Tag: GLHF

Iceland’s Laugardalshöll Sport Center reportedly to host 2021 League of Legends Worlds

The tournament in esports will likely be heading back to Iceland.

The 2021 League of Legends World Championship Series might be heading to the Laugardalshöll Sports Center in Iceland, Dot Esports reported Monday. It’s also looking like the event will run from Oct. 6 through Nov. 6.

Rumors of the event taking place in Iceland have been circulating for a while now, which isn’t particularly surprising considering Riot Games put on several esports tournaments in the country recently. The Mid-Season Invitational for League of Legends and Valorant Champions Tour events took place at the venue back in May, so there’s precedent for it. 

According to the same report from Dot Esports, every stage of the event will take place exclusively in Iceland due to players from most regions being able to travel to the country. 

Apparently, from Oct. 5 to Oct. 9 will be the dates for the play-in stage, while the group stage is taking place from Oct. 11. through Oct. 18. Playoffs will begin on Oct. 22 and conclude on Oct. 31, with finals happening Nov. 6.

None of this is concrete until Riot Games confirms (or denies) the information, but it all seems likely.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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Clayton Raines will not commentate the 2021 League of Legends World Championships

The shoutcasting legend wants to focus on his health for now.

Clayton’ CaptainFlowers’ Raines is one of League of Legend’s most iconic commentators, but the 2021 World Championship Series will have to do without him. Though not for any other reason than Raines wants to make his mental and physical health a priority.

“I’ve been pretty open these past few years about how poorly I’ve been doing overall,” Raines said in a Twitlonger post. “My physical and mental health are both a long way from where I’d like them to be. I still never get enough sleep, and I haven’t been able to motivate myself back into the gym since everything first shut down last year. I lost all my momentum with my personal stream, and I love making content as a creative outlet.” 

Raines continued: “How does this relate to Worlds? Worlds is an all-encompassing event when you’re working it, and it lasts for over a month. It undoes all your routines, plans, and habits. The schedule usually flips everything upside down, and it’s hard to have much of a life outside of Worlds. These changes are harder for some people than others, and I’ve always been one of the people who don’t adapt well. Even before everything shut down in 2020, international events were largely remote for on-air talent, and it’s always been tough on me.”

Read the full statement from Raines for yourself below.

Raines then goes on to apologize for his decision, particularly the fans. Stressing again, this was his choice alone and had nothing to do with Riot Games or anyone else. Hopefully, Raines will feel comfortable returning by the time the next big League of Legends event happens.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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‘Final Fantasy 14’ — what is it, and why has it suddenly become so huge?

What’s all the fuss about Final Fantasy 14?

Welcome to FTW Explains: a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Here’s a special edition concerning Final Fantasy 14, which will hopefully answer any questions you might have about the game.

If you orbit the world of video games, you may have heard people talking about Final Fantasy lately. Square Enix’s role-playing series has been one of the most popular video game franchises since its inception in 1987, but Final Fantasy 14, in particular, has seen a massive uptick in interest in recent months, with scores of players signing up to join its sprawling, always-online world.

If you’re curious about why there’s been a surge in popularity, here’s everything you need to know about the wildly popular Final Fantasy MMORPG.

Sony will offer free PS4 to PS5 upgrades for ‘Horizon Forbidden West’ after all

If you buy the game on PS4, there will be no extra cost to update to the PS5 version!

Sony has decided to walk back its decision on Horizon Forbidden West’s paid PS4 to PS5 upgrade options, as now the entire process is free for everyone. This change came about after the company received some criticism due to a prior statement claiming there would be no extra cost in upgrading from the game’s PS4 version to PS5.

On Saturday, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and President Jim Ryan updated the initial PlayStation Blog post about Horizon Forbidden West preorders with a statement.

“Last year we made a commitment to deliver free upgrades for our cross-gen launch titles, which included Horizon Forbidden West,” Ryan said on the PlayStation Blog. “While the pandemic’s profound impact pushed Forbidden West out of the launch window we initially envisioned, we will stand by our offer: Players who purchase Horizon Forbidden West on PlayStation 4 will be able to upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version for free.”

Check out Ryan’s complete statement for yourself below.

However, later in the same post, Ryan confirms that other first-party cross-generation exclusives like God of War: Ragnarok and Gran Turismo 7 will not be free. Instead, there will be a $10 fee to upgrade from PS4 to PS5.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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‘Horizon Forbidden West’ will not be upgradeable from PS4 to PS5

If you want both versions, you’ll have to pay a lot more.

Horizon Forbidden West will not have a free PS4 to PS5 upgrade option. There are purchase options that will give you both versions of the game, but things get expensive and confusing fast.

“For players looking to have access to both the PS4 & PS5 versions of Horizon Forbidden West, please purchase the Digital Deluxe, Collector’s, or Regalla Editions,” Sony said on the PlayStation Blog. “Dual entitlement does not apply to the standard and Special Editions.”

So to even get access to both the PS4 and PS5 versions of Horizon Forbidden West, fans need to spend at least $79.99 for the Digital Deluxe Edition. While this may not sound like a big deal, Sony made some statements in the past about PS4 to PS5 upgrade options for the game that only further add to the confusion.

“No one should be disappointed,” Jim Ryan, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and President, said via The Washington Post over a year ago when asked about first-party exclusives. “The PS5 versions of those games are built from the ground up to take advantage of the PS5 feature set, and we have an upgrade path for PS4 users to get the PS5 versions for free. It’s about people having choice. I’m really quite pleased about the situation.”

