Tekken 8 Adds Leroy Smith & Asuka Kazama To The Roster

Tekken 8’s roster will be growing with a couple more additions.
After the EVO Japan 2023 Tekken 7 finals, Tekken producers Katsuhiro Harada and Michael Murray revealed two more characters joining Tekken 8: Wing Chun fighter Leroy Smith and juvenile hothead brawler Asuka Kazama.
Leroy now fights with his stick for maximum poking and footsie efficiency, though he still retains his many Tekken 7 moves. Asuka more or less plays the same like in part 7, but her Heat Moves make her do more follow-ups to her already-offensive Kazama-style repertoire.
Check them out in action below. Tekken 8 has no release date yet, but it’s coming out for PC, Xbox Series, and PlayStation 5.


Blizzard Still Under Fire As 1,500 Of Its Employees Condemn Its Leadership [Update]

Update (28/7/2021): Activision Blizzard employees are planning a walkout on Wednesday PT. Blizzard senior software engineer Valentine Powell and the World of Warcraft leadership team paying employees for the time they spend during the protest.
“Our leadership on the WoW team has worked with us over the last week to respond and start taking action.
In addition to this message, crafted in large part by the non-men across our team, our leadership has also agreed to pay us for the time we are taking off for our walkout and committed to allowing leads and managers to participate in the strike without fear of recrimination. I see this as the first step toward them being willing to speak with their actions.”
The protest will continue until the following four demands are met:

An end to mandatory arbitration clauses in all employee contracts, current and future. Arbitration clauses protect abusers and limit the ability of victims to seek restitution.
The adoption of recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and promotion policies designed to improve representation among employees at all levels, agreed upon by employees in a company-wide Diversity, Equity & Inclusion organization. Current practices have led to women, in particular women of color and transgender women, nonbinary people, and other marginalized groups that are vulnerable to gender discrimination not being hired fairly for new roles when compared to men.
Publication of data on relative compensation (including equity grants and profit sharing), promotion rates, and salary ranges for employees of all genders and ethnicities at the company. Current practices have led to the aforementioned groups not being paid or promoted fairly.
Empower a company-wide Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion task force to hire a third party to audit ABKâ€™s reporting structure, HR department, and executive staff. It is imperative to identify how current systems have failed to prevent employee harassment and to propose new solutions to address these issues.

All news and whatnot surrounding the walkout can be found in the #ActiBlizzWalkout hashtag, which is picking up momentum as of this writing.
Original story
Activision Blizzard cannot catch a break. As if the current sexual harassment lawsuit isn’t enough, its current and former employees have signed a letter stating that the company’s recent response to the lawsuit is “abhorrent and insulting”.
To recap, the response to the lawsuit was done in an internal memo form by chief compliance officer Frances Townsend, dismissing the suit for its distortion and untrue picture of the company. About 1,500 Blizzard employees, both current and former, countered this with an employee letter sent to Activision Blizzard’s managers (via Kotaku):
“The statements from Activision Blizzard, Inc. and their legal counsel â€¦ are abhorrent and insulting to all that we believe our company should stand for. We believe these statements have damaged our ongoing quest for equality inside and outside of our industry.
Categorizing the claims that have been made as ‘distorted, and in many cases false’ creates a company atmosphere that disbelieves victims. It also casts doubt on our organizationsâ€™ ability to hold abusers accountable for their actions and foster a safe environment for victims to come forward in the future. These statements make it clear that our leadership is not putting our values first.
Our company executives have claimed that actions will be taken to protect us, but in the face of legal actionâ€”and the troubling official responses that followedâ€”we no longer trust that our leaders will place employee safety above their own interests. To claim this is a ‘truly meritless and irresponsible lawsuit,’ while seeing so many current and former employees speak out about their own experiences regarding harassment and abuse, is simply unacceptable.”
The employee letter also asked that Activision Blizzard executives take these allegations seriously, have Townsend step down from her position as executive sponsor of the Activision Blizzard King Employee Women’s Network, and want company leadership to work with its employees on having a safe space to speak out about misconduct.
For more on Activision Blizzard’s current lawsuit, head here.


KOF XV Team South Town Will Drop In Next Week

The next King of Fighters XV team will drop into the game on 17th May.
Following up from Team Garou’s debut, Team South Town will be entering the KOF XV fray. The team consists of Billy Kane, Geese Howard, and Ryuji Yamazaki. To recap, Billy has zoning tools with his fire-laced cane, Geese has counters and Reppukens, and Yamazaki can reflect projectiles and do Snake Strikes with his left hand, as well as counter attacks.
Check out their repertoire below. The DLC is part of the Season 1 DLC pass which also adds in extra costumes for the trio. The Season Pass costs RM129; the team itself costs RM68. It’s available for the PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series versions of the game.


The Witcher Blood Origin Trailer Teases Gory Action & A Sweet Ballad

Netflix has released a new trailer for The Witcher Blood Origin, which will premiere on 25 December 2022 on Netflix.
The official synopsis reads:
Set in an elven world 1200 years before the time of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri, The Witcher: Blood Origin will tell a tale lost to history: the creation of the first prototype Witcher, and the events that led to the pivotal Conjunction of the Spheres, when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one. This four-part prequel series premieres on Netflix on 25 December.
The Witcher Blood Origin will be a six-part, live-action limited series and a prequel to the hit Netflix series The Witcher. Set in an elven world 1200 years before the world of The Witcher, Blood Origin will tell a story lost to time – the creation of the first prototype Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal conjunction of the spheres, when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.
Michelle Yeoh is set to play the role of Sc’an, the very last of her nomadic tribe of sword-elves in the series. No one can come close to her artistry with the blade, and no one carries as much loss within their heart. When a chance presents itself to retrieve a stolen sacred sword, taken from her fallen tribe by nefarious means, she launches herself into a deadly quest that will change the outcome of the Continent.
Yeoh joins Laurence O’Fuarain in the cast, who will star in the role of Fjall. Born into a clan of warriors sworn to protect a King, Fjall carries a deep scar within, the death of a loved one who fell in battle trying to save him. A scar that won’t let him settle, or make peace with himself or the world around him. In his quest for redemption, Fjall will find himself fighting beside the most unlikely of allies as he carves a path of vengeance across a continent in turmoil.
Declan de Barra will act as Executive Producer and Showrunner and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich will act as Executive Producer. Andrzej Sapkowski will serve as a creative consultant on the series. Jason Brown and Sean Daniel from Hivemind, and Tomek Baginski and Jarek Sawko from Platige Films will all serve as executive producers.
Check out the trailer below:


Judgment Is A Cerebral Man’s Yakuza Action Experience Done Wrong

Platform: PS4
Genre: Lawyer/detective game with Yakuza-style ass-kicking
Sega has a pretty expensive and detailed Yakuza game engine to make games on thanks to the success of Toshihiro Nagoshi’s Ryu ga Gotoku/Yakuza series in Japan and Asia. But it’s starting to feel a bit tiring now, which is why I’m glad the Kiryu Kazuma saga has been put to bed last year. But we still need a spin-off game or a new perspective set in the same universe where the bustling metropolis of Kamurocho resides, right?
Enter Judgment, now free from its Yakuza continuity shackles (albeit with some allusions). We have a fresh new protagonist with a brand new set of problems and conundrums, yet somehow the Yakuza formula of non-linear exploration combined with the main plot filled with a ton of story and talking heads cutscenes is prevalent.
Sustained!
While some sense of deja vu may creep in, Judgment’s narrative is a tad more personal and small-scale, rather than being too over-the-top and cartoonish like in the last Yakuza game. It opts to focus on the redemption arc of one Takayuki Yagami, a disgraced lawyer who now works as a private eye. Who also knows two styles of kung fu. Who also is in league with the local mobsters in the same city inhabited by the Tojo Clan. You know, the same clan from the Ryu ga Gotoku/Yakuza series.
I’ll also say this: I like this new cast of characters. Our main hero Yagami is aloof yet competent and badass in his own right. He’s not quite as stoic as Kiryu Kazuma, but he knows when to get things done when needed. Other highlights in the cast include the affable yakuza buddy Kaito, the deadpan Saori, the mentor figure Genda, and the no-nonsense lawyer “buddy” Shintani. This is further accentuated by the more personal and intimate story beats leading up to a really good conclusion.
Yes, you still have your bombastic moments but they’re kept to a minimum here. In other words, it’s easy to take this game’s story seriously. Good job on being restrained and disciplined, Toshihiro Nagoshi!
Hold It!
It’s still a Yakuza game at heart, but now with more detective and investigative elements amidst the ass-kicking. Unfortunately, these elements aren’t as fun as oh say, exploring the whole of Kamurocho in a different lens. You have to pull off a bunch of pixel hunts via first-person camera-work to presenting evidence and arguing against accusations Ace Attorney style. You even have a couple of scenes that pays tribute to that Capcom game’s iconic pose.

You also need to tailgate and trail after suspects and wanted folks while also being stealthy. While not as broken and game-breaking as other attempts, this portion still feels a bit tedious and breaks the pacing, so much so that you dread playing when the other parts are calling your name.
Sustained
Thankfully, the game’s combat and exploration offset this, albeit barely. You still feel the disparity between the game’s nuanced narrative and the actual “Yakuza” half where your relatable protagonist can somehow take on a mob of cops with his kung-fu without breaking a sweat.
Still, whatever action is here is pretty ace and refined; Yagami is more nimble than Kiryu since he can sprint and run up walls to pull off special jump attacks and finishers. You still can pick up bikes and signs to bash people’s heads in, but you can also leapfrog them and counter with your brand of agile attacks. You can also switch between a crowd-control variant Crane style and his duel-focused and armour-breaking Tiger style on the fly.
Yakuza veterans may look and this and say it’s basically a revamped version of Akiyama’s fighting style, but the fact that Yagami’s the only guy you can control means that players will need to adjust to his Tiger and Crane styles lest they get a beatdown on their own. Also, you can suffer from Mortal Wounds where portions of your lifebar cannot be healed via sword or deadly moves, meaning you need to get medkits to heal that bit.

Exploration-wise, Kamurocho is still a treat to explore and view. With new friends to make in the game’s new take on side stories as well as some Yakuza landmarks still prevalent for players to wax nostalgia over, Judgment’s setting is still the highlight of this “new” action adventure entry.
Innocent? Or Guilty Of Boredom?
A gripping narrative and a refined Yakuza engine with some new combat nuances & aesthetical touches can’t fix the fact that the game’s standout feature, the detective and lawyer bits, aren’t great. At the very least, you’ll enjoy half of what this game has to offer while suffering through the remaining lawyer and detective bits in this 24-hour or so escapade. It’s not subtle in what it’s trying to achieve, but that has never been Toshihiro Nagoshi and his team’s strong point, no?
Pros

Action beats are still great.
Kamurocho is a vibrant and lively city to explore in.
The main plot feels more intimate & intense.

Cons

Big dissonance between action and grounded narrative.
Detective and lawyer sections aren’t fun.

