Who said that January is a snoozer when it comes to gaming news? A whole lot is going on in the space, from projects reportedly being canned to drama unfolding due to corporate greed. All of that and more in the biggest headlines for January 11 - 17.

Halo Battle Royale Hype Train Derails?

(Credit: twitter.com/HaloInfiniteMP)

The latest buzz surrounding the Halo universe is all about the once-mysterious and now seemingly scrapped Halo battle royale project. For a while, there was a lot of chatter about this project, codenamed Project Tatanka. It was like the gaming world's own Loch Ness Monster – often discussed but never actually seen.

(Credit: youtube.com/@XboxEra)

Developed by Certain Affinity, the co-conspirators behind the Halo series, this project was a topic of intrigue for over two years. Imagine, nearly 100 people tinkering away at what could've been a game-changer for Halo fans. But, as with many good tales, this one takes a twist. Reliable insiders on the XboxEra podcast, includin

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We're just a few days shy away from some of the biggest early releases of 2024 but the news train has picked up a whole lot of steam. There are skyrocketing sales numbers for an unexpected hit, more industry layoffs, a smattering of controversies, and a twist to an unlikely turn of events. All of that and more in the biggest headlines for January 18 to 24.

Palworld's Rollercoaster Ride: Record Sales Amidst Plagiarism Claims and AI Controversy

(Credit: store.steampowered.com)

Pocketpair's Palworld is making waves – and not just the kind that splash in the world of monster-catching RPGs. In a stunning debut, Palworld sold a whopping 7 million copies in just 5 days, racing past one million sales in eight hours and leaving industry giants like Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring in the dust with a peak of 2.01 million players on PC. Needless to say, this indie hit, blending the charm of Pokemon with the thrill of an open-world adventure, has gamers hooked.

(Credit: steamdb.info)

(Credit: twitter.com/

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January is just about done and dusted, with some pretty big news left in its wake. During its last few days, we've had sobering reminders of the gaming industry's volatile nature along with yet another early-access release hitting the big time. At the same time, not all launches are proven equal as a major title is off to a rough start. All of that and more in the key headlines for January 25 - 31.

The Turbulent Launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

(Credit: youtube.com/@glp)

Let's dive into the rollercoaster ride that is the launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. It's a tale of early access gone awry, a controversial Batman scene, and gamers grappling with their $100 feeling a bit... well, villainously snatched.

(Credit: twitter.com/suicidesquadRS)

The game barely had time to spread its wings before a bug turned it into a speedrunner's dream - or nightmare, depending on who you ask. Imagine logging in and finding out you've already 'completed' the game. And all this f

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*Notice*

This column was written by Hawkoon and originally posted on Reddit. 

We've gained permission to re-post it here. Please do not re-post this blog without inquiring permission from u/Hawkoon01. 

You can find the original column here.

Back in 2021, there was a /dev post about the State of Game Modes. It was about the current new game mode, Ultimate Spellbook, as well as some other older game modes and why they aren't coming back. But the ending of that post mentions this:

A unique game mode where champions will be amplified!

(Credit: leagueoflegends.com)

Now nobody probably paid attention to that, I myself found out about it only about a year later, but it got me SO excited. I love TFT's augments, and a way to amplify a champion? Yes please!

It's very clear that Arena started its development as early as October 2021, so it's been under wraps for almost 2 years before it came live. That's a lot.

When they finally revealed the Arena, I got BEYOND excited. Just seeing the footage I instantly knew this is gonna be a game mode I will spam every chance I get to play League. And I do, it did not disappoint me.

Sure Arena has problems, like the constant spam of champions who are arguably too br

The game mode itself could feature limited different versions of it instead of the actual Arena being a limited game mode. We could get limited-time 1v1v1v1 or 3v3v3v3 options, there could be a Normal vs Ranked modes for less try-harding on normals. Also, since the game mode is often criticized due to the spam of champs like Heimer/Shaco, it could feature a Random Champion pick. about Arena, and he suggested having an iteration where one champion is randomly selected, and the other person picks their champ. It would add an interesting variety to the game and how well two players can coordinate with what they've got.

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*Notice*

This column was written by Hawkoon and originally posted on Reddit. 

