IPTL Premier Division Semifinals: Reigning Champs LG-IM vs Evil Geniuses

Team Evil Geniuses, the North American fan favorites, will face LG-Incredible Miracle, the team league all-stars of Korea, in the semifinals of the IGN Pro Team League. Both teams finished the season at the top of their respective groups, with Evil Geniuses going 2-1 in Group A and LG-IM going a staggering 3-0 in Group B. Neither group had an easier draw as they each had to face some of the best teams, such as Team Liquid, MVP, StarTale, and Prime. Wednesday, EG and LG-IM will battle it out to see who continues on to the IPTL Grand Finals.

The Lineups

Evil Geniuses:

DeMusliM (T) | IdrA (Z) | iNcontroL (P) | JYP (P) | HuK (P) | LzGaMeR (Z) | Machine (Z) | PuMa (T) | Stephano (Z) | Suppy (Z) | ThorZaIN (T)

LG-IM:

dreamertt (T) | Fenix (T) | First (P) | Happy (T) | LosirA (Z) | Mvp (T) | NesTea (Z) | Ready (P) | Seed (P) | True (Z) | YoDa (T) | YongHwa (P) | Horror (Z) | SK.MC (P)

Potential Starters

EG: HuK

Despite an alleged slump over the course of this year, HuK is still considered one of the strongest players on Evil Geniuses and one of the best foreigners in the world. He has been used twice in the IPTL, as a starter against SlayerS and an ace versus MVP. HuK is known for his highly unorthodox play, which makes it hard for his opponents to predict his next move. In addition to his unpredictable play, he is known for early aggression and top-notch micro.

LG-IM: YongHwa

YongHwa is best known for his performance in team leagues. He made his televised debut in the GSTL of February 2011, during which he displayed creativity and refined mechanics against ZeNEX and StarTale, ending the season with an impressive 5-1 record. Over the course of his career, he has struggled to make top results in 1v1 tournaments. However, he has found great success in team leagues as a sniper. In the 2012 GSTL Season 3, he achieved all-kills on Fnatic and SlayerS.

Key Player(s)

EG: PuMa

PuMa is a strong Terran player, who made a name for himself in SC2 when he placed first in the NASL Season 1 Open and went on to win the grand finals, defeating notable names such as Ret, Squirtle, July, and MC. He defended his title in the second season of the NASL when he defeated HerO in the grand finals (4-2). In the IPTL semifinals, PuMa will most likely be used as a sniper against LG-IM's Protoss player due to his effective use of the 1-1-1 build order.

LG-IM: Mvp, Seed

Mvp needs no introductions. Despite injuries and a lack of practice, Mvp still dominated tournaments with high-caliber play. He is unarguably the most decorated player in the entire world, having won the GSL four times, topping the GSL rankings in both 2011 and 2012.

Mvp is a solid player with immaculate macro and micro management, making him an all-around player in team leagues.

Seed is a dangerous player to go up against. Known for his ingenious Protoss play and forthright confidence, Seed dominates both 1v1 tournaments and team leagues. He was the one who put a stop to the seemingly invincible TaeJa in the grand finals of the IPL TAC3. He is also the second Protoss GSL Champion, having won the 2012 GSL Season 3 Code S finals. Seed's versatility allows him to be used as a sniper or team ace.

Team Aces

EG: Stephano

EG's newest recruit, Stephano, is widely hailed as the best foreigner. Over the course of his career, he has won the Lone Star Clash, IPL3, ESWC 2011, NASL Season 3, the World Championship Series: France Nationals, the 2012 World Championship Series: Europe Finals, and an ample amount of other minor tournaments. Stephano's best match-up is ZvP and he is well-known for his mass speedling/infestor play as well as his heavy use of roaches. In EG's match versus Liquid, Stephano was used as an ace and he was able to take down both TaeJa and HerO to secure the win.

LG-IM: MC

MC, the Protoss President, is the best performing Protoss player in the world. This year alone, he won HomeStory Cup IV, the IEM Season VI - World Championships, and Red Bull Battlegrounds: Austin. He is the only Protoss player to have reached the GSL Code S finals three time, two of which he won. MC is known for his efficient micro of blink stalkers, his relentless aggression, and his in-your-face confidence. He was used as an ace in LG-IM's series versus StarTale and will most likely be used as such again against Evil Geniuses.

Prediction: LG-IM 5 > 3 EG

Though Evil Geniuses's lineup has gotten significantly stronger with the addition of Stephano, it will be extremely difficult for them to take down the LG-IM squad, which is stacked with the best GSL players. They are the reigning champions of IPL TAC3 for a reason. If EG is able to take down one Code S player on LG-IM, they will have to go through five more in order to win. The odds are against EG. LG-IM will advance to the finals.

Be sure to tune in tonight to see which of these powerhouses is able to advance to the grand finals of the IPTL Premier Division.

Image Sources: Team Liquid, Eclypsia, SC2Earnings, GOMtv

Source : ign[dot]com

IPTL Premier Division Semifinals: Reigning Champs LG-IM vs Evil Geniuses

Team Evil Geniuses, the North American fan favorites, will face LG-Incredible Miracle, the team league all-stars of Korea, in the semifinals of the IGN Pro Team League. Both teams finished the season at the top of their respective groups, with Evil Geniuses going 2-1 in Group A and LG-IM going a staggering 3-0 in Group B. Neither group had an easier draw as they each had to face some of the best teams, such as Team Liquid, MVP, StarTale, and Prime. Wednesday, EG and LG-IM will battle it out to see who continues on to the IPTL Grand Finals.

