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Ahead of the March 2023 Capcom Spotlight on Twitch, the Steam page for Exoprimal ended up revealing the release date. It will show up on July 14, 2023, with some regions getting access on July 13, 2023. The product page also revealed its pre-order bonus skins.

The three skins are Deadeye’s Shark’s Mouth (Gray), Roadblock’s Stone Golem, and Witchdoctor’s Bush Camo. Those are all three different kinds of exosuits. Deadeye is an assault type, Roadblock is a tank, and Witchdoctor is a support.

Here's how the pre-order skins look:
[gallery columns="1" size="full" ids="954827" link="file"]

You can watch the Capcom Spotlight on both Twitch and YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR6WYjw5mlU&ab_channel=CapcomUSA

And here's the official release date trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLyNU4TlY8A&ab_channel=CapcomUSA

As a reminder, before the Exoprimal release date, people got a chance to sample the game. Capcom held closed network tests back in 2022. There were three of them for potential PC players. These took place throughout July and August 2022.

Nintendo offered a look at the final Super Mario Bros Movie trailer on March 9, 2023 and, as the teaser image suggested, Mario Kart showed up. The latest footage offered a look at Bowser's dungeon with other cameos and references from both the mainline games. After that, Bowser rallied his troops. It then continued with Mario and Donkey Kong joining forces and a Mario Kart-style race. Tickets are also on sale now.

Here's the latest Super Mario Bros Movie Direct with trailer. As with the past Nintendo Direct presentations going over the film, there's also a bit of discussion about it. Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned this footage was being shared on Mar10 Day in some regions. Seth Rogan, Charlie Day, Keegan-Michael Key, and Chris Pratt also appeared to commemorate the day. Jack Black and Anya Taylor-Joy appeared after that, with Black saying she proclaimed it "Bowser Day."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66j31wFLB_s&ab_channel=NintendoofAmerica

After the trailer, the directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic talked about recreating Rainbow Road and introducing new, original karts.

Nihon Falcom updated the teaser website for Ys X: Nordics with new gameplay details, screenshots, and information about the protagonist duo. Ys X: Nordics will only have two playable characters, Adol Christin and Carja Varta, and use the new Cross Action system. The events of Ys X: Nordics happen in between Ys I & II and Ys: Memories of Celceta, chronologically, and they are based on the travelogue titled “Lost Paradise in the North.” Japanese artist toi8 is in charge of character design. [Thanks, Game Watch!]

The new Cross Action system allows players to switch between Solo Mode and Combination Mode. In Solo Mode, the player controls either Adol or Carja, with the AI partner acting automatically. During battle, the player can switch between characters at any time by pressing a single button, similar to the systems used in recent Ys games. Enemy attacks with a blue aura can be easily dodged in Solo Mode.

Meanwhile, in Combination Mode, both Adol and Carja are controlled at the same time. Damage and number of attacks dealt increases, but movement and dash speed is reduced. In Combination Mode, the player can guard against attacks. Doing this increases the Revenge Gauge, which allows the activation of a special skill that deals heavy damage to enemies. Red enemy attacks can only be blocked in Combination Mode.

Cyno visited the Mondstadt at the right time for the Windblume Festival, as a Genius Invokation TCG event will start soon in Genshin Impact. Genius Invokation TCG Heated Battle Mode: The Profound Purpose of Practice will run from March 11-20, 2023. You will need to first finish Prologue: Act III and the Genius Invokation TCG World Quest in order to participate.

Unlike usual events, Heated Battle Mode will not offer rewards like Primogems or Mora. You will instead get Lucky Coins. Lucky Coins are a new currency in Genshin Impact that you can use to purchase new cards or skins for your Genius Invokation deck. As for the actual meat of the event, you simply need to go to The Cat’s Tail in Mondstadt and access Heated Battle Mode from the Invitation Board.

Heated Battle Mode has a special rule in which the first Action Card every round will cost less dice. The first Skill or Equipped Talent each round will also cost one less dice. This means that, true to its name, each game will feel more heated as players can make more of each turn. It seems that Genius Invokation-related events in Genshin Impact will introduce new modes such as this for a limited time.

Genshin Impact is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The Heated Battle Mode for Genius Invokation TCG will launch in Genshin Impact from March 11 and will last until March 20, 2023.

Yoshihiro Togashi tweeted about his progress on chapter 401 of the Hunter x Hunter manga. Though we cannot see the name (essentially the draft) at all in the pictures, we can see that he has written about nineteen pages. He also shared a bit of information about his health.

https://twitter.com/Un4v5s8bgsVk9Xp/status/1633699912083996672

A large part of Hunter x Hunter’s massive schedule slip and multiple hiatuses has to do with Togashi’s poor health. In previous interviews, he explained that his back and hip issues prevent him from sitting down for long. Considering that a lot of a mangaka’s work hours are conducted while sitting down, this is a problem. However, in his tweet, Togashi stated that while he does not yet have a fixed work schedule just yet, he has been able to spend more and more hours per day at the desk. He noted he is very happy about this.

