Tag Archives: Nintendo Switch 2

Game News

Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited Arrives 27 August — First Mainline Entry in 11 Years

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The franchise many thought Compile Heart had quietly retired is making its loudest comeback in over a decade. Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited (超新時空ゲイム ネプテューヌ∞) launches in Japan on 27 August 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4 — and it is the first numbered mainline entry in the series since Megadimension Neptunia VII in 2015, an 11-year gap filled largely by remakes and spin-offs.

Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited key art showing Purple Heart, Red Heart, Blue Heart and Anna/Lot against a cosmic backdrop
Image courtesy of Compile Heart / Idea Factory
Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited — Announcement Trailer — via Compile Heart on YouTube

The Series You May Have Forgotten About

For the uninitiated: the Hyperdimension Neptunia series is a JRPG franchise set in Gamindustri, a world of warring console goddess-nations that serve as affectionate parodies of real gaming companies — Purple Heart / Neptune (Sega), Black Heart / Noire (PlayStation), White Heart / Blanc (Nintendo), and Green Heart / Vert (Xbox). The series ran from 2010 to 2015 before entering an extended hiatus of remakes, mobile titles, and spin-offs. For longtime fans in Singapore who grew up with the Re;Birth trilogy on PS Vita, Unlimited is the sequel they have been waiting for.

Three New Goddesses, Three New Consoles

Three new CPU goddess characters from Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited representing modern gaming consoles
Image courtesy of Compile Heart / Idea Factory

Unlimited brings the roster up to 11 playable characters. The four original CPUs return — Neptune (Rie Tanaka), Noire (Asami Imai), Blanc (Kana Asumi), Vert (Rina Sato) — along with all four CPU Candidates. Three brand-new goddesses personify the current hardware generation:

  • Rouge (Red Heart) — Nintendo Switch 2, voiced by Hana Shimano
  • Ciel (Blue Heart) — PlayStation 5, voiced by Momoka Terasawa
  • Anna & Lot (Eclipse Heart) — Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X respectively, voiced by Yukino Nishizono

Character artwork is by franchise veteran illustrator Tsunako. The theme song “Muteki no Kizuna -Re:boot & Update-” is performed by Rie Tanaka, Neptune’s voice actress.

Gamindustri Takes to the Sky

Purple Heart (Neptune) flies through a bright green outdoor field in Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited gameplay
Image courtesy of Compile Heart / Idea Factory

The defining new mechanic in Unlimited is full 3D aerial exploration. In CPU form, all goddesses fly freely through Gamindustri’s environments, engaging airborne enemies and using height-advantage dive attacks. Dengeki Online’s pre-release hands-on — the first system-level deep dive published ahead of launch (Japanese) — describes how combos auto-chain by proximity, simplifying inputs without stripping tactical depth.

Two standout systems round out combat:

  • Tactical Link: chains skills across characters to stack damage multipliers up to 2×
  • Apocalypse Clash Battle: deploys all 11 goddesses simultaneously against colossal boss enemies in the game’s most demanding encounters
Neptune and other CPUs fly above a neon-lit Gamindustri city at night in Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited
Image courtesy of Compile Heart / Idea Factory

The Dengeki pre-release review awarded the game a 9.4/10, calling the aerial combat loop the strongest the series has delivered to date.

Can Singapore Fans Play It?

As of writing, Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited is confirmed for Japan only — no Asian or English release has been announced by Idea Factory International (IFI), the studio’s usual English publisher. That said, IFI has localized every mainline Neptunia entry to date, so an English version is widely expected — just not confirmed yet.

PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 are both region-free, meaning Japanese physical copies work on Singapore hardware without any modification. The standard edition is priced at ¥8,580 (roughly S$75–80 at current rates); a Galaxy Limited Edition (¥19,800) bundles an art book, soundtrack CD, and Season Pass. The PS4 version is digital only. Import retailers such as CDJapan and Play-Asia stock Japanese game releases and ship to Singapore.

The game launches in Japan on 27 August 2026. Check Compile Heart’s official product page for the latest updates. For more JRPG and game news, see our Game News section.

