Join Games Xtreme on a journey into Paizo and Owlcat's rendition of Golarion, the world of Pathfinder, and find out if Kingmaker on console improves over the PC version we reviewed a while ago. (Yes it does)
MONOBOT is a beautiful and atmospheric Limbo/Inside-esque physics-based puzzle platforming adventure where a robot with a modularized body makes their way through a slumbering world that's overrun with hostile robots
In MONOBOT you take control of a cute little robot who may hold the future of the human race in their hands. The game takes place on a distant planet that the human race … Read More
Grapple Tournament is a fast paced VR FPS with plenty of verticality as players use grappling hooks to propel themselves around the arenas.
Coming to Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality, Grapple Tournament is an action packed multiplier VR shooter with lots of mobility. Players can run, jump, double-jump and use grappling hooks to propel themselves around the arenas in a … Read More
Louny Balloony is a charming high flying side-scrolling 2D platforming adventure where you collect balloons, avoid hazards and battle bosses while soaring through the open air.
Playing similarly to Balloon Kid (the Game Boy sequel to Balloon Fight), in Louny Balloony you take control of Louny, a cheerful little balloon enthusiast who uses balloons and feathers to allow him to soar through the skies. … Read More
Blackout: The Darkest Night is a text-driven interactive fiction game where you search for answers in a world inspired by Twin Peaks, World of Darkness and the works of H.P. Lovecraft.
Previously featured on Alpha Beta Gamer back in 2017, Blackout: The Darkest Night is essentially a more interactive take on the classic choose your own adventure style of storytelling. In the game you … Read More
Overloop is a beautifully animated and darkly humorous pixel art puzzle platforming adventure where you create clones of yourself (and sacrifice them) as you embark on a quest to overthrow a dystopian empire.
Previously featured on Alpha Beta Gamer during the closed Beta Sign Up, in Overloop you take on the role of a disgruntled employee of a megacorporation that has brought human cloinging … Read More
The Dungeon Beneath is a single-player tactical roguelike take on the autobattler genre, where you manage your party as they battle their way down through a monster-filled dungeon.
In The Dungeon Beneath you'll be able to choose from five uniquely skilled heroes and dozens of different characters to form your team then fight your way down through an increasingly challenging procedurally generated dungeon. Before each … Read More
ElecHead is a wonderfully inventive pixel art puzzle platformer where your character is electrically charged and activates any object that they come into contact with.
Previously featured on Alpha Beta Gamer last year, ElecHead is a delightful and very creative puzzle platformer where you activate structures by touching them. Your charge can be used to activate platforms walls and deadly hazards, so you need … Read More
Necromunda: Gang Skirmish is a digital adaption of the popular Games Workshop Necromunda tabletop game where outlaws, bounty hunters, thieves and gunslingers fight for dominance in the Underhive.
There's no footage of screenshots of Necromunda: Gang Skirmish available yet, but it's a multiplayer turn-based strategy game based on the Necromunda tabletop game. It's currently in development by Legendary Games (creators of Mordheim: Warband Skirmish) … Read More
Sonic and the Mayhem Master is a charming fan made steampunk Sonic the Hedgehog RPG adventure where Sonic and his detective buddy investigate a power-plant that's having some problems with its robots.
Currently in development by Trinitoid, Sonic and the Mayhem Master is a little like a Sonic version of the Mario RPG games, but with a much more complex combat system where every new … Read More
We have 1000 Steam Beta keys to give away for ExoCorps – a very cool looking multiplayer deathmatch game where players pilot jet-propelled exosuits in vast open landscapes.
Forget close quarters combat, ExoCorps is all about ranged combat over vast distances and has more incommon with Top Gun than Call of Duty. In the game you jump into a powerful space suit that's like … Read More
We have 50 Steam Early Access keys to giveaway for Project Genesis – an ambitious multiplayer Sci-Fi FPS where you can fly ships in third person and use them to breach-and-board enemy ships.
Previously featured on Alpha Beta Gamer back in 2018 during the closed Alpha sign up, Project Genesis is a Sci-Fi PVP shooter that combines ship-to-ship combat and close quarters FPS action. … Read More
Siren is a very promising DOOM total conversion mod that draws inspiration from Aliens as you blast your way through a top secret facility that's overrun with aliens, zombies and an unkillable black cloud called the Siren.
Currently in development by DoomwithaView, Siren is a DOOM total conversion mod that aims to deliver an intense Aliens-esque Sci-Fi horror FPS experience, but with more DOOM-like … Read More
The Mutated Reality is a tense and atmospheric PS1 styled first person horror game where a maddening entity lurks deep underground, corrupting those nearby and causing them to dig until they die.
Created for the Haunted PS1 Summer of Screams game jam, in The Mutated Reality you find yourself entering a forsaken area of land where mankind has been digging for something best left buried. … Read More
Kingshunt is an asymmetric multiplayer fantasy combat game that blends elements of tower defense and hack 'n slash gameplay as heroes fight to keep the forces of darkness at bay.
