TheShadowGamer.com | video games, gadgets, malaysian esports

Xbox One: "around the world, later this year"

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:18:00 +0000

"Xbox, on".

Microsoft's moment of truth has arrived, and so did it with its next-gen entertainment console Xbox One. The immediate distinction in this year's announcement was evident as voice-controlled capabilities and its further branding on being an all-in-one entertainment system for your living room was repetitively emphasised.

No longer is gaming the central focus for Microsoft and its Xbox brand, but the evolution of gaming towards entertainment as a whole could be evidently spectated during its global live broadcast. Movies and music were already introduced onto the Xbox Live system, but this next-gen will signify the complete transition of the Xbox into a more comprehensive and practical living room entertainment system with the addition of a live TV.

Of course, Microsoft being Microsoft and with its family of consumer technology already on hand (cue, Windows 8), the Xbox One will feature some familiar features and design. One, for example, is Snap Mode which basically allows you to multitask with two apps (say a movie and a web search) together side-by-side, hand-in-hand.

Make no mistake though, the Xbox One, similar to its PlayStation counterpart, boasts a hell of a giant gaming powerhouse with (here we go again) cinematic realism, in-depth colouring/shading, super-bazinga particle effects... and well, you get the idea, superior graphics.

But again, I would say where the Xbox One shines is at its integrated voice-controlled capabilities and judging only by how it worked so superbly smoothly and how quick their responses were during the broadcast, I'm convinced.

Regarding its pricing and availability all Microsoft had to say, and in I personally find a would-be possibly interesting quote,

"Around the world, later this year." - Microsoft on the Xbox One launch

Gran Turismo 6 announced!

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Sat, 18 May 2013 06:21:00 +0000

We recently spread the word about Wargaming's exclusive 15th-anniversary celebration, but 2013 also marks another milestone for another iconic game. Yes, Gran Turismo has turned 15th and nope it's not even close to breaking down anytime soon.

In a recent 15th-anniversary event to celebrate PlayStation's best-selling franchise, Kazunori Yamauchi creator of Gran Turismo announced Gran Turismo 6 but what's surprising is its continued support for the PS3 without any news on the PlayStation's next-gen console PS4.

Gran Turismo 6 will feature improved social community and connectivity functions with smart phones and tablets, a trend developers are going for these days. The new iteration of the game will also feature a new game engine that maximizes the limits of the PS3 and bringing in new physics models. In addition, Gran Turismo 6 will also be introducing a revised user interface, new cars (as always) bringing the launch total to a whopping 1200, and a new set of tracks including UK's famous Silverstone Circuit.

Wargaming to host 15th-anniversary World of Tanks tournament

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:31:00 +0000

World of Tanks might sound a little fresh when it comes to breaking through the more mainstream online gaming titles, but its developer/publisher Wargaming.net has in fact been around the industry for years. 15 years to be exact all the way since 1998 and a veteran as well, you might add.

Including World of Tanks, Wargaming has shipped more than 15 titles and to celebrate their milestone in the industry, the company has announced that they will be hosting an exclusive 15th-anniversary tournament for World of Tanks, arguably their most successful title yet.

As globally popular the game is currently, the tournament will take place in key regions around the world highlighted by the company which includes Europe, North America, Russia, South Korea, China, Vietnam and lastly South East Asia.

The tournament will follow World of Tanks' usual eSports 7v7 format and will start right of in May while finals are already scheduled at the end of June. Though no cash rewards are ready at hand, the champions of this exclusive tournament will ultimately grab hold of themselves an all-expenses-paid trip to the World of Tanks development studio located in Minsk, Belarus. Meanwhile, the 2nd and 3rd placers will take home a huge chunk of in-game gold prizes.

Closing off the announcement, Alexey Kuznetsov, eSports Lead at Wargaming expressed that

"This is a great opportunity for teams around the globe to show their peers and prove they have what it takes to really be the best at World of Tanks. We’re extremely excited to welcome the winning teams to Belarus and give them a closer look at how their favorite game is made."

New World of Warships screens and New Mexico-class battleship incoming

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Tue, 14 May 2013 09:33:00 +0000

Incoming the ocean front is World of Warships, a free-to-play naval action MMO still unreleased in the tight hands of its developer Wargaming.net, who were also generous enough to hook us up with some of its first sceens and I must say, it looks bloody amazing.

