Razer x BAPE “A Gaming Ape” Drops on Dec 4

Razer is taking its first foray into the world of streetwear collaborations with a bang, partnering with Japanese heavyweight A Bathing Ape.

The collection, aptly named “A Gaming Ape”, will take advantage of both Razer’s and Bape’s expertise, spanning across apparel, gaming peripherals and other gear.

These include a set of tees and a hoodie, alongside the noise-cancelling Razer Opus and DeathAdder V2 mouse.

The collection will launch on December 4, 2020 in the US and December 5, 2020 at 11am (Japan time) on Razer.com and BAPE.com.

For more information, check out razer.com/campaigns/abathingape.

Everything We Know So Far About Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War

We’re less than a day away from the official reveal of the latest addition to the Call of Duty franchise, but that hasn’t stopped dataminers from finding out more about the game.

Alongside teasers from official sources, here is everything we know so far about the upcoming AAA title.

1. Warzone Lives On

Based on a series of videos published by Call of Duty’s official social media pages, the popular map from Modern Warfare’s Warzone looks certain to be making a return in Black Ops: Cold War.


In this teaser, the text “new contract” can be seen in the video, alluding to the contracts found in Warzone such as Bounty, Scavenger and Recon that allows players to earn in-game cash to purchase killstreaks and loadouts.

So while Modern Warfare’s developer Infinity Ward isn’t directly involved in the Treyarch-developed Cold War, players will be glad to know that support for Warzone isn’t going away anytime soon.

2. A Direct Sequel To The Original Black Ops

Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War will be a direct sequel to the original game in the Black Ops series, according to the leaks.

In campaign mode, players are expected to “battle around the globe through iconic locales like East Berlin, Vietnam, Turkey, Soviet KGB headquarters and more.”

Memorable characters from the original Black Ops series such as Mason, Woods and Hudson will make a return in Cold War.

3. Set To Release on Nov 13

Another important detail to surface from the leaks is that the planned release date for the game will be on November 13, 2020.

The timing and date makes sense, given that it’s close to the holiday season and around the same time as the launches of the next generation of consoles.

The Multiplayer reveal is also expected to take place on September 9, giving pros and notable streamers early access to preview the mechanics of the game.

4. Cross-Gen Bundles

Speaking of next-gen consoles, Activision will be giving console players a chance to own the game on both current generation and upcoming platforms, namely the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5.

According to the leak, Activision will offer standard edition, cross-gen bundle and ultimate edition versions of the game.

This unfortunately means that there won’t be a free upgrade for cross-gen players, but hopefully means a discounted rate for those looking to pick up the game on PS4 and PS5 or Xbox One and Xbox Series X.

5. In-Game Event on August 27

A reveal of the game is scheduled to take place on August 26, 1.30pm ET, which is 1.30am on August 27 in Singapore and Malaysia.

The reveal will take place in-game on Warzone, so expect a Fortnite-like event to take place while playing the game.

Apex Legends Clocks In 50 Million Players in 28 Days, Outpacing Fortnite’s Growth Rate

It is truly an understatement to say that EA has a hit in its hands with Apex Legends. After the startling announcement that it topped 25 million players in its first week, developers Respawn Entertainment has announced that 50 million players have laid their hands on the game after just 28 days from launch.

Apex has had a meteoric rise to stardom since its surprise release in February when it was made available for free on the same day it was announced. Since then, the game has been lauded by critics and players alike.

In comparison, Fortnite took more than four months to hit 50 million players, although it does boast a total player count of over 200 million. However, with Apex Legends outpacing Fortnite in terms of growth rate, it could very well be a matter of time before the former reaches that number as well.

The achievement is even more noteworthy taking into consideration that Apex is only available on three platforms: the PS4, Xbox One and PC. Fortnite, on the other hand, is playable on mobile and Nintendo Switch as well.

Time will tell how this freshly-brewing rivalry will play out.

Earlier last week, users have begun noticing several changes on Fortnite that have borrowed elements from Apex such as the ping system.

Respawn are also taking a page of Fortnite’s handbook by adding a battle pass in March as a form of monetization and a way to introduce new content.

Nike Signs Deal To Sponsor Esports League

As the debate grows on esports’ place in the world of sports, the world’s largest sportswear manufacturer has laid its mark on the divide by signing its first esports deal on Thursday.

