GameStart 2018 is officially announced! Attracting more than 24,000 visitors last year, GameStart was a fun-filled event that gamers should not miss. Like last year, we will be there to bring you the highlights of GameStart 2018.
This year, GameStart will be venturing outside Singapore and into Indonesia’s shore where they will hold the first inaugural GameStart 2018 Indonesia. More details will be provided by GameStart later this year.
With games across multiple platforms, from PC to mobile, console and tabletop, there is will be something for any types of gamers. Esports, cosplay and Founders Base, which provides discounted booths for startups, artists and indie developers to showcase their products, will again be part of the event.
SEA Major, the top fighting game tournament in South East Asia will also be back at GameStart 2018. Lineup of games include Street Fighter V, Tekken 7 and more. Check out more details at www.beastapac.com.
Meanwhile, you can read up on the last year event here as well as view the video below for some of the highlights of GameStart 2017.
It’s the time of the year again for some Christmas shopping! If you have a electronic that you wish to buy in 2017, SITEX is your last chance to get good deals at a major consumer electronics event. This yearly event is happening right now at Hall 7 and 8 of the Singapore Expo from 23-26 Nov 2017 (Thu-Sun) from 11am till 9pm.
With the opening of the new phase 3 downtown line, it is even easier to get to SITEX this year. Do take note that unlike previous year, this year, SITEX is located at Hall 7 & 8.
Something for the Gamers…
Game console trade-in is provided by GameXtreme at Hall 7. You can trade in your old console and get a new one at a discount. For those who wish to quickly get rid of their consoles while buying the latest PS4 Pro or Nintendo Switch, this could be what you need. If not, you can always post it on GameTrader.SG and sell it on your own.
The latest PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim are the top selling consoles at GameXtreme.
Here are the trade-in prices.
Do check out their booth at Hall 7.
Something for the Treasure Hunter…
While you are at SITEX, how about winning some free prizes such as a Moto M Smartphone or a SkullCandy Headphones? You would just have to visit each of the five zones (Smart Home, AutoTech, KidsTech, VR/AR and The Audio Room) and answer three to five simple questions. The TechHunt has two sessions, one on the 23rd of Nov (Thu) and the other on the 26th of Nov (Sun).
The first 300 registrant will be entitled to a free TrackR. TrackR is basically a bluetooth tracker that will ring and light up when you activate it remotely via the TrackR app. Perfect for those who keeps misplacing their items.
Apple Fans have their iPhone X to drool about while Android fans have the latest Google Pixel 2 XL and the much talk about Razer Phone. Both of them are available for you to try out at the Singtel Booth (Hall 7).
Google Pixel 2 XL
The Google Pixel 2 XL feels great on my hand. Display is crisp and colours are vivid. And being a Google ‘official’ phone, it will get the latest Android OS right after the release. So you can be sure your Pixel 2 XL will always be running the latest OS.
Razer Phone
This is the baby that we can’t wait to try out. Although it is being marketed as a gaming phone, this Android Phone is highly capable of being a mini home-theater system.
We tried the video that demonstrated the power of the Razer Phone sound system powered by Dolby Atmos (the same sound system used by some theather). We were blown away! Despite the noisy background, the sound coming out from the phone sounds really good. The two powerful speaker residing on both sides of the phone does an excellent job in throwing out the audio to us with surround sound quality.
Gaming-wise, there are three games to try at the booth. Definitely, the visual look fantastics on the display. However, we feel that there could be more that the Razer Phone is capable of. Perhaps not all Android games that is out in the market now will be able to harness the full power of the Razer Phone which is a pity.
Buyer has to note that the new Razer Phone is running on Android 7.1 (Nougat) and not the latest Android 8 (Oreo). While we are told that the update will be coming in a few weeks time, no one is really sure when exactly it will be coming.
Something for the Audiophiles….
If you like listening to good quality music, you must visit SITEX’s Audio Room. Tuck away in a corner of Hall 8, it’s the best place to go to chill out amidst the hustle and bustle on the show floor.
Listen to some music from the DJ or plug in your own devices to try out some of the headphones at the Audio Room. We pampered our ears with the top end Klipsch Heritage HP-3 Headphones. It cost around USD1,200 and is showcased at this year CES 2017 in Las Vegas. You would have to try the headphones yourself to experience it yourself.