The Fatal Frame series is great at forcing you to do something that goes against every survival instinct, then coping with that “decision” as best you can. Do I want to go to the death island filled with killer ghosts? No. Is going up the stairs the creepy ghost nurse ascended wise? Absolutely not. Should you go into the nurses’ station after said ghost nurse looked into your soul and ordered you back into your room? I mean, at this point I’d be too busy crying in a fetal position to do so in real life, so yeah, that’s also a no from me. But Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse constantly pushes you into these situations, and that’s part of what makes it such a great game.

Years ago, Ruka Minazuki, Misaki Aso, Madoka Tsukimori, and two of their friends were found after an incident on Rogetsu Isle. All five young women lost all memories of their lives prior to that moment. Now, two of them are dead. The survivors are convinced the answers to what happened, and their hopes of surviving whatever claimed the lives of their friends, are back on that island. So they return, as does Choshiro Kirishima. He’s the detective who found all five girls that day while investigating Yo Haibara, and Ruka’s mother called upon him to come back to find her daughter.

Due to Kohei Horikoshi’s health concerns, the My Hero Academia manga will go on a two-week hiatus. It will not appear in issues 15 and 16 of Weekly Shonen Jump. However, it should resume in the seventeenth issue. Should there be any complications in Horikoshi’s condition, however, this hiatus may last a bit longer. [Thanks, ryokutya2089!]

Currently, My Hero Academia is in the midst of its Final War Arc. This appears to be the climax of the series. The heroes and the villains are facing off against each other and the stakes are high. While this certainly does seem like the actual and literal final battle that Izuku may need to deal with, there is no telling when My Hero Academia will end.

My Hero Academia is a massively popular anime and manga series that follows Izuku Midoriya, or “Deku,” which is both his nickname and his heroic alter ego. Despite his childhood dream of becoming a superhero, he did not have a Quirk at birth. A Quirk is basically a superpower. But then he meets his hero All Might, who bestows upon him the powerful Quirk One For All. Thus begins Izuku’s training to become the number one hero.

My Hero Academia runs weekly in Weekly Shonen Jump and Viz Media handles its North American localization. The anime adaptation is streaming on Crunchyroll. The current hiatus for the My Hero Academia manga will last two weeks.

To commemorate the first half of part 3 of the final season of Attack on Titan, Uniqlo will sell several t-shirts based on signature scenes from the series. People in Japan will be able to purchase them from March 17, 2023. All of the shirts will cost 1,500 JPY, which is around $10.95, and you can get sizes ranging from men’s XS to 4XL. [Thanks, Denfaminico Gamer!]

So far, we can only see five of the seven designs. However, the majority of them are iconic scenes or lines from the series. One of them has the title of the show on the front. There is also a t-shirt of Levi offering his heart in a salute. As well, Eren and Mikasa’s “If you don’t fight, you can’t win” line appears as a T-shirt design.

You can check out clearer pictures of the designs via Uniqlo's webpage for the collaboration and in the gallery below.
[gallery columns="7" ids="954709,954710,954711,954712,954713,954714,954715" link="file"]

Uniqlo will also hold a campaign while the Attack on Titan t-shirts are available. If you purchase two or more shirts, you can get a #WITHUT sticker. Once you scan the barcode on the back of the sticker, you can use an original AR filter in Instagram. Obviously, you will need the Instagram app and an account in order to use this sticker. These will be available while supplies last in physical stores, whereas the online Uniqlo store will hand it out  via lottery.

HoYoVerse the developer of Genshin Impact, shared released a new song and animated cutscene for Honkai Impact 3rd. The track is called "Da Capo" and was produced by Hoyo-Mix, the developer's internal music production team. The song is listed as being the theme for the “Graduation Trip” animated short. You can listen to "Da Capo" now on Spotify and Apple Music in both its original and instrumental arrangements. As for the CG animated short, it is called "Transcend."

First, here's the new Honkai Impact 3rd song announcement.

★ New Theme Song Da Capo Released ★

Da Capo is Honkai Impact 3rd's new theme song produced by @hoyo_mix, miHoYo's in-house music team.
Welcome to listen to the song and share it!

Spotify >>> https://t.co/saCZ4HFVdy
Apple Music >>> https://t.co/7X0SiMqTls#HonkaiImpact3rd pic.twitter.com/mY0RNqXAi8

— Honkai Impact 3rd (@HonkaiImpact3rd) March 9, 2023

There is now an additional way to get access to the Diablo 4 Early Access beta, and that's by getting select items at KFC. The fast food chain announced the offer on its official website. If people get select chicken sandwiches, such as the Double Down that involves two fried chicken patties with cheese and bacon between them, they will get a code to participate. However, the offer is limited to online orders.

Previously, the only way to participate in the Diablo 4 Early Access beta weekend between March 17-20, 2023 was to pre-order the game. This promotion now allows purchases from KFC.com or its app to count toward gaining access. You must order one of the following sandwiches between March 8-18, 2023, however.