The main game mode in Kingshunt is Guardian Assault, which features asymmetrical 5v5 battles between Attacker and Defenders. Players each control warriors and with unique play styles, skills and abilities. The Attackers aim is to … Read More
Teabat! is a quirky and beautifully animated 2D action platforming adventure where a little guardian bat sets out to stop spooky ghosts from stealing all the tea from its Camomile Forest.
In Teabat! you take control of a cute little bat who has awoken to find that a variety of spooks are stealing all the tea from its forest. You must now make your way … Read More
The Lost Delinquents of Rollings High is a very weird Lovecraft inspired Anime-styled visual novel where an oddball group of high-schoolers try to figure out the secrets of their town before graduation.
In The Lost Delinquents of Rollings High you take on the role of Marty, a high-school boy who lives in an isolated town somewhere in the mountains in the 1980s. It seems like … Read More
Project CARS GO is bringing Slightly Mad Studio's popular Project CARS series to iOS and Android devices, with an aim to maintain some of the realism while making the game accessible to touch screen devices.
You're never going to manage to play a full racing simulation game on a touch screen device, so Project CARS GO is opting for a different method. It will feature … Read More
EXPOSURE is a very stylish dodge 'em up that plays a little like a pacifist version of Ikaruga as you switch colors to allow you to camouflage yourself on top of differently colored objects and avoid predators.
In EXPOSURE you took control of a defenseless little creature that avoids predators by using adaptive camouflage. You can move around the screen as in a top-down twin-stick … Read More
Vital Signs is a tense physics-based zero gravity Sci-Fi horror adventure where a little droid uses slumbering human crewmembers as key-cards as it tries to escort them to safety.
Currently in development by a group of developers from Free Lives (creators of Broforce and GORN), in Vital Signs you control a hard working little medical droid whose ship has just been damaged by a … Read More
Ultimate ADOM: Caverns of Chaos is a sequel to the classic 1994 ADOM roguelike, which aims to deliver a modern reimagining of the genre while still retaining the original's hardcore roguelike dungeon crawling gameplay.
Roguelike is a term that gets thrown about with abandon nowadays, but there was a time when it meant a very specific type of game. Ultimate ADOM: Caverns of Chaos looks … Read More
VACUULUS is a very intense first person horror game where you attempt to clean up your messy house while being stalked by a huge vacuum cleaner monster.
In VACUULUS you take on the role of a young boy who would rather play video games than tidy up after himself (we've all been there). However his slobbish behaviour hasn't just annoyed his mother, it's attracted the … Read More
Terra Nil is a beautiful and chilled out building strategy game where you attempt to reconstruct the ecosystem of a ravaged and barren environment.
While most Sim City-esque building/management games are about squeezing resources out of and squeezing buildings into an untouched environment, your goal in Terra Nil is pretty much the opposite. In each level of the game you're presented with a totally … Read More
Smash Ball is a fast paced arena sport game where customizable robots whack a weaponized ball around a futuristic tennis court.
Playable in 1v1 or 2v2 multiplayer, Smash Ball is a futuristic ball sport that plays a little like Windjammers or Tennis. In the game each player takes control of a robot and attempts to outscore their opponent by whacking the ball past them into … Read More
You Suck at Parking aims to be the world's most extreme parking game as you go through all manner of crazy obstacle courses to safely park your vehicles.
Previously featured on Alpha Beta Gamer during the closed Alpha sign up, in each level of You Suck at Parking your aim is to park your car. Sounds easy? The actual parking often is, but getting … Read More
Gravewood High is a tense first person stealth horror puzzle adventure where you attempt to escape from an ever-shifting school that's guarded by a freaky demonic headteacher.
Previously featured on Alpha Beta Gamer during the closed Alpha sign up, Gravewood High is a stealth horror adventure that's a little like Hello Neighbor, but with more of a focus on puzzle solving, randomized environments … Read More
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's open Alpha event starts today on PS4 and you can pre-download it now if you want to jump in right when it starts.
The Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War open Alpha launches today at 7pm CEST and will run until September 20th. It's available only on PS4 and the download will be a chunky 25GB, … Read More
22 Racing Series: RTS-Racing is a gravity-defying futuristic racing game where you compete to own sections of the track and upgrade your vehicle while you race.
22 Racing Series brings an element of real-time strategy to real-time racing as you compete for resources (track ownership) and upgrade your vehicle on-the-fly. The core racing gameplay is a little like Wipeout or F-Zero, with you racing … Read More
MECHBLAZE is a bombastic 2D mech combat game that draws inspiration from the Assault Suit (Cybernator) series as you blast your way through hordes of invading metallic monstrosities.
Taking place in the same "Astro Saga" universe as the rest of developer ASTRO PORT's games (including Supercharged Robot VULKAISER, WITCH-BOT MEGLILO and GIGANTIC ARMY), MECHBLAZE is a heavy-weight side-scrolling run-n-gun mech shooter inspired … Read More
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes is a Souls-like horrorpunk action RPG set in a dark fantasy world inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft and David Cronenburg.
