Tag Archives: Singapore

Game News, Singapore Gaming Scene

Street Fighter 6 Season 4 Patch Reshapes the Meta — Who Rose and Who Fell

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The Yasmine Update for Street Fighter 6 dropped overnight, and while most eyes were on the new fighter herself, the Season 4 balance patch quietly sent shockwaves through the competitive tier list. Buffs and nerfs touched over 25 characters, Modern Controls gained new directional options, and a long-complained-about Drive Reversal input bug finally got the axe. Here’s what the Singapore FGC needs to know before the next session.

Metro City open-world hub in Street Fighter 6 Season 4
Image courtesy of Capcom

Biggest Winners

Kimberly — Ninja Getting Her Groove Back

Kimberly has struggled in Season 3’s more neutral-heavy landscape. Season 4 addresses this directly: her Shuriken Bomb install now banks up to three stocks instead of two, and Hidden Variable has adjusted spacing that makes it harder to punish on reaction. With greater threat radius and resource sustainability, Kim players can finally run the layered setplay the character was designed for. Expect her to climb out of the mid-tier rut she’s been stuck in since the Season 2 adjustments.

Blanka — Sparks Fly in the Corner

Blanka’s Electric Thunder received a significant multi-hit buff when the opponent is cornered. Corner is traditionally where Blanka has struggled to convert consistent pressure, leaning on setplay resets that sharp defenders could negate. The Season 4 change rewards reads and fundamentals over the random “it hit” style often memed about online. FGC purists have been calling for this adjustment for months, and Capcom has delivered.

Alex — The Grappler Rises

Two changes that matter: Prowler Stance follow-ups are now easier to land (reduced execution window for hit confirms), and Power Bomb’s reach is extended. Alex was already seeing fringe competitive play at Singapore locals; these tweaks push him closer to viable at higher-stakes events. If you have an Alex lab partner, they’ll be very chatty this week.

Battle Hub arcade scene in Street Fighter 6
Image courtesy of Capcom

Biggest Losers

Mai — The Air Supremacy Tax

Mai was deemed too dominant in aerial offence, particularly her SA1 which could be triggered from grounded situations to extend combos with invincibility frames attached. Capcom’s fix: SA1 invincibility is now aerial-only. This is a meaningful nerf to her defensive and punish options, particularly against opponents who respected the SA1 threat to open up their neutral. Overdrive Ryuuenbu has also been restructured with narrower follow-up windows. Her damage ceiling drops noticeably, and the corner carry combos she was running in Season 3 need reworking.

Ed — The Mix Is Still There, but Cheaper

Ed’s back throw advantage has been reduced, trimming the okizeme that made his mix-up game so oppressive in Season 3. More significantly, held Psycho Flicker no longer guarantees a throw follow-up on hit — a property that was central to his high-damage launchers. Ed mains will need to relearn when the mix is safe versus when opponents now have windows to tech or jump out. His skill ceiling arguably rises while his floor drops.

Under the Hood: Modern Controls and the Drive Reversal Fix

Modern Controls received a quality-of-life expansion this patch: new Down+SP directional inputs (Down-Back+SP, Down+SP, Down-Forward+SP) add execution nuance that was previously forcing Modern players to choose between accessibility and variance. Assisted Combos have also been revised across multiple characters, generally tightening the damage gap versus Classic users at optimal play — a change that should help Modern become a more viable choice at tournament level.

The Drive Reversal input fix is arguably the most impactful silent change in the patch. Holding back during a Drive Reversal input’s screen freeze was inadvertently cancelling previously-entered commands — a bug reported on the SF6 subreddit and official forums for the better part of a year. Competitive players had developed workarounds, but the fix levels the playing field and removes an input-reliability variable at top level. This one will have a real effect on high-stakes sets.

Chinatown stage screenshot with Ken in Street Fighter 6
Image courtesy of Capcom

Season 4 Roster: What’s Coming

Yasmine is live today as the first Season 4 DLC fighter. The Season 4 pass also previewed Arjun, Tifa Lockhart (the Final Fantasy VII guest character we covered in June 2026), and Bosch. No release dates have been confirmed for the remaining three beyond the Season 4 window. With Yasmine just out, eyes will now shift to Capcom Cup and regional qualifiers to see how the Season 4 meta settles before the next fighter arrives.