We've gained permission to re-post it here. Please do not re-post this blog without inquiring permission from u/Hawkoon01. 

You can find the original column here.

Back in 2021, there was a /dev post about the State of Game Modes. It was about the current new game mode, Ultimate Spellbook, as well as some other older game modes and why they aren't coming back. But the ending of that post mentions this:

A unique game mode where champions will be amplified!

(Credit: leagueoflegends.com)

Now nobody probably paid attention to that, I myself found out about it only about a year later, but it got me SO excited. I love TFT's augments, and a way to amplify a champion? Yes please!

It's very clear that Arena started its development as early as October 2021, so it's been under wraps for almost 2 years before it came live. That's a lot.

When they finally revealed the Arena, I got BEYOND excited. Just seeing the footage I instantly knew this is gonna be a game mode I will spam every chance I get to play League. And I do, it did not disappoint me.

Sure Arena has problems, like the constant spam of champions who are arguably too br

The game mode itself could feature limited different versions of it instead of the actual Arena being a limited game mode. We could get limited-time 1v1v1v1 or 3v3v3v3 options, there could be a Normal vs Ranked modes for less try-harding on normals. Also, since the game mode is often criticized due to the spam of champs like Heimer/Shaco, it could feature a Random Champion pick. about Arena, and he suggested having an iteration where one champion is randomly selected, and the other person picks their champ. It would add an interesting variety to the game and how well two players can coordinate with what they've got.

...

*Notice*

This column was written by Hawkoon and originally posted on Reddit. 

We've gained permission to re-post it here. Please do not re-post this blog without inquiring permission from u/Hawkoon01. 

You can find the original column here.

Back in 2021, there was a /dev post about the State of Game Modes. It was about the current new game mode, Ultimate Spellbook, as well as some other older game modes and why they aren't coming back. But the ending of that post mentions this:

A unique game mode where champions will be amplified!

(Credit: leagueoflegends.com)

Now nobody probably paid attention to that, I myself found out about it only about a year later, but it got me SO excited. I love TFT's augments, and a way to amplify a champion? Yes please!

It's very clear that Arena started its development as early as October 2021, so it's been under wraps for almost 2 years before it came live. That's a lot.

When they finally revealed the Arena, I got BEYOND excited. Just seeing the footage I instantly knew this is gonna be a game mode I will spam every chance I get to play League. And I do, it did not disappoint me.

Sure Arena has problems, like the constant spam of champions who are arguably too br

The game mode itself could feature limited different versions of it instead of the actual Arena being a limited game mode. We could get limited-time 1v1v1v1 or 3v3v3v3 options, there could be a Normal vs Ranked modes for less try-harding on normals. Also, since the game mode is often criticized due to the spam of champs like Heimer/Shaco, it could feature a Random Champion pick. about Arena, and he suggested having an iteration where one champion is randomly selected, and the other person picks their champ. It would add an interesting variety to the game and how well two players can coordinate with what they've got.

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Some of the most popular gaming laptops fall under the Acer Nitro and Acer Predator brands, with several different monitors, desktops, and peripheral devices also being sold under these brands. The Nitro series is known for offering good performance for its price range, whereas the Predator series offers superior technology.

Most people struggle to pick between the two brands because several of the laptops from both series share similar price tags and specs. With some of the models containing very high-end components, it's important that you pick the right machine. So in this article, we're going to explore these two popular gaming laptop series.

Acer Nitro

The Acer Nitro is a series of budget gaming computers that first launched in 2017 and that is marketed to gamers looking for high-performance machines at a reasonable price point. The Nitro series includes desktops, laptops, monitors, and other accessories and competes with other midrange computers. The series was introduced with the Nitro 5 laptop, which featured a 2.50-GHz Intel Core i5-7300HQ, a 4-GB NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, and 8 GB of DDR4 SDRAM. Since 2017, Acer has released several iterations of the Nitro gaming laptop series, including the Nitro 7, 16, and 17. Acer also has a wide range of gaming monitors and a desktop machine under the Nitro brand.