• Bacon and Cheese Chicken Sandwich Combo with sandwich, side, and beverage - $9.49
• Double Down Sandwich Combo with sandwich, side, and beverage - $11.99

Said codes are only for people in the US, and you can only get one per customer.

Diablo 4 will launch on June 6, 2023 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and its Early Access beta weekend will be held March 17-20, 2023. The open beta will run March 24-27, 2023 People can take advantage of the KFC Diablo 4 early access offer until March 18, 2023.

As part of a new Square Enix official Chrono Cross interview video about the remaster, Director Masato Kato discussed the number of playable characters available in the title. Over the course of the adventure, people can eventually recruit 45 different people. However, which decisions you make do limit which characters can join. When discussing it, he noted it was about adding characters he wanted to see “on a whim.” He also “apologized” to Funguy for how that party member was handled.

Here’s Kato’s exact statement regarding the number of playable characters in Chrono Cross.

Let me tell you, originally we wanted to make every character in the village playable. Unsurprisingly, this idea was rejected. Looking at it with a cool head, even I could see it was impossible. I gave up on that very rapidly.

Then, it was simply a matter of “I want a character like this and like that!” I kept on adding whatever I wanted on a whim, and we ended up with that greatly diverse cast of characters.

When I look at the character lineup now, if someone was to ask me, “Did you really need Funguy?” Maybe I would say he might not be necessary.

Users reported that an advertisement announcing the arrival of an official Resident Evil 4 remake demo appeared on Twitch. This seems to confirm the arrival of the said demo after the Capcom Spotlight presentation. It should be noted, at the February 2023 State of Play, a special demo was announced along with a trailer revealing The Mercenaries mode would be added. [Thanks, JbootyfuI and DanisabeastXD on Twitter!]

At the end of the Twitch commercials, a message appears saying “demo available now.” To clarify, the Resident Evil 4 demo is not yet available on any digital store as of 12:30pm ET on March 9, 2023. Based on these ads, it seems that the trial will be released as soon as the event is over.

https://twitter.com/DanisabeastXD/status/1633710601271664640?s=20

So far, Capcom revealed various news about the Resident Evil 4 remake. This new version will feature updated graphics and new story beats adapted from the original story. It also will revised parts of the game that were previously QTEs to more easily adapt to the overall gameplay. In addition, the remake will also become VR-compatible.

A new Square Enix Chrono Cross interview with Director Masato Kato and Composer Yasunori Mitsuda touched on multiple elements from the remaster. In particular, the Satellaview visual novel Radical Dreamers came up. Kato noted Square Enix wanted to bring it back for a while, but that initial rereleases didn’t happen due to his being “a bit ashamed of it” and it not being “a fully finished game.” However, once Kato saw the prices it was demanding, he agreed. The Radical Dreamers Edition Producer Koichiro Sakamoto also spoke about talking to Kato to ensure it would be included.

Here’s Kato’s full explanation about the reason why Radical Dreamers showed up as part of the Chrono Cross remaster.

They had approached me multiple times about Radical Dreamers. They wanted to bundle it with other games, such as the Nintendo DS port of Chrono Trigger.

But I told them it was an old title. It breaks off midway. It’s not a fully finished game. So, I was a bit ashamed of it, and I kept saying I didn’t want to re-release it. I didn’t want to see it revived in some new form. So, I kept turning them down.

Epic Games teased the next Fortnite crossover will involve Attack on Titan and Eren Yaeger. It shared a piece of art involving the character in his Survey Corps uniform. He's seen from behind, and it appears the skin will pull from his appearance at the beginning of the series.

Here's the teaser. It's note references the three walls on Paradis Island, Maria, Rose, and Sheena.

There’s more to explore beyond the walls… #FortniteMEGA pic.twitter.com/NBxYBgQ2j0

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) March 9, 2023

Both the Gengar and Pikachu Squishmallow plush toys are in stock at another retailer. This time, it's the accessory shop Claires. It is selling the 10" versions of both Gengar and Pikachu online. These are $29.99 each. This is the same price the two were at the Pokemon Center when they first released back in November 2022. However, the Pokemon Center ones were 12 inch varieties, while these are 10 inches tall.

As a reminder, these are slightly different aside from the size. All subsequent releases of these two stuffed toys lack the embroidered patch that appeared on the original Pokemon Center batch.

XSeed Games announced a release date for the Switch and PC versions of Rune Factory 3 Special. People will be able to find the game on both platforms on September 5, 2023. It also noted that digital and physical copies will come up, but that those will be discussed later. There’s also a new trailer showing off the game and its localization.

The Rune Factory 3 Special release date trailer begins with a clip of its opening movie while the game’s theme song plays. It then shows Micah in dungeons, fighting both as a human and a Woolie. Farming and crafting segments appear after that. This includes showing how clearing a field goes. From there, it briefly looks at fishing and cooking.