In Morbid: The Seven Acolytes you step into the shoes of the last surviving "Striver of Dibrom" – a powerful warrior who has been training all her life to defeat the Seven Acolytes (powerful beings possessed by malevolent entities). … Read More
Jack Move is a beautifully animated cyberpunk RPG adventure with tactical turn-based battles where you hack your enemies in cyberspace.
Previously featured on Alpha Beta Gamer in March last year, Jack Move is a cyberpunk RPG adventure that follows a vigilante hacker as she battles a nefarious organisation that's kidnapped her estranged father and is trying to steal his research. After his wife's death … Read More
Gravity Co., Ltd releases its newest Ragnarok IP mobile game, The Labyrinth of Ragnarok. It is an idle RPG game where you'll be playing as your favorite Ragnarok classes and battle against other players and monsters like the cute Poring.
The pre-registration is now available on some South East Asia countries including the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia in Google Play and App Store.
Players who pre-registered into the game will receive exciting rewards depending on the milestone reached during the pre-registration. The following are the rewards when number of pre-registration reached.
Milestone
Rewards
30,000 Participants
Magic Hourglass 16 hours
50,000 Participants
Lucky Useable Box
100,000 Participants
Beginners Card Box
150,000 Participants
Costume Box
200,000 Participants
Blessing Equipment Box
To give you some information about the game, The Labyrinth of Ragnarok will have the following features; Auto-play for MVP, miniboss and monster hunting, allowing players not to grind every day that takes too much time; Labyrinth maze where player can explore different maps in the game; Game modes like PVP duels and Raid modes to battle against other players; Guild community to create your own guild in the game and build friendship, upgrade system with your equipment, gears and card; and an auction house to buy, trade and sell your goods with other players.
To all BTS fans, the most anticipated mobile game BTS Universe Story is finally available on mobile devices both on iOS and Android. BTS Universe Story is a game with an all-new interactive social game based on the South Korean superstar BTS.
It is a second collaboration between Netmarble and the South Korean superstars, following the great success of its predecessor BTS World mobile game. You'll be playing all of your favorite star in 3D scanned inside the BTS universe, allowing you to explore existing stories by fans, or you may create your own within your group or other players.
The interactive social game will allow players to create and develop their own stories in the game, selecting choices and will lead to different outcomes. It will also features Collection mode, allow players to collect clothes and accessories to customize their character in the BTS Universe, they may also utilize the AR capability of the game allowing players to take pictures together with their own characters.
Aside from this, players who sign in today will have a 7-day daily check-in events with a reward of 30 Jewel. They will also receive various in-game rewards such as T-Shirt with Logo, Story Creation Theme for creating story and more. Player who also pre-registered will also get additional rewards.
You can now get the game at Google Play for Android and App Store for iOS.
Last week, after much anticipation, Sony finally unveiled the price and release date for its next-gen console – the PlayStation 5.
Clocking in at Php24,222 for the Standard version and Php19,377 for the Digital version, the PS5 will be officially rolling out worldwide starting on November 19, 2020. Soon enough, consumers in the Philippines will be able to make pre-orders.
First reactions on social media show that these price tags are reasonable for gamers who were immediately on the pre-order list. It is no wonder, though, we have all been dying to put our hands on the console.
However, this is definitely quite pricey as not all of us might be able to purchase a PS5 on its launch date right away. The PlayStation 5 Standard version will be the most expensive PlayStation console to date (the PlayStation 4 was launched in 2016 at Php18.6k), putting it out of reach for some, such as younger folks or people from developing countries.
The good news is if money is tight, you might not have to wait very long for the situation to change, according to a report by e-commerce aggregator, iPrice Group (https://iprice.ph/).
Using data, iPrice Group predicts that by May 2021 or 6 months after the official release, you will be able to get the PlayStation 5 Digital version for Php18.2k or the Standard version for Php22.7k.
That means potentially saving up to Php1.4k, a great boon to many who are keen to witness the price reduction in the Philippines.
Then by November 2021, prices will likely drop even further to Php16.7k for the Digital version and Php20.9k for the Standard version, about Php2.6k and Php3.2k less than Sony's introductory price.
We came to this conclusion by examining the price history of PlayStation 4 Pro. We collected and compared selling prices of the console throughout the years on over 150 online shopping websites.
And we noticed that the average online selling price for Sony consoles tends to drop by 6% six months after release and then by a further 8% one year after release.
These amazing prices often come in the form of seasonal discounts from nationwide online retailers or deals from unofficial sellers in the country. Whichever the case, selling online allows these sellers to offer better prices than traditional retail.
So be on the lookout for those sweet, sweet deals!
In case you want to wait for the official price drop from Sony, that might take a lot longer. The first official price drop for the Playstation 4 happened two years after its initial launch, and the price was slashed by 15%.
There you have it. By simply practicing a little bit of patience and being savvy, you will soon be able to snag that next-gen console for an extremely good price.
