ESPORTS
Spooky season brings many treats for ESports fans Gaming goblins have options including J Balvin on Fortnite and the Apex Legends seasonal Fight or Fright
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by Mike Usinger
s you might have seen recently on Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, October is more than a time for pumpkin spice lattes, stuffing your face with mini chocolate bars for weeks leading up to October 31, and wondering why God made trees. (If you’re living in a condo or apartment, consider yourself lucky that you don’t have to spend hours each fall raking up leaves in the pissing rain). October is, of course, also the start of Spooky Season. How do we know this? Well, newscasters Down South can’t shut up about it. Much like their fascination with pumpkin lattes. Given that it’s now Spooky Season, it should surprise no one that the ESports world is all in. Here’s a pocket-size roundup of some of the goings-on.
Stormwind battlegrounds are festooned with Hallow’s End decorations. Special tavern brawls, legendary quests, and the return of Hallow’s End cards are part of this year’s fun. You can also wish a happy Spooky Season to your fellow Azerothites. Or whatever they are called. The fun continues to October 31. Remember to take it easy on the Zombies at the tavern. APEX LEGENDS FIGHT OR FRIGHT
tedly, given the kind of year it’s been, is a lot better than going with 28 Days Later or Outbreak. To start reaping rewards like the Ecto-1 Car, Stay Puft Topper, or Ectoplasm Decal, players can start by completing event challenges. The 2020 edition of Haunted Hallows is now live and ends at 6 p.m. PST on November 2.
Always dreamed of walking on walls like Seth Brundle and dancing on ceilings like the always creepy Christopher Walken in that Fatboy Slim video? Then you’re going to be super stoked about the Shadow Legends in Apex Legends seasonally themed Fight or Fright. As part of the event, players can beat the digital pulp out of each other until they see the digital light. But they also get the ability to respawn as a “Shadow Legend”, assuming at least one of their teammates is still alive and kicking on the battlefield. Positives for Shadow Legends include becoming speedier and getting the ability to walk on walls. On the downside, conventional weapons become of zero use. Other Apex Legends perks for Fight or Fright include having Halloween-themed skins laid out for the purchasing in the game’s shop. The Spooky Season mode starts on October 22 and runs through to November 3. For more information, go here. And feel free to ask when Brundlefly will be making an appearance. g
HEARTHSTONE’S HALLOW’S END
With files from John Lucas.
J BALVIN DOES FORTNITE
Let’s face it: you’re probably not doing much this Halloween. Trick-or-treating (if it even happens this year) is for little kids. On the other hand, going to a party is out of the question. No, the most likely scenario is that you’re going to be spending the night of October 31 playing Fortnite, like you do every other Saturday evening. Epic Games gets it. So on Halloween night, Colombian Reggaeton star J Balvin will be taking a break from shilling for McDonald’s and their happy meals. Instead, watch for the man who’d rather not answer to José—perhaps because it rhymes with “No way”—to put on an Afterlife Party concert inside Fortnite. Hey, if Travis Scott can do it, why not him? Put Evil Dead on pause at 6 p.m. PST on October 31, and head over to the Party Royale main stage where Balvin will not only perform his biggest smashes but debut a new track with Sech. According to Rolling Stone, his performance will be shot using extended reality (XR) technology. That means he will be recorded using LED walls and camera tracking to give him a more “real-life in a
Coming up on Halloween night, J Balvin is hoping to haunt your dreams with Fortnitemares.
virtual world look”. (Should you be busy watching Evil Dead, Afterlife Party will be rebroadcast on November 1 at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the Party Royale main stage). Showing up gets you a J Balvin edition of a Fortnite Party Trooper outfit currently on the racks of the Item Shop. ROCKET LEAGUE’S HAUNTED HALLOWS
Who doesn’t love Ghostbusters? It’s got the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and a thoroughly possessed Sigourney Weaver. Not to mention Rick Moranis panicstrickeningly whispering “Nice doggie” at a gargoyle that’s not going to sit for anyone other than Gozer the Gozerian. The 2020 edition of Rocket League’s Haunted Hallows celebration has chosen Ghostbusters as its theme. Which admit-
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KIT KATS AND PINOT NOIR
Pinot Noir boasts profiles of dark fruits like cherries, creating a scrumptious chocolate-covered-cherry taste when paired with a Kit Kat. The light-bodied red wine can also be thoroughly enjoyed with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and other goodies made with milk chocolate. We suggest the 2017 Pinot Noir from Monte Creek Ranch in Kamloops. HERSHEY’S MILK CHOCOLATE BARS AND ZINFANDEL
Pairing Hershey’s milk chocolate with a glass of red Zinfandel can play down the sweetness of the snack-sized candy 8
THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
While the verdict is out on pumpkin lattes, there’s zero disputing that the fine folks of Azeroth totally love the Season of the Witch. Hallow’s End has Hearthstone fans following a seasonally spooky set of rules where they enter the arena, choose a hero, and opt for individual hero powers. During the Hallow’s End run heroes are in costume, and the Orgrimmar and
bar. The rich, medium-bodied wine will replace some the candy’s sugar with hints of jam berries. A bottle of Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel from California can flawlessly elevate your date with a box of Halloween chocolates. MAYNARDS SWEDISH FISH AND ROSÉ
This combination sounds somewhat juvenile, but it’s really meant for the most mature and developed palates. The vegan-friendly gummies are sweet and chewy with a slight aftertaste of cinnamon. The faint spice from the Swedish Fish pairs perfectly with a sip of chilled Rosé.
OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 5 / 2020
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To stick with the vegan theme, pair a packet of the adorable fish with the Narrative Rosé Vegan from Okanagan Crush Pad. MAYNARDS FUZZY PEACHES AND PINOT GRIGIO
Like always, we’ve saved the best for last. This match made in heaven will have you salivating before you even uncork the bottle or open the bag of candy. The flavours of lemon, nectarine, apple, and pear found in Pinot Grigio effortlessly compliment the tangy peach candies. Couple Maynards Fuzzy Peaches with a dry white like the 2018 Pinot Gris from Hester Creek in Oliver. g
