Thirty years after Lara Croft’s pixelated debut, she is getting the full Unreal Engine 5 treatment — and Crystal Dynamics has locked in a date. Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis launches on February 12, 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. Singapore and the rest of Asia get a one-day later release on February 13, 2027, consistent with the regional cadence for PS5 physical and digital releases in the Asia Pacific.
A Reimagining, Not a Remaster
This is not a remaster. Co-developed by Crystal Dynamics — the studio behind the acclaimed Survivor Trilogy — alongside Flying Wild Hog (known for Shadow Warrior and Ghostrunner) and published by Amazon Game Studios, Legacy of Atlantis is built from scratch in Unreal Engine 5 as a complete reimagining of the 1996 original. The bones of the story remain: Lara hunts the scattered pieces of the Scion, an ancient artifact, across Peru’s Lost Valley, the ruins of Greece, the deserts of Egypt, and a remote Mediterranean island. The studio has redesigned the puzzles and environments and added new narrative content throughout.
Image courtesy of Crystal Dynamics / Amazon Game Studios
Gamescom 2026 Gameplay Reveal
The Xbox Gamescom Programme on August 26 featured Legacy of Atlantis with gameplay footage and developer interviews streamed live on YouTube and Twitch. It was one of several titles in the programme alongside Gears of War: E-Day and Fable — two games we have already covered from this week’s Gamescom slate. Catch the full showcase on the official Tomb Raider YouTube channel.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis | Official Release Date Trailer — via Tomb Raider on YouTube
Editions and Pre-Order Bonuses
Three editions are confirmed:
Standard (US$59.99) — full game plus the Survivor Outfit as a pre-order bonus
Deluxe (US$69.99) — Standard content, the Parisian Fugitive Outfit, 48-hour early access (play from February 10, 2027), and a post-launch DLC story pack
Collector’s Edition (pricing TBD) — Deluxe digital contents plus a steel case, T-Rex figurine, art book, enamel pin, and keychain
Image courtesy of Crystal Dynamics / Amazon Game Studios
No SGD pricing from local retailers has been announced at time of writing. Digital pre-orders on the PlayStation Store and Steam are expected ahead of launch; Nintendo Switch 2 eShop availability for the Asia region has not been separately confirmed. We will update when Singapore retail details come through.
Image courtesy of Crystal Dynamics / Amazon Game Studios
With PS5 firmly established in Singapore households and Nintendo Switch 2 demand still strong locally, February 2027 is shaping up as a busy month. Check out our Game News archive for the full Gamescom 2026 roundup.
With less than two months to go before launch, Square Enix has pulled back the curtain on some of Final Fantasy Resonance‘s biggest question marks: the two original party members, the crystal nations they come from, and the villainous faction gunning to destroy them all. The new details — confirmed via the official 4Gamer feature (Japanese) and covered by Gematsu — give the clearest look yet at what Final Fantasy Resonance is beyond its all-star guest roster.
Image courtesy of Square Enix
As we covered earlier this month, FF Resonance is the first HD-2D entry in the mainline Final Fantasy series, adapted from the world of Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius and launching on 22 October 2026 (23 October on Steam) for Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE – Announce Trailer — via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube
Meet Jake and Sakura: the two new original characters
Jake (voiced by Jonah Scott in English, Yoshimasa Hosoya in Japanese) leads the rebel army opposing the Zoldaad Empire. He comes across as breezy and easily distracted — until the fighting starts. Jake’s combat style leans into pure luck: Coin Toss and Gamble Shot mean his output varies wildly from turn to turn, which on paper sounds chaotic but looks like it will make him a uniquely fun wildcard in a party of calculated mages and knights.
Sakura (AmaLee in English, Aoi Yuki in Japanese) is the sage of Mysidia. She looks like a child, speaks like someone who has watched civilisations rise and fall, and is reportedly among the most magically powerful characters in the entire game. Her true age and origins remain a mystery — the kind of setup that suggests she is going to be important to the story’s endgame.
Image courtesy of Square Enix
The Zoldaad Empire vs Mysidia — two nations built on crystals
FF Resonance’s world, Lapis, runs on elemental crystals, and two rival powers dominate this latest reveal. The Zoldaad Empire is a militaristic nation built around the Fire Crystal, with rumours swirling that it is planning invasive wars against its neighbours. Opposing it (and home to Sakura) is Mysidia, the Magiapolis — a legendary city of mages centred on the Ice Crystal, so shrouded in legend that many believe it no longer exists.
