Siliconera

Good Smile Company Street Fighter Chun-li and Cammy figures showed up at Anime Expo 2022. The company revealed both will join its Pop Up Parade line. However, they're at different stages of development. The Chun-Li figure is further along, and a painted prototype showed up. However, Cammy is still in the unpainted prototype phase.

First, here's the Street Fighter Chun-li Pop Up Parade figure.

Anime Expo 2022 Figure Update!

Max Factory
Street Fighter
POP UP PARADE Chun-Li

Stay tuned to for more info!#StreetFighter #goodsmile #AX2022 #GSCatAX2022 pic.twitter.com/9vJJrGWXxT

— GoodSmile_US (@GoodSmile_US) July 1, 2022

Next, this is the unpainted Street Fighter Cammy figure.

Anime Expo 2022 Figure Update!

Max Factory
Street Fighter
POP UP PARADE Cammy

People have a new way to take older Ace Attorney games with them on the go. Capcom released Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy on Android and Apple iOS devices worldwide. It is $22.99 on Google Play. The App Store version is $24.99.

These three titles cover all of Phoenix Wright’s early adventures. The earliest of these stories got their start on the Game Boy Advance in Japan. Since then, they’ve been ported to multiple platforms worldwide. Everyone who buys the collection will get Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All, and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations on their Android and Apple iOS devices.

The announcement also included a few details about languages and other features. The games are all in HD now. They also all have 10 save slots, so you can keep track of multiple playthroughs. The official language options are English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and both Simplified and Traditional Chinese.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is out now for Android and Apple iOS devices. You can also find it on the 3DS, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and PC.

Work is coming along on the Skullgirls Valentine Nendoroid, and Good Smile Company offered a peek at her at Anime Expo 2022. An unpainted prototype of the character appeared. In it, she’s wearing her usual nurses’ outfit and carrying a saw.

Here's a closer look at the upcoming Skullgirls figure. The initial announcement only offered a peek at her concept art.

Did you miss me?

Anime Expo has just begun and @GoodSmile_US just revealed Valentine's new updated Nendoroid design!

Stay tuned for more info!#SkullgirlsAnimeExpo #goodsmile #Skullgirls #AX2022 #GSCatAX2022 pic.twitter.com/vLjgJOf8O2

— Skullgirls (@Skullgirls) July 1, 2022

The Final Fantasy XIV Letter from the Producer Live LXXI meant new details about upcoming features. The FFXIV Island Sanctuary will arrive in late August 2022 with 6.2. Once it arrives, people will need to build their own place on an island and engage in different kinds of casual gameplay alone. It essentially seems like a sort of farming life sum space.

The first part of the overview established this is purely a single-player affair. Someone who comes there will be able to have their own space. People can build facilities, grow crops, tend animals, and get materials for crafting. All of the items you get there will be only available on the island. They’ll also be able to be used for tools, which can make gathering easier. All items are stored in their own inventory. To get island-specific currency, you can craft handicrafts and export ones most in-demand. You can also let your Wind-Up Minions roam around the space.

While the FFXIV Island Sanctuary will be a single-player space, other people can stop by. Players can invite friends and Free Company members to their island. They can also go to other people’s islands to see what their buildings and Wind-Up Minions look like.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. The Island Sanctuary and Variant Dungeons will appear in FFXIV patch 6.2 in late August 2022.

Though Patch 6.2 of Final Fantasy XIV is bringing a fair amount of brand-new activities for its players, the ongoing drive to revamp existing content continues. The July 1, 2022 Letter from the Producer's Live broadcast teased that a number of duties related to the Main Scenario Quest in FFXIV: Heavensward (Patch 3.0) will see improvements.

The goal of the FFXIV Heavensward improvements is to make the game experience better for players that want to enjoy Final Fantasy XIV as more of a single-player game. In earlier Live Letters, Producer/Director Naoki Yoshida noted that many players raised on the single-player Final Fantasy games shy away from trying FFXIV due to its multiplayer nature. The Main Scenario Quest improvements are targeted at making the main story more welcoming to players intimidated by the prospect of playing with others.

Earlier patches revamped content from the A Realm Reborn era to incorporate Duty Support, a way for solo players to take NPC party members into certain dungeons that are part of the Main Scenario Quest. These include the famous Praetorium. Now the Duty Support system is extending to story-important FFXIV Heavensward activities as well.