The Lineups

Evil Geniuses:

DeMusliM (T) | IdrA (Z) | iNcontroL (P) | JYP (P) | HuK (P) | LzGaMeR (Z) | Machine (Z) | PuMa (T) | Stephano (Z) | Suppy (Z) | ThorZaIN (T)

LG-IM:

dreamertt (T) | Fenix (T) | First (P) | Happy (T) | LosirA (Z) | Mvp (T) | NesTea (Z) | Ready (P) | Seed (P) | True (Z) | YoDa (T) | YongHwa (P) | Horror (Z) | SK.MC (P)

Potential Starters

EG: HuK

Despite an alleged slump over the course of this year, HuK is still considered one of the strongest players on Evil Geniuses and one of the best foreigners in the world. He has been used twice in the IPTL, as a starter against SlayerS and an ace versus MVP. HuK is known for his highly unorthodox play, which makes it hard for his opponents to predict his next move. In addition to his unpredictable play, he is known for early aggression and top-notch micro.

LG-IM: YongHwa

YongHwa is best known for his performance in team leagues. He made his televised debut in the GSTL of February 2011, during which he displayed creativity and refined mechanics against ZeNEX and StarTale, ending the season with an impressive 5-1 record. Over the course of his career, he has struggled to make top results in 1v1 tournaments. However, he has found great success in team leagues as a sniper. In the 2012 GSTL Season 3, he achieved all-kills on Fnatic and SlayerS.

Key Player(s)

EG: PuMa

PuMa is a strong Terran player, who made a name for himself in SC2 when he placed first in the NASL Season 1 Open and went on to win the grand finals, defeating notable names such as Ret, Squirtle, July, and MC. He defended his title in the second season of the NASL when he defeated HerO in the grand finals (4-2). In the IPTL semifinals, PuMa will most likely be used as a sniper against LG-IM's Protoss player due to his effective use of the 1-1-1 build order.

LG-IM: Mvp, Seed

Mvp needs no introductions. Despite injuries and a lack of practice, Mvp still dominated tournaments with high-caliber play. He is unarguably the most decorated player in the entire world, having won the GSL four times, topping the GSL rankings in both 2011 and 2012.

Mvp is a solid player with immaculate macro and micro management, making him an all-around player in team leagues.

Seed is a dangerous player to go up against. Known for his ingenious Protoss play and forthright confidence, Seed dominates both 1v1 tournaments and team leagues. He was the one who put a stop to the seemingly invincible TaeJa in the grand finals of the IPL TAC3. He is also the second Protoss GSL Champion, having won the 2012 GSL Season 3 Code S finals. Seed's versatility allows him to be used as a sniper or team ace.

Team Aces

EG: Stephano

EG's newest recruit, Stephano, is widely hailed as the best foreigner. Over the course of his career, he has won the Lone Star Clash, IPL3, ESWC 2011, NASL Season 3, the World Championship Series: France Nationals, the 2012 World Championship Series: Europe Finals, and an ample amount of other minor tournaments. Stephano's best match-up is ZvP and he is well-known for his mass speedling/infestor play as well as his heavy use of roaches. In EG's match versus Liquid, Stephano was used as an ace and he was able to take down both TaeJa and HerO to secure the win.

LG-IM: MC

MC, the Protoss President, is the best performing Protoss player in the world. This year alone, he won HomeStory Cup IV, the IEM Season VI - World Championships, and Red Bull Battlegrounds: Austin. He is the only Protoss player to have reached the GSL Code S finals three time, two of which he won. MC is known for his efficient micro of blink stalkers, his relentless aggression, and his in-your-face confidence. He was used as an ace in LG-IM's series versus StarTale and will most likely be used as such again against Evil Geniuses.

Prediction: LG-IM 5 > 3 EG

Though Evil Geniuses's lineup has gotten significantly stronger with the addition of Stephano, it will be extremely difficult for them to take down the LG-IM squad, which is stacked with the best GSL players. They are the reigning champions of IPL TAC3 for a reason. If EG is able to take down one Code S player on LG-IM, they will have to go through five more in order to win. The odds are against EG. LG-IM will advance to the finals.

Be sure to tune in tonight to see which of these powerhouses is able to advance to the grand finals of the IPTL Premier Division.

Image Sources: Team Liquid, Eclypsia, SC2Earnings, GOMtv

Source : ign[dot]com

What's New in Football Manager 2013

Every self-respecting football and gaming fan has a Championship Manager/Football Manager story - like that time you almost won the Champions League with Torino but lost to a last minute penalty by a regen called Francesco Della Morte, or that other time your housemate at university took his Birmingham team to the FA Cup final and he actually wore a suit for the occasion (both of those are true, and it really was my housemate, not me, honest). It has punctuated our lives with such regularity over the years that it at times almost feels as important as football itself. It isn’t, but when there’s no football on the TV it’s a bloody good substitute.

In short, there is a reason that Football Manager is so popular: It has transcended the world of football management sims like no other game before it, and has moved from a game to a cultural phenomenon. It’s no coincidence I remember those two incidents better than I remember the majority of my university education; I spent more time playing it than I actually did studying.

