vivo T1 series X PUBG Mobile Turbo Cup Challenge Opens For Registration

In conjunction with the vivo T1 series launched, vivo Malaysia is collaborating with PUBG Mobile to organise the vivo T1 Turbo Cup Challenge. All Malaysians are welcome to register for the tournament and the “Most Valuable Player” (MVP) in the local tournament will have an opportunity to represent Malaysia and join the SEA Finals, joined by Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines.
Check out the details about the Turbo Cup Challenge?

Open Registration: 13 May 2022
Preliminaries: 11 June 2022
Country Finals: 18 June 2022
SEA Finals: 9 July 2022

Winners in the SEA Finals stand a chance to win the US$20,000 prize pool. The Malaysian teams are entitled to win additional cash prizes at the local tournament according to their performance ranking, and the cash prizes are as below:

Grand Prize: RM2,500
Second Prize: RM1,500
Third Prize: RM500 x2

For more information about vivo T1 series X PUBG Mobile Turbo Cup Challenge, please visit vivo Malaysia’s official Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/vivoMalaysia/posts/2257956937698486


Leaked Image Suggests Reaper’s Look As Soldier 24

A leaked Xbox Live image (first pointed out on Overwatch Malaysia) may have revealed the new Reaper skin set to drop during the Overwatch Retribution seasonal event.Â  Get ready for Gabriel Reyes as Soldier 24 – depicting how he looked like during his time under the Super Soldier program – the same program that led to the creation of Soldier 76.

While our first assumption was that we would see a much younger Reyes wielding his twin shotguns as Reaper always do, the image may also provided an extra clue about the character. First, let’s consider the facts – Reyes/ Reaper is hardly seen without his signature dual-wield shotguns look and if you look at all the promotional pictures to date, all the characters sporting brand new skins were seen performing all their known animations. Even Moira’s on her ‘Steepling’ victory pose.
As seen in the pic above, Reyes is seen shouldering what appears to be a pulse rifle – otherwise, it would be a yuuuuge shotgun. And he’s pictured in a pose synonymous with Soldier 76.Â  Perhaps we will get a Soldier 24 with similar kit as Soldier 76 even? Say a Reaper take on a Morrison’s kit; we’d love to see the sprint replaced with Reaper’s phase shift capabilities.
We can only hope. What do you think?
Overwatch’s Retribution limited-time event drops tomorrow.


Street Fighter 6 Roster Adds Zangief, Cammy, & Newcomer Lily

During PlayStation State Of Play February 2023, Capcom revealed that the Street Fighter 6 roster will add three fighters, including Zangief, Cammy and Lily. Both Zangief and Cammy are returning icons, while Lily is a brand new character.
Zangief, Lily and Cammy join Ryu, Chun-Li, Luke, Jamie, Guile, Kimberly, Juri, Ken, Blanka, Dhalsim, E. Honda, Dee Jay, Manon, Marisa, and JP in the launch roster.
Street Fighter 6 launches for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 2 June 2023.
Check out the trailer below to see them in action! Check out the comparison video below just after the announcement trailer.


Ubisoft Is Giving Away For Honor for Free On Steam

Great news! Free game!
Yep you read it right. Ubisoft is giving away its realistic, medieval combat simulator, For Honor for free for a limited time, til August 27th. The best part of it all, no catch! Download the game now and it is yours to keep forever.
But what’s the deal, Ubisoft? Why are they giving away their game for free? If you ask us, we feel this is Ubisoft’s move to entice folks to try the game, hopefully get hooked on it and proceed to subscribe for the upcoming event, Marching Fire. This new mode willÂ include Arcade, a new PvE mode and Ubisoft claims it to be ‘the gameâ€™s most ambitious update to date’.

Whether you will continue to play the game beyond the 27th August is yours alone to decide but come on – why pass on the opportunity of downloading a full game for free, right?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvShVKOmi1w&w=560&h=315]


Tower Of Fantasy Receives Two New Trailers To Showcase Its Anime Trappings & Open Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Environment

Publisher Level Infinite and developer Hotta Studio released two new trailer videos for the highly anticipated hit open-world MMORPG Tower of Fantasy.
The two videos highlight the creative options open for players as well as showcase multiplayer action in the game for both PC and mobile gamers. Tower of Fantasy (ToF) will be open for pre-loading on 9 August and is set to launch globally on PC and mobile on 11 August, 8:00 AM (GMT+8) but you can pre-register now either on the official ToF site or on Steam, Epic Game Store, the App Store and Google Play Store.
Set hundreds of years in the future after humanity has escaped the collapsing environment of earth and fled to the distant planet of Aida. The shared open-world MMORPG action of Tower of Fantasy has been a hit with gamers in China, and soon gamers in the rest of the world will get to join in on the thrilling action. Players will be able to experience an anime-inspired post-apocalyptic sci-fi art style, freeform character development, immersive objectives, and exciting combat through thrilling battles and exciting open-world exploration.
KEY FEATURES

Open-world exploration
Co-operative multiplayer mode
Free-form character creation tools
Post-apocalyptic sci-fi setting
Anime-inspired art style with unique characters
Exciting immersive combat
Multiple mounts and unique sci-fi weapons and relics

The Creative Gameplay video explores the freedom of character personalization options, showcases numerous vehicles and modes of transportation available, dives into the sci-fi weapons that power real-time combat and even shows off some of the fun mini-games scattered throughout the world.

In Social Gameplay, you learn about forming teams, taking on bosses together, exploring the world of Aida while flying or riding on vehicles and capturing memories in team photos.

A new Tower of Fantasy mini-site has also gone live. By visiting the mini-site, you can get their own Aida Tour Ticket, which kickstarts your fantasy journey. You can also create anime images and visit your first destinations on Planet Aida. Check it out here.


A New Medic Hero Joins Overwatch

Blizzard has officially revealed the 30th playable hero in Overwatch and it’s none other than the debut of a new support medic hero named Baptiste. A new video published earlier today tells the tragic origin story of the latest hero to join the Overwatch roster.
Jean-Baptiste Augustin was an orphan for most of his childhood, thanks to the devastating Omnic War. In his origin story video, he cites the war as forcing him to “steal or starve, kill or be killed”, essentially doing whatever he has to do to survive. This trait and will was probably what attracted terrorist organization Talon to recruit him.
After realizing that he ultimately has choices and undergoing a change of heart, Baptiste decides to leave Talon and “fight for a better world”. He then aptly describes his role in the game by saying:

“For some, that means a bandage. For others, a bullet.”

Baptiste will likely be a support hero and a medic, joining the ranks of other Overwatch heroes like Ana, Brigitte, Lucio, Mercy, Moira, and Zenyatta. At the time of writing, the release date for Baptiste has not been revealed. Blizzard has only confirmed that he will be “coming soon”.
Besides his origin story, not much has been revealed about Baptiste. I’m sure many players will be curious to discover how a new support hero like him will affect the current meta of the game.
Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more updates about Overwatch‘s latest hero in the near future. If you want to find out how he plays, find out on this writeup here. In the meantime, check out the origin story trailer for Baptiste below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfWgcjeG83E&w=560&h=315]


Resident Evil Village Might Be Coming To PS4 & Xbox One

During the Tokyo Game Show 2020 panel, Capcom revealed more details and information about the upcoming Resident Evil Village AKA Resident Evil 8.

The panel didn’t reveal much, but now we know that Resident Evil Village will offer more freedom during gameplay and exploration compared to Resident Evil 7.
We also got another look at the new design for returning protagonist Ethan Winters, as well as a castle and underground settings (environments) from the game.
Most importantly, Capcom teased that they’re looking into making Resident Evil Village available for the PS4 and Xbox One. However, they can’t confirm anything as of now, as their main priority are the next-gen versions.

In addition, Capcom also revealed that they will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Resident Evil franchise on 22 March 2021. No other details were revealed, except for new key art for the event next year.

Resident Evil Village is slated to release for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC sometime in 2021.


Overwatch League Teams Preview Part 1

Updated as of Nov 19th
Overwatch League is just around the corner, with its preseason scheduled to start in December and the regular season to get underway in January. Following the 30th Oct 2017 registration deadline, twelve teams have confirmed their participation in the tournament which will see teams warming up to their competition via a series of pre-season matches in December before the main event time in January.
It’s hard to keep track for the uninitiated so starting today we are previewing the teamsÂ  set to participate in the upcoming premier Overwatch tourney and our initial predictions of their chances. Our focus in Part 1 would be the favorites within the Pacific Division – which we feel the more competitive of the two divisions. We would not be all surprised to see any of these three teams win the division and even go all the way to the finals come June.
1. Dallas Fuel

Lineup:

Essentially Team EnVyUs, Dallas Fuel is easily the strongest and most successful North American team at the moment. Known for their teamwork, adaptability and super effective DPS in form of Taimou and Effect, they are winners of the recently concluded Overwatch Contenders Season 1 North America and their lineup have been boosted with the inclusion of projectile specialist Seagull and North America’s #1 Winston, xQc. Needless to say, not only will they be the team to beat, but also the team with the biggest chance of defeating the trio of teams represented by a Korean roster; Seoul, London and New York.
2. San Francisco Shock
San Francisco Shock (NRG)
Lineup:

Formed off the backbone of NRG players, San Francisco is akin to the All-Star team in the current Overwatch League. Having drafted superstars in the likes ofÂ â€˜Dantehâ€™ from Arc 6, â€˜nomyâ€™ from Immortals, â€˜dhakâ€™ from Selfless and â€˜sleepyâ€™ from Tempo Storm, this move goes against the trend of most teams, who drafted in whole squads to compete in the OWL. An inspired move or a disaster waiting to happen? Only time will tell but we can’t wait to see the prodigious sinatraa wreck havoc.
3. Seoul Dynasty
Seoul Dynasty
Lineup:

The quintessential Korean team, Lunatic-Hai is one of the most storied Korean Overwatch teams in the world, having won back-to-back seasons (2&3) on the APEX circuit. With the likes of ‘Ana God’ ‘Ryujehong’ within their ranks, Lunatic-Hai carries the pride of Seoul on their shoulders to show the world that the Koreans are miles ahead of their NA and EU counterparts. While they had a disappointing season 4 on APEX – being eliminated by finalists GC Busan in Group Stage #2, the extra preparation time may be the blessing in disguise for these boys – and bounce back they did as they convincingly defeated their arch-rivals from APEX S3 finals, Cloud9 KongDooo 3-1 at the recent OGN Supermatch finals. They also boosted their roster with the inclusions of DPS specialists ‘Fleta’ and ‘Munchkin’ along with ‘xepheR’ on flex and the impact was apparent as they tore their opponents to shreds as seen below.Â Our pick for the champions of the first ever Overwatch League.
For Part 2 of the Overwatch League Teams Preview, read it here.
The inaugural Overwatch League season is set to kick off January 10, 2018, with preseason starting December 6, 2017. The regular season concludes in June 2018 and will be followed by a playoffs and finals. All regular season games will be played at theÂ Blizzard Arena Los AngelesÂ for the inaugural season.