The list of dungeons with Duty Support compatibility is as follows:

Rather than focusing on one character, the latest JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R video reveals three new ones. This rerelease of the game will include a number of folks not in the original game. Now, we know Yukako Yamagishi, Foo Fighters (FF), and another Jotaro Kujo will be present in this JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fighting game.

All three appear at the end of the newest trailer for the game. At the 1:28 mark, an image with the new, hidden characters shatters in three spots. That's when the new folks show up.

Yukako Yamagishi comes from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable. Her Stand is Love Deluxe. She’s also known for her obsession over Koichi Hirose. Love Deluxe allows Yukako to attack enemies with her hair.

This new version of Jotaro Kujo also appeared in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable. Once again, he appears with his Stand Star Platinum.

Foo Fighters, also referred to as FF in the localizations, is one of Jolyne Cujoh's allies in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean. Their situation is unique, though you could also consider them a Stand user.

Here's the list of other characters who appeared in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R trailers so far.

The July 2022 FFVII Remake calendar is here, and people will be looking at Reno and Rude all month. The two members of the Turks star in all of Square Enix's images. These are available for both PCs and mobile devices.

Here are the July 2022 FFVII Remake images. They're also a bit of a spoiler. The picture comes from a late-game encounter with Reno and Rude.
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Reno and Rude mark the first FFVII Remake calendar to showcase villains. The ones that appeared previously in 2022 all starred heroes. Cloud, Barret, Aerith, and Tifa showed up first. The May 2022 one featured Red XIII. In June 2022, people got to look at Yuffie for a month.

It is incredibly common for companies to release monthly calendars with characters on them. For example, HoYoVerse does this with both Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is available for the PlayStation 4, while FFVII Remake Intergrade is out on the PlayStation 5 and PC.

There’s a new Digimon Survive gameplay trailer, and it shows how the affinity and conversation elements in the game work. This is essentially a visual novel and tactical game rolled into one. However, the choices you make can also affect how battles go.

The Digimon Survive gameplay trailer begins by showing off conversation choices and how those can alter affinity or karma. In one segment, Takuma encounters a Fangmon. He’s wondering if they are going to die. He has three options to choose from there. He can stand up, shout, or offer encouragement. The segment shows him choosing to stand up, which influences “moral.” In another section, Takuma is talking with Aoi. The two are working out what route to take. By checking with her, the affinity between the two of them goes up to improve their relationship.

In another segment, it shows how conversations in battle can affect the situation in Digimon Survive. If you talk with an ally, it can do things like increase movement and boost stats. It also offers a peek at an Etemon enemy conversation. Takuma has four possible responses. Choosing “Yes, pretty please!” allows him to make Etemon his friend or get items from the character.

The latest Final Fantasy XIV Letter from the Producer Live broadcast introduced an entirely new type of dungeon content, which will be introduced following August 2022's Patch 6.2 update. Called Variant Dungeons, the new FFXIV activities will offer a new approach to difficulty and choice. Producer/Director Naoki Yoshida detailed the concept behind FFXIV Variant Dungeons on the stream. They were previously introduced in the post-Endwalker content roadmap as "Criterion Dungeons".

Variant Dungeons are variable-difficulty FFXIV dungeons designed for solo play or in parties of up to four. They're meant for casual play, and have no role restrictions. This means you can bring four tanks, four DPS, four healers, or any combination of jobs to the dungeon. They'll even allow mid-dungeon changes of job. Enemy strength in a Variant Dungeon will be based on party size. Variant Dungeons also have multiple pathways of progression, with branches based on player actions.

The first FFXIV Variant Dungeon is called The Sil'dihn Subterrane. Players will explore it with "a certain somebody" and will experience a different story based on their choices. They'll be able to replay the dungeon to see different outcomes and paths.

Square Enix runs a FFVII Remake Revisited series. Each one involving behind-the-scenes insights from developers regarding different characters and chapters. The latest features some insights about Tifa in FFVII Remake, including that she almost had a playable section as she went to deal with Don Corneo.

This detail actually came up in a section in which both Scenario Design Co-Director Motomu Toriyama and Co-Director Game Design/Programming Naoki Hamaguchi talked about Cloud not being able to head into Avalanche’s hideout in Seventh Heaven. The two mentioned this was to show how he was just a mercenary and not “part” of the group. However, they then said people almost were able to visit that basement as Tifa in FFVII Remake.

