Tag Archives: Xbox Series X

Game News

Xbox Series X25 Pre-Orders Open + Disc to Digital Beta August 31

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Gamescom 2026 delivered two headline Xbox announcements this week that Singapore gamers should know about: pre-orders for the limited-edition Xbox Series X25 25th Anniversary console went live this morning, and the long-anticipated Disc to Digital program officially launches its beta for Xbox Insiders on 31 August.

Xbox Series X25: A Console That Glows Green

When Xbox first unveiled the Series X25 at the Xbox Games Showcase in June, the design stopped a lot of people mid-scroll. The console wears a translucent OG Green design straight from the original Xbox playbook — you can see the internals through the casing, and the iconic X logo on the front glows green on startup, a direct callback to the booting sequence of the original 2001 console.

Specs are unchanged from the Xbox Series X: 1 TB of storage, the same performance internals, backward compatibility across Xbox generations. Each unit is individually numbered with a unique engraving. The console ships with a full-game download of Halo: Campaign Evolved, making the bundle feel like a genuine 25-year celebration rather than a limited-edition skin on existing hardware.

The Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition is also part of the collection, featuring a fully transparent back case and battery door, the original ABXY button colours, and bumper references to the classic “Duke” controller. It launches separately on 20 October 2026 and can be bought on its own — useful for any Xbox gamer who wants the nostalgia hit without the full console upgrade.

Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition — translucent OG Green with original ABXY colours
Image courtesy of Xbox / Microsoft

Price, Launch Date, and How to Pre-Order

The Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition is priced at US$899.99 and launches on 13 November 2026. Pre-orders opened today, 27 August, at 7 a.m. PDT via Xbox.com and participating retailers — limited to one unit per customer while supplies last. Dedicated fans were given early access via email beginning 26 August.

There is no confirmed Singapore retail price at the time of writing; check Xbox.com or your preferred local games and electronics retailers for regional availability and SGD pricing when it goes live. Supplies of limited anniversary hardware tend to move fast, so if you’re considering it, it is worth acting sooner rather than later.

Xbox Series X25 bundle with Halo: Campaign Evolved
Image courtesy of Xbox / Microsoft

Xbox Disc to Digital: Your Physical Collection Goes Hybrid

The second big Xbox news out of Gamescom is the long-rumoured Disc to Digital program, now officially confirmed by Xbox. The concept is straightforward: insert a supported physical disc into an Xbox One or Xbox Series X console with an optical drive, launch the game, and your account receives a digital entitlement for that title. The physical disc continues to work exactly as it always has — you have not traded it away.

Xbox Disc to Digital program — physical discs unlock digital entitlements
Image courtesy of Xbox / Microsoft
XBOX CONFIRMS New Killer Physical Games Feature (Disc to Digital) — via XBOX ON on YouTube

The digital entitlement unlocks extra benefits where supported: Xbox Play Anywhere (play on console and PC) and Xbox Cloud Gaming, meaning your disc collection could become streamable. Thousands of Xbox One and Xbox Series X titles are supported at launch, with more to be added over time. One important note: original Xbox and Xbox 360 discs are not supported in this initial rollout.

There is also a logical ownership wrinkle worth knowing: if you sell or trade a physical disc to another player, the digital entitlement automatically transfers to the new owner’s account and is removed from yours. Xbox frames this as a feature for game preservation — your physical investment stays meaningful even as the industry pushes toward an all-digital future.

Why This Matters for Singapore Gamers

Physical gaming remains very much alive in Singapore, with stacks of Xbox One and Series X disc games sitting on shelves across the island. Disc to Digital effectively future-proofs those libraries: your games become accessible on multiple platforms and, where supported, through Cloud Gaming — without giving up the physical copy you already own.

The contrast with PlayStation’s direction is also hard to ignore. As we covered when Sony confirmed they were moving away from optical drives by 2028, the question of physical game ownership has become increasingly pointed. Xbox is now taking a clear counter-position, bridging physical and digital rather than forcing a choice between the two.

Xbox Insiders can sign up and begin testing Disc to Digital from 31 August. General availability follows after the Insider phase. For more on both the Series X25 and future Xbox news, keep an eye on GameTrader’s gaming news coverage.