Game News

Sonic Frontiers Hits 5 Million — SA2 Shoes Now Free for All Players

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SEGA confirmed this week that Sonic Frontiers has officially surpassed 5 million copies sold worldwide — and to thank fans, the studio is making a previously exclusive cosmetic completely free. The Sonic Adventure 2 SOAP shoes are now available to every player on every platform at no cost, no newsletter sign-up required.

Sonic Frontiers open-world island vista with Sonic standing on ancient ruins overlooking the sea
Image courtesy of SEGA

What Are the SA2 SOAP Shoes?

The SOAP shoes are a costume piece for Sonic in Frontiers — the chunky grind-sneakers Sonic wore throughout Sonic Adventure 2 (2001), back when grinding on rails was his defining trick. They are a purely cosmetic item: Sonic still plays identically, but fans who grew up with SA2 will recognise the look immediately. When Sonic Frontiers launched in November 2022, the shoes were gated behind a newsletter subscription with a sign-up deadline of January 31, 2023 — anyone who missed that window simply could not get them through official means.

SEGA’s official X account announced the milestone celebration: “We’ve Found Our Flame — and it’s you! Thank you for helping Sonic Frontiers surpass 5 MILLION copies sold!” The shoes are now universally available across PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms including the Switch 2. Check your platform’s DLC listings or the in-game extras menu for the free unlock — no code or additional purchase required.

How the Switch 2 Pushed Sonic Over the Line

Sonic grinding along a rail in Sonic Frontiers open-world, collecting gold rings
Image courtesy of SEGA

Sonic Frontiers reached 4.57 million units as of November 2025 — then stalled for several months. The release of Sonic Frontiers: Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 in June 2026, packed with all DLC and The Final Horizon expansion, clearly provided the final push. The Definitive Edition is available on the Nintendo eShop and at major game retailers locally; if you have not yet played the game, this is the most complete version available.

Sonic Frontiers Definitive Edition – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – Launch Trailer — via Sonic the Hedgehog on YouTube

Five Million: What It Means for Sonic

Sonic battling a large mechanical boss enemy in the grassy open world of Sonic Frontiers
Image courtesy of SEGA

Sonic Frontiers was a divisive pitch when it launched in late 2022 — the first open-world Sonic game, landing at a time when the franchise had not had a consensus hit in over a decade. Five million copies is a meaningful number for SEGA: it confirms that the direction taken with Frontiers found a genuine audience, and makes the upcoming follow-up easier to greenlight with confidence. Singapore players who were on the fence about the Definitive Edition now have an extra incentive to grab it and claim the SA2 shoes before SEGA decides to put an expiry on the offer.

For more game news and updates, stay tuned to GameTrader.SG.

Game News, News

Pokémon Pokopia Hits 5 Million — Bubbly Basin Is Live

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Nintendo Switch 2’s cosy star just hit a major number. Pokémon Pokopia has surpassed 5 million copies sold worldwide — physical Game Key Cards and digital downloads combined — as confirmed by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo on 13 August 2026. The announcement came just days after the launch of the game’s first paid expansion, and it is hard to ignore the link.

Five Million in Under Five Months

Pokémon Pokopia — overhead view of the town-building game on Nintendo Switch 2, with Pokémon helping rebuild a community
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Pokopia launched on 5 March 2026 as the Switch 2’s first dedicated Pokémon title — a life simulation game where players control a Ditto disguised as a human, gathering materials, crafting, and building a settlement that Pokémon will call home. The game moved 2.2 million units in its first four days. Reaching five million across five months on a still-growing hardware platform is a meaningful achievement, and Nintendo World Report notes that Pokopia was the only first-party Switch 2 game to exceed 1 million shipments in the most recent fiscal quarter alone — 1.27 million units in that window — pointing to sustained daily engagement rather than a launch spike.

Ditto using a transformation ability in Pokémon Pokopia — glowing mid-transform inside a cave environment on Nintendo Switch 2
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

The five million figure covers both the base game and the recently released Expansion Pass. Pokopia is a Switch 2 exclusive with no cross-gen version, which means every sale is a player on Nintendo’s latest hardware — a strong signal heading into the second half of 2026.