You probably know Banoobs from our previous articles as the guy who spent an enormous amount of money on a digital in-game item and for being a highly competitive MMORPG player. But did you know that there is more to him than just being a "malakas" in game?
Julius "Banoobs" Mariano is one of the pioneer gaming personalities that helped shape video game streaming and Esports in the Philippines. His positive contributions to the industry is already set in stone and widely recognized by the gaming community.
"Back then, Esports was not even a term yet. I just met a bunch of ordinary gamers with an extraordinary vision. We were just a bunch of kids in search of our passion. We were trying to discover what we wanted to do with our lives." Julius recalled.
Julius describes himself as a typical gamer who likes to trash talk opponents whenever he is in the game. But for him, it was all just part of the fun and never meant to be personal. In fact, he met a lot of people who were initially co-players that eventually became his friends. "You meet what you call 'seasonal friendship' that would contribute something to your life." he shared.
Julius admitted that he did not mind his studies when he was in college. He would rather spend more time on online gaming. His parents were OFWs working in the United States of America. They would regularly send him money for his tuition fees and other school-related expenses but he only spent it on online games.
"I just followed my heart. I was stubborn and did not study well. We were all just playing in LAN cafés. I considered myself a 'competitive player' and we enjoyed playing LAN games, specifically DoTA. My gamer friends always visited me in my apartment to remind me of game battles. My apartment that time was near a computer shop." Julius said.
A lot of friendships were formed during those times spent in LAN cafés. One of those is Ronald Robins, the founder and CEO of Mineski Global, whom he met in a computer shop in Taft, Manila. "My first encounter and conversation with Ronald happened when we were in the smoking area of this computer shop. I was just having my smoke break when I eavesdropped on Ronald and another friend as they talked about me. I approached them and the rest was history." Julius said.
Esports back then had a bad reputation. Most Filipinos, especially parents, have a negative impression and were plainly uninformed about it. Esports was a relatively new concept and tournaments were limited to weekend LAN (Local Area Network) parties. There were no regional and global championships and most especially, no support from sports organizations. Simply put, it was not regarded as a "sport."
"I trusted the vision of Ronald. He acted as a leader and welcomed me to be part of Mineski. I'm always in the background. I'm like the storyteller of the group. I remember moments when we were in the same house just to play DoTA. We occupied their mini-office at night and unofficially made it our turf. We were like a family and our friendship was priceless."
There was a time when gaming tournaments almost ceased to exist. It was very difficult to build credibility because of a few issues of anomalies, as well as the shady actions of some scrupulous organizers who were out to take advantage of legitimate brand sponsors. As a result, the esports industry's reputation as a whole was taking the hit. But Ronald did not falter and just kept on looking for ways to continue organizing tournaments to help uplift the credibility of the industry.
Julius remembered how Ronald was always busy working on something on his laptop. Ronald was planning to launch Mineski 101. It would be the first tournament without the Mineski team competing so it can give way to new teams. "I believe that there should be someone leading a team. That time it was Ronald and we created Mineski Events together with Marlon Marcelo," Julius said.
Hiatus in the Gaming World
"For some time I had my hiatus in the gaming world because I got sick. I had Dengue Fever and was already sleep-deprived due to my gaming habit. To make matters worse, I was diagnosed with depression and Bipolar disorder," Julius said.
He was admitted to a reputable hospital. He spent two months in a facility to treat his condition. "I don't know what really happened to me. It was quick and I experienced a nervous breakdown. The facility was like a PBB house. Fortunately, I met new friends there that helped with my fast recovery," Julius said.
Many people did not understand his situation at that time; some even thought that he was mentally unstable and won't be able to go back to his usual activities. However, that tumultuous stage in his life became an eye-opener for him and made him reflect on a lot of issues he had within himself.
"It takes a lot of action, courage and realization to bounce back from that circumstance. I suffered from a huge downfall, ending up to stop the pain by killing myself. The good thing was that I prayed before I planned to do it. Somehow, God showed a vision, a sort of a preview of what would happen if I die. I saw my own burial. I saw my family and friends mourning for me, then realized that if I died that night, my pain would just be transferred to the one who loves me which is more painful than any kind of pain" Julius recalled.
"Before, I lived by quotes that explains exactly what I've been through.I believe that everything happens for a reason. The trials that I had encountered made me reflect on my life. It made me stronger. God helped me through this battle that I can't go through without him. God really works in mysterious ways."
Bounced back
After his full recovery, he went back to school. He studied computer programming and met a new set of friends. Everything was going well but after some time, he decided to stop because of financial reasons. However, his motivation to pursue what he really wanted in life was what pushed him to keep going.
"I always look for positive things in a negative situation. For example, I look for ways to lessen the impact of my condition. I search the internet for the things I do not know."
Eventually, he went back to the gaming scene and reconnected with his gamer friends.
While he was on a one-year hiatus from the gaming world, Mineski Team had improved significantly. The gaming industry evolved and became Esports. Many gamers were put into the limelight and have benefitted from the deluge of opportunities that opened up for the industry. Big brands finally supported the industry and sponsorship started to come in. Julius saw the true essence of Esports.