After that, it shows off the romantic elements of Rune Factory 3 Special. In particular, this portion begins by showing Micah getting closer to Pia. After that, we see a confession from Raven and Micah talking to Karina. Then, Micah sees shooting stars with Sakuya on the beach. It starts to close out with a confession scene with Shara.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se3TvrFQgXY&ab_channel=XSEEDgames

The Rune Factory 3 Special Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam release date is September 5, 2023 outside Japan. It showed up on the Switch in Japan on March 2, 2023. The original Rune Factory 3 can be found on the Nintendo DS.

Ahead of the Super Mario Bros Movie premiere, Build-a-Bear announced the Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and Yoshi plush options are back. The Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach options take traditional stuffed toys and dress them in costumes based on the characters. However, Bowser and Yoshi are unique ones. The Yoshi one, however, is an online-exclusive. The announcement noted this is a “limited web release.” These toys first appeared back in December 2017.

Here’s the list of Super Mario plush options available on the Build-a-Bear website, as well as the prices. Some are online exclusives, like Yoshi.

It's March 9th, which means it's Miku Day, a day for Hatsune Miku fans to celebrate the iconic Vocaloid character. That also means that Taito opened pre-orders for a special Spiritale Hatsune Miku Miku Day figure. The figure distribution is limited to the Taito Online Store in Japan and costs 35,200 Yen (about $259 USD).

The Hatsune Miku Miku Day Figure is formally named the "Hatsune Miku 39's Special Day" figure. Since "3" and "9" can be read as "Mi-ku" in Japanese, that's also why March 9th is celebrated as Miku day. The figure itself is made from PVC, and stands at 240mm tall (about 9.45 inches). The figure design recognizes Miku's status a member of Vocaloid royalty, as she's wearing a European-style royal mantle, and regalia. Like other Spirital PVC scale figures, the 39's Special Day figure is manufactured with a special technique designed to emphasize smooth skin textures.

[gallery size="medium" ids="954593,954594,954595,954596,954597,954598" link="file"]

The Hatsune Miku Miku Day figure's regalia includes a scepter, orb, and a crown. The designs seem to be patterned after the real-life crown jewels of the United Kingdom. She wears her mantle over a version of her classic outfit, and sits on the arm of a throne festooned with flowers. Her overall design is based on a 2D illustration by artist iXima.

The latest wave of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe add-on content has arrived. Judging from the updated character screen, more Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC characters are planned. [Thanks, Wario64 and PadWarrior!]

The new Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC characters will appear alongside the newly-added Birdo. Birdo was announced in a previous reveal, along with the addition of a Yoshi's Island course. Birdo stands at the head of an entire new column in the character select screen. Below her are five blank spaces occupied by "?s."

https://twitter.com/pad_warrior/status/1633636254989574144

With two more waves of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC coming, the five new characters will presumably be added as part of those waves. As to who they could be, there are still a few Nintendo-related characters that could make the cut. Samus Aran from the Metroid series could be one. Splatoon's prominence as part of Nintendo's top-line franchises could hint at the arrival of a named character from one of the games. The upcoming launch of a new Zelda title could also herald the arrival of a character to accompany Link.

Capcom promised it will fix the way the rain in Spain falls. Following online complaints about the Resident Evil 4 Remake rain effects, Capcom stated that a launch-day patch will bring adjustments. [Thanks, Press Start!]

The comment came from Resident Evil 4 Remake Producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi in an interview with Press Start's James Berich. Berich mentioned online complaints about the Resident Evil 4 Remake rain effects, which emerged after viewers saw gameplay videos published by Game Informer in February 2023. Berich asked if Capcom intended to address what some fans were dubbing "raingate".

Hirabayashi said that the team had "seen everyone's reaction to the rain effects," and was "working on a day-one patch to make adjustments." Given the timing of the patch, no information was available about just how the rainfall effect would be adjusted, but it will likely look different from the build experienced by Game Informer's staff.

For your reference, here's the video that sparked the "raingate" complaints.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBoRm0QFUk0

The next generation of ninjas is coming to an end. According to the official Boruto: Naruto Next Generations anime website, Boruto Part 1 will see its finale arrive with episode 293. The episode airs on March 26, 2023, and will close out "Part 1" of the Boruto story. Viz Media, which publishes Shonen Jump in English, confirmed the finale date via its own account.

The Boruto Part 1 finale will air and cap a continuous six-year run of the show since it premiered in April 2017. The story isn't over yet, though, as production of Boruto Part 2 is already underway. The site didn't clarify when it would air, though.

In Boruto: Naruto Next Generations' place, though, a new anime project is planned. In September 2023, a "brand new" four-episode series will air, to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Naruto. The episodes will likely feature members of the original Naruto cast, given the timing. In addition, from July 2023, reruns of specially selected episodes of Naruto and Naruto Shippuden will air in Japan.

Figure maker Kotobukiya unveiled the appearance of its Star Trek Bishoujo Vulcan figure. The official Kotobukiya online store updated the product page for the figure, officially named the Star Trek Bishoujo Vulcan Science Officer. It also appeared on the Sideshow Collectibles site for international pre-orders.

