Esports Journalist Of The Year Calls Out Major Publications In Acceptance Speech

Renowned British esports journalist and occasional live stream commentator Richard Lewis has called out and criticized several major gaming publications in his acceptance speech for the Esports Journalist Of The Year award at the Esports Awards 2019 last weekend.
This is Lewis’ second time winning the award, after doing so for the first time in 2016. In his roughly 4-minute-long speech, he specifically mentioned the names of Polygon, Kotaku, and Waypoint to condemn them for their inaccurate and unprofessional reporting on the esports industry, as well as unethical gatekeeping practices.
Lewis started his acceptance speech by giving props to fellow esports journalist Cecilia Dâ€™anastasio from Kotaku, praising her work and saying that she could have just as easily stood on that podium receiving the award instead of him.
After that, he proceeded to call out the three gaming publications; Polygon, Waypoint and Kotaku by saying:

“We have to look after ourselves because there are these external media companies.
They’re looking into esports and they want to write the history and tell the stories.
And you know who I’m talking about: Polygon, Waypoint, the Kotakus, people like that.
Their approach to writing about esports is two-fold.
Theyâ€™ve consistently embarrassed themselves writing pieces that expose their complete ignorance about our scene, lack of sources and unoriginal opinions on topics we have talked to death about for 20 years.
The second thing has been to write hit-pieces and smears, mostly propagated on half-truths or out-and-out lies.
They write about it because they think if they can get one or two or 12 of you out of the way, they can get their friends and cronies in and gatekeep our industry.

He then went on to mention specific articles, includingÂ Kotakuâ€™s article on a CSGO Major apparently being a Trump rallyÂ and when theyÂ rallied around to stop the abuse of a female Overwatch player who didnâ€™t exist.
Lewis received standing ovations for his speech, including from the likes of famous streamer Dr. Disrespect. He later clarified the finer details of his speech on Twitter, with several posts, which you can check out below.

Hard to put out one tweet that encapsulates last night. Was great to spend time with so many of my esports family even briefly. Congratulations to all the people who were honoured at the awards. The winners tell me that esports is in a great place. Back to the hustle tomorrow.
â€” Richard Lewis (@RLewisReports) November 17, 2019

Also, if you’re wondering why so many people stood up and applauded what I said, think how many of those people that did have been misrepresented and lied about by outlets like the ones I named. People are sick of it from top to bottom. Let’s see if the message has been received.
â€” Richard Lewis (@RLewisReports) November 17, 2019

Check out his entire acceptance speech for Esports Journalist Of The Year award in the clip below, and look out for him calling out the major publications beginning from the 1:10-minute mark.
[wpvideo Udsi1JCu]


Apex Legends Pro-Am Highlights Include DrDisrespect’s Comeback And More

The EXP Pro-Am Apex Legends exhibition matches have just concluded with a slew of epic gameplays and memorable moments. We saw an iteration of Mortal Kombat making its way to King’s Canyon, as well as butt-clenching clutches from pro players as well as unexpected plays coming from the athletes.
Dizzy and his squad were crowned the best team with two wins after winning the first and the third round. NRG Dizzy bagged the MVP award after a magnificent display of what a pro Apex Legends player can do.

Here are the best epic and memorable moments from the EXP Pro-Am Apex Legends Presented by The Real CostÂ exhibition matches, in no particular order:
GET OVER HERE!
The end of the first match saw Mendokusaii and NRG Dizzy facing in a 1v1 situation. Mendokusaii and Dizzy go for the gentleman’s ending and opts for a fistfight in which Dizzy comes out on top.
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The moment was truly unexpected and it paved the way for wackier and insane plays in the coming matches.
DrDisrespect Gets Disrespected
Ah, DrDisrespect. Who doesn’t recognise the charismatic and proud streamer known for being banned on Twitch thanks to the toilet fiasco?
DrDisrespect was trash-talking the competition in jest by saying the other players don’t know what they were heading into before the games started. So, the gaming Gods did not like that, not one bit, and the Doctor was served instant Karma.

He was awarded the ‘One-Minute Man‘ award for being the earliest squad to have been eliminated by the competition.
Ouch, that award could’ve hurt my manhood.
Tennp0 Becomes A Ninja
FaZe Tennp0 hides in a tree and preps an Arc Star and perfectly stick the throwable to an unsuspecting enemy.

This is all happening while a yuuuge firefight is taking place in the immediate vicinity of the tree. Tennp0 you madlad!
Dizzy Finds Allies In Market
Dizzy, playing as Gibraltar, finds another Gibraltar and runs together towards Market. No hostilities were present from both teams and the commentators were freaking out.
Just listen to the confusion in the clip below.

Viewers were losing their minds until it was revealed by the commentators that the other squad was actually Dizzy’s NRG team member, Kingrichard. This went on for a few minutes with all their silly shenanigans.
Viss Pulls Off Epic Quickscopes
Viss pulls off an epic squad wipe at point-blank range with a Longbow, which is actually pretty impossible knowing the Longbow’s ability to hit close-range shots, unless aimed down sights, which takes time.
Check out the epic play below.

Mendokusaii Shows You How To Play Pathfinder
Nobody can escape the immense mobility that Pathfinder’s abilities offer. In this clip, Mendo takes advantage of trapped players and finishes them off thanks to Pathfinder’s grapple.

DrDisrespect’s Epic Comeback
After winning the One-Minute Man Awards, the Doc and his squad were determined to bounce back, and bounce back they did. This win wasn’t just attributed to DrDisrespect but also to professional basketball player Devin Booker for his impressive gameplay and great team support.

Winning the second round definitely got Doc the smug, saying “It’s just a win.”
Dizzy Displays A Dazzling Performance
This clip shows perfectly how the pros play, having an acute game sense as well as near-perfect aim. You can see that each movement is anticipated and calculated, netting Dizzy the US$20,000 Round win.

End Of The Round
At the end of the event, I can confidently say that Apex Legends is close to becoming an esports-ready game. Every piece of the puzzle was correctly accounted for, with entertaining participants and great gameplay all rounds as well as great commentators.
The commentators did a great job explaining each mechanic of the game for newcomers of the title, making it a very welcoming event to watch.
I truly hope Respawn Entertainment can take up the momentum and bring Apex Legends to greater heights in the esports industry, because it has that massive potential.


PS Plus March 2021 Offers Final Fantasy VII Remake For Free

Gamers will have four new games to look forward to in the PlayStation Plus March 2021 lineup. From 2 March 2021 to 5 April 2021, PS Plus subscribers will be able to redeem Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4), Knack 2 (PS4), Farpoint (PS4), and Maquette (PS5).
Final Fantasy VII Remake | PS4

Fresh off the announcement of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade earlier today, the PS4 version of Final Fantasy VII Remake will be available as a free game.
However, please note the PS4 version of Final Fantasy VII Remake available to PlayStation Plus members is not eligible for the PS5 digital version upgrade.
Knack 2Â | PS4

Meet Knack, a little guy with surprising moves and the ability to transform from big to small and back again in this family-friendly adventure from the developers at PlayStation.
Maquette | PS5

All that is tiny is simultaneously huge in this intriguing first-person puzzler designed around an Escher-esque recursive simulation. Making its Ps5 debut as part of next monthâ€™s PlayStation Plus lineup, Maquette sets you in the centre of a world the rules of which are very different from our own.
Solutions to puzzles require you to twist the world recursively; manipulating the landscape of a diorama will see those changes mirrored in the life-sized version that surrounds you. If you get perplexed by a puzzle, you can call up PS5â€™s Game Help for helpful hints to solve Maquetteâ€™s tougher conundrums.
Farpoint | PS VR

Master an arsenal of weapons to keep yourself alive on a hostile alien world in this free-roaming, first-person PS VR shooter. Optimised for the PlayStation VR Aim controller and fully playable with a DualShock wireless controller, strike out towards your crashed space station solo or with a friend in online co-op. Trade alien threats for testing each otherâ€™s skills in a variety of Versus game modes.


Here Is The Full List Of 23rd D.I.C.E Awards Finalists

Want to find out what 2019’s D.I.C.E-nominated games are? You know, the awards that highlight the achievements on an artistic and technical level? Moreso than The Game Awards?
Welp, here it is. Be prepared for a lotta use of the word “outstanding”. The awards show will be streamed on 13th February PST.
Outstanding Achievement In Animation

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Days Gone
Death Stranding
Devil May Cry 5
Luigi’s Mansion 3

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Concrete Genie
Control
Death Stranding
Resident Evil 2

Outstanding Achievement in Character

Jesse Faden from Control
Cliff Unger from Death Stranding
Sam Porter Bridges from Death Stranding
Greez from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
The Goose from Untitled Goose Game

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

Arise: A Simple Story
Control
Erica
Golem
Mortal Kombat 11

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Death Stranding
Mortal Kombat 11
Resident Evil 2
Sayonara Wild Hearts

Outstanding Achievement in Story

Control
Disco Elysium
Outer Wilds
Telling Lies
The Outer Worlds

Outstanding Technical Achievement

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Concrete Genie
Control
Death Stranding
Metro Exodus

Action Game of the Year

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Control
Devil May Cry 5
Gears 5
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Adventure Game of the Year

Death Stranding
Luigi’s Mansion 3
Resident Evil 2
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

Family Game of the Year

A Short Hike
Dragon Quest Builders 2
Ring Fit Adventure
Super Mario Maker 2
Yoshi’s Crafted World

Fighting Game of the Year

Dead or Alive 6
Jump Force
Mortal Kombat 11
Samurai Shodown

Racing Game of the Year

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
DiRT Rally 2.0
F1 2019
Mario Kart Tour
Trials Rising

Role-Playing Game of the Year

Disco Elysium
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
Kingdom Hearts III
PokÃ©mon Sword/Shield
The Outer Worlds

Sports Game of the Year

FIFA 20
Madden NFL 20
MLB The Show 19
NBA 2k20
NHL 20

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

Anno 1800
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Oxygen Not Included
Slay The Spire
Total War: Three Kingdoms

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

Asgard’s Wrath
Blood & Truth
Pistol Whip
Stormland
Westworld Awakening

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

A Short Hike
Disco Elysium
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Untitled Goose Game
WHAT THE GOLF?

Portable Game of the Year

Call of Duty: Mobile
GRINDSTONE
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Sky: Children of the Light
WHAT THE GOLF?