Bubbly Basin: A Whole New Town Underwater

Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass | Extended Trailer — via The Official Pokémon YouTube channel on YouTube

The milestone arrived a week and a half after the 5 August 2026 launch of Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass — Part 1: Bubbly Basin. The first of three planned content drops adds an entirely new location: an abandoned underwater town that Ditto — now equipped with a Dive move introduced via free software update — can reach and rebuild from the seabed up.

In Bubbly Basin, Water-type Pokémon take the lead. Popplio and its line help restore structures, specialist Water-types power bubble machines and streetlights, and the whole town is themed around its underwater setting, with new furniture recipes, outfits, and even underwater watermelon crops. The full Expansion Pass covers all three waves: Bubbly Basin is live now, Part 2 arrives in late 2026 focused on wearable accessories for Pokémon, and Part 3 — a brand-new town — is planned for 2027. Players who purchase the pass by 31 August 2027 receive 30 rare Pokémetal ingots via serial code.

Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass — Bubbly Basin atmospheric title card showing the sunken underwater town at night on Nintendo Switch 2
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Singapore Players: How to Get In

If you picked up a Switch 2 locally — including via the Pokémon Pokopia bundle that launched in Singapore on 23 July — the game’s free software update is already waiting on your console. That update adds the Dive move to all Pokopia owners. The full Bubbly Basin settlement — new Pokémon collaborators, themed furniture, and recipes — unlocks with the Expansion Pass, available now on the Nintendo eShop.

Five million is a strong marker for the Switch 2’s first year, and with two more Pokopia content waves planned through 2027, the community is only going to get bigger. Keep an eye on our game news for more Switch 2 coverage as the year picks up pace.

Game News, News

Pokémon Bank Closes February 2027 — Move Your Collection Before It’s Gone

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If you have Pokémon sitting in your 3DS cloud storage right now, The Pokémon Company just handed you a six-month countdown. Pokémon Bank will permanently end service on 26 February 2027 — and when it goes, any Pokémon still inside will be stranded there for good. The announcement came bundled with a wave of genuinely exciting Pokémon HOME updates arriving in October, so there’s plenty of reason to pay attention beyond the bad news.

What Is Pokémon Bank and Why Does the Shutdown Matter?

Pokémon Bank is a 3DS cloud storage app that has kept collections from every major Pokémon game on the platform — X and Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Sun and Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon — alive and accessible since 2013. For competitive Singapore trainers especially, Bank has been the last official lifeline connecting decade-old 6IV catches and event Pokémon to the modern HOME ecosystem.

Pokémon Bank app logo — service ends February 2027
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Once the service ends, the Bank-to-HOME transfer function shuts down at the same time. Any Pokémon still in Bank’s online Boxes at the cutoff will be permanently inaccessible. There is no offline workaround and no extension is expected. The Pokémon Company is advising all players to transfer their stored Pokémon to Pokémon HOME before the service ends.

Your Deadline: 26 February 2027

The exact shutdown time is 11:00 AM SGT on 26 February 2027 (7:00 PM PST on 25 February). That gives Singapore trainers roughly six and a half months from today. It sounds like a comfortable buffer — but Pokémon Bank’s previous shutdown of the free period in 2024 caught a lot of players off guard, so do not leave this until the final week.

To transfer: boot Pokémon Bank on a 3DS system (the app itself remains free to use until the shutdown date), send your Pokémon to the Home boxes, then open Pokémon HOME on Switch or mobile to receive them. Pokémon HOME itself is not closing — it continues on Switch, iOS, and Android.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Connect to HOME This October

Pokémon FireRed Version gameplay — exploring Kanto on Nintendo Switch
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

The Bank announcement was tucked inside a bigger Pokémon HOME news post, and the bigger news is genuinely great. Pokémon HOME version 4.1.0, arriving in October 2026, will add connectivity with Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version — the remakes that dropped on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 back in February 2026.

From October, players will be able to transfer Pokémon caught in FireRed and LeafGreen forward into HOME and from there into other compatible Pokémon games. The official announcement on Pokémon.com does carry one important caveat: the transfer is one-way only. Once a Pokémon leaves FireRed or LeafGreen, it cannot return to that game, and Pokémon from other titles cannot visit Kanto.

Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version on Nintendo Switch — via The Official Pokémon YouTube channel

Complete the Kanto Pokédex, Claim a Free Celebi

Pokémon FireRed — Gym Leader Misty battle in Cerulean City
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Here is the part worth circling: if you complete the FireRed or LeafGreen Pokédex, you can claim the Mythical Pokémon Celebi via the Pokémon HOME mobile app. The reward does not even require you to transfer anything — simply registering all 151 Kanto species in-game is enough to unlock the claim in the app. For Singapore trainers who picked up the Switch version at launch and have been grinding towards completion, that is a meaningful payoff.

More HOME 4.1.0 Upgrades Worth Knowing

Pokémon FireRed — exploring the Sevii Islands at One Island
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

The October update brings a few other quality-of-life wins alongside the FRLG connectivity:

  • Premium storage raised to 9,000 Pokémon (up from 6,000) at no extra cost — useful if Bank transfers push you close to the current cap.
  • Safari Ball transfers from Pokémon GO are now possible for Premium users. The ball will change to a Strange Ball on arrival in HOME, so factor that in if ball authenticity matters for your collection.

A Game News reminder: Pokémon HOME Premium is not expensive, and the storage bump alone makes October a worthwhile time to subscribe if you have been holding off.

What Singapore Trainers Need to Do Right Now

The action list is short but time-sensitive. Check whether you have a working 3DS and a Pokémon Bank subscription (the app is free to use until shutdown). Open the app and review your online Boxes — anything you want to keep needs to move to HOME before 26 February 2027 at 11:00 AM SGT. If you have been hoarding competitive Pokémon from the XY or ORAS era, this is your window.

For players on the Switch versions of FireRed and LeafGreen, October will open the door to moving your Kanto catches into the wider Pokémon ecosystem — and if your Pokédex is close to complete, the free Celebi gives you an extra reason to finish the job before the update drops.

Game News

Final Fantasy Resonance: Vision Trailers and Extended Gameplay Out Now

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Square Enix dropped a wave of new Final Fantasy Resonance material overnight: official Vision spotlight trailers for Cloud Strife, Shantotto, and Warrior of Light, alongside a 16-minute extended gameplay showcase published by IGN that gives the clearest look yet at the HD-2D combat system — including a full boss encounter against Shiva and Squall Leonhart deployed as a summoned Vision, as Push Square reports. With 22 October 2026 closing in, this is clearly the start of the game’s pre-launch push.

The Vision System — Classic FF Heroes Alongside a New Cast

If you missed the July Pixel Trailer, the short version: as we covered at the time, Final Fantasy Resonance is built around the Vision system — crystallised essences of legendary FF heroes that party members equip for stat boosts, unique abilities, and high-damage Resonance finisher moves triggered when the gauge fills in combat. The confirmed Vision roster spans most of the series’ history: Cecil Harvey (FFIV), Bartz Klauser (FFV), Squall Leonhart (FFVIII), Zidane Tribal (FFIX), Cloud Strife (FFVII), Terra Branford (FFVI), Tidus (FFX), Y’shtola (FFXIV), and Shantotto (FFXI), among others. Yesterday’s spotlight trailers are the first dedicated showcase videos for three of those confirmed characters.

Final Fantasy Resonance official key art showing the HD-2D world and cast
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Cloud Strife Vision Spotlight

Cloud’s Vision spotlight is the most-anticipated of the three. The official trailer walks through his in-combat abilities and closes with his full Resonance finisher sequence — the high-damage move that triggers when the gauge is full and party positioning allows for a combined attack with the active character. For FFVII fans, the moment that finisher lands in HD-2D pixel style will land hard.

Cloud Strife Vision spotlight — Final Fantasy Resonance
Image courtesy of Square Enix
FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE | Vision – Cloud — via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Shantotto Vision Spotlight

Shantotto — the black mage from Final Fantasy XI who has appeared in more FF crossovers and guest spots than almost any other character in the series — gets her official Resonance showcase. Her kit in the game is magic-focused, as you would expect, and seeing her HD-2D pixel model cast through her moveset is a particular treat for FFXI veterans. The Vision system’s core pitch — legendary heroes from across the whole series sharing a battle screen — comes through clearly here: Shantotto alongside characters from games made decades before and after FFXI, and it works.