So what’s new about FM2013? Well, lots actually. There are two new game modes in addition to the usual Football Manager and Online modes. The first, Challenge, drops you into a variety of different scenarios and challenges you to make a success of them. Some of them are interesting, some of them less so, but I imagine they’d be of great intrigue to FM completists, or for players that are looking to break up the rhythm of how they play the game.

“

There has now clearly been an admission at FM Towers that somewhere along the line, the game became a bit too complicated and time-consuming for the casual gamer.

The second merits more attention: Classic Mode. There has now clearly been an admission at FM Towers that somewhere along the line, the game became a bit too complicated and time-consuming for the casual gamer. Obviously, the players who grew up with the game are now older and probably have more demanding jobs and/or a family and so don’t have the time they once did to dedicate to a computer game. The Classic mode scales back a lot of the detail required of the main game, and also in turn makes it more accessible to the newcomer. This is a shrewd move by Miles and the team, Classic is the mode I will likely play more often than not now, despite having played FM for years. There is only so much time one can spend filtering out qualifications of prospective new coaches (another new feature of the main game).

In the main game, there are some nice new touches that really do make a difference: the assistant coach comments throughout a match add another veneer of authenticity to proceedings and make the hiring of a good assistant even more important. The ‘body language’ feature during a game gives you even further insight into your players and allows you to make more informed decisions tactically.

Aesthetically, the game looks sharper; the windows slide in and out when you hit continue and there is an option to split-screen the match coverage with stats. The match engine itself is more realistic; the movements of the players are better rendered and the surrounding paraphernalia like stadiums, benches and match officials seem somehow more complex and therefore more immersive.

“

The beauty of this FM though is that yes it’s deeper and more complicated, but you can tailor your game-playing preferences accordingly.

The astonishing level of detail of what seems like just about every player in world football is still a mainstay of the game and really is worth pointing out. It is a mark of how consistently good these games have been over the years that all of us take for granted the depth and detail on just about every player playing professionally in the western world (and beyond) that seems to exist here. We are no longer surprised by this. We expect it. And yet again, it's delivered.

The beauty of this FM though is that yes it’s deeper and more complicated, and the level of detail in training now is enough to throw your Andre Villas-Boas-sized dossiers into the fire in despair, but you can tailor your game-playing preferences accordingly. The Classic mode, the option to use your assistant manager should you need to and the adding of a new Director of Football who can pick up a lot of the more menial jobs mean it really can be adjusted to how much time you have to dedicate to it.

Football Manager 2013 is out on November 2nd, and we'll have a full review on Monday 29th. Keep your eye on the ball.

Luke Moore is a writer and broadcaster and the co-founder of The Football Ramble. He has contributed to regularly to BBC Radio 5 Live and has featured on Radio 4, ESPN, The Guardian, Betfair and, of course, IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

IGN Pro League Welcomes Alex "GoldenboyFTW" Mendez

IGN Pro League is thrilled to announce the addition of another very talented caster to our team: Alex "GoldenboyFTW" Mendez!

Alex will be assisting AskJoshy and Kevin Knocke in its ShootMania endeavors and is an extremely valuable asset to the organization. Here is a small biography of Alex and some of the work he's done in the past:

"For over 9 years Alex "GoldenboyFTW" Mendez has been a strong advocate for eSports. Having competed in games like Halo, Call of Duty and Shadowrun, Alex brings a wealth of experience as a commentator. Following a breakout event at MLG Providence 2011 for Call of Duty: Black Ops, Alex continued to flourish in his career as an eSports Commentator for companies such as MLG, CSN, UMG Gaming, Hypefestation, WCG and TwitchTV and represents those companies with passion, integrity and professionalism. Alex is an ambitious professional who has remained loyal to his roots and stood firmly by his principles through the years of fluctuating fortunes.  Brimming with confidence, oozing with optimism yet grounded by humility etched into his very fabric while growing up in an unforgiving Big Apple, "GoldenboyFTW" is undoubtedly ready for the next challenge on the horizon."

Here's a statement from Alex himself: "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work for the IGN Pro League. If you would have told me a year ago that this opportunity would present itself I wouldn't have believed it possible. This is truly a dream come true and I'm humbled by the opportunity! I will do my absolute best to provide quality content and entertainment."

Please help us in welcome Alex by following and tweeting him at http://www.twitter.com/GoldenboyFTW! Check out his personal YouTube channel as well to see what he's been up to lately: http://www.youtube.com/user/GoldenboyFTWtv

Alex will start in our San Francisco office on Tuesday, October 23rd, learning the ropes, and appearing in ShootMania streams and videos very soon!

Source : ign[dot]com

JLA Movie to Face Off Against Avengers 2?

Now that Warner Bros. has won a decisive court battle involving the rights to Superman, the studio can speed up development on its Justice League movie.

Warner Bros. Wins Big in Superman Copyright Battle

The Man of Steel is, of course, a key member of that superhero team, along with players in spandex like Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and others. According to The LA Times, the studio is expected to "accelerate" development on the JLA project, which will include finding a director and cast. The hope is to shoot next year for a summer, 2015, release. That would put the film squarely against The Avengers 2, don't cha know?

Watch the above video to see Dark Knight co-writer David Goyer discuss bringing Superman's origin story to Man of Steel.

