Tag Archives: Singapore

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.

Event

Pokémon GO Road of Legends: Singapore Raid Guide July 6–10

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The Road of Legends is live in Pokémon GO right now — and if you have not checked your nearby raid gyms yet today, it is time to put that right. Every Legendary Pokémon, Ultra Beast, and Primal ever to feature in five-star raids is back, rotating daily through July 10, with a dedicated Raid Hour tonight at 6pm SGT.

What Is the Road of Legends?

Running from 12:01am on Monday 6 July to 11:59pm on Friday 10 July (local time), the Road of Legends is Niantic’s official hype-up week before Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Global on the weekend of 11–12 July. According to Niantic, it is designed to let trainers stock up on Legendary candy and optimise their raid squads before the biggest Pokémon GO event of the year — and this year GO Fest Global is completely free for all trainers, meaning the whole Singapore community can jump in without spending a cent on a ticket.

Any Pokémon caught from five-star raids between 6 and 12 July has a chance to come with a brand-new Special Background — the new in-game collectible art introduced for GO Fest 2026. That alone makes this the most visually rewarding raid week Pokémon GO has ever run.

Best Legendary Pokemon to Raid for Global GO Fest 2026 — via BrandonTan91 on YouTube

Road of Legends Daily Raid Schedule

Each day brings a different rotation of five-star and Mega raid bosses, with a Raid Hour from 6pm to 7pm every evening (Primal Raid Hour on Friday runs 7pm–8pm instead). Here is the full week:

  • Monday 6 July (Today) — 50+ Legendary Pokémon and Ultra Beasts in five-star raids: the Legendary Birds, Legendary Beasts, Dialga, Palkia (standard formes), Genesect variants, Tapu guardians, and more. Mega Salamence in Mega Raids. Raid Hour: 6–7pm.
  • Tuesday 7 July — White Kyurem, Zekrom, Dawn Wings Necrozma (five-star); Mega Tyranitar (Mega). Raid Hour: 6–7pm.
  • Wednesday 8 July — Black Kyurem, Reshiram, Dusk Mane Necrozma (five-star); Mega Gardevoir (Mega). Raid Hour: 6–7pm.
  • Thursday 9 July — Crowned Sword Zacian, Crowned Shield Zamazenta (five-star); Mega Gengar (Mega). Raid Hour: 6–7pm.
  • Friday 10 July — Origin Forme Dialga, Origin Forme Palkia (five-star); Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon (Primal Raids). Primal Raid Hour: 7–8pm.

Friday is the crown jewel: Origin Forme Dialga and Origin Forme Palkia are two of the strongest Pokémon in the entire GO meta, and catching either one this week activates the Elite TM window described below.

Elite TM Alert — Spacial Rend and Roar of Time

For a limited window from July 6 through July 12, Trainers can use an Elite Charged TM to teach Origin Forme Palkia the Charged Attack Spacial Rend, or teach Origin Forme Dialga the Charged Attack Roar of Time. Both are the signature moves for each Pokémon and their best-in-slot option for raids and GO Battle League. If you already have either one sitting in your storage from a past event, now is your confirmed window to give them the move they deserve.

Special Backgrounds — A Brand-New Collectible

Pokémon GO Special Background feature showing Darkrai with a unique brush-stroke art backing
Image courtesy of Niantic / The Pokémon Company

Pokémon caught from five-star, Primal, and Mega Raid Battles between 6 and 12 July have a chance to come with a Special Background — a new category of in-game artwork that displays behind your Pokémon on the storage screen. These exist purely as a visual collectible, but they mark your Pokémon as caught during this specific event window in a very visible way. Singapore trainers doing organised raid groups this week will be seeing a lot of them — and missing the window means no Special Background until Niantic brings the feature back for a future event.

All the Event Bonuses Running Through July 12

These bonuses are active from Road of Legends straight through the end of GO Fest Global:

  • No Remote Raid Pass cap — remote-raid with friends in Singapore or anywhere else, as many times as you like.
  • 2 free Raid Passes daily by spinning Photo Discs at Gyms (the usual daily cap is one).
  • Enhanced Premier Ball catch rates after every raid.
  • Faster Party Power charge in raids — co-ordinate your throws and you will land the bonus sooner.
  • Special event stickers from PokéStops and Gifts.

