Tag Archives: Xbox Series X

Game News

The Alters: Last Variable Drops 13 July — 20 New Hours on an Alien World

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Two days from now, the BAFTA-nominated sci-fi survival game The Alters gets a 20-hour expansion that takes the game’s strangest premise even further — and then leaves you alone with it on a dying world with only yourself for company.

Jan exploring the terraformed alien landscape in The Alters: Last Variable
Image courtesy of 11 bit studios

What Is The Alters: Last Variable?

The Alters was one of 2025’s quiet breakout hits — a survival base-builder where the sole crash-landing survivor on an alien world, scientist Jan Dolski, clones alternate versions of himself (his “Alters”) to keep the ship running. Each clone lived a different life, made different choices, and turned out radically different from the others. The base game won the DICE Award for Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year and earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Narrative.

Last Variable, developed by 11 bit studios, is a paid expansion launching simultaneously worldwide on 13 July 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG). It requires the base game and is priced at USD$19.99 on Steam — approximately SGD$27, to be confirmed at checkout.

Watch the Gameplay Trailer

The Alters: Last Variable | Gameplay Trailer — via 11 bit studios on YouTube

Four New Jans, One Dying Planet

In Last Variable, the story picks up years after the base game ends. Jan Scientist — a version of Jan who chose to stay behind on the hostile planet rather than leave — wakes from cryosleep with a singular obsession: solve the mystery of the Oasis, a pocket of inexplicable life on a world that should be dead.

He quickly realises he cannot do it alone. So he does what Jan does — he makes more of himself. Four new Alter variants join this expansion: a Geologist, a Biologist, a Chemist, and a Physicist, each bringing specialised expertise to the research mission.

Two versions of Jan working together in the Research Lab in The Alters: Last Variable
Image courtesy of 11 bit studios

But as with the base game, the Alters are not tools — they are people. Their outlooks, attitudes, and loyalties shift over in-game years. Some may fracture under pressure. Some may abandon the mission entirely. The team you start with may not be the team you finish with.

Terraforming, Underground Bases and Escalating Threats

Last Variable introduces three new gameplay systems that push the loop in meaningful directions:

  • Terraforming — Jan can reshape barren, hostile sectors of the planet into viable research zones, converting dead land into oases at a tangible cost.
  • Underground base building — new rooms include Research Bays, Cryosleep Chambers, and Field Labs for extended surface expeditions, adding real depth to colony management.
  • Scientific research tiers — unlock new modules, technology, and resources as the team’s collective knowledge compounds.

The planet responds to what Jan does. Terraform an area and you may trigger earthquakes. Push the research too hard and radiation spikes follow. Every discovery comes with a price, and the expansion builds systemic risk into each call — entirely in keeping with a game that has always been about science and its costs.

Jan approaching a field research base module in The Alters: Last Variable
Image courtesy of 11 bit studios

How to Get It in Singapore

The Alters is available digitally on PS5 via the PlayStation Store and on PC via Steam in Singapore with no regional restriction. The Last Variable DLC follows the same availability. If you have the base game — including via any subscription service — this expansion is the direct continuation of Jan’s story, and at 20 hours it is closer to a sequel than a side chapter. For more game news, stay tuned to GameTrader.SG.

Game News

Mortal Shell II Locks In August 20 Release Date

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Cold Symmetry’s dark open-world follow-up Mortal Shell II finally has a confirmed date: it launches on 20 August 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Publisher Playstack confirmed the date on 9 July alongside a new release date trailer, and a free open beta is already live on Steam right now.

Mortal Shell II – Official Release Date Trailer — via XBOX on YouTube
Mortal Shell II gameplay screenshot showing combat in a dark fantasy setting
Image courtesy of Cold Symmetry

Eight Shells, One Interconnected Open World

The sequel expands well beyond the original’s haunted corridors. Mortal Shell II takes place across a compact but deeply interconnected open world built around more than 60 dungeons — sunken temples, forbidden forests, and stranger locales — all accessible without loading screens between areas. Your main tool is the Shell system: eight distinct dormant warrior forms you can possess, each with its own moveset, abilities, and upgrade paths.