The figure stands about 8.5" inches (about 22.6 cm) tall and is made of PVC. It will ship in September 2023, and costs 16,500 Yen (about $120 USD) in Japan. The Sideshow collectibles product page sets the pre-order price at $130 USD, with an October-December 2023 shipping window.

As with other figures in the line, the Bishoujo Vulcan Science Officer is based on a character design by illustrator Shunya Yamashita. First revealed in early February 2023, the design shows a black-haired female Vulcan officer wearing a Starfleet uniform in the style of the original 1966 Star Trek TV series.

[gallery size="medium" ids="954551,954552,954553,954554,954555,954556" link="file"]

NIS America revealed a new trailer focusing on characters for The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie. The video focuses on the protagonists Lloyd, Rean, and C, unveiling their three paths that will be available for play. In addition, it offers a closer look at the thoughts and interests of the protagonists.

Three different perspectives will be available for players to choose from with the new "Trails to Walk" mechanic. It will be necessary to complete all of them to get a complete picture of the game's events. In addition, the protagonists will have at their disposal a roster of more than 50 playable characters.

Lloyd Bannings and the members of Crossbell's Special Support Section are the protagonists of the "Day of the Reindependence" path. Meanwhile, Rean Swcharzer and the representatives of the Erebonian Empire will be the focus of the route called "Lost Symbol." Finally, the path "The Miserable Sinners" will focus on the mysterious new character of Trails into Reverie, "C." The trailer also emphasizes Lapis Rosenberg, a doll who remembers neither her origin nor her reason for being.

Watch The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie characters trailer here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6urb86lb3M

Nihon Falcom originally released Trails into Reverie in 2020 in Japan. This game marks the conclusion of the Crossbell and Erebonia arcs introduced in recent past games in the Trails series.

Level-5 unveiled details on Megaton Musashi Wired at its 2023 Vision livestream event. Wired is an updated rerelease of the existing Megaton Musashi X, and will be the game's first step beyond Japan's shores.

Based on 2021's Megaton Musashi X, Megaton Musashi Wired will appear on PS4, PS5 and PC, and feature the content of both the original game and a large amount of new content. It'll also support online cross-play for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC versions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mEq_N0oWbQ

Megaton Musashi's story pays tribute to the classic era of Japanese Super Robot anime. The alien Dracters have wiped out 99.9% of humanity, and confined the remaining survivors to an underground shelter, where their memories of the invasion are forcibly repressed. Only a select group of youngsters know the truth, and fight back against their oppressors using giant mecha called "Rogues."

Players will be able to build and customize their own Rogues and take them into battle in single- and multi-player matches. The game will have both co-op and competitive play. Additionally, it'll have crossovers with famous Super Robots, including Mazinger Z, UFO Robot Grendizer, Getter Robo, Combattler V, and Voltes V.

Megaton Musashi Wired is in development for PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC, and a 2023 global release is planned.

The existence of a new Professor Layton game was revealed at last month's Nintendo Direct, but details on the project were scarce. Level-5 has rectified that by dropping new info at its 2023 Vision livestream event. A presentation and gameplay preview of Professor Layton and the New World of Steam revealed more about the game's setting, story, and anticipated mechanics.

The livestream built off the brief Professor Layton and the New World of Steam teaser from February 2023. The story takes place a year after Layton and his apprentice Luke parted ways. Luke has since moved to America, and invited Layton to visit him in the city of Steam Bison, where advanced steam-powered machines are at the forefront of technology. There Layton and Luke's roles are reversed somewhat. Though an authority on riddles in his native London, he's pretty much unknown in America. By contrast, Luke is a rising star, the famous "Detective Luke". The pair will reunite in a new and unfamiliar place, solving puzzles together and seeing Steam Bison grow and change over time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9IM9gWjZn4

Now that the Level-5 Vision 2023 Tsuzumi appeared, we know more about Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. The RPG, which allows people to live through different lives and engage in quests, is on the way to the Nintendo Switch. It first showed up during the February 2023 Nintendo Direct. However, during this presentation more details about its gameplay and roles appeared in a new trailer. Among them was a confirmation there will be 14 "lives" in Fantasy Life i, with 12 returning and two obscured in the stream. The "i" in the title was also explained by Akihiro Hino

In Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, players live a live on Mysteria Island in Reveria. The new trailer begins by showing the avatar creation process. People can pick out their character’s look, clothing, hair style and color, and voice. Then, they head out to the island to take on jobs. People start out as novices and work their way up. It is possible to focus on one, or master them all. You can also decorate both your home and town, while living your life as you please or helping to solve the mystery of an island with a girl who can control time and a dragon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EVgTrFkCoU&ab_channel=LEVEL5ch%E3%80%90%E5%85%AC%E5%BC%8F%E3%80%91

Level-5 used its Vision 2023 Tsuzumi presentation to bring up more news about Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road for the Switch. The game has been through quite a bit in its lifespan, but now seems closer to release. At the end of the showcase, a full explanation and gameplay footage appeared. So did a 2023 release window.