FINAL SCORE: 60/100


Borderlands 3’s Moze The Gunner’s Skill Tree Revealed; Features Mechs & Mags

So far in Borderlands 3, we have Amara the Siren and Zane the Operative’s skill trees all detailed so you can start building your soldier of death in the upcoming loot-and-shoot game.
Thanks to videos from Joltzdude139 and Ki11er Six, who happen to do a lot of Borderlands-related homework, we now have the lowdown on the next Vault Hunter, Moze (as in “Moes”, not “Moh-ze”). In case you want to save bandwidth, check out our written guide to this gunner’s fine-ass skills below.
Moze

Just a heads up: when you activate her Iron Bear mech, she can use up to two Action Skills simultaneously while in her bot. Rail guns, homing rockets that track up to 5 or more targets, a minigun; what have you.
Note: you can plan her skill tree on this interactive menu.
Bottomless Mags Skill Tree

Minigun (Action Skill): Capable of sustained rapid fire. Firing for long periods of time causes it to overheat. So be careful when raining bullets.
Cloud of Lead (5): Occasionally, Moze’s and Iron Bear’s shots will deal additional Fire Damage and won’t consume ammo. Ranking this up increases Fire Damage and shot count (ie: every 8th shot doesn’t consume ammo)
Dakka Bear (1): Adds a manned turret to the back of Iron Bear. For your companions to use.
Matched Set (5):Â Moze’s currently equipped weapon gains a stacking bonus to Magazine Size and Decreased Heat Per Shot for every piece of Equipped Gear that has a matching manufacturer. Heat = what the minigun generates before it shorts out temporarily.
Strike The Embers (3): Increases Moze and Iron Bear’s Fire Damage.
Redistribution (1): After Moze scores a Critical Hit, she regenerates ammo for a few seconds. Ammo regen: +5% of Magazine, redistribution duration: 3 seconds.
Scrappy (5): Increases Moze’s Handling (weapons). While moving, Moze’s Weapon Swap and Mode Switch speed are increased.
Rushin’ Offensive (1): Moze can sprint and shoot at the same time.
Scorching RPM’s (5): Moze gains increased Fire Rate and Critical Hit Damage.
The Iron Bank (5): Increases Moze’s magazine size.
Specialist Bear (1): Equipping two of the same weapons on Iron Bear increases the damage they deal. Iron Bear damage: +10%.
Some For The Road (1): Moze gains infinite ammo for a few seconds after exiting Iron Bear. Lasts 5 seconds.
“Click, Click…”(3): Moze gains increased Gun Damage as her magazine empties. The less ammo there is remaining, the greater the increase.
Forge (1): Moze constantly regenerates ammo for her currently-equipped weapon. Ammo regeneration rate: 1.5% of magazine/sec.

Bottomless Mag Augments (for your Action Skills)

Let Off Some Steam: Minigun deals more damage as heat increases, and can be fired for longer before overheating. Damage: up to +80%, Minigun heat capacity: +35%.
Salamander: A flamethrower that deals Fire Damage to enemies at close range. Has infinite ammo, but drains Fuel with use.
General Winter: Minigun fires Cryo rounds, which reduces Heat Gain and Fuel Drain, but deal reduced damage.
Fuel Economy: Reduces Salamander’s Fuel Drain (-25%). Additionally, Iron Bear’s Movement Speed is increased after damaging an enemy with Salamander (+25% for 3 seconds).
Exploding Bullets: Minigun fires Explosive Rounds that deal increased Splash Damage, but at the cost of decreased Fire Rate.
Chemical Warfare: Salamander now deals Corrosive Damage. Salamander’s Melt Damage is increased.
Molten Roar: The Salamander burst-fires 3 projectiles with increased Fuel Drain, the first of which leaves a large Fire area.

Demolition Woman Skill Tree

V-35 Grenade Launcher (Action Skill): A semi-automatic grenade launcher. Not affected by Moze’s equipped grenade mod.
Fire in the Skag Den (5): Whenever Moze deals Splash Damage, she deals bonus Fire Damage. Bonus Fire damage: +3% per rank.
Deadlines (3): Firing Iron Bear Weapons drains less Fuel. Killing an enemy while Iron Bear is active increases Fuel. This skill has diminishing returns.
Grizzled (5): Kill Skill. Killing an enemy reduces Moze’s remaining Action Skill Cooldown Time. This skill has diminishing returns.
Means of Destruction (3): Whenever Moze deals Splash Damage, there is a chance to add ammo to her currently equipped weapon’s magazine, with a smaller chance to return a grenade. Ammo chance: 3.3%, Grenade chance: 2%.
Torgue Cross-Promotion (5): All Splash Damage dealt by Moze has a chance to double in size.
Stainless Steel Bear (5): Iron Bear gains additional armour and increased Maximum Fuel.
Pull the Holy Pin (3): Moze’s grenades have a chance to score a Critical Hit, dealing greatly-increased damage.
Auto Bear (1): After Moze exits Iron Bear, it will remain deployed in place for a short time. While it remains active, it will target and attack nearby enemies until its duration ends, then it will charge at an enemy and self-destruct. Duration: 15 seconds.
Vampyr (5): Whenever Moze damages an enemy with a grenade, for every enemy hit, she restores a portion of her missing health.
Why Can’t I Carry All These Grenades (3): Increases Moze’s grenade carrying capacity further.
To The Last (1): Moze gains the ability to throw grenades while in Fight For Your Life. If she threw a grenade before gaining Second Wind, a grenade is refunded.
Explosive Punctuation (5): When Moze deals Splash Damage, her Action Skill Cooldown Rate is briefly increased.
Short Fuse (1): Whenever Moze deals Gun Damage, there is a chance of a secondary explosion centered on the target. Chance: 20%, Explosion damage: 75% of Gun Damage.

Demolition Women Augments

Shaped Charge: Direct hits with the V-35 deal increased damage. Direct Hit Damage: +35%.
Vanquisher Rocket Pod: Rocket launcher capable of rapid-firing volleys of unguided explosive rockets.
Musical Chairs: Occasionally, the V-35 fires a Singularity Grenade that pulls in nearby enemies before exploding.
Active Tracking: The Rocket Pod now fires homing rockets and has increased Reload Speed. Hold down the Fire Button and aim at enemies to designate up to 6 targets. Releasing Fire button launches a volley of homing rockets at the designated targets. Reload Speed: +25%.
Lock and Speedload: The V-35’s Reload Speed is greatly increased and it now fires a 5-round burst.
Target Softening: The Vanquisher Rocket Pod deals greatly reduced damage per rocket, but fires in a 6-rocket spread. Additionally, enemies hit by its rockets take increased damage from all sources. If you miss Slag, use this as a replacement.
Hammerdown Protocol: Instead of a volley of conventional rockets, the Vanquisher launches a single rocket with a nuclear warhead, dealing massive Radiation Damage. Damage: +380%, Magazine Size: 1.

Shield of Retribution Skill Tree

Railgun (Action Skill): Fires electrified high-velocity projectiles that deal Shock Damage.
Selfless Vengeance (5): Whenever Moze reloads, she loses a small portion of her health and grants additional Fire Damage and grants additional Fire Damage to her and her allies’ rounds for a few seconds.
Security Bear (1): Iron Bear gains a bubble shield that reduces damage taken. The shield deactivates if it sustains too much damage, reactivating after a short cooldown. Shield recharge delay: 5 seconds, 20% Iron Bear Max Health added as Shields.
Armored Infantry (5): While Moze’s shields are active, she gains Damage Reduction and increased Gun Damage.
Drowning in Brass (5): Kill Skill. Killing an enemy grants Moze a stack of Drowning In Brass. For each stack of these, Moze’s Fire Rate is reduced but Gun Damage is increased for both her and her allies.
Thin Red Line (3): A portion of Moze’s health is removed and cannot be restored, but her Maximum Shield is increased by the same amount. +20% Max Health removed and added to Max Shields for first rank.
Vladof Ingenuity (5): Moze’s Maximum Shield is increased and she gains resistance to Shock Damage.
Full Can of Whoop-Ass (1): Entering Iron Bear causes Moze’s and her allies’ shields to immediately begin recharging at an increased Shield Recharge Rate. Shield recharge rate: +25%.
Experimental Munitions (1): Whenever Moze scores a Critical Hit, she deals bonus Fire Damage. +10% of damage dealt for first rank.
Behind The Iron Curtain (3): Moze’s Shield Recharge Delay is reduced, and her Shield Recharge Rate is increased.
Desperate Measures (3): Moze’s Gun Damage is increased depending on how low her health is. The lower her health, the greater the increase. Gun damage up to +17%.
Phalanx Doctrine (5): Kill Skill. After killing an enemy, Moze gains a stack of Phalanx Doctrine. For every stack of these, Moze’s Maximum Shield and Gun Damage are increased. Each stack lasts 30 seconds; there is no stack limit. Gun Damage: +2% per stack, Max Shields: +3% per stack.
Force Feedback (1): Whenever Moze scores a Critical Kill, her shields immediately begin recharging.
Tenacious Defense (1): Whenever Moze’s shield is fully depleted, she instantly restores a portion of her shield and her gun damage is increased for a short time. This skill can only trigger after Moze’s shields have fully recharged. Gun Damage: +12%, +40% of Max Shield restored, Tenacious Defense duration: 30 seconds.

Shield of Retribution Augments

Hell on Rails: Railgun now fires superheated rounds that deal Fire Damage but have increased Fuel Drain per shot.
Bear Fist: A massive damage melee attack from the Iron Bear. We wonder if it staggers and/or knocks back enemies.
Capacitive Armature: When Railgun hits an enemy, it chains to nearby enemies, dealing reduced Shock Damage to more targets. Splinter damage: -75%.
Wild Swing: Whenever Bear Fist hits an enemy, it deals random Bonus Elemental Damage to that enemy and all enemies nearby. Elemental Damage: +35% of damage dealt.
Corrosive Sabot Rounds: Railgun now fires a specialty round that deals reduced damage and explodes after a short delay. Its shots have reduced Fuel Drain and its Magazine Size is increased. Corrosive Damage.
Close The Distance: Instead of punching, Bear Fist now launches its fist forward and grabs enemies at greatly-increased range, pulling them back to Iron Bear.
Shockhammer: Bear Fist is now capable of sustained rapid fire, punching as long as the Fire Button is held. Additionally, Bear Fist has reduced Fuel Drain and deals Bonus Shock Damage with each hit. Shock damage: +19% of damage dealt, Fuel Drain: -40%.


Malaysia’s Passion Republic Helped With The Cat Rigging For Stray

The PC and PlayStation indie adventure title Stray from Bluetwelve and Annapurna Interactive allows you to control a cat through an underground robot slum, figuring out the mysteries within. Naturally, the cat in the game needs to be well-animated and look good doing all the cat-like things and grace it exudes. So what better way to do this than to set up a cat rig that’s fit for the job, especially with Malaysia’s finest?
According to the end credits of Stray, Malaysian game studio Passion Republic are responsible for the cat rig for Stray’s main orange protagonist.