Sonic Frontiers TGS Trailer Shows Off Super Sonic

During TGS 2022, Sega unveiled a new trailer for Sonic Frontiers, offering us our first look at Super Sonic AKA Golden Sonic AKA Super Saiyan Sonic.
Sonic Frontiers is slated to release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC on 8 November 2022.
Check out the trailer & exclusive TGS 2022 gameplay below:


Stardew Valley’s Latest Update Adds Fresh Content And Bug Fixes

Game designer, Eric â€œConcerned Apeâ€ Barone has recently tweeted some hints in regards to the next major Stardew Valley update. The latest update, patch 1.4, will see bug fixes and alsoâ€œnew stuff and â€˜quality of lifeâ€™ features.â€ All consoles will receive the update.

Simultaneously, the next free content update (1.4) is coming along very well, it’s packed with new stuff and “quality of life” features that will make playing Stardew smoother and more fun. 1 example is the ability to pay Marlon to recover a lost item when you “die” in the mines!
â€” ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) April 19, 2019
The patch details are vague at best, but some specifics were revealed. All the new content in the upcoming patch will be available in multiplayer mode. Barone also pointed out in a tweet that some content will only be playable in multiplayer mode.

Everything new in the update will be available in multiplayer as well as single player! Actually there are a few new features which are multiplayer-only, but nothing that is single player-only
â€” ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) April 19, 2019
One of the quality of life (QoL) tweaks in this update will address the issue players may have encountered when passing through the mines. If you fall in there, you can randomly lose any inventory items that arenâ€™t tools. AfterÂ Stardew ValleyÂ patch 1.4 is applied, people will be able to visit Marlon at the Adventurerâ€™s Guild and pay him to recover one item that was lost.

The multiplayer patch is already available for the PC and Nintendo Switch. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One version of the patch is currently undergoing quality assurance testing phase on both consoles. It will be released around May 2019.


A Certain Lady Ninja Is Missing In The Recent Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Reveal; Here’s Why

Masahiro Sakurai, the director of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and his team recently announced the release of SNK mascot Terry Bogard, a special King of Fighters stage, and about 20 SNK character cameos like Ryo Sakazaki, Kyo Kusanagi, and Iori Yagami. What was missing was a cameo of a particular bouncy ninja: Mai Shiranui from the Fatal Fury and KOF series.
Sakurai’s reply on the matter? “SSBU is for good boys and girls of many different ages”. What that means is that Mai’s default outfit might be too spicy for a G-rated game like Super Smash Bros.
Exhibits A, B, and C below, in case you need to “cuci mata sedikit”:

The internet, of course, is quick to point out this inclusion and respond to Sakurai. And also remind folks that characters like Bayonetta and Zero Suit Samus get a pass, because of double standards, right?

Mai Shiranui fans seeing Sakurai talk about how she's not a guest character because of the kids #SuperSmashBrosUltimate pic.twitter.com/p3wzSJ49tA
— burritotoad (@burritotoad) November 6, 2019

>Mai Shiranui not being added because of tiddy
Sakurai is really just an ass man confirmed pic.twitter.com/BZ59Xg4dwS
— Mr. ??asquale (@TheMrPasquale) November 6, 2019

https://twitter.com/MisAnthroPony/status/1192108050359996416

I don't have an opinion on this, but I couldn't resist: #SmashBrosUltimate #MaiShiranui #Bayonetta #FatalFury pic.twitter.com/IO0nGAF2xQ
— Indigo (@indigorush101) November 6, 2019

Mai Shiranui waiting for everyone outside the Smash tournament after being barred entry pic.twitter.com/ay3QHxQ96V
— retro anime possum (@KaiserBeamz) November 6, 2019

I get where Sakurai's coming from, but I still found this quote pretty funny.#SuperSmashBros #SuperSmashBrosUltimate #bayonetta #maishiranui pic.twitter.com/R7ncCh0kj1
— Brian Bear (@BeaPeaBear) November 6, 2019

Sakurai: "We didn't include Mai Shiranui because this game is for good boys and girls of all ages"
*Googling*
Seems like a strange reason to not include an iconic char- pic.twitter.com/gC0Jd6e7Yx
— The Sauce Baybee (@SourceLocator) November 6, 2019

Sakurai: "We have decided not to include mai shiranui"
*Googles Mai Shiranui*
me: pic.twitter.com/kRlGXhl4Hn
— ODG | Ace? (@AceStarThe3rd) November 6, 2019

Smash zoomers when they google Mai Shiranui to find out why she's not a stage cameo pic.twitter.com/YSZKWKBhAI
— Chariot (@ChariotDaGawd) November 6, 2019

honestly the most depressing part about sakurai saying mai shiranui was too sexy for smash is seeing all the people go "I had no idea who that was and had to look her up" pic.twitter.com/4uves0BnhL
— Royal Prism (@DocHobo) November 6, 2019

Sakurai explaining why Mai Shiranui isn't a cameo pic.twitter.com/F03W4pBBrC
— Jessica (@Totally_Jazzed) November 6, 2019

*Rumor of an SNK character coming to Smash*
Nintendo fans: Mai Shiranui?!
Sakurai: pic.twitter.com/aCE6pJii1I
— JarionXP (OLED Model) ?? (@JarionXP) November 6, 2019

"Mai Shiranui can't be in Smash because it's for good boys and girls."*stares at Bayonetta doing splits in the corner* pic.twitter.com/pZvq3KPEkQ
— Taz the No Life Queen SHOP OPEN (@TazB_Leoncillo) November 6, 2019

Sakurai is afraid this would happen if Mai Shiranui appears in Smash pic.twitter.com/gmP30AfLtH
— WPC Mahouko@UMAD2022 (@Mahouko) November 6, 2019

https://twitter.com/turnaboutlies/status/1192079821683265537

Bayonetta: E rated character, completely fine
Mai Shiranui: pic.twitter.com/ZjKCC6zCQn
— Xenogears Disc 2 is in my walls (@MultiNanners) November 6, 2019

How the fuck is THIS fine and Mai Shiranui isn't? pic.twitter.com/NHMn5WpcAh
— Sólo habla en inglés Neko (@SolNekoVS) November 6, 2019

Sakurai won't add Mai Shiranui in because Smash Bros is for "good boys and good girls" but then he still puts a character in like this? What a hypocrite pic.twitter.com/IB4gOMqbVt
— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXlzWhBvYwg (@legsrjust4show) November 6, 2019

Nintendo claims Mai Shiranui isn’t in Smash because it’s for all ages. But I think we know the real reason: It makes Luigi uncomfortable. pic.twitter.com/QqU8jHeKnC
— Brett Medlock (@brettnll) November 6, 2019


Ex-Liquid Kuroky Forms New Dota 2 Team, Nigma

Kuro â€˜KuroKyâ€™ Salehi Takhasomi and his teammates from Dota 2 team Liquid left the North American organization after finishing second and losing to Red Bull OG at The International 2019 (TI9) earlier this year. Now they have announced the formation of a new independent Dota 2 team, called Nigma.
However, this is the exact same team roster from Team Liquid at TI9. This is a new path forged by the team that last won The International 2017 and regain their past glories. Nigma will probably be looking to compete in the Chengdu Major, which will take place from 24 to 26 November 2019.
In the meantime, the name of their team will likely continue being the butt of everyone’s jokes, with comments like “Nigma Balls (Lick my balls)” and other meme-worthy digs at the newly-formed team.

The end of one journey is the beginning of anotherâ€¦ this is Nigma #NigmaFam #ANewAdventure pic.twitter.com/7qnHG4mA4G
â€” Nigma (@nigmagg) November 25, 2019


YouTube Star PewDiePie & Marzia Announced They Are Having A Baby

YouTuber Felix Kjellberg aka PewDiePie made an announcement on his Instagram account and YouTube channel that he and his wife, Marzia will be expecting their first baby.
PewDiePie – who was previously the most subscribed individual on YouTube before MrBeast took the crown in November – married fellow (now former) content creator Marzia Kjellberg (née Bisognin) in late 2019. The pair moved to Japan last year, where they currently live with their two pugs, Edgar and Momo.
“I’ve been keeping a secret from you guys, and that is I’m going to be a dad. We found out that Marzia is pregnant first in November, and I’m just so thankful everything’s been going so well so far. I’m so excited. It’s kind of strange to me, it’s entering new territory, but I feel really ready, and so does Marzia.”
Marzia in her own post on Instagram, wrote, “Your dad and I can’t wait to meet you”, including visuals of the baby scans, the couple’s trip to a strawberry farm, and her bump.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Marzia Kjellberg (@itsmarziapie)

The baby’s gender has not been revealed, but the couple has confirmed they are due in July 2023.
Watch the video down below to see the full announcement made by Pewdiepie himself.

Congratulations to the lovely couple and we wish the best on their new journey.


New AMD Radeon Raise The Game Bundle Comes With The Callisto Protocol & More

AMD has announced a new AMD Radeon Raise The Game bundle. Beginning from today until 4 February 2023, the Radeon Raise The Game bundle will provide gamers with up to two games with the purchase of select Radeon RX 6000 Series graphics cards, including Dead Island 2 and the upcoming sci-fi survival horror game, The Callisto Protocol. Offer will be valid only at participating retailers.
For more information, you can visit www.amd.com/raisethegame. For full terms and conditions, or to redeem game codes, you can visit www.amdrewards.com/terms.
Additionally, the latest iteration of AMD Radeon FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) temporal upscaling technology, FSR 2.2, is expected to be added today to the first game, Forza Horizon 5. FSR 2.2 will also be available to download for free to game developers at GPUOpen.com soon. AMD’s popular FSR technology – including FSR 1 and FSR 2 – is now available and upcoming in 218 games and counting.
Dead Island 2 is slated to launch on 3 February 2023, while The Callisto Protocol will launch on 2 December 2022.