Game News

Genigods: Nezha — Chinese Mythology Action RPG Makes Its Global Debut at Gamescom 2026

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Chinese mythology is having a serious moment in gaming — and if Genigods: Nezha delivers on what its Gamescom 2026 reveal promises, Singapore gamers could be in for something very special. Developer Genigods Lab took the stage at Gamescom Opening Night Live on 25 August to debut the game’s first global gameplay trailer, giving the world a proper look at this hardcore action RPG rooted in ancient Chinese creation mythology.

Genigods: Nezha — Nezha character portrait with the fire deity
Image courtesy of Genigods Lab

Who Is Nezha — and Why This Story Resonates in Singapore

If you grew up in a Chinese-speaking household, the name Nezha needs no introduction. The deity Nezha — hero of the classic mythology Fengshen Yanyi (Investiture of the Gods) — is one of the most beloved figures in Chinese creation mythology, and his story found a new generation of fans through the 2019 animated film Ne Zha, which became a record-breaking hit across Chinese-speaking markets including Singapore.

Genigods: Nezha takes that mythology and places you inside it. You begin as the Spirit Pearl — the first being forged by the Goddess of Creation Nüwa — before evolving through three distinct stages: a primitive porcelain vessel, the first mortal human, and ultimately a transcended celestial warrior. It is a narrative arc that mirrors the mythological rebirth at the heart of the Nezha legend.

Genigods: Nezha — early Spirit Pearl form in combat
Image courtesy of Genigods Lab

Combat That Earns Its Comparisons

The gameplay trailer showcases a ground-air dual stance combat system that lets Nezha flow seamlessly between earthbound strikes and airborne assaults. The signature eight-armed celestial warrior transformation turns the character into a spinning arsenal of divine weapons — think deity-scale crowd control with a distinctly Chinese-mythology flair. Boss encounters feature colossal divine entities that dwarf the player character, demanding both aggression and precision.

GeniGods: Nezha – Official Gameplay Trailer | gamescom 2026 — via IGN on YouTube

The game is built on a customised Unreal Engine 5 and the development team has collaborated with the visual effects team behind the Ne Zha animated film to implement fluid simulation technology — which should give those swirling wind-fire wheels and celestial water animations extra visual punch.

Genigods: Nezha — Nezha in close combat against a divine beast
Image courtesy of Genigods Lab

The Three-Stage Evolution System

What separates Genigods: Nezha from a straight action game is its protagonist evolution model. Starting as a fragile Spirit Pearl and gradually ascending to the eight-armed celestial warrior form means your combat options and playstyle shift dramatically across the story’s arc — not just through unlocking new moves, but through a fundamental change in what your character is. Producer Young Lau has described the game as an exploration of what it means to transcend mortality through Chinese mythological frameworks, which is a rare angle even by the genre’s increasingly ambitious standards.

Genigods: Nezha — mystical Chinese mythological world with glowing ancient tower
Image courtesy of Genigods Lab

Platforms, Release Window, and Gamescom Demo

Genigods: Nezha is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store). The Xbox Series version was confirmed alongside the Gamescom reveal, adding to the previously announced PS5 and PC versions. Release is targeting 2028 — no specific date yet, but a playable demo is on the floor at Gamescom in Cologne from 26 to 30 August.

Genigods Lab is positioning this as a premium, buy-to-play title aimed at the global market from day one — not a China-first regional rollout. For Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia, that means no waiting for a localised version or navigating region locks. Given what Black Myth: Wukong demonstrated about the appetite for Chinese-mythology ARPGs among Asian gamers, the timing feels right. Wishlist it on Steam and keep an eye on Genigods Lab for updates — 2028 is a long way off, but this one already looks worth the wait. Check out more game news for all the latest reveals coming out of Gamescom this week.