What This Means for EVO Singapore 2027

Singapore’s fighting game community has been building momentum — from World Warrior SG to the announcement of EVO Singapore 2027 at Marina Bay Sands. The Season 4 meta shift matters here. The characters likely to make pools and top 8 look different now: Kimberly, Blanka, and Alex buffs open up new counter-pick discussions at the local level; the Mai and Ed nerfs may push established players toward locking in a secondary before the qualifier circuit begins.

Watch the Singapore FGC Discord servers and local tournament results over the next month — first-impression data from SEA players on the new patch will be telling. For the full character-by-character patch notes, Capcom’s official update page is the definitive reference. This article covers competitive meta implications only.

Also read: SF6 Yasmine Is Live — Plus the Onimusha Collab Launching Alongside Her

Game News, Manga Anime

Kuro Games Reveals Wuthering Waves: Elysium Animated Series

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Two sold-out nights at Shanghai’s SPD Bank Oriental Sports Centre closed this weekend with a reveal Singapore’s Wuthering Waves community has been hoping for: the game is getting a full animated series.

Wuthering Waves: Elysium Animated Series Reveal! — via Wuthering Waves on YouTube

Wuthering Waves: Elysium — The Series Kuro Onroad Will Make

Kuro Games announced the animated adaptation under the title Wuthering Waves: Elysium, with production handled by Kuro Onroad — a brand-new in-house animation studio launched specifically for this and future projects. Keeping production inside the company is a deliberate call: Kuro Games says the setup gives them full creative control over art direction, visual effects, and production timelines for their multimedia adaptations.

Wuthering Waves Solaris — a breathtaking vista of floating cliffs and cherry blossom forests
Image courtesy of Kuro Games

The announcement trailer debuted on 17 July as part of the “To the New World” world concert tour’s Shanghai opening dates. It’s a short teaser — story details, a release window, and streaming platform are all still to come. But the key visual itself does a lot of heavy lifting: five characters from the game’s roster are shown in dramatic individual portrait frames, with a striking white-haired, fox-eared figure taking centre stage.

No production credits beyond Kuro Onroad, no confirmed voice cast, no episode count. Kuro Games is playing this one as a slow reveal, with updates to be shared through the Kuro Onroad account on X.

Why an In-House Studio Matters

The decision to build Kuro Onroad rather than license production to a third-party studio is worth paying attention to. When game studios bring animation in-house — or build dedicated multimedia arms — the results tend to track the source material’s visual identity more faithfully than licensed productions often do.

A tranquil town district in Wuthering Waves with autumn trees and traditional architecture
Image courtesy of Kuro Games

Wuthering Waves has one of the more distinctive art directions in the action RPG space: its environments blend post-apocalyptic sci-fi infrastructure with Chinese landscape painting aesthetics in a way that is genuinely difficult to translate into animation without the team who built it. Kuro Onroad having full control over that translation process is the right call for a franchise that lives and dies by its visual world-building.

Singapore Rovers: Your Concert Stop Is Esplanade, 26 September

The Shanghai dates where Elysium was revealed are the opening leg of a wider “To the New World” world tour. Singapore Rovers, your stop has been confirmed for some time — and now you know what the crowd in Shanghai got to see first.

Wuthering Waves — a grand ceremonial arch gate surrounded by red autumn foliage and floating platforms
Image courtesy of Kuro Games

The Wuthering Waves Concert Tour “To the New World” is scheduled for Esplanade Theatre on Saturday, 26 September 2026 at 8pm SGT. Tickets went on sale via SISTIC on 2 July, and the Singapore show has reportedly sold out alongside other Asia stops on the tour. If you’re still looking for tickets, check SISTIC for any released hold allocations, and keep an eye on community resale boards if you want a face-value option.