Genshin Impact Version 2.1 Update Features New Inazuma Characters & Story, Fishing, & A Moonchase Festival

It’s finally coming: the next Genshin Impact update right after the introduction of the Inazuma continent.
Genshin Impact version 2.1 update will feature the following new changes and additions.
New Characters & Inazuma Storyline

The recent leaks are made official: Raiden Shogun, Kujou Sara, and Kokomi will be new characters in the upcoming banners. The game’s plot is also going to continue & finish the Inazuma arc. The chapter is called “Omnipresence over Mortals”.

The update will introduce new areas: Watatsumi Island and Seirai Island, each with their own aesthetics, scenery, and secrets to uncover.

Horizon Zero Dawn Character

Genshin Impact will have Aloy as a 5-Star Cryo archer. All travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 20 or above will be able to obtain this 5-star character. However, those who can log into the game on either the PS4 or PS5 after the 2.1 update will get Aloy first. After the 2.2 update, anyone who hasn’t claimed Aloy will get her via in-game mail.
Long story short: PS4 and PS5 Genshin Impact owners will get her first before everyone else.
Fishing

You can play fishing minigames in Genshin Impact version 2.1.Â  Create bait at the Alchemy table, then head to rivers and coastlines to fish. Furthermore, there’s also a Lunar Realm fishing event.
Moon Chase Festival

Moonlight Merriment event, where players can obtain rewards for completing various challenges in Liyue. These include finding Moonchase charms you have to collect all over Teyvat.
The Moon Chase event will focus on Keqing and Xiangling.
Hyakunin Ikki Fighting Tournament

Pick a team of 6 characters (either your own or trial characters in the tournament), then fight enemies and score points. You have to do it within the time limit, otherwise your characters gets nerfed over time.
Release Date
The 2.1 update will be out on 1st September. That’s a few weeks from now, after the Yoimiya banner has concluded.
Genshin Impact Anniversary Concert

There’s going to be an anniversary concert streamed by Mihoyo this November.
Free Codes
Oh, and here are the redemption codes from the presentation. Remember, they are valid until 24 hours have passed.

DSPVUN2BKH5M
NTPVU7JTJYPD
CB7UU6KT2H59

Inazuma Live Concert

The event is topped off with some lovely music from Mihoyo’s hand-picked orchestra team, focusing on two themes in the Inazuma region. It’s pure bliss.


Sonic Opens Big In US; Breaks Video Game Movie Record

Sonic The Hedgehog has broken the record for biggest box office opening weekend for a video game movie adaptation in the US, beating previous record-holder Detective Pikachu. The Sonic movie has managed to garner US$57 million in the US (beating Detective Pikachu‘s US$54.3 million) and US$43 million internationally, for a grand total of US$100 million.
According to box office projections (via The Hollywood Reporter), the longer four-day weekend (Presidents’ Day) in the US means that the haul for Sonic The Hedgehog is expected to be US$68 by the end of Monday, which will bring the total to an impressive US$111 million.
Despite all that, it’s important to note that Detective Pikachu still holds the record for biggest video game movie worldwide opening weekend, with US$166 million thanks to a huge international performance.
At the time of writing, the Sonic The Hedgehog movie currently boasts a 63 percent critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but an unbelievable 95 percent audience rating. That’s a pretty high disparity between professional reviewers and general viewers, the latter of whom mostly liked the movie.
In the meantime, check out my full review of Sonic The Hedgehog here.


Fortnite “No Building” Option May Be Permanent Due To Positive Reception

Epic Games recently made an option to turn off buildings and construction-making in Fortnite in the game’s current season. Turns out that it was so popular that it may make the option permanent.
This is according to a series of leaks discovered in the popular multiplayer online battle royale shooter title. Prominent Fortnite dataminer @TweaBR (via VG Chronicle) said that the game will add options for Solo, Duo, and Trio mode with the option to turn building off.

The 'No Builds' LTM that will be available after 8 days will be called 'Solo – No Build Battle Royale'.
there's other versions of It too but I took this one to show you the name of It! pic.twitter.com/7jHbZjZBUY
— Twea – Fortnite Leaks (@TweaBR) March 21, 2022

The positive reception for the option, as well as the hour-long server queues during this current March season of the game, means that the Limited Time mark on it this season may just be a permanent fixture for the game. This may happen after 29 March according to some proof found by Fortnite data miner @HypeEx which includes separate “No Building” modes enabled anytime past the date and loading screen tips that have the text “In modes with building enabled…”.

Seems like Epic IS planning to keep a No-Building modes, here are some signs/proofs ?
– There's SEPARATE No-Building modes that they can enable ANYTIME after this limited time event ends– They changed most loading screen tips to say "In modes with building enabled …" pic.twitter.com/SvQ5SkbCit
— HYPEX (@HYPEX) March 23, 2022

In related news, all Fortnite proceeds from 20 March until 3 April will be donated to humanitarian causes in aid of the war in Ukraine, which included Direct Relief, United Nations Children’s Fund, United Nations World Food Programme, and the UN Refugee Agency.


Check Out These Best Deals In The PlayStation Store Spring Sale

Another major sale is upon us, with great deals galore. The PlayStation Store is currently hosting an ongoing Spring Sale, which is taking place from now to 1 April 2019. What makes this sale even more special is that users stand to obtain an additional gift for participating in this sale.
Users who spend RM300 or more during the PlayStation Spring Sale will be eligible to receive an additional 15 percent discount for their purchase. They’ll only need to enter the code in the Your Basket page just before making payment.

Here are some of the best deals in the PlayStation Spring Sale:
God of War (50% off)

This title by Sony Santa Monica has won many accolades and critical acclaim since it launched in April 2018, and even one as recent as yesterday when it was awarded the Game of The Year Award at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2019.
It’s currently half off, so it’s the best time to catch up with Kratos and his son, Boy (I mean, Atreus).
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (50% off)

Many may have written this game off as just another Assassin’s Creed game, but this one might be the best one yet. We awarded it a 9/10 in our review, and at half off, there’s no better time to check out this greek adventure.
Battlefield 5 (50% off)

With its Firestorm battle royale mode coming out soon, here’s your chance to get into the action.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt GOTY Edition (70% off)

Many still regard this CD Projekt Red game as a masterpiece of gaming and rightly so. It’s only about RM50+ right now on the PlayStation Store and that’s the cheapest I’ve ever seen it’s been in a long time.
Batman: Arkham Collection (50% off)

This is a relatively new addition to the PlayStation Store (November 2018) and all three games are now available in one easy package. Well, except Batman: Arkham, but that’s the black sheep of the Arkham family anyways.

It’s a massive sale, so there are a lot more offers than the ones listed above. Head on over here to check out the PlayStation Store Spring Sale.


Here’s When You Can Pre-Load Outriders

Square Enix and People Can Fly have announced the Outriders pre-load times and launch times. In addition, they also confirmed that players who lost their Legendary weapons through a glitch in the demo should obtain them back before the game’s launch.

People Can Fly shared all the details for the launch of Outriders in a Reddit thread. The thread includes details on when players can start downloading the game early or when they can start playing depending on their region.
Outriders Pre-Load Times

Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One: Pre-loading begins today.
PS5 and PS4: Pre-loading begins 48 hours (two days) ahead of release time.
PC via Steam: People Can Fly is trying to work out how Outriders pre-loading will be like on Steam.
PC via Epic Games Store: Pre-loading will not be available.

Outriders Launch Times

PlayStation and Xbox: Outriders will launch at midnight on 1 April 2021 in your country’s region.
PC and Stadia: Outriders will launch simultaneously at 9am PDT on 1 April 2021 (or 12am GMT+8 on 2 April 2021 for those who live in Southeast Asia countries like Malaysia).

Getting Back Outriders’ Legendary Gear

Players will be able to carry forward all of their characters and items from the Outriders demo to the full game. However, there was a glitch that would cause items to disappear from players’ inventories, including Legendary gear. People Can Fly has since fixed the issue, and they will restore any Legendary weapons that players may have lost due to the glitch. If your items are still missing, you can contact People Can Fly by replying to this sub-thread.
Outriders will be out on 1 April 2021 for PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, and PS4. The game will be free on Xbox Game Pass on day one. You can check out our preview of the demo here.


Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Sold 4.1 Million Copies

Good news, PlayStation fans. The latest web-headed wizard game from Insomniac has sold a ton on both PS4 and PS5 consoles.
Sony announced during its third quarter of its fiscal year 2020 report that Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales sold a combined total of 4.1 million units. For comparison, the first Marvel’s Spider-Man game in 2018 sold 3.3 million copies in the first three days of its release.
Also to note:

The total PS5 and PS4 game unit sales in 2020 is at 103.7 million.
First party sales amount to 18.4 million units sold.
The PlayStation 5 shipped 4.5 million units in 2020. For comparison, the PS4 shipped 1.4 million units for the same year.
PlayStation Plus’ subscriber count has reached 47.4 million, with 114 million monthly active users in that third quarter


Remedy’s Control Sales Surpass Two Million

Developer Remedy Entertainment has announced that total sales forÂ ControlÂ have surpassed two million units. The news was announced during itsÂ Capital Market Day presentation.

Control has sold over 2m copies to date according to Remedy pic.twitter.com/mf7wIMtXr8— Nibel (@Nibellion) December 9, 2020

November 2020, which was about 15 months after the game’s initial launch, was the best-selling month forÂ Control. Over 60 percent of the gameâ€™s 2019 and over 90 percent of the gameâ€™s 2020 sales were digital.
ControlÂ originally launched for PS4, Xbox One, and PC via theÂ Epic Games StoreÂ in August 2019, followed by PC viaÂ SteamÂ in August 2020. Cloud-based versions ofÂ ControlÂ launched for the Nintendo Switch and Amazonâ€™s Luna service in October 2020.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions are slated for early 2021. However, Control is also currently available on the Xbox Game Pass.
We named Control one of the best games of 2019. You can also check out our review of the game here.