For the next four years, Nike will supply all squads of China’s League of Legends Pro League (LPL) with clothing and footwear.

In addition to apparel, Nike will also be exploring the prospect of providing custom training programmes for the league’s “ethletes” in a bid to cement its place as a major player in the esports scene.

Nike’s move follows that of competitors adidas and Puma, both of which have secured sponsorship deals with a host of esports teams.

Nike’s entrance into the space is a welcomed one for esports enthusiasts as it lends its clout to legitimise esports as a true form of sport.

The move to sponsor the League of Legends tournament in China is a calculated one for Nike, which has invested its resources in an efficient manner in capturing the esports audience. League of Legends was the most watched game on Twitch and YouTube in 2018, while China is home to the most esports enthusiasts in the world with 75 million fans, according to data from Newzoo.

PlayStation Plus Free Games In March Include The Beloved Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered

Sony might be doing away with free PS3 and Vita games, but PlayStation Plus members need not fret as March will be an action-packed month for freebies.

Following the top-notch titles in For Honor and Hitman, which made up the free games for PS Plus members in February, Sony will be including the remastered version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in the month of March.

In addition to the first instalment in the Modern Warfare series, PS Plus members will also get the puzzle masterpiece that is The Witness for free.

Both games will be made available to PS Plus subscribers from March 5, which means if you have yet to claim your copy of Hitman and For Honor, now’s the time to do so.

Last month, Sony increased the cloud storage of PS Plus members from 10GB to 100GB.

Fortnite Copies Apex Legends’ Ping System, Respawn Beacons Spotted As Well

Since the launch of Apex Legends, the latest addition to the Battle Royale genre which has taken the gaming world by storm, it was only a matter of time before Fortnite would make its move to fend off the competition.

Following EA’s announcement that Apex reached 25 million unique players in its first week – a feat that took Fortnite twice that time – industry experts and casual gamers alike have been expecting Fortnite to buckle at the introduction of a formidable opponent.

So it was unsurprising that when Fortnite introduced Season 8, it included a new feature that Apex players will find familiar: a ping system.

As shown in the video below by TmarTn, players on Fortnite can now highlight to teammates a particular location or weapon with a tap of a button.

The feature has been a widely popular one in Apex, allowing for strangers to play together in a squad without the need for a microphone, and we’re sure it’s going to have a positive effect amongst Fortnite players.

Besides the ping system, several bugs that have appeared in game may have revealed Fortnite’s plans to introduce respawn beacons as well, another beloved feature in Apex. 

Vans with holograms on their roof have begun appearing in the game, bearing a strong resemblance to the devices in Apex that allow you to bring back dead teammates.

[caption id="attachment_14809" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Credit: Reddit user u/Smithstirini[/caption]

It’ll be interesting to see how the games will fare out in the coming months, particularly with Apex Legends introducing its battle pass system this month.

Nintendo Announces A Tetris Battle Royale Game For The Switch

With the rise of battle royale games such as Fortnite, PUBG and the latest addition to the fray in Apex Legends, it was just a matter of time before things start getting out of hand.

But while many might look at Tetris 99 with scepticism, the idea is actually quite a refreshing one.

Rather than taking on the iconic puzzle game in isolation, Tetris 99 puts you in the thick of a competitive mode with 98 other players until there is only one player remaining.

Players can also sabotage other players by throwing tetrominoes to mess up with their flow.

Tetris 99 is now available for free for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.

All the announcements from this morning’s Nintendo Direct can be watched down below.

If You Didn’t Already Know, PUBG Is Now Officially Available on Mobile

The official mobile version of the highly-popular PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds – or PUBG, for short – is now available on iOS and Android worldwide.

The global mobile release of the game came weeks after its initial launch in China and a recent Beta test in Canada.

While the original PC and XBOX versions were developed by South Korea’s Bluehole, the mobile version is officially licensed by China’s mega-conglomerate Tencent. Ironically, Tencent also owns 40% of Epic Games, the developer of PUBG’s competitor Fortnite.

After spending a day on the game, it’s safe to say that the mobile version is a faithful adaptation of its PC counterpart. Although graphics have been dailed down to run smoothly on handheld devices, everything else seems pretty close to the original as possible. This includes the map, weapons, game mechanics, vehicles and character stylisations.

As noted by most players on social media and Reddit, there are even certain elements from the mobile version that they hope would get ported over to the PC as well. This includes a clever levelling up system, daily rewards, in game text chat and more.