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road is set at Nagasaki, Kyushu’s Nagumoharu Junior High. Players follow Unmei Sasanami, who gave up soccer. However, he gets pulled back into that world and the Soccer Summit by Haru Endo. They can then go through the story to become champions, recruiting over 4,500 characters from past games. However, there is also a Inazuma V Caravan that allows someone to “travel through history” to go through Chronicle Competition Routes based on past games.

There will be 5v5 games, with a freestyle mode. People can play in landscape or portrait modes, with quick actions that can use touch controls to play. You can create your own team of characters from the past and future. These can be used against “hidden” competitors too, as well as when playing online.

This is the latest trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkRQsURQjH4&ab_channel=LEVEL5ch%E3%80%90%E5%85%AC%E5%BC%8F%E3%80%91

Here’s the full showcase, with the new Inazuma Eleven game appearing at the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyzTxMlYqWo&ab_channel=LEVEL5ch%E3%80%90%E5%85%AC%E5%BC%8F%E3%80%91

The Level-5 Vision 2023 Tsuzumi presentation kicked off with an extended version of the original Decapolice reveal trailer showcasing its characters and gameplay. After that, it shared an entirely new trailer of the “cross-media” game.

Decapolice stars Harvard Marks, one of multiple Broadstone Police Department detectives who is in the Decasim training to solve crimes. In addition to main character Harvard, players will work alongside Carl Oxford, Zhang Tsinghua, Manimani Manqa, and Mikey Princeton, and they’re guided by Instructor Misae Cambridge. It’s a virtual reality version of the city with the same incidents as the real one. He’ll need to solve crimes there. These can be recent cases or ones that happened 12 years ago. However, a hacker changed their avatar looks to that of cartoons. They then need to hunt down the clown while performing investigations. This means RPG-like battles.

First, here's the extended original trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiskq5t73P0&ab_channel=LEVEL5ch%E3%80%90%E5%85%AC%E5%BC%8F%E3%80%91

And this is the all new one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWfJZWSM-ic&ab_channel=LEVEL5ch%E3%80%90%E5%85%AC%E5%BC%8F%E3%80%91

With the “Stage Actors” Octopath Traveler 2 side story, it might seem like a situation in which you bring NPCs to the Stage Director. After all, the Tropu’hopu NPC mentions people who cab show passion in battle. But really, you just need to fight this character.

Head north of the main Tropu’hopu space to get to the Floating Theater area. The Stage Director is to the right of the stage itself. This is a genuinely strong opponent, with 7/10 marks, so try to be at least at level 40.

Now, when I fought the Stage Director, I used Ochette. So I can’t speak to all the weaknesses, as Provoke limits you to monster usage. However, this opponent is susceptible to sword, dagger, and wind attacks.

Once you finish the encounter, it gets really fun! Because of your challenge, there are different ways the story can go. I recommend saving before you finish this quest. The character who completed it becomes the star of their own “play.” With my Ochette one, she ended up being a “maiden of mystery” trying to find her parents that happened upon a new threat to her well being. Akala even factored into the performance.

Once the show is done, you get 4,500 leaves and a Physical Belt for finishing “Stage Actors” in Octopath Traveler 2.

Octopath Traveler 2 is available for the Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC. A demo is available.

Video game developer Cygames and liquor company Kurand announced a collaboration to release a bottle of red wine based on the Fallen Angels from Granblue Fantasy. It is a red wine, and the foil embossed label depicts the insignia of the Fallen Angels. The wine bottle costs 6,600 JPY (roughly $48 USD), and it is scheduled to ship sometime in mid-April 2023. However, the wine is currently sold out. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

The Granblue Fantasy Fallen Angel wine is a 2014 vintage sweet red wine. It has a a 10% alcoholic component, and it was manufactured by Katashimo Winery in Osaka. The bottle contains 720 milliliters of red wine, and it comes packaged in a black box with the Fallen Angel insignia engraved in a golden foil texture.

An engraved wine opener is included with the bottle as a purchase bonus. Pre-orders opened on March 8, 2023 in Japan. However, stock was limited and the bottle is currently sold out from the Kurand online store.

You can check out the Fallen Angel wine bottle and wine opener in more detail in the gallery below.
[gallery columns="2" ids="954512,954511" link="file"]

The Granblue Fantasy Fallen Angel wine is currently sold out. it is unknown if Kurand has plans to restock with more units. In other Granblue Fantasy-adjacent news, Anila was announced as the new character for Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising.

With Final Fantasy XIV Patch 6.35 now live, a new Deep Dungeon is available for players to tackle. Like previous Deep Dungeons, there are certain requirements that need to be met in order to unlock FFXIV's Eureka Orthos. While one of the initial requirements is relatively simple, two others are gated by Main Scenario progress and having any combat Job Class leveled appropriately.