Online Game of the Year

Apex Legends
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep
Tetris 99
Wargroove

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

Baba is You
Disco Elysium
Outer Wilds
Sekiro
Slay The Spire

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

A Short Hike
Control
Disco Elysium
Outer Wilds
Untitled Goose Game

Game of the Year

Control
Death Stranding
Disco Elysium
Outer Wilds
Untitled Goose Game


You’ll Have A Gay Old Time With Rocketman, A Lavishly Music-Laced Biopic Of Elton John

As far as musician biopics go, Rocketman may be one of the best since The Doors and Ray. Forget about Rami Malek’s Freddie Mercury and Chadwick Boseman’s James Brown: Taron Egerton has both the acting, emotional range, and singing chops to portray Elton John in this rise and fall and then rise to fame movie directed by Dexter Fletcher, whom longtime film fans may remember as that one guy from Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels.
“When Are You Going To Hug Me?”

That heading is the key phrase that sums up Elton’s biopic musical (yes, musical) adventure: the fact that his life story is one where he sought approval from his parents, the maternal side played delightfully cold by the usually chirpy Bryce Dallas Howard. He also wants validation and affection from the abusive business-only manager John Reid, played menacingly and calculative by Richard Madden.

That’s why his slow descent to appease everyone and be as outrageous as possible is made all the more fantastical thanks to Dexter’s way of blending real-life dramatizations with balls-out glam-filled dream sequences playing to the main man’s 70s playlist.
The stellar part of this flying ship of an experience? Most of it is sung by Taron Egerton and dressing up fabulously for the occasion, showing the world that he’s more than just Sing‘s gangsta gorilla.

The film not only highlights key moments in his career like his debut at the Troubadour in LA with “Crocodile Rock”, but also his lowlights with appropriate renditions of said playlist including “Goodbye,Â  Yellow Brick Road” and “Rocket Man” when the drugs take a toll on him, and when he blames everyone around him for his loneliness and troubles.
Dexter’s balancing act between the gritty Brit-pic aesthetic and the colourful and excessive musical bits complements the out-of-this-world yet grounded acting from Egerton’s title character and Jamie Bell’s BFF, platonic partner, and lyricist Bernie Taupin. Seeing both of them bond, bicker, fight, and reconcile is also the film’s other treasure beyond the theatrics and no holds barred story of fame, validation, and self-hating loneliness.
Burning Out His Fuse Up Here Alone…

Some people have brought up fair-yet-misguided arguments that biopics portraying still-alive stars and personalities tend to gloss over the harsh bits of their life story due to creative control: see the Dr. Dre bits of Straight Outta Compton. I’m personally glad that Dexter just went all-out with the 70s portion of Elton’s troubled personal life amidst his fame and fortune.

You know a film’s got you by the proverbial balls when it starts off with Elton John dropping into rehab in his horned devil outfit, then bursts into song when reminiscing his life story into the 60s backdrop with clashing colours and saturation right after confessing his plethora of vices.

Or when he breaks down after getting his one-two punches from his mother and manager. The act of transitioning from a dark period of a man’s life into a musical portion that heightens the emotional pathos in vaudevillian fashion is a tough one; I’m impressed that it’s handled very well in RocketmanÂ with the masterful modern cinema direction of Dexter.
Probably the only gripe I have is the missing bits taken out by the Malaysian film censorship board. After all, this is an “R” rated film about a gay singer who succumbed to his vices of sex, alcohol, and drugs, while being an ass about it thanks to a combo of his upbringing and surroundings. It sure as heck isn’t going to be kept intact.
Other than that, Rocketman shows that even with a stellar Oscar-worthy performance from Taron Egerton, Dexter Fletcher should also share the spotlight for getting his enthusiasm and vision realized in a film that satiates the eyes, ears, and heart.
FINAL RATING: 90/100


Weathering With You Sold 1 Million Tickets In Three Days; Ranks #1 In Japan

Makoto Shinkai is back with another romantic fantasy anime film and it looks like it’ll be another hit. Weathering With You managed to sell more than 1 million tickets just within the first three days of its opening weekend in Japan.
According to Anime News Network, Weathering With You had a more successful opening weekend compared to Makoto’s previous film Your Name. Weathering With You earned at least Â¥350,000,000 (approximately US$3 million) more.

In Japanese, the film is literally titled as Child of Weather which is referring to one of the film’s main characters, a girl who seems to be able to control the weather. The story revolves around a teenage boy who runs away from home and befriends the weather-manipulating girl in Tokyo.
Weathering With You was released in Japan on 19 July 2019 and will be released in Malaysian and Singaporean cinemas on 5 September 2019 and 12 September 2019 respectively.


Tchia Promises A Relaxing Time In New Caledonia

Tchia was originally announced back in 2020 during The Game Awards from Awaceb, a developer from New Caledonia, an island located in the Pacific Ocean. Courtesy of publisher Kepler Interactive, I spent some time with a demo for the survival adventure title. What is Tchia? Well, it’s essentially an open-world sandbox adventure game set on the islands of New Caledonia.
There’s no real straightforward combat like in other games, but the beauty and meat of the game lies in its exploration and traversing the tropical paradise. It’s a game where simply exploring can feel cathartic, even if you’re not really on the way to completing any specific objective. See a bird? You can possess it. Want to catch a crab? You can do that, all while immersed in New Caledonian culture.
The Tchia demo takes place several hours into the game and drops me into its open world. There’s a lot of freedom in traversal, as players can climb, glide, swim, and sail their boat around beautiful tropical islands, as well as use Tchia’s special ability to take control of any animal or object they can find, and even jam on their fully playable Ukulele.

I was only able to explore a small part of the open world, but when I checked the world map, it’s pretty big. Exploration is best when you can glide and possess animals like birds. However, walking feels a bit monotonous and slow. Soul jumping is one of Tchia’s special abilities, which lets you take control of any object or animal that they can find in the open world. They’re not only used for getting to places faster, but the animals also have special abilities. For example, you can Soul Jump into a dog and it can dig to unearth buried treasure.
What’s funniest is when I possess birds and their special ability is to poop. You read that right. I can be a bird and poop everywhere. That best encapsulates my time with Tchia. The game is fun because of how relaxing it is. There’s no sense of urgency, but that’s good. It’s cathartic to simply explore the islands, with a vibe that makes stress melt away.

The game also has lots of mini-games and side activities, like stacking rocks (similar to that same minigame from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla), rhythm-based games that involve playing the Ukelele, sculpting wood, and clearing out enemy camps with simple mechanics (since there’s no traditional combat in the game per se). There are a lot of things to do besides just exploring and possessing animals. In addition, you can customize Tchia (the protagonist) with different clothing and accessories.
I’m looking forward to exploring more in the full game. Tchia is slated to launch for the PS4, PS5 and PC via Epic Games Store sometime in spring 2023.


The Best Final Fantasy VII Remake Videos & Gameplay We Have So Far [Update]

This story is still in development…
Final Fantasy VII Remake will be out in a couple of days. We checked it out and finished it; you’re going to love it, FFVII fans!
However, if you can’t wait to check out the game in motion, or if you’re just bored out of your mind due to the pandemic lockdown, we have some videos for you to watch here.
There are minor spoilers, but these are moments from the 1997 original made anew. Still, we’ll put this up in case…

Have fun watching and getting hyped! You might get a boss strategy guide or two in here.
Fights & Combat

The Fun Stuff


Battlefield 2042 Update 2.1 Adds Reworked Map & New Weapons

EA has released a new update for Battlefield 2042.
Check out the patch notes for Battlefield 2042 update 2.1 below:

A reworked version of Renewal, bringing an improved gameplay flow, new cover, terrain improvements and shorter distances between flags
The new Polaris RZR in-world vehicle, for swift traversal across the Battlefield
3 new Vault Weapons for the the All-Out Warfare arsenal, bringing even more weapon variety; the P90, GOL Sniper Magnum and the M1911
Improvements have been made to reduce instances of mouse input latency
Balance tuning for Attack and Transport Helicopters, and the Nightbird
Irish’s APS-36 Shootdown Sentinel improvements that ensure it now blocks M320 LVG and M26 Mass Frag attachment grenades
AM40 and Avancys bullets will no longer incorrectly registered as SMG bullets

The Liquidators Await
A special event is coming your way during mid-October. We’re looking forward to sharing full details with you at a later time. But for now… expect new earnable cosmetics alongside infantry only gameplay with tight playspaces and intense close-quarters combat.
Content
Renewal – Map Improvement
Our intent for the map rework is to improve the infantry & close quarter combat experience. Flags and objectives are now significantly closer to each other. This will reduce the traversal time and overall ‘time to action’ when moving between sectors and objectives. To increase the impact of these changes, we decided to completely remove certain sections of the map that broke the game flow or were considered to be too far away.
We’ve worked with both the terrain and with a large amount of new military fortifications to provide more opportunities for cover. These assets transform the map, making it feel less pristine and more ready for war. A feeling enhanced during gameplay as the new military fortifications support destruction to greater extent than the original map design.
The Solar Station 1
The Solar Station remains the initial attack location in Breakthrough, only now it is heavily protected by huge concrete barriers, sturdy sandbags, shipping containers, and the large warehouses are perfect for hiding from air vehicles.
The Solar Station 2
Attacker vehicles will be crucial in helping in breaking down defenses. But be careful, enough stray shells can ignite a firestorm at this capture point.
Desert Terrain 1
The Terrain in Renewal has also been heavily reworked with a focus on providing clear infantry and vehicle paths and offering infantry better line of sight breakers and cover. When looking at our telemetry we could see that players did not move through the intended lanes across the desert terrain. The changes we made provide clearer paths for both infantry and vehicles.
Battery Farm
The Battery Farm has had a simplification pass and now promotes more predictable fighting lanes and lines of sight. Additional cover has also been placed, but you should remain wary of skybound threats.
Check Point – Green side
The check point on the farm side is now heavily fortified. Attackers will be able to use the new cover to slowly work their way to their new objectives. Vehicles can be a threat to these defenses, but the plethora of cover means C5 may always lurk around the corner.
Approach to Synseco Building 1
The approach to the Synseco building  is now heavily fortified, offering vital cover to attackers. But cover alone here will not be enough to succeed, attackers must push through quickly.
Approach to Synseco Building 2
The central road that connects the checkpoint to the Synseco building is now the fortified spine of the map.
Interior Synseco Capture Point 1
Interiors of the Synseco building are no longer pristine. Instead they are storage areas for the defenders, their ammo crates and storage units making great cover for close quarters combat.
Interior Synseco Hallway
Lines of sight in the hallways are now broken by sandbags and ammo crates, making these spaces viable defense points. Sandbags against windows offer some protection against enemy snipers, but also make for a great nest for you to return some marksmen fire of your own.
Synseco Foyer
The first front line in the crucial building, defenders now have the luxury of sturdy defenses, forcing attackers to think twice about using the front door.
Polaris RZR
Fast and fun. The Polaris RZR is now available on the Battlefield as an in-world vehicle. Jump into this lightweight buggy with a teammate and zip across the Battlefield, surprising enemy infantry or gaining new, tactical positions.
New Vault Weapons
4 Battlefield Portal iconic weapons from the Battlefield 3 and Bad Company 2 era are now available in the All-Out Warfare arsenal. You’ll unlock these Vault Weapons at your own pace via the new Assignment system.
P90 – Battlefield 3
A compact and capable weapon system firing 5.7x28mm armor-piercing rounds. It has three forward rails for a wide array of attachments. Comes with a 50 round magazine.
GOL Sniper Magnum – Bad Company 2
This German bolt action rifle provides exceptional performance and standoff capability. Its long range and accuracy makes it a great choice for special forces and counter terrorist units.
M1911 – Bad Company 2
Modified version of the classic .45 caliber sidearm for Allied forces. Seven round magazine.
Changelog
General