One of the biggest mechanical departures from the first game is the removal of the stamina bar. Cold Symmetry has rebuilt the combat to feel faster and more fluid, centred on breaking enemy posture and landing critical hits by exploiting the right openings rather than watching a draining gauge. Weapons have been redesigned from the ground up with deeper upgrade trees to match.

Mortal Shell II open world showing dark temples and atmospheric ruins
Image courtesy of Cold Symmetry

Hunting the Undermether

You play as the Harbinger, sent into this hostile world to reclaim stolen eggs from a dangerous faction called the Undermether. The story remains deliberately cryptic in the Mortal Shell tradition, but the shift to an open world with 60-plus dungeons gives the environmental storytelling far more room to breathe than the original’s more linear layout allowed. Strange companions and hidden lore are scattered throughout.

Editions, Pricing, and Pre-Order Bonuses

Mortal Shell II launches in three editions:

  • Standard Edition — US$49.99
  • Devout Edition — US$59.99, adds up to 72 hours of early access ahead of the 20 August launch date, plus the full Obsidian skin set for all eight playable Shells
  • Revered Edition (physical PS5 only) — base game, SteelBook case, hardcover art book, fine art prints, and collector’s box packaging

Pre-ordering on any platform also unlocks the Skeletal Harbinger and Obsidian Harbinger cosmetic skins at no extra cost.

Mortal Shell II posture-breaking combat with a Shell warrior
Image courtesy of Cold Symmetry

The Free Open Beta Is Live on Steam Right Now

You can jump into Mortal Shell II on PC today — no purchase or pre-order required. A free open beta is live on Steam, and everyone who downloads and plays during the beta period earns the Flayed Harbinger cosmetic skin that carries into the full release. It is a no-cost way to check whether the revamped stamina-free combat clicks for you before putting money down.

Mortal Shell II dark fantasy world with sprawling ruins and hostile landscape
Image courtesy of Cold Symmetry

Getting It in Singapore

Singapore players can pre-order Mortal Shell II now via the PlayStation Store, the Microsoft Store, or Steam. Local SGD pricing on the PS Store and Xbox is to be confirmed — check each storefront directly for the regional price. The physical Revered Edition for PS5 is available through international retailers for those who prefer a boxed copy.

Soulslike gaming has a dedicated following in Singapore, and Mortal Shell II’s combination of a full open world, eight build paths, and no stamina-gating makes it one of the more accessible entries in the genre for players who found the first game’s rhythm punishing. 20 August is one to mark on the calendar. Browse more upcoming game releases and news on GameTrader.SG.

Game News

Xbox Game Pass July 2026: Gears of War Reloaded Is Live Today

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Singapore Xbox and PC Game Pass subscribers have a good reason to boot up their console today: Gears of War: Reloaded — a full remaster of the 2006 classic — just dropped into the library, and it is only the start of a stacked July wave.

Gears of War: Reloaded — soldier takes cover as a Locust creature emerges from the street
Image courtesy of Xbox Game Studios

Gears of War: Reloaded — The Definitive Package, Available Now

The Coalition rebuilt the original Gears of War in Unreal Engine, and the results are immediately obvious: 4K resolution, up to 120fps, and visuals that hold up next to modern releases. Every piece of post-launch content is bundled in — the bonus campaign act that never shipped in the original retail box, every multiplayer map, and all cosmetic DLC. Cross-play and cross-progression are included, so Game Pass Ultimate and Premium subscribers can move freely between Xbox Series X|S, PC, and cloud without losing saves or progress.

The game has expanded its tier coverage as well: Gears of War: Reloaded is now part of Game Pass Premium (it previously required Ultimate or PC Game Pass), bringing it within reach of more subscribers in Singapore and across Southeast Asia.

