Tag Archives: Xbox Series X

GTA V PS5 Upgrade Is Now Free — and The Kortz Center Heist Drops in July

If you own Grand Theft Auto V on PS4 or Xbox One, today is the day you’ve been waiting for. Rockstar has officially made the upgrade to the PS5 and Xbox Series version of GTA V free, effective June 18 — and to sweeten the deal, the studio has revealed its next major GTA Online update: The Kortz Center Heist, arriving in July.

The GTA V Next-Gen Upgrade Is Finally Free

Starting today, any player who owns a digital copy of Grand Theft Auto V on PlayStation 4 can upgrade to the PS5 version at no cost. The same goes for anyone on the digital Xbox One version — the Xbox Series X|S upgrade is yours for free. And if you’re on the PC Legacy version, you can move to the Enhanced edition without paying a cent either.

The next-gen versions aren’t just a resolution bump. They include Hao’s Special Works (HSW) vehicle upgrades and performance tuning, Career Progress rewards, ray-tracing options on PC, and full migration of your Story Mode and GTA Online progress from your old platform. Your characters, your money, your garage — all carry over.

GTA V next-gen edition — free upgrade available from June 18 2026
Image courtesy of Rockstar Games

The Kortz Center Heist: GTA Online’s Next Big Score

Alongside the upgrade news, Rockstar dropped the reveal of GTA Online’s next major update. As the studio announced on the Rockstar Newswire: “Prepare to raid the halls of Los Santos’ most prestigious art gallery in The Kortz Center Heist.”

The target is the Kortz Center — a landmark perched on the hills of Pacific Bluffs, famous across Los Santos for its internationally renowned collection of fine art. This is a multi-stage operation: before you can pull off the heist itself, you’ll need to add the Art Studio extension to your Mansion property, then scope out the complex, gather intelligence, and select your approach.

Crucially, The Kortz Center Heist is designed for solo players and full crews alike — so whether you’re running it with three friends or going in alone, the option is there.

The Kortz Center in GTA Online — the target of the new heist
Image courtesy of Rockstar Games

The Fine Art Collector Programme

In the weeks running up to the update’s arrival, Rockstar is hosting a series of GTA Online events that offer bonus GTA$ rewards, major discounts on in-game properties and vehicles, and access to the new Fine Art Collector Programme — a way to earn rare and exclusive collectibles before the Kortz Center’s doors are even cracked open. It’s worth logging in now to bank those prep bonuses ahead of the July launch.

The update is expected to drop on July 14, 2026, as part of Title Update 1.73. It may also be one of the last major storyline-focused updates for GTA Online before the long-awaited GTA VI arrives.

Last Words

For Singapore GTA fans, the timing couldn’t be better. The free upgrade removes the last reason to stay on PS4 — if you haven’t made the jump to PS5 yet, now’s the time, and you bring your entire GTA Online account with you. And for those already on current-gen, The Kortz Center Heist gives the game a fresh reason to stay installed. Check out more game news on GameTrader.SG as the July update approaches.

AC Black Flag Resynced: Made in Singapore, Out July 9

Set sail one more time — and this time, the crew behind the wheel is right here in Singapore. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the first full remake Ubisoft has ever produced, is arriving on July 9, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. And it was built, from the keel up, by Ubisoft Singapore.

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

A Singapore Studio Takes on Ubisoft’s First-Ever Remake

Ubisoft Singapore wasn’t just a support studio this time. The team here led development of Black Flag Resynced as the primary developer — the first time a Singapore-based studio has helmed a major AAA remake for a global publisher. The original 2013 Black Flag was itself co-developed in Singapore, which makes this a full-circle moment: the studio that helped define those iconic naval battles a decade ago is now rebuilding them from scratch.