Genigods: Nezha — epic aerial boss battle against a colossal divine creature
Image courtesy of Genigods Lab

Game News

Gears of War: E-Day Story Trailer Drops at Gamescom — October 6 on Xbox Game Pass

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Gears of War: E-Day got its story trailer world premiere at Gamescom Opening Night Live, and it is exactly the brutal, emotional origin story fans have been waiting for. Releasing October 6, 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and PC, and playable on day one through Xbox Game Pass — which is fully available in Singapore — E-Day is shaping up as one of the biggest Xbox exclusives of the year.

Gears of War: E-Day key art
Image courtesy of The Coalition / Xbox

Back to the Darkest Day in Gears History

E-Day is set 14 years before the original Gears of War, putting players right at the moment the Locust Horde first erupted from below and began slaughtering humanity. This is the furthest back the franchise has ever gone — earlier than Gears of War: Judgment (months after E-Day) and Gears Tactics (one year later) — making it the definitive origin story for the entire series.

At the centre of it all are Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago, whose legendary friendship developer The Coalition describes as forged during “the horrific nature of the event” itself. The story trailer introduced soldier Daan Riggs and Bravo Squad, caught in a desperate evacuation as the ruined city of Kalona falls around them.

Gears of War E-Day — Marcus and Dom in the ruins of Kalona
Image courtesy of The Coalition / Xbox

Watch the Campaign Trailer

Gears of War: E-Day Campaign Trailer — via GOWSeriesVideos on YouTube

October 6 on Xbox Game Pass — What Singapore Players Need to Know

E-Day launches globally on October 6, 2026 with Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning a single purchase covers both Xbox Series X|S and PC. Better still, it is available day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which SG subscribers can access right now.

For Singapore players on PC, E-Day is also on Steam and purchasable there at launch. The open beta earlier this month drew over 22,000 concurrent Steam players, a strong signal that there is a healthy PC community worldwide — Singapore included.

Note: E-Day is an Xbox console exclusive and will not come to PS5. Singapore players on PlayStation will need to give this one a miss, or consider picking up an Xbox Series X|S or signing up for Game Pass on PC.

Gears of War E-Day — Locust combat gameplay
Image courtesy of The Coalition / Xbox

Unreal Engine 5 Tech — The Best-Looking Gears Yet?

The Coalition has been talking up the game’s technical pedigree, and for good reason. E-Day runs on Unreal Engine 5 with three headline features:

  • MegaLights — manages hundreds of dynamic light sources simultaneously, enabling realistic muzzle flashes, explosions, and volumetric fog in real time.
  • Full Dynamic Lighting — first Gears title to use entirely real-time calculated illumination rather than pre-baked lighting.
  • Hardware Ray Tracing — improved reflections and shadows, all targeting a stable 60 fps on Xbox Series X.

The result is partially destructible environments in the city of Kalona and character detail that puts previous entries in the shade.

Gears of War E-Day — environment detail showcase
Image courtesy of The Coalition / Xbox

What Launches on October 6

E-Day ships with a full suite of modes:

  • Campaign — solo or co-op with a friend
  • Horde mode — fully reworked from previous entries
  • Versus — four modes (Team Deathmatch, Conquest, Demolition, Crucible) across four maps, with ranked play

Gamescom 2026 (running 26–30 August in Cologne) is the first time the public can get their hands on the campaign. For Singapore fans who cannot make the trip, the October 6 release is only weeks away. If you are already an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, your wallet stays untouched. For more gaming events closer to home, check out our events coverage.

Game News

Witcher 3 Songs of the Past — First Trailer Now Live

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The world premiere footage of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past went live tonight at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026, ending months of anticipation after CD Projekt Red confirmed the expansion would have its first public showing on Tuesday. As we covered ahead of tonight’s reveal, Songs of the Past has been shaping up to be one of the biggest expansions CDPR has ever released — and the Gamescom slot finally gave fans their first real look at it.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Songs of the Past key art
Image courtesy of CD Projekt Red

Blood-and-Wine Scale — What Songs of the Past Is Bringing

CDPR is calling Songs of the Past a full expansion, not a DLC drop — and the scope backs that up. At roughly 40 hours of new content, it is on par with Blood and Wine (2016), the largest expansion the studio has ever shipped for The Witcher 3. Fool’s Theory, a studio staffed by Witcher industry veterans, is co-developing alongside CDPR.