Not one to quit, Julius was patient enough to start all over again. He was at the bottom part of the organizational chart but slowly climbed to the top. "I wanted to contribute again, that's why I returned to Mineski events. It was an opportunity to continue my passion," Julius said.
Julius and his friends founded Mineski Events in 2009. As years passed, it continued to grow. The team's dedication and passion to help the Esports industry was their driving force. While there were bumpy roads and hurdles along the way, they exerted all their efforts for the industry to thrive.
While working at Mineski events, Julius met with many gamers, gaming executives, and other well-known gaming professionals in the industry. One of those was Matthias Beyer, whom he met in a smoking area in PGF 2012. It seems that smoking areas are proving to be a great spot to build connections for Julius.
But in 2012, Julius' active participation at the Mineski events took a toll on his health. He decided to resign and move forward to other things.
The Marketing Guy
Aside from health concerns, Julius resigned from Mineski to seek for other career opportunities. He cannot overemphasize how very grateful he was for his experience in Mineski. It has led him to work at MSI Philippines.
Julius considers Tryke Gutierrez as his inspiration in terms of career growth. He is also thankful to Marian Grace Gomez for hiring him as Marketing Assistant in the company.
"I realized that I need to level up, that's why I resigned to look for another opportunity. Fortunately, I learned that there was an opening at MSI so I went through the typical hiring process. I can't believe that someone trusted me despite the fact that I'm an undergraduate and quite unqualified, " he said.
"I just continued the legacy of Tryke. I have a wide knowledge of the gaming industry that helped me conceptualize various marketing strategies for the brand. Marian, Tyrke and I would often brainstorm while working on various marketing projects for the company."
Just like most starters, the work was overwhelming for Julius. On his first day of work, he was tasked to come up with a marketing concept. He did not have an idea how to do it. Instead of wasting time worrying about it, he Googled the key phrase and looked for a template. Luckily, he was able to complete the task and submit it to his boss on time.
"It's my first time to receive a salary and I'm proud of it. Before I just worked for free since I love helping other people. I don't like to take any recognition for what I do. I just want to help other people because it's part of my mission."
Julius worked in the marketing department for SteelSeries, MSI Notebook/Components, Xigmatech, Aerocool, Plextor, and Thecus (2012-2015). He established the Team of MSI Gaming Notebook in the country as the Marketing Manager for four years.
The Twitch Gig
"I believe that you will meet good people in the smoking area," Julius said. "I did not expect that I would meet Matthias Beyer again at the Electronic Sports and Gaming Summit (ESGS) 2015. That time we had a booth in the event and I was busy doing my thing as a marketing person in charge. During my smoke break, he approached me and asked for a lighter. We had a brief conversation, mostly catching up, and then I showed him our booth."
What he didn't know was that Matthias works at Twitch as the Director of Content (Southeast Asia). He only discovered it when he checked Matthias' Facebook profile. That's where he also saw the posted job opening at Twitch for Country Manager in the Philippines.
"I feel that I can contribute more to the company. That time there were thousands of applicants applying for the job. I applied for it and went through the tedious selection process. I thought I would not get accepted," Julius recalled.
Julius started working at Twitch in February 2016. As the Country Manager, he started to advocate for the streaming community in the Philippines, with the guidance of Matthias. Julius first pitched it to his inner circle of friends who happened to be content creators. It was a success and his friends became the first set of Twitch celebrities in the country. Julius helped many content creators become successful in the streaming platform. Twitch Philippines expanded their operations and it became a profitable endeavor for the company.
"Matthias saw something in me. He mentored me and shared his vision for the company. I improved a lot under his leadership. He's like a brother to me and I enjoyed working with him. We shared the same passion; we played together; he gave me tasks to work with. He's not the usual boss. I learned a lot from him," Julius shared.
Matthias trusted Julius on many occasions when they were working together. Julius helped Matthias on executing his start-up ideas as they shared a common vision for the gaming industry.
Julius left Twitch Philippines in 2018 to pursue a career in streaming. "I felt that I was meant to be on this platform. That I was born for this thing," Julius said.
Professionalizing Esports
Julius dreamed that one day, Esports would be recognized as a sport in the Philippines just like basketball. This dream would eventually become a reality when someone from TnC Pro Team and Execration contacted him back in 2016. They asked for his help with regard to securing P1 US Visa for their players. He was thankful that he has Jobe Nkemakolam and Sebastian Duterte who referred him to the Gaming and Amusements Board (GAB).
This meeting with the officials of GAB gave him the opportunity to discuss the booming online gaming industry. During their meeting, he talked about professionalizing Esports and the importance of professional license IDs for the country's players/gamers. It turned out to be a successful meeting because GAB issued the necessary documents to help fast track the players' VISA application. They were also grateful for the support of then Senator Bam Aquino, who is an avid supporter of Esports. Julius vouched for the players and made sure that everything about their travel went on smoothly.