For veterans of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, both names will feel very familiar: Mysidia has been an iconic FF setting since Final Fantasy IV, and Zoldaad’s militaristic, fire-themed identity maps closely to its FFBE counterpart. The HD-2D reinterpretation looks to keep those essences while giving them a visual overhaul that will land for players who never touched the mobile game.
Image courtesy of Square Enix
The Sworn Six — the main villain faction
The antagonists are the Sworn Six, each representing a crystal element. Two have been confirmed in detail so far. Veritas of the Flame (Paul St. Peter / Kenta Miyake) is a near-invincible warrior who prefers to let his axe do the talking — a single swing can take out most foes. Veritas of the Earth (Kieran Flitton / Yuichi Nakamura) has a contradictory sense of honour that leads him to seek out the strongest opponents, even when his mission demands otherwise. Both feel like classic FF villains with distinct personalities rather than generic “evil” placeholders, which bodes well for the story.
Visions, Espers, and something for the completionists
The Vision system — letting you summon legendary Final Fantasy heroes as combat allies — now has a fuller confirmed roster. Alongside the previously revealed Cloud, Shantotto, and Warrior of Light, Firion (FFII), Onion Knight (FFIII), Vaan (FFXII), Lightning (FFXIII), Noctis (FFXV), and Clive (FFXVI) are all in. The stronger your bond with each Vision, the more abilities unlock — so there is real depth here beyond just flashy cameos.
For players who like to squeeze everything out of a JRPG, FF Resonance also has hidden dungeons and special boss encounters tucked away for the post-game. Square Enix has teased familiar faces among these optional challenges without naming them — which, given the franchise’s history, could mean anything from Gilgamesh to Omega.
Image courtesy of Square Enix
Launch details — all platforms, no exclusivity window
Final Fantasy Resonance launches on 22 October 2026 simultaneously on Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam launches one day later, 23 October). Square Enix has not announced a timed exclusivity deal, so Singapore players on any platform are getting it day one. The official price is US$49.99 — SGD equivalent will vary slightly depending on platform and regional pricing, but it should land below S$70 based on current exchange rates. Pre-order details for local retailers have not been confirmed yet; check the usual major game retail and electronics chains for availability closer to release. Browse more game news here.
Somebody on YouTube has quietly done the thing Square Enix keeps refusing to do. A creator working under the name FusionVerse Production has rebuilt the cutscenes of Final Fantasy VIII as a modern cinematic feature, and the one-hour cut of it is sitting there right now, free, looking better than any of us had a right to expect from a fan project.
It is not a game. We will get to that. But as a look at what a Final Fantasy VIII remake could feel like in 2026, it is the most convincing pitch anyone has made — including Square Enix, who have made none.
FINAL FANTASY VIII Remake – The Movie (1 HOUR) — via FusionVerse Production on YouTube
What FusionVerse Production actually built
The project is an AI-driven cinematic retelling. FusionVerse has been recreating FF8‘s cutscenes shot by shot and rolling them out in parts across 2026 — Squall’s clash with Seifer, the Fire Cavern and Ifrit, the Dollet mission, the ballroom waltz — with new 3D-style character models, reworked audio and re-recorded music. The one-hour movie linked above is the consolidated cut of the story so far.
DSOGaming, which has covered the project twice since February, described the goal as retelling the game’s full story as a feature-length movie while staying faithful to the original adventure. That faithfulness is the whole trick, and it is what separates this from the endless churn of “AI trailer” clickbait.
It started with a concept trailer that made the rounds earlier in the year, and honestly still holds up as the best single minute of the lot.
FINAL FANTASY VIII Remake – Next-Gen Concept Trailer — via FusionVerse Production on YouTubeThe ballroom sequence, rebuilt. Image courtesy of FusionVerse Production.
It looks the way FF8 lives in your memory
Here is the compliment that matters, and it is a genuine one: this looks correct. Squall has the right jaw, the right scar, the right permanent expression of a teenager who would rather be anywhere else. Rinoa reads as Rinoa. The SeeD uniform detailing, the gunblade’s revolver mechanism, the fur collar — all present, all restrained, none of it “reimagined” into something the 1999 art team wouldn’t recognise.
