Movies, animation, comics, gaming and tech. Want to know what’s happening in Africa and beyond? Here’s the Run Down for this week.

NEWS OUT OF AFRICA – Gaming/Digital Art

The VX Art Tournament is Back for Another Round!

Sponsored by Comic-Con Africa, Artstation and Clip Studio Paint, the VX Art Tournament is an art competition geared towards celebrating and empowering African digital artists.

First held in 2020 under the theme Humanity, the tournament is back for its second edition this 2021! The theme this time around is “Resilience”, to reflect the current state of the world as people across the globe heal and deal with the aftermath of COVID-19.

The tournament will be evaluated by six judges including renowned Zimbabwean digital artist and senior member of the Comexposed community, Bill Masuku; Story artist at Netflix and Cartoon Network, Andy Cung; Founder of BlackGirlsNerd (BGN) Jamie Broadnox and Shawna Mills Story Artist at Marvel, Disney XD and Lucas Films.

The competition is open from the 1st to the 22nd of September to those of African nationality only. Winners stand the chance of winning flight tickets, accommodation as well as an artist booth at Comic-Con Africa 2022, Artstation gift cards and accounts as well as tablets and software.

Find out more https://squidmag.ink/vx-art-tournament-2021/

Kiro’o Games Have a Brand New Mobile Game!

Well known for their flagship title, Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan an Afro-fantasy Role playing game, West African game development studio, Kiro’o Games, has made quite a mark on the video game industry within Africa.

Their title has done well to showcase the beauty and depth of African culture to Africans and the world. Now, they have a brand new game up their sleeves. And it’s a mobile one.

Aurion: Kajuta Gems Fighter

Set in the Aurion universe, Aurion: Kajuta Gems Fighter is Match 3 slash-a-thon and Kiro’o Games first mobile title.

The new game has already gained over 11 thousand downloads and its future looks bright.

Check out more https://gamesindustryafrica.com/2021/09/03/kiroo-games-celebrates-mobile-success/

NEWS BEYOND AFRICA – Tech/Entertainment

So…What’s Up With the Apple VR/AR Headsets?

For over ten years now, Apple has been working on creating their very first AR/VR headsets. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo the headsets, which are still in development, are projected to come out in 2022.

The device is said to be similar to Facebook’s own Oculus Quest headsets but with a lightweight and sleeker design with features that include: eye-detecting cameras and the ability to map room dimensions with greater accuracy than other devices on the market. As reported by the Information, the headsets are also likely to need to rely on another apple device, such as an iPhone, to function.

It is also rumoured that Apple hope to create an App Store specifically for the headset focusing largely on streaming video content, video conferencing and gaming. But what is perhaps even more exciting is talk about the Apple glasses.

Rumour Has It: Apple’s Got AR Glasses in the Works

Rumour also has it that Apple is working on creating some AR glasses.

As reported by Bloomberg, the glasses are still in early development. However, according to Kuo, they are expected to be sold as an iPhone accessory and will likely  play a display role and allow users to have an “optical-see through AR experience”.

Some sources suggest the glasses may be released in 2022 but with development still in progress, it might be later.

Check out more https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/apple-glasses/

Riot Games Is Looking At Developing More Television and Animation Projects

Set in the League of Legends universe, Arcane is Riot Games’ first animated series, currently in progress at Netflix. However, it’s not their last.

It has been reported that Brian Wright, the brains behind Netflix’s original series Stranger Things and 13 Reasons Why has been hired as Riot Entertainment’s Chief Content Officer.

In his new role, Wright will aid Riot in developing even more original film, TV and animation projects and help the company bridge the gap between the entertainment and gaming industries.

Check out more https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/riot-games-brian-wright-1235007589/?fr=operanews