Where Singapore Trainers Should Head Tonight

Raid Hour starts at 6pm SGT every evening this week. The usual hotspots will be busy: gyms along Marina Bay waterfront, the cluster around Dhoby Ghaut MRT, the Botanic Gardens, and Clarke Quay all tend to see organised raid groups during major events. Jewel Changi Airport is a popular indoor option for weekend sessions, especially with the air-conditioning. Check your local Pokémon GO Singapore Telegram or Discord groups for any raid trains forming tonight — Monday’s mass-legendary Raid Hour is the widest one of the week, and five-star raids are easiest when you walk in with a full group of six.

Pokémon GO Mega Mewtwo X and Y making their debut at GO Fest 2026 Global
Image courtesy of Niantic / The Pokémon Company

And here is the final motivation: Mega Mewtwo X and Y make their Pokémon GO world debut at GO Fest Global on 11–12 July. They are the most powerful Mega Evolutions in the game, and this Road of Legends week is your prep time. Get your Legendary candy, secure your Elite TMs, and come back this weekend ready. Check out more Pokémon GO events on GameTrader.

Game Industry News, Singapore Gaming Scene

PlayStation Physical Games Are Ending in January 2028 — What Singapore Gamers Need to Know

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If you love buying physical PlayStation games — and there are plenty of us in Singapore who do — Sony just made a call that changes the equation. On 1 July, PlayStation confirmed on its official blog that physical disc production for all new PS games will cease in January 2028. After that date, every new PlayStation release will be digital-only: available through the PlayStation Store or via digital codes sold at retail, but not on a disc you can hold in your hand.

What Sony Actually Said

The announcement came from Sid Shuman, Senior Director of Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications, writing directly on the PlayStation Blog. Sony’s statement was unambiguous: “Physical game disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting January 2028. Following this date, new games will be available on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only.”

Games released or announced before January 2028 are unaffected — if a disc version ships before the cutoff, it stays in production. Publishers will also reportedly retain the ability to re-order physical stock of existing PS5 titles after the cutoff, meaning beloved older titles could continue getting pressed in smaller quantities. But any game launching after January 2028 will never see a disc version.

Sony’s framing was measured: this reflects “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs.” They have the data. And the numbers, at least globally, are pointing one way.

Does This Confirm the PS6 Will Be Disc-Free?

PlayStation Disc Production to End January 2028 — IGN Daily Fix on YouTube

Not officially — Sony has not announced the PS6. But analysts are connecting the dots. Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis wrote, as reported by Video Games Chronicle, that the disc discontinuation “almost certainly guarantees that the PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” with Ampere’s current expectation being a launch at the end of 2028. The logic is straightforward: if there are no new game discs after January 2028, shipping a next-gen console with a disc drive as standard makes very little sense. At minimum, the PS6 will almost certainly launch without one built in.

Whether Sony offers an optional disc-drive add-on — as it did with the PS5 Slim’s detachable drive — or introduces a disc-to-digital transfer programme for existing physical libraries remains to be seen. But the direction of travel is clear.

A spread of PlayStation game discs across PS2, PS3, PS4 and PS5 generations
Image courtesy of PlayStation / via Gamefile.News

What Happens to Your Physical Games?

Nothing changes for what you already own. Physical PS4 and PS5 games on disc remain playable on any disc-equipped console. The PS5 Disc Edition still fully supports physical media and will do so for its lifetime. What changes is that the library of physical games will stop expanding after January 2028 — if you are playing physical, you will increasingly be drawing from a fixed catalogue that does not grow with new releases.

The longer-term concern is what digital-only means for ownership security. Sony has already sunset the PS3 and PSP digital stores, raising real questions about what happens to digitally purchased titles when storefronts eventually close. Going all-digital does not make that risk disappear — it makes it the only risk, with no physical fallback.

Open PlayStation game cases showing discs from PS3, PS4 and PS5 generations
Image courtesy of PlayStation / via Gamefile.News

The Singapore Picture: Trading, Collecting, and What Comes Next

For Singapore gamers, physical media has always carried a specific economic logic: buy a new release, finish it, sell it back, repeat. That cycle works precisely because games have resale value when they sit on a disc. Once new releases stop shipping on disc, that loop breaks. The flow of recent titles into the pre-owned market will slow to a trickle from whatever was released before January 2028.

Pre-owned game retail — a staple of Singapore’s gaming scene — will feel this shift over time, though the impact will be gradual. The existing physical catalogue for PS4 and PS5 is enormous and will remain tradeable for years. The real question is what the new release landscape looks like post-2028: a world where every game you buy is locked to your account, with no second-hand value and no ability to lend it to a friend.

