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First Wave of Kalos Monsters And Other Shinies Coming To Pokemon Go Revealed

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After confirming that Gen 6 Pokemon will soon be added into Pokemon Go, the first wave of Kalos Pokemon arriving in the game has been leaked and will be included as part of the next update. While the Kalos region added 72 new species of Pokemon, only a few will be added to Pokemon Go during the upcoming update, for now.

Last November 18, developer Niantic revealed that Pokemon Go will be going through some major changes as part of its Go Beyond update. This new update will integrate changing seasons that reflect the current time of the year in real life as well as raise the maximum level a player can reach from 40 to 50.

Niantic also revealed that Kalos Pokemon would finally be arriving in the game following the addition of Mega Evolutions. It was also confirmed that players will be starting to see these new Pokemon in their mobile game as soon as December 2.

While the next update is still a few days away, players won’t have to wait until then to know which Kalos-based Pokemon are coming to the game. Thanks to an enthusiastic team of Pokemon dataminers called PokeMiners, the first 24 Kalos Pokemon have already been leaked.

These include the three starter Pokemon as well as their evolutionary forms and some of Kalos’ most iconic Pokemon. Meowstic, Espurr, Klefki, Diggersby, Litleo, Talonflame, Noivern as well as their evolutionary forms will be part of the upcoming update.

While each Pokemon that has been introduced to Pokemon Go includes its Shiny form, this doesn’t mean that every Shiny form of the new Pokemon will be available on December 2. The only thing that is confirmed is that the starters and their evolutions can be encountered as Shinies, but the rest is still unknown.

This is typical for Pokemon Go as Niantic is known to stagger the launch of a Pokemon’s Shiny form. It is also uncertain if all 24 Pokemon will readily be available after the next update is patched or if some will be released at a later date.

The Kalos region is beloved to a lot of Pokemon fans, and as such, there are going to be a lot of trainers who will be hyped about the launch of Pokemon Go’s first Gen 6 monsters. Greninja has always been a fan-favorite which will surely draw the attention of returning players. With only a few days left to go, Pokemon Go’s Kalos lineup is looking pretty impressive.

Every Gamer Should Learn About These Sneaky Online Threats

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Data suggests that there are 2.7 billion gamers worldwide. Most of them play video games to have fun, socialize, and enjoy escapism by fragging enemies, chatting with friends across the globe, and getting lost in fantasy worlds. Unfortunately, there are many cyber threats that can disrupt the gaming experience.

Common Threats

Take the following precautions to shield yourself from the most common threats that target gamers:

  • Always keep your accounts secure with long, complex passwords and multi-factor authentication to make life harder for hackers.
  • Never game on unsecured public WiFi networks, or your connection will be vulnerable to hackers. If you must game on public WiFi, subscribe to a reputable Virtual Private Network (VPN) service that offers fast servers and uses the latest encryption technology.
  • Ignore all temptations to engage with cyberbullies in order to avoid becoming a target of trolling, hacking, and doxing.

Sneaky Threats

While common threats are easier to defend against, sneakier threats require extra precautions. Here are some of the more dangerous sneaky threats you should know about:

Video Game Malware: Malware is any malicious software such as viruses, worms, adware, spyware, stalkerware, keyloggers, etc. The wrong malware can damage your machine and clean out your financial accounts.

You should only purchase video games from authentic sources and avoid buying games from CD key stores that may sell you pirated or stolen copies. Publishers often lock games sold through unauthorized platforms. In addition, games downloaded from unconventional sources may come loaded with malware.

Moreover, some games have malware built into them. To protect yourself, download advanced antivirus software that’s light and remediates all malware threats. PC gamers should give Malwarebytes for Windows a shot because the software is known to crush malware without slowing down your machine.

You may also want to check out the mobile version of this software for Android or iOS in order to protect yourself from malware infused third-party apps and games on mobile platforms. Remember, even Google Play and the official Apple Store aren’t invulnerable to malware.