"I knew they would win. Nobody saw it coming," he said. TnC won against the powerhouse European team in DoTA 2, the International 6 tournament. After the game, Julius along with three officials from GAB visited a tournament in Seattle to show them how big Esports actually is.
"When we came back to the Philippines, there was a 'heroes' welcome' for us. It was also my first time to receive appreciation for the things I've done for the industry."
The Philippines now considers Esports as legitimate sports. In 2017, GAB signed a resolution allowing the professionalization of Esports in the Philippines. The agency believes that Esports tournaments boost tourism promotion (with foreign Esports participants coming into the country). It also increases the revenue shares of the government through issued licenses and permits, as well as GAB shares from the tournament tickets. GAB also imposed regulatory guidelines that protect the players and the industry from illegal activities.
But it remains to be a long road ahead for the majority to accept online gaming as a legitimate career. It may take some time but hopefully, it will be regarded as a legit career choice just as others are.
On Game Streaming
The gaming community in the Philippines is enormous and lucrative. The gamers and streamers have become the new celebrities in platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Gaming. In these platforms, content is king. Professional streamers often combine high-level play and entertaining commentary to get the attention and earn income from sponsors, subscriptions, and donations.
In the study, The State of Online Gaming – 2019, conducted by Limelight Network, research revealed that video game streaming sites such as Twitch and YouTube Gaming are becoming increasingly popular especially among young gamers aged 18-25. They spend 77 percent more time watching online gaming than traditional sports on television, and gamers 26-35 spending nearly the same amount of time watching online gaming as broadcast sports.
Julius saw its massive potential and he took the opportunity to try streaming to test out his ideas.
"I decided to try streaming because I want to know if I can survive on that kind of platform. I'm good at mentoring other people and I would like to see if my advice would be applicable to myself."
"Before, streamers were mostly doing it for their passion to the craft. I witnessed how the streaming industry started and grew. Most of them are engaged in streaming not solely for the money. The community was very supportive and helping one another," Julius said.
"When I left Twitch in November 2018, I missed the 'Banoobs personality' as a gamer. I missed the trash talking in the computer shop, the fun side of it and being a competitive gamer."
"I just missed the memories of playing online games. Where no one is judging you because you are only expressing your gamer self. That time I did not mind if I would have viewers. I just want to relish the moment and create memories worth remembering."
Julius just wanted to be true to his roots so he played various games, notably League of Legends (LoL) , DOTA2 and Ragnarok M Eternal Love.
"One of my motivations why I started streaming was for entertainment and to show off my abilities. It's your own show. I believe it gets hard if you are used to reading scripts. The gamers are smart enough to smell if you're faking it or into hard selling. That's why some content creators had short careers. Just believe in your abilities and be true to yourself."
Julius' content creator friends inspired him in so many ways. He started live streaming on his Facebook profile. He was just boss hunting in Ragnarok M Eternal Love because of his boredom and wants to flex his game. "Surprisingly, a lot of my friends saw my stream and encouraged me to create a Facebook page. I created it on November 28, 2018, and that's it. I met new friends that became part of my gaming life."
Julius always rewatched his streamed videos to see whether his content is performing well. He would try to cross post it to other platforms. He also wanted to know the areas that he can improve on for his content.
Julius shared great nuggets of advice for people who want to venture into streaming. He emphasized the need to know the market first and to understand how viewership works. As he said, online streaming is a competition – a survival-of-the-fittest type of environment. He also reiterated the importance of building a supportive community and knowing how to engage them properly. Most importantly, an aspiring streamer should know how to sell his/herself to that community.
"Don't just judge a streamer based on how he/she expresses his/herself. I've seen streamers working really hard to reach their status now. Instead, learn to appreciate and respect them. Just learn from their experience," he said.
"Always believe in yourself first. People would know if you don't have confidence in yourself. Don't be discouraged if you have a small number of views. Everything starts within yourself. You can't please everybody. But if you focus on your vision and goal, no one can stop you."
Tired of having a lose streak in ML's ranked mode? Then try Sweet Crossing now. Moonton's Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was a huge success of being the best MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) on both Android and Ios, making it one of the most competitive Esports in the Philippines. During this quarantine, Moonton unexpectedly released a casual yet relaxing game for android, the Sweet Crossing: Snake io. This game is already released on Play Store.
Sweet Crossing has over a million downloads, the game just released weeks ago (September 4, 2020) and surprisingly it mage a huge hit. If you open Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, you can see the game, and after clicking you will be redirected to Play Store.
Features
Sweet Crossing is only 44mb of size, it only requires android 4.1 and up, and it is totally free of charge. The game will let you play with simple joystick controls and a smooth gaming experience. You can choose from adorable animal characters and a bunch of cute skins.
The game currently has no lag issues, so you can play it smoothly in your phone, you grow by eating sweets that are not hard to find, you might find the game competitive since it is an io game. While playing Sweet Crossing , you should go look for sweet, to buff up and get a higher score. Just like Slither io, you need to get enemies to crash them into you, and then swallowing their remains. The bigger the animal crashing to you, the higher score you get.