Something for the Cryptocurrency Beginner…
Heard of Cryptocurrency and always wanted to have your own mining server? Building your own computer to mine cryptocurrency like Ethereum and Bitcoin may not be a trivial task.
The guys are the Mining Rig Club are there to help. Located at Hall 8 at the Innovation Zone, Mining Rig Club is a newly form startup that had concoct what they believe is the highest ROI rig for cryptocurrency. Buy a rig from them and let them run and service it for a monthly fee. It is that simple. Their rig comes configured for your use so you don’t have to trawl through the internet to find out what to install or run in order to mine cryptocurrency.
They are located at the Innovation Zone at Hall 8.
Something for the Smart-Shopper
IUIGA is a start-up that promotes luxurious quality product at affordable prices. They are kind of like your Muji except a lot cheaper with products at the same quality.
How do they do it? IUIGA operate via a Original Designer Manufacturer (ODM) business model. A ODM is a manufacturer that does designing and produce the good for a brand. The ODM owns the product and design rights. Hence, IUIGA is able to find those same Manufacture for well-known brands like Muji and Samsonite. Their ‘Aluminium Alloy Frame Luggage Bag‘, which is the from same manufacturer a Samsonite but at almost half the price, is already sold out.
WIth things to buy, win and see, spending your weekend at SITEX will be well worth your time. Also, get your Christmas presents early. SITEX would most likely have what your love one needs.
Happy Holidays Everyone!
GameTrader.SG is the official Media Partner for SITEX 2017
Board game, card game, console game, retro console game, mobile game, indie game, VR game or any type of games you can think of, you can find them at this year GameStart 2017. Let’s take you through a tour of the highlights at this year GameStart 2017.
Bandai Booth
Dragon Ball FighterZ
The much anticipated Dragon Ball FighterZ has previously received many positive reviews from media when the trailer was first released at E3 2017. It is touted as one of the most faithful adaptation of the anime into game.
The game itself looks as promising as the E3 trailer. At times, you would even think you are watching the anime. The queue to try out the game was constantly long but it was definitely worth the wait especially for the Dragon Ball fan.
Taiko no Tatsujin (太鼓の達人)
Taiko no Tatsujin game was also available for visitors to try out at the Bandai booth.
PlayStation Booth
The biggest booth of all, a multitude of PS4 games were opened up to everyone. If you tried out all four booth, you can get to win a small token prize much like this year IT Show 2017 PlayStation Booth.
PlayStation Booth
Get behind the wheels of Gran Turismo Sport in a futuristic Tron-like pod.
Gran Turismo Sport
By now, most of you might have tried out PlayStation VR before. We tried out Farpoint VR. While refreshing to try out a FPS on PlayStation VR, the combination of running and shooting in the VR world was too much for me to take. After a 3 minutes gameplay, I’m already feeling dizzy.
PlayStation VR
Doujin Market
Another of our favourite was the Doujin Market. There are many great artists in Singapore. There is where we can support them by buying their work. Rachta Lin is one of artist whom we really like her work and her works were available at this year GameStart
Doujin Market
eSports
SEA Mobile Major
There are two main stage for the eSports lover. SEA Mobile Major took place at one of the stage featuring ShadowVerse. Mobile gaming has indeed come a long way in eSports from the days of Angry Birds.
At the other stage, players battle each other at many popular fighting game such as Street Fighter V, Marvel VS. Capcom Infinite and Tekken 7.
SEA Major 2017
Hitting the groin is allowed in the world of eSports!
SEA Major 2017
Tabletop Game
A huge area was dedicated to tabletop games. Even if you are not a fan of tabletop games, you can just check out some of the impressive miniature models in games such as Warhammer.
And of course there are many fun-loving cosplayers at the events itself that makes the whole experience even better!
One of the highlight of this year GameStart 2017 is the main stage appearance of Yoko Taro, father of Nier, and Yosuke Saito, Square Enix Producer.
