Gaming news website Kakuchopurei and Twentytwo13 have teamed up to provide the latest in the gaming sphere.
In our weekly round-up, we will recap the best gaming news from all over Asia and the rest of the world. We also list the games that are out in the week, as well as highlight videos and feature pieces that are worth tuning into for Asian gaming audiences.
The Big Picture
As reported last week, the Xbox Developer Direct took place yesterday, confirming several major titles including a new Ninja Gaiden – a surprise release of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, which hits Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass – and the release date of the highly-anticipated DOOM: The Dark Ages.
Definitely a strong start to 2025 for Microsoft, and we look forward to more announcements from them, especially the ones related to a new Gears of War, their first Xbox exclusive of 2025, Avowed, ‘Fallout in Britain’, Atomfall, and of course, more surprise releases.
Also at the Xbox Developer Direct, we were treated to a brand-new trailer for Ubisoft’s latest Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, which is set in medieval Japan. Highlighting the two main protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke, expect exclusive coverage coming soon, as we were recently at their Ubisoft Singapore Studio for a closed-door media session.
Pre-orders for the game are now open alongside information on the various editions available and its recommended specifications for PC.
Initially rescheduled to release on Feb 14, 2025 – two months from its original release date of Nov 15, 2024 – the game’s release has been further pushed back to a new date, March 20, 2025.
Rumour mill
X marks the spot? A reliable insider recently teased that several Xbox exclusives may be crossing over to the Nintendo Switch 2. Major titles such as Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Starfield, and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 were rumoured to be on the list.
FC25 names its Team of the Year lineup
EA Sports and FC25 recently released their Team of the Year lineup featuring the usual suspects including Mohamad Salah, Vinícius Jr., and Kylian Mbappé. Real Madrid dominates the squad with four players in the starting eleven, followed by Liverpool with two players, as Virgil van Dijk joins Salah. Ballon d’Or winner Rodri also made the cut despite barely kicking a ball this season.
Games get festive
Riding on the festivities, several games hopped on the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations with special deals and time-limited events. Square Enix is having a special sale for their titles between now and Feb 12, 2025. Check out our picks here. Meanwhile, Marvel Rivals is getting a Spring Festival update featuring several unique modes and Lunar New Year-themed skins for its heroes.
Game caught a stray bullet following US TikTok ban
Following the brief TikTok ban in the United States, Marvel’s highly popular card game, Marvel Snap, unwittingly got caught in the crossfire as well. After the nationwide TikTok ban went into effect on Jan 19, 2025, Marvel Snap players were unable to access their game.
Marvel Snap is developed by Second Dinner and published by Nuverse for mobile platforms (Android and iOS) and PC. Nuverse is a subsidiary of the Chinese megacorporation ByteDance – the parent company of TikTok. The restrictions were removed two days later following the 75-day grace period given by US President Donald Trump to ByteDance.
‘X has become increasingly hateful, toxic…’
Tech billionaire Elon Musk recently admitted to ‘account sharing’ to boost his game accounts. “It’s impossible to beat the players in Asia if you don’t, as they do!” said the H1B Visa #1 fan. Musk was recently caught in the funniest kind of distraction as he was accused of boosting his ‘Path to Exile 2’ account following a less-than-stellar performance during a recent stream.
The biggest PC gaming subreddit, /r/pcgaming, has officially blacklisted X. As a result, links to X will not be allowed in the subreddit, joining the illustrious list, which includes Facebook. Ooof.
According to moderator Shock4ndAwe, “X has become increasingly hateful, toxic and less and less moderated… Not to mention the distasteful things Elon Musk has done recently…”
Local esports film hit cinemas
‘Soloz: Game of Life’ is an attempt at breaking the stigma on esports while simultaneously putting one of the most recognisable names in the local scene front and centre. Our take? Mobile Legends: Bang Bang meets Malay melodrama mayhem.