Fixed an issue preventing the Weekly Missions list from being scrolled during End of Round
Collection – Fixed an issue where the wrong input icon is displayed when equipping vehicle customizations
Statistics – Fixed an issue that could cause the accuracy stat to reach a value above 100%
Fixed an alignment issue related to HUD notifications on wide screen monitors
Fixed a scaling issue related to HUD notifications
Fixes an issue that could cause a black screen after leaving a game that was close to the End of Round
Fixed an issue that could cause the Introduction Video to play when booting the title into fullscreen and directly pressing Alt + Enter to go into windowed mode
Resolved instances where visual artifacts could appear on screen while matchmaking into a new server on the Exodus Conquest playlist
Fixed instances where binding a secondary input to mouse buttons did not work
The sorting arrow is now pointed correctly for the Players section in the Battlefield Portal Browse tab

Battlefield Portal

Multiple fixes and adjustments have been made to resolve issues with assets and collision across classic era maps

Rules Editor

Added Crawford, Stranded, Season 2 Weapons, and Vehicles to Rules Editor selection lists
Added Audio Asset Library
Added World Icons Asset Library
Added RemovePlayerInventoryAtSlot block to Rules Editor
Added RemovePlayerInventory block to Rules Editor
Added EnableFastTicketBleed block to Rules Editor
Added OnPlayerExitCapturePoint block to Rules Editor
Added OnPlayerEnterCapturePoint block to Rules Editor
Added OnCapturePointNeutralizing block to Rules Editor
Added SetCapturePointOwnership to Rules Editor
Added EnableCaptureHQ block to Rules Editor
Added CapturePointCapturingTime to Rules Editor
Added CapturePointNeutralizationTime to Rules Editor
Added SetNeutralizationMultiplier block to Rules Editor
Improved error messages to clarify parameter type mismatches for some blocks

Modifiers

Added Modifiers for Hiding Crosshair (also affects vehicles)

Gadgets

Fixed Incorrect Zoom levels when using SOFLAM

Maps
Breakaway

Resolved silo damage effects stopping when the silo was queued for destruction
You’ll no longer see foot on snow VFX inside the heli during the insertion sequence

Discarded

Fixed issue an issue where the terrain around the base of the walkway ship rail could be destroyed enough to make it float

Exposure

Fixed bullet decals not looking realistic on a painting in the C3 sector
Fixed bullet tracers from the MD540 Nightbird’s Minigun that disappeared when firing on certain assets
Fixed a fire extinguisher that was floating after the wall was destroyed
Fixed a LOD (Level of Detail) issue on wall near stairs in sector E2
Fixed an issue where players could enter unintended areas above the D1 flag room and shoot unaware enemies because of assets with missing collisions

Hourglass

Fixed an audio issue where walking over the outdoor bins at the western side of B1 was inappropriately triggering dirt sound

Kaleidoscope

Fixed an issue preventing AI from using the ladder between capture points B2 and D1
Fixed a LOD issue present on the plaza foundation planters found across the map

Orbital

Fixed an issue where the carports were shaking at the opening animation
Fixed an issue where the dumpster had audio material set to dirt
Fixed an issue where the rocket from rocket launchers would go through the map when shot beneath the soldier while standing on the ramp from crawlerway

Renewal

Fixed an issue in the Research Facility where players would be able to clip platforms and see through the assets while the head would be visible to others on the other side
Fixed an issue where players would clip with the ceiling and see through parts of the building when climbing on the lab barrels placed in corners
Fixed issue where players would clip with the sewers ceiling and see through the building when placed on the propane tank
Fixed an issue causing player camera clipping while vaulting on top of the pump station
Fixed issue with grenades thrown near the wall of the small lab that could pass through the terrain
Fixed an issue where the Breakthrough insertion helicopter landed out of bounds on attacker side
Fixed an issue where terrain clipped through the concrete canal
Fixed issue where front desks inside the Synseco building had LOD issues
Fixed increased shadow issue on both sides of the stairs that leads to the Research Facility
Fixed LOD issues present on the warehouse shelves found inside the research facility building
Fixed LOD issues present for the material around the windows at the ground floor in the Research Facility
Fixed sharp black shadow present on the edge of the bridge leading to the Research Facility
Fixed uneven and sharp lighting on the walls inside the Research Facility
Fixed an issue where after destroying the vegetation on the vab foundation where the revealed terrain looked unnatural and stretched
Fixed LOD issue on concrete cover while in destroyed state
Fixed issue where shadows were too dark in multiple areas of the map
Fixed missing wall mesh in some locations
Fixed LOD issue present on the planters found across the level
Fixed flashing and disappearing lights and shadows on a wall in the Research Facility

Stranded

Fixed issue where a LATV4 Recon partially caught in the hatch would take damage overtime
Fixed issue where vehicles would stutter on the hatches during opening
Fixed issue where players would stutter while standing on the rotating platform in the showroom
Fixed issue where an extended occluder was visible when the player is prone near the right margin on the front deck
Fixed an issue in sector C1 where an occluder was visible when the player is prone on the ship’s margin near the zipline going to B1 and looking towards the antenna
Fixed an issue on sector C2 where there was intense flashing in one of the marketplace corridors
Fixed issue with flickering visible in the backdrop from deploy screen
Fixed issue where G-84 TGM would get stuck when shot in to E1 control tower
Fixed issue with inconsistent metrics where the player could not walk through 12 out of the 36 gaps made between the metal beams and the containers on top of the ship
Fixed issue where player received damage until dead when jumping on top of a moving platform

Soldier

Improved input polling to reduce aiming input latency

Players who previously observed mouse input lag during gameplay should feel an improvement with this game update. Please continue sharing your feedback about your experience with us once you’ve been able to play.

Fixed an issue that caused Overexposed lights on Soldier uniforms (IFF)
Fixed an issue where Repair VFX is still present for a short time after the user enters the vehicle
Fixed an issue where the character stance did not reset when entering/exiting vehicles
Fixed an issue where there grenade cooking animation was missing
Fixed an issue with the Large Impact Sound incorrectly being played when attaching C5 to vehicles
Fixed issues animations missing when throwing any grenade
Fixed issues with inconsistent face wrinkles on several characters. A proper skincare routine is important to compliment the active lifestyle of being on the Battlefield
Fixed an issue where Soldiers were visible for a second before spawning on the Spawn Beacon
Grenade throw animation should now play correctly
Fixed issue with Incorrect world log messages when repairing an air vehicle from the passenger seat
The Combat Hammer has should now have a hit indicator when striking a target
Sundance’s landing animation with the Wingsuit has been improved. It’s no longer causes jumpy behavior
Fixed unintended behavior for Soldier physics animations while in deep terrain craters
Improved prone behavior in craters and on ledges
A temporary Soldier movement speed has been added when performing stance changes
A short cooldown has been added to prevent standing / prone stance change spam
Fixed a camera snapping issue when starting a slide
Improved hit detection from shots fired by soldiers while in moving and in open vehicle seats
A prone soldier is no longer able to push other prone soldiers around
Introduced new player collision behavior for friendly Soldiers to help prevent body blocking in tight spaces. Friendly Soldiers that are moving will now be able to move through other Soldiers but will be pushed away whenever they stop moving to prevent clipping

Specialists
Boris

Fixed an issue that caused the SG-36 Sentry Gun to sometimes shoot enemy players through smoke
Fixed an issue with the SG-36 Sentry Gun is floating after being deployed
Fixed an issue where the turret deploy sound is delayed when deploying SG-36 Sentry Gun with Boris

Casper

Fixed an issue where the OV-P Recon Drone flies in circles after getting pushed by another player
Fixed a bug where Slow vehicles could not destroy the OV-P Recon Drone by ramming it or running over it
Fixed issues with Casper’s OV-P Recon Drone tooltips showing as unassigned when unbinding Crouch Hold Keybind

Crawford

Fixed an issue where the Mounted Vulcan could be seen in the character hands when picking up the gadget
Fixed an issue with EMP VFX not being present on the Mounted Vulcan while under the EMP effect
Fixed an issue with Mounted Vulcan shield not being displayed correctly when destroyed

Irish

Fixed an issue where APS-36 Shootdown Sentinel did not not block M320 LVG and M26 Mass Frag attachment grenades
The legs on the APS-36 Shootdown Sentinel now have proper shadows

Lis

Fixed an issue Audio hit cue/indicator triggered on Lis’s rocket when hitting nothing
Fixed an issue G-84 TGM gets a hit marker but 0 damage is dealt to the enemy Soldier

Rao

Fixed an issue where Rao signal hacker pulse was missing
Fixed an issue where Rao spotted any enemy that destroyed equipment nearby

Vehicles

Fixed an issue that would prevent jets from visually updating when viewed from a distance.
Hands are now correctly aligned on the 4×4 Utility steering wheel as soon as you enter the vehicle.
Minor tweaks to make exhausts look less odd in vehicle elevators. They were very exhausting.
The audio SFX from Stealth Helicopter bombs no longer persist after being fired.
The countermeasure prompt for vehicles is now only visible for the driver/pilot
The Gunner VE has been removed during spawn, now only showing when you are in the gunner position.
Updated the Air-to-Ground Missile crosshairs on jets to display the lock on crosshair
You will no longer hear the “In Stealth” target blocked audio when looking at a Stealth Helicopter with active dual 30mm Cannon Pods
The HEAT Shell has been renamed to HE Shell to better reflect its intended use as anti-infantry

EBLC-RAM

Aligned the EBLC-RAM Turret so it now sits snugly on the main body
The countermeasure prompt is now correctly displayed for the EBLC-RAM
Fixed an issue causing the EBLC-Ram Active Protection System ability to detonate Lis’ Guided missile from further away than intended
Fixed an issue that caused the crosshair to be shown when deploying the vehicle insertion beacon
Fixed an issue that caused the EBLC-Ram Active Protection System ability to appear to shoot down Lis’ Guided Missile in the wrong direction
Fixed issue that caused the EBLC-RAM Spawn Beacon to not attach correctly to moving objects
Placing the EBLC-RAM’s Team Insertion Beacon in an invalid area will no longer spawn the Beacon in the last location it was placed
The EBLC-RAM now has working lights within the Collection screens.
When exiting the EBLC-RAM with the Team Insertion Beacon Deploy ability active, you will now automatically switch back to the previously equipped weapon

Vehicles – 60mm Flak Weapon Pod
The 60mm Flak Weapon Pod was underperforming against air vehicles so we have increased its effectiveness. Alongside that change we have also reduced its damage toward infantry to further solidify its purpose.