Gears of War: Reloaded | Official Trailer — via Gears of War on YouTube

Why the Timing Matters: E-Day Is Coming 6 October

Gears of War: Reloaded — first-person view of an abandoned ruined hall lit by firelight
Image courtesy of Xbox Game Studios

Microsoft’s scheduling is deliberate. Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel set on Emergence Day — the moment the Locust Horde first erupted from underground and overwhelmed Sera — launches on 6 October 2026, also day-one on Game Pass. The game puts players in the boots of a younger Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago fourteen years before the events of the original.

With Reloaded on Game Pass now, there are roughly three months to experience where the series begins before E-Day rewinds the clock to its origins. For anyone who missed Gears the first time around — or wants a refresher before October — this is a well-timed on-ramp.

The Full July Wave: What Else Is Coming

Gears of War: Reloaded — soldier surveys an overgrown ruined building exterior
Image courtesy of Xbox Game Studios

Beyond Gears, July brings a strong assortment of titles across genres:

  • Gears of War: Reloaded — Cloud, Series X|S, Handheld, PC | Premium / Ultimate / PC Pass | Available now (9 July)
  • Palworld 1.0 — Cloud, Console, PC | Ultimate / Premium / PC Pass | 10 July (full 1.0 release)
  • Ascend to Zero — Cloud, Series X|S, PC | Day-one on Game Pass | 13 July
  • Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 — Cloud, Console, PC | Ultimate / Premium / PC Pass | 21 July
  • The Planet Crafter — Cloud, Series X|S, PC (online co-op) | Ultimate / Premium / PC Pass | 21 July
  • Tamashika (9 July), Mavrix by Matt Jones (16 July), FixForce (17 July), Fogpiercer / PC (17 July)

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 arriving on 21 July is the other headline: the beloved HD remake of the two most iconic skateboarding games, rebuilt with the full pro-skater roster, all original levels, and the classic trick system — one of the best-reviewed remakes of the last decade, and now free with your subscription.

All of the above are available in Singapore on the corresponding Game Pass tiers. For a wider look at what is hitting stores and services this month, check our game news feed.

Game News, Singapore Gaming Scene

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Is Out Now — Made by Ubisoft Singapore

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Singapore gamers have extra reason to celebrate today — Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the fully rebuilt remake of the fan-favourite pirate chapter, is out now on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with the PC version unlocking at 10 PM SGT tonight. The kicker: this remake was led by Ubisoft Singapore. Standard Edition on Steam is S$79.90.

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

A Singapore Studio Behind a AAA Remake

Ubisoft Singapore led development of Black Flag Resynced, with many of the original game’s developers returning to the project — making this one of the highest-profile AAA titles to be helmed out of our local game development scene. The remake is built on the latest version of Ubisoft’s Anvil Engine, the same foundation that powers the current-generation AC titles.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — character and environment gameplay
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

The original Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (2013) remains one of the most beloved entries in the series, celebrated for its open-world Caribbean pirate setting, Edward Kenway’s charismatic arc, and its defining naval combat. Resynced is a faithful recreation of that game, not a sequel or reimagining — but it arrives with a comprehensive suite of modernisation.

What Ubisoft Singapore Has Rebuilt

Across combat, movement, stealth, and the world itself, nearly every system has been touched. Combat shifts to a reworked parry-driven model with visceral takedowns. The stealth toolkit gains an Observe mode for pre-engagement scouting, plus the freedom to crouch or dive from any position. Parkour adds manual jumps and side ejects for more deliberate traversal.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — stealth and combat mechanics
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Dynamic weather reshapes both fights and exploration, while destructible environmental objects add consequence to encounters. New storylines have been written for Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet, giving fan-favourite characters expanded arcs. Matt Ryan returns to voice Edward Kenway with the original cast in tow, and the game gains a photo mode alongside ship customisation that now extends to pet companions on the Jackdaw.

