Here are all the comic & video game references in the DC movie. We’ll be talking about the whole film, so here’s your spoiler warning:

Green Lantern Insert

The opening credits of Blue Beetle had a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, featuring a green light flashing at the Scarab. Yeah, any moment now with a new Green Lantern entry, Warner Bros.

Palmera City

Superman has Metropolis; Blue Beetle/Jaime Reyes has Palmera City. This version of the comic book city is a Florida with a huge distinct rich/poor class dynamic.

Daily Planet & LexCorp

Even with Metropolis far away, Palmera City has many, many ads for the Daily Planet and LexCorp. Daily Planet is the news publication Clark Kent/Superman works for, while LexCorp is a tech conglomerate owned by his nemesis Lex Luthor.

Classic Blue Beetle Suits

So yeah, there is a Ted Kord in the film. See, he’s been missing in the film, presumed dead at this point. Jaime, Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine), and Rudy Reyes (George Lopez) ended up at Ted’s secret lair underneath his mansion. There, you can see his gadgets and also all three Blue Beetle classic suits. Yep, old-school Blue Beetle’s in the film alright, with the gadgets and the flying Blue Beetle vehicle: the Bug!

They also found out that the first Blue Beetle who bonded with the Scarab is one Dan Garrett. He’s the first Blue Beetle in the 60s. In the film, he got help from Ted Kord in the bonding process.

The Power Glove

One of Ted Kord’s gadgets is a modified Power Glove (made by Mattel for the NES console in the 90s) complete with a shield and giant fist for defense and offense. Jaime’s sister Milagro Reyes (Belissa Escobedo) uses this in the climactic battle.

Final Fantasy VII’s Buster Sword & Limit Break

This one’s in the trailer as well, but there’s a follow-up in the final movie.

Jaime uses the sword in the fight against the bad guy Carapax (Raoul Max Trujillo). Jaime also performs Blade Beam as one of his attacks, a level 2 Limit Break move Cloud uses in Final Fantasy VII.

Scorpion’s Harpoon

Jamie while in Blue Beetle form says “get over here” as he drags main bad guy Carapax to him for the final battle. That’s a Mortal Kombat reference; Scorpion says this when he confirms his Harpoon move.

Blue Beetle Post-Credits: Sequel Bait

At the end of the movie when all is said and done -Jaime defeats the evil corporation and gets the girl- the movie cuts to the Kord hideout. After the song “All Out Of Love” by Air Supply plays for a short bit, we get a message stating that Ted Kord is alive.

We doubt a sequel is going to happen given the new DC Universe’s shift to a new continuity, but who knows? It really depends on how Blue Beetle does in the next few weeks at the box office.

If Blue Beetle does end up doing well enough at the box office, we might be able to see the debut of another iconic DC hero soon; Booster Gold. Back in February 2023, James Gunn already confirmed that a Booster Gold TV series is part of the first phase of the upcoming DC Universe (DCU) reboot.

Since that’s the case, it’s possible that the voice in the first post-credits scene of Blue Beetle isn’t Ted Kord himself, but actually Booster Gold instead. That’s because he’s saying “Ted Kord is alive”, and it’s rare that someone would refer to themselves in the third person. If it was Ted Kord himself, he would have said that “I’m alive.” or something to that effect.

In the comics, Booster Gold is the best friend of Ted Kord Blue Beetle ever since their Justice League International days. When Ted Kord died before the events of Infinite Crisis, Booster Gold even tried to go back in time and try to bring him back to life. That could be the case in the Blue Beetle post-credits scene as well; perhaps Booster Gold have been searching for Ted Kord all this time and has found him, but now he needs help in the journey so that’s why he left the voice recording in the Blue Beetle cave.

That being said, Gran Turismo is just the latest of many racing or car-focused movies throughout the history of pop culture. Cars have been the subject of many movies, even ones that don’t necessarily focus on racing themes or elements. For this feature in particular, we will bring up

Need For Speed (Game To Movie)

Based on the hit EA series back in the 2000s onward, this game is about fast cars, getting chased by cops for breaking the speed limit and tweaking out your cars so you can vroom vroom as fast as you can. It’s quite a fun series if you stick to the ones involving police chases and fast cars; the simulation-wannabe spin-offs we can do without (*coughSHIFTcough)

The Need For Speed movie stars Aaron Paul and is trying to be a Fast and Furious movie, but really flops on its face for being a dull and predictable factory-churned-action film. Everyone here was just doing it for a paycheck and there’s not much of this movie that wows and stand out for many viewers. At the very least, the director put the Ford Shelby Mustang and Koenigsegg Agera R cars (alongside other fast fancy vehicles) to good use.

Meanwhile, the games are doing OK; the last entry back in 2022, Need For Speed Unbound, mixed Instagram/Tik Tok aesthetics with street racing. It ain’t half-bad; we just wished EA gave it the marketing push it deserved.