What to Expect Next from Kuro Onroad

Wuthering Waves — a celestial nighttime vista seen through an ornate archway over a glowing blue lake
Image courtesy of Kuro Games

Kuro Games is directing the community to @Kuro_Onroad on X for Elysium updates as production moves forward. Given that the tour extends through late 2026 and into 2027, the next major reveal is likely to coincide with another concert stop or a significant in-game version drop rather than arriving out of the blue.

For now the announcement is clear enough on intent: Kuro Games is treating Wuthering Waves as a long-term multimedia franchise, not just a live-service game. For the Singapore and SEA community that has made WuWa one of the region’s most-played RPGs since its 2024 launch, Elysium is one more reason to stay invested.

Follow our Manga & Anime coverage and Game News section for updates as Kuro Onroad shares more.

Game News

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Hits 3 Million Copies — As Ubisoft Barcelona Lays Off 51 Who Made It

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Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced has now sold more than 3 million copies in its first week on sale — a strong follow-up to the 2 million day-one figure reported here on 11 July. That commercial success, however, has been accompanied by a painful postscript: Ubisoft has laid off 51 employees at Ubisoft Barcelona, including members of the team who built the game’s underwater levels, sparking a studio-wide strike that ran from 14 to 16 July 2026.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced — Horizon Launch Trailer — via the official Assassin’s Creed YouTube channel.

3 Million Copies in the First Week

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced standard edition key art
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Ubisoft confirmed the 3 million copies milestone for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced’s first week of sales, building on the record-setting 2 million copies the game shifted on its first day. The remaster — co-developed with lead support from Ubisoft Singapore — launched across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on 3 July 2026.

51 Ubisoft Barcelona Developers Laid Off

Naval combat in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Within days of the sales announcement, Ubisoft informed 51 employees at its Barcelona studio that their roles were being eliminated. Ubisoft’s stated rationale was a strategic refocus: the Barcelona studio is to be redirected toward Rainbow Six projects exclusively, leaving no ongoing role for the staff who worked on Black Flag Resynced.

Among those affected were members of the team directly responsible for the game’s underwater sequences. Tech/gameplay animator Manel Cota described the situation plainly in a public statement: “that same team is being fired right now” after they “did all the underwater levels.”

Strike Spreads to the Entire Studio

Edward Kenway in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

The redundancy announcement triggered an immediate labour response. Workers at Ubisoft Barcelona began a strike on 14 July 2026; by 15 July, action had expanded to include all staff at the studio — not just those directly affected by the layoffs. The strike ran for three days, concluding on 16 July.

As of 18 July 2026, a statutory consultation period is ongoing. No final resolution has been announced. Workers have described the proposed severance packages as “far below” the minimum they expected.

Singapore’s Stake in Black Flag Resynced

Stealth gameplay in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

For Singapore players, the context carries extra weight: Ubisoft Singapore served as the lead co-development studio on Black Flag Resynced, making it the most prominent Singapore-made title in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. The game’s commercial success is a win for the local games industry — though the events in Barcelona are a reminder of the broader tensions in a games sector that has seen significant layoffs globally over the past two years.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced ocean vista with ship
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

The consultation period at Ubisoft Barcelona is expected to conclude in the coming weeks. GameTrader will follow up if a resolution is reached.

News

Pokémon × UNIQLO UT Wave 2 Drops 24 July — Pixel Art Tees Confirmed for Singapore

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UNIQLO’s Pokémon 30th-anniversary UT collaboration is back for a second wave — and this drop fully commits to retro. Eight graphic tees built from the original Game Boy’s monochrome pixel art hit stores on 24 July, with the collection already confirmed for Singapore through the UNIQLO Singapore UT page, listed there as “Launching Late July.”

From Watercolour to Game Boy Grey

Pokémon 30th Anniversary Red Version promotional artwork with Trainer Red, Charmander, and the 30th anniversary logo
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / UNIQLO

The first wave of UNIQLO’s Pokémon anniversary UT (March 2026) celebrated the franchise through Ken Sugimori’s original watercolour illustration style. Wave 2 takes the opposite approach, dialling back to Pokémon Red and Green’s 160×144 Game Boy display. Every adult design in this collection uses the same dot-matrix sprites that appeared on screen back in 1996 — black and white, no gradients, pure nostalgia.