Hardcore-war related games hasn't always fancied me very much, and neither do their wallpapers or posters do for their smoke-clouded background often leave a trace of black in me, disturbed and disgusted. But this one does.

The latest press release we received in particularly also highlighted a newly-revealed vessel. The New Mexico-class was a prominent battleship that fought for the US navy force during the World War 2, and even judging at the rendering details below, the New Mexico Class Battleship looks like some serious, serious heavy damage.

Razer Edge begins shipping for pre-orders

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:29:00 +0000

Razer lifted the veils off the world's first full-fledged gaming tablet back at the start of the month (March). The world's first became widely-acclaimed after taking home several awards from CES 2013 with pre-orders going full-force in quite a bit.

Good news is, though Razer previously mentioned that they have no confirmation on shipping dates, the gaming peripherals company has taken to its Facebook page recently to announce that the convertible Windows 8 tablet has now started to ship for those who pre-ordered in March and only in the USA and Canada.

If you've pre-ordered one and has been notified of your shipment, do share with us!

Mozilla and Epic Games aims to bring Unreal Engine 3 onto Firefox

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 07:54:00 +0000

Mozilla, the company behind web browser Firefox has recently announced that they are working closely with Epic Games, the developer of blockbusters Gears of War and Infinity Blade on making their Unreal Engine 3 available in browser.

Mozilla aims to encourage development of some high-profile games on Firefox using this piece of technology, enabling 3D visuals competitive enough to match those on native apps.

"To make these advancements, Mozilla developed a highly-optimized version of JavaScript that supercharges a developer's gaming code in the bwser to enable visually compelling, fast, 3D gaming experiences on the Web"

On track with their current progress, you can take a look at their demo running everything only on javascript without any additional plug-ins:

Final Fantasy V for iOS and Chaos Rings for Windows Phone unleashed

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:35:00 +0000

Square Enix, famed for their Final Fantasy franchise among many other top-notch games like Dues Ex, has been venturing into the up-and-coming all-the-hype mobile platforms.

The publisher has recently announced that they have added 2 new mobile games into their portfolio, with Final Fantasy V for iOS devices and a very surprising but long-needed addition of Chaos Rings for Windows Phones.

After 20 years since its original release, Final Fantasy V will see a slightly improved version in terms of its graphics and some redesigning on its characters, optimised with touch-screen controls and active-time battle systems. The mobile version will also feature the additional jobs Gladiator, Cannoneer, Oracle and Necromancer, as well as the optional boss, Enuo. Priced at $15.99 in the iTunes Store.

Chaos Rings, a "tale of love and loss 10,000 years in the making" will see five couples summoned around the world to take on each other till death in a tournament. The game revolves around their battle and their purpose in doing so, where they are fighting and why exactly are they needed to fight. Personally, look out for its graphics. Priced at $9.99 at the Windows Marketplace.

SimCity server availability page is now up

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 13:31:00 +0000

Since its launch on March 5, the highly-anticipated simulation game have been going through nothing but a bumpy ride to cater and ensure enough servers for the massive number of players so eagerly waiting. The lack of dedicated servers around the world has affected its full-functionality and frustration surrounding gamers especially those who pre-ordered were particularly present.

In an effort to keep up with the growing demand, EA and Maxis have been continuously adding and upgrading their servers. But now, developer Maxis have taken the first step to improve our 'ease-of-mind' by setting up a server status page on the SimCity website. Previously, gamers would need to start up the game and pray their way into access. This simple but useful installment will certainly prepare gamers before logging in their cities.

You can access the status page here, with availability of each and every SimCity server in 3 statuses - available (green), restricted for existing players (yellow) and completely down (red).

Malaysia's ABC dominates Armaggeddon Dota 2 Grand Slam 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:39:00 +0000

In an attempt to break into the eSports scene, gaming peripheral company Armaggeddon had recently hosted one of the biggest Dota 2 tournament in the region. Dubbed as the Armaggeddon Grand Slam Asia 2013, it saw teams from all around the region competing for the top title and ultimately a sponsorship contract from the company itself.