Speed Racer (Anime To Live-Action Movie)

Based on the hit 70s anime series, this show features a guy named Speed Racer who fights crime while racing in crazy series in made-up locations all over the world. It clearly hasn’t held up over time, but it’s still a riot to watch because of how rooted it is in its timeline.

The Wachowski-directed film in 2008 is full of anime energy and is as faithful an adaptation as you can get. Naturally, it failed at the box office because the movie-going crowd at the time wasn’t really into any form of anime, much less live adaptations of it. Thankfully the film had a cult following and is beloved by movie fans and anime aficionados because of its direction, its breakneck speed, its quirky cast, and over-the-top nature. Long before Alita: Battle Angel proved that Hollywood adaptations of anime shows can be great, Speed Racer was ahead of its time.

Mad Max: Fury Road (Movie To Game)

We’re going in reverse here. The George Miller-directed film is a long-ass car chase scene that enthrals and excites due to its direction, its visuals, and its simple-but-captivating plot with our titular hero Mad Max in the middle. Mad Max: Fury Road is essentially a giant-ass chase sequence, but one told with style, panache, and depth.

The game based on the film is a pretty fun open-world action-adventure title with a ton of driving and destruction; it sadly wasn’t in the critic’s darling eye as it was in a year dominated by bigger titles like The Witcher 3. Still, the Mad Max game eventually found its fan and is still played a lot to this day; at least the PC version. It’s going for RM38 right now and it’s a steal for what you’re getting. 

Initial D (Manga/Anime To Arcade Game)

Here’s one more entry in reverse gear: the manga/anime series Initial D gets a plethora of video game adaptations, thanks to renowned arcade machine makers Sega.

When you think early 2000s, anime, and racing, you think Initial D and nothing else. The Japanese manga about street racing from Suichi Shigeno has an anime adaptation, or a boatload of them, which introduces people to the wonderful world of eurobeat long before Eurovision. The show and movie adaptations are generally a love letter to the Toyota AE86 (Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX from the late 80s).

The games themselves are no slouches in the racing department: they’re pure arcade racing fun if you’re into driving on narrow cliffside roads and having eurobeats blasting into your ear for the duration of the course. It’s hard to believe that it got its start in 1998 for Game Boy, before Sega stepped in and gave it the arcade racing magic treatment it deserves.

Twisted Metal (Game To TV Show)

The most recent entry in the “car game to film/TV” adaptation list has to be Sony’s own car combat racing title, Twisted Metal.

The PS1 Twisted Metal and Twisted Metal 2 were breakthrough multiplayer action games where you pick your vehicle of choice, go nuts and kill everyone on screen, and even play through a story mode involving a shady guy who can make your dreams come true. But most of us during the late 90s just played it for the multiplayer hardcore version of Mario Kart battle mode on split-screen; it was the coolest thing to do at the time.

The TV show that came out this year on NBC Peacock doesn’t really delve into that, though it touches on cars, vehicle destruction, and a maniacal clown named Sweet Tooth who drives a souped-up ice cream truck. And even that spiel doesn’t last beyond the first few episodes based on our review. 

Got any more adaptations to bring up? Are there any that are stuck in your mind? Let us know on our social media and YouTube page. Meanwhile, you should go check out our ode to racing games on our recent Main Game episode.

Esports group Gamers8 are back with a big US$1 million prize pool for its winners, with the tournament taking place in Saudi Arabia. The Street Fighter 6 esports tournament features players like Xian (who reps Secretlab), EVO 2023 SF6 winner AngryBird, MenaRD, Punk, Kakeru, OilKing, and many more!

How To Watch Gamers8 Street Fighter 6 Tournament

Gamers8 Street Fighter 6 Results

1. Ibushigin|Kakeru (JP)
2. NASR|AngryBird (Ken)
3. FLY|Punk (Cammy)
4. NASR|BigBird (Marisa)
5. Bandits|MenaRD (Luke, Blanka)
5. BLG|DCQ (JP)
7. SR|NuckleDu (Guile, Cammy)
7. BLG|Vxbao (JP, Ken)

The best weapons for your party are usually hidden or at the end of the game’s many tricky puzzles and complicated sidequests. Here’s how you can find them all, along with the solutions that come along with it.

Disclaimer: this list will be updated periodically as we find more new gear in our playthroughs.

The Blood of Lathander

Weapon type: Mace
Lathander’s Blessing: Once per long rest, when your hit points are reduced to zero, you regain 2-12 hitpoints. Allies within nine metres regain 1-6 hit points.
Lathander’s Light: Sheds holy light in a six metre radius. In combat, fiends and undead standing in the light are blinded, unless they pass a constitution save.
Bound Spells: Sunbeam

How To Find: Rosymorn Monastery in the Mountain Pass; check Creche Y’llek and below the region. YOu have to head to the Inquisitor’s chamber and solve a few puzzles along the way. Best for Clerics like Shadowheart, and very useful in the mandatory Shadow-Cursed Lands area.