The requirements to unlock the Deep Dungeon Eureka Orthos in FFXIV are as follows:

• Players must have completed Main Scenario Quest "Endwalker"
• Clear Floor 50 of Palace of the Dead
• At least one Level 81 combat Job Class

Once these requirements are met, you can talk to Koh Rabntah in Mor Dhona at X:21.8, Y:8.1 to unlock Eureka Orthos.

The Eureka Orthos Deep Dungeon in FFXIV is a great place to level up any Job Classes from level 81 to 90 as well. Like Palace of the Dead, and Heaven on High, it offers experience to players for completing a series of floors. With each floor being more challenging than the last, it's also engaging side content for those looking for something extra to do. Especially since you can run it by yourself or with a dedicated group.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, and PC. Patch 6.35, which includes Eureka Orthos along with other side content like the Hildebrand Adventures side quests, is now available.

The Poke Times official Twitter account recently shared a tweet showcasing a new snack item based on Fidough, the bread dog Pokemon from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. It involves the character being turned into real baked bread. This item is a collaboration between The Pokemon Company and Japanese food company Daiichipan. The companies are releasing a new line of “Pokemon Pan” snacks. Pokemon Pan are baked sweet goods and snacks inspired by creatures from the Pokemon franchise. Pokemon Pan is not available for sale in Hokkaido and Okinawa.

https://twitter.com/poke_times/status/1633392116415057920

The new line of Pokemon Pan baked sweet goods features Fidough and other creatures from Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, the latest entry in the franchise. Each package of Pokemon Pan comes with a sticker, and there are 20 stickers available. The sticker collection rotates and changes every two months. You can check out the catalogue of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet stickers currently available here.
Aside from the adorable Fidough bread, some of the other items available in the new line of Pokemon Pan items include apple and cream bread, three different flavors of steamed cakes, stuffed bread, donut balls, and pound cake. You can check out the new Daiichipan items in the gallery below.

So “A Devilishly Delicious Dish” is a side story you can pick up early in Octopath Traveler 2, but you probably won’t be strong enough to finish it until later in the game. At the tavern in New Delsta, a Tavern Cook will ask you for a Delsta Devil. However, actually solving this means heading to a level 34 dungeon and defeating a boss.

After you get the quest, head to Western Clockbank Highroad. You’ll need to head to one of the docks and sail under the bridge to the south. Going down this river will lead you to the level 34 Sunken Maw region.

Once you get to the dock here, head south until you reach another dock. Use the small boat to sail east. After grabbing the Shield of Serenity from the chest, go north of that small island. Save at the save point. Climb the ladder, then visit the Elderly Fishing Enthusiast in his cabin to the north. (The chest near here has 13,500 leaves in it.) You’ll need to have someone Buy, Entreat, Mug, or Steal his Special Bait off of him. (My Throne was around level 40 at this point and pulled it off with a 100% chance.)

Chucklefish announced that Wargroove 2 is in development for the PC and the Nintendo Switch. In the new trailer, gameplay is shown that features tropical pirates facing off against soldiers in turn-based battles. No release window beyond 2023 is given, but the game can be wishlisted now on PCs via Steam.

The trailer begins with an introduction to a new setting, the Saffron Isles in the country of Aurania. This pirate-themed location is home to Nadia, a female pirate who fights with a flame thrower. Nadia then mentions that strange invaders have been spotted in the area recently. To fight back, old friends also raised armies and created new grooves to fight against their foes.

You can check out the announcement trailer below. Composer Dale North, the composer for games such as River City Girls 1 and 2, handled the soundtrack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL8C_8u_jyI&ab_channel=Chucklefish

Wargroove 2 will feature a variety of new features to set it apart from its predecessor. There will be new commanders and multitiered groove system battles. There are also five new unit types. All units can also be powered up by picking up new items.

Details about campaigns and original options came up. There will be three new campaigns. Beyond the main story, a new rogue-like mode known as Conquest will appear. The map editor will return and features the ability to make your own campaign and cut scenes as well.

You might overlook the “Goading the Grapes” Octopath Traveler 2 side story. If you walk down the steps just outside the town entrance at Western Conning Creek Coast, you’ll happen upon a Grape Farmer who needs help. The vines aren’t growing properly. Fortunately, a nearby NPC mentions a grape expert in Cropdale, so solving this side quest is as simple as passing along the tips.

The Grape Expert is always at the Cropdale tavern bar, regardless of the time of day. This means you could have Castti or Osvald get the information during the day or bring Hikari or Temenos along at night to learn what you need. You’ll get the Tricks to Growing Grapes information via whichever method you choose. (I went with Osvald’s Scrutinize.)

After delivering the Tricks to Growing Grapes to the Grape Farmer, Octopath Traveler 2’s “Goading the Grapes” will end. You’ll get 10,000 leaves and a Nourishing Nut (M) as a reward for bringing the good news.

Octopath Traveler 2 is available for the Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC. A demo is available.