Naval Combat Gets a Complete Overhaul

The Jackdaw’s Caribbean dominance is back — and it’s been rebuilt from the hull up. Secondary weapons are now part of your naval arsenal, and newly recruitable officers bring special abilities into fleet battles. The vessel itself can be customised more extensively than before, and the soundscape gains ten new sea shanties plus an original song reimagined by French composer Woodkid.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — naval combat and the Jackdaw
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Crucially, Ubisoft has confirmed this is not an RPG. The stat-heavy mechanics introduced in Odyssey and Valhalla are absent — Resynced keeps the original’s tight, narrative-driven pace. If you stepped away from the series during its RPG era, this is built with you in mind.

Editions and Pricing for Singapore

The Standard Edition is available on Steam SG at S$79.90. Deluxe and Collector’s Edition tiers are available at higher price points — check the Steam listing or the Ubisoft Store for current SGD pricing on those. The game is also sold through the Epic Games Store on PC, and physical copies for PS5 are available at major game retailers and electronics chains.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — open world exploration
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Release timing for Singapore: PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players can jump in now — console versions unlocked at local midnight. PC launches globally at 2 PM UTC (14:00 UTC), which for Singapore means the game goes live at 10 PM SGT tonight. Ubisoft Connect streaming is also available via Nvidia GeForce Now and Blacknut.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — cinematic scene
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Whether you’re revisiting a classic or discovering Edward Kenway for the first time, Black Flag Resynced is a major showcase of what Singapore’s games industry can ship. Follow our Singapore gaming scene coverage and game news for more on what’s landing locally this week.

Game News

Halo: Campaign Evolved Launches on PS5 July 28 — SGD 79.90, First Halo on PlayStation

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After 25 years as an Xbox and PC exclusive, the Halo franchise is finally coming to PlayStation. Halo: Campaign Evolved launches on PS5 on July 28, 2026 at SGD 79.90, with Premium Edition owners getting early access from July 23 — and the Singapore PlayStation Store has it live for pre-order right now.

Halo: Campaign Evolved | Cinematic Story Trailer — via HALO on YouTube

The Franchise-Defining Moment: First Halo on PlayStation, Ever

Halo: Combat Evolved launched on the original Xbox in 2001 and single-handedly defined what a console first-person shooter could be. For twenty-five years, the Master Chief has never set foot on a Sony platform. That changes on July 28.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a new entry in the franchise published by Microsoft Corporation, available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC simultaneously. Singapore PS5 owners — a platform that has outsold Xbox locally by a wide margin — now have direct access to one of gaming’s most iconic campaigns for the very first time, with no Xbox or PC required.

Halo: Campaign Evolved — the Halo ring world beach environment rebuilt with new visuals
Image courtesy of Halo Studios / Microsoft

What Is Halo: Campaign Evolved?

The game centres on the Halo ring — an ancient superweapon the size of a small moon, orbiting a gas giant in deep space. The Master Chief crash-lands on its lush surface after a desperate battle against the alien Covenant fleet, and what follows is one of gaming’s greatest campaign structures: open environments, Warthog sorties, Flood-horror corridors, and a story that introduced millions of players to the universe Bungie built.

Halo Studios has rebuilt the experience with new visual fidelity, bringing the alien beaches, dark forerunner interiors, and sweeping exterior vistas to a standard the original hardware — or even the 2011 Anniversary remaster — could never achieve. The images released through the official Halo Waypoint show a game that looks genuinely stunning on current hardware.

Halo: Campaign Evolved — Master Chief aboard a Pelican dropship in a new cinematic
Image courtesy of Halo Studios / Microsoft

Singapore PS5 Pricing, Editions, and Release Dates

The Singapore PlayStation Store listing confirms two editions with SGD pricing:

  • Standard Edition — SGD 79.90: releases July 28, 2026 at 11 PM SGT
  • Premium Edition — SGD 109.90: early access from July 23, 2026 at 11 PM SGT (5 days ahead)

The SGD 79.90 standard price sits in line with major PS5 first-party releases. If you want to be playing over the July 24-27 long approach, the Premium Edition’s SGD 30 premium gets you five extra days — worth considering if your schedule opens up that week. Both editions are available to pre-order now.