Velocity has been increased from 150 -> 250
Detonation delay decreased from 0.15 -> 0.02
Vehicle detonation radius decreased from 10 -> 2
Damage multiplier to infantry reduced 0.47 -> 0.05
An issue has been resolved that caused the 60mm Flak Weapon Pod to unintentionally damage infantry when damaging vehicles

AH-64GX Apache Warchief and KA-520 Super Hokum
We have observed that Stealth Helicopters have become the dominant Air Vehicle of choice since their introduction in Season 1. In Update 2.1, we are making several balance adjustments to the AH-64GX Apache Warchief and KA-520 Super Hokum to ensure all Helicopters have a dedicated purpose on the Battlefield. As a result, we’re increasing their anti-vehicle effectiveness.

127mm Anti-Vehicle Rocket Pack velocity has been increased
127mm Anti-Vehicle Rocket Pack damage has been increased from 100 -> 130
127mm Anti-Vehicle Rocket Pack is now more accurately in shorter ranges
127mm Anti-Vehicle Rocket Pack Replenish rate has been lowered 1.3 -> 2
30mm Cannon Gunner Rate of Fire has been lowered 350 -> 200
30mm Cannon Velocity has been increased
30mm Cannon Gunner Damage Start Damage increased 18 -> 40
30mm Cannon Gunner Damage End Damage increased 8 -> 25
30mm Cannon Blast Damage increased from 18 -> 20
30mm Cannon Overheat has been increased

MD540 Nightbird – Mounted 7.62mm Miniguns
We are updating the miniguns to ensure they remain powerful when actively managed, while reducing their effectiveness during continuous fire.

Minigun Wind Up Time has been lowered
Minigun Wind Down Time has been increased
Overall Dispersion has been lowered
Overheat has been increased

MV38-Condor / Mi-240 Super Hind – 7.62mm Minigun Pod
We have observed the Transport Helicopter 7.62mm Minigun Pod was mainly used for long range combat. We are making several balance adjustments to ensure its focus remains on intended defensive and close range use. It’s now more accurate, but with an overall decreased damage output and range while also overheating faster.

Damage fall-Off Starting Distance has been lowered from 350 -> 150
Damage Fall-Off End Distance has been lowered from 1000 -> 300
Dispersion has been lowered
Wind Up Time has been lowered
Wind Down Time has been increased
Overheat has been increased

Weapons

Fixed an issue that caused AM40 and Avancys bullets to be registered as SMG bullets
The AM40 Standard Issue Ammo now correctly displays the intended magazine count of 20
The AM40 and Avancys can no longer be used underwater
Adjusted deploy delays for Vault Weapons to ensure a smoother experience
Fixed a bug where picking up the DM7 from the ground would show incorrect weapon icon
Fixed an issue that caused the M11 scope on the BSV-M to not have the correct display
Fixed an issue that was causing unwanted behavior on underbarrel ammo
Fixed an issue that would cause the Avancys to display the wrong LOD when another player zoomed in on you
Fixed an issue where the PF51 would shake when firing after switching from and to primary
Fixed the suppressor muzzle flash being visible in front of the BSV-M when using certain scopes
Missing hints for underbarrel attachments have been located
Reload no longer sometimes go missing on the the SWS-10 when low on ammo
SFX have been improved for Laser Sights
The Ghostmaker R10’s attachments are now displayed on Kill Cards
The PF51 now shows the correct Magazine size in the Collection screens
The Target 8T scope now has the correct icon on the Avancys


Like A Dragon Gaiden Yuki Tsuruno Voice Actor Describes His Character In New Interview

SEGA has released an interview on YouTube featuring Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi, who plays the role of Yuki Tsuruno, in Like A Dragon Gaiden The Man Who Erased His Name. Tsuruno is a captain in the Watase Family, a subsidiary within the Omi Alliance.
In this interview, Yoshiyuki talks about the excitement he felt when he was cast for the role, the thrill of voicing a character, and the qualities he shares with Tsuruno.

During Summer Game Fest 2023, Sega announced that Like A Dragon Gaiden The Man Who Erased His Name will launch for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 9 November 2023.
Hereâ€™s the official synopsis:
â€œOnce a legendary yakuza, Kazuma Kiryu faked his own death and abandoned his name for the sake of protecting his family. Now, he is thrust into conflict by a mysterious figure attempting to drive him out of hiding.


EA Shuts Down NBA Live 20

I want to say that EA’s NBA Live franchise has been a proper contender to Take-Two Interactive’s NBA 2K franchise similar to the dynamic between games like FIFA and PES. However, NBA Live has never performed all that well in both critical reception and sales.

It’s highly likely that the history of poor performance is why EA has decided to pull the plug on NBA Live 20. According to a report by Polygon, EA chief executive Andrew Wilson spoke to the company’s investors earlier this week and informed them that they won’t be making an NBA Live game for this season to focus on what can be done with next-gen consoles.

“We’re not launching a new NBA Live HD product this season. Instead, we’re expanding our vision, leaning hard into the new leading-edge platforms, and taking time to ensure we deliver against the opportunity for our players.”
– Andrew Wilson, EA chief executive.
NBA Live 20 was initially planned to be released in the second fiscal quarter of 2019 and then delayed to the third fiscal quarter of the year which is between 1 October and 31 December 2019. In other words, this news of cancellation comes at the very last minute after being delayed before the game even had a specific release date.

This is the fourth time that EA has shut down an NBA Live game from a home console release within this decade. NBA Live 11 was mobile-only, NBA Live 12 never came to be due to a change in development studios, NBA Live 13 was cancelled, and 2017’s NBA Live Mobile was… well, mobile only.
Without a serious competitor, NBA 2K will continue to monopolise the basketball games market. It’s quite disappointing because it means that basketball games fans just have to accept whatever issues the NBA 2K games have. It’s also worth noting that NBA Live 18 was the first basketball games to feature a full WNBA roster, something that has never been done by the NBA 2K series.
Hopefully this all means that EA is focused on making a great entry in the form of NBA Live 21.


Marvel Netflix Shows Arrive On Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia Next Month

On 29 June 2022, Disney+ Hotstar will add more Marvel live-action series titles to its expansive content offering in Malaysia with the addition of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher, giving fans access to more from the Marvel collection, all in one place.?
The dedicated Marvel brand page on Disney+ Hotstar already serves as home to the largest Marvel collection with hundreds of hours of movies and shows. This includes the Marvel Studios movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe such as Avengers: Endgame and Black Panther as well as other Marvel movie franchises like X-Men; Disney+ Original series like WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Loki, and Hawkeye; animated series, including the Disney+ Original series from Marvel Studios, What If…?; specials and shorts, and documentaries that go behind the scenes like Marvel Studios Assembled.
These Marvel shows originally left Netflix back in March 2022.


Here’s An Awesome Video Game & Pop Culture Wrap-Up Of 2020

2020 is a terrible year for many. But 2020 is also a good year for gaming. Here are the highlights of that year. And hope the rest burns in heck.

Video Cliff’s Notes:
January
-Australian bushfires.
-US ballistics strike in Iraq.
-Philippine volcano spews ash near Manila.
-Bad Boys For Life, one of 2020’s top-grossing films.
-MAGFest 2020
-Major & notable game releases: Dragonball Kakarot, Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, Coffee Talk by Indonesian game studio.
February
-COVID-19.
-Sonic The Hedgehog, one of 2020’s top-grossing films.
-Major game releases: Granblue Fantasy Versus.
-The death of Kazuhisa Hashimoto, the Konami code creator.
March
-Economy issues due to COVID-10
-Major game releases: Doom Eternal, Animal Crossing New Horizons, Call of Duty Warzone, Ori & The Will of the Wisps.
April
-COVID-19 quarantines/lockdowns/MCOs and their effects.
-Major game releases: Final Fantasy VII Remake, Gears Tactics, Trials of Mana remake, Streets of Rage 4, Sakura Wars.
May
-The death of George Floyd, followed by Black Lives Matter protests.
-Major game releases: Deep Rock Galactic, Maneater.
June
-Google & Alphabet sued over user tracking.
-Hong Kong protests over new security law still happening.
-PlayStation 5 revealed
-Major game releases: Valorant, The Last of Us Part 2.
July
-Hong Kong security law passed.
-Major game releases: Ghost of Tsushima, Marvels’ Iron Man VR, Paper Mario: Origami King.
-2018 game Among Us gains resurgence.
August
-Massive explosion rocks Beirut.
-Polio eradicated in Africa.
-Japanese Prime Minister ShinzÅ Abe resigns due to health reasons.
-Tenet came out on cinemas starting this month, didn’t do well due to outside world conditions.
-Apple vs. Fortnite.
-Gamescom 2020 Online.
-Singapore Games Association formed, led by IMBA Interactive founder Gwen Guo.
-Major game releases: Microsoft Flight Simulator -No Straight Roads, one of Malaysia’s most-championed game made by ex-Square Enix designer Wan Hazmer & Street Fighter V concept artist Daim Dziauddin.
September
-Anti-vaccine protests.
-California “red sky”.
-Ubisoft’s apology after sexual and office abuse allegations are uncovered.
-Tokyo Game Show 2020 (online).
-Microsoft buys Bethesda & Zenimax for US$7.5 billion.
-Major game releases: Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2, Genshin Impact, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Hades, Mafia: Definitive Edition.
October
-Aegean Sea earthquake.
-AOC plays Among Us to get young folks to vote.
-Major game releases: Crash Bandicoot 4, Star Wars Squadron, Ghostrunner, Watchdogs: Legion.
November
-Joe Biden is the US of A’s new president; celebrations soon followed.
-COVID-19 cases on the rise for some countries.
-Xbox Series and PS5 launched.
-Major game releases: Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, Bugsnax, Spider-Man Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls remake, Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Yakuza: Like A Dragon.
December
-Climate change & global warming issues.
-Wonder Woman 1984, the first major superhero film of 2020, came out in cinemas and digital streaming services.
-The Game Awards 2020: The Last of Us Part 2 won a lot of them. -Major game releases: Immortals Fenyx Rising, Cyberpunk 2077.