The Men’s Line: Four Kanto Designs

UNIQLO Pokémon 30th anniversary UT men's collection: four designs including Mewtwo, Red Version, Pikachu pocket tee, and Kanto Gym Pokémon
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / UNIQLO

Four adult graphic tees make up the collection, priced at ¥1,990 each in Japan (sizes XS to 4XL):

  • Pokémon UT Red Version — The opening-screen pixel art (Trainer Red and Charmander mid-battle) printed on a white tee, exactly as it appeared in the game.
  • Pokémon UT Kanto Gym — A light grey tee with the eight Gym Leaders’ partner Pokémon marching across the chest (Onix, Starmie, Raichu, Vileplume, Weezing, Alakazam, Arcanine, Rhydon), plus the eight Gym Badges embroidered on the left sleeve as a discrete detail.
  • Pokémon UT Mewtwo and Mew — White shirt with Mewtwo rendered as No. 150 on the front in the original Japanese Pokédex label style; flip the shirt and Mew appears as a hidden print on the back hem.
  • Pokémon UT Pikachu Evolution — A black pocket tee with original-sprite Pikachu on the chest pocket, with Raichu hidden inside the pocket lining — the evolution reveal you have to earn by actually opening the pocket.

Kids’ Line: Same Pixel DNA, With Colour

UNIQLO Pokémon 30th anniversary UT kids' collection featuring Gengar, Pikachu, and Red Version designs
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / UNIQLO

The kids’ range (¥990, sizes 100–160 cm) pulls the same retro sprites but adds colour, landing on a different wavelength from the adult monochrome line. The four children’s designs include a light blue Red Version screen tee, a Pikachu multi-expression tee, a white tee with a pixel lineup of fan favourites (Charizard, Caterpie, Jigglypuff, Eevee, Dragonite), and — the standout of the kids’ set — a black Gengar tee, No. 094 rendered in purple pixel art.

The Gengar shirt is the only piece across both adult and kids’ lines to spotlight a Pokémon outside of the Kanto trio and Pikachu/Mewtwo. On a black base with purple pixel sprite, it reads like a proper Halloween piece and will likely sell fast.

Getting It in Singapore

The UNIQLO Singapore website already has the Pokémon 30th Anniversary section active with a “Launching Late July” label, placing the local on-sale date in line with Japan’s 24 July launch. The collection should be available both in-store at UNIQLO outlets across Singapore and through the UNIQLO Singapore online store — SGD pricing has not been confirmed, but the Japan price of ¥1,990 per adult tee is roughly SGD $18–20 at current rates.

If the first-wave sell-through is anything to go by, the Gengar and Kanto Gym tees will be the first to go in the more popular sizes. UNIQLO’s larger stores (ION Orchard, Jewel Changi Airport, VivoCity) tend to carry the fuller UT size range, so those are worth heading to early if you need XS or XL options.

Event

Game On, Dreamers! G.O.D. Mode — Sands Expo, 7–9 August

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Singapore’s gaming scene is about to get its biggest homegrown festival yet. Game On, Dreamers! — organised by Singapore-based GameOn Dreamers (SG) Pte Ltd and powered by amc asia! (sg) and Liminal Entertainment — is launching its inaugural G.O.D. Mode (Multiplayer Offline Digital Event) over National Day weekend: 7 to 9 August 2026 at Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Halls D, E & F.

The Singapore Tourism Board is backing the event, and the team has already locked in strategic partnerships with global gaming company CAPCOM and creator network Social Seed. If that opening line-up is any indication, G.O.D. Mode is positioning itself as a permanent new fixture on Singapore’s pop-culture events calendar.

Three Zones, One Long Weekend

Players gathering around Street Fighter 6 arcade cabinets at a community event
Image courtesy of CAPCOM

The festival floor spans three distinct themed areas designed to serve every kind of gamer:

  • Dream World — immersive tech and virtual reality experiences
  • Dream Battle — the competitive esports arena, with professional tournaments and open community brackets
  • Dream Play — anime fandom, cosplay competitions, indie game developers and creator showcases

Executive Producer Terence Kuek sums it up directly: “At its heart, gaming is about connection, shared experiences and community — and that is what we want this playfest to celebrate.”