Local Co-op, Asian Language Support, and More

Halo: Campaign Evolved — two-player local split-screen co-op confirmed
Image courtesy of Halo Studios / Microsoft

Halo has always been a co-op game at heart — the two-player split-screen on the original Xbox became a defining social experience of early 2000s gaming. Halo Studios has confirmed local split-screen co-op returns in Campaign Evolved, alongside online co-op for playing with friends across the globe.

The Singapore PS Store listing also confirms English, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese language support — strong regional coverage that makes this accessible for Singapore’s multilingual gaming community as well as players across Southeast Asia. The game carries a 16+ age rating for the Singapore listing.

For the complete game news breakdown and pre-order options, head to the PlayStation Store Singapore or Halo Waypoint for the latest official updates ahead of the July 28 launch.

Game Industry News, News

Xbox to Lay Off 3,200 Employees and Divest Five Studios

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Microsoft has announced the most sweeping restructuring in Xbox’s history: 3,200 jobs cut across fiscal year 2027, with 1,600 roles eliminated today, and five game studios leaving Xbox ownership. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed the news in an internal memo published on Xbox Wire this morning, calling the state of the business “not healthy” — a remarkable admission that sets the tone for what comes next.

3,200 Layoffs and Five Studios Departing Xbox

The 3,200 figure spans the whole of fiscal year 2027 (starting July 1, 2026), but 1,600 of those roles are gone today. According to Gematsu, the cuts touch virtually every Xbox division: Activision, Bethesda, Blizzard, King, Mojang, and Xbox Game Studios are all affected.

Five studios are simultaneously exiting Xbox’s ownership:

  • Compulsion Games (South of Midnight) — returning to independence, retaining its IPs and catalogue
  • Double Fine Productions (Psychonauts) — returning to independence, retaining its IPs and catalogue
  • Ninja Theory (Hellblade / Senua’s Saga) — entering new ownership “with funding to complete” the upcoming Senua project
  • Undead Labs (State of Decay 3) — entering new ownership “with funding to complete” State of Decay 3
  • Arkane Studios France (Marvel’s Blade) — in a French Works Council consultation on “strategic options,” outcome unknown

What Happens to Ninja Theory and the Studios Going Independent

Senua key art from Ninja Theory's Hellblade: Senua's Saga — the studio is leaving Xbox ownership
Image courtesy of Ninja Theory

The key detail is that no studio has been outright closed, and Sharma’s memo states explicitly that no previously announced game has been cancelled. For Compulsion and Double Fine, the structured exits are arguably the cleanest outcome: both return to independence with their IPs, back catalogues, and runway funding intact. Psychonauts, South of Midnight, and We Happy Few stay with the people who made them.

Ninja Theory and Undead Labs face a more conditional future. New ownership is being sought “with funding to complete and grow” their in-progress titles — Senua and State of Decay 3. These games are not cancelled, but their continued development depends on acquisition deals that haven’t fully closed. Arkane Lyon is the most uncertain: a French Works Council consultation can result in a sale, a restructure, or — if no arrangement is reached — a closure.

Double Fine Returns to Independence After Seven Years Under Xbox

Razputin Aquato in Psychonauts 2 — Double Fine Productions is returning to independence
Image courtesy of Double Fine Productions / Xbox

Double Fine’s exit is the most bittersweet of the lot. Tim Schafer’s studio joined Xbox in 2019 and went on to release Psychonauts 2 in 2021 to widespread critical acclaim. Now, just seven years later, they’re going independent again. If the exit terms are genuine — IPs included, runway provided — Double Fine should be fine. They have a beloved catalogue and genuine name recognition. The fact that even a critically acclaimed studio wasn’t ring-fenced does, however, say something about the scale of what Xbox is resetting.