Malaysia's very own ABC, or for some particular reason which stands for Apple Banana Cucumber, were one of the clear favourites throughout the competition alongside Singapore's up-and-coming First Departure. Led by one of the more experienced Malaysian Dota 2 player and previous captain for Orange eSports, 'Winter' certainly played a critical role for the team's success throughout the tournament.

They advanced through to the finals with a completely undefeated streak and was finally set up against First Departure again (after sending them down to the lower bracket previously in the tournament).

ABC took the early lead in the first game, but loss focus in the second leading to a third and final determining round on who would take home the sponsorship contract. But once again ABC proved their dominance in the tournament and edged through, taking home the championship title with a 2 – 1 win.

Final placings:
1st: ABC - $5000 + $7500 sponsorship contract
2nd: First Departure - $2000 + $5000 sponsorship contract
3rd: Awake - $1000 + $2000 sponsorship contract

League of Legends Season 3 ranking system explained

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 23:36:00 +0000

Riot Games, the company behind League of Legends has recently introduced and updated the massively-popular eSports title with a new ranking system, dubbing the transition as Season 3. Previously, the ranking system is based on elo points and according to each games, your elo will be added depending on your wins and losses. Basically, the more you win, the more elo you get.

In season 3, however, League of legends has tweaked the ranking system to place a better emphasis on the actual ranks. Instead of merely adding elo points on your wins or loses, League of Legends Season 3 will be based around tiers:

The 6 tiers that have been updated into League of Legends Season 3.

Bronze.
Silver.
Gold.
Platinum.
Diamond.
Challenger.

According to the tiers, bronze will be the first (pretty obvious), followed by silver and so on until you reach the challenger tier. Tiers are set upon each players accordingly depending on how well the players play, which will in turn reward them with a badge under their profile. For example, if a player is on the silver tier, the players receive a silver badge indicating their current level of expertise.

Each LoL ladders consist of 250 players and each league/tier has 5 divisions. A division has 50 players. For example, if you have reached the silver tier, you will be placed in one of the 5 divisions from division 5 to division 1. The lower the number of division, the easier you will be able to advance to the next tier.

Advancing Division
To advance, players will need to win and reach a 100 league point (max), you will then need to beat a series of best of three. The best of three will determine whether a player is ready to advance to the next division.

Advancing Tier/League
On advancing to the next tier, a players need to reach division 1 and collect 100 league points again. Once you reach the max point, players will concede in the best of five match up. This will determine whether a player is ready to advance to the next league/ tier.

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by Christopher Chan

Lenovo unveils three Android IdeaTab tablets

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:02:00 +0000

During the recent MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2013, Lenovo announced a new line-up of Android-powered tablets comprising two 7in devices IdeaTab A1000 and A3000, and one full-fledged 10in tablet the IdeaTab S6000.

Making the best out of its 7in portability, both the A1000 and A3000 is designed to bring both performance and its form factor together. At the starting range would be the A1000, a worthy choice for first-time tablet owners especially those who appreciates decent sound quality. Packed with a Dolby Digital Plus sound system and a basic storage of 16GB, the A1000 looks to find a space as your entertainment and lifestyle "pocket studio".

But for the full performance of a tablet in a 7in form, the A3000 should do the job with its highly-competitive specs in regards to other similar-sized tablets in the market now. Powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor and up to 64GB worth of extendable memory, it is optimised for the complete tablet user experience and should run fluidly (based on specs). But what may be most appealing would probably be its portability weighing at less than 340g.

Debuted as Lenovo's first Android tablet to compete with the other 'bigger boys' in the market, the IdeaTab S6000, at first glance, looks extremely sleek despite its obvious similarities. This is a full-fledged 10.1' tablet powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, up to 8 hours of battery life, integrated with a micro HDMI port and displays a steady 1280X800 resolution.

All 3 IdeaTabs will be available around May/June while individual country pricings will be announced closer to launch date. Personally, I'm a sticker to 10.1's instead of of 7'in tablets, but what about you?

Very Little Monsters: Android App Review

noreply@blogger.com (Marcus Heng) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:56:00 +0000

Looking for a simple and relaxing game but at the same time to keep your mind fiddling? Well CODE-software's android-only game Very Little Monsters should make the fit. To put it simply, Very Little Monsters is a handheld and most definitely cuter version of reverse involving 2 types of monsters which you will play in the game.