Shantotto Vision spotlight — Final Fantasy Resonance
Image courtesy of Square Enix
FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE | Vision – Shantotto — via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Warrior of Light — The Original Hero Joins the Roster

The third Vision spotlight confirms Warrior of Light — the armoured protagonist of the original 1987 Final Fantasy — as a fully showcased Vision in Resonance. This is the most newsworthy of the three trailers: Cloud and Shantotto have been in the confirmed roster since the game’s initial reveal, but Warrior of Light had not previously been shown in gameplay detail. Seeing the knight who started it all in 1987 fighting alongside characters from games made nearly four decades later is exactly the kind of cross-era moment the Vision system was designed to deliver.

Warrior of Light Vision spotlight — Final Fantasy Resonance
Image courtesy of Square Enix
FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE | Vision – Warrior of Light — via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

Sixteen Minutes of Gameplay: Shiva Boss Battle and Squall Summon

The Vision trailers are a treat, but the more immediately useful content for players trying to gauge how the game actually feels is the IGN-exclusive extended gameplay showcase. The 16-minute video includes a full boss encounter against Shiva — the ice summon rendered in HD-2D with storm-scale visual effects that push the engine noticeably harder than the field combat footage seen so far — and a sequence where Squall Leonhart is deployed as a summoned Vision mid-fight. Squall’s confirmed Vision mechanic rewards consecutive standard attacks before using abilities, and watching that build play out against a boss encounter gives a clearer sense of the damage ceiling than the shorter gameplay clips have.

Final Fantasy Resonance HD-2D combat screenshot showing the game's visual style
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Final Fantasy Resonance in Singapore — October 22 on Every Major Platform

Final Fantasy Resonance launches on 22 October 2026 on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam) — every major platform available to Singapore players. Developed by Lancarse and published by Square Enix, this is the first mainline Final Fantasy built from the ground up in HD-2D, the pixel-art style pioneered in Octopath Traveler and Triangle Strategy. If you have been on the fence since the announcement, the extended gameplay footage now available makes the combat and the art direction easier to judge. SGD pricing for the Singapore PlayStation Store has not been confirmed; check the Singapore PS Store directly once pre-orders open. More game news on GameTrader.

Game News

Five Indie Games to Watch From the Kinetic Publishing Showcase

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Kinetic Games — the studio behind Phasmophobia — has been quietly building a publishing label, and on the morning of 13 August (4am SGT) it held its first major showcase: Kinetic Publishing Showcase 2026, revealing five upcoming indie games across PS5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. Here is everything that stood out.

Crescent County — Motorbroom Life Sim (Summer 2027)

Crescent County key art showing protagonist Lu on a motorbroom with companions on the Isle of Mor
Image courtesy of Electric Saint / Kinetic Publishing

The standout for anime fans: Crescent County, a cosy-but-sharp slice-of-life adventure from developer Electric Saint. You play Lu, delivering parcels by motorbroom across the magical Isle of Mor by day and street racing by night — while getting tangled up in local gossip, fixing leylines, herding sheep, and pursuing romances. The visual style is painterly and warmly saturated, described by the team as Kiki’s Delivery Service meets the bikes of Akira, with narrative nods to Night in the Woods and Life is Strange. It is one of the more distinctive aesthetic packages of the year. Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, PC. Release: Summer 2027.

Crescent County Xbox Announce Trailer — via ID@Xbox on YouTube

Shellbound — Parasitic Metroidvania (Summer 2028)

Shellbound gameplay screenshot showing the parasite character exploring a warm glowing interior world inside a giant snail
Image courtesy of Fake Lobster Games / Kinetic Publishing

The most unusual pitch: Shellbound, from Fake Lobster Games co-founders Eric Frantzen and Nils Klatt. You play as a parasite clinging to the back of an enormous divine snail, exploring its organs as labyrinths. The defining mechanic is possession — you can take control of enemies and NPCs, with each host providing different movement, combat and traversal abilities that unlock new areas. Killing off enemy species causes them to evolve into tougher variants, which in turn unlocks new parasite powers. The art direction is striking, and the concept earns its Metroidvania classification through genuine exploration design rather than just borrowing the genre label. Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, PC. Release: Summer 2028.