The company is no stranger to giving assistance to major company projects, from Nintendo’s Astral Chain to Bandai Namco’s Elden Ring and Square Enix’s Babylon’s Fall in the animation, concept, modeling, and tech department. So yeah, score one for Malaysia’s home-grown talent for making the star of Stray animate with purrfection.
Stray is slated for PC and PlayStation consoles on 19th July. If you want to get the cat backpack that’s tied to the game, head here.


FIFA President Says Its FIFA Game Will Rival That Of EA Sports FC

Time for some good old sports smack talk.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stated on record that it is making its own FIFA game series, and it will challenge EA’s established dominance. He said that he has plans to create a new series of football games that will be superior to EA’s series, setting a new standard for football games. Here’s what the FIFA president said during his victory speech after being re-elected as FIFA’s president (via Times sports reporter Martyn Ziegler):
“The new FIFA game – the FIFA 25, 26, 27 and so on – will always be the best e-game for any girl or boy. We will have news on this very soon.
I can assure you that the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans. The FIFA name is the only global, original title. FIFA 23, FIFA 24, FIFA 25 and FIFA 26, and so on – the constant is the FIFA name and it will remain forever and remain THE BEST.”

Infantino says FIFA will go head-to-head with EA Sports by launching rival video game (EA Sports refused cash demands to keep FIFA's name)"The new FIFA game – the FIFA 25, 26, 27 and so on – will always be the best egame for any girl or boy, we will have news on this very soon."
— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) March 16, 2023

It seems that the next FIFA-branded football game that’s sanctioned by the group may only be out in 2024 if the above state seems to allude as such.
For those who don’t know, EA has lost its license to FIFA after its expiration last year. The company will be rebranding its series as EA Sports FC starting July 2023. FIFA 23 is the last EA football game to use the FIFA name, ending the 30-year partnership.


Star Trek Discovery Beamed Up For Season 4 Renewal

Star Trek Discovery has been renewed for Season 4 after just Season 3 just premiered last week on 15/16 October 2020. The cast of the series appeared in a special video to announce that filming for the next season will already begin on 2 November 2020.
Sonequa Martin-Green, who plays Michael Burnham on Star Trek Discovery, and Doug Jones who plays Saru, appeared alongside showrunners Michelle Paradise and Alex Kurtzman to announce the Season 4 renewal.

However, no plot details were revealed in the video, which is expected considering that Season 3 just started airing.
In addition to Martin-Green, the cast for the third season ofÂ Star Trek DiscoveryÂ includes Doug Jones (Commander Saru), Anthony Rapp (Lt. Commander Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Ensign Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland â€œBookâ€ Booker) and Michelle Yeoh (Philippa Georgiou).
A new episode of Star Trek Discovery Season 3 premieres every Friday on Netflix Malaysia.


Genshin Impact 3.5 Update Out This March; Features New Waifu Dehya

HoyoVerse’s next major Genshin Impact update, version 3.5, will be out on 1st March for PC, PlayStation, and mobile devices.
The update will feature the following:

The Windblume Festival with Collei revisiting Mondstadt and seasonal games.
A new Archon Quest featuring the Abyss Order, Kaeya, Dainsleif, and the twin Travelers.
A five-star Pyro Claymore user Dehya and a four-star Cryo Polearm user Mika.
An updated set of rules for a limited-edition mode of Genius Invokation TCG.
One extra Intertwined Fate for each completed Archon Quest as a reward.

5-star character Dehya is one of the new Sumeru characters who pop up in the new Archon Quest story bits. Her skill will focus on supporting; she takes hits for her teammates as well as applying off-field Pyro damage and increasing their resistance to interruption. Her burst is similar to Cyno’s and allows her to deal Pyro damage in hand-to-hand combat in a set amount of time.
Mika is a 4-star polearm user. He is a support character that increases ATK Speed and Physical DMG, and also able to restore HP through his burst.
Check out the event trailer below. Also, here are the free Primogem codes:

SB8UJ9H7NH8V – 100 Primogems, 50,000 Mora
5SRC28YNNYP9- 100 Primogems, 5 Hero’s Wit
KARU3RG6NY65- 100 Primogems, 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore


Don’t Nod Has Eight Games Planned For 2023 And Beyond

In case you’re wondering why adventure game-making French developer Don’t Nod has been quiet, it’s because they’ve been very busy.
In the company’s recent financial report, Don’t Nod stated that they have eight games in its current pipeline set for release between 2023 and 2025. These include five self-published titles, one co-produced with French company Focus Entertainment, and two games made by studios Tolima and Tiny Bull. Don’t Nod will publish the two latter titles as well.
As to what these titles are? No news has been revealed as of yet, but we can guess it’ll be in the veins as Life Is Strange and Twin Mirror: narrative-driven experiences. The last game they made was Twin Mirror back in 2020; they haven’t made anything since.


Esports Group EMERGE Secures US$2.2 Million In Funding

EMERGE Group has announced US$2.2 million in its seed funding round jointly led by Farquhar Venture Capital and Arcane Group. Other investors in this round comprise Blockcrafter Capital and Angel Investors: Mr Victor Lai and Mr Yuen Wong, Founder of LABS Group, GEMS Esports and Managing Partner of Bitmart.
What is EMERGE Group? Let us explain so that everyone understands.
As part of the announcement, EMERGE Group is a rebranding of EMERGE Esports to better differentiate the Group’s plans from its various business units. EMERGE Esports remains an advertising and marketing consultancy arm for brands and content creators in the esports industry.

EMERGE Group is currently collaborating with Mastercard, with a recent announcement on the Group’s participation in the latest class of the Mastercard Start Path Emerging Fintech program, an award-winning global startup engagement program. The Block 71 alumni are also supported by Startup Junkie, an entrepreneurial support organisation funded in part by the Walton Family Foundation and the US Small Business Administration; EMERGE Group is one of the latest organisations in their portfolio.
As the Group moves in to expand further in Southeast Asia, the seed funds will be used in two primary business units, EMPLIFIVE and EMPOWER. The two business units will develop new commercialisation options to resolve different root problems faced by content creators, brands and other stakeholders in the industry of marketing and advertising. They’re also selling high-end gamer merchandise from esports groups & teams like Boom Esports (via the Empower branch).

Since its launch in 2020, EMERGE Group has made several notable achievements and has become known to continuously make its impact on the esports industry. The Group has garnered a total audience of over 580 million through their network of thousands of content creators and players from renowned esports teams, including Bren Esports, Talon Esports, Boom Esports and more.
Jason Su, Chief Investment Officer of Farquhar Venture Capital, said:
“EMERGE Group has proven to be a strong player in the game despite being in the industry for only three years. We are very proud to be working with an organisation that has built the foundation for further growth and capturing larger market opportunities,”
Neil Su, the Managing Partner of Arcane Group, said:
“As we have identified various top-notch and innovative organisations to back under our portfolio, we can see the enormous potential that EMERGE Group is able to grow in key markets.   Their continuous dedication and hard work in boosting the esports industry as well as  their unwavering efforts have definitely earned our trust and support.”
Roy Kek, Chief Executive Officer of EMERGE Group, said:
“Despite the tumultuous times and uncertainties due to market factors, we are grateful to our investors and backers for recognising the potential in EMERGE Group. Having achieved over US$2 million in revenue since we started in 2020, and amassing renowned esports teams all over the world to work with us as their preferred commercialisation partner has been no easy feat for the team.
We believe that with innovation at the forefront of what we do, we will be able to bring on more opportunities and creative solutions that effectively transform the way our industry functions and how it is being perceived by others.”


Disgaea 7 Is Getting An English International Release In Fall 2023

During the NIS 30th Anniversary Celebration Stream earlier today, Nippon Ichi Software (NIS) America announced that Disgaea 7 is getting an English international release for the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC sometime in fall 2023. The Japanese version of the game recently launched on 26 January 2023.
The demonic realm of Hinomoto has fallen under a tyrannical regime, and it is up to the lazy warrior Fuji and bushido fangirl Pirilika to fight back while discovering the meaning of honour and redemption. Players will embark on an epic SRPG adventure stuffed to the brim with new features including Jumbification, Hell Mode, Item Reincarnation, new and improved auto-battle, and online ranked battles.
In addition, players can even customize their own team with a robust roster of over 40 character classes.
They also unveiled the Limited Edition content for the game’s launch:

You can check out the trailer below, and stay tuned on the official website here:


The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 5 Breakdown & Easter Eggs

The fifth 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 and Episode 4 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.

Garazeb ‘Zeb’ Orrelios From Star Wars Rebels Makes His Live-Action Debut

This was a surprise gift for fans of the Star Wars Rebels animated series. Zeb was a major character in that series and he was part of the Ghost crew alongside Ezra Bridger, Kanan Jarrus, Sabine Wren and the others. He is one of the last surviving members of the Lasat race, and it’s amazing to hear Steve Blum reprising his voice role as Zeb.
It looks like Zeb became a New Republic pilot post-Star Wars Rebels after the Galactic Civil War ended.
This might mean we could be seeing more Star Wars Rebels characters in live-action soon, and it’s already been confirmed that we’re getting Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger and Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren in the upcoming Ahsoka series.
Star Wars Rebels Ghost crew reunion soon? Fingers crossed.

Captain Teva Foreshadows The Downfall Of The New Republic

Captain Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) criticizes the way that the New Republic bureaucracy reacts to threats and warns that one day a threat would become too big and it will be too late to act.
That’s exactly what happens in Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens when the First Order uses Starkiller Base to destroy several New Republic planets, including its capital, Hosnian Prime, effectively crippling the New Republic government. This could only have happened after the First Order managed to amass their power in the Outer Rim due to the negligence of the New Republic.
The Mandalorians Have A New Home On Nevarro

After helping defeat Gorian Shard and his pirates on Nevarro, High Magistrate Greef Karga gifts some land to the Mandalorians AKA the Children Of The Watch, so now they have a new home and are no longer refugees.
The Armorer Sends Bo-Katan Kryze Off To Unite The Remaining Mandalorian Tribes On Other Planets

The Armorer allows Bo-Katan Kryze to take off her helmet so that she can unite all the Mandalorian tribes and retake Mandalore again. It looks like this will be her main objective moving forward.
Captain Teva Discovers That Moff Gideon Is Still Alive And That Another Mandalorian Tribe Might Have Rescued Him

Captain Teva discovers that Moff Gideon survived and that a remnant of Beskar alloy is evidence that another Mandalorian tribe rescued him. Is this Mandalorian tribe pro-Empire? Perhaps Bo-Katan Kryze will meet up with them sooner than later. Things are really picking up and there are only three episodes left for The Mandalorian Season 3.
Until next week, excelsior!


