With modern-day gaming being so intense, requiring lighting fast reflexes and endurance for those extended gaming sessions. Usually, we turn to energy drinks to help us out, with names like Monster and Red Bull, amongst others, coming straight to mind. However, there is a new contender on the block: X-Gamer. X-Gamer is a powdered energy drink, promising to boost energy, sharpen focus, enhance your stamina, and sharpen your reflexes. Energy and focus is meant to stem from the nootropic matrix, feeding the brain nutrients it needs to keep going when your body doesn't want to. However, setting itself apart from other energy drinks is the fact that it doesn't count on sugar to work, which prevents the inevitable crash from more mainstream energy drinks. Not only this, but X-Gamer offers this in a tonne of different flavours, including traditional fruit flavours such as mango, melon, grape, and berry, to fruit cocktail (Hyperbeast) and cola (Hydratstorm). Ingredient profile The primary active ingredients in X-Gamer are Taurine and Caffeine. Both of these are proven to enhance focus, predominantly, with other effects including increased stamina and energy. Firstly, caffeine is a type of psychoactive compound, classified as a methylxanthine, and acts on adenosine receptors. Essentially, what caffeine does, acts as an adenosine receptor antagonist, making it less effective, and blocking it off. Adenosine receptors are responsible for managing fatigue within the brain, and with caffeine stimulating these receptors without reducing neural activity, this leads to a delay in the feeling of fatigue. Not only this, but X-Gamer offers this in a tonne of different flavours, including traditional fruit flavours such as mango, melon, grape, and berry, to fruit cocktail (Hyperbeast) and cola (Hydratstorm) Taurine, on the other hand, is an amino acid - well, actually its an amino sulfuric acid, or "pseudo amino acid", but it is recognised as an amino acid - and has been shown to have a positive impact on sustaining energy levels. Taurine has been recognised as a "wonder molecule" in sports, thanks to the effects it has on the body. Essentially, taurine is responsible for forming bile salts within the body and maintaining hydration and electrolyte balance. Other active compounds within X-Gamer include Niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and vitamin B6. Essentially, all of these compounds are variations of B vitamins - niacin (B3), Pantothenic acid (B5), riboflavin (B2) - which have also been shown to positively impact energy levels. B vitamins have been used in countless sports supplements, thanks to their ability to enhance energy levels, as well as maintain hydration - especially niacin, which acts as a vasodilator, sending more blood and nutrients throughout the body by widening blood vessels. The primary active ingredients in X-Gamer are Taurine and Caffeine. Both of these are proven to enhance focus, predominantly, with other effects including increased stamina and energy. Performance Taking X-Gamer the first time around, I was rather sceptical. Truth be told, using more traditional sports performance pre-workouts, I doubted whether or not I would really feel any different after taking it. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that, while I didn't feel any physical difference, my mental acuity was slightly heightened. My focus was buffed, I felt more "in the mindset" to accomplish my goals, and I was able to play longer in a single session before feeling "burnt-out". Other active compounds within X-Gamer include Niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and vitamin B6. Though, I thought about how this would feel to someone who doesn't typically take a sports pre-workout, or even consume energy drinks on the regular. I recruited the help of my colleague here, Keegan, who took a single serving of X-Gamer, and proceeded to play Rainbow Six Siege. After which, he told me that he genuinely felt more focused, and while he will not turn pro from it, that he was able to consistently get more kills each round. Furthermore, he was also faster to respond to certain scenarios, and even quicker to activate gadgets as well. My experience was somewhat similar, and decided to test this out in a non-competitive title. Therefore, I booted two varying titles up, namely Monster Hunter World and Sniper Elite 4. I did notice that my concentration was vastly improved, allowing me to survive and conquer scenarios I previously had difficulty with. Again, while I didn't feel the surge of energy, I did feel considerably better after the effects of X-Gamer had seemingly worn off. Taste Quite enjoyably, X-Gamer is really not a sweet concoction, and while it does taste rather artificial, it left no coating in my mouth that is usually associated with these kinds of drinks. The taste was quite pleasant, and while I mainly stuck to the Mega Mango, we did also get to try Hyperbeast, Hydrastorm, Powacrush, Zomberry, as well as Nukefusion. Again, none were too sweet - thankfully - which prevented headaches or nausea. Quite enjoyably, X-Gamer is really not a sweet concoction, and while it does taste rather artificial, it left no coating in my mouth that is usually associated with these kinds of drinks. Overall, the X-Gamer energy drink is a great substitute for those who do not enjoy mainstream energy drinks, and does actually work rather well. While you won't turn pro in your competitive gaming from it, there is a definitive boost in performance - especially in concentration and focus - from it. The active ingredient compounds in X-Gamer are clinically proven - and safe - so you needn't worry about anything being detrimental. Finally, the taste is great, offering something that doesn't assault your senses, while still being refreshing.