The entire game has been reconstructed on the latest evolution of Ubisoft’s Anvil engine, with ray-traced global illumination, realistic water simulation, and support for DLSS 4.5 upscaling. Consoles get a 60 FPS performance mode, and the Caribbean has never looked wetter — dynamic weather now affects visibility and combat, with storms rolling in mid-fight and swells that actually move the Jackdaw.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — official key art
Image courtesy of Ubisoft

Gameplay: Rebuilt Stealth, Parries, and Piracy

The gameplay changes go well beyond a fresh coat of paint. Stealth has been reworked so Edward can crouch anywhere and dive underwater anywhere — no more frustrating spots where the game locks you out of cover. A new observe mode replaces the old tailing missions, which previously caused an immediate mission failure if spotted. Now guards can clock you and you still have a window to recover, which makes the mission design feel far less punishing.

Combat leans into precise swordplay: parrying is now the core of every duel, combo chains are shorter and snappier, and the Hidden Blade has been pulled from standard combat to be used only in stealth takedowns and contextual kills. Naval combat gets new secondary weapons including shrapnel barrels, and the expanded parkour system makes getting around Havana and Nassau feel noticeably smoother.

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

New Story Content — Blackbeard, Stede Bonnet, and 10 New Shanties

Returning Edward Kenway voice actor Matt Ryan reprises the role for the remake, including new additional missions and scenes written specifically for Resynced. The expanded story gives dedicated screen time to fan-favourite historical figures: Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet each get new origin missions, and three new named officers join the Jackdaw crew, each with their own unique storylines.

The soundtrack grows too — 10 new sea shanties have been added to the roster, and the Jackdaw gets new customisation options including cosmetic skins, pets, and additional ship upgrades. The modern-day interlude sections from the 2013 original have been replaced entirely by optional narrative-driven “What If?” scenarios, keeping the focus firmly on Edward’s Caribbean adventure.

Editions, Pricing, and Pre-Order Bonus

Pre-orders are open now across PlayStation Store, Xbox, Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Ubisoft Store:

  • Standard Edition — US$59.99
  • Deluxe Edition — US$69.99 (includes character and naval cosmetic packs)
  • Collector’s Edition — US$199.99 (31 cm Edward figurine, leather logbook, metal brooch, steelbook, artbook, map poster)

Anyone who pre-orders any edition receives Blackbeard’s Crimson Pack: an exclusive costume for Edward, plus matching swords and pistols. SGD pricing via local retailers is to be confirmed — check the PlayStation SG store or your preferred retailer closer to launch.

Last Words

Singapore gamers, we genuinely have something to be proud of here. A local studio — Ubisoft Singapore — just delivered Ubisoft’s first-ever remake of a major franchise entry, and from the Summer Game Fest footage, it looks every bit the send-off Edward Kenway deserves. With a July 9 launch less than a month away, now is a great time to put in that pre-order. Check out more game news on GameTrader.SG for the latest on what’s dropping this season.

Final Fantasy Resonance: First HD-2D Final Fantasy Hits Oct 22

Square Enix has pulled off a genuine surprise: Final Fantasy Resonance is the very first Final Fantasy game built in the gorgeous HD-2D art style — and it’s landing on basically every platform that matters on 22 October 2026. Revealed during the 9 June Nintendo Direct (right alongside a fresh Kingdom Hearts IV trailer), it’s a turn-based, crystal-and-chocobo love letter to the series’ roots, and it’s coming to Switch 2, Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE – Announce Trailer — via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

The first Final Fantasy in HD-2D

If you’ve played Octopath Traveler, Triangle Strategy or the Dragon Quest III remake, you already know the look: lovingly detailed pixel sprites layered over 3D environments, dramatic depth-of-field and sweeping camera angles. Square Enix has used HD-2D to revive plenty of classics, but Final Fantasy Resonance marks the first time the main brand itself wears the style. The result, on the evidence of the reveal trailer, is exactly the nostalgia hit long-time fans have been begging for — pixel chocobos, towering espers and airships rendered with serious cinematic flair.

Final Fantasy Resonance HD-2D key art

Image courtesy of Square Enix

A Brave Exvius story, rebuilt for consoles

Here’s the twist long-time fans will want to know: Final Fantasy Resonance is based on the first story arc of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, the 2016 mobile gacha RPG. Square Enix is keen to stress this is far more than a port — the publisher says the season-one storyline has been “extensively rebuilt” as a full-fledged, console-quality RPG, with voiced characters, new cutscenes and a freshly recorded soundtrack.