In order to defeat your opponent, you will have to place your “monster” next to nearby opponent monsters to claim their pieces yours. Though yes this might sound simple, Very Little Monster is most certainly not an easy game to master as a good strategy is to be made before making a move to corner your opponent. As the game goes, the board layout will get more complicated and it will become more challenging for players to overcome opponent pieces.

Like Angry Birds, the game starts off with a story to entertain the players or to get the players thinking how the rivalry between these two monsters existed.

Not only does it include a storyline for the game, but unlike most mobile phone games, Very Little Monsters includes a multiplayer mode where players can play the game with friends. This, I believe is its standout point in which it enables both players to go against each other.

Overall, though Very Little Monster may not be some high-end graphics game that is probably all the hype nowadays, it is ultimately a very challenging and mind-teasing game for players who just want to sit back and enjoy. It's multiplayer feature is a huge plus as well especially to break the ice with friends, and not to mention the added challenge and friendly but intense rivalry.

Note: Very Little Monster is of at the time of post not out yet, but will be available on Google Play Store start 28th of February. Developed by CODE-Software.

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Reviewed by Marcus Heng
Graduating in Mass Communication, Marcus is a diehard Call of Duty fan. A young journalist, he's passion in both video games and producing videos have developed him into an aspiring Youtuber, not for the fame or partnership, but on a mission to inspire the way he was very inspired.

Aliens: Colonial Marines - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:56:00 +0000

Spanning six years to develop, the sequel to the Aliens franchise has finally been released. Aimed to be the true sequel to James Cameron’s film, the question rises if it will be the game fans of the movie has been waiting for.

Straight off the bat the game displays it’s poor AI in both your marines and the aliens. Aliens would just blindly charge at you, disregarding their health while AI partners would walk around in battles not giving any assistance and if they do, it ain’t enough. Playing in any difficulty below or at soldier mode would lead to in dull and insanely easy experience.

You are Corporal Christopher Winter, a Colonial Marine who is part of a search and rescue team sent to investigate the U.S.S. Sulaco in search of Ellen Ripley, Corporal Dwayne Hicks, and the rest of the missing marines who were dispatched to LV-426. How did the ship survive? How did it end up to your location? You would expect answers to these questions, and sometimes the game decides to give you a poorly written excuse.
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Popular messaging service LINE introduces LINE Band and LINE Play

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:32:00 +0000

[Photo credit: LINE FB page]

Breaking through the highly-populated world of mobile messaging apps and topping the list as one of the most popular platform currently-used is LINE essenger. Mostly referred and thought of as the one with the cutest emoticons or 'stickers', the latest addition to the LINE family is LINE Band and LINE Play.

LINE Band takes messaging, networking, and interacting with everyone in a group up a notch. Instead of a mere chat group, LINE Band now provides a personal "social networking space" to more efficiently get updates, interact, and even organise information for every different social groups. This separates where you wish to post your message/media/content on without the need to worry about troublesome privacy settings.

Some of its key features are:

Customising your Bands - design and decorate to illustrate each group's unique characteristics
Organising of information - write news on bulletin boards, share photos on gallery, or just chat
Post and store content - multimedia files including photos, videos and even larger files (4GBs)

Download LINE Band on your iOS and Android devices by checking out 'Channel' under 'More' tab on your LINE Messenger, or head here to learn more.

Accompanying the global launch of LINE Band is LINE Play, an "avatar communication service" in which users can basically create their personal avatars and interact with other LINE friends as well as even users from anywhere in the world. LINE Play encourages you to express yourself by decorating your own rooms and customising your own avatars. Learn more and download LINE Play on your iOS and Android devices here.

World of Warplanes updated with improved flight controls, more beginner-friendly

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:31:00 +0000

Currently still in closed beta, World of Warplanes has recently received a major update with an entirely revised flight controls. This major update will see an improved and more efficient gameplay which encourages players to better develop their in-game skills instead of the actual piloting. In that sense, new players are expected to get hold of the fundamentals of controlling more easily, generally making the process of learning the game much smoother.