Y The Last Man TV Series Gets Epic First Trailer

FXâ€™s highly-anticipated TV series adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerraâ€™s Y The Last Man has finally received an official premiere date.
The showrunner for FXâ€™s Y: The Last ManÂ isÂ Eliza ClarkÂ ofÂ Animal KingdomÂ andÂ KillingÂ fame. ActorÂ Ben SchnetzerÂ will portray protagonist Yorick Brown, a young escape artist who finds himself and his pet monkey, Ampersand, to be the last two surviving males on Earth after an apocalyptic event that annihilated everyone with a Y chromosome.
The cast forÂ Y: The Last ManÂ also includesÂ Diane Lane, Ashley Romans, Olivia Thirlby, Amber Tamblyn, Marin Ireland, Diana Bang, Elliot Fletcher and Juliana Canfield. Vaughan himself will be an executive producer, along with showrunner Eliza Clark, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Mari Jo Winkler-Ioffreda, and Melina Matsoukas.
Running from 2002 to 2008, Y The Last Man is a post-apocalyptic science fiction comic book series by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. It follows the adventures of a young escape artist, Yorick who found himself along with his pet Capuchin monkey named Ampersand to be the last two surviving males on Earth following a cataclysmic event that wiped out all living beings with a Y chromosome.

Y The Last Man will premiere on 13 September 2021, exclusively on FX on Hulu. The season features ten episodes in total, and the first two will premiere on the debut date.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Malaysia Faces Top Teams In Arena Of Valor 2019 World Cup  Group Draw

The Arena of Valor (AOV) 2019 World Cup (AWC) is happening very soon, which is on 27 June, and the Group Draws for AWC has finally been confirmed.

Malaysia is grouped in Group A and features strong teams such as North America, Vietnam (Wildcard), Thailand (Wildcard), Chinese Taipei (Wildcard). These are all part of the Top 10 world’s best Arena of Valor countries, according to EsportsEarnings.com. Malaysia, along with Japan, is a newcomer in the AWC.
Group B features our neighbours Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, Mainland China, Thailand, Korea, and Indonesia. Indonesia is part of the Top 20 best AOV teams in the world.
The Malayan Tiger is represented by Team M8 HEXA, which consists of YongÂ “Cat”Â Haw Nam, YimÂ “Seven”Â Zhen Hao, ChanÂ “Ryo”Â Chuong Guan, and WeiÂ KunÂ â€œKunâ€ Tan, and Tam “Kc”Â  Kah Chun.

The teams will be playing at Da Nang, Vietnam for a total prize pool of US$500,000 (RM 2.07 million).


Coromon Brings Us Back To Our Childhood Days Of Classic PokÃ©mon

Platform(s): PC
Genre: Turn-Based RPG, Creature Collector, Adventure, Indie
Many long-time PokÃ©mon fans (including me) have fallen off the franchise’s bandwagon ever since it upgraded to full 3D and left behind its classic elements. If you’re feeling nostalgic for the retro days of classic PokÃ©mon, TRAGsoft’s Coromon will definitely scratch that itch and more.
Coromon is a modern monster taming game with retro pixel art. It feels just like classic PokÃ©mon, featuring a unique immersive storyline, traditional turn-based combat and even puzzles to spice it all up. Despite being like the classic PokÃ©mon games, there are certain gameplay improvements, like the ability to improve specific stats every time you level up a Coromon and the fact that levelling up can happen every time an enemy faints; not necessarily when the whole battle ends.

It’s a lot of familiar elements, like Coromon hiding in tall grass but randomly encountered in caves and dungeons. However, there are also elements that distinguish Coromon from PokÃ©mon. One of the biggest mechanics in the game is the epic boss battles. There are six Titans in the entire game. Forget those conventional PokÃ©mon gym boss battles that have always essentially been soup-ed up normal trainers. Each Titan boss battle in Coromon is like a huge JRPG boss battle but still in a PokÃ©mon turn-based style.
Sure, the core of the game is still capturing Coromon, training them and yes, even evolving them to stronger versions with new names and designs. There will be over 120 different Coromon in the full game, so rest assured that there’ll be a variety of creatures to catch and train. Unlike PokÃ©mon, Coromon also features multiple save slots (and the ability to auto-save) so you don’t have to worry about losing your current playthrough if you want to start a brand new journey.

That all being said, the game won’t release until next year, so there’s still a lot of issues that it has to fix and improve on, such as the lack of description of moves during battles. The potential is massive, so I’ll be looking forward to this one.
Coromon is slated to launch on Steam sometime in 2022, but the demo is free to download and play.
[videopress ujtOl6xL]


Renowned Godzilla Director Kazuki Omori Has Died

Kazuki Omori, best known for his directorial work on the monster movie classic Godzilla vs Biollante, has passed away. He was 70.
According to the Director’s Guild of Japan, he passed away on Tuesday at the Hy?go College of Medical Hospital on 12th November due to acute myeloid leukaemia. A private funeral was held with his close relatives, with a public one to be announced at a later date.
Not only did Kazuki Omori direct Godzilla vs Biollante in 1989, but he also directed Godzilla vs King Ghidorah in 1991 and wrote Godzilla and Mothra in 1992 and Godzilla vs Destoroyah in 1995.

He also directed the 2000 anime The Boy Who Saw The Wind, which looks like a decent watch if you’re into anime films from that period of time.


Diablo 4: All Guides & Features (Early Access & Open Beta)

Diablo 4’s Open Beta starts this weekend. The Open Beta this weekend will start on March 25 0:00 GMT+8 and ends on March 28 3am GMT+8. Last weekend during the Closed Beta, fans were allowed to play around and make characters for the Barbarian, Rogue and Sorceress class. This weekend, fans will be able to raise the dead and try out the Necromancer and Druid classes.
Here’s the best part: if you reach level 20 during the open beta, you get a fluffy companion at your side! So don’t forget to delve into the depths of hell and earn the Beta Wolf Pack for yourself at launch.
Check out our full coverage below :

DIABLO 4 CLOSED & OPEN BETA DATES REVEALED
DIABLO 4 CLOSED & OPEN BETA GUIDE: HERE’S HOW YOU CAN GET IN
DIABLO 4 OPEN BETA PC SPECS REVEALED; LOOKS PRETTY LIGHTWEIGHT
DIABLO 4 EARLY ACCESS & OPEN BETA: HERE’S WHEN YOU CAN DOWNLOAD & PLAY IT
DIABLO 4 WILL NOT BE ON XBOX GAME PASS

Diablo IV Early Access: Tristram Then & Now | 1997 VS 2023
Diablo IV – New Rogue gameplay + PvP Mode | BLIZZCON 2021
DIABLO 4 TO SUPPORT DLSS AT LAUNCH; FIND OUT WHY THAT’S A BIG DEAL
NEW DIABLO 4 VIDEO BRINGS YOU INSIDE THE WORLD OF THE GAME
DIABLO 4’S REPETITIVE DUNGEON DESIGNS ARE APPARENTLY INTENTIONAL

GUIDES

DIABLO 4 NEW CRAFTING OPTION CODEX OF POWER REVEALED
Diablo 4: Codex of Power gameplay & preview
DIABLO 4 EARLY ACCESS & OPEN BETA LEVELING UP GUIDE: HOW TO REACH LEVEL 20
DIABLO 4: HOW TO FIND THE BUTCHER & GET HIS UNIQUE WEAPON
DIABLO 4 EARLY ACCESS ALTARS OF LILITH GUIDE: HOW TO FIND ALL OF THEM IN ACT 1
DIABLO 4 BETA: ALL LEGENDARY & UNIQUE WEAPONS & GEAR SO FAR

CLOSED BETA

Pre-Beta Diablo 4 In A Nutshell | PUSH TO TALK
Diablo 4: All Act 1 Cutscenes So Far | Early Access
DIABLO 4’S BARBARIAN CLASS COULD BE GETTING BUFFED
DIABLO 4: LET’S TALK ABOUT THE WOLF IN ACT 1

COLLABORATIONS

THIS DIABLO 4 PROMO MAKES GOOD USE OF A FRENCH CHURCH
THIS DIABLO 4 ANGEL STATUE COSTS AS MUCH AS A GAMING PC
DIABLO 4 GETS HELLISH FASHION COLLABORATION WITH ICONIC DANISH GROUP HAN KJØBENHAVN


The Best Skins in Mobile Legends

Who wants to look like a basic hero in Mobile Legends? We all want a skin that screams, “I’m a force to be reckoned with”. Some of us (not me, of course) heroes’ wardrobe is bigger than our own, and you know what, if you got it, go flaunt it in the arena. You just know you are dealing with a serious player when they have more skin than you have fingers. So, sit back, grab some popcorn, and get ready to have your mind blown by the best skins in Mobile Legends.
1. S.T.U.N. Selena

This Selena skin is like a flashy, futuristic fashion statement for Selena in the arena! With its black and purple armor pieces, sleek bodysuit, and bright purple highlights in her hair, Selena looks like a sci-fi superhero ready to take on any challenge. Aaaaaaaaaand I didn’t just put this first on the list because purple is my favourite colour.
Here’s the best part about MLBB skins, it’s never just about the looks. The skin also gives Selena’s attacks and abilities a whole new level of STUNNING. It gives out crackling energy effects and a powerful purple energy beam. It leaves behind a trail of sparks in making her abilities look… electrifying. Also, she transforms into a diamond goddess in Abyssal Form. Her Abyssal Arrow comes with a new sound which is also pretty cool.
You can get this skin for 899 diamonds.
2. Eyes of Eternity Lunox

When I saw this skin, all I could think of was, she went to a space salon and got a complete cosmic makeover. Her dress is adorned with celestial patterns making her look like a Space Princess ready to take rule of the arena. Her unique design reflects the infinite nature of the universe.
Lunox’s attacks and abilities are infused with dazzling starry effects. And her ultimate, well, it really looks like she’s summoning a cosmic whirlpool to sweep up her enemies and blast them out of the arena. I’d say if you want to channel your inner space princess, then be sure to get this skin.
You can get this skin for 899 diamonds.
3. Rattan Dragon Estes

Ever wanted your own personal pet dragon that’s also your trusty medic? Well, this skin feels like you’re a doctor and dragon rider all into one, healing your allies while while scorching your enemies.
The skin features a vibrant green and gold colour scheme. The dragon’s scales are made out of rattan, which gives it a unique texture. Now as Estes, you can summon your trusty little dragon to heal and shield your allies. When threatened, your little pet can breathe fire and deal damage just like a dragon should! If I’m being completely honest, this skin looks like it came out of a Lord of the Rings movie.
You can get this skin for 899 diamonds.
4. Chang’e Lunar Magic

Chang’e is like a small moon goddess in the arena with this skin. With her mystical powers and celestial beauty, she’ll make you feel like you’re commanding the very forces of the universe.
This skin features a stunning blue and silver color scheme, which will remind you of the night sky. It surrounds her character as being named after the Chinese Goddess of the Moon. Chang’e can cast spells and deal damage and stun enemies. What’s so cute about her is she can summon forth a rabbit to aid in battle. But let’s not forget her ultimate ability, Moonfall. She unleashes a meteor shower, which makes it look like you’re having your own personal eclipse in the arena.
Now the skin appeals to the Chinese audience since they celebrate the lunar events traditionally.
You can get this skin for 749 diamonds.
5. Franco Master Chef