Just like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang you can unlock adorable skins that you can use in the game. A game to remove your boredom and tiredness. If you are having troubles with your connections, you can play Sweet Crossing even without network. The game is very friendly to players and has a fair game pace. The graphics is really cool and If find it very friendly for players who have poor eyesight. The game features battery saving and HFR mode, so it won't take much of your battery.
Gets a boosts from top corporate partners, Kalaro a digital esports platform, will be launching on October 12, 2020. It will be Asia's fist fully-integrated end-to-end Esports online platform that was created by an internationally-experienced team of Filipino tech experts.
The-AsiaGroup.com Inc. officially announced also its alliances from top corporate brands namely National Computer Systems (NCS) of Singapore, ERNI from Switzerland, and local companies Union Bank of the Philippines, DragonPay, GCash and Globe Labs.
On its launch in October, the nationwide online sign-up will be made available to Esports fans and players. Interested gamers can join Kalaro using their mobile number, Facebook, Twitch, Razer, or Google accounts.
"We are thrilled to finally unveil Kalaro to be the catalyst in rapidly developing world-class Filipino Esports talents. With the incredible support we are getting from our partners and the gaming community, we're excited to realize the synergy Kalaro will create among corporate brands and more than 30+ million Esports enthusiasts in the Philippines," said Renalyn B. David, Board of Directors Member of The-AsiaGroup.com Inc./ Pnex Int'l Corporation.
NCS handles the technology cloud infrastructure to ensure that Kalaro is globally available to all Filipinos 24/7. They also handle the various integration requirements of Kalaro so that it can connect online to all other apps like Facebook, GCash, DragonPay, Twitch, and other 3rd-party systems.
On the other hand, ERNI is responsible for the design of the User Interface (UI) and overall User Experience (UX); translating these designs into actual working systems for Kalaro users to enjoy. Together with the in-house tech experts of The-AsiaGroup.com, Kalaro has achieved the global standards in software (app) design and development.
"Kalaro was able to capture the aspirations of all the eSports stakeholders and present it in a creatively designed User Interface (UI) which results in a fun, easy to use and with a comprehensive set of features fitting to the demands of tech-savvy millennials and Gen Zs," said David Nithyananthan, Co-Founder of The-AsiaGroup.com Inc./Pnex Int'l Corporation.
The digital platform also paves the way for corporate brands to collaborate with Kalaro's stakeholders. They can have storefronts inside Kalaro to enable them to promote and sell their products online to Kalaro users. Brands can also sponsor gamers, streamers, teams and leagues. Kalaro members can electronically transact 24/7 anywhere around the globe. This e-wallet feature of Kalaro is powered by Union Bank of the Philippines, DragonPay, GCash, and Globe Labs.
On its launch in October, the nationwide online sign-up will be made available to Esports fans and players. Interested gamers can join Kalaro using their mobile number, Facebook, Twitch, Razer, or Google accounts.
"We at Pnex Int'l Corporation are both proud and excited to launch our Esports platform, initially, to the Filipino gaming community. The more than 30 million Filipino gamers are a huge market and Kalaro will surely be their gaming companion. Our team has done an incredible job in creating a world-class product we Filipinos can all be very proud of," said Marvin Alberto, President of Pnex Int'l Corporation.
The timeliness of Kalaro seems to be in perfect alignment with the need to boost the Philippine economy. Kalaro can mobilize the 30+ million Filipinos gamers market for some economic activities which would give jobs to corporate brands who will focus on this market segment, create work-from-home opportunities for streamers & gamers, spark some consumer spending and at the same time hone future Esports world champions!
Among us has been one of the most trending games today, yet Among Us isn't actually a new game, it was released on 2018 by Innersloth (the developers of Henry Stickmin). Among Us is like a Space Version of Mafia, where you can be a secretive killer or a useful crew . You can play Among Us with your friends or a random group online. Among Us is a game where you might lose your friends, because you will learn how to be a compelling liar, and lying might be necessary if you are the Impostor. Being an Impostor is being the most essential person on the game.
Best Time to Sabotage
This might be one of the problems that Impostors encounter. The Impostor should go first to their designated fake tasks, while standing near fake tasks, sabotage the Comms or the O2, then secretly blend with the crew and fake that you are helping them fix the sabotaged area. Also make sure that when you vent, there are no one near.
Make a Clean Kill
Making a Clean Kill might be hard to players that are new to Among Us. If you ever feel free from everyone and when the coast is clear, then it's time to eliminate them, go near an innocent crew and click kill to eliminate them, the next step is to vent and always make sure that the coast is clear before you unvent.
The crew you eliminated will become a ghost that can spectate everyone, but don't worry, other crews will not hear their screaming voices on the in game chat. It's either the crew will be reported or an emergency meeting will be started, at this time, it will be announced to everyone, that the traitor is active. Join their in game chat, the simplest way to cleanse your suspicious activity is by asking the where and who. Don't start blaming until innocent crew starts to blame each other. Keep in mind that you cannot eliminate them fast, as their is a long cooldown of the kill button, hosts decides the kill time, voting time, etc.