“With Shellbound, we were inspired to create the sort of game that we love to play ourselves, full of secrets and exploration, and with our unique parasitic twist,” co-founder Eric Frantzen told Gematsu.

Aether Wizard Life — Cosy Wizard Life Sim (Autumn 2028)

Aether Wizard Life key art showing an elaborate wizard tower under a crescent moon
Image courtesy of Vonder Games / Kinetic Publishing

For anyone who has ever wanted Stardew Valley to have better combat and magic: Aether Wizard Life, from Vonder Games. Set in the haunted town of Starfall, you play an apprentice mage unravelling a string of wizard kidnappings — freely mixing cosy life-sim activities (growing magical crops, tending exotic creatures, befriending and romancing townsfolk) with dungeon raids and town-building. The art draws explicit Ghibli inspiration and the lore draws on the real history of witches. It looks the part. Platforms: PS5, Switch 2, PC (Xbox status unconfirmed). Release: Autumn 2028.

Aether Wizard Life — Announcement Trailer via Vonder Games on YouTube

Contact Protocol — Starship Security Sim (Spring 2027)

Contact Protocol, from Cold Zephyr Games, might be the most cognitively demanding game in the showcase. You are a security officer on the starship Pale Horse, a mining vessel bound for Jupiter’s largest moon, and your job is to assess every approaching ship against company records to determine if it is friendly or hostile. Fire too early and you have destroyed an innocent vessel; hesitate too long and you have let a threat through. Meanwhile the company threatens legal action for administrative errors. Lead designer Mick Hunter described it as deliberately maximising player cognitive load at exactly the moment of the hardest moral decisions. It is part of a funded Kickstarter campaign. Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, PC. Release: Spring 2027.

Precognition — Sam Barlow’s Sci-Fi Horror FMV (Spring 2028)

The prestige name in the lineup: Precognition, from Half Mermaid Productions. Sam Barlow (Her Story, Immortality) is leading a non-linear sci-fi horror FMV in which the protagonist Diana receives an experimental brain implant that shows her visions of the future — which Barlow calls “unlivable memories.” Committing specific visions to memory alters the future, creating the cause-and-effect structure the gameplay is built around. Brandon Cronenberg (Possessor, Infinity Pool) has joined as a writer, bringing his particular brand of body horror to the project. Barlow traced the initial idea back to daydreaming about making an FMV Metroid game — which then “got way darker than anything my beloved Nintendo would be able to carry,” as he told Kotaku. Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, PC. Release: Spring 2028.

All Five Are Coming to PS5 and Switch 2

Every game in the showcase is confirmed for Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 — all of them relevant to Singapore players without region-locking or import concerns. The two nearest releases are Contact Protocol and Crescent County in 2027; the rest follow in 2028.

Kinetic Publishing is the new label from the Phasmophobia studio and this is its first major showing — it is worth watching their catalogue as it develops. Full details including trailers are on the PlayStation Blog recap. For more game news, bookmark GameTrader.SG.

Game News

Sumikko Gurashi Coming to Switch 2 — Cosy Onsen Inn, 19 November

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Nippon Columbia has announced the next Sumikko Gurashi Switch 2 game — and it lets you run a cosy hot spring inn alongside Shirokuma, Penguin?, Tonkatsu and the whole cast. すみっコぐらし ぽかぽか温泉にようこそ (Sumikko Gurashi: Pokapoka Onsen ni Youkoso) launches 19 November 2026 in Japan, with English language support confirmed.

Running a Hot Spring Inn with the Sumikkos — How It Works

Sumikko Gurashi Switch 2 Onsen Inn — gift shop gameplay screenshot
Image courtesy of Nippon Columbia

The setup is simple: the hot spring inn is short-staffed and struggling to keep up, and you are there to help. Guests arrive, chores pile up, and you assist the Sumikko characters with tasks around the facility. As you earn coins, new areas of the inn unlock — a gift shop, an arcade area, more guest rooms — and the inn gradually grows from a quiet retreat into a popular destination.