There is a collector’s silver lining: physical versions of games released before the cutoff may appreciate in value as production ends permanently. If you are building a PlayStation physical library, the January 2028 deadline is effectively a hard last call — nothing new gets added after that. For those who have always preferred the shelf of cases to a download queue, there is still a window.

More details on Sony’s transition plan — including how publishers will handle digital retail codes and whether a disc drive add-on is planned — are expected in the months ahead. Watch this space for updates as they come.

Game News, Singapore Gaming Scene

Halo Lands on PS5 for the First Time — Singapore Gets It July 29

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Mark the date: 29 July 2026. That is the day Singapore PlayStation 5 owners get to play a Halo campaign for the very first time. Halo: Campaign Evolved — a ground-up Unreal Engine 5 remake of the 2001 original, plus three brand-new missions — launches globally on 28 July, with Asia-Pacific (including Singapore) going live one day later on 29 July at the same 8 AM PDT moment. After 25 years as an Xbox exclusive, Master Chief is officially coming to PS5.

What Is Halo: Campaign Evolved?

This is not a remaster — it is a full rebuild. Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) has reconstructed every one of the original ten missions using Unreal Engine 5, with completely new visuals, remastered audio, rewritten cinematics, and refined level design. On top of the classic campaign, Operation: METEORITE adds three new prequel missions co-written with sci-fi novelist Troy Denning, sending Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson into new locations before the events of Combat Evolved. The total mission count comes to 13.

Halo: Campaign Evolved gameplay screenshot showing a Halo ring level
Image courtesy of Xbox / Halo Studios

Gameplay is also expanded: you can now hijack Warthogs, pilot Wraith tanks, and access weapons from later Halo entries. Skull modifiers return for a Campaign Remix mode that lets you tweak difficulty and behaviour rules. Cross-play and cross-progression are fully supported, so PS5 players and Xbox players can squad up together.

Halo: Campaign Evolved | New Missions Trailer | XBOX Games Showcase 2026 — via XBOX on YouTube

Singapore Pricing and Editions

The game is available on the PlayStation Store Singapore in two editions:

  • Standard Edition — SGD 79.90: Base game plus the Foundry Armory Pre-Order Pack (available while pre-orders are open).
  • Premium Edition — SGD 109.90: Adds up to five days of early access (Singapore early access begins 24 July), the Alpha Halo Armory Pack, and a Digital Story & Art Collection featuring an artbook and a short story by Troy Denning.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers get the game day one at no extra cost — the Standard Edition’s Foundry Armory Pack is not included with Game Pass, but the game itself is fully playable from launch.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Premium Edition bonus cosmetic armour packs
Image courtesy of Xbox / Halo Studios

A Collector’s Edition priced at USD 199.99 — which includes a Master Chief statue, a Cortana LED chip replica, and a SteelBook case — is not available in Asia-Pacific, limited to North America, South America, Europe, and Oceania. Singapore fans who want the full physical collector’s experience will need to import.

Co-op, PS5 Features, and What Singapore Players Should Know

The PS5 version is PS5 Pro Enhanced and supports DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Online co-op supports up to four players with full crossplay between PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Two-player split-screen is available on console only.

One thing to note for Singapore: the game carries an IARC 16+ rating (Horror, Strong Violence), which is consistent with what PlayStation Singapore already lists. PS Plus subscription is required for online play on PS5.

For PlayStation fans who grew up watching their Xbox-owning friends rave about Halo but never got to play it — 29 July is your day. You can browse the latest game news on GameTrader for more upcoming PS5 releases this month.

Event, Shop and Merchandise, Singapore Gaming Scene

Pokemon Center Singapore Reopens at Jewel Changi Airport

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Pokémon Center Singapore has reopened at Jewel Changi Airport with its most dramatic transformation yet. Closed since April 1 for a full revamp, the store reopened on 1 July 2026 with a heritage-rooted interior, a new symbol Pokémon, and an exclusive merchandise line you can only get here in Singapore — making it the first full-scale redesign of a Pokémon Center outside Japan.

First look at revamped Pokemon Center Singapore in Jewel Changi Airport — via CNA on YouTube

Solgaleo Steps Up as the New Symbol Pokémon

The biggest visual change is who greets you at the entrance. Solgaleo — the radiant Legendary from Pokémon Sun — is now the store’s symbol Pokémon, standing proudly at the façade alongside Pikachu and appearing on the official logo. Inside, the redesigned space draws on Singapore’s traditional architecture: look out for Peranakan tile-inspired patterns worked into the display fixtures, archway shelving units, and a sweeping interior that feels unmistakably local without losing the warmth of a proper Pokémon Center.