Phishing Expeditions: Phishing expeditions are one of the sneakiest threats on the Internet. To protect yourself from a phishing attack, be very cautious when reading emails, social media messages, and messages from online friends in games and chatrooms that ask for your sensitive information or offer links. While phishing may seem like a legitimate form of communication, it’s an attempt to steal your information. Before you know it, a hacker has locked you out of your gaming account or billed your credit card for thousands of dollars in in-app purchases.

Sneaky Pricing: While it’s tempting to try free games when gaming on a budget, freeware is rarely free. Usually, free games carry malware designed to send your data to third parties. Many free games also feature nearly impossible challenges that require expensive in-app purchases to overcome. Before you know it, you’ve spent five times the value of a game on microtransactions.

To stay safe from all types of cyberthreats, be sensible, and adopt all precautions. Use the latest cybersecurity tools in order to game smart and game safe.

New Fortnite Subscription Will Give Free Skins, Battle Pass, and V-Bucks

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After a probable subscription service leaked a few weeks ago, Epic Games has formally revealed the new Fortnite Crew monthly subscription that will reward subscribers with, the latest battle pass, exclusive skins, and V-Bucks. This new service will kick off next month at the start of the new season.

The new monthly Fortnite subscription service was leaked back in early November as select players started to get emails from the developers containing surveys. These surveys asked them what price they would be willing to spend for the service and discussed what could possibly be included if players opted to buy the monthly Crew Pack.

While the knowledge of the subscription service became prevalent, the developers hadn’t provided any implication that it was indeed working on any kind of new subscription service. That is, until a few hours ago when the Fortnite Crew subscription was formally revealed.

Epic Games is calling the new service the “Ultimate Fortnite Offer”, and comparing the cost of the items it includes separately, subscribers will be receiving a lot of benefits for a minimal fee. For just $12 per month, players will get 1,000 V-Bucks at the start of each month. They will also be receiving a monthly Crew Pack, which contains a back bling, pickaxe, and exclusive skin. As an additional bonus, subscribers will also receive permanent access to the current season’s battle pass.

The details for the Fortnite Crew subscription do differ a bit from what had been leaked a few weeks ago. The Crew Pack skin was initially revealed as an early access skin set but has been changed as an exclusive skin set that only Fortnite Crew subscribers will receive. When computing how much the benefits would cost separately, the Fortnite Crew pack offers a $38 value for less than a third of the price.

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For the loyal Fortnite fans, the Fortnite Crew subscription is an easy decision, especially for those who are planning to purchase the new season’s battle pass as it is only a couple of dollars more expensive than the battle pass itself.

The game is still a powerful force in the gaming industry because of its cosmetic storefront, and the new Fortnite Crew subscription service will likely prove to be another successful form of monetization for the developers. Given Epic Game’s ongoing legal battle with Apple over the iOS Store’s monetization, it appears that the developers are looking for other ways to increase its revenue without involving tedious court battles.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Is Now The Most Famous Dynasty Warriors Title Ever

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Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity has sold more than three million copies within the span of one week, making it the best-selling Dynasty Warriors title of all time. Age of Calamity is the prequel of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, featuring the legendary events of the battle with Calamity Ganon that turned Hyrule to rubble.

Koei Tecmo is popular for its Dynasty Warriors franchise, which is created by a studio named Omega Force. The Dynasty Warriors games feature massive battles set during the Chinese era called Romance of the Three Kings. The “Musuo” genre, as it is dubbed, features a single hero unit battling against massive armies of weaker enemy forces.

Koei Tecmo has released a lot of Dynasty Warriors spinoffs using various series over the past years like Fire Emblem, Fist of the North Star, One Piece, and Berserk. The upcoming Musuo crossovers will be Persona 5 Scramble, once it is localized.

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Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity was launched last November 20 and has been receiving good reviews from critics, and it appears that Breath of the Wild promotional support was worth more than everyone realized.

Based on reports, Koei Tecmo has revealed that Age of Calamity has already sold more than three million copies within the span of just a week, making the game the bestselling Dynasty Warriors game of all time, counting both the mainline titles and the spinoffs.