The pacing leans relaxing rather than stressful. Between tasks, the Sumikkos potter around the inn and soak in the baths, and the game gives you time to simply watch them in their element. There is a furniture and decor customisation system, a sticker album to fill, and a costume collection to build up over time — the same satisfying loop of small goals that has driven the Sumikko Communication series since its 3DS beginnings in 2014.

Mini-Games at the Inn Arcade

Sumikko Gurashi Switch 2 — claw machine mini-game at the inn arcade
Image courtesy of Nippon Columbia

The inn’s arcade section gives players a rotation of mini-games to take a break with: fishing, ring toss, and a claw machine packed with Sumikko plushies. These feed back into the collection system — items won in mini-games can decorate the inn or unlock new outfits for the characters. It is the kind of low-stakes, one-more-go loop that the series handles well.

Release Date, Price, and Key Details for Singapore Fans

The game is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive published by Nippon Columbia, rated CERO A (all ages). Here is what Singapore players need to know:

  • Release date: 19 November 2026 (Japan)
  • Price: ¥6,380 / approximately SGD 57–58 at current exchange
  • Language support: Japanese, English, Korean, Traditional and Simplified Chinese
  • Platform: Nintendo Switch 2 (region-free)

The English language support is the headline detail. Sumikko Gurashi has a devoted following in Singapore — the brand’s plush characters, stationery, and merchandise are stocked across local lifestyle and variety shops — and the confirmed English localisation means the game is fully playable for Singapore fans from launch day. No Singapore-specific release or local retail announcement has been made by Nippon Columbia at this stage, but the Nintendo Switch 2 is region-free, so importing from Japan and playing in English is straightforward. Pre-orders are open now on Amazon Japan.

This is the first Sumikko Gurashi game on Nintendo Switch 2, and the first in the Sumikko Communication series to come to a non-Nintendo handheld platform since the 3DS. For more Nintendo Switch 2 game announcements, keep tabs on GameTrader for updates as Nippon Columbia shares more.

Game News

Nintendo Switch 2 Enters Indonesia This December — Nintendo Singapore Leads the Charge

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Nintendo has finally answered one of Southeast Asia’s longest-standing gaming questions: when does Indonesia get an official Nintendo console? The answer, announced today at a Nintendo Business Conference held in Jakarta, is December 2026 — and both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 are making the jump together.

Nintendo Switch 2 – Launch Trailer — via Nintendo of America on YouTube

A Historic First for Southeast Asia’s Biggest Market

The announcement was made by Juro Takeuchi, Executive Officer at Nintendo, at a dedicated media event at The St. Regis Jakarta on 11 August 2026. Indonesia — with over 270 million people and a gaming industry valued at more than USD 2 billion annually — has long been the glaring gap in Nintendo’s Southeast Asia presence. Until today, Indonesian players relied entirely on grey imports and third-party resellers, often paying above-market prices with no warranty coverage or official support.

Nintendo Business Conference Jakarta August 2026
Image courtesy of Nintendo

That changes in December. Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 will go on sale through official channels, backed by Nintendo Singapore and PT Nusantara Interactive Niaga, a company operating under the Salim Group conglomerate. All officially distributed hardware will carry an authorised distributor sticker so buyers can verify authenticity.

“We are very proud and excited to finally bring Nintendo officially to Indonesia,” said Axton Salim, Executive Director of PT Nusantara Interactive Niaga, as reported by ANTARA News. PT Nusantara will handle marketing, nationwide distribution, a retail network, customer support, and authorised repair centres across the country.

What Launches in December

Both consoles arrive simultaneously. Nintendo Switch 2 — with its 7.9-inch Full HD (1920 × 1080) display, HDR10 support, DLSS upscaling, ray tracing via a custom Nvidia processor, 256 GB internal storage expandable via microSD Express, and a 5,220 mAh battery — will sit alongside the original Switch on official retail shelves from December 2026.

Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on at the Jakarta Business Conference
Image courtesy of Nintendo

The confirmed launch game lineup leans heavily on Pokémon, which makes sense for the Indonesian market. Announced titles include Pokémon Scarlet, Pokémon Violet, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and Pokémon Pokopia, alongside Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!. Switch 2 purchases at select stores include a limited-quantity bonus copy of Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! while stocks last. Mario Kart World and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition are also expected at or near launch, alongside thousands of backwards-compatible original Switch titles.

