Ikea, Unyq, and Area Academy Combine to Make Customisable Accessories for Gamers

Swedish furniture giant Ikea will soon be expanding its range to cater specifically to gamers. In collaboration with prosthetics company Unyq as well as Area Academy, of the eSports industry, the flat-pack furniture specialists will soon be the talk of the gaming community. Not only will they be creating accessories for gamers, but those accessories will also be customisable, and many are aimed at helping to make gaming more accessible to those who have mobility issues.





Accessibility in video gaming has been a hot topic this year. Efforts have been made by many software developers and hardware designers, such as with the new God of War bringing in a better selection of difficulties and customisable controls as well as Microsoft with the Xbox Adaptive Controller, to make gaming more accessible, but more can be done.





This is why it’s great to see a company that’s not traditionally associated with gaming of any sort to weigh into the industry while teaming up with an eSports company and prosthetics company to deliver a product that can benefit all gamers.











Introducing the Uppkoppla range for all gamers



Forever looking to innovate, the new Ikea range called Uppkoppla, which roughly translates to ‘online’ in Swedish, will be a 3D-printed range of products. Thanks to the use of 3D printing, each product can be customised and specifically made to suit the needs and fit of each gamer who purchases a product from the range.





Unyq has developed the technique of 3D-printed products for the creation of prosthetics. Using body scans, the Unyq 3D printers create products which are made to the exact measurements of an individual customer. The app, which was revealed at Ikea’s annual product conference, the Democratic Design Days, will be able to measure biometrics to ensure that users can easily gain access to their customised accessory range, per The Verge.





One of the first products to be launched by Ikea as a part of the Uppkoppla range will be a biometric wrist support which not only improves the comfort of using a mouse or a keyboard but also helps to prevent wrist strain. There shall also be a mouse bungee which prevents the mouse cord from dragging in the way to allow for more precise movements, as well as textured caps for computer keys to prevent slipping and improve grip.





Given that these products are to be created through rather advanced hand scanning apps which allow for the customisation of 3D-printed products, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Uppkoppla products would come at a steep price. As detailed by Engadget, these items have traditionally been sold to top-level eSports competitors, but Ikea looks set to shake up the industry with Uppkoppla. The source claims that Ikea’s affordable pricing approach will make these gaming accessories appealing to a broader range of players, which includes people who have mobility issues.





Specifics concerning the pricing of products like the mouse bungee, textured key caps, and biometric wrist support haven’t been released by Ikea yet. However, the products are not far away, with the furniture titan stating that they plan to start selling these customisable items through their app sometime in 2020, per Cnet. As you would imagine, the Uppkoppla range won’t be available in-store, but will all be available through the Ikea-Unyq joint app, which will is set function as the storefront and have the functions required to perform the biometric scans.





In the eSports industry and the gaming industry as a whole, a great amount of focus is placed on improving hardware and software. Very little major attention has been placed on the accessories that promote comfort for the gamers, many of whom will spend hours gaming. Of course, there are incredibly comfy chairs, immersive headphones, and computer mouses with keys on the side, but elements like texture key caps, mouse bungees, and wrist supports add the extra elements of comfort that gamers would love, and at an affordable price, they look set to be a huge hit.





The fact that the Uppkoppla range will also be customisable, with the whole process taking place within an app, will make the accessories even more desirable for gamers, particularly people with mobility issues who need customisable gear to enjoy gaming.





You wouldn’t believe if you didn’t see it, but the trio of Ikea, Unyq, and Area Academy may be about to make playing video games even more enjoyable for a lot of people.







Where will the God of War Sequel take Place?

God of War (2018) is a sensational game that is both deep in story and rich in gameplay. With over 190 various games of the year awards worldwide, there’s no doubt that it’s a phenomenal game. To have landed so many awards in a year that also saw Red Dead Redemption 2, Spider-Man, Forza Horizon 4, Monster Hunter: World, and Super Smash Bros Ultimate hit the shelves makes the game’s collection of accolades even more impressive.

So, as is often the case, fans are clamouring for more and seeking any sign that there’s a sequel on the way. Having made so much money and earned global critical acclaim, there’s no doubt that Santa Monica Studio will be getting to work on the next chapter in the soft-reboot of God of War. But as the protagonist, Kratos, made his way from Greek mythology in the first three instalments of the franchise to Norse mythology, many wonders if the next game will take place in another realm of mythology.