TGS 2019: That Dragon Ball Z Recap Action RPG Has A Release Date

Relive the adventures of Dragon Ball‘s Goku once more in glorious 3D and current-gen RPG conventions. This multi-platform title will be out 17th January 2020, because lord knows we need yet another Dragon Ball game recounting the Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu arc yet again.
Anyway, if you’re not sick of Bandai Namco retreading the same path yet again, check out the latest TGS 2019 trailer below:

Personally, I hope devs CyberConnect 2 add in a surprise and make us play through Goku’s OG Dragon Ball phase; like when he was fighting Piccolo Sr. and Mercenary Tao, as well as learn the Kamehameha for the very first time. And when Krillin was a legitimate threat.


M. Night Shyamalan’s Old Movie Gets First Creepy Trailer

Besides The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Super Bowl 2021 also debuted the first teaser trailer for The Sixth Sense and Glass director M. Night Shyamalan‘s upcoming new movie; Old.
Starring Gael GarcÃa Beral (Mozart in the Jungle) and Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread), Old is reportedly based on Sandcastle, a graphic novel by Pierre Oscar Levy. In the graphic novel, a seemingly idyllic island paradise contains true horrors, as a dead body is discovered and children begin ageing rapidly.
For instance, the teaser trailer features a six-year-old boy ageing into an adult Alex Wolff (Hereditary) in mere hours.
The film stars an impressive international cast including Rufus Sewell (Amazonâ€™s The Man in the High Castle), Ken Leung (Star Wars: Episode VIIâ€”The Force Awakens), Nikki Amuka-Bird (Jupiter Ascending), Abbey Lee (HBOâ€™s Lovecraft Country), Aaron Pierre (Syfyâ€™s Krypton), Embeth Davidtz (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Eliza Scanlen (Little Women), Emun Elliott (Star Wars: Episode VIIâ€”The Force Awakens), Kathleen Chalfant (Showtimeâ€™s The Affair) and Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit).
Shyamalan and his cast, and his crew began production in the Dominican Republic in October 2020. What’s interesting is that Shyamalanâ€™s 21-year-old daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan also served as the second-unit director on Old (and later on acted as director for the second season of M. Night Shyamalanâ€™s Apple TV Plus horror series Servant).

Old premieres on 23 July 2021. In the meantime, check out the teaser trailer below:


Xbox Controller Might Get PS5 DualSense Features, Says Phil Spencer

Xbox head Phil Spencer likes the PS5 DualSense controller. In fact, he likes it so much that he not only praises it, he also said that Xbox will likely incorporate some of the features of the DualSense controller into the Xbox controller sometime in the future.
The PS5 DualSense controller is currently one of the few controllers with unique Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers, allowing for a more immersive gaming experience. The Xbox Series X/S controller is a great controller as well, improving on the already excellent Xbox 360 and Xbox One gamepads, but it doesn’t actually feature much of anything new.
In an interview with Kinda Funny Gamescast, Xbox head Phil Spencer said:

â€œWeâ€™re definitely thinking about different kinds of devices that can bring more games to more places.
Thereâ€™s probably some work that weâ€™ll do on the controller.
I think Sonyâ€™s done a nice job with their controller and we kind of look at some of that and there are things that we should go do.
But [weâ€™re] probably not in the more bespoke accessories place right now.
We just look at what happens on Windows and other places and see if thereâ€™s a unique opportunity for us.
Right now I donâ€™t think thereâ€™s anything thatâ€™s obvious to me.â€

If the Xbox controller does eventually support Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers, more PC game developers will probably add native and official support for these features. As for VR/AR integration, Spencer confirmed in the same interview that we probably shouldn’t expect much in that regard. He said:
“Weâ€™re watching what happens on PC.
As it relates to VR specifically, the best experience that Iâ€™ve seen is Quest 2 and I just think its untethered [nature] and ease of use in its capability just doesnâ€™t to me require it being connected to an Xbox in any way.”


Hugh Jackman Dons Iconic Wolverine Yellow Costume In First Official Deadpool 3 Photo

Hugh Jackman himself has unveiled the first official photo from the upcoming Deadpool 3 movie (via Instagram) and he finally wears the iconic Wolverine yellow costume for the first time. Hugh Jackman has been portraying Wolverine in movies since 2000’s X-Men.
Not much is currently known about the movie, but rumours are rife that it will feature multiversal elements, which is how the movie can feature characters from other universes, as well as providing a way for Deadpool to officially enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Deadpool 3 is slated to premiere next year on 3 May 2024, which is less than a year from now. The movie will also star Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Jennifer Garner as Elektra.


HP Partners With Riot Games As The Official PC Partner Of The VCT Pacific League

HP Inc. is stepping up their game by supporting the esports industry through their gaming line, Victus. They have partnered with Riot Games’ VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Pacific 2023 as their official gaming PC partner, providing OMEN by HP 45L gaming desktops for participating teams.
These top-of-the-line processing systems, with enhanced thermal efficiency and extreme performance and customization, will allow gamers to experience the tournament at max settings.
Did you know that Southeast Asia is one of the fastest-growing esports markets in the world? It’s forecasted to reach a compound annual growth rate of US$72.5 million (RM319.9 million) in 2024, with Malaysia’s overall gaming market valued at US$786 million (RM3.39 billion).
The VCT Pacific 2023 is the most prestigious tournament for VALORANT players, and it shares HP’s vision of providing an important avenue for esports talent in the region. HP Malaysia is proud to support aspiring and professional esports athletes at this tournament.
The tournament kicked off at the Sangam Colosseum in Seoul, South Korea on 25 March, and the final rounds will be held at Jangchung Stadium. It will run for 10 weeks until 28 May, with representative teams from Korea, Japan, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Streaming will be available for the public through YouTube and Twitch.

To add to the excitement, professional Malaysian esports player, Khalish “d4v41” Rusyaidee from Paper Rex, will be hosting a masterclass for all purchasers of the HP Victus laptop. And, in conjunction with VCT Pacific 2023, HP Malaysia is giving away three tickets to the VCT Pacific 2023 Finals in South Korea – including flight & hotel – for fans to experience the excitement and energy that HP gaming can bring.
All you have to do is share the post on HP Malaysia’s Facebook page and comment on your favourite features of HP Victus. Those who have not purchased the HP Victus can experience the gaming laptop with its elevated gaming experience from OMEN’s DNA in HP Stores. The program runs from now until 12 May.


You Need To Go To These SNK Themed Stores And Cafes (In Japan)

As Kakuchopurei’s official SNK nut, it is imperative that I share these couple of tidbits to you retro/arcade fans out there. There are currently four official SNK shops in Tokyo that is chock-filled with themed food, drinks, and merchandise.
The first shop is called NeoGeo Land and it’s located at the Akihabara Container in, well, Akihabara. It’ll open until the 3rd of March. It’s close to the station around the east side.

[????????????]@TheAKBCTN_INDOR
12/31(?) ? 1/3(?)
??????10:00 ? 17:00???????????#NEOGEO_LAND ?????????????????????????????????????4????20:00?????????????#??????? pic.twitter.com/OU4ERLubrb
— THE AKIHABARA CONTAiNER (@TheAKBCTN_INDOR) December 31, 2018

There are also three SNK Limited Stores; one at Ikebukuro and another at the Tokyo Sky Tree Tower. The last one is in Tokyo Ginza. All three stores will open until 31st January, 1st February, and 17th March respectively.

?SNK Limited Store Festival!!??????????SNK Limited Store Festival!!????????????????????????????????????????2???????????????????????????????????????#SNK #NEOGEO #KOFhttps://t.co/8JQ52Xajjz pic.twitter.com/cHdpZVmTvE
— SNK??????????? (@snk_onlineshop) January 17, 2019

?SNK Limited Store Festival!!??NEOGEO LAND???????????????????1??????????????????????????????????????2?20????????????????????????#SNK #??????? #NEOGEO #KOF https://t.co/8JQ52Xajjz pic.twitter.com/TIRyueWciA
— SNK??????????? (@snk_onlineshop) January 21, 2019

Check out these shots of the food, drinks, and merchandise available. If you ask me, pick Neo Geo Land in Akihabara first since it looks mighty impressive.

????SNK?????????
???????????????????????(?´?`?)21??????????????????????????????#SNK #SNK??? #KOF pic.twitter.com/i75R72Q7lP
— ?????? (@royaloranje) January 6, 2019

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— ?? (@habu5121) January 20, 2019

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— ????????? (@miaumiauzmiau) January 22, 2019

??SNK????NEOGEO LAND????????
????????????????????????????????#SNK???#NEOGEO_LAND
?`•?•´? pic.twitter.com/m1GsHwSZ0p
— ??????????? (@melt0526) January 13, 2019

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— ?????? ????????????????? (@mmk638) January 15, 2019

?SNK Limited Store Festival!!? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????#SNK #NEOGEO #KOFhttps://t.co/t2dNNW1bii https://t.co/3Zi3gkU6QM pic.twitter.com/AfyAm9zJ5q
— SNK??????????? (@snk_onlineshop) January 16, 2019


Malaysian-Made Game ToGather: Island Is Now Playable On Steam

Announced all the way back in late 2018, ToGather: Island is survival adventure game by Malaysian developers Studio Kamii and Todak Studios. After about a year after the release of its alpha demo build, we can finally give it a try.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqixr_QKjAo&w=560&h=315]
ToGather: Island has just entered early access on Steam. It’s currently priced at RM32 and can only be played in single player mode. The developers state that they plan to finish the game within 6 months to a year after early access. For now, players will only be able to explore one island but more content and maps will be added as development continues.
Here’s what’s promised to be featured in the full game:

Multiplayer mode with up to 4 players per game.
Full story mode with an ending consisting of 4 chapters (plus new cutscenes).
Survival mode and other mini games.
Full map of 21 islands, all with different environment/biome.
New enemies and bosses.

To purchase the game and join in on the discussion, check out ToGather: Island‘s Steam store page.


The Satria Dewa Gatotkaca Director & Cast Will Be At Sunway Pyramid Tonight

Satria Dewa Gatotkaca director Hanung Bramantyo and cast members, Rizky Nazar (who plays protagonist Yuda AKA Gatotkaca), Fedil Nuril (who plays Aswatama) and Yayan Ruhian (who plays Beceng) will be at Sunway Pyramid tonight (15 August 2022) to attend the Gala Premiere event of the upcoming movie.
Part of the Satria Dewa Cinematic Universe, Satria Dewa GatotKaca will premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 18 August 2022. It features a superhero equipped with awesome magical armour.
The synopsis reads:

Realizing that he’s the lineal descendant of Gatotkaca from Pandawa family, Satrio must fight his way to unlock the power lies inside him and face Aswatama, the remaining Kurawa warrior who lives on to destroy the world by changing the history of Bharatayudha.