“It took us six months to make sure every tidbit of the flight model was just right, and we are
pleased and happy with the results”, said Anton Sitnikau, World of Warplanes Producer. “Now
that we’ve maximized the comfort and ergonomics of aircraft controls, tactical thinking and
skills have really come to the forefront.” Along with this update will see a majorly reworked graphics bringing in a more immersive feel, especially during heavy combats.

Listed as one of our Top 5 PC games this year (or well we're hoping for an open beta), this update will surely makes it more beginner-friendly. If you would like to give its planes a run, try applying for its beta at worldofwarplanes.com.

Wargaming.net announces professional World of Tanks eSports league

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 14:17:00 +0000

Exploding into the general gaming market and eSports industry last year, World of Tanks has risen to the ranks and popularity globally. Recognising its following and the increasingly-high demand for more, its creators Wargaming.net has unveiled its biggest and most expensive attempt on pushing the game even further into the eSports scene.

2013 will see the start of the first professional World of Tanks league featuring regional tournaments, playoffs and a grand final with up to a whopping $2.5 million of prize pool. Yes, a freaking $2.5 million up for the tops.

In a blogpost on Wargaming.net, Global eSports Director at Wargaming Jonghyuk Baak shared that "Wargaming.net League is a groundbreaking step in our quest to bring the game’s eSports potential into the international spotlight." With such a large amount at stake, and an indefinitely growing population, Wargaming.net league should make quite a statement in the eSports world. No doubt, we're looking forward to how this community will come together.

Dishonored: PC Review

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:16:00 +0000

Borrowing from Dishonored’s tagline, “revenge solves everything”, my first impression was of hatred, uncompromising violence, and the satisfaction from blood spilled. But once I ventured into the dark, steam punk settings of Dunwall city, my initial ideas became doubtful. Dishonored is a game primarily based on you on a path of revenge, but revenge itself can be achieved in many ways. It’s not always about the spilling of blood, the evil laughs, or the cunning taste of victory. There’s another side to revenge as well, the good side, the more socially-justified side, and that’s who you will be playing as. A good guy.

You are Corvo Attano, Lord Protector to the Empress but in the opening sequences has helplessly failed to prevent her assassination. If guilt and self-blame wasn’t enough, the brains behind the dethroning has framed you for her murder, throwing you into the cells fated for execution.

Like all stories, movies and games, the protagonist in such situations always somehow, somewhat gets a “mysterious friend” to help him out. You get a key for your only opportunity to escape and it is during that first sequence that you are introduced to a glimpse into the city of Dunwall, the uniquely-artsy texture of its graphics, the general gameplay you will be facing, and how its all about the freedom, the kills, and the rats.
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No Dualshock controllers in next-gen PS4?

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:44:00 +0000

Since its introduction in 1997 with the first PlayStation, the Dualshock controllers have become synonymous with the console's brand, while some would also say its design had arguably inspired the Xbox controllers we have today.

While these two-handed controllers has somewhat become a representative of modern console gaming, recent reports as received by CVG have suggested that next-gen consoles, and more specifically the PS4, may not sport a similar Dualshock design anymore.

This in particular is supposedly due to a more, advanced, and in some way, quite creepily, the use of biometric sensors for future consoles. For those unfamiliar, biometric sensors actually read your pulse rate and say maybe, your thumbprints and even eye movement. The PS4 reportedly also sports an LCD screen, along with the touchscreen capabilities of the PS Vita which if it indeed turns into a reality, will make the experience entirely fresh.

What do you reckon? Are you a sticker to the Dualshock, or are you willing to embrace this next generation of controls, whatever it might be?

Troll Warlord rages onto Dota 2

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 12:29:00 +0000

All hail the king of trolls, or so they said.

Troll Warlord, another classic and one of the more popular heroes from the original DotA has finally been added to DOTA 2 in the latest patch update (24th January).

For those unfamiliar, though very unlikely, Troll Wardlord is a strong carry capable enough to be one very formidable foe. It excels both in range and melee, and with a tunelling attack speed stack on a single target, it will be difficult to deal with in individual fights. While during team fights, Troll's ultimate can be the determining factor with a global attack speed increase for all allies.