Had Warners lost its legal battle against the family of Superman co-creator Joe Shuster, the use of the character in Justice League or elsewhere would've been restricted after 2013. (And in fact, aspects of that court struggle continue to rage on, though it would seem yesterday's verdict was the start of the litigation saga's endgame.)

"That uncertainty made it difficult for Warner[s] to move ahead with Justice League, which the studio's motion pictures group president, Jeff Robinov, has long wanted to make as a pillar of its big-screen superhero strategy," says The Times. Additionally, the decision reached yesterday allows Warner Bros. to make sequels to Man of Steel (though it remains unclear if that version of Superman will be the one we see in Justice League or not).

So the plan now is to spin-off other heroes into their own movies after Justice League, in a sort of reverse-Marvel methodology. Hey, that works for me.

Talk to Movies Editor Scott Collura on Twitter at @ScottIGN, on IGN at scottcollura and on Facebook.

Source : ign[dot]com

New ShootMania Feature: Lasers Destroy Rockets

In the above picture, you can see the resulting explosion of a laser striking a rocket in ShootMania, the newest title we are covering here at IGN Pro League. Lasers being able to destroy rockets is one of many new features that the developers at Nadeo are starting to experiment with to raise the skill ceiling, decision making, and variety in normal ShootMania games. At the moment, lasers being able to destroy rockets is merely an option that anyone creating a server can toggle on or off. Experimental Elite ran with this new feature for a while, in addition to some slightly modified movement and wall jumps.

Shooting down rockets in a server with this feature enabled will of course save you from being struck and losing a point of armor, but also recharges your laser nearly instantly so that you can strike back at the person attacking you very quickly. This and other features being implemented will improve gameplay by creating more unique situations and separating the truly skilled players from your run of the mill casual fraggers. Keep an eye on the patch notes in the ShootMania beta to see when features like this are implemented. If you are interested in getting your hands on ShootMania and trying out all of the various features, grab a 30-day beta key at http://go.ign.com/iplshootmania. You just need a free MyIGN account to be able to claim your key and start eliminating the opposition today!

Source : ign[dot]com

"The Time Has Come": Riot's impact on the rapid growth of esports

One year ago, FnaticMSI won the season one League of Legends World Championships at DreamHack Summer 2011, taking home $50,000 and the privilege of being the first ever League of Legends champions. Nobody at the time could have predicted that this was only just the beginning of one video game's significant impact on the esports industry.

FnaticMSI at Dreamhack Summer 2011 (Riot Games)

Fast forward to today. According to developer Riot Games, League of Legends is now the "most played video game in the world" with over seventy million registered users and twelve million daily active players logging a combined total of one billion hours of game-time a month. While the statistics are seemingly unparalleled and unquestionably mind-blowing, Riot's mission extends beyond that of the standard MOBA. As stated by CEO Brandon Beck, League of Legends was built with every intention to be a competitive sport, one that is both business and entertainment.

Marc Merrill and Brandon Beck (USC Marshall)

For Riot, 2012 was a year of explosive growth as the studio continually invested in the evolution of esports, establishing League of Legends' place in the movement. Without a doubt, Riot is one of the most involved game developers in esports with their attempts to bring it into the mainstream despite the financial risk.

Marc Merrill, co-founder and president of Riot, stated, "We lose a lot of money on esports. It's something, currently, that we do to drive return or profitability or whatnot. It's bringing value to our players. Maybe, down the road, that will change. This is something we believe, as a company, philosophically, if we bring value to our players, they'll reward us with engagement."

Riot's efforts culminated last week with the season two World Championships in Los Angeles, California, where players and fans congregated at the Galen Center to witness the highest caliber of play by the best teams in the world. Over 7,000 attendees filled up the sold-out arena, which is typically used for college athletics.

"We lose a lot of money on esports. It's something, currently, that we do to drive return or profitability or whatnot...This is something we believe, as a company, philosophically, if we bring value to our players, they'll reward us with engagement."

- Marc Merrill

A multitude of online streams broadcasting the event garnered over one million concurrent viewers all over the world. The number increases dramatically if you include the televised broadcasts in China and South Korea. Such figures indicate that Riot has created the foundations of a spectator sport, a necessity for the legitimacy of esports.

The crowd at the S2 World Championships (ESFI World)

The underdog team, Taipei Assassins, defeated South Korea's Azubu Frost in the grand finals to win the tournament's $1 million prize, a far cry from last year's $100,000 prize pool, setting a strong precedent for other premier tournaments and game developers. The substantial $5 million prize pool for the season two World Championships is a testament to Riot's commitment to its players, which in turn is rewarded by player involvement.

Taipei Assassins, S2 Champions (Garena)

Riot VP Dustin Beck emphasized, “It’s in our blood at Riot to give back to the community and we think our pro players feel the same way and believe they have the same responsibility.”

Pro player Ocelote of SK Gaming (ESL)

Millions of dollars in cash prizes is just the tip of the iceberg. On August 6, Riot announced the League of Legends Championship Series, which is essentially a global league of professional players with weekly matches, playoff events, and most importantly, paid salaries. The salaries, according to Beck, cover the basic cost of living for players and will be supplemented by travel and housing stipends. All of that coupled with sponsorships, stream revenue, and tournament cash prizes are an attempt to legitimize pro gaming as "a completely viable career opportunity," which will help League of Legends reach its full potential as an esport.