The adventure returns to the world of Lapis, following the Grandshelt knight Rain, his adoptive brother Lasswell and the mysterious maiden Fina as they race to stop Veritas of the Dark from corrupting the world’s crystals. It’s a self-contained slice of the Brave Exvius saga, so newcomers don’t need to have touched the mobile game to jump in.

Final Fantasy Resonance turn-based battle screenshot

Image courtesy of Square Enix

Turn-based combat and the Visions system

Combat is unapologetically classic turn-based, with a modern twist. You’ll exploit enemy weaknesses to stagger foes and chain into cinematic “Resonance” attacks — a tactical layer that rewards reading each encounter rather than mashing through it.

The real fan-service hook is the Visions system, which lets you recruit “echoes” of beloved Final Fantasy heroes as party members. The reveal confirmed cameos from across the series, including Cloud, Tidus, the Warrior of Light, Terra and Clive, with each Vision bringing its own skills for party customisation. There’s plenty to chew on beyond the main story, too: the trailer and store listings tease run-ins with the wandering swordsman Gilgamesh, a Colosseum, a Chamber of Arms and showdowns with the Ultima Weapon.

On the audio side, the score comes from Elements Garden — the team led by Noriyasu Agematsu — with 33 newly recorded tracks joining music carried over from Brave Exvius.

Final Fantasy Resonance HD-2D world exploration screenshot

Image courtesy of Square Enix

Release date, platforms and editions

Final Fantasy Resonance launches on 22 October 2026 across Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (via Steam and the Microsoft Store). The line-up:

  • Standard Edition — US$49.99
  • Digital Deluxe Edition — US$59.99 (adds digital bonuses)
  • Collector’s Edition — US$209.99, bundling the base game, the Digital Deluxe bonuses and four physical collectibles: an acrylic block set of pixel-art characters, summons and bosses; a 120-page hardcover art book; a 120-track soundtrack CD; and an exclusive Final Fantasy Trading Card Game promo card.

Square Enix hasn’t published Singapore dollar pricing yet, but the US$49.99 base price works out to roughly S$65 at current rates — keep an eye on local retailers and the eShop/PlayStation Store closer to launch for confirmed SGD figures.

What this means for Singapore gamers

This one is squarely aimed at the JRPG faithful — and Singapore has plenty. A brand-new, story-complete Final Fantasy at a friendly US$49.99 (well below the S$90-plus you’ll pay for a typical AAA release) makes Final Fantasy Resonance an easy recommendation, especially for Switch 2 owners hunting for a meaty turn-based RPG to sink the year-end holidays into. The cross-platform launch means you can grab it wherever you already game, and the HD-2D presentation should look fantastic in handheld mode.

Collectors will be eyeing that US$209.99 Collector’s Edition, though import shipping and the weak conversion will sting — we’d watch for a local distributor before committing. As always, GameTrader will keep tracking SGD pricing, pre-order bonuses and trade-in values as 22 October draws closer. In the meantime, check out our coverage of the latest gaming news and reviews.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation: Every New Detail So Far

The wait for the finale is almost over. Final Fantasy VII Revelation — the third and final chapter of Square Enix’s Remake trilogy — is locked in for a worldwide launch in Spring 2027, and director Naoki Hamaguchi has been peeling back the curtain on what to expect. Between the Summer Game Fest reveal and a deep-dive interview with Japanese outlet Denfaminicogamer, we now have a much clearer picture of how Cloud and company close out 30 years of FF7 storytelling. Here’s everything new we’ve learned.

FINAL FANTASY VII REVELATION — Reveal Trailer, via FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

What is Final Fantasy VII Revelation?

Revelation is the conclusion to the trilogy that began with 2020’s Final Fantasy VII Remake and continued with 2024’s Rebirth. Hamaguchi explained that the “Revelation” title is meant to signal that “things previously concealed are being revealed” — a direct nod to the questions and theories the first two games left dangling. After Remake and Rebirth teased an altered timeline, this is the entry that’s supposed to pay it all off.