The high sales numbers of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity was likely boosted by the scarcity of new Nintendo Switch games as this year comes to a close. Age of is the Nintendo Switch’s big holiday game for this year.

The next big first-party title from Nintendo, as far as announced, will be a port of Super Mario 3D World which is scheduled for a 2021 release. As a result, the lack of rival games on the console likely attracted interest in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.

The game isn’t the first Musuo title inspired by The Legend of Zelda series. The original Hyrule Warriors was launched on the 3DS and it featured various mixed elements from the entire Zelda franchise. Age of Calamity is restricted by its setting when it regards to content, which is the reason that it lacks variety when it comes to enemies.

Despite the limited scope, being part of a popular and established addition to The Legend of Zelda franchise has helped make the game a must-have for fans of the franchise. Nintendo has revealed that Hyrule Warriors will not be a full series but these sales figures could lead to additional spinoffs that utilize the famous Zelda games as settings.

Square Enix To Implement Permanent Work From Home Arrangements

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2020 has been, for lack of a better word, a difficult year for all of us, including the video game industry. Due to the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, which forced people to isolate themselves for fear of contracting the virus, game developers had to adapt and look for alternative ways to efficiently work on games in a remote setup.

After how many months of working from home and finally adjusting to that kind of work environment, Square Enix has recently announced that it will be offering a brand-new arrangement to its employees.

The announcement was published as a press release on Square Enix’s website, which stated that it will be implementing a permanent work from home arrangement. This program will be open to all staff members, from employees to executive officers.

This decision puts Square Enix alongside the list of developers that are currently working remotely, including Bungie, Rockstar Games, and so much more. This permanent program will begin as of December 1. As such, the company expects that more or less 80% of its employees will work from home throughout December.

Square Enix’s employees will be sectioned into two categories. “Home-based” employees will be working around three days a week from the safety of their homes, while “office-based” employees will work an average of three days a week from the company’s office.

All of the employees that are eligible for this program will be designated as “home-based.” Meanwhile, depending on the kind of work, division heads will keep some employees working in the office.

Square Enix states in the published press release that this program will “enable employees to unleash even greater creativity as it continues to provide its customers around the world with content and services that fulfill their expectations.”

Not only that, but the company also believes that this kind of arrangement will be a great way to “further bolster productivity and help employees achieve the optimal work-life balance.”

Hopefully, having employees work from home will help prevent mandatory crunch time or at least make the unhealthy practice easier for the staff.

The development of countless games has been affected because of COVID-19, resulting in the developers making the difficult decision to delay release dates. It’s not only video games that were affected, though — movies and other forms of entertainment were impacted as well, as workers were forced to work from home.

Square Enix began its work from home program all the way back in February, which is great because it meant that the company didn’t wait until the virus was already widely spread. That being said, the studio had an internal survey and the results showed that 80% of Square Enix’s staff were greatly pleased by their remote experience.

At the moment, Square Enix has a couple of highly-anticipated games that are currently still in development. As you may or may not know, the studio is hard at work developing both Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2. 

Plus, it was recently announced that the sequel to the classic DS title, The World Ends with You, will finally be getting a sequel next year. While it’s great that the developer cares for the health and safety of its employees, we hope that this arrangement won’t slow down the development of its upcoming titles.

Sony Hires Skywriters For Craziest PlayStation Promotion Yet

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To advertise the PlayStation 5 even further, Sony has gone all out by hiring skywriters to create the PlayStation’s iconic symbols over the Sweden skyline. The PlayStation 5’s release has been taking the gaming community by storm, with the massive demand for the console making it extremely difficult for fans to secure Sony’s next-gen console.

This is the most recent move in a new promotional campaign to advertise the PlayStation 5 in real life. Ahead of the PlayStation 5 launch in the United Kingdom, Sony replaced the London Underground signs with the PlayStation symbols and even renamed stations with PlayStation 5 games. These moves show the length that Sony is willing to go to advertise its next-gen console, and just how big a deal the PS5 is to the gaming industry.