This is just the beginning; esports is still in its infancy, growing rapidly with every event. And Riot Games is in a unique position to strengthen and sustain the entire realm of esports, which includes pro teams, leagues, organizations, the community, and competitive games beyond just League of Legends. With the success of the World Championships, Riot has raised the bar significantly for other events, bringing esports a step closer to overall legitimacy in society.

“It’s in our blood at Riot to give back to the community and we think our pro players feel the same way and believe they have the same responsibility.”

- Dustin Beck

The effort to garner mainstream acceptance and attention is not exclusive to just Riot. David Ting, General Manager of Esports and VP of Research & Development for IGN Entertainment, has stated since the inception of the IGN Pro League that his mission is to help esports become a major sport, one that measures up to the NFL.

TSM winning IPL Face Off

Roy Bahat, former President of IGN Entertainment, stated, “The time has come for video games, as a spectator sport, to go mainstream in the United States as it has elsewhere around the world.”

IPL will once again be hosting their live event, IPL5, at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas from November 29 to December 2. Tickets are available for purchase now.

Source : ign[dot]com

DC and Kia Team Up for JLA Car Fleet

DC Entertainment and Kia Motors America have now joined forces to create a fleet of Justice League-inspired vehicles combining automotive style with comic book art. The partnership, which will deliver eight individually customized vehicles, harnesses the talents of famed DC artist and co-publisher Jim Lee, who has collaborated on the design of each car.

Each core member of the Justice League of America -- Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg -- has been matched up with a Kia vehicle. The Batman-themed Optima will be the first unveiled during New York Comic-Con on October 10. Other one-of-a-kind vehicles will be subsequently revealed over the next ten months at various events, including SEMA Show in Las Vegas, North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Wonder-Con and San Diego Comic-Con. Additional model bases include the Soul, Sorento, Sportage, Rio and Forte.

The partnership between DC and KMA was originally conceived to benefit "We Can Be Heroes," a giving campaign, dedicated to helping fight hunger in the Horn of Africa and inspired by the heroism of the iconic Justice League characters.

"DC Entertainment is pleased to be partnering with Kia on this program to help raise awareness and funds for the devastating hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa,” said Amit Desai, DC Entertainment's SVP of franchise management.  "Each of the iconic members of the Justice League is a superhero in his or her own right, but when they band together as the Justice League, they become an unstoppable force for good and right."

Source : ign[dot]com

Get Started Playing ShootMania: Elite!

IGN Pro League, Ubisoft, and Nadeo are giving away thousands of ShootMania beta keys in preparation for the $100,000 live Elite tournament at IPL5 at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas!

If you're interested in some competitive play for a chance at some huge prize money, watch the video above to see how to go from not having a beta key to playing Elite and destroying people online!

Source : ign[dot]com

IGN Assemble! #55 - Reality Punches and Stuff

Zero month trucks on, and this week we talk up some of the great successes -- like Justice League, Batwoman, and Wonder Woman -- and the not-so-successful like Red Hood and the Outlaws and, god help us, Catwoman.

We also talk about a surprising dark turn for Daredevil, the conclusions of Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison and Spider-Men, and the big news of the week courtesy of Ultimate Comics: Ultimates, Captain America becoming president.

There's also depressing talk about the Swamps of Sadness.

There are spoilers within for everything we talk about, so beware.

In the interest of self-promotion:

Check out the IGN Assemble! Facebook Group!

Check out the IGN Assemble! Wiki Page!

If you've got a question, comment, or art, feel free to drop us a line at ignassemble@ign.com.

IGN Assemble! Podcast: Episode #55
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Joey Esposito
Erik Norris

Enjoy!

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He will love Star Wars until the end of his days.

Source : ign[dot]com

IPL and ShootMania at PAX Top 5 Plays and VODs

IGN Pro League, Ubisoft, and Nadeo teamed up at PAX Prime to bring you the first taste of ShootMania as a competitive title with a $1,000 Elite showmatch between esp and Area 51 Gaming, as well as a fans and pros tournament that let PAX attendees show their skills for a $500 prize!

The video above shows some of the crazy plays made by our qualifying team, esp, as well as some of the PAX attendees and their awesome, climactic attacking and defending rounds in Elite mode. For much, much more of the PAX Prime VODs and a taste of some of the other game modes, check out http://www.youtube.com/iplshootmania

There are games up from the fan tournament, like this set between EG.n0thing (Jordan Gilbert, current Counter Strike player for Evil Geniuses) and esp.gillz (Bryan Gilbert, former Quake and Unreal Tournament pro):

You can also see the entirety of the best of 7 showmatch between esp and Area 51 Gaming, beginning right here with Game 1:

There are also some VODs up from other game modes besides Elite, including this one from our Siege showmatch:

For dozens more Elite matches and exhibitions of the other game modes ShootMania has to offer, check out http://www.youtube.com/IPLShootMania and subscribe now so that you don't miss any of the future action!

Source : ign[dot]com

Meat Playground takes down Orbit 2-1

League of Legends Match Review: Meat Playground vs. Orbit Gaming

This Best of Three series left nothing to be desired. These teams packed all 3 games with action from the moment they started. The meta was not challenged by the tactics of these players. Strategy and coordination are what won this match. The players are reaching new heights of personal skill. These teams will continue to improve their game and raise the level of competitive play in League of Legends.

