Gaming

Lord of the Rings is getting a new MMO

Developed by Amazon

Published

May 16, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

The Lord of the Rings is back in the mainstream. After a much-hyped series from Amazon, the classic fantasy series has drawn the interest of a lot of people. Now, if you’re a fan of Tolkien’s works, here’s something else to satiate your love for Middle-earth. Amazon is now working on an MMO set in the Lord of the Rings universe.

Developing with Orange County, Amazon has announced (via The Verge) that it has partnered with the Embracer Group for the rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The development will culminate in an MMO title revolving around the franchise.

Though Amazon is developing the title, the game will not be connected to the expensive show produced by the same company. Even then, the lore of Middle-earth is rife enough for an expansive game.

The upcoming MMO won’t be Amazon’s first stab in the genre, either. More recently, Amazon released a fresh multiplayer game with its own IP called New World. Though the title eventually tapered off in popularity, New World showed what Amazon can do in the genre.

It’s also a great time to be a Lord of the Rings fan. Besides Amazon’s series and upcoming game, another titled — named Gollum — is set to launch sometime this year. EA’s Heroes of Middle-earth is also free for players.

Gaming

Ubisoft Forward: Free trials, discounts on titles, drops

Tune in on June 13

Published

June 10, 2023

GadgetMatch

Viewers will get the chance to secure items from different games when they tune in to this year’s edition of Ubisoft Forward on June 13.

They will simply have to watch the livestream on Ubisoft’s Twitch and YouTube channels, or through one of Ubisoft’s official co-streamers.

Here are the items up for grabs:

Watch for 15 minutes: “Slumbering Ikran” Na’vi Weapon Trinket from Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Watch for 20 minutes: “Base Camp Duffel” from Riders Republic
Watch for 30 minutes: “Eugene” Raven Skin from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Watch for 45 minutes: “Oasis Initiate of Alamut Dye” from Assassin’s Creed Mirage

Ubisoft Forward will begin at 1:00 a.m. Philippine time, after a 15-minute pre-show. The main event will then be followed by a post-show for a deeper dive into some of the showcased games.

The stream will showcase an exclusive look at upcoming games like Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, The Crew Motorfest, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and more.

Discounts, free trials

In celebration of the event, Ubisoft is also offering a free trial for its subscription service, Ubisoft+.

Players who sign up for Ubisoft+ Multi-Access will receive a free seven-day trial subscription, granting them access to the Ubisoft+ library on PC through Ubisoft Connect, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

From June 8 to 21, the Ubisoft Store is also offering major discounts on selected titles:

70% off: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Complete Edition
75% off: Anno 1800
33% off: The Settlers: New Allies

There will also be an additional 20% off discount when players use the code UBISOFT20 upon checkout.

Gaming

vivo Y35: Up your mobile gaming for less

Entry-level mobile gaming

Published

June 10, 2023

GadgetMatch

Gone are the days where smartphones with capable gaming specs were limited to those in the upper mid-range up to the flagship categories.

Nowadays, customers can get a borderline entry-level phone which can hold its own for mobile games. Not just any mobile games, but those require moderate to sometimes even a heavy workload. One of them is the vivo Y35.

The vivo Y35 is powered by a Snapdragon 680 processor, and has a spacious 256GB internal storage capacity. On top of that, the phone boasts of 8GB base RAM, plus 8GB of RAM expansion. This helps make sure it can handle your favorite mobile games.

The phone also has a 6.58-inch LCD FHD+ 1080p display with 90Hz, so users are guaranteed of seeing their favorite heroes or characters in crystal-clear detail.

Aside from these, the device also has an Esports mode and a Do Not Disturb feature to further optimize the gaming experience.

The vivo Y35 supports 44W fast-charging. It lets users juice its battery back up to 70% in just about 34 minutes. Best of all, the vivo Y35 has become even more affordable at PhP 12,999. That’s PhP 2,000 off its original SRP when it was released. It’s available in Dawn Gold and Agate Black colors.

This article is a sponsored press release by vivo Philippines.

Gaming

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth coming early 2024

Second of the Remake trilogy

Published

June 9, 2023

GadgetMatch

Square Enix has released a new trailer for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to excite gamers even more for its 2024 release in Asia on PlayStation 5.

The Summer Game Fest 2023 trailer previewed the title’s gameplay. It also showed story elements and its expansive world that players can look forward to experiencing starting in “early 2024.”

Thanks to Square Enix’s previous easter eggs, it can be expected that there will be new characters with more action outside of Midgar. This mimics the feeling players of the original game. The world opened up following the events that transpired in Midgar.

The trailer also showcased new combat mechanics. Characters like Yuffie and Red XXIII were seen doing team-up attacks. Our main girls Tifa and Aerith were also shown doing the same.

Though yet to get an exact release date and price, the second entry to the Final Fantasy VII remake project is already anticipated by many. Oh and something that caught people’s eyes — the end of the trailer says Rebirth will have two (2) discs.

It will continue the story in Final Fantasy VII Remake, which has earned tremendous praise from players and critics globally.

The first of the remake trilogy garnered more than 20 perfect scores. It also became the highest-selling digital release on PlayStation in Square Enix’s history.

Watch the trailer.