And now, the iconic symbols of the PlayStation 5 have graced the skylines of Sweden thanks to the tech giant hiring a skywriter to do so. The website, PlayStationing, has posted a few photos of how they looked, with one of the squares sadly looking a lot like the shape of the state of Arkansas.

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While some of the symbols aren’t entirely formed, there is no disagreeing that it’s a better attempt from the usual subway and billboard ads. The symbols found on the PlayStation controllers have remained iconic in the gaming world, and Sony’s new advertisement shows just how significant they are across the world.

It would appear that these advertising methods are working because the PlayStation 5 has been selling like hotcakes it’s now extremely difficult to obtain one. During release day, the high demand for The PlayStation 5 made Walmart’s websites crash and as of writing, it has even become more difficult to order from the website or any other online retailer.

It has even come to the point that scalpers have more PlayStation 5 stocks compared to official retailers, even though they are selling them at absolutely outrageous prices. For better or worse, it does imply that what Sony is doing with these unique techniques are working in selling the PlayStation 5 as much as possible.

Thanks to all these efforts by Sony, the PlayStation 5 is now a global sensation. PlayStation has always been a huge part of modern-day culture, but never on this level. In spite of the coronavirus pandemic, that has not halted the PlayStation 5 from establishing a name that will be here to stay for next years to come.

It’s possible that this won’t be the last advertising campaign that Sony will be doing in promoting the PlayStation 5, which guarantees that the next-gen console will be remembered for a long time.

Orlog Dice Game From Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Will Be Getting a Physical Release

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In a recent announcement, it’s been revealed that Orlog, which is a dice game that can be played in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, will be getting a physical release next year.

Similar to how The Witcher’s Geralt can play the card game Gwent in the respective game’s universe, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s main protagonist Eivor can play against countless NPCs throughout the map.

The way Orlog is set up is pretty similar to how most roleplaying games work: there are two players trying to win against each other via defensive moves and attacks, reducing the other’s life or health in the process. Naturally, the one with the highest remaining health is the winner.

That being said, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has a ton of side activities players can do, and Orlog is only one of them. In case you’re unfamiliar, Ubisoft’s latest Assassin’s Creed installment has players playing as a Viking warrior.

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Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is an expansive open-world title that allows players to conquer different territories. Similar to the former entries in this franchise, Valhalla provides its players with a relatively open gaming experience.

There’s a variety of side quests, additional content to discover, as well as hidden enemies to encounter even when the game’s main campaign is over. As mentioned, Orlog is only one of the many bonus content found in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

According to a popular board game news site known as Dicebreaker, however, it seems that the dice game won’t remain within the confines of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla forever. More specifically, Ubisoft and PureArts have reportedly collaborated to release a physical edition of Orlog, and it’s set to launch next year.

Unfortunately, Ubisoft hasn’t revealed a lot of information about the physical edition of the minigame, such as its details or even its release window. However, the studio did agree to talk with Dicebreaker about the minigame, in general, and how it was developed.

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Apparently, Ubisoft initially planned on Orlog to have deckbuilding elements. In other words, the developer meant for Eivor to find newer and better dice as they traversed Valhalla’s open world, adding the pieces to their collection in case of a new match.

Sadly, the company encountered a few obstacles with this angle if they were to pursue it, such as design issues. As such, the team had to compromise and settle with just special dice that were supposed to hold the power of the gods.

What makes Orlog even more interesting is the fact that it has some historical aspects to it. For instance, archaeologists have speculated for a while now that dice and board games have always played a huge role in society for a long, long time.

As a matter of fact, researchers found what looks to be ancient board game pieces earlier this year from the Iron Age. That being said, we’re not saying that Orlog is genuinely a dice game from ancient times because, well, it’s not and researchers have yet to discover the rules for these ancient games.