Well, if you wanted to be a chef, now’s your time to shine! This skin features Franco in a chef’s hat and apron, wielding a giant fork as his weapon of choice. Using this will make you feel like you’re in a cooking competition more than a battle arena in which you’re fighting for your life. Honestly, the details on this skin is pretty impressive. From the pots and pans hanging from his belt to the frying pan on his back that acts as his shield.
The animations though are what makes this skin for me. When Franco uses his Hook ability, he will throw a frying pan instead of a hook, pulling enemies towards him, kind of like being served up on a platter. My favourite is when he uses his ultimate ability, he summons a giant pot to trap his enemies in, as if they were being cooked in a stew.
You can get this skin for 749 diamonds.
6. Granger Doomsday Terminator

Yes, Terminator. Your own personal cyborg. I might be a bit biased here but a futuristic design and robotic enhancements, ooh la la, I’m a big fan of robo men in high-tech suits.  The suit gives out glowing blue highlights, which makes him look like he walked out of a science fiction movie.
It almost feels like I’m about to lead a futuristic war. One of those you see in the movies, where it’s machines against men. Best part about this skin? Looking like a complete badass in a cyborg suit while leaving enemies in a smoldering pile of rubble. While using his ultimate ability, he unleashes a barrage of lasers that will make enemies cower for cover. So suit up, grab your laser cannons, and get ready to take on the machines with this epic skin!
You can get this skin for 599 diamonds.
7. War Angel Freya

I’ve always loved skins revolving around a guardian angel in battle. As a Mercy main from Overwatch/Overwatch 2, this skin really resonated with me. The only difference is that, Freya is no healer but is more of an offense character.
This skin features Freya in a beautiful and intricate armor, complete with angelic wings and golden accents. Her shield and sword have also been upgraded, so when she activates her ultimate ability, she sends out a shockwave that sends her enemies flying back. She really makes you feel like an angelic warrior in the midst of a battle.
This skin was during a Limited Time Event.
With Freya ending our list, it is important to note that, there are many other wonderful skins in the game, but these are just my opinion on which are the best. So, what do you think? Did your favourite make our list? And if not, be sure to let us know which other skins in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang looks great but unfortunately did not make our cut!


Mobile Legends Teams Up With McDonald’s For MPL Malaysia Season 7 Playoffs

The group stage fights for this year’s biggest Malaysian-based Mobile Legends esports tournament has come to a close. All that’s left is the playoffs which will take place from 28 May to 30 May.
So how does publisher Moonton and its esports circuit make this epic bout a lot more grand? By bringing in fast-food giant McDonald’s as a sponsor. The makers of Mobile Legends have announced a partnership with McDonald’s and its McDelivery service to bring deals and prizes to esports fans all over Malaysia.
Like this one below.

Players can follow the Malaysia McDonald’s account to keep up to date with fast-food delivery offers. As a bonus, MVPs in the MPL tournament will win one year’s supply of McDonald’s meal vouchers: this also includes the best caster, who will be entitled to RM1,000 worth of coupons.
In addition, you can use the special MPL discount code to score free 6-piece chicken McNuggets alongside your McDelivery order that’s over RM50. Here are the details:

Code: MPLNUGGETS (can be used multiple times)
Offer Date: 17 May to 31 May
Requirement: McDelivery order over RM50, has to be orders from Malaysian McDonald’s

If you want some free pieces of chicken bits to your major McDonald’s order later this month, do give the code a spin!


Skechers Launches Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Running Shoes In Malaysia

Shoe and sneaker brand Skechers are going full anime with its latest sneaker line.
Skechers are selling new running & jogging shoes based on the popular anime and manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.
Check out how they look here: you have a Women’s Demon Slayer Sport Stamina V2 Shoes, the Men’s Demon Slayer Sport Stamina V2 Shoes, Men’s Demon Slayer Sport Global Jogger Shoes, and Women’s Demon Slayer Sport Stamina V2 Shoes. These designs are based on Nezuko(pink), Tanjiro(green-and-black checkers), Zenitsu, and Inosuke respectively.

If these look like your cup of sneaker-collecting tea, you can buy them right now in Malaysia for RM459 apiece either on the official site, on Lazada, or on Shopee. It’s a premium price, sure, but they’re sure to sell out fast.


Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Set To Release On PC & Consoles In October

TaleWorlds Entertainment announced at Gamescom 2022 that their acclaimed action RPG, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, will be released on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S and PC on 25 October.
Developed as a multi-platform game since day one, the console versions of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord will have the same gameplay features as the PC version. The game will be available for Pre-Order on PlayStation and Xbox Stores starting 23 August, 4:00 PM (UTC) — 24 August 12:00 AM (GMT+8) — as well as in major retailers.

The currently available PC Early Access will also move on to full release, along with the console launch on the same date. But do not fret – While this marks an important milestone for the game, it is not the end of the road for Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, which will keep receiving updates in the months to come.
“These two years have been a long and challenging road,
Developing a massive and complex game such as Bannerlord, for several platforms, and in the middle of a pandemic, is no easy task – and I’m incredibly proud of our team for its relentless, brilliant work. Despite the challenges, it’s also been a rewarding path: we’ve found many synergies that we weren’t initially expecting between consoles and PC, synergies that have made the game grow and be better than it would have been in other circumstances. We’re looking forward to putting the game in the hands of our amazing community, which has been supporting us in consoles since Warband”.
– Armagan Yavuz, CEO at TaleWorlds Entertainment


Capcom Reveals New Mega Man The Yetee Merchandise

Capcom has unveiled new Mega Man merchandise from The Yetee, a website owned and operated by two artists, Mike and Glen. They sell high-quality screen printed t-shirts for affordable prices and their latest is a Mega Man collection.
The Yetee Mega Man collection includes bags, caps, posters and nice t-shirts. You can check them out and purchase them at the official website here.
This will tide over Mega Man fans for now, especially since there hasn’t been a new mainline title in the franchise since 2018’s Mega Man 11 for the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. The next Mega Man-related game to be released is the spinoff title, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, which will launch for the PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on 14 April 2023.


Is Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Peak Studio Trigger Material?

Netflix’s animation offering when it comes to adapting video games has been a 50/50 affair. For every home run like Arcane: League of Legends, you get middling and/or terrible fares like Dragon’s Dogma, Dota: Dragon’s Blood, and the recent Tekken: Bloodline show that’s catered strictly for die-hards of the latter’s plot.
Thankfully, the recent CD Projekt Red and Studio Trigger collaboration prequel anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners fall on the good half of that equation. Right from the get-go, you’re mesmerized by some kid’s “virtual reality movie” being played through his headset; this is the studio’s way of saying “we’re just getting warmed up”.
And after 5 hours of binging through the series, I really do need a cigarette: it’s quite an exhausting experience and rollercoaster ride.
Love Like Fire

The 10-episode limited series’ plot revolves around one David Martinez (Zach Aguilar), a young kid stuck in the glitzy-but-dangerous Night City who ends up in dire circumstances and ends up putting on a military-grade cyber-implant out of teen frustration. Eventually, he ends up becoming the titular Edgerunner – cyber-enhanced mercenaries in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe who take on dangerous missions for a lot of money. Data theft, bodyguard duty, hacking: you name it, Edgerunners will do it for a high price. And with high rewards comes high risks where death and betrayal are at any corner.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners wastes no time loading all the lore and worldbuilding in a meticulous fashion: our main protagonist goes from naive to steadfast leader material to a person obsessed with the Edgerunner “go big or go home” lifestyle. His one driving force is that he’s more tolerant of the pain of cyber implants compared to his pals and associates: they range from hacker-slash-partner-slash-love-interest Lucy (Emi Lo) to gruff teacher Maine (William Christopher Stephens).
Your side characters also have their standout moments from the loud-but-adorable Rebecca (Alex Cazares) to the dour hacker Kiwi (Stephanie Wong). Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul’s Giancarlo Esposito also lends his voice as shady bossman client Faraday, though compared to the rest of the talented and expressive VOs, he comes off as stock and predictable. Every cast member gets their time to shine and no one feels sidelined at the least, with the top-tier work of Studio Trigger making everything visually splendorous. Personally, I would gravitate towards the English dub of the show more than the JP dub with English subtitles; so far most of the episode’s close captioning isn’t accurate to the lingo of the series and may confuse a lot of people.
From David’s cyber-implant speed-based powers (silhouette trails and all) being portrayed in style to the fast cuts of detailed and overexaggerated violence, along with a good amount of skin and vistas, the renowned studio has gone all out with the 10 episodes they’re handed while also balancing them out with slow moments. My personal favourite visual and emotional parts were ones involving two characters talking under the starry moonlight, and even in a simulation of space atop a moon at one point.
The show harshly reminds you that while being a gun-for-hire is all hunky dory, the cost and consequence of it all -cyber-implants will eventually turn its user insane and less human, for example- will wreck you emotionally. This starts after the second half of the series all the way to the rather gut-wrenching final few episodes.
Kudos to the writers for keeping the anime in line with the downward spiral tone of the source material, as well as slotting in cameos and guest stars that makes sense given the timeline of the anime series.
I Walk The Line

If anything, some folks might get lost with the terminology and going-on in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe. The show does explain this but in a drive-by “blink and you’ll miss it unless you use Netflix’ rewind feature” fashion.
Understand this: 2022’s best Netflix series adaptation of a video game award should at least go to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. It’s beautiful, poetic, tragic, hyper to the nth degree, heartfelt, and incredibly violent. It’s clearly for people with adult tastes in animation, and some terms and references might fly above casual observers.
Still, anyone who loves anime (tropes and all), Cyberpunk 2077, and in-between will want to see how far Studio Trigger can work with their technique and masterwork in the medium. So what are you waiting for? Hop to it, choom!
Final Score: 90/100


Here’s A Breakdown Of Borderlands 3’s New Purple Vault Hunter Skills [Update]

This 10th November, Borderlands 3 will come with a massive Season 2 update starting with the Designer’s Cut. One major feature from this update is the addition of a fourth purple skill tree for each Vault Hunter.
Here’s a breakdown of Amara and Fl4k’s new skill tree (via the official site & GameSpot). Moze and Zane’s new skills will be added later on 23rd October.
Amara’s Purple Skill Tree: Enlightened Force