Here’s the full response from Toriyama and Hamaguchi.

In Chapter 3 Cloud is more distant from the Avalanche members than he was in the original game, so we made it that he was not allowed into their underground hideout. Having group meetings that only full Avalanche members are invited to and Cloud being left out in the celebration of the successful bombing mission etc. depicted the loneliness of his situation.

Final Fantasy XIV 6.2 will bring the next major content updates to the game, as detailed by the development team in the July 2022 Producer's Live Letter broadcast. The broadcast, hosted by Producer Naoki Yoshida and Community Producer Toshio Murouchi, detailed the many coming additions to the long-running MMORPG. Besides main scenario and sidequest content FFXIV version 6.2 will add new playable dungeons, another tier of Normal Raids, and an entirely new type of playable battle content.

As part of the main scenario, a new dungeon called The Fell Court of Troia will open up as part of the Main Scenario quest progression. A new Trial will also be added, but to avoid spoilers the team is keeping the details about it under wraps for now. It'll get an Extreme difficulty variant, as well.

The Abyssos tier of the Pandaemonium Normal Raid series also unlocks in FFXIV version 6.2. The first tier, Asphodelos, launched in December 2021, and its Savage difficulty tier arrived in January 2022. According to Yoshida, the team will experiment a bit with Abyssos by reducing the time interval between Normal and Savage difficulty unlocking. Rather than the usual two weeks, the Savage tier of Pandaemonium Abyssos will unlock just one week after the Normal launch. Yoshida is aware of feedback both for and against the move, and the team considers this time a "test run", and will adjust based on feedback.

Square Enix revealed its plans for the next set of Final Fantasy XIV content updates, including FFXIV Patch 6.2. It will appear in late August 2022. Before that arrives, the next patch for Final Fantasy XIV, Patch 6.18, will launch on July 5, 2022. It's bringing with it previously detailed features like Data Center Travel, as well as expansions to the game's server architecture and infrastructure.

When it FFXIV 6.2 does appear, it will introduce new Main Scenario quests, as well as a substantial amount of new content for players to experience. The patch is titled "Buried Memory" in English. The main scenario additions will continue the game's "Newfound Adventure" quest line, the post-Endwalker storyline that began in Patch 6.1. To tease developments, Producer Naoki Yoshida showed off a couple of screenshots. The first showed the Warrior of Light, Estinien, Y'shtola, and Varshahn meeting with Cid. The second showed a new being, which may be considered a spoiler for Endwalker.

Development on My Hero Academia: Ultra Rumble proceeds apace, and if rumors prove true, a second closed beta test is planned for the game. Tipster Ryokuta2089 revealed on their blog that Bandai Namco's battle royale action title was due for another test, though did not specify when it would take place.

The next My Hero Academia Ultra Rumble beta will likely address issues raised by the first closed beta test, which was held in February 2022 in Japan.

In April, Bandai Namco published an Ultra Rumble beta report based on the first test, highlighting trends and other insights from the participants.

According to the report, over 15,000 players applied to join the first closed beta, with over 73% of those who responded to the post-test survey expressing the desire to play My Hero Academia: Ultra Rumble upon its official release.

More Sega Genesis titles are now available for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Nintendo has added four new Sega Genesis games to its Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack offering, including Zero Wing and Mega Man: The Wily Wars. The new additions also feature Comix Zone and Target Earth. All four games are available via the app.

Below is Nintendo's official announcement. The announcement tweet includes a brief trailer showcasing gameplay from each title. Zero Wing is a side-scrolling shooter, Comix Zone is a beat-em-up, and Target Earth is a run and gun shooter. Unlike the other titles, Mega Man: The Wily Wars is a compilation of the first three Mega Man games and a fourth, new game titled Wily Tower. As in the original 1994 release, players must complete all three games before unlocking Wily Tower.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1542677284750082054

As a side note, Zero Wing is the game that birthed the "All your base are belong to us" meme. As such, it appears none of the mistranslations or grammatical errors have been changed. Additionally, you may also know Target Earth by its other title, Assault Suits Leynos. Notably, many of these games have also appeared in other compilations. Comix Zone, for example, was included in the earlier Sega Genesis Classics bundle for the Nintendo Switch.

Back in 2016, Square Enix created a Dragon Quest spin-off that blended creative Minecraft-style elements into the formula. Since then, Dragon Quest Builders showed up on multiple platforms and spawned a sequel. Now in 2022, Dragon Quest Builders is back again on mobile devices. To learn more about the latest version, Siliconera got in touch with Producer Yuki Furukawa.