A lot of fans aren’t happy about the situation either.

Considering how difficult it is to get a PS5 right now, it’s a shame that Sony isn’t offering free upgrades for fans.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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Early version of ‘Overwatch 2’ to be used in next Overwatch League season

Overwatch League VP Jon Spector confirms that the sequel will be in use during season 5.

When the next season of Overwatch League hits in April 2022, it will be using an early build of Overwatch 2,Kotaku reported Friday. Meaning pro players will get to test the competitive waters long before the game comes out for everyone else.

While additional information on season five of Overwatch League beyond its start date of April 2022 is noticeably light, Blizzard themselves quickly confirmed early reports that Overwatch 2 will be part of it. 

“Oh yeah, also this,” Jon Spector, Overwatch League VP at Blizzard, said on Twitter while quoting mentions of an early build of Overwatch 2 being in use during the 2022 season. 

Check out that thread from Spector for yourself below. 

Given that Overwatch 2 is making sweeping changes to PvP, it makes sense that Blizzard would want to get it into the hands of pros before anyone else. PvP, for example, will opt for 5v5 rather than Overwatch’s 6v6. Teams will also only be allowed to use a single tank, which upset a lot of people.

Here’s to hoping that these changes, in the end, will make Overwatch League even more exciting than it was before. 

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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Current season of ‘Fortnite’ will end its alien invasion storyline

Operation: Sky Fire will put an end to the invader’s nefarious deeds.

Chapter 2 season 7 of Fortnite is about to conclude with an all-out final battle against a fleet of alien invaders. The appropriately titled Operation: Sky Fire will serve as this season’s finale and is a one-time event happening on September 12 at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET for anyone eager to welcome the aliens to earth, Will Smith-style. 

“With the Mothership’s sights set on the Imagined Order’s secret base at Corny Complex, Slone has hatched a plan to end the Invasion once and for all,” Epic Games said on the official Fortnite website. “You’ve answered her calls, worked as an undercover agent for the IO – now it’s time to infiltrate The Last Reality and put a stop to the Alien’s occupation.”

Epic Games also encourages players to hop into Fortnite at least 30 minutes before Operation: Sky Fire begins to participate. It makes sense because this event will have no replays. 

With Operation: Sky Fire marking the end of the current season, anyone looking to max out their battle pass should complete any remaining quests they might have as soon as possible. 

“Any unclaimed Battle Stars or Alien Artifacts at the end of Chapter 2 Season 7 will be automatically redeemed for rewards and styles starting with the earliest available unlocks,” Epic Games said later in the same post. “So if you want to snag a particular option, exchange them now.”

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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From the NFL to Air Jordan to Ariana Grande: the biggest Fortnite crossover events so far

Fortnite has seen some big-name collabs so far.

Epic Games’ cultural phenomenon has produced some incredible collaborations over the years.

Now more than ever, Fortnite is inevitable. Epic Games’ behemoth battle royale game has been breaking the internet consistently since its launch in 2017, creating a cultural phenomenon that has dragged superstars and badge brands from a variety of industries into its vivid virtual world.

In this article, we’re going to run through some of the most staggering crossover events in the game’s short history, covering mind-bending concerts, stormtrooper invasions, and digitized must-have real-world fashion. The game is still in its relative infancy, but here are the biggest Fortnite crossover events so far.

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Valve commemorates late ‘DOTA 2’ commentator with moving in-game tribute

Aldrin Paulo “Dunoo” Pangan is now forever part of DOTA 2.

In the most recent update for DOTA 2, developer Valve Software added a tribute to the late Aldrin Paulo “Dunoo” Pangan. The legendary Filipino commentator that recently lost his life to COVID-19.

“We were saddened to hear recently of the passing of Aldrin Paulo ‘Dunoo’ Pangan, an icon of the Filipino casting community,” Valve said on the DOTA 2 blog. “As a tribute, for the next season, the selected chat wheels feature some of his most iconic lines.”

The platinum-tier chat wheel lines include:

  • “Easiest money of my life!”
  • “Lakad Matataaaag! Normalin Normalin.”
  • “The next level play!”

Even if you’re not familiar with DOTA 2, Pangan’s energy during matches was unparalleled. Check out a clip of him going wild for yourself below

DOTA 2’s community is still processing the grief that comes with Pangan’s passing as well.

Now, Pangan is part of the game that he loved so dearly.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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‘Cyberpunk 2077’ and ‘The Witcher 3’ next-gen upgrades might not arrive this year

At least they’re backwards compatible?

Anyone eagerly anticipating the next-gen upgrades for The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 might be in for a long wait, as developer CD Projekt Red said it couldn’t promise either will come out in 2021.

Since Cyberpunk 2077’s disastrous launch last year, CD Projekt Red has spent the lion’s share of 2021 patching the game. Not always to great results, though. During CD Projekt Red’s most recent shareholders call, SVP of business development Michał Nowakowski stated that the company wants to learn from past mistakes. 

“The target is to release the next-gen version of Cyberpunk 2077 late this year,” Nowakowski said via VGC. “At the same time, keeping in mind the lessons we have learned during the past year and taking into account that this project still remains in development, we can’t say with full certainty that the production schedule will not change.”

Nowakowski continued: “With The Witcher 3, the situation is slightly different in the way that this is being tackled by the external team mainly, which is Saber Interactive, the company that we have worked with before on Switch and also with updates in the past.”

While it’s easy to understand why some fans might be disappointed by this news, avoiding another catastrophe should be CD Projekt Red’s priority right now.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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