New Action Skill: Phaseflare. Amara creates an orb of elemental energy that deals elemental damage to nearby enemies.
Skills
Trust in Yourself: Whenever an enemy breaks Amara’s shield, she gains increased Reload Speed, Charge Speed, and Weapon Swap Speed for a short time. This effect is doubled if Amara’s shield is broken by a melee attack.
No Mistakes In Nature: Whenever Amara inflicts a Status Effect on an enemy, she gains increased Melee Damage for a short time.
Heavy Rain: Amara’s weapons gain increased Projectile Speed and Splash Damage.
Cold Hearted (Action Skill Element): Converts Amara’s Action Skill to Cryo Damage.
Expedite (Action Skill Augment): Whenever Amara kills an enemy with her Action Skill, she gains increased Action Skill Cooldown Rate until she activates her Action Skill again.
Ebb and Flow: Whenever Amara kills an enemy with a melee attack, she gains a portion of the damage dealt back as health (life steal).
Unweave the Rainbow: Amara deals Bonus Damage of her attuned element whenever she deals Melee Damage or Splash Damage to frozen enemies.
Go with the Flow: Whenever Amara Freezes an enemy, she gains increased Movement Speed and Weapon Damage for a short time.
Glow Up (Action Skill): Instead of dealing Splash Damage to enemies, Amara’s Orb grants nearby allies Health Regeneration. Amara may also press V while near the Orb to send it to a downed ally, granting them Second Wind.
Combo Breaker (1): Killing an enemy with Melee Damage has a chance to reset Amara’s Action Skill cooldown.
Joyful Freedom: After activating her Action Skill, Amara gains increased Melee Damage for a short while.
Burn Both Ends: After activating her Action Skill, Amara gains Increased Threat for a short time, drawing the attention of all enemies in a huge radius. Whenever Amara is dealt damage by an enemy, she gains Increased Damage for a short time. This effect stacks.
Shooting Star (Action Skill): Amara summons an Orb of Elemental Energy that deals constant elemental damage to nearby enemies. Pressing V near the Orb causes it to fly forward towards an enemy and damage them. This increases the amount of OVerall Damage the Orb deals to enemies. Additionally, the Elemental Orb continually fires Elemental Projectiles at the last enemy Amara damaged. Pressing F causes the Orb to return to Amara.
Light Fantastic (Action Skill): Amara summons an Orb of Elemental Energy that deals constant elemental damage to nearby enemies. Whenever Amara damages an enemy, the Orb automatically travels to that enemy. Whenever Amara kills an enemy, the Orb gains Increased Damage. Pressing F causes the Orb to return to Amara.
Body and Mind: Kill Skill. Amara’s melee attacks deal Bonus Splash Damage for a short time.
Free the Soul (1): Kill Skill. Whenever Amara kills a frozen enemy, splinters fly out from that enemy and home to nearby enemies, dealing Cryo Damage. This skill has a short cooldown.
Atman: Amara gains increased Skill Damage.
Clear The Mind (1, Capstone): Kill Skill. After killing an enemy, Amara ignores enemies Elemental Damage resistance for a short time. This does not affect Elemental Immunity.
Quick Summary
Amara summons an Elemental Orb of death which you can push around with your melee for additional damage. It’s a large wrecking ball that acts as a party volley ball you can push around. You can modify the volleyball of death with either additional homing properties or have it act as a healing/resurrecting ball for your allies.
Also, Amara can use Cryo elemental damage with this new skill tree, meaning she gets to buff herself up while slowing down enemies. Her purple skill tree also has some tank-like buffs that can make her draw aggro, like Salvador did in Borderlands 2.
Fl4k’s Purple Skill Tree: Trapper

New Action Skill: Gravity Snare – Fl4k tosses out a trap that knocks up and temporarily stuns nearby enemies.
New Pet: Ion Loader – Fl4k gets a loyal Mini Ion Loader bot companion, armed with a Shock sniper rifle and homing Shock orb that can trigger a Shock nova.
Skills
Gotta Go Fast: Fl4k’s pet gains increased Movement Speed and Damage.
Success Imminent: Whenever Fl4k’s or their pet’s shield breaks or is filled, they and their pet create a Radiation Nova. This skill has a short cooldown.
Agility Training: Fl4k and their pet gain increased Reload Speed.
Forage (Action Skill Augment): Whenever an enemy trapped by Fl4k is knocked into the air, they drop ammo, health boosters, and shield boosters.
Throatripper: Hunter Skill. Fl4k’s pet’s attacks have a chance to score a Critical Hit, dealing increased damage.
Combat Veterinarian: Whenever Fl4k shoots the same enemy their pet is attacking, Fl4k’s pet gains a portion of the damage dealt back as health.
Better Toys: Fl4k and their pet gain increased Shield Recharge Rate and improved Shield Recharge Delay.
Wide Net (Action Skill Augment): Fl4k’s Trap gains increased Duration and increased Radius.
Lethal Force Authorized (1): Whenever Fl4k’s Loader Bot pet would go into Fight For Your Life, it turns into an EXP Loader instead and seeks out a nearby enemy before self-destructing, dealing damage to all nearby enemies. Fl4k’s pet’s respawn time is reduced.
Take This! (1): Fl4k’s pets gains a copy of Fl4k’s shield.
BUL Loader: Fl4k’s Ion Loader upgrades into a BUL Loader, discarding its sniper rifle for a shotgun. Fl4k’s BUL Loader also gains increased Damage Resistance and a powerful Roundhouse Melee Attack. While accompanied, Fl4k’s Shield Capacity is increased. When Fl4k issues an Attack Command, the Loader briefly turns into a Bulldoze to charge at enemies and knock them up.
Trap Card (Action Skill Augment): If Fl4k would go into Fight For Your Life while their Trap is readied, they automatically throw a Trap at the enemy that downed them.
Monkey Do! : Fl4k’s pet gains increased Critical Hit Damage. Whenever Pet scores a Critical Hit, Fl4k’s next shot deals Bonus Damage based on their weapon’s damage.
Wooly Armor (1): While Fl4k’s shields are full, their pet gains Damage Reduction.
Not Even A Challenge: Whenever Fl4k’s pet kills an enemy, Fl4k gains increased Action Skill Duration and Action Skill Cooldown Rate for a short time. This effect stacks.
WAR Loader: Fl4k’s Ion Loader is now a WAR Loader, discarding its sniper rifle for an Incendiary Shotgun and Grenades. While accompanied, Fl4k gets increased Fire Rate. Attack Command: WAR Loader unleashes a barrage of missiles at the target.
Blind with Anger (Action Skill Augment): Fl4k’s Trap no longer Knocks Up or Stuns enemies. Instead, the Trap confuses nearby enemies, causing them to attack their allies for a short time. Once deployed, the Trap continues to periodically confuse enemies for the duration.
Fuzzy Math: Whenever Fl4k or their pet scores a Critical Hit, a portion of Fl4k and their pet’s shields are restored.
Keep Them Safe: Whenever Fl4k issues an Attack Command, if Fl4k’s or their pet’s shield is less than half full, a portion of Fl4k’s and their pet’s shields are restored. This skill has a short cooldown.
Capacitance (1): Whenever Fl4k activates their Action Skill, they gain greatly increased Shield Capacity for a short time and immediately begin recharging their shields. This skill has a short cooldown.
Quick Summary
This new skill tree solves Fl4k’s survivability. He’s known to be a squishy Vault Hunter when compared with the other three, so skills like Wooly Armor, Better Toys, Fuzzy Math, and Take This! can help keep the bounty hunter alive. The Gravity Snare action skill also helps immobilize enemies, setting them up for better critical shots or other shenanigans.
Zane’s Purple Skill Tree: The Professional

New Action Skill: MNTS Shoulder Cannon. Zane equips a Shoulder Mounted Cannon. Pressing F or G causes Zane to fire his cannon at his crosshairs and consume one charge.
Skills
Man of Focus: Activating an Action Skill grants Zane increased Accuracy and Handling for a short time. This effect stacks.
Renegade: After scoring a Critical Hit, Zane regenerates health for a short time.
Deja Vu: Whenever Zane kills an enemy with a Critical Hit, there is a chance for 1 ammo to be added to his magazine. Starts at 9%.
Colder Shoulder (Action Skill Augment): Converts Zane’s MNTIS Shoulder Cannon damage to Cryo Damage, but deals reduced damage. Zane gains increased Cryo Freeze Rate.
Headman’s Hand: Kill Skill. Zane gains increased Critical Hit Damage. This effect stacks twice.
Tunnel Vision: While moving, Zane gains increased Accuracy and Handling. The quicker he moves, the greater the bonus.
Commitment: Kill Skill. Zane gains increased Gun Damage and Action Skill Cooldown Rate.
Wetwork (Action Skill Augment): Whenever Zane kills an enemy with his Shoulder Cannon, that enemy explodes into an Elemental Puddle.
Fugitive (1): Zane can sprint and shoot at the same time.
Brain Drain (Action Skill Augment): Whenever Zane kills an enemy with a Critical Hit from his Shoulder Cannon, two charges are instantly returned.
No Way Out (Action Skill Augment): Whenever ane damages an enemy with his Shoulder Cannon, that enemy is pulled to him and takes Increased Damage for a short time. Additionally, Zane’s MNTIS Shoulder Cannon cooldown time is increased.
Domino Effect: Whenever Zane scores a Critical Hit, he gains increased Fire Rate and Reload Speed for a short time. If he scores a Critical Hit with his Action Skill, he doubles this effect.
The Art of War: After activating an Action Skill or Action Skill Ability, Zane’s next shot fired from his weapon deals Increased Damage. This effect stacks.
Sheer Will: Zane gains increased Action Skill Cooldown Rate. Scoring a Critical Hit increases this effect. This stacks.
Eraser: Zane’s Critical Hits pierce through enemies for all weapons, dealing Increased Damage for every enemy pierced.
Proliferation (Action Skill Augment): Zane’s MNTIS Shoulder Cannon gains Additional Charges and deals Increased Damage based on the number of charges remaining.
Our Man Flynt (Capstone, 1): While aiming down sights, Zane’s weapons deal Bonus Damage and automatically apply their Status Effect when he scores a Critical Hit.
Quick Summary
Seems like this purple tree is meant to make Zane’s Seein’ Dead possibly redundant, making room for better and future class mods. It also gives Zane players more of an edge with Sniper Rifles thanks to Eraser.
As for the MNTIS cannon itself, you need to be very precise with your shots since there isn’t any homing capabilities or splash damage. On the plus side, Zane players can now exploit Action Skill End anointments since all of his past Action Skills only benefitted from Action Skill activation anointments.
Moze’s Purple Skill Tree: Bear Mother