Back in 2019, Gundala (which is part of the Bumilangit Cinematic Universe) showed in Malaysian cinemas, and as a comic book fan, I found it to be a great but flawed superhero movie with its own merits (check out my review here). The superhero genre is definitely booming with potential in Indonesia. I just hope that Malaysia follows suit one day with our own superhero movies we can actually be proud of (maybe that Keluang Man movie will finally change things for the better).
Check out the new trailer below:


[Rumour] Persona 3 Will Be Remastered For Modern Consoles & PC

An insider has claimed that Atlus will be re-releasing Persona 3 with remastered graphics and features.
According to Nintendo Life, an insider named Zippo said that Persona 3 Portable (the PSP release of Persona 3) will be getting a multiplatform remaster. That probably means it’s coming out for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.
Persona 3 Portable is the enhanced version of Persona 3 and Persona 3 FES which came out back in 2006. It’s also the Shin Megami Tensei game that catapulted the series to its way to mainstream success before Persona 4 cemented that.
Atlus is celebrating its 25th-anniversary celebration of the Shin Megami Tensei Persona series; it has seven project reveals planned for the next year. We already have Persona 4 Arena Ultimax coming out for current-gen platforms, so re-releasing the Persona game that started it all may be a smart business move on Atlus and Sega’s side.


Leto Joker Is Getting His Own Movie

The Marvel hegemony when it comes to comic book superhero movies is coming to an end as Warner BrosÂ and DC are aiming to produce a standalone film featuring Jared Leto’s Joker fromÂ Suicide Squad.
First reported by VarietyÂ , their unnamed sources claimed that “Leto is set to star and exec produce an untitled standalone film”. No plot have been unveiled as yet, but “the studioâ€™s idea is to expand on the world created by â€œSuicide Squadâ€ and tie into future installments of that property.”

While this isn’t the most welcomed news for comic book fans who mostly detested Leto’sÂ  portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime in Suicide Squad, it isn’t entirely surprising consideringÂ Margot Robbieâ€™s version of Harley Quinn would be getting her own movie with a â€œBirds of Preyâ€ feature.
With DCEU movies constantly being in the shadows of their Marvel counterpart, we have little confidence that this Joker standalone movie would change it. In fact, it would probably do more harm than good for the floundering DC Comics movies universe. We think they should focus more on developing their core characters such as Ben Affleck’s Batman or even Ezra Miller Flash. But nonetheless, we are willing to give it a chance to prove itself.
Fingers crossed.


Check Out Some Nightmarish Sons Of The Forest Multiplayer & Co-Op Building

It’s only a day or so until the survival adventure title sequel to The Forest comes out. At least, in Early Access mode for PC (Steam).
Still, the hype for Sons of the Forest is pretty high, and with that we have some new gameplay footage highlighting the multiplayer aspect of the cannibal tribe-filled survival title. Even if you’re playing the game in single-player mode, you’ll be joined by an AI companion named Kelvin who can help you out with menial tasks. The game’s main co-op mode allows up to eight players (alongside Kelvin) doing the survival jig together. Players can team up exploring, building, fighting, and resource-gathering. Get ready to chop that wood, buddy (via IGN)!

So far, the building and constructing looks more freeform than in the original game. And having players and helpers with you can help especially when the cannibal tribes start invading the place. It won’t be easy even with multiplayer, as enemies can take multiple arrow shots to the body, though a headshot will kill them. Hope you have a party ready: Sons Of The Forest Early Access for PC will be out on 23 February GMT+8 afternoon.


You Can Watch Star Trek Lower Decks’ First Episode For Free

The first episode of Star Trek Lower Decks premiered last week on CBS All Access, but the network has made it free for everyone to watch on its official YouTube channel starting from earlier today.
Developed by Emmy Award-winner Mike McMahan (best known for Rick And Morty and Solar Opposites), Star Trek Lower Decks focuses on the support crew serving on one of Starfleetâ€™s least important ships, the Starship Cerritos, in 2380.
Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi have to keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.
The Starfleet crew residing in the â€œlower decksâ€ of the U.S.S. Cerritos, includes:

Ensign Beckett Mariner â€“ Tawny Newsome.
Ensign Brad Boimler â€“ Jack Quaid.
Ensign Tendi â€“ NoÃ«l Wells.
Ensign Rutherford â€“ Eugene Cordero.
Captain Carol Freeman â€“ Dawnn Lewis.
Commander Jack Ransom â€“ Jerry Oâ€™Connell.
Lieutenant Shaxs â€“ Fred Tatasciore.
Doctor Tâ€™Ana â€“ Gillian Vigman.

I’ve already watched both the first and second episode of Star Trek Lower Decks (though only the first episode is available for free so far). As an ardent Trekkie, the animated series has given me mixed feelings so far, with humour closer to that of Rick And Morty than conventional Star Trek, but I still appreciate all the references and easter eggs.
If you like outrageous jokes and sci-fi animation like Rick And Morty, you should definitely try watching Star Trek Lower Decks, even if you’ve never watched a traditional episode of Star Trek in your life.
Watch the entire first episode of Star Trek Lower Decks below:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HzRGqvRK8U&w=560&h=315]
(Image Credits: CBS)


GoldenEye 007 Hits Xbox And Switch This January 2023

Developer Rare revealed that GoldenEye 007 is coming to Nintendo Switch Online and Xbox Game Pass this week, 27 January 2023.
The classic N64 game will be available to subscribers of the Switch Online Expansion Pack tier and will have online play just like every N64 title on the service. On that same day, Microsoft made an announcement that GoldenEye 007 will launch on Xbox as well, although the online play will not be included like the Switch version.
However, on Xbox, you can buy the game individually and it will also be available on the Xbox Game Pass as well. In addition, the Xbox version will include 4k resolutions, and a smoother frame rate, including four split-screen local multiplayer option.

If you own a digital copy of Rare Replay on Xbox, you will have access to GoldenEye 007 for free.
The 1997 first-person shooter game, based on the 1995 iconic film GoldenEye, was a huge hit during the Nintendo 64 era and earned over US$250 million worldwide in total revenue. In it, you assume the role of James Bond facing a series of levels to prevent the Janus Crime Syndicate from using a satellite weapon to wreak chaos in London and possibly the world.
Check out the full trailer of GoldenEye 007 for Xbox Game Pass.


Dungeons & Dragons Honor Among Thieves Gets Final Trailer With Beasts & Undead

United International Pictures Malaysia has unveiled a new trailer for the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons Honor Among Thieves. The movie is based on the popular tabletop role-playing game that allows players to create their own wizards, fighters, monks and other heroes on an adventure. it stars Chris Pine, Regé Jean-Page, Hugh Grant, Michelle Rodriguez and Sophia Lillis.
Chris Pine plays a bard, Regé Jean-Page plays a paladin, Michelle Rodriguez plays a barbarian, Sophia Lillis plays a Tefling Druid and Hugh Grant plays a rogue. The show is directed by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley, while the screenplay is by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley and Michael Gilio.
The synopsis reads:
A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure.
Dungeons & Dragons Honor Among Thieves is slated to premiere on 30 March 2023. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Spend RM2,999 To Play Mobile Legends & PUBG On A XiaoMi Gaming Phone

Oh, wow, a new gaming phone has arrived in Malaysia, and it’s yet another overpriced piece of machinery which so-called gamers will use to just play Mobile LegendsÂ and PUBG Mobile. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Here are the details of the new XiaoMi Black Shark 2 smartphone.
According to Soya Cincau, there are two spec variants of the Black Shark 2:

8GB RAM + 128GB storage â€“ RM2,499
12GB RAM + 256GB storage â€“ RM2,999

Both variants come with a Snapdragon 855, the first phone with that processor to arrive in Malaysia, along with a 6.39â€³ AMOLED Full HD+ display. There are also unnecessary features like a 3D-Touch gaming feature called MasterTouch and a built-in liquid cooling system.
A special launch promo is currently available via Shopee Malaysia, in which they are offering an RM100 off voucher and Fujitsu E210BT headphones worth RM399 for the first 200 customers.
To capitalize on its “gaming” brand, the Black Shark 2 comes with its own “gaming” accessories. Yes, it’s a gaming phone that’s marketed like it’s a gaming PC. Users can purchase a GamePad 2.0 for RM129/RM139, a cooling case for RM269, and a bunch of other junk like a stand for that gamepad.
Image Credit: Soya Cincau
What’s ridiculous is that the left and right controllers are sold separately. And when did phones even require cooling cases in the first place? Maybe it’s time we should stop pretending that gaming phones are like gaming PCs when normal smartphones are already powerful enough to play the most demanding mobile games.


Hogwarts Legacy Adds Transgender Character

Disclaimer: minor story spoilers on the game’s early story sections below.
Hogwarts Legacy is coming out later this week, and it has not seen an end to the many controversies and wrinkles surrounding it since its announcement and its Wizarding World universe’s creator. Adding to that pile is the fact that the game features a transgender woman: a bar owner/witch named Sirona Ryan. Your player character will meet her in the game’s second main quest at the Three Broomsticks.
Sirona’s inclusion is notable as the Wizarding World creator J.K. Rowling is said to have consistent anti-transgender rhetorics for the past few years. This all stemmed from this article on her blog; go ahead and read it, then judge it on its own merits. Because of this article, many people said that her supposed anti-trans views taint the Harry Potter franchise and thus vowed not to buy Hogwarts Legacy.

An IGN interview talked to developer Avalanche Studios about the inclusion of Sirona, in light of said controversy:
“It has been a high priority throughout the development of Hogwarts Legacy to create a game that is representative and diverse, aligning with our wonderful fan community. Offering players choices in the way they play the game is an element that we have worked on since the start of development. The Character Creator is just one example of that and of course, the large, diverse cast of characters present throughout the game have also had a huge amount of thought from Avalanche and Warner Bros. Games, as well as counsel from outside D&I experts.
The team felt that it was very important to create a game that is representative of the rich and diverse world of Harry Potter as well as the groups of people who play games, which includes the LGBTQIA+ community. We have a diverse cast of characters that players will encounter throughout the game.”
If you want to find out more about Sirona, you may want to play through the game and do her sidequests. Hogwarts Legacy will be out for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation on 10 February.