The most celebrated feature confirmation: Gwent is back. Community manager Marcin Łukaszewski confirmed Gwent’s return via Game Rant, putting to rest fan speculation that the card game might not carry over from the base game era. The Belleteyn festival setting hinted at by gamescom booth artwork also points to a new region distinct from anything in the base game or prior expansions.

Co-CEO Michał Nowakowski has described the expansion as “in a way” a prologue that bridges Geralt’s story toward The Witcher 4 — making it required reading (or playing) for franchise fans tracking where the series is headed.

The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past at Gamescom 2026
Image courtesy of CD Projekt Red

Playable Demo at Gamescom — Where to Find It

Alongside tonight’s ONL premiere, CDPR confirmed that Songs of the Past is playable on the Gamescom show floor starting tomorrow, August 26. The demo is available at:

  • Entertainment area: Booths B030 and A031, Hall 8.1 — open August 26–30
  • Business area: Booth B065, Hall 4.2 — guided presentations August 26–28

A CDPR representative noted the demo team “made every effort to find the ideal balance between showcasing new content and avoiding major spoilers” — so expect a curated slice rather than an open-ended session. A closed-door preview was held at CDPR’s Warsaw HQ on August 20 for select press, and early impressions had already been circulating ahead of tonight.

The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past expansion details
Image courtesy of CD Projekt Red

Five Days of REDstreams Starting Tomorrow

Can’t make it to Cologne? CDPR is running daily REDstreams August 26–30 from the Gamescom venue, covering game showcases, behind-the-scenes footage, developer commentary, and special guests. You can catch them live at CDPR’s official YouTube channel and Twitch page as each broadcast drops. The day-by-day schedule will be posted to CDPR’s socials as the week kicks off.

Platforms, Release Window, and What SG Gamers Should Know

Songs of the Past launches in 2027 — the studio pushed the window back from its originally planned 2026 release to, in Nowakowski’s words, “achieve the best possible result.” Given that Blood and Wine is still widely considered the benchmark for how good a Witcher expansion can be, the extra time feels earned.

Confirmed platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Notably, the expansion is not coming to Nintendo Switch 2, even though the Witcher 3 Complete Edition launched on Switch. No pricing has been announced yet for any region — SGD pricing will depend on what CDPR and local digital storefronts set when pre-orders open. For now, PS5 and PC players (Steam, GOG) are the expected access points for Singapore fans.

The Witcher 3 has sold over 65 million copies worldwide since 2015, and the fanbase across SEA is substantial — Songs of the Past is genuinely one of the bigger expansions coming to current-gen hardware next year. Keep an eye on the REDstreams this week for more detail as CDPR peels back the layers.

For more upcoming releases and game news, stay tuned to GameTrader.

Event, Game News

Metro 2039 Gets Gamescom ONL Gameplay Trailer and February 2027 Release Window

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The Metro Returns to the Tunnels

4A Games and Deep Silver brought Metro 2039 to Gamescom Opening Night Live tonight with new gameplay footage and a firm confirmation of the February 2027 release window. The next instalment in the acclaimed post-apocalyptic FPS series is heading to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC — and if tonight’s footage is anything to go by, it represents a deliberate tonal return to the dark, claustrophobic tension that made Metro 2033 and Last Light so memorable.

Where Metro Exodus opened the series up to wide outdoor environments and large semi-open maps, Metro 2039 is pulling back. The focus is once again on the tunnels, occupied metro stations, and the oppressive close-quarters feel of underground Moscow — a shift 4A Games has said is partly inspired by the world’s changed understanding of conflict and survival since Exodus shipped.

Metro 2039 - Hunter, leader of the Novoreich
Hunter leads the Novoreich, the primary antagonist faction of Metro 2039. (Image: Deep Silver)

A New Protagonist, A New Enemy

Metro 2039 does not follow Artyom. The new player character is simply referred to as The Stranger — identity deliberately kept vague, likely by design. The antagonist faction this time is the Novoreich, a totalitarian regime that has risen to control significant parts of the Moscow metro system. At its head is Hunter, a figure who appears in the Gamescom footage as a genuinely unsettling villain with shades of the series’ best antagonists.