Borderlands 3 Gets Massive Crossplay Update, Level Cap, & Endless Cartel Event

Oh happy day, Borderlands 3 fans. We’re getting the biggest update this month.
Starting today on 25th June, the game has received a ton of fixes and a major new event. Let’s break it down:
Level Cap Increase
Your level cap is now bumped to 72. You now have 70 Skill Points to play around with.
Crossplay
After 3 years, Borderlands 3 finally has crossplay across Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Mac, Stadia, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Crossplay between the aforementioned platforms is made possible by SHiFT Matchmaking, and you’ll be greeted by an opt-in window when the Crossplay Update is live. Regardless of whether you choose to enable or disable Crossplay, you’ll be prompted to set a Crossplay Display Name, which is required for SHiFT Matchmaking functionality. Your display name needs to follow the requirements:

Must be a unique name not already in use by another Borderlands 3 player.
Must be between 3-16 characters long.
Must start with a letter, and is limited to a-z, A-Z, 0-9, or non-consecutive underscore, hyphen, or period/full-stop characters.

New Revenge Of The Cartels Event

After much requesting, the 2021 update to Revenge of the Cartels is back. Not only do you kill a slew of bosses and foes in a fancy mansion with 80s style music synthwork, but you also can farm for top tier weapons like the OPQ Assault Rifle and Yellowcake Rocket Launcher. This version of the event also features a new set of themed cosmetic items:

3 Challenges:Â ‘Cosmic Ring’ ECHO Device Skin.
6 Challenges:‘Pandora Sunset’ Weapon Trinket.
10 Challenges:‘Framed Tenderizer’ Room Decoration.
14 Challenges:‘Digital Horizons’ Weapon Skin.
18 Challenges:‘Grid Runner’ Vault Hunter Skin.

Endless Seasonal Events
All events, including the new Revenge of the Cartel, will not have end dates. This means you can play this and the Bloody Harvest and Broken Hearts Day whenever you like, for as long as you like. You can toggle these on the Main Menu.
True Trials Finale
From today to 1st July, the effects of all six True Trials mini-events will be active. That means all the Trials bosses get the same substantial boost to health and damage, they’ll all drop their two respective Legendary items from that week, and the chest at the end of each trial will be chock-full of Legendaries!
Some New Updates & Fixes
Weapons
Grease Trap

Made it easier to grease enemies more before setting them on fire
Increased based damage 20%

Iceburger

Buffed Damage

Needle Gun

Buffed Damage

New Anointment Adjustments
General Anointments

Killing an enemy grants 5% Weapon Damage and Reload Speed for 25 seconds; this effect stacks

Increased to 12.5% Weapon Damage, Maximum stacks capped to 10.

On Action Skill End, Action Skill cooldown rate is increased by 20% for a short time

Increased to 50%.

On Action Skill End, Gain 15% Life Steal for a short time

Increased to 30%.

Gain 300% increased Weapon Damage against enemies above 90% Health

Lowered to 150% increased Weapon Damage.

While under 50% health, deal 150% bonus radiation damage

Lowered to 100% bonus damage.

Consecutive Hits increase Weapon Damage by 1% per hit, misses remove all bonuses

Limited the amount of times this could stack to 100.

On Action Skill End, Splash Damage is increased by 200% for a short time

Lowered to 125%.

While an Action Skill is Active, Weapon Damage is increased by 200%

Lowered to 100%.

Amara the Siren
Astral Projection damage is increased by 100% for Phasecast and related Action Skills

Increased to 200% .

While Phasegrasp is active, Weapon Damage is increased by 100%

Increased to 150%.

Slam damage is increased by 100% for Phaseslam and related Action Skills

Increased to 300%.

Orb damage is increased by 100% for Phaseflare and related Action Skills

Increased to 200%.

Fl4k the Beastmaster
While Fade Away is active, Weapon Damage is increased by 100%

Increased to 150%.

While Gravity Snare is active, Weapon Damage is increased by 100%

Increased to 250%.

After using Rakk Attack!, gain 50% critical hit damage for a short time

Increased to 100%.

After using Attack Command, gain 30% lifesteal for a short time

Increased to 50%.

Moze The Gunner
While Iron Bear is active, Bear Fist damage is increased by 100%

Increased to 300%.

While Iron Bear is active, Salamander damage is increased by 100%

Increased to 200%.

While Iron Bear is active, Rail Gun damage is increased by 100%

Increased to 150%.

While Iron Bear is active, Minigun damage is increased by 100%

Increased to 150%.

While Iron Bear is active, V-35 Grenade Launcher damage is increased by 100%

Increased to 200%.

While Iron Bear is active, Vanquisher Rocket Pod damage is increased by 100%

Increased to 150%.

While Iron Cub is active, Weapon Damage is increased by 100%

Increased to 150%.

After exiting Iron Bear, the next 2 magazines will have 10% increased fire rate and 20% critical damage

Increased critical damage bonus to 100%.

Zane the Operative
MNTIS Shoulder Cannon damage is increased by 100%

Increased to 150%.

While Barrier is active, Accuracy is increased by 60%, and Critical Hit damage is increased by 70%

Increased Critical Hit damage to 125%.

While Digi-Clone is active, regenerate 12% of magazine ammo per second

Increased to 30%.

Truly this week’s a glorious one for Borderlands 3 fans all over the world.


Toge Productions Announces New Isometric Survival Horror Game

During the Toge Productions 14h Anniversary Event livestream, the company has announced a new survival horror title.
The game is called Whisper Mountain: Outbreak and it’s billed as an online co-op PvE multiplayer survival horror action game, but in an isometric perspective ala Diablo.
There is no release date for the game yet, but you can wishlist the PC version on Steam right now if this co-op survival horror game is your cup of tea. Full game description & screenshots below:

Whisper Mountain: Outbreak is an isometric co-op PvE multiplayer survival horror game where you and your friends must work together to escape the cursed fog-covered Mt. Bisik.
Explore abandoned buildings, fight monsters, scavenge resources, craft items, solve puzzles, and figure out a way to escape the whispering madness.
STORY
It’s 1998; a mining operation on Mt. Bisik inadvertently unleashed an ancient horror when they disturbed a ruin buried deep inside the mountain.
People started hearing whispers and seeing monsters when a mysterious fog suddenly appeared and covered the area surrounding the mountain. Now, you and your friends are trapped in the cursed Mt. Bisik.
FEATURES

Build barricades and fight the horde
Monsters will come in waves. You and your team must fortify your defenses and fight them off using a variety of melee and ranged weapons.
Explore, solve puzzles, and find a way to escape… together!
Work together to solve puzzles, find keys, unlock doors, and figure out a way to escape the cursed mountain.
Uncover the town’s dark secrets and find the truth
Read notes, talk with NPCs, and learn the hidden secrets behind the cursed fog-covered town and the people that inhabit it.
Claustrophobic, suspenseful, dark, and creepy atmosphere
A lingering fog, tight rooms, limited visibility, and limited resources.


How Netflix’s Squid Game Is Taking Over Video Games & Pop Culture Conversations

The Korean drama Squid Game is incredibly popular right now. Airing now on Netflix, the show has been the talk of the online space town since its release on 17th September.
The series is about a contest, where 456 players from all walks of Korean life and all deeply in debt, where the winner gets 45.6 billion Korean Won. All they have to do is play and win a series of children’s games with deadly penalties. For example, if you lose or end up last in a simple game of marbles or Red Light Green Light, you die. It’s also a show that talks about the economic struggles and class disparity one would face in a region like Korea; like that hit movie Parasite but a lot more on-the-nose about it. And with some ultraviolence to boot.

The show’s 9 episodes and debut season have delighted and shocked audiences with its characters, drama, and deaths. So it’s no surprise that the show will get renewed for another season or two.
So how has Squid Game taken over video games and pop culture? Through updates on current hot titles, fan-made videos, and people tying together battle royale games, of course. Here’s a list of video games and pop culture icons capitalizing on the currently hot Netflix show; the same way we’re doing with this feature because we’re that shameless.
Disclaimer: we’ll be adding a lot more video game mods and talk involving Squid Game as time goes by.
Fortnite
Fortnite is currently the mainstream battle royale game right now that would fit right in with Squid Game mods. The Fortnite Creative game mode features a number of Squid Game mods like the one below.

playing squid game in fortnite #SquidGame pic.twitter.com/kGcxKxUy17
— Glitch King ? (@GlitchKing15) September 27, 2021

To get them into your game of Fortnite, just use the creative codes below:

Red Light, Green Light: 6796-5852-0804
Tug of War by Overpowered2019: 0652-7985-6622
The Glass Bridge: 2865-1481-0812
The Laboratory: 9684-5332-0845

Minecraft

The Red Light, Green Light game from the first Squid Game episode makes for a nifty Minecraft custom game. This being an all-ages title, there’s obviously no gore or exaggerated deaths should the player lose the kid’s game.
Overwatch
https://twitter.com/cqtbugtv/status/1447347696910675973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1447347696910675973%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dexerto.com%2Foverwatch%2Fsquid-game-comes-overwatch-deadly-workshop-mode-1673510%2F
Our favourite group-based PvP multiplayer shooter is also in on the Squid Game hype train. There’s a popular Workshop mod that recreates the show’s Red Light, Green Light game. Same rules: cross the finish line when the doll at the end has its back turned, but if you’re caught moving when the doll turns to face the players, you die.
If you want to play the game, here’s the Workshop code: ZD383. Have fun!
Fall Guys

Developer Mediatonic mentioned that it initially wanted to add in Red Light, Green Light (via PC Gamer) in its hit battle royale game Fall Guys. But it ended up being rejected.
“Oh, yeah, there’s definitely a lot [of levels that don’t make it]. One of the ones that’s come up recently, again, is Squid Game, [which] is now the biggest TV show in the world. And it opens with Red Light, Green Light, which is something that we dabbled with. And we never actually got to prototyping it, because we couldn’t quite see how it works.”
However, the team plans on revisiting the prototype to capitalize on the Squid Game hype train.
“Within a video game there’s something about movement, which is in real life it’s very hard to stay still. But in a video game, you just put your controller down. And so at the time, I think we were like ‘we’ll never do Red Light, Green Light, it doesn’t make sense.’ But now seeing how popular Squid Game is I’d love for us to have another crack at something like that and see if we could do it in Fall Guys.”
Seeing as Fall Guys had tie-ins with Sega and Konami with Sonic and Bomberman costumes, it won’t be surprising to see costumes of the Squid Game guards popping up in the game in the near future.
YouTube

YouTuber penguinz0 hosted a real Squid Game contest where he invites a number of players to participate, with the winners getting themselves US$10,000. Don’t worry, no one actually dies here.
LeBron James
When he’s not winning basketball games and starring in unnecessary sequels to 90s films featuring Bugs Bunny, Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James gives his insight about Squid Games’ finale. The link and video below is clearly spoiler-filled, so check it out at your own discretion.