Encouragingly for anyone burned by long FF7 waits, Hamaguchi says the game is already fully playable from start to finish and now sits in its final balancing phase. He claims to have personally played through the whole thing around 40 times — a good sign the Spring 2027 window is solid rather than aspirational.

A colossal Weapon rises from the sea beside an industrial platform in Final Fantasy VII Revelation
Image courtesy of Square Enix

The Highwind and a world without boundaries

The headline feature is freedom. The iconic airship Highwind is obtainable early in the game, and instead of touching down at fixed landing spots, players drop in anywhere via parachute, seamlessly transitioning from sky to ground. You can fast-travel back up to the Highwind or return to on-foot exploration at will, and the ship’s interior even updates dynamically as the story progresses.

Every region from Rebirth returns, but the landscape has been reshaped — the awakening Weapons have caused geological upheaval, so familiar areas now look and play differently. Hamaguchi describes the design as an “ultra side-quest” structure: you can reach a lot of the map early, but the wildly varying difficulty of each area nudges you toward your own non-linear path rather than a single critical line.

Meet Pico, your one and only Chocobo

Rather than the stable of region-specific Chocobos from Rebirth, Revelation gives you a single companion bird named Pico that grows alongside you across the adventure. As Pico develops, it unlocks flight and gliding, opening up vertical exploration and letting you finally reach locations that were inaccessible earlier in the game. It’s a clever way to gate the open world without walling it off entirely.

Party members face off against a towering plant-like creature in Final Fantasy VII Revelation
Image courtesy of Square Enix

New playable characters and the “Ware” system

Two long-requested party members are confirmed playable:

  • Vincent Valentine finally enters the rotation, complete with a “Beast Mode” transformation you can toggle with a single button press mid-battle.
  • Cid Highwind joins as an attacker who specialises in aerial combat — fitting for the trilogy’s most airship-obsessed character.

Underpinning the combat is a new “Ware” system, which lets you customise each character’s role by swapping equipment, reshaping how they play. Notably, all Ware types unlock at once, so you’re encouraged to experiment and diversify your party builds from the off rather than grinding to slowly open options.

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation — Gameplay Overview Trailer, via IGN on YouTube

Story: choices that actually matter

Hamaguchi is leaning hard into the “weight of choice.” Player decisions reportedly determine which storylines unlock and which events play out — and they can even shift how you perceive individual characters. The main story still follows a set sequence, but the side content around it stays flexible.

A few story threads got specific attention: the previously underdeveloped Wutai storyline is being expanded, character relationships now reach beyond the usual Cloud-centric pairings, and Zack is said to play an important role in illustrating just how different this world has become from the 1997 original. As for the cast, Critical Role’s Matthew Mercer returns as the English voice of Vincent, with Travis Willingham confirmed as Sephiroth for the finale.

Sweeping vista of the reshaped world in Final Fantasy VII Revelation
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Platforms and release

Revelation launches simultaneously worldwide in Spring 2027 across PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store and Xbox on PC). It’s the first mainline entry in the Remake trilogy to skip a PS5 timed exclusivity window and arrive everywhere at once — including, for the first time, on a Nintendo platform via the Switch 2, with the Switch 2 version receiving further optimisation closer to launch.

What this means for Singapore gamers

The day-one multiplatform launch is the big win here. No more watching the rest of the trilogy land on PS5 first — Singapore players on Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S or PC get to start the finale on the same day as everyone else in Spring 2027. SGD pricing and pre-order editions haven’t been announced yet, but expect details to firm up through late 2026.

If you’re planning to dive into the finale, now’s the time to make sure your back catalogue is sorted — whether that’s picking up Remake and Rebirth or trading in titles you’re done with to fund the upgrade. Drop by GameTrader to buy, sell or trade your games and consoles, and keep an eye on our news page as more Revelation details (and that all-important price) drop ahead of launch.