However, Ubisoft co-development lead Benoit Richer said that they were aiming for something that was “‘credible’ rather than historically accurate” and we can definitely see that with Orlog.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales is Biggest PlayStation 5 Launch Game In UK

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Spider-Man: Miles Morales is the PlayStation 5’s biggest launch game in the United Kingdom in terms of physical sales, although it’s not the overall best-seller of the new generation of console release window.

Expectations were extremely high since 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man was one of the bestselling and most popular PlayStation 4 games to date, and was critically acclaimed by critics worldwide, and Insomniac Games didn’t disappoint with the sequel.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales was revealed during a PlayStation 5 prelaunch event last June. The game was originally advertised as the PlayStation 5’s biggest release title, and it would be Sony’s answer to Microsoft’s Halo Infinite, which was then set to be the Xbox Series X’s biggest launch title.

That launch game battle would never come to pass, as Halo Infinite was pushed back and Spider-Man Miles Morales became a cross-gen game, launching on both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. In spite of the initial backlash of the game becoming a cross-gen title, Spider-Man Miles Morales has still been well-received by fans and has now been considered as one of the PlayStation 5’s biggest launch titles in general.

Spider-Man Miles Morales has now taken the top spot among the PlayStation 5 release games in the United Kingdom. Based on credible news sites, Miles Morales was the bestselling physical PlayStation 5 release game, surpassing Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Demon’ Souls.

While this information is innately restricted by region and inefficiency to factor digital sales figures, it’s still a great weathervane on the game’s total sales performance in the United Kingdom and other western regions.

Another critical element to consider is that gamers in the United Kingdom had to wait for another week for the PlayStation 5. It was possible to buy physical copies of Miles Morales in the United Kingdom at the same time as the rest of the world, as games and accessories could still be shipped by November 12.

However, Spider-Man Miles Morales still came out on top, as fans wanted their hands on the game as soon as their PlayStation 5 finally arrives. The game’s PlayStation 5 sales figures are considerably lower during release than those of 2018 Marvel’s Spider-Man, but this is to be anticipated considering the latter title was launched well into the PlayStation 4’s lifespan and as an absolute generational exclusive.

It’s been extremely difficult for most players to get their hands on Sony’s next-gen console, so Miles Morales’ sales could’ve been a lot higher if console supply had been able to meet demand. It’s not shocking to witness that Miles Morales is doing extremely well on the PlayStation 5.

It’s the release title that a lot of players were most excited about, even if it technically wasn’t a PlayStation 5 exclusive. Spider-Man Miles Morales might not have achieved as much as Marvel’s Spider-Man at launch, but there are still a lot of fans out there who are looking for their own PlayStation 5, so expect to see the title remain on top of the charts for a while.

Immortals Fenyx Rising Releases New Animated Trailer

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Immortals Fenyx Rising is one of the most highly-anticipated titles of this year and it appears that Ubisoft’s marketing team is doing their best to keep the hype going. A brand-new trailer has just been released featuring Greek soldier Fenyx.

This time around, the trailer is an animated one, and it’s honestly so intense that fans probably wouldn’t mind getting an animated series based on the video game. Immortals Fenyx Rising will be launching this December 3, 2020, and Ubisoft has been trying out different ways to promote the title.

It’s safe to say that the developer of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey has been polishing and improving its newest IP, separating itself from the Breath of the Wild comparisons that have become more and more common these days with every new release.

In the new animated trailer, we can see Fenyx fighting three monsters that are iconic in the Greek mythos, namely the Griffin, the Minotaur, and the Cyclops. With How You Like Me Now by The Heavy blaring in the background, Fenyx brings out several weapons that will be featured in the upcoming game, including the Axe of Atalanta, the Bow of Odysseus, and the Sword of Achilles.

The nearly 2-minute-long animated trailer was made possible thanks to French advertising company CLM BBDO, which created a completely different look to the game’s aesthetic. After defeating the three enemies with her powerful blows, the trailer zooms out to show that the mountain was unintentionally shaped in Fenyx’s likeness.