E3, or the Electronic Entertainment Expo, has always been that one magical time each year for the gaming industry and community. Ever since it opened in 1995 (as nothing more than a glorified investors meeting, really), it has evolved to be the one place where developers and publishers could gather in huge halls to showcase their newest video games, tech, and more. Reaching its peak in the late 2000s and early 2010s, E3 was a juggernaut event that always riled up the gaming industry thanks to some heavy-hitting announcements. We've seen some amazing moments at these conferences, from the announcement of Final Fantasy VII Remake to Bethesda's incredible 2015 showcase, and Sony's stellar 2016 line-up of some of the biggest announcements and reveals in the shows history. With all that hype carrying E3 forward, one would think that the only way for the expo to go was up, right? The truth of the matter is that E3 might be in serious trouble. Over the last few years, arguably since E3 2016's mostly solid line-up of conferences and hands-on games, we've seen a steady decline in the overall quality of their shows. The conferences, broadcasted internationally to every gamer in the world, is usually what many associate E3 with. Unfortunately, we've seen the greatest dip in quality there. E3 2019, for example, might've been a great showcase of new trailers, but the general consensus seems to be that the giant expo was certainly lacking in the gameplay and new announcements departments. A huge factor that might've contributed to that dip was Sony's decision to pull out of the conference line-up entirely this year, instead favouring smaller, more digestable Nintendo Direct-inspired online presentations with State of Play - and that's just the first in a major domino effect. E3 2019, for example, might've been a great showcase of new trailers, but the general consensus seems to be that the giant expo was certainly lacking in the gameplay and new announcements departments. Last year, The Game Awards played host to a firm list of big game announcements, from Obsidian Entertainment's unveiling of The Outer Worlds, the hype-inducing introduction of Persona 5's Joker into the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster, and even Mortal Kombat 11, among many others. These kinds of major announcements were once synonymous with E3, but now, developers and publishers are evidently seeing other potential events in which they can conduct their marketing - and as effectively as E3, since many gamers do still tune into State of Play or The Game Awards with increasingly high viewership numbers. These two events are but a small number of big expos and places in which publishers have chosen to reveal new projects, talk about updates, and welcome new content. PlayStation might have detached themselves from E3 this year, but at the rate they're going, they can comfortably invest in a few State of Play's each year to get people talking - just as they would at their E3 conferences in the past. The same rule applies to PlayStation Experience, or PSX, which I predict will become the next major annual event for the company. It serves a few more beneficial purposes to PlayStation that E3 simply cannot afford. For one, the focus is entirely on PlayStation, meaning they aren't drowned out by the various other publishers present under one event's roof. Secondly, exclusivity. They can use this as a means to build up hype and anticipation for PlayStation fans - for which we know there are millions - and just as easily get away with big game announcements that generates buzz and interest. We've seen other publishers still take the E3 stage, but perhaps their hearts aren't entirely in it. Bethesda still uses QuakeCon every year as a viable way to showcase their titles, while Blizzard Entertainment dominates an event entirely around their own brand and projects with BlizzCon. There's other companies that I could mention that do have this added benefit, and for the same reasons why PlayStation might have their own exclusive events, they will try to achieve the same end-goal: they want the focus to be on them. E3 has always been that event where developers and publishers could seemingly co-exist alongside one another, where every game is just as important as the next. As we see the gaming industry continue to evolve and expand into being one of the largest entertainment industries in the entire world, less and less companies are concerned with this "co-existence" option and more concerned with how to effectively market their games to as large of a crowd as possible, and at the same time, ensuring that each of these projects get a spotlight shone on them. Nintendo's Direct presentations are still welcomed with open arms and plenty of hype because they cater strictly to the fans, and with State of Play or any standalone presentation, companies want that kind of clout because they know they're speaking to the consumers who will purchase their products. We've seen other publishers still take the E3 stage, but perhaps their hearts aren't entirely in it. The sad reality is that E3's crux, its main attraction, has been spread excruciatingly thin each year because of how much companies are seeing value in other, more feasible events. With Gamescom Opening Night Live recently airing - the first of its kind - it's proven now more than ever that the need for E3 is slowly dying out. Of course, I'd rather not go into great detail about the recent E3 DDoS debacle that saw hundreds of press members personal information leaked online, but that also will dangerously tip the scales of how successful next year's E3 will be. Simply put, it's kind of hard to trust E3 now with personal information when it can be so easily leaked in the first place, so there's a possibility several influencers and journalists will pull out of the notion of attending E3 entirely. It seems like Microsoft (and maybe Ubisoft) might be the only companies fully taking advantage of E3 at this point, but I wonder how long before Microsoft decides that the "State of Direct" route is more viable for them? Perhaps they'll also reconsider their X0 events each year, just like Sony has PSX? However, we must also address the period in which the drop in quality is also happening. On the verge of the next generation of consoles, major companies always seem to go quiet as developers begin to get accustomed to new hardware so that they can roll out new games, meaning that dull period of 2017-2019 could be simply attributed to developers having a work in progress and not ready to show yet. For this reason, there might be some optimism for E3 2020 as it will most certainly highlight next-gen, and who knows... Maybe we'll see E3 once again pick up in quality. Unfortunately, they'll still be swimming in an ocean of other events, ready to take the mantle from them. E3 might be in deep waters as its future becomes more and more murky. Make no mistake, I still do look forward to E3 each and every year since I'm still excited to see what every conference holds for the future of gaming, but I've been met with disappointment with each passing year as well. There's been a lot more attention given to smaller events than E3, such as Gamescom, The Game Awards, and many others, that could potentially have the same punch and impact of an E3 if given the opportunity (though there's arguably still work to be done on some of them). Do you still feel the same kind of excitement and anticipation at E3 every year? And do you think E3 might be in danger given how crowded the year is becoming with individual events surrounding it? Let us know in the comments below.