The game’s story was developed in close collaboration with Dmitry Glukhovsky, the author of the Metro novels that the series is based on. While Metro 2039 is not a direct adaptation of a specific book, it draws on Glukhovsky’s vision of this universe — which, given the thematic depth of the source material, is a solid foundation.

Back to What Made Metro Great

The gameplay footage shown at Gamescom underlines how different Metro 2039 feels in atmosphere from Exodus. Sightlines are short. Ammo is scarce. The lighting is oppressive and the sound design is immediately recognisable — dripping pipes, distant gunfire, the creak of ruined infrastructure. Whether navigating through a flooded station or an improvised outpost, the environmental storytelling appears as dense as ever.

Metro 2039 combat gameplay screenshot
Combat in Metro 2039 looks appropriately tense and resource-constrained. (Image: Deep Silver)

4A Games confirmed that the game supports stealth throughout, and that managing resources — gas mask filters, medkits, ammunition — remains central to the experience. The moral choice system from earlier Metro titles also appears to be returning in some form, though specific details weren’t outlined at this showing.

Metro 2039 tunnel environment
The claustrophobic tunnels of Moscow’s metro system are once again the game’s home territory. (Image: Deep Silver)

Playable at Gamescom This Week

For those attending Gamescom in Cologne, Metro 2039 will be playable on the show floor at Hall 9.1 from 27 to 30 August. It’s the game’s first public hands-on, and the setup is supported by NVIDIA, AOC, and Turtle Beach. Press and content creators get early access from 26 August with first impressions expected that morning.

Platforms and Release

Metro 2039 launches in February 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Xbox PC. It sits in a competitive window — February 2027 is also home to Fable and God of War: Laufey — but if 4A Games delivers on the tension and atmosphere on display at Gamescom, Metro 2039 could be the survival FPS that defines that month.

Event, Game News

Tides of Annihilation Brings Arthurian Myth to Fractured London in Gamescom ONL Story Trailer

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London Is Shattered, and Only the Knights of the Round Table Can Save It

Eclipse Glow Games made a striking impression at tonight’s Gamescom Opening Night Live, dropping a brand-new story trailer for Tides of Annihilation — the Chengdu-based studio’s ambitious third-person action-adventure that asks a wild question: what if Arthurian legend was all that stood between humanity and the apocalypse?

The trailer lays out a London torn apart. An otherworldly invasion has fractured the city, leaving only one survivor: Gwendolyn, a young woman who somehow emerged from the devastation with a unique and terrible gift — the ability to summon spectral manifestations of the Knights of the Round Table. Driven by the need to save her sister, restore the shattered world, and exact vengeance against the demi-gods of Avalon, Gwendolyn sets out in search of the Holy Grail.

Tides of Annihilation - Gwendolyn in fractured London
Gwendolyn navigates the ruins of a shattered London in Tides of Annihilation. (Image: Eclipse Glow Games / Steam)

Two Worlds, One Warrior

Tides of Annihilation takes place across two distinct settings. The first is a fractured modern London — recognisable, but warped beyond recovery, its streets and skylines broken by whatever force swept through. The second is Avalon, the mythical realm of Arthurian legend, now ruled by demi-gods who appear to be the source of the invasion. Gwendolyn must navigate both, pulling on the power of fallen knights to survive.

Among the spectral warriors players can summon are three named knights: Lamorak, Bors, and Palamedes — each bringing distinct combat styles to Gwendolyn’s arsenal. The game organises these into two knight sets of four, giving players a range of tactical options as they work through what Eclipse Glow describes as a linear story with meaningful exploration spaces woven in.

Tides of Annihilation - Giant spectral knight summon
The Knights of the Round Table manifest as colossal spectral warriors. (Image: Eclipse Glow Games)

Action Built on Rhythm and Reflection

Gameplay is third-person, single-player, and action-focused. Gwendolyn has access to light and heavy attacks, dodge rolls, and deflects — the bones of a system that should feel familiar to action fans, but Eclipse Glow’s signature mechanic is the mirror-space. Details remain somewhat vague, but it appears to involve shifting between or layering the two worlds in real time during combat and traversal, adding a puzzle dimension to the moment-to-moment play.