Will Kratos take Artreus to another realm?

During the God of War story, Kratos and his son Artreus learn that the peaceful Norse god of war Tyr had traveled to many distant lands to expand his knowledge. Later, the duo discovers Tyr’s panel, which boasts four symbols from different mythologies.





In the top left is the Eye of Ra from ancient Egyptian mythology. The top right is from Kratos’ heritage, ancient Greece, the Omega symbol. In the bottom right, the Celtic symbol of Triskele sits. In the bottom left, which is fleetingly shown, is the Hidari Mitsudomoe, from Japanese Shinto mythos.





The panel suggests a viable connection between these realms of mythology, as does Kratos’ presence in the Norse realm, which opens up a massive range of opportunities for future God of War games. In fact, director Cory Barlog said that they might explore the Egyptian era in the future, per Game Spot.





Then again, Sony Santa Monica may have already left us a hint as to where the next God of War will take place.





Sony Santa Monica say that Ragnarok is coming

As much fun as it would be to venture into a new realm as Kratos, he has unfinished business to attend to within the Norse realms.





In celebration of the epic game’s one-year anniversary, Sony Santa Monica gifted a free dynamic theme and a bunch of avatars to PlayStation 4 users. The theme itself depicts the iconic world serpent Jormungandr in the background with Kratos, Artreus, and Mimir in a rowboat on the Lake of Nine. It’s a fairly recognisable image from the game, but looking a little closer, fans think that they’ve uncovered a clue for the sequel.





Carved into the side of the rowboat are some Nordic runes which, translated roughly, say ‘Ragnarok is Coming,’ according to Games Radar. The conclusion of God of War could very well be what causes Ragnarok – the foretold apocalypse of the of humans and the gods in Norse mythology – to usher in, with a huge rumble between Kratos and the overruling gods of Norse mythology possibly proving to be what causes the cataclysmic event to occur. After all, Kratos has already killed Zeus in the Greek realm: why not take on Odin too?





Regardless of where the inevitable sequel takes place, fans will be buzzing for all of the leaks, hints, and reveals over the years to come in anticipation of another stunning God of War instalment.

Console games of the year 2018

Last year was a superb year for gaming for many different reasons. Not only were some truly tremendous titles released, but a brand new and immensely popular genre emerged from games based on Koushun Takami’s novel Battle Royale; a huge array of top-class single-player games stood tall when some ‘experts’ foresaw their end; and gamers continued to revolt against the tyranny of loot boxes.

Here, we’re going to be narrowing our focus to the three best console games – those released to the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, or Xbox One – released in 2018.

Honourable Mentions

Credit: Monster Hunter

It was very tough to compile a top-three of the best console games of 2018, so it’s important to make a note of these other incredible creations.

Monster Hunter: World: Capcom’s big drive to create a game that would appeal to the Western audience was a smash-hit. The immersive and deep game features unique game mechanics, simply stunning graphics, and a completely customisable experience – from your choice of weapons and armour to deciding whether to slay or sedate the monsters.

Spider-Man: In a world devoid of superhero games, Insomniac’s Marvel creation proved that the audience is very hungry for more. Spider-Man was a record-breaking game for Sony, but the game’s appeal went well beyond its titular character: it delivers the full superhero experience in an open-world which features a storyline, many supervillains, boss battles, random criminal encounters, and customisation options.

Forza Horizon 4: Forza Horizon’s innovative take on the racing genre continues to shine through, this time taking its drivers to Great Britain. With all of the customisation and free roam aspects that it’s become well-known for, Forza Horizon 4 is quite possibly the best racing game ever made. In a year that the PS4 and Switch released many great exclusives, Forza Horizon 4 stood as the Xbox One’s only top-class console exclusive.

With the honourable mentions in the books, let’s take a look at the games which made a huge mark on 2018 and what we consider to be the very best releases of the year.

3. Red Dead Redemption 2



of the American south.

Credit: Rockstar Games

Release Date: 26 October 2018, Console: PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most detailed and vast open-world experiences ever put to game. The developers, Rockstar, have left no stone unturned, from the need to clean your guns to animating every aspect of each horse.