Jenni Lada: How difficult was it to prepare Dragon Quest Builders for mobile devices? What was the most challenging part of the porting process?

Yuki Furukawa: The most challenging parts of creating the port were the sections involving the controls. The console version of Dragon Quest Builders is played with a controller, so for mobile devices, there were various issues such as fingers covering up a part of the screen and the lowered visibility of the screen due to its smaller size. Despite that, we had to achieve
controllability that delivers an experience as good as the one using a controller, so we made and remade many prototypes. We were able to arrive at its current form by receiving many ideas and suggestions for improvement from Producers Takuma Shiraishi and Noriyoshi Fujimoto and Yuji Horii.

Folks who played the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R will recognize the featured character in the latest game trailer. It's time to take a closer look at JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean's Jolyne Cujoh. She uses the Stand Stone Ocean, which is also known as Stone Free, and appeared as one of the PS4 and PS5 demo's few playable characters. She's also the daughter of Jotaro Kujo, who also appears in her arc.

For this trailer, we see Jolyne Cujoh wearing her typical outfit and fighting at the Green Dolphin Street Prison where she’s incarcerated during the events of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean. She’s fighting Father Enrico Pucci, the antagonist in that arc.

"Sweet dreams, creep!"

The JoJo queen of Part 6, Jolyne Cujoh, is going balls to the wall in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R.

Accompanied by her Stand, Stone Ocean, she's prepared to do whatever it takes to be free. pic.twitter.com/sIA2JSCI2I

— JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R (@jojo_games) June 30, 2022

In case you missed some of the game's past character trailers, here's the list of ones that appeared so far.

The Arknights Skadi Nendoroid pre-orders opened, and it turns out she comes with a familiar accessory. One of her items is a slice of pizza she can "eat." This is a reference to the first anniversary art showing her and Grani eating pizza. The Arknights figure costs ¥7,200/$65.99. Ordering her from Good Smile Company directly will net people an acrylic keychain of the character.

Skadi comes with three face plates. One is stoic. The other features a small smile. The final one is more firm. In addition to the pizza, she has a small orca whale, a removable hat, and her Originium sword. You also get a Tidal Elegy skill effect part.

Here's a closer look at the Arknights Skadi Nendoroid.
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And this is the Good Smile Company Store keychain that comes with Skadi orders.

There's a new Genshin Impact live wallpaper, and this time it features Arataki Itto. The new freebie is available via the N0va Desktop app. People can download it and use it with their PCs and Android tablets. However, it does not show up as an option on phones. (The most recent live update there involves Childe.)

The Itto Genshin Impact live wallpaper might look familiar. That's because it is based upon a recent video HoYoVerse released. The same scene shows up during the Hanamizaka’s Aspirations EP. Itto is hanging out in front of the Raiden Shogun's home. He's also wielding the club he uses during his Royal Descent: Behold, Itto the Evil! Elemental Burst.

It's been a while since the N0va Desktop app added a new Genshin Impact live wallpaper. One with Zhongli in Liyue appeared in March 2022. Another involved Ayaka in Inazuma.

There's a release window for Kotobukiya's Transformers Optimus Prime Bishoujo figure, which envisions the character as a woman in a similar outfit. It is estimated to appear in January 2023 in Japan. The official price is $149.99, and Sideshow is already taking pre-orders. The retailer is expecting the figure to ship outside Japan between February and April 2023. In addition, there will eventually be a Transformers Bumblebee Bishoujo figure too.

Here’s a new video offering a closer look at the Transformers Optimus Prime Bishoujo figure showing the character as a woman. It also shows how she looks wearing the optional battle mask head part.

Finally, here’s the teaser for the Transformers Bumblebee Bishoujo figure. There’s only a silhouette hinting at how she’ll look. However, we can see she’ll have the same horns and “hairstyle.”

There’s new FFVII Remake concept art, and this time it focuses on the Shinra building floor 63 recreational facility. This is a space people can visit in both the first part of the remake and the original game. In each entry, the function is the same. It’s essentially where Shinra employees can stop to relax and have something to eat. In FFVII Remake, it is also home to a Combat Simulator Lounge.