???spoiler alert???
LeBron and AD discuss their thoughts on Squid Game and I briefly lose my professionalism pic.twitter.com/HWP1tHi8oK
— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) October 13, 2021

Splatoon

Not really a Squid Game at all, but the game features human-squid hybrids and has actual marine life battling it out using paint. Technically, Splatoon is literally a game involving squids; just not the one you’re expecting from a dystopian-setting social commentary medium.


Indonesian-Made When the Past Was Around Comes To Mobile Next Week

When the Past Was Around will be coming to App Store and Google Play on 14 March 2022. It will be freemium where players can play the prologue of the game for free before deciding to purchase the game should they wish to unravel the story between Eda and The Owl. It was originally released for PC via Steam in September 2022 (where it’s currently 25 percent off until 12 March 2022).
Created by the creative team of Mojiken Studio, When the Past Was Around is a point-and-click adventure game that tells the story of love, moving on, letting go, and the joy and pain of everything in between. When the Past Was Around tells a bittersweet tale between a girl and her lover in a surreal world consisting of disjointed rooms from memories and time. With each gathered clue, solved puzzles, and unlocked door, the girl will find her way, unravelling the secrets between her and her lover, the secrets which she used to know.
What’s unique about the game is that players will experience the gameâ€™s story not through words nor dialogues, but through beautifully hand-drawn art created by talented Indonesian artist, Brigitta Rena. It has various intriguing puzzles to solve and stories to uncover, as well as atmospheric violin music that will accompany you from the peaceful days to the angstiest moments.
When the Past Was Around has received acknowledgements from all over the world, winning several titles such as â€œBest Game Awardâ€ from Indie Arena Booth Gamescom in 2020 and â€œBest PC Gameâ€ from Valencia Indie Awards in 2021.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Ghostbusters: Afterlife Sequel Haunts Cinemas Next Winter

It’s going to be the most wonderful time of the year for Ghostbusters fans, both young and old.
The Spengler family from Ghostbusters: Afterlife will be returning for a sequel, obviously titled Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2, on 20th December 2023, a few days before Christmas. The sequel will continue the story of said family, featuring Callie (Carrie Coon) the daughter of the late Egon Spengler, and her kids Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace). The film will be directed by Jason Reitman, who directed the first Afterlife and is the son of the series’ late co-creator Ivan Reitman.
The last film features guest appearances from original cast members Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver. Taking the place of the late Harold Ramis who played Egon is a ghost CGI version of him in the show’s climax.


Rustland Grand Prix Turns Crash Team Racing Into Mad Max

Publisher Activision and developer Beenox have announced the Rustland Grand Prix for Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, which will be the seventh free Grand Prix season. It will run from 16 January to 16 February 2020. The theme is clearly inspired by post-apocalyptic wasteland settings like Mad Max.
Players can unlock new skins and karts, as well as fill their Nitro Gauge to earn a
monstrous new character. Crash himself can be seen holding a special trophy during this new Grand Prix, in celebration of winning the Best Racing game at The Game Awards 2019.
The new character is Crashâ€™s greatest mistake, Mega-Mix, who is a dastardly mutant combination of Dr. Neo Cortex, N. Gin, Tiny Tiger, and Dingodile. There will also be a new track called Mega-Mix Mania, an outpost of steel, fire, graffiti, and heavy metal.

In addition, players can look forward to three new karts and new customization
items, including the Rustland skins, paint-jobs, stickers, spray-paint decals and wheels. Finishing in the top five percent of the Grand Prix leaderboards will earn players the Champion Kart and Rustland signature decal.
The Rustland Grand Prix season is set to go live on 16 January 2020 at 7am PST or 11pm GMT+8 on the same day for Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWRUzsZE7G0&w=560&h=315]


Babylon’s Fall Has Gone Gold; Here’s Some Gameplay To Prove It

Square Enix and PlatinumGames’ upcoming co-op action RPG, Babylon’s Fall, will be out later this year on 3rd March. Both companies have announced that the game has gone gold according to a recent livestream.
In addition, the game will get a Day One patch straight off the gate. Regular updates are planned for the online action RPG and added game modes can be played at no extra cost. Here’s a bunch of description text to get you sorted about the upcoming title:
“Choose your playstyle from multiple, varied weapon-types, each with their own distinct skills and abilities. Customize your loadout to wield up to four weapons at any time.
Ascend to greatness as you climb the looming Tower of Babel and uncover its fabled treasures. Only by mastering the powers of your Gideon Coffin, will you unlock your true potential and become strong enough to survive the summit and uncover the secrets that await.”
Babylon’s Fall looks like it may be scratching that live service games itch they’re laden with since Marvel’s Avengers. You be the judge: check out the gameplay below, featuring a few dungeon skirmishes and a boss fight.


Take Flight With Hot Toys Captain America Sam Wilson Edition

“That’s Captain America”. The words that ring true in the final episode of Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Disney+ mini-series, a show featuring comic book asskickery, comic book character arcs, topics on racism, and more.
Now you too can own a part of comic book and Marvel Cinematic Universe history with this upcoming Hot Toys Collectible Captain America/The Falcon Sam Wilson figure, which is at 1/6th scale. This collectable figure features Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson in the red, white, and blue Vibranium-powered flight suit, the iconic Vibranium shield that can take a guy’s head off if used properly, a flight back pack, a Redwing drone, and detailed recreation of those hot sexy wings that extend approximately 80cm wide. American badass indeed!
If you have the money you can pre-order this American badass of a statue right now on Hot Toys’ website. Check out the pics of Black Falcon below.


Ranking The Kingdom Hearts Games From Best To Worst

I can’t believe that we’re here. Kingdom Hearts 3 is literally only two weeks away. I’ve spent the last month or so replaying all the Kingdom Hearts titles, thanks to the convenient Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue collections on the PS4.
It’s not too late for you to catch up on everything Kingdom Hearts, with over 9 titles included in those collections (albeit the fact that some of them are actually just glorified movie-length cutscenes).
To celebrate the upcoming release of Kingdom Hearts 3, I’ll be ranking all the titles in the franchise by taking two main criteria into account: story (how much it contributes to the overall franchise plot) and gameplay. After playing nothing but exclusively Kingdom Hearts games for several consecutive weeks, here are the fruits of my labour.
9. Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded

Look up online fan forums and other websites, and you’ll probably discover one ultimate truth; Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded resides on the bottom of every list or ranking of the franchise. Why? It added almost nothing to the series’ lore and overall plot while offering an unnecessary retread of the very first Kingdom Hearts game.
In Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded, players assume the role of a digitized version of protagonist Sora, as he scours the digitized version of the worlds from the first game to fix the ‘bugs’ corrupting Jiminy’s journal. I wasted 3 hours of my life watching the recreated HD cutscenes of this game for many 10 minutes of important content, with the rest of the runtime filled with the worst filler imaginable.

This all makes perfect sense when you find out that the original Kingdom Hearts: Coded was a mobile game spinoff, which was later updated and remade for the Nintendo DS. It featured stripped-down combat from Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, squeezing in the Command Deck mechanic to fit the limitations of the hardware.
Even if you skip Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded, you won’t be missing out on anything important. Due to the story’s ‘digital’ or ‘digitized’ nature, the events of the game basically retcons itself by the end, thus leaving everything that happened essentially meaningless in the larger scheme of the overall plot.
8. Kingdom Hearts Ï‡ Back Cover

Just like Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded, Kingdom Hearts Ï‡ Back Cover is a one-hour cinematic movie focusing on characters never mentioned or heard before in the history of the entire franchise. That’s because it is set in the distant past, even before the events of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and the legendary Keyblade War. Consider it the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic of the Kingdom Hearts franchise.
The only saving graces of Kingdom Hearts Ï‡ Back Cover is that it is fairly short in length and is beautifully rendered in Unreal Engine 4, which makes for some of the best graphics the franchise has never been capable of. The reason why this title ranks so low is that the movie doesn’t make much sense yet since it’s supposedly going to be one of the major plot points explored in Kingdom Hearts 3.
I never did play the original mobile game Kingdom Hearts Unchained Ï‡ (later rebranded to Kingdom Hearts Union Ï‡) but it seems to have utilized gameplay similar to the card game mechanics of Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories with a few differences.
It’s probably not worth it to play the game now that Kingdom Hearts 3 is so close to officially launching, so I recommend just watching Kingdom Hearts Ï‡ Back Cover in order to avoid from being totally lost when someone mentions the No Name Keyblade or the mysterious Black Box previously owned by the Master of Masters. Don’t ask. You’ll find out soon enough in Kingdom Hearts 3 (hopefully).
7. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

You must have noticed a certain trend by now. The bottom three Kingdom Hearts titles in this list are all those that Square Enix didn’t even bother to make playable in the collections on the PS4. You could probably already gleam the hidden meaning behind the company’s decision to instead turn these 3 titles into cinematic movies (read: They’re not significant enough story-wise.)
However, I would have to say that Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is the exception, as it surprisingly tells a story I (and many fans) deem to be extremely vital to the franchise. In fact, knowing the story is pretty much required to understand why Roxas, Axel, and Xion are integral. The heartwarming (and heartbreaking) tale of their relationship forms the backbone (reasons) for the actions of both Roxas and Axel in subsequent games.
While Xion will never be mentioned again (due to story reasons), she occasionally reappears in future games with no explanations. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is key to understanding who Xion is, and why she’s connected to Sora’s heart.
Although the Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days cinematic movie is a bit too bloated and could have benefitted from tighter editing (it’s over 3 hours long), it’s essential and shouldn’t be skipped. Trust me, the story is actually good in this one, if you can slog through all the filler, that is.
6. Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep â€“ A Fragmentary Passage

This title is technically the most recent playable title in the franchise. The game is mostly set directly after the events of Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, with the exception of a few scenes acting as a prologue of sorts to the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 3.
Story-wise, Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep â€“ A Fragmentary Passage is extremely important, as it not only explains what Aqua has been up to all this time in the Realm of Darkness, it also teases her future role in the franchise. We also find out what Sora, Riku, and the others will be doing at the very beginning of Kingdom Hearts 3.
In terms of gameplay, this game gives us a preview of what to expect in Kingdom Hearts 3. The command deck from previous games are gone, replaced with a more streamlined version of Kingdom Hearts 2‘s flashy combat. It also marks the first time that we’re seeing actual Kingdom Hearts gameplay powered by Unreal Engine, which makes for impressive particle effects and visuals.
Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep â€“ A Fragmentary Passage is a must-play for everyone planning to play Kingdom Hearts 3, as it practically acts as a direct prologue of sorts. The in-game graphics are also the best they’re ever been. Unfortunately, it is ridiculously short, seeing as I completed the entire game in just under 3 hours, and that’s me taking my time.
5. Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories

After the simple premise of the original Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories is where the franchise’s story started gaining its infamous reputation of being overly convoluted and complicated.
Replaying this game was a pain at first since I had to get used to the divisive card deck mechanics all over again. However, the gameplay really kicks in once you’ve mastered how to build a decent deck and take advantage of the 0 cards. Gameplay aside, the story in Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories is notable for being the first game in the franchise to introduce ongoing antagonists, Organization XIII.
Just like Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories is basically essential in understanding a lot of concepts in Kingdom Hearts 2 and beyond. The gameplay is actually fun, but the worlds in this game are identical to those in the original Kingdom Hearts, which means there are no new or unique worlds for you to explore.
4. Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix

Most lists or rankings would place the original Kingdom Hearts higher, and most likely in the top three. There’s a usually a few reasons for that, and that’s because this was the game that started it all, introducing us to the crazy concept of the entire franchise (Disney + Final Fantasy), as well as still maintaining a relatively simple and straightforward story compared to future entries.
Another aspect bogging the original Kingdom Hearts is its gameplay, which has not aged well after 17 years. The combat feels sluggish and clunky compared to other later entries, resulting in frustrating and cheap deaths at times, especially when adding in the awful camera into the equation.
Without the original Kingdom Hearts, there won’t even be a franchise to write about, so I think that’s already telling enough of how unskippable the first game is. This is the game you should play before any of the others. Despite its flaws and age, this classic still manages to stand the test of time.
3. Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance HD

While Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep â€“ A Fragmentary Passage might be the most recent title in the franchise, Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance was the last full-fledged title. What I mean by that is the game lasts as long as the core titles (around 20 hours in length).
Story-wise, this game is the worst of all the Kingdom Hearts titles. Well, maybe not as bad as Kingdom Heart Re: Coded but still one of the most atrocious. It involves time travel and a younger version of the main antagonist Xehanort, and the worst plot trope of all: that it was all dreams (sort of). I began the game feeling very excited to play as both Sora and Riku in their respective Mark of Mastery exams to become true Keyblade Masters, but no, Square Enix had to include timey-wimey (and dream) elements to what should have been a simple but interesting storyline.
While a great story was what saved titles like Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories, the opposite holds true for Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance. To me, its core gameplay might be the best, with the franchise’s signature combat at its smoothest when the excellent command deck mechanic from Birth by Sleep is paired with a new parkour-like FlowMotion mechanic.
However, I didn’t really like the annoying Drop system and the Pokemon-like Dream Eaters. The former is where the player is given a time limit of sorts, which forces you to swap between Sira and Riku even in the middle of boss battles. It’s also frustrating how the player’s abilities are now tied to these Dream Eaters.
Last but not least, it also introduces a lot of new worlds, including the Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Three Musketeers, and more. Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance may not look important at first glimpse, but the ending is actually quite important, especially leading into the events of the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 3.
2. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Final Mix

Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep is not only the best spinoff title in the franchise, but it is also one of the best titles, period. It works as both a prequel and standalone, in which you don’t need prior knowledge to actually understand this game (though the game still features a lot of subtle references for those who do). Plus, it introduced my favourite combat system of any title in the franchise: the command deck mechanic.
This game is essential to the Kingdom Hearts saga for introducing not one but three Keyblade wielders; Ventus, Terra, and Aqua, all of which play a huge role in the overall plot. Birth by Sleep also introduced the actual big bad of the entire franchise, Master Xehanort (who was voiced by the late Leonard Nimoy).
The worlds were great, featuring some Disney classics like Snow White, Cinderella, and… Lilo and Stitch. Well, nothing’s perfect. One caveat I had with Birth by Sleep is that it still felt like a handheld game, despite being ported to the PS4 and PS4.
1. Kingdom Hearts 2: Final Mix

Number one shouldn’t be a surprise at all, especially for long-time fans of the franchise. After all these years, Kingdom Hearts 2 remains the prime example of what this JRPG franchise is capable of in terms of story, gameplay, and sheer scale.
Kingdom Hearts 2 improves on almost everything from the original. This game still features some of my favourite worlds which change more than just the setting. For example, visiting the Lion King’s Pride Lands turns Sora and the gang into animals, which also changes their movements in combat. Another stage is based on Steamboat Willy where everything is in black and white, exuding the classic animated charm similar to that of 2017’s Cuphead.
The combat is faster-paced and less floaty. The setpieces are flashier and bigger. There are more Limit Breaks and new Drive Forms where Sora can freaking dual-wield Keyblades. New Reaction Commands (QTE) in every battle spices up the combat. Everything is made to be more epic. NoÂ Kingdom Hearts fan will ever forget the Battle of the 1000 Heartless.
Kingdom Hearts 2‘s reverse-Metal Gear Solid 2 first act, where players assume the role of Roxas, was brilliant. Although Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories is required to fully understand the game’s prologue, it wasn’t a must. Even as a kid, I understood Roxas’ pain despite knowing almost nothing about his backstory (I haven’t played Chain of Memories at that point in time).
That’s the biggest reason why I like the storyline of Kingdom Hearts: no matter how complex or convoluted it gets, I can count on the emotional payoffs and ‘heart’ of the plot (for lack of a better word, no pun intended).
In my opinion, Kingdom Hearts 2 is not only the best Kingdom Hearts game but also one of the best action-RPGs/JRPGs of all time. It was the game that solidified my love for the franchise, and rightly so. I just hope that Kingdom Hearts 3 will be able to expand and improve on everything Kingdom Hearts 2 did right, and leave behind everything that it (and every other Kingdom Hearts game) did wrong.

There you have it, folks, all 9 entries of the Kingdom Hearts franchise ranked. Do you agree with this ranking? Which Kingdom Hearts games are your favourites? Let us know in the comments below.Â
Kingdom Hearts 3 is slated to release for the PS4 and Xbox One on 29 January 2019.


Blacklist International Are Your Mobile Legends MPL PH Season 7 Champions!

The winners of the Phillippines arm of this year’s major Mobile Legends tournament has been decided.
Blacklist International are your MPL PH Season 7 champions; they will be representing The Phillippines in the upcoming Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Championship 2021 tournament (MSC 2021). This is the team’s first major win in a Mobile Legends esports circuit.

Second place team Execration, a veteran in the Mobile Legends esports business, were leading 3-1 before Blacklist started catching up, securing a close 4-3 victory. To their credit, Execration fought really hard out of the loser’s bracket against Bren and Aura.
Here are the rankings for each team, with the champions pocketing a sweet US$25,000 from the prize pool.

Blacklist International
Execration
Aura PH
Bren
Omega Esports (OMG)
Work Auster Force
Nexplay Esports
Onic PH

Check out the full game and Day 5 Playoffs below:


Xbox Isn’t Obligated To Release Bethesda Games On PlayStation & Switch, Says Phil Spencer

After the major Bethesda US$7.5 billion buyout via Microsoft Xbox, gamers are wondering if Bethesda-published titles like the Fallout, Dishonored, and Doom series will have a future outside of PC and Xbox consoles.
Not releasing those RPGs and open-world games on the PlayStation means that the Xbox is looking pretty sexy if you’re into those games and want console versions of it. According to a Kotaku interview, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said that he could make future Bethesda games console-exclusives. To add into that, he said that they can recoup the US$7.5 billion cost it spent on Bethesda without selling its future titles like Elder Scrolls 6 on PlayStation consoles.
“I donâ€™t want to be flip about that. This deal was not done to take games away from another player base like that. Nowhere in the documentation that we put together was, ‘How do we keep other players from playing these games?â€™ We want more people to be able to play games, not fewer people to be able to go play games.
But Iâ€™ll also say in the modelâ€”Iâ€™m just answering directly the question that you hadâ€”when I think about where people are going to be playing and the number of devices that we had, and we have xCloud and PC and Game Pass and our console base, I donâ€™t have to go ship those games on any other platform other than the platforms that we support in order to kind of make the deal work for us. Whatever that means.”
True, Phil Spencer and Xbox are honouring past agreements of certain Bethesda games being exclusive on PS5 like Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo, but future title exclusivity and multiplatform will be a case-by-case basis. Either way, Xbox is reaping the rewards for either method.


Borderlands 3 Senior Developers Leave Gearbox For New Project

Seems like it’s the changing of the guard in Gearbox. After serving about a decade in the company, a good number of Borderlands 3 senior developers will be leaving the company to work on a new independent project together (via Axios).
They are creative director Paul Sage, senior producer Christopher Brock, lead mission designer Keith Schuler, and art director Scott Kester. News of the exit was announced internally about two weeks, with Gearbox already shifting new team members over. All of them are leaving “on the best of terms”, according to Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford.
“Before their transition, the group was part of a not-yet-announced pre-production team and their departure will cause minimal disruption in our current plans. The bulk of our attention at the moment is dedicated to finishing ‘[Tiny Tina’s] Wonderlands, which is on-track”.
Borderlands 3 has been out since 2019 and has been receiving a good number of DLCs and hotfixes; with a new action RPG coming, this seems like a natural transition. We wish those leaving the best of luck with their new endeavours.