Mask Of The Shapeshifter

Gear Type: Helmet
Bound Spell: Shapeshift

How To Find: DLC from the Deluxe Edition of the game. Shapeshift can be useful for the early game.

Selune’s Spear of Night

Weapon Type: Spear
Selune’s Blessing: You gain advantage on wisdom saving throws and perception checks.
Darkvision: You can see in the dark up to 12 metres.
Bound Spells: Moonbeam and Moonmote

How To Find: Near the end of Act 2 in the Nightsong quest. You will need to get the Spear of Night in the Silent Library (Druid Grove). To get the upgrade, you need to save Nightsong and Shadowheart. Great for warriors and fighters, especially its Moonbeam power.

Shar’s Spear of Evening

Weapon Type: Spear
Shar’s Blessing: You gain an advantage on saving throws while Lightly or Heavily Obscured. This weapon deals an additional 1d6 to creatures that are similarly obscured.
Blind Immunity: Cannot be blinded.
Bound Spells: Shar’s Darkness

How To Find: You need the Spear of Night in the Silent Library. You get this near the end of Act 2 when you get Shadowheart to kill the Nightsong. A great weapon that has general buffs while you’re in darkness.

Nyrulna

Weapon Type: Trident
Zephyr Connection: This weapon will return to your hand when thrown. You cannot be forced to drop the trident. When thrown, the weapon creates an explosion that deals 3-12 thunder damage in a six-metre blast.
Veil of the Wind: You gain +3 metre bonus to movement speed and jump distance. Equipping this weapon gives you immunity to fall damage.
Nyrulna Glowing: This object shines with a glowing light in a radius of six metres.

How To Find: The wind truly rises with this trident that’s great for fighter and warrior classes. This trident is at the Circus of Last Days near Rivington in Act 3 onward. You need to outwit Akabi the Djinni to win his game of wheel of fortune.

To do this, you need to pickpocket his magic ring and then spin the wheel; it’s what he uses to rig the game. He will then get angry and teleport you into a jungle full of monsters. Find the portal to get out, then you’ll find Nyrulna.

Crimson Mischief

Weapon Type: Shortsword
Prey Upon The Weak: This weapon deals an additional 1-4 piercing damage against targets below 50% HP.
Redvein Savary (Main Hand): When you make an attack with advantage, you deal 7 additional piercing damage.
Crimson Weapon (Off Hand): When you make an attack with your off-hand weapon, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the attack.

How To Get: Defeat Orin in the Temple of Bhaal in the Undercity in Act 3. To gain access to the temple, you need to follow the questline around investigating the murders in the city. One-half of a shortsword and dagger pair; find the other to unleash this weapon’s full potential.

Bloodthirst

Weapon Type: Dagger
Improved Critical: The number you need to roll a Critical Hit while attacking is reduced by 1. This effect can stack.
Exploit Weakness (main hand): Creatures hit with this weapon receive vulnerability to piercing damage.
True Strike Riposte (off hand): When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can retaliate and gain True Strike.
Bound Spells: True Strike

How To Get: Defeat Orin in the Temple of Bhaal in the Undercity in Act 3. This dagger goes great with the Crimson Mischief above.

Viconia’s Walking Fortress

Weapon Type: Shield
Rebuke the Mighty: When a foe hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to deal 2-8 force damage and knock it prone unless it succeeds a Dexterity check.
Spellguard: You gain advantage on saving throws against spells. Spell attack rolls against you have disadvantage.
Bound Spells: Reflective Shell and Warding Guard

How To Get: You can get this shield from Viconia (of Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate 2) in the House of Grief in the Lower City during Act 3. If you’re following Shadowheart’s quest, you may have to fight her and the Cult of Shar, so good luck. The shield is pretty darn good and great for Clerics like Shadowheart.

Markoheshkir

Weapon Type: Quarterstaff
Arcane Enhancement: You gain a +1 to Spell Save DC and spell attack rolls.
Arcane Battery: The next spell you cast when this is toggled active doesn’t consume a spell slot.
Bound spells: Kereska’s Favour

How To Get: This spellcasting-focused staff is found in Ramazith’s Tower in the Lower City. If you’re doing the Nightsong quest, you’ll come across this staff. Head to Sorcerous Sundries as part of the quest, then through the portal to the tower where Lorakkan the wizard lives.  Use the “Below” button on the lower floor of the tower to transport to where this is protected by a barrier. Pull the lever and pass an Arcana check to unlock it.

The actor is well-known for his role as iconic character Pee-wee Herman from shows like Pee-wee’s Playhouse and the 1985 film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, directed by Tim Burton.

He also starred in films like Mystery Men and Blow back in the 90s, alongside TV show appearances in 30 Rock and The Blacklist. The official social media post concerning his death is below: 

“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”

Rest in peace, Paul Reubens.