First, here are two images going over the space. In both versions of FFVII, a tree is a central fixture in the Shinra building floor 63 space. While the concept art shows it being free in the middle of an area, next to a coffee kiosk and food court, the final image shows it encased in a greenhouse of sorts in FFVII Remake.
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Another image specifically compared the height of accent plants to a person.

Bandai Namco shared a One Piece Odyssey Dev Diary starring Producer Katsuaki Tsuzuki. This time, the focus is to go over its development. He mentioned things like how its “let’s travel to the heart of memories” messaging is critical to the game and the concept. All of this goes on while new One Piece Odyssey gameplay footage appears.

Things begin with Tsuzuki discussing the initial reception to the announcement. After that, he mentioned that development began five years ago when One Piece Warriors 4 was being promoted. Once the framework was set, Eiichiro Oda was asked to contribute character designs. Oda’s message noted he’d consulted and provided art for it about three years ago. Tsuzuki also noted scenario production began during the manga’s Whole Cake Island arc.

Here’s the full One Piece Odyssey Dev Diary. It begins with an introduction, before moving onto character design, the development approach, and its features. At the 5:40 mark, details about the RPG gameplay elements in One Piece Odyssey show up.

In case someone missed it, the last update went over one of the original characters. People will meet Lim in the game.

Square Enix revealed the Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Trials of the Dragon King expansion release date. That add-on will appear on July 20, 2022. It is the first of three additional missions coming to the game. To help provide an idea of what to expect, there's a teaser trailer and official art as well.

First, here's the teaser trailer.

There was once a group of warriors who attempted to defeat the darkness.

This is the story of what came next.

Stranger of Paradise @FinalFantasy Origin's first expansion Trials of the Dragon King launches July 20th. pic.twitter.com/YvGEwGh1ux

— STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN (@fforigin) June 30, 2022

Next, here's the official art. The announcement for it suggests new challenges. There might also be a new job.

A new warrior arrives bathed in light.

An ancient dragon demands proof of worthiness.

All another opportunity for Jack to prove his strength.

That Final Fantasy XIV streetwear is finally here. Back in May 2022, a new outfit showed up in Korea. Now, it and a new mount are available worldwide. Folks can now buy a FFXIV Megashiba mount or Street Attire from the online store.

First, the FFXIV Street Attire costs $22. That gets you a Street Attire Coffer. Once you open it, you get a Street Cap, Street Cargo Trousers, Street Handwear, Street High-top Shoes, Street Jacket, and a Street Top. However, if you have a Hrothgar or Viera character, the hat won’t show up on them. You can use dye on these items.
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The FFXIV Megashiba mount is the more expensive of the two items. It will cost someone $24. This is an account-wide item characters can ride. Once you buy it, you get a Megashiba Flute that lets you summon the giant dog. As long as you have the ability to ride mounts in-game, something you get after being able to get your own chocobo, you can use it.

We're about to learn the Genshin Impact 2.8 release date and details about the update, as the next Special Program is about to show up. People can tune in on Twitch to hear about it at 5 a.m. PT/8 a.m. ET/2 p.m. CET on July 2, 2022. There is no estimated length for the showcase.

Here's the official announcement. There are a few hints about what to expect. First, "Kazuha" will appear. This means his rerun banner should show up in 2.8, as the Genshin Impact Special Program guest character's banner always appear. Fischl also shows up. Leaks suggested outfits will appear for her and Diluc as part of this update.

Version 2.8 Special Program Preview

Dear Travelers,
The special program will premiere on the official Twitch channel on 7/2, 08:00 AM (UTC-4)!
>>>https://t.co/iSfDaDRH9w

It feature juicy details about V2.8. It will also "drop" some redemption codes and more!#GenshinImpact pic.twitter.com/G7rVshJ9ki

— Genshin Impact (@GenshinImpact) June 30, 2022

Those without a Nintendo Switch no longer need to be in despair, as Spike Chunsoft has announced PS4, Windows PC, iOS, and Android ports of Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp. They will appear on July 21, 2022, in both North America and Europe. This game originally was exclusive to the Nintendo Switch.

Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp is an expansion of the Ultimate Talent Development Plan mini-game from Danganronpa V3. Characters from the three main Danganronpa titles all appear as classmates. The basic gameplay follows you choosing a student and improving them through the board game and battles. Random events will occur, with interactions occurring between characters who never met in canon.

As a reminder, Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp does have microtransactions. You will be able to access the gacha with currency you obtain in-game as well.