Game 1: Meat Playground Victory

Meat Playground had first pick and wanted to make an aggressive statement immediately in the match. They banned the strong CC of Alistar, followed by the mid lane and team fight strength of Twisted Fate and Zyra. Meat Playground picked Morganna for a safe mid, and a Cho’gath top lane with a support Blitzcrank to secure the endgame. Orbit wanted to rely on a counter pick to allow their mid lane to dominate. They banned the top lane strength of Shen. Malphite, and Vladimir. Orbit then took the safe Jayce pick for top, Gragas in the middle, and Sivir to win the bottom lane.

The players of Meat Playground were out for blood, and secured first blood before minions spawned with a 2-for-2 trade. Both teams stuck to their guns using aggressive tactics to take down the first 2 towers before 5 minutes thanks to a lane swap from Orbit. Meat Playground soon took the lead with some strong team coordination. LightSludge secured several kills and had a large item advantage that he used to give his team a large lead. Meat Playground made some catches and team fights happen and closed out the first game with a major item advantage.

Game 2: Orbit Victory

Orbit took first pick in game 2 and looked to ban out what defeated them in the previous game. They banned the epic hooks of Blitzcrank, the fed terror of Ezreal, and the standard Malphite. Orbit then picked a double AP composition with Vladimir and Ahri, followed by the ganking potential of Skarner. Meat Playground was confident after their victory and decided to try some uncommon picks. They took out the potential first pick of Nunu, along with the standard Alistar and Shen. Meat Playground picked Rumble to win the top lane, Maokai to counter the fast ganks, and Mordekaiser to see what he is capable of.

Game 2 did not have the same ignition as the previous game. The teams did not warm up until first blood happened in bot lane, ending in a 1-for-2 for Meat Playground. Skarner made his presence known with constant appearances in all of the lanes. Orbit was still pressured in the lanes despite the efforts of their jungle player. Soon these efforts paid off and allowed Orbit get the positioning they needed to take an advantage in the game. Orbit quickly took control of the map with oracles and took a huge lead through forced fights and face checks. Meat Playground found themselves insurmountably behind and surrendered.

Game 3: Meat Playground Victory

Meat Playground had first pick and needed to get their valued picks to win the game and the match. They banned Alistar, Twisted Fate, and the Skarner that gave them trouble in the last game. Meat Playground picked the Nunu and Morganna that were key to their game 1 victory, along with Olaf to play it safe in the top lane. Orbit had taken the momentum in the match and wanted to close it out quickly. They banned the Ezreal that did so much in game 1 followed by the standard Shen and Vladimir. Orbit went with a Malphite top, the successful Ahri mid, and a blind Lee Sin in the jungle.

Meat Playground wasted no time in turning up the heat in game 3. They went right into the enemy jungle and slowed down the early game strength of Orbit’s team composition. Orbit went with another lane swap and successfully shut down Olaf early in the game. Morganna was a major threat to Orbit and they sent their support to the middle lane to assist Ahri. Pobelter would not be stopped and picked up a quadra kill with only a tower to aid him. Meat Playground started grouping up and used their strong team fight to take objectives and force poor position from Orbit. Orbit had no answer to the coordination of Meat Playground and lost out to a rushed baron followed by 1-for-4 team fight and victory in game 3.

Player of the Match: Eugene ‘Pobelter’ Park

The mid lane is the center of the rift and the action whenever Meat Playground takes the field. Eugene ‘Pobelter’ Park can play what his team needs and stun spectators with unusual tactics. What he does best is be there when his team needs him. Even his champions roster changes to what best benefits his team. Meat Playground has a bright future ahead of them with Pobelter backing up their plays.

Conclusion

These teams gave it their all in a chance at the IPL5. They tested their abilities and kept it close to the last second. Meat Playground showed that they have what it takes to challenge the best teams on the scene. Orbit has some solid victories over the best teams, but showed that they still have room to improve. The conventional meta was not challenged. The balance was not strained. These teams displayed a true competitive treat to the avid LoL follower.

That’s it for today’s review. We hope you will join us tomorrow for more exquisite League of Legends action.

Source : ign[dot]com

IPTL Premier Division - Team Liquid Preview

In the first season of the IGN Pro Team League, Team Liquid will look to replicate their success from the final edition of IPL’s Team Arena Challenge, where they came within one series of taking the entire tournament, qualifying them for the Premier Division in the new IPTL format.

Liquid’s history in team league play is a tale of two eras: pre-TaeJa and post-TaeJa.  Before the acquisition of the Korean Terran in March of this year, Liquid was a strong foreign team with a couple of Korean players to add some luster to the lineup, but just did not stack up against the deep rosters of the GSTL-caliber teams.  They were able to win the small team league event put on by NASL, but other foreign teams were the only competition.  The primarily foreign Liquid roster was not competitive when invited to participate in GSTL 2012 Season. TaeJa was unable to attend the first match against ZeNEX, where the ZeNEX Zerg Life all-killed Liquid, and in the second match HerO was the only player to manage any game wins off of NSHoSeo, taking two maps as the last hope for Liquid before losing.