Some complain it's imbalance, but we simply reckon its a great hero to play with, and an obviously good choice to trick your enemies into believing they stand a chance when you are in fact fighting with an increasingly-formidable speed. Oh, and that ulti, its a tower breaker.

If you are relatively still new, learn about Troll Warlord at dota2.com/hero/Troll_Warlord

Neolution Orange reformed with new 2013 DOTA 2 team roster

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 14:36:00 +0000

After a series of rumours, transfers and in particularly seeing the move of Yamateh to Team Zenith, Orange eSports seemed quite lackluster, much to their fan's dismay. But contrary to a few believes on Orange's not-so-bright future and some words of worries, the management team has came out with a surprise reformation on the team.

For a start, after very recently gaining an invaluable platinum sponsorship by Neolution eSports, what used to be know as Orange eSports will now be officially known as Neolution Orange. With a whole new name and ultimately a new brand and a fresh image, the team will see (for most ways) a new lineup, and a formidable one too.

Chan "Winter" Litt-Binn and Chua "Ice" Chee Cai have officially left Orange, while Neolution Orange will see both Lim ‘Net’ Wai Pern and Mushi's profoundly-known disciple Khoo ‘Ohaiyo’ Chong Xin completing its 2013's DOTA 2 roster along with Mushi, Xtinct (captain) and Ky.xY. Hopefully, this will be a finalised, stable one.

Official words of its reformation, welcomes and thankyous by Orange:

Orange Esports extends our welcome to Lim ‘Net’ Wai Pern and Khoo ‘Ohaiyo’ Chong Xin who will be completing our 2013 DotA team roster. On the other hand, we parted ways with Chan "Winter" Litt-Binn and Chua "Ice" Chee Cai. Like Yamateh, Winter and Ice are also top quality DotA players and accomplished a great deal during their service with Orange Esports. We wish them best of luck in their next stage of DotA career and they will be missed by many of us.

We also take this opportunity to announce our new partnership with Neolution E-Sport who will come in as Orange Esports Platinum Sponsor for 2013. We like to thank the CEO of Neolution Group, Mr. Satean Boonmanant for his generous supports. The sponsorship will complete the new pay package for our Professional DotA players like never seen before in South East Asia. In recognition of their sponsorship, Orange Esports DotA team will be known as “Neolution Orange” in 2013.

Here's to hoping that this will continue to be Neolution Orange's roster for the rest of 2013, and bring even greater success for pride of our local eSports scene! *cross fingers*

Possible PlayStation 4 announcement confirmed for E3 2013, "or even earlier, in May"

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:05:00 +0000

It has been close to 8 years since Sony first unveiled the PlayStation 3 and if anything, its about time a next-gen console gets announced. Rumours and various 'close sources' online have strongly suggested that we will definitely hear the announcements of next-gen consoles this year, and would most probably be in June during this year's E3.

This is comforting news, of course, but what's even better is that the very date of the announcement may arrive even sooner, as we have recently learned. Speaking to Chilean website Emol, Sony's vice president of home entertainment Hiroshi Sakamoto revealed some news confirming a PlayStation announcement in May.

This came about when Emol asked about the possibility of us seeing a new home console by Sony in the next few months. “That's still a big secret, but our friends [in the certain division] are preparing [a new] Sony PlayStation,” commented Sakamoto. “I can only say that we are focused on the E3 gaming event, scheduled for June. [An] announcement may be [made at that time] or even earlier, in May.”

While the odds of this 'new PlayStation' being a next-gen console is high and would possibly be named the PlayStation 4, Sakamoto did not reveal anything about it. But what we now know is that an announcement will be made this May, will it really be the next-gen console we have waited long, or could it merely just be a toned-down PlayStation like Nintendo's Wii Mini....well we certainly hope it isn't the latter.

Yamateh departs from Orange eSports and joins Team Zenith

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 08:41:00 +0000

In a shocking turn of events, Orange eSports has officially announced that Yamateh (2nd from left), arguably one of its star player has recently departed to join Singapore's Team Zenith. You see, rumours were actually saying that (instead of Yamateh) Mushi was the one who had plans to move to Zenith. This came across when news of Yee Fung 'Mushi' Chai and Wei Poong 'Yamateh' Ng wasn't getting along in Orange eSports.