As usual the eccentric Yoko Taro has his Emil Mask on only for a short period of time before being ushered into a Yoko box where he takes off his mask. Nope you can’t see him from outside the box. It’s his own way of keeping his identity secret (though his real life photo can be found on the internet).
The interview session was entertaining with legion of fans participating actively throughout the entire session. Many shouted vehemently at the end of the show “人類に栄光あれ” in Japanese which mans “Glory to Mankind”. A pledge that is made famous in the game Nier Automata.
A set of pre-submitted fan questions were selected beforehand. Some of them are your standard fan questions, some elicit really funny answer from Yoko.
*Q&A below is not the actual transcript but a translated version from Japanese.
Fan: Are there certain movies or books that inspire you for the game.
Yoko: I get my inspiration from some of them. Evangelion is one from anime and the American Drama 24 is another one. I will try to avoid taking ideas from major titles as other would easily spot it. So usually, I will steal from the more minor title.
That’s Yoko Taro for you. Straight, honest answer with a tinge of humour.
Here’s another one:
Fan: Why did you include an ending where you have to delete the gamer’s save file?
Yoko: When I was young, my save file for Dragon Quest 3 was deleted. I was devastated and disappointed. But my parents do not understand what I was going through. Hence I make my players go through the same experience.
So that’s it?! While this sounds brutal, it is also really amusing to me. For the longest time, I always thought that there is a stronger meaning behind asking the user to delete the save file at the ending. So the truth is simply this. Advice to you when you play Yoko Taro’s game, don’t read too much into why things are how they are in the games.
The final section is a compilation of the fan’s answers to a list of Nier Automata related questions. Here are some of the results
Seems like long hair A2 is more popular…hmm…
Next question. Slightly controversial.
You would have guess it’s the (*AHEM) Tits as what Yoko Taro thought. But the result is…
Butt? Ok…let’s not discuss why and respect the crowd’s vote.
This is the funniest question yet. I wonder who came out with the questions…
And you guessed it…
Adult Game! Yoko Taro says he will seriously consider this. We will just have to wait for the Nier Automata sequel if there is going to be one.
There are many more things to see at GameStart 2017. Tomorrow will be the last day (15th Oct 2017). Be sure to visit if you have not!
SINGAPORE: The wait is over. MapleStory, the free-to-play, 2D, side-scrolling massively multiplayer online role-playing game, has released the much-anticipated 5th Job Advancement that will entirely change the gameplay of MapleStory. The patch is for download since 16 November 2016 and it is live since 23 November 2016.
The 5th Job Advancement promises to break down boundaries, bridge new connections and boldly change the way players experience the game. New 5th Job skills will be introduced to all 39 characters a week later on 23 November, opening up endless play possibilities, with countless permutations and combinations for players to create the perfect game strategy.
For the very first time in the game’s history, the damage cap limit will be removed. In addition, the levelling curve from level 60 to level 200 has also been altered. This means that the experience that players require for levelling up will be significantly reduced, allowing them to quickly level up to gain special skills and strength, and making it easier to reach the 200th level required to unlock the 5th Job.
Commenting on the new patch, Quang, Managing Director at Asiasoft, one of the biggest publishers of MapleStory SEA, says, “We are extremely excited to roll out the 5th Job Advancement which players have been waiting for, for almost ten years. With a new boss, Lucid, a new continent, Arcane River, a new area, Chew Chew Island, and various revamps, the game-changing patch is definitely worth the wait. The new patch demonstrates MapleStory’s commitment to creating unique gameplay experience for every player.”
As one of the biggest games in the region, MapleStory has a wide base of active players in Malaysia and Singapore, MapleStory is ranked even higher than the most talked about games that exist today. With its consistently strong presence in both countries, its impressive 2D graphics, limitless cosmetic options and a wide variety of skills really embodies the concept of crafting your own unique gameplay experience.
New skill system – V Matrix
Key features of the V Patch
This patch will include updates such as:
New 5th Job skills introduced to all 39 characters
Levelling curve from level 60 to level 200 is reduced. This means that the experience that players are required to gain for levelling up, is significantly reduced
No damage cap limit
New skill system (V Matrix)
New Arcane system and equipment and a new level 200 Arcaneshade equipment set
Greater content rewards – players will receive better rewards in Party Quests
New continent such as Arcade River, Road To Extinction, is released (1st gateway to Black Mage)
Revamp of the User Interface – wider and cooler screens and customized adjustable quickslots
Expansion of inventory – each tab now has the capacity to store 128 items. Previously, each tab could only store up to a maximum of 96 items.