The studio’s intent reads clearly: this is a prestige single-player experience with cinematic weight behind it, not a live-service or open-world checklist game.

Tides of Annihilation - combat and environment
Combat in Tides of Annihilation blends Gwendolyn’s own skills with the summoned power of the knights. (Image: Eclipse Glow Games / Steam)

From State of Play to Gamescom

If tonight’s trailer is your first look at Tides of Annihilation, you may have missed the game’s initial reveal at State of Play 2025, where it first appeared with the concept intact but fewer specifics. The Gamescom ONL showing tonight marks the first proper story trailer for the project — the closest look yet at Gwendolyn’s motivation, the game’s tone, and the scope of its two-world design.

Platforms and Release

Tides of Annihilation is heading to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store). No release date has been confirmed — Eclipse Glow has been targeting 2026, though the studio has not made that window official. Tonight’s showing suggests the project is progressing, but we’d temper expectations on a near-term launch date until the developers say otherwise.

Eclipse Glow Games is backed by Tencent investment and based in Chengdu, making Tides of Annihilation one of the more high-profile action games coming out of China’s increasingly ambitious games industry. For Singapore players following the gamescom coverage, this is absolutely one to put on the radar — and arguably the most visually distinct action game shown tonight.

Game News

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Launches Oct. 2 — What SG Fans Need to Know

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Five weeks from now, Singapore’s aviation combat fans will finally be in the cockpit of one of the most-anticipated flight action games in years. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launches globally on 2 October 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam — and if you’re heading to Tokyo Game Show next month, it’s the one booth you can’t skip.

Taking Back Theve — The Story So Far

Wings of Theve is set in July 2029 inside Ace Combat’s signature Strangereal universe. The Federation of Central Usea wakes up to a nightmare: the Republic of Sotoa has launched a swift invasion and seized Theve, the FCU capital. Players step into the boots of Rex, an FCU Navy pilot aboard the carrier Endurance — a battered, ageing ship that becomes Joker Squadron’s mobile home throughout the campaign. The story, penned by Sunao Katabuchi, weaves in information warfare alongside the usual spectacular combat set-pieces, pitting Joker Squadron against a rival elite unit.

What You’ll Be Flying — 30+ Aircraft Across Four Combat Roles

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve dogfight HUD gameplay with F/A-18 targeting an enemy drone
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

The launch hangar carries over 30 aircraft split across four specialist roles: fighters, attack aircraft, multi-role jets, and electronic warfare planes. Confirmed airframes include the F/A-18C, the iconic F-14A Tomcat and F-14D — classic Ace Combat staples — alongside fictional Strangereal-exclusive designs. The electronic warfare role is a new addition to the mainline series, and given the story’s information-war themes, expect it to be more than just a novelty slot. Each role plays to a distinct tactical niche: fighters own the dogfight, attack craft shred ground targets, multi-role planes keep options open, and EW jets hint at radar jamming and sensor warfare mechanics.

Joker Squadron vs. the Lux Lunae — Enemy Aces Revealed

Lux Lunae 55th Unit enemy squadron with black fighter jet
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

The Lux Lunae — Sotoa’s elite 55th Tactical Squadron, 1st Special Operations Wing — are the ace nemesis you’ll tangle with across the campaign. Their jet-black aircraft and moon-wolf emblem carry that unmistakable Ace Combat antagonist menace. Beyond the Lux Lunae, the game continues the series tradition of colossal superweapons: the 450-metre Land Battleship looms over multiple missions, and blowing it apart piece by piece while dodging its guns is exactly the kind of spectacle Ace Combat fans have come for since the MIRV-armed Stonehenge days.

Editions, Pre-Orders and a Free Ace Combat Zero Remaster

Ace Combat 8 carrier deck with multiple jets lined up for sortie
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

Bandai Namco is rewarding early buyers generously. Every pre-order — Standard or Deluxe — includes a free PS5 port of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (2006), widely considered the series’ dramatic peak, plus an exclusive F-14A Tomcat skin. The Deluxe Edition adds three days of Early Access from 28 September, a cosmetic set, and a Premium Ace Pass Plus Voucher. SGD pricing on the local PlayStation Store has not been confirmed at time of writing; check your regional PS Store or Steam for current pricing.