The upcoming Darksiders game, titled Darksiders Genesis, received a brand new trailer at Gamescom yesterday. The trailer is stacked to the brim with gameplay, revealing a few new details as well. READ MORE: Spider-Man Reportedly Departs MCU as Sony and Disney End Partnership In the trailer, we get a glimpse of Strife and War riding on their steeds through an icy reach. Aside from the few new environments in the trailer (the stand-out being the shiny treasure room), we also see War transforming into what seems to be his ultimate form. Have a look at the gameplay trailer below to witness all the goodies to look forward to. Darksiders Genesis is a top-down hack and slash action role-playing game being developed by Airship Syndicate, set in the Darksiders universe. No release date for Darksiders Genesis has been announced other than a 2019 window, but we will keep you updated once a release date is announced.

Spider-Man's success in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a one-of-a-kind magical moment, as the character, who has long been in the hands of Sony, appeared in Captain America: Civil War to everyone's surprise. Turns out that Disney had struck a deal with Sony to use the character in the MCU, with Sony still getting quite a beneficial share of profits from its success. The two standalone Spider-Man films produced in the MCU, Spider-Man: Homecoming and recently Spider-Man: Far From Home, were both juggernauts at the global box office. It's strange, then, that recent reports have indicated that Sony have ended their partnership with Disney after negotiations about the character's licensing and future in the MCU fell through. READ MORE: Krypton Season 3 Plans Revealed in Wake of Cancellation The news first broke on Deadline, who reported that Marvel Studios producer and head Kevin Feige would not be producing any more Spider-Man films in the future, thus resulting in Spider-Man exiting the MCU. IGN further corroborated this claim with their own sources, who said that unless a deal is negotiated between Sony and Disney, Spider-Man's future in the MCU is looking very bleak. Interestingly enough, this dispute was the result of money. Deadline reports, "But sources maintain that Feige’s exit was about money; it was about Disney seeking the 50/50 co-fi stake as the price for Marvel and Feige’s continued guiding hand that resulted in the delivery of Sony’s biggest grossing film ever." From our understanding, that 50/50 deal did not bode well for Sony, and it shouldn't be a surprise either. Sony's retaining of the rights to the character had led to three major Spider-Man-related successes recently: that of Insomniac Games' Spider-Man on PS4; Venom, which earned over &800 million at the box office; and the critically acclaimed, Academy Award-winning Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. Of course, it must also be noted that Sony also got the lion's share of the profit that Spider-Man: Far From Home made, which currently stands at well over $1 billion. The Hollywood Reporter would later confirm that "[Sony] is set to part ways with Marvel Studios," resulting in the character from the MCU going back to Sony. Due to this, it still means that Tom Holland will be able to reprise his role as the webslinger, albeit in a different capacity and setting than what we've seen in the MCU. Marvel Studios is now ultimately stuck with a major problem, as Spider-Man has become an integral part of the MCU, with Far From Home having the character step up to take the leadership position after Iron Man. It won't be easy having to explain why Spider-Man is no longer a part of that universe, or how they aim to address the major revelation at the end of Far From Home. Since negotiations don't seem be concrete at this point in time, there's still a very small chance that a deal will be met between Sony and Disney later, though we wouldn't hold our breaths. What do you think of this news? Let us know in the comments below.