That restraint is rarer than it sounds. Most fan remakes and most AI passes at classic games drift immediately into generic photoreal mush, where every character ends up looking like a stock 3D asset wearing a costume. FusionVerse resisted. The lighting is warm and cinematic without flattening Tetsuya Nomura’s character design, and several shots are framed close enough to the original FMVs that you can hold them side by side and see the intent survive the upgrade.
The 1999 original, as preserved in FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered. Image courtesy of Square Enix.
Put that 1999 frame next to FusionVerse’s version and the point lands: the fan project isn’t replacing the memory, it’s rendering the memory. Anyone who played FF8 on a PlayStation in a Singapore living room back then knows the difference between those two things immediately. This is the second one, and it’s the far harder one to get right.
The FF7 Remake comparison Square Enix invited
You cannot look at this without thinking about Final Fantasy VII Remake, and that comparison is not the fan project’s fault. Square Enix set the terms themselves.
Seven years and three games of official remake budget. Image courtesy of Square Enix.FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE – Launch Trailer | Switch 2 & Xbox — via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube
Meanwhile Final Fantasy VIII — a game that shipped 9.6 million copies and outsold most of the series — has received exactly one modern release: the 2019 Remastered, which is the PC port with cleaned-up character models and a few toggles. No new engine. No new combat. No trilogy.
To be fair to the official product, FF7 Remake does things the fan movie structurally cannot: a real-time battle system, a rebuilt Midgar you can walk through, a full voice cast, and a narrative that argues with its own source material. FusionVerse’s project is a highlight reel by comparison. But it makes the visual case in an hour, on a hobbyist’s budget, and that is not nothing.
The one thing it’s missing is the entire thing
Watch the full hour and the frustration arrives right on schedule. Every time a scene builds to the moment where you would take control, it cuts. There is no Draw command. No Junction screen. No Triple Triad. No Renzokuken, no trigger tap, no Guardian Force summon grinding through its glorious twenty-second animation while you decide whether you have time to make kopi.
Renzokuken. The bit no cinematic can substitute for. Image courtesy of Square Enix.
That is the gap, and it is an enormous one. FF8‘s identity is not only in its FMVs — it is in a genuinely strange, genuinely divisive set of systems. Drawing magic from enemies instead of buying it. Junctioning spells to stats and then never casting them because casting them makes you weaker. Enemies that level up alongside you, so the player who grinds hardest gets punished. You can render Balamb Garden in 4K and still not have Final Fantasy VIII until someone rebuilds that.
What a funded remake gets to do: rebuild the fight, not just the cutscene. Image courtesy of Square Enix.
Which is exactly why the fan movie is best understood as a pitch deck rather than a product. It proves the look. It cannot prove the game — and no fan team, AI-assisted or not, is going to build 60 hours of JRPG systems in a YouTube upload schedule.
So when does Square Enix actually make this?
The honest answer is that nobody at Square Enix has committed to anything, and the people best placed to do it keep politely declining.
FF8 director Yoshinori Kitase has been asked repeatedly. Back in 2019 he suggested a remake would be a project for the company’s younger staff rather than himself. Speaking to IGN in February 2024, as reported by VGC, he said the Junction system was “a very difficult system for some people to get into,” and that a remake would need the “difficulty and approachability” rebalanced. That is a director who has clearly thought about it. It is not a director who has been given a budget.
And Rebirth and Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi, the most obvious candidate on paper, has effectively ruled himself out. Asked about fan demand for another numbered remake, he said — as relayed by VICE from a Game Informer interview — that such a project “might be in better hands if it went to another creator” at Square Enix, after a decade on the FF7 trilogy.
So: the tech is proven, the demand is visible in the view counts, the director has a design fix in mind, and the studio has spent seven years demonstrating it knows exactly how to do this. The only missing ingredient is a green light. Revelation wraps the FF7 project in Spring 2027, which frees up the most experienced remake team in the industry. Square Enix, the queue starts there.
What you can actually play tonight
Until that happens, the practical move for Singapore players is unromantic but effective. FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered is S$27 on Steam and also sits on Switch, PS4, Xbox and mobile — it is the 1999 game with sharper character models, plus battle-speed and no-encounter toggles that make the Junction grind far less punishing than it was on a PlayStation memory card. It remains the only official way to actually play this story.
