This year has been stellar for video game releases, such as Prince of Persia and Tekken, with anticipation building for the release of Star Wars Outlaws, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
However, the real excitement is reserved for next year, which already has an impressive line-up of blockbuster titles set for release.
Here are eight to look forward to.
Grand Theft Auto VI
The next game in the Grand Theft Auto series is unquestionably one of the most eagerly awaited next year. The sequel from Rockstar has been highly anticipated ever since Grand Theft Auto V was released a decade ago.
The trailer for GTA6 was released in December, breaking viewership records in the first 24 hours, showing just how excited gamers are for the open-world experience.
The game is set to be the biggest so far in its sandbox capabilities. Taking place in a Florida-like setting, players can expect different locales and environments to enjoy. There’s little doubt that GTA6 will break records on release.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
The game was originally released on the Nintendo Wii in 2010. It is coming to Switch consoles with a new high-definition remastered version. The side-scrolling platform game stars Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong as they try to rid their island from the grip of a hypnotising evil group.
The game received glowing reviews on release and was previously remastered for the portable 3DS in 2013. The Switch version will retain much of the game’s mechanics, with most of the improvements going to graphics and picture fidelity.
Civilization VII
Announced recently at Summer Game Fest, the next instalment in the Civilization series will arrive sometime next year, with an exact date yet to be confirmed. The trailer shown at the showcase didn’t reveal much detail but developer Take-Two is set to share new footage of the game next month.
The previous instalment was released in 2016, with the next game set to continue to grow the popularity of a series that started in 1991.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
Captain America and Black Panther are set to team up in this action game set during the Second World War. Details on the game are sparse but the two-minute trailer shows the story will involve espionage work behind enemy lines coupled with fight sequences.
Recent games such as Guardians of the Galaxy and Marvel's Avengers haven’t sparked much confidence, but gamers will be hoping Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is more like the PlayStation’s popular Spider-Man games than the aforementioned flops.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
The sequel to Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding is set to expand the lore of a desolate world thinly supported by a system of delivery services.
Cast members from the first game, which includes Norman Reedus, Lea Seydoux and Troy Baker, are set to return. Set in a surrealist world occupied by monsters, the game requires players to traverse an open world to deliver goods and fend off enemies.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
This game is highly anticipated among Nintendo fans. The Metroid series, which started in 1986, is one of the most adored in the company's oeuvre. The previous game in the mainline series was released in 2007, meaning fans have been waiting for 17 years.
Announced officially with a trailer shown during the company’s June showcase, footage shows that the new game will not be deviating from mechanics established in previous games, only expanding the abilities of the protagonist Samus Aran.
Doom: The Dark Ages
The Doom series began in 1993, becoming a staple of PC gaming before making the jump to consoles. The series was rebooted in 2016 for a new generation, upping the ante with loud rock 'n' roll and power weapons.
For the next instalment, the game will be set in a gothic, medieval setting as the name indicates. The trailer for Doom: The Dark Ages shows a frenetic fun time, vanquishing enemies and levelling up in the process.
Fable
Described as an action role-playing game, Fable is a new entry in a series that has been dormant since 2012. Developed by Playground Games, it will be exclusive to the Xbox Series X/S.
Footage released shows comedian Richard Ayoade will be playing a central character that aids the protagonist in their journey, sharing wisdom as well as witty banter.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Arabian Gulf League fixtures:
Friday:
- Emirates v Hatta, 5.15pm
- Al Wahda v Al Dhafra, 5.25pm
- Al Ain v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, 8.15pm
Saturday:
- Dibba v Ajman, 5.15pm
- Sharjah v Al Wasl, 5.20pm
- Al Jazira v Al Nasr, 8.15pm
Saudi Cup race day
Schedule in UAE time
5pm: Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup (Turf), 5.35pm: 1351 Cup (T), 6.10pm: Longines Turf Handicap (T), 6.45pm: Obaiya Arabian Classic for Purebred Arabians (Dirt), 7.30pm: Jockey Club Handicap (D), 8.10pm: Samba Saudi Derby (D), 8.50pm: Saudia Sprint (D), 9.40pm: Saudi Cup (D)
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
Day 3 stumps
New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)
Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
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Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