Hasbro Unveils Overwatch Action Figures

We’ve got awesome news for you action figure enthusiasts, extra hype points if you happen to be a fan of Overwatch. Following earlier leaks of a Mercy action figure by Hasbro, it’s now official that we are getting her and more.
Lucio, Sombra, Tracer, Reaper, Soldier 76, Ana, Pharah and Reinhardt are set to join Mercy in the first wave action figure lineup by Hasbro.

According to Gameinformer, the standard figures retail from US$22.99 for single figures, and US$49.99 for twin packs. Two packs will be made available first, with Pharah pairing up with Mercy and Soldier linking up with Ana (in her Shrike skin) being sold in pairs.
The first oversized hero made available, Reinhardt will retail for US$49.99 so you can expect the likes of Winston, Roadhog and Orisa to follow the same pricing structure. Our guess is that D.Va and Orisa to be retailing for slightly though.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsUl_BsYI30&w=560&h=315]
Based on initial promotional pictures, expect these figures to carry similar articulation profile as seen on Hasbro’s Marvel Legends line – ball-jointed necks, butterfly shoulder joints and double-jointed elbows and knees (for male characters only). Don’t ask why – it has always been the case with their Marvel Legends line and we doubt Hasbro would change for their Overwatch line, at least for now.
Lastly, the fact that the first Ana figure being released is in her alternate skin, expect Hasbro to milk the Overwatch franchise as much as they can, with alternate and special edition and convention releases coming out in the near future.


Gran Turismo Celebrates 25th Anniversary With Trailer & Message From Franchise Creator

PlayStation and Polyphony Digital have released a new trailer to celebrate 25th anniversary of Gran Turismo. The first Gran Turismo game was originally launched for the original PlayStation on 23 December 1997 in Japan.
The new trailer arrived alongside a message from Polyphony Digital president and Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi:
I’m very happy that we are celebrating our 25th anniversary since the first release of the Gran Turismo series.
Back in 1992, Gran Turismo was the first project plan I created out of close to 100 others I came up with when I first started my career in this industry, so it means a lot to me.
While making video games was something I started from 10 years old as a hobby, I had never thought about making it a career.
I started a movie production club when I was 14, and had been producing movies, so I first joined Sony hoping to create image products. But the department they assigned me to was not what I was expecting.
It was a department where the PlayStation console was just about to start, and was a place where [PlayStation creator Ken] Kutaragi-san was working feverishly to bring the concept of PlayStation to life.
That place was not what I had hoped for, but looking back now, you could say that I was very lucky.
I was fascinated by real time 3D graphics that many had been waiting for, and created and presented plans for all kinds of video games, not just limited to race games but RPGs, adventure games, action games, puzzle games, and more.
As a result, Gran Turismo took a more fantasy race game format in the “Motor Toon Grand Prix,” becoming one of the first first-party titles for PlayStation, but if a plan for something other than a racing game had been the one that was approved, there is a good chance that I might have been making a title other than Gran Turismo today.
Thereafter the Gran Turismo project started from gathering a team of two part time artists and three engineers.
From there, the number of comrades have continued to increase in number for over quarter of a century, and has become Polyphony Digital today, a company with over 200 staff members.
I don’t think there are many video game franchises in the world that have continued for 25 years with the same title, and with the same team.
The founding members of the company are still working on the front lines, and I am thankful and proud that all 200 of our staff are a team that have the same motivation and love that the company started with in the beginning.
In the last 25 years, the cumulative sales total of the series have reached over 90 million copies as of November 16, 2022. And this result is something that could not be accomplished by ourselves alone.
Behind that 90 million figure, there are all the people of the media who conveyed the allure of Gran Turismo to their readers. There are the people of PlayStation who sold Gran Turismo for us around the world with passion, and there is the incredible amount of support from the retailers who interfaced with our users.
My heartfelt thanks goes out to all of them for their support.
And above all else, I can’t ever thank enough the Gran Turismo users and people of the Gran Turismo community who have played our new titles, which at times could be said to have been very experimental.
We are here today because of all the people who supported us.
I believe the Gran Turismo series have always pursued “beauty.” The beauty of the cars, the beauty of the scenery, the beauty of the lighting, the beauty of driving, the beauty of sounds / music and the beauty of the graphics.
The “pursuit of beauty” is the motivation for creating Gran Turismo.
We have newfound determination to continue our progress into the future with a strong sense of purpose.
We appreciate all of your support over the last 25 years.
Thank you.
— Kazunori Yamauchi
The most recent game in the franchise was Gran Turismo 7, which launched for the PS4 and PS5 in March 2022 earlier this year. Check out my review of the game by heading over here.


Ubisoft Is Making A Fortnite-Style PvP Game Because Its Last Battle Royale Game Did So Well

Ubisoft has announced a new online game that borrows many popular titles of the generation. It’s called Project Q and it looks a tad similar to an Epic Games title.
The company has stressed that the game is not a Battle Royale title, but instead a “variety of PvP modes with one single goal in mind: FUN!”. So it’s an online PvP game.

By the way, this is not a Battle Royale. The game will feature a variety of PvP modes with one single goal in mind: FUN!
— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) April 23, 2022

The game is being developed by Ubisoft Bordeaux, the part of Ubisoft that provided support for Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six games. Almost like Ubisoft Singapore back in the day before they took charge with Skull & Bones. Project Q has two game modes: Showdown which is a battle royale type mode with four teams of two players PvPing each other, and Battle Zone featuring two teams of four players vying control over a map. The footage below seems to indicate that it’s clearly a multiplayer battle royale game despite Ubisoft stating otherwise.
https://streamable.com/j722sj
I’m sure the company will do fine with the game’s open beta and launch. After all, Hyper Scape was a huge success. Oh wait…


Dying Light 2 Out In The Wild; Techland Asks Players To Wait For Day 1 Patch [Update]

Update: Techland recently shared a number of patch notes for the Day 1 patch. It’s added below the story.
So much for following street dates.
Retail copies of Dying Light 2 have surfaced ahead of the game’s 4 February release date, according to developer and publisher Techland. The studio has requested on a recent message for players to wait for the game’s official Day 1 patch that’s due on 4 February. As of now, the retail version of the title is in an incomplete state as of now, but will be updated on launch.
“Fellow survivors, we see that some of you got an access to the retail copies of Dying Light 2 before the release date (itâ€™s this Friday, only 3 days left!). We understand you want to start exploring the City ASAP and we couldnâ€™t be happier!
That being said, we kindly ask you to wait until Feb 4th as by that time youâ€™ll also get access to all improvements and fixes weâ€™ve implemented within last weeks and will introduce with the day 1 patch. Thatâ€™s the way to experience Dying Light 2 the way itâ€™s meant to be played.”

That being said, we kindly ask you to wait until Feb 4th as by that time you’ll also get access to all improvements and fixes we’ve implemented within last weeks and will introduce with the day 1 patch. That’s the way to experience Dying Light 2 the way it’s meant to be played.
— Dying Light (@DyingLightGame) February 1, 2022

[Update] Here are the patch notes for the Day 1 console update:

Fixed the Broadcast infinite respawn story block
Fix for dialogues that block story progression
Re-signing to the co-op session doesn’t fail in case the user is logged in
Fixed crash when handing electrical parts to Carlos in Bazaar
Fixed problems with temporarily lowering the difficulty level – improved adaptive difficulty for AIs
Fixed crash caused by background renderer during the transition between menu and loading screens
Increased Wwise overall memory limit – fix for missing sounds and voice-over
Resolved problems with objects and AI sinking into the ground on a flat surface.
Fix for AI sometimes freezing/becoming immortal when the owner changes during death
Added protection against potential crashes.
Updates for ES, CH; DE intro.
Added missing game actions fixing occasional unresponsiveness.
Fixed Streamer Mode option which was not working properly.
Fixed crash on opening the secondary screen.
Fixed disconnecting co-op sessions after a certain amount of time.
DLSS enabled. Improved default DLSS sharpness. [PC version]
Fixed the gamepad not being detected by the game before any movement or action is conducted using a keyboard or mouse. [PC version]

The latter 2 PC updates will be ready over the next 48 hours.
Dying Light 2 will be out this week on PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS4, and PS5. Stay tuned to KKP for our review.


The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 6 Breakdown & Easter Eggs

The sixth episode of The Mandalorian Season 3 is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. I’ll be discussing heavy spoilers so if you haven’t seen it or want to avoid spoilers, now’s your chance to stop reading.
Meanwhile, check out my breakdown of The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4 and Episode 5 here.
The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together.
The series stars Pedro Pascal, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers, Amy Sedaris, Emily Swallow and Giancarlo Esposito. The directors of the eight-episode Season 3 include Rick Famuyiwa, Rachel Morrison, Lee Isaac Chung, Carl Weathers, Peter Ramsey and Bryce Dallas Howard.
Check out my breakdown of the first three episodes of Andor, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11 and Episode 12 here.
Check out my breakdown of Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 1 and 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6 here.
You can check out my previous breakdowns of The Book Of Boba Fett Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6 and Episode 7 here.
Last year, we were given the opportunity to interview none other than the former Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and current Dark Lord Of The Sith Darth Vader; Hayden Christensen himself.

Koska Reeves Is Working For The Other Mandalorian Fleet, Which Is Led By Axe Woves

Koska Reeves (Sasha Banks) was a human female Mandalorian who was a member of the Nite Owls. She was last seen in The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 8. Now she’s working for a Mandalorian named Axe Woves (Simon Kassianides).
Axe Woves first appeared in The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 3, appearing and working alongside Bo-Katan Kryze and Koska Reeves. This episode later reveals that Axe Woves and Koska Reeves left Bo-Katan when they discovered that Bo-Katan still wanted to rule Mandalore.
Jack Black Plays A Rehabilitated Imperial Officer On Plazir-15, And Christopher Lloyd Has A Cameo Too, As Well As Singer-Rapper Lizzo

Yes, that’s Jack Black in a Star Wars series. He plays a character named Captain Bombardier. Oh, and singer-rapper Lizzo is the Duchess of the planet (the one on the left).
Oh, and that’s Christopher Lloyd AKA Doc Brown from the Back To The Future franchise in a Star Wars series. He plays a character named Commissioner Helgait.