First Public Playable at TGS 2026 — September 17

Ace Combat 8 first-person cockpit view above clouds at sunset
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

If you’re making the trip to Tokyo Game Show 2026 (17–21 September at Makuhari Messe, Chiba), Ace Combat 8 is Bandai Namco’s headline exhibit — the entire booth is built around it, with playable demo units, exclusive novelty giveaways and a pre-order campaign on-site. TGS marks the game’s first public play-test opportunity, nearly two weeks before the 2 October global launch. SG fans who make the annual TGS pilgrimage will want this at the top of their booth list.

For everyone watching from home, the 10-minute Walkthrough Trailer below is the best look at in-mission gameplay right now:

ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE | Walkthrough Trailer — via Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam) on 2 October 2026. Deluxe Edition Early Access begins 28 September. Pre-orders, which include the Ace Combat Zero remaster bonus, are live on the PlayStation Store and Steam now. For more upcoming releases and gaming news, head to our Game News archive.

Game News, Game Preview

Star Wars Zero Company Launches This Thursday — Everything Singapore Gamers Need to Know

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It’s almost time to rally the squad. Star Wars Zero Company launches this Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 11:00 PM SGT — and after months of previews, a stunning final trailer, and near-universal praise from the press, it’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting tactics games of the year. Here’s everything Singapore gamers need to know before they deploy.

What Is Star Wars Zero Company?

Developed by Bit Reactor — a studio founded by veterans of the XCOM series — and co-developed with Respawn Entertainment, Star Wars Zero Company is a single-player turn-based tactics game set in the twilight of the Clone Wars era. Think XCOM DNA wrapped in a Star Wars skin, crafted by people who literally built XCOM.

The game is published by EA under Lucasfilm Games and arrives on PC (Steam and EA App), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. There is no Nintendo Switch 2 version.

The Story: Zero Company and the Infinite Coil

You play as Commander Hawks, leader of Zero Company — a mercenary outfit operating out of the Ring of Kafrene, the asteroid mining belt fans will recognise from Rogue One. When a shadowy cult called the Infinite Coil and its leader Kundri Fathom begin threatening the fragile galactic order, Hawks and Zero Company are dragged into a conspiracy that cuts to the heart of the Clone Wars.

Two special operatives join the roster: a Jedi Padawan and a Mandalorian bounty hunter, each bringing unique playstyles to squad composition. The story is presented as an original narrative sitting within established Star Wars canon — not a tie-in to any existing film or show.

Star Wars Zero Company – squad tactics gameplay
Image courtesy of Lucasfilm Games / EA

Gameplay: XCOM DNA, Star Wars Soul

The core loop will be immediately familiar to tactics veterans: 3 action points per turn, cover-based positioning, and a squad you’ll grow attached to — and mourn if they fall. Layered on top is an Advantage resource system, a pool capped at 10 points that fuels special abilities and adds a strategic economy to every engagement.

Permadeath is in — injured squad members can be permanently scarred or killed if you push your luck — and for the truly bold, Beskar Mode (the game’s Ironman mode) locks saves so every decision is final. Deep squad customisation lets you tailor skills and loadouts between missions.

Most importantly: Zero Company is fully single-player with no battle pass, no multiplayer, and no live-service elements. Estimated playtime is 30–40 hours for the main story and 50+ hours with side content. A complete, premium package.

Preview Reception: Critics Are Impressed

Previews from the major gaming press have been overwhelmingly positive. Reviewers consistently praise the atmosphere, the tactical depth, and the way Zero Company threads Star Wars lore through a genuinely compelling original story. The XCOM pedigree is unmistakable and handled with confidence — tight, rewarding turn-based combat with meaningful stakes. If you were on the fence, the critical consensus should tip you over.

Singapore Release Details

Star Wars Zero Company unlocks for Singapore players at 11:00 PM SGT on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Pick it up on Steam, the EA App, the PlayStation Store, or the Xbox Store — wherever you game.

