Tag Archives: Xbox Series X

Game News

GTA Online: The Kortz Center Heist Is Live Today — Art Theft on PS5, Xbox, and PC

Leave a comment
GTA Online: The Kortz Center Heist official key art
Image courtesy of Rockstar Games

Rockstar has opened the vault. The Kortz Center Heist — GTA Online’s blockbuster summer 2026 update — went live this morning on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC as part of Title Update 1.73. As we covered when the update was first announced, this is the biggest new heist to hit GTA Online in years, and Singapore players can jump in right now.

What Is the Kortz Center Heist?

The Kortz Center art gallery exterior in GTA Online
Image courtesy of Rockstar Games

The Kortz Center is Los Santos’ most prestigious cultural space — a Pacific Bluffs gallery packed with high-value artwork, tight security, and no shortage of cameras. Your job: team up with the mysterious art dealer Mr. Faber and his chief fixer Raf De Angelis, scout the building without raising any alarms, then pull off the cleanest heist in Los Santos history.

The approach is fully flexible. Go it alone or build a crew of up to three — the game scales challenge and payouts to your squad size. Rockstar is rotating in three new target paintings every week, so there’s a reason to keep coming back well after your first clean run.

The Art Studio: Your New Heist HQ

The Art Studio property upgrade in GTA Online for The Kortz Center Heist
Image courtesy of Rockstar Games

Getting into the heist takes more than just showing up at the gallery. You’ll first need to own a Prix Luxury Mansion and purchase the new Art Studio expansion. This becomes your planning hub: your in-house counterfeiter produces duplicate paintings that slot into the Kortz Center walls while the originals end up in your hands.

If you own a Mansion and played GTA Online before July 13, you’re already ahead — Rockstar credited eligible players with a free Annihilator Stealth helicopter and a GTA$1,000,000 discount on the Art Studio upgrade as part of the Fine Art Collector pre-launch programme. Everyone who played online during that window also received GTA$500,000 and a free Benefactor Turreted Limo.

Scope It, Fake It, Take It

Art counterfeiting underway inside the GTA Online Art Studio
Image courtesy of Rockstar Games

The heist unfolds in stages. First, you head to the Kortz Center itself — stroll among the exhibits like any other visitor, discreetly photograph the target paintings without alerting security, and map your getaway routes. Then it’s back to the Art Studio to lock in your approach — quiet infiltration, all-guns-blazing, or something in between. Each week’s initial painting sale carries the best payout, so timing matters.

The full scope of rewards is still being discovered by the community, but the setup rivals the scale of past GTA Online marquee heists like Cayo Perico and the Diamond Casino.

New Vehicle and What Else Is In the Update

Title Update 1.73 also adds the Grotti Veleno GT, a new Super-class sports car, with GTA+ subscribers getting one week of exclusive early access from today. Rockstar Mission Creator also received improvements in this patch.

Context worth keeping in mind: with GTA VI confirmed for 19 November 2026, The Kortz Center Heist is shaping up to be among GTA Online’s final major story DLC additions before Rockstar’s full attention shifts to the new game. If you’ve been meaning to get back in, this is the send-off worth logging in for.

The update is available now — download sizes are 1.9 GB on PS5 and 5.1 GB on Xbox Series X|S. For more game news, check our latest coverage.

Source: Rockstar Games Newswire

Rayman and friends in the Once Upon a Time level from Rayman Legends Retold
Game News

Rayman Legends Retold Gets Surprise Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Crossover Skin Ahead of October Launch

Leave a comment

Ubisoft just dropped a fun surprise for fans of both Rayman and Assassin’s Creed: Rayman Legends Retold will include a playable Edward Kenway skin from Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag — and it’s already confirmed ahead of the game’s October 1, 2026 launch on PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

The crossover skin, revealed just hours ago, sees the iconic pirate-assassin dressed in his signature white hood and dual hidden blades leap into the vibrant side-scrolling world of Rayman. It joins previously announced crossover costumes for AstroBot and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — a crossover lineup that spans both PlayStation exclusives and third-party darlings.

Rayman Legends Retold - Once Upon a Time level
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

What Is Rayman Legends Retold?

If you missed the June reveal during PlayStation’s State of Play, here’s the quick brief: Rayman Legends Retold is a reimagined remake of the beloved 2013 platformer, rebuilt from the ground up by Ubisoft Milan and Ubisoft Montpellier. The original game’s gorgeous UbiArt 2D visuals have been replaced with a 2.5D Snowdrop engine presentation — think lush 3D environments viewed from a side-scrolling perspective, peppered with full 3D cinematics.

But it’s not just a visual upgrade. The Retold version brings:

  • A brand-new sixth realm with an original storyline
  • Fully voiced cinematics featuring the returning cast
  • Four new musical stages (in addition to the classic ones)
  • Dragon rides starring Toad and company
  • A new Cave of Trials challenge mode
  • Improved Kung Foot mini-game with new arenas
  • 1–4 player local and online co-op

And here’s the kicker: every copy of Rayman Legends Retold includes Rayman Origins: Enhanced Edition for free — the 2011 predecessor rebuilt in 4K/60fps with new collectibles and QoL improvements. That’s two full games in one package.