Love you so much, Paul. One in all time. Thank you for my career & your forever friendship all these years & for teaching us what a true original is. ????? #PaulReubens #PeeWeeHerman ?? pic.twitter.com/GMcBaEgWix

— natasha lyonne (@nlyonne) July 31, 2023

“I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”- Paul Reubens
We loved you right back, Paul… & can't thank you enough for the lifetime of laughter!#RIP pic.twitter.com/u7Ycx0SbTw

— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) July 31, 2023

Rest in peace to Paul Reubens, best known for Pee-wee, and the voice of Reuben from Chowder. Our childhood thanks you for all the joy and laughter ?? pic.twitter.com/cvPtBJX0ZI

— Cartoon Network (@cartoonnetwork) July 31, 2023

We absolutely loved Paul Reubens! Whether he was delighting audiences as the iconic Pee-wee Herman or being given the “Honorary Muppet Award” in Muppet Magazine in 1987, he brought a burst of joy, creativity, and laughter everywhere he went. pic.twitter.com/eMMNWg7QeY

— The Muppets (@TheMuppets) July 31, 2023

Paul Reubens was like no one else – a brilliant and original comedian who made kids and their parents laugh at the same time. He never forgot a birthday and shared his genuine delight for silliness with everyone he met. My family and I will miss him.

— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) July 31, 2023

 

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Double Dragon Gaiden can be really tough, especially when you get to the later Missions where enemies are powered up to kingdom come. Here are some tips to help you get ahead.

Double Dragon Gaiden Combat Guide

Know your main characters

Here’s a breakdown of all the starter characters in Double Dragon Gaiden.

Billy Lee: Fast and fights with fast kicks. His Super Moves are a flying vertical knee that deals big damage, a dive kick that knocks down (do this super after a double jump), and the trademark Lee Brothers spin kick. He’s best if you’re just starting out in DD Gaiden.

Jimmy Lee: Slower than Billy but faster than Uncle Matin. Fights with his fists and hands. Has slightly slower attacks, but hits harder than Billy. His double jump ground pound can clear the room, but doesn’t give Special KO bonuses. His Super Moves are a multi-hit punch attack that hits forward, an anti-air uppercut, and a grab move that works on airborne foes.

Marian: The zoner of the group. Has low hit points but makes it up with long-range gunfire that keeps her away from enemies while she deals damage from afar. Her Super Moves include a rocket launcher (delayed startup but big blast radius that doesn’t hurt allies), her mine trap that detonates and pulls enemies within range, and a single-target long-reaching command grab. You can abuse her rocket launcher provided you get powerups that help keep your Super Meter stocked up.

Uncle Matin: The heavy fighter of the group. He has few combos, but he deals big damage and any enemy he knocks down with his normal combo ender and run attack can knock other enemies within range. He’s slow, but the run cancel method just makes him more mobile. His Super Moves include a running riot shield charge, a command grab that slams and deals area-of-effect damage, and an air grab. His riot shield charge super can be abusaeble if you can gain Super Meter via power-ups at the end of each level.

Run cancel after attacking. Always.

In Double Dragon Gaiden, each of the four main characters (and bonus ones you can unlock with Tokens) have a run button (Right Bumper on Xbox controller) and a run attack. Not only does this give you momentum in movement and allows you to do a run attack that usually knocks down enemies, but you can cancel any ground attack you do from a run. In order to make it far in a Double Dragon Gaiden playthrough, you will need to master the art of canceling any action into a run.

Just keep in mind that once you stop running, there will be a “brake” recovery period that lasts a second or less. Just make sure you stop at somewhere safe without enemies, because you can get counterattacked easily.

Tokens > Cash

When possible in a single playthrough, do try to amass as many tokens as possible. Tokens not only unlock collectibles like sweet DD music and lovely concept artwork, but also unlock additional characters you can use for future playthroughs.

Sub-bosses cost 10 Tokens, while Main Bosses (Lady Okada, Willy, Duke, Anubis) cost 25 Tokens. The ??? character costs 50 Tokens and is the most powerful of the lot.

However, if you rather unlock a good character earlier after a few runs, you should unlock the following characters first: Chin (fast rushdown character), Linda (long-ranged whip Supers), and Abobo (heavy bruiser with best AoE super with armour). 

Double Dragon Gaiden Walkthrough

This convention is one of the largest anime, comics, and gaming (ACG) events in Southeast Asia, bringing together thousands of comic book artists, cosplayers, game developers, Vtubers, illustrators, and fans.

In conjunction with its 15th-anniversary event, AniManGaki has been counting down to the main convention with two free entry roadshow events – Road to AniManGaki Johor (16th -18th June) at Sunway Big Box Retail Park and Road to AniManGaki Kuala Lumpur (3rd – 9th July) at Sunway Velocity Mall. These mini-events included ticket sales to AniManGaki 2023, cosplay competitions, live stage performances, anime vendors, special guest meetings, and more.