DOTA 2 being a team game and what not, any disagreement between team members would definitely hurt their overall performance. While Orange eSports had their own conflicts internally, Team Zenith, on the other hand, were critically having difficulties in setting up a stable roster after being down to a 3-man team - Yamateh's move will now add it to 4.

Official statement from Orange eSports:

We like to announce the official departure of Yamateh from Orange Esports DotA team. He will be joining the Zenith team as you may see in their GosuCup Asia IV lineup. We thank him for his dedications and contributions to the team in 2012 and wish him much success. Orange Esports DotA team is still working on our 2013 roster aim to be among the Top 3 DotA2 teams in Asia. Thank you to our fans for their continuous support!

We personally feel that it's a real disappointment on how both these 'big' teams are constantly having changes in their rosters and struggling to stabilise internally. Though, we would still definitely wish Yamateh all the best at Zenith, and his huge contribution to Orange before.

Interviewing Kevin of Machinima's How to Annoy People

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Machinima's highly-popular series How to Annoy People is recently back with Season 3 after about a 2 year hiatus. The weekly episodes show how its creator, Kevin deliberately annoys other gamers who weren't playing seriously, found it funny or those who are really not so friendly. We recently had the chance to interview him on the comeback of Season 3.

TSG: Hi Kevin, could you start by sharing with us about yourself? For example how did you first get into gaming and what drove you to upload them on youtube?

Kevin: Well, I started gaming when I was a kid but never got into online gaming until 3 or 4 years ago. I started gaming online around the time Call of Duty 4 came out and I managed to get myself an Xbox 360. I got really stuck into Call of Duty for a while, then my friend started posting a few clips of his gameplay online and I thought it would be a bit of fun so off to the store I went, got my first capture card and recorded a very very very average video, it got a few views and a few likes, I'm talking low double digits here. I was delighted. I guess it just snowballed from there really.

TSG: We understand that How to Annoy People isn't how you usually play or do, but have you met anyone that you just had to troll them?

Kevin: Haha, haven't we all? I think there's always someone you run into that is just making a fool of themselves or picking on someone who isn't retaliating and just thought "I'm going to mess with his head so bad, he will never want to play this game again". I mean it's hard not to troll someone when they are getting angry like that without a rational reason. I would like to say I'm a vigilante giving angry gamers some payback, but that's not true at all, I just find it hilarious.

TSG: What is one thing you yourself get most annoyed at?

Kevin: People who get angry at other people and give them abuse when they did nothing to deserve it, it just gives all gamers a bad reputation and discourages new people from playing online. It just gets under my skin and it doesn't accomplish anything, if they are on your team they will play worse because of the abuse they are getting and if they are against you, you'll just look like an idiot. I'm all for annoying people that deserve it, but leave people that are just there to play a game alone, that’s my opinion on it.

TSG: The last episode/season of How to Annoy People was about 2 years ago, why the break in between and what inspired you to continue the series?

Kevin: Honestly by the end of season 2, I needed a break. Season 1 and 2 were very close together and it was too much of the same thing over and over again. I knew I was getting bored and I really wanted it to end on a high note rather than going for another season and letting the name down. I would have came back after a few months to do it but despite trying on numerous occasions, I couldn't. There was always one person in the lobby "It's Kevin! Kevin from How To Annoy!", I guess the popularity of the series was it's own downfall really.

TSG: You mentioned in one of your personal videos that Season 3 is going to be more polished, what else can we expect this time around?

Kevin: I'm happy with how the other two seasons were in terms of comedy and stuff but looking back on it, audio and video quality was not up to scratch. The new season is way better in sound and video as well as having an outro graphic linking out to previous episodes. It's not a huge difference but all the little things mean a lot now when it comes to videos.

TSG: How to Annoy People has been based on Call of Duty titles, what are your thoughts on, if you tried it in other games you play? For example, Team Fortress 2 or League of Legends, how do you think the community or the mechanics of annoying them could be different?

Kevin: I would LOVE to do an episode on League of Legends but it's just text communication and I don't think that would turn out as good. I think the voice chat is a big part of the series and why people seem to like it so much. There's always a possibility of trying different games with voice chat but I'll be staying on Call of Duty for the time being.