Wide interior view of the revamped Pokemon Center Singapore at Jewel Changi Airport
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / Pokémon Center Singapore
Pokemon Center Singapore merchandise shelves with Flareon display and hundreds of plush figures
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / Pokémon Center Singapore

First Wave: 12 Singapore-Exclusive Items, Including That Kopi Set

Twelve lifestyle items launched with the reopening on 1 July, all designed specifically for this store. The first wave features original artwork of Pokémon set against a Singapore-inspired cityscape — an illustration that feels like a love letter to local fans. Also in wave one: a Kopi Cup & Saucer Set that is exactly what it sounds like and is already generating a lot of buzz. None of this merch is available at any other Pokémon Center globally.

First wave merchandise for Pokemon Center Singapore reopening, including Solgaleo plush, cityscape artwork frame, kopi cup and saucer, sticker sheets and more
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / Pokémon Center Singapore

Second Wave on 7 August: Pikachu Holding Durian, Kopi, and Pandan Cake

The second merch wave lands on 7 August 2026 and leans even harder into Singaporean identity. Coming then: pouches with a Peranakan-inspired Pokémon pattern on the inner lining; Pokémon graphic T-shirts; and a tote bag embroidered with Pikachu and Solgaleo together. The absolute standout is a set of three Pikachu bag charms — each tiny Pikachu clutches a different iconic local treat: a cup of kopi, a slice of pandan cake, and a durian. These are the kind of Singapore-only collectibles that disappear fast.

Three Pikachu bag charms holding kopi cup, pandan toast/kaya toast, and durian, exclusive to Pokemon Center Singapore
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / Pokémon Center Singapore

How to Visit: Queue Tickets and Opening Hours

The store is at Jewel Changi Airport, #04-201 & 202 (78 Airport Boulevard, Singapore 819666), open daily from 10am to 10pm. During opening week (1 to 5 July 2026), same-day queue-entry tickets are needed — these are distributed on-site from 8:30am on a first-come, first-served basis, with admission from 1pm. Follow the official Pokémon Center Singapore Instagram for the latest on queue updates and the August merchandise wave. For more Pokemon and pop-culture events in Singapore, check our events archive.

Game News, News

Pokémon TCG: Pitch Black Launches July 17 — Mega Darkrai Leads Four New Mega ex

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If you’ve been tracking the Mega Evolution TCG series, this weekend is the moment to mark on your calendar. Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution—Pitch Black, the fifth set in the Mega Evolution run, begins prerelease events at participating Play! Pokémon retailers this Friday, July 4 — two weeks ahead of its full global launch on July 17, 2026.

What Is Pitch Black

Pitch Black is a dark-themed expansion built around the Mega Dimension content from Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and the set name is not subtle about its direction. Where earlier Mega Evolution sets spread the spotlight across multiple type identities, ME5 leans hard into shadow and sinister aesthetics — Mega Darkrai ex is the face of this expansion, and everything from the booster pack art to the colour palette reflects that.

The set ships with over 115 cards in total, including more than 35 cards with special illustration variants and over 20 Trainer cards. Its Japanese counterpart, Abyss Eye (アビスアイ), launched in Japan on May 22, which means Japanese players have had about six weeks of competitive data — useful context if you’re heading to a prerelease tournament this weekend.

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution — Pitch Black Mega Darkrai ex booster pack
Image © The Pokémon Company

The Four Headlining Mega ex

Four Mega ex Pokémon anchor the expansion’s product line, each with its own booster pack artwork:

  • Mega Darkrai ex — the face of the set, and from Japanese Abyss Eye coverage, it arrives with 280 HP and a hit-hard moveset that fits the expansion’s aggressive tone
  • Mega Zeraora ex — a Lightning-type Mythical that pairs with Darkrai’s Darkness for what should be an interesting type-coverage combination in Standard
  • Mega Chandelure ex — the Ghost/Fire Pokémon from Unova gets the Mega treatment, with the eerie candle aesthetic fitting perfectly in a Pitch Black set
  • Mega Excadrill ex — the Ground/Steel Pokémon rounds out the headliners, giving the set broader type coverage

Beyond the main four, Bulbapedia’s set list also confirms Mega Slowbro ex, Wailord ex, and Morpeko ex among the expansion’s notable cards.