Celebrating the launch of Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak, Capcom has released a new music video that parodies the Japanese pop song "Matsuken Samba." The video, which features the titular Ken Matsudaira in his iconic gold kimono, has already amassed over 500,000 views on YouTube. Additionally, Capcom released a making-of video on its YouTube channel that interviews Matsudaira on how the collaboration came to be.

The "Matsuken Samba" is a Japanese pop song and comedy routine that became popular during the early 2000s. Ken Matsudaira is a famous actor who has appeared in period dramas, most notably as the shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune in The Unfettered Shogun. Matsudaira even made an appearance as Tokugawa in the Kamen Rider OOO Wonderful movie, where he performed a similar parody song.

In the music video, Matsudaira uses a play on words, replacing the word "Samba" with "Sunbreak." In some scenes, you can see him holding a replica of a greatsword, while in others, he dances alongside kimono-clad background dancers. Furthermore, he urges players to "forget about sleeping" and take part in the hunt. Responses have been largely positive, with fans asking for Capcom to add Matsudaira's appearance as layered armor in the game.

You can check out the Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak Matsuken Samba music video below:

https://youtu.be/flQQmeKBEl0

The Sword Art Online (SAO): Alicization Lycoris Twitter account posted a trailer for the upcoming Matricaria DLC. This is the second major expansion DLC after Blooming of Forget-me-not, which came out in November 2021. However, no projected release date for Matricaria is given in either the trailer or the description.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHPIHfT2mWA

The SAO: Alicization Lycoris Matricaria trailer is fairly enigmatic. An unnamed speaker appears to monologue about Kirito, talking about how all he wanted was for Kirito to give him a glance and acknowledge him. It is likely that this speaker is the new character Log, who will fight with an axe and shield.

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As for the story, it will focus on Kirito and his friends protecting the Underworld with everyone’s new powers. However, an announcement was made declaring that Refactoring has been activated. This then begins the Hundred Days War, leaving a hundred days until the end of the world.

Blooming of Forget-me-not came with new maps, divine beasts, weapons, and story. It also does not allow for co-op. It is likely that Matricaria will come with similar additions and limitations. Additionally, the first major DLC cost $24.99, which gives an idea of how much players may have to pay when Matricaria releases.

Yet another Japanese novelist, Kyokutei Bakin, has debuted as a Servant in Fate/Grand Order. Kyokutei Bakin, or Takizawa Bakin, appears as an SSR Rider Servant during the game's new event, Nanmei Yumihari Hakkenden. Nanmei Yumihari Hakkenden will run on the Japanese Fate/Grand Order server from June 29 to July 20, 2022.

The other Servants that have a rate-up on the current Kyokutei Bakin banner are Okada Izo and the Avenger of Shinjuku. In history, the real-life Kyokutei Bakin was a writer from the 19th century, and he was prominent for his historical and moral novels. He pioneered the genre of historical romance in Japan.

In Fate/Grand Order, Kyokutei Bakin has a single-target Arts Noble Phantasm, and her skills mainly focus on buffing her card performance. She can also charge her own NP gauge. You can watch her Noble Phantasm, Nanso Satomi Hakkenden: The Eight Dog Chronicles, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzx6Fkc7oNg&t

As for the event itself, Nanmei Yumihari Hakkenden starts with a puppy appearing in Chaldea. Kyokutei Bakin appears, claiming to be the puppy’s owner. As Chaldea investigates Kyokutei Bakin, an incredibly destructive arrow hits the building. Before a second arrow can hit, Chaldea must investigate the mysterious Singularity from which the arrow originated. The gameplay will feature an expedition system in which you send out dogs to gather resources. As you play through the story, you can unlock more areas.

Pocky & Rocky is back and, well, it is a slightly different take on a game people might be familiar with. It is all about playing with a familiar formula and adding to it. However, while this is definitely the run-and-gun game people remember, there are also some elements that feel like they’re holding the overall experience back.

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined involves shrine maiden Pocky and Rocky the tanuki dealing with Black Mantle and his yokai minions. The duo are responsible for figuring out how to save the day over the course of eight stages. Though really, the plot is awkward and feels unnecessary. It can also come across as a bit stilted, due to the storytelling decisions and localization. But given the nature of the series and this installment, you don’t really need to pay attention to the backstory. It all serves as an excuse to keep fighting through various levels.