Now I’ve seen everything.
Din Djarin’s Prejudice For Droids Resurfaces

To jog your memory, Din Djarin’s original family and village were killed and attacked by the CIS’ Super Battle Droids during the Clone Wars. That’s why he still hates droids until today, and why he treats them so harshly in this episode.
There Are Still ‘True’ Separatists Out There

Christopher Lloyd’s Commissioner Helgait is a Separatist. While the Confederacy Of Independent Systems (CIS) is primarily best known for having been used by Emperor Palpatine as a scapegoat for the Clone Wars, there were actual Separatists who really wanted to be independent from the Republic (as seen in Star Wars The Clone Wars animated series). The Separatists even had their own Senate and politicians.
Helgait even mentions Count Dooku. In canon, it was Count Dooku who is known to be the founder of the CIS, despite it actually being Palpatine.
Din Djarin Returns The Darksaber To Bo-Katan

Now that Bo-Katan owns the Darksaber, there’s no doubt that she’s once again the rightful ruler of Mandalore.
Could we see the rise of a new united Mandalore by the end of this season?
Until next week, excelsior!


Sudden Attack/Maple Story/FIFA Online 3 Publisher Fined US$875,000 Over Loot Boxes

Today’s not a good day if you’re a South Korean video game company who likes profiting off of loot boxes. Nexon, Netmarble, and NextFloor were fined recently over deceptive loot box practices.
Most gamers are familiar with the first two companies. Nexon handles Counter-Strike wannabe Sudden Attack, FIFA Online 3, and the SEA-favourite Maple Story.Â  Netmarble is more well-known for its mobile gaming fares like the super-popular Seven Knight, Marvel Future Fight, and Star Wars: Force Arena.
Nexon was fined for a hefty US$875,000 while Netmarble was hit with US$55,000. NextFloor got off lightly with US$4,600. That’s a whopping total of US$945,000.
Nexon’s large sum was due to its handling of Sudden Attack in the region; according to a Korean Herald reportÂ (via Dotesports), the Korean Fair Trade Commission (FTC) argued that the way it was advertising its loot boxes during an in-game event called Celebrity Count was deceptive.
In the event itself, participants were encouraged to buy loot boxes for a chance to get puzzle pieces. Two of the 16 puzzle pieces offered cost US$0.85 apiece. If all 16 were collected, they grant an in-game bonus for the user. The ads were framed so that consumers believed that the odds of obtaining each piece were the same. The truth is that some of the pieces would only be present in 0.5% of the loot boxes.
The Korean FTC presented a case where one player spent US$430 trying to get the pieces, to show that the ads do help in instilling that gambling effect onto players.Â To quote the Korean Herald piece:
“The FTC’s actionsÂ have signalled alarm across the Korean game sectorÂ as it could hurt the sales of in-game items â€” particularly randomized items, which users tend to continuously buy until they get the desired result â€” that contribute immensely to profits.”Â
Both Netmarble and NextFloor were guilty of embezzling their customers by providing misleading information about the frequency of unique item drops in their loot boxes. Hopefully, this lesson will teach these three companies to be more transparent with their item percentages.


Tower Of Fantasy Launches On PS4 & PS5 This August

Perfect World Games has announced that Tower Of Fantasy launches on PS4 and PS5 on 8 August 2023. The game is already available on PC and mobile (Android and iOS).
After the release on PlayStation, all wanderers can take an adventure on the new map called Domain 9, filled with Eastern aesthetics. You’ll also encounter an intriguing character named Liu Huo, a spirited and formidable girl with an undeniable passion for martial arts. She loves to wear a vibrant red dress reflecting her prowess in combat and her role as the guardian of Farewellville. However, there’s more to Liu Huo than meets the eye. Beyond her rough exterior lies a burning passion for the arts, particularly painting, and calligraphy. Join Liu Huo as she strives to balance her pursuit of elegance with her spirited nature, and witness firsthand the extraordinary journey that awaits her.
The DualSense wireless controller provides an immersive experience through haptic feedback. During intense battles, when hitting enemies or facing moments of crisis with significant blood loss, the controller’s haptics helps you accurately assess the current combat environment. Outside of combat, appropriate haptics during key story moments creates a thrilling experience. When racing, the controller’s vibrations accompany intense collisions, making it feel like a steering wheel and immersing you in the excitement of high-speed racing.
At the same time, the stunning 4K graphics and visual effects of the PS5 provide players with a high-resolution gaming experience. Currently, Tower of Fantasy features diverse map styles, including the sci-fi wasteland style of Aesperia, the cyberpunk metropolis of Mirroria, the deep underwater world of Innars, and the upcoming magical eastern world of Domain 9. In the 4K mode on PlayStation, the neon lights of Mirroria become mesmerizing, the Grand Sea undergoes dynamic changes, and the clouds and red maple of Domain 9 exhibit a mysterious eastern charm, further enhancing the visual experience.
Check out the trailer below:


[Report] Dissidia Final Fantasy NT Future Roster Leaked

Remember when we reported a while back about the future Dissidia NT heroes? Turns out someone has an alleged leak of the entire roster.
According to a lengthy video from JC494 (via ResetEra), the data mine showed off new Dissidia manikins (enemy clones based off existing FF characters for your practice mode). And it looks like it’s going to cater to a lot of happy Final Fantasy fans, as well as make Square Enix go back to the Dissidia PSP roster well again.
Here are the new characters who may be appearing in this Dissidia title. As usual, take it with a grain of salt since this is still filed under “alleged”.
Gilgamesh

This famous FFV mid-boss was a selectable character in past Dissidia games. This isn’t really a big surprise, but it’s a pleasant one considering his unique fighting style.
Vivi

Everyone’s favourite cute Black Mage from FFIX is going to fight the good fight in Dissidia NT. He’ll most likely be a Marksman since he’s a potent spellcaster.
Tifa

Tits McGee This well-trained pugilist in FFVII is making her second Dissidia fighting game appearance, Dolphin Blow and all. Heh.
Zack

The guy who inspired Cloud to pick up the Buster Sword and be a SOLDIER. He might be an “Evil Ryu” archetype; possesses the same moveset as Cloud but with a few twists here and there. He’s sure to be a Vanguard.
Laguna

The Man with the Machine Gun sports one of the catchiest themes in FF history. And he’s going to bring in his ranged playstyle like in past Dissidia games too.
Yuna

The true main character of FFX; this priestess will bring in her Aeons into battle. Or turn into a gunner via dress sphere from FFX Part 2. Don’t pretend that didn’t happen, guys.
Prishe

The not-so ladylike Elvaan from FFXI may be returning for another bout since she’s in the past Dissidia games.
Kam’lanaut

One of the Zilart princes in FFXI.Â  He’s going to be a brand-new character with a new fighting style no doubt. Maybe he’s a Vanguard?
Judge Gabranth

The other main baddie in FFXII. He’s the guy on the title screen with the awesome armour. He also fought in the past PSP Dissidia games.
Snow

The blonde trenchcoat-wearing pugilist has evolved into a brooding badass in the later FFXIII titles. He’ll probably be a Vanguard given his effectiveness as a tank in FFXIII.
Excited about these leaks? Is this new roster revelation enough to make you buy the game? Let us know!Â


THQ Nordic Opens Singapore Office

THQ Nordic has established a new office in Southeast Asia; specifically in Singapore.
The new base will be tasked with serving the region, specifically with public relations, marketing, and securing of Southeast Asia content region. The SEA markets that will be sorted by THQ Nordic Singapore include:

Singapore (duh)
Malaysia
Thailand
Taiwan
Indonesia
Philippines
Hong Kong
Vietnam

We've launched a new office dedicated to our awesome gaming fans in Asia!
We couldn't be more excited to bring you updates for Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore!
Head on over here & show them some love: https://t.co/N8cLNor8CI pic.twitter.com/iiefvsv6ii
— THQ Nordic (@THQNordic) June 1, 2022

The Singapore team consist of the following key people:

Winson Lo – Managing Director, more than 10 years of experience working in the games industry.
Graeme Ching – SEA Social Media Manager, digital and integrated advertising expertise.

You can get more info out of this new announcement on the company’s Facebook page.


The Witcher Gets Bigger In Season 2, Adds Game Of Thrones Alum

Netflix has announced seven new cast additions for the upcoming second season of The Witcher, as production is set to begin. Joining Henry Cavill’s Geralt Of Rivia, Anya Chalotra’s Yennefer, Freya Allan’s Ciri and Joey Batey’s Jaskier include many names, one of which would be familiar to Game Of Thrones fans.
The new cast members (via Deadline) include:

Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones) as Nivellen
Paul Bullion (Peaky Blinders) as Lambert
Yasen Atour (Young Wallender) as Coen
Thue Ersted Rasmussen (Fast and Furious 9) as Eskel
Agnes Bjorn as Vereena
Aisha Fabienne Ross (The Danish Girl) as Lydia
Mecia Simson as Francesca

It’s worth pointing out that the characters Lambert, Eskel and Coen mentioned above are Witchers like Geralt. Both Lambert and Eskel are from the same School Of The Wolf as Geralt, as all three of them were trained at Kaer Morhen as children. However, Coen is from the School Of The Griffin, a foreign Witcher from a different place.
From left to right: Lambert, Geralt and Eskel sharing a drink together in CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
It will be interesting to see Netflix’s The Witcher delve deeper into the series’ mythology by involving other characters who are themselves Witchers like Geralt. However, it’s slightly disappointing to see Mark Hamill is still nowhere to be seen. Who will eventually play Vesemir, I wonder?
Showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich previously confirmed that The Witcher Season 2 will be more linear in nature, which is a departure from the confusing time-jumping narrative of the first season.
The Witcher Season 2 is expected to premiere sometime in 2021. In the meantime,Â check out my review ofÂ The WitcherÂ Season 1 here, orÂ head on over here for all the easter eggs and references discovered in the first season.