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution — Pitch Black Mega Zeraora ex booster pack
Image © The Pokémon Company
Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution | Official Trailer | Sneak Peek — via The Official Pokémon YouTube channel

Products at Launch

The standard product lineup for Pitch Black includes individual booster packs (10 cards + 1 Basic Energy + 1 Pokémon TCG Live code), six-pack Booster Bundles, and a 36-pack Booster Display Box. Pokémon Center also has an Elite Trainer Box exclusive. For this weekend’s prerelease events, participating stores will be selling the Build & Battle Box early — as confirmed by Pokémon.com — which gives players a sealed pool to build from for the event format.

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution — Pitch Black Mega Chandelure ex booster pack
Image © The Pokémon Company

Dates for Singapore Players

Prerelease events: July 4–6 at participating Play! Pokémon retailers. Check with your local store to confirm they’re running events this weekend — not every retailer holds prereleases, but Singapore’s Play! Pokémon community is well-represented across the island.

Digital play: July 16 in Pokémon TCG Live — the day before physical launch.

Full retail launch: July 17 — Pokémon Center (global) and local stockists.

For the latest on Pitch Black’s Singapore prerelease scene and any local tournament announcements, keep an eye on our Game News section and the official Pitch Black expansion page on Pokémon.com.

Game News

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Drops July 9 — Built by Ubisoft Singapore

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One week from now, a game built right here in Singapore drops on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced — the first true from-the-ground-up remake in Ubisoft history — is the work of Ubisoft Singapore, and it launches on 9 July 2026.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced: Official Game Overview Trailer — via Assassin’s Creed on YouTube

A Singapore Studio Takes the Helm

This isn’t a remaster handed to an external team. Ubisoft Singapore — the studio that has spent years building out Anvil engine’s water and naval systems across multiple Assassin’s Creed titles — pitched and led the entire project from day one.

Creative Director Paul Fu explained the logic in an interview with Game Informer: “Ubisoft Singapore not only has a history of working on water tech through Anvil, we have a history with naval gameplay and stuff, so when you put all those things together, it’s like, ‘Yeah, why not take a stab at it with Black Flag?’ It actually makes a lot of sense to try.”

Game Director Richard Knight echoed that sense of purpose: “With Black Flag Resynced, we set out to reconnect with the heart of Black Flag. From the start, the intention was clear: deliver a faithful and enriched experience,” as reported by MobileSyrup.

Edward Kenway perched on a rooftop overlooking a sunlit Caribbean town in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

The remake runs on the same Anvil engine build used for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, with zero legacy code carried over from the 2013 original. Every system — combat, parkour, naval, AI — has been rebuilt from scratch.

Bigger Story, Bolder Characters

The core narrative of Edward Kenway’s Caribbean piracy is left intact, but Ubisoft Singapore has layered in new content for fan-favourite supporting cast. Original lead writer Darby McDevitt returned to pen two new scenes and revise an existing one, and new quest lines expand the stories of Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet — both of whom previously exited the narrative off-screen.

Lead Producer Justin Ng spoke to Press Start about the process: “The first thing we did was to ensure everything in the original was kept in terms of narrative. The story of Stede, Adéwalé, those things are basically one-to-one with the original. We worked together working out what more we could add to wrap up some of their stories, because some of the characters died off-screen or there were more things that we wanted to say.”

The modern-day Animus framing has also been reworked, replaced with “What If?” scenario rifts that keep players in the Caribbean without the tonal whiplash of the 2013 version. Ng added a candid note about the pressure of the project: “A joke I tell the team is that I used to have black hair and now it’s 50% white because of the stress.”

Edward Kenway in close-quarters combat in the rain in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Gameplay Overhauls: Combat, Stealth, and Parkour

Nearly every mechanical system has been touched. Combat is faster and more fluid, with a new parry-and-riposte system and visceral takedown animations. Stealth benefits from a long-requested crouch-anywhere mechanic and a dive-anywhere option near water. The tailing and eavesdropping missions that punished players with instant-fail states in 2013 have been reworked — no more restarting a sequence because an NPC clipped through your route.

Parkour has new animations and smoother transitions, and Edward now has access to most of his action tools early in the game rather than gating them behind story progression. The full campaign is playable offline after download.

Naval Combat Evolved

This is where Ubisoft Singapore’s expertise shines hardest. The Jackdaw now comes with new officer companions, ship pets, and 10 new sea shanties on top of the original tracklist. Naval combat adds secondary weapons including shrapnel barrels and 8-pounders, and a dynamic weather system — fog banks, storms, shifting winds — affects both visibility and manoeuvring during engagements.