Sony revealed the July 2022 PlayStation Plus games, and Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is leading the pack. The PS4 and PS5 versions of it will be available. It will be joined by The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan (PS4) and Arcadegeddon (PS4, PS5).

Arcadegeddon showed up on the PS4 and PS5 in July 2021. It normally costs $19.99 for a digital copy. It is a PVP and PVE, third-person shooter for up to four people. You can play it alone and without friends, however.

Crash Bandicoot 4 appeared on the PS4 in October 2020 and on the PS5 in March 2021. It normally costs $59.99 via the PlayStation Store. It’s a platformer starring characters like Crash, Coco, Tawna, Dingodile, and Dr. Cortex.

Man of Medan is a PS4 horror adventure game that debuted back in August 2018. It can be played alone or with another person. It normally costs $29.99 to download it.

PlayStation Plus subscribers will be able to claim Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (PS4, PS5), The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan (PS4), and Arcadegeddon (PS4, PS5) on July 5, 2022. Until then, people can still claim the June 2022 games God of War (PS4), Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker (PS4), and Nickelodeon: All-Star Brawl (PS4, PS5) until July 4, 2022.

There will be an official English translation for Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher. After being announced during the Japanese Nintendo Direct Mini on June 28, 2022, Bandai Namco’s Southeast Asia branch released an additional trailer. It confirmed an Asia English version will appear. There’s no exact release date offered in that video, but it does mention a 2022 debut. [Thanks, HDKirin!]

As a reminder, Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher is a Monster Rancher game that involves characters from the tokusatsu series Ultraman. Both kaiju from the series and new characters will appear in the game. Folks will get to raise them and send them to fight other kaiju.

Here’s the English Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher trailer. It shows some of the translated menus, UI, and text. It also goes over a few of the notable kaiju people will be able to get, raise, battle, adventure with, and fuse over the course of the game.

There’s a new Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal anime trailer, and this video shows off its cast of characters and pins down a release window. While it previously had a tentative 2022 window, it is now confirmed to appear in October 2022. The new footage also shows off many familiar faces. Even though this story will follow the male version of the avatar, named Shiloh, and its Jumi arc, other people will appear too.

Another Xander alt is heading to Fire Emblem Heroes, and this time he’s Legendary. The June 30, 2022 banner will feature Xander: Gallant King. He’ll appear alongside some returning Legendary and Mythic-type heroes.

Xander: Gallant King is a cavalry unit that wields an axe. His Ebon Bolverk axe can let him use his special trigger quicker and, if allies are around, increase the number of hits an enemy needs to deal to use theirs. He also can inflict Null Follow-Up if allies are nearby due to it. His new passive is Chivalry. It enables Canto for him and also inflicts Atk/Spd/Def-5 on enemies whose health is over 50%. The standard version of Xander appeared as a Grand Hero Battle unit.

Xander isn’t the only focus unit for this banner. Here are the other characters who will appear.

As usual, Bandai Namco has another new JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R trailer for folks. This time, it's looking at a character who showed up in the original game. People can see what JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stardust Crusaders’ Iggy looks like in-game.

Though Iggy is a dog, a Boston Terrier to be exact, he's also one of Jotaro Kujo's allies in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. He's also a Stand user. His is called The Fool, and it is able to shapeshift. This is due to it using sand to show up, which is visible in the footage.

The only fool around here is whoever decides to challenge Iggy in battle.

Get ready to forfit your coffee flavored gum when you face Iggy in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R!#JJBA pic.twitter.com/291fd20vbU

— JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R (@jojo_games) June 29, 2022

Bandai Namco is regularly releasing JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R trailers. Each one shows how new or familiar faces look in this version of the game. Here’s the list of ones that appeared so far.

As usual, HoYoVerse is preparing for the start of a new month with a new free Genshin Impact calendar. Each month, it prepares an image folks can use on mobile devices. The July 2022 Genshin Impact calendar features the four-star Hydro catalyst user Barbara. This is because each one features a picture of the first Genshin Impact character with a birthday appearing that month.

First, here's the Genshin Impact July 2022 calendar people can use.

【カレンダー配布】
旅人さんに日頃の感謝を込めて、2022年7月のカレンダーを配布します！
ぜひスマホ壁紙としてお使いください！#原神 #Genshin pic.twitter.com/7ivCJk3hI0

— 原神（Genshin）公式 (@Genshin_7) June 29, 2022

Here’s a list of all the Genshin Impact characters with a birthday in July 2022. If you log into the game on the person's special day, you'll get a "gift" that consists of food and materials.