RAYMAN LEGENDS RETOLD | Reveal Trailer — Ubisoft
Rayman Legends Retold - Dragon Ride featuring Toad
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Editions and Pricing

Three editions are available at launch:

  • Standard Edition — USD $39.99 (~SGD 53–55): Base game + Rayman Origins: Enhanced Edition
  • Deluxe Edition: Adds the Retro Pack — four classic costumes (Classic Rayman, Betilla, Retro Hunter, Electoon Teensie) plus an Art Gallery unlock
  • Launch Edition: Includes the Hoodlum Havoc Pack with two Rayman 3-inspired costumes (available for a limited time at launch)

The game is rated E10+ by the ESRB and weighs in at 23.4 GB on Nintendo Switch 2. It will also be available on GeForce Now and Blacknut cloud gaming platforms at launch.

Rayman Legends Retold - Lucha Chase gameplay
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Worth the Wait for Singapore Gamers?

At roughly SGD $53–55 for a package that includes two games, plus a stacked Deluxe Edition and a growing roster of fun crossover skins, Rayman Legends Retold is shaping up to be one of the better-value platformers of 2026. Switch 2 owners in Singapore should note the 23.4 GB download requirement — make sure your microSD card is ready.

Rayman Legends Retold launches October 1, 2026 on PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Store). Pre-orders are live now.

Game News

Once Human Hits PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on 25 August — Free with New First-Person Mode

Leave a comment

PS5 owners, it is finally happening. NetEase Games and Starry Studio have confirmed that Once Human, their wildly popular free-to-play survival MMO, launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on 25 August 2026 — and it will cost you nothing to download. After two years as a PC-exclusive, the game is finally crossing over to the consoles that dominate Singapore living rooms.

A Whole New Way to Play: First-Person Mode

Once Human gameplay screenshot showing exploration
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

The console launch is not just a straight port. Starry Studio is introducing a first-person perspective that sits alongside the existing third-person camera — players can swap between the two at any time, even mid-combat. Weapon animations have been rebuilt from the ground up to match the tighter viewpoint, and the shift fundamentally changes how shooting and resource gathering feel. For players who found third-person survival games a little removed, first-person Once Human is worth a serious look.

4K at 60fps or 120fps — Your Call

Console players get two graphics presets out of the box. Quality Mode delivers a native 4K image at 60 frames per second, while Performance Mode trades some resolution for a buttery 120fps on compatible displays. PS5 players also get DualSense haptic feedback tuned to the game’s world — low-frequency rumbles when giant creatures are nearby, and trigger resistance that shifts during boss encounters. It is a small thing, but it makes the PS5 version feel genuinely at home on the platform.

Once Human screenshot showing the post-apocalyptic world
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

Cross-Play and Cross-Progression From Day One

This is the detail that matters most for Singapore’s gaming scene. Once Human on console will launch with full cross-play and cross-progression between PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. If you have been grinding on Steam since the 2024 PC launch, every hour carries over. If your friends are on different platforms, you are in the same session regardless. That kind of parity at a free-to-play title’s console debut is not something to take for granted — and it makes the August 25 date relevant to everyone, not just newcomers.

For an overview of what has been happening in recent game releases, check out our Game News section.

300+ Hours of Content at Launch

Once Human console launch promotional art
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

Console players are not getting a reduced build. The launch version ships with six full scenarios and an additional PVP spin-off, adding up to more than 300 hours of Day One content. There is also a paid option for players who want to hit the ground running: a Starter Pack at USD 9.99 and a Radiance Pack at USD 14.99 are available as pre-purchase options, though the base game remains entirely free.

Watch the Console Launch Trailer

Once Human | Global Console Launch on Aug 25 (PT) — via Once Human on YouTube
Once Human screenshot showing game environment
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

Once Human launched on PC in July 2024 and has accumulated a massive player base across Southeast Asia. The August 25 console release opens that same world to anyone with a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S — no purchase required. Mark the date.

Game News, News

AC Black Flag Resynced Hits 2 Million Sales in One Day

Leave a comment

Ubisoft’s Singapore-led remake of the beloved pirate adventure has made a stunning commercial debut: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced sold 2 million copies within its first 24 hours of release, making it the fastest-selling entry in the AC franchise in over a decade. The official milestone was confirmed by Ubisoft on 10 July — one day after the game launched on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

As we covered at launch, Black Flag Resynced is a ground-up remake developed primarily by Ubisoft Singapore — the studio with deeper roots in the Caribbean than anyone, having contributed to the original 2013 Black Flag’s ocean simulation and then spent a decade on the ill-fated Skull and Bones. Their full-circle moment has now also become a commercial one.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — Edward Kenway overlooking a Caribbean harbour
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Record Steam Numbers for Assassin’s Creed

On Steam alone, Resynced peaked at 99,451 concurrent players on launch day — the highest ever recorded for any Assassin’s Creed title on the platform, surpassing even Assassin’s Creed Shadows. It also topped Twitch on July 9 by viewer count.