CAPCOM On Board at G.O.D. Mode — Street Fighter and More

Street Fighter 6, CAPCOM's flagship fighting game
Image courtesy of CAPCOM

The highest-profile announced partner is CAPCOM, which has signed an MOU to bring its franchises to G.O.D. Mode through competitive play, community showcases and curated experiences. Ricky Bian Li, Managing Director of CAPCOM Singapore, said: “Singapore continues to be an important market for gaming culture in Southeast Asia. We are excited to explore how our franchises can engage fans through competitive play, community showcases and curated experiences at G.O.D. Mode.”

Street Fighter 6 is the obvious CAPCOM title for Dream Battle tournament play, and the broader esports slate is expected to include Valorant, Mobile Legends, League of Legends and Dota 2 — covering the full range from FGC to MOBA to tactical shooters. Official programming details per title are to be confirmed closer to the event.

Singapore, Certified Esports Destination

The Singapore Tourism Board’s backing is deliberate: STB Director Lilian Chee noted that G.O.D. Mode “adds a fresh dimension to our vibrant events calendar, reinforcing Singapore’s destination appeal” as a hub for esports. Broadcast partner Zenway Productions is planning global streaming, with CEO Li Jianming saying the goal is to “ensure Game On, Dreamers! delivers a premium esports experience that can be enjoyed both on-site and by audiences around the world.”

The National Day weekend timing is no accident. Running from 7 to 9 August gives Singaporeans a full long-weekend reason to show up — and the event is billed as inclusive for all skill levels, with family-friendly activities alongside the pro-level competition.

G.O.D. Mode Singapore: Dates, Venue and Tickets

Dates: 7–9 August 2026
Venue: Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Halls D, E & F (10 Bayfront Avenue, Marina Bay)
Tickets: Early bird tickets on sale now at gameondreamers.com — ticket pricing to be confirmed
Social: @gameondreamers on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook

See our full list of Singapore gaming and anime events we’re tracking this year.

Game News

Pokémon Champions Hits 10 Million Downloads — Claim Your Free Dragonite Before 31 August

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It took less than four months. Pokémon Champions, The Pokémon Company’s first dedicated online battle title, has now crossed 10 million cumulative downloads worldwide across Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and mobile — and to thank players, the developers are handing out a free Pokémon that can Mega Evolve.

Pokémon Champions battle screen showing Gardevoir vs Hydreigon with move selection UI
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company
Pokémon Champions | World Overview Trailer — via The Official Pokémon YouTube channel on YouTube

Free Dragonite and 100 Quick Coupons for Every Player

To mark the milestone, The Pokémon Company announced on 8 July 2026 that all players who log in and play Pokémon Champions by Monday, 31 August 2026 will receive:

  • Dragonite — the Dragon/Flying powerhouse, ready to battle immediately
  • 100 Quick Coupons — the in-game currency used to unlock moves and Power-Ups

Both rewards are delivered directly to your in-game mailbox. There is nothing to enter; simply log in on any platform before the deadline.

Dragonite using Hydro Pump in a Pokémon Champions stadium battle
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Why the Dragonite Reward Is Worth Claiming

Dragonite is not just a participation trophy. Players who completed the Season 1 Battle Pass already have access to the Dragoninite stone, which lets Dragonite Mega Evolve into Mega Dragonite — one of the most versatile Mega Evolution forms added to the competitive format so far. If you skipped the Battle Pass, the free Dragonite still slots directly into ranked play without any extra grind.

Pokémon Champions team builder screen showing Arcanine stats and moveset
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Singapore’s Stamp on the Milestone

The 10 million figure covers all platforms globally, and Singapore punched well above its weight in that number: when the mobile version launched on 17 June, Pokémon Champions shot to #1 on the Singapore App Store within hours. That chart position was a sign of just how much appetite there is here for a proper competitive Pokémon format on mobile — and it clearly contributed to the worldwide download pace.