Two tall ships exchanging cannon fire on the open Caribbean sea in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

On the visual side, ray tracing and micropolygon rendering push the water, weather, and lighting to a level the original 2013 hardware could never have achieved. The PS5 version targets 60 FPS with ray tracing enabled; a PS5 Pro mode is also confirmed.

Editions, Pricing, and Where to Get It

Black Flag Resynced launches on 9 July 2026 in three editions:

  • Standard Edition — US$59.99 (digital & physical)
  • Deluxe Edition — US$69.99 (includes Blackbeard’s Crimson weapons and costume pack)
  • Collector’s Edition — US$199.99

The game is available on Steam, the Ubisoft Store, Epic Games Store, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. It is also included with Ubisoft+ from day one. Regional pricing in SGD will vary by platform — check the PS Store or Steam’s Singapore storefront for local rates. Pre-ordering either digital edition unlocks the Blackbeard’s Crimson Pack at no extra cost.

Edward Kenway standing at the bow of the Jackdaw approaching a secluded Caribbean cove in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

For fans who have watched Singapore’s game development scene grow over the past decade, Black Flag Resynced is a milestone — a Singapore studio leading Ubisoft’s first-ever ground-up remake of a franchise flagship title. Whether you played the original or are coming in fresh, it’s one to watch when it hits your platform on 9 July. Find more upcoming game news here.

Game News

Pokémon Pokopia Switch 2 Bundle Coming to Singapore on 23 July at S$769.95

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Nintendo Singapore has confirmed the Nintendo Switch 2 + Pokémon Pokopia bundle, launching locally on 23 July 2026 at S$769.95. The bundle pairs the Switch 2 console with a full digital download of Pokémon Pokopia — the acclaimed life-simulation game that critics called a spiritual combination of Minecraft, Viva Piñata, and Animal Crossing — making it one of the more compelling entry points for anyone still on the fence about upgrading.

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

What Is Pokémon Pokopia?

Released worldwide on 5 March 2026 as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, Pokémon Pokopia stars a peculiar Ditto who discovers it can transform into a human and uses that ability — along with moves learned from friendly Pokémon — to restore a desolate world one crafted item at a time. It is a relaxing life simulation developed by Game Freak and Koei Tecmo’s Omega Force, and it became one of the highest-rated Pokémon games on Metacritic at launch.

Gameplay revolves around gathering materials, crafting furniture and structures, farming crops, and transforming the land using moves borrowed from Pokémon companions — Bulbasaur to grow vegetation, Lapras for water, Dragonite for flight. Each Pokémon type favours different habitats, encouraging players to diversify what they build. You can customise your Ditto’s appearance, decorate your home, and invite other players to visit.

Nintendo Switch 2 and Pokémon Pokopia bundle hardware
Image courtesy of Nintendo

Bundle Contents and Value

The S$769.95 bundle includes the full Switch 2 hardware package — console, dock, Joy-Con 2 (L) and (R) with straps, Joy-Con 2 grip, AC adapter, USB-C charging cable, and an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable — alongside a full game download of Pokémon Pokopia (internet connection and Nintendo Account required). The Expansion Pass is sold separately.

Players who already own a Switch 2 can also pick up a Pokémon Pokopia + Expansion Pass bundle through the Nintendo eShop, while newcomers get the full console hardware and game in one purchase.

Pikachu character art from Pokémon Pokopia
Image courtesy of Nintendo

Co-op, Expansion Pass, and What’s Coming

Up to four players can enjoy building together in the same town, via local wireless or online co-op. GameShare support is also available. Nintendo Switch Online is not required for local play.

The Expansion Pass is a three-part paid DLC, sold separately: Part 1 — Bubbly Basin, an underwater explorable town, arrives in August 2026, followed by Part 2 in late 2026 and Part 3 in 2027. A free Version 2.0 update in August 2026 also adds the Dive move for every player, no purchase required. We broke down the full roadmap, the free Dive update, and the early-purchase bonuses in our Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass guide.

If you have been looking for a reason to pick up a Switch 2, this bundle lands at a good moment — Pokémon Pokopia has consistent active support, the base game is around 50+ hours to settle into comfortably, and the Expansion Pass gives even more to look forward to. Find the full confirmed game list for your Switch 2 in our game news section.

Snorlax character art from Pokémon Pokopia
Image courtesy of Nintendo