Fans who wish to purchase the tickets offline can purchase them at selected vendors across Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and even Johor. Here’s a list of where you can buy them:

SELANGOR & KUALA LUMPUR

JOHOR

Alternatively, fans can get their hands on the tickets via online. The online tickets are offered with two different tier packages: the 3-Day Event Set and the Super Gaki Pack. To learn more and to purchase, click Here.

Date, Time & Location

Date: 25 – 27 August 2023
Time: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Location: Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre (MIECC), Jalan Dulang, Mines Wellness City, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor

Activities

For those who are going, AniManGaki has yet to release a floor plan, public schedule, or special guests that will grace the convention. However, we do know some of the confirmed activities stated on their official Facebook page are as follows:

• Artist Valley
• Cosplay Alley
• Vtuber Showcase
• Game Tournaments
• Stage Performance
• Exhibitors
• Carnival Games
• Live Stage Performances
• Special Guests
• Cosplay Competition
• AniManGaki Idol
• Art Competition
• Exhibits

Artist Valley

Count on spending extra money this year because there will be more than 200 talented artists showcasing their artworks for fans to purchase. A detailed booth directory plan has been released, showing where each artist will be located at each station, starting from row A to H. Check out which of your favourite “doujinshi” (artist) will be stationed where!

Row A01 – A38

Row B01 – B38

Row C01 – C38

Row D01 – D38

Row E01 – E37

Row F01 – F37

Row G01 – G20

Row H01 – H20

Cosplay Valley

A total of 77 cosplayers have been selected to be part of AniManGaki 2023! Check out the cosplay booth directory plan and the full list of cosplayers that will be attending the event:

Special Guests

What can fans expect this year? AniManGaki’s Facebook page says they will have “more jaw-dropping news coming.” As of now, they have revealed the first guest, and we’ll update this page as more guests are to be announced.

HAKKEN

A world-renowned cosplayer, model and Tokyo Tourism Ambassador, Hakken is a Malaysian-based cosplayer that specializes in portraying beautiful male anime characters with intracity and flair. Having amounting millions of followers across social media platforms, Hakken is synonymous to cosplay royalty and is known beyond the industry.

Vtubers

Vtuber fans, it’s time to rejoice as a whopping 100 Malaysian Vtubers will be joining this year’s AniManGaki! These talents will be located on the Upper Mezzanine floor of the AniManGaki hall. Talents will be divided into two separate groups called Featured Vtubers (FV) and Vtuber Spotlight (VS).

Check out the selected Vtubers and their respective booth for this year’s rendition:

FEATURED VTUBERS

BOOTH VF01 – VF08

BOOTH VF09 – VF16

BOOTH VF17 – VF24

BOOTH VF25 – VF28

VTUBER SPOTLIGHT

BOOTH VS01 – VS08

BOOTH VS09 – VS16

BOOTH VS17 – VS24

BOOTH VS25 – VS32

BOOTH VS33 – VS40

BOOTH VS41 – VS48

BOOTH VS49 -VS56

BOOTH VS57 – VS64

 BOOTH VS65 – VS71

Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more updates or follow Animangaki’s official Facebook page and Twitter.

Diablo 4 has started its first-ever Season, a limited-time game mode where you start over with a new character and get perks and bonuses exclusive for the 3-month-or-so event. Similar to Diablo 3’s Seasons, you’ll be given new mechanics and gimmicks to play around with that’s exclusive to the Season.

Season 1’s theme is called Season of the Malignant, where you get new power-ups called Malignant Hearts and you slot them to your amulets and rings for exclusive powerups. The Season also comes with a Battle Pass with its own rewards as you level up and progress with a new character (or two), as well as special ways to quickly level up than in the game’s regular mode (Eternal Realm).

Here’s a guide on how Malignant Hearts work and each class build that works in this Season. Disclaimer: since the event literally just started today, this guide will be updated periodically.

Diablo 4 Season Of The Malignant General Guide

The main mechanic of this Season is to seek out Malignant Monsters -new types of Elites. Kill them and steal their hearts to socket them into your Jewelry (Rings, Amulets). Here’s a step-by-step:

1. Find a Malignant Monster. They’re found everywhere on the map, but more common in Malignant Tunnels.
2. Kill it to drop a Malignant Heart.
3. Use Cage of Binding (this is automatic once you’ve done the Story Quest for the Season). This spawns a more difficult version of the Malignant Monster.
4. Collect the Caged Heart that drops after you kill it.

There are 32 different Caged Hearts you can collect. These powers dramatically change your builds for your class. They come in four categories: Devious Hearts, Vicious Hearts, Brutal Hearts, and Wrathful Hearts.