On the other side, FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE runs S$55.40 and REBIRTH S$67.90 on Steam SG, with both now on Switch 2 and Xbox as well — so if you want to see what a fully resourced remake of a PS1 classic looks like end to end, that is the going rate.
Watch the fan movie for the hour of “what if.” Then go play the remaster and imagine the Balamb Garden battle theme kicking in with a real budget behind it. For more on Square Enix’s plans, keep an eye on our game news coverage.
After a six-year gap, Brigandine is back — and this time it’s not revisiting the Holy Grail War. Brigandine: Abyss arrives on PC this Thursday, August 26, with Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S following on August 27. Publisher NIS America and developer Happinet have set the series up in an all-new world from scratch, and the demo that went live at the end of July is a strong signal the wait was worth it.
BRIGANDINE ABYSS – Release Date Announcement Trailer — via NIS America on YouTube
New World, Familiar Bones
Previous entries in the series — the original PlayStation title, its 2000 remake Brigandine: The Legend of Forsena, and the 2020 Switch revival Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia — each built on the same foundational loop: manage an empire between turns, then fight over a hex-grid map using officers, knights, and bound monsters. Abyss carries that DNA intact but transplants it entirely into a new continent with new factions, new lore, and a darker tone.
The setup: a mysterious Abyss has begun consuming the world, and six major powers respond to the crisis from entirely different angles. That’s six separate story campaigns with their own casts, perspectives, and endings — giving completionists a proper reason to replay.
Image courtesy of Happinet / NIS America
Mission Mode — 24 Factions, Your Own Rules
Beyond the story campaigns, Abyss introduces Mission Mode: a freeform strategic sandbox where you pick one of 24 distinct factions, each carrying unique win conditions, and attempt to dominate the continent on your own terms. This is where the game’s depth opens up for long sessions — different factions play very differently, and the win conditions range from territory control to eliminating specific rivals.
Combat itself runs on the familiar two-phase cycle: an Organisation Phase where you recruit units, position forces, and manage resources, followed by an Attack Phase where the hexagonal-grid battles play out. Elemental weaknesses, officer skills, and the monsters bound to your knights all factor in. Veterans of Runersia will feel at home quickly; newcomers will find the demo a solid entry point.
Image courtesy of Happinet / NIS America
Switch 2 Performance — Stable Over 60fps
Happinet confirmed that the Switch 2 version will not target 60 frames per second. The decision was deliberate: hitting 60fps would have required visual compromises the developer didn’t want to make. The game runs at a locked 30fps on Switch 2, prioritising stability. For a turn-based strategy title, that’s entirely reasonable — you’re never reacting to fast action, and a steady frame rate beats a fluctuating one during battle animations.
Image courtesy of Happinet / NIS America
Demo Is Live — Try It Before Launch
A free demo is already available on the Nintendo Switch 2 eShop and PlayStation Store. If you’ve been curious about the series or strategy RPGs in general, that’s the cleanest way to decide before committing. A Deluxe Edition is available for Switch 2 and PS5, bundling the game with a digital art book and soundtrack — check your regional storefront for pricing and availability in Singapore.
Brigandine: Abyss doesn’t have the name recognition of Fire Emblem or Final Fantasy Tactics, but it fills a gap that those games don’t: a slower, empire-management-first tactical RPG with enough faction variety to keep strategy fans going for a long time. For Singapore gamers looking for something to dig into across the long National Day weekend aftermath, this is worth putting on the radar. Browse other game news here.
SHIFT UP dropped a brand-new gameplay trailer for Stellar Blade Complete Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 today — and it is the most detailed look yet at how Eve’s action-heavy adventure translates to Nintendo’s handheld-home console hybrid. The UNCUT Action Trailer shows extended combat and new key art, confirming the Switch 2 port is being treated as a first-class release, not a scaled-down companion version.
Image courtesy of SHIFT UP
What the UNCUT Action Trailer Shows
The new trailer runs on Switch 2 hardware and puts Eve’s parry-and-counter combat system front and centre — players will recognise the tight timing windows, aerial combos, and the skill-tree-driven gear progression that made the PS5 original a standout action game when it launched in 2024. SHIFT UP confirmed that certain non-combat activities will make use of Joy-Con 2 motion controls, adding a tactile layer the original PlayStation version never had.
New Eve key art released alongside the trailer gives the Switch 2 edition a distinct visual identity, and based on what the trailer shows, the port appears to be targeting a solid frame rate rather than any meaningful visual downgrade.