The best part of it all: the mobile version is free to play. So wait no longer, give ‘PUBG Mobile’ a search on the App Store or Play Store and download it now. Quick note to download it over wi-fi as the game is nearly 1GB in size.

Nike and PlayStation Just Announced A Collaborative Sneaker

Nike is set to release a brand new signature shoe with NBA superstar Paul George in collaboration with Sony PlayStation.

The news was revealed earlier today when both Nike and Sony released a teaser video showcasing the pair in all its glory.

The drop is said to take place on February 10, but in extremely limited quantities, so those interested might need to fork up a large amount at resale, or wait for a possible wider release down the line.

Nevertheless, the pair truly captures the magic of the PlayStation, with LED logos on the tongue which light up either on static mode or pulse.

The midsole also takes on PlayStation’s galaxy theme, reminiscent of the PlayStation 2 start-up screen.

The eyelets on the shoes also feature the classic PlayStation button colours of pastel green, red, pink and blue.

FIFA 18 Review: Better Than Ever, But Takes Some Getting Used To

Every year, tons of fans and players look forward to the release of FIFA with updated teams and player ratings along with gameplay improvements.

While every new iteration of the game comes with its fair share of improvements and new learning curves, this year’s edition of the game may take some getting used to.

To start off, here are some things that FIFA 18 brings to the table.

[caption id="attachment_10" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Image: EA[/caption]

Graphics

First thing first, we need to take a moment to appreciate the fact that FIFA 18 looks even more realistic than ever – players and even managers look incredibly similar to life.

Shadows and lighting are extremely detailed, it looks surreal. The Frostbite engine deserves immense credit for making the graphics look amazingly real.

[caption id="attachment_11" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Image: Xbox[/caption]

Gameplay

Every year, FIFA makes a change in their gameplay mechanics which takes some getting used to. While not all of them positive, this year’s changes look certain to improve the game in the long run.

For instance, the turning mechanics for players after receiving the ball in FIFA 18 feels a tad bit heavy, but perfectly mimics life-like movements.

When it comes down to sprinting, it starts off slow and picks up fast, which relates to how sprinting in real life works. The passing is also much easier to intercept and through balls are much more straight forward to pull off. It’s easier to pick of your team mate and send a through ball his way without getting intercepted.

Additionally, you now have a quick sub option allowing the game to quickly suggest replacements for players, without going through the hassle of entering the pause menu.

With 15 new skills added to the game, the flow of pulling off a trick or two feels much more natural than before. It’s almost as if the developers decided to get rid of those annoying moments where you spam your joy stick to do a skill but nothing happens.

Player/team celebrations are way more dramatic, making the feeling of scoring a goal way more satisfying. There are many more minor tweaks to the gameplay including strategizing your defence, but you need to experience the Gameplay first-hand to appreciate the amazing work done on FIFA 18.

[caption id="attachment_12" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Image: Futhead[/caption]

Game Modes

Career mode is back with a more realistic transfer window and player negotiation. After a successful transfer, you get to see a cinematic press conference of your newly signed player, another aspect that bring the realism of FIFA 18 to a whole new level.

FIFA Ultimate Team is also back, allowing you to form a team with different players by opening trading card packs. Each pack you open will determine the players you get in your squad.

As with most trading card games, better players are harder to come by and cost more in Coins in the transfer market. If you’re unfamiliar with the game mode, it’s certainly worth a try and there’s no better time to get started than in FIFA 18.

[caption id="attachment_13" align="alignnone" width="810"] Image: FourFourTwo[/caption]

The Journey

Alex Hunter is back for a new season with more exciting cinematic decisions to make. Having made a name for yourself in FIFA 17, the pressure is on this time. Every step and decision you make will affect your gameplay and endgame.

Without trying to spoil much of the story, Alex Hunter goes through a failed transfer to Real Madrid which led him to play in the MLS, and now he has to completely climb back to where he belongs in the football world. Playing in the MLS also allows Alex Hunter to reconnect with his father.

Alex is also almost fully customisable, with options allowing you to edit his hairstyle, add tattoos, choose the clothes he wears and his favourite pair of adidas football boots.

In conclusion

All in all, FIFA never fails to deliver, and this year FIFA 18 has definitely topped previous years earning a rating of 9.0.