Check out our facebook contest here! This huggable Pink Bean Plushie is up for grab! Just comment on the Facebook post in the link by 9th Dec 2016 to stand a chance to win this cute plushie.
This is not a concert in Akihabara, the mecca for Otaku. It actually took place right here in Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands. This year, Singapore Toy, Game and Comic Convention was a blast! GameTrader.SG was there to soak in the atmosphere. Check out our photos below:
Cutest Ruby Cosplay from Love Live Sunshine! You can follow Momo at WorldCosplay
Fans of Cosplayer can get their autograph poster at the event too!
Transformer, robot…erm toys in disguise!
Never meddle with a man with 2 light sabers…
Avengers Exhibition has a booth to promote the upcoming Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N, an interactive exhibition where you get to know more about the avengers. From now till 28 October, you can get an early bird discount of 15%.
Where else can you find two Deadpools dueling in Singapore?
Droids and Storm troopers galore!
It’s Mario! It’s Deadpool! It’s Deadpool Mario!
Who needs ice power when I can have Light Saber.
We are not at Madame Tussauds. Life-size Tony Stark!
Disney Princesses need their shopping fix too.
We heard it’s so dangerous they have to keep it in the glass case.
Everyone likes a bit of retro toys!
M.Bison/Vega kenna photobomb…
And with that, we end our day at STGCC 2016! See you in 2017!
In case you miss this, Forza Motorsport 6 is already out now for Xbox One. This all new game features over 460 car selections ranging from Alfa Romeo 4C to Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo. With skyrocketing COE, perhaps this is the place where we can live out dream as proud owners of these luxurious cars. There are also 26 tracks spanning across the globe where you can choose to race in. Other than competing against AIs, you can also race with up to 24 players online.
The gameplay mechanics and physics have also improved compared to the previous version, adding further realism to your driving experience. Weather affects how your car will perform on the tracks. Be careful when you drives over that puddle of water during a wet weather race! Haze is not an option for the race though. Perhaps they can put that in for the next game.
For those still contemplating on buying an Xbox One, there is a special Limited Edition Forza Motorsport bundle. With the bundle, you get a 1TB custom Xbox One console and controller, a full-game download, and the Tenth Anniversary Car Pack, which features spectacular cars with a custom livery and tuning package. Do note that this bundle doesn’t come with Kinect so you might want to buy it separately or buy another bundle instead of this. The bundle recommended retail price is $639.
If you are a fan of Forza Motosport, this is definitely a good time to get a Xbox One. Alternatively, you can choose to wait out for the upcoming Halo 5: Guardians which will be out in a few weeks time.
Disclaimer: While this is a sponsored post by Xbox, the above opinions are our own.
Being an avid gamer myself, the topic of console war is always close to my heart. Before I reveal which camp I belong to, let us take a look at the new dashboard I have created using figures from www.gametrader.sg. Approximately 60,000 game posted on the platform from Jun 2010 to Aug 2015 are visualized in this dashboard.
Some key points to note on launch date of some consoles in Singapore:
Feb 2012: PS Vita launched in Singapore
Jan 2013: Wii U launched in Singapore
Dec 2013: PS4 launched in Singapore
Sep 2014: Xbox launched in Singapore after a year it was launched in US and Europe.
Who is leading the console war? Our 3 charts below can provide some indication:
1. Market Share
Based on the number of posts on GameTrader.SG, market shares of PS4 has increased tremendously from 2014 to 2015. It is now at 44% of the combined numbers of posts of PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Xbox One is the tiny portion over at the bar chart for 2015 which account for 2.58%.
A point to note is that PS4 has close to a year head start compared to Xbox One which was release in Sep 2014. Desperate for getting their hand on a next gen-console, gamers may not have the patience to wait a year for Xbox One and have move on with PS4.