Colored Caged Hearts have one effect and can only go in the respective coloured sockets on Jewelry:

• Brutal: Blue
• Vicious: Orange
• Devious: Pink

Wrathful Hearts can fit in any socket and have special powerful effects. They are rare, but more powerful.

Keep in mind: Caged Hearts CANNOT be unsocketed. You can replace them with better ones as you find stronger Hearts though.

Malignant Heart Crafting Guide

You can craft your own Heart through the Season-specific crafting table that’s found in Kyovashad (the Fractured Peaks’ town hub).

Creating a random Heart of a specific type costs 35 Ichor of the other two primary-colored Hearts. Example: To create a Vicious Heart, you need 35 Brutal Ichor and 35 Devious Ichor. The specific Heart you craft will always be for your specific Class or Class-agnostic.

Diablo 4 Malignant Hearts List

All Classes

Vicious

Caged Heart of the Picana (Offensive): Critical Strikes electrically charge the enemy for [1.25-3] seconds, causing lightning to arc between them and any other charged enemies dealing [8-2,419] Lightning damage.

Caged Heart of the Dark Dance (Offensive, World Tier 3): Every 5 seconds while above 60% Life, Core Skills cost [6 – 1,210] Life instead of your Primary Resource. Skills that consume Life deal [12 – 22]% increased damage.

Caged Heart of Tempting Fate (Offensive, World Tier 3): You gain [45 – 65]%[+] Critical Strike Damage but your Non-Critical Strikes deal [20 – 25]%[x] less damage.

Brutal

Caged Heart of the Lionheart (Brutal, Defensive): You gain 11%[+] Barrier Generation. You heal [0-121] Life per second while you have an active barrier.

Caged Heart of Revenge (Brutal, Defensive,World Tier 3): [10.0 – 20.0]% of incoming damage is instead suppressed. When you use a Defensive, Subterfuge or a Macabre skill, all suppressed damage is amplified by 250%[x] and explodes, dealing up to [200 – 42,340] Fire damage to Nearby enemies.

Caged Heart of the Prudent Heart (Brutal, Defensive, World Tier 3): You become Immune for [2.0 – 4.0] seconds after you lose more than 20% Life in a single hit. This effect can only occur once every 100 seconds.

Devious

Caged Heart of Determination (Utility): Resource-draining effects are [50 – 60]%[+] less effective. In addition, gain [3.0 – 8.0]%[x] increased Resource Generation.

Caged Heart of Retaliation (Utility, World Tier 3): Deal [64 – 12,702] Fire damage to surrounding enemies whenever a Crowd Control effect is removed from you.

Caged Heart of the Calculated (Utility, World Tier 3): After spending [150 – 200] of your Primary Resource, your next attack Stuns enemies hit for 1 seconds.

Wrathful

Caged Heart of the Malignant Pact (Super):  Cycle through a Malignant bonus every 20 kills.
Vicious: Gain 21%[+] Attack Speed.
Devious: Core and Basic Skills have a 16% chance to fully restore your Primary Resource.
Brutal: Every 20 seconds, gain a Barrier absorbing [10 – 1,815] damage.

Caged Heart of Creeping Death (Super): Your damage over time effects are increased by [32.0 – 42.0]%[x] for each different Crowd Control effect on the target. Unstoppable monsters and Staggered bosses instead take [114 – 134]%[x] increased damage from your damage over time effects.

Caged Heart of The Barber (Super, World Tier 3): Critical Strikes and all subsequent damage within [2.0 – 4.0] seconds is absorbed by your target. Then, the absorbed damage erupts onto surrounding enemies. Stored damage is increased by 11%[x] per second.

Specific Classes

Barbarian

Caged Heart of Focused Rage (Vicious, Offensive): After spending [60 – 100] Fury within 2 seconds, your next Non-Basic Skill’s Critical Strike Chance is increased by [22 – 32]%[x]. (Barbarian Only)

Caged Heart of Resurgent Life (Brutal, Defensive): While below [40 – 60]% Life you receive [52 – 62]%[+] more Healing from all sources. (Barbarian Only)

Caged Heart of Punishing Speed (Devious, Utility): Your Skills have a [22-32]% chance to Knock Down all enemies for 1.25 seconds when that Skill’s Attack Speed is higher than [20 – 35]%. (Barbarian Only)

Caged Heart of Ignoring Pain (Wrathful, Super, World Tier 4): Incoming damage has a [5 – 15]% chance of being ignored and instead Healing you for [2 – 1,270]. (Barbarian Only)

Druid

Caged Heart of the Moonrage (Vicious, Offensive): Kills have a 6% chance to summon a Wolf Companion to your side for [20 – 30] second. In addition, gain +3 to Wolves. (Druid Only)

Caged Heart of the Agitated Winds (Brutal, Defensive): When [7 – 12] Close enemies, automatically cast Cyclone Armor. This cannot occur more than once every [10 – 20] seconds. (Druid Only)