TSG: What's your biggest worry or do you face any difficulties when filming the episodes?

Kevin: Getting recognized by someone, it used to happen quite a lot. It's why there was such a break from season 2 to 3 but now it doesn't happen as often. It's just that my series works off me being some random new guy and it doesn't work out so good if someone starts shouting, "It's Kevin! From How to Annoy on YouTube!". A lot of times, It's not meant to hinder my recording, it's just someone getting happy which is great, it can just be a bit of trouble when I'm trying to get a new episode made and everyone in the lobby is alerted to what I'm doing and I have to leave.

TSG: Lastly, do you have anything else to say to your fans?

Kevin: I'd just like to thank everyone for watching the series and giving me such excellent feedback, I'm not lying when I say it really makes my day. I'm very privileged to have the opportunity to make content on YouTube and I won't forget how lucky I am to have people support my videos.

If you're a long-time fan of Kevin and his How to Annoy episodes, or even if you're new to his series, you will be glad to hear that Season 3 has recently premiered on Machinima Respawn and following episodes will continue to be published every Sunday (US time).

Note: A huge thank you to Kevin for taking the time on this interview and the folks at Machinima for the opportunity.

ADGSA 2013 - Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:03:00 +0000

Armaggeddon recently announced its latest initiative to venture into the eSports scene with its DOTA 2 Grand Slam Asia (ADGSA 2013) offering a total prize pool of up to $20,000. But what's more interesting and definitely a huge opportunity for aspiring professional DOTA 2 teams is the offer for an exclusive sponsorship with Armaggeddon.

If you're based in Malaysia and would like to give a shot at it, up to 64 teams will be given the chance start the 25th of January in the first Malaysian qualifier.

Malaysian Qualifier #1
·Venue: Online tournament
·Date: 25th, 26th and 27th January 2013
·Team limit: 64
·Tournament format: For 64 team slots, first and second stage will be single elimination and the top 16 will be double elimination.
·Top 4 teams qualify to the National Final

Malaysian Qualifier #2
· Venue: FTZ ASIA.NET internet café (Jalan SS 15/8a, SS 15, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor)
· Date: 1st, 2nd and 3rd February 2013
· Team limit: 32
· Tournament format: For 32 team slots, first stage will be single elimination and top 16 will be double elimination.
· Top 2 teams qualify to the National Final

Malaysian GRAND FINAL
· Venue: The Summit, Subang USJ
· Date: 22nd – 24th February 2013

Register your team at armaggeddon.net/adgsa-2013-registration/

Stand a chance to be sponsored by Armaggeddon at DOTA 2 Grand Slam Asia 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Xingyi Ho) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:54:00 +0000

If the rather recent DOTA 2 The Asia wasn't itself a feast for our eyes on our regional DOTA 2 eSports scene, you will be glad to hear that even more action will be taking place as up and coming gaming gear manufacturers Armaggeddon will be organising a huge tournament regionally, or in their own words, a 'DOTA 2 Grand Slam'.

At first glance, what will catch your eye would probably be its prize pool of up to $20,000 for its Grand Slam finals in Singapore (and the RM10,000 allocated for the Malaysian Grand Finals). Though well this is not the biggest amount an eSports tournament has offered before, it is ultimately still a large sum of money and would forseeably attract some of our top talents, regionally and locally.

But what is more interesting, and definitely worth a shot, is Armaggeddon's offer for an exclusive sponsorship contract with them and their 'corporate alliance' with some of the top brands in the industry like AMD, Asus and Valve.

Quite obviously, Armaggeddon is scouting for an up and coming DOTA 2 team to fully-sponsor, support, and nurture while bringing their company's brand up as well. With that, they have opened the Grand Slam tournament around Asia for the usual SEA countries and even extending to Sri Lanka, though noticeably missing out huge countries like India and China.

The Grand Slam finals which will determine who the company will ultimately sponsor is set on the 9th of March at Singapore, Marina Bay Sands. But meanwhile, Armaggeddon has opened up registrations for its very first sets of qualifier in Malaysia and Singapore which will begin as early as (at the point of writing this) exactly next week - 25th January.

Interested? Get to know its tournament FAQs here at Armaggeddon.net