2. Price
Price of PS3 and Xbox 360 games have been declining steadily over the years. With the launch of the new PS4 console, we see a greater drop in PS3 game pricing. The average PS3 games also cost about 35% of a PS4 game.
While Xbox 360 game is the lowest among the XBox and Playstation family, Xbox One game remains slight pricer than PS4. Could price be a reason why PS4 popularity is higher? Anyhow, a quick check on Qisahn for the game Watch Dog shows that Xbox One and PS4 price is the same at $39. Perhaps the data could be bias since trading for PS4 game is a lot more than Xbox One.
Nonetheless, it is good to know that game prices are decreasing over the years!
3. No. of Game Titles
The number of game titles definitely plays a part in the popularity of a console. Again, we see the number of titles traded on GameTrader.SG for PS4 is about 4 times more than Xbox One. Without a doubt PS4 titles are stronger than Xbox One. However, most big titles Metal Gear Solid V, Grand Theft Auto 5 and Final Fantasy 15 are usually available on both platforms. At least what we can conclude is that more titles are being traded on GameTrader.SG for PS4 compared to Xbox One.
Other findings
If you have time to play with the dashboard, you will be able to find other interesting insights. For example, pre-owned game cost about 35% less than the brand new counter part and average of preowned PS3 game can be as low as $22. Of course, some games are even cheaper depending on the seller.
Today, Callie Payne, our entertainment expert at PricePanda, is going to compare for you the well loved games with their previous generations, to see if they live up to their name.
Every gamer, casual or extreme, knows the mix of excitement and trepidation that comes when a new game is added to a beloved series. Everyone, for instance, knows that Final Fantasy VII is the pinnacle of the RPG series, and that all else that came after was an almighty let down (only joking, kind of). Heated forum debates emerge in the weeks, and sometimes years, following a new release with each camp producing convincing arguments and opinions about the new game. Is there a way to objectively compare a new release, with its updated graphics and (presumably) larger budget with an older, less technologically advanced game? Or do some new games really “sell-out” by dumbing down and catering to the masses and its new popularity. If something is a huge cult hit, (see above FF7 example) can that experience legitimately be reproduced in an entirely new storyline, new characters, new world? Let’s take a look at one of the more controversial comparisons of classic versus modern gaming.
While both are hugely popular games, Skyrim enjoyed much more mainstream success, with core gamers standing resolutely by Morrowind, despite drastically aged graphics and an unfinished feel in certain aspects such as inner cities, and between locations. Graphics aside, players cite the better atmosphere, better writing and more freedom in the RPG world to create your own story line as reasons why Morrowind is better. However, undoubtedly, Skyrim is a better made game. The cities are vast, beautiful and detailed. The developers had more time and money, which is why the cities in Morrowind have that empty shell feel. Morrowind also suffers from a slow beginning, with initial restricted travelling speeds, and a complicated character class system, something that more casual game players do not have the patience for. Skyrim is a good example of a game series that has simplified game play in order to satisfy a larger appeal, the result being that quests can become quite dull and repetitive. The Elder Scrolls fans will still buy and enjoy the game, though they may find the game lacking in richness and immersiveness that the previous games created by offering more intricate side quests, deeper character involvement through better quality writing and a greater sense of challenge. As a solution to this conundrum, TES fans are remaking Morrowind in a Skyrim engine: it’s called Skywind.
If you haven’t heard of it, and you loved Skyrim and are craving for more but can’t face the dated graphics of the older Elder Scrolls game, then Skywind is the solution for you. You need both games to be able to play, as it truly is a merger of both of the worlds. The outdated graphics, especially in the mesh and texture areas have had a complete artistic overhaul and users will be able to take advantage of all the updates and improvements of the Skyrim system, while enjoying the detailed quests and characters of the Morrowind landscape.
PricePanda Verdict: Diehard fans testify that Morrowind is so good they rebuilt it in the superior Skyrim engine, resulting in Skywind being the winner! (Is that cheating? Why choose when you can combine!)
One of the highlight of this year GameStart 2017 is the main stage appearance of Yoko Taro, father of Nier, and Yosuke Saito, Square Enix Producer.
You would have guess it’s the (*AHEM) Tits as what Yoko Taro thought. But the result is…