People in Japan will be able to get FFXIV socks and tights inspired by in-game designs and looks. Square Enix announced a Kiwanda collaboration. The tights will be available in one size described as cover people who wear medium-to-large sizes. They cost 6,600円 ($48). The socks are available in men’s and women’s sizes, are available in three colors, and cost 3,080円 (~$23). All of the items will appear in the country on July 16, 2022.

First, here's a close at the FFXIV Kiwanda tights. They are designed to look like the Valentione Rose Tights. Those are the red variants. In-game, folks can earn them as a Valentione's Day reward. Photos show them both off and on a model.
[gallery columns="2" ids="931268,931269" link="file"]

As for the FFXIV socks, their designs are based on Allagan Empire’s defense systems. The men’s versions fit a foot about 25-27.5cm. The women’s are 22-24.5cm. Both types are available in red, purple, and yellow.
[gallery ids="931270,931271,931272,931273,931274,931275" link="file"]

Nintendo's latest Xenoblade Chronicles 3 details look at the Hero character Fiona. Heroes are people who can join Noah, Mio, Eunie, Lanz, Sena, and Taion's party. In the case of Fiona, also known as Fifi, she fills a healer-type role when she aids the group. In the Japanese version, her name is Mashiro.

First, here's a closer look at her official art and reveal. It notes that Fiona's class is known as Signifier. Like Eunie and Taion, she'll offer back-up. She's also from Agnus, like Mio, Sena, and Taion. She's also described as a kind person.

The caring soldier Fiona, or “Fifi” as she’s affectionately known as by her fellow colony pals, is one of the heroes you can encounter in #XenobladeChronicles3. Her Class is Signifer and she wields a large flag-like blade to boost the party’s morale! pic.twitter.com/52XZTzebZL

— Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) June 29, 2022

Next, here’s a story scene featuring Fiona coming to aid some allies.

As part of theJune 2022 Japanese special program, a Star Ocean: The Divine Force release date appeared. It will show up in the region on October 27, 2022. While Square Enix didn’t officially bring up a worldwide launch day, the PlayStation Store also shows that as the release date for the game. It suggests it will unlock at 12 a.m. ET/6 a.m. CET on October 27, 2022. The Japanese limited edition and a new trailer appeared too. Update: The official Twitter account confirmed this is a worldwide release date.

First, here’s the new Star Ocean: The Divine Force release date trailer. It shows off both story segments and gameplay.

Capcom has revealed the last remaining monsters for the upcoming Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak expansion, including Shagaru Magala. The announcement also revealed several new and returning monster variants, such as the Furious Rajang and Scorned Magnamalo. This gives fans a better idea of what to expect in terms of content for the next few months, once Sunbreak releases later this week.

One key reveal of the announcement is the Shagaru Magala. As the name suggests, the six-limbed, winged Elder dragon is the adult form of the Gore Magala. The monster has appeared in earlier Monster Hunter titles, making its debut in Monster Hunter 4. The trailer gives a brief glimpse of the monster's movements and attacks.

Furthermore, new and returning monster variants are set to appear both on Sunbreak's launch, as well as in the coming months. On launch, Capcom is bringing back the Furious Rajang, as well as adding a new Scorned Magnamalo variant. While Furious Rajang has been a staple in the Monster Hunter series for some time, the Scorned Magnamalo is new. Unlike its normal form, the Scorned Magnamalo is equipped with larger arm blades and is constantly covered in hellfire.

In August, the Seething Bazelgeuse will join the roster. The Bazelgeuse variant will join alongside the previously announced Lucent Nargacuga.

The Japanese Twitter account for NieR revealed that sales for NieR: Automata have exceeded 6.5 million copies. This news comes five years after the game’s original release in February 2017. The number includes worldwide sales of both digital and physical copies. It also takes into account all three platforms the game is on.

NieR: Automata serves as a sequel to NieR, which is itself a spin-off of the Drakengard series. However, one can understand the story without needing to play other games in the franchise.  The game has won several awards over the years, as well as received nominations in various categories. These awards include Game of the Year, Best Storytelling, and Best Narrative. Within its first two months, sales for NieR: Automata exceeded one million units. In 2021, on the game's fourth anniversary, Square Enix announced that it had sold 5.5 million units worldwide.