The story is superb, not just engaging in Western-style shootout and bank jobs, and instead adding many different elements that the player must partake in to help restore the camp to its former glory. With grand character development through meaningful missions and less important tasks, players find that they’re not playing for themselves and are instead doing what’s best for the camp, such as behaving in most public places, contributing money to the camp, and going hunting.

The story aside, it’s clear that a huge amount of time went into creating the game’s vast open world, and the developers want each player to experience it all. The sheer grandeur of the game becomes most apparent when you find yourself without a horse and low on supplies in the wilderness, needing to walk all the way back to civilisation while refraining from carrying a perfect pelt due to it hindering your ability to fend off the many predators of the American south.

It’s a tremendous game, one that gives players a massive playground to be an outlaw as they see fit. Red Dead Redemption 2 went on to win Best Narrative, Best Performance, Best Audio Design, and Best Score/Music at The Game Awards 2018 as well as being a nominee for Game of the Year.

2. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Credit: Nintendo of Europe

Release Date: 7 December 2018, Console: Nintendo Switch

On the surface, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a deep fighting game; but just a peek under the lid will reveal that it is so much more than a brawler. Unlike other games in the genre, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate offers players a huge range of challenges which force them to think about how they play the game and which characters to use, leading to the discovery of brand new characters from gaming universes that they’ve never experienced.

In both the overall game and the adventure mode World of Light, players start with a quaint group of fighters from the massive total roster of 74 playable characters. From there, players must simply play the game to earn their chance at fighting, beating, and unlocking more characters for their own uses. One of the reasons why the game was so hotly-anticipated in 2018 is because of the series’ notorious cross-over rosters. In Ultimate, fans get to play as all 63 characters which appeared in the previous games as well as 11 new ones at launch, with more on the way, all of which boast multiple appearances.

Gameplay can take many different forms for those who are playing it single-player, with many others in local multiplayer, or online. There’s the vast story mode, massively customisable battles and tournaments, arcade modes, challenges, and much more as players are given free rein to battle and practice with new fighters as they see fit.

With so much to do, incredibly balanced fighting, gameplay that can be quickly and enjoyably picked up by any experience of gamer, and a vast collection of much-loved characters, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate transcends the genre but stands as one of the most enjoyable brawlers in existence. It went on to win Best Fighting Game at the Game Critics Awards. The previous game Super Smash Bros Melee became so popular among the fighting gamers that some eSports betting sites started to put out odds on the competitive matches.

1. God of War

Credit: Santa Monica Studio

Release Date: 20 April 2018, Console: PlayStation 4

God of War from Sony Interactive Entertainment Santa Monica Studio was the defining game of 2018, and perhaps of the decade so far. The God of War series has run since 2005, with its many renditions set in Greek mythology, appeasing fans with its hack-and-slash style of play. But with 2018’s God of War, the franchise made the brave move to pivot to the realms of Norse mythology and mix-up the gameplay, which resulted in it earning immense critical and player acclaim. Even though former God of War games were pretty big, this God of War had a new sense of appeal which drew in a massive audience, breaking sales records upon release.

Along with moving into Norse mythology, God of War 2018 differs from the rest of the series by featuring two lead characters. You’ll get to play as Kratos and indirectly as his son, Atreus, as the two make their way past mythological beasts to reach the top of the mountain spread the ashes of Atreus’ mother. Fans of the series get to see Kratos develop from the rage-filled god whose sole aim is to destroy everything in his path into a father-figure trying to teach his son the harsh truths of the world, while also keeping his past a secret.

The story differs greatly from the standard God of War model, which led to the developers changing the gameplay from hack-and-slash to featuring more tactical, but very satisfying combat system centred around Kratos’ new Leviathan Axe as well as super powered foot-and-fist fighting. The way that the player sees the game is also very different, with an over-the-shoulder free camera being used over the traditional cinematic view. It is also the first 3D triple-A game to take place within one shot, which goes a long way towards fully immersing you in the story and the action.

A truly momentous creation, God of War won Game of the Year and Best Game Direction at The Game Awards 2018, cementing the Norse-themed action-adventure game among the very best console games ever made.

Slot Games of the Year 2018

The online casino industry continues to grow in popularity each year, currently standing as one of the biggest forms of online gaming. Although many people will try their hand at blackjack, roulette, or any other land-based casino classic which has made its way to the internet, the biggest draw, by a very long way, is the selection of slot games.