Action Skill: Iron Cub. Moze summons Iron Cub in place of Iron Bear. Iron Cub equips two of whatever weapon is equipped in the remaining Action Skill slot. While deployed, Iron Cub follows Moze and will target and attack enemies for the duration. Skills that affect Iron Bear affect Iron Cub. Iron Cub still uses Fuel, but uses less of it and deals less damage.
Skills
Biofuel: Whenever Moze or Iron Bear ignites an enemy, they both regenerate health for a short time.
Big Surplus: While Moze’s Action Skill is cooling down, she deals bonus Incendiary Damage.
Really Big Guns: Iron Bear gains increased Damage.
Double Time: While Moze’s Action Skill is active, she and Iron Bear gain increased Movement Speed.
Harmonious Havoc: Moze gains increased Gun Damage for each weapon, shield, and grenade that matches the element of her gun.
Explosive Fury: Moze and Iron Bear gain increased Status Effect Damage and Status Effect Chance.
Fuel for the Fire (Action Skill Augment): Whenever Moze or Iron Cub inflicts a Status Effect on an enemy, Iron Cub’s armor is restored.
Baby Nukes (Action Skill Augment): Whenever Iron Cub is deployed or destroyed, it triggers a nuclear explosion, dealing massive Radiation Damage.
Fired Up (1): Whenever Moze or Iron Bear applies a Status Effect to an enemy, she gains increased Fire Rate for a short time. This effect stacks.
Nitrotrinadium Engines: Iron Bear gains increased Maximum Fuel and Action Skill Cooldown Rate.
Never GOing TO Give You Up: Whenever Moze or Iron Bear applies a Status Effect to an enemy, Iron BEar gains Fuel. This skill has diminishing returns.
My Little Friend (Action Skill Augment): Iron Cub spawns with an Incendiary Vladof Assault Rifle in addition to Iron Cub’s other weapons.
Efficiency Engine (Action Skill Augment): Moze gains increased Gun Damage. The longer Iron Cub has been active, the greater the bonus.
Feature Creep (1): Iron Bear gains increased Damage and Damage Resistance.
Limit Break: Moze gains increased Action Skill Cooldown Rate whenever she or Iron Bear inflicts a Status Effect on an enemy. This effect stacks.
Superior Firepower (1): Whenever Moze or Iron BEar inflicts a Status Effect on an enemy, they gain increased Status Effect Damage.
Running on Fumes (Capstone, 1): Whenever Moze or Iron Bear ignites an enemy, Iron Bear does not consume fuel for a short time.
Quick Summary
If you wished Iron Bear acted more like a long-term turret but without the Rocketeer class mod, this Skill Tree is for you. It basically turns Iron Bear into a smaller pet ala Fl4k’s. Heck, this Skill Tree takes advantage of certain Moze-appropriate guns like the Flipper SMG because of the bonuses it dishes out when you inflict Status Effects.


Yuji Naka Formally Charged For Insider Trading

Yuji Naka, a game developer, has been formally charged with insider trading following his second arrest and more than a month after his first arrest.
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office has announced that Yuji Naka alongside Taisuke Sasaki has been charged with insider trading. According to NHK‘s article, Naka was arrested last month after Naka allegedly bought Square Enix stock worth ¥144.7 million (US$1.3 million) after learning about the company’s plans to release the Final Fantasy spin-off, Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier before it was officially announced.
The alleged insider trading took place during Naka’s time at Square Enix. Insider trading refers to the illegal act of using confidential information for financial gain by buying or selling securities. This is a serious offence in many countries, including Japan, where Naka has been indicted. It is worth noting that an indictment is not the same as a conviction, and Naka is entitled to a fair and impartial trial to determine his guilt or innocence.
Taisuke Sasaki, a former employee of Square Enix was also accused of buying ¥105 million (US$962,000) worth of stock before the announcement. Sasaki was previously arrested in November along with fellow employee Fumiaki Suzuki in connection with allegations of insider trading related to the mobile game Dragon Quest Tact. Sasaki was charged under the same conditions by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office.
During Naka’s initial arrest, it was alleged that he bought stock in Aiming Inc, the developer of Dragon Quest Tact, prior to the official reveal of the game. The stock was reportedly worth ¥2.8 million ($20,000). It is currently unknown whether Naka or Sasaki will go to trial.


Sandbox Adventure Game LEGO Bricktales Announced

Thunderful and ClockStone Studio have announced LEGO Bricktales, a new adventure game themed around dioramas, creative puzzles, and brick-by-brick LEGO play. However, platforms and a release date or window were not announced, but there is an official Steam page.
In LEGO Bricktales, players will discover an innovative brick-by-brick building mechanic to design puzzle solutions from your own imagination and embark on an epic adventure across a world of beautiful LEGO diorama biomes crafted brick by brick as you search for inspiration to help your grandfather reinvigorate his rundown amusement park with your little robot buddy in tow. Your journey will take you to the deepest jungle, sun-drenched deserts, a bustling city corner, a towering medieval castle, and tropical Caribbean islands. Help the minifigures of these worlds by solving puzzles and unlock new skills throughout the story to further explore these worlds and uncover the many secrets and mysteries they contain.
From purely aesthetic creations, such as a market stand or music box, up to functional physics-based puzzles like building a crane or gyrocopter – each diorama offers a variety of construction spots with the freedom of intuitive brick-by-brick building. In each spot you are given a set of bricks and it’s up to you to figure out a unique build that will work. On top of specific puzzles and quests, there are additional builds in the amusement park so you can customize the rides to make them your own!


Call Of The Sea Publisher Shares Publishing Agreement To The Public

Video game publisher Raw Fury has made its publishing agreement available for everyone to read. The purpose of this move is to help the games industry become more transparent about its practices and improve themselves.
While the publicly-available publishing agreement provides no detail on marketing, PR, sales, and QA, it mostly serves to show the basics of how video game publishing essentially works.
Raw Fury is best known for publishing indie games like Out Of The Blue’s Call Of The Sea, Plausible Concept’s Bad North, and Upstream Arcade’s West Of Dead.
In a blog post, Raw Fury CEO Jogan Toresson said:
“We believe having publisher contracts out in the open helps level the playing field, and allows devs to have a more intimate understanding of the machinations of different deals when they start looking for partnerships. We hope sharing this knowledge can help combat shady practices where predatory people and companies fleece devs by virtue of this knowledge being so scarce, trapping developers in bad deals through the obscurity of legal jargon. When you’ve been in the industry for a while you start hearing the horror stories, and while this is not going to end all of that it’s a step in the right direction.”
It is also available in Spanish, Brazilian-Portuguese, Russian, French, Japanese, Korean and Croatian.
The publishing agreement has been made available through the launch of aÂ new DevResources pageÂ on their official website.


Is Konami Finally Shutting Down Its Gaming & Production Division?

Sometimes it’s always good to mercy kill something if it’s already dying a slow agonizing death. In the games industry case, that ailing patient is Konami’s gaming division.
Following the fact that the company has been silent with upcoming games they own, from Silent Hill to Metal Gear, the company appears to be shutting down its production (and possibly its gaming division) effective 1st February, based on a recent public announcement they made.

We are dissolving the Production Divisions to respond to the rapid market that surrounds us.
Production Division 1 (Dissolve)ã€€ Production Division 2 (Dissolve) Production Division 3 (Dissolve)

This could be just a typical corporate restructuring, but one that could entail in them stepping away from console and PC video game production altogether. I doubt they’ll be dissolving its pachinko via Konami IPs business; that’s still lucrative on their part. And making collections of their older titles will still be a viable thing to earn them a little cash, so they probably still need an outsourced dev team for that. But by and large, I guess this was inevitable if this dissolving equals zero game production from their end.


PS Plus January 2023 Gives Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Ahead Of Jedi Survivor

PlayStation Asia has announced that gamers will have three new games to look forward to in the PlayStation Plus Asia January 2023 lineup. PS Plus subscribers will be able to redeem Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, Fallout 76 and Axiom Verge 2.
PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra and Premium members can add these three titles to their game library from 3 January 2023 until 6 February 2023.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order | PS4, PS5

Cal Kestis’ story begins here. Ahead of Star Wars Jedi Survivor launching in March, find out how Cal Kestis’ journey began in this original Star Wars story from Respawn Entertainment. Following the events of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Senator Palpatine’s deadly Order 66 — designed to destroy the Jedi order and pave the way for the Empire to rise — you are the last remaining Jedi Padawan and their last hope of survival.
Pick up the pieces of your shattered past and complete your Jedi training, develop powerful Force abilities and master your Lightsaber on your quest to rebuild the Jedi. Fight to stay one step ahead of the Empire and its deadly Inquisitors, use your Jedi training to strategically approach every fight, and visit far-flung corners of the Star Wars galaxy, packed with new characters, creatures, enemies and droid.
Check out our review here.
Star Wars Jedi Survivor launches for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 17 March 2023.
Fallout 76 | PS4

Twenty-five years after the bombs fell, you and your fellow Vault Dwellers—chosen from the nation’s best and brightest – emerge into post-nuclear America on Reclamation Day, 2102. Play solo or join together as you explore, quest, build, and triumph against the wasteland’s greatest threats. Explore a vast wasteland, devastated by nuclear war, in this open-world multiplayer addition to the Fallout story. Experience the largest, most dynamic world ever created in the legendary Fallout universe.
Check out our review here.
Axiom Verge 2 | PS4, PS5

Explore two connected worlds, wield ancient tech and question reality in this explorative platformer sequel, which expands on the universe with completely new characters, abilities and gameplay. Explore an alternate Earth-like world, replete with the ruins of an ancient, high-tech civilization. Hack machines, battle monsters and use your remote drone to enter the Breach, a parallel but connected reality that is filled with its own dangers. You’ll want to search every inch for the hidden items and upgrades you need to survive.


Marvelous Announces New Survival Action Game Deadcraft

Developer First Studio and publisher marvelous will be releasing a new survival action RPG title called Deadcraft, and it’s looking rather unique.
The gameplay trailer below features dudes with giant mutant hands, crafting, and loads of zombie killing. As half-human half zombie hero Reid, you slice through the undead army (and more) in your quest for righteous vengeance. This game is from the same folks who gave us Daemon X Machina, so you can expect some over-the-top action, this time in a zombie-filled post apocalypse.

The game’s key features are as such:

Farm the Dead to Stay Alive – Plant fresh corpses (or just a combination of limbs) into the ground and give them a little TLC until they sprout into an undead army of infantry, sentries, and more!
Creeptastic Crafting – Surviving the apocalypse sometimes means using whatever scraps one can find to make new weapons. Other times it means enlisting a loyal undead to assist in building and running an entire factory of grotesque machinery churning out an unholy amalgamation of survival items.
Death-Defying Powers of the Undead ? Reid’s zombie side gives him a powerful advantage in a fight, allowing him to shield himself from danger or swat enemies away like annoying gnats. But as each devoured enemy pushes him closer to his zombie side, he’ll have to take care to maintain what little humanity he has left.
Become a Savior…or a Scourge ? Help out other survivors to learn new recipes or abilities. But if Reid’s hard up for money or supplies, shake down a local and take it off them… as long as he doesn’t mind potentially becoming a wanted man.

Deadcraft will be out on 29 May for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. A demo is available now on all platforms.