Stellar Blade – UNCUT Action Trailer – Nintendo Switch 2 — via SHIFT UP Official Channel on YouTube
Everything Included in the Complete Edition
Image courtesy of SHIFT UP
Switch 2 players won’t need to buy anything extra — the Complete Edition bundles everything under one package:
The full Stellar Blade base game
The Twin Expansion Pack, which covers the NieR: Automata collaboration DLC and the Goddess of Victory: NIKKE collaboration DLC
A NIKKE in-game cosmetics CD-key for bonus content in the mobile game
That means arriving players get the complete run of Eve’s story and all post-launch content from day one. For anyone who skipped Stellar Blade on PS5 or held off waiting for a better platform fit, this is the definitive edition.
What Singapore Fans Need to Know
Image courtesy of SHIFT UP
Stellar Blade Complete Edition is targeting a 2026 release on Nintendo Switch 2. A specific launch date and SGD pricing have not been announced yet — expect those details as the window tightens.
Singapore fans are well-positioned. The Nintendo Switch 2 has been available locally since its launch and is readily available through major electronics chains and game retailers. When pricing drops, the Nintendo eShop and local stores will be the places to watch for pre-orders.
One more thing worth noting: SHIFT UP has also announced a full standalone sequel, Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN, unveiled at Summer Game Fest 2026. It follows a new protagonist named Evie and is a separate story from Eve’s campaign. No release window has been confirmed yet — but it’s clearly a sign that SHIFT UP is treating Stellar Blade as a long-term franchise, and Switch 2 owners will have plenty to look forward to.
Singapore Atlus fans, mark your TGS plans now: both Persona 4 Revival and Metaphor: ReFantazio on Nintendo Switch 2 are confirmed for playable demos at the Atlus booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026, according to details published today on Famitsu (Japanese). That’s two of the most anticipated Atlus titles — one a long-awaited remake, the other the acclaimed RPG finally arriving on Switch 2 — available side-by-side at Makuhari Messe this September 17–21.
Persona 4 Revival at TGS 2026: Two Demo Modes to Try
Image courtesy of Atlus
Persona 4 Revival — the remake of the beloved JRPG, coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on February 18, 2027 — will offer two distinct ways to play at the Atlus TGS booth.
The Story Mode lets players step into the opening of the game and explore an “unusual shopping district” — a first taste of how Atlus has reimagined Inaba for the remake. The Dungeon Mode drops you straight into Yukiko’s Castle to battle shadows and bosses, putting the revamped combat (featuring Baton Pass and the new Prime Time system) through its paces.
Everyone who plays the P4R demo receives a set of novelty items: a P4R bottle holder, branded water, and a sticker set — collectibles worth picking up if you’re heading to TGS in person.
Image courtesy of Atlus
Metaphor: ReFantazio Switch 2 — Trial of the Sword and the Louis Support Survey
Image courtesy of Atlus
On the same Atlus booth floor, Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Nintendo Switch 2 version — due November 12, 2026 — will feature Trial of the Sword, an experience-based playable activity built around the game’s praised battle system. It’s aimed squarely at Switch 2 players who haven’t yet picked up the PS5 or PC version of this multi-award-winning RPG.
Stage events will run through the week to spotlight what’s new in the Switch 2 port, and Atlus is running the “Louis Support Rate Investigation” — an audience survey about fan-favourite character Louis that offers prizes to participants. If you know, you know.
Image courtesy of AtlusMetaphor: ReFantazio — Announce Trailer | Nintendo Switch 2 — via Official ATLUS West on YouTube
TGS 2026 Dates and How to Follow If You Can’t Make It
Tokyo Game Show 2026 runs September 17–21 at Makuhari Messe, Chiba. Business days are September 17–18; public days run September 19–21. If you’re not travelling, Atlus typically streams TGS stage events via the official Atlus YouTube channels — and GameTrader will be covering the key announcements as they land. Check out our roundup of game news for ongoing TGS coverage as September approaches.
With a Persona remake available five months ahead of its February 2027 launch and Metaphor arriving on Switch 2 in November, Atlus is bringing some serious firepower to TGS this year. Both demos are a rare chance to try these titles before they ship.
Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch 2 MSRP in the United States will rise from US$449.99 to US$499.99 on September 1, 2026 — a US$50 increase that is now less than two weeks away. If you have been sitting on the fence about picking up the console, this is the most practical deadline you will get.
Japan: Already raised — from ¥49,980 to ¥59,980 on 25 May 2026
Nintendo cited “various changes in market conditions, which are expected to extend over the medium term” as the rationale. Industry coverage has widely attributed the pressure to an AI-driven surge in DRAM demand that has significantly pushed up memory pricing — components the Switch 2 relies on heavily for its 12 GB of system RAM and game storage.
Nintendo Switch 2 – Overview Trailer — via Nintendo of America on YouTube
What Does This Mean for Singapore?
Image courtesy of Nintendo
Nintendo does not operate direct retail in Singapore. The Switch 2 is sold here through licensed distributors and major electronics and game retailers. No official Singapore price revision has been announced alongside the US and European changes, and local authorised retail pricing may absorb or defer the increase differently.
That said, Singapore fans purchasing through grey-market or parallel import channels will feel the effect quickly: retailers that source stock from the US or Europe will face higher wholesale costs from September 1. If you typically buy through a local games shop or importer that stocks from the US, Japan, or Europe, expect retail prices to adjust within weeks of the effective date — if not sooner, as shops reprice existing stock ahead of higher replacement costs.
If you plan to purchase directly from a US or European online retailer and ship it to Singapore, the clock runs out on August 31.
Is Now the Right Time to Buy?
Image courtesy of Nintendo
The Switch 2 launched in April 2026 and has been building a strong library since. This week alone sees two major releases on the platform: Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on August 28 and Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 on August 27. Looking further ahead, Final Fantasy Resonance arrives October 22 and Final Fantasy VII Revelation is confirmed for Spring 2027 — the Switch 2 game pipeline is among the strongest of any Nintendo console at this stage of its life.
Nintendo’s “medium term” language on the price increase suggests this is not a temporary blip. If memory market conditions do not normalise soon, the US$499.99 price point could remain the floor for some time. At US$449.99, the value proposition is meaningfully better — and September 1 is the last day to lock that in from official US channels.
Sanrio is levelling up. The beloved Japanese character brand is making its first-ever Tokyo Game Show appearance under its gaming label Sanrio Games — and the September 17–21 booth at Makuhari Messe Hall 8 is shaping up to be one of the most colourful stops at this year’s show.
Sanrio Games Steps Into TGS for the First Time
If you’ve been following Hello Kitty Party Land since it was announced, TGS 2026 is your first real chance to go hands-on. Sanrio Games — the character brand’s dedicated gaming label, launched in April 2026 — is debuting at the show with three playable or exhibiting titles, a packed stage programme, and exclusive giveaways for booth visitors.
The booth runs all five days at Makuhari Messe Hall 8 [08-S01], covering both business days (September 17–18) and public days (September 19–21), with a second family-friendly outpost at TKP Tokyo Bay Makuhari Hall’s Family Game Park section. Browse the full TGS 2026 event coverage as the show approaches.
Image courtesy of Sanrio Games
Hello Kitty Party Land Finally Gets a Playable Demo
October 29 is not far off, and TGS 2026 will be the first major venue where players can try Hello Kitty Party Land before it launches. The party game crams 45-plus mini-games across three board game modes, supports up to four players, and features more than 145 Sanrio characters — from Hello Kitty and Kuromi to Badtz-Maru and beyond — on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
Hello Kitty Party Land – Nintendo Direct 6.9.2026 — via Nintendo of America on YouTube
Meet Sanrio Kawaii Me Live! — A Rhythm Game With a Surprise Band
TGS 2026 also marks a proper showcase moment for Sanrio Kawaii Me Live!, a rhythm and dance game heading to iOS and Android in 2027. Players coordinate outfits for Sanrio characters while performing to tracks built around the Sanrio universe. The standout detail: Japanese rock band Polkadot Stingray — beloved for their high-energy indie sound — has composed original music for the title.
Vocalist Shizuku will appear on stage at the General Exhibition booth on September 19 to talk through the music creation process with attendees. If you’re into Polkadot Stingray’s guitar-driven sound, hearing that aesthetic fused with Sanrio’s kawaii characters is a genuinely unusual mix worth watching.