Every week, more and more slot games are released by the many top developers to meet the huge demand for these games. But now and then, a slot manages to hold onto its audience, be it down to its exciting gameplay, impressive graphics, or winning power, making a long-lasting impression on gamers.

In 2018, three games proved themselves to be wildly popular, earning the appraisal of gamers and industry critics. Two of these games were released during the year, but the other was released a few years ago, got lost along the way, somewhat, and then bounced back incredibly last year.

So, let’s get stuck into the slots that proved themselves to be the very best of 2018.

3. Dazzle Me

Originally released by NetEnt in 2015, Dazzle Me experienced a relatively average start to life in the slot libraries, eventually slipping down the list as more games were released. But, early in 2018, the spinners started to play the game again, increasing its popularity a great deal for it leave an undeniable mark on the year.

It’s not surprising that the game took off in the way that it did, given that its theme is quite common across slot games and doesn’t stand out as one with a pop-culture theme does. But with 76 paylines, a jackpot of 152,000 coins, medium variance, and an RTP of 96.9 per cent, it’s very easy to see why players discovering the game last year decided to stick around for more.

Dazzle Me may feature classic symbols like gems, golden bells, and lucky sevens, but its unique 3-3-4-4-5 layout of the reels makes it a very different game to the so-called classic slot machines. Even with this layout, it’s the features which demand the most attention, with the randomly-triggered Dazzling Wild Reels and free spin-activated Linked Reels boasting tremendous win-potential.

2. Diamond Mine

Blueprint Gaming’s Diamond Mine features the incredibly popular Megaways structure, under license from Big Time Gaming, which has earned a huge following over the years for its inclusion of many, many ways to win. In Diamond Mine, the cascading symbols allow for each spin to have up to 117,649 paylines.

Released in May 2018, Diamond Mine quickly proved to be one of the most exciting and varied slot games of the year. With transforming mystery symbols, scatters which trigger free spins, an unlimited multiplier deployed within the free spins, scatters within free spins to trigger more free spins, and dynamite wilds to enhance your chances of landing a win, there’s certainly a lot going on in Diamond Mine.

The slot is filled with lanterns, pickaxes, prospectors, and diamonds to give you the real old west feel as you dig for riches, with much of the excitement coming from these symbols cascading. Whenever there’s a win, the winning symbols explode to make way for more symbols from above or to the right, which can lead to wins on top of wins.

Diamond Mine’s payline-filled layout of 7-8-8-8-8-7, the jackpot of 250,000 coins, and its RTP of 96.43 per cent make it an almighty slot game, one deserving of recognition as one of the very best creations of last year.

1. Jammin’ Jars

The glory of Jammin’ Jars is in its vibrant colours, refreshing way to play, and genuinely exciting features. Stepping away from the video slot standard of three rows, five reels, and left-to-right pays, Push Gaming has created an eight-by-eight gaming grid for you to spin for the win.

Every spin is filled with aesthetically pleasing sheets of colour provided by its strawberry, raspberry, orange, blueberry, plum, and apple symbols, which reward wins when five or more of each are touching horizontally or vertically. Then, whenever a win lands, the symbols are zapped away to leave spaces for more symbols and potentially more wins. It’s this style of play that enables players to feel the excitement on every spin, even if the first column doesn’t reveal any of the highest paying symbols.

As is the case with the vast majority of modern video slots, Jammin’ Jars also boasts some features to give you a boost while you play. The adorable Jam Jar is the wild symbol but it also plays as a win-multiplier, which increases each time the symbol is involved in a win, and the game’s free spins-unlocking scatter symbol.

While the regular game is both exciting and rewarding, the free spins feature takes Jammin’ Jars to another level. In the free games of this 96.8 per cent RTP, 10,000-coin jackpot slot, Jam Jars which contribute to wins randomly move to another position and then hold in place when the next spin takes place. You can also keep an eye out for the Rainbow Feature. This randomly triggered bonus can occur after any non-winning round and will add giant fruit symbols to the game for an enhanced chance at winning.

Jammin’ Jars is a beautiful game that’s packed with fruit-filled excitement, placing it as the best slot game of 2018.