In the time since the lackluster team performance in Korea, TaeJa has become one of the very best players in all of Starcraft 2, and brought Team Liquid to a whole new level of team league performance.  Their IPL TAC 3 campaign began with a bang, with Zenio all-killing Dignitas in the first round and a 5-1 trouncing of Mouz by Sheth and HayprO.  Then the foreign foes so easily swept aside by the backup players of Liquid were replaced by Korean teams, beginning with Prime.  Things seemed dire for Liquid, as they quickly fell behind Prime by a 3-0 margin before TaeJa came in and worked his magic, disposing of the entire Prime team, securing his first all-kill.

In the next round of the winner’s bracket, Liquid did lose to SlayerS and fall to the loser’s bracket, but that only served to provide the team and TaeJa more opportunities to shine.  Their first match was a team effort, with TaeJa, Ret, and HerO all taking sets in a victory over MVP.  The next clan war came against StarTale, a team with a roster chock full of Code S players, and Liquid once again fell behind at the start, losing four maps to Ace and Life. The situation was dire, and the best players for StarTale had yet to come into play.  TaeJa, however, was unimpressed, coming in as the last player for Liquid and once again cleaning house, defeating Life, Curious, Squirtle, and Bomber in succession to steal victory from the jaws of defeat.

Not content with this achievement, TaeJa scored another four kills in a win over SlayerS to send Liquid the TAC 3 finals in San Francisco, and there met the team who made it through the winner’s bracket unscathed, Incredible Miracle.  In the first best of nine series, IM led off with arguably their strongest player, the most recent GSL champion Seed. After he took game one from Ret, Liquid brought the big guns out early, relying on TaeJa to deal with the powerful IM Protoss.  No coaching decisions were necessary after that, as TaeJa all-killed the Korean powerhouse team.  However, a second best of nine series followed since Liquid came up through the loser’s bracket, and lightning did not strike twice for the community favorites.  Seed avenged his defeat by ending another TaeJa streak after only two victories, and then proceeded to finish off the rest of the team.

Clearly, the key to Liquid’s success is the Terran superstar TaeJa, especially in a stacked field like the Premier Division of the IPTL.  It is not much of a stretch to consider him the most consistent Terran player in the world right now, and he needs to bring that consistency to every clan war this season for Liquid to have a chance at advancing from the group stage.  TaeJa is excellent in all matchups, but has a particularly good TvZ.  This could prove to be quite advantageous, as Liquid’s group features Stephano and DongRaeGu as opposing team aces.  Obviously, there are a number of other great players between the rosters of EG, MVP, and SlayerS, but TaeJa should be considered the favorite in every set he plays.

The other major threat for Liquid is their longest tenured Korean, the Protoss player HerO.  With the arrival of TaeJa as ace, much of the pressure that was on HerO to take maps from the opposition’s best players is now gone, which should help avail some of the nerve issues he has been known for in the past.  Frankly, HerO could actually be an ace on many great teams, and an absolute boon to have as a major backup for the frontline player.  His creative play makes him an especially strong PvP player, and his other matchups are solid as well, as you can expect from any player who has won a Dreamhack Open.  Expect him to flourish alongside TaeJa this season.

A stable of Zerg players form the rest of the lineup that we will likely see in the IPTL: the Korean Zenio, and the foreigners Ret, Sheth and TLO.  Zenio has been sitting around the border of Code A and Code S for a while, the sign of a player with great potential but not the ability to pull off his best play on a regular basis.  After taking that into consideration, he is still the third best player behind his Korean brethren, and the most reliable Zerg.  Liquid will look to use him in the leadoff role often, trying to grab a couple of wins behind his well-balanced style of play.

The foreigner Zergs are all wild cards, players who with a win here and there can make a big difference for the team.  When Ret is on top of his game, he can out-macro anyone with his Brood War-trained mechanics, but his decision making is lacking. Sheth is a good player, but just not on the same level as the high-caliber opponents he will be facing in this league.  TLO, with his creative play that borders on the ridiculous, can steal a win if he catches a foe off-guard with a wacky build.  Any maps taken by these players at this level of competition should be viewed as a gift, making life easier for the core of Korean stars.

Liquid was somewhat lucky to end up in Group A, as the only other foreign team—Evil Geniuses—is also in the group.  To add to that, the arguably strongest Korean teams Incredible Miracle and StarTale, along with the massive amount of Code S players they bring with them, are in Group B.  This should create easier match-ups for TaeJa and HerO, who will have fewer players of equivalent skill to play against.  Even so, the group stage will be a challenge, as MVP and SlayerS have skilled players of their own, and possess greater overall depth in these best of nine scenarios than Liquid.  The match versus EG is almost a must win for Liquid, as having a 1-0 edge before facing off against the Korean squads will give them a much better chance of advancing.

The match against EG will take place on September 11th, and is also the first match of the IPTL Premier division, so be sure to tune in!

Written by Kyle Elliott

Source : ign[dot]com

Check Out Jim Lee's New Justice League #12 Cover

Since the budding romance of Superman and Wonder Woman is selling like hotcakes, Jim Lee has already crafted a cover for the upcoming second printing of Justice League #12. It's the same general idea, but you'll notice that Wonder Woman seems to be taking the initiative this time around, plus it's more lovey-dovey than the original cover. BuzzFeed debuted the cover earlier today. Take a look:

Check out our review of Justice League #12!

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He loves superhero pets so hard.

Source : ign[dot]com

Rebooted Batman to Debut in Justice League Movie?

Rumor has it that the live-action Justice League of America movie will also ostensibly serve as the reboot of Batman on the big screen.