Sharma’s Unusually Honest Admission

The memo from Sharma is worth reading for its candour alone. As quoted by Gematsu, she wrote: “Our business today is not healthy. We are operating at margins that are [three to 10 times] lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses.” Since 2018, Xbox aggressively expanded its studio portfolio, and in a typical year “lost 64 cents for every dollar we invested.”

The structural fix mirrors the financial admission: management layers will collapse from as many as 14 to a maximum of five. COO Dave McCarthy — a 17-year Xbox veteran — retires, with Helen Chiang stepping up to oversee content, hardware, platform, and services with full profit-and-loss responsibility.

Sharma’s closer — “These changes are about a bigger future for Xbox, not a smaller one” — will be tested over the next 12 months. The 2027 growth target is on the record.

What Singapore Xbox and Game Pass Subscribers Should Watch

For Singapore Game Pass players, the near-term picture is more stable than the headlines suggest. No games are cut, and Game Pass itself isn’t being wound back. But the longer-term question — whether Xbox is transitioning into a software and services company that happens to make some hardware, rather than a platform business building an exclusive content empire — is now squarely on the table.

The ones to watch: how quickly Ninja Theory and Undead Labs find new owners, and what happens to Arkane Lyon. If both deals close cleanly, the reset may yet prove to be a stabilising rather than a shrinking moment. If the deals fall through, the calculus changes. For more on the industry backdrop, see our game industry news coverage.

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.

Game News, Singapore Gaming Scene

Black Flag Resynced Out July 9 — Led by Ubisoft Singapore

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Five days from now, Edward Kenway weighs anchor again — and the crew that rebuilt his story is based right here in Singapore. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced launches on 9 July 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and it marks the first full remake in Ubisoft’s history.

Black Flag Resynced and Ubisoft Singapore’s Naval Legacy

The decision to assign the remake to Ubisoft Singapore is one with deep roots. The Singapore studio has spent years developing water rendering and naval gameplay systems on the Anvil engine — the same engine powering Assassin’s Creed Shadows — which makes Black Flag’s Caribbean world a natural fit for the team’s expertise.

“Ubisoft Singapore not only has a history of working on water tech through Anvil, we have a history with naval gameplay and stuff,” Creative Director Paul Fu told Game Informer. “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.”

Singapore leads a global co-development team spanning Ubisoft studios in Montreal, Barcelona, Belgrade, Bordeaux, Bucharest, Chengdu, Da Nang, India, Kyiv, Montpellier, Philippines, Quebec, Shanghai, and Sofia. The project puts Singapore at the creative centre of what is unambiguously a tentpole release for one of gaming’s biggest franchises.

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

Rebuilt Visuals — What the Anvil Engine Delivers

This is a ground-up rebuild, not a remaster. Ray-traced global illumination, micropolygon rendering, Atmos-driven dynamic weather, and modernised water physics replace the original’s 2013 visuals entirely. On PS5 three display modes are available: Performance (60fps, standard RT), Balance (40fps, enhanced RT), and High Quality (30fps, enhanced RT). PS5 Pro players get enhanced PSSR upscaling across all three. Xbox Series X matches the PS5 options; Xbox Series S runs at 30fps and 1620p. PC requires a 65 GB SSD and Windows 11, scaling from a GTX 1660 at 1080p/30fps up to RTX 4090 for 4K/60fps ultra.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — rebuilt visuals on PS5 and PC
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

What’s New in Black Flag Resynced — Stealth, Combat and Naval

The remake adds substantive gameplay changes across the board. Stealth gets crouch-anywhere and dive-anywhere movement plus an observe mode for tagging enemies before moving in. Combat introduces a parry-driven system with new takedown animations. Naval combat expands with shrapnel barrels, 8-pounder cannons, new Jackdaw officers with special abilities, and a reworked Kenway’s Fleet for passive income generation. Ship customisation adds pets and skins to the Jackdaw. Ten new sea shanties have been recorded, and GRAMMY-nominated artist Woodkid is contributing a reimagined track — details due later in 2026.

