, NA-45 – Athletic Soul, the all-new weapon LAPA, and more to their armoury.


6 Animes That Have Been Postponed Due To COVID-19

Article written by The Magic Rain. Check out their stuff here.
2020 was meant to be a promising year for anime with many studios producing new seasons and new adaptations. Unfortunately, things had to change when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. Since then, TV series and movies have been cancelled or postponed left and right.
It may be hard to keep track of all the various announcements made, but weâ€™ve got you covered! Hereâ€™s a list of anime that have been postponed and their corresponding new release date:
The Millionaire Detective â€“ Balance: Unlimited

The anime that took the social media world by storm upon its release has been postponed since its second episode on April 16. It has been announced on theirÂ official websiteÂ that the anime will continue its broadcast onÂ July 17, starting with a reprise of the first two episodes on Fuji TV.
Haikyuu!!: To The Top 2nd Season

The much-awaited match between Karasuno and Inarizaki that was once slated for a July release has since been postponed. The announcement came from itsÂ official websiteÂ on May 22. As of now, no new release date has been announced.
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T

Facing its fourth episode delay this season, the 16th episode of Railgun T [Dream Ranker] that was scheduled to release on May 29 has been postponed. TheÂ official websiteÂ has stated that it will be pushed back untilÂ July 24.
In the meantime, the empty broadcast slot will be filled with a selection ofÂ cast-favourite episodes. It will begin on May 29 and end on July 10 with a fan-selected episode.
The Seven Deadly Sins

On May 26, theÂ official websiteÂ announced that the broadcast of the seriesâ€™ upcoming new seasonÂ The Seven Deadly Sins: Judgment of FuryÂ will be delayed. Its intended October release has been pushed back without a new release date. The battle to save the kidnapped Elizabeth will just have to wait!
Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle â€“ Rhyme Anima

Hypnosis Mic showed no signs of stopping its franchiseâ€™s expansion when they announced their own TV animated series on Dec 4, 2019. However, the franchise has had to face its inevitable postponement in this time of peril.
The Promised Neverland 2nd Season

The new journey of The Promised Neverland gang will have to wait as their second seasonâ€™s release has also been pushed back. TheirÂ official websiteÂ has announced that its original October 2020 premiere will be delayed toÂ January 2021.
TheirÂ official websiteÂ has announced that the animeâ€™s intended July release has been rescheduled toÂ OctoberÂ instead.
Article written by The Magic Rain. Check out their stuff here.