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Overwatch League Announces 7 Founding Cities and Owners

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After heavy speculation and trepidation on the part of esports organizations, the Overwatch League has been officially announced. OWL Commissioner Nate Nanzer revealed the first 7 cities that will be participating, along with their owners.

There are currently 5 U.S. based teams, and 2 in Asia. Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and CEO of the Kraft Group founded a team for Boston. In typical sports rivalry fashion, New York City also has a team, owned by Mets COO Jeff Wilpon.

Along with these new faces to esports, three established organizations also picked up spots. Andy Miller, founder of NRG esports, bought a spot for San Francisco. Noah Whinston, CEO of Immortals, has set his team of Los Angeles. Ben Spoont, CEO of Misfits, will have his team play for the Miami/Orlando area.

Overseas, Chinese Internet Technology Company NetEase secured a spot in Shanghai. And of course, you can’t have an esports league without South Korea. Kevin Chou, cofounder of Kabam (a social game app developer), will have his team play in Seoul.

It’s interesting to note here that there are only three confirmed teams in the league. One of which, NRG, only has three active members, and they didn’t make it past qualifiers season zero of contenders. Misfits finished last in the European group stages. Immortals won the North American season zero, establishing themselves as one of the top teams in the region.

Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime had the following to say in regards to the announcement: “Overwatch is a game about a diverse group of international heroes who fight for an optimistic vision of the future, and the Overwatch League is an extension of that spirit… We’re building this league for fans—esports fans, traditional sports fans, gaming fans—and we’re thrilled to have individuals and organizations who are as passionate about professional competition as we are, and who have extensive experience in all three fields, representing our first major international cities in the league.”

The OWL also revealed information on how the inaugural season will play out. Season 1 will take place solely at an esports arena in Los Angeles, to allow owners to prepare their own venues for future home and away play. Games will take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Each team will also be running amateur events in their communities, to give local players a chance to show their skills on a larger stage.

Financially, the OWL announced  teams “will be able to share in the Overwatch League’s overall financial success and be rewarded for investing in their home cities.” Teams will receive a share of advertising, ticketing, and broadcasting deals, as well as keep all locally made revenue up to a set amount. After that set amount is reached, a portion goes back in for a league-wide revenue sharing pool. Overwatch players themselves can support their teams with special in-game items.

A plethora of teams (Denial, Movistar Riders, Fnatic, Dignitas, etc.) have dropped their rosters, citing a lack of trust in the league. Now that it’s announced, and there are a confirmed 7 cities and owners invested in the league, it’s only a matter of time before some of the top-tier teams (Rogue, EnvyUS, Lunatic-Hai, Runaway) buy in. With an official announcement finally here, things may actually be looking up for Blizzard’s Overwatch League.

Check out the Overwatch League announcement video here! You can read their full statement on their site here, and follow the league on twitter here.

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Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.46 introduces an exciting addition to the roster of exclusive cars available in the PS5 and PS4 racing game

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Gran Turismo 7 has just received an exciting update to version 1.46 on both PS5 and PS4. This latest update introduces a unique addition to the game: the Škoda Vision Gran Turismo, a car that you won’t come across in any other game. Škoda makes its debut in the franchise with a visionary study of a single-seater, all-electric racing concept car, designed exclusively for the Polyphony Digital racer.

Once you’ve downloaded update 1.46, you’ll have the opportunity to test drive not one but two additional cars: the AFEELA Prototype 2024 and the iconic Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 Sport Coupe ’70. Get ready for an exhilarating ride! Watch as they take to the track in the video above.

Additionally, the update introduces a new menu for players to tackle in the GT Café. At Collector Level 38, players have the opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of Ferrari 12-cylinder engines, gaining knowledge and expanding their collection. In World Circuits, players can look forward to exciting new events such as the Japanese Clubman Cup 550, the American FR Challenge 550, and the Vision Gran Turismo Trophy. For all the avid fans of Photo Mode, there’s an exciting opportunity to explore the captivating city of San Diego in a brand new Scape.

What are your thoughts on the latest update for Gran Turismo 7? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section.

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ReFantazio Takes a Different Approach to Romance, Setting Itself Apart from the Persona Games

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Atlus’ highly anticipated RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, appears to incorporate familiar systems reminiscent of the developer’s acclaimed Persona series. The game features turn-based battles that heavily rely on exploiting enemy weaknesses. Additionally, players have the ability to summon warrior spirits during combat. However, the most significant aspect of this game, which will be discussed in this article, is the bonding system. Through this system, players can spend time with important characters and gain deeper insights into their personalities and stories.

In contrast to the Persona games, the bonding system ends at that point. Unfortunately, players will be unable to pursue romantic relationships with their beloved waifus, which may come as a disappointment to those who have developed strong feelings for Hulkenberg, the party’s charismatic red-haired elven knight.

According to Siliconera, the absence of romance came up during a recent question and answer session. Atlus emphasized the continued opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with your allies while also introducing additional narratives through substories. In addition, familiarizing yourself with the supporting characters will grant you access to new archetypes, which serve as the game’s character classes.

In the Persona games, romance is not obligatory; rather, it serves as a means to customize your playthrough. However, it is quite unexpected that Metaphor has chosen not to pursue such a venture, considering the significant amount of discussion it typically generates!

Were you anticipating any romantic elements in Metaphor? If you’re not satisfied with your pre-order, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Shift Up unveils the intriguing details behind the physical packaging of Stellar Blade for the PS5

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It appears that many

are eagerly anticipating the launch of the highly anticipated PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade. Shift Up, the developer, has shared a lengthy video showcasing the “secrets” found in the physical box of the game for PS5. From what we can gather, these secrets include a reversible cover/dust jacket and a download code for cosmetic items.

We must clarify that while we do appreciate the variant cover, it may be more appealing than the game’s standard art. However, it is not something we would typically classify as a “secret.”. However, what’s interesting is that Shift Up has confirmed through the comments section that this will be the case in all regions. Additionally, the visually striking action RPG will remain uncensored worldwide.

It’s refreshing to witness a developer going the extra mile for physical collectors, and it’s evident that the developer is determined to leave a favorable mark in the console realm. Stellar Blade is set to make its highly anticipated debut this Friday, April 26th, exclusively on the PS5.

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