Critics backed up the player enthusiasm. Resynced sits at 85% on OpenCritic and 84% on Metacritic, making it the best-reviewed AC game since the original Black Flag — the very game it remakes. Ubisoft Singapore rebuilt the entire experience from scratch in the Anvil engine, with zero code carried over from the 2013 version.

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

A Rare Moment of Transparency from Ubisoft

Ubisoft disclosing concrete sales numbers is itself notable. The company stopped publishing unit-sales figures years ago, making this the first time it has shared a specific number for an AC game since the original Black Flag sold over 11 million copies back in 2013. Whether intentional PR or a sign of renewed confidence, the disclosure reflects just how strong a launch this has been.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — Edward Kenway at the Jackdaw's helm
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

The Microtransaction Caveat

The launch has not been entirely smooth. Steam user reviews have landed at Mixed, with a significant number of players unhappy about optional microtransactions bolted onto what is a premium-priced title. Ubisoft has defended the base game as “the full, complete experience” with the paid add-ons sitting outside the core campaign — but the pushback is real, and Singapore players who have already bought into the game report that the optional DLC does not affect the story.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — Edward diving through a coral reef wreck
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Still Worth It for Singapore Players?

The critical consensus and commercial result suggest yes — and the Ubisoft Singapore angle makes it meaningful locally. Few games this generation carry a “Made in Singapore” stamp as prominently as this one, and the studio’s work has clearly resonated globally. If you have been on the fence, AC Black Flag Resynced is available now on Steam and at local game retailers and electronics chains.

For more game news, check out the latest on our game news page.

Game News

Persona 4 Revival: Yosuke Trailer Out, Character Changes Confirmed

Leave a comment

Atlus released a new Persona 4 Revival character trailer this week spotlighting Yosuke Hanamura — and alongside it, Persona Team General Producer Kazuhisa Wada confirmed that some of the character’s original dialogue is being updated for the 2027 remake.

Watch the Yosuke Hanamura Character Trailer

Persona 4 Revival – Yosuke Hanamura VA: Paul Castro Jr. — via SEGA Asia(EN) on YouTube

Who Is Yosuke Hanamura?

Yosuke is the protagonist’s first real friend in Inaba — a Junes employee’s son who rides his bike to school and has a habit of crashing into things. His Persona is Jiraiya, the legendary ninja toad, and he fills the wind-element support role in the Investigation Team.

The new trailer covers his story beats in full: the iconic garbage-can crash on the first day of school, hanging out at Junes, singing karaoke with the group, and his awakening to Jiraiya in the TV World. In the English dub, Yosuke is voiced by Paul Castro Jr. — this trailer is the most extended look yet at his performance across both dialogue and battle lines.

Chie and Yosuke discuss the Midnight Channel in Persona 4 Revival
Image courtesy of ATLUS

What Atlus Is Changing About Yosuke — and Why

Atlus is not leaving Yosuke entirely as he appeared in 2008. Speaking at Anime Expo 2026, General Producer Kazuhisa Wada addressed the issue directly: “He’s a little bit insensitive in terms of how he treats outsiders sometimes. So we wanted to lighten that up and make it a little bit more fitting for the world we live in now,” as relayed by My Nintendo News. He added that the adjustments are “mostly with Yosuke, really,” and that the core story stays intact.

One concrete example: a suggestive line about the protagonist’s manual dexterity was replaced with the more neutral “Actually, you do strike me as someone who’d be good at that.” The original 2008 release featured dialogue around Kanji and some of the female cast that leaned into a teenage-bro archetype that Atlus has now softened.

The reaction has been divided. Some fans welcome the changes, arguing certain lines would feel out of place in a 2027 release; others are concerned that smoothing Yosuke’s edges risks altering a dynamic that made the original memorable. Wada’s framing of “fitting for the world we live in now” suggests a deliberate middle path rather than a wholesale character rewrite.

A massive boss creature inside the TV World dungeon in Persona 4 Revival
Image courtesy of ATLUS

Persona 4 Revival Release Date and Singapore Availability

Persona 4 Revival launches on 18 February 2027 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. It will be available through Xbox Game Pass on day one — meaning Xbox subscribers in Singapore get it at no extra cost at launch. No Nintendo Switch 2 version has been confirmed. Final SGD pricing has not been officially announced and is to be confirmed closer to launch; expect it at major game retailers and digital storefronts.

This Yosuke trailer follows earlier character spotlights for protagonist Yu Narukami and Rise Kujikawa, so the remaining Investigation Team members are likely to get their own trailers over the coming months. If you missed it, Atlus also confirmed that MAPPA is handling the anime-style cinematic cutscenes for the remake. For more on upcoming JRPGs and game releases, check our Game News section.

Dynamic combat in Persona 4 Revival -- the protagonist strikes a Shadow enemy
Image courtesy of ATLUS

Game News

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

Leave a comment

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

Leave a comment

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

Leave a comment

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

Leave a comment

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.