Batman-on-Film reports that a "solid as they come" source tells them the Batman "reboot will come after the JL film, not before. Therefore, the new cinematic Batman will be introduced in the JL film as opposed to a solo film. This would ... assure the new Batman film series will be part of a 'DC Cinematic Universe.'"

The site cautions, however, that while their source is legit, they still advise readers to take the rumor "with a grain of salt" for now.

Next summer's Man of Steel is expected to be the final DC Comics movie until at least 2015, when scuttlebutt suggests the JLA film will be released.

JLA is being scripted by Will Beall. No director is currently involved, although recent reports claims the Wachowskis are high up on Warner Bros.' wish list to helm it.

Source : ign[dot]com

League of Legends Finalists Disqualified in Pro Circuit Conspiracy

The first and second place teams in MLG's Summer Championship League of Legends Event have been disqualified. A "collusion" between Team Dignitas and Curse NA has been led to a violation of the Major League Gaming Pro Conduct rules. As such, neither team will be awarded Circuit points, and the third and fourth place teams will earn the first and second place points and prize money, respectively.

Neither team denies the allegations or is fighting against the ruling. In fact, according to MLG's website, "Both teams have agreed that the disqualification was warranted," although the specifics of the pro gaming conspiracy remain unknown.

Developer Riot Games recently created its own league for professional League of Legends play, and is in agreement regarding the collusion decision.

Mitch Dyer is an Associate Editor for IGN's Xbox 360 team. He’s also quite Canadian. Read his ramblings on Twitter and follow him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Wachowskis Rumored as Justice League Director Contenders

Warner Bros. is actively looking for a director to finally bring their live-action Justice League of America movie to life. Ben Affleck recently shot down reports that he might do the film, and now there's a rumor that the studio is looking at not one but two filmmakers to direct JLA: Lana Wachowski and Andy Wachowski.

According to Moviehole, the sibling directors behind the Matrix trilogy, Speed Racer and the upcoming sci-fi epic Cloud Atlas are on the studio's list of possible contenders to helm JLA, which was scripted by Gangster Squad's Will Beall. The site claims the studio is "apparently jazzed with Cloud Atlas, and love that it’s as much a spectacle as it is a showcase for the immense ensemble involved, so it makes sense the W’s are under consideration. Justice League needs to be as big on character, as it does bells & whistles, and the Wachowski’s could probably offer that."

Moviehole cautions, however, that  the Wachowskis "definitely like to work at their own speed, and definitely like to do their ‘own’ thing as opposed to being merely one ‘cog’ in a venture, so I can’t see them jumping through hoops to pull the strings on a ‘we want it done now’ large corporate statement like this. Still, exciting possibility nonetheless."

The Wachowskis are no strangers to adapting DC Comics for the big screen. They produced the feature film version of V for Vendetta and once tried to turn Plastic Man into a movie, but to no avail.

Mad Max's George Miller came closest to making JLA a few years ago, casting Armie Hammer as Batman, Common as Green Lantern, and Adam Brody as Flash.

Source : ign[dot]com

Ben Affleck Denies Justice League Reports

Actor-director Ben Affleck has shot down recent reports that he's up for helming Warner Bros.' Justice League of America movie.

In a chat with 24 Hours Vancouver, the Oscar winner said, "I'm not working on the Justice League. One of the problems with entertainment web sites is that they need to fill pages, and that's how rumours get started."

Affleck added, "Justice League sounds really exciting, but it's not something I'm working on."

Source : ign[dot]com

NRL Fans: Get Your Rugby League Live 2 Questions Answered Here

Calling all rugby league fans! Got any questions for the developers of Rugby League Live 2? Let us know what they are!

We'll be chatting to Melbourne-based Big Ant soon, so let us know what YOU want to know.

Leave your questions below, or head to IGN AU's Facebook page, and stay tuned for the full interview.

Source : ign[dot]com

Justice League Dark #11 Review

Let’s start this off right: in my opinion, Justice League Dark is – right alongside I, Vampire – one of the most consistently beautiful books at DC. To my memory, neither series has had a lapse in artist and yet has remained pristine issue after issue. Mikel Janin delivers yet again in JLD #11, perhaps even topping himself with stunning layouts and pristine lines that formulate one of the trippiest – yet cleanest – looking issues yet. There is seriously so much detail packed into his characters that it’s astonishing to see this book arrive on time month in and month out. The editorial team at DC should take a bow for assigning Janin to this book, and issue #11 is precisely the reason.

Writer Jeff Lemire is certainly no slouch either, constructing what structurally amounts to “that issue where the good guys and the bad guys fight each other,” but is able to give it significant weight by keeping everything character centric. Only Black Orchid really gets the shaft here while Lemire carefully balances the rest of the team and their ulterior motives (in particular Constantine) for joining up with this squad in the first place. The only place the book trips up a bit is in the building Madam Xanadu plot thread, which forces Lemire to cut away from the action and create a new mystery that is left hanging for a future installment. In the end though, this issue leaves the reader with plenty of other things to ponder – namely just what kind of mess the JLD just got themselves into, and what the betrayal of one of their own means for their future.

Justice League Dark is the full-out exploration of the DCU’s magical side that I hoped it would be when it was announced, and I couldn’t be happier. All it needs now is some Ragman action.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He will love Star Wars until the end of his days.

Source : ign[dot]com