The game already doubles as the official platform for Pokémon Video Game Championship (VGC) play, and The Pokémon Company hosts Monthly Challenge Series (MCS) tournaments in-app with Pokémon prizes every month. Singapore trainers have been competing seriously since the Switch launch in April, and the ranked ladder is live on both platforms.

Pokémon Champions post-battle ranked result screen showing Poké Ball Tier Rank 4
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

How to Download Pokémon Champions

The game is free to download on the Nintendo eShop (Switch and Switch 2) and on the App Store and Google Play. If you have not played before and want the free Dragonite, just download, log in, and check your mailbox — the reward unlocks without any additional steps.

Check your in-game mailbox before the 31 August 2026 deadline. That is your only window to grab one of the most in-demand Dragon-types in the current competitive format for free. More details on the current season’s events are on the official Pokémon Champions news page. For a guide to everything happening in Game News this week, stay with GameTrader.

Event, Game News

HoYo FEST 2026 Singapore — Tickets Open 16 July at S$16, Nexus Anima Playable

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HoYo FEST 2026 Singapore now has a confirmed ticket price and sale date. Tickets open on 16 July 2026 at 11am SGT, with a 1-day pass priced at S$16 and a 3-day bundle at S$35 — plus a fast-pass upgrade at S$50. The event itself runs from 8 to 10 August at Suntec City Convention Centre, and for the first time, attendees will get to go hands-on with Honkai: Nexus Anima before any global launch date has been announced.

If you missed our earlier coverage, we reported on the event announcement and venue confirmation back in June. This article covers the newly confirmed ticket pricing, the sale window, and a closer look at what HoYoverse has planned for the three days.

Ticket Prices and When to Buy

HoYo FEST 2026 Singapore ticket pricing — S$16 one-day, S$35 three-day, S$50 fast pass
Image courtesy of HoYoverse

Three ticket tiers are available:

  • 1-Day Pass — S$16: Access to HoYo FEST on one day of your choice (8, 9, or 10 August).
  • 3-Day Bundle — S$35: Entry across all three days at roughly S$12 per day.
  • Fast Pass — S$50: 3-day entry plus priority queue access for all playable booths and the lucky draw.

Tickets go live on 16 July at 11am SGT exclusively through the official HoYoFEST ticketing page. No third-party re-sale channels have been announced. Given that the first HoYo FEST Singapore sold out quickly, setting a reminder for the 16 July window is strongly recommended.

What’s On — Booths, Lucky Draw, and Artist Alley

HoYo FEST 2026 Singapore event floor plan and activities overview at Suntec City
Image courtesy of HoYoverse

The event floor at Suntec City Convention Centre will carry dedicated booths for Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, Zenless Zone Zero, and Tears of Themis, each with game-specific merchandise, photo zones, and interactive activities. A community merchandise zone and a food and beverage area are also confirmed.

The lucky draw is open to all ticket holders and includes an ASUS ROG laptop, an iPad Air, and a PS5 Slim as headline prizes. Entry into the lucky draw is earned by completing booth stamp-card activities across the event floor.

HoYo FEST 2026 Singapore Artist Alley map featuring 50 participating creators
Image courtesy of HoYoverse

The Artist Alley returns with 50 participating creators — the largest lineup for a HoYo FEST Singapore to date. The full creator list will be published ahead of the event; based on the floor plan released, the alley spans the full eastern wing of the convention hall.

Honkai: Nexus Anima — First Playable Hands-On

HoYo FEST 2026 Singapore Honkai: Nexus Anima playable demo booth
Image courtesy of HoYoverse

The headline exclusive at HoYo FEST 2026 Singapore is a playable demo of Honkai: Nexus Anima — a new title in the Honkai franchise that HoYoverse has not yet given a global release date for. The Suntec City booth will be one of the first public venues outside of China where players can go hands-on with the game, making it a significant draw for Honkai series fans beyond the usual HoYo FEST experience. No further details about the demo’s content or playable characters have been released ahead of the event.