Marvel Goes Macabre With Werewolf By Night

Werewolf By Night is the first-ever Marvel Studios Special Presentation, thus distinguishing it from all the other ‘normal’ series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that have been released since 2021’s WandaVision. It’s essentially a one-shot or short film. I previously mentioned that Moon Knight was the riskiest and most unique MCU content on Disney+ to date, but now Werewolf By Night is more deserving of that title.
Fright Night
Harriet Sansom Harris as Verussa in Marvel Studios’ WEREWOLF BY NIGHT, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
Werewolf By Night is basically Marvel’s take on the horror pop culture or mythical icon that is the werewolf. Just like Moon Knight before it, Werewolf By Night is self-contained. You don’t need to have watched any of the MCU movies or shows to understand Werewolf By Night, because Werewolf By Night is not directly attached to any of them. There are almost zero easter eggs or references (as far as I noticed) to the larger MCU, so you don’t have to worry about having to remember what happened in that one movie or series just to comprehend what’s happening in Werewolf By Night.
Without spoiling anything more than what the official synopsis has stated, Werewolf By Night begins on a dark and sombre night as a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. They are then thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic; a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.
Even from the looks of the trailer, anyone can see that Werewolf By Night is inspired by classic and retro horror films of the 1930s and 1940s, including The Wolf Man and Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, amongst others. That is why almost the entirety of Werewolf By Night is black and white. Yes, it’s black and white, you read that right. To evoke the same vibe and tone, as well as act as a homage and tribute to those aforementioned iconic horror films, Werewolf By Night is set in black and white for pretty much the entire movie. Horror fans like myself will likely love this little touch and the fact that Marvel Studios is willing to experiment this far is incredible.
However, most importantly, not only does the black and white aesthetics of Werewolf By Night match classic horror films; it also feels like one in terms of vibe and tone. There isn’t much of the MCU’s trademark humour or comedy in Werewolf By Night. Director Michael Giacchino made the right choice in making Werewolf By Night actually a horror film, albeit one that’s hammier and old-school just like its inspirations.
Ulysses Bloodstone in Marvel Studios’ WEREWOLF BY NIGHT, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
That is thanks to its sound effects, music, visuals and everything else, as well as bold stylistic choices like blood splatter hitting the camera. I was pleasantly surprised that Werewolf By Night is quite bloody and gory by MCU standards, which definitely fits the horror motif of the movie. There’s nothing too gratuitous or shocking, but this is certainly MCU’s first true horror, despite Sam Raimi already putting horror elements in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness earlier this year. Don’t get me wrong, Werewolf By Night isn’t R-rated or anything, but it’s still the most “horror” the MCU has ever done.
In addition, Werewolf By Night also deserves praise for sticking to practical effects for its sets and the titular protagonist’s design. More recent werewolf depictions tend to skew toward monstrous designs like the Lycans from the Underworld franchise or An American Werewolf In London. However, Werewolf By Night is mostly inspired by the classic The Wolf Man movies, and it shows. This might be a divisive move for viewers who prefer more ”realistic’-looking werewolves, but doing it with practical effects like this is more faithful not only to the comic book version but also to classic The Wolf Man films.
Werewolf By Night is only around 52 minutes long but it could have benefited from a longer runtime. As it is, there’s not much time to flesh out the characters and the narrative ends up being more straightforward than it should be. On the bright side, the short runtime does result in brisk pacing, which means that there aren’t any draggy scenes or plodding parts to worry about. Gael Garcia Bernal (Jack Russell AKA Werewolf By Night) and Laura Donnelly (Elsa Bloodstone) are spectacular additions to the MCU. The supporting characters are fine, but one of the main highlights is the inclusion of Man-Thing, which is a delight every time he appears. They deserve more time to be expanded upon even further.
Thriller
Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone in Marvel Studios’ WEREWOLF BY NIGHT, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
Werewolf By Night will probably split heads and opinions when it releases, but this should be a welcome move from Marvel Studios. It proves that they are willing to delve into and embrace the less superheroic parts of the Marvel Universe, including the underrated supernatural and magical parts with horror elements. Horror fans will enjoy it the most, that’s for sure, but normal audiences may not be able to stomach a fully black and white film. The MCU needs more niche content like this, and I hope that Marvel Studios continues to change things up once in a while.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
We received early screeners of Werewolf By Night courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. Werewolf By Night is slated to premiere on 7 October 2022 on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.


Moon Knight Trailer Breakdown: Khonshu, Sun King & More

Marvel and Disney+ have released the first official trailer for Moon Knight, which is slated to premiere on 30 March 2022.
The official synopsis reads:
“The series follows Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift-shop employee, who becomes plagued with blackouts and memories of another life.
Steven discovers he has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with mercenary Marc Spector.
As Steven/Marc’s enemies converge upon them, they must navigate their complex identities while thrust into a deadly mystery among the powerful gods of Egypt.”
Let me break it down below:
Oscar Isaac’s Character Suffers From Dissociative Identity Disorder

If you’ve noticed, his name is Steven but when a woman calls him, she refers to him by Marc. This is because he suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, which means that he has multiple personalities. His true identity is Marc Spector, but it looks like he’s currently in his Steven Grant alter (personality) by the looks of the trailer. In the comics, he also has another alter named Jake Lockley.
Our First Look At Khonshu

In the trailer, we get a bit of a horror scene when Steven starts seeing things when it’s actually an old woman in a dark hallway.
The apparition that he sees (see picture above) isn’t a ghost, but the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. He is the one who revived Steven back when he was a mercenary named Marc Spector and about to die after getting fatally wounded by the Bushman. Since then, Steven/Marc believes he was chosen by Khonshu to be his avatar and Moon Knight.

Ethan Hawke’s Arthur Harrow Might Be The Sun King

The trailer reveals that Ethan Hawke plays a character named Arthur Harrow. He seems to be a generic cult leader/con-man, as people seem to be worshipping him and him telling Steven/Marc to “embrace the chaos”.
In the comics, Arthur Harrow is an obscure character and a scientist who does human experiments on behalf of the organization called OMNIUM. However, this version of Arthur Harrow looks closer to another character from the Moon Knight comics; a Moon Knight villain named the Sun King.
The Sun King is a cult leader, just like the MCU’s Arthur Harrow seems to be, and in the comics, his cult revolves around the Egyptian sun god Amon Ra (who is an enemy/rival of the moon god Khonshu). This gives him the ability of pyrokinesis, or the power to create and control fire.
The MCU has previously done a lot of combining several different comic book characters into one, so it’s no surprise if this version of Arthur Harrow turns out to be the Sun King.

The MCU’s Moon Knight Seems To Have Supernatural Powers

In the trailer, we can see Steven/Marc transform into the Moon Knight as what seems to be mummy bandages wrap around him. This implies that this version of the character will have supernatural powers.
However, in the comics, he doesn’t have any powers, with the exception of augmented strength and reflexes. He’s more like DC’s Batman, as he relies on gadgets. The only time he usually has powers is when Khonshu directly possesses him, like in the Age Of Khonshu story arc in the pages of the Avengers comic book.
Since he’s not exactly mentally stable, all these “powers” could just be his delusions in the Disney+ series. The transformation could just be happening in his mind.

Our Best Look At His Costume Yet

Look at the glory that is Moon Knight.

Frank Miller Dark Knight Returns Reference

This brief scene looks like it’s inspired by Frank Miller’s iconic cover of The Dark Knight Returns. That must have been intentional, considering that Moon Knight is often described as Marvelâ€™s version of DCâ€™s Batman

There you have it, folks. The first Moon Knight trailer promises perhaps what might be the most unique Disney+ Marvel series yet. Check out the trailer below, and until next time, Excelsior!


PC Gaming Show 2021: All The Games & Announcements

PC Gaming Show 2021 features more PC games indie or otherwise, and also Sean “Day9” Plott’s mug in-between. We’ll skip the latter and just share more of the former since that’s what we’re here for: video games of the PC variety that are coming out either this year or the next.
Project Warlock 2

The sequel to the throwback 2018 FPS Project Warlock is bringing in more flat sprites, more shooting, and more weaponry for your titular Warlock. Game will be out in Early Access for Steam on 29th July.
Songs of Conquest

The strategy game that’s part Heroes of Might and Magic and Age of Wonders, but with a 2D pixel graphical twist, will be out in early 2022. The game features the following four factions:

Arleon: Knights of old battling each other for dominance.
Rana: Ancient tribes fighting for survival in the swamp.
Loth: Necromancers raising the dead to create a glorious future.
Barya: Mercenaries and inventors dedicated to coin and gunpowder.

Songs of Conquest also comes with a story campaign that can be played either local or online, and an in-game editor that lets you create your own campaigns.
Gloomwood

A retro 3D FPS that seems like a throwback to the Thief series. Basically you have guns, but you need to approach enemies through stealth.
Lemnis Gate

Developer Ratloop Canada are creating a competitive FPS that plays out in a 25-second time loop. It’ll be out in open beta form this July.
Gigabash

Malaysian-made multiplayer kaiju brawler Gigabash is coming out for PC as well as for PlayStation consoles. No release date yet though.
Rawmen

Burly men who know their way around food play with each other in multiplayer online form. Also coming to PS4/PS5 and Xbox One/Xbox Series.
Orcs Must Die! 3

The Google Stadia exclusive tower defense orc-killing simulator will finally get out of Google jail and land onto PC this 23rd July.
They Always Run

A side-scrolling cyberpunk space western game that puts you in the shoes of an alien bounty hunter. The gimmick? Your bounty hunter has three arms and can multitask be it for killing or hauling cargo for customers. The game is slated for release later in 2021.
Far: Changing Tides

You play a child named Toe who has to explore and survive in a post-apocalyptic world submerged mostly in water. Out for PC and consoles in late 2021.
Dodgeball Academia

3v3 2D dodgeball game where the highest score wins. This one is looking pretty violent, but in a cartoony way, and also comes with a RPG-esque story mode.
Eldest Soul

A boss rush 2D action game with pixel artwork and a sombre tone. Yeah, it’s got a pretty dumb name, but it looks challenging, has that Furi vibe, and features an extensive character customization system. Definitely one to watch if you need a tough game. Out for PC and consoles this 29th July.
Naraka: Bladepoint

A battle royale featuring kung fu and swordplay. Out globally in 12th August.
Soulstice

Missed Astral Chain? This 3D action game set in a fantasy universe featuring two sisters (one living, one dead and a soul) can sort out those simultaneous 2-character control mechanic jollies! Out for PC next year, 2022.