Nintendo Switch 2 official product shot
Image courtesy of Nintendo

One Catch — No eShop at Launch

There is a notable asterisk: the Nintendo eShop will not be available in Indonesia when the consoles launch in December. Nintendo confirmed that details on digital distribution will be shared in a separate announcement at a later date. The December rollout is physical-first — if you want to play on day one, you will need a physical copy from an authorised retailer.

For Indonesian players who have built digital libraries through foreign eShop accounts or grey-market top-up cards, this is a meaningful limitation. Nintendo has not indicated a timeline for local eShop support. Check out our game news roundups for updates as more details emerge.

Why Singapore Fans Should Care

The involvement of Nintendo Singapore as the regional partner here is significant. It positions Singapore’s Nintendo office as the operational hub for Southeast Asia — not just a local subsidiary serving the island. For Singapore gamers with Indonesian friends or family, the December launch marks a real change: official pricing, warranty protection, and authorised servicing will make cross-border hardware gifts and purchases far less fraught than the import route has been.

More broadly, this feels like a signal that Nintendo is serious about Southeast Asia. Switch 2 has already crossed 23 million units sold globally, and closing the gap in the region’s most populous nation — one that was previously only served by grey channels — is a meaningful expansion. Nintendo has not commented on whether other Southeast Asian markets such as Vietnam or the Philippines are in the pipeline, but today’s Jakarta conference is the clearest indication yet that the region is firmly on Nintendo’s map.

Game News

Big Walk Hits 1 Million in Six Days — Already Free for PS Plus Subscribers

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House House’s cooperative open-world adventure Big Walk has crossed one million sales in just six days — and if you’re a PS Plus Essential subscriber in Singapore, there’s a good chance you already own it.

One Million Walkers in Six Days

Publisher Panic announced the milestone on Bluesky on 10 August, stating: “In just six days, over one million of you have bought Big Walk, our co-op adventure all about talking and walking. We are so grateful that so many of you are spending time with our game.”

That figure includes copies sold across PS5, Switch 2, and PC — and also encompasses PlayStation Plus downloads. Big Walk was one of August 2026’s PS Plus Essential free games, so a portion of that million came from subscribers grabbing it at no extra cost. Still, the speed is remarkable: House House’s previous title, Untitled Goose Game, needed three months to clear the same mark.

Two Big Walk characters silhouetted against a sunset on a beach
Image courtesy of House House / Panic
Big Walk is out now! — via House House on YouTube

Six Years in the Making — and the Reviews Show It

Big Walk is the third game from Melbourne studio House House (after Push Me Pull You and Untitled Goose Game) and took six years to develop. It’s a cooperative open-world adventure built for 2–12 players exploring a richly detailed island environment together: solving puzzles, using proximity voice chat, walkie-talkies, binoculars, and fireworks to communicate and navigate across day-night cycles.

Critics have responded warmly. The PC version sits at 92/100 on Metacritic (Universal Acclaim), making it the highest-rated game of 2026 on the platform so far, ahead of major releases like Resident Evil Requiem and Forza Horizon 6. The PS5 version scores 88/100. Switch 2 reviews are a notch lower at 75/100, which is worth noting if you’re deciding which version to buy.

First-person binoculars view of Big Walk characters exploring a wildflower meadow
Image courtesy of House House / Panic

Already in Your Library If You’re on PS Plus

For PS Plus Essential subscribers in Singapore, Big Walk is part of the August 2026 monthly lineup and can be claimed until the games rotate out next month. Once claimed, it’s yours to keep as long as your subscription is active.

If you’d rather own it outright — or you’re on PC or Switch 2 — Big Walk is priced at US$19.99 on Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Nintendo eShop. No SGD pricing has been confirmed at time of writing; check the Singapore PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop for local pricing before buying.

House House is also running a Reddit AMA this week featuring developers Jake, Stuart, Nico, and Michael for anyone curious about what six years of making a walking game actually looks like. Browse more game news here.

Small group of Big Walk characters gathered by a campfire at night
Image courtesy of House House / Panic