HoYo FEST 2026 Singapore runs 8–10 August 2026 at Suntec City Convention Centre. Tickets go on sale 16 July at 11am SGT. Watch the Events section for further updates as the sale date approaches.

Game News

Honkai: Star Rail 4.4 — Gilgamesh Is FREE in the Second Fate/stay night Collab

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The next major Honkai: Star Rail update has a date and a headline: Version 4.4 “In Ravages Does the Whistle Sound” launches on 15 July 2026, and it brings something the Fate franchise fanbase has been waiting for — the second Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] collaboration, starring Rin Tohsaka and a completely free Gilgamesh. Whether you are a Star Rail veteran or a Fate fan who has been circling the game since the first collab, this one is worth your attention.

Version 4.4 Trailer: “In Ravages Does the Whistle Sound” — via Honkai: Star Rail on YouTube

Version 4.4 Launches 15 July — Two Phases, One Big Collab

Version 4.4 rolls out in two phases. Phase 1 begins on 15 July with the debut of Himeko Nova alongside reruns for Sparxie, Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae, and Evernight. Phase 2 opens on 24 July and is where the Fate collab Part 2 begins: Rin Tohsaka’s limited banner goes live and Gilgamesh becomes claimable for free. The full version runs until 25 August 2026.

Honkai: Star Rail is available on iOS, Android, and PC globally — Singapore players access the same global server, so all content and timings are identical regardless of region.

Himeko Nova — Himeko Returns as a 5-Star Fire Erudition DPS

Himeko Nova official splash art in Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.4
Image courtesy of HoYoverse

Phase 1 centres on Himeko Nova, an alternate 5-star form of the beloved Astral Express crew member. Nova follows the Path of Erudition and wields Fire, repositioning Himeko as a dedicated ultimate-focused damage dealer with mech synergy. Her banner runs for the entire 40-day version — both Phase 1 and Phase 2 — making her one of the longer-window banners in recent memory, which is useful for Trailblazers who want to save for the Fate collab units and still consider pulling for her.

The version also raises the Currency Wars level cap to 170 and introduces a new weekly boss, Lord Ravager Asat Pramad, who plays a key role in the 4.4 main story.

The Second Fate/stay night Collab — Rin Tohsaka and a FREE Gilgamesh on 24 July

Honkai: Star Rail x Fate collaboration — free character selection between Gilgamesh and Archer
Image courtesy of HoYoverse

The big headline: Gilgamesh — the King of Heroes himself — is available for free to every player during Version 4.4’s Fate collab event. He joins as a 5-star Lightning-element Destruction character whose kit revolves around his Noble Phantasm, Gate of Babylon. Each time an ally takes an action in combat, Gilgamesh accumulates “Interest”, regenerates Energy, and eventually unlocks a barrage of multi-hit damage through his Skill. Players who participated in Fate Collab Part 1 will also be able to choose between Gilgamesh and Archer as their free copy.

The limited-banner character for this phase is Rin Tohsaka, a 5-star Quantum-element Erudition unit. Rin builds “Gem Energy” through combat, then spends it to fire multiple additional instances of damage at a random target, giving her a playstyle that synergises tightly with Archer from the first collab. Her banner, “The Gem Coursing in Red”, opens 24 July and has no fixed end date — consistent with the format of the first Fate collab’s banners.

Gilgamesh’s signature Light Cone is also available free at 200 cumulative rolls on any banner during the event period.

New Story: Planarcadia on the Brink and the Lord Ravager

Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.4 story cinematic battle scene
Image courtesy of HoYoverse

On the story front, Version 4.4 deepens the Planarcadia arc. The Trailblazer confronts Lord Ravager Asat Pramad, a newly-unlocked weekly boss, as Planarcadia faces what the trailer describes as a crisis threatening its very survival. The version title — “In Ravages Does the Whistle Sound” — suggests something a lot darker than recent content, and judging by the trailer’s imagery it looks like a memorable narrative chapter. The Fate collab story event, “Holy Grail War: The Second”, runs in parallel with a Fate-exclusive bond system added alongside it.