Sportswear and apparel company Puma, in collaboration with Square Enix, will launch the Puma x Final Fantasy XIV collection on March 15, 2023 in their website and select regions and in March 25, 2023 in North America. Puma previously announced a new line of sneakers as part of the collaboration. The new announcement confirmed that the complete FFXIV Puma collection consists of a lineup of 17 items of shoes and clothing including T-shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, backpacks, sneakers, and hats, some available in different colors. [Thanks, Game Watch!]

The collaboration celebrates the 10th anniversary of the re-launch of A Realm Reborn, and the tagline for the campaign is “A Wardrobe Reborn.” The collaboration embodies the theme of duality between light and dark present throughout FFXIV.

To prepare for the release of the collaboration, Puma released a new CG FFXIV teaser campaign, showcasing sneak peaks of the clothing and shoes. You can check out the new teaser video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8qNTl8B2oo

In addition, you can check out some of the items included in the Puma x Final Fantasy XIV collection in the gallery below.

“The Fish Filcher” is a weird Octopath Traveler 2 side story, because the solution is so unexpected. Fish are being stolen at Conning Creek. You’re supposed to help. But, it’s not like any NPC in town has fish in their inventory. To complete this quest, you need to think outside of the box.

To start “The Fish Filcher,” talk to the Head Fisherman at Conning Creek: Harbor during the day. Then, change to night and wait. I actually stumbled upon this accidentally. I swapped the time to see if anyone was there, headed to the main part of town to do some stealing and information gathering with Osvald and Throne, then headed back to the harbor. When I did, I saw a Fish Thief standing there.

Knocking out the fish thief with Throne’s Ambush or Castti’s Soothe will complete the quest. A scene will then play out once you’ve done that. You’ll then get 6,000 leaves and a Fortifying Nut (M) for completing “The Fish Filcher” in Octopath Traveler 2. If you want, you can also then steal from the new NPC standing there to get an Enlightening Earring and Fool's Leaf.

Sony confirmed that Discord integration is now available on PlayStation 5. This will see full the chat app added to the console as part of firmware update 7.0 release on March 8, 2023.

This functionality has been in the works for a while, with Sony purchasing a stake in Discord back in 2021. While some account linking features have already been present for a while as a result of this partnership, full chat functionality only just arrived.

The functionality is fully cross-compatible with other devices using Discord, meaning that players on PS5 can talk to friends on PC, mobile or Xbox with no extra effort. All that’s required is a Discord account.

Discord provided helpful information about how to link up accounts with the new service. However, the app isn’t directly available on PS5. Instead, players will need to link their PSN account on Discord on PC or mobile and transfer their call from that device to their console. Players who already linked their accounts for previous features will need to relink their accounts for this purpose.

As well as Discord integration, the PlayStation 5 system software 7.0 update also adds and improves other social features of the console, improvements to data transfer from PS4 and support for variable refresh rate displays. Full details can be found here.

Honkai Star Rail pre-registrations passed 5 million in total, meaning it hit the milestones and all players get Serval Landau as a free character. The announcement art marking the occasion didn’t actually show Serval, though. Instead, it featured the female version of the player’s avatar, March 7th, and the Belobog characters Natasha, Bronya, and Seele.

Here's the reveal.

5,000,000 Pre-registrations Reached!
All pre-registration rewards unlocked! All Trailblazers will obtain Star Rail Pass ×20 and the 4-star character Serval (Erudition: Lightning)!

Pre-register Now: https://t.co/i8hu9xzKEY
Learn More: https://t.co/QS3DQqSFXz#HonkaiStarRail pic.twitter.com/AJKFms3jES

— Honkai: Star Rail (@honkaistarrail) March 7, 2023

The announcement art marking the occasion didn’t actually show Serval, though. Instead, it featured the female version of the player’s avatar, March 7th, and the Belobog characters Natasha, Bronya, and Seele.

The anime adaptation of the manga Frieren will premiere in Japan in Fall 2023. The announcement came along with a new trailer and details about its staff and cast. [Thanks, Numan!]

Check out the trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5ZEiJyqDKU

Frieren (also known as Frieren: Beyond Journey's End or Sousou no Frieren) is based on a manga by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe. The manga originally debuted in April 2020, and has nine volumes as of late 2022. The anime series is being produced by Studio Madhouse (Death Note, One-Punch Man Season 1, Overlord), with Bocchi the Rock! Director Keiichiro Saito at the helm. The screenplays will come from Tomohiro Suzuki, who worked on ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. and Boogiepop and Others. Character designs will be adapted by Reiko Nagasawa, who worked on takt op. Destiny. Violet Evergarden and Muv-Luv Alternative composer Evan Call will work on the show's music. Atsumi Tanezaki, who played Anya Forger in Spy x Family and Rio Futaba in Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, will play Frieren.

The story of Frieren follows the eponymous elven mage, who was once part of a party that defeated the Demon King and restored peace to the land. However, that victory was just the beginning, as Frieren is a nearly immortal elf. She realizes at a funeral for one of her friends that she's destined to outlive most of her comrades, and goes on a journey to fulfill their last wishes, as well as form new connections.