We covered the game’s SDCC cast reveal back in July — now it’s almost time to actually play it. Are you picking Zero Company up at launch? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Game News

GTA 6 Gameplay Leaked Before the Official Reveal — Rockstar’s DMCA Response Confirms It’s Real

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Rockstar Games is deep in DMCA mode this week. A group calling itself CyberLeek has posted gameplay footage from what appears to be a near-final build of Grand Theft Auto VI — and the publisher’s aggressive takedown notices have done more to confirm the clips’ authenticity than any official statement could. If you would rather wait for the clean version, the GTA VI: An Extended Look on Netflix drops this Wednesday, 27 August.

What the GTA 6 Gameplay Leak Actually Shows

Two minute-long video clips and a full screenshot of the Leonida map were posted online by CyberLeek starting on 18 August 2026. Reposts have been hit with DMCA takedowns almost the moment they appear — a whack-a-mole that is still going as of today.

What made it into the wild before the takedowns: one clip shows protagonist Jason at his waterside safehouse — shooting basketball, moving around the property. A second shows a driving sequence that escalates into a brawl with a delivery truck driver. The footage is brief but reveals more about GTA 6’s systems than anything officially released to date:

  • RPG-style stat boosts — a focus stat tied to in-game actions
  • Honour / karma system — devil icons in the HUD suggest a morality mechanic
  • Vehicle fuel management — cars appear to need refuelling
  • Expanded weapon loadouts and item storage

A leaked screenshot of the Leonida map confirms the setting’s scale: a large Miami-equivalent city on the east coast, island chains resembling the Florida Keys to the south, and a wide swath of rural land, swamps and coastal zones to the west and north.

Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 2 — via Rockstar Games on YouTube

Who Is CyberLeek — and What Do They Want?

GTA VI Jason and Lucia key art with bandanas, Leonida text on Jason's shirt
Image courtesy of Rockstar Games

CyberLeek claims their access goes beyond posted clips — they say they have a playable build of GTA 6. Their public messages frame the leak as activism: “Publishers should beware. If CyberLeek can reach Rockstar, no one is safe. This is a message to all big corpo: behave, or be the next target.”

Their specific grievances target the industry’s push toward all-digital: code-only physical editions, digital-only DLC, and what they described as “fake single-player DLC promises” in GTA 6’s Ultimate Edition. The group also launched a cryptocurrency coin alongside the leak, which gaming observers and security analysts widely characterised as an opportunistic scheme rather than a genuine statement.

Whatever your view of the cause, the material appears genuine. Rockstar’s DMCA response — targeting reposts across every major social platform almost in real time — is the clearest signal the footage is authentic.

The Official GTA VI Extended Look Is Four Days Away

Lucia and Jason mid-robbery in a GTA VI official trailer scene
Still from Rockstar Games’ official trailer

If you would rather wait for Rockstar’s own presentation: GTA VI: An Extended Look premieres on Netflix on Wednesday, 27 August at 3 AM SGT (Thursday morning), then simultaneously on YouTube. As we covered in our earlier guide, this is expected to be a substantial gameplay showcase, not a short teaser.

The full game releases 19 November 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. No PC, Switch, or Switch 2 version has been announced.

GTA 6: What Singapore Gamers Need to Know

Lucia overlooking Vice City from a rooftop pool in GTA VI official trailer
Still from Rockstar Games’ official trailer

GTA VI’s two protagonists — Jason and Lucia — operate across the state of Leonida, with Vice City (Rockstar’s Florida-inspired Miami) at the centre. Lucia is GTA’s first playable female protagonist. The story puts the pair in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state after “an easy score goes wrong,” in Rockstar’s words.

Singapore pre-orders are live across both PlayStation and Xbox digital stores, as well as major game retailers and electronics chains locally. For edition breakdowns and pricing, see our earlier GTA VI Singapore pre-orders guide.

Our take: hold off on hunting for the leaked clips. They’re disappearing as fast as mirrors appear, and Wednesday’s official extended look — coming from the people who made the game — will be a far better watch. For more game news including other big upcoming titles, check our coverage page.