Caged Heart of Inexorable Force (Devious, Utility): Up to [30 – 50] Distant enemies are pulled toward you while you have an Ultimate Skill active. (Druid Only)

Caged Heart of the Unconstrained Beast (Wrathful, Super, World Tier 4): When you are hit with a Stun, Freeze or Knock Down effect, there is a [40 – 60]% chance to automatically activate Grizzly Rage for 2 seconds. (Druid Only)

Necromancer

Caged Heart of the Sacrilegious (Vicious, Offensive): Walking near a Corpse automatically activates an equipped Corpse Skill every second, dealing [28 – 38]%[x] reduced damage. (Necromancer Only)

Caged Heart of the Decrepit Aura (Brutal, Defensive): When at least 4 enemies are near you, gain an aura that automatically curses surrounding enemies with Decrepify for [6 – 17] seconds. (Necromancer Only)

Caged Heart of Frozen Terror (Devious, Utility): Lucky Hit: Up to a [10 – 20]% chance of inflicting Fear for 2 seconds. Feared enemies are Chilled for 20% every second. (Necromancer Only)

Caged Heart of the Great Feast (Wrathful, Super, World Tier 4): Each Minion drains [1.0 – 2.0] Essence per second but deals [55 – 80]%[x] increased damage. With no Minions, this bonus applies to you and drains 5 Essence per second. (Necromancer Only)

Rogue

Caged Heart of Cluster Munitions (Vicious, Offensive): Lucky Hit: You have up to a 20% chance to launch 2 Stun Grenades that deal [1 – 1] Physical damage and Stun enemies for 0.50 seconds. (Rogue Only)

Caged Heart of Trickery (Brutal, Defensive): When you use a Subterfuge Skill, leave behind an unstable Shadow Decoy Trap that Taunts enemies. The Shadow Decoy Trap will explode after 5.5 seconds dealing [80 – 18,146] Shadow damage. Cannot occur more than once every 5 seconds. (Rogue Only)

Caged Heart of the Clipshot (Devious, Utility): Lucky Hit: Up to a [20 – 40]$ chance for your Cutthroat Skills to Slow by 40% for 4 seconds and your Marksman Skills to Knock Back enemies. (Rogue Only)

Caged Heart of the Vile Apothecary (Wrathful, Super, World Tier 4): Your attacks have a [5 – 15]% chance to apply all Imbuement effects at [50 – 60]%[x] of normal potency. (Rogue Only)

Sorcerer

Caged Heart of Tal’Rasha (Vicious, Offensive): For each unique element you deal damage with, you deal [7.0 – 12.0]%[x] increased damage for [2 – 8] seconds. (Sorcerer Only)

Caged Heart of Spellbreaking (Brutal, Defensive): After taking Elemental damage, gain [25 – 45]%[x] Resistance to that element for 6 seconds. (Sorcerer Only).

Caged Heart of Spite (Devious, Utility): When you are afflicted with a Crowd Control effect, there is a [20 – 40]% chance that the same enemy and enemies around you are also afflicted with the same effect for 2 seconds. (Sorcerer Only)

Caged Heart of Omnipower (Wrathful, Super, World Tier 4): Core Skills that launch a projectile consume all of your Mana. For every [35 – 45] extra Mana consumed, you launch an additional projectile and the damage is increased by [5.0 – 7.0]%[x]. (Sorcerer Only)

Both companies’ flagship titles won a slew of prestigious awards at this year’s Mobies Award 2023, a recently-established mobile gaming awards ceremony that recognizes surprise surprise, mobile gaming. The awards show is created by the team behind the Esports Awards, so that’s your prestige right there.

First up is Mobile Legends, the most-played MOBA in Southeast Asia. The game and developer Moonton won the Mobile Esports Tournament of the Year award -the Mobile Legends M4 World Championship to be precise. The award was received by Moonton Head of Public Relations Kelly Chiew; check out her award speech below.

What a well-deserved win. Congratulations @MobileLegendsOL!#MOBIES #MOBIES2023 pic.twitter.com/AEP3y6EDRI

— MOBIES (@mobiesawards) July 15, 2023

Here is the full list of awards Moonton won for its MOBA:

Other notable wins include Marvel Snap winning Breakthrough Game of the Year award, Playdead’s Limbo winning Mobile Indie Game of the Year, and Genshin Impact winning Mobile Game of the Year.

The winner of the Breakthrough Game of the Year award…@MARVELSNAP. Congratulations one more time.#MOBIES #MOBIES2023 pic.twitter.com/3mO8XpL2Aq

— MOBIES (@mobiesawards) July 15, 2023

The winner of Mobile Team of the Year is Echo, a Philippines team known for winning Mobile Legends tournaments worldwide. The Coverage Platform award for 2023 goes to Liquipedia.net. The Mobile Device of the Year award goes to the Red Magic 8 Pro, while Mobile Developer of the year goes to Lightspeed Studios.