Narrative Adventure Game Goodbye Volcano High Delayed To This August

KO_OP has announced that they have delayed Goodbye Volcano High from its previously planned 15 June 2023 release date to 29 August 2023. It is slated to release for the PS4, PS5 and PC via Steam.
Goodbye Volcano High is described as a hybrid cinematic narrative/rhythm game/coming of age/interactive movie experience by the developers. The game was originally announced all the way back during a PlayStation State Of Play presentation in June 2020.
Check out the full message from KO_OP below:
The reality is that, with our current workload, we could not have met our June launch date without significant cuts to the quality and scope of the game. This would mean delivering something much different than what we’ve envisioned and worked toward. We don’t want to release anything less than the best version of the game we have been making throughout our development cycle.
Plus, we’re a studio that prides itself on avoiding crunch. Meeting our original launch date would require our team to work nights, weekends and early mornings to ship and risk burning people out.
This delay also moves our launch date out of a very busy June release calendar, opening us up to more incredible opportunities, and gives the game a greater chance of success.
I know this isn’t the easiest thing to hear—it is a difficult thing for us to do. Goodbye Volcano High is a really special project for us and everyone on our team has done incredible work on this game. We need a bit more time to make sure all that work really shines! We’ve been so honoured to hear such a positive response to our demo. Soon, we’ll be premiering another public demo and we hope you’ll all have the chance to check it out.
Thank you so much for your understanding—we can’t wait for you to play what we’ve been working on.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


The Best Game & PC Music Albums To Buy During Bandcamp’s COVID-19 Fundraiser

Right after news of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has come out in full force, many artists all over the world have been hit hard due to tour and public show cancellations for the foreseeable future. As such, Bandcamp is doing their best to support its artists by waiving its revenue share on sales that will happen this 20th March. This ensures that Bandcamp artists will get the full earnings from their albums and single tracks on sale.
So which artists’ track and album should you get, at least the ones who play video game music covers or video game-inspired music and synths? Welp, I’m going to put on my SoundScape hat and give you a few suggestions:
Meganeko, Fantomenk
Eclipse by meganeko
That really cool track we used for our KKP Wrapsody videos? They’re from musicians Meganeko and Fantomenk, both talented in the art of chiptunes. Most of the music they compose are both catchy, fast-paced, and keep you pepped up while you’re working indoors. Perfect for regions under restricted movement during the coronavirus epidemic.
A Tiny Spaceship’s Final Mission by FantomenK
WASD

C:\WINDOWS\MEDIA by WASD
This metal remixer’s best work include taking music from Windows ’95 and turning it into something beautiful for the ears and for airplay. Yes, classics like TOWN.MID, ONESTOP.MID, and CANYON.MID are made more awesome thanks to his arrangement.
Perturbator
The Uncanny Valley by PERTURBATOR
This French electronica artist is pretty huge now, but back then he was known as the guy who made those awesome Miami disco-like tracks for the Hotline Miami series. Check out all of his past dark synth albums like Uncanny Valley and I Am The Night; these are masterclasses in turning your living room into a death music club dance space.
Jake Kaufman
Shovel Knight – King of Cards OST by Jake Kaufman
The man behind the music of Shantae and Double Dragon Neon has his Big Lion Music label Bandcamp page full of his greatest hits. His most recent album is the old-school 8-bit-but-with-extra-channels OST to Shovel Knight: King of Cards. You can’t go wrong with this if you crave some NES chiptunes.
Anamanaguchi
Miku feat. Hatsune Miku by Anamanaguchi
One of the pioneers of happy chiptune synth work, Anamanaguchi is no stranger to the geek music scene. From their Hatsune Miku tribute to fun and peppy albums like Dawn Metropolis, Airbrushed, and Endless Fantasy, you’ll have a rockin’ good time brightening the vibe with their music blasting through your speakers.
Have any other Bandcamp suggestions that have video game sounds written all over it? Let us know here or on Facebook.


[Rumour] Star Wars: The Knights Of The Old Republic Remake Will Move From Aspyr Media To Saber Interactive

Star Wars: The Knights of the Old Republic is getting a full-fledged remake, but so far there’s no progress.
The claims that the project is on hiatus may be true, as involved partners in the project such as Embracer, Sony, and Disney/Lucasfilm are unhappy with it so far. So much so that the trio have moved the project from Aspyr Media to Saber Interactive. Sources close to Bloomberg added that the game will take at least two more years to finish.
“One of the Group’s AAA projects has transitioned to another studio within the Group. This was done to ensure the quality bar is where we need it to be for the title. We are not expecting any material delays for the title based on this transition.”
Why was Aspyr relieved of development duties in the first place? Because the company had fired the game’s former design director Brad Prince and art director Jason Minor. The two of them were dismissed shortly after the studio finalised a demo of the game (which was disproportionately funded & given leeway to develop time-wise) to show to Lucasfilm and Sony; this turn of events was unexpected. The Star Wars: KOTOR remake was slated for an end of 2022 release, but a more realistic timeline would be 2025 given current alleged circumstances.


Why The Hate For Hogwarts Legacy?

Hogwarts Legacy will be out later this week, and it’s the newest action-adventure game from Warner Bros., Avalanche Software, and Harry Potter game licensors/makers Portkey Games. We’ve played 10 hours of it and it’s really fun if you’re into all-ages(ish) fantasy-slash-modern-times gameplay involving wizards, witches, goblin uprisings, and broom-riding. And it’s a really good title for non-Harry Potter fans like myself who just want to enter a world and play make-believe student wizard/witch, studying to be the best, exploring dangerous ruins and dark corners of the world, and taking care of fantastic beasts.
I’m not the only one, it seems. The game is amassing great reviews on Metacritic and Opencritic, scoring 80s and 90s for its open-world gameplay. Things should be looking up for the developers, no?
However, the game is not without its share of controversy from its announcement up until its release. No, it’s not about the game’s development or whatnot, but it’s more about the Wizarding World and Harry Potter license creator: J.K. Rowling. Let’s break it down, and dish out our opinion.
How It Started

It all stemmed from a past J.K. Rowling official post about her supporting folks for certain decisions called “J.K. Rowling Writes About Her Reasons For Speaking Out On Sex and Gender Issues”. The paragraphs referring to transgender transitions and detransitioning rubbed the transgender community online the wrong way.
“I believe the majority of trans-identified people not only pose zero threat to others, but are vulnerable for all the reasons I’ve outlined. Trans people need and deserve protection. Like women, they’re most likely to be killed by sexual partners. Trans women who work in the sex industry, particularly trans women of colour, are at particular risk. Like every other domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor I know, I feel nothing but empathy and solidarity with trans women who’ve been abused by men.
So I want trans women to be safe. At the same time, I do not want to make natal girls and women less safe. When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman – and, as I’ve said, gender confirmation certificates may now be granted without any need for surgery or hormones – then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside. That is the simple truth.
[…] Huge numbers of women are justifiably terrified by the trans activists; I know this because so many have got in touch with me to tell their stories. They’re afraid of doxxing, of losing their jobs or their livelihoods, and of violence.
But endlessly unpleasant as its constant targeting of me has been, I refuse to bow down to a movement that I believe is doing demonstrable harm in seeking to erode ‘woman’ as a political and biological class and offering cover to predators like few before it. I stand alongside the brave women and men, gay, straight and trans, who’re standing up for freedom of speech and thought, and for the rights and safety of some of the most vulnerable in our society: young gay kids, fragile teenagers, and women who’re reliant on and wish to retain their single sex spaces. Polls show those women are in the vast majority, and exclude only those privileged or lucky enough never to have come up against male violence or sexual assault, and who’ve never troubled to educate themselves on how prevalent it is.”
I highly suggest you read the entire thing before coming to your own conclusion on her stance. Because of this, she was basically cancelled for it by belligerent online activists, for the umpteenth time. Just like any person with differing political views and gender views, she has her fair share of supporters and detractors.
We have to stress first that we are not anti-trans and we do not support whatever anti-trans views anyone has. Having said that, I do not believe that piece from J.K. Rowling is intended to dismiss trans-people at all. If there is a single line that seems to mention any sort of hate, please point it out in the comments because I can’t find it for the life of me. Everything that’s surrounding Hogwarts Legacy and decrying J.K. Rowling for being fascist and anti-trans is all stemming online.

Even if she said it on paper on record in regards to criticizing gender, say you disagree with her views -everyone’s entitled to them and should be treated as thus. That’s fine. But I do notice all the hate and vitriol for J.K. Rowling seems to stem from the game and is directed to anyone who touches it or even wants to play it.

(video credit: Last Stand Media – this video is about a person who got fired from her high-profile job and cancelled online because she loves Harry Potter and the upcoming game)
Why target Hogwarts Legacy, above all else?
Why this Wizarding World game in particular? Universal Studios Wizarding World-themed rides/parks Harry Potter LEGOs and ticket sales of Harry Potter screenings produce way, WAY more money in the long term for years than a new game that has yet to prove itself (it’s only coming out end of the week at this time of publishing). Why not go out of your way to boycott those bigger revenue generators if you’re so hell-bent on shaming and cancelling people, innocent streamers especially, who want to play the game and have fun/review/critique them on their own merits? One of them even opened up a fundraiser to donate all of their Twitch proceedings to a worthy cause involving LGBTQ young people.

Twitch chat bullies streamer for playing Hogwarts Legacy to the point of making his girlfriend cry pic.twitter.com/bod3A5DvMz
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) February 7, 2023

These folks are doing their bullying on Twitter, shaming people of being anti-trans and being a “trans-killer” for buying and playing the game; why are they using the platform in the first place as it’s currently run by a publicly-known transphobe? One who is profiting off of the platform for all the similar kinds of discourse surrounding Hogwarts Legacy? The irony here is so thick not even the strongest death spell in the Wizarding World can cut through it.
If you’re also going to boycott a game publisher and developer just because of the franchise creator’s point of view, why not go the extra mile and also call out game devs and publishers who are being funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund? It’s public knowledge that Saudi Arabia royalty is far from innocent and has done far worse than being anti-trans, so why not go out of your way to boycott and condemn SNK, Take-Two, and even Nintendo while you’re at it?
Is the obsession over this one game -one where you play a kid wizard/witch in a fantasy world- and the act of shaming people for just enjoying it because of the fact that it’s easier to do that? In a day and age of the internet and easy wifi/data acquisition, it is simple to go online and bully people big and small through social media platforms over a false sense of righteousness, pretending that you care about trans people when you’re just capitalizing on a hate-filled trend and making yourself heard and feel validated, rather than driving oneself out to Florida to protest ticket sales for a more lucrative theme park that’s using the same IP.
I guess all I’m saying is:
-Kakuchopurei is obviously against trans-hate and gender-hate. I cannot stress this heavily enough.
-If you love the game but still feel strongly about JK Rowling’s views, that’s fine. Play the game. You can separate the art from the artist. Just because you like Roman Polanski films doesn’t mean you love statutory rape and marrying underage girls.
-If you feel strongly about JK Rowling’s views and don’t want to buy the game, don’t buy it. But don’t be a dick and shame other people for it just because they want to enjoy their brand-new Harry Potter game.
-JK Rowling makes way more money from the aforementioned Harry Potter attractions (Universal theme park, LEGO, etc.) than a brand-new video that hasn’t proven itself. Make the effort to protest against those if you feel strongly about her views.
-By bullying and cancelling people over a video game to the point of getting them fired and vilified, you are being the very thing you’re supposedly championing against.
–Go ahead and donate to an LGBTQ causes like this if you wish to help. It sure beats typing a bunch of hate-filled words and shaming people for playing a kid’s game.
Now if you excuse me, I’m going to need to quell a silly goblin uprising on the outskirts of Hogwarts. Peace.