Best options for Acer Nitro (for budget gamers):

• Acer Nitro 5 

• Acer Nitro 7

• Acer Nitro 17

Acer Predator

The Acer Predator series offers high-performance gaming laptops and monitors designed to deliver exceptional gaming experiences, with powerful hardware and advanced features. Acer Predator has a strong presence at a number of major international gaming tournaments and hosts the annual Predator League, which is an international event held by Acer every year to reinforce the commitment of Predator in supporting the gaming industry, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. Predator's "It Lies Within" website even won the prestigious Webby awards in 2023 for its impressive design.

There are currently two laptop families under Predator: Triton and Helios. Triton is lightweight, slim, and sleek, designed for gamers and prosumers who are always on the go, whereas the Helios series consists of midrange and premium laptops with stellar specs that can replace desktop computers. Predator also covers a series of monitors that deliver exceptional visual fidelity and can support games with the most demanding conditions, with refresh rates of up to 360 Hz. Predator is an excellent choice for serious gamers who demand the best possible visuals.

The Predator range also includes mice, headsets, keyboards, routers, desks and even a backpack.

Best options for Acer Predator (for hardcore gamers):

• Acer Predator Helios 300 

• Acer Predator Triton 500 SE 

• A

For a little bit extra, you can go with the Helios 16, a powerhouse gaming machine of the Predator series. The Helios 16 laptop provides excellent value for money, with a medium-sized display, superior chassis design for excellent cooling performance, and a latest-gen Intel i9 CPU. This machine can deliver excellent performance even with the heaviest games, thanks to the inclusion of the Nvidia RTX™ 4080 graphics card. Notably, any 4080 or above can run games in 4K, meaning this machine will be capable of playing modern games well into the future. If you want to experience the stunning graphics of in 1080p at 60 fps or if you want to play , , or at the highest settings, this top-level is the one to get.

• I

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The Olympic Esports Series (abbreviated as OES) is the second installment of the International Olympic Committee's (abbreviated as IOC) virtual sports competitions. With all its online qualifiers completed, the offline finals are set to take place in Singapore from June 22 to 25. However, when the IOC announced the 9 competing game titles at the Olympic Esports Series back in March this year, they were promptly hit with backlash from the gaming communities due to the insignificance of several selected games and the overall lacking representation of "esports".

https://twitter.com/Olympics/status/1630840515640930304

So why exactly was the IOC mocked by gamers? Is the OES even worth watching? What games are more recognized as esports by the gaming audience? I'm here to provide the answers from an avid gamer/esports follower's perspective. Without further ado, let's take a deeper dive into what the fuss is all about. 

(Credit: olympics.com)

First off, I think we can all agree whether it's trad

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The Olympic Esports Series (abbreviated as OES) is the second installment of the International Olympic Committee's (abbreviated as IOC) virtual sports competitions. With all its online qualifiers completed, the offline finals are set to take place in Singapore from June 22 to 25. However, when the IOC announced the 9 competing game titles at the Olympic Esports Series back in March this year, they were promptly hit with backlash from the gaming communities due to the insignificance of several selected games and the overall lacking representation of "esports".

https://twitter.com/Olympics/status/1630840515640930304

So why exactly was the IOC mocked by gamers? Is the OES even worth watching? What games are more recognized as esports by the gaming audience? I'm here to provide the answers from an avid gamer/esports follower's perspective. Without further ado, let's take a deeper dive into what the fuss is all about. 

(Credit: olympics.com)

First off, I think we can all agree whether it's trad

...

The Olympic Esports Series (abbreviated as OES) is the second installment of the International Olympic Committee's (abbreviated as IOC) virtual sports competitions. With all its online qualifiers completed, the offline finals are set to take place in Singapore from June 22 to 25. However, when the IOC announced the 9 competing game titles at the Olympic Esports Series back in March this year, they were promptly hit with backlash from the gaming communities due to the insignificance of several selected games and the overall lacking representation of "esports".

https://twitter.com/Olympics/status/1630840515640930304

So why exactly was the IOC mocked by gamers? Is the OES even worth watching? What games are more recognized as esports by the gaming audience? I'm here to provide the answers from an avid gamer/esports follower's perspective. Without further ado, let's take a deeper dive into what the fuss is all about. 

(Credit: olympics.com)

First off, I think we can all agree whether it's trad

...