Version 4.4 “In Ravages Does the Whistle Sound” goes live on 15 July 2026, with the Fate collab and Rin Tohsaka’s banner opening on 24 July. Check the Game News section for further coverage as the version approaches.

Game News, News

Switch 2 + Pokémon Pokopia Bundle: Where to Pre-Order in Singapore

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Pre-orders for Nintendo’s Switch 2 + Pokémon Pokopia bundle are now live across Singapore retailers ahead of its 23 July 2026 launch, and at S$769.95 it is shaping up as the school-holiday pick for anyone still on the fence about jumping into Switch 2. When we covered the bundle’s announcement at the start of the month, the open questions were where you would actually buy it and whether pairing the console with the game saves you anything. Now that listings are up, here is where pre-orders stand, how the price really stacks up, and why demand for Pokopia is running this hot.

Where to Pre-Order the Switch 2 Pokopia Bundle in Singapore

The player character celebrates with Scyther, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Charmander and other Pokémon in front of a Pokémon Centre in Pokémon Pokopia
Image courtesy of Nintendo / The Pokémon Company

The bundle is listed at major game retailers and electronics chains, with pre-orders open now ahead of the 23 July arrival — squarely in the school-holiday window. The listings we have seen so far:

  • Challenger — carrying the bundle at the S$769.95 official RRP.
  • NTUC FairPrice — a marketplace listing bundles a tempered-glass screen protector on top of the console and game for S$799.

Prices and stock will vary by retailer as launch approaches, so it is worth comparing what each throws in (screen protector, carry case, extra warranty) rather than the headline number alone. The official Nintendo Singapore announcement has the full list of participating retailers and the confirmed contents.

Is the Bundle Actually a Saving?

A player character in a bubble floats through a stone canyon with Piplup, Psyduck and Marill in Pokémon Pokopia
Image courtesy of Nintendo / The Pokémon Company

Here is how the S$769.95 bundle lines up against buying the two pieces on their own:

  • Standalone Nintendo Switch 2 console: S$719 (its original Singapore launch price)
  • Pokémon Pokopia standalone physical: around S$89.90 at local retailers

Bought separately at those prices you would be paying roughly S$808.90, which puts the bundle saving at about S$39. It is not a blockbuster discount — Nintendo rarely cuts deep at launch — but you get the console plus a premium-priced exclusive in one order for less than full rack price, and you skip hunting for a physical copy during the busy July retail rush. Do note the bundle includes a full download code for Pokopia rather than a boxed cartridge, so it will not resell like a physical copy later.

One caveat on the maths: Nintendo announced a worldwide Switch 2 hardware price adjustment in May 2026, and the revised standalone console price for Singapore had not been officially confirmed at the time of writing. Check nintendo.com/sg for the current figure, as the real saving shifts if the standalone price has moved since launch.

Why Pokopia Is in Such Demand

The player character uses a grass-type ability alongside Bulbasaur on a terraced landscape in Pokémon Pokopia
Image courtesy of Nintendo / The Pokémon Company

Part of why this bundle is worth a look is the game inside it. Pokémon Pokopia — the Switch 2-exclusive life sim where you build a settlement and let each species’ natural traits shape the world — sold more than 2.2 million copies worldwide in its first four days, including over a million in Japan alone, per Nintendo’s own figures. For a brand-new, non-mainline Pokémon title, that is a standout start, and it is a big reason physical copies have been in tight supply — making the download-code bundle a tidier way in. If you want the full rundown of what the game is and everything the box includes, our original bundle announcement goes deeper.

Pokémon Pokopia – Launch Trailer — via Pokémon Asia ENG on YouTube

What You Get in the Box

For quick reference, the bundle ships with everything a new player needs to start immediately:

  • Nintendo Switch 2 console and dock
  • Joy-Con 2 (L) and (R) controllers with straps
  • Joy-Con 2 Grip
  • AC adapter and USB-C charging cable
  • Ultra High Speed HDMI cable
  • Full download code for Pokémon Pokopia

The one thing that is not included is the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass — it is sold separately, so factor that in if you plan to commit to the game long-term. For more on Switch 2 titles heading to Singapore, browse our full game news coverage.