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

Matt Ryan Returns as Edward Kenway

The original voice actor Matt Ryan has returned to record new lines for the remake. Additional missions and scenes expand the story around fan-favourite characters — Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, and Calico Jack all get more to do. The Deluxe Edition (US$69.99, digital only) bundles the Master Assassin Character Pack and Naval Pack alongside the base game. Pre-orders across all editions include Blackbeard’s Crimson Pack: an exclusive Edward Kenway costume with matched swords and a pistol set.

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

Editions, Platforms and Singapore Availability

Three editions launch on 9 July:

  • Standard Edition — US$59.99 (physical and digital)
  • Deluxe Edition — US$69.99 (digital only, includes Master Assassin Character Pack and Naval Pack)
  • Collector’s Edition — US$199.99 (Edward figurine, metal brooch, SteelBook, cloth map)

Platforms: PS5, PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Connect. Cloud streaming is available on Nvidia GeForce Now and Blacknut. SGD pricing through the PlayStation Store SG and local retailers is to be confirmed — check major game retailers and electronics chains in the run-up to 9 July. For more upcoming game news, we will have more coverage as the launch approaches.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — Caribbean pirate adventure
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Game Industry News, Game News

Xbox Console Prices Rise by Up to $150 from August 1

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If you have been sitting on the fence about picking up an Xbox, the clock is now ticking. Microsoft has confirmed a worldwide price increase for every Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X model, kicking in on August 1, 2026 — and the jumps are not small.

Xbox Series S and X price increase announcement graphic
Image courtesy of Microsoft

Xbox price increase 2026: the new numbers

Microsoft announced the changes on the official Xbox Wire, with all models affected from August 1:

  • Xbox Series S 512GB — US$399.99 → US$499.99 (+US$100)
  • Xbox Series S 1TB — US$449.99 → US$599.99 (+US$150)
  • Xbox Series X Digital 1TB — US$599.99 → US$749.99 (+US$150)
  • Xbox Series X 1TB with disc — US$649.99 → US$799.99 (+US$150)

The 2TB Xbox Series X model is being discontinued outright and will not continue at any price point. Microsoft has not yet released updated Singapore dollar pricing, but local retailers typically adjust within days of a global announcement, so the window to buy at current SGD rates is narrow. Check with major game retailers and electronics chains in Singapore for current stock and pricing before August 1.

Why is Microsoft raising Xbox prices?

Microsoft was direct about the reason. In the Xbox Wire post, the company stated that “console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027.” The post also reiterated that consoles are sold at or below cost — unlike phones or PCs — making component inflation a direct hit to the business.

This is the third price increase for the Xbox Series generation. The first came in May 2025, a second followed in October 2025 (US market only), and this August 2026 wave is the broadest yet, hitting markets worldwide simultaneously.

Xbox Series X console
Image courtesy of Microsoft

Microsoft’s buy-now options before August 1

To soften the blow, Microsoft has introduced several affordability measures alongside the announcement: interest-free buy now, pay later through the Microsoft Store; 0% APR financing for up to 12 months via Amazon; and trade-in programmes for pre-owned consoles with certified refurbished units at up to US$100 off the new MSRP.

For Singapore gamers, the practical takeaway is straightforward — if an Xbox is already on your shortlist, buying before August 1 at current local prices is the better deal. The Series S remains the most affordable entry point into the Xbox ecosystem and Microsoft’s Game Pass library, even at the higher price tier. For those on the fence between the Series X and a PS5, the relative value comparison has shifted slightly in Sony’s favour with this increase.

No changes have been announced to Game Pass subscription pricing at this time.