Congratulations @echophilippines! #MOBIES #MOBIES2023 pic.twitter.com/olysAT2mYJ

— MOBIES (@mobiesawards) July 15, 2023

For more on the award show’s winner Genshin Impact, check out our features.

These are basically limited-time events (usually a minimum of 3 months) where you have to start a new character from scratch for that season, level up, and get exclusive rewards and power-ups from that Season. A good example is Diablo 3, where new Seasons mean new gameplay mechanics that help power up your characters to crazy heights and offer new ways to play, as well as exclusive gear up for grabs. There’s even a Battle Pass for this season, meaning you can reap more rewards for the next few months.

Here’s what you need to know about Diablo 4’s debut Season.

When is Diablo 4 Season 1 coming out?

The first season will be out on 21st July.

The launch times of Diablo 4 Season 1 are as follows :

20th July: 10 AM (PDT)

20th July: 10.30 PM (IST)

20th July: 7 PM (CEST)

20th July: 5PM (GMT)

20th July: 1PM (EDT)

21st July: 2AM (AEST)

The release for Malaysia is at 1am on the 21st of July.

What is Diablo 4 Season 1 about?

The season is called Season of the Malignant. Basically, there will be special Malignant Monsters roaming around Sanctuary. You can kill these powerful monsters for Malignant Hearts.

Players can then use a new item called the Cage of Unbinding on a Malignant Heart to summon a more powerful version of a Malignant Monster. Killing these will drop Caged Hearts, which you can use to socket into your weapons and armour.

“A deviant form of Lilith’s sinister machinations has given birth to a new threat, Malignant Monsters. These decaying abominations roam Sanctuary in a frenzy, mindlessly attacking anyone in range without hesitation. Wanderers will investigate this mysterious malady in a new Questline with the help of Cormond, a former priest of the Cathedral of Light, who also trains you to capture the Malignant Hearts fueling these foul beasts and convert them into build-altering powers. The malignancy that’s taken hold of the Burning Hells’ armies cannot remain unchecked—you must snuff it out at the source before all of Sanctuary becomes its thrall

To keep up with the relentless animosity of Malignant Monsters, you’ll need to turn their Hearts against them. Slaying Partly Corrupted enemies, a type of Malignant Monster, will drop a Malignant Heart. These can be captured by performing a ritual with the Cage of Binding, an item acquired during the Season’s Questline. Partly Corrupted enemies are an unruly sort and won’t go down easily. Trying to capture the Heart will cause the Partly Corrupted enemy to be reborn as a Fully Corrupted enemy. If defeated, these amalgamations of rot will drop a version of the Malignant Heart that can be placed into special Infested sockets in your Jewelry in place of a Normal Gem.

Our first season will introduce 32 Malignant Hearts across four categories that provide new, unique bonuses. As you encounter more menacing Malignant Creatures so too will the strength of their Malignant Hearts grow. There’s much more to share on the Season’s theme and we cannot wait to do so in the future.”

Here are the first five Malignant Heart types.

Here’s an example of a Caged Heart with a pretty cool electric ability.

If your Caged Heart is obsolete, you can scrap them for Malignant Ichor, which you can use to craft new Caged Hearts. If you wish to farm for specific categories of Caged Hearts, you can use Invokers in special Season areas called Malignant Tunnels.

Battle Pass Info

The rewards for Season 1’s Battle Pass are Smoldering Ashes. This seasonal currency can be used to fill up various Urns in exchange for powerful upgrades that will speed up character progression. Here are the list of Urns you can use:

• The Urn of Aggression – Boosts experience earned from Monster kills
• The Urn of Bargaining – Increases Gold earned from sales at vendors
• The Urn of Reclamation – Increases amount of crafting materials gained from salvaged gear
• The Urn of Prolonging – Boosts duration of all Elixers
• The Urn of Malignance – Boosts the rate of Malignant Heart drops

How much is the Diablo 4 Season 1 battle pass?

The Premium battle pass will cost players US$10 and will include all the rewards of the Free battle pass and some extra Premium rewards on top of that.

The Accelerated battle pass ramps up in price to US$25. It includes all the rewards of the Premium battle pass, 20 tier skips, and an exclusive emote only available to those who purchase the Accelerated battle pass.

Here are the confirmed rewards from the Battle Pass.

• Smouldering Ashes (Free, Premium, Accelerated)
• Basic Armor Transmogs (Free, Premium, Accelerated)
• Basic Titles (Free, Premium, Accelerated)
• Weapon Transmogs (Premium, Accelerated)
• Emotes (Premium, Accelerated)
• Coldiron Armour Set Transmogs for each class (Premium, Accelerated)
• Warded Mustang Mount (Premium, Accelerated)
• Coldiron Barding Mount Armour (Premium, Accelerated)
• “On the Warpath” Emote (Accelerated)
• Platinum (TBA)
• Headstones (TBA)