New Final Fantasy VII Remake Trailer Gives Fans What They Really Want

Square Enix has revealed a brand new trailer for Final Fantasy VII Remake. The new trailer reveals more story and plot content, new gameplay footage, and most importantly, the crossdressing Cloud. It also features Hollow, the theme song for the upcoming game composed by Nobuo Uematsu and performed by Yosh Morita from Survive Said The Prophet.
In addition, we also get to see Red XIII in all of his majestic HD remake glory, Scarlet, Hojo, the Chocobo/Mog summon, Leviathan, and a lot more. There’s so much crammed in this new trailer that would satisfy fans of Final Fantasy VII, I won’t spoil any more and let you experience it for yourself.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is slated to release for the PS4 on 10 April 2020. In the meantime, check out the brand new trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN1Jj2Yt67Q&w=560&h=315]


Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Super Bowl Trailer Breakdown: Illuminati & More

Marvel Studios has unveiled a new trailer for Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness ahead of the Super Bowl.
Spider-Man No Way Home Reference

Doctor Strange says, “I did what I had to do to protect our world.” to which Wong replies, “You cannot control everything, Strange. You opened a doorway between universes, and we don’t know who or what will walk through it.”
This is a reference to what Doctor Strange did in Spider-Man No Way Home, as he performed the spell that caused Spider-Man villains from other universes to break into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Christine Palmer Is Marrying Someone Else In The MCU?

In the previous Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness trailer, we saw a glimpse of Dr. Christine Palmer getting married. It looks like she’s getting married to someone else, which means that she probably broke up with Stephen after 2016’s Doctor Strange, because that was the last time we saw her.
Another Look At Rintrah

We already saw glimpses of Rintrah but this is probably our clearest look yet. In the comics,Â Rintrah is an intelligent being from the extradimensional planet of R’Vaal. He later became a sorcerer’s apprentice of Doctor Strange.

These Ultron Bots Look Inspired By The Comic Book Age Of Ultron Design

These Ultron bots look a lot like the design of Ultron in the comic book version of the Age Of Ultron storyline.

The Illuminati Confirmed?

The person who speaks to Doctor Strange sounds suspiciously like Sir Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier AKA Professor X from the 20th Century Fox X-Men films. It looks like the rumours might turn out to be true after all, and it seems Doctor Strange will be meeting the Illuminati.
Marvel’s version of the Illuminati, that is. In the comics, the Illuminati was a secret group that formed after the Kree-Skrull War when Iron Man realizes that each of the individual members had information about these alien races beforehand, and they could have collectively stopped it. Thus, the group focuses on making decisions on how to stop threats from time to time, including sending Hulk to a planet in space (which caused the events of World War Hulk) and more.

We can see six seats in the trailer. If one is Professor X, the others could be just like the comics: Tony Stark AKA Iron Man, Reed Richards AKA Mister Fantastic, Black Bolt, Namor, and of course, Doctor Strange. However, the MCU version of the Illuminati might feature a variant of Doctor Strange in the group.
Savage Land

This looks a lot like the Savage Land from the comics, especially with the tropical jungles and dinosaurs.
In the comics, the Savage Land is located in Antarctica but was created by the Nuwali aliens to be a preserve of sorts, which is why there’s a jungle and dinosaurs in the middle of the Arctic.
Sinister Strange, Not Doctor Strange Supreme

The trailer refers to this character as Sinister Strange, which indicates that this Doctor Strange variant is not the Doctor Strange Supreme previously featured in the Marvel’s What If…? series. This might really be a more powerful and darker version of the character.
Mystery Glowing Character

It’s unclear who this glowing character is. We see them fighting Wanda Maxmimoff AKA the Scarlet Witch. From the looks of this person’s powers, it could be a variant of Carol Danvers AKA Captain Marvel.
Some are even speculating that this might be a Maria or Monica Rambeau AKA Spectrum or Photon. If it’s Maria’s it’s probably a variant. If it’s Monica, we last saw her in WandaVision getting her powers at the end of the season.
Teasing Scarlet Witch’s Descent Into Madness

The last time we saw Wanda was inÂ WandaVisionÂ Episode 9, with Wanda somewhere in a remote location near the mountains (Wundagore Mountain?), sitting on a porch sipping a drink before we see an astral projection of the real Wanda who is reading the Darkhold. We then hear the sounds of her children screaming for her help.
In the trailer, she says to Doctor Strange, “You break the rules and become the hero. I do it and I become the enemy. That doesn’t seem fair.”
This seems to be teasing her as a potential villain.Â In the comics, she became unstable enough that she altered reality, but we already saw that in WandaVision. In the MCU, maybe the multiverse is finally her way to bring her children (Tommy and Billy) back to life. If that happens, we might be getting to Avengers The Childrenâ€™s CrusadeÂ in the near future (itâ€™s not a coincidence, since Kang The Conqueror is the antagonist of that story.
Will Wanda Bring Pietro Back To Life?

In one brief moment in the trailer, we see an unstable-looking Scarlet Witch before the camera zooms into inside her eyes and we see what seems to be a scene from a previous movie. This looks like the cages that Pietro Maximoff AKA Quicksilver and her were in before Avengers Age Of Ultron.
Maybe she might be bringing Pietro back to life, or even changing her own past. Perhaps this is the MCU’s House Of M moment when Scarlet Witch alters the entire universe and timeline?
It’s still too little and too early to say too much about what will happen in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness. It is slated to release on 6 May 2022, so we still have three months or so before it comes out. Marvel will probably have a few cards up their sleeve to reveal before and leading up to Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness.
All I can say for now is that itâ€™s a damned good time to be a comic book fan, and Iâ€™ll be there with you guys for everything Marvel-related.
Until then, Excelsior!
Check out the trailer below:


New Avengers Endgame Covers Hint At Possible Infinity Stone Wielders

We’re only two weeks away from Avengers Endgame, and the theories are getting rife, bombarding the Internet with endless speculations and assumptions. One of these theories purports that the Avengers will each wield an Infinity Stone to fight back against Thanos and restore the lives of those lost in the Snap/Decimation during Avengers Infinity War.
This particular theory is plausible because no human or mere mortal can possibly wield all the Infinity Stones together at one time. Thanos is an exception because he’s actually an Eternal/Deviant, so he’s practically a space god of sorts, thus explaining why he can use the Infinity Gauntlet so effortlessly.
Exclusive covers for the upcoming issue of Entertainment Weekly magazine featuring the original six founding members of the Avengers were revealed earlier today via Twitter. What’s interesting about the covers is that they could be harboring a clue which supports the aforementioned Avengers Endgame theory, by hinting at which Infinity Stone each Avenger will be wielding.

Hereâ€™s your look at the exclusive @EW covers for Marvel Studiosâ€™ #AvengersEndgame. Read more: https://t.co/WPJ75ou85r (2/2) pic.twitter.com/JxlluHX2Te
â€” The Avengers (@Avengers) April 10, 2019
Let’s take a look at each of them, shall we?
The first features Tony Stark AKA Iron Man in his new Mark 85 armor. The color YELLOW as seen on the little Infinity Gauntlet icon on the top right and the color of the Entertainment Weekly font itself indicates that he will wield the Mind Stone.

The next cover features Steve Rogers AKA Captain America. The color BLUE as seen on the little Infinity Gauntlet icon on the top right and the color of the Entertainment Weekly font itself indicates that he will wield the Space Stone.

The next cover features Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow (who I’m glad is rocking her red locks again). The color RED as seen on the little Infinity Gauntlet icon on the top right and the color of the Entertainment Weekly font itself indicates that she will wield the Reality Stone.

The next cover features Thor Odinson AKA the God of Thunder himself. The color ORANGE as seen on the little Infinity Gauntlet icon on the top right and the color of the Entertainment Weekly font itself indicates that he will wield the Soul Stone.

The next cover features Bruce Banner AKA the Hulk. The color GREEN as seen on the little Infinity Gauntlet icon on the top right and the color of the Entertainment Weekly font itself indicates that he will wield the Time Stone.

The last cover features Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye or Ronin. The color PURPLE as seen on the little Infinity Gauntlet icon on the top right and the color of the Entertainment Weekly font itself indicates that he will wield the Power Stone.

There you have it, folks. Could be any truth to the “Avengers wielding Infinity Stones’ theory? We’ll find out in just two weeks when Avengers Endgame releases on 24 April 2019. In the meantime, check out the official Avengers Endgame character posters here or my breakdown of the Avengers Endgame Special Look trailer here.


Double Dragon Makes A Comeback After 6 Years; Made By Singapore Studio

Billy and Jimmy Lee are back, and this time they’re going on another wasteland-cleaning rampage!
Publisher Modus Games and Singapore-based developer Secret Base have announced a new entry in the Double Dragon franchise: Double Dragen Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons. The game is a 2D beat-em-up with pixel graphics that hearken back to the 80s and 90s style of gaming at the time, featuring original blue and red main stars Billy and Jimmy Lee.
Apart from the usual stages you have to go through in roguelite fashion (you can select stages in any order, and that shapes the whole playthrough), you can earn tokens to help shape the experience further, be it turning on permadeath or even turning on infinite mode, along with other modifiers that can spice up the game.

Joining them are Marian and Uncle Matin. Marian is now a ranged fighter, an upgrade from her past damsel-in-distress role and a little different from her River City Girls 2 appearance. Uncle Matin is brand-new; he’s a riot shield-bearing powerhouse.

Tag in and out as the classic Lee duo or switch it up with different characters. With two-player local co-op, the action quadruples as you and a friend clean up the mean streets.
The devs also add in four factions for the Double Dragons to take down. As you can see below, these groups are related to past Double Dragon titles: machine gunner Willy, Duke from Return of Double Dragon, the Egyptians in Double Dragon 3, and the Okada sister(s) in Double Dragon IV.

Speaking of retro and old games, the last Double Dragon game that came out was Double Dragon IV back in 2017; it wasn’t the best entry in the series. However, the Lee brothers and Marian have made appearances in the River City Girls games as shopkeepers and playable characters. At least for the latter, as Marian is a pretty hard-hitting badass in part 2.
Double Dragon Gaiden will be out for PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch in Summer 2023. You can wishlist the game too on Steam. Check out the action & features list below.
Features

TAG TEAM ACTION – Choose two fighters and seamlessly switch between them, giving you a multitude of strategies for devastating combos, defensive and offensive moves.
BEAT ‘EM UP WITH ROGUELITE ELEMENTS– Experience endless playthrough possibilities with a dynamic mission select function; the order in which you choose your mission will affect mission length, number of enemies, and overall difficulty. Choose where you improve with randomized purchasable upgrades for your characters at the end of each mission, or save your cash to revive your players in-mission.
13 UNIQUE PLAYABLE CHARACTERS – Start the fight with Billy, Jimmy, Marian, and Uncle Matin. Earn tokens along the way to unlock a diverse roster of 9 more characters, each with their own playstyle and strengths. Strategically choose your fighting duo by taking into account each characters’ strengths and weaknesses.
SHAPE YOUR EXPERIENCE AND REWARDS – Adjust game difficulty to affect the amount of tokens earned per session and use those tokens to unlock content from the Token Shop including characters, tips, and more. Modifier can be used to enter permadeath or even infinite mode.
LOCAL CO-OP – Grab a friend and clean up the city streets together in local co-op mode that supports up to two players.


SoundScape: The Best Video Game Music Of 2020

Happy holidays! Here are the best video game music and soundtracks of 2020.

SoundScape videos & general KKP video features will resume next year. Thanks for watching and have a lovely New Year!