Venting Guide
After you make a kill it will be suspicious if someone sees you leave a room and then find a body, you will be the suspect if this happens. However, you can jump on vents and stay their until they find the body, crews won't be able to know you are there and then you can blend in back with the crew.
Watch out before you unvent, impostor's are usually caught unventing, so make sure you unvent on a place where crew's don't usually go.
Act Innocent while Voting
A body is found or the emergency button is pressed, at this time you will need to vote someone so you can eliminate them. While voting you can open the chat button. Just act innocent and blend with their accusations to other innocent crews. Never vote first, that will make you even more suspicious, wait for the perfect timing and then vote.
The new graphics card from NVIDIA finally landed globally, and NVIDIA lined up an bundled AAA title together with these graphics card. If you purchase any of the GeForce RTX 30 Series, you'll get a free PC Digital Download of Watch Dogs Legion and in-game items.
Note: This guide will only work for graphics card that are purchased from the Philippines. Game code is only offered when you purchase the qualifying graphics card from September 17, 2020 until October 29, 2020 or while supplies last.
Qualified NVIDIA Graphics Card
Here are the complete list of qualified graphics card that can redeem the FREE games with any brand.
GeForce RTX 3090 / GeForce RTX 3090 Desktop
GeForce RTX 3080 / GeForce RTX 3080 Desktop
GeForce RTX 3070 / GeForce RTX 3070 Desktop
How to Get the FREE Watch Dogs Legion Code
First, you need to register your graphics card with the participating brands. You need a photo of the Serial Number and its invoice to get a redeem code. Below are the list of brand redeem page where you can register your RTX 30 series graphics card.
You only need to enter the Serial Number, Country, Purchase Date, photo copy of Serial Number and Invoice. Make sure to fill up the name and email, this is where you'll get the code for the game.
How to Redeem the Code
To redeem the free games, you need to install the Graphics card into your PC.
Update to the latest driver and latest version of GeForce Experience. It should be v3.18 or higher.
Open GeForce Experience app then login your NVIDIA account.
At the top right corner, go to Account > Redeem.
The code will expired on November 30, 2020 or while supplies last. So make sure to redeem the code once you've obtained it.
Sony has announced the official retail price of its next gen PlayStation during the digital showcase event early this morning. As expected, the price is closed to XBOX Series X priced and the other variant with the same specs except for Blu-ray disc is less $100. The PlayStation 5 Standard Edition (Based) are priced at $499 (PHP 24,155), while the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition priced at $399 (PHP 19,300).
It will be available on the United States, Japan, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea on November 12 and to the rest of the world on November 19th.
However, the official price is solely for United States and it doesn't include taxes and shipping fees for other country. The price will be different when officially landed in the Philippines. But, when you order this console online like in Amazon or eBay and shipped to the Philippines, our estimate total cost will be PHP 30,170 for Standard Edition and PHP 24,335 for Digital Edition including Duty and VAT. That's if you're lucky enough to get a stock during the release date because of the hype ongoing with the new console.
Sample breakdown when ordering the product from United States to the Philippines.
PlayStation 5 (Standard Edition)
Based Price: PHP 24,155 ($499)
Estimated Duty & VAT: PHP 2,924
Shipping Fee: PHP 3,091
Total: PHP 30,170
PlayStation 5 (Digital Edition)
Based Price: PHP 19,300 ($399)
Estimated Duty & VAT: PHP 2,342
Shipping Fee: PHP 2,693
Total: PHP 24,335
Note, the prices above didn't include storage fee from custom and other miscellaneous.
PlayStation 5 Specification
Also, there are rumored specs circulating online on what supposed to be the specification of PlayStation 5. Here are the specs similar to the upcoming Radeon RX 6000 series graphics card.
CPU: x86-64-AMD Ryzen "Zen 2," 8 Cores / 16 Threads, Variable frequency, up to 3.5 GHz
GPU: AMD Radeon RDNA 2-based graphics engine, Ray Tracing Acceleration, Variable frequency, up to 2.23 GHz (10.3 TFLOPS)
Sony just announced an upcoming showcase event next week for their next-gen console, PlayStation 5. Surprisingly, the promo image included in the announcement teases us the Black Version of the console, making us curious – if they changed their mind and include this variant during the launch this year.
UPDATE as of September 12, 2020 at 11:18PM: Unfortunately, the teases promo image is not a Black variant after all. It is just a shadow, we tried increasing the brightness in Photoshop and it shows the original white version.
Sony wants to give their fans one more look at some of the great games that will be coming to the PS5 launch. The digital showcase event will be lasts for about 40 minutes and features updates on the latest titles from Worldwide Studious and their world-class development partners.
The event will be lived on Twitch or YouTube next week, Wednesday, September 16 at 1pm PDT. In the Philippines, that's Thursday, September 17 at 4:00AM (Manila, Philippine Time).