Image courtesy of Polkadot Stingray
Fragaria Memories: Color of Wishes Debuts New Character Art
The third title on show is Fragaria Memories: Color of Wishes, a chivalric fantasy smartphone game still in development. TGS 2026 will debut newly drawn illustrations for the game’s Knight and Lord characters on a full-wall display, alongside a voice actor talk stage featuring Gakuto Kajiwara (Hallit) and Shunsuke Takeuchi (Badbalma).
Image courtesy of Sanrio GamesImage courtesy of Sanrio Games
Kuromi DJs, Pompompurin Turns 30, and Free Sun Visors
The stage programme is worth the booth visit on its own. Kuromi takes the decks for a DJ live set at the General Exhibition booth, spinning tracks from Sanrio Kawaii Me Live!. Meanwhile, Pompompurin — celebrating 30 years since his 1996 debut — hosts a special “Pa-Pi-Pu-Pe-Pom!” anniversary stage at the Family Game Park on September 20. Hello Kitty, My Melody, and Cinnamoroll are also appearing across both venues throughout the event.
Every booth visitor takes home an exclusive Sanrio Games sun visor in Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, or Pompompurin designs — while stocks last. Even if you can’t make it to Makuhari in person, TGS 2026 will stream its public-day stage events live, so SG fans can catch the Kuromi and Pompompurin shows from home when the show opens on September 19.
After the server disaster that killed its opening session, The Duskbloods network test is back on track — and Singapore fans still have three sessions left to get their first hands-on with FromSoftware’s Switch 2 debut, including one that kicks off in just a couple of hours.
Session 1 Went Down, But FromSoftware Moved Fast
As we covered when the test collapsed on Friday night, Session 1 (21 August, 6pm–10pm SGT) ended after barely two hours. Players who’d been sitting at the login screen since the session opened met a single repeating message: “Failed to log in to The Duskbloods game server. Select ‘OK’ to attempt to log in again.” FromSoftware eventually pulled the plug, posted an apology, and promised to fix things before the next slot.
Session 2 (22 August, 10am–2pm SGT) ran as scheduled, and by all accounts the servers held. That put the total at one cancelled and one completed — with three sessions still to come.
Image courtesy of FromSoftware / Nintendo
The Emergency Broadcast: Kitao Walks You Through the Game
On top of fixing the servers, FromSoftware went a step further. At 8pm JST on Saturday (7pm SGT), producer Yasuhiro Kitao appeared live on Famitsu Tube for an unplanned 45-minute broadcast to explain what players should actually expect from the test. Alongside Famitsu writers who had played the media preview build, Kitao walked through the tutorial, broke down the core game rules, and introduced the playable Bloodsworn characters — giving anyone who missed Session 1 (or who simply hadn’t followed the game closely) a proper introduction to what The Duskbloods is.
FromSoftware also published an official digital instruction manual at the same time, available in multiple languages on the network test campaign website. The manual covers the six playable Bloodsworn and their weapons, how to earn Virtue points during a match, the Kin partner system, and how the different match phases unfold. If you were selected for the test but walked away from the first session confused, it is worth reading before you jump in.
Image courtesy of FromSoftware / NintendoThe Duskbloods – Official Network Test Announcement Trailer — via GameSpot on YouTube
Three Sessions Left — Singapore Times
If you are one of the selected testers and you missed Session 1, here is what is left. All times are SGT (UTC+8):
Tonight — Sunday 23 August, 2:00am – 6:00am SGT (Session 3 — the next one up)
Sunday 23 August, 6:00pm – 10:00pm SGT
Monday 24 August, 10:00am – 2:00pm SGT
The 2am session is the awkward one, no question — but the Sunday evening and Monday afternoon windows are perfectly civilised if you want to try FromSoftware’s game at a reasonable hour. Set an alarm for whichever slot works.
Image courtesy of FromSoftware / Nintendo
What to Expect in the Test
The Duskbloods is a PvPvE multiplayer action game — up to eight players drop into a match, hunt creatures to earn Virtue points and grow stronger, and eventually start hunting each other as the match progresses through its phases. It is a Switch 2 exclusive, developed by FromSoftware and published jointly with Nintendo, targeting 60fps on the hardware. The download is 3.9GB. Combat is soulslike but the tutorial content and the Kin partner mechanic — a companion tied to your Bloodsworn’s progression — make it more accessible than the studio’s usual output, which makes the test a reasonable entry point even if you found Elden Ring’s opening hours rough going.