The trailer concludes with the words “Every battle shapes your myth.” It was definitely disappointing that it had to end. That being said, this isn’t the first time that Immortals Fenyx Rising released something animated.

Much to the fans’ surprise, Immortals Fenyx Rising did a crossover with Adventure Time last week, releasing a short animated trailer. To give you a gist of what happens in this animated short, Finn and Jake from Adventure Time somehow find themselves up against a three-headed dog which we assume to be Cerberus.

As they try and fail to defeat the monster themselves, Fenyx, drawn in the same charming art style as the iconic TV series, rushes to the rescue. This interesting collaboration brought about more crossover rumors for Immortals Fenyx Rising.

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For instance, some fans speculate that characters from the highly-beloved Adventure Time series might make an appearance as some kind of post-launch content for the next-gen title. Even Ubisoft itself seems to be leaning into these rumors, as the company teased that more Adventure Time news will be revealed soon.

For those who can’t wait until December 3, Immortals Fenyx Rising currently has a demo available to play right now on Google Stadia. The demo can be played through Click to Play, which doesn’t require any kind of subscription or membership.

The demo is definitely worth checking out if you want to know the gameplay mechanics a little better, especially since it has about an hour’s worth of gameplay. Immortals Fenyx Rising shows so much potential that some even believe that the game has the chance to become a late nominee for The Game Awards 2020.

Milla Jovovich Heads To Monster Hunter World: Iceborne In Collaboration With Monster Hunter Movie

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The Monster Hunter movie is set to release before the year ends, and to celebrate this fact, Monster Hunter World will be getting some cool new content for players to enjoy. It’s been recently revealed that Milla Jovovich, star of the Monster Hunter movie and several Resident Evil films, will be featured in Monster Hunter World’s video game universe thanks to this exciting collaboration.

Captain Natalie Artemis will be heading to the highly-acclaimed Monster Hunter World: Iceborne next week, specifically on December 4, 2020. The character’s model for the game will be based on Jovovich and the character she plays in the upcoming film.

According to Capcom, this crossover will give fans a chance to play as the character Artemis even before they get to witness her in action through the movie.

In other words, Captain Natalie Artemis will be a playable character in Monster Hunter World, allowing players to defeat massive and powerful monsters of all shapes and sizes with the help of her agility and strength.

The Monster Hunter movie’s director, Paul W.S. Anderson, is confident that the film will impress its viewers, so it’s somewhat expected that it’s going to do well. As a matter of fact, Anderson is already brewing some ideas for a potential Monster Hunter 2 movie.

That being said, it doesn’t come as a surprise that fans have high hopes for this film. After all, the Resident Evil films only had a total budget of under $300 million yet it was so successful that they were able to gross over $1.2 billion.

In case you didn’t know, the Resident Evil films are also associated with Capcom, most of which feature Jovovich as the protagonist. As for the Monster Hunter flick, it only has a budget of about $60 million, so it probably won’t take a lot to break even.

This crossover between two Monster Hunter titles, especially since both come from completely different mediums, could prove to be an interesting collaboration that could draw more attention to the movie.

Milla Jovovich isn’t a stranger to video game movies, so we can imagine that fans would jump at the chance to play as her in-game.

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That being said, there’s also a very big chance that this crossover will be a cause for confusion. After all, the film is based on the video game, and now the video game will feature a character from the movie that was based on it in the first place.

The Monster Hunter movie will be up against the Wonder Woman 1984 film next month, as both titles will be releasing on the same week in December. 2020 has been an especially difficult time for Hollywood and the movie industry, as some theaters have been shut down or are being limited in an attempt to stay safe from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asides from that, not a lot of people go to the movies anymore due to the same reason. As such, we hope that the Monster Hunter film will be as successful as Anderson initially anticipated.

In any case, we’re sure that dedicated fans will still find a way to watch the movie. From what we can see, the Monster Hunter movie is open to experimentation while still following its source material. We’re sure that the director will definitely have an interesting take on the series and we can’t wait for him to showcase this in the movie.

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